A04468:1051
A defence of the Apology of the Church of England containing an answer to…A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to…
A defence of the Apology of the Church of England containing an answer to a certain book lately set forth by M. Harding, and entitled, A confutation of &c. By John Jewel Bishop of Salisbury.A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to a certaine booke lately set foorthe by M. Hardinge, and entituled, A confutation of &c. By Iohn Iewel Bishop of Sarisburie.
Imprinted at London : In Fleetestreate, at the sign of the Elephant, by Henry Wykes, Anno 1567. 27. OctobrisImprinted at London : In Fleetestreate, at the signe of the Elephante, by Henry VVykes, Anno 1567. 27. Octobris
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
For the words of Christ be so plain, as they cannot be so violently wrested. For Christ said not, To whom ye offer by preaching of the Gospel my Merits, and Pardon, or whose sins ye pronounce by the Gospel to be remitted, but quorumcunque remiseritis, who soevers sins ye remit, they are remitted to them. For as the son of man remitted sins to him that was sick of the Palsy,1 and to Mary Magdalen, that ye may know (saith he) that the son of man hath Power to remit sins,2 &c: Even so he hath transferred3 the same power unto Priests, saith Chrysostom. Which Priests he hath sent, as the Father sent him. And if Absolution consist in pronouncing of the Gospel, which profiteth so much as it is believed,* then the power of the Keys which Christ hath given to the Church, consisteth not so much in the Minister, as in the sinner that heareth and believeth, and so is forgiven by Luther's Opinion. And by this means the Priest hath no special power. But we say with the Church, that a Sacrament hath his efficacy of the institution of Christ in him, to whom it is adhibited. In this sense the Catholic Church of Christ hath ever taught, that God worketh our Salvation by Sacraments, and in this faith it hath always baptized infants, that their sins being remitted, they might be made the children of God5 Like wise by the Keys of the Church it hath assoiled persons bereft of the use of speech and reason, as the Learned and Ancient Holy Father Leo teacheth in his Epistle ad Theodorum Episcopum Foroiuliensem, and S. Augustine de adulterinis conlugijs, Lib. 1. Cap. 26. & ultimo.
For the woordes of Christe be so plaine, as they cannot be so violently wrested. For Christe saide not, To whom ye offer by preachinge of the Gospel my Merites, and Pardon, or whose sinnes ye pronounce by the Gospell to be remitted, but quorumcunque remiseritis, who soeuers sinnes ye remitte, they are remitted to them. For as the sonne of man remitted sinnes to him that was sicke of the Palsye,1