Are not these words evident enough?1 God the father perceiving right well, that there should arise false anointed & false preachers, which without all shame would arrogantly arrogate, and proudly challenge to them selves that power of forgiving sin, which alone pertaineth to him, plainly here affirmeth, that he alone putteth away our sins. And because he would have us the more seriously and earnestly to believe it, he repeateth this word, I twice, saying, I am he, yea, I am he in deed, which putteth away thy since, yea, and that for mine own sake. And least any man should think, that ⟨image 10⟩one may more forgive another his since (I speak of those since, which are between God and our conscience, and not of the brotherly reconciliation) he affirmeth that our first father Adam, and all Prophets and preachers have sinned, so that of them no remission of since is to be looked for.2 Can flesh purify the soul?3 that which is borne of flesh,4 is flesh sayeth Christ. All have sinned, sayeth saint Paul, and want y• glory of God. Again, God hath wrapped all nations, saith he in unbelief, that he might have mercy on all.5 If all be sinners, flesh, and the children of wrath,6 if all be hypocrites, unprofitable servants, earth, dust and ashes, if all be the enemies of God & unfaithful, how dare we be so bold, as to take upon us one ⟨image 10⟩to forgive another their since? Is a traitor a mete man to purchase a pardon of a Price for another traitor? Can one traitor forgive another his treason? Can one sinner forgive another his sin?7 Of the unclean what can be made clean? as Job saith: Who can make him clean, that is conceived of unclean seed? Is it not thou alone o Lord? It is the Lord alone in deed,8 as David sayeth, thou o Lord, shalt sprinkle me with Hyssop, & I shall be made clean, yea, I shall be made whither than snow. And as our saviour Christ said unto Peter,9 If I wash thee not, thou haste no part with me. If God washeth us not from our filthiness, we have no part in the heritage of Christ. Again the aforesaid Prophet saith,10 the Lord is our ⟨image 11⟩judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King, and he it is that shall save us. Howe oft is the Lord here repeated, to show y• it is he alone, which worketh all good things in us, which forgiveth our since, and saveth us, yea, and none but he alone.
Are not these woordes euident ynough?1 God the father perceyuynge righte wel, that there shoulde aryse fals annoynted & fals preachers, whiche without all shame woulde arrogantlye arrogate, and proudely chalēge to them selfes that power of forgeuinge synne, whych alone pertayneth to him, plainly here affirmeth, that he alone putteth away oure sinnes. And because he would haue vs the more seriously and earnestly to beleue it, he repetethe thys worde, I twyse, sayinge, I am he, yea, I am he in dede, whiche putteth awaye thy synnes, yea, and that for myne awne sake. And leaste any man shoulde thynke, that ⟨image 10⟩one may more forgeue another hys synnes (I speake of those synnes, which are betwene God and our conscience, and not of the brotherly reconciliation) he affirmeth that our firste father Adam, and all Prophetes and preachers haue synned, so that of them no remission of synnes is to be loked for.2 Can fleshe purifye the soule?3 that whiche is borne of fleshe,4 is fleshe sayeth Christ. All haue synned, sayeth saint Paule, and wante y• glory of God. Again, God hath wrapped all nacions, sayth he in vnbelefe, that he might haue mercy on all.5 If al be sinners, flesh, and the chyldren of wrath,6 if al be hipocrites, vnprofitable seruauntes, earth, dust and ashes, if all be the enemies of God & vnfaythfull, howe dare we be so bolde, as to take vpō vs one ⟨image 10⟩to forgeue another their synnes? Is a traytoure a mete mā to purchase a pardon of a Price for another traytoure? Can one traytoure forgeue another hys treason? Cā one sinner forgeue another his sinne?7 Of the vnclene what cā be made clene? as Iob saith: Who can make him clene, that is conceyued of vnclene sede? Is it not thou alone o Lorde? It is the Lorde alone in dede,8
- 1Math. xxiiii▪
- 2Joan. iii.Ioan. iii.
- 3Roma. iii..
- 4Roma. xi▪
- 5Ephe. ii.
- 6Luce. xvii.
- 7Job xiiii▪Iob xiiii▪
- 8Psal. x. ii.
- 9Joan. xiii.Ioan. xiii.
- 10Ese. xxxiii
