Now, forasmuch as the true and Christen absolution is nothing else but the preaching of free deliverance from sin, by y• death of Jesus Christ, it ought not to be contemned and despised, but rather to be received with great humility and reverence, even as a divine oracle, sent down from the father of lights. For no man can express,1 how greatly it comforteth infirm & weak consciences, which are troubled with y• fear of Gods judgements. When the Prophet Nathan came unto king David,2 and rebuked him for slaying Uriah the Hittite, & for taking his wife Bethsabe unto his wife, and told him how greatly God was angry with him, and what plagues should fall upon his house, yea, upon him self for his wickedness, it ⟨image 43⟩is not to be doubted, but that David was stricken with a won derfull great heaviness, and his heart pierced with an inward sorrow, insomuch that he was right ashamed of him self, of his fault, of his wickedness, & was compelled even of conscience to burst out into the knowledge of his sin, & to say, I have sinned against the Lord. As David was now full of sorrow, grief, trouble, disquietness in his heart, & had joy of nothing (unto such shame and confusion was he brought in his conscience) so likewise it is not to be doubted, but that he was wonderfully revived, marvellously restored unto the peace and quietness of his conscience, yea, and plenteously replenished with joy in his mind, when the Prophet said these ⟨image 43⟩words unto him: The Lord hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not dye.3 Mary magdalen was a famous sinner, & when she heard her unclean conversation rebuked by the word of God, she heartily repented, and was replenished with an inward sorrow, lamenting greatly, that she had offended so bounteous a Lord & merciful God, insomuch that a large fountain of tears followed out of her ten der eyes. All this time undoubtedly her sorrow was greater than it can be here expressed. But when she heard this comfortable absolution of our saviour Christe, Remittuntur tibi peccata. Thy since are forgiven thee. Again, thy faith hath made the safe Go thy way in peace, that is to say, with a quiet and merry conscience. O good God, ⟨image 44⟩who is able to express with how great joy and singular solace she was affected?
Nowe, forasmuche as the true and Christen absolution is nothing els but the preachinge of fre deliueraunce from synne, by y• death of Iesu Christ, it ought not to be contemned and despised, but rather to be receiued wt great humilitie and reuerence, euen as a diuine oracle, sente doune from the father of lightes. For no mā cā expresse,1 how greatly it conforteth infirme & weake consciences, whiche are troubled with y• feare of Gods iudgementes. Whan the Prophet Nathan came vnto kyng Dauid,2 and rebuked hym for sleyng Urias the Hethite, & for takīg his wyfe Bethsabe vnto hys wyfe, and tolde hym howe greatly God was angrye with hym, and what plages shoulde fall vpon hys house, yea, vpon hym selfe for hys wickednes, it ⟨image 43⟩is not to be doubted, but that Dauid was stryken with a wō derfull great heuynes, and his hert pearsed with an inwarde sorowe, insomuche that he was righte ashamed of hym selfe, of his faulte, of his wickednes, & was cōpelled euen of consciēce to braste out into the knowlege of hys synne, & to saye, I haue synned agaynst the Lorde. As Dauid was now full of sorow, griefe, trouble, disquietnes in his hert, & had ioye of nothing (vnto suche shame and confusion was he broughte in hys conscience) so likewyse it is not to be doubted, but that he was wonderfully reuiued, maruelouslye restored vnto the peace and quietnes of his conscience, yea, and plenteously replenisshed with ioye in hys mynde, whan the Prophet sayde these ⟨image 43⟩wordes vnto hym: The Lorde hath put away thy synne, thou shalt not dye.3 Mary magdalen was a famous synner, & whan she herde her vnclene conuersacion rebuked by the woorde of God, she hertely repented, and was replenished wt an inwarde sorow, lamenting greatly, that she had offended so bounteous a Lorde & mercifull God, insomuche that a large fountayne of teares folowed out of her tē der eyes. All this tyme vndoubtedly her sorow was greater thā it can be here expressed. But whan she herde this confortable absolucion of our sauioure Christe, Remittūtur tibi peccata. Thy synnes are forgeuen the. Again, thy faith hath made the safe Go thy way in peace, that is to saye, wyth a quiete and mery conscience. O good God, ⟨image 44⟩
- 1Jaco. i.Iaco. i.
- 2ii. Reg. xi••
- 3Luc. vii.
