A17167:57
A confutation of the Popes bull which was published more then two years ago…A confutation of the Popes bull which was published more then two yeres agoe…
A confutation of the Popes bull which was published more then two years ago against Elizabeth the most gracious Queen of England, France, and Ireland, and against the noble realm of England together with a defence of the said true Christian Queen, and of the whole realm of England. By Henry Bullinger the Elder.A confutation of the Popes bull which was published more then two yeres agoe against Elizabeth the most gracious Queene of England, Fraunce, and Ireland, and against the noble realme of England together with a defence of the sayd true Christian Queene, and of the whole realme of England. By Henry Bullinger the Elder.
London: printed by John Day, 1572London: printed by Iohn Day, 1572
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
¶What is meant in the Gospel by loosing and binding: and how Christs Apostles did loose and bind.
¶What is ment in the Gospell by loosing and binding: and how Christes Apostles did loose and binde.
Now although our Lord said, I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and that by the way he made no mention in the process following, of opening and shutting, which are the properties of ⟨p. 13⟩keys: yet did he set down other terms in their stead, that is to wit, to loose and to bind, by which doubtless he meant to show the power of the keys, and after what manner the Apostles do either open or shut heaven with the keys. They open when they unbind or let loose (for both those things come to one point) and they shut when they bind. To let loose therefore is to open: and to shut is to bind. Otherwise to bind is a word of known signification. For the officer bindeth, which at the commandment of his lord casteth a man in prison, or by some other way hampereth him in bonds. And he looseth, which dischargeth a man from bonds or bringeth him out of prison. This thing is conveyed over from the body to the mind. For bonds in the Scripture betoken as well spiritual as bodily imprisonment. To loose therefore is to open the prison of sins by preaching forgiveness of sins, through Christ, who only releaseth sins and bringeth out of prison. Which thing shall be the rightlyer understood, if we view and consider more nearly this saying of the Prophet which the Lord Jesus him self expoundeth in the Synagogue of Nazareth in S. Luke,1 saying: The spirit of the Lord is upon me (meaning upon Christ) because he hath anointed me, and hath sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal them that be hart broken, to preach release to the prisoners, and recovery of sight to the blind, and to set the bruised at liberty. Hereunto add also that which the same Lord said in John:2 Like as the father hath sent me, so send I you: Whose sins soever you release, they are released unto them, and whose sins soever you retain, they be retained. The son of God then sent out his disciples after the same manner that he him self was sent out by the father. But the son of God (according as the Prophet hath avouched) was sent to bring glad tidings to the poor, & to preach deliverance to prisoners: Ergo, the Apostles also were sent forth to show glad tidings, and to preach deliverance to prisoners.