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IV.

SERM. prison of the soul; which if any conceive not by that which hath been said, I must say with the Prophet to Jer. 30. 24. them, that sure there is such a thing, and that in novissimo intelligetis hæc plane, "at their latter end (I wish before, but sure then) they shall very plainly understand that such a thing there is."

Good tid

there is

But now they that have either felt or believed that such an ings that imprisonment there is, will be glad to hear that there is a remission. power whereby they may be enlarged; and this very tidings in general, that there is a Remittuntur, that men may have deliverance from these fetters, this prison, this straitness or anguish of the soul, must needs be very acceptable and welcome tidings to them. For which very point, even that there is a Remittuntur, what thanks are we eternally bound to render Heb. 2. 16. unto God! For I tell you, nusquam Angelos apprehendit, "the Jude ver.6. Angels never found the like." For "the Angels, which kept

not their first estate, hath He reserved in everlasting chains of darkness to the judgment of the great day." Their chains everlasting, their imprisonment perpetual; no commission to be sued for them, no Remittuntur eis. But with man it is not so. To him deliverance, to him loosing of the chains, to him opening of the prison is promised. For his sins a commission is granted out, his sins have a Remittuntur. This is a high and special privilege of our nature, to be had by us in an everlasting thankful remembrance. So that no man needeth Jer. 18. 12. now abruptly to say with those in Jeremiah, Desperavimus, we are desperate now," we never shall be forgiven, let us now Ezra 10. 2. do what we list. No, but as it is said in Ezra, "Though we have grievously sinned, yet there is hope for all that;" Ezek. 18. and, as in Ezekiel, that we may so use the matter that peccata nostra non erunt nobis in scandalum, "our sins shall not be our destruction." Which very point is both an especial stay of our hope, and a principal means of manifesting unto us the great goodness of God.

30.

Remission

retention.

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Which goodness of God, as it doth shew forth itself in this first before first, that such a power there is, so doth it secondly and no less in the order, that-where both acts are mentioned, as well retaining as remitting--He placeth the power of remitting first. Which very sorting of them in that order doth plainly shew unto us whereunto God of His goodness is most in

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clinable, and which of them it is that is the principal in His intent. That to "remit" is more proper to Him, and that He is more ready to it, and that it is first; first in His purpose, first in His grant; and that to the other IIe cometh but Isa. 28. 21. secondarily, but by occasion, when the former cannot take place. For of remitting sin He taketh the ground from Himself and not from any other, and therefore that more naturally; but of retaining it, the cause is ministered from us, even from our hardness, and heart that cannot repent. And as Himself doth use this power, so giveth He it to them, "to edification and not to destruction." I say, not first or princi- 2 Cor. 10.8. pally "to destruction," nor of any, save only of the wilful impenitent sinner. Thus much of the remitting and retaining in general, and of their place and order. Now of the power itself in particular.

sion in

The power of it two

Of this power there is here in my text twice mention; of remis1. one in Remiseritis, and 2. again in Remittuntur. Which two particular. words do plainly lead us to two acts, of which two acts by good consequence are inferred two powers. Which two fold. powers, though they be concurrent to one end, yet are they distinct in themselves. Distinct in person, for Remiseritis is 1. Rethe second person, and meant of the Apostles, and Remittuntur 2 Remitis the third person, and meant of God Himself. And as distinct in person, so distinct in place: for the one is exercised in earth, which is the Apostles'; the other in heaven, which is God's. Quicquid solveritis in terrá, solutum erit in Mat. 16. 19. cœlo.

Now where two powers are, and one of them in God, the other must needs be subordinate and derived from it. For duo principia, two beginnings' there are not. Therefore none other from whence it can proceed, but from God and from the power in Him alone.

miseritis.

tuntur.

1.

Remit

power,

order.

Of these two then. Remittuntur, though latter in place, yet indeed is by nature and order first, and from it doth pro- tuntur, ceed the other of Remiseritis; which, howsoever in the sen- God's tence it stand before it, yet without all question it is derived first in from it and after it. So that thus the case stands between them: Remittuntur, which is God's power, is the primitive or original; Remiseritis, which is the Apostles' power, is merely derived. That in God sovereign, this in the Apostles de

IV.

SERM. pendent. In IIim only absolute, in them delegate. In Isa. 43. J. Him imperial, in them ministerial.

The power of remitting sin is originally in God, and in God alone. And in Christ our Saviour, by means of the union of the Godhead and manhood into one person; by Mark 2.10. virtue whereof "the Son of man hath power to forgive sins upon earth.”

This power being thus solely invested in God He might without wrong to any have retained and kept to Himself, and without means of word or Sacrament, and without Ministers, either Apostles or others, have exercised immediately by Himself from heaven.

But we should then have said of the remission of sins, Rom.10.6. saith St. Paul: "Who shall go up to heaven for it, and fetch For which cause, saith he, "the righteous

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it thence?"

[Rom. 10. ness of faith speaketh thus, Say not so in thy heart. The word shall be near thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, and this is the word of faith which we preach."

Partly this, that there should be no such difficulty to shake our faith, as once to imagine to fetch Christ from heaven for the remission of our sins.

Partly also, because Christ, to Whom alone this commission was originally granted, having ordained Himself a body, would work by bodily things; and having taken the nature of man upon Him, would honour the nature He had so taken. For these causes, that which was His and His alone He vouchsafed to impart; and out of His commission to grant a commission, and thereby to associate them to Him[Zech. 13. self-it is His own word by the Prophet-and to make them fi Cor. 3. σuvépyous, that is, co-operatores, "workers together with Him," 9; 2 Cor. as the Apostle speaketh, to the work of salvation both of 6. 1.]

7.1

Remiseritis. God's

themselves and of others.

From God then it is derived; from God, and to men. To men, and not to Angels. And this I take to be a second prerogative of our nature. That an Angel must give order to Cornelius to send to Joppa for one Simon, to speak words to him by which he and his household should be saved, but the Angel must not be the doer of it. That not to Angels, but to men, is committed this office or embassage To sinful of reconciliation. And that which is yet more, to sinful

power derived to men, and not to Angels. [Acts 10. 5, 6. 32]

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men, for so is the truth, and so themselves confess it. St. [Lu. 5. 8.j Peter: "Go from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." St. James: [Jas. 3.2.] "In many things we offend all;" putting himself in the number. And, lest we should think it to be but their modesty, St. John speaketh plainly: "If we say we have no sin"—what [1 Joh. 1. then? not, we are proud, and there is no humility in us, but, "we are liars, and there is no truth in us." And this is that which is wonderful in this point, that St. Paul who confesseth himself "a sinner" and "a chief sinner," quorum 1Tim.1.15. primus ego; the same concerning another sinner, the incestuous Corinthian, "I forgive it him," saith he, èν πроσŃπ TOû XpiσTOû, "in the person of Christ."

Χριστοῦ,

2 Cor.2. 10.

Now if we ask to what men? the text is plain. They to To the whom Christ said this Remiseritis, were the Apostles.

In the Apostles, that we may come nearer yet, we find three capacities, as we may term them: 1. as Christians in general; 2. as Preachers, Priests, or Ministers, more special; 3. as those twelve persons, whom in strict propriety of speech we term the Apostles.

Some things that Christ spake to them, He spake to them as representing the whole company of Christians, as His Vigilate.

Apostles.

Mark 13.

37.

Some things to them, not as Christians, but as preachers or Priests; as His Ite prædicate Evangelium, and His Hoc facite, Mat. 28.19. which no man thinketh all Christians may do.

Lu. 22. 19.

And some things to themselves personally; as that He had appointed them "witnesses" of His miracles and resurrection, Acts 1. & which cannot be applied but to them, and them in person.

It remaineth we enquire, in which of these three capacities
Christ imparteth to them this commission.

Not as to Apostles properly. That is, this was no personal privilege to be in them and to die with them, that they should only execute it for a time, and none ever after them. God forbid we should so think it. For this power being more than needful for the world, as in the beginning it was said, it was not to be either personal or for a time. Then those persons dying, and those times determining, they in the ages following, as we now in this, that should light into this prison or captivity of sin, how could they or we receive any benefit by it? Of nature it is said by the heathen philosopher, that it

IV.

SERM. doth neither abundare in superfluis, nor deficere in necessariis. God forbid but we should ascribe as much to God at the least, that neither He would ordain a power superfluous or more than needed, or else it being needful would appropriate it unto one age, and leave all other destitute of it; and not rather as all writers both new and old take it, continue it successively to the world's end.

And as not proper to the Apostles' persons, so neither common to all Christians in general, nor in the persons of all Christians conveyed to them. Which thing, the Which thing, the very circumJoh. 20.21, stances of the text do cvict.

To them, as Minis

ters.

For IIe sent them first, and

after inspired them; and after both these, gave them this commission. Now all Christians are not so sent, nor are all Christians inspired with the grace or gift of the Spirit that they were here. Consequently, it was not intended to the whole society of Christians. Yea I add, that forasmuch as these two, both these two, must go before it, 1. Missio, and 2. Inspiratio, that though God inspire some laymen, if I may have leave so to term them, with very special graces of knowledge to this end, yet inasmuch as they have not the former of sending, it agreeth not to them, neither may they exercise it until they be sent, that is, until they have their calling thereunto.

It being then neither personal nor peculiar to them as Apostles, nor again common to all as Christians, it must needs be committed to them as Ministers, Priests, or Preachers, and consequently to those that in that office and function do succeed them, to whom and by whom this commission is still continued. Neither are they that are ordained or instituted to that calling, ordained or instituted by any other words or verse than this. Yet not so that absolutely without them God cannot bestow it on whom or when Him pleaseth, or that He is bound to this means only, and cannot work without it. For, Gratia Dei non alligatur mediis, the grace of God is not bound but free,' and can work without means either of word or Sacrament; and as without means, so without Ministers, how and when to Him seemeth good. But speaking of that which is proper and ordinary in the course by Him established, this is an Ecclesiastical act committed, as the residue of the ministry of reconciliation, to Ecclesiastical persons. And if

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