paradise," O with what a quiet conscience suffered he his pains, and with how glad
an heart yielded he up his spirit into the hands of the eternal Father! So comfort-
able a thing is it to a troubled conscience for to hear any thing that may quiet it.

I pass over divers other histories, both of the old and new testament, which do
abundantly declare what great comfort the faithful penitent sinners have alway had
in hearing the comfortable promises of God's mercy.

But it were expedient that all true ministers should pray, that their form or
manner of absolution be pure and agreeable to the vein of the holy scriptures, with-
out the intermixtion of any man's authority in remitting sin, either of Peter, Paul,
Francis, Dominick, Benet, or any other, or yet of themselves; again, that it be
declared to the penitent that God alone forgiveth the sin, and that the priests are
but the ministers of God, to whom he hath given the keys of the kingdom of hea-
ven, for to show to the true penitent loosening, that is to say, remission of their sins;
to the obstinate and hard-hearted sinners binding, that is, that they remain still in
the danger of damnation, and shall be damned, except they repent and believe.

It would also be provided, that when the faithful penitent is desirous to have his con-
science confirmed, stablished, and comforted with the word of God, it should not be mum-
bled in the Latin tongue, as the papists have hitherto used in their absolutions, but in the
mother tongue, that the idiot ¹ and unlearned may understand it, and be edified. Or else
what faith shall he conceive in his heart? How shall he repent? How shall he know the
goodness of God toward sinners? How shall he arm himself with faith against Satan, sin,
and desperation? How shall he prepare himself to give God thanks for his kindness, and
live worthy of his profession? God grant that all things may be done unto his glory, and
unto the profit of his holy congregation!

Here hast thou, most godly reader, my mind concerning the absolution and forgiveness of
sins; which, if it be examined by the scriptures of God, all man's doctrine set apart, I doubt
not but it will stand so strong that the gates of hell shall not once be able to prevail against
it. Farewell, most gentle reader, and pray that the Lord's word may have free passage,
that the name of the great God and our Saviour Jesu Christ may be glorified among all
nations, and that, all dissension laid aside, we may agree in one faith and one truth. Amen.

Give the glory to God alone.

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