Neither do we read that the saints did simply attribute the benefit of justification or satisfaction unto their afflictions. I confess that Daniel the prophet gave counsel to the most mighty king Nabuchodonosor, and said: “Let thy sins be redeemed in righteousness, and thine iniquities in shewing pity to the poor!’:” but in these words the king was taught how to lead the rest of his life that was yet behind, and how to rule the state of his kingdom. The king had till then oppressed many nations, and sinned in merciless cruelty: whereupon he persuadeth him to change his old kind of life, to embrace justice, and deal well with all men. Therefore he speaketh πού of the satisfaction of his sins before God, but before men. For there is salvation in none other than in Christ alone. But if any man do stubbornly stick upon the letter, we say, that the righteousness of Christians is faith, by which their sins are properly cleansed: and that faith is not without good works and charity? to which justification is unproperly ascribed. Of which matter I spake in the treatise that I made of good works? iv. Therefore, when St Peter doth cite that place in Salomon, Charity covereth the multitude of sins;” the word covereth is not there used for purging; for by the only blood of Christ all sins are purged and wiped away: but it is taken for turning away. For as self-love in a manner is the root of all sins, so charity is thought to be the driver away of all mischiefs; for “love doth none ill to his neighbour4,” ὺσ Now whereas they object that sentence of the gospel, she where the Lord saith, Many sins be forgiven her, because
[1 justitia redimantur, Lat. Dan. iv. 27.] [2 beneficentia vel caritate, Lat. ] [3 566 Vol. τ΄. p. 527.]
[[ Rom. xiii. 10. Bullinger has here borrowed from his Com-]
[mentary on St Peter, loc. cit. ] [5 Luke vii. 47. peccata ejus, Lat.]]
she loved much:” they do miss herein, because they understand not that the word ὅτι, which is commonly Englished, because, or, for that, is here a note of inferring somewhat, and that no other sense is gathered than this: Many sins be forgiven her, therefore she loved much; or, whereby it cometh, that she loveth much.” Neither do we here wrest the words of the gospel to maintain a wrong opinion; for in the history there goeth before, first, When they were not able to pay, he forgave them both.” If he forgave them, and if they were not able to pay, he did not then forgive them for their love; for if they had been able to pay, he would not have forgiven them. Secondarily, there goeth before, Whether of these will love him more?” Simon saith, “He to whom he forgave the more.” Therefore the Lord’s answer could in effect be nothing else but this: “1 have forgiven her” very much, therefore hath she loved much.” So then, I say, love is of forgiveness, and not forgiveness of love. And then it followeth immediately: And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace.” We do therefore conclude, that there is but one only satisfaction for the sins of all the world, to wit, Christ once? offered vp for us which are by faith made partakers of him.
But now, as we do not acknowledge or admit the satisfactions that are obtruded unto us in the doctrine of the priests and monks, so do we by all means detest the indulgences of the bishops of Rome. They called these indulgences a beneficial pardoning of crimes, or remission of the punishment, or of the guilt, or both; to wit, by the power of the keys bestowed by the Lord; and for the merit of the martyrs’ blood (for so they say) granted or given to them that are rightly contrite in heart, and do confess their sins. For these fathers of indulgences? are wont with their indulgences to remit again the rigour and severity of the satisfaction, which lieth in them to order at their discretion. Truly, as one said, “The fathers’ gentle indulgence doth make the children naught!!;” so have their indulgences utterly corrupted true repentance. But thou canst read in no place that
[[ὁ redditur, Lat.; rendered.] [7 huic mulieri, Lat.; this woman.] (8 once, not in Lat.] [9 indulgentes patres, Lat. ] [19 suo impositam arbitrio, Lat.] (1! Blanda patrum segnes facit indulgentia natos.—Joan. Baptist.]
[Mantuan. Parthen. Lib. 1. 164. Tom. 1. Par. 1531.]]
such power! was given to the popes as they did feign. We read that to the apostles the keys were given by the Lord: but those keys were nothing else but the ministry of preaching the gospel; as I in place convenient will shew unto you. Now the gospel promiseth to us remission both of the guilt and penalty for Christ his sake and faith in Christ, and doth admonish us that in the latter times there shall come men that shail say, We are Christs; that is, which shall attribute to themselves the things that do properly belong to Christ alone, such as is especially the forgiveness of sins. But it commandeth us to fly from them, and by all means to take heed of them, as of wicked seducers.