that whether they be just or unjust, the priests may, at their pleasures, whensoever they will, bind them. And the ignorant priests do also presume and take upon them to have power to bind and loose whensoever they will. For many foolish and ignorant priests do say, that they have power and authority to absolve every man confessing himself, of what sin or offence soever it be, not knowing that in many sins it is forbidden them, and that it may happen that a hypocrite do confess himself, or such a one as is not contrite for his sin; whereof proof hath oftentimes been found, and it is evident, forasmuch as the letter doth kill, but the Spirit doth quicken.
Fifth article. Binding and loosing chiefly and principally belong to Christ.The fifth article: 'The binding and loosing of God, is simply and plainly the article, chief and principal.' Answer: This is evident, forasmuch as it were blasphemous presumption to affirm, that a man may remit and forgive an evil fact or offence done against such a Lord, the Lord himself not approving or allowing the same. For by the universal power of the Lord, it is necessary that he do first absolve and forgive, before his vicar do the same; neither is there one article of our faith, which ought to be more common or known unto us, than that it should be impossible for any man of the militant church to absolve or bind, except in such case as it be conformable to the head of the church, Jesu Christ. Wherefore every faithful Christian ought to take heed of that saying: 'If the pope, or any other, pretend by any manner of sign to bind or loose, that he is thereby bound or loosed, for he that doth grant or confess that, must also, consequently, grant and confess that the pope is without sin, and so that he is a god; for otherwise he must needs err and do contrary unto the keys of Christ.' This saying proveth the fact of the pope, who always in his absolution presupposeth contrition and confession. Yea, moreover, if any letter of absolution be given unto any offender, which doth not declare the circumstances of the offence which ought to be declared, it is said that thereby the letter of absolution is of no force and effect. It is also hereby evident, that many priests do not absolve those who are confessed, because that either through shamefastness they do cloak or hide greater offences, or else that they have not due contrition or repentance: To true absolution four things are required.for unto true absolution there is first required Contrition. Secondly, A purpose and intent to sin no more. Thirdly, True confession. And fourthly, Steadfast hope of forgiveness. The first appeareth by Ezekiel. 'If the wicked do repent him,' &c. The second, in John v., 'Do thou not sin any more.' The third part, by this place of Luke: 'Show yourselves unto the priests.' And the fourth is confirmed by the saying of Christ: 'My son, believe, and thy sins are forgiven thee.' I also added many other probations in my treatise out of the holy fathers, Augustine, Jerome, and the Master of the Sentences.
Sixth article.The sixth article: 'The priests do gather and heap up out of the Scriptures those things which serve for the belly; but such as appertain to the true imitation and following of Christ, those they reject, and refuse as impertinent unto salvation.' Answer: This, St. Gregory doth sufficiently prove in his seventeenth Homily, alleging the saying of Christ, 'The harvest is great, the workmen are few;' speaking also that which we cannot say without grief or sorrow, Priests more given to their own lucre and belly, than to the service of Christ.that 'albeit there be a great number who willingly hear good things, yet there lack such as should declare the same unto them; for behold, the world is full of priests, but notwithstanding there is a scarcity of workmen in the harvest of the Lord. We take upon us willingly priesthood, but we do not fulfil and do the works and office of priesthood.' And immediately after he saith, 'We are fallen unto outward affairs and business, for we take upon us one office for honour's sake, and we do exhibit and give another to ease ourselves of labour. We leave preaching, and as far as I can perceive we are called bishops to our pain, who do retain the name of honour, but not the verity.' And immediately after he saith, 'We take no care for our flock; we daily call upon them for our stipend and wages; we covet and desire earthly things with a greedy mind; we gape after worldly glory; we leave the cause of God undone, and make haste about our worldly affairs and business; we take upon us the place of sanctity and holiness, and we are wholly wrapped in worldly cares and troubles,' &c. This writeth St. Gregory, with many other things more in the same place. Also in his Pastoral, in his Morals, and in his Register. Also St. Bernard, as in many other places, so likewise in his 33d Sermon upon the Canonicals, he