Page:The Church, by John Huss.pdf/159

Rh his sins he shall not at my bar be held bound any further.' After this manner we should also understand that which Christ said to all his apostles: 'Whosesoever sins ye remit, they shall be remitted unto them, and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.' Assuredly the sins of offenders will be remitted or retained with the Lord which have been properly remitted or retained by his ministers, the priests—both of which are truly and really done by them when done in accord with the canonical rite; nevertheless, neither of these things can priests do at their personal pleasure, but only for desert—merito—and according to the rite as instituted." Thus much Richard.

From Augustine and from this declaration by Richard, it is plain that it does not follow: Christ said to Peter or to any vicar of his: "Whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth," that is,in the church militant, "shall be loosed also in heaven," that is, in the church triumphant—therefore, whatsoever thou shalt wish to loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven. And it is evident that by this clause the bestowment falls on every person that is truly penitent. And also, in view of the words, "Whatsoever thou shalt bind," the bestowment falls upon the impenitent, for the loosing applies to every truly penitent person, the binding to the impenitent. The same is true of retaining and remitting.

Therefore, Christ's disciple ought to be on his guard against the fallacy of antichrist, when the following course of argument is pursued: Whatsoever Christ's vicar shall bind upon earth shall be bound. also in heaven, but this faithful layman who does not wish to give money for his absolution, him he binds on earth. Therefore, this layman is bound in heaven. Likewise, whatsoever Christ's vicar shall loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven, but him who is not contrite and yet is willing to give money, him he looses on earth. Therefore, is he loosed also in heaven. The case is similar if it be argued: Whatsoever Christ's vicar looses on