Musculus says tliat this promise does not belong " to every and any minister, but to the real minister of the G^ospel, who teaches nothing, promises nothing else but this, — that those who repent and believe on Christ have remission of sin and eternal life, and that those who are impenitent and unbeliev- ing remain in their sins and death. Doctrine like this is rati- fied and confirmed before God, because it is agreeable to the Gospel of the Son of God."
Lightfoot thinks that, in interpreting these words, we must carefully remember that they were probably spoken in close connection with our Lord's words in St. Liike, when He says that " repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke xxiv. 46.) He thinks that on hearing these words, scruples might arise in the Apostles' minds: "Is this so indeed? Must remission of sin be really preached in Jerusalem to men stained with Messiah's blood V " And then he thinks these words are spoken to en- courage them. " Yes : you are to begin at Jerusalem. For whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them." Fi- nally, Lightfoot asks, with much sense, " On what foundation and with what confidence could the Apostles have preached re- mission of sins to such wretched men as the murderers of their Lord, unless authorized by a peculiar commission granted by the Lord Himself ? "
Poole says, " The question among divines is whether Christ in this text has given authority to His ministers actually to dis- charge men of the guilt of their sins ; or only to declare to them that if their repentance and faith be true, their sins are really forgiven. The former view is contended for by many. But it does not seem reasonable (1) that God should betrust man with such a piece of His prerogative ; and (2) that God who knoweth the falsehood of men's hearts, and the inability of the best minister to judge of the truth of any man's repent- ance and faith, as also the passions to which they are subject, should give to any of the sous of men an absolute power under Him to discharge any from the guilt of sin. Certain it is that without true repentance and faith in Christ no man hath his gins forgiven ; so that no minister, who knoweth not the hearts of men, can possibly say to any man with certainty. Thy sins are forgiven. What certainty the Apostles might have had by the Spirit of discernment, we cannot say. But certain it is, that none hath now such certainty of any man's faith and re- pentance. Hence it is to me apparent, that no man hath any further power from Christ than to declare to men, that if they truly repent and believe, their sins are really forgiven. Only the minister, being Christ's interpreter and ambassador, and better able to judge of true faith and repentance than others (though not certainly and infallibly), such declarations from a faithful, able minister are of more weight and authority than from others. This is the most, 1 conceive, should be in this matter."