Matthew Poole and continuators on John 20:23

23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained .

Whether Matth. 18.18. be a parallel text to this, I doubt, (see the notes on that Verse.) Our Lord here speaks of the sins of persons; whose sins soever you remit, &c. he saith there, whatsoever you shall bind or lose. This Text hath caused a great deal of contest. All remission of sins▪ is either Authorative; so it is most true, that none can forgive sin but God; and if we had no Scripture to prove it, yet reason will tell us, none can discharge the Debtor but the Creditor, to whom the debt is owing: or else Ministerial. Thus he who is not the Creditor, (amongst men) may remit a debt by vertue of a Letter of Attorny made to him, Authorizing him so to do. The question therefore amongst Divines is, Whether Christ in this text, hath given authority to his Ministers actually to discharge men of the guilt of their sins? Or onely to declare unto them, that if their Repentance and Faith be true, their sins are really forgiven them. The former is by many contended for; but it doth not seem reasonable, 1. That God should betrust men with such a piece of his Prerogative. 2dly. That God, who knoweth the falshood of mens hearts, and the inability in the best Ministers to judge of the truth of any mans Faith or repentance; as also the passions to which they are subject, should give unto any of the Sons of men an absolute power under him, and in his name to discharge any from the guilt of sin; for certain it is, that without true Repentance and Faith in Christ, no man hath his sins forgiven; [illegible: 1 letter]o as no Minister that knoweth not the hearts of men, can possibly speak with any certainty to any man, saying, His sins are forgiven. What knowledge the Apostles might have by the Spirit of discerning, we cannot say. But certain it is, none hath any such certainty of knowledge now of the truth of any man, declaring his Faith and true Repentance; from whence it is to me apparent, That no man hath any further power from Christ, than to declare to them, that if indeed they truly believe and repent, their sins are really forgiven. Onely the Minister being Christs Interpreter, and Embassador, and better able to judge of true Faith and Repentance than others (tho not certainly and infallibly) such declarations from a faithful able Minister, are of more weight and authority than from others; and this is the most I can conceive should be in this matter; and that if [illegible: 1 word] those words any further power be granted to the Apos[illegible: 4 letters], it was by reason of that power of discerning Spirits, 1 Cor. 12.10. which ordinary Ministers since the Apostles times, or in latter Ages, cannot with any modesty pretend unto.

Marginal references: Mat. 16.19.