1. of the abuse of auricular confession in the papacy.
2. secret and serious cases in confession should be handled carefully and in a Christian manner.
3. whether it is necessary to tell all sins in confession.
4. whether a minister of the Word may bear witness to what he hears in confession.
5. promise to become pious.
6. causes why the auricular confession is used.
7. whether one who disputes with one in court may be admitted to the sacrament.
8. Of absolution.
9. the church key custom.
10) Whether it is necessary to report all circumstances in confession.
11. that confession was a difficult thing in the papacy.
12. a form of Christian confession, how to make it.
1. on the abuse of auricular confession in the papacy.
Doct. Martin Luther said: "That in the confession of the ears of the papists, only the work was considered, and it would have been such a run to confession that one would never have been able to confess enough. For if one remembered something more that he had perhaps forgotten, then he had to confess it again quickly. For one had to confess all sins, so that a priest once said to me: God has commanded and commanded that one should hope in His mercy. And I knew a doctor of law who was so troubled that he went back to the confessor three or four times before he received the sacrament; indeed, when it was handed to him, he said it in one ear. We made the confessors tired, so they made us anxious with their conditional absolutions; for so they absolved: I absolve and absolve you for the merit of our Lord Christ, and for the repentance of your heart, and for the confession of your mouth, and for the satisfaction of your works. 2c. This condition and the appendix caused all misfortune.
We did all this out of fear that we might be justified and saved before God; we were thus weighed down and overburdened with innumerable human statutes, so that Gerson 1) had to let the consciences loose a little and advise them. He was the first to break out of this prison. For he wrote that it is not a mortal sin to transgress the statutes and commandments of the church and to act contrary to them, except out of contempt, wilfully and obstinately. The word, though weak and insignificant, has raised and comforted many consciences. The pope laughed in his fist at this darkness and error; he was pleased and delighted that he should rule, govern, torture and torment consciences.
Against such prisons and sticks of conscience I have written and taught about Christian freedom, that one should not keep such laws so strictly. Now, however, there are some unintelligent, coarse fellows, so un-
1) Cf. cap. 27, 840.
Those who have never experienced such imprisonment are presumptuous enough to despise and reject all laws.
Summa, the consciences in the papacy have been so martyred, stung and pecked that no one would believe it now, if we did not have their books and our own experience, which are still alive, as witnesses, who have unfortunately tried it: no one would believe that such a great blindness had existed. And since the pope had neither sinned nor done anything wrong, except in the days of the week of martyrdom and fasting, with confession, he would still be worthy to be torn apart with red-hot tongs. Our people at present know nothing of the prison and torture of conscience, live in great freedom and security, feel neither law nor Christ.
2. secret and serious cases in confession should be handled carefully and in a Christian manner.
It is highly necessary that we deal carefully and Christianly with consciences in confession, that secret and annoying cases and things be kept covered and concealed, and that the persons be admonished to true righteous repentance, said D. M. Luther. M. Luther. And he told a case that had happened in Erfurt 2): A young man had often asked his mother's maid to sleep with him, but the mother did not want to do so after the maid had complained to her, and lay down in the maid's bed. When the son came, but did not know that the mother was there, he lay with her, who was inflamed, did his will, conceived and gave birth to a daughter; the latter was secretly brought up by others. Finally, the mother took her into her house as a foreign child, and because she was beautiful in form and honest in deeds, the son liked her: he took her in marriage with the mother's foreknowledge, but knew nothing of these things, that she was his daughter, sister and wife. The university recognized that, because it was a secret and otherwise a good marriage, they were with each other.
2) This narrative is detailed in Luther's interpretation of the first book of Moses. Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. II, Col. 1003 ff, §§ 48-50.
so that no great annoyance would result.
Therefore, one must be careful in such and such cases; for matrimonial matters cause a lot of trouble for the pastors, although they belong before the consistory, not before the theologians, unless it concerns the conscience. And I believe that the apostles never had such displeasure in innumerable cases, for they had just come to the Roman Empire, where everything was well ordered.
There was talk about the confession of ears, in which people were betrayed, because one was asked whether one had not heard something from the other? Then said D. M. Luther said: "In confession, a person should not confess such things, nor is he guilty of betraying another, for such things belong before secular courts, where witnesses belong; but this belongs to be judged before God alone, and concerns the conscience. Therefore one should say: Dear Lord, I know nothing about it, as you should know it.
3. whether it is necessary to tell all sins in confession?
1) In auricular confession, it is not necessary to tell all sins, but people may say whatever they want; let us not stone them. If they heartily confess themselves poor sinners, then desire the sacrament, and can show the cause of their faith, we are satisfied. And this is the most important reason why we keep confession, so that the catechism may be especially repeated and heard, whether one can and understand it. However, I do not want to refrain from it (the auricular confession) for the rest of my life, because it is not a human being but God Himself who absolves and absolves me from sins.
Also, people should be taught above all things, and they should think that they are not confessing to a man, but to God and the Lord Christ; item, that not a man, but Christ is absolving. But now people do not understand and believe this. Today I answered the Bohemians, who want and insist that God alone forgives sin, and are annoyed by my booklet of keys.
1) Similar thoughts Cap. 18, z 6.
Therefore teach the people to confess to Christ, that Christ may pass through the mouth of the servant. For the mouth of the servant is Christ's mouth, and the ear of the servant is Christ's ear. One should look and rely on the word and command of God, not on the person. Christ sits there confessing, Christ hears it; it is Christ's words, not man's words, that are heard and spoken from the confessor's mouth.
Then said one, So it shall follow that Christ's word, which he spake and preached on earth, and his ministers, is one word, both of the mouth, and of effects or efficacies. Yes, said D. M. Luther: for Christ says Luc. 10, 16: "He that heareth you heareth me, and he that heareth me heareth the Father." And St. Paul calls the gospel "God's power and might", Rom. 1, 16.
4. whether a minister of the Word may bear witness to what he has heard in confession.
One of them asked Luther and said: "If a priest and confessor absolved a woman who had strangled her child, and this was then revealed by other people and could be prosecuted, would the priest, if asked, also have to testify before the judge? Then he answered, "Certainly not, for a distinction must be made between church and secular government, since it has given nothing to me, but to the Lord Christ; and since Christ keeps it secret, I should also keep it secret, and say straight away, "I have heard nothing; if Christ has heard something, he will say so. 2) And meanwhile I would say unto her privily, Whore, do it no more.
But if she said: She was absolved from us, and thus wanted to protect and save herself, because she had let go of Christ, therefore the worldly judge could no longer judge and pass sentence on her; and I would be cited, demanded and asked: then I would deny it again, because I am not the man who should speak before the court in worldly matters, but only what concerns the consciences, which I should frighten with God's wrath against sin through the law. But those who recognize and confess their sin, I shall
2) Cf. Mathesius, St. Louis edition, p. 224.
in turn, comfort and uplift through the preaching of the Gospel.
Therefore I say: If she is absolved, I do not know D. Martinus about it, but Christ knows it. Martinus nothing about it, but Christ knows it, with whom she has spoken; for I do not hear confession, nor absolve, but Christ. They shall not draw us to their judgment-seats and hadermarkets. Therefore we have hitherto held above the canon law and justice, and still do, and will no longer leave anything to the secular court in matters concerning doctrine and conscience, nor will we concede anything to them therein, not even in the slightest. They wait for their command, they have enough to do with it, and let us carry out our office as Christ has commanded; that and no other.
But how would it be if a confessor gave you a confession slip? As was done in Venice by a monk who absolved a woman who had strangled a young journeyman who had slept with her and thrown him into the water. But the monk let himself be bribed with money and betrayed her. The woman protected herself, said she was absolved, and presented the monk's handwriting. The Venetian council recognized and judged that the monk should be burned, but the woman should be expelled from the city.
Thereupon D. M. Luther: This is a right, good, reasonable verdict, and wise consideration of the council, and the monk is justly burned as a traitor. But if I had given my handwriting to a frightened, fearful conscience, and the judge had it with him, I would rightfully demand it again; as I have done with H[archduke] G[eorg] (of Saxony). For whoever holds other people's letters without a good title is a thief. Now this manuscript is given in matters of conscience, by God and office, which the church has from Christ, through his blood very dearly earned and acquired, therefore a secular judge cannot rightfully hold it.
5. talking about becoming pious.
A godly, pious, and honest man, 1) having confessed, said: I will
1) Staupitz. Cf. Cap. 14, § 42 and Walch, Vol. VIII, Explanation of the Ep. to the Gal. Cap. 5, § 223.
no longer confess and lie like this, because I always promise and agree that I will improve my life and become more pious, and yet I do not do it, and thus I become a liar and an unman before God. Then said D. M. Luther: It will not do here with us, man remains man, and kind does not leave kind; therefore let us only ask God to grant us a blessed hour, so that we may depart from here.
6. causes why the auricular confession is used.
D. M. Luther said: "That the auricular confession was instituted for the sake of these causes in the first place, that the people there might give cause and account of their faith, and confess that they desired the sacrament from the heart. We do not force anyone to do this, although I certainly do not want to refrain from it; for it is not a man who absolves, but God Himself through the mouth of His servant, be he what He wills.
(7) Whether one who disputes with one in court may be admitted to the sacrament?
(Lauterbach, Feb. 13, 1538, p. 27.)
On that day (Feb. 18) I (Lauterbach) asked Luthern about this case: If one who wants to go to the Lord's Supper confessed that he was in dispute with someone, the matter was in court and not yet decided, but he had no hatred against his opponent and was awaiting the verdict of the court,' whether he could be admitted to the Lord's Supper? To this he replied, "The person who is in public disagreement cannot be admitted; for if he were admitted, although he had no private hatred, there would still be an annoyance if he were admitted publicly who lived in public court strife. After that he said he would consider this case and give a more certain answer 2).
2) From this one recognizes that Luther does not know the answer given by him as finally regarded zero, therefore also a preacher, where such a thing would occur to him, would not have to judge himself according to it. About the answer given later by Luther in 1540, compare Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. X, Col. 2222. Compare also Cap. 19, § 2.
8. from the absolution.
The power of God's word is great, said D. M. Luther, that one brother and Christian informs and comforts the other with God's Word. The benefit and fruit of the key and special absolution in auricular confession is very great, by which the conscience can be satisfied, therefore I want to have it without reproach. Under the priesthood I was a poor, sorrowful monk, always in the greatest work and temptation; at last I received comfort from the word of a brother who told me: "I should be confident and hope, our salvation and blessedness is faith in God in Christ; why then would we not trust God, who calls us and commands us to hope? And with this word he comforted me so that I was satisfied.
9. the church key custom.
Christ has given the keys to the Church for her comfort, and commanded the ministers to act with them, as He commanded to bind the impenitent, and to loose them that repent, acknowledge and confess their sin, make them sorry, and believe that God forgives them for Christ's sake.
10) Whether it is necessary to report all circumstances in confession?
Then, speaking to D. Martin, said D. Staupitz to D. Henningo 1): Lawyers, theologians and
1) The reference is to the provost D. Henning Göde at Wittenberg. Förstemann, Vol. II, 292.
Doctors should and must report correctly, so they can also advise, help and absolve. But what is said to such persons, they shall keep silent and secret; but if they say it, it shall be nothing.
11. that confession was a difficult thing in the papacy, from which we are now delivered.
No one can be absolved in the church unless he promises to amend his life. This includes believing in Christ and changing and improving his life. My sins, which I confess, are that I do not pray so much, nor give thanks so much, and am sometimes angry and curse Duke George. Confession was a miserable carnificina before this time: but how we have such a noble life now in comparison! I was a poor wretch because of confession, you now have master's days (he said to his table companions). But the devil will also cheat you one day, where you do not recognize it. Now we can't believe the dear man Jesus Christ, and I could believe all the shitheads before. Now just strike and kill that we do not want to believe the pious man, Christ. Oh, it would make me very lazy if I were our Lord God.
(4 lines omitted here because included in Cap. 2, § 154.)
12 Luther's form of a Christian confession, how it should be made.
(This § is in the instruction on how to confess. Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. X, Col. 2158, U 1-8.)