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Chapter 9Betbuechlein.1.9

Sermon von der Beicht und dem Sacrament

The Freedom of the Sacrament

Christians are not bound by human laws to receive the Sacrament at specific times, but should approach it with a hungry heart and spiritual freedom.

Even though I've often preached and written about the Sacrament and confession, still, because the season comes back every year that is set aside for treating these things—for the sake of those who want to receive the Sacrament—we also have to go back over the same teaching in summary and speak about it again. First of all, I've said often enough that Christians aren't bound to receive the Sacrament specifically on this feast day, but have the right and authority to come to it whenever they want—for that is why God established the priestly office: so that priests would attend to and care for the people every day with God's Word and the Sacraments. It's unchristian to force people to receive the Sacrament at this time under threat of mortal sin, as has been done until now and is still done in many places.1 For this Sacrament will not and cannot bear anyone using it under pressure and compulsion. Instead, it seeks nothing but a hungry soul that drives itself and is glad it can come. It has no use for the others, those who—2 people have to be driven to it.3 That's why the devil has until now ruled with full force and power through the Pope, whom he has driven to force and press the whole world to the Sacrament—and everyone has run to it like pigs, for the sake of the command—so that such great dishonor and shame have been done to the Sacrament, and the world has become so full of sin that it's pitiful. Since we now know this, we shouldn't let any command trap us, but should hold fast to the freedom we have from Christ.✦ I say this for those who only want to receive the Sacrament at this time of year, doing so merely out of habit and common custom. It does no harm to receive it during the Easter feast, provided your conscience isn't bound to the season, but remains free and ready to receive the Sacrament.

Three Kinds of Confession

Confession is categorized into three types: before God, before one's neighbor, and the auricular confession imposed by the papacy.

On Confession. Secondly, we must speak about confession in the same way. But first it should be known that in Scripture there are three kinds of confession. The first takes place before God, of which the prophet David speaks in Psalm 32. I have confessed my sin to you, and I haven't hidden my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my wrongdoing against myself,' and you have taken away the iniquity of my sin.✦4 Likewise, a little earlier in the same place he says: 'I once wanted to keep silent—and then it went so hard for me that I wasted away as in the heat of summer.'✦ This means that no one can stand before God unless they bring this confession with them, just as the 129th Psalm says.✦5 The Psalm says: With you is grace, so that you may be feared. That is: whoever wants to deal with you must deal in such a way that this confession comes from the heart and says: Lord, if you are not merciful, then all is lost, however devout I may be.6 All the saints must confess this same thing, as it says again in the previous Psalm: For that same iniquity all the saints will pray before you. So this confession teaches us that we are all equally scoundrels and sinners, and as people say: If one is godly, then we are all godly. If anyone has special grace, let him thank God for it and not boast about himself. If someone has fallen into sin, that is his flesh and blood. No one has fallen so deep that another who stands now couldn't fall even deeper. Therefore, among us, as far as what is ours is concerned, there is no distinction; rather, God's grace alone sets us apart. This confession is now so urgent that it shouldn't be delayed for even a moment; it should be a Christian's entire life, so that he never stops praising God's grace and holding his own life in shame before God's eyes.7 Otherwise, as soon as I hold up a good work or a good life, his judgment does not stay away—which none of those can endure, and before which no one can stand.8 Therefore this confession must be made so that you condemn yourself as one who deserves death and the fire of hell. Then you get there first, so that God cannot judge or condemn you, but must be gracious to you.9 However, we aren't talking about this kind of confession right now. The second confession, however, is made toward your neighbor; it is the confession of love, just as the first is the confession of faith. Regarding this, it is written in the Epistle of James: Confess your sins to one another. This is the kind of confession meant: when someone has harmed his neighbor, he should confess it to him. As Christ in Matthew 5: If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. And: be quick to come to terms with your adversary while you are still on the way with him, and so on. Here he requires it from both sides: that the one who has wronged the other ask for forgiveness, and that the one who is asked forgive him. This confession is also necessary and commanded, just like the previous one. For God won't be gracious to anyone, nor will He forgive anyone's sins, unless that person also forgives their neighbor.✦ So faith, too, can't be genuine unless it bears this fruit: that a person forgives their neighbor and asks for forgiveness. Otherwise, no one may come before God. If this fruit is missing, then faith and the first confession aren't genuine either.✦

The Nature of Private Confession

Private confession should be voluntary and driven by a desire for comfort, rather than a forced legalistic requirement that tortures the conscience.

The third is the one the pope has required: secret confession whispered into the priest's ear. That one isn't commanded by God. But the pope has forced people into it, and along with that, has created so many forms and distinctions of sin that no one can manage them—so that consciences have been driven and tormented until it's a misery and a distress. About this, though, we say as follows: God does not force you into it—into confessing through faith toward Him, or through love before your neighbor—if you do not want to be saved or have His grace. He also will not have it that you go and do it, but only reluctantly and with distaste; rather, He wants you to do it of yourself, with love and gladness, from the heart.10 The pope has ignored this entirely. Instead, he has handled it as if it were a matter of worldly government, where people must be managed by force. He hasn't asked whether anyone does it willingly or not, but has simply commanded that anyone who doesn't confess at this time is not to be buried in the churchyard.11 But God doesn't care whether you do it or not, if it isn't done gladly.12 So if you don't do it gladly, it's better you leave it alone.13 For no one can come to God except the one who comes with desire and free will—therefore no one can drive you there. If you do it for the sake of the command, so that you may be obedient to the Pope, then you do wrong.14 And yet that's how it goes through the world now: everyone rushes off to it only because it's commanded. That's why that season is rightly called the Torture Weeks—because in them consciences are tortured and tormented, so that it's a misery, with harm and ruin to souls.15 What's more, Christ himself is tortured far more shamefully than when he hung on the cross. So we can well lift up our hands and thank God that he has given us such a light. For even though we don't bear much fruit or improve ourselves much, we still have a true understanding. So it's much better now that people stay away from confession and the Sacrament than that they go unwillingly—at least then their consciences remain untortured.

The Power of the Absolution

The absolution is the true heart of confession, as it is the proclamation of God's Word and forgiveness addressed personally to the believer.

So now we say this about private confession: no one is to be forced into it. Even so, it remains advisable and good, for this reason: whenever and however often you can hear God's Word, you shouldn't despise it, but receive it with heartfelt desire.16 God has now sent His Word out into the whole world, filling every corner, so that wherever you go, you find God's Word everywhere; when I preach the forgiveness of sins, I am preaching the true Gospel.✦✦ The sum of the Gospel is this: whoever believes in Christ shall have his sins forgiven—so a Christian preacher can never open his mouth without pronouncing an absolution.✦17 The priest does the same thing at the altar when he says, Pax vobis—meaning, I announce to you from God that you have peace and the forgiveness of sins through Christ. That, too, is exactly the Gospel and the absolution.✦ So too are the words with which he makes the Sacrament: "This is my body, which is given for you. This is my blood, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins," and so on.✦✦ If I were to say, "I won't go to confession because I have the Word in the Sacrament," I’d be doing exactly what someone does who says, "I won't listen to any sermon either." The Gospel should sound and ring out constantly from every Christian's mouth. You should receive it with joy whenever and wherever you can hear it, lift up your hands, and thank God that you can hear it everywhere.18 When you go to private confession, don't focus so much on your own confession as on the priest's words. Think of it this way: what you say is one thing, but what the person hearing you says is another. Don't dwell on what you are doing there; instead, pay attention to what he says to you—namely, that he is proclaiming the forgiveness of sins to you in God's place. It makes no difference whether he is a priest in the office of preaching or just a fellow Christian: the word he speaks is not his, but God's Word, and God stands by it just as firmly as if He were speaking it Himself.19 That is how He has placed His holy Word in every corner.20 Since we find it everywhere, we should receive it with great thanksgiving and not cast it to the wind. For in confession you also have this advantage, as in the Sacrament: that the21 The word is addressed to you personally.22 For in the sermon it flies out into the congregation at large, and although it also concerns you, you're still not so sure of it. But here, it can strike no one but you. Wouldn't you be truly glad at heart if you knew of a place where God himself wanted to speak with you? Yes—if we could hear an angel speak, we would gladly run to the ends of the earth. But aren't we foolish, wretched, and ungrateful people—we who don't hear what is said to us? Scripture stands as a witness that God speaks through us, and that it truly counts for just as much as if he spoke it with his own mouth. It is like when Christ says in Matthew, 18. Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in their midst. Likewise in John,23 20. If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone's sins, they are retained. God himself speaks the Absolution there, just as he himself baptizes the child. And you want to say that confession isn't needed. For even if you also hear the same thing in the Sacrament, you still shouldn't brush it aside for that reason, especially because it concerns you alone (as has been said). Beyond that, you have another advantage: in confession, you can name all your faults and receive counsel regarding them. And even if there were no other reason, and even if God himself weren't speaking there, I still wouldn't gladly do without this part of it: that here I can open my heart to my brother and pour out what weighs on me.24 For it's a miserable thing when the conscience is burdened, lying in anguish without any counsel or comfort. That's also why it's a noble, comforting work when two people come together there and one gives the other counsel, help, and comfort — and it goes on in a fine brotherly and loving way: one uncovers his sickness, and the other heals his wounds. That’s why I wouldn’t trade this for all the goods in the world. Still, it shouldn't be made a commandment, so that no one binds conscience over it, as if you had to confess first before going to the Sacrament. Yet it should never be despised: you can't hear God's Word too much, nor impress it too deeply into your heart — and that is still far better.25 That's why I've said that one should carefully distinguish the two — confession and the absolution you hear — so that you pay the most attention to the absolution, and don't go to confession for the sake of a commandment, nor because you want to do a good work by confessing, as if your sins would be forgiven for that reason, but only so that there you hear God's Word and receive comfort from it. So open your ears and let it sink in: how God speaks through a human being and forgives you your sins. For that, faith is required. This is how our confession has worked until now: when people were absolved, so many works were laid on them as satisfaction for their sins—and that was supposed to mean they were absolved, when in fact they were only then truly bound.26 The sins are all supposed to be gone through the absolution—and yet they first lay on people the duty of making satisfaction for those sins, and so force them away from faith and from the absolution onto their works. But they should have taught it this way instead: Look, you must accept the word I speak to you in God's place with true faith; if you can't have that faith, then put off your confession for now. Yet not so that you should therefore stay away when your faith is too weak, and go there seeking comfort and strength.27 If you can't believe, then complain of that too to your brother to whom you want to confess, and say: I well feel that I of confession and of the28 I need absolution, but I find myself too cold and weak in faith for it.29 For to whom will you pour out your failings, if not to God? But where can you find Him, if not in your brother?30 He can strengthen and help you with words—that is true confession. And would to God that the whole world were brought to the point where everyone confessed they could not believe.31

Simplicity in Confession

Confession should be simple and unburdened by complex lists of sins, focusing instead on faith in the promise of God's grace.

So let this be said about confession: it should be entirely voluntary, so that a person comes to confession unforced, of their own accord.32 But what should a person confess? On that point, our preachers have drilled us extensively on the five senses, the seven deadly sins, the Ten Commandments, and so on.33 so that they confuse our conscience. But this is how it should go: that you first feel what weighs on you, and the sins that bite you the most and thereby burden your conscience—those same you should [confess] to your34 Brother, lay them before Him and confess. So you don't need to search long or hunt after every sin. Just take the ones that come to mind and say: I am frail and fallen, so I desire comfort and good counsel. Confession should be brief. And if something comes to mind that you've forgotten, don't let it unsettle you, for you haven't done this as if it were a good work, or as if you had to do it.35 You can still confess it privately to God, or hear an absolution over it in the Sacrament during the Mass.36 You shouldn't worry about it at all, even if the sins were forgotten. If they are forgotten, they are still forgiven. For God does not look at how much you have confessed, but at his Word, and at how you believe in it.37 And the absolution doesn't run as if some sins are to be forgiven and others not. Rather, it is a free proclamation that announces to you that God is gracious to you. But if God is gracious to you, then all sins must certainly be gone. So cling only to the absolution, and not to your confessing—whether you forgot something or not, let it go. As much as you believe, so much is forgiven you. You must always defy sin and a bad conscience by standing on God's Word.38

Read the original Latin

WIe wol ich offtmahl vom Sacrament vnnd der Beicht geprediget vnnd geschrieben habe / doch weil die zeit Järlich wiederkömpt / welche dazu geordnet ist / daß man dauon handele / vmb der willen / die das Sacrament nehmen wollen / müssen wir auch dasselbe in der Summa wiederholen / vnd aber dauon reden.

Auffs Erste / habe ich offt gnug gesagt / wie die Christen nicht verbunden sind / eben auff dieses Fest das Sacrament zu nehmen / sondern recht vnnd macht haben / wenn sie wollen hinzu zugehen / dazu denn Gott das Priesterampt verordnet hat / daß dieselben des Volcks alle Tage warten vnnd pflegen sollen mit Gottes Wort vnd den Sacramenten.

Darumb ist es Vnchristlich gehandelt / wenn man die Leute zwingen wil / auff diese zeit das Sacrament zu holen / bey einer Todtsünde / wie man bißher gethan hat vnd noch an vielen Orten thut. Denn diß Sacrament wil vnnd kan nicht leyden daß jemand gedrungen vnd genötiget sein brauche / sondern suchet nicht anders / denn eine hungerige Seele / die sich selbst treibt / vnnd fro wird / daß sie dazu kommen kan / der andern mag es nicht / die von den

Leuten dazu müssen getrieben werden.

Darumb hat der Teuffel bißher mit voller gewalt vnd macht regiert durch den Bapst / den er getrieben hat / die gantze Welt zum Sacrament zu treiben vnnd zu dringen / dazu auch Jederman gelauffen ist als die Sewe / vmb des Gebots willen / damit dem Sacrament so grosse Vnehre vnd Schmach geschehen / vnd die Welt so voll Sünde ist worden / daß es zu erbarmen ist. Weil wir denn nu solches wissen / sollen wir vns kein Gebot fangen lassen / sondern vns der Freyheit halten / die wir von Christo haben.

Das sage ich vmb der willen / die nicht denn auff diese zeit wollen zum Sacrament gehen / vnnd solches allein vmb der gewonheit vnnd gemeinen brauchs willen thun / wiewol es nichts schadet / daß man eben auff diß Osterfest hinzu gehet / so ferne das Gewissen nicht an die zeit gebunden / sondern frey sey / vnnd geschickt / das Sacrament zu nehmen.

Von der Beicht.

AVffs Ander / müssen wir auch der gleichen vom Beichten reden. Erstlich aber ist zuwissen / daß in der Schrifft dreyerley Beicht sey.

Die Erste geschicht für Gott / dauon der Prophet Dauid sagt Psalm 32. Meine Sünde habe ich dir bekennet / vnd meine Vntugend habe ich nicht verborgen / Ich habe gesagt / ich wil meine Missethat wieder mich bekennen / vnd du hast hinweg genommen die Vntugend meiner Sünde. Item bald zuuor spricht er daselbst / Ich wolt ein mal schweigen / da gieng mirs also / daß ich verschmachtet wie in der hitze des Sommers.

Das ist / für Gott kan niemand bestehen / er bringe denn diese Beicht mit sich / wie der 129. Psalm sagt / Bey dir ist gnade / auff daß du gefürchtet werdest / Das ist / wer für dir handeln wil / muß also handeln / daß solche Beicht von Hertzen gehe / die also spreche: HERR bistu nicht Barmhertzig / so ist es verloren / wie from ich auch seyn kan. Solches müssen alle Heiligen bekennen / wie abermal im vorigen Psalm stehet / Für dieselbige Vntugend werden für dir bitten alle Heiligen.

Also lehret vns diese Beicht / daß wir alle gleich Buben vnd Sünder sind / vnnd wie man saget / Ist einer from / so sind wir alle from / Hat jemand sonderliche Gnade / der dancke Gott darumb / vnd rhüme sich selbst nicht. Ist jemand in Sünde gefallen / so ist es sein Blut vnd Fleisch / Vnnd ist keiner so tieff gefallen / es kan ein ander / der jtzt stehet / auch noch tieffer fallen. Darumb ist vnter vns / so viel vnser ist / kein vnterscheid / sondern Gottes Gnade scheidet vns alleine.

Diese Beicht ist nu so hoch von nöten / daß sie kein Augenblick nachbleiben / sondern eben das gantze Leben eines Christen seyn sol / also / daß er ohn auffhören Gottes Gnade preise / vnd schende sein Leben für Gottes Augen. Sonst so bald ich ein gut Werck oder gut Leben auffwerffe / bleibt sein Gerichte nicht aussen / welches der keines leidet / dafür denn niemand bestehen kan. Darumb muß diese Beicht also geschehen / daß du dich selbst verdammest / als der des Todes vnd des hellischen Fewrs werth sey / so kömpstu zuuor / daß dich Gott nicht Vrtheilen noch verdammen kan / sondern dir gnedig seyn muß. Aber von dieser Beicht reden wir jtzt hie nicht.

Die andere aber geschicht gegen dem Nehesten / vnd ist der Liebe Beicht / wie die erste des Glaubens ist. Dauon geschrieben ist in der Epistel Jacobi / Bekenne einer dem ander seine Sünde. Das ist eine solche Beicht / wenn einer seinem Nehesten leide gethan hat / sol ers für jhm bekennen. Wie Christus Matth. 5. saget: Wenn du deine Gabe auff den Altar opfferst / vnnd wirst alda eindencken / daß dein Bruder etwas wider dich hat / so las alda für dem Altar deine Gabe / vnd gehe zuuor hin / vnnd versüne dich mit deinem Bruder / vnnd als denn kom vnnd opffere deine Gabe. Vnd / sey wilfertig deinem Wiedersacher bald / dieweil du noch mit jhm auff dem Wege bist etc. Hie foddert er von beyden seiten / daß dieser / der den andern beleidiget hat / vmb vergebung bitte / vnnd der gebeten wird / jenem vergeben.

Diese Beicht ist auch not vnd geboten / wie die vorige / Denn Gott wil keinem gnedig seyn / noch seine Sünde vergeben / er vergebe denn seinem Nehesten auch. So kan auch der Glaube nicht rechtschaffen seyn / er bringe denn diese Frucht / daß er dem Nehesten vergebe / vnd vmb Vergebung bitte / sonst darff der Mensch für Gott nich kommen / Ist diese Frucht nicht da / so ist der Glaube vnd die erste Beicht auch nicht rechtschaffen.

Die Dritte ist / die der Bapst geboten hat / die heimlich in die Ohren für dem Priester geschicht / dieselbige ist nicht von GOtt geboten / Der Bapst aber hat die Leute dazu gezwungen / vnnd daneben so viel gestalt vnd vnterscheid der Sünde gemacht / daß es niemand erschwingen kan / damit die Gewissen getrieben vnd gemartert sind / daß es jammer vnd noth ist.

Hieuon sagen wir aber also / GOtt zwinget dich nicht dazu / daß du beichtest durch den Glauben gegen jhm / oder durch die Liebe für dem Nehesten / wenn du nicht wilt selig werden oder seine Gnade haben / Er mag sein auch nicht / daß du hingehest vnd thust es / aber doch vngerne vnnd mit vnlust / sondern wil / daß du es von dir selbst mit Liebe vnd Lust von Hertzen thust.

Des hat der Bapst nicht geachtet / Sondern hierinne also gefahren / gleich als gehöret es in das Weltlich Regiment / da man mit zwang handlen muß / hat nicht darnach gefragt / ob mans gerne oder vngerne thu / sondern stracks geboten / daß / welcher auff diese zeit nicht Beichtet / der solle nicht auff den Kirchoff begraben werden.

Aber Gott fragt nichts darnach / du thust es oder nicht / wenn es nicht mit lust geschicht. Darumb thustu es nicht gerne / so ists besser / du lassest es anstehen. Denn zu Gott kan niemand kommen / denn der mit lust vnd freiem willen kömpt / darumb kan dich niemand dahin treiben. Thustu es vmb des Gebots willen / auff daß du dem Bapsi gehorsam seyest / so thustu vnrecht.

Noch gehet es jtzt durch die Welt also / daß jederman dahin leufft / allein weil es geboten ist / Darumb dieselbe zeit recht die Marter Wochen heisset / daß darinnen die Gewissen gemartert vnd geplaget werden / daß es ein jammer ist / mit schaden vnnd verderben der Seelen. Dazu auch Christus selbst viel schendlicher gemartert wird / denn da er am Creutz hieng.

Darumb mügen wir wol die Hende auffheben vnnd Gott dancken / daß er vns ein solch Liecht geben hat. Deñ wiewol wir nicht viel Früchte tragen vnd vns bessern / so haben wir dennoch einen rechten verstand. So ist nu viel besser / daß man von der Beichte vnnd dem Sacrament bleibe / denn daß man vngerne hinzu gehe / so bleiben doch die Gewissen vngemartert.

Also sagen wir nu von der heimlichen Beicht / daß niemand dazu gezwungen sey. Aber doch ist sie gerhaten vnnd gut / vmb dieser Vrsach willen / Denn wo vnd wie offt du Gottes Wort hören kanst / soltu es nicht verachten / sondern mit hertzlicher Begierde annehmen. Nu hat Gott sein Wort lassen außgehen / durch die gantze Welt / daß es alle Winckel erfüllet / also daß du / wo du hin kömpst / Gottes Wort vberall findest: Wenn ich nu predige die Vergebung der Sünde / so predige ich das rechte Euangelion. Denn die Summa des Euangelij ist die / Wer an Christum gleubt / dem sollen seine Sünde vergeben seyn / also daß ein Christlicher Prediger nimmer das Maul auffthun kan / er muß ein Absolution sprechen.

Also thut auch der Priester vber dem Altar / wenn er spricht / Pax vobis, Das ist / ich verkündige euch von Gott / daß jhr Friede habt vnnd vergebung der Sünden durch Christum / Das ist auch eben das Euangelion vnd die Absolutio.

Also auch die Wort damit er das Sacrament machet / Das ist mein Leib der für euch gegeben wird / Das ist mein Blut das für euch vergossen wird zu vergebung der Sünden etc. Solt ich nu darumb sagen / Ich wil nicht Beichten / weil ich das Wort im Sacrament habe / so thet ich eben / als wenn jemand sagte / ich wil auch keine Predigt hören. Das Euangelion sol ohn vnterlas schallen vnnd klingen durch aller Christen Mund / darumb sol mans mit freuden annehmen / wo vnnd wenn mans hören kan / die Hende auffheben / vnd Gott dancken / daß du es vberal hören kanst.

Darumb wenn du nu zur heimlichen Beicht gehest / soltu nicht so viel auff dein Beichten acht haben / als auff des Priesters Wort. Vnnd scheide es also / Eines ist das du sagest / das ander das der sagt / der dich höret. Das du thust / da soltu nicht viel von halten / sondern habe acht auff das / das er dir sagt / nemlich / daß er dir an Gottes stat verkündiget vergebung der Sünden. Hie ist gleich so viel / er sey ein Priester vnd im Ampt zu predigen oder sonst ein Christen / Das Wort das er redet / ist nich sein / sondern Gottes Wort / vnd Gott helt auch so fest darüber / als ob er es selbst redte. Also hat er sein heiliges Wott in alle Winckel gesteckt. Weil wirs denn vberal finden / sollen wirs mit grossem danck auffnehmen / vnd nicht in Wind schlagen.

Denn in der Beicht hastu auch diß Vortheil / wie im Sacrament / daß das

Wort allein auff deine Person gestellet wird. Denn in der Predigt fleugt es in die gemein dahin / vnd wiewol es dich auch trifft / so bistu sein doch nicht so gewis. Aber hie kan es niemand treffen / denn dich allein. Soltestu aber nicht hertzlich fro werden / wenn du einen Ort wüstest / da Gott mit dir selbst reden wolt? Ja wenn wir einen Engel möchten hören reden / so würden wir wol biß an der Welt Ende lauffen. Sind wir aber nicht tolle Elende vnd vndanckbare Leute / die wir nicht hören was man vns sagt. Da stehet die Schrifft vnnd bezeuget / daß Gott durch vns redet / vnnd daß es ja so viel gilt / als wenn er es mit seinem Munde redet.

Als da Christus spricht Matth. 18. Wo zween oder drey versamlet sind in meinem Namen / da bin ich mitten vnter jhn. Item Johan. 20. Welchen jhr die Sünde erlasset / den sind sie erlassen / vnnd welchen jhr sie behaltet / den sind sie behalten.

Da spricht Gott selbst die Absolutio / wie er das Kind selbst teuffet. Vnnd du wilt sagen / man dürffe des beichtens nicht. Denn ob du gleich dasselbe im Sacrament auch hörest / soltu es dennoch darumb nicht hinweg schlagen / sonderlich weil es dich (wie gesagt ist) alleine betrifft.

Darüber hastu auch noch ein vorteil / daß du in der Beicht alle deinen fehl sagen kanst / vnnd darüber rath holen. Vnnd wenn sonst keine andere Vrsach were / vnd Gott gleich nicht selbst da redet / wolt ichs dennoch vmb dieses Stücks willen nicht gerne emperen / daß ich hierinne meinem Bruder mein Hertz eröffnen kan / vnd klagen / was mir anligt. Denn es ist ein elend ding / wenn das Gewissen beschweret ist / vnnd in einer angst ligt / vnnd kein Raht noch Trost weis.

Darumb ist es auch ein edel tröstlich Werck / daß da zween zusamen kommen / vnd einer dem andern Rath / Hülffe vnd Trost gibt / vnd gehet fein Brüderlich vnd lieblich zu / Einer endeckt seine Kranckheit / so heilet jhm der ander seine Wunden. Darumb wolt ich des nicht für aller Welt gut emperen. Wiewol es nicht geboten sol werden / auff daß man nicht ein Gewissen darüber mache / als müste man zuuor beichten / ehe man zum Sacrament gehe / Doch sol mans je nicht verachten / du kanst Gottes Wort nicht zu viel hören / noch so tieff ins Hertz bilden / es ist noch viel besser.

Darumb habe ich gesagt / daß man die zwey wol scheiden sol / die Beicht vnnd die Absolutio die du hörest / daß du auff die Absolutio am meisten achtung habest / vnnd nicht vmb des Gebots willen zur Beicht gehest / noch darumb / daß du mit deinem beichten woltest ein gut Werck thun / vnd als solten dir vmb des willen die Sünde vergeben werden / sondern allein darumb / daß du da Gottes Wort hörest / vnd dauon Trost empfahest. Da reiche die Ohren zu / vnnd las dirs eingehen / wie Gott durch den Menschen redet vnnd vergibt dir deine Sünde / Dazu gehöret denn der Glaube.

Vnser beichten ist bißher gewesen / wenn man die Leute Absoluiert / hat man jhn so viel Werck auffgelegt / damit sie solten für die Sünde genugthun / das solt Absoluiert heissen / so es doch erst recht angebunden ist. Die Sünde sollen alle hinweg seyn durch die Absolution / so legen sie jhn auff erst dafür genug zuthun / vnnd zwingen die Leute also vom Glauben / vnd von der Absolutio auff jhre Werck.

Also solten sie aber gelert haben / Sihe / das Wort / das ich dir sage an Gottes stat / mustu mit einem rechten Glauben fassen / kanstu den Glauben nicht haben / so las dein beichten anstehen. Doch nicht also / daß du darumb nicht soltest hingehen / wenn dein Glaube zu schwach were / vnnd da Trost vnnd Stercke foddern. Kanstu nicht gleuben / so klage es auch deinem Bruder dem du beichten wilt / vnnd sprich / Ich füle wol daß ich der Beichte vnnd der

Absolutio bedürffe / befinde mich aber zu kalt vnnd schwachgleubig dazu. Denn welchem wiltu dein Gebrechen klagen / denn Gott? Wo kanstu jhn aber finden / denn in deinem Bruder? Der kan dich mit Worten stercken vnd helffen / das ist recht gebeichtet. Vnnd wolt Gott / daß die gantze Welt so weit bracht were / daß jederman bekennete / daß er nicht könte gleuben.

Das sey nu von der Beicht gesagt / daß es alles frey seyn sol / also daß man vngedrungen von sich selbst zu der Beich komme.

Was sol man aber beichten? Da haben vns vnsere Prediger viel für geblawet mit den fünff Sinnen / sieben Todt Sünden / zehen Geboten etc. Damit sie vnser Gewissen verwirren. Aber also solt es zugehen / daß du vorhin fühlest / was dich drücket / vnd die Sünde die dich zum meisten beissen / vnnd dadurch dein Gewissen beschweret wird / dieselben soltu deinem

Bruder fürlegen vnd beichten. Darumb darffestu nicht lange suchen / vnnd nach allen Sünden trachten. Nim nur für dich die dir einfallen vnd sprich.

Also bin ich gebrechlich vnd gefallen / da begere ich Trost vnd guten Rath. Denn die Beichte sol kurtz sein. Vnnd ob dir etwas einfelt / das du vergessen hast / soltu dich nicht irren lassen / Denn du hast es nicht darumb gethan / als were es ein gut Werck / vnd als müstu es thun. Kanstu es doch wol Gott heimlich beichten / oder im Sacrament vnter der Messe darüber ein Absolutio hören. Darumb sol man sich nichts darumb bekümmern / ob gleich die Sünde vergessen sind. Sind sie vergessen / so sind sie dennoch vergeben. Denn Gott sihet nicht an / wiewol du gebeichtet hast / sondern sein Wort / vnd wie du daran gleubest.

Auch lautet die Absolutio nicht also / daß etliche Sünde vergeben sollen seyn vnd etliche nicht / sondern ist eine freie Predigt / die dir verkündigt / daß dir Gott gnedig sey. Wenn dir aber Gott gnedig ist / so müssen je alle Sünde hinweg seyn. Darumb halt dich allein an die Absolutio / vnd nicht an dein Beichten / du hast etwas vergessen oder nicht / so las es fahren / so viel du gleubest / so viel ist dir vergeben. Also muß man immerdar wieder die Sünde vnd böse Gewissen auff GOttes Wort trotzen.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Gal.5.1 — For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not again be subject to a yoke of slavery.
  2. ↩Ps.32.5 — I acknowledged my sin to you, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
  3. ↩Ps.32.3-Ps.32.4 — When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Ps.32.4 — For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as by the heat of summer. Selah.
  4. ↩Ps.130.4 — For with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.
  5. ↩Matt.6.14-Matt.6.15;Mark.11.25 — For if you forgive people their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matt.6.15 — But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Mark.11.25 — And whenever you stand praying, forgive—if you have anything against anyone—so that your Father who is in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
  6. ↩Matt.7.16-Matt.7.20;Matt.6.14-Matt.6.15 — You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? Matt.7.17 — So every good tree produces good fruit, but the bad tree produces bad fruit. Matt.7.18 — A good tree cannot produce evil fruit, nor can a rotten tree produce good fruit. Matt.7.19 — Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Matt.7.20 — So then, by their fruits you will know them. Matt.6.14 — For if you forgive people their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matt.6.15 — But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
  7. ↩Mark.16.15;Rom.10.18;Ps.19.4 — And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." Rom.10.18 — But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed, their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the inhabited world. Ps.19.4 — There is no speech, and there are no words; their voice is not heard.
  8. ↩Luke.24.47;Acts.13.38 — and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem Acts.13.38 — Let it be known to you, brothers, that through this one forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you
  9. ↩Acts.10.43;Acts.13.38-Acts.13.39;Mark.16.16;John.3.16-John.3.18 — To him all the prophets bear witness that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins. Acts.13.38 — Let it be known to you, brothers, that through this one forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you Acts.13.39 — and from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses, everyone who believes in him is justified. Mark.16.16 — The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned. John.3.16 — For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life. John.3.17 — For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John.3.18 — Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
  10. ↩John.20.19-John.20.21 — On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." John.20.20 — And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. John.20.21 — So Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.'
  11. ↩Matt.26.26;Mark.14.22;Luke.22.19;1Cor.11.24 — While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and having blessed it, he broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." Mark.14.22 — And while they were eating, he took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, 'Take; this is my body.' Luke.22.19 — And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' 1Cor.11.24 — and having given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.'
  12. ↩Matt.26.28;Mark.14.24;Luke.22.20;1Cor.11.25 — For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Mark.14.24 — And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, poured out for many." Luke.22.20 — In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." 1Cor.11.25 — In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

Notes

  1. 1 ↩bey einer Todtsünde: traditional ecclesiastical phrasing for compulsory reception under penalty of mortal sin if one fails to come.
  2. 2 ↩Source sentence ends mid-phrase at die von den; the following section continues with Leuten dazu müssen getrieben werden. English trailing dash marks the incomplete clause rather than inventing the missing words.
  3. 3 ↩Continues the previous section’s clause: “der andern mag es nicht / die von den …” + this line = “it does not suit the others, who have to be driven to it by people.” The printed section is only the tail of that relative clause.
  4. 4 ↩Early modern German Vntugend here tracks biblical 'iniquity' (not mere 'vice'); Missethat is rendered 'wrongdoing' to keep the three-term sequence Sünde / Vntugend / Missethat distinct.
  5. 5 ↩The German ends elliptically with 'wie der 129.' The quote and 'Psalm sagt' continue in the next sentence; rendered as a completed reference for sense.
  6. 6 ↩Luther's familiar Ps 130:4 line is often 'forgiveness' (Vergebung); the source here reads 'gnade' (grace). Translated as written.
  7. 7 ↩Early modern 'schende' (schänden): to shame/disgrace one's life before God, not merely to feel embarrassed about it.
  8. 8 ↩'sein Gerichte' is God's judgment; 'auffwerffe' is to put forward/boast of one's good work or life as a claim.
  9. 9 ↩'kömpstu zuuor' is forensic forestalling: by condemning yourself first, you go ahead of the verdict so that God is bound to mercy rather than condemnation.
  10. 10 ↩Early New High German 'Hieuon' is 'Hievon/Hiervon' ('of this / about this'). 'für dem Nehesten' is dative after 'für' = 'before/in the presence of the neighbor' (not modern 'for'). 'mag sein' here is volitional ('will have it / approves'), not epistemic 'maybe'.
  11. 11 ↩Kirchoff (Kirchhof) is the consecrated churchyard burial ground; denial of burial there was a standard penalty for failing the obligatory Easter confession under canon law.
  12. 12 ↩Early modern German lust here means glad desire/willingness, not sensual appetite; rendered as 'gladly' to keep that sense in plain English.
  13. 13 ↩anstehen lassen can mean postpone, leave pending, or leave alone; in this confession context the force is that forced, unwilling observance is better left undone than done under compulsion.
  14. 14 ↩Source 'Bapsi' is the early-print form/variant of Bapst (Pope); rendered as 'Pope' in line with neighboring sections.
  15. 15 ↩Marter Wochen puns on an older German name for Passion/Holy Week (Marterwoche) and on gemartert: Luther says the season is rightly so named because consciences are tortured, not for Christ's Passion alone.
  16. 16 ↩Source reading 'gerhaten' is treated as early-modern 'geraten' (advisable/recommended).
  17. 17 ↩'nimmer das Maul auffthun kan / er muß' is Luther's earthy result construction: every opening of the preacher's mouth is (or must be) an absolution, because the Gospel itself is forgiveness through faith in Christ.
  18. 18 ↩Source shifts mid-sentence from impersonal mans to du; English uses you for natural modern address while keeping the general force.
  19. 19 ↩Source has 'nich' for 'nicht' (not); translated as the obvious intended reading.
  20. 20 ↩Source has 'Wott' for 'Wort' (Word); translated as the obvious intended reading.
  21. 21 ↩Section ends mid-clause; the thought continues in Betbuechlein.1.9.26 with 'Wort allein auff deine Person gestellet wird' (the Word is addressed to your person alone).
  22. 22 ↩Continues the previous section: confession (like the Sacrament) has this advantage, that the word is directed to you personally. Early New High German gestellet auff = set/directed toward.
  23. 23 ↩Item is Latin-in-German for 'likewise/also', a common Luther citation marker introducing a further proof text.
  24. 24 ↩Stücks: rendered as 'this part of it' (this benefit/aspect of confession); 'emperen' = entbehren, 'do without'.
  25. 25 ↩Luther insists private confession remain free (not commanded) so it does not bind conscience as a prerequisite for the Sacrament, while still urging it as precious hearing of God's Word.
  26. 26 ↩Luther plays on loosing vs. binding: what was called Absoluiert (“loosed/absolved”) is said to leave people erst recht angebunden (“only then truly bound/tied”).
  27. 27 ↩foddern = fordern: rendered as seeking/asking for comfort and strength at confession, not as a hard legal demand.
  28. 28 ↩Source sentence is truncated mid-clause at 'der Beichte vnnd der'; continuation in neighboring section 34 begins 'Absolutio bedürffe…' (need confession and absolution).
  29. 29 ↩Continues the first-person confession from the previous section: 'I well feel that I need confession and…' + 'absolution.' Absolutio is kept as the formal term of release in confession.
  30. 30 ↩jhn = him, i.e. God from the previous sentence; the brother is the confessor-neighbor through whom God is found and heard.
  31. 31 ↩wolt Gott is optative (would that God / would to God), not a bare statement of divine will. so weit bracht were = brought so far / come so far in self-knowledge; bekennete = confess/admit.
  32. 32 ↩Source ends with 'Beich'; treated as truncated 'Beicht' (confession), consistent with the preceding uses in this chapter.
  33. 33 ↩Early NHG 'für geblawet' (fürgebläuet): loud/forceful drumming-in or blaring-at; rendered as 'drummed ... into us' to keep Luther's critical bite without archaism.
  34. 34 ↩Source sentence ends mid-clause at 'deinem' (dative 'your…'); likely continues into the next section (brother/priest). Bracketed 'confess' supplies only the verb required by the truncated construction; the dative complement is left incomplete to match the source cut.
  35. 35 ↩Luther denies that confession is a meritorious good work or a legal necessity; the force of als were / als müstu is counterfactual — as if it were a good work and as if you were bound to perform it.
  36. 36 ↩Absolutio kept as 'absolution' (the sacramental declaration of forgiveness). Sacrament and Messe retained as Sacrament and Mass for Lutheran Eucharistic/liturgical specificity.
  37. 37 ↩wiewol du gebeichtet hast = how much/how thoroughly you have confessed (degree of completeness), not merely 'although you have confessed'. The contrast is completeness of confession vs. God's Word and faith.
  38. 38 ↩trotzen auff X again Y: Early New High German idiom of bold defiance against Y while relying on X; rendered as 'defy...by standing on' to keep the combative Lutheran force without archaism.

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