Questions of religion cast abroad in Helvetia by the adversaries of the sameQuestions of religion cast abroad in Helvetia by the aduersaries of the same

The Answer.

The Answere.

Confession or the numbering of our¹ sins, which must be done before the priest, with all the circumstances ⟨image 121⟩thereof, as how, when, who, with whom, how often, and wherefore he hath offended, is but in vain, and without all sufficient proof called the Sacrament of confession. For God alone, as we have before showed, did institute the Sacraments, but he ordained not this confession to be any of them, neither did he command it as necessary to our salvation. For the holy Scripture teacheth an other manner of profitable and necessary kind of confession, and biddeth us to confess our sins with a true faith from our hearts meekly unto God. For God it is alone whom we have offended, who knoweth our hearts, deeds, and determinations, remitteth or punisheth sins, and hath given his son unto us, an high Priest and one eternal sacrifice. Therefore must we come to GOD the father through Christ, and that with the same words which he hath given us, teaching us to confess our sins, saying: Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And after this sort may all the faithful in ⟨p. 111⟩all their troubles, and at all times, and in every place confess themselves to GOD both secretly and openly. Secretly when each man prayeth alone and confesseth his sins to God. Openly, when any man in the Church together with the whole congregation prayeth and confesseth the same. And there are many examples in both the Testaments, of those who confessed themselves to God, and not only craved, but also obtained of him forgiveness of their sins. But on the contrary, there are no examples of any which confessed themselves to Lay men or Priests: for this honour belongeth to God alone, which hath given us his²