The Institution of Christian Religion

Concerning Confession, there hath been alway great strife between §4the Canonists and School divines: while the one sort affirm, that confession is commanded by the special commandment of God, and the other sort deny it and say, that it is commanded only by the Ecclesiastical constitutions. But in this contention hath appeared the notable shamelessness of the divines, that have corrupted and violently wrested as many places of Scripture, as they alleged for their purpose. And when they saw that they could not so obtain that which they required, they which would be thought more subtle than the rest, escaped away with this shift, that confession came from the law of God, in respect of the substance of it, butte afterward received from of the law Positive. Even as the foolishest sort among the lawyers do say, that Citations came from the law of God, because it is said: Adam where art thou? And likewise Exceptions,¹ because Adam answered as if were by way of exception saying: The wife that thou gavest me. &c. but that both citations and exceptions received form given them by the Civil law. But let us see by what arguments they prove this confession, either formed or Unformed to be the commandment of God. The Lord (say they) sent the leprous men to the priests.² But what? Sent he them to confession? Who ever heard it spoken, that the Levitical priests were appointed to hear confessions? Therefore they flee to Allegories, and say: It was commanded by the law of Moses, that the priests should discern between leprosy and leprosy: sin is a spiritual leprosy: therefore it is the priests office to pronounce upon it. Before that I answer them, I ask this by the way, If this place make them judges of the spiritual leprosy, why do they draw to them y• knowledge of natural & fleshly leprosy? This forsooth is not to mock with the Scriptures. The law giveth to the Levitical priests the knowledge of Leprosy, therefore let us take it upon us. Sin is a spiritual leprosy, therefore let us also be examiners of sin. Now I answer: sith the priesthood is removed, it is necessary that the law be removed also.³ Al priesthoods are removed to Christ, and fulfilled and ended in him, therefore to him only all the right and honour of priesthood is also removed.