The Institution of Christian Religion

But now they join more near hand with us, when they fight (as they think) with open sentences. They that came to Ihons baptism, did confess their sins, & James willeth that we confess our sins one to an other. No marvel if they that would be baptised did confess their sins, for it was said before that John preached the baptism▪ of repentance, and baptised in water unto repentance. Whom should he then have baptized, but them that had confessed themselves sinners? Baptism is a token of the forgiveness of sins: and who should be admitted to this token but sinners, and they that acknowledge themselves to be such? Therefore they confessed their sins, that they might be baptised. And not without a cause doth James bid us confess one to an other. But if they did mark what followeth next after, they would understand, that this also maketh little for them. Confess (saith he) one to an other your sins, & pray one for an other. He joineth together mutual confession and mutual prayer. If we must confess to priests only, then must we also pray for priests only. Yea, What and if it might follow of the words of James that only priests might confess? for when he willeth that we should confess one to an other, he speaketh only to them that may hear the confessions of other: his word is in greek Allelous, mutually, interchangeably, by turns, or (if they so like best to term it) by way of reciprocation one to an other. But so interchangeably none can confess, but they that are meet to here confessions. Which prerogative sith they vouchsafe to grant only to priests, we do also put over the office of confessing to them only. Therefore away with such triflings, & let us take the very meaning of the Apostle which is simple & plain: that is, y• we should lay our weakness one in an others bosom to receive mutual counsel, mutual compassion and mutual comfort one of an other: then that we be naturally privy to the weaknesses of our brethren, should pray for them to the Lord. Why do they then allege James against us, which do so earnestly require the confession of the mercy of God?¹ but no man can confess Gods mercy, unless he have first confessed his own misery. Yea we rather pronounce him accursed that doth not before God,² before his Angels, before the Church, yea and before all men confess himself a sinner.