The Institution of Christian Religion

In these three kinds of confession, the power of the keys hath place: that is, either when the whole church with solemn reknowleging of their faults craveth pardon: or when a private man, that by any notable fault hath bred common offence, doth declare his repentance: or when he that for the unquietness of his conscience, doth need help of the minister discloseth his weakness unto him. But there are diverse ways of taking away offence, because although thereby also the peace of conscience is provided for, yet the principal end is, that hatred should be taken away, & mens minds knit together with a bond of peace. But this use that I have spoken of, is not to be despised, that we may the more willingly confess our sins. For when the whole church standeth as it were before the judgement seat of God, confesseth it self guilty, & hath one only refuge unto the mercy of God: it is no slender or light comfort to have there present Christs ambassador, having commandment of reconciliation, of whom it may hear absolution pronounced unto it. Here the profitableness of the keys is worthily commended, when this embassage is performed ⟨p. 142⟩rightly, & with such order & religiousness as beseemeth it. Likewise when he that had in a manner estranged him self from the Church, receiveth pardon & is restored into brotherly unity: how great a benefit is it that he understandeth him self to be forgiven by them, to whom Christ hath said:¹ To whom so ever ye forgive sins in earth, they shall be forgiven in heaven. And of no less effectualness & profit is private absolution, when it is asked by them that have need of special remedy to relieve their weakness. For it happeneth oftentimes, that he which heareth the general promises that are directed to the whole congregation of the faithful, remaineth nevertheless in some doubt, and hath still an unquiet mind, as though he had not yet obtained pardon: and the same man, if he have disclosed to his parson the secret sore of his mind, and heareth peculiarly directed to him self that saying of the Gospel,² Thy sins are forgiven thee, be of good hope, stablisheth his mind unto assuredness & is delivered from that trembling, wherewith he was before tormented. But when we speak of the keys, we must take heed that we dream not of a certain power severed from the preaching of the Gospel.