The Institution of Christian Religion

With this reknowleging when the sinner hath wholly poured out himself before God,¹ let him earnestly and sincerely think, that yet there remain moe sins, & that the secret corners of their evils are so deep, that they can not be throughly disclosed. And he crieth out with David: Who understandeth his errors? Lord cleanse me from my hidden sins. Now where they affirm, that sins are not forgiven but with an intent of confessing firmly conceived, and that the gate of paradise is shut against him that neglecteth occasion offered when he may be confessed, God forbid that we should grant them that. For there is no other forgiveness of sins, than alway hath ben. It is not read that all they have confessed their sins in the ear of some priest, that we read to have obtained forgiveness of sins at Christs hand. And truly, they could not confess, where there were neither any priests confessors, nor any confessing at all. And in many ages after, this confession was unheard of, at which time sins were forgiven with out this condition. But that we may not need to dispute longer about this, as about a doubtful matter, the word of God is plain, which abideth for ever: Whensoever the sinner repenteth, I will no more remember all his iniquities. He that dare add any thing to this word, bindeth not sins,² but the mercy of God. For whereas they say, that Judgement can not be given but when the cause is heard, we have a solution in readiness, that they do presumptuously take that upon them selves, which have made themselves judges. And it is a marvel, that they do so boldly frame to themselves such principles, as no man in his right wit will grant. They boast that the office of Binding and Loosing is committed to them, as though it were a certain jurisdiction joined with Inquisition. Moreover their whole doctrine crieth out, that this authority was unknown to the Apostles. Neither doth it belong to the priest, but to him which desireth absolution, to know certainly whether the sinner be loosed or no: forasmuch as he that heareth can never know whether the reckoning be just & perfect. So should there be no absolution but such as is restrained to his words that is to be judged.

With this reknowleging when the sinner hath wholy poured out himselfe before God,¹