The Institution of Christian Religion

Therefore it is no marvel, if we condemn and desire to have utterly §19taken away this Auricular confession, a thing so pestilent and so many ways hurtful to the Church: but if it were a thing by it self indifferent, yet forasmuch as it is to no use nor profit, & hath given cause to so many wickednesses, sacrileges and errors, who will not think that it ought to be presently abolished? They do in deed reckon up some good uses, which they boast upon as very profitable, butte these either false or of no value at all. Due only they commend with a singular prerogative, that shame is a great punishment of him that confesseth, whereby the sinner both is for time to come made ware, & preventeth the punishment of God in punishing himself. As though we did not humble a man with shamefastness enough, when we call him to yt hie judgement seat of heaven, I mean to the hearing of God. It is forsooth very well profited, if for shame of one mans knowledge we cease to sin, and be not ashamed to have God witness of our evil conscience. Although the very same is also most false, for it is to be seen that by nothing groweth greater confidence or licentiousness to sin, than when men having made confession to a priest, think that they may wipe their mouth and say, I did it not. And not only they are made all the year long the bolder to sin: but all the rest of the year bearing themselves bold upon confession, they never sigh unto God, they never return to themselves, but heap sins upon sins, till they vomit up all at ones as they think. And when they have ones vomited them up, they think them selves discharged of their burden, and that they have taken away from God the judgment that they have given to the priest, and that they have brought God in forgetfulness, when they have made the priest privy. Moreover who doth merrily see the day of confession at hand? Who goeth to confession with a cheerful heart, and cometh not to it rather against his will, & as it were drawing backward, like as if he were taken by the neck and drawn to prison? unless peradventure it be the very priests, that use joyfully to delight themselves with mutual rehearsals of their doings, as were with merry tales? I will not defile much paper with monstrous abominations whereof auricular confession swerveth full.

Therefore it is no maruel, if we condemne and desire to haue vtterly §19taken awaie this Auricular confession, a thinge so pestilent and so many waies hurtfull to the Churche: but if it were a thinge by it selfe indifferent, yet for asmuche as it is to no vse nor profite, & hathe geuen cause to so many wickednesses, sacrileges and erroures, whoe will not thinke that it ought to be presently abolished? Thei do in deede recken vp some good vses, whiche thei boaste vpon as very profitable, butte these either false or of no valewe at all. Due onely thei commend with a singular prerogatiue, that shame is a great punishment of him that cōfesseth, wherby the sinner both is for time to com made warer, & preuenteth the punishment of God in punishing himselfe. As thoughe we dyd not humble a man with shamefastnesse enoughe, when we call him to yt hie iudgement seate of heauen, I meane to the hearing of God. It is forsoothe very wel profited, if for shame of one mans knowledge we cesse to sinne, and bee not ashamed to haue God witnesse of oure euell conscience. Althoughe the very same is also moste false, for it is to bee seen that by nothinge groweth greater confidence or licentiousnesse to sinne, than when men hauing made confession to a preeste, thinke that they maie wipe their mouthe and saie, I did it not. And not onely they are made all the yeare longe the bolder to sinne: but all the rest of the yeare bearing themselues bolde vpon confession, thei neuer sighe vnto God, thei neuer returne to themselues, but heape sinnes vpon sinnes, til they vomit vp al at ones as they thinke. And when they haue ones vomited them vppe, they thinke them selues discharged of their burden, and that thei haue taken awaie from God the iudgment that thei haue geuen to the preeste, and that they haue brought God in forgetfulnesse, when they haue made the preeste priuie. Moreouer whoe doth meryly see the daie of confession at hande? Whoe goeth to confession with a cherefull hearte, and commeth not to it rather against his wil, & as it were drawing backewarde, like as if he were taken by the necke and drawen to pryson? vnlesse paraduenture it be the very preestes, that vse ioyfully to delite themselues with mutuall rehersals of their doinges, as weare with mery tales? I wil not defile much paper with monstruous abhominations wherof auricular cōfession swarueth ful.