The Confession of the Faith of the Germans

And if it be had for contrition, what needeth absolution? What doth the power of the keys, if sin be already forgiven? And here also they do sweat & labour much more, and do wickedly extenuate and minish the power of the keys. Other some there be which say that by the power of the keys sin is not forgiven: but only eternal pains be changed into temporal pains. So were the most wholesome power & authority, a ministration not of life and of spirit: but only of wrath and punishments. Some of them again, which be somewhat more wily, do feign & imagine, that by the power of the keys since be forgiven in the sight of the church, but not in the sight of god. This also is a perilous and mischievous error. For if the power of the keys doth not comfort us in the sight of god: What thing then (I ⟨image 105⟩pray you) shall make a quiet conscience? Now these things ye follow be also more perplex, doubtful and intricate. They teach, that we do merit grace by contrition. Where if a man ask why Saul, Judas and other like do not obtain grace and pardon with most bitter and horrible remorse,¹ which were contrite. Here they ought to make their answer by faith and by the gospel, because Judas did not believe, because he did not lift up, and con forte him self with the gospel, and the promise of Christ. For faith showeth the diver site between the contrition of Judas, and the contrition of Peter. But our adversaries make their answer by the law, that Judas loved not god, but feared punishments. but when shall a troubled and frayed conscience, (namely in these earnest, true, and great terrors, which be described in the Psalms, and the prophets, and which those men do undoubtedly taste, which be truly converted) when shall (I say) such a troubled conscience, be able to judge whether he feareth and dreadeth god truly and for him self, or whether he doth but flee everlasting pains? These great motions, and troublous may be haply discerned or dissevered by letters and vocables, but they can not be depted so in sunder in very deed as these sweet sophisters do dream. Here we call upon the judgements of all good & wise men. They undoubtedly will confess & grant that these disputations among our adversaries be very dark, doubtful, perplex and intricate.

And if it be had for contrition, what nedeth absolution? What dothe the power of the keyes, if synne be alredy forgiuen? And here also they do sweate & labour muche more, and do wickedly extenuate and minishe the power of the keyes. Other some there be whiche saye that by the power of the keyes synne is nat forgeuen: but only eternal paynes be chaunged into temperall paynes. So were the moste holsom power & auctorite, a ministration nat of lyfe and of spirite: but only of wrathe and punyshementes. Some of them agayne, whiche be sumwhat more wylye, do fayne & ymagyne, that by the power of the keyes synnes be forgeuen in the syght of the churche, but nat in the syght of god. Thys also is a perilous and mischeuous errour. For if the power of the keyes dothe nat comforte vs in the syght of god: What thynge then (I