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Subsection
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Order of Contents
Confession 6+
Penance & Satisfactions 6+
. Latin 8
. Vulgate 1
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On Making Confession of Sins & on Auricular Confession to a Priest
Intro
James 5:16 says, ‘Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.’
If we sin against another, we ought confess that sin to the person we sinned against, and pray for each other. If we commit private sins, or feel the weight of our sinfulness, it is also good to confess that to other trusted brothers or sisters in the Lord in order to find help.
Romanism, through time, twisted this Biblical teaching into one being obligated to use a confessional to a ‘priest’, with the attendant corruptions of sacramentalism and the ‘priests’ forgiving people’s sins.
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Quote
Leonard Rijssen
A Complete Summary of Elenctic Theology & of as Much Didactic Theology as is Necessary trans. J. Wesley White MTh thesis (Bern, 1676; GPTS, 2009), ch. 17, ‘The Sacraments’, p. 239-40
ҤX. And since before the Eucharist, priests are accustomed to hear confession, we add this. We admit public confession of sins:
1. Made by the whole Church to God.
2. Of particular parts of the whole Church (2 Cor. 2:6).
And private:
1. Made to God.
2. To those whom we have injured.
3. By the troubled and doubting conscience to any believer who can console us.
§XI. But we disapprove of confessions:
1. Being forced,
2. Of all sins,
3. Including secret sins.
4. Only to the ears of the priest.
5. For obtaining from the priest remission of sins.
Controversy – Is it necessary for someone seeking remission of sins to tell his secret sins to a priest? We deny against the Papists.
Arguments:
1. Christ remits the sins of the one who believes, including those not recounted in detail (Mt. 9:2), “and as the Father sent him, so He sends us” and wants us to do the same (Jn. 20:21).
2. Saints who confessed their sins only to God obtained remission (Ps. 32:5, Lk. 18:13-14).
3. No one has to reveal his own wickedness (Jude v. 13).
4. God alone, not priests, can remit and wipe away sins (Lk. 5:21).
5. This is pure tyranny over consciences.
Objections:
1. Then, for what purpose was the power of remitting sins given (Jn. 20:23, 2 Cor. 5:19)? Reply: This is nothing else than proclaiming remission of sins in the name of God to the penitent.
2. “Many confessed their sins” (Acts 19:18). Reply: Those who had lived profanely before conversion and performed magic confessed publicly not to a priest in the ear that they had lived wickedly.
3. Confess your sins one to another (Jas. 5:16). Reply: Then why not the priests to the people? This refers to someone who is afflicted on account of sins. We are warned concerning these sins that we should not deny them.
4. If we confess our sins, He will remit them (1 Jn. 1:9). Reply: If we confess to God, God remits.”
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Articles
1500’s
Melanchthon, Philip
ch. 26. ‘On Private Confessions’ in The Loci Communes of Philip Melanchthon… tr. Charles L. Hill (1521; Boston: Meador Publishing, 1944), pp. 255-58
Though Melanchthon (1497–1560) was a Lutheran, this work of his was the first ‘systematic theology’ of the Reformation, and, as it was very influential on reformed systematic theologies following shortly thereafter.
ch. 26. ‘Of Confession’ in Melanchthon on Christian Doctrine, Loci Communes, 1555 tr. Clyde L. Manschreck (1555; NY: Oxford Univ. Press, 1965), pp. 244-47
Calvin, John – 4. ‘Penitence, as explained in the sophistical jargon of the Schoolmen, widely different from the purity required by the Gospel. Of Confession and Satisfactions.’ in Institutes of the Christian Religion tr. Henry Beveridge (1559; Edinburgh: Calvin Translation Society, 1845), vol. 2, bk. 3, pp. 182-235
Bullinger, Henry – Questions of Religion Cast Abroad in Helvetia [Switzerland] by the Adversaries of the Same, & Answered… tr. John Coxe (1560; London, 1572)
13. ‘Of Repentance & Confession’ 108-16
14. ‘Of the Authority of Priests’ 116-20
Vermigli, Peter Martyr – 8. ‘Of Repentance, of Contrition, Confession & Satisfaction’ in The Common Places… (d. 1562; London: Henrie Denham et al., 1583), pt. 3, pp. 203-27
Musculus, Wolfgang – Common Places of the Christian Religion (1560; London, 1563), ‘Repentance’
Of confession of sins out of holy Scriptures 216.a
Of the Popish confession, which men call ‘auricular’ 216.b
The beginning of auricular confession 218.b
Beza, Theodore – Ch. 7, 11. Of Confession in A Brief & Pithy Sum of the Christian Faith made in Form of a Confession (London, 1565)
de Brès, Guy – ‘Of Confession to God, and of Auricular Confession’ in The Staff of Christian Faith… for to Know the Antiquity of our Holy Faith… gathered out of the Works of the Ancient Doctors of the Church… (London, 1577), pp. 40-46
de Bres (1522-1567) was a Walloon pastor, Protestant reformer and theologian, a student of Calvin and Beza in Geneva.
Viret, Pierre – A Christian Instruction… (d. 1571; London: Veale, 1573), A Familiar Exposition of the Principal Points of the Catechism, and of the Christian Doctrine, made in Form of Dialogue
22nd Dialogue: Of the Baptism of Little Children & of Brotherly Confession & Reconciliation
Of Confession & of Brotherly Reconciliation
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1600’s
Perkins, William – ch. 1, sect. 1, Of Confession [of Sins] in The Whole Treatise of the Cases of Conscience… (d. 1602; Cambridge: Legat, 1606), bk. 1
Ussher, James – ‘Of Confession’ & ‘Of the Priest’s Power to Forgive Sins’ †1656 75 pp. being chs. 4 & 5 of Answer to a Jesuit and other Tracts on Popery, pp. 74-149
In the context against Romanism, Ussher surveys the Early Church on the confession of sin and how this turned into the Romanist bondage of the Confessional.
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Latin Article
Confession was regularly treated of under the commonplace of penance, which went under the term poenitentia. As both repentance and penance were commonly treated of under poenitentia, see the Latin works on the Repentance page.
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Alting, Henry – “The State of the controversy is: Whether private confession and absolution is necessary? [No] Whether bowing of the knees and an uncovering of the head is at the mention of the name of Jesus has been commanded? [No] and lastly, whether Latin songs may be allowed in public assemblies? [No] The Lutherans affirm; we deny.” in A Syllabus of Controversies with the Lutherans, pt 2, ‘Controversies About Ceremonies’, Controversy 2, ‘Of Other Certain Rituals’ in A Logical & Theological Exegesis of the Augsburg Confession… (Amsterdam, 1647), pp. 274-78
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On Penance & Human Satisfactions
Articles
1500’s
Melanchthon, Philip
25. ‘On Penitence’ in The Loci Communes of Philip Melanchthon… tr. Charles L. Hill (1521; Boston: Meador Publishing, 1944). pp. 249-55
Though Melanchthon (1497–1560) was a Lutheran, this work of his was the first ‘systematic theology’ of the Reformation, and, as it was very influential on reformed systematic theologies following shortly thereafter.
Melanchthon on Christian Doctrine, Loci Communes, 1555 tr. Clyde L. Manschreck (1555; NY: Oxford Univ. Press, 1965)
ch. 24. ‘Of Penance’ 231-35
ch. 27. ‘Of Satisfaction’ 247-55
Calvin, John – Institutes of the Christian Religion tr. Henry Beveridge (1559; Edinburgh: Calvin Translation Society, 1845), vol. 2, bk. 3
4. ‘Penitence, as explained in the sophistical jargon of the Schoolmen, widely different from the purity required by the Gospel. Of Confession and Satisfactions.’ 182-235
5. ‘Of the modes of Supplementing Satisfactions, viz., Indulgences and Purgatory’ 235-52
Bullinger, Henry – Question 51 in 13. ‘Of Repentance & Confession’ in Questions of Religion Cast Abroad in Helvetia [Switzerland] by the Adversaries of the Same, & Answered… tr. John Coxe (1560; London, 1572), pp. 113-15
Vermigli, Peter Martyr – 8. ‘Of Repentance, of Contrition, Confession & Satisfaction’ in The Common Places… (d. 1562; London: Henrie Denham et al., 1583), pt. 3, pp. 203-27
Beza, Theodore – A Brief & Pithy Sum of the Christian Faith made in Form of a Confession (London, 1562), ch. 7
Viret, Pierre – A Christian Instruction… (d. 1571; London: Veale, 1573)
The Sum of the Principal Points of the Christian Faith
19. Of the Purgatory & Satisfaction of the Papists 18-19
A Familiar Exposition of the Principal Points of the Catechism
4th Dialogue
Of the Satisfaction towards God by Works
Of the Works whereby Man may satisfy at the judgment of God
9th Dialogue
For what Cause no sacrifice nor any other work of man whatsoever it be, may be able to make satisfaction to God
For what Cause there is nothing but the only sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which may satisfy at the judgment of God
Finch, Henry – 3. Of Satisfaction in The Sacred Doctrine of Divinity gathered out of the Word of God… (Middelburg: 1589), bk. 3
Finch (d. 1625) was an English lawyer and politician.
Perkins, William – 6. Of Satisfaction in A Reformed Catholic… ([Cambridge] 1598)
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1600’s
Pemble, William – section 7, ch. 1, ‘None can be Justified by their Own Satisfaction for the Transgression of the Law. A brief Sum of Popish doctrine concerning human satisfactions for sin’ in Vindiciae fidei, or a Treatise of Justification by Faith… (Oxford: John Lichfield, 1625), pp. 219-31
Davenant, John – The Determinations, or Resolutions of Certain Theological Questions, Publicly Discussed in the University of Cambridge trans. Josiah Allport (1634; 1846) bound at the end of John Davenant, A Treatise on Justification, or the Disputatio de Justitia... trans. Josiah Allport (1631; London, 1846), vol. 2
Question 8, ‘Works of Penance are Not Satisfactions to Divine Justice’, pp. 262-65
Question 33, ‘When Guilt is Remitted, its Punishment is Remitted’, pp. 391-93
Question 36, ‘The Sacrifice Made by Christ is Alone Truly Expiatory’, pp. 404-8
Turretin, Francis – 31. ‘Are confirmation, penance, orders, marriage and extreme unction true sacraments? We deny against the Romanists.’ in Institutes of Elenctic Theology, tr. George M. Giger, ed. James Dennison Jr. (1679–1685; P&R, 1994), vol. 3, 19th Topic, p. 548 ff.
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Latin Articles
As both repentance and penance were commonly referred to by the term poenitentia, and treated of under that common place, see the Latin works on the Repentance page.
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1500’s
Szegedin Pannonius, Stephan – ‘Of Penance’ in Common Places of Pure Theology, of God & Man, Explained in Continuous Tables & the Dogma of the Schools Illustrated (Basil, 1585/93), 3. Of Popish Doctrine, pp. 489-92
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1600’s
Piscator, Johannes – 19. ‘Of the Sacrament which they call Penance [Poenitentia], where it is displayed that Repentance [Poenitentia] is not a Sacrament’ in Theological Theses (Herborn, 1606-1607), vol. 2, pp. 350-57
Chamier, Daniel – ‘Of Penance’, chs. 12-16 in Panstratiae Catholicae, or a Body of the Controversies of Religion Against the Papists (Frankfurt, 1627-1629), vol. 4, Locus 4, Of the Sacraments, bk. 4, pp. 87-96
Ames, William – bk. 5, ‘On Penance’ in Bellarmine Enervated (London, 1632-1633), vol. 3, pp. 150-85
Voet, Gisbert
Syllabus of Theological Problems (Utrecht, 1643), pt. 1, section 2, tract 3 Abbr.
2. Of Human Satisfactions (with many absurd questions, including about Purgatory, Intercessions for the Dead, Indulgences, Release from Purgatory, Vows, Things Vowed & Pilgrimages)
5. Of Repentance, Penance, etc.
Appendix: Absurd, Inept & Curious Questions of the Papists
. On Penance in General
. On the Sacrament of Penance as it is a virtue
65. ‘Pseudo-Mortifications of the Papacy’ in Select Theological Disputations (Utrecht, 1659), vol. 3, pp. 946-60
Revius, Jacobus – Disputation 174, ‘False Sacraments, third part, which is of Penance’ in Disputations of Compendious Theology, vol. 1, 2 (#111-218), 3 (Leiden, 1649), vol. 2, pp. 511-19
Heidegger, Johann H.
section 60, ‘Of Penance’ in The Marrow of Christian Theology: an Introductory Epitome of the Body of Theology (Zurich, 1713), Locus 25, ‘Of External Worship, Especially of the Sacraments of the New Testament’, p. 295
sections 140-41 in A Body of Christian Theology… (Tigur, 1700), vol. 2, Locus 25, pp. 500-501
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1700’s
Vitringa, Sr., Campegius – The Doctrine of the Christian Religion, Summarily Described through Aphorisms (d. 1722), vol. 3, ch. 14, ‘Of Faith & Repentance’
Of the Parts of Repentance [Poenitentia] 115-21
Of the Sacrament of Penance 122-24
Of Contrition 125-26
Of Articulated Confession 127-31
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Whether the Latin Vulgate says “Do Penance”? No
Quote
Charles Johnson
“Why the Roman Church is being dishonest when it says the Vulgate supports their sacrament of penitence when it says poenitentiam agite (Mt. 3:2):
1. The term that the reformers preferred for repentance, resipiscentia, is nowhere used in the Vulgate. In fact it’s not common at all in ancient Latin texts. So either the early Church had no concept of repentance, or they referred to it with the term poenitentia.
2. The Vulgate uses the term poenitentia throughout the Old Testament, before the sacrament of penance was instituted according to the Roman view. So something else is clearly in view.
3. The Vulgate uses poenitentia to refer to repentance at the time of conversion, whereas in the Roman view the sacrament of penance is for restoration for sins committed after baptism. For example Acts 19:4, “Joannes baptizavit baptismo poenitentiae populum“, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance”.
4. The term poenitentia is sometimes used to express how God does not turn from his plans, which is more fitting to the idea of repentance than penance. For example Rom. 11:29, “Sine poenitentia enim sunt dona et vocatio Dei.”, “The gifts and calling of God are without repentance”. See also 1 Sam. 15:29, “Porro triumphator in Israel non parcet, et poenitudine non flectetur: neque enim homo est ut agat poenitentiam.” It is even used positively in reference to God, such as Jer. 18:10, “Si fecerit malum in oculis meis, ut non audiat vocem meam, poenitentiam agam super bono quod locutus sum ut facerem ei.”
5. Poenitentia is often parsed in the Vulgate as a turning aside from sin. 1 Sam. 15:29, “Porro triumphator in Israel non parcet, et poenitudine non flectetur: neque enim homo est ut agat poenitentiam.”
6. 1 Kings 8:47 says that poenitentia may be done in one’s heart, which does not fit the nature of the sacrament of penance. “et egerint poenitentiam in corde suo in loco captivitatis“.”
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Related Pages
Roman Church is a Church, her Baptism Valid, the Reformers’ Ministerial
. Calling was Valid, Necessity of Separation from Her & Whether Romanists
. may be Saved
Romanist Systematic Theologies
Authoritative Documents of Romanism
Classifications & Degrees of Sin; Venial vs. Mortal Sin