Since Absolution or the Power of the Keys is also an aid and
consolation against sin and a bad conscience, ordained by
Christ [Himself] in the Gospel, Confession or Absolution ought
by no means to be abolished in the Church, especially on
account of [tender and] timid consciences and on account of
the untrained [and capricious] young people, in order that
they may be examined, and instructed in the Christian
doctrine.
But the enumeration of sins ought to be free to every one, as
to what he wishes to enumerate or not to enumerate. For as
long as we are in the flesh, we shall not lie when we say: "I
am a poor man [I acknowledge that I am a miserable sinner],
full of sin." Rom. 7, 23: I see another law in my members,
etc. For since private absolution originates in the Office of
the Keys, it should not be despised [neglected], but greatly
and highly esteemed [of the greatest worth], as [also] all
other offices of the Christian Church.
And in those things which concern the spoken, outward Word, we
must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no
one, except through or with the preceding outward Word, in
order that we may [thus] be protected against the enthusiasts,
i.e., spirits who boast that they have the Spirit without and
before the Word, and accordingly judge Scripture or the spoken
Word, and explain and stretch it at their pleasure, as Muenzer
did, and many still do at the present day, who wish to be
acute judges between the Spirit and the letter, and yet know
not what they say or declare. For [indeed] the Papacy also is
nothing but sheer enthusiasm, by which the Pope boasts that
all rights exist in the shrine of his heart, and whatever he
decides and commands with [in] his church is spirit and right,
even though it is above and contrary to Scripture and the
spoken Word.
All this is the old devil and old serpent, who also converted
Adam and Eve into enthusiasts, and led them from the outward
Word of God to spiritualizing and self-conceit, and
nevertheless he accomplished this through other outward words.
Just as also our enthusiasts [at the present day] condemn the
outward Word, and nevertheless they themselves are not silent,
but they fill the world with their pratings and writings, as
though, indeed, the Spirit could not come through the writings
and spoken word of the apostles, but [first] through their
writings and words he must come. Why [then] do not they also
omit their own sermons and writings, until the Spirit Himself
come to men, without their writings and before them, as they
boast that Me has come into them without the preaching of the
Scriptures? But of these matters there is not time now to
dispute at greater length; we have elsewhere sufficiently
urged this subject.
For even those who believe before Baptism, or become believing
in Baptism, believe through the preceding outward Word, as the
adults, who have come to reason, must first have heard: He
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, even though
they are at first unbelieving, and receive the Spirit and
Baptism ten years afterwards. Cornelius, Acts 10, 1 ff., had
heard long before among the Jews of the coming Messiah,
through whom he was righteous before God, and in such faith
his prayers and alms were acceptable to God (as Luke calls him
devout and God-fearing), and without such preceding Word and
hearing could not have believed or been righteous. But St.
Peter had to reveal to him that the Messiah (in whom, as one
that was to come, he had hitherto believed) now had come, lest
his faith concerning the coming Messiah hold him captive among
the hardened and unbelieving Jews, but know that he was now to
be saved by the present Messiah, and must not, with the
[rabble of the] Jews deny nor persecute Him.
In a word, enthusiasm inheres in Adam and his children from
the beginning [from the first fall] to the end of the world,
[its poison] having been implanted and infused into them by
the old dragon, and is the origin, power [life], and strength
of all heresy, especially of that of the Papacy and Mahomet.
Therefore we ought and must constantly maintain this point,
that God does not wish to deal with us otherwise than through
the spoken Word and the Sacraments. It is the devil himself
whatsoever is extolled as Spirit without the Word and
Sacraments. For God wished to appear even to Moses through the
burning bush and spoken Word; and no prophet neither Elijah
nor Elisha, received the Spirit without the Ten Commandments
[or spoken Word]. Neither was John the Baptist conceived
without the preceding word of Gabriel, nor did he leap in his
mother's womb without the voice of Mary. And Peter says,
2. Ep. 1, 21: The prophecy came not by the will of man; but
holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Without the outward Word, however, they were not holy, much
less would the Holy Ghost have moved them to speak when they
still were unholy [or profane]; for they were holy, says he,
since the Holy Ghost spake through them.