I. What does the Platform teach in regard to this Private Confession? The Platform teaches, 1. That it was retained by the Augsburg Confession and other symbolical books. 2. It is objected to by the Platform, as unauthorized by the Word of God. 3. And thirdly, as being inconsistent with the fundamental doctrine of the Reformation, that faith it the only condition of the justification or pardon of the sinner.
II. What does the Plea object to these positions?
1. That the impression might be made by the Platform, that the Lutheran doctrine has some affinity to the Romish doctrine of Auricular Confession. But the Platform expressly states the rejection of Auricular Confession by the Reformers, and their retention of what they called private confession in its stead, the latter differing from the former as above stated. The Plea next introduces a formula of absolution, used in Wittenberg, in 1559, to show the harmlessness of the rite. But here, unfortunately, if we are not entirely mistaken, our friend has overlooked the fact, that it is a formula for public, and not private confession which he cites. This is certain from the language throughout, being addressed "to all such as are here present," &c. It is well known that private confession was rejected in the Lutheran Church in Denmark and Sweden in the beginning, as well as by different portions of Germany at an early day, and a public or general confession adopted in its stead. In Luther's Short Directory for Confession, &c., [Note 3] tr. note: there is no note number in the original to go with the corresponding footnote, but this appears to be where it should go] we have his formula for private or individual absolution, which will convey to the reader a more correct idea of its form: After the directions for confession of sins; the
Confessor says: "God be merciful to thee and strengthen thy faith.
Amen."
"Dost thou believe that my remission of thy sins is God's remission?
Answer of the penitent: "Yes, dear sir, I do."
Then the confessor says: "According to thy faith, so be it unto thee. And I, by command of our Lord Jesus Christ, forgive thee thy sins, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen. Depart in peace."
Another specimen of private absolution we find in the Kirchenordnung, [Note 4] or Church Directory of Count Wolfgang, of the Palatinate, on the Rhine, &c., published in Nuernberg, 1557.
"The Almighty God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, will be gracious and merciful to thee, and will pardon all thy sins, for the sake of his dear Son Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for them. And in the name of this, our Lord Jesus Christ, by his command, and in virtue of his declaration, 'Whose sins ye remit they am remitted,' &c., I pronounce thee free and clear of all thy sins, that they shall all be forgiven thee, as certainly and completely, as Jesus Christ by his sufferings and death merited the same, and in his gospel has commanded it to be preached to all the world. Receive, therefore, this consoling promise, which I have now made to thee in the name of the Lord Christ, let thy conscience be at rest, and do thou confidently believe, that thy sins are assuredly forgiven thee, for Christ's sake, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen."
2. The Plea affirms, that private confession may be useful as a means of bringing the, members of the church into personal interview with their pastor. The advantage of such interviews we freely admit; but they can be and are secured in our churches without this rite; and as it is confessedly destitute of Scripture authority, we have no right to invent a new ordinance in Christ's church for any purpose.