and to restore the abrogated masses according to the ultimate will
of their founders; whereby they would gain advantage and honor for
themselves and peace and tranquility for all Germany.


IV. Of Confession.


As to confession, we must adhere to the reply and judgement
given above in Article XI. For the support which they claim
from Chrysostom is false, since they pervert to sacramental
and sacerdotal confession what he says concerning public
confession, as his words clearly indicate when in the
beginning he says: "I do not tell thee to disclose thyself to
the public or to accuse thyself before others." Thus Gratian
and thus Peter Lombard replied three hundred years ago; and
the explanation becomes still more manifest from other
pasages of Chrysostom. For in his twenty-ninth sermon he says
of the penitent: "In his heart is contrition, in his mouth
confession, in his entire work humility. This is perfect and
fruitful repentance." Does not this most exactly display the
three parts of repentance? So in his tenth homily on Matthew,
Chrysostom teaches of a fixed time for confession, and that
after the wounds of crimes have been opened they should be
healed, penance intervening. But how will crimes lie open if
they are not disclosed to the priest by confession? Thus in
several passages Chrysostom himself refutes this opinion,
which Jerome also overthrows, saying: "If the serpent the
devil have secretly bitten any one, and without the knowledge
f another have infected him with the poison of sin, if he