n harmony with our faith, because absolution is supported by the word
of Christ. For Christ says to his apostles, John 20:23: "Whosoever sins
ye remit, they are remitted unto them." Nevertheless, two things must
here be required of them: one, that they compel an annual confession
to be observed by their subjects, according to the constitution, canon
Omnis Utriusque, concerning penance and remission and the custom of the
Church universal. Another that through their preachers they cause their
subjects to be faithfully admonished when they are about to confess that
although they cannot state all their sins individually, nevertheless, a
diligent examination of their conscience being made, they make an entire
confession of their offences--viz. of all which occur to their memory in
such investigation. But in regard to the rest that have been forgotten
and have escaped our mind it is lawful to make a general confession,
and to say with the Psalmist, Ps. 19:17: "Cleanse me, Lord, from secret
faults."

To Article XII.

In the twelfth article their confession that such as have fallen may
find remission of sins at the time when they are converted, and that
the Church should give absolution unto such as return to repentance, is
commended, since they most justly condemn the Novatians who deny that
repentance can be repeated, in opposition both to the prophet who
promises grace to the sinner at whatever hour he shall mourn, Ezek.
18:21, and the merciful declaration of Christ our Saviour, replying to
St. Peter, that not until seven times, but until seventy times seven in
one day, he should forgive his brother sinning against him, Matt. 18:22.
But the second part of this article is utterly rejected. For when they
ascribe only two parts to repentance, they antagonize the entire Church,
which from the time of the apostles has held and believed that there are
three parts of repentance--contrition, confession and satisfaction. Thus
the ancient doctors, Origen, Cyprian, Chrysostom, Gregory, Augustine,
taught in attestation of the Holy Scriptures, especially from 2 Kings
12, concerning David, 2 Chron 3:1, concerning Manasseh, Ps. 31, 37, 50,
101, etc. Therefore Pope Leo X of happy memory justly condemned
this article of Luther, who taught: "That there are three parts of
repentance--viz. confession, contrition, and satisfaction--has no
foundation in Scripture or in Holy Christian doctors." This part of the
article, therefore can in no wa