# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Juni 1862_S182
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

On Confession-Addresses.    182

to be given to individuals with the laying on of hands. Thus, admittedly, one departed from the instruction to confess found in the Small Catechism, which is satisfied by the confession of individuals alone; but one still held to the provision of Article 11 of the Augsburg Confession, that private absolution should be retained and not allowed to fall away.

The content of confession-addresses should be an exhortation: "Prepare the way of the Lord," an invitation: "Come, all things are ready" — accordingly, not merely an instruction toward self-examination according to the Ten Commandments, for the purpose of recognizing and confessing sins; for this, our own work, is the least part of confession. The greatest part, however — that on account of which we come to confession at all, and that which makes it sweet and comforting — is what God himself does for us through the absolution; therefore, above everything, its treasure, as well as that of the Holy Supper, should be set forth and commended. In it the tone of a father-confessor should prevail, as in the address to individuals in private confession, in which each one really first gets the opportunity to learn what it means to have a confessor. There should also become evident in it the effort of a true pastor or shepherd: to seek again what was lost, to bring back what had strayed, to bind up what was wounded, to attend to the weak, to guard what is fat and strong, and to care for all, as is right, Ezek. 39:16. It is therefore altogether perverse to regard those who confess as nothing but impenitent sinners who must first be shaken awake out of their sleep of sin by the Law and startled by the thunders of Sinai; that is to rule over the people severely and harshly, Ezek. 34:4. A servant of Christ should, quite especially also in confession-addresses, be mindful of the command of his Lord: "As the Father has sent me, so I send you," John 20:21. Now the Father sent him to preach to the afflicted, to bind up the broken hearts, to preach release to the captives, an opening to those who are bound, Isa. 61:1; therefore the servants too should carry out this office of their Lord. It is self-evident, and already clear from the command to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins, that the Law too must not be lacking in confession-addresses; but it should not predominate, but serve only as a schoolmaster unto Christ, so that one may be justified through faith in him, Gal. 3:24.

Whoever diligently studies through the Christian Catechism questions and considers the sequence as well as the content of the individual questions and answers will find in them a comforting guide to confession-addresses. Next to this, several of Dr. Luther's sermons offer rich material for the purpose — for example, the three sermons in the Church Postil delivered before and at Easter on confession and the Holy Sacrament; further, the two sermons in the House Postil delivered on the day of the Lord's Supper; and finally, the sermons in both Postils for Quasimodogeniti Sunday, and for the 11th, 19th, and 22nd Sundays after Trinity. — For the easier and proper use of this rich material, it is highly advisable to make certain preparations beforehand: one should carefully register on separate slips all the passages that stand in any relation to the purpose of the