Chapter 6: Of the Practice of Repentance

In the practice of repentance, four special duties are required. The first is a diligent and serious examination of the conscience by the laws and commandments of God, for all manner of sins both original and actual. Example of the children of Israel: why is the living man sorrowful? Man suffers for his sin. Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Of David: I considered my ways and turned my feet to your testimonies (Lamentations 3:39-40; Psalm 119:59).

Touching original sin, this must be well remembered: that one man has not one part only of original sin and another man another, one man this corruption and another that; but every man, as he received from Adam the whole nature of man, so also he received original sin wholly. And therefore every man — not one excepted, saving Christ who was extraordinarily sanctified by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin — has in him from his parents the corruption and seed of all sin, which is a natural disposition and proneness to commit any sin whatever. Take a view and consider all the horrible sins that are practiced in any part of the world, either against the first or second table; whatever they are, the spawn and seed of them all is even in that man that is thought to be best disposed by nature. Some may say that experience shows the contrary, because among men that lack all manner of religion some are more civil and orderly, some again more lewdly disposed. I answer that this comes to pass not because some men are by nature less wicked than others, but because God by his providence does limit and restrain men's corruption more or less, which he does for the good of mankind. For if men might be wholly left to themselves, corruption would so exceedingly break out into all manner of sins that there should be no living in the world.

Touching actual sins, they shall be found by examination to be innumerable as the hairs of a man's head and as the sands by the sea shore, if any will but search themselves a little by the ten commandments of the Decalogue for all their sinful thoughts, words, and deeds against God and man.

A direction for examination of the conscience. 1st Commandment: You shall have no other gods, etc. He breaks this commandment: who does not know the true God (Jeremiah 4:22); who denies God in his heart by denying his presence, justice, mercy, etc. (Psalm 14:1); who hates God and shows it by disobedience (Exodus 20:5; Romans 1:30); who does not fear God and stand in awe of him; who fears men or other creatures more than God (Matthew 10:31; Revelation 21:8); who lives in open sins securely, not fearing God's word or judgments (1 Thessalonians 5:6-7); who is sorrowful for his sins only in respect of the punishment (2 Corinthians 7:10); who fears God by men's traditions (Isaiah 29:13); who does not believe God's word but calls the canonical scripture in question; who despairs of God's mercy; who has a dead faith without works (James 2); who puts faith in the devil and his works, as seekers to wizards do; who loves the creatures — as riches and honor — and his own filthy pleasures more than God (Ephesians 5:5); who puts confidence in his strength, wisdom, riches, physicians (2 Chronicles 16:9-11); who is impatient under the cross (Matthew 10:38); who tempts God (Matthew 4:7); who seeks for the things of this life more than for God's kingdom (Matthew 6:33); who murmurs against God (1 Corinthians 10:10); who disputes and holds there is no God; who holds and maintains opinions against the ancient faith set down in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles, as did the Manichees, Donatists, Arians, Anabaptists, etc.; who so holds one religion as he is ready to follow another (1 Kings 18:21); who is full of presumption of God's mercy (Isaiah 7:12); who falls away from the known truth (2 Peter 2:20); who adds to canonical scripture (Deuteronomy 12, last verse). 2nd Commandment: You shall make to yourself no graven image, etc. He breaks this commandment: who represents God in an image (Exodus 32:6-8); who worships God in or at images, as crucifixes and such like (2 Kings 18:4); who kneels down before an image; who is bodily present at Mass while keeping his heart to God (1 Corinthians 8:9); who retains the monuments of idolatry (Exodus 23:13); who marries with unbelievers or such like (Genesis 6:2); who makes leagues of friendship with such (2 Chronicles 19:1); who worships God according to his own fantasy (Colossians 2:23); who worships God with lip-service (Isaiah 29:13); who has the power of godliness but denies the force of it (2 Timothy 3:5); who gives God's worship to creatures, as saints and angels (Psalm 115:8); who refuses to hear the preaching of the Gospel (Luke 14:19); who negligently worships God (Revelation 3:16); who omits invocation of God's name (Isaiah 64:7); who hears sermons but when he is reproved, rails and rages and profits nothing (Amos 5:10); who changes the worship of God in whole or in part (Deuteronomy 12:32); who makes either open or secret league with the devil (Psalm 58); who uses witchcraft, sorcery, or enchantments (Deuteronomy 18:11; Leviticus 19:26); who consults with wizards (Leviticus 20:6); who wears amulets or characters about his neck and puts confidence in them; who hinders schools of religion and good learning; who seeks not (within the compass of his calling) the good estate of God's Church but seeks his own things (Psalm 132:3-4). 3rd Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord, etc. He breaks this commandment: who does irreverently use God's titles in his talk (Philippians 2:10); who swears to do a thing lawful and good and yet does it not (Matthew 5:23); who swears rashly (Jeremiah 4:2); who uses habitual swearing in his common talk (Matthew 5:37); who blasphemes the name of God (Leviticus 24:16); who swears falsely (John 8:44); who swears against piety and honesty; who uses cursing and banning; who finds fault with the creatures of God (1 Corinthians 10:3); who swears by the creatures (Matthew 5:34-35); who uses lots in sporting (Proverbs 16:33; Proverbs 18:18); who makes and uses charms of herbs and other things (Deuteronomy 18:11); who makes jests of the sentences and phrases of scripture (Isaiah 66:2); who uses figure casting (Isaiah 47:13); who lightly regards God's judgments (Hebrews 3:16); who living dissolutely in religion makes God's name evil spoken of (2 Samuel 12:13; 1 Peter 3:15); who makes a vow of chastity or of anything not in his power; who makes a lawful vow and keeps it not (Deuteronomy 23:21); who receives blessings from God and is not thankful (Luke 17:8); who teaches the truth but does not practice it (Matthew 23:2). 4th Commandment: Remember the Sabbath day, etc. He breaks this commandment: who labors in the servile works of his ordinary calling (Nehemiah 13:15); who travels abroad on his ordinary business (Exodus 16:24); who keeps fairs and markets on this day (Nehemiah 13:15); who works harvest work on this day (Exodus 34:21); who uses sports and recreations causing distraction (1 Corinthians 10:7); who spends the day in idleness (Isaiah 58:13); who keeps the Sabbath only in outward fashion (Isaiah 1:13); who profanes it by gluttony and drunkenness; who gives servants liberty to do what they please; who brings not his family to the congregation to hear God's word and to receive the sacraments; who sanctifies not the Sabbath in his family privately. 5th Commandment: Honor your father, etc. He breaks this commandment: who mocks or reviles or beats his superiors (Genesis 9:22); who disobeys their lawful commandments (Romans [reconstructed: 13]:30); who is unthankful to parents and will not [reconstructed: relieve] them if need be (2 Timothy 3:3); who disobeys God to obey them (Acts 4:19); who exalts himself above the magistrate (2 Thessalonians 2:9); who serves his master with eye-service (Colossians 3:22); who governs his family and those which are under him negligently (1 Timothy 3:4); who is slack in punishing faults (1 Samuel 2:22); who is too rigorous in speeches and punishments (Ephesians 6:9); who marries without parents' consent; who chooses his calling without parents' consent (Numbers 30); who thinks better of himself than of others (Romans 12:10); who despises aged persons (Leviticus 19:23). 6th Commandment: You shall not kill. He breaks this commandment: who bears malice to another (1 John 3:15); who is given to hastiness (Matthew 5:22); who uses inward fretting and grudging (James 3:14); who is froward of nature, hard to please (Romans 1:31); who is full of rancor and bitterness (Ephesians 4:31); who derides and scorns others (Genesis 21:9; Galatians 4:29); who uses bitter words and railings (Proverbs 12:18); who uses contending by words or deeds (Galatians 5:20); who uses chiding and crying out (Ephesians 4:31); who is given to make complaints of his neighbor in all places (James 5:9); who is a fighter (James 4:1); who hurts or maims his neighbor's body (Exodus 21:24); who will not forgive an offense (Matthew 5:23); who will forgive but not forget; who does fare well himself but gives not alms to relieve the poor (Luke 16:19); who uses cruelty in punishing malefactors (Deuteronomy 22:6); who denies the servants or laborers wages (James 5:24); who holds back the pledge (Ezekiel 18:7); who sells by diverse weights and measures; who removes the landmark (Proverbs 22:18); who gives his goods upon usury, which is simply to bind a man to return both the principal and the increase (Ezekiel 18:8); who by his looseness of life is an occasion why others sin; who moves contention and debate (Romans 1:29); who being a minister teaches erroneously; who teaches slackly (Jeremiah 48:10); who teaches not at all (1 Timothy 3:2); who hinders men's salvation any way (Matthew 23:13); who seeks private revenge. 7th Commandment: You shall not commit, etc. He breaks this commandment: who looks on a woman to lust after her (Matthew 5:28); who commits incest (Leviticus 18:22); who commits sodomy (1 Corinthians 6:9); who commits fornication with married or single or contracted people (Deuteronomy 22:22); who uses the marriage bed intemperately; who lies with a menstruous woman (Ezekiel 18:6); who uses wantonness (1 Corinthians 6:9); who uses occasions and provocations to lust (Galatians 5:9); who is given to idleness; who wears wanton and light attire (1 Timothy 2:9; 1 Peter 3:3); who uses light talk and reading of love-books (1 Corinthians 15:35); who frequents lascivious places (Ephesians 5:3); who delights in wanton pictures (1 Thessalonians 5:23); who uses the mixed dancing of men and women (Mark 6:22); who keeps company with light and suspected persons (Proverbs 7:22); who neglects to dispose his children in marriage in convenient time (1 Corinthians 7:37); who makes marriages of young children; who punishes adultery with small punishments; who marries more wives than one at once (Genesis 2:24); who loves his pleasures more than God (2 Timothy 3:4); who takes care to fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Romans 13:14); who maintains and frequents brothels (Deuteronomy 23:17); who is given to drunkenness and surfeiting (Ephesians 5:18); who gives himself to wine, sleep, and ease (Proverbs 20:13); who for the avoiding of fornication marries not (1 Corinthians 7:2); who puts away his wife for other causes than for fornication (Matthew 19:9). 8th Commandment: You shall not steal. He breaks this commandment: who lives in no calling (1 Thessalonians 3:11); who neglects his calling (Jeremiah 48:10); who spends his wealth in riot and provides not for his family (1 Timothy 5:8); who is not content with his estate but seeks to be rich (1 Timothy 6:10); who sells the goods of the Church or buys them (Malachi 3:8); who sells such things as are means to further idolatry or any other sin; who uses powdering, starching, blowing, dark shops to set a gloss on his wares and make them more saleable; who conceals the fault of his wares; who uses false weights and measures (Leviticus 19:35); who uses words of deceit (Proverbs 20:14); who takes more for his wares than the just price (Matthew 7:12); who oppresses his tenants by racking his rents (Habakkuk 2:11); who uses engrossing of wares; who raises the price only in consideration of a day of payment; who either gives or takes bribes (Isaiah 1:23; Psalm 82); who writes letters of partiality in wrong suits; who holds back things borrowed (Ezekiel 18:7); who holds back things found or pawned (Leviticus 6:3); who being able-bodied lives by begging; who relieves such (2 Thessalonians 3:10); who for gain defends bad causes; who lays burden on the people without measure (Isaiah 1:23; Ezekiel 22:27); who spends the Church goods in riot (1 Timothy 6:9); who makes merchandise of God's word and sacrament (Micah 3:11; 2 Corinthians 2, last verse); who gets goods by gaming; who gets his living by casting of figures and by plays (Ephesians 4:28); who is rash in surety-ship (Proverbs 11:15; Proverbs 17:18); who steals men's children to dispose them in marriage (1 Timothy 1:10); who takes by stealth the least pin, though it be for the best end; who is a receiver of things stolen and gives consent to the fact any way (Romans 1:29); who uses deceit in bargaining (1 Thessalonians 4:6); who restores not things evilly gotten (Ezekiel 33:15); who keeps back goods given to the Church (Acts 5:3); who waits for a dearth to sell his things dearer (Amos 8:5). 9th Commandment: You shall not bear, etc. He breaks this commandment: who envies at the prosperity of his neighbor (1 Timothy 6:4); who seeks only his own good report; who is suspicious (1 Corinthians 13:5); who gives rash or hard sentence against others (Matthew 7:1); who takes men's sayings and doings in worse part (Matthew 26:60); who accuses one falsely (1 Kings 21); who makes or reports tales openly or in a whispering manner (Leviticus 19:16); who receives tales (Exodus 23:1); who speaks the truth of malice (Psalm 52:1-2); who blazes abroad men's infirmities (Matthew 18:17); who uses quipping and taunting (Ephesians 5:4); who uses flattery (Proverbs 26:19); who lies though it be for never so good an end (Zechariah 13:3); who defends an evil cause and impugns the contrary; who writes or spreads libels. 10th Commandment: You shall not lust. He breaks this commandment: who thinks an evil thought against his neighbor though he does not mean to do it; who conceives some inward delight in some evil motion though he gives not consent to practice it. Sins directly against the Gospel. He sins against the Gospel: who denies either directly or by consequence that Christ is come in the flesh (1 John 4:3-8); who treads under foot the blood of Christ (Hebrews 10:29); who believes not the remission of his own sins and acceptance to life everlasting (1 John 3:23); who repents not but hardens himself in all his bad ways (Romans 2:4-5; Jeremiah 8:6).

This much of examination. Now follows the second duty, which is confession of sin to God, which is very necessary. For the right way to have our sins covered before God is to uncover and acknowledge them to him. For he will justify us if we condemn ourselves; he will pardon us if we, as being our own enemies, accuse ourselves; he forgets our sins if we remember them; when we are vile in our own eyes, we are precious in his; and when we are lost to ourselves, we are found by him.

That confession may be rightly performed, a notable duty is to be put in practice in it, namely the arraignment of a repentant sinner, by which he judges himself that he may not be judged of the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:31).

This arraignment has three special points in it. For first of all, he must bring himself forth to the bar of God's judgment. This thing he does when he sets himself in the presence of God, as though even now the day of judgment were. As Saint Jerome did, who always thought with himself that he heard this voice sounding in his ears: Rise, you dead, and come to judgment.

Secondly, he must put up an indictment against himself, by accusing himself before God, by acknowledging his known sins particularly and his unknown sins generally, without any excuse or extenuation or defense or hiding of the least of them. Example of David: I know my iniquity and my sin is ever before me; against you, against you only have I sinned, and done this evil in your sight, etc. Behold, I was born in iniquity, and in sin has my mother conceived me. And: I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing; but now, I beseech you, remove the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly. Of Ezra: O my God, I am ashamed and confounded to lift up my eyes to you, my God, for our iniquities are increased over our heads and our trespass has grown up to heaven (Psalm 51:3-5; 1 Chronicles 21:8; Ezra 9:6).

Thirdly, he must with heaviness of heart give sentence against himself, acknowledging that he is worthy of everlasting hell, death, and damnation. As the prodigal child: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you, and am not worthy to be called your child. And Daniel: we have sinned and committed iniquity and have done wickedly; indeed, we have rebelled and have departed from your precepts and from your judgments, etc. O Lord, righteousness belongs to you, and to us open shame. Of Job: Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer you? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. And: I abhor myself, and I repent in dust and ashes. Of the publican: who standing far off would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but struck his breast saying, Lord be merciful to me a sinner (Daniel 9:7; Job 39:36; Job 42:6; Luke 18:13).

As for confession of sin to men, it is not to be used but in two cases. First, when some offense is done to our neighbor. Secondly, when ease and comfort is sought for in trouble of conscience (Matthew 5; James 5:16).

The third duty in the practice of repentance is deprecation, by which we pray to God for the pardon of the sins which have been confessed with contrition of heart, with earnestness and constancy, as for the weightiest matter in the world. And here we must remember to behave ourselves to God as the poor prisoner does at the bar, who when the judge is about to give sentence, cries to him for favor as for life and death. And we must do as the cripple or beggar in the way: sit down, uncover our legs and arms and show the sores of our sins, crying to God continually as they do — look with your eye and pity with your heart — that we may find mercy at God's hands, as they get alms at the hands of passersby. Thus Hosea instructs the people: O Israel, return to the Lord your God, for you have fallen by your iniquity. Take to you words and turn to the Lord, and say to him, take away all iniquity and receive us graciously; so we will render you the calves of our lips. Of Daniel: we do not present our supplications before you for our own righteousness, but for your great tender mercies. O Lord hear, O Lord forgive, O Lord consider and do it; defer not for your own name's sake, O my God. Of David: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your loving kindness; according to the multitude of your compassions put away my iniquities (Hosea 14:2; Daniel 9:18-19; Psalm 51:1).

The last duty is to pray to God for grace and strength, by which we may be enabled to walk in newness of life. Of David: Behold, I desire your commandments; quicken me in your righteousness. And: Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; let your good Spirit lead me into the land of righteousness (Psalm 119:40; Psalm 143:10).

In the practice of repentance, four special duties are required. The first is a careful and serious examination of the conscience by the laws and commandments of God — covering all manner of sins, both original and actual. The Israelites give us an example: 'Why should any living person complain? A man suffers for his sins. Let us examine and test our ways, and return to the Lord.' David says: 'I considered my ways and turned my feet to Your testimonies' (Lamentations 3:39-40; Psalm 119:59).

Regarding original sin, this must be clearly understood: no one person has only one part of original sin while another person has a different part. It is not that one man has this corruption and another man that. Rather, just as every person received from Adam the whole of human nature, so every person received the whole of original sin. Therefore every person — without exception, apart from Christ, who was extraordinarily sanctified by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin — carries from his parents the corruption and seed of every sin. This is a natural disposition and tendency to commit any sin whatsoever. Consider all the horrible sins practiced anywhere in the world, whether against the first or second table of the law. Whatever they are, the seed and source of them all is present even in the person considered to be the most naturally well-disposed. Some may say that experience shows otherwise, since among people who have no religion at all, some are more orderly and decent while others are more corrupt. My answer is that this is not because some people are by nature less wicked than others, but because God in His providence restrains the corruption of people to greater or lesser degrees — which He does for the good of humanity. If people were left entirely to themselves, corruption would break out so completely into every kind of sin that life in the world would become impossible.

Regarding actual sins, they will be found through examination to be countless as the hairs of a man's head and as the grains of sand on the seashore — if anyone will search themselves even briefly against the Ten Commandments, examining all their sinful thoughts, words, and deeds against God and man.

A guide for examining the conscience. 1st Commandment: You shall have no other gods, etc. A person breaks this commandment: who does not know the true God (Jeremiah 4:22); who denies God in his heart by denying His presence, justice, or mercy, etc. (Psalm 14:1); who hates God and shows it through disobedience (Exodus 20:5; Romans 1:30); who does not fear God and stand in awe of Him; who fears people or other created things more than God (Matthew 10:31; Revelation 21:8); who lives in open sin without care, not fearing God's word or His judgments (1 Thessalonians 5:6-7); who grieves over his sins only out of fear of punishment (2 Corinthians 7:10); who fears God merely out of human tradition (Isaiah 29:13); who does not believe God's word but calls the canonical scripture into question; who despairs of God's mercy; who has a dead faith without works (James 2); who trusts in the devil and his works, as those who consult with wizards do; who loves created things — such as riches and honor — and his own sinful pleasures more than God (Ephesians 5:5); who puts confidence in his own strength, wisdom, wealth, or physicians (2 Chronicles 16:9-11); who is impatient under trials (Matthew 10:38); who tests God (Matthew 4:7); who seeks the things of this life more than God's kingdom (Matthew 6:33); who murmurs against God (1 Corinthians 10:10); who argues and maintains that there is no God; who holds and defends opinions contrary to the ancient faith set down in the writings of the prophets and apostles, as did the Manichees, Donatists, Arians, and Anabaptists; who holds one religion while remaining ready to adopt another (1 Kings 18:21); who is full of presumption about God's mercy (Isaiah 7:12); who falls away from known truth (2 Peter 2:20); who adds to canonical scripture (Deuteronomy 12, last verse). 2nd Commandment: You shall not make for yourself any carved image, etc. A person breaks this commandment: who represents God in an image (Exodus 32:6-8); who worships God at or through images, such as crucifixes and the like (2 Kings 18:4); who kneels before an image; who attends Mass while keeping his heart privately to God (1 Corinthians 8:9); who keeps monuments of idolatry (Exodus 23:13); who marries unbelievers or the like (Genesis 6:2); who makes close alliances with such people (2 Chronicles 19:1); who worships God according to his own imagination (Colossians 2:23); who worships God with lip-service only (Isaiah 29:13); who has the form of godliness but denies its power (2 Timothy 3:5); who gives God's worship to created things — such as saints and angels (Psalm 115:8); who refuses to hear the preaching of the Gospel (Luke 14:19); who worships God carelessly (Revelation 3:16); who neglects to call on God's name (Isaiah 64:7); who hears sermons but when rebuked, rages and gains nothing (Amos 5:10); who changes the worship of God in whole or in part (Deuteronomy 12:32); who makes any open or secret agreement with the devil (Psalm 58); who practices witchcraft, sorcery, or enchantments (Deuteronomy 18:11; Leviticus 19:26); who consults wizards (Leviticus 20:6); who wears charms or amulets and puts confidence in them; who hinders schools of religion and sound learning; who does not seek — within his sphere of responsibility — the welfare of God's church, but pursues only his own interests (Psalm 132:3-4). 3rd Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord, etc. A person breaks this commandment: who uses God's titles carelessly in conversation (Philippians 2:10); who swears to do something lawful and good, yet fails to do it (Matthew 5:23); who swears rashly (Jeremiah 4:2); who swears out of habit in everyday speech (Matthew 5:37); who blasphemes the name of God (Leviticus 24:16); who swears falsely (John 8:44); who swears against piety and decency; who uses cursing and profanity; who finds fault with God's creation (1 Corinthians 10:3); who swears by created things (Matthew 5:34-35); who uses lots for sport (Proverbs 16:33; Proverbs 18:18); who makes and uses charms from herbs or other things (Deuteronomy 18:11); who makes jokes using sentences or phrases from Scripture (Isaiah 66:2); who practices astrology (Isaiah 47:13); who treats God's judgments lightly (Hebrews 3:16); who lives carelessly in religion and causes God's name to be spoken of poorly (2 Samuel 12:13; 1 Peter 3:15); who makes a vow of chastity or of anything beyond his power to keep; who makes a lawful vow and does not keep it (Deuteronomy 23:21); who receives God's blessings without thankfulness (Luke 17:8); who teaches the truth but does not practice it (Matthew 23:2). 4th Commandment: Remember the Sabbath day, etc. A person breaks this commandment: who does regular working tasks on the Sabbath (Nehemiah 13:15); who travels for ordinary business purposes (Exodus 16:24); who holds fairs and markets on this day (Nehemiah 13:15); who does harvest work on this day (Exodus 34:21); who engages in sports and recreations that distract from worship (1 Corinthians 10:7); who spends the day in idleness (Isaiah 58:13); who keeps the Sabbath only outwardly (Isaiah 1:13); who profanes it through gluttony and drunkenness; who gives servants free rein to do whatever they please; who does not bring his family to the congregation to hear God's word and receive the sacraments; who does not observe the Sabbath privately with his family. 5th Commandment: Honor your father, etc. A person breaks this commandment: who mocks, abuses, or strikes his superiors (Genesis 9:22); who disobeys their lawful commands (Romans 13:30); who is ungrateful to parents and will not care for them in need (2 Timothy 3:3); who disobeys God in order to obey them (Acts 4:19); who exalts himself above the governing authorities (2 Thessalonians 2:9); who serves his master only when being watched (Colossians 3:22); who governs his family and those under his authority carelessly (1 Timothy 3:4); who is slow to correct faults (1 Samuel 2:22); who is too harsh in words and punishment (Ephesians 6:9); who marries without parents' consent; who chooses his calling without parents' consent (Numbers 30); who thinks better of himself than of others (Romans 12:10); who despises the elderly (Leviticus 19:23). 6th Commandment: You shall not murder. A person breaks this commandment: who bears malice toward another (1 John 3:15); who is given to anger (Matthew 5:22); who harbors inward resentment and bitterness (James 3:14); who is difficult by nature, hard to please (Romans 1:31); who is full of rancor and bitterness (Ephesians 4:31); who mocks and scorns others (Genesis 21:9; Galatians 4:29); who uses harsh words and insults (Proverbs 12:18); who quarrels in words or deeds (Galatians 5:20); who argues and shouts (Ephesians 4:31); who constantly complains about his neighbor everywhere (James 5:9); who gets into fights (James 4:1); who hurts or injures his neighbor's body (Exodus 21:24); who refuses to forgive an offense (Matthew 5:23); who forgives but refuses to forget; who lives comfortably but gives nothing to relieve the poor (Luke 16:19); who is cruel in punishing wrongdoers (Deuteronomy 22:6); who withholds wages from servants or laborers (James 5:24); who holds back a pledged item (Ezekiel 18:7); who uses dishonest weights and measures; who moves property boundaries (Proverbs 22:18); who lends his goods for profit under binding terms that require repayment of both principal and interest (Ezekiel 18:8); whose loose living leads others into sin; who stirs up conflict and argument (Romans 1:29); who as a minister teaches erroneously; who teaches carelessly (Jeremiah 48:10); who does not teach at all (1 Timothy 3:2); who hinders people's salvation in any way (Matthew 23:13); who takes private revenge. 7th Commandment: You shall not commit adultery, etc. A person breaks this commandment: who looks at a woman with lust (Matthew 5:28); who commits incest (Leviticus 18:22); who commits sodomy (1 Corinthians 6:9); who commits fornication with married, single, or engaged persons (Deuteronomy 22:22); who uses the marriage bed immoderately; who lies with a woman during her menstrual period (Ezekiel 18:6); who acts in a sensual manner (1 Corinthians 6:9); who creates occasions and provocations to lust (Galatians 5:9); who is given to idleness; who wears immodest or seductive clothing (1 Timothy 2:9; 1 Peter 3:3); who engages in inappropriate conversation or reads sensual books (1 Corinthians 15:35); who frequents places of moral looseness (Ephesians 5:3); who delights in immodest pictures (1 Thessalonians 5:23); who participates in mixed dancing of men and women (Mark 6:22); who keeps company with immoral or suspect persons (Proverbs 7:22); who neglects to arrange marriage for his children at a fitting time (1 Corinthians 7:37); who arranges marriages for young children; who punishes adultery with only light penalties; who takes more than one wife at a time (Genesis 2:24); who loves pleasure more than God (2 Timothy 3:4); who makes plans to satisfy the desires of the flesh (Romans 13:14); who supports and frequents brothels (Deuteronomy 23:17); who is given to drunkenness and overindulgence (Ephesians 5:18); who gives himself to wine, sleep, and idleness (Proverbs 20:13); who fails to marry to avoid fornication (1 Corinthians 7:2); who divorces his wife for reasons other than sexual immorality (Matthew 19:9). 8th Commandment: You shall not steal. A person breaks this commandment: who has no occupation (1 Thessalonians 3:11); who neglects his occupation (Jeremiah 48:10); who wastes his wealth in excess and does not provide for his family (1 Timothy 5:8); who is not content with his situation but seeks to become rich (1 Timothy 6:10); who sells Church property or buys it (Malachi 3:8); who sells goods that promote idolatry or any other sin; who uses powdering, starching, puffing up, or shady display to make his goods look better than they are; who conceals defects in his goods; who uses false weights and measures (Leviticus 19:35); who uses deceptive words in transactions (Proverbs 20:14); who charges more than the fair price for his goods (Matthew 7:12); who exploits tenants by raising their rents excessively (Habakkuk 2:11); who buys up large quantities of goods to control the market; who raises the price only because payment is deferred; who gives or takes bribes (Isaiah 1:23; Psalm 82); who writes letters of bias in dishonest cases; who keeps borrowed things (Ezekiel 18:7); who keeps items that were found or were given as pledges (Leviticus 6:3); who is able-bodied yet lives by begging; who supports such people (2 Thessalonians 3:10); who defends bad causes for financial gain; who lays excessive burdens on the people (Isaiah 1:23; Ezekiel 22:27); who squanders church funds in excess (1 Timothy 6:9); who turns God's word and sacraments into a business (Micah 3:11; 2 Corinthians 2, last verse); who gains goods through gambling; who earns his living by casting horoscopes or performing in plays (Ephesians 4:28); who rashly stands as a guarantor for others (Proverbs 11:15; Proverbs 17:18); who abducts people's children to arrange their marriages (1 Timothy 1:10); who steals even the smallest thing, even for the best of reasons; who receives stolen goods and approves of the theft in any way (Romans 1:29); who uses deception in making deals (1 Thessalonians 4:6); who does not restore goods wrongfully taken (Ezekiel 33:15); who withholds goods pledged to the church (Acts 5:3); who waits for a shortage to sell his goods at a higher price (Amos 8:5). 9th Commandment: You shall not bear false witness, etc. A person breaks this commandment: who envies his neighbor's prosperity (1 Timothy 6:4); who seeks only his own good reputation; who is suspicious of others (1 Corinthians 13:5); who makes rash or harsh judgments about others (Matthew 7:1); who takes people's words and actions in the worst possible way (Matthew 26:60); who makes false accusations (1 Kings 21); who spreads gossip, whether openly or privately (Leviticus 19:16); who listens to and passes on gossip (Exodus 23:1); who tells the truth out of malice (Psalm 52:1-2); who broadcasts people's faults and failures (Matthew 18:17); who uses mockery and taunting (Ephesians 5:4); who flatters others (Proverbs 26:19); who lies, even for a supposedly good reason (Zechariah 13:3); who defends an evil cause and attacks what is right; who writes or spreads slanderous material. 10th Commandment: You shall not covet. A person breaks this commandment: who entertains an evil thought against his neighbor, even without intending to act on it; who takes some inward pleasure in an evil impulse, even though he does not consent to carry it out. Sins directly against the Gospel. A person sins against the Gospel: who denies, either directly or by implication, that Christ has come in the flesh (1 John 4:3-8); who tramples underfoot the blood of Christ (Hebrews 10:29); who does not believe in the forgiveness of his own sins and his acceptance into eternal life (1 John 3:23); who does not repent but hardens himself in all his wicked ways (Romans 2:4-5; Jeremiah 8:6).

That covers the matter of examination. The second duty follows, which is the confession of sin to God — a very necessary practice. For the right way to have our sins covered before God is to uncover and acknowledge them to Him. He will justify us if we condemn ourselves. He will pardon us if, acting as our own accusers, we accuse ourselves before Him. He forgets our sins when we remember them. When we are vile in our own eyes, we are precious in His. And when we are lost to ourselves, we are found by Him.

For confession to be properly made, a notable practice must be carried out — the self-arraignment of a repentant sinner, by which he judges himself so that he will not be judged by the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:31).

This self-arraignment has three distinct steps. First, the person must bring himself before the bar of God's judgment. He does this by placing himself consciously in God's presence, as though the day of judgment were happening right now. Jerome did this — he always pictured himself hearing a voice sounding in his ear: 'Rise, you dead, and come to judgment.'

Second, he must draw up an indictment against himself — accusing himself before God, acknowledging his known sins specifically and his unknown sins generally, without any excuse, softening, defense, or concealment of even the least of them. David is the example: 'I acknowledge my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, against You only have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight.' 'Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.' And: 'I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.' And Ezra: 'O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens' (Psalm 51:3-5; 1 Chronicles 21:8; Ezra 9:6).

Third, he must with a heavy heart pass sentence against himself, acknowledging that he is deserving of everlasting hell, death, and condemnation. As the prodigal son said: 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' And Daniel said: 'We have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled; we have departed from Your precepts and Your judgments.' 'To You, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame.' Job said: 'Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer You? I will lay my hand on my mouth.' And: 'I despise myself, and I repent in dust and ashes.' And the tax collector: 'He stood far off and would not even lift his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner' (Daniel 9:7; Job 39:36; Job 42:6; Luke 18:13).

As for confession of sin to other people, it should only be practiced in two cases. First, when an offense has been committed against a neighbor. Second, when someone is seeking comfort and relief in a troubled conscience (Matthew 5; James 5:16).

The third duty in the practice of repentance is prayer for pardon — asking God to forgive the sins that have been confessed with a broken heart, praying with earnestness and persistence, as though one's life depended on it. We must come before God like the poor prisoner at the bar who, when the judge is about to pronounce sentence, cries out to him for mercy as though pleading for his very life. We must do as the cripple or beggar on the road — sit down, expose the wounds of our sins, and cry out continually to God, as beggars do to passersby: 'Look with your eye and take pity with your heart,' so that we may find mercy from God as beggars receive alms. This is how Hosea instructs the people: 'O Israel, return to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. Take words with you and return to the Lord; say to Him, take away all iniquity and receive us graciously, so we will offer the fruit of our lips.' Daniel prays: 'We are not presenting our supplications before You on account of our own righteousness, but on account of Your great compassion. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, listen and take action. Do not delay, for Your own sake, O my God.' And David: 'Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions' (Hosea 14:2; Daniel 9:18-19; Psalm 51:1).

The final duty is to pray to God for grace and strength so that we may be enabled to walk in newness of life. David says: 'Behold, I long for Your precepts; revive me through Your righteousness.' And: 'Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground' (Psalm 119:40; Psalm 143:10).