Luther's Little Instruction Book · Martin Luther
V. How You Should Teach the Uneducated to Confess
What is confession? Confession has two parts: First, a person admits his sin Second, a person receives absolution or forgiveness from the confessor, as if from God Himself, without doubting it, but believing firmly that his sins are forgiven by God in Heaven through it. Which sins should people confess? When speaking to God, we should plead guilty to all sins, even those we don't know about, just as we do in the "Our Father," but when speaking to the confessor, only the sins we know about, which we know about and feel in our hearts. Which are these? Consider here your place in life according to the Ten Commandments. Are you a father? A mother? A son? A daughter? A husband? A wife? A servant? Are you disobedient, unfaithful or lazy? Have you hurt anyone with your words or actions? Have you stolen, neglected your duty, let things go or injured someone? Please suggest to me a simple way to confess. You should speak to your confessor this way: Honorable, dear Sir: Would you please hear my confession and pronounce forgiveness according to God's will. He will respond: Yes. Please go ahead. Then say: I confess in the presence of God that I am a poor sinner and guilty of every kind of sin. I specifically admit to you that I am a servant, maid, etc., but I'm afraid that I have served my master unfaithfully. >From time to time, I have not done what I was told to do. I have angered them and caused them to swear at me. I have neglected my duty and allowed damage to be done. My words and actions have been shameful. I have been angry with my peers. I have complained about my master's wife and sworn at her, etc. I am sorry for all of this and ask for grace. I want to do better.
A master or a lady of the house should speak this way: I specifically confess to you that I have not faithfully led my children, servants or wife to God's glory. I have cursed. I have set a bad example with my obscene words and actions. I have hurt my neighbor and spoken evil things about him. I have charged him too much, cheated him and sold him badly made goods. Let him also confess any other sins against God's commandments and his place in life, etc. If a person is not burdened with sins such as these or greater sins, he should not look for other sins or invent them, because that would turn confession into torture. Instead, he should mention one or two that he knows about. For example: specifically I confess that I once cursed. Once I used inappropriate language. Once I neglected to do this or that thing, etc. Let that be enough. If you do not know of anything you have done wrong (which does not seem possible), do not say anything in specific, but receive forgiveness based upon the general confession you make to God in the presence of your confessor. After this, the Confessor will say: May God be merciful to you and strengthen your faith! Then he will ask: Do you also believe that the forgiveness I give is God's forgiveness?
Then you will answer: Yes, dear sir. After this, he will say: May what you believe happen to you. And by the command of my Lord Jesus, I forgive your sins in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. Go in peace! The confessor will know how to use additional passages to comfort and to encourage the faith of those who sorrow, are troubled or whose conscience is greatly burdened. This is only meant to be a general confession for the uneducated. VI. The Sacrament of the Altar The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to his Household What is the Sacrament of the Altar? It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under bread and wine for us Christians to eat and to drink, established by Christ Himself. Where is that written? The holy apostles Matthew, Mark and Luke and St. Paul write this: "Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the night on which He was betrayed, took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to His disciples and said: 'Take! Eat! This is My body, which is given for you. Do this to remember Me!' In the same way He also took the cup after supper, gave thanks, gave it to them, and said: 'Take and drink from it, all of you! This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you to forgive sins. This do, as often as you drink it, to remember Me!'"
May the will of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be done! Amen. Then, kneeling or standing, say the creed and pray the Lord's Prayer. If you wish, you may then pray this little prayer as well: My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, that You kept me safe from all evil and danger last night. Save me, I pray, that you will keep me safe today from every evil and sin as well,, so that all I do and the way that I live will please you. I put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let Your holy Angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. Amen. After that, with joy go about your work and perhaps sing a song inspired by the Ten Commandments or your own thoughts. Evening Devotions When you go to bed in the evening, you should bless yourself with the sign of the Holy Cross and say: May the will of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be done! Amen. Then, kneeling or standing, say the creed and pray the Lord's Prayer. If you wish, then you may pray this little prayer as well: My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, that You have protected me, by Your grace. Forgive, I pray, all my sins and the evil I have done. Protect me, by Your grace, tonight. I put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let Your holy angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. Amen.
After this, go to sleep immediately with joy. Appendix II How a Father Should Teach His Household to say Grace and Return Thanks at Meals: The Blessing The children and servants should come to the table modestly and with folded hands and say: All eyes look to you, O Lord, and You give everyone food at the right time. You open Your generous hands and satisfy the hunger of all living things with what they desire. (Psalm 145:15-16) Note: "What they desire" means that all animals get so much to eat, that they are happy and cheerful. Because, worry and greed interferes with such desires. After this, pray the Lord's Prayer and the following prayer: Lord God, Heavenly Father, bless us and these gifts, which we receive from Your generous hand, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Thanking God After eating, too, they should modestly fold their hands and say: Thank the Lord, because He is kind and His goodness lasts forever! He gives all creatures food. He gives livestock their food and feeds the young ravens that call out to Him. A horse's strength does not give Him pleasure. A man's legs do not give Him joy. People who fear the Lord and who wait for His goodness please Him. After this, pray the Lord's Prayer and the following prayer: We thank You, Lord God, Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord, for all Your blessings. You live and rule forever! Amen!
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