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COnfession of sinnes, such as the scripture alloweth, we doe acknowledge: as namely these foure kinds: There are priuate confessions, either to God a∣lone, as Daniel confesseth, 9.4. or for the easing of our conscience, to man also,
as to him whom we haue offended, Math. 5.24. Or to any other faithfull man, the Minister or some other, that we may be holpen and comforted by our mu∣tuall prayers, Iam. 5.16. There are also two kinds of publique confession, either of the whole congregation together, Nehem. 9.3. or of some one or more, that make publique confession of their sinne, for the satisfying of the congregation, whom they haue offended: which belongeth to Ecclesiasticall discipline, 2. Co∣rinth. 2.6. But this particular confession of all sinnes, yea of them that are se∣cret, and to none but the Priest, is an Antichristian yoke and too heauie for Christians to beare.
Arg. 1. It is not necessarie to make confession at all vnto men: the Prophet Dauid confessed onely vnto God, Against thee O Lord onely haue I sinned, Psal. 51.4. Augustine also sayth,
Quid mihi cum hominibus vt audiant confessiones meas, quasi ipsi sanaturi sint languores meos? What haue men to doe to heare my confessions, as though they were able to heale my sores? Confess. lib. 10.3.
Argum. 2. If a man otherwise cannot finde ease of conscience, but will open his sinnes to men: it is not alwaies necessarie he should seeke to the Minister, though it be most cōueniēt, if he be a fit man: any other faithful godly man may serue: for so the Apostle biddeth vs, Acknowledge our faults, not to the priest, but one to another, Iam. 5.16. Whereupon Augustine writeth,
Peccata nostra debemus non solùm Deo sed etiam sanctis & Deum timentibus confiteri: We must confesse our sinnes not onely to God, but to men also that feare God: He sayth not, Sacerdotibus, onely to the Priests, Homil. 12.
Argum. 3. Such a particular enumeration of sinnes is not necessarie, neither is it possible: It sufficeth, where our sinnes are kept from our sight, to say with the Prophet, Cleanse me from my secret sinnes, Psal. 19.12. Augustine sayth, Quot habes in corde compunctiones facinorum, tot habe illic punctiones confessionum: Looke how many sinnes doe pricke thy conscience, so must thy confession be. It is an vncomfortable doctrine to teach men to labour to remember all their sinnes, and to make a particular catalogue of them: they haue worke enough to be eased of those sinnes that lye heauie on the heart.