The Doctrine of Repentance

Whether we are bound to confess our sins to ¹men? The Papists insist much upon auricular confession^*. That one must confess his sins in the ear of the Priest, or he cannot be absolved. They urge that, Jam. 5. 16. Confess your sins one to another. But this Scripture makes little for their purpose^*. It may as well be meant that the Priest should confess to the people, as the people to the Priest. Auricular confession is one of the Popes Golden Doctrines: Like the Fish in the Gospel, it hath money in its mouth, Matth. 17. 27. When thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money. But though I am not for confession to men in a Popish sense, yet I think in three cases there ought to be confession to men.

Whether we are bound to confess our sins to ¹men? The Papists insist much upon auricular confession^*. That one must confess his sins in the ear of the Priest, or he cannot be absolved. They urge that, Iam. 5. 16. Confess your sins one to another. But this Scripture makes little for their purpose^*. It may as well be meant that the Priest should confess to the people, as the people to the Priest. Auricular confession is one of the Popes Golden Doctrines: Like the Fish in the Gospel, it hath money in its mouth, Matth. 17. 27. When thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money. But though I am not for confession to men in a Popish sense, yet I think in three cases there ought to be confession to men.