The Marrow of Divinity, Religious treatise · Chapter 40
CHAP. XL. Questions, and Cases of Conscience about confession of sin.
Quest. IS confession of sin a necessary duty?
Answ. Yea, or else God would never have promised so great a reward to it, as 1 Joh. 1.9▪ Job comforted himself with it, Job 31.33. So Psal. 2.5. Ut somnium narrare vigilantis; Sic peccata confiteri viri paenitentis est. Aug. To tell a mans dream is the sign of a waking man, so to confess his sins, of a true penitent.
Quest. May not a wicked man confess his sins?
Answ. Yea, as we see Pharaoh, Saul, Judas, &c. did.
Quest. How then shall we distinguish between the confession of a regenerate, and unregenerate man?
Answ. By these signs.
First, True confession comes from a troubled soule, as we see in the Publican: From a broken, and bleeding heart, as did Davids: From a melting heart, as did Josiahs. But the other knows it not: the racking pain only wrings it from him, not the mercy of that God whom he hath offended.
Secondly, The first proceeds from a bleeding heart, laying hold upon mercy: as Dan. 9.9. Ezra 10.2. the other wants this, therefore Christ saith, Repent and believe, Mar. 1.15.
Thirdly, It comes from an honest heart in the first, purposing not to sin: He confesses, and forsakes, Prov. 28.1…. Hence Ezra 10.2, 3. The other though he seem to disgorge his stomack, yet he returns with the dog to his vomit: So Deut. 1.40, 41. Dike on the Heart.
Quest. Why must we remember, and confess our sins?
Answ. First, Because promise of forgiveness is made to it, Prov. 28.13. 1 Joh. 1.9.
Secondly, God hath made good this promise upon the right performance of it, 2 Sam. 12.13. Psal. 32.5.
3. Threats are denounced against those that confess not their sins, Prov. 28.13. 1 Joh. 1.8, 10. Dr. Gouge on Heb.
Quest. In confessing our sins, must we descend into particulars?
Answ. Yea, so did David, 2 Sam. 24.10. So Ezra 9.6, 11. Nehem. 9.1. &c. Dan. 9.5, 6, 11, 13. Mat. 3.6. 1 Tim. 1.13. Act. 19.18, 19.
Quest. Why must we do this?
Answ. First, This is the next way to bring us to that measure of humiliation which is necessary: Hence Acts 2.36. and 3.14, &c.
Secondly, This is the best course we can take to escape Gods future judgements, 1 Cor. 11.31. If we would judge our selves, we should not be judged, &c. Hieron …n Psal. 51.
Quest. Is it a … to confess our sins to men also?
Answ. Yea, so Jam. 5.16. confess your faults one to another: not only to the Elders of the Church, but to your brethren also: therefore its no ground for Popish auricular confession, wherein they require that every one, at least once a year, should in the ear of a Priest confess all his sins, together with the circumstances of them: a politick invention to know the secrets of others, to keep them in awe, and to enslave their consciences.
Quest. In what cases then is confession to be made to others?
Answ. First, In case of scandall given by persons before, or after their reception into the Church and fellowship of the Gospel.
1. Before their admission: such as desire admittance, having formerly committed gross sins, should solemnly acknowledge their sinfull courses, and godly sorrow for them, and their resolution against them for the future, to give satisfaction to the Church, that God hath wrought a change in them. So Matth. 3.6. Act. 15.18, 20.
2. After their admission, such as give offence by walking disorderly, either to the whole Church, or to some particular members of it, they … to confess their faults to the whole society, or to the persons to whom the …ame is known, to testifie their repentance, that such as know their sinne, may know their sorrow also: And
1. If the offence be publick: by their open confession to preserve the credit of the society, and roll away the infamy from it, that it may not be accounted an ulcerous body: and also thereby to warn others to fear, least they offend.
2. If the offending brother be cast out, or the brethren withdraw from him they may receive satisfaction by the free, and hearty confession of his offence, and receive him to fellowship again, and renew their love towards him, as 2 Cor. 2.6, 7.8. yea, to forgive, and comfort him, lest he be swallowed up by overmuch sorrow.
Secondly, in case of injuries done to others, then they should willingly acknowledge, and be sorry for the same: For so confession is a kind of satisfaction, and a means of pacification. Thus Christ directs, Matth. 5.23, 24. Luke 17.34.
Thirdly, In case of scruple about some sin that burdens our conscience: As whether we have committed it or no? or whether we be not some way accessary to it? or whether it be a pardonable sin, or a sin unto death? and how may we obtain pardon; &c. To which may be added, the predominancy of any lust which is too masterfull for us? in such cases we may disburden our souls into the bosome of some wise, and godly friend, acquainting him with our scruples, to obtain the benefit of counsell, and prayers, &c. Oft times the very opening of our griefs, eases our conscience, as opening a vein cools the blood.
Fourthly, In case of a common Judgement, or particular affliction:
1. Of a common judgment, when a man by his sin hath had a special hand in pulling down the same: as Achan, Josh. 7. then he must confess it both to God, and before men, So Jon. 1.10.
2. Of a particular affliction: as sickness, &c. then also its good not only to confess our sin to God, but to men also: as Jam. 5.14, 15.16.
Fifthly, In case of reproof from others, when they tell us of our faults, we should freely confess them with grief, and purpose of amendment. So 2 Sam. 12.7, 8.13.
Sixthly, In case of co-partnership with othe…s in sin: when any one of their consciences are awakened, he should confess his sin to his fellow-drunkard, thief, &c. to awaken them, and so to help them out of the snares of the Divel. So Gen. 42.21, 22. Luke 23.39, 40.
Seventhly, To magnifie the riches of Gods free grace to us, though we have been guilty of great sins. So did Paul, 1 Tim. 1 13. Acts 22.4, 5. and 26.9.10.11.
Eighthly, To prevent sin in others: when by confessing the sins, and the evill we have found in them, we may make them to beware thereof. So its usefull for Malefactors at their execution to confess their sins that others may be warned.
Quest. Are we bound to confess every sin to others?
Answ. First, We are bound absolutely to confess every known sin to God, but confession to men is necessary only in some cases, and that not of all sins.
Secondly, We are bound to confess such sins to others, as are open, or known to them, not our secret sins: as
1. Our bosom-sins, we need not to confess but to God alone, Psal. 19.12.
2. Secret sins, unknown to men, we may conceale them.
1. Whilst Providence covers them.
2. Whilst Conscience is quiet: But when God in his Providence brings them to light, or our consciences, being awaked, terrifie and affright us, so that we can have no ease till we have acknowledged them, then we are to confess our sins, though we suffer for it.
3. Yet sometimes we may confess our secret sins to others, to obtain ease, comfort, counsell, prayers, &c.
Quest. Who are the persons, to whom we must confess our faults?
Answ. First, to such persons, or societies, whom we have injured, and scandalized, or consociated in sin with them.
Secondly, Our secret sins we should confess to ministers, as to our Spiritual Physitians, or to such others as we judge wise, godly, and faithfull.
Quest. But hereby we may loose our credit, and lie under a blot?
Answ. If thou choosest such to confess to, it will not prejudice thy credit:
1. Such will consider themselves, that they also may be tempted, and may be forced to doe the like, and therefore what they would that others should doe to them, they will do to thee, Mat. 7.12.
2. It will rather tend to our credit: For it will represent to them the tenderness of our consciences, humility, hatred of sin, and fear of offending.
Quest. From what principles, or in what manner should we confess our sins to others?
Answ. First, Out of zeale for God, to give him glory before men, and that
1. Of his Omnisciency, in knowing our most secret sins.
2. Of his Providence in detesting them.
3. Of his justice in punishing, or righteousness, and faithfulness in afflicting us for them.
4. Free grace in pardoning them, and in accepting, imploying, and saving us from them.
5. Patience in sparing us, and mercy in doing us good, notwithstanding our sins against him.
Secondly, Out of hatred against sin, we must confess with grief, hatred, and shame, as a man would speak of the most loathsome things.
Thirdly, Out of love to others, to make sin odious to them, and to make them abhor, and eschew the sins we have faln into, and escape the shame, and sorrow we have met with for the same. Also out of grief for wronging or offending others: and from a mind to give them satisfaction for the same.
Fourthly, Out of humility, to humble our selves for our faults even before men, and to take shame to our selves by confessing, in the cases, and upon the occasions premised, and that to make it appear how much we hate sin, and our selves for sin, and to keep others from thinking too highly of us: so Paul, 2 Cor. 12.6.
Quest. Why are men so backward to confess sin?
Answ. First, because it brings shame, and grief along with it, which sin cannot endure. For sin hath so perverted the soule, as to misplace shame in the acknowledging offences, which should be placed in offending.
Secondly, Confession is an ejection of sin: It layes an engagement on us not to sin again, but to hate, and put it away: this, neither sin, nor Satan can endure.
Thirdly, Confession brings sin to light, which (like an horrid monster) it cannot endure, Joh. 3.20. Sin loves to wear a vaile of secresie, or a vizard of counterfeit piety, or a garment of excuses: to wrap it self (like the Divel in Samuels Mantle, that the filthy shame of its nakedness may not appear.
Quest. Why should we confess sin, seeing its so filthy, and shamefull a thing that it becometh not Saints once to name it?
Answ. First, though sin be filthy it it self, yet the confession of it is clean, and commendable.
Secondly, There is a twofold naming of sin:
1. With delight, and boasting of it, and indulgence to it: This is prohibited to Saints.
2. With detestation of it, indignation at it, and grief for it: this is commanded.
Thirdly, To conceal sin, when there is just occasion to confess it, is sinfull modesty. Its to keep Satans counsell: To harbor a thief, or murderer in our bosoms that will rob us of our souls, and cut our throats, and is the high-way to destruction, Prov. 28.13. and 29.1.
Fourthly, a serious, and religious confessing of sin is a means to clense, and heal soul maladies, whereas hiding it, is but like the skinning over a sore, which will afterwards fester, and break out more dangerously. Many famous men, as Origen, Austin, &c. have been free in publishing their sins, and errors in judgment to the world.
Mr: Reiners Government of the tongue.