-- Tit. 2. The Directions for just confessing Sin to others
your conscience, or in a word, when it is like to do more good than hurt.
Quest. IV. 'To whom, and in what cases must I confess to men my sins against God, and when not?'
Answ. The cases about that confession which belongeth to churchdiscipline, belongeth to the second Part; and therefore shall here be passed by. But briefly and in general, I may answer the question thus: 1. There are conveniences and inconveniences to be compared together, and you must make your choice accordingly. The reasons which may move you to confess your sins to another are these, 1.
When another hath sinned with you, or persuaded or drawn you to it, and must be brought to repentance with you. 2. When your conscience hath in vain tried all other fit means for peace or comfort, and cannot obtain it, and there is any probability of such advice from others as may procure it. 3. When you have need of advice to resolve your conscience, whether it be sin or not, or of what degree, or what you are obliged to in order to forgiveness. 4. When you have need of counsel to prevent the sin for the time to come, and mortify the habit of it.
The inconveniences which may attend it, are such as these: 1. You are not certain of another's secresy: his mind may change, or his understanding fail, or he may fall out with you, or some great necessity may befal him to drive him to open what you told him. 2.
Then whether your shame or loss will not make you repent it, should be foreseen. 3. And how far others may suffer in it. 4. And how far it will reflect dishonour on religion. All things being considered on both sides, the preponderating reasons must prevail.
Tit. 2. Directions about Confessing Sin to others Direct. I. 'Do nothing which you are not willing to confess, or which may trouble you much, if your confession should be opened.'
Prevention is the easiest way: and foresight of the consequents should make a wise man still take heed.
Direct. II. 'When you have sinned or wronged any, weigh well the consequents on both sides before you make your confession:' that you may neither do that which you may wish undone again, nor causelessly refuse your duty: and that inconveniences foreseen may be the better undergone when they cannot be avoided.
Direct. III. 'When a well-informed conscience telleth you that confession is your duty, let not self-respects detain you from it, but do it whatever it may cost you.' Be true to conscience, and do hot wilfully put off your duty. To live in the neglect of a known duty, is to live in a known sin; which will give you cause to question your sincerity, and cause more terrible effects in your souls, than the inconveniences of confession could ever have been.
Direct. IV. 'Look to your repentance that it be deep and absolute, and free from hypocritical exceptions and reserves.' For half and hollow repentance will not carry you through hard and costly duties; but that which is sincere, will break over all: it will make you so angry with yourselves and sins, that you will be as inclined to take shame to yourselves in ah honest revenge, as an angry man is to bring shame upon his adversary. We are seldom over-tender of a man's reputation whom we fall out with; and repentance is a falling out with ourselves.
We can bear sharp remedies, when we feel the pain, and perceive the mortal nature of the disease: and repentance is such a perception of our pain and danger. We will not tenderly hide a mortal enemy, but bring him to the most open shame: and repentance causeth us to hate sin as our mortal enemy. It is want of repentance that maketh men so unwilling to make a just confession.
Direct. V. 'Take heed of pride,' which maketh men so tender of their reputation, that they will venture their souls to save their honour: men call it bashfulness, and say they cannot confess for shame: but it is pride that maketh them so much ashamed to be known by men, to