[ajes about ConfeJSion. 2.01 [afes and Vireflions about conftfsing fins and injuries to others. Tit. 1. Cafes about confefong fins and injuries to otl1ers. O,gefi. 1· IN what cJ[tJ is it a dttty to con[efs wrongs to tboft that we have wronged? fi!.:!..~.~. t ~ Anfw. I · When in real inJuncs you are unable to make any reftttution, and there~ fore mull dcfirc f orgivenefi, yoU cannot well do 1t wuhout confdfiun. l· When you have wronged a man by a lye, or by falfe wttnefs, or that he cannot be nghred, till you confefs the truth. 3· when you have wronged a man m h1s hoHour or fame, where the natural remedy.. is to fpcak the contrary, and confds the wrong. 4· When it is neceffary to cure the nvengeful inclination of him whom you have wronged, or to keep uP his charity, and fo to enable him to love you, and forgive you. 5· Therefore all known wrongs to another, mull be confeffed, except when impoffibility, or forne ill clfccr which is greater than the good be like to follow. Becaufc all men are apt to abate their Love to thofc that injure them, and tht:refore all have need of this remedy. And wt: mull do our p3rt ·to be forgiven by all whom we hove wronged. ~eft. 2. TYhat cstufu rriU t~cufe Uf from confeffing wrongs to others l ~eft. 2; Anfw. r. When full recompence may be made without it, and no forgivenefs of the wrong is ne.. ceffa.ry from the injured, nor any of the forefaid caufes r<quire it. 2· When the wrong is fecret ind not known to the injured p;ury, and the confdfing of it would but trouble his mind, and do him mo!e harm than good. 3· when the injured parry is· fo implacable and inhumane that he would make ufe of the confeffion to the ruinc of the penitent, or to bring upon him greater penal~ ty than he defcrvrrh. 4· When it would injure a third perfon who is inrereffed in the bufinefs, or bring them under opprrffion and undtfervcd mifery. 5· When it tenderh to the difhonour of Religion, ana to make it fcorncd bccaufe of the fault of the penitent confeffer.~ 6. When ir tendcrh to fer people together by the cars, and breed diffcntion, or otherwife injure the Common-wealth or Government. '). Tn gener~l, it is no duty to confefs our tin to him that we have wronged, when, all things confidered, il is l1ke in the judgement of the truly wife, to do more hurt than good : For · it is appointed aS a mear.•s to goOd, and not to do evil. . Qlclt. 3· If I have had a Jeer<~ thought or purpofe 10 wrong another , am I bound 10 confrfi it, ~ej/. 3 , JrJben it wa1 never cxecu1ed l Anfi:o. 1. You arc not bourtd to cbnfefs it to the party whom you intended to wrong, as arly act Of Jullice to make him reparation; nor to procure his forgivcnefs tO your fclf: Becaufe it Was no wrong w him indeed, nor do thoughts and things fecret come under his judgem~nt, and rherefore need not his pardon. 2· Bur it is a tin againfi God, and to him you mufi confcfs it. 3· And by acc1denr, fi11U gratia, you mufi confefs it to men, in cafe it be necelfary to beawarning to others, or to che increafe of their harred of fin, or their watchfulncfs, or to cxercifc your own humilia. tion, or prevent a rtlapfe, or to quiet your confciencc, or in a word, when it is like to do more good than hurt. Qtcfi. 4· 1o n-hom, and in wbat ca[e1 mttJ~ I con[eji to men, my fins .ag~injl God, andwhen 110t l !ff!.!!efl. 4 : Anfw. The cafes about that conftffion wh1ch belongeth to Church·dlf~tphne, bclongcth to the 1 fecond Tome; and thcxefore l11all here be paffcd by. But bridly and in general, I may anfwer the queliion thus : I· There are conveniences and inconveniences to be compared togethe.;, and you mu(i Jbake your choice accordingly. The reafons which may move you to confefs your fins to another are thefc:: I · w hen another·hath finned with you, ur perfwaded or drawn you to it, and mufi be brought to repentance wirh you. 2· W;hen your confciencc hath in vain trycd all other fit means for peace or comfort, and cannot obtain it , and there is any probability of fuch advice from others as rray procure it. 3· When you hava need of advice to rt::folve your confcience, whether it be fin or not , or of what degree , or whit you arc obliged to in order to forgivenefs. 4· When you have need of counfd to prevent the fin for the time to come, and mortifie the ha., bit of it. · The inconvcnicncics which may attend it, are fuch as thefc ; 1. You arc not 'frtain of ano..– .rhers
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