make a recompenfe: but this Law obliges even those who cou'd not be convicted of the Fact; and prescribes what must be done in fuch cafes. But I cannot perceive, that this Text do's in any wife help our Adverfaries. Becaufe no wife Man will argue thus, The Jews were obliged to acknowledge a Theft and make reftitution, altho the Fact cou'd not be prov'd against them: and therefore Chriftians are obliged in all cafes, upon pain of damnation, to confefs all their fins privately to a Prieft.

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2. We are told, that thofe who were baptiz'd by St. John Baptift confefs'd their fins, Mat. 3.6. Mark 1.5. But how will our Adverfaries prove, that this was a private Confeffion of all their Sins; or that this Confeffion was injoin'd, and not a voluntary Action; or that it was even poffible for St. John to hear the private Confeffions of all thofe great Numbers, that were baptiz'd of him? If they cannot prove thefe things, then why do they argue from hence, that we are commanded by God, upon pain of Damnation, to confefs all our Sins privately to a Prieft? Befides, this Confeffion impos'd by our Adverfaries is requir'd after Baptifm; and therefore this Confeffion is not the fame with that, which our Adverfàries do contend for.

To this I may add, that the Council of Trent do's imply, if it do's not affert and teach, that Confeffion is not neceffary in order to Baptifm. For fhe tells us, (d) that the Repentance of a Chriftian

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(d) Unde docendum eft, Chriftiani hominis pœnitentiam poft Tapfum multo aliam effe à baptifmali, eaque contineri non mo do ceffationem à peccatis, & eorum deteftationem, aut cor contritum & humiliatum; verum etiam eorundem Sacramentalem confeffionem & facerdotalem abfolutionem, &c. Concil. Trident. Seff. 6. Cap. 14. de Juftificatione.

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Man after he is relapfed into fin, is very different from bis Repentance at Baptifm; and that in this repentance after fuch relapfe is contain'd not only a ceafing from fins, and a deteftation of them, or a contrite and bumbled beart; but also a Sacramental Confeffion of them------and Priestly Abfolution, &c. In these words fhe do's more than intimate, that a Sacramental Confeffion of fins, tho' it be neceffary after a relapfe, yet is not neceffary before Baptifm and confequently, this Confeffion of the Perfons Baptiz'd by St. John was not necef fary according to the Doctrin. of the Council of Trent. And how then can our Adverfaries pretend to prove from this voluntary and unneceffary Confeffion of St. John's Difciples before Baptifm; that a Confeffion of fins after Baptifm is abfolutely neceffary to Salvation?

In a word, we readily acknowledge, that the People did well in Confeffing their fins, and taking fhame to themselves; but it cannot be gather'd from hence, that we are requir'd to unbofom all our fecret faults to any Perfon whatsoever upon pain of Damnation.

3. We read, that many confefs'd and fhew'd their deeds, Acts 19. 18. and it was commendable in them fo to do: but do's it follow from hence, that a Man cannot be fav'd, unless he do the fame?

4. Because St James exhorts thofe, whom God for their many and grievous fins had afflicted with diseases, that being awaken'd with his punishments they wou'd amend their lives; I fay, because St. James advises fuch Perfons to confefs their faults one to another, and to pray one for another, that they might be beal'd of their Diftempers, James 5. 16. our Adverfaries think that their Auricular Confeffion

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Confeffion is commanded. But I defire them to confider, that altho' thefe words are a very wholesom direction to fuch as were overtaken by God's Vengeance for fome particular Crimes which they had committed: yet they do direct them to make Confeffion, not privately to a Prieft, but to one another. Nor is this Confeffion prefcrib'd in or der to a Prieftly Abfolution; but only to obtain the benefit of Mutual interceffion. Confefs your faults one to another, (faies the Apoftle) and pray one for another. Nor are all Perfons directed to this Practice; but the fick only. And therefore thefe words do not fo much as intimate, much lefs command all Men in general, to practise that Auricular Confeffion of all their faults, wharfoever they be, which is requir'd by the Church of Rome.

5. We are told by St. John, that if we confess. our fins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our fins, and to cleanfe us from all unrighteousness, Job. 1. 9. that is, if we humbly acknowledge to Almighty God, that we are finners; God will pardon us, But which way will our Adverfaries fhew from this Text, that we are obliged upon pain of Damnation, to confefs all our moft fecret fins to a Prieft? For the Apoftle fpeaks of no other Confeffion, but that which is made to God only. :ob o.

Thefe are the direct Scripture-arguments, by which our Adverfaries endeavor to prove the neceffity of Auricular Confeffion; and I think I have made it appear, that they are by no means conclufive. But then they draw fome inferences from certain other Texts, which feem at firft blush to have a fhew of greater ftrength; tho' they are quickly found to be as weak as the former. For,

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16. They fay, God gave to the Apostles the Miniftry and word of reconciliation, 2 Cor. 518, 19,

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and therefore they conclude, that the Apoftles and their Succeffors muft by the method of Confeffion have a particular account of every Man's guilt; because otherwife they cannot perform their Office of reconciling Sinners. But these words are ftrangely misapply'd, as will appear by the following Paraphrafe of them.

Verfe 17. If any Man be in Chrift, or Chrift's fincere Difciple, he is a new creature, or become a new Man, by entring upon fuch a courfe of living, as is quite different from his ancient practice. Old things are paft away from him; he has forfaken his former ways, and bebold, all things are become new.

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Verfe 18. And all thefe things are are of God; they are owing to his Affifting Grace, who bath reconcil'd us to himself by Jefus Chrift, whom he fent into the World to fuffer Death for our fins that we, who thro' the corruption of our Nature were become Enemies to God might now be made Friends and Sons by the Virtue of his Sufferings. And God bath given to us the miniftry of reconciliation, making it our bufinefs to fpread the good news of his kindnefs towards Men,by Preaching the Gospel throughout the whole World.

Verfe 19. And this is our Meffage to all Mankind, this is what we are to declare unto them, To wit, that God was in Chrift Reconciling the World unto himself that he is now pleas'd to accept of us, and receive us into his favor, in and thro' the fatiffaction of Chrift; and that God hath committed to us the Apoftles and our Succeffors the Word of Reconciliation, by entrufting us to declare the conditions of Salvation by the Gofpel-Covenant.

Verse 20, Now, then we, being fully inftructed by our Mafter, and having the moft unquestionable Credentials of the Gift of Tongues, and working Miracles,

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Miracles, are Ambaffadors for Christ. We declare his Good-will towards you, as tho God did befeech you by us his Meffengers; we pray you in Chrift's stead, be ye reconcil'd to God. And you know, we have already told you, upon what terms you may be reconcil'd to him.

Now I appeal to any indifferent judge, whether Auricular Confeffion can be prov'd from hence. The Apoftles were to affure Men of the general terms of Salvation: but not on fyllable is fpoken of the neceffity of their applying thefe general terms to every particular Man's Cafe. Much lefs is it faid, that none can be fav'd, unless the Apoftles or their Succeffors be intimately acquainted with the ftate of his Soul by the Means of Private Confeffion.

7. 'Tis pretended, that Men are obliged to make a particular Confeffion of their fins, that the Priest may come to a true knowledge of them; because otherwife the Prieft cannot exercife that power of forgiving fins, which Chrift has entrufted him with. Now that Chrift has entrusted the Prieft with a Power of forgiving fins, our Adverfaries endeavor to prove from three Texts of Scripture; viz. Firft, from Matth. 16. 19. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou fhalt bind on earth, fhall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loofe on earth, fhall be loofed in heaven. Then Secondly from Matth. 18. 18. Whatfoever ye Jhall bind on earth, fhall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ge shall loofe on earth, fhall be toofed in heaven. But Thirdly and chiefly from John 20. 23. Whofefoever fins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whofefoever fins ye retain, they are retain d.

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Now in anfwer to this their moft plaufible Argument for Auricular Confeffion, I shall not endeavor to fhew,that thefe Texts do by no means imply

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