among divines, the verbal acknowledgement which a Christian makes of his sins.

Among the Jews it was the custom, on the annual feast of expiation, for the high-priest to make confession of sins to God in the name of the whole people; besides this general confession, the Jews were enjoined, if their sins were a breach of the first table of the law, to make confession of them to God; but violations of the second table were to be acknowledged to their brethren. The confession of the primitive Christians were all voluntary, and not imposed on them by any laws of the church; yet private confession was not only allowed, but encouraged.

The Romish church requires confession not only as a duty, but has advanced it to the dignity of a sacrament: this confession is made to the priest, and is private and auricular; and the priest is not to reveal them under pain of the highest punishment.

Confession of Faith, a list of the several articles of belief in any church.