S. Basil, Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome and
Chrysostom. These quotations are utterly irrelevant; but, if seen in the
context, they will tend to prove, instead of disproving, the Catholic
doctrine of Confession. For the sake of brevity I shall cite only a few
passages from the Fathers referred to. These citations I take, almost at
random, from the copious writings of these Fathers on Confession. From
these extracts you can judge of the sentiments of all the Fathers on the
subject of Confession. "_Ab uno disce omnes._"

St. Basil writes: "In the confession of sins the same method must be
observed as in laying open the infirmities of the body; for as these are
not rashly communicated to every one, but to those only who understand by
what method they may be cured, so the confession of sins must be made to
such persons as have the power to apply a remedy."(445) Later on he tells
us who those persons are. "Necessarily, our sins must be confessed to
those to whom has been committed the dispensation of the mysteries of God.
Thus, also, are they found to have acted who did penance of old in regard
of the saints. It is written in the Acts, they confessed to the Apostles,
by whom also they were baptized."(446) Two conclusions obviously follow
from these passages of St. Basil: First, the necessity of confession.
Second, the obligation of declaring our sins to a Priest to whom in the
New Law is committed "the dispensation of the mysteries of God."

St. Ambrose, of Milan, writes: "The poison is sin; the remedy, the
accusation of one's crime: the poison is iniquity; confession is the
remedy of the relapse. And, therefore, it is truly a remedy against
poison, if thou declare thine iniquities, that thou mayest be justified.
Art thou ashamed? This shame will avail thee little at the judgment seat
of God."(447)

The following passage clearly shows that the great Light of the Church of
Milan is speaking of confession to Priests: "There are some," continues
St. Ambrose, "who ask for penance that they may at once be restored to
Communion. These do not so much desire to be loosed as to bind the Priest;
for they do not unburden their conscience, but they burden his, who is
commanded not to give holy things unto dogs--that is, not easily to admit
impure souls to the Holy Communion."(448)

Paulinus, the secretary of St. Ambrose, in his life of that great Bishop
relates that he used to weep over the penitents whose confessions he
heard.

St. Au