"And whose soever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
"Verily, verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha, in the day of Judgment, than for that city." (Math x. 12-15.)
Here again the Great Physician tells his disciples when the leprosy will be gone, the sins forgiven, the soul purified. It is when the lepers, the sinners, will have welcomed his messengers, heard and received their message. Not a word about auricular confession: this great panacea of the Pope's was evidently ignored by Christ.
Third: "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you—But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Math vi. 14, 15.)
Was it possible to give a more striking and simple rule to the Apostles and the Disciples that they might know when they could say to a sinner: "Thy sins are forgiven!" or, "Thy sins are retained?" Here the double keys of heaven are most solemnly and publicly given to every child of Adam! As sure as there is a God in heaven and that Jesus died to save sinners, so it is sure that if one forgives the trespasses of his neighbor for the dear Saviour's sake, his own sins have been forgiven! To the end of the world, then, let the disciples of Christ say to the sinner, "Thy sins are forgiven," not because you have confessed your sins to me, but for Christ's sake; the evidence of which is that you have forgiven those who had offended you.
Fourth: "And behold, a certain one stood up and tempted him, saying: Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
"He said unto him: What is written in the law? how readest thou?
"And he, answering, said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself.
"And He said unto him, thou hast answered right; this do and thou shalt live." (Luke x. 25-28.)
What a fine opportunity for the Saviour to speak of "auricular confession" as a means given by him to be saved! But here again, Christ forgets that marvellous medicine of the Popes. Jesus, speaking absolutely, like the Protestants, bids his messengers to proclaim pardon, forgiveness of sins, not to those who confess their sins to a man, but to those who love God and their neighbor. And so will his true disciples and messengers do to the end of the world!