Annotation CLV, On confession (Luke 18:13)

Annotation CLV

”God, be merciful to me a sinner.” — Luke 18:13

On confession.

Chrysostom, in the homily On the Publican and the Pharisee, in the explanation of this sentence, seems to be content with confession alone, which is made secretly before God, when he says: “Therefore I advise that thou confess assiduously. For I do not lead thee to the theater of thy fellow-servants; nor do I compel thee to declare thy sins to men; lay open thy conscience to God: to him show [thy] deeds and wounds, and from him seek medicine: show [thyself] to one not reproaching, but healing,” etc. See above, Annotation 175 of book 5.