He that hath really confessed his sin, will (to his utmost) put a stop to his sin; he will be so far from renewing or continuing in it, that he sets himself might and main (and prays in aid from God) against it. True confession of sin is always seconded and followed with forsaking of sin. The Prophet calling the people of Israel to repentance, said (Isa. 1.16.) Cease to do evil. It will not avail us to say, we have done evil, unless we cease to do evil. The promise of mercy is not to bare confessors, but to those who are also forsakers of sin (Prov. 28.13.) He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin, shall find mercy (Prov. 30.32.) If thou hast done foolishly, lifting up thy self, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, do no more; that is, do not open thy mouth to speak a word in defence of it, do not put forth thy hand any more to act it. Every unfeigned confession of any one sin,1 is a real profession against that, and against all other sins. That man (let him be who he will) is not a confessor of sin to God, but a mocker of God, who confesseth a sin, and takes no care to keep himself pure, not only from that, but from every sin. The Apostle John doth not only say, Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin, but, he cannot sin, because he is born of God (1 Epist. 3.9.) Not that he hath not a natural power to sin; but he hath not a will, a mind to sin, or he sins not with the full consent or swing of his will, or he hath a sincere bent of will against every sin, and ⟨p. 526⟩would sin no more. How wicked and bent to back-sliding were those Jews, to whom the Lord said by his Prophet (Isa. 1.5.) Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more. The will of a wicked man is wholly for sin: the will of a godly man (as such) is wholly against sin; so that when he sinneth, he may be said to sin against his own will, as well as against the will of God; and therefore, being convinced that he hath sinned, though but in passion or by impatient words (as Jobs case was) he gives his honest word for it (as Job here did) that he will proceed no further.
He that hath really confest his sin, will (to his utmost) put a stop to his sin; he will be so far from renewing or continuing in it, that he sets himself might and main (and prayes in aid from God) against it. True confession of sin is always seconded and followed with forsaking of sin. The Prophet calling the people of Israel to repentance, said (Isa. 1.16.) Cease to do evil. It will not avail us to say, we have done evil, unless we cease to do evil. The promise of mercy is not to bare confessors, but to those who are also forsakers of sin (Prov. 28.13.) He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin, shall find mercy (Prov. 30.32.) If thou hast done foolishly, lifting up thy self, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, do no more; that is, do not open thy mouth to speak a word in defence of it, do not put forth thy hand any more to act it. Every unfeigned confession of any one sin,1 is a real profession against that, and against all other sins. That man (let him be who he will) is not a confessor of sin to God, but a mocker of God, who confesseth a sin, and takes no care to keep himself pure, not only from that, but from every sin. The Apostle John doth not only say, Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin, but, he cannot sin, because he is born of God (1 Epist. 3.9.) Not that he hath not a natural power to sin; but he hath not a will, a mind to sin, or he sins not with the full consent or swing of his will, or he hath a sincere bent of will against every sin, and ⟨p. 526⟩would sin no more. How wicked and bent to back-sliding were those Jews, to whom the Lord said by his Prophet (Isa. 1.5.) Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more. The will of a wicked man is wholly for sin: the will of a godly man (as such) is wholly against sin; so that when he sinneth, he may be said to sin against his own will, as well as against the will of God; and therefore, being convinced that he hath sinned, though but in passion or by impatient words (as Jobs case was) he gives his honest word for it (as Job here did) that he will proceed no further.
- 1Confessio peccati est professio desinendi peccare. Hilar. in Psal. 136. Irrisor est non poenitens, qui adhuc agit quod poenitet. Bernard.
