An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

Again, Job had been confessing his fault, his failings, Once have I spoken, yea, twice. The words are a penitent confession, or the confession of a penitent. Now saith he, I will proceed no further.

Hence note, Thirdly; When sins and failings are heartily and penitently confessed, they are not persisted nor persevered in.

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