The Doctrine of Repentance

8. We must confess our sins with a resolution¹ not to act them over again. Some run from the confessing of sin, to the committing of sin. Like the Persians, who have one day in the year wherein they use to kill Serpents, and after that day suffer them to swarm again^*. So many seem to kill their sins in their confessions, and afterwards let them grow as fast as ever, Isa. 1. 16. Cease to do evil. 'Tis vain to confess, we have done those things which we ought not to have done, and continue still in doing so. Pharaoh confessed he had sinned, Exod. 9. 27. But when the thunder ceased, he fell to his sin again, vers. 33. He sinned yet more, and hardened his heart. Origen calls confession, the vomit of the soul, whereby the conscience is eased of that burden did lye upon it: Now when we have vomited up sin by confession, we must not return to this vomit. What King will pardon that man, who after he hath confessed his treason, practiseth new treason? Thus we ⟨p. 33⟩see how confession must be qualified.

8. We must confess our sins with a resolution¹ not to act them over again. Some run from the confessing of sin, to the committing of sin. Like the Persians, who have one day in the year wherein they use to kill Serpents, and after that day suffer them to swarm again^*. So many seem to kill their sins in their confessions, and afterwards let them grow as fast as ever, Isa. 1. 16. Cease to do evil. 'Tis vain to confess, we have done those things which we ought not to have done, and continue still in doing so. Pharaoh confessed he had sinned, Exod. 9. 27. But when the thunder ceased, he fell to his sin again, vers. 33. He sinned yet more, and hardned his heart. Origen calls confession, the vomit of the soul, whereby the conscience is eased of that burden did lye upon it: Now when we have vomited up sin by confession, we must not return to this vomit. What King will pardon that man, who after he hath confessed his treason, practiseth new treason? Thus we