165. Repentance of the lips, and not of the life is not repentance. Sins are not remitted by a repentance of the lips, but by a repentance of the life. Sins indeed are continually being forgiven to a man by the Lord, for the Lord is Mercy itself; yet sins adhere to a man, however he may think they are remitted; nor are they removed from him, except by a life according to the precepts of true faith. So far as a man lives according to them, so far his sins are removed; and so far as they are removed, so far they are remitted.