True repentance is a
special mercy from God. He gives it. It comes from none other. It is
impossible for poor fallen nature so far to recover herself by her own
strength, as truly to repent. The heart is wedded to its own ways, and
justifies its own sinful courses with incurable obstinacy, until divine
grace makes the change. No motives to good, are strong enough to
overcome depravity in the natural heart of man. If ever we attain this
grace, it must be through the great love of God to perishing men. . .
But what is true
repentance? This is a question of the highest importance. It deserves
our closest attention. The following is probably as good a definition as
has yet been given. “Repentance unto life is an evangelical grace,
whereby a sinner, out of the sight and sense not only of the danger, but
also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the
holy nature and righteous law of God, and upon the apprehension of his
mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, so grieves for and hates his
sins as to turn from them all unto God, purposing and endeavoring to
walk with him in all the ways of his commandments.”. . .
True repentance is
sorrow for sin, ending in reformation. Mere regret is not repentance
neither is mere outward reformation. It is not an imitation of virtue,
it is virtue itself. Hooker says, “Is it not clear that as an inordinate
delight did first begin sin, so repentance must begin with a just
sorrow, a sorrow of heart, and such a sorrow as rends the heart; neither
a feigned ¹ nor a slight sorrow; not feigned ¹, lest it increase sin;
nor slight, lest the pleasures of sin overmatch it.” Continue at Eric T. Young
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