Chapter XI: CONTRARIES TO REPENTANCE
may be stunned and not produce tears, but with some respite and consideration, tears will eventually come.
V. Case of Death Can a repentant sinner always find comfort on their deathbed?
Answer: Although the comfort of God's Spirit will never be taken away from their heart, they may not always be able to express it.
They may die from a severe fever, experiencing extreme bouts of delirium, leading to incoherent speech and even blasphemy.
Similarly, they may suffer from a brain illness, accompanied by severe convulsions, causing their mouth to contort to their ears, their neck to twist backwards, and their trembling to shake the very place where they lie. This is a testimony supported by daily experiences.
There is no need for anyone to find this strange, for as Solomon said, "All things come alike to all in outward matters." The same conditions apply to the just and the wicked, the good and the impure, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not.
Chapter XI:
CONTRARIES TO REPENTANCE
Contrary to Repentance is Impenitence, wherein people persist in their current state without sorrowing for sin or turning away from it.
It is one of the most severe judgments, especially if it becomes final.
Just as a sick person is at their worst when they feel the least sickness and claim to be well, similarly, a wretched person is in the greatest misery when they feel no misery and believe themselves to be in a good condition.
This sin befalls those who consider themselves righteous and believe they have no need for repentance. Examples include the Pharisees
during the time of Christ, the Catharists in the early Church, and the Anabaptists in our present age. Additionally, it includes those whose hearts have become hardened to the point where they can no longer distinguish between good and evil, nor tremble at God's judgments, but instead, become agitated and furious against them. Such individuals may eventually face God's wrath, leading to their destruction or final despair. This was the fate of Julian the Apostate, who died blaspheming and even threw his own blood into the air.
Between the two extremes of Repentance and Impenitence lies counterfeit repentance. The wicked nature of humans allows for dissembling and imitating God's grace. As the Lord laments concerning the Jews, "Her rebellious sister Judah has not returned to me with her whole heart, but in pretense," says the Lord
(Jeremiah 3:10).
Counterfeit repentance can be classified into two types: Ceremonial and Desperate.
Ceremonial repentance occurs when individuals display outward signs of repentance but lack sincerity in their hearts. Examples include Saul, who said to Samuel, "I have sinned against the Lord and your words... please forgive my sin and return with me, so that I may worship the Lord," and Ahab, who humbled himself before Elijah after hearing the word of the Lord.
Dissembled repentance can be identified when individuals eventually return to their former ways. For instance, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, would plead for relief from plagues and acknowledge his sins, but once the affliction was removed, he would harden his heart and not heed the warnings.
Desperate repentance occurs when a person, faced with the judgment of God and overwhelmed by a guilty conscience, despairs without hope of God's mercy. An example of this is Judas, who, after