The Nature and Practice of Repentance
them to triumph over the desires of the flesh, the temptations of the devil, and the allure of the world. Moses displayed courage at the Red
Sea, but faltered at the Waters of Meribah. Job initially praised God, only to later utter blasphemies. David frequently experienced moments of despair, yet soon found revival. Therefore, it is fitting that the contemplation of repentance and the spiritual struggle go hand in hand. This ensures that no one, once they have embarked on the path of repentance, would entertain the notion of comfort for their flesh, as if they could enter heaven while lying on beds of ease.
Rather, we should be resolved that whenever we undertake actions that please God, we should expect nothing but continuous challenges from our corrupt and sinful nature.
Written in the year 1593, on November 17, which marks the Coronation Day of our esteemed Queen Elizabeth, may her reign be long-lasting by God's grace.
William Perkins.
CHAPTER I:
WHAT REPENTANCE IS
Repentance is an act of grace that arises from a godly sorrow. It involves a person turning away from all their sins and directing themselves towards God, bringing forth fruits that demonstrate a genuine desire for a changed life.
I refer to repentance as an act because it appears to be not merely a quality, virtue, or habit, but an action performed by a repentant sinner. This is evident in the sermons of the Prophets and Apostles, which consistently urge people to repent, turn to God, and amend their lives. This indicates that repentance is a task to be carried out.
Furthermore, repentance is not just any kind of work, but a work of grace. It can only be practiced by those who are in a state of grace.
Here are the reasons for this: First, no one can genuinely repent unless they first develop a hatred for sin and a love for righteousness.
However, one can only hate sin if they are sanctified, and those who are sanctified are justified. Moreover, those who are justified must possess the faith that unites them to Christ, making them a part of His body. Therefore, a person who repents is justified, sanctified, and has become a member of Christ through faith. Second, for someone to turn to God, they must first experience a turning by God.
After this divine turning, true repentance follows. As the Scripture says, "Surely after I was converted, I repented; and after I was instructed, I struck upon my thigh. I was ashamed, even confounded, because I bore the reproach of my youth."
Some may object by stating that repentance comes before all grace since it is preached first. The first sermon ever delivered was by God
Himself in paradise, preaching repentance to our first parents. Since then, repentance has been the beginning and purpose of the sermons given by all the prophets, apostles, and faithful ministers. The response to this objection is as follows: If we consider the order of nature, there are other graces of God that precede repentance, as a person's conscience must be somewhat settled regarding their reconciliation with God in Christ before they can begin to repent.
Therefore, justification and sanctification naturally precede repentance. However, if we consider time, grace and repentance occur together. As soon as there is fire, it is hot, and as soon as a person is regenerated, they repent. If we examine the outward manifestation of these two, repentance precedes all other graces because it is the first to become apparent outwardly. Regeneration is
like the sap of a tree hidden within the bark, while repentance is like the bud that quickly emerges before blossoms, leaves, or fruits appear. In fact, all other inward graces necessary for salvation are revealed through repentance. For this reason, repentance is preached first (as I understand it).
I would like to add that repentance arises from a godly sorrow in the heart, as taught by Paul. This godly sorrow leads to repentance that brings salvation, never to be regretted. It is called a godly sorrow or a sorrow according to God, to distinguish it from worldly sorrow.
Worldly sorrow stems from the apprehension of God's wrath and other miseries, such as fear of people, loss of reputation, and various afflictions that occur as punishments for sin in this life. On the other hand, godly sorrow brings grief for sin itself, recognizing it as sin. It instills in an individual the disposition and mindset that even if there were no conscience to accuse, no devil to terrify, no judge to condemn, and no hell to torment, they would still humble themselves and fall to their knees for their sins because they have offended a loving, merciful, and patient God.
Furthermore, I state that repentance involves turning back to God.
Initially, man was created as a glorious being in the image of God, having fellowship with Him, dwelling in God and God in him.
However, sin created a division between God and humanity. We became alienated and estranged from God, becoming children of wrath, resembling firebrands of hell, prodigal children who went far away from their father, and straying, even lost sheep. Now, when individuals receive the grace to repent, they begin to restore this fellowship and turn back to God. The very essence and nature of repentance lie in this act of turning, as Paul seems to imply when he states that he proclaimed to both Jews and Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God, demonstrating works worthy of a changed life. These words provide us with a comprehensive description of repentance.
I also affirm that repentance involves turning away from sin. It does not abolish or change the essence of our bodies, souls, or any of their faculties, whether in whole or in part. Instead, it rectifies and amends them by removing corruption. It transforms the sorrow of melancholy into godly sorrow, anger into righteous zeal, softness of character into meekness of spirit, and foolishness and frivolity into Christian joy. Repentance reforms each person according to their natural constitution, not by abolishing it but by correcting its faults.
Additionally, I emphasize that repentance involves a complete turning away from all sin and turning towards God, in order to exclude various false turnings. Firstly, there is a false turning when someone turns from God to sin, such as when a Protestant converts to Catholicism, Arianism, or Familism. Secondly, there is a false turning when a person turns from one sin to another, like when a reckless individual abandons their wastefulness only to indulge in greed. This cannot be considered true repentance because it involves moving from one extreme to another, whereas repentance requires forsaking the extremes and embracing the middle ground. Thirdly, there is no genuine repentance when sin turns away from a person and leaves them, rather than the person intentionally turning away from sin. For instance, when a drunkard stops drinking due to a decayed stomach, a fornicator ceases their immoral behavior due to waning physical strength, or a brawler refrains from fighting because of an injury to a leg or arm. Lastly, there is a false repentance when individuals turn away from many sins but refuse to let go of certain sins. An example of this is seen in Herod, who did many things prompted by John the Baptist's advice but could not bring himself to abandon the sin of incest by having his brother Philip's wife. This kind of repentance amounts to nothing. Just as a person who is truly regenerated is transformed in body, soul, and spirit, so a genuine repentance entails turning away from all sin and completely redirecting oneself towards God.
Furthermore, let it not trouble anyone that they may not be aware of all their sins. Genuine repentance for one specific sin encompasses