Repentance

“The besetting sin is of all others most dangerous. As Samson’s strength lay in his hair, so the strength of sin lies in this beloved sin. This is like a poison striking the heart, which brings death. A godly man will lay the axe of repentance to this sin and hew it down. He sets this sin, like Uriah, in the forefront of battle, so that it may be slain. He will sacrifice this Isaac, he will pluck out this right eye, so that he may see better to go to heaven. “ The Godly Man’s Picture ” pg. 150”

“There is more malignity in a drop of sin than in a sea of affliction, for sin is the cause of affliction, and the cause is more than the effect. The sword of God’s justice lies quiet in the scabbard till sin draws it out. Affliction is good for us: ‘It is good for me that I have been afflicted’ (Psa. 119:71). Affliction causes repentance (II Chron. 33:12). The viper, being stricken, casts up its poison; so, God’s rod striking us, we spit away the poison of sin. Affliction betters our grace. Gold is purest, and juniper sweetest, in the fire. Affliction prevents damnation (I Cor. 11:32). “ Doctrine of Repentance ” pg. 49”

“Many in the old world knew there was an ark, but were drowned, because they did not get into it. Knowledge which is not applied will only light a man to hell. It would be better to live a savage than to die an infidel under the gospel. Christ not believed in is terrible. Moses’ rod, when it was in his hand, did a great deal of good. It wrought miracles; but when it was out of his hand, it became a serpent. So Christ, when laid hold on by the hand of faith, is full of comfort, but not laid hold on, will prove a serpent to bite. “ The Godly Man’s Picture ” pg. 26”

“Pharaoh confessed he had sinned (Exod. 9:27), but when the thunder ceased he fell to his sin again: ‘he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart’ (Exod. 9:34). Origen calls confession the vomit of the soul whereby the conscience is eased of that burden which did lie 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 has confessed his treason, practices new treason? “ Doctrine of Repentance ” pg. 32”

“Those iniquities which men hide in their hearts shall be written one day on their foreheads as with the point of a diamond. They who will not confess their sin as David did, that they may be pardoned, shall confess their sins as Achan did, that they may be stoned. It is dangerous to keep the devil’s counsel; ‘He that covers his sins shall not prosper’ (Prov. 28:13). “ Doctrine of Repentance ” pg. 32”

“The justice of God, like the angel, stands with a drawn sword in its hand ready to strike, but sinners have not eyes as good as those of Balaam’s ass to see the sword. God smites on men’s backs, but they do not, as Ephraim did, smite upon their thigh (Jer. 31:19). It was a sad complaint the prophet took up: ‘thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved’ (Jer. 5:3). That is surely reprobate silver which contracts hardness in the furnace. ‘In the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord: this is that king Ahaz’ (II Chron. 28:22). A hard heart is a receptacle for Satan. As God has two place He dwells in, heaven and a humble heart, so the devil has two places he dwells in, hell and a hard heart. It is not falling into water that drowns, but lying in it. It is not falling into sin that damns, but lying in it without repentance: ‘having their conscience seared with a hot iron’ (I Tim. 4:2). “ Doctrine of Repentance ” pg 62”

“Confession must be voluntary. It must come as water out of a spring, freely. The confession of the wicked is extorted, like the confession of a man upon a rack. When a spark of God’s wrath flies into their conscience, or they are in fear of death, then they will fall to their confessions. Balaam, when he saw the angels’ naked sword, could say, ‘I have sinned’ (Numb. 22:34). But true confession drops from the lips as myrrh from the tree or honey from the comb, freely. ‘I have sinned against heaven, and before thee’ (Luke 15:18): the prodigal charged himself with sin before his father charged him with it. “ Doctrine of Repentance ” pg. 29”

“Our hearts must go along with our confessions. The hypocrite confesses sin but loves it, like a thief who confesses to stolen goods, yet loves stealing. How many confess pride and covetousness with their lips but roll them as honey under their tongue. “ Doctrine of Repentance ” pg. 29”

“The goodness of God works for good to the godly. God's goodness is a means to make us good. " The goodness of God leadeth to repentance " (Rom. ii. 4). The goodness of God is a spiritual sunbeam to melt the heart into tears. Oh, says the soul, has God been so good to me? Has He reprieved me so long from hell, and shall I grieve His Spirit any more? Shall I sin against goodness? The goodness of God works for good, as it ushers in all blessings. The favours we receive, are the silver streams which flow from the fountain of God's goodness. “ All Things for Good ””

“Christian, if you mourn for hypocrisy, yet find this sin so potent that you cannot get the mastery of it, go to Christ. Beg of him that He would exercise His kingly office in your soul, that He would subdue this sin, and put it under the yoke. Beg of Christ to exercise His spiritual surgery upon you. Desire Him to lance your heart and cut out the rotten flesh, and that He would apply the medicine of His blood to heal you of your hypocrisy. " The Godly Man’s Picture " pg. 19”

“This, then, it is to have the heart broken; namely, to have it lamed, disabled, and taken off by sense of God's wrath due to sin, from that course of life it formerly was conversant in; and to show that this work is no fancy, nor done but with great trouble to the soul, it is compared to the putting the bones out of joint, the breaking of the bones, the burning of the bones with fire, or as the taking the natural moisture from the bones, the vexing of the bones, &c. (Psa 23:14; Jer 20:9; Lam 1:13; Psa 6:2; Prov 17:22). All which are expressions adorned with such similitudes, as do undeniably declare that to sense and feeling a broken heart is a grievous thing. ~ The Acceptable Sacrifice by John Bunyan”

“As a man that has by his folly procured a broken leg or arm, is heartily sorry that ever he was so foolish as to be engaged in such foolish ways of idleness and vanity; so he whose heart is broken with a sense of God's wrath due to his sin, hath deep sorrow in his soul, and is greatly repentant that ever he should be such a fool, as by rebellious doings to bring himself and his soul to so much sharp affliction. Hence, while others are sporting themselves in vanity, such a one doth call his sin his greatest folly. 'My wounds stink, and are corrupt, ' saith David, 'because of my foolishness.' And again, 'O God, thou knowest my foolishness, and my sins are not hid from thee' (Psa 38:5, 69:5). ~ The Acceptable Sacrifice by John Bunyan”

“Many are sorry for actual transgressions, because they do oft bring them to shame before men; but few are sorry for the defects that sin has made in nature, because they see not those defects themselves. A man cannot be sorry for the sinful defects of nature, till he sees they have rendered him contemptible to God; nor is it any thing but a sight of God that can make him truly see what he is, and so be heartily sorry for being so. ~ The Acceptable Sacrifice by John Bunyan”

“'The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.' But note by the way, that this broken, this broken and contrite heart, is thus excellent only to God: 'O God, ' saith he, 'THOU wilt not despise it.' By which is implied, the world have not this esteem or respect for such a heart, or for one that is of a broken and a contrite spirit. ~ The Acceptable Sacrifice by John Bunyan (pg. 3)”

“But I find by sad experience that such a spirit of sloth and slumber possesses the unsanctified that, though they are convinced that they are yet unconverted, often they carelessly sit still. Through the love of sensual pleasure—or the hurry of worldly business—or the noise and clamor of earthly cares and lusts and affections—the voice of conscience is drowned, and men go no farther than some faint wishes and general purposes of repenting and amending. ~ A Sure Guide to Heaven by Joseph Alleine”

“Knowledge without repentance will be but a torch to light men to Hell.”

“There is a great difference between a sheep which falls into the mire and a swine which delights to wallow in it.”

“Repentance is a flower which does not grow in nature's garden.”

“Conversion is not the smooth, easy-going process some men seem to think it; otherwise man's heart would never have been compared to fallow ground and God's Word to a plough.”

“To forsake sin, is to leave it without any thought reserved of returning to it again.”

“A tender heart is always a sensible heart. It hath life and therefore sense.”

“A melting and tender heart is sensible, yielding, and fit for any service both to God and man.”

“It is a supernatural disposition of a true child of God to have a tender, soft, and a melting heart.”

“A hammer will do no good to a stone. It may break it in pieces, but not draw it to any form.”

“Sin aims not only that man should not be well, but that man should not be at all.”

“A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise; but rather accept; for not to despise is with God to esteem and set a high price upon.”

“A broken heart is a pliable and flexible heart, and prepared to receive whatsoever impressions God shall make upon it.”

“Never think you can convert yourself. If ever you would be savingly converted, you must despair of doing it in your own strength.”

“Here I will throw myself; if You slay me, I will not go from Your door.”

“It is better to go with difficulty to heaven, than with ease to hell.”

“Faith and repentance preserve the spiritual life, as heat and water preserve the physical life.”