“Repentance is a continual spring” by Thomas Brooks

“The repentance that accompanies salvation is a continued act, a repentance never to be repented of (2 Cor. 7:10). Repentance is a continual spring, where the waters of godly sorrow are always flowing.

A sound penitent is still a-turning nearer and nearer to God. He is still a-turning further and further from sin. This makes the penitent soul to sigh and mourn that he can get no nearer to God, that he can get no further from sin (Rom. 7).

The work of repentance is not the work of an hour, a day, a year, but the work of this life. A sincere penitent makes as much conscience of repenting daily as he doth of believing daily.

And he can as easily content himself with one act of faith, or love, or joy, as he can content himself with one act of repentance: ‘My sins are ever before me,’ says David (Ps. 51:3). Next to my being kept from sin, I count it the greatest mercy in the world to be still a-mourning over sin, says the penitent soul.

The penitent soul never ceases repenting till he ceases living. He goes to heaven with the joyful tears of repentance in his eyes. He knows that his whole life is but a day of sowing tears that he may at last reap everlasting joys. That repentance that accompanies salvation is a final forsaking of sin.

It is a bidding sin an everlasting adieu. It is a taking an eternal farewell of sin, a never turning to folly more: ‘What have I to do any more with idols?’ says Ephraim (Hosea 14:8). I have tasted of the bitterness that is in sin; I have tasted of the sweetness of divine mercy in pardoning of sin.

Therefore, away, sin! I will never have to do with you more! Away, away, sin! You shall never be courted nor countenanced by me anymore.”

–Thomas Brooks, The Complete Works of Thomas Brooks, Volume 2, ed. Alexander Balloch Grosart (Edinburgh; London; Dublin: James Nichol; James Nisbet and Co.; G. Herbert, 1866), 467-68.