# “Repentance is a continual spring” by Thomas Brooks

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2012/06/17/repentance-is-a-continual-spring-by-thomas-brooks/
- Published: 2012-06-17T16:30:43-05:00
- Author: tollelege

“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_](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0851513026?tag=toletaupanre-20),
ed. Alexander Balloch Grosart (Edinburgh; London; Dublin: James Nichol; James Nisbet
and Co.; G. Herbert, 1866), 467-68.

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