t of God, "Let the wicked forsake his way."
The marginal reading of Mat. 3:8 is "bring forth fruit answerable to the
amendment of life." The penitent carefully turns away from sin, and there
is therefore an amendment of life.

The second fruit of repentance mentioned in 2 Cor. 7:11 is "clearing of
yourselves." Men usually in their sinful life do many a wrong deed. When
they have a godly sorrow they are very willing to do all they can to
"clear away," or right the wrongs they have done. For instance, a man has
in conversation with one neighbor spoken evil of another neighbor and
injured his character. When he repents of his sins he will acknowledge to
his neighbor that he spoke falsely, and will do what he can to repair the
injury he has done. Debts he has long neglected he will pay when he
repents of his sins, if it is possible. Wherein he has stolen or defrauded
in any way he will restore as far as he is able. Zacchaeus, when he came
down from the sycamore tree, had a penitent heart, and said: "The half of
my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by
false accusation, I restore him fourfold." Luke 19:8. God does not command
a fourfold restoration, but he does demand a restoring of an equal amount
of what has been taken. If the penitent is unable to do this he can, no
doubt, make confession, and promise to restore as soon as possible.

It is very consistent and reasonable that God makes such demands of the
penitent. No man can rightly object to such requirements. It establishes
confidence in the hearts of unbelievers. They see a beauty in the
Christian religion. It not only saves a man from doing wrong deeds in his
future life, but calls upon him to repair as far as possible the wrongs
and injuries he has done in his past life. In talking about two of the
leading members of a certain religious denomination an unbeliever recently
remarked: "If these men would pay me what they owe me I would have more
confidence in Christianity." We saw then how consistent it was that God
requires man to correct his past life as far as he can. It forces
confidence in the hearts of the unsaved and gains their attention. This is
the "clearing of yourselves."

The penitent gladly turns away or forsakes his evil ways. He abhors sin.
Ah, what "vehement desire" to be free; what zeal! He gladly does all he
can to repair the injuries he has done. When he has defrauded man of money
he will confess it and restore it. W