entance.

David made a woful mistake in this respect with his rebellious son,
Absalom. He could not have done his son a greater injustice than to
forgive him when his heart was unchanged. There could be no true
reconciliation between them when there was no repentance. But God
does not make these mistakes. David got into trouble on account of
his error of judgment. His son soon drove his father from the throne.

Speaking on repentance, Dr. Brooks, of St. Louis, well remarks:
"Repentance, strictly speaking, means a 'change of mind or purpose;'
consequently it is the judgment which the sinner pronounces upon
himself, in view of the love of God displayed in the death of Christ,
connected with the abandonment of all confidence in himself and with
trust in the only Saviour of sinners. Saving repentance and saving
faith always go together; and you need not be worried about
repentance if you will believe."

"Some people are no sure that they have 'repented enough.' If you
mean by this that you must repent in order to incline God to be
merciful to you, the sooner you give over such repentance the better.
God is already merciful, as He has fully shown at the Cross of
Calvary; and it is a grievous dishonor to His heart of love if you
think that your tears and anguish will move Him, not knowing that
'the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.' It is not your
badness, therefore, but His goodness that leads to repentance; hence
the true way to repent is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 'who
was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our
justification.'"

Another thing. If there is true repentance it will bring forth fruit.
If we have done wrong to any one we should never ask God to forgive
us, until we are willing to make restitution. If I have done any man
a great injustice and can make it good, I need not ask God to forgive
me until I am willing to make it good. Suppose I have taken something
that does not belong to me. I have no right to expect forgiveness
until I make restitution.

I remember preaching in one of our large cities, when a fine-looking
man came up to me at the close. He was in great distress of mind.
"The fact is," he said, "I am a defaulter. I have taken money that
belonged to my employers. How can I become a Christian without
restoring it?" "Have you got the money?" He told me he had not got it
all. He had taken about $1,500, and he still had about $900. He said
"Could I not take that