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  NO HAND BUT A DIVINE HAND
  by Thomas Brooks
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Summary: True repentance involves godly sorrow, a supernatural principle
that mourns over the evil of sin and is a gift from God.

Topics: "Godly Sorrow", "Repentance"
Scripture References: Job 23:16, Ezekiel 36:25

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DESCRIPTION
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Thomas Brooks emphasizes that true repentance involves a deep, godly
sorrow for sin, which is a gift from God that transforms a hardened
heart into one that is soft and tender. He explains that this sorrow
arises from a profound understanding of God's displeasure with sin and
the serious consequences it brings, rather than merely mourning worldly
losses. Brooks contrasts the godly sorrow exemplified by Peter, who
mourned for the sin itself, with Judas, who only regretted the
punishment he faced. Ultimately, he asserts that only a divine hand can
cultivate such heartfelt repentance in a believer.

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CONTENT
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"God makes my heart soft." Job 23:16

Sorrow for sin is one part of true repentance.

A sincere mourning is a deep mourning; it springs from

serious and deep apprehensions of the great anger and

deep displeasure of God, and of the woeful nature, demerit,

burden, bitterness, vileness, and filthiness of sin. Oh the

sighs, the groans, the sobs, the tears, which are to be

found among repenting sinners.

No man is born with godly sorrow in his heart, as he is

born with a tongue in his mouth. Godly sorrow is a plant

of God's own planting; it is from God, and God alone. The

spirit of mourning is from above; it is from a supernatural

power and principle. There is nothing that can turn a heart

of stone into flesh, but the Spirit of God, Ezek. 36:25-26.

Godly sorrow is a gift from God. No hand but a divine

hand can make the heart soft and tender under the sight

and sense of sin. Nature may easily work a man to mourn,

and melt, and weep, under worldly losses, crosses, and

miseries; but it must be grace, it must be a supernatural

principle, which must work the heart to mourn for sin.

"God makes my heart soft." Job 23:16

Godly sorrow is a sorrow for sin as sin. Godly sorrow is a

mourning rather for sin--than for the trouble which sin

brings; it is not so much for loss of goods, lands, wife,

child, credit, name, etc., but for that a holy God is offended,

a righteous law violated, Christ dishonored, the Spirit grieved,

and the gospel blemished, etc. Peter's sorrow was godly, but

Judas' sorrow was worldly; Peter mourns over the evil of sin,

but Judas mourns over the evil of punishment.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/thomas-brooks/no-hand-but-a-divine-hand/
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