The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University

Now some may say, why could not God, of his mercy, pardon the injury only upon repentance without other satisfaction, without doing himself any hurt? I also ask, why could not he of his mercy pardon without repentance? For the same reason he could not pardon with repentance without satisfaction. For all the repentance man is capable of is no repentance at all; or which is the same thing, it is as little as none in comparison of the greatness of the injury, for it cannot bear any proportion to it. Now I am sure, it would be as dishonorable for God to pardon the injury upon repentance that did not bear the least proportion to the injury, as for him to pardon without any repentance at all. Wherefore, we are not forgiven now because our repentance makes any satisfaction, but because thereby we reject the sin and receive the satisfaction already made.