by John Calvin
“A long time ago, some wise men, wanting to speak of penitence (repentance) simply and purely according to the rule of Scripture, said that it consists in two parts: that is, mortification and vivification. They interpreted “mortification” as “a sorrow and great fear of heart which is conceived by the knowledge of sin and the feeling of God’s judgment.” For when someone is led to the true knowledge of his sin, he then begins to hate it and detest it; then truly he is displeased with himself in his heart and confesses that he is wretched and ashamed and hopes to be different than he is. Besides, when he is moved with a feeling of God’s judgment (for one follows the other), then, humbled, terrified and crushed, he trembles and is discouraged and loses all hope. This is the first part of penitence, which is called “contrition.” They interpreted “vivification” as a comfort produced by faith: when a person, ashamed by the consciousness of his sin and struck with the fear of God, casts his eyes on God’s goodness and mercy, on the grace and salvation which are in Jesus Christ, and is comforted, is able to breathe, and then takes heart again, and practically returns from death to life.”
(Institutes: Of Penitence)