By the Rev. JOHN COLQUHOUN, D.D., Leith.
(Continued from XXXV., page 301.)
Lastly, The exercise of evangelical Repentance, includes the sinner’s turning from all sin, to God in Christ.—This is the formal nature of true repentance, or that which completes it. It is under this notion of it, that evangelical repentance is, in the Old Testament, often styled, returning or conversion. In the exercise of this repentance, the convinced sinner returns, and comes to himself (Luke xv. 17); and then he turns from all sin to God. Whenever he comes to himself, he will come to Christ by faith, and to God in Him by repentance.
1. The true penitent turns from all sin.
“Repent, and turn from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations” (Ezek. xiv. 6). To continue in the practice of sin, is inconsistent with the exercise of true repentance. Sincere penitents cease from sin. Though sin remains in them, yet it does not reign as formerly. Though they cannot shake themselves loose of the remains of sin, yet they turn from it, both in their heart, and in their life.
They turn from all sin in heart and affection. Although iniquity still cleaves to them, yet they no longer cleave to it as formerly, but detest and loathe it (Rom. vii. 24). Sin still hangs on them, but it is only as chains on the captive, which are his grievous burden; or, as the grave-clothes on Lazarus, when he was raised from the dead, which he was trying to shake off. Their esteem and love of sin, are changed into hatred of it. “I hate vain thoughts,” says the holy Psalmist (Psal. cxix. 113). And again, “I hate every false way” (Verse 104). In the exercise of true repentance, their hearts are turned against all iniquity, and they abhor it as the worst of evils—worse than even the most exquisite suffering. Instead of taking pleasure in sin as formerly, they now loathe it. Hence, the exercise of such repentance is styled, a casting away of all their transgressions (Ezek. xviii. 31); as one would do, some very loathsome thing, which he cannot endure to be near him. “Thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it,
Get thee hence” (Isa. xxx. 22). In a word, their cleaving to sin, is turned into an ardent, and increasing, desire to be freed from it. Though formerly, sin was dear to them as the apple of the eye; yet now that their heart is rent from it, as well as for it, they long vehemently to be delivered from it. Thus, they turn from the love of all sin in their heart.
True penitents turn also from all sin in their life, or external conduct. They study to have clean hands, as well as a pure heart. In the exercise of repentance, they refuse compliance with the corrupt desires of the flesh, and of the mind; and so, they through the Spirit mortify the members, and deeds of the body of sin (Rom. viii. 13). They turn from gross sins, or outward abominations. They may indeed be left, on some occasion, to fall into a gross sin, as David and Peter were; but they are not suffered, as the impenitent are, to lie in it. They are raised again by repentance. “A just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again” (Prov. xxiv. 16). They watch habitually against all temptations to sin (Psal. xviii. 23), and all occasions of it (Prov. iv. 14, 15); and in proportion to the degree of their sanctification, they abstain even from all appearance of evil. They not only turn from the practice of open and gross sin; but they strive daily, against the sins of common infirmity. They exercise themselves, “to have always a conscience void of offence, toward God and toward men” (Acts xxiv. 16). Their conscience is tender with respect to secret, as well as to open sins; and therefore they are as deeply concerned, to resist motions of sin, and temptations to it in secret, before the Lord, as to strive against sinful words and actions openly, before the world. And when through infirmity, any of them is overtaken in a fault, he, under the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit, renews his exercise of faith and repentance; and so, he is always departing from iniquity. True penitents will always be repenting, as long as sin remains in them, and prevails against them. They who consider turning from sin, as the work only of a few days or weeks, at a man’s first conversion, are not true penitents. As evangelical repentance is included in sanctification, and as turning from sin both in heart and life, is the same as dying to sin; the evangelical penitent is, in principle and practice, constantly turning from sin.
2. True penitents turn from all sin to God in Christ.
They departed from God by sin; they return to him by repentance. “Come, and let us return unto the Lord” (Hos. vi. 1). This is the term to which, sinners turn in evangelical repentance. Many who profess repentance, turn from one sin to another, and never to God: “They return but not to the most High” (Hos. vii. 16). But when the Holy Spirit, enables sinners to trust in Christ for that salvation, of which, pardon of sin and repentance are essential parts, he thereby turns them from all sin to God; and when they are thus turned, they turn to him. “Surely, after that I was turned, I repented.” “Turn thou me and I shall be turned” (Jer. xxx. 18, 19). By faith, sinners return to God as their God and portion; and through Christ, take up their everlasting rest in Him, as the strength of their heart, and their portion for ever. But by repentance, they return to the love of him as their Lord or Master, and to their duty to him as such.
In the exercise of evangelical repentance, they turn to the love of God as their Lord and Master. “O Lord our God, other lords besides thee have had dominion over us; but by thee only will we make mention of thy name” (Isa. xxvi. 13). They account Him infinitely worthy to be obeyed, and served, and pleased in all things. They see the transcendent glory, and amiableness of God in Christ; and therefore they count Him, infinitely worthy of all the love of their hearts, and of all the worship and obedience of their lives (James ii. 7). They testify their supreme love of him, by a deliberate and cordial choice of him, as their only Lord. “Then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now” (Hos. ii. 7). They discern the excellence and amiableness, not only of the Lord God himself, but also of his laws and ordinances, his image and service; and, therefore, they firmly resolve to cleave to him and serve him. They also testify their love of him, by regarding his service as the greatest freedom, the highest honour, and the truest happiness. When the prodigal came to himself, he said, “How many hired servants of my father’s, have bread enough and to spare!” (Luke xv. 17). To the same purpose the Psalmist, “Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; they will be still praising thee”
(Psal. lxxxiv. 4). All true penitents consider the service of sin, as the greatest bondage, the deepest misery; but the service of God in Christ, as the truest freedom, the sweetest happiness. Their minds have been enlightened, to see the deformity of sin, and the beauty of holiness; and therefore their hearts abhor the one, and delight in practising the other.
True penitents turn also, to their duty to God as their Lord and Master. When Saul of Tarsus became a penitent, he said, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts ix. 6). All who return to God, come home as servants to do his work. All who become his friends, do whatsoever he commands them (John xv. 14). They “delight in the law of God after the inward man,” and have respect to all his commandments. As it is with their whole heart, that they return to the love and practice of their duty; so, they have a full and fixed purpose of heart, in dependance on the grace of Christ, to yield new obedience to God. “O Lord, I have said that I would keep thy words.” “I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end” (Psal. exix. 57, 112). They return to their duty, with a full purpose to enter upon, and keep the way of duty; to pursue and practise holiness, in all manner of conversation. This full purpose is, a sincere resolution to return to the practice of every known duty. True penitents study to know what is duty, in every situation, and when it is known, to perform it. They endeavour to serve the Lord cheerfully and diligently, in heart and in life. It is also a purpose, to return to spirituality in every duty. “We are the circumcision,” says the apostle, “which worship God in the Spirit” (Phil. iii. 3). Sincere penitents resolve through grace, to have their hearts, as well as their hands, engaged in their duties; to perform them from union with Christ, faith, and love, as the principles; from the grace of God, and the love of Christ, as the motives; in the strength of the grace of Christ, and with the whole heart, as the manner; and to the glory of God in Christ, as the ultimate end of them. This resolution is usually called a full purpose, because it is a resolution, which is put in execution without delay. “I made haste,” says the holy Psalmist, “and delayed not, to keep thy commandments” (Psal. exix. 60). It is so called also, because a sincere endeavour
after new obedience, is inseparably connected with it. Although true penitents are sensible, that they cannot in their own strength perform new obedience; yet they habitually aim at it, and even at perfection in it (Phil. iii. 14). The obedience, which they purpose and endeavour to yield, is styled new obedience, because the principles, the motives, the rule, the manner, and the end of it, are all new.
The true penitent’s turning from all sin to God, is voluntary. Some turn from their sins sore against their will. They part from their darling sins with great reluctance, as the covetous man, from his possessions at death, when he is forced to let them go. The true penitent, on the contrary, turns from all iniquity with willingness, or by choice. In the same manner does he turn to God. He voluntarily and heartily yields himself to Him, to serve Him. “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power” (Psa. ex. 3). His turning from all sin is also sincere. He turns from iniquity, not so much because it is hurtful, as because it is hateful to him. He departs from it, because it offends an infinitely holy and gracious God, dishonours His dear Son, grieves His Holy Spirit, violates His law, and defaces his image. His return to God in Christ is sincere. He turns to him not feignedly, but with his whole heart (Jer. iii. 10). Hypocrites have a divided heart, one part for God, and another for sin. But “no man can serve two masters.” Moreover, he turns speedily from sin to God (Psal. cxix. 60). As long as a man delays to turn from all sin, his repentance is feigned. A true penitent will no more delay, than a man would, to snatch a burning coal from his bosom. He will not delay a moment. He will make no truce with sin. He knows that, if he delay a single moment longer, it may prove fatal to him. He therefore imitates the holy Psalmist, who says, “I made haste, and delayed not, to keep thy commandments.” His turning from sin is also universal. Whoever turns sincerely from any sin, turns from all sin. Accordingly, Jehovah gave this command to the house of Israel: “Cast away from you all your transgressions” (Ezek. xviii. 31). One sin retained, would render all his exercise of repentance vain; just as Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal’s concubine, was the death of all his seventy sons by his wives, except one. The
true penitent, therefore, abstains from all appearance of evil, and carefully avoids every avenue of temptation. Every sin as such, is the object of his deep abhorrence. And if any iniquity has prevailed against him, more than another, if any sin has easily beset him; this, he resolutely and cheerfully foregoes, and with unreluctant mind abandons. He so abandons every known sin, as to return to the love, and to the spiritual performance, of every known duty. He not only yields new obedience, but attempts the performance of it in all its parts.
So much for the nature and import of evangelical repentance.