BY Rev. JOHN COLQUHOUN, D.D.
(Continued from p. 336.)
6. True repentance is needful, as an evidence of saving and justifying faith in the heart.—The exercise of evangelical repentance, is one of the fruits, and therefore one of the evidences, of that faith which purifies the heart, and works by love. Although the principle of faith, and that of repentance, are in the moment of regeneration, implanted in the soul together and at once; yet the exercise of faith, in the order of nature, goes before the exercise of true repentance. “They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him” (Zech. xii. 10). It is true, none begins to exercise saving faith, but a penitent sinner; that is, one who has the principle of true repentance, as well as that of saving faith, in his heart. Still however, the exercise of faith, which is a cordial trust in redeeming mercy, precedes the exercise of that repentance which is spiritual, and acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The latter, is one of the native fruits and evidences of the former; and therefore it is necessary as such. The exercise of true repentance, always follows the acting of holy faith.
7. Evangelical repentance is necessary also, as a means of attaining a comfortable sense of judicial pardon of sin, and as an evidence of having received it.—Saving faith, from which all true repentance proceeds, completes in its first exercise, our union with Christ, in whom we cannot but be justified. Although the first exercise of true repentance, then, is not, in order of nature, prior to the pardon of sin in justification; yet, that exercise, is indispensably requisite to the comfortable sense of this pardon. It is necessary also, as an evidence of a man’s having received this forgiveness of sin. If he be not exercising evangelical repentance, his pretensions to faith, and to justification by faith, are vain. He can have no true sense, no real intimation, of the forgiveness of his sins; nor can he have any sure evidence, of his being in a state of justification. “I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you” (Ezek. xxxvi. 25). “That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God” (Ezek. xvi. 63).
8. The exercise of true repentance is indispensably requisite, in order to receive God’s paternal pardon, and so to be delivered from His chastisement for sin.—By paternal pardon is not meant that forgiveness of all sin, which forms a part of justification; but that fatherly pardon, which consists in a believer’s deliverance from the guilt which he is daily contracting, by sinning against God as his God and Father; namely, the guilt which renders him liable to the painful effects of paternal displeasure. Now, the frequent exercise of true repentance, as well as that of faith, is necessary to his reception of this pardon; and therefore, it must precede his reception of it. As the believer is, by his sins of infirmity, daily contracting his guilt; so the daily exercise of faith and repentance is necessary to the daily removal of it. For, although faith and repentance do not give the smallest title to deliverance from this guilt; yet the frequent exercise of them is a necessary means of that deliverance. If the true Christian does not exercise them daily, he suffers this guilt to be accumulated upon him; which will expose him to some of the dreadful effects of paternal displeasure. Accordingly, the Lord gave this invitation to his ancient people: “Return, thou back-sliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you; for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever: Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God” (Jer. iii. 12, 13). The Apostle John also says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I. John i. 9).
9. The exercise of true repentance is necessary, in point of gratitude for the spiritual blessings and temporal good things, bestowed on believers.—Every mercy, whether spiritual or temporal, has been forfeited by sin; and yet, the Lord daily loads His people with benefits. These, and the gracious manner of conferring them, are strong ties and powerful inducements to the daily exercise of evangelical repentance. “Despisest thou,” says an Apostle, “the riches of His goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering; not knowing, that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Rom. ii. 4). The multiplied favours, which God vouchsafes to the unregenerate, and those especially, which He daily confers on believers, tend to melt their hearts into ingenuous sorrow and contrition, for their innumerable sins against Him, and by His grace to constrain them, to turn to the love of Him, and to obedience to him. All true believers are grateful to the Lord, for the gifts of His bounty, and above all, for the blessings of His grace; and in proportion as they are so, they are impelled to the exercise of that repentance, which arises from faith working by love.
10. Lastly, such repentance is indispensably requisite, for it is an essential part of that great salvation, which the Lord Jesus has merited for, and dispenses to His people.—It is a part of begun, and a preparation for, complete salvation. Instead of being a condition upon which, salvation is suspended, it is a part of salvation; of that whole salvation, which is bestowed as an absolutely free gift, on sinners infinitely unworthy of it. It is an essential ingredient in that everlasting salvation, with which, Israel shall be saved in the Lord Jesus; and at the same time, an appointed means of bringing that salvation to perfection. It is a necessary part of true holiness, in its commencement and progress in the soul, and a necessary mean of attaining its consummation. Hence it is called “repentance to salvation, not to be repented of” (II. Cor. vii. 10), and “repentance unto life” (Acts xi. 18). Without it, as part of salvation from the power and practice of sin, or as a branch of evangelical holiness, no man shall see the Lord (Heb. xii. 14). According to our Larger Catechism, Question 75, it is included in sanctification. Indeed, it is absolutely impossible for adult persons, ever to die in sanctification, without a true sense of sin, godly sorrow for it, hatred of it, and self-loathing because of it. Equally impossible is it for them, to live to righteousness, otherwise than by turning sincerely from the love and practice of all iniquity, to the love and practice of universal holiness. Without the exercise of true repentance, then, a man can have no sure evidence, either of regeneration, or sanctification. All who are sanctified, exercise evangelical repentance daily, in proportion to the degree of their sanctification. And they exercise it, not that, it may give them the smallest title to salvation; but that, being itself a part of salvation, it may be an evidence to their consciences, that their salvation is begun, and gradually advancing.—So much for the necessity of evangelical repentance.