By the Rev. John Colquhoun, D.D., Leith
(Continued from page 146)
Hence also it is plain that, legal convictions of sin, and legal terrors of conscience, are not true repentance. They are, sometimes, introductory to the exercise of it, but they form no part of that exercise. These are but like unripe fruits. They must be ripened by the warm sun of gospel-influence, before he who has them, can exercise in the smallest degree, evangelical repentance. Or rather, they may be compared to the blossoms which appear before, and differ in kind from the fruit. They often fall off, or go up as dust, and no fruit of true repentance follows. The first fruits of the second death, are alas! often mistaken by many for the pangs of the second birth. And therefore, if the reader has ever had them, he should examine well, if he has experienced a favourable issue out of them; if his soul has renounced itself for justification, and for sanctification; if he has come to the Lord Jesus Christ and Him only, both for justifying righteousness, and for sanctifying grace (Isa. 45: 24); and if his heart has been melted and grieved for his innumerable sins, because they have been committed against God in Christ, as a gracious God and Father (Jer. 31: 18). This is the threefold harbour at which they arrive, who come rightly out of those frightful depths. But alas! many plunge to and fro in them for a time, and land again on the same side, at which they went in.
Does the exercise of evangelical repentance, spring from the faith of pardoning mercy? The proper way, then, of dealing with the hard heart to bring it to true repentance, is, to press the sinner to believe in Jesus Christ, for pardoning mercy and sanctifying grace. This, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, is the way to soften and melt the heart, and to dispose it, willingly to exercise genuine repentance. The impenitent sinner should be exhorted, to imitate those fowls, which first fly up, and then dart down upon their prey; first, to soar aloft, by trusting in the redeeming mercy of God in Christ, and then, to come down in the exercise of evangelical humiliation. “They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him” (Zech. 12: 10). Unbelief or distrust of pardoning mercy, hardens the heart, and removes it farther and farther from God; whereas the spiritual faith of pardon, touches the rebel’s heart and makes it relent.
From what has been said, the reader may learn what a true sense of sin is. It is such a spiritual sight and feeling of sin, as arises from the faith of pardoning mercy; and is such a sense of the malignity and deformity of sin, as makes the penitent conclude, that of all evils it is the greatest. He sees the evil of sin, not only with respect to himself, but with regard to God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit. — It is a distinct sense of the particular evils, of the heart and life. “Against thee, thee only have I sinned,” says David, “and done this evil in thy sight.” (Psal. 51: 4). It is a real, and not an imaginary sense of sin; and so it surpasses a merely rational conviction of sin, as far as that sense of the bitterness of gall, which is attained by tasting it, goes beyond that which is got by the bare report of it (Jer. 2: 19). It is also an abiding, a permanent sense of iniquity. “Mine eye,” says the afflicted church, “trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission.” (Lam. 3: 49). The removal of the plague, put an end to Pharaoh’s consciousness of sin; but in the true penitent, the wound is deep, and so the sense is abiding. In a word, it is lively and operative. The eye of the true penitent affects his heart; and when the heart is suitably affected, it excites all the powers of the soul to action. There is a sense of sin, which discovers itself in nothing but indolent wishes, and fruitless complaints. But a true sense of it, stimulates the penitent to immediate, and diligent endeavours.
Hence also it is evident, that it is the duty of every sinner, to attain without delay a true sense of sin. For this purpose, meditate frequently on such subjects, as tend to beget and increase in your heart, a deep sense of the odiousness and demerit of sin. Impenitence is greatly the effect of extenuating notions of the infinite malignity of transgression; whereas repentance flows from a true sense of its malignity and odiousness. Meditate also on the direful anguish, and ignominious death of the Lamb of God, when his holy soul made itself an offering for sin. In these you may see plainly, that God’s abhorrence of sin is so inexpressibly great, that he would sooner deliver up his only begotten Son, in whom his soul delighteth, to the most direful agony and excruciating death, than leave it unpunished. To contemplate Gethsemane and Golgotha, is, under the influences of the Holy Spirit, eminently conducive to evangelical repentance. Consider, too, that how light soever, your crimes may sit on your spirit, they are a heavy burden to the Spirit of God. “Behold,” said Jehovah, “I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves” (Amos 2: 13). The lighter that your sin lies upon your mind, the more grievous it is to the Holy Spirit of God. And if you do not sincerely repent of it, he will ease himself of that burden, by pouring out upon you, the fury of his great indignation (Isa. 1: 24). Consider, I entreat you, that without an effecting sense of the hatefulness of sin, there is no humiliation; that without humiliation, there is no true repentance; and that without such repentance, it will be impossible for you to escape the wrath to come (Luke 13: 3). Study, then, in dependance, on promised grace, and that without delay, to obtain a true, and a deep sense of the exceeding sinfulness of your sin.
From what has been said it is obvious, that you ought also to use all the appointed means, of attaining evangelical repentance. The Lord has appointed various means, and commanded you to use them. Employ them all, therefore, and instead of depending on them, or relying on your use of them, trust that the Lord Jesus will render them effectual. If you sincerely desire to repent, you will manifest your sincerity, by using with diligence every instituted means. Meditate seriously, then, on the sin of your nature, heart, and life, and especially on the exceeding sinfulness of it. “Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent.” (Rev. 2: 5). Consider your ways. “I thought on my ways,” says holy David, “and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.” (Psal. 119: 59). Survey minutely your inclinations and thoughts, your words and actions, even from your earliest years. Put to yourself seriously such questions as these: “What have I been intending and pursuing all my days? What has been the rule of my conduct? the maxims of men, or the word of God? the customs of the world, or the example of Christ? What has the supreme love of my heart been fixed on? Whether have I given to Christ, or to the world, my strongest desires and warmest attachments? Whether has it been my habitual intention, to please God, or to please myself? Has it been His glory, that I have aimed at in every pursuit, or my own gratification, wealt or honour? Whether is it in heaven or upon earth, that I have chiefly been aiming, to lay up treasures for myself? Has God in Christ, been the delightful subject of my frequent meditation and conversation? or, have I regarded religious thoughts and converse, as insipid and wearisome? Have I been out of my element, when employed in the delightful work of prayer and praise, of reading and hearing the glorious gospel? and have I found more pleasure, in licentious mirth and trifling conversation? Have I kept the Sabbaths, and with holy reverence, frequented the Sanctuary, of the Lord? or have I profaned His Sabbaths, and poured contempt on His ordinances? And have I relied, for all my right to eternal life, on the surety-righteousness of Jesus Christ, and trusted cordially in Him for all His salvation? or have I relied for a title to life, partly on my own works, and trusted in Him for a part only of His salvation?” Propose with impartiality these questions to yourself, and suffer conscience to return a faithful answer; in order that, you may so discern your self-deformity, as to abhor yourself, and repent in dust and ashes. — When you use the means, believe with application the promises, of true repentance (Ezek. 36: 31). Upon the warrant of their being directed in offer to you, apply and trust and plead them. To believe the promises, and yet not to use the means, is presumption; and to use the other means, and yet not to employ the principal mean of trusting Christ and the promise, is self-righteousness.
When you are employing the means of evangelical repentance, be constantly on your guard, against every hindrance to the exercise of it. Inconsiderateness, the not apprehending the mercy of God in Christ, slothfulness, the love and cares of the world, prejudices against the exercise of faith and the practice of holiness, and presumptuous confidence, are some of them. As these are powerful obstructions, to the habit and exercise of true repentance, be always on your guard against yielding to any of them. In the faith of the promise, and with importunate supplication for the Spirit of grace, labour to mortify them.
In conclusion: it may justly be inferred from what has been advanced, that it is not sound doctrine to teach, that Christ will receive none but the true penitent, or that none else, is warranted to come by faith to Him for salvation. The regenerated sinner must first, by faith embrace Christ, and apprehend the pardoning mercy of God in Him, before he can exercise true repentance. Accordingly, the invitations of the gospel to every sinner who hears it, are there:— “Let him that is athirst, come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22: 17). “Come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price.” (Isa. 55: 1). The evil of that doctrine is, that it sets needy sinners on spinning repentance, as it were, out of their own bowels, and bringing it with them to Christ; instead of coming to him by faith, to receive it from Him. It also tends to prevent convinced sinners, from attempting to come to Christ; as it teaches them to keep aloof from Him, till they be assured, that they have true repentance to bring with them. For a sinner cannot lawfully come to the Saviour till he be sure, that he has a present warrant to do so. If Jesus Christ will receive none, but him who is satisfied that he has genuine repentance, then none else, is invited and commanded to believe in Him; for surely, he who is invited and commanded to come to Christ, will be welcome to Him. Besides, if none be invited but the true penitent; then, — impenitent sinners are not bound to come to Christ; for none is warranted or bound to come to Him, but he who is invited. And if a sinner who is not invited nor commanded, do not come, he cannot be justly blamed for not coming; for where no law is, there is no transgression. The truth is, every sinner who hears the gospel, is both invited and commanded, to believe in the compassionate Saviour; and every one who cordially believes in Him, will, in consequence, exercise evangelical repentance, as a part of that salvation, for which he trusts in Him.
Well-grounded hopes of heaven will be far from giving the least encouragement to sloth and sinful security; on the contrary, they should stir us up to use the greatest care and diligence in religion.
Matthew Henry.