The Holy Arbor, Chapter 6 · Section 13
XIII.
REpentance is a conſtant turning from all ſin unto God, or an inward ſorrowing and continually mourning for ſin, joyned with Faith and Humiliation, and both inward and outward amendment. It is an averſion or turning from all a mans ſins, and a reverſion or turning again unto God with all our Hearts: Or, Repentance is an unfained ſorrow for, and hatred of ſin, with an earneſt Love of Righteouſneſs, by the which we are continually ſtirred up to abhor our Vices, and are moved to do good Works, not for fear of puniſhment or hope of reward, but for that love we bear towards God; that with a joyful heart we are moved to his Obedience, and with grief go aſtray from his Commandments. A Godly ſorrow, whereby a man is grieved for his ſins, becauſe they are ſins, is the beginning of Repentance, and indeed for ſubſtance it is Repentance it ſelf. So a deſire to repent and believe in a touched Heart and Conſcience, is Faith and Repentance it ſelf, though not in Nature, yet in Gods acceptation; for in them that have Grace, God accepteth the will for the deed. Alſo he that is grieved truly and unfainedly from his heart for one ſin, ſhall proportionably be grieved for all the ſins that he knoweth to be in himſelf; for in the moſt Regenerate there remain ſome unknown ſins, of which he cannot have a particular Repentance, and yet they are not imputed when there is Repentance for known ſins. Thus David repented of his Murther and Adultery, and yet afterward (erring in judgement by reaſon of the corruption of the times) lived to his death in the ſin of Poligamy, without any particular Repentance that we hear of; ſo the Patriarchs, but God in mercy received a general Repentance for the ſame, provided we endeavor to finde out particular ſins.
Now though Godly ſorrow be the beginning of Repentance, yet Repentance it ſelf doth chiefly conſiſt in a change of Life upon this Sorrow, and this ſtandeth in a conſtant purpoſe of the Minde, and reſolution of the Heart, not to ſin, but in every thing to do the Will of God. In this purpoſe ſtands the very nature of Repentance, nor muſt it be ſeveral from Humiliation and Faith. We cannot ſo much as think of our ſins aright without grief of heart, neither ought we to be grieved for this grief, 2 Cor. 7.8. This Sorrow pleaſeth God greatly, and maketh glad the Angels in Heaven, Luke 15.10. And bringeth the Mourners unto infinite joy and peace of Conſcience. Some there are that repent of their Repentance, are ſorry they have ſorrowed for thoſe ſins they yet delight in. This is the height of Impiety, and that which filled the hardneſs of Pharaohs heart to the full; nor were the Iſraelites themſelves free there-from, when their murmuring appetites luſted after the Fleſh-pots of Egypt: But he that indeed repents, mourns that he hath not mourned, repents that he hath not repented, humbles himſelf becauſe he hath not been humbled. This is that which a man muſt do before he can truly repent of any particular ſin whatſoever. And ſuch think it, nay they know it to be impoſſible for them to repent enough: Such are our Offences againſt the Eternal and Infinite Majeſty of God, as no man is ſo humbled for them, as that he can ſay, He need be humbled no more for them. So that this is an undeniable Truth, a general Rule without exception, That whoſoever is come to this paſs to think he hath repented enough, he is not in the account of Gods Word a true Convert or Penitent: Could our life in length equal Methuſelahs, and our Repentance in an undiſcontinued practice thereof equal our Life; all this compared to the Infinity of the Majeſty offended, would come ſhort to entitle it Longlived. An unintermitted Watchfulneſs, fed and ſupported by a daily conſtant revolution of faithful Prayers, is the pith of Repentance, which is likely to prove ſo much the ſounder, by how much the more free and voluntary the performance thereof is; for extorted and inforced Repentance, though it often proves ſound and good, no doubt, yet may not be always ſo; the inſtrumental cauſe thereof hapning to be removed, the Work may not go on.
Repent therefore, for except we repent we ſhall all periſh, Luke 13.3. But if we judge our ſelves, we ſhall not be judged of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11.31. Not as the cuſtom is, a ſeeming ſad Confeſſion of ſin out of Formality, not Conſcience, of Paſſion without remorſe, or of fear without change; like Judas, who confeſſed he had ſinned in betraying innocent blood. This is not to repent, nor can we be ſaid to be truly penitent, when the Judgements upon us for ſin, grieve us more then the ſins themſelves. And although whenſoever an unrighteous man truly repenteth, he ſhall be pardoned, yet he cannot truly repent whenſoever he will: Beware therefore of deferring Repentance. He that refuſes to turn when God calleth him, provokes God to refuſe to turn to him when he calls upon God, yea to give him over to the hardneſs of his heart, and to aſſign him Belſhazzers, or the rich Fools death.
There are two parts of Repentance; viz.
1. The Mortification of the Old man, that is, Of the Corruption, which by reaſon of ſin ſticketh in us.
2. The Reſurrection of the New.
So there is a twofold conſideration of Repentance:
1. In reſpect of the beginning of Repentance, as Contrition: This is before Faith.
2. In reſpect of the Act of it; now the Act of Repentance followeth Faith.
The exerciſe of Repentance; viz.
1. A conſtant turning from all ſin unto God, which hath two parts; viz.
1. A purpoſe of heart and reſolution never to ſin more.
2. A holy endeavor of performing the ſaid reſolution.
2. A humble Confeſſion
1. Of our ſins, not in word onelyonly.
2. Of our deſert of puniſhment due for them.
2. A continual inward grief and ſorrow of heart for our ſins, not a worldly, but a godly ſorrow, which conſiſteth of two parts:
1. To be diſpleaſed with our ſelves for our ſins.
2. To have a bodily moving of the heart, which often cauſeth crying and tears. The former of theſe is neceſſary; the latter is not ſimply neceſſary, though it be commendable in whomſoever it is, if it be in truth.
4. A true inward Humiliation of the heart, joyned with a true inward ſhame of all our ſins whatſoever.
5. An earneſt begging of God, in the Name and Mediation of Jeſus Chriſt, pardon for all our ſins.
Grief of heart cauſing Repentance, ariſeth
1. From the Word of God, whereby ſin and Gods wrath for the ſame is diſcovered, Acts 2.37.
2. From Deſpair of all help in our ſelves, or any other Creature, Acts 16.30.
3. From our wretchedneſs and vileneſs by reaſon of ſin, whereby God is offended and his wrath provoked, as well as from our curſedneſs by reaſon of the puniſhment and fearful iſſue of ſin, Luke 15.18.
What the grief is which is in the godly when they repent; viz.
1. A grief both for ſin paſt and preſent, which is called Sorrow; and alſo for ſin to come, which is called Fear.
2. An hatred of ſin committed, both of preſent ſin, and ſin to come.
3. An averting from ſin committed, to Godlineſs.
4. A flying from ſin to come. So the grief is in the heart; the flying is in the will; the averting is in the heart and will, and it is an averting from evil unto good.
The effects of true ſpiritual grief; viz.
1. Shame for evil, which hath been done, Jer. 31.19. Rom. 6.21.
2. A true and thorow Reſolution to enter into a new courſe of life.
3. A renuing of grief ſo oft as occaſion is offered. True ſpiritual grief is never clean dried up, becauſe ſin the cauſe of it is never quite taken away.
The true properties of ſound repentance; viz.
1. We muſt begin with our hearts to purge them of all corruptions and filthy luſts, Ezek. 18.31.
2. As we muſt turn unto God with the heart, ſo with the whole and all the heart, with all our ſoul, Deut. 30.2.
3. We muſt ſhake off all our ſins, as well one ſin as another, and turn unto God, Ezek. 18.13.
4. Our Repentance muſt be ſpeedy and always, ſo long as we live, Matth. 24.13. Revel. 2.10.
No man ought to defer his Repentance on this ground, That Chriſt was merciful to the Thief at his death, Luk. 23.43. For
1. That one example is recorded, that none ſhould utterly deſpair.
2. OnelyOnly that one, that none ſhould preſume.
3. It cannot be proved that he put off his Repentance to that day.
4. It is not ſafe to make an extraordinary Action (as this was) a patern: For Chriſt did miraculouſly work on that thief, to give in that moment of his Humiliation an evidence of his divine Power.
Reaſons why we ought to haſten our Repentance; viz.
1. Becauſe we are uncertain of the means, not knowing whether God will offer the ſame to morrow, or no.
2. Becauſe we are moſt uncertain of our lives.
3. Becauſe the longer we live, having not repented, we get the greater meaſure of ſin: Sin by cuſtom becometh ſtronger, and our ſelves the weaker thereby to repent thereof.
4. Otherwiſe we provoke Gods wrath againſt us, and cauſe him to remove the means from us.
We muſt witneſs our Repentance by acknowledging our particular ſins and treſpaſſes, for theſe Reaſons; viz.
1. Becauſe Repentance onelyonly made generally and confuſedly, is never true, but a common and hypocritical Repentance of one reſolved and ſetled to continue in ſin, and not yet touched with a true feeling thereof. Indeed for unknown ſins which we in weakneſs and ignorance commit, the Lord accepteth a general confeſſion and acknowledgement (which no doubt may be ſaid of the poligamy or marrying of many Wives, and other daily infirmities) provided we daily renew our Repentance for all known ſins, and lead the whole courſe of our lives penitentially.
2. Becauſe we muſt make a particular account to God at the hour of death, not a general one of groſs ſins onelyonly, but a particular one of all ſpecials alſo.
The true ſigns of ſound Repentance; viz.
1. Care to avoid all ſin as well as any one, not for fear but love, not becauſe man, but God commandeth; a diligent care, ſtudy, and endeavor to amend what is amiſs, and to labor to practice the contrary Vertue.
2. Impatience till we have cleared our ſelves, and made our peace with God for committed ſins; and a purging of our ſelves of other mens ſins with a clear Conſcience in all things.
3. A holy Indignation or Anger againſt our ſelves, and the ſins we before took pleaſure in, either in our ſelves or others.
4. Fear, becauſe it is ſin; fearing to offend God becauſe of his Mercy; a filial fear to ſin, to diſpleaſe God, or to hazard his favor.
5. Deſire or fervent affection to God, to Spiritual things; a longing after the Grace of God, a thirſting after Chriſts Righteouſneſs and the ſincere Milk of the Word.
6. Zeal for God and his Worſhip, which makes us not to perform it perfunctorily; a knowing Zeal after Gods Glory, a holy Contention or Emulation to exceed in Piety.
7. Revenge, when we are holily revenged of our ſelves for our ſins by the contrary Vertues; a holy Revenge, judging and condemning of our ſelves for our ſins in our ſelves, or others by our occaſion.
Motives to true & ſound Repentance; viz.
1. The Commandment of God himſelf ſo often urged and repeated, Jer. 13.12. & 8.6. & 18.11. This was Johns Proclamation in the Wilderneſs, Mat. 3.8. This Doctrine was preached to our Parents in paradice, was afterward figured out by Circumciſion before the Law, and by Purification after the Law, Iſa. 1.16.
2. Such as Repent not, lie under the bondage of Satan, they are as Captives and Priſoners, bound to obey his Will, and to do him Service, 2 Tim. 2.26.
3. Such as dye without Repentance, remain for ever without Remiſſion and Forgiveneſs, they are loſt, and muſt needs periſh, if they repent not before, 2 Pet. 3.9. Luke 13.3.
4. The Threatnings denounced and executed upon the Rebellious and Diſobedient, are made Examples and Admonitions unto us. Gods Vengeance juſtly faln upon others ſhould ſerve to amend us, 1 Cor. 10.6.
5. The Certainty and Suddenneſs of the laſt and general Judgement: What maner of perſons ought we therefore to be in holy Converſation and Godlineſs?
6. We muſt be all led to Repentance by the unſpeakable Fruits that follow it; as, Pardon of Sins, Reconciliation with God, Peace of Conſcience, Hearing of our Prayers, and in the end Bleſſedneſs in the Heavens, Ezek. 33.11.
7. The Exellency of it, which appeareth
1. In the Antiquity of it, being the firſt Sermon in Paradice.
2. In the Continuance of it, having always been in the Church, and ſhall be to the end.
8. The Profit of it, wch may appear in theſe five things; viz.
1. It freeth us from the Snares and Subtilties of Satan, 2 Tim. 2.25, 26.
2. It preventeth the Judgement of God in this Temporal life, Jonah 3.4, 10.
3. It procureth the Mercies of God, Temporal, Spiritual and Eternal, Mal. 3.7. Ezek. 18.
4. It freeth us from Death Spiritual and Eternal.
5. It ſaves our Souls from Death, and hides a multitude of Sins, Jam. 5.20.
9. The Neceſſity of it, becauſe without it we may periſh for ever, Luke 13.5, 3.
The means to attain unto repentance; viz.
1. A careful, diligent, profitable and conſtant Hearing of Gods Word, Acts 2.38, 41.
2. To beg it at the hands of God by Prayer, for it is the gift of God onelyonly, Ezek. 36.26.
Duties required of us after we have repented, viz.
1. We muſt pray to God to uphold us, that we may not fall again into our former Sins and Tranſgreſſions.
2. We muſt labor to convert others, and be a means for the beating down of Sin in them, and for the raiſing of them up to Newneſs of Life.