The True Way to the Tree of Life, Part · Section 18
XVIII. Direction.
SEarch out and try the truth of thy Repentance, as well as of thy Faith, lest in this necessary Grace and fundamental Duty, thou mistakest a shadow for a substance, an appearance for a reality, and so overthrow the whole Fabrick of thy Christianity.
Mock-Repentance, counterfeit Repentance, is of no account at all with God, nor of any avail for spiritual blessings or eternal Salvation. Hos. 7. 16. Ahab got no spiritual good, 1 King. 21. 27. Nor Iudas, Mat. 27. 3, 4, 5. by their counterfeit repenting.
Sincere Repentance may be discovered by the 1. Antecedents. 2. Constituents. 3. Concomitants. And 4. Consequents thereof.
I. The Antecedents, going before true Repentance, are; Conviction, Illumination, Godly Sorrow, Hatred of Sin.
1. Conviction of sin, if true and sincere, when it
1. Leads a man from sin to sin, from actual to original. Psal. 51. 1. to 6.
2. Smites the Conscience sharply for sin. Psal. 51. 3, 8. Act. 2. 37.
3. Provokes the Soul to seek for remedy. Act. 2. 36, 37. contra Mat. 27. 3, 4, 5.
2. Illumination touching Christ, the remedy against sin. Act. 26. 18. If true,
1. Gives a more clear and perfect insight into the mystery of Christ and Christianity, then any Natural man hath. 1 Cor. 2. 6. to 15.
2. Melts the Heart into love to Christ, and tears, or at least, mourning for sin. Luke 7. 37. to the end.
3. Conducts the Soul, like the Star, to Christ, Ioh. 6. 45.
4. Inclines the Soul to deny, do, and suffer any thing for Christ. Phil. 3. 7, 8, &c. Act. 9. 4, 5, 6. Heb. 10. 32, 33, 34.
3. Godly Sorrow, and Contrition, working Repentance, 2 Cor. 7. 10. If true and sincere,
1. Wounds the Heart most for sin, as it is against God. Psal. 51. 4. As against Christ. … 12. 10, 11.
2. Drives the Sinner to seek spiritual relief. Act. 2. 36, 37, &c. Luke 7. 37, &c.
3. Deeply humbleth and abaseth the Soul. Ezek. 36. 31. Luke 15. 17, &c.
4. Secretly refresheth the Heart that it can mourn for sin. Isa. 61. 3. Dolet de morbo, gaudet de medicina: L… ments at the malady, rejoyceth at the remedy.
5. Is very great. Zech. 12. 10, 11. Psal. 38. 3. to 11.
6. Is permanent and lasting. Psal. 51. 3.
7. At last works Repentance not to be repented of. 2 Cor. 7. 10.
4. Hatred of Sin, if sincere,
1. Ariseth from true Love to God, that cannot endure sin. Psal. 97. 10.
2. Comes from due esteem of Gods Word, that detects sin. Psal. 119. 113. 128.
3. Flows from true Love to Holiness and Righteousness. Psal. 45. 7.
4. Is chiefly for the sinfulness of it. Gal. 5. 17.
5. Is Universal against every sinful way. Psal. 119. 104.
II. The Constituents of the proper Nature of Repentance, Aversion from evil, and Conversion to God, Act. 26. 18. Col. 1. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 9. discover the truth of Repentance, viz.
1. Aversion from evil, if upright,
1. Is from sin cordially and really hated. Psal. 119. 104.
2. Is from sin for its sinfulness against God. Gen. 39. 9.
3. Is consequently from all known sin. Ezek. 18. 21, 30, 31.
4. Is also from his own more peculiar iniquity, to which by Natural Constitution, Calling, Temptation, &c. he was more specially inclined. Psal. 18. 22.
5. Is from the power of sin. Col. 1. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Eph. 2. 1, 5. With crucifying and mortifying of sin. Col. 3. 5. Gal. 5. 24.
6. Is constant and continuing. 2 Pet. 2. 20, 21, 22.
7. Is joyned with eschewing fellowship with others in their sins. Eph. 5. 11. Psal. 1. 1, 2.
2. Conversion to God, if sincere,
1. Is upon serious consideration, Luke 15. 17. to the end. Ezek. 18. 27, 28.
2. Is immediately unto Christ, the way to God▪ Act. 11. 21. with Ioh. 14. 6.
3. Is unto God as a reconciled Father in Christ. Lu…e 15. 18, 19, 20, 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19, 20, 21.
4. Is by the regenerating Spirits operation. Iohn 3. 3, 5. Eph. 2. 18.
5. Is to God cordially and entirely. Io…l 2. 13. 1 Kings 8. 47, 48.
6. Turneth to God, so as to resign himself to Gods Power and Government. Act. 26. 18. Col. 1. 13.
7. Turneth to God, with fixed resolution never to turn away from him. Deut. 10. 20. with Psal. 86. 11. and 73. 25, 26.
III. Concomitants, accompanying true Repentance, may give some light to the truth of Repentance. Noscitur ex comite, qui nondignoscitur exse: A man is oft-times better known by his company, rather then by himself. These are Concomitants or Companions of true Repentance, viz.
1. An hearty, impartial, self-abasing and self-condemning confession of sin to God. Psal. 51. 17. and verse 1, 3, 5, 14. Ezra 9. 6. Dan. 9. 5, 6, 7, 8. Luke 15. 18, 19.
2. Faith in Christ: Mark 1. 15. Act. 26. 18. Heb. 6. 1. of which formerly.
3. Penitential Desires, and these vehement, viz. Against sin, that it may be pardoned, subdued, extirpated, &c. And for abundance of Grace to these ends. 2 Cor. 7. 10, 11.
4. Prayer. Act. 9. 11. Even the Spirit of Prayer. Zech. 12. 10. Psal. 51. 1. &c.
IV. Consequents of true Repentance, a…e
1. More generally, All good fruits and good works, meet for Repentance. Mat. 3. 8, 9, 10. and 7. 19. Luke 3. 8, 9. with Gal. 5. 22, 23.
2. More particularly, These, and such like:
1. Vigilant care against sin for time to come. 2 Cor. 7. 11.
2. Enlarged thankfulness for Gods mercies in Christ, to the penitent and pardoned sinner. 1 Tim. 1▪ 13. to 18. Luke 7. 37, 38.
3. Vehement and sincere Love; To Christ, for his Grace, Luke 7. 47. Phil. 3. 7, 8, 9, 10. To his Ministers, for their Embassey. 1 Thes. 5. 12, 13. Gal. 4. 14, 15. To his members, for his image. 1 Ioh. 3. 14. and 5. 1.
4. Singular joy in Christ, and in all his wayes. Acts 2. 46. and 8. 39.
5. Chearful new obedience to God in Christ. Acts 2. 42, &c. Isa. 1, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.
6. Compassionateness to other sinners, with desires and endeavours to gain them to Christ by Faith and Repentance. Psal. 51. 12, 13. 1 Cor. 9. 19. to 23. Luke 22. 32. Acts 26. 29.
7. Holy zeal to the peace and prosperity of Christs Church, into which the penitent is now implanted. Acts 2. 41. to the end. 1 Cor. 9. 19, &c. Psal. 51. 18, 19.