A Little Cabinet, Section 19
Of Repentance unto life.
REpentance and faith are two inſeparable companions; where the one doth dwell the other will lodge, in the Covenant of grace there is place for repentance, and mercy for the penitent. Let us firſt enquire what true repentance is, viz. Some ſay repentance is a grieving for ſin, both original and actual, ariſing from an apprehenſion of diſpleaſing ſo loving a God, 2. Cor. 7. 11. For behold this ſelf-ſame thing that ye ſorrowed after a godly ſort: what carefulneſs it wrought in you, yea what clearing of your ſelves? yea what indignation? yea what fear? yea what vehement deſire? yea what zeal? yea what revenge in all things? &c. Repentance is not only a turning from evil to good, but a hating the evil we turn from, and a loving the good we turn to.
True repentance is a general univerſal change of the whole man in every part; though it be but in part, it doth change both heart and life, word and work, it makes darkneſs light, and bitter ſweet▪ and a Leaper an Angel, Iſa. 1. 16, 17, 18. Waſh ye, make ye clean: there is the change of the heart: put away the evil of your doings, there is the change of the life. See Ezek. 18. 30, 31, 32. Or repentance is a univerſal change in the whole man, the underſtanding is turned from darkneſs to light: the will from ſinfulſervitude to an holy liberty: the affections from diſorder into order, the heart from hardneſs into ſoftneſs: ſo the eye of wantoneſs into an eye of chaſtity: the uncircumciſed ear into an obedient ear: the hands of bribery into the hands of liberty: and the feet of vanity into the waies of purity. Repentance for ſin is nothing, without repentance from ſin.
He that hath repented indeed, doth ſtill deſire to have his ſin purged, as well as pardoned: repentance is a work that muſt be timely done, or we be utterly undone: he that hath truly repented, doth now ſtrike moſt at thoſe ſins that he was moſt prone to before: the Jaylor, Act. 16. Waſhed thoſe wounds that his own hands had made but a little before: he acts in waies of mercy, quite contrary to his former cruelty: So did Zacheus, Luke 19. So did Paul, Acts 9. So did Manaſſes, 2 Chron. 33. 6.
True repentance hath theſe choice companions attending it. The firſt is Faith, Mar. 1. 14. Repent ye therefore and believe the Goſpel. Secondly, love to Chriſt doth alwaies accompany repentance, as we may ſee in Mary Magdalen, Luke 7. Thirdly, fear of offending God, and an holy care to honour him, theſe and the like companions do alwaies accompany true repentance, they were born together, and they will live together, till the ſoul doth change earth for heaven. Conviction goes alwaies with converſion, and repentance and forgiveneſs of ſins goes alwaies together, ſo doth ſanctification and juſtification: this repentance is a flower that grows not in natures garden, Jer. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his ſpot? &c. Men are not born with repentance in their hearts, as they are with tongues in their mouths.