Vital Godliness: A Treatise on
Experimental and Practical Piety
By William S. Plumer
REPENTANCE
"For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, which
brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world works death." (2 Corinthians
7:10)
Repentance belongs exclusively to the religion of
sinners. It has no place in the exercises of unfallen creatures. He who has
never done a sinful act, nor had a sinful nature—needs neither forgiveness,
conversion, nor repentance. Holy angels never repent. They have nothing to
repent of. This is so clear that it is needless to argue the matter. But
sinners need all these blessings. To them they are indispensable. The
wickedness of the human heart makes it necessary. Under all dispensations,
since our first parents were expelled the garden of Eden, God has insisted
on repentance. Among the patriarchs, Job said, "I abhor myself, and repent
in dust and ashes." Under the law David wrote the thirty-second and
fifty-first psalms. John the Baptist cried, "Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand." Christ's account of himself is that he "came to call
sinners to repentance." Just before his ascension, Christ commanded "that
repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, among all
nations, beginning at Jerusalem." And the apostles taught the same doctrine,
"testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance towards
God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ." So that any system of
religion among men which should not include repentance, would upon its very
face be false.
Matthew Henry says, "If the heart of man had continued
upright and unstained, divine consolations might have been received, without
this painful operation preceding; but being sinful, it must first be pained
before it can be laid at ease; must labor before it can be at rest. The sore
must be searched, or it cannot be cured." "The doctrine of repentance is
right gospel doctrine. Not only the austere Baptist, who was looked upon as
a melancholy, morose man; but the sweet and gracious Jesus, whose lips
dropped as a honey-comb, preached repentance; for it is an unspeakable
privilege that room is left for repentance." This doctrine will not be amiss
while this evil world stands.
Though repentance is an obvious and often commanded duty,
yet it cannot be truly and acceptably performed except by the grace of God.
Repentance is a gift from heaven. Paul directs Timothy in meekness to
instruct those who oppose him—"if God perhaps will give them repentance to
the acknowledging of the truth." Christ is exalted a Prince and a Savior "to
give repentance." So when the heathen were brought in, the church glorified
God, saying, "Then has God also granted to the Gentiles, repentance unto
life." All this is according to the tenor of the Old Testament promises.
There God says he will do this work for us and in us. Listen to his gracious
words: "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within
you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give
you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to
walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my commandments, and do them."
True repentance is a special mercy from God. He gives
it. It comes from none other. It is impossible for poor fallen nature so far
to recover herself by her own strength, as truly to repent. The human heart
is wedded to its own evil ways, and justifies its own sinful courses with
incurable obstinacy—until divine grace makes the change. No merely human
motives to repent, are strong enough to overcome depravity in the natural
heart of man. If ever we attain this grace of repentance, it must be through
the great love of God to perishing men.
Yet repentance is most REASONABLE. No man acts wisely
until he repents. When the prodigal came to himself, he went immediately to
his father. It is so obviously proper that he who has done wrong should be
heartily sorry for it, and never do so any more, that some infidels have
asserted that repentance was sufficiently taught by natural religion—without
the Bible. But this is a mistake. The true doctrine of repentance is
understood nowhere but in Christian countries, and not even there by
infidels. Besides, that which is required of us may be very reasonable, and
yet be very repugnant to men's hearts. When called to duties which we
are reluctant to perform, we are easily persuaded that they are unreasonably
exacted of us. It is therefore always helpful to us to have a command of God
binding our consciences in any case. It is truly benevolent in God to speak
to us so authoritatively in this matter. "God now commands all men
everywhere to repent." The ground of the command is that all men everywhere
are sinners. Our blessed Savior was without sin, and of course he could not
repent. With that solitary exception, since the fall there has not been
found one single righteous person who needed no repentance. And none are
more to be pitied than those poor deluded men who see in their hearts and
lives nothing to repent of.
But what is true repentance?
This is a
question of the highest importance. It deserves our closest attention. The
following is probably as good a definition as has yet been given.
"Repentance unto life is an evangelical grace, whereby a sinner, out of the
sight and sense not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and
odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature and righteous law of
God, and upon the apprehension of his mercy in Christ to such as are
penitent—so grieves for and hates his sins, as to turn from them all unto
God, purposing and endeavoring to walk with him in all the ways of his
commandments." That this definition is sound and scriptural will appear more
and more clearly the more thoroughly it is examined.
True repentance is sorrow for sin—ending in the
reformation of heart, thought and life. 'Mere regret' is not repentance,
neither is mere outward reformation. It is not an imitation of virtue, it is
virtue itself. Hooker says, "It is clear, that as an inordinate delight did
first begin sin, so repentance must begin with a godly sorrow, a sorrow of
heart, and such a sorrow as rends the heart. Neither is true repentance, a
pretended or a slight sorrow. Not pretend, lest it increase sin; nor slight,
lest the pleasures of sin overmatch it." He who truly repents, is chiefly
sorry for his sins. He whose repentance is spurious, is chiefly concerned
for the consequences of his sins. The former chiefly regrets that he has
done evil; the latter that he has incurred punishment. One sorely laments
that he deserves punishment; the other that he must suffer punishment. One
approves of the law which condemns him; the other thinks he is harshly
treated, and that the law is rigorous.
To the sincere penitent, sin appears exceeding sinful. To
him who sorrows after a worldly sort, sin, in some form, appears pleasant—he
regrets that sin is forbidden. The sincere penitent says it is an evil and
bitter thing to sin against God, even if no punishment followed. The
insincere penitent sees little evil in transgression—if there were no
painful consequences sure to follow. If there were no hell, the sincere
penitent would still wish to be delivered from sin. If there were no
retribution, the insincere penitent would sin with increased greediness. The
true penitent is chiefly averse to sin as it is an offence against God. This
embraces all sins of every description.
But it has often been observed that two classes of sins
seem to rest with great weight on the conscience of those whose repentance
is of a godly sort. These are secret sins, and sins of omission.
On the other hand, in a spurious repentance the mind is much inclined to
dwell on open sins, and on sins of commission. The true penitent knows the
plague of an evil heart and a fruitless life. The spurious penitent is not
much troubled about the real state of heart, but grieves that his sins have
been made know to others.
David says, "Against you, you only have I sinned, and
done this evil in your sight." Whether we interpret these words to mean that
he had sinned secretly as to men, but in plain view of God; or as expressing
that God had been chiefly dishonored by his sins—will not in the end make
any practical difference. Both are true. The majority of good writers seem
to favor the latter interpretation. Hall says, "It is your
prohibition, O God, that can make a sin. I have sinned against men, but it
is your law that I have violated; in that is my offence." Patrick's
paraphrase is, "Not because I stand in fear of punishment from men, who have
no power over me, but because I am so obnoxious to you, whose judgments I
ought to dread the more—the less I am liable to give an account of my
actions unto others." Scott says, "David's crimes had deeply injured
Bathsheba, Uriah, Joab, and the other accessaries to his murder. Yet the
chief malignity of his conduct consisted in this—that it was a complication
of most daring rebellions against the great and glorious Governor of the
world; contempt of his majesty, excellency, and righteous law. This view
seems to have possessed and overwhelmed his mind to such a degree as to make
every other consideration appear comparatively as nothing." Matthew Henry
adopts both views: "To God the affront is given, and he is the party
wronged. It is his truth that by willful sin we deny, his law that we
despise, his command that we disobey, his promise that we distrust, his name
that we dishonor, and it is with him that we deal deceitfully and
disingenuously." But he adds, "That it was committed in God's sight. This
not only proves it upon me, but renders it exceeding sinful."
The greater the being sinned against, the greater is the
sin. That in a very special and strong sense all sin is directed against
God the Lawgiver, is clear from the nature of things, and from other parts
of Scripture. Thus when murder is committed in a state, it is not chiefly
the man who was killed, nor his family—but the commonwealth, whose peace and
dignity were infracted. Thus also the bloody persecutions against God's
people are expressly said to have been against God. "He that touches you,
touches the apple of his eye." "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute you ME?"
It is indeed true that oftentimes some one sin is very
prominent in the thoughts of the genuine penitent. Peter wept bitterly for
having denied his Lord. David says of the matter of Uriah, "My sin is ever
before me." On these words Luther says, "That is, my sin plagues me, gives
me no rest, no peace; whether I eat or drink, sleep or wake, I am always in
terror of God's wrath and judgment." And how often and penitently does Paul
refer to the great sin of his life, the murder of the saints. Biddulph says,
"He singled it out as the grand evidence of the natural malignity of his
heart. Though pardoned, accepted, renewed, and joyful in the salvation of
his Lord and Savior, he carried to the block of martyrdom, the remembrance
of this sin."
But though one sin may be first or most deeply impressed
on the mind, yet in true repentance the mind does not rest there. The
Samaritan woman was first convicted of living with a man who was not her
husband. But soon she says that Christ had told her all things that ever she
did. On the day of Pentecost, Peter labored to convict his hearers of the
guilt of Christ's death. He was successful to a great extent. The result was
their repentance for all sin, and their conversion unto God. "He who repents
of sin as sin, does implicitly repent of all sin." So soon and so clearly as
he discovers the sinful nature of anything, he abhors it. A wicked thought,
no less than a vile word or evil deed—is loathed by the true penitent. The
promise runs, "They will loathe themselves because of the evil things they
did—their abominations of every kind." (Ezekiel 6:9)
So that if there were no beings in the universe but God
and the true penitent—he would have very much the same emotions of sorrow
and humiliation that he has now. And if instead of countless offences he was
conscious of comparatively few, the nature of his mental exercises would be
the same as now. It is therefore true that he who sincerely repents of
sin, repents of all sin. To change one sin for another, even though it
be less gross or more secret, is but disowning one enemy of God to form an
alliance with another. Nor is a true penitent afraid of humbling himself too
much. He does not measure the degrees of his self-abasement before God. He
would take the lowest place. He says, "Behold, I am vile; what shall I
answer you?" "O God, you know my foolishness, and my sins are not hidden
from you." "All my righteousnesses are as filthy rags." "If you, Lord,
should mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall stand?" "Have mercy upon me, O God,
according to your loving-kindness; according unto the multitude of your
tender mercies, blot out my transgressions."
It is not of the nature of genuine lowliness of heart
before God, to be careful not to get too prostrate in the dust. The great
fear of the Christian is, that he will after all, be proud and
self-sufficient. The question is sometimes asked, whether every true
penitent regards himself as the chief of sinners.
If the question were of crimes against person or
property, most penitents could easily find, in history or in the world, some
who had excelled them in flagrant enormities. Nor is it possible for any but
God absolutely and infallibly to say who is the greatest sinner that ever
lived. But it is true, that every sinner who has truly repented, has seen
more evil in his own heart and life than he ever saw in another.
Comparing himself with the law, in its extent, holiness, and
spirituality—taking a candid view of all that enters into a just estimate of
his case—how can he but put his hand upon his mouth, and his mouth in the
dust? Indeed, nothing but great self-ignorance enables any man to have a
good opinion of himself. It is with good cause that God says, "Know
every man the plague of his own heart." "Commune with your own heart upon
your bed, and be still." As soon as David properly thought on his ways, he
turned his feet unto God's testimonies. O come, you proud ones, and cast
yourselves at the footstool of God's mercy. "To be humble before God, is
the safest and loveliest posture for sinful creatures." True repentance has
in it, much profound humility. True repentance has in it also much shame.
This relates not only to open and disreputable crimes,
but also to secret sins, to vain thoughts and evil imaginations. "O my God,
I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities
have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the
heavens!" (Ezra 9:6). "Show the house of Israel that they may be ashamed for
their iniquities." He who does not blush for his sins, has never been
truly ashamed of them; has never really and heartily forsaken them.
"The blush equally as the tear, befits every sinner. To
look back on the past with shame, no less than with sorrow, becomes him. If
he has no cause to be ashamed before men, yet he has great cause to be
ashamed before God. If we need not blush for our treatment of our fellow
creatures, yet ought we not to blush for our treatment of our God and
Savior? All true penitents blush as well as weep. They are ashamed as well
as grieved, for the things they have done."
Nor does this shame cease with the hope of pardon, but is
rather thereby increased. So God says, "I will establish unto you an
everlasting covenant. Then you shall remember your ways, and be ashamed. And
I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall know that I am the
Lord; that you may remember, and be confounded, and never open your mouth
any more because of your shame, when I am pacified towards you for all that
you have done, says the Lord God." On this point, universal Christian
experience fully accords with God's word. Paul never forgave himself
for his cruel persecutions. Peter never ceased to be ashamed of his
cowardly denial of his Lord. David never ceased to be ashamed of his
base conduct. This sorrow, humility, and shame are not merely for a wicked
life—but for a sinful nature; not only for actual sin—but also for original
sin.
This point seems to be clearly settled in the case of
David, who, having confessed his guiltiness for personal misconduct, traces
all up to the fountain of native depravity. Listen to his words of anguish:
"Behold, I was shaped in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me."
Not a spot is placed by inspired history on the character of David's father.
He himself records more than once, the excellency of his mother. He cannot
therefore here intend to allege anything against their moral character,
except as all who are descended from our first parents are corrupt. Horne
says, "No more can be intended here, than that a creature begotten by a
sinner, and formed in the womb of a sinner, cannot be without that taint
which is hereditary to every son and daughter of Adam and Eve." In fact,
David in this psalm is occupied with his own case, and only as he saw truth
suited to make him sorry, humble, and ashamed, had he any occasion even to
allude to others.
President Davies, treating of the nature of repentance,
says, "David's repentance reached his heart. Hence, in his penitential
psalm—he not only confesses his being guilty of the blood of Uriah, but that
he was shaped in iniquity and conceived in sin, and earnestly prays—Create
in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Luther well
says, "It is a great part of wisdom for one to know that there is nothing
good in us—it is vain sin. It is wise that we do not think and speak so
triflingly of sin as those who say that it is nothing else than the
thoughts, words, and deeds which are contrary to the law of God. But if you
will rightly point out, according to this psalm, what sin is, you must say
that—all is sin which is born of father and mother, even before the time
that man is of age to know what to do, speak, or think." Calvin also says,
"Now David does not confess himself guilty merely of some one or more sins,
but he rises higher—that from his mother's womb he has brought forth
nothing but sin, and by nature is wholly corrupt, and as it were immersed in
sin. And certainly we have no solid convictions of sin, unless we are
led to accuse our whole nature of corruption. Nay, each single transgression
ought to lead us to this general knowledge, that nothing but corruption
reigns in all parts of our soul."
If these views are correct, then it is vain for men to
pretend to genuine repentance who renounce the doctrine of native depravity,
or original sin. This doctrine holds an important place in all true pious
experience. David Dickson therefore well says, "As original sin is common to
all men by natural propagation, so is it not abolished out of the most holy
in this life; and as it is found to show itself in the children of God by
actual transgressions, so must the evil thereof be acknowledged by them; and
that not to extenuate, but to aggravate their sin, as David shows here."
A true penitent also reforms. A holy life is the
invariable fruit of genuine repentance."If I have done iniquity, I will
do it no more." Job 34:32. Augustine says, "He truly repents of the sins he
has committed—who does not commit the sins he has repented of." When Ephraim
sincerely repented, he utterly renounced idolatry, saying, "What have I to
do any more with idols?" He does not really confess sin—who does not forsake
it. He who hates sin—turns from it. It was not the habit of David's
life to commit murder and adultery, though he once did both; nor of Peter
to deny his Lord, and curse and swear, though he was once guilty of both
these. A true penitent is not willing to be always sinning and repenting. We
often read of "fruits fit for repentance," or "fruits worthy of repentance."
Paul, having said that "godly sorrow works repentance not to be repented of;
but the sorrow of the world works death," gives a very lively account of the
effects of true repentance: "For behold this self-same thing, that you
sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yes, what
clearing of yourselves, yes, what indignation, yes, what fear, yes, what
vehement desire, yes, what zeal, yes, what revenge."
Richard Baxter says, "True repentance is the very
conversion of the soul from sin to God, and leaves no man under the power of
sin. It is not for a man, when he has had all the pleasure that sin will
yield him, to wish then that he had not committed it, which he may do then
at an easy rate, and yet to keep the rest that are still pleasant and
profitable to his flesh. This is like a man who casts away the bottle which
he has drunk empty—but keeps that which is full. If you have true
repentance, it has so far turned your heart from sin, that you would not
commit it again, though you had all the same temptations; and it has so far
turned your heart to God and holiness, that you would live a holy life if it
were all to do again, though you had the same temptations as before."
Mason says, "Repentance begins in the humiliation
of the heart—and ends in the reformation of the life." All repentance
is to be repented of—until it leads to holiness. "Repentance is the heart's
sorrow—and a clear life ensuing."
Genuine repentance draws its chief motives from the
milder aspects of the divine character and the sweet influences of the
cross. It is not the severity, so much as the mercy of
God—which melts the heart. "The goodness of God leads you to repentance."
Rom. 2:14. It melts the heart when it sees God's kindness—and its own
baseness. None but a soul not touched by the finger of God, can agree to be
bad because God is good; or consent to a life of folly because the Lord is
merciful. Repentance unto life invariably looks not merely at the goodness
of God in creation and providence—but has a special regard to the work of
redemption. "They shall look on Him whom they have pierced, and mourn and be
in bitterness." This is specially stated to have been the ground of the
repentance of the three thousand on the day of Pentecost. It is so still.
Nothing breaks the heart like a sight of Christ crucified!
This is obtained by FAITH only. There can be no
evangelical repentance without saving faith. Indeed, "the true tears of
repentance flow from the eye of faith." To "repent and believe the
gospel" are not separate, though they are distinct duties. He who sincerely
does one, never omits the other. He who lacks one of these graces, never
attains the other.
True repentance is always also connected with LOVE.
"Godly sorrow is the sorrow of love, the melting of the heart; love is the
pain and pleasure of a melting heart." Right views of Christ and real
love to Him will make every man determine on the death of all his sins, and
bring him in deep sorrow of heart to the feet of the Savior. Such
motives are of the right kind. They appeal to the higher principles of our
renewed nature. If they are not effectual, nothing will melt us. Terror and
wrath are in vain, if love to Christ does not move us. It is all a delusion
which supposes that strange and startling events are better suited to affect
the human mind than the things of love. Yet this delusion in many is strong.
It follows some to a death-bed, and even into hell. The rich man said, "If
one goes to them from the dead, they will repent."
The kind of repentance above described is a saving grace.
He who exercises it shall not perish. It produces joy, as in the case of the
prodigal, and of the converts in Jerusalem and Samaria. "The same Jesus who
turned the water into wine; turns the waters of repentance into the wine of
consolation." So that it is most true of godly sorrow, that "sorrow is
better than laughter." "Blessed are those who mourn; for they shall be
comforted." Thus says the Lord, "I dwell with him who is of a contrite and
humble spirit; to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart
of the contrite ones."
The Scriptures speak of two kinds of repentance. Indeed,
there are two very different words in the Greek Testament which are
translated repentance. One means a thorough and entire change of mind—a
turning away of the soul from sin and vanity—to God and holiness. It is
called "repentance to salvation." Elsewhere it is called "repentance unto
life." This is the word used by John the Baptist, Matt. 3:2, and by Christ,
Matt. 4:17, when they preached saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is
at hand." They would have us make thorough work of it. This is the kind of
repentance which is said to awaken joy in heaven. This is that repentance
which Christ is exalted at the right hand of God to grant unto Israel.
Indeed, generally where repentance in the New Testament is spoken of, either
as a duty or as a saving grace, the word in the original is that the sense
of which is given above.
The other word translated repentance means simply regret,
or change of purpose. In this sense Herod repented, when he found that his
rash and wicked oath would end in the beheading of John. He was sorry, but
not after a godly sort. Yes, he was "very sorry," but his sorrow worked
death both to John and himself: temporal death to the former, spiritual
death to the latter.
This word is found in some of its forms five times in the
New Testament. One of them is where Paul says, "Though I made you sorry with
a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent;" that is, I do not regret
it, though I did regret it. In Hebrews we read, "The Lord swore, and will
not repent"—He will not change his purpose. It is said of the first son in
the parable, that "afterwards he repented," changed his purpose, "and went."
"Then Judas, who had betrayed him, when he saw that he
was condemned, repented and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the
chief priests and elders, saying—I have sinned in that I have betrayed
innocent blood. And they said—What is that to us? You see to that. And he
cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and
hung himself." Here it is stated that Judas regretted his conduct, and had
the sorrow which works death; but this was all. As this case of Judas is
very instructive in the nature of a spurious repentance, let us dwell on it
a little. His regret was sincere. Higher proof of his being really sorry
that he had betrayed Christ he could not give. Mere sincerity is not all
that is required in religion generally, or in repentance in particular.
There must be a change of heart as well as of purpose—a turning to God, as
well as sorrow. Nor is the strength of our emotions any test of their
genuineness. It is no proof that your sorrow for sins is of a godly sort,
that it is strong, and fills your soul with anguish. It is not probable that
any man was ever more distressed than Judas. Quality rather than amount of
feeling is to be sought.
Nor is conviction of guilt, proof that our repentance is
genuine. Not only Judas, but Saul and many others have had as deep and
distressing convictions as perhaps ever wrung the human heart; yet they
still loved sin, and turned not to the Lord. Nor is a full, frank, and
public statement of our wickedness in a particular affair any proof that we
repent unto salvation. Judas went before the very men who had hired him to
treason, and without any inducement from men, told them the whole matter and
its wickedness. As to his confessing his offence before God, we have no
information. The presumption is that he did not attempt it. There are deeds
which drive the soul far from the mercy-seat, and destroy all heart for
prayer. Yet Judas did all he could to prove to man that he condemned his act
of treachery. To that deed two strong passions are commonly supposed to have
contributed: first, covetousness. His conscience so far gained the victory
over this vice, that he not only offered to pay back the money, but when it
was refused, he threw it down in the temple and left it there. The second
passion supposed by many to have led to Christ's betrayal by Judas was
revenge—settled malice for what he felt to be a painful exposure of his
character. Those who thus interpret his conduct found their opinion upon
John 13:26-30. But Judas so far gave up his malice as publicly to declare
that it had no justification. "I have sinned in that I have betrayed the
innocent blood."
And to show how earnest he was in all this, how terrible
his awareness of guilt was, and how fearfully he dreaded the longer
contemplation of his sin—he actually took his own life, and rushed unbidden
into the presence of God. Men may give their bodies to be burned, yet all
will not avail without love to God, faith in Christ, and godly sorrow for
sin.
That Judas' repentance was not genuine is certain; for
Christ said, "It would have been good for that man if he had not been born."
The great defects of his repentance were these:
1. It seems to have been confined to thoughts about one
or two sins, and did not extend to the sins of his life and heart,
especially the wickedness of his nature.
2. Like Saul and others he said, "I have sinned;" but not
like David, "I have sinned against the Lord." He seems to have had no
great thoughts of God.
3. All the sorrow which he felt was upon principles of
human nature common to all wicked men, and liable to be brought into
operation at any time. He had not the Spirit. There was no spiritual
discernment in all his exercises.
4. His repentance was without hope. It had in it the
sullenness of despair. The more he repented, the more wicked he was, until
to his other offences he added the guilt of the worst kind of murder, even
suicide.
5. So that his sorrow did not lead him towards God. He
had no confidence in atoning blood, no reliance upon the mercy of God in
Christ Jesus, none of that faith which led the dying thief to look to Christ
and live.
6. It had no genuine humility in it. Judas died as proud
as he had lived.
7. Like all cases of spurious repentance, this did not
end in a reformation. It produced no fruits fit for repentance. It made the
guilty man worse and worse at every step, until he "went to his own place."
Were this case of Judas duly considered, wicked men would not with so much
security and quiet of mind, live on in their sins. There is something very
fearful in the thought, that much which among men is highly esteemed, is
abomination in the sight of God, and that a repentance which goes no further
than that of Judas—only prepares a man for the prison of the damned.
Having spoken of confession of sin before men, it may be
proper to preclude the possibility of mistake, by observing that those sins
which are known to men, and thus injure the cause of God because they do a
public harm, are to be publicly repented of and renounced.. But of those
sins which are private, Chrysostom lays down the true rule: "I wish you not
to divulge yourself publicly, nor accuse yourself before others. I wish you
to obey the prophet who says, Disclose your way unto the Lord; confess your
sins before him; tell your sins to him, that he may blot them out. If you
are abashed to tell unto any other wherein you have offended, rehearse them
every day between you and your soul. I wish you not to confess them to your
fellow-servant, who may upbraid you with them; tell them to God, who will
cure them; there is no need for you in the presence of witnesses to
acknowledge them; let God alone see you at your confession. I pray and
beseech you, that you would more often than you do, confess to God eternal,
and reckoning up your trespasses, desire his pardon. I carry you not into a
theater or open court of many of your fellow-servants; I seek not to detect
your crimes before men. Disclose your conscience before God, unfold
yourselves to him; lay open your wounds before him, the very best Physician,
and seek from him, salve for them."
Whether in those sins which injure men, and so admit of
reparation, we are bound to make restitution, there seems to be no doubt.
Lev. 6:2-5; Luke 19:1-10. The same is clear from Paul's epistle to Philemon.
Therefore be warned in time as to the following things:
1. See that your repentance is not that of the hypocrite
or worldling.
See that it goes beyond the repentance of fallen
angels. Many repent of all their good resolutions and reformations so soon
as the temptation offers. He that stole, and repented after his way, steals
again. He that lied, and was caught in untruth, and so was ashamed, repeats
the offence, but more cautiously than before. Let not your repentance be of
this kind. It is a very important truth, that every spurious kind of
repentance is soon known by the lack of fruits produced in the life. It
is also true, that there is much sorrow for sin that is not sincere and
hearty. Many look upon repentance as an evil, necessary indeed, but
still an evil. Such repentance as they have is probably of that kind. It
does them no good. It works death.
Beware especially of superficial views and experiences.
Some seem to think themselves well occupied in trying to prove that sin is
not a very great evil, that the heart of man is not very far wrong. If such
should succeed, they will but lay a foundation for the most serious mistakes
in personal experience. "Those who are whole need not a physician, but those
who are sick." Avoid all men and books that make the impression that there
is no need of a thorough change of principles and affections, or that it is
easy for him who is accustomed to do evil, to learn to do well. Never rely
on a repentance that is partial—for some, but not for all
sins. Never rely on a repentance that is temporary, and produces no
permanent change of heart or life. Never rely on a repentance that refuses
to confess or repair a wrong done to man. Never rely on a repentance that
regards God's law as too strict, or seems reluctant to take a low place
before God. Never rely on a repentance that is offended with the exact rules
of Scripture, or with proper distinctions and discriminations in judging of
piety. Rest assured that such a state of mind will be of no avail.
It is peculiarly strange that men will hold fast the
price of iniquity, and yet hope that they have gracious affections. Ahab
humbled himself mightily, he covered himself with sackcloth, but he was
careful not to restore; indeed he seems never to have thought of restoring
Naboth's vineyard; while Zaccheus seems never to have thought of anything
less than full restitution from the time that he first turned to the Lord.
The greatest defect, however, in the religious experience of many, is the
lack of proper tenderness of heart and of conscience based upon clear
evangelical views. Repentance without any regard to the cross of Christ,
is as worthless as a faith that knows not the Savior. If you would have
a vital warmth in your repentance, it must be obtained from Christ
crucified. In every sense he is our life. See to it, as you value the favor
of God, that you often visit Gethsemane and Calvary, the cross and, the
sepulcher of Jesus.
2. Be careful not to deny the grace of God shown you in
softening your heart, and cherish all those sentiments which either belong
to true repentance or may lead to it.
Especially labor to acquire
clear views of the number and aggravations of your sins against God. Be not
deterred from comparing your heart with the divine law. It is a great mercy
when God grants us so much repentance as to lead us to acknowledge that we
are sinners and need his mercy. The prodigal had really made some progress
towards recovery when he was heartily willing to say, "Father, I have sinned
against heaven and before you, and am no more worthy to be called your son.
Make me as one of your hired servants." A small degree of genuine repentance
may lead to more, and so to eternal life. Remember of whom it was said, "A
bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench."
If the Savior seems to be passing by the way near you, be encouraged to cry
to him to undertake your case. Readily give up all for his favor. It is
better than life. Forsake all that you have, and be his disciple. "Strive to
enter in at the strait gate; for many shall seek to enter in, and shall not
be able." "If your right hand offends you, cut it off; for it is profitable
for you to enter into life maimed or halt, rather than with all your members
to be cast into hell-fire."
Rest assured that God will favorably regard even the
beginnings of genuine godly sorrow. "He who covers his sins shall not
prosper; but he that confesses and forsakes his sins shall find mercy." Oh
that all would turn to the Lord Jesus, and with many tears give all to him.
He came to bind up the broken-hearted, to comfort all who mourn, to give
unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of
praise for the spirit of heaviness. One genuine tear of penitence avails
more in salvation, than all the costly gifts that ever were made. Take
heed that you fall not under any delusion of the wicked one, whereby you
would be rendered dull and sluggish in this work. Labor for the food which
endures unto life eternal. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Often and solemnly review your life. Compare your ways with the rules by
which you will be judged in the last day. Get a clear insight into the
nature of sin, into the multitude of your own offences, and into the blessed
scheme of mercy by which the vilest may be saved. If there be a spark of
good within you, it is a token of more good. Be careful not to extinguish
it. Rather raise it into a flame. Neglect no means of deepening your serious
impressions.
Judge not yourself unworthy of everlasting life by
slighting the calls of mercy. Think of your own guilt and misery; think of
God's love and mercy, especially in the gift of his dear Son, and lift up
your voice and cry mightily to the Lord, until he comes near and bids the
waters of true repentance to flow in abundance. Of one thing we may be
assured, and that is—our repentance can never be too deep. We cannot hate
sin too much. We cannot turn from it too determinately, or too speedily.
3. There is no substitute for repentance.
It
is the best offering a sinner can make. "Rend your hearts, and not your
garments." "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a
contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Nothing will do but this, and
this will do well. The only alternative to repentance is perdition.
"Except you repent, you shall all likewise perish." "Repent and turn from
all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin." "Next to
innocence, repentance is the greatest honor." Although repentance is no
satisfaction for sin, yet it is so necessary that we look in vain for
salvation without it. "Repent and be converted, that your sins may be
blotted out."
"As there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation;
so there is no sin so great that it can bring damnation upon those who truly
repent." Listen to God's voice addressed to men far, very far gone in
sin: "Wash and be clean: put away the evil of your doings from before my
eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well: seek judgment, relieve the
oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us
reason together, says the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall
be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as
wool." "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." More gracious words were
never uttered. Nothing can be kinder than God's urgent calls to repent. The
Lord has very graciously spared you to this hour. This shows his readiness
to save. Peter says that we greatly err when we ascribe God's patience and
forbearance to any slackness in his character, any feebleness in his
purposes. But he is "long-suffering to us, not willing that any should
perish, but that all should come to repentance."
According to God's word, an impenitent heart is a sign of
all that is evil. Yes, wicked man, "because of your hardness and impenitent
heart, you treasure up wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the
righteous judgment of God." Indeed, the great complaint of God against men
is that they remain unaffected: "Not one of you has been sorry for your
wickedness; not one of you has asked, 'What have I done wrong?' Each of you
keep on going your own way, like a horse rushing into battle. Even storks
know when it is time to return; doves, swallows, and thrushes know when it
is time to migrate. But, my people, you do not know the laws by which I rule
you." Jer. 8:6, 7. And whenever a sinner truly repents, how surely and how
speedily is he forgiven. "I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the
Lord, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin." There is no lack of mercy
with our God. His arms are wide open, and his heart is full of tenderness to
all who will return unto him. Every offer of mercy, every call of the
gospel, every affliction of life, every reproof of conscience, every sermon,
and every sacrament are so many loud and earnest calls to repentance.
God may not require of you to be a preacher, but upon
pain of damnation he demands that you be a penitent. Nothing is more
presumptuous or vain than a hope of salvation, while remaining in
impenitency. God has given solemn warning, "Make sure that there is no
one here today who hears these solemn demands and yet convinces himself that
all will be well with him, even if he stubbornly goes his own way. That
would destroy all of you, good and evil alike. The Lord will not forgive
such a man. Instead, the Lord's burning anger will flame up against him, and
all the disasters written in this book will fall on him until the Lord has
destroyed him completely." (Deuteronomy 29:19-20)
4. But when shall I repent?
After all, here is
the point where failure is most common. Multitudes would be greatly offended
if told that they will perish without repentance—and yet they persist in
neglecting it. As to the time of repentance, no wise man will dare to say a
word different from the truths of the Bible. There God says, "Today if you
will hear his voice, harden not your heart." "Behold, now is the accepted
time; behold, now is the day of salvation." Genuine repentance cannot be too
soon. "God has made promises to late repentance; but where has he made a
promise of late repentance?" Saving repentance is always well-timed; it is
not put off until the fixedness of an eternal destiny has made sorrow
hopeless. True repentance commonly begins its work early in life—and always
in time. Eternity is for retribution, not for turning to God. None but the
presumptuous defer this work until the last. "The repentance of a dying man
often dies with him," says Augustine. "If we put off our repentance to
another day, we have a day more to repent of, and a day less to repent in."
Ambrose, speaking of a death-bed repentance, says, "I
will counsel no man to trust to it, because I am loath to deceive any man,
seeing I know not what to think of it. Shall I judge such a one a castaway?
Neither will I declare him safe. All I am able to say is, let his state be
left to the will and pleasure of Almighty God. Will you therefore be
delivered of all doubt? Repent while yet you are healthy and strong. If you
defer it until time give no longer possibility of sinning, you cannot be
thought to have left sin, but sin has rather left you." Oh that men were
wise! Oh that they would consider! Oh that they would lay to heart the
things which belong to their peace, before they are forever hid from their
eyes!
"You cannot repent too soon. There is no day like today.
Yesterday is gone; tomorrow is God's, not yours. Oh think how sad it will be
to have your evidences to seek when your cause is to be tried; to have your
oil to buy, when you should need it to burn." If ever there was a wise rule,
it is this: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might." Perhaps
you think that repentance is in your own power, and that without God's help,
you can turn to the Lord at any time. But do not deceive yourself. It was
Christ who said, "Without me you can do nothing." Repentance is the gift of
God; and are you taking the right course to secure his gift when you are
willfully abusing his mercies and his grace? It is a solemn thought too,
that we have the best reason for believing that of all those called to
repentance, but few at any time obey and turn to God.
Besides, none but a madman would willingly pursue a
course which he knows must end in temporal or eternal misery! To expect that
the pains or 'terrors of death' will beget true repentance in your case, is
superlative folly. They never have had that effect in any case. The sorrows
of the damned are still more terrible, but even they are neither purifying
nor atoning. Many in every age are much troubled with fears and terrors,
especially in sickness; but do you not see how, upon recovery, they return
like the dog to his vomit, or the sow that was washed to her wallowing in
the mire? If you cannot be won by kindness, the terrors of the Lord will
never make a godly man of you.
One of the most afflicting thoughts respecting a
death-bed repentance, is that it is impossible for any man to prove that it
was genuine, and the soul enters eternity, to say the least, with an untried
preparation. Beware lest by trifling with your soul's affairs, you at last
die in utter despair! I have read of a sick man who was exhorted to repent.
He said he would not yet; for, if he should recover, his companions would
make merry at his expense. But growing worse, his friends again urged him to
repent. His reply was, "It is too late, for now I am judged and condemned."
Oh turn to the Lord. "Will you not be made clean?" "As I live, declares the
Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked
turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways—for why
will you die, O house of Israel?