These Sections teach the following truths : 1st. That as to the grounds of it, true evangelical repentance rests upon (a) a true sense of the guilt, pollution and power of his own sinfulness, and of his own sinful deeds ; and (6) a true apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ.

2d. That as to the essence of it repentance consists (a) in true hatred of sin and sorrow for his own sin ; (6) in an actual turning from them all unto God ; (c) in a sincere purpose and practical endeavour to walk with God in the way of his commandments.

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3d. That as thus defined this true repentance is an evangelical grace, like faith freely given to us by God for Christ's sake, as well as a duty obligatory upon us.

4th. It should therefore be diligently proclaimed from the pulj^it by every minister of the gospel.

1st. The grounds of repentance are (1) a true sense of sin. That spiritual illumination and renewal of the affections which are effected in regeneration brings the believer to see and appreciate the holiness of God as revealed alike in the law and in the gospel (Rom. iii. 20; Job xlii. 5, 6); and in that light to see and feel the exceeding sinfulness of all sin, and the utter sinfulness of his own nature and conduct. This sense of sin corresponds precisely to the actual facts of the case, and the man apprehends himself to be just as God has always seen him to be. It includes (a) consciousness of guilt — L e.y exposure to merited punishment, as opposed to the justice of God. Ps. li. 4, 9. {b.) Consciousness of pollution, as opposed to the holiness of God. Ps. li. 5, 7, 10. And (c) consciousness of helplessness. Ps. li. 11; cix. 21,22.

The grounds of repentance are (2) a bright apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ. This is necessary in order to true repentance : (a.) Because the awakened conscience echoes God's law, and can be appeased by no less a propitiation than that demanded by divine justice itself; and until this is realized in a believing application to the merits of Christ, either indifference will stupefy or remorse will torment the soul. (6.) Because out of Christ, God is a consuming fire, and an inextinguishable dread of his wrath repels the soul. Deut. iv.

24 ; Heb. xii. 29. (c.) A sense of the amazing goodness of God to us in the gift of his Son, and of our ungrateful requital of it, is the most powerful means of bringing the soul to genuine repentance for sin as committed against God. Ps. li. 4. (d) This is proved by the examples of repentance recorded in Scripture. Ps. li. 1 ; cxxx. 4, and by the universal experience of Christians in modern times.

2d. As to its essence true repentance consists (1) in a sincere hatred of sin (Ps. cxix. 128, 136), and sorrow for our own sin. Sin is seen to be exceeding sinful in the light of the divine holiness, the law of God, and especially of the cross of Christ. The more we see of God in the face of Christ, the more we abhor ourselves and repent in dust and ashes. Job xlii. 5 ; Ezek. xxxvi. 31. Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of. 2 Cor. vii. 10. "By the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. iii. 20), and hence " the law is our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ." Gal. iii. 24.

The essence of repentance consists (2) in our actual turning from all sin unto God. This is that practical turning or " conversion" from sin unto God which is the instant and necessary consequence of regeneration. It is a voluntary forsaking of sin as evil and hateful, with sincere sorrow, humiliation and confession, and a turning unto God as our reconciled Father in the exercise of implicit faith in the merits and assisting grace of Christ. This is marked by the meaning of the Greek word used by the Holy Spirit to express the idea of repentance, namely, " a change of mind," including evidently a change of thought, feeling and purpose,

corresponding to our new character as the children of God. If this be sincere, it will of course lead to the (3) element of practical repentance, namely, a sincere purpose of, and a persevering endeavour after, new obedience. Acts xxvi. 20.

By these marks it may be seen that repentance unto life can only be exercised by a soul after and in consequence of its regeneration by the Holy Spirit. God regenerates, and we, in the exercise of the new gracious ability thus given, repent. Repentance and conversion, therefore, are terms applying often to the same gracious experience. The scriptural usage of the two words differs in two respects: (1.) Conversion is the more general term, including all the various experiences involved in our commencing the divine life. It especially emphasizes that experience as a turning unto God. Repentance is more specific, giving prominence to the work of the law upon the conscience, and especially emphasizing the experiences attending the new birth as a turning from sin. (2.) Conversion is generally used to designate only the first actings of the new nature at the commencement of a religious life, or the first steps of a return to God after a notable backsliding (Luke xxii. 32) ; while repentance is a daily experience of the Christian as long as the struggle with sin continues in his heart and life. Ps. xix. 12, 13; Luke ix. 32; Gal. vi. 14 ; V. 24.

There is a false repentance experienced before regeneration, and by those never regenerated, which arises simply from the common operations of the truth and Spirit upon the natural conscience, exciting simply a sense of guilt and pollution, leading neither to the

hatred of sin, nor to the apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, nor to the practical turning from sin unto God. The genuineness of true repentance is proved (a) by its being conformed perfectly to the requirements and teachings of Scripture, and (6) by its fruits. If genuine, it infallibly springs from regeneration and leads to eternal life.

3d. As thus defined, repentance is, like faith, an evangelical grace, given to us for Christ's sake, as well as a duty obligatory upon us. What is here said of repentance is equally true of every characteristic experience of the subject of regeneration and sanctification. Christ is the Vine ; we are the branches. But we are also free, accountable agents. Every Christian du'y is, therefore, a grace, " for without him we can do nothing.'' And equally every Christian grace is a duty ; because the grace is given to us to exercise, and it finds its true result and expression only in the duty.

That it is thus a gift of God is evident — (1.) From its nature. It involves true conviction of sin ; a holy hatred of sin ; faith in the Lord Jesus and his work, which faith is God's gift. Gal. v. 22; Eph. ii. 8. (2.) It is directly affirmed in Scripture. Zech. xii. 10; Acts V. 31; xi. 18; 2 Tim. ii. 25.

4th. That it should be diligently preached by every minister of the gospel is (1) self-evident from the essential nature of the duty. (2.) Because such preaching was included in the commission Christ gave to the apostles. Luke xxiv. 47, 48. (3.) Because of the example of the apostles. Acts xx. 21.

The repentance described in this chapter is called repentance unto life, because it is inseparably connected with the enjoyment of eternal life, and to distinguish it from the sorrow of the world, which worketh death. It is styled a grace, because it is the free gift of God, and is wrought in the heart by the operation of his Spirit. " Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." — Acts xi, 18. " Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; surely after that I was turned, I repented." — Jer, xxxi. 18, 19. This repentance is also denominated an evangelical grace, to distinguish it from legal repentance. The latter flows from a dread of God's wrath ; the former, from faith in God's mercy. In the latter, the sinner is chiefly affected with the punishment to which his sin exposes him; in the former, he mourns for his sin as • M Crie's Sermons, pp. 281-283.

offensive and dishonouring to God. Cain and Judas repented, but it was on account of the consequences of sin to themselves ; whereas the true penitent mourns after a godly sort, with a godly sorrow, or a sorrow which directly regards God.— 2 Cor. vii. 9, 10.

That the doctrine of repentance is to be preached by every minister of the gospel, as well as that of faith in Christ, is asserted in opposition to a gross heresy of the Antinomians, who maintain that repentance ought not to be preached by any minister of the gospel ; alleging that it leads us away from Christ, and proves most hurtful and dangerous. How opposite is such a sentiment to the example and command of Christ himself! He preached the doctrine of repentance to those who attended his public ministry. " Repent," said he, " and believe the gospel." — Mark i. 15. And in the instructions which he delivered to the apostles, when he commissioned them to preach the gospel, it was expressly enjoined that " repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations." — Luke xxiv. 47. The apostles, accordingly, inculcated the necessity of repentance both on Jews and Gentiles. — Acts ii. 38, iii. 19, xiv. 15. The apostle Paul speaks of " repentance from dead works" as one of the first principles of the doctrine of Christ ; and, when giving a summary of his doctrine before the elders of Ephesus, he comprehends the whole under the two great articles of repentance and faith : " Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ." — Heb. vi. 1 ; Acts xx. 21.

A shiner is the only subject capable of repentance. Christ " came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance;" and he intimated that "just men need no repentance." But " all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Repentance, therefore, must be universally necessary. " God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent ;" and Jesus Christ, the faithful and true witness, has solemnly declared " Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.". — Acts xvii. 30; Luke xiii. 3.

1. True repentance springs from a sight and sense of sin. All men will readily acknowledge, in general terms, that they are sinners ; but no man can have a clear sight and a feeling sense of his sins, until the Holy Spirit becomes his teacher. It is his work to convince of sin. — John xvi. 8. This he does by means of the law ; for " by the law is the knowledge of sin." — Rom. iii. 20. When the Spirit enlightens the mind of the sinner to discern the purity, spirituality, and vast extent of the divine law, he sees sin to be " exceeding sinful." He

J5G CONFESSION OF FAITH. LCHAP. XV.

views it as not only dangerous, but as odious in itself, on account of its contrariety to the holy nature and righteous law of God.

2. True repentance flows from an a2:>2:>rehension of the mercy of God in Christ to such as are penitent. Had we reason to regard God as an inexorable judge, we might, like Adam, attempt to flee from his presence, and escape the sword of his avenging justice ; but never would we return to him as sincere penitents. Blessed be God ! we have the firmest grounds on which to rest our faith of his pardoning mercy. He has proclaimed his name as " The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin." — Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. The wicked is invited to " forsake his way, and return unto the Lord," encouraged by the assurance that " he will have mercy u]X)n him, and will abundantly pardon." — Isa. Iv. 7. " Jesus Christ is set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood ;" " through his name is preached imto us the forgiveness of sins ;" and we are assured, " that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." — Rom. iii. 25 ; Acts xiii. 38, x. 43. Now, it is an apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, by faith, that melts the heart into penitential sorrow for sin. Of so generous a nature is evangelical repentance, that the penitent soul is never so deeply humbled and grieved for sin, as when it has reason to hope that a gracious God has freely forgiven it. This generous temper is assigned to the true penitent in the Sacred Scriptures : " Thou shalt remember, and be confounded, and liever open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee, for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God."— Ezek. xvi. 63.

With regard to the order of faith and repentance, it may be reniarked, that we can form no conception of a moment of time when the one exists in the soul separate from the other. In point of time, then, faith and repentance necessarily accompany each other ; but in the order of nature, faith must precede repentance. Evangelical repentance is a turning from sin to God ; but there can be no turning to God, except through Christ; and no coming to Christ, but by believing in him. — John xiv. 6, vi. 35. Besides, evangelical repentance flows from love to God; but the exercise of unfeigned love to him proceeds from the exercise of true faith. — 1 Tim. i. 5. Add to this, it is only by looking on Him whom we have pierced, that we can mourn after a godly sort, according to that remarkable promise : " They shall look on me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him." — Zech.

xii. 10. There is, indeed, a conviction of the person's guilt and misery, accompanied with a kind of sorrow for sin, and resolutions to forsake it, because it exposes him to everlasting punishment, which, in the nature of things, must precede the exercise of faith in Christ ; but this is very different from evangelical repentance.*

3. True repentance includes grief, or deep contrition and godly sorrow for sin. There is a false sorrow, which many mistake for the genuine. Many are grieved for their sin, merely on account of the punishment it is like to bring upon themselves ; and those who are most deeply affected with this kind of sorrow, if they succeed in allaying their fears, often return to a course of sinning with greater freedom and impetuosity than before. But the sorrow of a true penitent is for sin as committed against God — as rebellion against his rightful authority — as a violation of his holy law, and as a most base, ungrateful return for all his goodness. — Ps. li. 4.

4. Time repentance includes hatred of sin, not only as that which exposes us to death, but as hateful in itself, as the abominable thing which God hates, and as that which renders us vile and loathsome in his sight. If this hatred of sin is genuine, it will lead us to loathe and abhor ourselves, and it will extend to all sin in ourselves and others. — Job xlii. 6 ; Ezek. xxxvi. 31 ; Jer. xxxi. 19; Ps. cxix. 128, 136.

5. True repentance includes a turning from sin unto God, with a sincere purpose, and endeavour to walk with him in all the ways of his commandments. This is the crowning act and the grand test of genuine repentance. Paul preached both to Jews and Gentiles " that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance." — Acts xxvi. 20. True penitents forsake sin, with a firm resolution to have no more to do with idols. They are converted from the love as well as from the practice of sin. They particularly guard against those sins to which they were formerly most addicted, and before whose influence they are most ready to fall. — Ps. xviii. 23. They assiduously watch against all occasions of sin, and earnestly long for complete deliverance from it. They return to God as their rightful Lord and Master, resolving, in dependence upon his grace, to " serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of their lives." They form a steady and unshaken purpose in their hearts, and sedulously endeavour, by watchfulness and diligence, in the constant use of all means, to avoid all sin, and to practise

* Boston's Miscellany Questions, Quest. 3 ; Colquhoun's View of Saving Faith, p. 303; Wilson's (of London) Sermons, p. 390; Anderson's (.of America) Precious Truth, p. 180; Black's Sermons, p. 87.

158 CONFESSION OF FAITH. [^CHAP. XV.

universal holiness. It is not meant that true penitents have attained to sinless perfection ; for " there is no man that liveth and siimeth not." They will, therefore, find occasion every day for the renewed exercise of repentance. All tears vfiW not be wiped from their eyes until all sin is perfectly removed fi om their souls.