Chapter 3: Discovering the Deceits of Repentance

IT will next be enquired, what Repentance is. I shall first shew you what it is not. There are several Deceits of Repentance, which might occasion that saying of Austin, That Repentance damns many. He means a false Repentance. A person may delude himself with a counterfeit Repentance.

1. The first Deceit of Repentance islegal Terrour. A man has gone on long in sin, at last God arrests him, shews him what desperate hazard he has run, and he is filled with anguish; within a while the tempest of conscience is blown over, and he is quiet; then he concludes he is a true penitent, because he has felt some bitterness in sin: Be not deceived, this is not Repentance. Ahab and Judas had some trouble of mind. It is one thing to be a terrified sinner, and another thing to be a repenting sinner. Sense of guilt is enough to breed terrour; infusion of grace breeds Repentance. If pain and trouble were sufficient to Repentance, then the damned in Hell should be most penitent, for they are most in anguish. Repentance depends upon a change of heart. There may be terrour, yet no change of heart.

2. Another Deceit about Repentance, is, resolution against sin. A person may purpose and make vows, yet be no penitent, (Jeremiah 2:20). Thou saidst, I will not transgress. Here was a resolution; but see what follows; under every green tree, you playedst the Harlot. Notwithstanding her solemn engagements, she played fast and loose with God, and ran after her Idols. We see by experience when a person is on his sick-bed, what protestations will he make if God recover him again, yet he is as bad as ever: He shews his old heart in a new temptation. Resolution against sin may arise,

1. From present extremity; not because sin is sinful, but because it is painful. This Resolution will vanish.

2. Resolution against sin may arise from fear of future evil; an apprehension of death and Hell, (Revelation 6:8). I looked, and behold a pale horse,and his name that sate on him was death, and Hell followed after him? What will not a sinner do? what vows will he not make, when he knows he must die and stand before the Judgement seat? Self-love raiss a sickbed vow, and love of sin will prevail against it. Trust not to a passionate resolution, it is raised in a storm, and will die in a calm.

3. The third Deceit about Repentance, is, the leaving many sinful courses. 'Tis a great matter I confess to leave sin: So dear is sin to a man, that he will rather part with a child than a lust, (Micah 6:7). Shall I give the fruit of my body, for the sin of my soul? But sin may be parted with, yet no Repentance.

1. A man may part with some sins, and keep other. As Herod reformed many things amiss, but could not leave his incest.

2. An old sin may be left to entertain a new . As you put off an old servant to take another. This is to exchange a sin. Sin may be exchanged, and the heart not changed. He who was a Prodigal in his youth, turns an Usurer in his old age. A slave is sold to a Jew, the Jew sells him to a Turk; here is the Master changed, but he is a slave still. So a man removes from one vice to another, but he is a sinner still.

3. A sin may be left not so much from strength of grace, as from moral grounds. A man sees that though such a sin be for his Tooth, yet it is not for his interest: It will ecclipse his credit, prejudice his health, impair his estate; therefore upon prudential reasons he gives it a dismiss.

The true leaving of sin, is, when the acts of sin cease from the infusion of a principle of grace: As the air ceass to be dark from the infusion of light.