True Repentance Not Antecedent to Regeneration
Surely after that I was turned, fripcntcd. — Jeremiah xxxi: 19.
The people of Israel had departed from God. In this chapter, their restoration is predicted, and the happy effects which would follow, are described. “They shall come and sing on the height of Zion, and shall flow together for the goodness of the Lord, and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sor;ow any more at all.”
But this happy season was to be preceded by deep repentance. In the description of the prophet, we behold a vast company assembled, and commencing their journey to Zion. “Thus saith the Lord, they shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them.” The repentance of Ephraim, a name which here stands for the people at large, is thus further described. “I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus. Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke. Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh. I was ashamed, yea even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.”
In the first part of this description, we have an account of what is commonly called a state of conviction. God had taken him in hand. ^’ Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised.” But he would not yield. His heart was too proud, and too stubborn to bow. He was, he tells us, like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke — wild, unmanageable, and determined not to yield to the hand of its master. Such was the opposition of his heart, that he was convinced that he should never, of himself, overcome it. He was convinced, that the conversion of a sinner, like himself, could not be effected by the power of moral suasion — that none but the God who made him, could subdue the obduracy of his heart. Under the conviction of this truth, he prayed ^’Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God.” Then follows the account of his conversion. “Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that J was instructed, I smote upon my thigh. I was ashamed, yea even confounded.” The language which is here put into the mouth of Ephraim, OA^presses the feelings of every real penitent. We may, therefore, derive from the text, this doctrine.
True repe/itance does not precede regeneration.
It may be proper here to observe, that there are two kinds of repentance. One kind arises from a view of the consequences of sin, or the fear of punishment; and implies no love to God or hatred of sin. Such was the repentance of Saul, of Judas, and of others. Such is the repentance of awakened sinners; and at times, of all sinners, in a greater or less degree. This kind of repentance, implies no change of heart, and of course, may precede regeneration. This is not the repentance to which the promise of salvation is made. That the repentance which God requires as the condition of pardon, does not precede regeneration, is evident from the following considerations.
1. From the nature of true repentance. This repentance implies love to God. As sin is committed against God, the sinner must exercise repentance towards God. But this cannot be done without love; and previous to regeneration, there is no love to God in the sinner’s heart; for “every one that loveth, is born of God.” No one can feel heartily sorry that he has offended a being whom he does not love. Much less can he feel sorry that he has offended a being whom he hates. But all the unregenerate possess carnal minds; and ^’ the carnal mind is enmity against God.” If, then, repentance does precede regeneration, it must be the repentance of a carnal mind which is enmity against God. But this surely is not evangelical repentance.
True repentance implies also love to God’s law. No one feels unfeigned sorrow that he has violated a law winch he does not love — much less a law which he hates. But the carnal, or unrenewed mind is “not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” If then, evangelical repentance implies love to God and his law, it cannot be an exercise of the unrenewed, heart.
2. To all who truly repent, salvation is promised. “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.” “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” But the unregenerate have no promise of salvation. For “except a man be born again, he cannot sec the kingdom of God.” ‘^ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, 0 God, thou wilt not despise.” “Thus saith the High and Lofty One who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy. I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” This cannot be said of any unrenewed man; for “they that are in the flesh, cannot please God.” But repentance is pleasing to God. If the sinner, therefore, does truly repent previous to regeneration; then they that are in the flesh, can please God. They can do that to which salvation is promised. What then, is there to hinder them from being actually saved without regeneration?
3. If true repentance is antecedent to regeneration, then, every other Christian grace may exist in the unrenewed heart. The sinner can as well love God, and believe in Christ, as he can repent without a new heart. Regeneration is no more necessary to cause the sinner to love God, than it is to cause him to repent; for as we have seen, true repentance implies love to God. The sinner can no more repent aright previous to r-e generation, than he can exercise evangelical faith. For that repentance which is without faith, is not acceptable to God. “Without faith it is impossible to please him.” It is plain, therefore, that if true repentance may exist in the unrenewed heart, regeneration is unnecessary; which is contrary to the positive declaration of Christ.
4. That repentance does not precede regeneration, is evident from the nature of regeneration. The change in regeneration is thus described. “I will take away the stony heart out of yom- flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.” Now the stony heart which God takes away in regeneration, is not a penitent heart. A penitent heart, is a broken and contrite heart. Such a heart God never takes away. On the contrary, it is the very heart of flesh, which he gives in regeneration. The new heart, therefore, which is the eflfect of the Spirit’s agency in regeneration, is a penitent heart. Hence it is plain that true repentance does not precede regeneration.
Permit me here to remark, I have not asserted, that the sinner is not under obligation to repent, previous to regeneration. Itisuncpiestionably the duty of every sinner immediately to repent. We are not considering now what is duty, but what is fact. It is the duty of sinners to do many things which they never have done, and which some of them never will do. It is their duty to stop sinning, and to love God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength. So it is their duty to repent without delay. But they have not done it, and some of them never will.
By this time, some of my hearers will perceive a great difliiculty in this subject. It is this. If sinners do not repent previous to regeneration, then you call on them to do what it requires almighty power to influence them to do. This difliculty is not peculiar to this subject. It runs through the whole system of evangelical truth.
There are many who think they see a great inconsistency in the preaching of ministers. “Ministers” they say, “contradict themselves — They say, and unsay — They tell us to do, and then tell us we cannot do — They call upon sinners to believe and repent, and then tell them that faith and repentance are the gift of God — They call on them to come to Christ, and then tell them that they cannot come.”
That some do preach in this manner, cannot be denied. I well recollect an instance. A celebrated preacher in one of his discourses, used this language. “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” In another discourse, this same preacher said, “No man can come unto 7«e, ex cept the Father which hath sent me draw him.” Now what think you, my hearers, of such peaching, and of such a preacher? What would y ou have said, had you been present and heard him ‘? Would you have charged him with contradicting himself? This preacher, you will remember, was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. And I have no doubt that many ministers have followed his example, and been guilty of the same self-contradiction, if you call it such.
Now, my hearers, what will you say? Will you say, that the difficulty, so far as it relates to Christ’s preaching, can be easily explained? If it can, it can also be explained in reference to the preaching of others; and there is no cause of complaint. Or will you boldly assert that Christ contradicted himself? If you take this ground, you turn infidels at once. Or will you say, that you believe Christ to be consistent with himself, whether you can explain the difficulty or not? If so, why not say the same in regard to the preaching of his ministers who preach in the same manner 1
I wish you to remember that the difficulty complained of, existed in our Saviour’s preaching. Nor is it confined to a few passages; but runs through the Bible. This I will now state more at large.
1. The Bible calls upon sinners to repent; and yet teaches that repentance is the gift of God.
John, the harbinger of Christ, came preaching and saying, ^’Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” “From that time, began Jesus to preach, and to say, Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And the Apostles “went out and preached that men should repent.” Paul, preaching at Athens, said, “The times of this ignorance, God winked at, but now commandeth all men every where to repent.” And yet the Bible teaches ns that repentance is the gift of God. “Him hath God exalted at his own right hand, to be a Prince and Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.” “In meekness instructing them that oppose themselves, if peradventure, God will ^z’t’e ihej/i repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” ^’Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.^^ Again — The Bible calls on sinners to lelieve in Christ, and yet teaches that faith is the gift of God.
‘’This is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” “He that believeth not is condemned already.” And yet it is written, ‘•’ ]^)’ grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.^^ “Looking unto Jesus, f//c author and finisher of our faith.’’’’ Again — Sinners are called upon in the Bible to arise from the dead. ‘^ Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” And yet we arc taught that it is the work of God, to raise sinners from spiritual. death to spiritual life. “You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”
Again — It is written, ‘’Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby you have transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit.” And yet it is also written, “A new heart will I give you, and a right spirit will I put within you.”
Thus you see that the Bible does call upon sinners to do, what it requires the Almighty power of God, to influence them to do. Now whether I can explain this difficulty to your satisfaction or not, I wish you to remember that it is in the Bible. You have seen that God does command sinners to repent, to believe, and to make a new heart. And those ministers who do not call upon sinners to do the same, do not preach as God has commanded them. You have seen also, that repentance and faith, and a new heart, are represented as the gifts of God. And whoever does, not attribute them wholly to the agency of the Holy Spirit, robs God of his glory, and does not preach the gospel. Whether I can explain this difficulty to your satisfaction or not. I wish you to bear in mind, that every minister, who would declare all the counsel of God, is bound to preach in this manner. I take it for granted, that you all will admit that ministers are under obligation to preach according to the teaching of the Bible.
But let us now see whether the difficulty can be explained. The question, it wnll be remembered, is, How is it consistent for God to command sinners to do, what it requires Almighty power to cause them to do? Many methods have been adopted to obviate this difficulty.
One says, “You must do as well as you can without a new heart. I know you cannot make you a new heart; but you must try to repent and try to love God.” To this I reply, The Bible says no such thing. God does not command sinners to ti-y to repent, and try to love him. But God “now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.^^ It is no where said, Thou shalt tjy to love the Lord thy God. The command is, ‘^ Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.” If the sinner only t7nes to repent, and love God, he does not obey the command. However hard he may tiy, unless he actually repents he is still threatened with eternal death, as the consequence of his neglect.
It is sometimes said, ‘^ Faith is the gift of God” — And you must do as well as you can without faith. But what says the Bible to the sinner who does not ask in faith? Does it encourage him to ask without it? Or does it not say, ‘^ Let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord?” Does the Bible encourage the sinner to expect that any tiling done by him without faith, will be acceptable to God? On the contrary, does it not declare that “Without faith it is impossible to please him?”
Faith and repentance and love to God, are duties which the Bible enjoins on all men, and which every minister is bound to urge upon his hearers. But how can he inculcate these duties, and at the same time direct sinners to do as well as they can without doing them? Shall he direct sinners to repent without repenting, to believe without believing, and to love God without loving him?
In order to explain the diQiculty, ii will be important to inquire, why it is necessary that God should change the heart of the sinner 1 To this question there can be but two answers. It must be either because the sinner has not the power or because he has not the inchnation to do what God commands.
Is it because he has not the power ‘? I use the word power here, in the sense in which the sinner uses it, when he says he h:)s no power to repent — that he would if he coukl, but cannot. If the sinner really believes this to be true, what means his awful stupidity? If God is such a being as to command the sinner to do, what he is, in every sense, unable to do, is there any ground for that security which thousands feel when they plead this excuse 1 If this is the character of God, the sinner who is in his hands, is in an awful condition indeed. Do you, my impenitent hearers, believe this to be your condition, why are you not filled with terror and alarm?
Do you say, “if we cannot help ourselves, we aie not to blame 1” Be this as it may, God has declared that except ye repent, ye shall perish — and that those who believe not, shall be damned. Just or unjust, these threatenings will be executed. And how can you slumber and sleep, while the wrath of God abideth on you?
But even if you could not help yourselves, it is easy to see that you might be to blame. Suppose no atonement had been made for sin, and no way of salvation had been provided, would you not have perished justly 1 No atonement has been made for fallen angels — God has made it impossible for them to be saved — He has reserved them in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day; and still they have no right to complain. Suppose he had done the same by all, or any part of the human race, not one would have had any reason to complain. I dare not object even to a limited atonement, on the ground of justice. Suppose Christ had made an atonement only for one soul, and had consigned all the rest of the human race to endless perdition, no injustice would have been done.
The sinner often pleads his inability as an excuse, and a complete justification of his conduct. When urged to repent and believe, he says, “What can I do? I cannot repent.” Now suppose it be true that he cannot repent, and believe, and be saved. What then? Is he exonerated from blame 1 Suppose a man has been guilty of murder, and is under sentence of death. He is confined in a prison which is bolted and barred. He walks around his dungeon, and complains, “I cannot escape from this prison: I would if I could, but I cannot.” What ihenl What if he cannot escape 1 Why, he must suffer the penalty of a good law. The fact that he cannot escape, does not render him innocent. Now suppose the sinner cannot repent, believe and be saved. What then? Why, he must be lost. Awful indeed! But no injustice will be done. He will only suflfer the penalty of a good law. He has broken the law and fallen under the curse; and his condemnation is just. And if it were now impossible for him to obtain salvation, he would have no reason to complain.
But although I do not admit that the sinner is under any natural inability to repent, and to obtain salvation, yet I confess that if it were so, I cannot see that there would be any injustice in his piniishment. And here permit me to remind my impenitent hearers, that what they now complain of, may soon be a reality. Unless you soon repent and believe, it will be utterly beyond your power to obtain salvation. God will make it impossible for yon to come out of your prison. This is the condition of all who are now in the prison of hell. There they are confined, and they cannot escape. And it is a wonder of mercy that youre not now there. When you get there, you will have no reason to murmur and complain that you cannot get out of the prison of hell. This will be the condition of all the finally impenitent forever.
But I do not admit that the case of a criminal, confined in prison by bolts and bars, and massy walls, is a correct representation of the present state of the sinner. Although a criminal may be justly confined in prison, yet if he were invited and commanded to come out of his prison, while the doors were shut, and bolted and barred, I confess I could see no propriety in such invitations and commands. The fact, therefore, that God does invite, and command sinners to come to Christ, is to me convincing proof, that the difficulty lies in the sinner’s disposition. If he were inclined to do all in his power, there would seem to be no reason why he should be invited or commanded to do more. This single command, “Turn ye to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope,” is to me convincing proof that the bolts and bars of the sinner’s prison, are now removed. Christ has opened the prison doors, and proclaimed liberty to the captives. God does not command sinners to break through massy walls. This seems to be supposed, however, by those who deny the distinction between natural and moral inability. They call on sinners to do, what they admit to be absolutely impossible. The propriety of this, I confess, I am unable to see.
Again — If the prisoner were to be confined and punished without reprieve, for his crimes, it would be just. But if he were commanded to escape when confined by bolts and bars, and massy walls, and then were made to sufier a ten-fold punishment for not doing it, I confess that I could not see the justice of this. But it is acknowledged on all hands, that the finally impenitent will be punished, not only for breaking the law, but for rejecting the gospel. This, indeed, we are given to understand, exposes them to God’s hottest displeasure. “■ Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God.” “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin.” And do sinners contract such aggravated guilt, by refusing to do what they have absolutely no power to do?
I will now state what I conceive to be the real difficulty in the case. The sinner is not disposed to do what he can. This is denied by many. They seem to snp])Ose that because repentance and faith are the gift of God, therefore the sinner has not power to repent and believe. It is said that if the sinner could repent, it would not be necessary for God to renew the heart.
But this reasoning will not hold. Because the sinner has power to do what God commands, it does not follow, of course, that he will exert that power. Those who adopt this mode of reasoning, seem to take it for granted, that the sinner will certainly do the utmost in his power to obey God. But if the sinner will not do what he can, there is the same necessity of Almighty power to make him willing to do what he can, as there would be to enable him to do what he could not.
The point maybe illustrated by the following example. A father calls after a child who is departing from home. He has power to run in every direction, but will not obey the call of his father. His father invites, commands, promises and threatens, but all in vain. He utterly disregards his father’s authority, and is not influenced by the hope of reward, or the fear of punishment. No inducements will persuade him to desist from his present course. Now what is the duty of that child? You will say at once, it is his duty to obey the command of his father. But this he will not do. Now does this obstinacy of the child make it improper for the parent to command the child to do what he can? If the child were disposed to obey, but was unable, I could see no propriety in the father’s conduct. But if he has power to obey, but no disposition, his stubbornness is no excuse. It is the very thing which makes it proper to command, and to threaten. It is the very thing for which he deserves punishment.
But says the parent, “I will reveal one secret. You know not how dreadfully stubborn that child is. Although my commands are reasonable, and although he is capable of obeying them, yet he is so opposed to me, that he will not obey. He never will come, unless I go and bring him by the strength of this arm.” Here the child replies, ^’ How absurdly you talk. You call on me to do what yon say I never shall do, unless you make me do it. Now I cannot come. How can I? If it requires the strength of your arm to bring me, then I have not power to come myself, and how can I be to blame?” This, in my view, is the exact state of the sinner. The commands of God are reasonable. The sinner is capable of obeying them; but he has a proud, stubborn, rebellious heart, that will not sulmit to God’s authority. Hence it is necessary that he should be born again in order to see the kingdom of God. While, therefore, those who perish, will be without excuse, and will have none to blame but themselves; those who are saved, will be saved by grace, and will have none to praise but God.
^’ 0 Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thy help.”
In the light of this subject we see
1. The reasonableness of God’s command to sinners that they should make them a new heart.
2. Salvation is wholly by grace.
3. We see a reason why Christians should pray for the conversion of sinners.