3. Counterfeit, a slight superficial sor- row. When God's hand lies heavy upon a man, (he is sick or lame) he may A'ent a sigh or tear, and say, ' Lord, have mercy ;' yet this is no true repentance. Ahab did more than all this, I Kings xxi. 27., " He rent his clothes, and fasted, and lay in sack- cloth, and went softly." His clothes were rent, but not his heart. The eye may be watery, and the heart flinty. An apricot may be soft without, but it hath an hard stone within.
4. Counterfeit, good motions arising in the heart. Every good motion is not re- pentance. Some think if they have motions in their hearts to break off their sins, and become religious, this is repentance. As the devil may stir up l)ad motions in the godly, so the Spirit of God may stir up good motions in the wicked. Herod had many good thoughts and inclinations stirred up
* in him by John Baptist's preaching, yet he did not truly repent, for he still lived in inciest.
sin than ever.
2d. And that brings me to the second, to show wherein true repentance consists : it consists in two things;
1st, Humiliation, Lev. xxvi. 41., " If their uncircumcised hearts be humbled." There is (as the schoolmen) a twofold hu- miliation, or breaking of the heart. 1. At- trition : as when a rock is broken in pieces. This is done by the law, which is an ham- mer to break the heart. 2. Contrition ; as when ice is melted into watei". This is done by the gospel, Avliich is as a fire to molt the heart, Jer. xxiii. 9. It is the sense of abused kindness causeth contrition.
2d. Transformation, or change, Rom. xii. 2., " Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Repentance works a change in the whole man ; as wine put into a glass where Avater is, the wine runs into every part of the water, and changeth its colour and tnste : so true repentance doth not rest in one part, but doth diffuse and spread it- self into every part.
1. RejM'iitunce causeth a change in the mind. Whereas, liefore a man did like well
OF REPENTANCE.
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of sin, and say in defence of it, as Jonali, " I do well to bo ang;ry," cliap. iv. 9. So, I did well to swear, and break tlie sabbatli. When once a man becomes a penitent, bis judgment is changed, he now looks upon sin as the greatest evil. The Greek word for repentance^ signifies after-tciadom ; when, having seen how deformed and damnable a thing sin is, we change our mind. Paul, l»eforo conversion, verily " thought within himself, I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus," Acts, xx^^. 9. ; but, when he became a penitent, now he was of another mind, Phil, iii. 8., " I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus." Repentance causeth a change of judgment.
2. Repentance causeth a change in the affections which move under the will as the commander in chief. Repentance doth me- tamorphose the affections. It turns rejoic- ing in sin into sorrow for sin ; it turns bold- ness in sin into holy shame ; it turns the love of sin into hatred. As Amnon hated Tainar more than ever he loved her, 2 Sam. xiii. 15.: so the true penitent hateth sin more than ever he loved it, Ps. cxix. 104., " I hate every false way."
3. Repentance works a change in the life. Though repentance begins at the heart, it doth not rest there, but goes into the life. I say, it begins at the heart, Jer. iv. 14., " O Jerusalem, wash thy heart." If the spring be corrupt, there can no pure stream run from it. But though repentance begins at the heart, it doth not rest there, but changeth the life. What a change did re- pentance make in Paul ! It changed a persecutor into a preacher. Wliat a change did it make in the jailor? Acts xvi. 33., He took the apostles, and washed their stripes, and set meat before them. What a change did it make in Mary Magdalene ? She that before did kiss her lovers with wanton embraces, nowkisseth Christ's feet; she that did use to curl her hair, and dress it with costly jewels, now she makes it a towel to wipe Christ's feet ; her eyes that used to sparkle with lust, and with impure glances to entice her lovers, now she makes them a fountain of tears to wash her Sa- viour's feet ; her tongue that used to speak vainly and loosely, now it is an instrument
set in tune to praise God. And this cliange of life hath two things in it;