The terms wherein it is set forth are doubtless strong ; but yet it was altogether defective ;
1. In its principle —
[If there had been no punishment denounced against him, Ahab wotJd have felt little concern about his iniquities : he had no real hatred of sin, no ingenuous shame on account of his having transgressed against so good a God. It w^as fear, and fear only, that called forth his penitential acknowledgments. But, if his repentance had been genuine, he would have mourned for his sins even though there had been no punishment annexed to them^; he would have seen an hatefulness in them, as trans- gressions of the holy law of God ; and would have hated and abhorred liimself on account of them, even though God should have blotted them from the book of his remembrance ^ Hatred of sin, and not fear of punishment, is the true source of peni- tential sorrow.]
2. In its measure —
[His repentance was expressed only by external signs, such as fasting and clothing himself with sackcloth : but it should have proceeded to operate in the renovation of his heart and life. He should have instantly begun to put away his sins. But we read not of any such effects produced upon him. He turned not from his idolatry, nor did he, as far as we know, restore the vineyard to Naboth's family. But true repentance would have led him to mortify his besetting sins ^ : that alone is the repentance which is not to be repented of.]
3. In its end —
[Could Ahab have escaped the miseries he had brought upon himself, he would have been contented though God had still been as much dishonoured as ever. He had no view to God's glory, but only to his own safety. But if his sorrow had been of a godly sort, he would have inquired, how he might best counteract all the evil he had done, and cause his subjects to honour Jehovah as much as they had before slighted and despised him^.]
Nevertheless God was pleased to reward it : and it is of importance to inquire,
III. What the honour which God put upon it was designed to teach us — It was designed to shew,
e Ezek. XX. 43. and xxxvi. 31. ^ Ezek. xvi, 63.
g IIos. xiv. 1—3, 8. h 2 Cor. vii. 10, 11.