BY REV. JOSHUA BATES, D. D.,

PASTOR OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, DUDLEY, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPIRITUAL CONVERSION, INVOLVING REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE.

Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. Acts iii. 19.

It is obvious to remark, that the exhortations and admonitions, recorded in the Scriptures, and especially in the New Testament, are addressed to two distinct, comprehensive classes of men. These classes are, indeed, designated by various correlative terms; but they are terms of the same general import, bearing the same relation to each other, and always implying the same general distinction of character: penitent and impenitent, believers and unbelievers, righteous and wicked, spiritual and carnal, children of light and children of darkness, are all correlative terms and phrases; and these, with many others, are used, in various connexions, to denote the same distinction of character; marking the difference between those who are destitute of holiness, and those who are, more or less, under the influence of holy principle.

It is farther observable, that the design of all the addresses, all the exhortations and admonitions, which apply to the latter of these classes, is to induce them to turn from the course which they are pursuing, and commence a new course of life; while those, which apply to the former class, are calculated to stimulate them in

their exertions, and induce them to press forward, with new zeal and increasing diligence, in the course which they are already pursuing. Thus John, who came to prepare the way of the Lord, came preaching repentance; saying to all whom he addressed: "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Thus, too, our Saviour himself commenced his personal ministry, by preach. ing the same doctrine-calling sinners to repentance. Thus, moreover, the apostles of Christ went from place to place, exhorting men, every where, to repent and be converted. In their first addresses, whether to Jews or Gentiles, they dwelt almost exclusively on this subject. But when converts were made, when churches were formed of such as were converted to the faith and obedience of the gospel, they changed the style of their address, and called upon these professing Christians, not to repent, not to be converted, not to turn from the way in which they were walking,-but to proceed, to press forward, to make continual advancement in the course upon which they had entered. Accordingly, in the sacred epistles, which were directed by the inspired apostles to believers, to supposed converts, to Christian professors, we find, every where, a strain of exhortation to improvement. They are full of such directions as these: "Be fervent in spirit; diligent in business, serving the Lord." "Grow in grace." "Be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." "Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity."

Now, it is evident, which of these classes of men are designated by the language of our text. The apostle was evidently addressing those who were, or who were supposed to be, destitute of holiness, living without hope and without God in the world. In discoursing on this passage of Scripture, therefore, after attempting to fix the precise signification of the leading terms, I shall institute the inquiry-how far, and to whom, is the exhortation now applicable?—and endeavor to impress upon the minds of all, who may find their own characters delineated, and their own case described, the solemnity and practical importance of the subject.

In attempting to expound the text, and ascertain its definite import, however, it can scarcely be necessary to repeat what must have been often said within the hearing of all who statedly attend

the preaching of the gospel, on the meaning of the verb, repent, and the corresponding noun, repentance. It will be remembered by them, that these terms are used in the Scriptures with two distinct significations, according to the connexion in which they stand, and the original words from which they were translated. Sometimes the repentance spoken of by the inspired writers, implies. simply sorrow, or regret for an event, whether caused by ourselves. or not,—-a mere change of feeling or sentiment, whether right or wrong, an evanescent emotion, without any radical change of heart or permanent improvement of character. But, generally, the term repentance, as used in the Bible, denotes such a sorrow for sin as implies a hatred of it, and a resolution to forsake it,-a change of feeling, and inclination, and purpose, from that which is morally evil to that which is morally good,—a reformation both in principle and practice.† In this latter sense, the term repent is evidently used in our text, as appears both from the connexion and the corresponding word in the original language.

The other leading term in the text is of similar import, expressing the same thing by a common and obvious metaphor. To convert literally means to turn. The conversion of a sinner, therefore, denotes his turning from sin; it involves a moral change,-a change of heart and a corresponding change of outward deportment, -a forsaking of that which is evil, and a doing of that which is good. It is not a transient emotion of regret for sin; but a settled

* In all such cases, the original term is μεταμέλεια, or the corresponding verb μεταμέλομαι; as in the case of Judas, whose repentance was a sorrow leading unto death.

† And where this is the case, the original term is μετάνοια, or the corresponding verb μετανοεω; as in all instances, where repentance is enjoined as a duty, and made a condition of salvation. We need not, however, extend these expository remarks, since the meaning of the term may always be ascertained by the English reader, from the connexion in which it stands and the occasion on which it is used; since he may learn whether it denotes simple sorrow,—or that godly sorrow which includes reformation, and leads to "newness of life in new obedience."

Accordingly, the original term in our text, 10тizatɛ, is a verb in the middle voice; denoting not passivity, nor an involuntary rousing of dormant susceptibility; but activity, agency, a voluntary action of a moral and accountable being,-activity, not drawn forth by mechanical power; but put forth by energy within,-not reaching in its influence to a foreign object; but moving, as it were, in a circle, coming back to the place whence it originated, and producing its effect on the subject himself. The conversion of our text is, therefore, the turning of one's self to the Lord. The term denotes the agency of man in securing his own salvation, -working it out; not, indeed, in his own strength and by his own might, as if he were an independent being; but, feeling his dependence, seeking grace, and relying on God to work in him,-working it out with fear and trembling.

principle of hatred of it. It is not a blind compunction, which "repents old pleasures and solicits new." It is not a feeble and fickle purpose, which "resolves and re-resolves, and still remains the same." But it is a fixed purpose, a radical change, a permanent reformation, a spirit of habitual obedience to the will of Heaven.

When, therefore, the apostle Peter, addressing those who had wickedly persecuted our blessed Saviour, even unto the death of the cross, says: "Repent ye, and be converted," he exhorts them, not only to exercise sorrow for their sins, but to turn from that course of opposition to God and his holy law, in which they had been hitherto engaged; not only to lament their persecution of the Saviour, but to become obedient and submissive to his authority, whom they had rejected and crucified; to change their feelings of hatred and malice toward him into sentiments of love and adoration; to be renewed in the spirit of their minds and the tenor of their conduct; to forsake that which is evil in thought, word, and deed; and henceforth to think, speak, and do that which is good.

Having given this general exposition of the text, let us proceed, as was proposed, to consider how far, and to whom, the exhortation is now applicable.

Now, it has been said by some, that this, and every similar exhortation in the Bible, is limited by time, and place, and persons; and has no application, except to those to whom it was originally addressed. In confutation of this remark, we may observe, that the Bible itself furnishes a very different canon of interpretation; assuring us, that no Scripture is of any private interpretation. Every exhortation, warning and reproof, recorded by the pen of inspiration, may, therefore, be properly applied to all, in every age and country, whose character and situation correspond with those in view of which the application was originally made.

It has been said farther, that exhortations, like that in our text, are not adapted to the case of persons born and educated in a Christian land. But, in answer to this allegation, it is sufficient to say, that many, thus born and educated, are not Christians. They do not even profess to have embraced the Christian religion; they lay no claims to the name or character of Christians; they do not even pretend to be actuated by Christian principles, or animated by the hopes of the gospel. Such persons, therefore, evidently need conversion, in order to be prepared for the kingdom of heaven, no less than Jews or Pagans; and may be addressed in the language of the text with as much propriety.

It has been said, moreover, that, although it may be proper, at all times, to apply this exhortation, not only to Jews and Pagans, but to Infidels in Christian countries, yet, that we cannot, without a manifest impropriety, call upon those who admit the truth of Christianity and profess to believe in its divine origin, to "repent and be converted." It is confidently said, that such being already Christians by birth and education, and profession even, cannot be converted, except to Judaism, or Paganism, or something else opposed to Christianity. But, in answer to this reasoning, we have only to observe, that conversion implies not merely a change of opinion, but, likewise, and principally, of feeling and practice. A man may admit the truth, without being under its practical influence. He may never have denied a single article of the Christian faith, and yet be a practical unbeliever. He may "hold the truth in unrighteousness." Now, it is evident, that a person of this character needs the same change of heart, the same spiritual conversion, the same turning from sin unto holiness, the same renovation in principle and reformation in practice, which are necessary to the salvation of an avowed Infidel. "There are those in every Christian land," (I here use the language, as I have already freely done, of a celebrated moral philosopher,) "who, with the name, indeed, of Christians, have hitherto passed their lives without any internal religion whatever; who have not at all thought on the subject; who, a few easy and customary forms excepted, (and with them they are mere forms,) cannot truly say of themselves, that they have performed one action which they would not have performed if there had been no such being as God in the universe; or that they have ever sacrificed any passion, any present enjoyment, or even any inclination of the mind, to the restraints and prohibitions of religion; with whom, indeed, religious motives have not weighed a feather in the scale against interest and pleasure. To these," continues he, "it is utterly necessary that we preach conversion. At this day, and in this land, we have not Jews and Pagans to preach to; but these persons are really in as unconverted a state, as any Jew or Pagan could have been, in our Saviour's time. They are no more Christians, as to any actual benefit of Christianity to their souls, than the most hardened Jew

*

*This remark is equally applicable to America.