Ezekiel 18:27,28

When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed.

The conversion of a sinner

I. The wicked ought to reform.

1. Sin is contrary to reason.

(1) A sinful action is discreditable to any person whatsoever.

(2) It is grievous, painful, and intolerable to bear the effects of wicked and sinful actions, and to vary from right.

2. Being such, it cannot be justified. As the palsy-motion, which seems to be quicker than other; but it is not from strength but from weakness: no man can justify a sinful action; but to a bad conscience, or before an unrighteous judge; who is either ignorant or partial, or himself as bad, by undue principles, corrupt interest, or an abuse of power.

3. Every sinful action, however we may stand to it, or may be countenance here in the world, will be discountenanced sooner or later, whether we will or no.

4. If we do not repent of that which we have done sinfully, it will lie upon us as the blackest spot, as the heaviest judgment, and as the worst malady.

5. There is no expectation either of God’s pardon, or of help from Him, but in the way of repentance. For who can promise himself anything out of the terms of the covenant of grace; namely, repentance from all dead works, resolution of obedience to God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

6. We are all under obligation to repent, though there would no good come to us by it. For we are God’s creatures, and held of Him; from whence it follows, that we ought to serve Him, and to do His will, and to be at His command.

II. Through the grace which God doth afford, we may repent of all evil done, and make application to God; and deprecate His displeasure, and leave off to sin, and return to our duty, and so obtain His pardon. Neither let any man say, that the text signifies no more than if one should say to an impotent man, remove this mountain, and thou shalt have such or such a reward; or to bid a man to comprehend the ocean in the hollow of his hand, and it shall so or so be done unto him. These ways of speaking must not be put upon God, nor in any ease attributed unto Him. When God saith to the sinner, repent and turn from your wickedness, and you shall save your soul alive, it doth suppose that either He is able or that He will make Him so. But here some may be ready to interpose, and say: surely God is not in good earnest, because He might if He would; for who can resist the Divine will? It doth not follow, that because God doth not enforce, that therefore He doth not enable. That God should force agrees neither with the nature of God, nor with the nature of man; but that God should enable, this is natural to the relation we stand in to God, who is original to our being. Wherefore be resolved in this matter, that God is with us, and that He is ready to afford His grace and assistance. Now, that you may not lose this great argument and principle of reformation, and true and solid ground of encouragement, to leave off to sin, and to return to God, because of His gracious aid and assistance, I will give you assurance further by these six particulars.

1. It was never God’s intention, when He made man at first, to put him into a state of absolute independency, or self-sufficiency. And therefore whosoever assumes it to himself doth assume that which never did belong to a creature-state.

2. Could man allege either necessity of evil, or impossibility of doing good, it would be a plea when God calls us to an account, and admits us to reason with Him.

3. Where there is excellency of nature there is always readiness to communicate, supply, and gratify.

4. We cannot say worse of God than that His calls and monitions to His creatures are not serious and in good earnest, and out of love and good mind.

5. To assert our impotency and disability, and that God is wanting in necessary assistance, is to expose us to an invincible temptation; and that in these three particulars.

(1) To entertain hard thoughts of God, and such as are unworthy of Him.

(2) To throw off the use of all means, and to take no care at all in this great affair.

(3) To despair. And we wrong God more by desperation than by presumption.

6. God hath done so much on His part, that He hath given us all reason to believe, and think that He is well minded towards us; and that He is resolved in the matter of our recovery; upon terms that are made easy and possible.

(1) Take into consideration the length of God’s patience; for were God for our destruction, He would take us at the first advantage and opportunity, as enemies are wont to do.

(2) The checks of our own consciences.

(3) The abundant provision that God hath made for our recovery. There is expiation of sin; and the assistance of His grace and Spirit, for the recovering of us.

(4) The nature and quality of the things that God, upon account of religion, does require of us, namely, those things whereof religion doth consist; and they are internal good dispositions and acts that are suitable, and do of their own accord follow.

(5) The equal consideration that we meet with at the hands of God, in respect of our present weakness, shows that God is ready and willing to do us good.

(6) Though God begin with less, He will go on with more. So that, let no man be discouraged though that which he now hath be not sufficient for to carry him through that which he hath before him; for as his work shall increase and grow greater, God will furnish him with that assistance that shall be suitable and sufficient for what He calls him unto.

(7) God speaketh absolutely, positively, and without any reservation; that when a sinner turneth away from his wickedness he shall save his soul alive.

(8) The repentance of a sinner, and his turning to God, is a thing so acceptable and well pleasing to God that He will greatly reward those that have any hand in it. (Daniel 12:3.) (B. Whichcote, D. D.)

The conversion of a sinner

I. The time when the wicked turneth away from his wickedness. It is indefinitely spoken, and doth not exclude late time, which may be an encouragement to everyone, be his case never so desperate. But then, this is not spoken to encourage men’s delays and put-offs; for there are four great evils consequent upon that.

1. It were to ill resent the goodness of God thus to requite His grace and favour, that we continue in sin because God is gracious.

2. It were to abuse ourselves, and do ourselves more and more harm.

3. It would make the work which is necessary to our happiness much more hard and difficult. For ill use doth contract bad habits; and bad habits contracted by long use and custom are with great difficulty left off.

4. Continuance in sin doth expose us to far greater danger.

(1) Because of the great uncertainty of life, for who can promise himself another day, nay another moment?

(2) Because of the devil’s repeated and continued assaults, by which he will still get the more advantage upon us; and so it will become the more difficult to get him out of possession.

(3) In respect of the insinuations of bad company, and converse.

(4) All the while you stand out you are in a way of resistance of the Holy Spirit, and fight against the motions of God Almighty; which are necessary to bring you to good, and to qualify you for eternal life.

II. The quality of the person. Scripture doth not denominate persons wicked, or sinners, or workers of iniquity, from weaknesses, failings, or from error of judgment, or from indisposition at times, from sudden passion or surprisal; nor from the irregularity of the first motion, that is so troublesome and grievous unto us all. But they are called sinners and wicked persons who voluntarily consent to known iniquity.

III. When a man may be said to turn from his wickedness.

1. The negatives are these.

(1) A man is not said to turn away from his iniquities when his sin rather leaves him, than he leaves it; either through age and disability of body; or through weakness and infirmity; so that he cannot bear to do as he has formerly done.

(2) Such men as are not at their own liberty; but under tutors and governors, whom they dare not disobey; who are as it were shut up, and not suffered to ramble abroad.

(3) Nor when sin is made bitter to men, by suffering the had consequences that follow upon it.

2. But then affirmatively, in three particulars.

(1) When we leave sin out of sense and judgment of its vileness and impurity.

(2) When we leave sin out of respect to God, in obedience unto His laws, and love to Him.

(3) A man cannot be said to return from his wickedness unless he doth conceive displeasure at it, and resolve never to have to do with it again.

IV. An account of lawful and right. Here are two words for one and the same thing; and the one is explicatory of the other. Now this is that which we all ought to do; and there is no pretence of power and privilege to the contrary. And if everybody did confine himself to that which is right, just, and fit, we should have a new world; and there would be nothing of wrong or hard measure found among us: we should then be the better one for another. There is a rule of right in all cases, and it is the charge of all persons in the use of Power, to judge and determine according unto that rule.

1. I will begin with the relation that is between parents and children, and show you what is right for parents to do with their children, and children to their parents.

2. I go to the relation of husbands and wives; there is the right of the case between them.

3. Then for masters and servants. Masters, render to your servants what is right, that which is equal, fair, and reasonable. Then for servants, there is the right of the case for them also, and that is to obey their masters in all things, and to be true and faithful to them.

4. Then in our common converse, we ought to use all humanity, courtesy, and affability, giving all respect, despising nobody.

5. To descend to the creatures below us, there is a right of the case here also. We must not abuse any.

V. The happiness that follows upon renovation, repentance, and turning to God. He that doth so shall save his soul alive. From this we may understand of how great benefit the good use and improvement of our time is. How many are there that overlook the business, purpose, and intention of life! We are here to run a race, and so to run that we may obtain; and therefore we are to watch over ourselves, both as to the things of our mind and body; and so to keep under our bodies, and bring them into subjection, that we may not ruin and undo ourselves. Therefore I advise every man that is serious to ask himself these questions.

1. Will this that I have done, or am doing, be accountable when God shall call me to a reckoning?

2. That which Abigail put to David (1 Samuel 25:1), “This will be no grief of heart, nor offence, unto thee.”

3. What shall I think of this when I shall lie upon my death bed?

4. How remediless will the consequence of evil be, when I shall have the least relief by my reason, and be least capable of advice; and when I shall have the least assistance of God’s grace and Spirit? (B. Whichcote, D. D.)

Of the conversion of a sinner

I. The nature of repentance; to turn away from wickedness, and to do that which is lawful and right.

1. To turn from wickedness; this the negative part according to that, Let him eschew evil and do good. And that according to the very morality of the heathens, virtus est vitium fugere, etc. Not to be vicious is the rudiment of virtue, and ‘tis the beginning of wisdom to leave off playing the fool. Now this turning from wickedness being a very hard work, nothing more difficult than to throw off habits once contracted. Let us therefore by a gradual deduction show the right way of proceeding, what course a new convert, that turns from his wickedness, usually takes.

(1) To fortify the reason or understanding with all arguments against it: for conviction is supposed as the very bottom of this work of repentance. The arguments to convince a man’s self are partly moral, partly civil and external; such as are the vileness of thy lusts, which make thee live a life not suitable to the excellency of thy nature, the ill consequence of it, in provoking God and making Him thy enemy, and in exposing thy soul to eternal ruin. Again, the discredit and disparagement; the damage and loss of time, health, estate, they run thee into; the trouble and vexation they procure thee, and the little satisfaction they give thee in lieu of all those inconveniences, of all those hazards and dangers they put thee upon.

(2) To wean the affections; and this will not be very difficult, when the understanding is once convinced. But here’s the fault (Hosea 4:6). Upon this conviction will naturally follow a loathing and detestation of thy sin.

(3) Shunning all occasions. A man then will set a guard upon himself, stop all the avenues of sin, and resist the devil, who is likely most busy at men’s conversion. He that is truly convinced will do so; else he but dissembles with God, and his own soul.

(4) At least since he finds it so very hard to master his thoughts, and evil concupiscence is ever working and boiling up in unlawful desires; yet he will bridle himself from committing the gross act. For if after his conversion he come so far back, as to act the same wickedness over again, then he is to begin all his work anew, and his repentance itself is to be repented of, as having not been sound and sincere.

2. The other is positive, to do that which is lawful and right.

(1) He doth by degrees inure himself to the contrary virtues. Habits are acquired by single acts frequently repeated, and though difficult at first, yet by use and custom are made easy and familiar, till at last they become natural.

(2) As a Christian; he frequents those spiritual exercises wherein grace is promised and improved; prayer, meditation, reading, hearing, receiving, etc., whereof some are to instruct him in his rule, and to give him directions; others to fetch in help and assistance: and he that thus seeks God in His own ordinances and methods, will be sure to find Him.

(3) To be sure he keeps himself employed, that his sin may not find him at leisure; that idleness may give the Evil One no advantage against him.

II. The consequent of thus doing is, that he shall save his soul alive.

1. By turning thus from his wickedness, and doing that which is right, he shall be so accepted of God, that his sins shall never prejudice him, as to his eternal estate, whoever the person be, whatever his former life hath been.

2. His thus doing prepares and disposes him for God’s grace, whereby he may be enabled to do more, till he work out his salvation; and God’s grace will perfect that good work which has been begun in him.

3. This reformation and amendment evidences a justifying and a saving faith, and shows a man to be, to the glory of God’s grace, a truly pious man, and one who may fairly entertain very good assurances of happiness in the life to come. For though by Christ alone, as the meritorious cause, and by faith alone, as the instrumental cause, we are justified and saved; yet that faith itself will do us no good, no, nor Christ Himself stand us in any stead, unless it be accompanied with repentance from sin, and amendment of life.

I might from hence draw several inferences of vulgar mistakes about this necessary work of repentance; let me but mention two.

1. As to the first act, to turn from his wickedness that he hath committed. Some think it enough to turn from some sins, and indulge themselves in others, or at least to turn off one sin, and take up another in its stead. But such must know, that they are still in captivity; they do but alter their prison.

2. As to the second act, to do that which is lawful and right. There are those, who seem to resolve all religion into hearing; that they look on as the soul-saving ordinance; for by that comes faith. Be it so; but let not good works be thrown aside as unnecessary, as dangerous. For what says the apostle? Not the hearers, but the doers shall be justified.

III. The possibility of the duty as to its performance: for else all were to no purpose.

1. God has a kindness for all the souls of men. He is a faithful Creator; His mercy is over all His works, and He hates nothing that He hath made.

2. There’s no bar then, as on God’s part, against any soul’s happiness. We say, unfortunate persons were born under an ill planet, but whatever force the stars may have upon men’s estates and successes, they have none upon their minds and wills. Here ‘tis thy own will that writes thy destiny; there’s no fatality upon thee, but what thou bringest upon thyself. There’s no irreversible decree in our way, to exclude us, if we do not exclude ourselves. Thy destruction is of thyself, O Israel. God made no man purposely to damn him. Death was one of man’s own inventions, and will be the reward of his own evil actions.

3. God allows everyone such a sufficiency of means, as will at least render him inexcusable. In the parable of Talents, they had everyone more or less. Even where the means are denied or withdrawn, ‘tis out of mercy upon foresight of the abuse. These are certain truths, that every man may do better than he does, and may have more grace to do better, if he seek it. If the advantages of the Gospel, the assistances of grace, the influences of the Spirit, the admonitions of conscience will not prevail with men, God will be justified when He judges, even in their condemnation.

4. God having thus furnished us with helps, and being ready further to enable us, expects and requires our own serious endeavours in the working out of our own salvation, nor can we look to be saved otherwise. This passeth for current doctrine in all worldly affairs, that men’s industry and diligence are the only arguments to build their assurance of success upon. And this much more in spiritual and eternal concerns. A man is not to lie in a ditch, and think to get out only by crying, God help me. The carter in the fable, when he called for Hercules’ assistance, was bid to set his own shoulder first to the wheel. It is a proverb, that the world is made for the presumptuous; which Christ seems to have consecrated to pious encouragement, when He tells us, The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. And thus much to evince as the obligation, so the possibility of this duty of repentance and conversion, that as it ought to be in the sinner’s will, so ‘tis partly in his power.

We shall now show how far that power will lead him.

1. A man may, if he will, forbear the gross act of sin.

2. A man may, if he will, shun the occasion of his sin, and get out of the devil’s way, and keep guard at his weak place. A vessel may run foul in a dark night, and strike upon a secret, unseen rock; but if the pilot have any the least care, he will beware places of known danger.

3. A man may, if he will, by degrees draw off his affections, and estrange himself to his sin.

4. A man may, if he will, use his reason; and he doth not deserve the name of man, that will not do that. He may so fortify his understanding, and even natural conscience (for we are now within the compass of nature) that he may at length arrive at a full perfect resolution against his sin.

Then as to do that which is lawful and right.

1. He may, if he will, keep himself well employed, and so not be at leisure for his sin. Good exercise is an expedient for health of soul, as well as body.

2. He may, if he will, go to church, to his closet, read, hear, pray, meditate, and frequent those religious duties wherein God has promised to bestow grace, and pious persons are wont to improve it.

3. He may, if he will, inure himself by good acts as to the substance of them, to the contrary virtues. I still speak of moral actions performable by the strength of nature; so that yet we are not come within the sphere of grace’s activity. Hitherto a man may go of himself, if he will; and certainly he is in a very hopeful condition that goes thus far. I shall not fear to tell you, that he is gone a good part of his way to heaven, and there’s no going to heaven but this way. He has turned from his wickedness, and now does that which is lawful and right; therefore he shall save his soul alive.

And how’s that? That’s on God’s part; for though we must work out our salvation, yet by grace we are saved still: ‘tis the gift of God, when all’s done.

1. God accepts such an one, as He did the devout centurion.

2. God further enables him; so as with His grace to prevent him and assist him, as again in Cornelius his case.

3. God justifies him (his sins that he had done shall be mentioned no more), and will finally reward him; his soul shall live.

I shall conclude with two or three cautions, which may quicken us, that we do not put off this necessary work upon this presumption, that ‘tis in our power to repent when we will.

1. That the longer ‘tis deferred, the more difficult it will be. Our sins will grow stronger, our powers and resolutions weaker, and the grace and favour of God less easy to be obtained, if we neglect the time when He may be found.

2. That though true repentance be never too late, yet late repentance is seldom true. ‘Tis a shrewd sign of our insincerity, when we are unwilling to leave our lusts till they leave us.

3. That our intentions, though never so good, if we defer to put them in execution, when we have time to do it, will not find so gracious an acceptance at God’s hands.

4. That everyone has a day of grace, and ‘tis a thing of extreme danger to hazard the loss of that; to let the measure of our iniquities be filled up, and so to have the things of our peace at last hid from our eyes, and repentance itself put out of our power. (Adam Littleton, D. D.)

Practical intention of the Gospel

I. The first step to salvation is here described to be the relinquishment of former evil practices. That sin is to be forsaken by the seeker of God’s favour, requires no proof. But how is it to be effected? There are many who think that prayer and good resolutions are sufficient. That both of these are indispensable, is most certain, and nothing can be done without them; but they are not always effectual. To them must be added the turning away from the besetting sin; the keeping out of the way of temptation. Probably the virtue and goodness of the best consist more in resisting temptation than is commonly believed by the looker-on. At the close of the day, what, we may ask, excites our grateful emotions to God? That we have had grace to resist this sin and the other; not that we have been positively good, but that we have not been positively bad. One main source of the obedience, then, for instance, of the man whose besetment is love of the world, consists in his keeping out of it, in his turning away from it, as much as he possibly can. And this direction is equally applicable to all other sins. You wish to give up sin; then studiously, self-denyingly, watchfully, prayerfully, turn away from the very atmosphere of the temptation that would lead you to sin; and dream not of safety upon any other terms.

II. After this relinquishing known sin, the next step is, “to do that which is lawful and right.” We know well the difficulty of reconciling the sovereign power of God with the agency of helpless man. But let us consider, for the practical view of the question, that the same God who made the body and its powers made also the soul and its powers. Now, we feel no hesitation in speaking about the freedom of motion of the limbs of the body; yet the whole power to move arm, or leg, or hand, is derived as directly from God as is the power of the mind to think. And notwithstanding this, we feel no hesitation in attributing to man a perfect mastery over all the motions of his own limbs, though it be true that “in God he lives, and moves, and has his being.” When you tell a man to walk, in effect you only tell him to use the power of body which God has given him. He walks, not because he gave himself the power to do so, but because God gave it to him. Now we know the limits under which this can be applied to the soul. Sin has cast its chain, so to speak, about the legs and arms of the soul. If you wish to walk to a neighbouring place, we know of no impediment to your motions; but if you wish to walk to heaven, the case is different. But who gave you the unshackled limbs? God. And if He gives the like power to the soul, why may we not, in like manner, exhort you to make use of it, without being misconstrued? But what is the “lawful and right,” the Christian obedience, required of you? Repentance, faith, holiness. But these imply a thousand particulars, without understanding many of which, it is but giving dark counsel. We spoke of repentance first; but how is a man to perform this “lawful and right” act? How are you to feel sorrow for your sins? You cannot give this sorrow to yourselves; nor can any human being give it you. How then is it to be obtained? In the use, we reply, of God’s appointed means. “Do” them, for they are the “lawful and right” means. Now, we think the appointed way of obtaining repentance is by looking closely at and to Jesus Christ, in connection with what you know of yourselves relative to the past and the present, and what you justly suspect of yourselves for the future. Not that we suppose that any view you can take of Jesus Christ, in connection with His dreadful sufferings for your sins, could move you to real sorrow; but our belief is, that this is the appointed effect of this particular means: if you once look at Christ in this light, He will at the same time regard you for the most merciful of all purposes. Is not every spiritual blessing to be traced up, instrumentally, to Jesus Christ? Repentance certainly is a spiritual blessing; and therefore the proper means are, to come to Him, in the hope that He, by His Spirit, will awaken it within you. If you wait until you are a penitent before you seek for the remedy of the Gospel, you are inverting the only safe order. Come to Jesus Christ in prayer for the gift of repentance: this, we say, is the appointed means. For we are only asking you to exert the power which is given you by God to use His own means, that you may obtain His own blessing. But we pass on to the second act spoken of as “lawful and right” for the salvation of the soul--faith in Jesus Christ. And certainly if repentance is a necessary act of obedience, so is a reliance on the meritorious sacrifice of Jesus Christ. But then what can you do, you yourselves do, in the way of obedience to this injunction? You cannot give yourself faith in Christ, but you can pray for it. You can read the history of His sufferings and death for your sins, with a thoughtful mind; and in that same book in which they are recorded, you can read the only valuable and true history in the world of yourselves. If you desire to see the faithful representation of your countenance, you go to the looking glass; and if you want to see the only real picture of your soul’s condition, read God’s Word for this express purpose, for you will find it nowhere else. By thus using the plain means, so easy of access, for learning what you can of Jesus Christ, and what you can of yourself, you meet God, as it were, in the right road; you go as far as you can go. And as little do we expect that God will go out of His way to withhold His suns, and rains, and winds, for maturing the seed put into the ground with all care, in the use of His own appointed means, as we believe He will withhold the suns, and winds, and rains of His Holy Spirit to bring to ripeness the graces connected with “saving the soul alive” in those who thus do their part towards obtaining them. (J. E. Golding.)

Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions.

Repentance

I. He considereth. The blind, hardened man walks about thinking, speaking, acting, without considering how the Almighty God is regarding him, what are to be the consequences of all his thoughts, words, and ways, to what end he is to come. He considers not what he owes to his God, his Maker, his Redeemer, his Sanctifier, his great Benefactor. He considers not that he shall one day “stand before the judgment seat of Christ, to receive the things done in the body,” to give account of the manner in which he has “rendered unto God the things which are God’s,” the honour, the faithful service, the adoring and grateful love which are due to Him from all His rational creatures. Oh what unspeakably great and glorious things are often poured about the ears of hardened people, without making the least impression on their hearts! Divine justice, creating, redeeming love, the death of Christ the Son of God, the coming of the Holy Ghost, the grand events of the judgment day, heaven, hell, eternity, such things as fully comprehended would fill the whole soul of man, and make him stand motionless with admiration and amazement. See an awakened man, a man “whose heart God hath touched.” The terrible voice of the most just judgment of God has reached him. It has pierced his soul. It has roused him from his deadly lethargy. It has made him think. He exercises his thoughts upon his condition and his prospects. His life is brought before him. He sees how he has lived without God in the world. His sins now begin to appear to him in an awful light. He stands amazed at his dreadful situation. He considereth. How he is to escape the wrath to come. How he is to be restored to the favour of his offended God. How he is to master his sinful nature. How he is to acquire the faith and love, the “holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” All his heart is now engaged in those great considerations; and so vast, so overwhelming they appear, that everything else seems a trifle compared with them. He considers that God is even yet his Maker, that He may still have a regard to the work of His hands; that He has indeed given His Son, that He might be merciful to him. Then he falls down with such feelings as he never before experienced before his God, and pours out of the fulness of his heart confessions of sin, cries for mercy, hopes of pardon, repetitions of God’s promises, prayers for grace and a change of heart, and resolutions of amendment.

II. He turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed. He forthwith begins “in the strength of the Lord,” trusting that His grace will be with him, to leave off every kind of iniquity of language and conduct, to avoid all ungodly society, to check his bad tempers, to resist his vile passions, to devote himself to pious practices, to d course of real, earnest, heartfelt prayer, to diligent, thoughtful, and devout reading of the Scriptures, and to all the duties which he owes to his neighbour. He is not like so many, who “return, but not the Most High;” who make some confessions, offer some prayers, leave off some sins, who are “almost persuaded to be Christians,” who go a little way toward God, but will not go all the way to God, will not become His faithful, consistent, devoted servants. He that really returns to God, really devotes himself to the service of the Lord, considers that he is not his own master, to pick and choose what duty he will do, and what he will leave undone, when he will do his duty, and when he will leave it undone; he considers, that he is “not his own, for he is bought with a price, and must glorify God,” by leaving off every sinful practice, and by the faithful, regular, and consistent discharge of every duty. (R. L. Cotton, M. A.)