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THE REFLECTIONS OF A PENITENT
THERE is a wide difference between ostentatious sanctity and true piety. Hypocrites always endeavour to attract the attention of the world. The true penitent, on the contrary, affects privacy and retirement: though cheerful before men, his sorrows are deep before God: were his groanings overheard by the world, he would probably be made an object of pity or derision; but God beholds him with pleasure and complacency [Note: Isa_66:2.]. Ephraim, or the ten tribes, are represented in the text as penitent; the secret working of their minds is here opened to our view: and this accords with the experience of every repenting sinner. God then declares how acceptable such repentance is in his sight.
The passage naturally leads us to consider,
I. The reflections of a true penitent—
We first see the state of his mind in the beginning of his repentance—
He reflects on his incorrigibleness in the ways of sin—
[Men seldom turn to God, till subdued by heavy afflictions: nor does the rod at first produce any thing but impatience, The penitent calls to mind his perverseness under such a state. He compares his conduct with an untamed heifer [Note: The bullock, while unaccustomed to the yoke, rebels against the will of his master: though nourished and supported by him, it will not subserve his interests: when chastised, it rebels the more; yea, repeated strokes serve only to inflame its rage, and to call forth its more strenuous resistance: nor will it ever submit, until it be wearied out, and unable to maintain its opposition. Thus the sinner generally fights against God.]. He laments that there is such enmity in his heart against God.]
He pleads with God to turn and convert his soul—
[He feels the necessity of divine grace to change his heart [Note: Joh_6:44.]. He therefore cries to God, “Turn thou me.” He ventures like the prodigal to address God as his God. He urges this relation as a plea to enforce his request.]
We next see the state of his mind in the progress of his repentance—
He reflects upon the progress he has made—
[He has felt very pungent grief on account of his iniquities [Note: This is the import of that significant action of “smiting upon the thigh:” see Eze_21:12.]. Through the remonstrances of his conscience he has been “ashamed.” He has been “even confounded” by discoveries of his own corruptions. His constitutional propensities, which were the reproach of his youth, are still his burthen, and his grief [Note: The expressions of his grief rise in a climax; he repents, he smites on his thigh; he is filled with shame; he is confounded before God. This, though an afflictive process, is a salutary and blessed experience; as it argues deeper self-knowledge, and an increasing view of the purity of God’s law.].]
But he gives the glory of his advancement to God alone—
[He had cried to God for the gift of converting grace. He now acknowledges that grace to have come from God. He ascribes his deeper insight into the corruptions of his own heart to the illuminating operations of God’s Spirit. Thus he adopts from his heart the confessions of Job [Note: Job_40:4.], and of Paul [Note: 1Co_15:10.]—]
How acceptable to God such a penitent is, appears from,
II. The reflections of God over him—
The penitent can scarcely find terms whereby to express his own vileness; but God accounts no honours too great for such a person—
He owns the penitent as a “dear and pleasant child”—
[The lower thoughts we have of ourselves, the higher God has of us, While we are confounded before him, he “rejoices over us with joy.” While we are saying, “Surely such an one as I cannot be a child of God,” He delights in testifying that we are his children [Note: The force of these positive interrogations is the same as if they had been expressed negatively: they import a strong affirmation: see 1Sa_2:27-28.]. God appeals, as it were, to our contrition, in proof that we are his.]
He further expresses his compassionate regard for him—
[The chidings and rebukes of God are all in love [Note: Heb_12:6.]. But the afflicted penitent is apt to complain with Zion of old [Note: Isa_49:14.]—God however never feels for us more than when he hides his face from us. Like a tender parent, he longs to renew to us the tokens of his love [Note: Isa_49:15-16.]. The contrite soul may apply to itself those gracious declarations [Note: Isa_54:7-8.]—]
He promises to manifest his mercy towards him—
[God never will despise the broken in heart [Note: Psa_51:17.]. No past sins, however heinous, snail be remembered against them [Note: Isa_1:18.]. For such God has prepared a glorious inheritance in heaven [Note: Mat_25:34.].]
He grants to him all that he himself could possibly desire—
[What more could the penitent ask of God than an assurance of his adoption into God’s family, a declaration of God’s love towards him, and a promise that he shall find mercy at the last day? Yet these are all expressed in God’s reflections over Ephraim. What inexpressible comfort should this administer to drooping penitents!]
Application—
[Can God testify of us as of Ephraim in the text? — — — If he cannot, we must expect shame, confusion, and agony at the last day [Note: Dan_12:2 and Mat_13:49-50.]. If he can, we are assured of happiness both in this world and the next [Note: Psa_126:5-6.].]