Chapter 15
Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation
- Such of the elect as are converted at
riper years, having sometime lived in the
state of nature, and therein served
divers lusts and pleasures, God in their
effectual calling giveth them repentance
unto life.1
- Whereas there is none that doth good,
and sinneth not2 and
the best of men may through the power and
deceitfulness of their corruption
dwelling in them, with the prevalency of
temptation, fall in to greater sins and
provocations, God hath in the covenant of
grace, mercifully provided that believers
so sinning and falling, be renewed
through repentance unto
salvation.3
- This saving repentance is an
evangelical grace,4
whereby a person, being by the Holy
Spirit made sensible of the manifold
evils of his sin, doth by faith in
Christ, humble himself for it, with godly
sorrow, detestation of it, and
self-abhorrency;5
praying for pardon and strength of grace,
with a purpose and endeavour by supplies
of the Spirit to walk before God unto all
well-pleasing in all things.6
- As repentance is to be continued
through the whole course of our lives,
upon the account of the body of death,
and the motions thereof; so it is every
man's duty to repent of his particular
known sins, particularly.
7
- Such is the provision which God hath
made through Christ in the covenant of
grace, for the preservation of believers
unto salvation, that although there is no
sin so small, but it deserves
damnation;8 yet there
is no sin so great that it shall bring
damnation on them that repent;9 which makes the constant
preaching of repentance necessary.
Footnotes:
1. Tit
3:2-5.
2. Ecc
7:20.
3. Lk
22:31-32.
4. Zec
12:10; Ac 11:18.
5. Eze
36:31; 2Co 7:11.
6. Ps
119:6,128.
7. Lk
19:8; 1Ti 1:13,15.
8. Ro
6:23.
9. Isa
1:16-18; 55:7.
©1998 Limerick Free
Baptist Church
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Free Baptist Church of Limerick