A26982:55
Richard Baxter's penitent confession and his necessary vindication in answer to a book called…
Richard Baxter's penitent confession and his necessary vindication in answer to a book called The second part of the mischiefs of separation, written by an unnamed author with a preface to Mr. Cantianus D. Minimis, in answer to his letter which extorted this publication.
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1691
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Chap. I. The Reasons of the Necessity of REPENTANCE.
§ 1. REPENTANCE is a subject so ordinarily preached or written of, that I will presuppose the Reader acquainted with the meaning of the word: Only here telling you, 1. That it is not mere sorrow for having sinned when the pleasure is past, that I mean. 2. Nor a bare wish that it had not been done. 3. Nor every slight Resolution to do so no more, which time or temptation will soon wear off. 4. Nor the actual forsaking of this or that particular sin. 5. And yet it is not so high a degree as a perfection in sorrowing, hating or forsaking sin.
§ 1. REPENTANCE is a subject so ordinarily preached or written of, that I will presuppose the Reader acquainted with the meaning of the word: Only here telling you, 1. That it is not meer sorrow for having sinned when the pleasure is past, that I mean. 2. Nor a bare wish that it had not been done. 3. Nor every slight Resolution to do so no more, which time or temptation will soon wear off. 4. Nor the actual forsaking of this or that particular sin. 5. And yet it is not so high a degree as a perfection in sorrowing, hating or forsaking sin.
But it is such a self-humbling and self-loathing sense of the inward badness of our Souls, original and further contracted, privative and positive, and of the sinfulness of our Lives by Omissions and Actions, against God, our selves and others, as proceedeth from a rooted Belief of Gods Law, and Gospel, which Christ by his Holy Spirit maketh effectual, to turn the Soul to the Predominant Love and Choice of God as our God, and Christ as our Saviour, and the Holy Ghost as our Sanctifier, and of Heavenly Perfection as our highest End and Hope, and the revealed will of God as our Rule, holy Obedience as our Practice, and the Communion of Saints as our desired Society; with so prevalent a hatred and enmity to sin, that it reigneth not in us, nor live we in any that is inconsistent with the said predominant Love of God and Goodness.] This is the Repentance which I here treat of, though lower degrees that bring Men but to a common Humiliation, Confession and Amendment be better than none, and may tend to prevent some Judgments of God, and prepare Men for better.