A26982:68
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
Chapter 2 › Section 1: The Author's Profession of his own Repentance.
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.
Sect. 1. The Author's Profession of his own Repentance.
§ 1. HE is unfit to profess himself to be called of God, to call others to Repentance, who is Impenitent himself. And what Man hath a louder Call to Repent from God and Man than I my Self? And should I not be truly willing to know my Sin that I may Repent of it, and to confess it, bewail it, and forsake it when I know it; Conscience would tell me that hereby I should aggravate it, beyond all just excuse. Alas, it hath not been so sweet, so profitable, or friendly to me, that I should take its part, or be loth to leave it. It hath been worse to me every day of my Life, than all the Enemies that ever I had in the World: And since God taught me effectually to know what Sin is, and what God, and Christ, and Grace, and the Hope of Heaven is, and to know my Self, all the Sufferings that ever I have had from Men, from Malice, from Envy, from Persecutors, from Slanderers, have been next to nothing to me, in comparison of what in Soul and Body, I suffer daily for and by my Self and Sin.
§ 2. Therefore I humbly and earnestly beg of that God that is the Hater of Sin and the Father of Lights, that he will not deny me that illuminating convincing Grace, which is needful to make me know the truth of my own Condition, nor that uprightness and tenderness of Heart, which is necessary to my true Humiliation, and that I may not forbear any true Confession, which is necessary to my exercise of Repentance, and to my Forgiveness.