Wednesday, May 4, 2022

1679 Baptistic "An Orthodox Creed" addressing "Evangelical Repentance"

An Orthodox Creed, or A Protestant Confession of Faith, Being an Essay to Unite and Confirm All True Protestants in the Fundamental Articles of the Christian Religion, Against the Errors and Heresies of Rome (1679):

 

XXII ARTICLE.

Of evangelical repentance

 

Unfeigned repentance, is an inward and true sorrow of heart for sin, with sincere confession of the same to God, especially that we have offended so gracious a God, and so loving a father, together with a settled purpose of heart, and a careful endeavor to leave all our sins, and to live a more holy and sanctified life, according to all God’s commands, Or it is a turning, ro change of the whole man to God, with endeavour thro’ his grace, to mortify the indwelling lust, or corruptions, and obtain a great reformation both in the outward and inward man, according to the will of God, and this repentance, for the nature of it, must be continued throughout the whole course of our lives, and is wrought in us by the spirit of God; by the ministry of the law and gospel, in order to our obedience to Christ, or being baptized in his name, but this repentance unto life, is not wrought without faith in the soul; for by faith we receive that grace, that perfects, or carrieth on the work of repentance in the soul, from first to last. (William Joseph McGlothlin, Baptist Confessions of Faith [Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1911], 140-41)