The Doctrine of Repentance - Couverture souple

Watson Jr, Thomas

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 1612036139 ISBN 13 : 9781612036137

Editeur : Bottom of the Hill Publishing, 2012

Synopsis

The two great graces essential to a saint in this life, are faith and repentance. These are the two wings by which he flies to heaven. Faith and repentance preserve the spiritual life-as heat and water preserve the physical life. The grace which I am going to discuss is repentance. Thomas Watson was an English preacher and author who obtained great fame preaching until the Restoration when he was ejected as the vicar of St. Stephen's Walbrook for noncomformity. Watson continued to exercise his ministry privately and upon the Declaration of Indulgence in 1672 he obtained a license to preach at the great hall in Crosby House.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

Reader,

The two great graces essential to a saint in this life, are faith and repentance. These are the two wings by which he flies to heaven. Faith and repentance preserve the spiritual life—as heat and water preserve the physical life. The grace which I am going to discuss is repentance. Chrysostom thought that repentance was the fittest subject for him to preach upon before the Emperor. Augustine kept the penitential psalms with him as he lay upon his bed, and he often perused them with tears. Repentance is never out of season; it is of as frequent use as the artificer's tool or the soldier's weapon. If I am not mistaken, practical points are more needful in this age than controversial and disputable matters.

Repentance is purgative—do not fear the working of this pill. "Smite your soul," said Chrysostom, "smite it; it will escape death by that stroke!" How happy it would be, if we were more deeply affected with sin, and our eyes did swim in tears of repentance. We may clearly see the Spirit of God moving in the waters of repentance, which though troubled, are yet pure. Moist tears of repentance dry up sin—and quench the wrath of God. Repentance is the nourisher of piety, the procurer of mercy. The more regret and trouble of spirit we have first at our conversion, the less we shall feel afterwards.

Christians, do you have a sad regret of other things—and not of sin? Worldly tears fall to the earth—but godly tears of repentance are kept in a bottle. "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." (Psalm 56:8). Do not judge holy weeping to be wasted. Tertullian thought he was born for no other end—but to repent. Either sin must drown in the tears of repentance—or the soul must burn in hell.

Let it not be said that repentance is difficult. Things that are excellent deserve labor. Will not a man dig for gold—though it makes him sweat? It is better to go with difficulty to heaven—than with ease to hell! What would the damned give, that they might have a herald sent to them from God, to proclaim forgiveness upon their repentance? What volleys of sighs and groans of repentance, would they send up to heaven? What floods of tears would their eyes pour forth? But it is now too late! They may keep their tears to lament their folly—sooner than to procure God's pity. O that we would therefore, while we are on this side of the grave, make our peace with God! Tomorrow may be our dying day; let this be our repenting day. How we should imitate the saints of old, who embittered their souls and sacrificed their lusts, and put on sackcloth in the hope of white robes. Peter baptized himself with tears; and that devout lady Paula, like a bird of paradise, bemoaned herself and humbled herself to the dust for sin.

Présentation de l'éditeur

Thomas Watson is one of the most famous Puritan preachers in history, and his writings during the 17th century are still read across the world today. He was a prodigious writer whose works include All Things for Good (originally published as A Divine Cordial), The Ten Commandments, and more.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Bottom of the Hill Publishing
• Date d'édition: 2012
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 1612036139
• ISBN 13: 9781612036137
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 96
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: non disponible