A Brief Book Summary from Books at a Glance
by Steve West
This book is part of the Banner of Truth’s box set of Puritan Classics. Watson’s original work was first published in 1668.
Table of Contents
Epistle to the Reader
1 A Preliminary Discourse
2 Counterfeit Repentance
3 The Nature of True Repentance (1)
4 The Nature of True Repentance (2)
5 The Reasons Enforcing Repentance, with a Warning to the Impenitent
6 A Serious Exhortation to Repentance
7 Powerful Motives to Repentance
8 Exhortations to Speedy Repentance
9 The Trial of Our Repentance, and Comfort for the Penitent
10 The Removing of the Impediments to Repentance
11 Prescribing Some Means for Repentance (1)
12 Prescribing Some Means for Repentance (2)
Summary
Chapter 1: A Preliminary Discourse
When Paul spoke before King Agrippa, he talked about his way of life before conversion, his incredible conversion to Christ, and his way of life after conversion. He was saved from sin and transformed from a person who hated Christ to a person who loved him and spent his life proclaiming the gospel. In Acts 26:10 Paul reveals his message: “That they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.” Faith and repentance go together; the latter flows from the former. Even if one wants to debate about which comes first, the reality is that there is no salvation apart from repentance. The New Testament is filled with charges to repent; it is a grace apart from which no one has true religion. We are led to repentance through the Word of God when it is wielded as a tool by the Holy Spirit.
Chapter 2: Counterfeit Repentance
In order to understand true repentance, it can be helpful to examine false repentance. There are many people who believe that they have repented but they have not really done so; they have confused another experience with genuine gospel repentance. Being troubled in mind when you feel guilty for sin is not repentance. Agonizing in remorse is likewise short of repentance. People can be terrified by sin and law, but turning to God requires grace. In desperate straits, some will make resolutions not to sin anymore, but in peaceful times the resolution is forgotten because there was no change of heart. Sinners can leave certain sins behind for pragmatic reasons, or they can replace one sin with another. . . .
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