The 1900 Primitive Baptist Confession of Faith

• Preface
• General Address
• Chapter I - Of the Holy Scriptures
• Chapter II - Of God and of the Holy Trinity
• Chapter III - Of God's Decree
• Chapter IV - Of Creation
• Chapter V - Of Divine Providence
• Chapter VI - Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof
• Chapter VII - Of God's Covenant
• Chapter VIII - Of Christ the Mediator
• Chapter IX - Of Free Will
• Chapter X - Of Effectual Calling
• Chapter XI - Of Justification
• Chapter XII - Of Adoption
• Chapter XIII - Of Sanctification
• Chapter XIV - Of Saving Faith
• Chapter XV - Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation
• Chapter XVI - Of Good Works
• Chapter XVII - Of The Perseverance Of The Saints
• Chapter XVIII - Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation
• Chapter XIX - Of the Law of God
• Chapter XX - Of the Gospel, and of the Extent of the Grace Thereof
• Chapter XXI - Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience
• Chapter XXII - Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day
• Chapter XXIII - Of Lawful Oaths and Vows
• Chapter XXIV - Of the Civil Magistrate
• Chapter XXV - Of Marriage
• Chapter XXVI - Of the Church
• Chapter XXVII - Of the Communion of Saints
• Chapter XXVIII - Of Baptism and the Lord's Supper
• Chapter XXIX - Of Baptism
• Chapter XXX - Of the Lord's Supper
• Chapter XXXI - Of the State of Man After Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead
• Chapter XXXII - Of the Last Judgment
• Appendix

Chapter XV - Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation

1. Such of the elect as are converted in riper years, having sometime lived in the state of nature, and therein served divers lusts and pleasures, God in their effectual calling giveth them repentance unto life.1

1. Tit 3:2-5.


2. Whereas there is none that doth good and sinneth not,2 and the best of men may, through the power and deceitfulness of their corruption dwelling in them, with the prevalency of temptation, fall in to great sins and provocations; God hath, in the covenant of grace, mercifully provided that believers so sinning and falling be renewed through repentance unto salvation.3

2. Ecc 7:20.
3. Lk 22:31-32.


3. This saving repentance is an evangelical grace,4 whereby a person, being by the Holy Spirit made sensible of the manifold evils of his sin, doth, by faith in Christ, humble himself for it with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self-abhorrency,5 praying for pardon and strength of grace, with a purpose and endeavour, by supplies of the Spirit, to walk before God unto all well-pleasing in all things.6

4. Zec 12:10; Ac 11:18.
5. Eze 36:31; 2Co 7:11.
6. Ps 119:6,128.


4. As repentance is to be continued through the whole course of our lives, upon the account of the body of death, and the motions thereof, so it is every man's duty to repent of his particular known sins particularly.7

7. Lk 19:8; 1Ti 1:13,15.


5. Such is the provision which God hath made through Christ in the covenant of grace for the preservation of believers unto salvation, that although there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation,8 yet there is no sin so great that it shall bring damnation on them that repent,9 which makes the constant preaching of repentance necessary.

8. Ro 6:23.
9. Isa 1:16-18; 55:7.