Q. Why is repentance called a grace, and a saving grace ?. A. See the answers before, concerning faith.

Q. Why is it here called repentance unto life?

A. True repentance is so called, Acts 18. because it is a necessary means to attain eternal life; and to distinguish it from the sorrow of the world that worketh death, 2 Cor. vii.

13.

Q. What is that sorrow of the world 2

10

A. It is that which we call a legal repentance, that hath no good effect; being a sorrow only for some gross sin, for fear of wrath; but not a sorrow for all sin as it dishonours God, such as gospel-penitents have...

Q. Can a man by his own natural powers attain to gospelrepentance ?

A. No; for the heart by nature is like a stone, and none but the Spirit of God can take it away and give a heart of flesh, according to Ezek. xxxvi. 26.

Q. What are the parts of true repentance, held forth in the answer?

A. There are six; 1. A true sense of sin. 2. An apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ. 3. A grief for sin. 4. A hatred of sin. 5. A turning from sin, 6. A turning to God and the ways of new obedience.

Q. What is the true sense of sin, which is necessary to repentance unto life?

A. It is a heart affecting discovery of the guilt, malignity, and aggravations of sin, our undone state by it, and our inability to deliver ourselves from it, which wounds and distresses the conscience, and fills the mind with perplexity and restlessness until it can see some ground of hope, Psal. Xxxviii. 3, 4. Acts ii. 37.

Q. Wherefore is such a sense of sin necessary in penitents? A. To make sin hateful, and Christ desirable in their eyes; for it is only such sick souls who will value the physician, Mat. ix. 1, 13..

Q. Are there not many who may be affected with a sense of sin, who never become true penitents?

A. Yes; there is frequently conviction and trouble for sin, without conversion.

Q. What is the difference between the convictions and trouble of unconverted persons, and these of true penitents? A. The convictions and troubles of the one are only for some gross sins, arising from a natural conscience and fears of hell; they are of short continuance, and are cured by natural means:

but the convictions and trouble of the other are for all sins whatsoever, inward and outward, secret and open; they arise from the Holy Spirit, a view of the evil of sin, and the injury done to God thereby; they are abiding, and are only cured by the blood of Christ.

Q. What mean you by the apprehension of the mercy of God, which is needful to true repentance ?

A. That it is needful to bring a lost sinner to true répentance, that he discover that God is merciful, ready to forgive, and willing to be reconciled to repenting and returning prodigals.

Q. Why is this needful?

A. Because without it, a deep sense of sin is ready to overwhelm the soul with despair, as it did Judas.

Q. After what way and manner is the mercy of God discoverable to guilty sinners 2

A. Only in and through Christ the Mediator, who hath given satisfaction to the justice of God for sin.

Q. Can then the general goodness of God, or his absolute mercy, be any relief to convinced sinners ?

4. No, because God is also infinite in justice and holiness, and therefore must be a consuming fire to sinners out of Christ.

Q. What is that true grief for sin which ie necessary to repentance?

A. It is a hearty sorrow and mourning of the soul for com mitting such an abominable thing as sin is; and that mainly because sin hath contemned and dishonoured God, hath crucified Jesus Christ, hath grieved the Holy Spirit, hath deformed and defiled our souls, and hath disabled us from glorifying God, and debarred us from communion with him. Q. What is that hatred of sin which is necessary in true repentance?

A. It is an inward abhorrence of sin as the most abominable thing, and a loathing of ourselves because of it, Jer. xxxi. 19.

Q. Can any who hate sin make a sport of it? A. No. Whence is it that a true penitent doth hate sin? A. Because sin is most hateful to God, it is the murderer of Christ, and an enemy to his own soul,

0.

Q... What kind of hatred doth the true penitent bear to sin? Al It is a deep and implacable hatred, which makes him aim at the utter ruin and extirpation of sin in his soul. 2. It is an universal hatred; for seeing the true penitent doth hate sin as sin, he must hate every sin, whether secret

or open, pleasant or profitable, in himself or in others, Rom. vii. 24, Psal. cxix. 128.

Q. Is not the soul's turning from sin an essential part of true repentance? A. Yes. Q. What kind of turning must it be?

A. 1. It must be a turning from sin in the heart, with a real grief for it, and hatred of it, Psal. xxxviii. 18. Ezek. xxxvi. 31. 2. It must be an universal turning from sin, both in the heart and in the life, without reserving of one known sin, Ezek. xviii. 31. 3. It must be attended with turning to God, and the ways of new obedience, Isa. 1. 16, 17. Isa. Iv. 7.

Q. Is turning from sin always a sure sign of true repentance? A. Not always: for we read of some who turn, but not to the Most High; they may cease to do evil, and not learn to do well; they may turn from one sin to another, from profaneness to superstition, or from presumption to despair, Hos. vii. 16. Jer. iv. 1.

Q. Is not turning from sin, when it is followed with turning to the Lord, a certain evidence of true repentance ? A. Yes; for these two are the very essential parts of it. Q. What is this turning to the Lord which is essential to true repentance?

A. It imports, 1. Our applying to God in Christ for pardon of sin, and cleansing from it. 2. Our making choice of God for our God. 3. Our having the outgoings of our hearts and affections to him, as our portion and happiness. 4. Our giving up ourselves to his service and obedience, Isa. lv. 7. Jer. iii. 22. Isa. xxvi. 8. Psal. cxix. 57, 58, 59,

Q. How may we know if our turning from sin to God be true and real?

A. When it is accompanied with a full purpose of, 'and sincere endeavours after new obedience; for purposes to continue in sin, or negligence in God's service, are inconsistent with true repentance.

Q. Why is the penitent believer's obedience called rew obedience?

A. Because it springs from new principles, faith and love. 2. It is done for new ends, not for worldly interest, but to please God, and to advance his glory. 3. It is performed in a new manner, to wit, with the heart, and by faith looking to Christ for strength to do it, and for righteousness to make it acceptable to God.

Q. What may we think of their repentante, who live in the neglect of duty, or in the practice of sin afterwards 30

A. We may think that their profession of repentance hath not been sincere.

Q. Can any man look for pardon or salvation without repentance?

A. No; for Christ hath expressly told us, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish," Luke xiii. 3.

Q. May a man delay his repentance until he come to a death-bed?

A. By no means; for many die very suddenly, neither have we power of ourselves to repent when we will, and men turn hardened in sin by continuing in it.

Q. Is there room for repentance for old sinners, and these who have been notoriously wicked.

A. Yes; for, if they repent, God hath said, he will 'abun'dantly pardon,' Isa. lv. 7. And we have instances of his doing so, 1 Tim. i. 13, 14, 15.

Q. But how shall we attain to true repentance?

A. We must cry earnestly to God for it, and plead his promises of giving it to these who ask it of him, James i. 5. Ezek. xxxvi. 36, 37. And we must look frequently to Christ crucified, whom we have pierced with our sins, Zech. xii. 10.

Q. Is it not said of Esau, that he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears? Heb. xii. 17. A. It is not said there, that Esau sought the grace of repentance from God to his own soul, but only that he sought of his father Isaac that he might repent of giving the blessing to his brother Jacob; which indeed he could not obtain; but it had been well for him, had he been as careful to seek God's blessing as his father's.

Q. Hath not repentance several counterfeits, which we ought to beware of?

A. Yes; for Saul confessed his sin, Ahab had outward expressions of mourning, Judas and Felix had great convictions and terrors; but none of these did turn from their sins to God in Christ for. mercy.

Q. Do we need repentance only at our first turning to God? A. Believers through their whole lives have need to be daily repenting and making application to Christ's blood, because they are daily sinning by infirmity, and falling short of their duty.

Quest. 88. What are the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption? Ans. The outward and ordinary means, whereby

Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption, are, his ordinances, especially the word, sacraments and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation.

Q. What do you mean by Christ's ordinances here?

A. All these means of grace and salvation which he hath appointed in his word.

Q. May not ordinances of man's appointment be made use of for our spiritual benefit ?

A. No; for these the Spirit of God doth call will worship and vain things, upon which we cannot expect his blessing, Col. ii. 23. Matth. xv. 9.

Q. What are these benefits of redemption which are communicated to us in the use of Christs ordinances?

A. They are many, such as knowledge, conviction, conversion, faith, repentance, pardon, peace, spiritual life, strength, &c.

Q. What are the ordinances of Christ, by which he communicates these benefits to us?

A. They are, the word, the sacraments, prayer, praise, a gospel-ministry, church-government and discipline, religions fasting, vowing, conference, meditation, self-examination, &c. Q. Why are these ordinances called means of grace or salvation?

A. Because by them, or through them, the Holy Spirit conveys grace into his people's souls, and thereby promotes their salvation.

Q. Which of these ordinances doth he chiefly make use of for that end?

A. Especially the word, sacraments and prayer; but not excluding the rest from being also useful that way.

Q. Why are these three called the outward means of salvation ?

A. To distinguish them from meditation, faith, repentance, and such inward means.

Q. Why are they called the ordinary means?

A. Because they are God's common and usual way of conveying grace.

Q. Doth not God sometimes make use of extraordinary means for converting sinners ?

A. Yes; as in the primitive times, he frequently made use of the miraculous gifts of tongues, healing, casting out devils, inflicting judgments, and sometimes voices from heaven