overtaken and surprised by temptations, so as to fall into the com-
The Gospel According to Historic Christianity
with all creatures' insuffi ciency, to recover it out of this estate, and having a discovery and persuasion of Christ's ability and willingness to save, it doth let go all hold on the creatures, and renounce its own righ teous ness, and so lay hold on Christ, rely upon him, and put confi dence in him, and in him alone, for salvation.
Q. What is repentance unto life?
A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavour aft er, new obedience.
Q. 3. Wherein doth repentance unto life consist?
A. Repentance unto life doth chiefl y consist in two things — 1. In turning from sin, and forsaking it. "Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions: so iniquity shall not be your ruin." — Ezek. xviii. 30. "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whose confesseth and forsaketh them shall fi nd mercy." — Prov. xxviii. 13. 2. In turning unto God. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrigh teous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." — Isa. lv. 7.
Q. 15. What is that turning from sin which is part of true repen-
tance?
A. Th e turning from sin which is a part of true repentance, doth consist in two things — 1. In a turning from all gross sins, in regard of our course and conversation. 2. In a turning from all other sins, in regard of our hearts and aff ections.
Q. 16. Do such as truly repent of sin never return again unto the
practice of the same sins which they have repented of?
A. 1. Such as have truly repented of sin do never return unto the practice of it, so as to live in a course of sin, as they did before; and where any, aft er repentance, do return unto a course of sin, it is an evident sign that their repentance was not of the right kind. 2. Some have truly repented of their sins, although they may be overtaken and surprised by temptations, so as to fall into the commission of the same sins which they have repented of, yet they do