Question. How many parts be there of Repentance?
Answer. First, we ought to acknowledge and confess our sins before God, and to be heartily sorry, and ashamed that we have offended his Majesty: and earnestly to hate and utterly to abhor sin. This sorrow some call contrition.
Scripture References: Ps. 32:3-5 and 51:3-4; Proverbs 28:13; Luke 15:18, 21; 1 John 1:8-9; Psalm 6:6-7, 28:3-4, 8, 17-18, 31:9-10 and 51:17;
Question. What more?
Answer. Lest the greatness of sorrow should bring us unto desperation, our minds are comforted by Faith, which doth put us in good and certain hope of obtaining pardon of our sins at God’s hand, through Christ our Saviour. And this is that we profess, that we believe the forgiveness of sins.
Scripture References: 1 Cor. 11:31, 2 Cor. 7:9-11; Math. 27:3-4; 2 Cor. 2:6-8; Luke 7:38, 47, 15:18, 20-21, 18:13-14, 23:42-43 and 24:47; Acts 2:37-38, 3:19 and 16:30-31; 1 Tim. 1:15-16.
Question. Is man able in this fear, and these hard distresses, to deliver himself by his own strength.
Answer. Nothing less. For it is only God which strengtheneth man, despairing of his own estate, raiseth him in affliction, restoreth him being in utter misery, and by whole grace the sinner conceiveth this hope, mind, and will, that I speak of.
Scripture References: Psalm 23:3, 30:10, 51:7-8, 10-12, and 80:2-3, 7, 18; Acts 11:18; 2 Cor. 1:3-4; 2 Thess. 2:16, 27; 2 Tim. 1:25; Matthew 22:30; John 11:25-26; 1 Cor. 15