Chapter 16: Of Good Works

6: Notwithstanding, the persons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in Him;^[324] not as though they were in this life wholly unblamable and unreproveable in God’s sight;^[325] but that He, looking upon them in His Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere, although accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfections.^[326]

Chapter 16: Of Good Works

5: We cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin, or eternal life at the hand of God, by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come; and the infinite distance that is between us and God, whom, by them, we can neither profit, nor satisfy for the debt of our former sins,^[320]but when we have done all we can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable servants:^[321] and because, as they are good, they proceed from His Spirit,^[322] and as they are wrought by us, they are defiled, and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection, that they cannot endure the severity of God’s judgment.^[323]

Chapter 16: Of Good Works

4: They who, in their obedience, attain to the greatest height which is possible in this life, are so far from being able to supererogate, and to do more than God requires, as that they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do.^[319]

Chapter 16: Of Good Works

3: Their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ.^[316] And that they may be enabled thereunto, beside the graces they have already received, there is required an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit, to work in them to will, and to do, of His good pleasure:^[317] yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any duty unless upon a special motion of the Spirit; but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them.^[318]

Chapter 16: Of Good Works

2: These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith:^[307] and by them believers manifest their thankfulness,^[308] strengthen their assurance,^[309] edify their brethren,^[310] adorn the profession of the Gospel,^[311] stop the mouths of the adversaries,^[312] and glorify God,^[313]whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto,^[314]that, having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end, eternal life.^[315]

Chapter 16: Of Good Works

1: Good works are only such as God has commanded in His holy Word,^[305] and not such as, without the warrant thereof, are devised by men, out of blind zeal, or upon any pretence of good intention.^[306]

Chapter 15: Of Repentance unto Life

6: As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God, praying for the pardon thereof;^[301] upon which, and the forsaking of them, he shall find mercy;^[302] so, he that scandalizes his brother, or the Church of Christ, ought to be willing, by a private or public confession, and sorrow for his sin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended,^[303] who are thereupon to be reconciled to him, and in love to receive him.^[304]

Chapter 15: Of Repentance unto Life

5: Man ought not to content themselves with a general repentance, but it is every man’s duty to endeavour to repent of his particular sins, particularly.^[300]

Chapter 15: Of Repentance unto Life

4: As there is no sin so small, but it deserves damnation;^[298] so there is no sin so great, that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent.^[299]

Chapter 15: Of Repentance unto Life

3: Although repentance is not to be rested in, as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof,^[295] which is the act of God’s free grace in Christ,^[296] yet it is of such necessity to all sinners, that none may expect pardon without it.^[297]

Q. 76. What is repentance unto life?
A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace,^[320] wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit^[321] and Word of God,^[322] whereby, out of the sight and sense, not only of the danger,^[323] but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins,^[324] and upon the apprehension of God’s mercy in Christ to such as are penitent,^[325] he so grieves for^[326] and hates his sins,^[327] as that he turns from them all to God,^[328] purposing and endeavouring constantly to walk with him in all the ways of new obedience.^[329]

Westminster Shorter Catechism

Q. 87. What is repentance unto life?
A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace,^[180] whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ,^[181] doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God,^[182] with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience.^[183]

Chapter 15: Of Repentance unto Life

2: By it, a sinner, out of the sight and sense not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature, and righteous law of God; and upon the apprehension of His mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, so grieves for, and hates his sins, as to turn from them all unto God,^[293] purposing and endeavouring to walk with Him in all the ways of His commandments.^[294]

Chapter 15: Of Repentance unto Life

1: Repentance unto life is an evangelical grace,^[291] the doctrine whereof is to be preached by every minister of the Gospel, as well as that of faith in Christ.^[292]

Chapter 14: Of Saving Faith

3: This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong;^[287] may be often and many ways assailed, and weakened, but gets the victory:^[288] growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance, through Christ,^[289] who is both the author and finisher of our faith.^[290]