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QUESTION 3

"Ver. 10. "For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret.""

What is wordly sorrow, and why is it destructive and of no use?

ANSWER 3

"And then he philosophizeth about it, showing that sorrow is not in all cases a grievous thing, but when it is worldly. And what is worldly? If thou be in sorrow for money, for reputation,for him that is departed, all these are worldly. Wherefore also they work death. For he that is in sorrow for reputation's sake feeleth envy and is driven oftentimes to perish: such sorrow was that which Cain sorrowed, such Esau. By this worldly sorrow then he meaneth that which is to the harm of those that sorrow. For only in respect to sins is sorrow a profitable thing; as is evident in this way. He that sorroweth for loss of wealth repaireth not that damage; he that sorroweth for one deceased raiseth not the dead to life again; he that sorroweth for a sickness, not only is not made well but even aggravates the disease: he that sorroweth for sins, he alone attains some advantage from his sorrow, for he maketh his sins wane and disappear."

QUESTION 4

Godly sorrow occurs once, but wordly sorrow occurs twice. Explain.

ANSWER 4

If we repent of our sins, we will have no need of repentance in the next life - all will be joy. those who sorrow after sinful things in this life will have all the same passions in the next, and will have no means of fulfilling them. Then will their sorrow be great!