sauce that makes all other mercies relish the sweeter ; it sweetens our health, riches, honour. David had a crown of pure gold set upon his head, Ps. xxi. 3. But that which David did most bless God for was, not that God had set a crown of gold upon his head, but that God set a crown of mer- cy upon his head : Ps. ciii. 4., " Who crowneth thee with mercies." But what was this crown of mercy ? You may see, V. 3., " Who forgivetli all thine iniquities." David more rejoiced that he was crowned \\\\\\ forgiveness, than tliat he wore a crown of pure gold. Now, what is it makes way for pardon of sin, but repentance ? When David's soul was humbled and bro- ken, then the prophet Nathan brought him that good news, 2 Sam. xii. 13., " The Lord hath put away thy sin."
Ouj. Bid sure, my sins are so great, that if I should repent, God uonld not pardon them.
Ans. God will not go from bis promise : Jer. iii. 12., "Return thou backsliding Is- rael, saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you, for I am mer- ciful." If thy sins are as rocks, yet upon thy repentance, the sea of God's mercy can drown these rocks, Isa. i. 16., "Wash you, make you clean." Wash in the laver of repentance, v. 18,, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord : though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." Manasseh was a crimson sinner ; but when he humbled himself greatly, the golden sceptre of mercy was held forth ; when his head was a fountain to weep for sin, Christ's side was a foun tain to wash away sin. 'Tis not the great- ness of sin, but impenitency, destroys. The Jews, some of them that had an hand in crucifying Christ, upon their repentance, the blood they shed was a sovereign balm to heal them. AVhen the prodigal camo home to his father, he had the robe and the ring put u])on him, and his " father kissed him," Luke xv. If you break off your sins, (jiod will become a friend to you ; all that is in (iod shall be yours ; his power shall be yours, to help you, — his Avisdom shall be yours, to counsel you, — his Spirit shall be yours, to sanctify you, — his promises shall be yours, to comfort you, — his angels
THE WORD READ AND PREACHED. HOW EFFECTUAL.
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shall be yours, to guard you, — his mercy shall be yours, to save you.
4. There's mucli sweetness in repenting tears. The soul is never more enlarged and inwardly delijrhted than when it can melt kindly for sin. Weeping days are festival dnys. Tlie Hebrew word to repent, 7/ic/ifim, signifies, consolan, ' to take com- fort,* John xvi. 20., " Your sorrow shall be turned into joy." Christ turns the wjiter of tears into wine. David, who was the great mourner in Israel, was the sweet singer ; and the joy a true penitent finds, is a prelibaticm and foretaste of the joy of paradise. The wicked man's joy turns to sadness ; the penitent's sadness turns to joy. Though repentance seems at first to be thorny and bitter, yet of this thorn a Christian gathers grapes. All which con- siderations may open a vein of godly sor- row in our souls, that we may both weep for sin, and turn from sin. If ever God restores comfort, it is to his mourners, Isa. Ivii. 18. And when we have wept, let us look up to Christ's blood for pardon. Say, as that holy man, hwa Domine lachrynias mens, — " Lord, wash my tears, in thy blood !" W^e drop sin with our tears, and
need Christ's blood to wash them ; and this repentance must be not only for a few days, like the mourning for a friend, which is soon over ; but it must be the work of our lives ; tlie issue of godly sorrow must not be stopt till death. After sin is pardoned, we must repent. We run afresh upon the score ; " we sin daily, therefore must re- pent daily." Some shed a few tears for sin ; and when their tears, like the widow's oil, have run a while they cease. Many, if the plaster of repentance begin to smart a little, pluck it off; whereas this plaster of repentance must still lie on, and not be plucked off till death ; when, as all other tears, so these of godly sorrow, shall be wiped away.
Quest. IVhat shall we do to obtain a peni- tent iol frame oj" heart?
Ans. Seek to God for it. It is his pro- mise to give an ' heart of flesh,' Ezek. XXX vi., and to pour on us a spirit of mourn- ing, Zeeh. xii. 10. Beg God's ' Holy Spi- rit.' Ps. cxlvii. 18., " He causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow." When the wind of God's Spirit blows upon us, then tlie waters of repentant tears will flow from us.
THE WORD READ AND PREACHED, HOW EFFECTUAL.
III. THE third way to escape the wrath and curse of God, and obtain the benefit of redempti<m by Christ, is, " The diligent use of ordinances," in particulai*, " the word, Kacraments, and prayer."
I begin \\ ith the first of these ordinances.
1. The "word," 1 Thes. ii. 13.,—" which efl'octually worketh in you that believe."
Quest. JVhat is meant by the word's work- ing effectually?