1. That God will not overlook the smallest things that are done for him —
[We have many instances in Scripture of actions rewarded, even where there was little, if any, reference to liim in the minds of the actors. Ebed-melech had some regard to God in the services he rendered to Jeremiah the prophet: Jehu was more actuated by pride than any feeling of true piety : and Ne- buchadnezzar, in his siege of Tyre, had not the least idea that he was doing Jeliovah's work : yet were they all rewarded for the services they performed': and if those of us who have done the least for God would consult the records of their lives, they woidd find that he has in some way or other recompensed to them whatever they have done, and never long continued in their debt.]
2. That he will surely receive every true penitent —
[St. Paul, in reference to the rites of the ceremonial law, argues thus: " If the blood of bulls and of goats availed for the least things, how much more shall the blood of Christ avail for the greatest'^." In like manner we may justly say in reference to the history before us, if the feigned repentance of Ahab availed for the deferring of temporal judgments, how much more shall true repentance avail for the removal of all sins, and for the everlasting salvation of the soul ! Let any one only see how God longs to behold his people returning to
him^, and how he rejoices over them when they do
return"", and we shall not doubt, but that instead of
" willing the death of any sinner, he desires that all should turn from their wickedness and live"." " He will not despise the day of small things"; " but will hear the groans, and regard the sighs, and treasure up the tears, of all who truly turn unto him. He never has said, nor ever wiU, " Seek ye my face in vain."]
We cannot conclude without a few words,
1. Of caution —
[Many there are who conceive that they have repented, because they can look back upon some time when they were humbled before God, either in an hour of sickness, or after some awakening discourse. But those temporary affections of the mind are a very small part of true repentance : they have
i 2 Kings X. 30. Jer. xxxviii. 7 — 10. with xxxix. 15 — 18. Ezek. xxix. 17 — 20.
k Heb. ix. 13, 14. i Luke xv. 5, 9, 23, 24.
"^ Jer. xiii. 27. Hos. viii. 5. and xi. 7, 8.
" Ezek. xxxiii. 11. 1 Tim. ii. 4. 2 Pet. iii. 9. " Hos. iv. 10.