heirs of his glory. And the Lord grant that we may then be your joy, and that you may be " our joy and crown of re- joicing" to all eternity"!]
" 1 Thess. ii. 19, 20. and 2 Cor. i. 14.
2 Cor. \'ii. 10, 11. Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salva- tion not to be repented of : hut the sorroiv of the world worketh death. For behold this self- same thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, tvhat carefulness it torought in you, yea, tvhat clearing of yourselves, yea, lohat indignation, yea, tohat fear, yea, ivhat iiehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge ! In all things ye have approved yourselves to he clear in this matter.
IT is sometimes urged against faithful ministers, that they distress the minds of their auditors by their preaching : and it must be confessed that the accusa- tion is true. But it must not be concluded from thence, that they take a pleasure in grieving any, or that they are too harsh in their ministrations : they must declare the mind of God respecting sin and sinners, in order to bring men to repentance : and if they find any persons truly humbled for their sins, they account it the richest reward of their labours.
St. Paul had reproved the Corinthian Church for taking part with the incestuous man, instead of cast- ing him out from their society ^ : and his epistle had been the means of producing in them a godly sorrow, together with a suitable demeanour. When he found this to be the case, he wrote again to them, and told them, that it had pained him exceedingly to grieve any of them ; but that he rejoiced in seeing their grief operate in so beneficial a manner; this godly sorrow had answered the very end of his admonitions; and he was now ready to pour the oil of joy into the wounds which he had inflicted''.
a 1 Cor. V. 1—5, 13. ^ ver. 8, 9.