The Doctrine of Repentance

5. Repenting tears are delicious; they¹ may be compared to myrrh, which though it be bitter in taste, it hath a sweet smell, and refresheth the spirits: So Repentance, though it be bitter in it self, yet it is sweet in the effects; it brings inward peace. The soul is never more enlarged, and inwardly delighted, than when it can kindly melt. Alexander upon the safe return of his Admiral Nearchus from a long voyage wept for joy^*. How oft do the Saints fall a weeping for joy! The Hebrew word to repent, signifies³ to take comfort *. None so joyful as the penitent. Tears (as the Philosopher notes) have four qualities; they are moist, salt, hot, bitter. 'Tis true of repenting tears; they are hot, to warm a frozen conscience; moist, to soften an hard heart; salt, to season a soul putrefying in sin; bitter, to wean us from the love of the world. And I will add a fifth they are sweet, in that they make the heart inwardly rejoice, Joh. 16. 22. Your sorrow shall be turned into joy. Let a man (saith Austin) grieve for his sin, and rejoice for his grief. Tears are the best sweet-meats^* David who was the great weeper in Israel, was the sweet singer o• ⟨p. 105⟩Israel. The sorrows of the penitent are like the sorrows of a travelling woman, Joh. 16. 21. A woman in travel hath sorrow, but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. So the sorrows of humbled sinners bring forth grace, and what joy is there when this manchild is born!⁵

5. Repenting tears are delitious; they¹