The Truly Blessed Man, Part 1 · Section 4
Pardon removes the load … Sin from the Sinner.
DOCTRINE. III.
GOD, in pardoning of Sin, removes the lo… of it from the Sinner. There are thr… words uſed in our Text, by which this forgivene… is expreſſed, which do ſet it out emphatically, … the opening whereof will help to diſcover th… excellency of this benefit. We obſerved that th… word tranſlated forgiven, ſignifies to take a thi… off, and is a metaphor from an heavy load th… oppreſſeth one: Such is ſin here ſuppoſed to b… and pardon to give the man eaſe, by taking … off from him.
There are two Propoſitions here to be take… notice of, viz.
1. That the Guilt of Sin is an exceeding heav… burden.
2. That Forgiveneſs removes this burden fro… the Sinner.
1. That the Guilt of Sin is an exceeding heavy burden.
Sin, as light as the moſt of men make of it, is an oppreſſing, and intollerable load, and it is Guilt that makes it ſo; the truth of this concluſion will appear from the conſideration of three things.
1. From the nature of Guilt it ſelf; and indeed there need no more but this to clear the truth in hand.
In the Demonſtration of this, I ſhall not inſiſt largely; Guilt is properly an obligation lying upon a Sinner to ſuffer puniſhment: and it falls upon him as ſoon as he hath by Sin made himſelf obnoxious. It properly ariſeth from the relation which he bears to the Law of God. All mankind originally are the Subjects of the Law, and by the Tranſgreſſion of it they are denominated Sinners, 1 Joh. 3. 4. Now there is in the Law a threatning of puniſhment denounced againſt the man, in caſe of his ſinning; and by vertue of this threatning, as ſoon as the man is chargeable with Sin, he is under that Sentence by which the puniſhment becomes due to him, and is judicially laid upon him; and it is truly and properly the Guilt under conſideration. We are to diſtinguiſh between the Sentence of the Law, and of the Judge; the former renders the man Guilty in his ſtate, the latter doth but declare him to be ſo, and accordingly adjudge him to puniſhment; the Verdict of the Jury doth not make the man guilty, but finds him ſo; and if he were not ſo before, it is a falſe Verdict. Now this muſt needs be an heavy weight; and will appear ſo, if we conſider, that the whole puniſhmen… that is due to, and deſerved by ſin, is hereby laid upon the Sinner, and he is held faſt to the ſuffering of it: and he that ſhall read a… the Curſes of the Law, and the fearful thing… that are therein threatned muſt needs ſay th… they are unconceivably heavy, and enough … make the ſtouteſt Sinner to ſink under them … theſe, when they ſhall come to be born, will … found unſupportable: and it muſt needs be ve… oppreſſive to have them charged upon the ma… ſo as Guilt doth; for a man to read over … the Curſes of the book of God, and have … Conſcience to tell him, this is thy portion, th… art the man againſt whom this doom is out, a… muſt expect every moment when it will f… upon thee, is extreamly oppreſſive: and y… this is the nature of Guilt; but this will … farther illuſtrated in the next thing.
2. From the bitter groans and complaints … thoſe who have been under the apprehenſion … the guilt of Sin. How have they cried out … oppreſſed, and ſinking under their burden, wh… nothing elſe hath ailed them, but only God ha… awakned them, and charged their ſins heavy up… their Conſciences, with the diſcovery of his t… rors, or that Wrath which was out againſt the… for their ſin? this may be exemplified in th… reſpects.
1. The reſentment that impenitent Sinners have had of this Guilt, when awakned. God hath left us ſome inſtances of it, and teſtimonies about it in his word for our admonition. How was it with Cain when his doom was paſt upon him? Gen. 4. 13. and whence aroſe that deſpairing concluſion of his, but from the weight of his Guilt? and how was it with Judas upon this account? Mat. 28. begiu. out of doubt it was the intollerableneſs of the oppreſſion of his Guilt that drave him to hang himſelf; and whence are thoſe fearful expoſtulations of Sinners? Iſa. 33. 14. Who among us ſhall dwell, &c. and in how many doth God inſtance this truth, that a Conſcience throughly wounded with Guilt, is a thing that cannot be born, but ſinks the man under it, more than if he had a mountain lying upon him, according to Prov. 18. 14. A wounded ſpirit who can bear?
2. The preſſure that men have been under by reaſon of one ſin laid upon them. God ſometimes, by Conſcience, chargeth one particular ſin upon a man, and when he doth it …ome, it is too much for him, eſpecially when it is ſome great …nd horrid ſin; or if the Conſcience doth ſo re…ent it; and we find not that Cain was in diſtreſs …n account of any other ſin but his Murder, or Judas for any thing beſides his betraying his inno…nt Maſter; and yet how Tragical was it to …em? what then muſt it be to be under the …ad of innumerable Sins? to have the firſt …reat tranſgreſſion charged on them, and that O…ginal Sin which hath all abominations in it, and a life full of uncountable and aggravated actual prevarications: certainly every one muſt add its proportionable weight.
3. The diſtreſs that hath been upon Gods own Children, when they have been under the dread of Guilt. I ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak of this in the following verſes; a touch may here ſuffice. It is certain, that Guilt, in the proper leg… notion of it, is removed from all Gods Children… in what ſenſe they may be ſaid to be guilty, is… matter of after enquiry; but this is certain, th… they many times have a ſad apprehenſion of Gui… upon them, and it is a ſinking thing to them, an… they cannot tell how to ſtand under it: they … out of it terribly, it is a burden too heavy, a… makes them to roar, Pſal. 38. 4, 6, 8. and ho… had David his bones broken by this weight falli… upon them? Pſal. 51. 8. yea, how doth it ma… him to cry out to be delivered from this Guilt, v… 14. and what was it but our Guilt charged … our Lord Chriſt, that made him in ſuch a blo… dy agony?
3. From the efficacy of it, if it be not rem… ed; if this Guilt abide upon the Sinner, and … not taken off from him, it will unavoida… ſink him down into the depth of miſeri… and all the ſtrength of the whole Creation … not able to ſupport him againſt it. It is G… that brings Sinners to Everlaſting Burnings; a… all their refuges of lies will not ſave them the… from. It is Guilt that makes men that they ca… not ſtand in the Judgment, Pſal. 1. 5. and thi… from the weight of it. This is the Talent of lead that will ſink them into Eternal Perdition: Needs then muſt it be beyond meaſure heavy.
Obj. If any ſhould here demur and ſay, how can this be? who are more eaſy and jocund than Guilty Sinners? do we not dayly ſee the vileſt of men the moſt unconcerned; they look as if nothing oppreſſed them, but live careleſs and confident: and how could they do ſo, if ſuch a burden were on them?
A. There may be a fair account given of this; for,
1. There is a Spiritual Death, under which natural men are; and lay never ſo much weight upon one that is dead, he feels it not. Carnal Security is one thing belonging to this death, which renders men ſtupid and regardleſs: and it is a …uniſhment upon Sinners, keeping them under Guilt, which if they did feel the burden of, they would ſeek after relief; and therefore it is many times judicially encreaſed, as Iſa. 6. 9, 10.
2. There is a falſe eaſe which many have got…en, that takes off the ſenſe of this burden. They …hink they have gotten it removed, and that …leaſeth them. Some are perſwaded by Satan …o think there is no danger, God will not pu…iſh them for their Sins; and ſo their Guilt …oubleth them not; to ſuch God ſpeaks, in Iſa. …4. 4. Fury is not in me: q. d. You think I will …ot puniſh you. Some think themſelves well …eltered under their refuges of lies, Iſa. 28. 14. Others pleaſe themſelves with ſome legal work that hath paſt upon them, thinking that they have gotten a pardon, and that quiets them: or they reſt upon their outward priviledges, Crying The Temple of the Lord, which for the preſent keeps them from reſenting their burden.
3. We do not know always how it is within with theſe that carry a ſhew of mirth and quietneſs. The wiſe man tells us, Prov. 14. 13. Even in laughter the heart is ſorrowful. And certainly there are many that put on a bold face, and hide their troubles, who yet have fearful girdings in their Conſciences, and carry a terrible load on them, which they know not how to ſtand under, but it pincheth them intolerably. Hence we have that awful remark, Job 15. 20, 21. The wicked man travelleth with pain all his dayes, &c. And eve… and anon they cannot hide it with all their endeavours, but it will make ſome diſcoveries.
4. That God will ſooner or later make every Sinner to feel this burden. The few inſtances w… have of this, tell us what is their Condition; an… God, will, either in this life, or at death, or afte… it, lay it on ſo as they ſhall feel it terrible. The… is never a Sinner Converted to God, but hath h… of this experience, this was it that made him … to Chriſt, this put him into dread, made him g… about under horrours, till he gat a pardon. Stan… by the bed ſide of ſome dying Sinners, and y… ſhall hear thoſe bitter complaints, that will co… firm the truth in hand; and the reſt is known … them that are gone to the place of Torments.
2. That forgiveneſs removes this burden from the Sinner: it takes off this heavy weight from him; this is the proper and genuine effect of pardon of Sin. This will be evident in the Conſideration of theſe things.
1. The wrath of God lying upon Sinners is that which is the great burden of Sin. It is true, Sin it ſelf is a vile, odious, filthy thing, and that which no gracious Soul can endure, but deſires to be rid of, and delivered from: but the diſtreſs that is in it, is that the Great God is offended by it, and that he is angry at the Sinner: hence the great Complaints of Gods Children themſelves, is about the Lying of wrath heavy upon them, Pſal. 88. 7, 16. 89. 46. 90. 7, 9, 11. To have that God, whoſe Voice makes the hills to quake, and mountains to tremble: that God, whoſe fury when it burns is a fire unquenchable, to be angry at us; this is that which we cannot bear: all the rage of men and devils is nothing in compariſon with that. Ezek. 22. 14. Can thine heart endure? Can thine hands be ſtrong, &c
2. That which lays this burden on the Sinner is his Guilt. But for that he would not be concerned in it. God is angry at nothing but Sin, and Sinners for it: and that which brings them under this wrath is their Sin, that hath engaged his Revenging Juſtice againſt them, on account of his Law, by which he Governs the reaſonable Creature. Gods anger, as it is an Attribute in him, would hurt none of his Creatures, but if they become the butt againſt which it ſhooteth its arrows, then they have put themſelves in the way of it, and woe to them; and none but Guilty Sinners ſo do. The holy Angels have no burden by it, it never toucheth or comes near them: they that are reconciled to God in and through Chriſt, by the application of his Blood to them, cannot be hurt by it: No, it is the Sentence, which tells the Sinner, from the Mouth of an Holy, and True God, Thou muſt dy; this, this is the burden: and what is it that receives this, but a Conſcience convicted of Guilt?
3. Hence as long as this Guilt abides, he muſt needs be under that load. This is it that chains him down to it, which Concludes him under it: let him be otherwiſe circumſtanced to his hearts deſire, yet all avails not; Guilt maintains the Curſe againſt him; Guilt for all pronounceth him a man of Death; whiles he is under Guilt the Law is his enemy, it thundereth out its threatnings againſt him, and he is every moment expoſed to feel the dint of the Curſe. Pſal. 7. 11. And it is certain, that if it abide it will ſooner or later work his bane: the arrow is upon the ſtring, ready to fly, and bath it ſelf in his hearts blood. Verſe 12… 13. And hence there is no Peace to be hoped fo… in this Condition. Iſa. 57. ult.
4. God, in pardoning the Sinner takes off thi… Guilt from him: This is the great benefit tha… comes in to him by it. And here obſerve.
1. That pardon bears a proper reſpect to Guil… There are ſeveral Conſiderations under which Si… cometh, but of them all, that which a pardon … concerned about and extends to, is Guilt. It doth nothing to the taking away the being of Sin, to the removing of the defilement of it; that belongs to Sanctification; but it is converſant about the Guilt. Pardon is the act of the Judge, and it reſpects the Crime, as it expoſeth the Sinner to puniſhment, and that ariſeth from his Guilt.
2. Hence, in it, the Sentence of the Law Condemning him is removed: This is the very thing it doth: The penalty of the Law was Death, and he, by being expoſed to it, was a man of Death; but a pardon brings with it a revoking of that Sentence. God, when he pardons the Sinner, ſaith that he ſhall not Dy but Live; the Curſe of the Law ſhall not take place upon him, but he ſhall be delivered from it. It is excellently expreſſed. Job 33 24. Deliver him from going down to the pit. Hence that concluſion, Rom. 8. 1. There is now no more Condemnation: the Sin remains; for that which hath once been done, cannot be undone: the merit abides; it will be for ever true, That the man hath done things worthy of Death: but the Sentence it ſelf is revoked. How this is done, conſiſtent with the Juſtice of God, will be enquired in a following Doctrine: but ſo it is; a pardoned man is out of the reach of the Law in its Curſes: He is for ever delivered from his Judge.
3. Hereupon, in the account of the Law, his Sins are as if they had never been. When Guilt is tranſlated by a pardon, the Law hath no more to charge the man with, than if he had never committed any Sin at all. It is true, he hath reaſon to remember his faults, and to be humbled for them, but the Law hath diſcharged him: and this is part of the meaning of that, Rom. 6. 14. Sin ſhall not have dominion over you; for you are not under the Law: Sin doth not reign to death in ſuch an one: the pardoned Sinner is made the Righteouſneſs of God, in Chriſt, 2 Cor. 5. 21. and this is the meaning of that ſtrange expreſſion, Numb. 23. 21. He hath ſeen no iniquity in Jacob, nor perverſeneſs in Iſrael; it cannot be intended of his Omniſcience, for, if there be any ſins committed by his people, as cetainly there are, he muſt needs ſo ſee and know them. Nor can it be intended of his dealing with them in the Diſcipline of the New-Covenant, for ſo he both ſeeth and is diſpleaſed at the bold tranſgreſſion of his Children, 2 Sam. 11. ult. The thing that David did diſpleaſed the Lord; and he corrects them ſeverely on this account, as he did David. It muſt therefore aim at him as a Judge; he ſeeth nothing in them for which to condemn them, and why ſo, but becauſe their Guilt is removed?
4. This makes way for the eaſing Conſcience of its load. It is true, as there are ſome whoſe Sins ly upon them, and they are inſenſible of it, as was before obſerved; ſo there are ſome whoſe Sins are taken off by this forgiveneſs, and yet they feel burden by them, becauſe they have not the clear apprehenſion of a Pardon, ſealed in their Conſciences. The thing may be done, and they not know it, but be afraid about it; hence to the eaſing of the mind, there is neceſſary, the inward aſſurance, witneſſed by the Spirit of God, in the …earts of his people: but the foundation of it is …id here. When a pardon is written, ſigned and …aled in Heaven, the man is put out of danger, …d the thing it ſelf is done, which is afterwards …itneſſed to, and confirmed in him; and his ſtate … the ſame before and after this Aſsurance, though …e comfort of it is ſo enjoyed, which the Pſal…iſt prays for, Pſal. 51. 12. Restore unto me the joy of …y Salvation.
USE I. This may afford a word of A…akening to all Unpardoned Sinners, and let all …ch be ſolemnly adviſed to liſten to the truth in …nd: And there is a double awakening that I …ave to offer to all ſuch.
1. Be awakened to ſee and be affected with …our preſent miſery. Take heed of ſleeping in …rnal ſecurity; you have little reaſon for it, if …ou underſtand how the caſe is with you. Con…der then,
1. You are under Guilt. Who is there in the World, that can waſh his hands from being a ſin…l creature? It is the Wiſe mans challenge, Prov. …0. 9. Who can ſay I am pure from my ſins? and I …are every Soul to whom this Doctrine may …ome, to make an anſwer to it; and if Sin can …e charged on you, how can you excuſe your …lves from being Guilty, except you have alrea…y obtained a pardon? You are in your natural …tate under the Law; and your outward relati…n to the Goſpel doth not diſcharge you from it, how vainly ſoever you pleaſe your ſelves with it… and if ſo, conſider, Rom. 3. 19. Every mouth ſh… be stopped, and all the world found Guilty: Tha… Law which hath hold on you, ſaith that the S… that ſins ſhall dy; and you ſtand under this ver… relation to it: You are bound over to ſuff… death, not Temporal only, but Eternal too; an… this obligation is ſo ſtrong, that you cannot brea… it; and is not this Guilt?
2. This is a fearful burden, whether you a… prehend it to be ſo or no, it is ſo in it ſelf, an… will be ſooner or later experienced ſo to be … you. Who can tell the weight of all theſe fear… Curſes which God hath in his righteous Law, d… clared againſt thoſe that are under the Guilt … Sin? ask thoſe that have felt it, under the T… rors of an awakened Conſcience, and they w… tell you, that if all the mountains in the Wo… had lain upon them, it could not have been mo… heavy. It contains in it the Wrath of that G… before whom the Devils tremble, whoſe Hand … Omnipotent, a frown of whoſe Countenance … able to diſſolve the Creation, whoſe Rebuke … blaſt the Creature at once, Pſal. 31. 11.
3. If therefore this Guilt abide on you, it … ſink you into perdition. It will be your unavo… able and everlaſting ruine; the fire of the Wra… which is kindled by it, will, if not put out by … grace, burn to the uttermoſt hell: it will ne… leave till it hath cruſhed you down into the b… tomleſs pit; however you may ſeem to ſtout… out for the preſent, you will certainly fall befo… …, and a fearful fall it will give you. It will be … dreadful thing to go out of the World under …e Guilt of all that Sin which you are to be …arged withal; and when you come to look …er into Eternity, as ere long you will, and feel … your Sins lying on you, you would give ten …ouſand worlds, if you had them to diſpoſe of, … be delivered from under the weight of them. …h that you would ſee and believe it!
2. Be adviſed to go to God for pardon. One …ould think that the conſideration of the weight …f Sin lying upon them, were enough to put …nners on asking earneſtly how they may get it …moved: now be directed to ask it of God, …d wait on him for it: And to move you here…, Conſider;
1. There is no other way to be diſcharged of …is burden. It is only by a pardon that it can …e done, and if you think of any other courſe, …ou deceive your ſelves. As long as the Sen…nce is out againſt you, dooming you to dy, and …e Juſtice of God ſtands engaged to the Executi…n of it, your ſins do and will ly upon you. It … not all your legal repentances, reformations, …bſtinences from the acts of ſin, that will turn to …ny account; you are condemned ſtill, except the …udgment be revoked; and what quiet or com…ort can you enjoy as long as it is ſo? ſurely Sin …uſt ly heavy, while you are in this condition.
2. There is forgiveneſs with him: This is the …nly relief againſt an accuſing and condemning Conſcience, Pſal. 130. 3, 4. How this comes to be, and how wonderfully he hath laid in for it, will be hereafter conſidered: but he hath a ſtock of forgiveneſs; he can be juſt, and justify, Rom. 3. 26. he can abundantly pardon, Iſa. 55. 7. and h… alone can do it; there is none elſe in the wor… that can give you a pardon, but he: if he d… not forgive you, if all the men and Angels in th… world ſhould do it, it would ſignify nothing … all.
3. He makes the offer of a pardon to you. … doth not only wait to ſee if you will come an… ask it of him, but he ſends to you a Meſſage … bout it; he hath commanded that you ſhould … told about it, and pleaded with to accept of … he hath ſent an Embaſſy to you by his Servan… who are to entreat you to entertain it, 2 Cor. … 20. and he is, all this day of his patience, wa… ing to ſee whether you will embrace it or n… and why will ye'dy? why will you not ſeek … have your burden thus taken off, but rather ch… to bear it, though it will overwhelm you … endleſs Deſtruction?
USE II. Let it be for Examination. T… we by this whether the burden of our Sins … indeed removed off from us. It is a very deſira… thing to be known; and there is a Rule … judgment about it; be perſwaded to be ſole… in it. Hence conſider;
1. There are thoſe that are miſtaken; th… find eaſe upon their ſpirits, and they have … hope that their ſins are diſcharged, they wo… perſwade themſelves that they have received …emiſſion of them, when there is no ſuch …hing: and there are a great many cheats that Satan and their falſe hearts do put on them in …his regard, and perſwade them to cry peace to …hemſelves when there is no peace. You have …eed then to be very heedful in this reſpect.
2. A miſtake on this account is very perilous. …f whiles we pleaſe our ſelves with a dream of …ardon, and peace, and quiet our ſelves in it, whiles we are indeed in the gall of bitterneſs, and …ond of iniquity, we looſe our opportunity of ſeek…ng it, are held faſt under our Guilt, and live in …azard every day of dropping into the pit from whence there is no delivery. Let us then take diligent heed on this account, leſt we rue it when …oo late; and for Rules of Trial.
1. Did you ever find Sin to be your great burden? I know that the Spirit of God acts diverſly …s to the degrees of terror which he excites …n the Conſciences of thoſe whom he Converts; …ut I am ſure that he makes ſin our burden in …rder to his taking of it off from us; an evil and a bitter thing, Jer. 2. 19. he firſt lays it on …n Conviction, before he removes it in pardon. I ſpeak of thoſe that grow to years of underſtanding. If then you are ſtrangers to this, and know not what it means, you have reaſon to think that your Guilt abides on you.
2. Have you truly gone to God for forgiveneſs? all other attempts are vain and unprofitable; he hath it in his diſpoſal, and will not put it out of his own hands. Jeſus Chriſt, who is God, is the diſpenſer of it, and the invitation is to come to him if we would obtain it. Hav… you ſo done? and if you have, you have relinquiſhed all other objects of truſt and confidence… your former eſſays are no more purſued but rejected: he hath ſaid that he will be ſought to … the houſe of Iſrael for this. Have you then hea… kened to his Call? and ſee that you be not m… ſtaken in this; it is not every perfunctory prayer will prove it; it is not every pretended accep… ing of the offered pardon, that will amount … this: there is a ſo coming requiſite. Hence,
3. Have you caſt your ſelves on free grace … it? There is a vaſt difference between a perſo… being acquitted upon a payment, and upon … pardon. It may be you have thought you ha… mourned, repented, forſaken your ſins, and no… you have gone in reliance upon theſe for pardo… this is a contradiction; a pardon is a free act … one that hath the power to give it; and if y… have gotten it, you went for it, with an alo… reliance on that Grace of his, which was reveal… to you for your encouragement: you went w… but money, and without price: You have ackno… ledged it to be an act of Soveraignty, and acco… dingly have laid your ſelves down at the footſto… of Soveraign Grace, by an humble reſignation … your ſelves to that; and that hath been all yo… hope, becauſe he is a pardoning God: you have a… dreſſed him as David, Pſal. 25. 11. For thy nam… ſake, Oh Lord, pardon mine iniquity.
USE. III. Let this ſerve to encourage and direct burdened Souls, that are ſinking under the apprehenſion, and oppreſſion of the weight of Sin lying upon them, in the Guilt of it. Here is that which may help to bear up your Spirits, and point you what to do, that you may may obtain a gracious deliverance from it: and for encouragement, Conſider;
1. There is a way for you to get eaſe upon this account, a pardon will do it. What though your Sins be not altogether taken away, as to the preſence and activity of them, yet if they may be forgiven for the preſent, this is good relief in this …uncture; this may ſatisfy your Conſciences, and …aſe them of their diſtreſs; and will give you aſſurance that the other ſhall be done in due time too.
2. There are no Sins ſo great or numerous, but may be thus removed. God is able to take them off, his forgiving Grace and Vertue is not limited; the vileſt of Sinners may be encouraged to go to …im for it; and if they do, he will in no wiſe …aſt them out: Sins that Lye as mountains between God and you, cannot ſtop his way from Coming and pardoning you.
3. It is a good ſign that he intends you a pardon, when he makes you feel your Sins to be an …ſupportable burden. It is the way in which he …ath been wont to diſpenſe his Salvation to miſe…able Sinners. It looks like the beginning towards … good work of Saving Grace: the Spirit firſt Convinceth of ſin, Joh. 16. 8. and that conviction will leave oppreſſion upon the Soul: and hence the next and immediate invitation of the Goſpe… is to ſuch as are weary and heavy laden und… ſuch diſtreſs Mat. 11. 28. And for Direction.
1. Beware of flying to other courſes to get eaſe… there are many, and we are apt to be tempt… to them: Cains's courſe, Judas's courſe; … the common courſe of the moſt, in ſeeking … repair all by legal repentance and amendment, … deceive you, and you ſhall find it labour … vain.
2. Be ſure to ſeek a pardon in Gods w… As none can give it but he, ſo there is a w… in which he derives it to us, and you muſt … ſerve it; and attend upon it, if you would … be deceived; and here,
1. Go to him with your Sins; there is a gr… do that many make, they would go, but they … ſo vile, and ſo unworthy, and hence th… would get rid of their ſins firſt: but this … never be; if ever your ſins be taken away, … muſt do it, Hoſ. 14. 2. and the firſt thing … doth in it, is to pardon them, on which … purging of them follows in order of natur… carry all with you, for all want a pardon.
2. Confeſs and bewail them before him; t… is the way to obtain mercy at his hands, Prov. 2… 13. lay them all open before him, with all th… aggravations to the utmoſt that you can. T… is the thing which God expects, and you m… not be ſhort in it, but as full as you can. Ta… them upon your ſelves, and he will be ready to take them off.
3. Cry to him for Forgiveneſs; this ſhould be the firſt great cry of a guilty Sinner, that God would take off that Guilt: and cry as thoſe that are oppreſſed; let them be loud, earneſt, importu…ate, inceſſant cries; ſay as he did when he was …nking, Help, Lord, I periſh. God expects that …our prayers be ſenſible ones.
4. Now caſt your burden upon him by Faith … …row your Sins upon his mercy, by laying hold …n the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and his Righteouſneſs. …t is the advice, Pſal. 55. 22. Caſt thy burden on …e Lord; all burdens, none excepted, are here …tended; and if this be the greateſt of all, be …re to roll it on him; and if you do, you ſhall …nd his helping hand afforded to take it off, and …ve you reſt.