still　of　force；　that　Jesus　Christ　would　have　mercy　offered　in　the
  first　place　to　the　biggest　sinners。　　So　then　let　none　despair；　let
  none　presume；　let　none　despair　that　are　sorry　for　their　sins；　and
  would　be　saved　by　Jesus　Christ；　let　none　presume　that　abide　in　the
  liking　of　their　sins；　though　they　seem　to　know　the　exceeding　grace　of
  Christ；　for　though　the　door　stands　wide　open　for　the　reception　of　the
  penitent；　yet　it　is　fast　enough　barred　and　bolted　against　the
  presumptuous　sinner。　　Be　not　deceived；　God　is　not　mocked；　whatsoever
  a　man　sows；　that　he　shall　reap。　　It　cannot　be　that　God　should　be
  wheedled　out　of　his　mercy；　or　prevailed　upon　by　lips　of
  dissimulation；　he　knows　them　that　trust　in　him；　and　that　sincerely
  come　to　him　by　Christ　for　mercy；　Nahum　i。　7。
  It　is　then　not　the　abundance　of　sins　committed；　but　the　not　coming
  heartily　to　God　by　Christ　for　mercy；　that　shuts　men　out　of　doors。
  And　though　their　not　coming　heartily　may　be　said　to　be　but　a　sin；　yet
  it　is　such　a　sin　as　causeth　that　all　thy　other　sins　abide　upon　thee
  unforgiven。
  God　complains　of　this。　　〃They　have　not　cried　unto　me　with　their
  heart；　they　turned；　but　not　to　the　most　High。　　They　turned
  feignedly；〃　Jer。　iii。　10；　Hos。　vii。　14；　16。
  Thus　doing；　his　soul　hates；　but　the　penitent；　humble；　brokenhearted
  sinner；　be　his　transgressions　red　as　scarlet；　red　like　crimson；　in
  number　as　the　sand；　though　his　transgressions　cry　to　heaven　against
  him　for　vengeance；　and　seem　there　to　cry　louder　than　do　his　prayers；
  or　tears；　or　groans　for　mercy；　yet　he　is　safe。　　To　this　man　God　will
  look；　Isa。　i。　18；　chap　lxvi。　2。
  Seventhly；　Would　Jesus　Christ　have　mercy　offered　in　the　first　place
  to　the　biggest　sinners？　　Then　here　is　ground　for　those　that；　as　to
  practice；　have　not　been　such；　to　come　to　him　for　mercy。
  Although　there　is　no　sin　little　of　itself；　because　it　is　a
  contradiction　of　the　nature　and　majesty　of　God；　yet　we　must　admit　of
  divers　numbers；　and　also　of　aggravations。　　Two　sins　are　not　so　many
  as　three；　nor　are　three　that　are　done　in　ignorance　so　big　as　one　that
  is　done　against　light；　against　knowledge　and　conscience。　　Also　there
  is　the　child　in　sin；　and　a　man　in　sin　that　has　his　hairs　gray；　and
  his　skin　wrinkled　for　very　age。　　And　we　must　put　a　difference　betwixt
  these　sinners　also。　　For　can　it　be　that　a　child　of　seven；　or　ten；　or
  sixteen　years　old；　should　be　such　a　sinnera　sinner　so　vile　in　the
  eye　of　the　law　as　he　is　who　has　walked　according　to　the　course　of
  this　world；　forty；　fifty；　sixty；　or　seventy　years？　　Now　the　youth；
  this　stripling；　though　he　is　a　sinner；　is　but　a　little　sinner；　when
  compared　with　such。
  Now；　I　say；　if　there　be　room　for　the　first　sort；　for　those　of　the
  biggest　size；　certainly　there　is　room　for　the　lesser　size？　　If　there
  be　a　door　wide　enough　for　a　giant　to　go　in　at；　there　is　certainly
  room　for　a　dwarf。　　If　Christ　Jesus　has　grace　enough　to　save　great
  sinners；　he　has　surely　grace　enough　to　save　little　ones。　　If　he　can
  forgive　five　hundred　pence；　for　certain　he　can　forgive　fifty；　Luke
  vii。　41；　42。
  But　you　said　before；　that　the　little　sinners　must　stand　by　until　the
  great　ones　have　received　their　grace；　and　that　is　discouraging！
  I　answer；　there　are　two　sorts　of　little　sinners；　such　as　are　so；　and
  such　as　feign　themselves　so。　　They　are　those　that　feign　themselves
  so；　that　I　intended　there；　and　not　those　that　are　indeed
  comparatively　so。　　Such　as　feign　themselves　so　may　wait　long　enough
  before　they　obtain　forgiveness。
  But　again；　a　sinner　may　be　comparatively　a　little　sinner；　and
  sensibly　a　great　one。　　There　are　then　two　sorts　of　greatness　in　sin；
  greatness　by　reason　of　number；　greatness　by　reason　of　thoroughness　of
  conviction　of　the　horrible　nature　of　sin。　　In　this　last　sense；　he
  that　has　but　one　sin；　if　such　a　one　could　be　found；　may　in　his　own
  eyes　find　himself　the　biggest　sinner　in　the　world。　　Let　this　man　or
  this　child　therefore　put　himself　among　the　great　sinners；　and　plead
  with　God　as　great　sinners　do；　and　expect　to　be　saved　with　the　great
  sinners；　and　as　soon　and　as　heartily　as　they。
  Yea；　a　little　sinner；　that　comparatively　is　truly　so；　if　he　shall
  graciously　give　way　to　conviction；　and　shall　in　God's　light
  diligently　weigh　the　horrible　nature　of　his　own　sins；　may　yet　sooner
  obtain　forgiveness　for　them　at　the　hands　of　the　heavenly　Father；　than
  he　that　has　ten　times　his　sins；　and　so　cause　to　cry　ten　times　harder
  to　God　for　mercy。
  For　the　grievousness　of　the　cry　is　a　great　thing　with　God；　for　if　he
  will　hear　the　widow；　if　she　cries　at　all；　how　much　more　if　she　cries
  most　grievously？　　Exod。　xxii。　22；　23。
  It　is　not　the　number；　but　the　true　sense　of　the　abominable　nature　of
  sin；　that　makes　the　cry　for　pardon　lamentable。　　He；　as　I　said；　that
  has　many　sins；　may　not　cry　so　loud　in　the　ears　of　God　as　he　that　has
  far　fewer；　he；　in　our　present　sense；　that　is　in　his　own　eyes　the
  biggest　sinner；　is　he　that　soonest　findeth　mercy。
  The　offer　then　is　to　the　biggest　sinner；　to　the　biggest　sinner　first；
  and　the　mercy　is　first　obtained　by　him　that　first　confesseth　himself
  to　be　such　an　one。
  There　are　men　that　strive　at　the　throne　of　grace　for　mercy；　by
  pleading　the　greatness　of　their　necessity。　　Now　their　plea；　as　to　the
  prevalency　of　it；　lieth　not　in　the　counting　up　of　the　number；　but　in
  the　sense　of　the　greatness　of　their　sins；　and　in　the　vehemency　of
  their　cry　for　pardon。　　And　it　is　observable；　that　though　the
  birthright　was　Ruben's；　and；　for　his　foolishness；　given　to　the　sons
  of　Joseph；　yet　Judah　prevailed　above　his　brethren；　and　of　him　came
  the　Messias；　1　Chron。　v。　1；　2。
  There　is　a　heavenly　subtilty　to　be　managed　in　this　matter。　　〃Thy
  brother　came　with　subtilty；　and　hath　taken　away　thy　blessing。〃　　The
  blessing　belonged　to　Esau；　but　Jacob　by　his　diligence　made　it　his
  own；　Gen。　xxvii。　33。　　The　offer　is　to　the　biggest　sinner；　to　the
  biggest　sinner　first；　but　if　he　forbear　to　cry；　the　sinner　that　is　a
  sinner　less　by　far　than　he；　both　as　to　number　and　the　nature　of
  transgression；　may　get　the　blessing　first；　if　he　shall　have　grace　to
  bestir　himself　well；　for　the　loudest　cry　is　heard　furthest；　and　the
  most　lamentable　pierces　soonest。
  I　therefore　urge　this　head；　not　because　I　would　have　little　sinners
  go　and　tell　God　that　they　are　little　sinners；　thereby　to　think　to
  obtain　mercy；　for；　verily；　so　they　are　never　like　to　have　it：　　for
  such　words　declare；　that　such　a　one　hath　no　true　sense　at　all　of　the
  nature　of　his　sins。
  Sin；　as　I　said；　in　the　nature　of　it；　is　horrible；　though　it　be　but
  one　single　sin　as　to　act；　yea；　though　it　be　but　a　sinful　thought；　and
  so　worthily　calls　for　the　damnation　of　the　soul。
  The　comparison；　then；　of　little　and　great　sinners；　is　to　go　for　good
  sense　among　men。　　But　to　plead　the　fewness　of　thy　sins；　or　the
  comparative　harmlessness　of　their　quantity　before　God；　argueth　no
  sound　knowledge　of　the　nature　of　thy　sin；　and　so　no　true　sense　of　the
  nature　or　need　of　mercy。
  Little　sinner；　when　therefore　thou　goest　to　God；　though　thou　knowest
  in　thy　conscience　that　thou；　as　to　acts；　art　no　thief；　no　murderer；
  no　whore；　no　liar；　no　false　swearer；　or　the　like；　and　in　reason　must
  needs　understand　that　thus　thou　art　not　so　profanely　vile　as　others；
  yet　when　thou　goest　to　God　for　mercy；　know　no　man's　sins　but　thine
  own；　make　mention　of　no　man's　sins　but　thine　own。　　Also　labour　not　to
  lessen　thy　own；　but　magnify　and　greaten　them　by　all　just
  circumstances；　and　be　as　if　there　was　never　a　sinner　in　the　world　but
  thyself。　　Also　cry　out；　as　if　thou　wast　the　only　undone　man；　and　that
  is　the　way　to　obtain　God's　mercy。
  It　is　one　of　the　comeliest　sights　in　the　world　to　see　a　little　sinner
  commenting　upon　the　greatness　of　his　sins；　multiplying　and
  multiplying　them　to　himself；　till　he　makes　them　in　his　own　eyes
  bigger　and　higher　than　he　seeth　any　other　man's　sins　to　be　in　the
  world；　and　as　base　a　thing　it　is　to　see　a　man　do　otherwise；　and　as
  basely　will　come　on　it；　Luke　xviii。　10…14。
  As；　therefore；　I　said　to　the　great　sinner　before；　let　him　take　heed
  lest　he　presume；　I　say　now　to　the　little　sinner；　let　him　take　heed
  that　he　do　not　dissemble：　　for　there　is　as　great　an　aptness　in　the
  little　sinner　to　dissemble；　as　there　is　in　the　great　one。　　〃He　that
  hideth　his　sins　shall　not　prosper；〃　be　he　a　sinner　little　or　great；
  Prov。　xxviii。　13。
  Eighthly；　Would　Jesus　Christ　have　mercy　offered；　in　the　first　place；
  to　the　biggest　sinners？　　Then　this　shews　the　true　cause　why　Satan
  makes　such　head　as　he　doth　against　him。
  The　Father　and　the　Holy　Spirit　are　well　spoken　of　by　all　deluders　and
  deceived　persons；　Christ　only　is　the　rock　of　offence。　　〃Behold　I　lay
  in　Zion　a　stumbling…stone　and　a　rock　of　offence；〃　Rom。　ix。　33。　　Not
  that　Satan　careth　for　the　Father　or　the　Spirit　more　than　he　careth
  for　the　Son；　but　he　can　let　men　alone　with　their　notions　of　the
  Father　and　the　Spirit；　for　he　knows　they　shall　never　enjoy　the　Father
  nor　the　Spirit；　if　indeed　they　receive　not　the　merits　of　the　Son。
  〃He　that　hath　the　Son；　hath　life；　he　that　hath　not　the　Son　of　God
  hath　not　life；〃　however　they　may　boast　themselves　of　the　Father　and
  the　Spirit；　1　John　v。　12。　　Again；　〃Whosoever　transgresseth；　and
  abideth　not　in　the　doctrine　of　Ch