Wherefore, I say, be ruled by me in this matter; feign not thyself
another man, if thou hast been a filthy sinner, but go in thy colours
to Jesus Christ, and put thyself among the most vile, and let him
alone to put thee among the children; Jer. iii. 19. Confess all that
thou knowest of thyself; I know thou wilt find it hard work to do
thus; especially if thy mind be legal; but do it, lest thou stay and
be deferred with the little sinners, until the great ones have had
their alms. What do you think David intended when he said, his
wounds stunk and were corrupted, but to hasten God to have mercy upon
him, and not to defer his cure? "Lord," says he, "I am troubled; I
am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long." "I am feeble
and sore broken, by reason of the disquietness of my heart;" Psalm
xxxviii. 3-8.

David knew what he did by all this; he knew that his making the worst
of his case, was the way to speedy help, and that a feigning and
dissembling the matter with God, was the next way to a demur as to
his forgiveness.

I have one thing more to offer for thy encouragement, who deemest
thyself one of the biggest sinners; and that is, thou art as it were
called by thy name, in the first place, to come in for mercy. Thou
man of Jerusalem, hearken to thy call; men do so in courts of
judicature, and presently cry out, Here, Sir; and then they shoulder
and crowd, and say, Pray give way, I am called into the court. Why,
this thy case, thou great, thou Jerusalem sinner; be of good cheer,
he calleth thee; Mark x. 46-49. Why sitttest thou still? arise: why
standest thou still? come man, thy call should give thee authority to
come. "Begin at Jerusalem," is thy call and authority to come;