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