Captives bound in chains, made free by Christ their surety

But that the poor Captive that is convinced of his sins, might not be kept from Christ the redeemer by this bond, I shall speak three things towards the breaking of it. Dost thou then cry out in the anguish of thy soul, Oh the greatness of my sins, they are scarlet, crimson sins! oh the number of my sins, they cannot be reckoned up! There is not a viler wretch upon God's earth, not a man that hath a worser heart, that breathes in God's air; did you know me, and the wickedness I am guilty of, and were privy to my secret sins, you would think as well as I that there is no mercy for me; that there is no hope. Let such a soul consider,

But that the poor Captive that is convinced of his sins, might not be kept from Christ the redeemer by this bond, I shall speak three things towards the breaking of it. Dost thou then cry out in the anguish of thy soul, Oh the greatness of my sins, they are scarlet, crimson sins! oh the number of my sins, they cannot be reckon'd up! There is not a viler wretch upon God's earth, not a man that hath a worser heart, that breathes in God's air; did you know me, and the wickedness I am guilty of, and were privy to my secret sins, you would think as well as I that there is no mercy for me; that there is no hope. Let such a soul consider,

1. The mercies of God are more and greater than thy sins, let them be never so great, never so many; thy wickedness doth not exceed God's Goodness; his goodness is the goodness of a God, and his mercy the mercy of a God, and therefore Infinite, without bounds, limits, or measure. It is as easy for Infinite mercy to forgive many sins as few, and great as small; the Sea covereth great Rocks as well as the smallest Sands. If thou hast a multitude of sins, God hath a multitude of mercies, Psal. 51.1. if thou hast manifold sins, God hath manifold mercies, Nehem. 9.19. if thou hast abundantly sinned, God can and will abundantly pardon, Isa. 55.7, 8