2.14 FORGIVENESS OF SIN. it, and improve it. We shall follow, then, that counsel, " Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine to those that be of a heavy heart." Prov. 31 : 6. We shall tender this new wine of the Gospel to poor sad hearted, conscience distressed sinners, sinners that are ready to perish; to them it will be pleasant, they will " drink of it, and forget their poverty, and remem- ber their misery no more." It shall take away all their sorrow and sadness; when you shall be drunk with the fruit of your lusts, and lie down, and not rise again. And now, if any begin to say in their hearts that they would willingly treat with God; " O that the day were come wherein we might approach unto him ! Let him speak what he pleaseth, and propose what terms he pleaseth, we are ready to hear." Then consider, II. That the terms provided for you, and proposed to yOU, are EQUAL, HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, YEA, PLEASANT AND EASY. They are not such as a cursed guilty sinner might justly expect, but such as are meet for an infinitely good and gracious God to propose; not suited to the wis- dom of man, but full of the wisdom of God. 1 Cor. '2 6, 7. The poor convinced wretch, thinking of dealing with God, Micah, 6 : 6, 7, rolls in his mind what terms he is likely to meet with; and fixes on the most dreadful and difficult terms that can be imagined. If, saith he, any thing be done with this great and most high God, it must be by rivers, thousands and ten thousands, chil- dren, first -born ; whatever is dreadful and terrible to na- ture, whatever it is impossible for me to perform, that is it which he looks for. But the matter is quite other- wise ; the terms are wholly of another nature ; it is a way of mere mercy, a way of free forgiveness. The apostle lays it down, Rom. 3 : 23-25; it is a way of pro- pitiation, of pardon, of forgiveness in the blood of Christ; the terms are the acceptance of the forgiveness that we
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