98 SINS AND SOREOWS SPREAD BEFORE GOD. CSERM.- V1. á field, that I may cómport with the design of my text. Though a good man, indevout prayer, often spreads his hopes and his joysbefore the Lord, as well as his sor- rows, fears, and distresses ; yet I shall at present endea- vour to set forth only the mournful and complaining re- presentations of his cirtinastances that he makes before the throne of God. . . , 1. If I could but come near the mercy-seat, I would confess how great my sins are, and I would pray for par- doning grace. I would say, " How vile I am by na- ture; ". I would count my original descent from Adam the great transgressor,_ and humble myself at the foot of a holy God, because I am the descendant ofsuch a sin- ner, I would tell hirn how much viler I-have made myself by practice ; " I have been an enemy in my mind by nature, and guilty of many wicked works, whereby I have farther estranged myself from him." I would tell my God howmultiplied. my transgressions have been be- fore I. knew him, and how aggravated they have been since I have been acquaintedwith hirn. I would acquaint him with the frequency' of my returning guilt, how I have sinned against mercies, against reproofs, against warnings received often from his word, and often from his providence. I may appeal to the souls of many present, whether they have not had the greatest freedom of confession of their sins, when they have been nearest to God, even though lie be a god of holiness. At other times, they have not only been averse to confess to any friend, but even unwilling to talk over to themselves the aggrava- tion of their iniquities, or to mention them in, prayer: but when they are brought thus near the throne of God, they unbosom themselves before him, they pour out their sins and their tears together, with a sweet and mourn- ful satisfaction. " I behold," says the saint, " the great atonement, the blood. ofJesus, and therefore I mayventure to con- fess, my great iniquities, for the satisfaction is equal to them all. When I behold God upon his seat, I behold the Lamb in the midst of the throne as it had been slain, and he is my peace-maker. I see his all-sufficient sacri- fice, his atoning blood, his perfect, his justifying right- eousness." The soul then answers the call of God with
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