ist Jesus, every man and woman, let this be
your occupation this day, turn over the leaves of your conscience, and see
there what is the ditty that thou hast pinned up against thyself, since
the day that thou wast born, and look on thy sins before the Lord, and
come and spread them before the Judge, and crave pardon of them, now in
the day of grace; for he is ready to forgive thee and thy sins, were they
never so great; for aye the redder that thy soul has been, the virtue of
his blood shall appear the greater in cleansing thee from thy sins;
therefore let none of you scare at the greatness of your sins; for here I
testify unto you, that if any of you be condemned, it shall not be for
your sins, but it shall be for contempt of that blood which shall condemn
you. O God! full of mercy and goodness, and of fatherly care and
providence, and never a greater providence found I in my lifetime, than I
found this last time in my journey, I thank my God for it; and here I
avow, if this blood of mine should go for it, it was acceptable service to
God we did that day; I know there were many that sent up their prayers to
God for the maintenance of his liberty, I am sure the Lord heard you; for
I say to you, the room was never that I came to, but I found the Lord
meeting me there, and confirming me that all was well and acceptable to
him; so that I never found sweeter providence since I was born; I see the
Lord's hand is not shortened. O Scotland! O that thou wouldst repent, and
mourn for the contempt of this so great a light that has shined in thee;
then thou shouldst see as glorious a day on God's poor Church within this
land, as ever was seen in any church before from the beginning; then the
Lord should be strong, and glorious, and wonderful in all the hearts of
his own. What is it to him to run sixteen or eighteen score of miles to
London, and then run to the hearts of kings, princes, and nobles of the
land, and humble them, and subject them to the crown and kingdom of Jesus
Christ; but, let them think of it what they will, I know who has approven
of us, for it is the running of the Gospel through the whole land, and it
is that the net of Christ may be spread over all, that if it were possible
we may gather in a world in it, that they might not perish; it is that
which we seek, and when I look to the eternity of wrath that is abiding
the wicked of this world, then I may say, who would not pity a world of
sinners? But I leave this, a