ression was a heinous sin, and had
heinous aggravations, yea, there was an heap and a complication of sins
together in that one; yet he followed this course. We find none of these
kind of sins excepted in the new covenant; and where the law doth not
distinguish, we ought not to distinguish; where God's law doth not
expressly exclude us, we should not exclude ourselves. Christ's death is
able enough to take away all sin. If through it a believer be justified
from all his transgressions committed before conversion, why may not
also a believer be, through virtue of it, justified from his gross and
multiplied sins committed after conversion? The blood of Christ
cleanseth from all sin; Christ hath taught his followers to pray,
"Forgive us our sins, as we forgive them that sin against us;" and he
hath told us also, that we must forgive our brother seventy times
seven, Matth. xiii. _22._ We would not be discouraged then from taking
this course, because our sins are such and such; nay, rather, we would
look on this, as an argument to press us more unto this way, because the
greater our sins be, the greater need have we of pardon, and to say with
David, Psalm xxv. 11, "Pardon mine iniquity, for it is great."

3. We would not think, that upon our taking of this course, we shall be
instantly freed from challenges, because of those sins, for pardoning
whereof we take this course; nor should we think, that because
challenges remain, that therefore there is no pardon had, or that this
is not the way to pardon; for, as we shall show afterward, pardon is one
thing, and intimation of pardon is another thing. We may be pardoned,
and yet suppose that we are not pardoned; challenges will abide till the
conscience be sprinkled, and till the Prince of Peace command peace to
the conscience, and put the accuser to silence; who, when he can do no
more, will mar the peace of a believer, as long as he can, and stop the
current of his comforts, which made David pray, that "God would restore
to him the joy of his salvation," Psalm li.

4. Nor would we think, that upon our taking of this course for the
pardon of our sins, we shall never thereafter meet with a challenge upon
the account of these sins. It is true, when sins are pardoned, they are
fully pardoned in God's court, and that obligation to condemnation is
taken away, and the pardoned person is looked upon as no sinner, that
is, as no person liable to condemnation because of these sins; for b