they that were first invited and those of them that came first and there came three thousand of them the first day they were invited how mâ—ny came afâ—erwards none can tell thy were first served Put in thy Name Man among the biggest lest thou art made to wait till they are served You have some men that think themselves very cunning because they put up their Names in their Prayers among them that feign it saying God I thank thee I am not so bad as the worst but believe it if they be saved at all they shall be saved in the last place The first in their own eyes shall be served last and the last or worst shall be first The Text insinuates it Begin at Jerusalem and Reason backs it for they have most need Behold ye therefore how God's ways are above ours we are for serving the worst last God is for serving the worst first The Man at the Pool that to my thinking was longest in his Disease and most helpless as to his Cure was first healed yea he only was healed for we read that Christ healed him but we read not then that he healed one more there Joh. 5.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Wherefore if thou wouldst soonest â—e served put in thy Name among the very worst of sinners Say when thou art upon thy knees Lord here is Jerusalem-sinner a sinner of the biggest size one whose burden is of the greatest bulk and heaviest weight one that cannot stand long without sinking into Hell without thy supporting hand Be not thou far from me O Lord O my strength hast thou to help me I say put in thy Name with Magdâ—lâ—n with Manasseh that thou mayest fare as the Magdalen and the Manasseâ—-sinners do The Man in the Gospel made the desperate condition of his Child an argument with Christ to haste his Cure Sir Come down saith he ere my Child die Joh. 4 49. And Christ regarded his haste saying Go thy way thy Son liveth Ver. 50. Haste requires haste David was for speed Deliver me speedily hear me speedily answer me speedily Psal. 31.2 Psal. 69.17 Psal. 102.2 But why speedily I am in the Net I am in trouble my days consume like smoke Psal. 31.4 Psal. 69.17 Psal. 102.3 Deep calleth unto deep necessity calls for help great necessity for present help Wherefore I say be ruled by me in this matter feign not thy self another Man if thou hast been a filthy sinner but go in thy colours to â—esus Christ and put thy self among the most Vile and let him alone to put thee among the Children Jer 3.19 Confess all that thou knowâ—st of thy self I know thou wilt find it hard work to do thus especially if thy mind be legal but do it lest thou stay and be defâ—rred with the little sinners until the great ones have had their alms What do you think David intended when he said his Wounds stunk and were corrupted but to hasten God to have mercy upon him and not to defer his Cure. Lord saies he I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long I am fâ—eble and sore broken by reason of the disquietment of my heart Psal. 38.3 4 5 6 7. David knew what he did by all this he knew that his making the worst of his Case was the way to speedy help and that a feigning and dissembling the matter with God was the next way to a demurr as to his Forgiveness I have one thing more to offer for thy encouragement who deemest thy self one of the biggest sinners And that is Thou art as it were called by thy Name in the first place to come in for Mercy Thou Man of Jerusalem hearken to thy Call Men do so in Courts of Judicature and presently cry out Here Sir and then they shoulder and croud and say Pray give way I am called into the Court. Why this is thy Case thou great thou Jerusalâ—m-sinner be of good chear he calleth thee Mark 10.46 47 48 49. Wny sittest thou still arise why standest thou still Come Man. Thy Call should give thee authority to come Begin at Jerusalem is thy call authority to come Wherefore up and shoulder it Man Say Stand away Devil Christ calls me stand away Vnbelief Christ calls me Stand away all ye my discouraging Apprehensions for my Saviour calls me to him to receive of his Mercy Men will do thus as I said in Courts below and why shouldst not thou approach thus to the Court above The Jerusalem-sinner is first in Though first in Commission first in the Record of Names and therefore should give attendance with expectation that he is first to receive Mercy of God. Is not this an incouragement to the biggest sinners to make their Application to Christ for Mercy Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden doth also confirm this thing that is that the biggest sinner and he that has the biggest burden is he who is first invited Christ pointeth over the Head of thousands as he sits on the Throne of Grace directly to such a Man and says Bring in hither the maimed the halt and the blind Let the Jerusalem-sinner that stands there behind come to me Wherefore since Christ says come to thee let the Angels make a lane and let all Men give place that the Jerusalem-sinner may come to Jesus Christ for Mercy Fourthly Would Jesus Christ have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest sinners Then come thou Profane Wretch and let me a little enter an argument with thee Why wilt thou not come to Jâ—sus Christ since thou art a Jerusalem-sinner How canst thou find in thy heart to set thy self against Grace against such Grace as offereth Mercy to thee What Spirit possesseth thee and holds thee back from a sincere closure with â—hy Saviour Behold God groaningly complains of thee saying But Israel would none of me When I called none did answer Psal 81.11 Isa 66.4 Shall God enter this Complaint against thee Why dost thou put him off why dost thou stop thine ear Canst thou defend thy self When thou art called to an account for thy neglects of so great Salvation what canst thou answer Or doest thou think thou shalt escape the Judgment Heb. 2.3 No more such Christs There will be no more such Christs sinner Oh! put not the day the day of Grace away from thee If it be once gone 't will never come again Sinner But what is it that has got thy Heart and that keeps it from thy Saviour Who in the Heavens can be compared unto the Lord Who among the Sons of the Mighty can be likened unto the Lord Psal. 89.6 Hast thou thinkest thou found any thing so good as Jesus Christ Is there any among thy Sins thy Companions and foolish Delights that like Christ can help thee in the day of thy distress Behold the greatness of thy sins cannot hinder let not the stubbornness of thy Heart hinder thee Sinner Objection But I
Observation That Jesus Christ would have mercy offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners That these Jerusalem Sinners were the biggest Sinners that ever were in the World I think none will deny that believes that Christ was the best Man that ever was in the World and also was their Lord God. And that they were to have the first offer of his Grace the Text is as clear as the Sun for it saith Begin at Jerusalem Preach saith he Repentance and remission of sins to the Jerusalem-sinners to the Jerusâ—lem-sinners in the first place One would a-thought since the Jâ—rusalem-sinners were the worst and greatest Sinners Christ's greatest enemies and those that not only despised his Person Doctrine and Miracles but that a little before had had their hands up to the elbows in his Heart-bloud That he should rather have said Go into all the World and preach Repentance and Remission of Sins among all Nations and afâ—er that offer the same to Jerusalem Yea it had been infinite Grace if he had said so But what Grace is this Or what Name shall we give it when he commands that this Repentance and Remission of Sins which is designed to be preached in all Nations should first be offered to Jerusalem in the first place to the worst of Sinners Nor was this the first time that the Grace which was in the Heart of Christ thus shewed it self to the World. For while he was yet alive even while he was yet in Jerusâ—lem and perceived even among these Jerusalem-sinners which was the most vile amongst them he still in his preaching did signifie that he had a desire that the worst of these worst should in the first place come unto him The which he sheweth where he saith to the better sort of them The Publicans and Harlots enter into the Kingdom of God before you Matt. 21.31 Also when he compared Jerusalem with the Sinners of the Nations then he commands that the Jerusalem-sinners should have the Gospel at present confined to them Go not saith he into the way of the Gentiles and into any of the Cities of the Samaritans enter ye not but go rather to the lost Sheep of the house of Israel Matt. 10.5 6. chap. 23.37 But go rather to them for they were in the most fearful plight These therefore must have the Cream of the Gospel namely the first offer thereof in his Life-time Yea when he departed out of the World he left this as part of his last Will with his Preachers that they also should offer it first to Jerusalem He had a mind a careful mind as it seems to priviledge the worst of Sinners with the first offer of Mercy and to take from among them a People to be the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. The fifteenth of Luke also is famous for this where the Lord Jesus takes more care as appears there by three Parables for the lost Sheep lost Groat and the Prodigal Son than for the other Sheep the other Pence or for the Son that said he had never transgressed Yea he shews that there is Joy in Heaven among the Angels of God at the repentance of one Sinner more than over Ninety and nine Just Persons which need no repentance Luke 15. After this manner therefore the mind of Christ was set on the Salvation of the biggest Sinners in his Life-time But joyn to this this Clause which he carefully put into the Apostles Commission to preach when he departed hence to the Father and then you shall see that his Heart was vehemently set upon it for these were part of his last words with them Preach my Gospel to all Nations but see that you begin at Jerusalem Nor did the Apostles overlook this Clause when their Lord was gone into Heaven They went first to them of Jerusalem and preached Christ's Gospel to them They abode also there for a season and time and preached it to no body else for they had regard to the Commandment of their Lord. And it is to be observed namely that the first Sermon which they preached after the Ascension of Christ it was preached to the very worst of these Jerusalem-sinâ—ers even to those that were the murderers of Jesus Christ Acts 2.23 For these are part of the Sermon Ye took him and by wicked hands have Crucified and slain him Yea the next Sermon and the next and also the next to that was preached to the self-same murderers to the end they might be saved Acts 3. 14 15 16. chap. 4 10 11. chap. 5 30. chap. 7.52 But we will return to the first Sermon that was preached to these Jerusalem-sinners by which will be manifest more than great Grace if it be duly considered For after that Peter and the rest of the Apostles had in their Exhortation perswaded these Wretches to believe that they had killed the Prince of Life and after they had duly fallen under the guilt of their Murder saying Men and Brethren what shall we do He replies by an universal Tender to them all in general considering them as Christ-killers That if they were sorry for what they had done and would be Baptized for the Remission of their sins in his Name they should receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Acts 2.37 38. This he said to them all though he knew that they were such sinners Yea he said it without the least stick or stop or pâ—use of Spirit as to whether he had best to say so or no. Nay so far off was Peter from making an Objection against one of them that by a particular Clause in his Exhortation he endeavours that not one of them may escape the Salvation offered Repent saith he and be Baptized every one of you I shut out never a one of you For I am commanded by my Lord to deal with you as it were one by one by the Word of his Salvation But why speaks he so particularly Oh! there were reasons for it The People with whom the Apostles were now to deal as they were Murderers of our Lord and to be charged in the general with his Blood so they had their various and particular acts of Villany in the guilt thereof now lying upon their Consciences And the guilt of these their various and particular acts of wickedness could not perhaps be reached to a removal thereof but by this particular Application Repent every one of you be Baptized every one of you in his Name for the Remission of Sins and you shall every one of you receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost Object But I was one of them that plotted to take away his Life May I be saved by him Peter Every one of you Object But I was one of them that bare false Witness against him Is there Grace for me Peter For every one of you Object But I was one of them that cryed out Crucifie Crucifie him and that desired that Barabas the Murderer might live rather than him What will become of me
Begin at Jerusalem Was this Doctrine well believed where would there be place for a doubt or a fear of the Damnation of the Soul if the Sinner be penitent How bad a Life soever he has lived how many soever in number are his sins But this Grace is hid from the Eyes of Men the Devil hides it from them for he knows it is alluring he knows it has an attracting Vertue in it For this is it that above all Arguments can draw the Soul to God. I cannot help it but must let drop another Word The first Church the Jerusalem Church from whence the Gospel was to be sent into all the World was a Church made up of Jerusalem-sinners These great Sinners were here the most shining Monuments of the exceeding Grace of God. Thus you see I have proved the Doctrine and that not only by shewing you that this was the practice of the Lord Jesus Christ in his Life-time but his last Will when he went up to God saying Begin to preach at Jerusalem Yea it is yet further manifested in that when his Ministers first began to preach there he joyned his Power to the Word to the Converting of thousands of his Betrayers and Murderers and also many of the Ringleading Priests to the Faith. I shall now proceed and shall shew you 1. The Reasons of the point 2. And then make some Application of the whole The Observation you know is this Jesus Christ would have mercy offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners to the Jerusalem-sinners preach Repentance and remission of sins in my Name among all Nations Beginning at Jerusalem The Reasons of the Point are First Because the biggest Sinners have most need thereof He that has most need Reason says should be helped first I mean when a helping hand is offered and now it is For the Gospel of the Grace of God is sent to help the World Acts 16.9 But the biggest sinner has most need Therefore in reason when Mercy is sent down from Heaven to men the worst of men should have the first offer of it Begin at Jerusalem This is the reason which the Lord Christ himself renders why in his Life-time he left the best and turned him to the worst why he sat so loose from the Righteous and stuck so close to the Wicked The whole saith he have no need of the Physician but the sick I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Mark 2.15 16 17. Above you read that the Scribes and Pharisees said to his Disciples How is it that he eateth and drinketh with Publicans and Sinners Alas they did not know the reason But the Lord renders them one and such an one as is both natural and cogent Saying These have need most need Their great necessity requires that I should be most friendly and shew my grace first to them Not that the other were sinless and so had no need of a Saviour But the Publicans and their Companions were the biggest sinners they were as to view worse than the Scribes and therefore in reason should be helped first because they had most need of a Saviour Men that are at the point to dye have more need of the Physician than they that are but now and then troubled with are Heart-fainting-qualm The Publicans and Sinners were as it were in the mouth of Death Death was swallowing of them down and therefore the Lord Jesus receives them first offers them mercy first The whole have no need of the Physician but the sick I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance The Sick as I said is the biggest sinner whether he sees his Disease or not He is stained from Head to Foot from Heart to Life and Conversation This man in every mans judgment has the most need of mercy There is nothing attends him from Bed to Board and from Board to Bed again but the visible characters and obvious symptoms of eternal damnation This therefore is the man that has need most need and therefore in reason should be helped in the first place Thus 't was with the People concerned in the Text they were the worst of sinners Jerusalem-sinners sinners of the biggest size and therefore such as had the greatest need Wherefore they must have mercy offered to them before it be offered any where else in the World. Begin at Jerusalem offer mercy first to a Jerusalem-sinner This man has most need he is farthest from God nearest to Hell and so one that has most need This mans sins are in number the most in cry the loudest in weight the heaviest and consequently will sink him soonest Wherefore he has most need of mercy This man is shut up in Satans hand fastest bound in the cords of his sins one that Justice is whetting his Sword to cut off and therefore has most need not only of mercy but that it should be extended to him in the first place But a little further to shew you the true nature of this Reason to wit That Jesus Christ would have mercy offer'd in the first place to the biggest sinners First Mercy ariseth from Bowels and Compassion from Pity and from a feeling of the Condition of those in misery In his Love and in his Pity he saveth us And again The Lord is pâ—tiful very petiful and of great mercy Isa. 63.9 Jam 5.11 Now where Pity and Compassion is there is yearning of Bowels and where there is that there is a readiness to help And I say again The more deplorable and dreadful the Condition is the more directly doth Bowels and Compassion turn themselves to such and offer help and deliverance All this flows from our first Scripture proof I came to call them that have need to call them first while the rest look on and murmur How shall I give thee up Ephraim Ephraim was a Revolter from God a man that had given himself up to Devilism A company of men the ten Tribes that worshiped Devils while Judah kept with his God. But how shall I give thee up Ephraim How shall I deliver thee Israel How shall I make thee as Admah How shall I set thee 〈◊〉 Zeboim and yet thou art worse than they nor has Samaria committed half thy sins Ezek. 16.46 47 48 49 50 51. My heart is turned within me and my repentings are kindled together Hos. 11.8 But where do you find that ever the Lord did thus rowl in his Bowels for and after any Self-righteous man No no they are the Publicans and Harlots Idolaters and Jerusalem-sinners for whom his Bowels thus yearn and tumble about within him For alas poor Worms they have most need of mercy Had not the good Samaritan more compassion for that man that fell among Thieves though that fall was occasioned by his going from the place where they worshipped God to Jerico the cursed City than we read he had for any other besides His Wine was for him his Oyl was for him his Breast for
have some such in the first plantation of Churches or quickly upon it Churches would do but sorrily if Christ Jesus did not put such Converts among them they are the Monuments and Mirrors of Mercy The very sight of such a Sinner in God's House yea the very thought of him where the sight of him cannot he had is oft-times greatly for the help of the Faith of the feeble When the Churches said Paul that were in Judea heard this concerning me that he which persecuted them in time past now preached the Faith which once he destroyed They glorified God in me Gal. 1.20 21 22 23 24. Glorified God How is that Why they praised him and took courage to believe the more in the mercy of God For that he had had mercy on such a great sloner as he They glorified God in me They wondred that Grace should be so rich as to take hold of such a Wretch as I was and for my sake believed in Christ the more There are two things that great sinners are acquainted with when they come to divulge them to the Saints that are a great relief to their Faith. 1. The Contests that they usually have with the Devil at their parting with him 2. Their knowledge of his Secret iâ— his workings For the First The biggest sinnes havâ—â—sually great contests with the Devil at â—heir parting 's and this is an help to â—aints For ordinary Saints find afterwards what the vile ones find at first but when at the opening of hearts the one finds himself to be as the other the one is a comfort to the other The lesser sort of sinners find but little of this till after they have been some time in profession but the Vile Man meets with his at the beginning Wherefore he when the other is down is ready to tell that he has met with the same before For I say he has had it before Satan is loth to part with a great Sinner What my true Servant quoth he my old Servant wilt thou forsake me now Having so often sold thy self to me to work wickedness wilt thou forsake me now Thou horrible Wretch dost not know that thou hast sinned thy self beyond the reach of Grace and dost think to find Mercy now Art not thou a Murderer a Thief a Harlot a Witch a sinner of the greatest size and dost thou look for mercy now Dost thou think that Christ will foul his fingers with thee 'T is enough to make Angels blush saith Satan to see so vile a one knocâ— at Heaven gatesâ— or Mercy and wilt thoâ— be so abominable bold to do it Thus Satan dealt with me says the great Sinner when at first I came to Jesus Christ. Anâ— what did you reply saith the Tempted Why I granted the whole Charge to be true says the other And what did you dâ—spair or how No saith he I said I am Magdalene I am Zicheus I am the Thief I am the Harlot I am the Publican I am the Prodigal and one of Christ's Murderers Yea worse than any of these and yet God was so far off from rejecting of me as I found afterwards that there was musick and dancing in his House for me and for Joy that I was come home unto him Oh blessed be God for Grace says the other for then I hope there is favour for me Yea as I told you such a one is a continual Spectacle in the Church for every one by to behold God's grace and wonder Secondly And as for the Secrets of Satan such as are Suggestions to question the Being of God the truth of his Word and to be annoyed with devilish Blasphemies None more acquainted with these than the biggest sinners at their Conversion wherefore thus also they are prepared to be helps in the Church to relieve and comfort the other I might also here tell you of the Contests and Battels that such are engaged in wherein they find the beffettings of Satan above any other the Saints At which times Satan assaults the Soul with darkness fears frightful thoughts of Apparitions now they sweat pant cry-out and struggle for life The Angels now come down to behold the sight and rejoyce to see a bit of Dust and Ashes to overcome Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominions But as I said when these come a little to be setled they are prepared for help for others and are great Comforts unto them Their great sins give encouragement to the Devil to assault them and by these temptations Christ takes advantage to make them the more helpful to the Churches The biggest sinner when he is Converted and comes into the Church sayâ— to them all by his very coming in Behold me all you that are Men and Womâ—n of a low and timerous spirit you whose hearts are narrow for that you never had the advantage to know because your sins are few the largeness of the grace of God. Behold I say in me the exceeding riches of his grace I am a Pattern set forth before your faces oâ— whom you may look and take hearâ— This I say the great sinner â—an say to the exceeding comfort of 〈◊〉 the rest Wherefore as I have hinted before when God intends to stock a place with Saints and to make that place excellently to flourish with the riches of his grace he usually begins with the Conversion of some of the most notorious there abouts and lays them as an Example to allure others and to build up when they are converted 'T was Paul that must go to the Gentiles because Paul was the most outragious of all the Apostles in the time of his unregeneracy Yea Peter must be he that after his horrible fall was thought fittest when recovered again to comfort and strengthen his Brethren See Luke 22.31 32. Some must be Pillars in God's House and if they be Pillars of Cedar they must stand while they are stout and sturdy sticks in the Forrest before they are cut down and planted or placed there No man when he buildeth his House makes the principal parts thereof of weak or feeble Timber for how could such bear up the rest but of great and able Wood. Christ Jesus also goeth this way to work he makes of the biggest Sinners Bearers and Supporters to the rest This then may serve for another Reason why Jesus Christ gives out in Commandment that Mercy should in the first place be offered to the biggest Sinners Because such when converted are usually the best hâ—lps in the Church against temptations and fittest for the support of the feâ—ble-minded there Sixthly Another reason why Jesus Christ would have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners is Because They when converted are apt to Live him most This agrees both with Scripture and Reason Scripture says so To whom much is forgiven the same loveth much To whom little is forgiven the same loveth little Luk. 7.47 Reason says so For as it would be the unreasonablest thing in the world to
in what he undertakes to do that for a spurt which he cannot continue and hold out in This is our Lord 's own Argument He began to build saith he but was not able to finish Luk. 14.28 29 30. Shouldest thou hear a Man say I am resolved to be kind to the Poor and should begin giving with handfuls of Guinea's you would conclude that either he is wonderful rich or must straighten his hand or will soon be at the bottom of his Riches Why this is the Case Christ at his Resurrection gave it out that he would be good to the World and first sends to the biggest Sinners with an intent to have Mercy on them Now the biggest Sinners cannot be saved but by abundance of Grace 't is not a little that will save great sinners Rom. 5.17 And I say again since the Lord Jesus mounts thus high at the first and sends to the Jerusalem-sinners that they may come first to partake of his Mercy it follows that either he has unsearchable Riches of Grace and Worth in himself or else he must straighten his hand or his Grace and Merits will be spent before the World 's at an end But let it be believed as surely as spoken he is still as full as ever He is not a jot the poorer for all the Forgivenesses that he has given away to great Sinners Also he is still as free as at first for he never yet called back this Word Begin at the Jerusalem-sinners And as I said since his Grace is extended according to the worth of his Merits I conclude that there is the same vertue in his Merits to save now as there was at the very beginning O the Riches of the Grace of Christ Oh the Riches of the Blood of Christ Thirdly Would Jâ—sus Christ have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest sinners Then here is encouragâ—ment for you that think for wicked hearts and lives you have not your fellows in the World yet to come to him There is a People that therefore fear lest they should be rejected of Jesus Christ because of the greatness of their sins when as you see here such are sent to sent to by Jesus Christ to come to him for Mercy Begin at Jerusalem Never did one thing answer another more fitly in this world than this Text sitteth such kind of sinners As Face answereth Face in a Glass so this Text answereth the necessities of such sinners What can a Man say more but that he stands in the rank of the biggest sinners let him stretch himself whether he can and think of himself to the utmost he can but conclude himself to be one of the biggest Sinners And what then Why the Text meets him in the very Face and saith Christ offereth Mercy to the biggest Sinners to the very Jerusalem Sinners What more can be objected Nay he doth not only offer to such his Mercy but to them 't is commanded to be offâ—red in the first place Begin at Jerusalem Preach Repentance and Remission of Sins among all Nations beginning at Jerusâ—lem Is not here incouragement for those that think for wicked Hearts and Lives they have not their fellows in the World Objection But I have a Heart as hard as a Rock Answ. Well but this doth but prove thee a biggest sinner Object But my Heart continually frets against the Lord Answ. Well this doth but prove thee a biggest sinner Object But I have been desperate in sinful courses Answ. Well stand thou with the number of the biggest sinners Object But my grey Head is found in the way of wickedness Answ. Well thou art in the rank of the biggest sinners Object But I have not only a base Heart but I have lived a debauched Life Ans. Stand thou also among those that are called the biggest sinners And what then Why the Text swoops you all you cannot object your selves beyond the Text It has a particular message to the biggest sinners I say it swoops you all Object But I am a Reprobate Ans. Now thou talkest like a fool and medlest with what thou understandest not No sin but the sin of final impenitence can prove a Man a Reprobate And I am sure thou hast not arrived as yet unto that Therefore thou understandest not what thou sayest and makest groundless conclusions against thy self Say thou art a Sinner and I will hold with thee Say thou art a great sinner and I will say so too Yea say thou art one of the biggest sinners and spare not for the Text yet is beyond thee is yet betwixt Hell and thee Begin at Jerusalem has yet a smile upon thee And thou talkest as if thou wast a Reprobate and that the greatness of thy sins do prove thee so to be when yet they of Jerusalem were not such whose sins I dare say were such both for bigness and heinousness as thou art not capable of committing beyond them unless now after thou hast received Conviction that the Lord Jesus is the only Saviour of the World thou shouldest wickedly and despightfully turn thy self from him and conclude he is not to be trusted to for Life and so crucifie him for a Cheat afrâ—sh This I must confess will bring a Man under the Black rod and set him in danger of eternal Damnation Heb. 6.6 chap. 10.29 This is trampling under foot the Son of God and counting his Blood an unholy thing This did thâ—y of Jerusalem but they did it ignorantly in Unbelief and so were yet capable of Mercy But to do this against professed Light and to stand to it puts a man beyond the Text indeed Act. 3 14 15 l6 17. 1 Tim. 1.13 But I say what is this to him that would fain be saved by Christ His sins did as to greatness never yet reach to the nature of the sins that the sinners intended by the Text had made themselves guilty of He that would be saved by Christ has an honourable esteem of him but they of Jerusalem preferred a Murderer before him but as for him they cried away away with him 't is not fit that he should live Perhaps thou wilt object That thy self hast a thousand times prâ—ferred a stinking Lust before him I answer Be it so it is but what is common to Men to do nor doth the Lord Jesus make such a foolish Life a Barr to thee to forbid thy coming to him or a Bond to his Grace that it might be kept from thee but admits of thy Repentance and offereth himself unto thee freely as thou standest among the Jerusalem-sinners Take therefore incouragement Man Mercy is by the Text held forth to the biggest sinners Yea put thy self into the number of the worst by reckoning that thou mayest be one of the first and mayest not be put off till the biggest sinners are served For the biggest sinners are first invited consequently if they come they are like to be the first that shall be served 'T was so with Jerusalem Jerusâ—lem-sinners were
rejoyceth against Judgment Wherefore believe All and Mercy will to thy Conscience weigh Judgment down and so minister Comfort to thy Soul. Thâ— Lord take the Yoke from off thy Jaws since he has set Meat before thee Hâ—s 11.4 And help thee to remember that he is pleased in the first place to offer Mercy to the biggest sinners Sixthly Since Jesus Christ would have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest sinners Let Souls see that they lay right hold thereof lest they notwithstanding indeed come short thereof Faith only knows how to deal with Mercy wherefore put not in the place thereof Presumption I have observed that as there are Herbs and Flowers in our Gardenâ— so there are their Counterfeits in the Field only they are distinguiâ—hed from the other by the Name of Wild Ones Why there is Faith and Wild Faiâ—h and Wild Faith is this Presumption I call it Wild Faith because God never placed â—t in his Garden his Church 't is only to be found in the Field the World. I also call it Wild Faith because it only grows up and is nourished where other wild notions abounds Wherefore take heed of this and all may be well For this presumptuousness is a very heinous thing in the eyes of God The Soul saith he that shall do ought presumptuously â—hether born in the Land or a stranger the same reproacheth the Lord And that Soul shall be cut off from among his people Num 15.30 The thoughts of this made David tremble and pray That God would hold him back from presumptuous sins and not suffer them to have dominion over him Psal. 19.13 Now this Presumption Then put its self in the place of Faith when it tampereth with the promise for Life while the Soul is a stranger to Repentance Wherefore you have in the Text to prevent doing thus both Repentance and Remission of Sins to be offered to Jerusalem not Remission without Repentance For all that repent not shall perish let them presume on Grace and the Promise while they will Luk. 13.1 2 3. Presumption then is that which severeth Faith and Repentance concluding that the Soul shall be saved by Grace though the man was never made sorry for his sins nor the love of the Heart turned therefrom This is to be sâ—lf-willed as Peter has it And this is a despising the Word of the Lord for that has put Repentance and Faith together Mark 1.15 And because he hath despisâ—d the Word of the Lord and hath broken the Commandment that Soul shall utterly be cut off his iniquities shall be upon him Numb 15.31 Let such therefore look it who yet are and abide in their sins for such if they hope as they are to be saved presume upon the grace of God. Wherefore Presumption and not hearkning to God's Word are put together Dâ—ut 17.12 Again Then men presume when they are resolved to abide in their sins and sins yet expect to be saved by God's grace through Christ. This is as much as to say God liketh of Sin as well as I do and careth not how men live if so be they lean upon his Son. Of this sort are they that build up Zion with Blood and Jerusalem with Iniquity That Judge for reward and teach for hire and Divine for mony and lean upon the Lord Mic. 3.10 11. This is doing things with an high hand against the Lord our God and a taking him as it were at the Catch This is as we lay among men to seek to put a trick upon God as if he had not sufficiently fortified his Proposals of Grace by his holy Word against all such kind of fools as these But look to it Such will be found at the day of God not among that great company of Jerusalem-sinners that shall be saved by Grace but among those that have been the great abusers of the grace of God in the World. These that say Let us sin that Grace may abound and let us do Evil that Good may come their Damnation is just And if so they are a great way off of that Salvation that is by Jesus Christ presented to the Jerusalem sinners I have therefore these things to propound to that Jerusalem-sinner that would know if he may be so bold to venture himself upon this Grace First Dost thou see thy sins Secondly Art thou weary of them Thirdly Wouldst thou with all thy heart be saved by Jesus Christ I dare say no less I dare say no more But if it be truly thus with thee how great soever thy sins have been how bad soever thou feelest thy heart how far soever thou art from thinking that God has mercy for thee thou art the Man the Jerusalem-sinner that the Word of God has conquered and to whom it offereth free Remission of sins by the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ. When the Jayler cried out Sirs What must I do to be saved The answer was Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved He that sees his sins aright is brought to his wits-end by them and he that is so is willing to part from them and to be saved by the grace of God. If this be thy Case fear not give no way to Despair thou presumest not if thou believest to life everlasting in Jesus Christ. Yea Christ is prepared for such as thou art Therefore take good courage and believe The design of Satan is to tell the Presumptuous that their presuming on Mercy is good but to perswade the Believer that his believing is impudent bold dealing with God. I never heard a presumptuous man in my life say that he was afraid that he presumed but I have heard many an honest humble Soul say that they have been afraid that their Faith has been Presumption Why should Satan molest those whose ways he knows will bring them to him And who can think that he should be quiet when men take the right course to escape his hellish snares This therefore is the reason why the truly humbled is opposed while the Presumptuous goes on by Wind and Tide The truly humble Satan hates but he laughs to see the foolery of the other Does thy hand and heart tremble Upon thee the Promise smiles To this man will I look says God even to him that is poor and of a coâ—trite sâ—irit and trembles at my Word Isa. 66.2 What therefore I have said of Presumption concerns not the humble in Spirit at all I therefore am for gaâ—hering up the Sâ—ones and for taking the Stumbling-blocks out of the way of God's People and fore-warning of them that they lay the stumbling block of their Iniquity before their faces and that are for presuming upon God's mercy and let them look to themselves Ezekiel 14.6 7 8. Also our Text stands firm as ever it did and our Observation is still of force That Jesus Christ would have mercy offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners So then let none Desâ—air let none Presume Let
bare the sin of many and made Intercâ—ssion for the transgressors Isa. 53.12 Ninthly Would Jesus Christ have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners Let the Tempted harp upon This string for their hâ—lp and consolation The Tempted wherever he dwells always thinks himself the biggest Sinner one most unworthy of eternal Life This is Satans master Argument Thou art a horrible Sinner a Hypocrite one that has a profane heart and one that is an utter stranger to a work of Grace I say this is his Maul his Clâ—h his Master-piece He doth with this as some do by their most inchanting Songs sings them every where I believe there are but few Saints in the World that have not had this temptation sounding in their Ears But were they but aware Satan by all this does but drive them to the Gaâ— out at which they should go and so escape his roaring Saith he Thou art a great Sinner a horrible Sinner a profane hearted Wretch one that cannot be matchâ— for a Vile one in the Country And all this while Christ says to his Ministers offer Mercy in the first place to the biggest Sinners So that this Temptation drives thee directly into the Arms of Jesus Christ. Was therefore the Tempted but aware he might say Ay Satan so I am I am a Sinner of the biggest size and therefore have most need of Jesus Christ Yea because I am such a wretch therefore Jesus Christ calls me yea he calls me first The first proffer of the Gospel is to be made to the Jerusalem sinner I am he wherefore stâ—nd back Satan make a lane my right is first to come to Jesus Christ. This now would be like for like This would foil the Devil This would make him say I must not deal with this man thus for then I put a Sword into his hand to cut off my head And this is the meaning of Peter when he saith Resist him stedfast in the Faith 1 Pet. 5.9 And of Paul when he saith Take the Shiâ—ld of Faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the Wicked Ephes. 6.16 Wherefore is it said Begin at Jerusalem if the Jerusalem sinner is not to have the benefit of it And if I am to have the benefit of it let me call it to mind when Satan haunts me with the continual remembrance of my sins of my Jerusalem-sins Satan and my Conscience says I am the biggest sinner Christ offereth Mercy in the first place to the biggest sinners Nor is the manner of the Offer other but such as suiteth with my mind I am sorry for my sin yea sorry at my heart that ever sinful Thought did enter or find the least entertainment in my wicked mind And might I obtain my Wish I would never more that my heart should be a place for ought but the Grace and Spirit and Faith of the Lord Jesus I speak not this to lessen my Wickedness I would not for all the World but be placed by mine own Conscience in the very front of the biggest Sinners that I might be one of the first that are beckoned by the gracious Hand of Jesus the Saviour to come to him for Mercy Well Sinner thou now speakest like a Christian but say thus in a stronâ— Spirit in the hour of Temptation and then thou wilt to thy commendation and comfort quit thy self well This improving of Christ in dark hours is the Life though the hardest part of our Christianity We should neither stop at Darkness nor at the raging of our Lusts but go on in a way of venturing and casting the whole of our Affair for the next World at the foot of Jesus Christ. This is the way to make the Darkness Light and also to alay the raging of our Corruption Tâ—e first time the Passover â—as eaten was in the night and when Israel took Courage to go forward though the Sea stood in their way like a devouring Gulf and the Host of the Aegyptians follow them at the heels yet the Sea gives place and their Enemies were as still as a stone till they were gone over Exod. 12.8 chap. 14.13 14 21 21 22. chap. 15 16. There is nothing like Faith to help at a pinch Faith dissolves Doubts as the Sun drives away the Mists And that you may not be put out know your time as I said of believing is always There are times when some Graces may be out of use but there is no time wherein Faith can be said to be so Wherefore Faith must be always in exercise Faith is the eye is the mouth is the hand and one of these is of use all day long Faith is to see to receive to work on to eat and a Christian should be seeing or receiving or working or feeding all day long Let it rain let it blow let it thunder let it lighten a Christian must still believe At what time said the good man I am afraid I will trust in thee Psal. 56.2 3. Nor can we have a better encouragement to do this than is by the Text set before us even an open heart for a Jerusalem Sinner And if for a Jerusalem-Sinner to come then for such an one when come If such a one To Be saved then for such a one that Is saved If for such a one To be pardoned his great transgressions then for such a one who Is pardoned these to come daily to Jesus Christ too to be cleansed and set free from his common Infirmities and from the Iniquities of his holy things Therefore let the poor Sinner that would be saved labour for skill to make the best Improvement of the grace of Christ to help him against the temptations of the Devil and his Sins Tengthly Would Jesus Christ have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners Let those men consider this that have or may in a day of trial have spoken or done what their Profession or Conscience told them they should not and that have the guilt and burden thereof upon their Consciences Whether a thing be wrong or right Guilt may pursue him that doth contrary to his Conscience But suppose a man should deny his God or his Christ or relinquish a good Profession and be under the real guilt thereof Shall he therefore conclude he is gone for ever Let him come again with Peter's tears and no doubt but he shall obtain Peter's Forgiveness For the Text includes the biggest sinners And 't is observable That before this Glâ—use was put into this Commission Peter was pardoned his horrible Revolt from his Master He that Revolteth in the day of Trial if he is not shot quite dead upon the place but is sensible of his Wound and calls out for a Chyrurgion shall find his Lord at hand to pour Wine and Oyl into his Wounds that he may again be healed And to incourage him to think that there may be Mercy for him Besides what we find Recorder of Peter you read