High Priest God's Sacrifices accepted and God's Eye and God's Heart perpetually Psâ—l 76.1 2. Psal. 122.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. 1 King. 9.3 But Thirdly We are to consider Jerusâ—lem also in her Decays for as she is to considered she is the proper object of our Text as will be fâ—rther shewed by and by Jerusâ—lem as I toId you â—as the place and feaâ— of God's Worship but now decayed degâ—nâ—rated and apostatizâ—d The Word the Rule of Worship was rejected of them and in its place they had put and set up their own Traditions They had rejected also the most weighty Ordinances and put in the room thereof their own little things Mat. 15. Mark 7. Jerusalem was therefore now greatly backslidden and become the place where Truth and true Religion was much defaced It was also now become the very sink of Sin and seat of Hypocrisie and gulf where true Religion was drowned Here also now reigned Presumption and groundless Confidence in God which is the bane of Souls Amongst its Rulers Doctors and Leaders Envy Malice and Blasphemy vented it self against the Power of Godliness in all places where it was espied As also against the Promoters of it yea their Lord and Maker could not escape them In a Word Jerusalem was now become the Shambles the very Slaughter-shop for Saints This was the place wherein the Prophets Christ and his People were most horribly persecuted and murdered Yea. so hardned at this time was this Jerusalem in her Sins that she feared not to commit the biggest and to bind her self by Wish under the guilt and damning evil of it saying when the had murdered the Son of God His Blood be upon us and our Children And though Jesus Christ did both by Doctrine Miracles and Holiness of Life seek to put a stop to their Villanies yet they shut their eyes stopt their ears and rested not till as was hinted before they had driven him out of the World. Yea that they might if possible have extinguished his Name and exploded his Doctrine out of the World they against all Argument and in despite of Heaven its mighty hand and undeniable proof of his Resurrection did hire Souldiers to invent a Lye saying His Disciples stole him away from the Grave on purpose that Men might not count him the Saviour of the World nor trust in him for the Remission of Sins They were saith Paul contrary to all Men For they did not only shut up the Door of Life against themselves but forbad that it should be opened to any else Forbidding us saith he to preach to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sin alway Matt. 23.35 chap. 15.7 8 9. Mar. 7. â— 7 8 Mat. 3 7.8 9. Joh. 8.33 41. Mat. 27.18 Mar. 3.30 Luk. 265. Mat. 23. 37. Luk. 13 33 34. Psal. 2.22 23. Chap. 4.10 Mat. 27.25 Chap. 20.11 12 13 14 15. 1 Thes. 2.14 15 16. This is the City and these are the People This is their Character and thâ—se are their Sins Nor can there be produced their parallel in all this World. Nay what World what People what Nation for Sin and Transgression could or can be compâ—red to Jerusalem Especially if you joyn to the matter of fact the Light they sinned against and the Patience which they abused Infinite was the Wickedness upon this account which they committed After all their abusings of wise Men and Prophets God sent unto them John Baptist to reduce them and then his Son to redeem them but they would be neither reduced nor redeemed but persecuted both to the Death Nor did they as I said stop here the Holy Apostles they afterwards persecuted also to Death even so many as they could the rest â—he drove from them unto the utmost Corners Secondly I come now to shew you what it was to preach the Gospel to them It was saith Luke to preach to them Repentance and remission of Sins in Christs Name Or as Mark has it to bid thâ—m repent and believe the Gospel Mar. 1.15 Not that Repentance is a cause of Remission but a sign of our hearty reception thereof Repentance is therefore here put to intimate that no pretended Faith of the Gospel is good that is not accompanied with it And this he doth on purpose 'cause he would not have them deceive themselves For with what Faith can he expect remission of Sins in the Name of Christ that is not heartily sorry for them Or how shall a man be able to give to others a satisfactory account of his unseigned subjection to the Gospel that yet abides in his impenitency Wherefore Repentance is here joined with Faith in the way of receiving the Gospel Faith is that without which it cannot be received at all And Repentance that without which it cannot be received unseignedly When therefore Christ says he would have Repentance and Remission of Sins preached in his Name among all Nations it is as much as to say I will that all men every where be sorry for their sins and accept of mercy at Gods hand thorow me lest they fall under his wrath in the Judgment For as I said without Repentance what pretence soever men have of Faith they cannot escape the wrath to come Wherefore Paul saith God commands all men evâ—ry where to repent in order to their Salvation because he hath appointed a day in the which he will Judge the World in Righteâ—usness by that man whom he hath ordained Acts 17.30 And now to come to this Clause Beginning at Jerusalem That is that Christ would have Jerusalem have the first offer of the Gospel 1. This cannot be so commanded because they had now any more right of themselves thereto than had any of the Nations of the World for their Sins had divested them of all self-deservings 2. Nor yet because they stood upon the advance ground with the worst of the Sinners of the Nations Nay rather the Sinners of the Nations had the advancâ—-ground of them For Jerusalem was long before she had added this Iniquity to her sin worse than the very Nations that God cast out before the Children of Israel 2 Chron. 33. 3. It must therefore follow that this Clâ—use Bâ—gin at Jerusalem was put into this Commission of meer Grace and Compassion Even from the overflowings of the Bowels of Mercy For indeed they were the worst and so in the most deplorable condition of any People under the Heavens Whatever therefore their relation was to Abraham Isaac or Jacob however they formerly had been the People among whom God had placed his Name and Worship they were now degenerated from God more than the Nations were from their Idols and were become guilty of the highest Sins which the People of the World were capable of committing Nay none can be capable of committing of such pardonable Sins as they committed against their God when they slew his Son and persecuted his Name and Word From these Words therefore thus explained we gain this
him his Penâ—y his Care and his Swadling-bands for him for alas Wretch he had most need Luke 10.30 31 32 33 34 35. Zacheus the Publican the chief of the Publicans one that had made himself the richer by wronging of oâ—hers the Lord at that time singlâ—th him out from all the rest of his brother Publicans and that in the face of many Pharisees and proclaimed in the audience of them all That that day Salvation was come to his â—ouse Luke 19.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. The Woman also that had been bound down by Satan for eighteen years together his compassions putting him upon it he loosed her though those that stood by snarled at him for so doing Luk. 13.11 12 13. And why the Woman of Sarepta and why Naaman the Syrian rather than Widows and Lepers in Israel but because their conditions were more deplorable for that they were most forlorn and farthest from help Luk. 4.25 27. But I say why all these thus named why have we not a Catalogue of some Holy men that were so in their own eyes and in the judgment of the World Alas if at any time any of them are mentioned how seemingly coldly doth the Record of Scripture present them to us Nicodemus a Night-Professor and Simon the Pharisee with his Fifty Pence and their great ignorance of the methods of Grace we have now and then touched upon Mercy seems to be out of his proper Chanel when it deals with Self-righteous men but then it runs with a full stream when it extends it self to the biggest sinners As God's mercy is not regulated by Man's goodness nor obtained by Man's worthiness so not much set one by saving of any such But more of this anon And here let me ask my Reader a Question Suppose that as thou art walking by some Pond-side thou shouldst espy in it four or five Children all in danger of drowning and one in more danger than all the rest judge which has most need to be helped out first I know thou wilt say he that is nearest drowning Why this is the case the bigger Sinner the nearer dâ—oâ—ning therefore the bigger sinner the more need of mercy yea of help by mercy in the first place And to this our Text agrees when it saith Beginning at Jerusalem Let the Jerusalem Sinner says Christ have the first offer the first invitation the first tender of my grace and mercy for he is the biggest sinner and so has most need thereof Secondly Christ Jesus would have mercy offered in the first place to the biggest sinners because when they any of them receive it it redound most to the fame of his Name Christ Jesus as you may perceìve has put himself under the term of a Physician a Doctor for curing of Diseases And you know that Applause and a Fame is a thing that Physicians much desire That is it that helps them to Patients and that also that will help their Patients to commit themsâ—lves to their Skill for Cure with the more confidence and repose of Spirit And the best way for a Doctor or Physician to get themselves a Name is in the first place to take in hand and Cure some such as all others have given off for lost and dead Physicianâ— get neither Name nor Fame by pricking of Wheals or piâ—king out Thistles or by laying of Plaisters to the scratch of a Pâ—n Every old Woman can do this But if they will have a Name and a Fame if they will have it quickly they must as I said do some great and desperate Cures Let them fetch one to Life that was Dead let them recover one to his Wits that was Mad let them make one that was born Blind to See or let them give ripe Wits to a Fool these are roâ—able Cures and he that can do thâ—s and if he doth thus first he shall have the Name and Fame he desires he may lye a Bâ—d till Noon Why Christ Jesus forgiveth Sins for a Name and so begâ—ts of himself a goâ—d Report in the hearts of the Children of men And therefore in reason he must be willing as also he did command that his mercy should be offered first to the biggest Sinners I will forgive their sins iniquities and transgressions says he and it shall turn to me for a name of Joy and a praise and an honour before all the Nations of the earth Jer. 33.8 9. And hence it is that at his first appearing he took upon him to do such mighty works He got a Fame thereby he got a Name thereby Mat. 4.23 24. When Christ had cast the legion of Devils out of the man of whom you read Mark 5. He bid him go home to his Friends and tell it Go home saith he to thy friends and tell them how great things God has done for thee and has had compassion on thee Mark 5.19 Christ Jesus seeks a Name and desireth a Fame in the World and therefore or the better to obtain that he commands that mercy should first be proffered to the biggest sinners because by the saying of one of them he makes all men marvel As 't is said of the man lâ—st mentioned whom Christ cured toward the beginning of his Ministry And he departed says the Text and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him and all men did mâ—rvel Ver. 20. When John told Christ that they saw one casting out Devils in his Name and they forbad him because he followed not with them What is the answer of Christ Forbid him not for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my Name that can lightly speak evil of me No they will rather cause his Praise to be heard and his Name to be magnified and so put Glory on the head of Christ. But we will follow a little our Metaphor Christ as I said has put himself under the term of a Physician Consequently he desireth that his Fame as to the Salvation of sinners may spread abroad that the World may see what he can do And to this end has not only commanded that the biggest sinners should have the first offer of his mercy but has as Physicians do put out his Bills and published his doings that things may be read and talked of Yea he has moreover in these his blessed Bills the Holy Scriptures I mean incerted the very Names of Persons the places of their abode and the great Cures that by the means of his Salvations he has wâ—ought upon thâ—m to this very end Here is Item Such a one by my grace and redeeming Blood was made a Monument of everlasting Life And such a one by my perfect Obedience became an Heir of Glory And then he produceth their Names Item I sâ—ved Lot from the guilt and damnation that he had procured to himself by his incest Item I saved David from the Vengeance that belonged to him for committing of Adultery and Murder Here is also Solomon Mâ—nasseh Petâ—r Magdalâ—n
15 16. And these are hard speeches against him To say that he was not able or willing to save Men because of the greatness of their sins or to say that they were discouraged by his Word from Repentance because of the heinousness of their offences These things I say shall then be confuted He comes with ten thousand of his Sâ—ints to confute them and to stop their mouths from making objections against their own eternal damnation Here is Adam the destroyer of the World heâ—e is Lot that lay with both his Daughters here is Abraham that was sometimes an Idolater and Jacob that was a Supplanter and Ruben that lay with his Fathers Concubine and Judah that lay â—ith his Daughter-in-Law and Levy and Simeon that wickedly slew the Sechemites and Aaron that made an Idol to be Worshipped and that proclaimed a Religious Feast unto it Here is also Rahab the Harlot and Bathsheba that bare a Bâ—stard to David Here is Solomon that great Backslider and Manasseh that man of Blood and a Witch Time would fail to tell you of the Woman of Canaans Daughter of Mary Magdalen of Matthew the Publican and of Gideon and Sampson and many thousands more Alas alas I say what will these Sinners do that have through their unbelief eclipsed the glorious largeness of the mercy of God and gave way to despair of Salvation because of the bigness of their sins For all these though now glorious Saints in Light were sometimes Sinners of the biggest size who had sins that were of a notorious hue Yet now I say they are in their shining and heavenly Robes before the Throne of God and of the Lamb Blessing for ever and every that Son of God for their Salvation who dyed for them upon the Tree admiring that ever it should come into their Hearts once to think of coming to God by Chirst But above all blessing God for granting of them light to see those incouragements in his Testament without which without doubt they had beâ—n daunted and sunk down under guilt of Sin and Despair as their fellow sinnâ—rs have done Bâ—t now they also are all Witnessâ—s for God and for his Grace against an unbâ—lieving World for as I said they shall come to convince the World of their Speeches their hard and unbelieving words that they have spoken concerning the mercy of God and the merits of the Passion of his blessed Son Jesus Christ. But will it not think you strangely put to silence all such thonghts and words and reasonings of the Ungodly before the Barr of God doubtless it will yea and will send them away from his presence also with the greatest guilt that possibly can fallen upon the Consciences of Men. For what will sting like this I have through mine own foolish narrow unworthy undervaluing thoughts of the love and ability of Christ to save me brought my self to everlasting ruine 'T is true I was a horrible sinner not one in a hundred did live so vile a life as I but this should not have kept me from closing with Jesus Christ I see now that there are abundance in Glory that once were as bad as I have been but they were saved by Faith and I am damned by Unbelief Wrâ—tch that I am why did not I give glory to the Redeeming Blood of Jesus Why did I not humbly cast my Soul at his blessâ—d foot stool for Mercy Why did I judge of his ability to save me by the voice of my shallow reason and the voice of a guilty Conscience Why betook not I my self to the holy Word of God Why did I not read and pray that I might understand since now I perceive that God said then He giveth liberally to them that pray and upbraideth not Jam. 1.5 'T is rational to think that by such Cogitations as these the unbelieving World will be torn in pieces before the Judgment of Christ Especially those that have lived where they did or might have heard the Gospel of the Grace of God. Oh! that saying It shall be more tolerable for Sodom at the Judgment than for them will be better understood See Luke 10.8 9 10 11 12. This Reason therefore standeth fast Namely That Christ by offering mercy in the first place to the biggest Sinners now will stop all mouths of the impenitent at the day of Judgment and cut off all excuse that shall be attempted to be made from the thoughts of 〈◊〉 greatness of their sins why they caâ—â— not to him I have often thought of the day of Judgement and how God will deal with sinners at that day And I believe it will be managed with that sweetness with that equitableness with that excellent Righteousness as to every sin and circumstance and aggravation thereof that men that are damned before the Judgment is over shall receive such conviction of the righteous Judgment of God upon them and of their deserts of Hell fire that they shall in themselves conclude that there is all the reason in the world that they should be shut out of Heaven and go to Hell-fire These shall go away into everlasting fire Matt. 25.46 Only this will tare That they have mist of Mercy and Glory and obtained everlasting damnation through their unbelief But it will tare but themsâ—lves but their own Souls they will gnash upon themselves For in that Mercy was offered to the chief of them in the first place and yet they were damned for rejecting of it They were damned for forsaking what they had a propriety in for forsaking their Own Mercy And thus much for the Reasons I will conclude with a word of Application The APPLICATION FIrst Would Jesus Christ have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest sinners Then this shews us how to make a right judgment of the heart of Christ to Men. Indeed we have advantage to guess at the goodness of his Heart by many things as by his taking our nature upon him his dying for us his sending his Word and Ministers to us and all that we might be saved But this of beginning to offer mercy to Jerusalem is that which heightens all the rest for this doth not only confirm to us that Love was the cause of his dying for us but it shews us yet more the depth of that Love He might have dyed for us and yet have extended the benefit of his death to a few as one might call them of the best-conditioned sinners to those who though they were weak and so could not but sin yet made not a trade of sinning To those that sinned not lavishingly There are in the World as one may call them the moderate Sinners the sinners that mix Righteousness with their Pollutions the sinners that though they be sinners do what on their part lies some that are blind would think so that they might be saved I say it had been Love great Love if he had dyed for none but such and sent his love to such But that he should