may see that indeed you are the Sons of Love. Love your Saviour Yea shew one to another that you love him not only by a seeming love of Affection but with the love of Duty Practical Love is best Many love Christ with nothing but the lick of the Tongue Alas Christ Jesus the Lord must not be put off thus He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them saith he he it is that loveth me Joh. 14.21 Practical Love which stands in Self-denial in Charity to my Neighbour and a Patient enduring of Affliction for his Name This is counted Love. Right Love to Christ is that which carries in it a provoking Argument to others of the Brethren Heb. 10.24 Should a Man ask me how he should know that he loveth the Children of God The best answer I could give him would be in the Words of the Apostle John By this saith he we know we love the Children of God when we love God and keep his Commandments 1 Joh. 5.2 Love to God and Christ is then 〈◊〉 when we are tender of his Name and then we shew our selves tender of his Name when we are afraid to break any the least of his Commandments And when we are here then do we shew our love to our Brother also Now we have Obligation sufficient thus to do for that our Lord loved us and gave himself for us to deliver us from Death that we might live through him The World when they hear the Doctrine that I have asserted and handled in this little Book to wit That Jesus Christ would have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners will be apt because themselves are Unbelievers to think that this is a Doctrine that leads to Looseness and that gives liberty to the Flesh but if you that Believe love your Brethren and your Neighbours truly and as you should you will put to silence the ignorance of such foolish Men and stop their mouths from speaking Evil of you And I say let the love of Christ constrain us to this Who deserveth our Heart our Mouth our Life our Goods so much as Jesus Christ who has bought us to himself by his Blood to this very end that we should be a peculiar Peâ—â—le zealous of good Works There is nothing more seemly in the World than to see a Christian walk as becomes the Gospel nor any thing more unbecoming a Reasonable Creature than to hear a man say I believe in Christ and yet see in his Life Debauchery and Profaneness Might I such men should be counted the basest of men such men should be counted by all unworthy of the Name of a Christian and should be shunned by every good man as such who are the very Plague of Profession For so it is written We should carry it towards them Whoso has a Form of Godliness and deny the power thereof from such we must turn away It has oft-times come into my mind to ask by what means it is That the Gospel Profession should be so Taunted with Loose and Carnal Gospellers And I could never arrive to better Satisfaction in the matter than this Such men are made Professors by the Devil and so by him put among the rest of the Godly A certain Man had a fruitless Figg-Tree planted in his Vineyard but by whom was it planted there Even by him that sowed the Tares his own Children among the Wheat Luke 13.6 Matt. 13.37 38 39 40. And that was the Devil But why doth the Devil do thus Not of love to them but to make of them Offences and Stumbling blocks to others For he knows that a loose Professor in the Church does more mischief to Religion than ten can do to it that are in the World. Was it not think you the Devil that stirred up the Damosel that you read of in Acts 16. to cry out These are the Servants of the Most high God that shew unto us the way of Salvation Yes it was as is evident For Paul was grieved to hear it But why did the Devil stir up her to cry so But because that was the way to blemish the Gospel and to make the World think that it came from the same hand as did her Sooth-saying and Witchery Ver. 16.17 18. Holiness O Lord becomes thy House for ever Let therefore whoever they be that profess the Name of Christ take heed that they Scandal not that Profession which they make of him since he has so graciously offered us as we are Sinners of the biggest size in the first place his Grace to Save us HAving thus far spoken of the riches of the Grace of Christ and of the freeness of his Heart to imbrace the Jerusalem-sinners it may not be amiss to give you yet as a caution an intimatimation of one thing namely That this grace and freeness of his Heart is limited to time and day the which whoso overstandeth shall perish notwithstanding For as a King who of Grace sendeth out to his Rebellious People an offer of Pardon if they accept thereof by such a day yet beheadeth or hangeth those that come not in for mercy until the day or time be past So Christ Jesus has set the Sinner a day a day of Salvation an acceptable time but he who standeth out or goeth on in Rebellion beyond that time is like to come off with the loss of his Soul 2 Cor. 6.2 Heb. 3.13 16 17 18 19. chap. 4.7 Luk. 19.41 42. Since therefore things are thus it may be convenient here to touch a little upon these particulars First That this Day or Time thus limited when it is considered with reference to this or that man is oft-times undiscerned by the person concerned therein and always is kept secret as to the shutting up thereof And this in the wisdom of God is thus to the end no man when called upon should put off turning to God to another time Now and to Day is that and only that which is revealed in Holy Writ Psal. 50.22 Eccles. 12.1 Hâ—b 3.13 16. And this shews us the desperate hazzards which those men run who when invitation or conviction attends them put off turning to God to be saved till another and as they think a more fit season and time For many by so doing defer this to do till the day of God's patience and long-suffering is ended and then for their Prayers and Cryes after mercy they receive nothing but mocks and are laughed at by the God of Heaven Prov. 1.20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29. Isa. 65.12 13 14 15. chap. 66.4 Zech. 7.11 12 13. Secondly Another thing to be considered is this namely that the day of God's grace with some men begins sooner and also sooner ends than it doth with others Those at the first hour of the day had their Call sooner than they who were called upon to turn to God at the sixth hour of the day yea and they who were hired at third hour had their Call sooner than
and many others made mention of in this Book Yea here are their Names their Sins and their Salvations recorded together that you may read and know what a Saviour he is and do him honour in the World. For why are these things thus recorded but to shew to Sinners what he can do to the praise and glory of his grace And it is observable as I said before we have but very little of the Salvation of little sinners mentioned in God's Book because that would not have answered the design to wit to bring glory and fame to the Name of the Son of God. What should be the reason think you why Christ should so easily take a denial of the great ones that wear the Grandure of the World and struggle so hard for Hedge creepers and Highway men as that Parable Luke 14. seems to import he doth but to shew forth the riches of the glory of his Grace to his praise This I say is one Reason to be sure They that had their Grounds their yoke of Oxen and their mâ—rriage Joys were invited to come but they made their excuse and that servâ—d the turn But when he comes to deal with the worst he saith to his Servants Go ye out and bring them in higher Go out quickly and bring in hither the poor the maimed the halt and the blind And they did so And he said again Go out into the high ways and Hedâ—es and Compel them to come in that my house may be fillâ—d Luk. 14.18 19 23. These poor lame maimed blind hedge-creepers and high way men Must come in Must be forced in These if saved will make his Merits shine When Christ was crucified and hanged up between the Earth and Heavens there was two Thieves crucified with him and behold he lays hold of one of them and will have him away with him to Glory Was not this a strange act and a display of unthought-of grace Were there none but Thieves there or were the rest of that company out of his reach Could he not think you have stooped from the Cross to the Ground and have laid hold on some honester man if he would Yes doubtless Oh but then he would not have displayed his Grace nor so have pursued his own designs namely to get to himself a praise and a name But now he has done it to purpose For who that shâ—ll read this Story but must confess that the Son of God is full of grace for a proof of the riches therâ—of he left behind him when upon the Cross he took the Tâ—ief away with him to glory Nor can this one act of his be buried It will be talked of to the end of the World to his praise Men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts and will declare thy greatness Thâ—y shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness and shall sing of thy righteousness They shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power To make known to the Sons of men his mighty acts and the glâ—rious Majesty of his Kingdom Psal. 145.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. When the Word of God came among the Conjurers and those Sooth-sayers that you read of Act. 19. and had pâ—evailed with some of them to accept of the grace of Christ the Holy Ghost records it with a boast for that it would redound to his praise saying And many of them that used curious Arts brought their Books togeâ—her and burned thâ—m before all men and counted the price of them and found it fifty thousand piecâ—s of Silver So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed Acts 19. 19 20. It wrenched out of the clutches of Satan some of those of whom he thought himself most sure So mightily grew the Word of God. It grew mightily it incroached upon the Kingdom of the Devil It pursued him and took the prey It forced him to let go his hold It brought away captive as Prisoners taken by force of Arms some of the most valiant of his Army It fetch back from as it were the confines of Hell some of those that were his most trusty and that with Hell had been at an agreement It made them come and confess their deeds and burn their Books before all men So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed Thus therefore you see why Christ will have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners They have most need thereof and this is the most ready way to extol his name that rideth upon the Heavens to our help But Thirdly Christ Jesus would have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners Because by their Forgiveness and Salvation others hearing of it will be encouraged the more to come to him for Life For the Physiâ—ian by curing of the most desperate at the first doth not only get himself a Name but begets Encouragement in the minds of other diseased folk to come to him for help Hence you read of our Lord that after through his tender mercy he had Cured many of great Diseases his Fame was spread abroad They brought unto him all sick People that were taken with divers Diseases and Torments and those which were possâ—sseâ— with Devils and those which were Lunatick and those that had the Palsie and he healed them and there followed him great multitudes of People from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond Jordan Mat. 4.24 25. See here He first by working gets himself a Fame a Name and Renown and now men take Encouragement and bring from all quarters their Diseased to him being helped by what they had heard to believe that their Diseased should be healed Now as he did with those outward Cures so he does in the proffers of his Grace and Mercy he proffers that in the first place to the biggest Sinners that others may take Heart to come to him to be saved I will give you a Scripture or two I mean to shew you that Christ by commanding that his Mercy should in the first place be offered to the biggest of Sinners has a design thereby to encourage and provoke others to come also to him for Mercy God saith Paul who is rich in Mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in our sins hath quickened us together with Christ. by Grace ye are saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus But why did he do all this That in the Ages to come he might shew the exceeding Râ—ches of his Grace in his kindness towards us thorow Christ Jesus Ephes. 2.4 5 6 7. See here 's a design God lets out his Mercy to Ephâ—sus of design even to shew to the Ages to come the exceeding Riches of his Grace in his kindness to them thorow Christ Jesus And why to shew by these the exceeding Riches of his Grace to the Ages to come thorow Christ Jesus But to alure them and
render hatred for love and contempt for forgiveness so 't would be as ridiculous to think that the reception of a little kindness should lay the same obligations upon the heart to love as the reception of a great deal I would not disparage the love of Christ I know the least dram of it when it reaches to forgiveness is great above all the world But comparatively there iâ— greater extentions of the love of Chrisâ— to one than to another He that has most sin it forgiven is partaker of the greatest love of the greatest forgiveness I know also that there are some that from this very Doctrine say Let us do evil that good may come and that turn the Grace of our God into Lasciviousness But I speak not of these These will neither be ruled by Grace nor Reason Grace would teach them if they know it to deny Ungodly Courses and so would Reason too if it could truly sense the Love of God Tim. 2 11 1â— Rom. 11.1 Doth it look like what hath any Coherence with Reason or Mercy for a man to abuse his Friend Because Christ died for men shall I therefore Spit in his Face The Bread and Water that was given by Elisha to his Enemies that came the Land of Israel to take him had so mucâ— influence upon their Minds tho Heathens that they returned to their homes without hurting him Yea it kept them from coming again in a hostile manner into the Coasts of Israel 2 Kings 6.19 20 21 22 23. But to forbear to Illustrate till anon one reason why Châ—ist Jesus shews Mercy to Sinners is that he might obtain their Love that he may remove their base affections firm base objects to himself Now if he loves to be loved a little he loves to be loved much but there is not any that are capable of loving much save those that have much forgiven them Hence 't is said of Paul That he laboured more than them all to wit with a labour of love because he had been by Sin more vile against Christ than they all 1 Cor. 15. He it was that persecuted the Church of God and wasted it Gal. 1.13 He of them all was the only raving Bedlam against the Saints And being exceeding mad says he against them I persecuted them even to strange Cities Acts 26.11 This raving Bedlam that once was so is he that now says I laboured more than them all more for Christ than them all But Paul what moved thee thus to do The love of Christ says he It was not I but the grace of God that was with me As who should say O Grace 'T was such Grace to save me 'T was such marvelous Grace for God to look down from Heaven upon me and that secured me from the wrath to come that I am captivated with the sense of the richâ—s of it Hence I act hence I labour For how can I otherwise do since God not only separated me from my Sins and Companions but separated all the powers of my Soul and Body to his Service I am therefore prompted on by this exceeding love to labour as I have done yet not I but the grace of God with me Oh! I shall never forget his love nor the circumstances under which I was when his love laid hold upon me I was going to Damascus with Letters from the High Priest to make Havock of God's People there as I had made Havock of them in other places These bloody Letters was not imposed upon me I went to the High Priest and desired them of him Acts 9.1 2. And yet he saved me I was one of the men of the chief men that had a hand in the Blood of his Martyr Stephen yet he had mercy on me When I was at Damasâ—us I stunck so horribly like a Blood-sucker that I became a Terrour to all thereabout Yea Ananias good man made intercession to my Lord against me yet he would have mercy upon me Yea joyned mercy to mercy until he had made me a monument of Grace He made a Saint of the land perswaded me that my transgressions were forgiven me When I began to preach those that heard me were amazed and said Is not this he that destroyed them that called on tâ—is Name in Jerusalem and came hither for that intent that he might bring them bound to the High Pâ—iest Hell doth know that I was a Sinner Heaven doth know that I was a Singer Thâ— World also knows that I was a Sinner a Sinner of the greatest size but I obtained mercy Acts 9.20 21. Shall not this lay Obliâ—ation upon me Is not Love of the greatest force to oblige Is it not strong as Death Cruel as the Grave and hotter than the Coals of Juniper Hath it not a most vehement flame Can the Waters quench it Can the Floods drown it I am under the force of it and this is my continual cry What shall I render to the Lord for all the Benefits which he has bestowâ—d upon me Ay! Paul this is something thou speakest like a Man like a man affected and carried away with the love and graâ—e of God. Now this sense and this affection and this labour giveth to Christ the love that he looks for But he might have converted twenty little sinners and yet not found for grace bestowed â—o â—uch love in them all I wonder how far a man might go among the Converted Sinners of the smaller size before one could find one that so much as look any thing this wayward Where is he that is thus under pangs of love for the Grace bestowed upon him by Jesus Christ Excepting only some few you may walk to the Worlds end and find none But as I sail some there are and so there has been in every age of the Church great sinners that have had much forgiven them And they love much upon this account Jesus Christ therefore knows what he doth when he lays hold on the hearts of sinners of the biggest size He knows that such an one will love more than many that have not sinned half their sins I will tell you a Story that I have â—ead of Martha and Mary the Name of the Book I have forgot I mean of the Book in which I found the Relation but the thing was thus Martha saith my Author was a very holy Woman much like Lazarus her Brother but Mary was a loose and wanâ—on creature Martha did seldom miss good Sermons â—nd Lectures when she could come at them in Jerusalem but Mary would frequent the house of Sports and the company of the vilest of Men for lust And though Martha had often desired that her Sister would go with her to hear her Preachers Yea had often entreated her with Tears to do it yet could she never prevail for still Many would make her excuse or reject her with disdain for her Zeal and Preciseness in Religion After Martha had waited long tried many ways to bring her Sister to good and all
in the Acts some was through the violence of their Trials compelled to Blaspheme and yet are called Saints Acts 26.9 10 11. Hence you have a Promise or two that speaks concerning such a kind of Men to incourage us to think that at least some of them shall come back to the Lord their God. Shall they fall saith he and not arise Shall they turn away and not return Jer. 8 4. And in that day I will assemble her that halteth and I will gather her that was driven out and her that I have Afflicted And I will make her that halteth a Remnant and her that was cast off a strong Nation And the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion for ever What we are to understand by her that halteth is best expressed by the Prophet Elijah Mic. 4.6 7. Zeph. 3.19 1 Kings 18.21 I will conclude then that for them that have halted or may halt the Lord has Mercy in the Bank and is willing to accept them if they return to him again Perhaps they may never be after that of any great esteem in the House of God but if the Lord will admit them to favour and forgiveness O exceeding and undeserved Mercy See Ezâ—k 44.10.11 12 13 14. Thou then that mayest be the Man Remember this that there is Mercy also for thee Return therefore to God and to his Son who hath yet in store for thee and who will do thee good But perhaps thou wilt say He doth not save all Revolters and therefore perhaps not me Answer Art thou returning to God If thou art returning thou art the Man. Râ—turn ye back sliding Children and I will heal your back slidings Jer. 3.22 Some as I said that Revolt are shot dead upon the place and for them who can help them But for them that cry out of their Wounds 't is a sign they are yet alive and if they use the means in time doubtless they may be healed Christ Jesus has bags of Mercy that was never yet broken up or unsealed Hence it is said he has goodness laid up things reserved in Heaven for his And if he breaks up one of these bags who can tell what he can do Hence his Love is said to be such as passeth Knowledge and that his Riches are unsearchable He has no body knows what for no body knows who He has by him in store for such as seem in the view of all men to be gone beyond recovery For this the Text is plain What Man or Angel could have thought that the Jerusalem-sinners had been yet on this side of an impossibity of enjoying Life and Mercy Hadst thou seen their actions and what horrible things they did to the Son of God Yea how stoutly they backed what they did with resolves and endeavours to persevere when they had killed his Person against his Name and Doctrine And that there was not found among them all that while as we read of the least remorse or regret for these their doings Couldst thou have imagined that Mercy would ever have took hold of them at least so soon Nay that they should of all the World be counted those Only meet to have it offered to them in the very first place For so my Text commands saying Preach Repentance and Remission of Sin among all Nations Beginning at Jerusalem I tell you the thing is a Wonder and must for ever stand for a Wonder among the Sons of Men. It stands also for an everlasting Invitation and Allurement to the biggest Sinners to come to Christ for Mercy Now since in the Opinion of all Men the Revolter is such a one if he has as I said before any Life in him let him take incouragment to come again that he may live by Christ. Eleventhly Would Jesus Christ have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners Then let God's Ministers tell them so There is an Incidence in us I know not how it doth come about when we are Converted to contemn them that are left behind Poor fools as we are we forget that we our selves were so Tit. 3.2 3. But would it not become us better since we have tasted that the Lord is gracious to carry it towards them so that we may give them Convincing ground to believe that we have found that Mercy which also sets open the Door for them to come and partake with us Ministers I say should do thus both by their Doctrine and in all other respects Austerity doth not become us neither in Doctrine nor in Conversation We our selves live by Grace Let us give as we receive and labour to perswade our fellow-sinners which God has left behind us to follow after that they may partake with us of Grace We are saved by Grace let us live like them that are gracious Let all our things to the World be done in Charity towards them Pity them Pray for them be familiar with them for their good Let us lay aside our foolish worldly carnal grandure Let us not walk the Streets and have such behaviours as signifie we are scarce for touching of the poor ones that are left behind no not with a pair of Tongs It becomes not Ministers thus to do Remember your Lord he was familiar with Publicans and Sinners to a Proverb Behold a gluttonous man and a Wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners Matt. 11.19 The first part concerning his gluttonous eating and drinking to be sure was an horrible slander but for the other nothing was over spoke truer of him by the World. Now why should we lay hands cross on this Text that is choose good Victuals and love the sweet Wine better than the Salvation of the poor Publican Why not familiar with sinners provided we hate their spots and blemishes and seek that they may be healed of them Why not fellowly with our Carnal Neighbours If we do take occasion to do so that we may drop and be yet distilling some good Doctrine upon their Souls Why not go to the poor Man's House and give him a Penny and a Scripture to think upon Whâ— not send for the Poor to fetch away at least the Fragments of thy Table that the Bowels of thy fellow-sinner my be refresht as well as thine Ministers should be Exemplary But I am an inferiour Man and must take heed of too much medling But might I I would meddle with them with their Wives and with their Children too I mean not this of all but of them that deserve it though I may not name them But I say let Ministers follow the steps of their blessed Lord who by Word and Deeds shewed his Love to the Sâ—lvation of the World in such a carriage as declared him to prefer their Salvation before his own private Concern For we are commanded to follow his steps who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth And as I have said concerning Ministers so I say to all the Brethren carry it so that all the World