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
think you Peter I am to preach Repentance and Remission of Sins to every one of you says Peter Object But I was one of them that did spit in his face when he stood before his Accusers I also was one that mocked him when in anguish he hanged bleeding on the tree Is there room for me Peter For every one of you says Peter Object But I was one of them that in his extremity said Give him Gall and Vinegar to drink why may not I expect the same when anguish and guilt is upon me Peter Repent of these your wickednesses and here is remission of sins for every one of you Object But I railed on him I reviled him I hated him I rejoyced to see him mocked at by others Can there be hopes for me Peter There is for every one of you Repent and be Baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of Sins and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost Oh! what a blessed Every one of you iâ— here How willing was Peter and the Lord Jesus by his Ministry to catch these Murderers with the Word of the Gospel that they might be made Monuments of the Grace of God! How unwilling I say was he that any of these should escape the hand of Mercy Yea what an amazing wonder is it to think that above all the World and above every body in it These should have the first offer of Mercy Beginning at Jerusalem But was there not something of moment in this Clause of the Commission Did not Peter think you see a great deal in it that he should thus begin with these men and thus offer so particularly this Grace to each particular man of them But as I told you This is not all These Jerusalem-sinners must have this offer again and again Every one of them must be offered it over and over Christ would not take their first rejection for a denial nor their second repulse for a denial But he will have Grace offered once and twice and thrice to these Jerusalem-sinners Is not this amazing Grace Christ will not be put off These are the Sinners that are sinners indeed They are Sinners of the biggest sort consequently such as Christ can if they convert and be saved best serve his ends and designs upon Of which more anon But what a pitch of Grace is this Christ is minded to amaze the World and to shew that he acteth not like the Children of men This is that which he said of old I will not execute the fierceness of my wrath I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I am God and not Man Hos. 11.9 This is not the manner of Men Men are shorter winded Men are soon moved to take Vengeance and to right themselves in a way of Wrath and Indignation But God is full of Grace full of Patience ready to Forgive and one that delights in Mercy All this is seen in our Text. The biggest sinners must First be offered Mercy They must I say have the Cream of the Gospel offered unto them But we will a little proceed In the Third Câ—apter we find that they who escaped Converting by the first Sermon are called upon again to accept of Grace and Forgiveness for their Murder committed upon this Son of God. You have killed yea you have denyed the Holy one and the Just and desired a Murderer to be granted unto you And killed the Prince of Life Mâ—rk He falls again upon the very Men that actually were as you have it in the Chapters following his very Betrayers and Murderers Acts 3.14 15. As being loth that they should escape the mercy of Forgiveness And Exhorts them again to repent that their sins might be blotted out Ver. 19.20 Agâ—in in the Fourth Chapter he charges them afresh with this Murder Ver. 10. But withall tells them Salvation is in no other Then like a heavenly Decoy he puts himself also among them to draw them the better under the Net of the Gospel saying There is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Ver. 12. In the fifth Chapter you find them railing at him because he continued preaching among them Salvation in the Name of Jesus But he tells them That that very Jesus whom they had slain and hanged on a Tree him God had raised up and exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israâ—l and Forgiveness of Sins Vir. 29.30 31. Still insinuating that tho they had killed him and to this day rejected him yet his business was to bestow upon them Repentance and Forgiveness of Sins 'T is true after they began to kill again and when nothing but killing would serve their turn then they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the Word Yet even some of them to hankered after the Conversion of the Jews that they preached the Gospel only to them Also the Apostles still made their abode at Jerusalem in hopes that they might yet let down their Net for another draught of these Jerusalem-sinners Neither did Paul and Barnabas who were the Ministers of God to the Gentiles but offer the Gospel in the first place to those of them that for their wickedness were scattered like Vagabonds among the Nations Yea and when they rendred Rebellion and Blasphemy for their Service and Love they replied It was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken to them Acts 1.8 chap. 13.46 47. Nor was this their Preaching unsuccessful among these People But the Lord Jesus so wrought with the Word thus spoken that thousands of them came flocking to him for Mercy Three thousand of them closed with him at the first and afterwards two thousand more for now they were in number about five thousand whereas before Sermons was preached to these Murderers the number of the Disciples were not above a hundred and twenty Acts 1.15 chap. 2.41 chap. 4 4. Also among these People that thus flocked to him for Mercy there was a great company of the Priests chap. 6.7 Now the Priests were they that were the greatest of these biggest Sinners they were the Ringleaders they were the Inventors and Ringleaders in the mischief ' Tâ—as they that set the People against the Lord Jesus and that was the cause why the uproâ—r increased until Pilate had given Sentence upon him The chief Priests and Elders says the Text perswaded the People the multitude that they should ask Barabas and destroy Jesus Mat. 27.20 And yet behold the Priests yea a great company of the Priests became obedient to the Faith. Oh the Greatness of the Grace of Christ That he should be thus in love with the Souls of Jerusalem-sinners That he should be thus delighted with the Salvation of the Jerusalem-sinners That he should not only will that his Gospel should be offered them but that it should be offered unto them first and before other Sinners were admitted to a hearing of it
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
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
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
Build not therefore Despair upon these things they are no sufficient foundation for it such plenty of Promises being in the Bible and such a discovery of his Mercy to great sinners of old especially since we have withall a Clause in the Commission given to Ministers to Preach that they should begin with the Jerusalem-sinners in their offering of Mercy to the World. Besides God says They that wait upâ—n the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings like Eagles but perhaps it may be long first I waited long saith David and did seek the Lord and at length his cry was heard Wherefore he bids his Soul wait on God and says for it is good so to do before thy Saints Psal. 40.1 Psal. 62.5 Psal. 52.9 And what if thou waitest upon God all thy days Is it below thee And what if God will cross his Book and blot out the hand-writing that is against thee and not let thee know it as yet Is it fit to say unto God Thou art hard-hearted Despair not Thou hast no ground to dâ—spair so long as thou livest in this World. 'T is a sin to begin to despair before one sets his foot over the threshold of Hell-gates For them that are there let them despair and spare not but as for thee thou hast no ground to do it What! Despair of Bread in a Land that is full of Corn Despair of Mercy when our God is full of Mercy Despair of Mercy when God goes about by his Ministers beseeching of Sinners to be reconciled unto him 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. Thou scrupulous fool where canst thou find that God was ever false to his Promise or that he ever deceived the Soul that ventured it self upon him He often calls upon Sinners to trust him though they walk in darkness and have no light Isa. 50.10 They have his Promise and Oath for their Salvation that flee for refuge to the hope set before them Heb 6.17 18. Despair When we have a God of Mercy and a Redeeming Christ Alive For shame forbear Let them despair that dwell where there is no God and that are confined to those Chambers of Death which can be reached by no Redemption A Living Man despair When he is chid for murmuring and complaining Lam. 3.39 Oh! so long as we are where Promises swarm where Mercy is proclaimed where Grace reigns and where Jerusalem-sinners are priviledged with the first ofter of Mercy it is a base thing to despair Despair undervalues the Promise undervalues the Invitation undervalues the proffer of Grace Despair undervalues the ability of God the Fathâ—r and the redeeming Blood of Christ his Son Oh unreasonable Despair Despair makes Man God's Judge 't is a Controller of the Promise a Contradicter of Christ in his large offers of Mercy And one that undertakes to make Vnbâ—lief the great manager of our Reason and Judgment in determining about what God can and will do for Sinners Despair It is the Devils fellow the Devils master yea the Chains with which he is captivated and held under darkness for ever And to give way thereto in a Land in a State and Time that flows with Milk and Honey is an uncomely thing I would say to my Soul O my Soul this is not the place of Despair this is not the time to despair in As long as mine eyes can find a Promise in the Bible as long as there is the least mention of Grace as long as there is a moment left me of breath or life in this World so long will I wait or look for Mercy so long will I fight against Unbelief and Despair This is the way to honour God and Christ this is the way to set the Crown on the Promise this is the way to welcome the Invitation and Inviter and this is the way to thrust thy self under the shelter and proâ—ection of the word of Grace Never despair so long as our Text is alive for that doth sound it out That Mercy by Christ is offered in the first place to the biggest sinner Despair is an unprofitable thing 't will make a man weary of waiting upon God 2 King. 6.33 'T will make a man forsake God and seek his Heaven in the good things of this world Gen. 4.13 14 15 16 17. 'T will make a man his own tormenter and flounce and fling lâ—ke a wild Bull in a net Isa. 51.20 Despair It drives a man to the study of his own ruine and brings him at last to be his own Executioner 2 Sam. 17.23 Matt. 27 3 4 5. Besides I am perswaded also that Despair is the cause that there are so many that would fain be Atheists in the World For because they have entertained a Conceit that God will never be merciful to them therefore they labour to perswade themselves that there is no God at all as if their misbelief would kill God or cause him to cease to be A poor shift for an Immortal Soul for a Soul who liketh not to retain God in its knowledge If this be the best that Despair can do let it go Man and betake thy self to Faith â—o Prayer to wait for God and to hope in despight of ten thousand doubts And for thy encouragement take yet as an addition to what has already been said these following Scriptures The Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him in them that hope in his mercy Psal. 147.11 Whence note They fear not God that hope not in his mercy Also God is angry with them that hope not in his Mercy for he only taketh pleasure in them that hope He that believeth or hath received his Testimony hath set to his Seal that God is true Joh. 3.33 But he that receiveth it not hath made him a liar and that is a very unworthy thing 1 Joh. 5.10 11. Let the Wicked forsake his ways and the Vnrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy on him and to our God for he will abundantly multiply pardons Isa. 55.7 Perhaps thou art weary of thy ways but art not weary of thy thoughts of thy unbelieving and despairing thoughts Now God also would have thee cast away these thoughts as such which he deserveth not at thy hands for he will have mercy upon thee and he will abundantly pardon O fools and flow heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken Luk. 24.25 Mark you here showness to believe is a piece of folly Ay! but sayest thou I do believe some and I believe what can make agâ—inst me Ay but Sinner Christ Jesus here calls thee fool for not believing All. Believe All and despair if thou canst He that believes All believes that Text that saith Christ would have Mercy Preached first to the Jerusalem-sinners He that believeth All believeth all the Promises and Consolations of the Word and the Promises and Consolations of the Word weigh heavier than do all the Curses and Threatnings of the Law. And Mercy
knowledge of the nature of thy Sin and so no true sense of the nature or need of Mercy Little Sinner when therefore thou goest to God though thou knowest in thy Conscience that thou as to acts art no Thief no Murderer no Whore no Liar no false Swearer or the like and in reason must needs understand that thus thou art not so profanely vile as others yet when thou goest to God for Merey know no mans sins but thine own make mention of no mans sins but thine own Also labour not to lessen thy own but magnifie and greaten them by all just Circumstances and be as if there was never a Sinner in the World but thy self Also cry out as if thou wast the only undone Man and that is the way to obtain God's Mercy It is one of the comeliest Sights in the world to see a little Sinner commenting upon the greatness of his sins multiplying and mulâ—iplying them to himself till he makes them in his own eyes bigger and higher than he seeth any other man's sins to be in the World and as base a thing it is to see a man do otherwise and as basely will come on 't Luk. 18.10 11 12 13. As therefore I said to the great Sinner before let him take heed lest he presumes I say now to the little Sinner let him take heed that he don't dissemble For there is as great an aptness in the little Sinner to dissemble as there is in the great one He that hideth his sins shall not prosper be he a sinner little or great Prov. 28.13 Eighthly Would Jesus Christ have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners Then this shews the true cause why Satan makes such head as he doth against him The Father and the holy Spirit are well spâ—kâ—n of by all Deluders and deceived Persons Christ only is the Rock of Offence Behold I lay in Zion a stumbling-Stone and a Rock of Offence Rom. 9.33 Not that Satan careth for the Father or the Spirit more than he careth for the Son but he can let men alone with their notions of the Father and the Spirit for he knows they shall never enjoy the Father or the Spirit if indeed they receive not the Merits of the Son. He that hath the Son hath Life he that hath not the Son of God hath not Life however they may boast themselves of the Father and the Spirit 1 Jâ—hn 5.12 Again Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God He that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son 2 John 9. Christ and Christ only is he that can make us capâ—ble to enjoy God with Life and Joy to all eternity Hence he calls himself The Way to the Father The true and lâ—ving Way Joh. 14.6 Heb. 10.19.20 For we cannot come to the Father but by him Satan knows this therefore he hates him Deluded Persons are ignorant of this and therefore they are so led up and down by Satan by the nose as they are Tâ—ere are many things by which Satan has taken occasion to greaten his rage against Jesus Christ. As first His love to Man and then the many expressions of that love He hath taken Man's nature upon him he hath in that nature fulfilled the Lâ—w to bring in Righteousness for Man and hath spilt his Blood for the Reconciling of Man to God he hath broke the neck of Death put away Sin destroyed the works of the Devil and got into his own hands the Keys of Death and all these are heinous things to Satan He cannot abide Christ for this Besides he hath eternal Life in himself and that to bestow upon us and we in all liklihood are to possess the very places from which the Satans by transgression fell if not places more glorious Wherefore he must neâ—ds be angry And is it not a vexatious thing to him that we should be admitted to the Throne of Grace by Christ while he stands bound over in Chains of Darkness to answer for his Rebellions against God and his Son at the terrible day of Judgment Yea we poor Dust and Ashes must become his Judges and triumph over him for ever and all this long of Jâ—sus Christ for he is the Meritorious Cause of all this Now though Satan seeks to be revenged for this yet he knows it is in vain to attack the Person of Christ he has overcome him therefore he tampers with a company of silly Men that he may Villifie him by them And they bold fools as they are will not spare to spit in his face They will rail at his Person and deny the very Being of it they will rail at his Blood and deny the Merit and Worth of it They will deny the very end why he accomplished the Law and by figgs and tricks and quiâ—ks which he helpeth them to they set up fond Nâ—mes and Images in his plâ—ce and give the glory of a Saviour to them Thus Satan workeâ—h under the Name of Christ and his Ministers under the name of the Ministers of Righteousness And by his Wiles and Stratagems he undoes a world of men But there is a Seâ—d and they shall serve him and it shall be counted to the Lord for a Generation Tâ—ese shall see their sins and thâ—t Câ—rist is the Way to Happiness These shâ—ll venture themselves both Body and Soul upon his Worthiness All this Satan Knows and therefore his rage is kindleâ— the more Wherefore acâ—ording to his ability and allowance he assaulteth tempteth abuseth and stirs up what he can to be hurtful to these poor People that he may while his time shall last make it as hard and difficult for them to go to eternal Glory as he can Often-times he abuses them with wrong appreheâ—sions of God and with wrong apprehensions of Christ. He also casts them into the Mire to the reproach of Religion the shame of their Brethren the derision of the World and dishonour of God. He holds our hands while the World buffets us he puts Bear-skins upon us and then sets the Dogs at us He bedawbeth us with his own Fome and then tempts us to believe that that bedawding comes from ourselves Oh! the rage and the roaring of this Lion and the hatred that he manifests against the Lord Jâ—sus and against them that are purchased with his Blood But yet in the midst of all this the Lord Jesus sends forth his Herrald to proclaim in the Nations his love to the World and to invite them to come in to him for Life Yea his Invitation is so large that it offereth his Mercy in the first place to thâ—â—iggest Sinners of every Age which augments the Devils rage the more wherefore as I said before fret he sume he the Lord Jesus will divide the Spoil with this great one yea he shall divide the Spoil with the strong because he hâ—th poured out his Soul unto death and was numbred with the Transgressiors and
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
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
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
their Children also to come to him and to partake of the same Grace thorow Christ Jesus But what was Paul and the Ephesian-Sinners of Paul we will speak anon These Ephesian-Sinners They were men dead in Sins men that walked according to the dictates and motions of the Devil worshippers of Diana that Effeminate Goddâ—ss Men far off from God aliens and strangers to all good things such as were far off from that as I sâ—id and consâ—quently in a most deplorable condition As the Jerusalem-Sinners were of the highest sort among the Jews so these Ephesian-Sinners were of the highest sort among the Gentiles Ephes. 2.1 2 3. Acts 19.35 Ephes. 2.11 12. Wâ—erefore as by the Jerusalem-Sinners in saving them first he had a design to provoke others to come to him for Mercy so The same design is here set on foot again in his calling and converting the Ephesian-Sinners that in the Ages to come he might shew the â—xceeding Riches of his Grace says he in his kindness towards us thorow Christ Jesus Tâ—ere is yet one hint behind 'T is said that God saved these FOR his love That is as I think for the setting forth for the commendations of his love for the advance of his love in the Hearts and minds of them that should come after As who should say God has had Mercy upon and been Gracious to you that he might shew to others for their encouragement that they have ground to come to him to be saved When God saves one great Sinner 't is to encourage another great Sinner to come to him for Mercy He saved the Thief to encourage Thieves to come to him for Mercy He saved Magdalen to encourage other Magdalens to come to him for Mercy He saved Saul to encourage Sauls to come to him for Mercy And this Paul himself doth say For this cause saith he I obtained Mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a Pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting 1 Tim. 1.16 How plain are the words Christ in saving of me has given to the World a Patern of his Grace that they might see and believe and come and be saved That they that are to be born hereafter might believe on Jesus Christ to life everlasting But what was Paul Why he tells you himself I am says he the chief of Sinners I was says he a Blasphemer a Persâ—cutor an injurious Person but I obtained Mercy 1 Tim. 1.14 15. Ay that 's well for you Paul but what advantage have we thereby Oh very much saith he For for this cause I obtained Mâ—rcy that in me First Jesus Christ might shew all long suffering for a pattern to them which shall believe on him to life everlasting Thus therefore you see that this third Reason is of strength namely That Jesus Christ 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 Mâ—rcy It may well therefore be said to God Thou delightâ—st in Mercy and Mercy pleases thee Mich. 7.18 But who believes that this was Gods design in shewing Mercy of old Namely That we that come after might take courage to come to him for Mercy or that Jesus Christ would have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners to stir up others to come to him for Life This is not the manner of men O God! But David saw this betimes therefore he makes this one Argument with God That he would blot out his Transgressions that he would forgive his Adultery his Murders and horrible Hypocrisie Do it O Lorâ— saith he do it And then will I teach Transâ—ressors thy ways and Sinners shall be Converted unto thee Psal. 51.7 8 9 10 11 12 13. He knew that the Conversion of Sinners would be a work highly pleasing to God as being that which he had designed before he made Mountain or Hill Wherefore he comes and he saith Save me O Lord if thou wilt but save me I will fall in with thy design I will help to bring what Sinners to thee I can And Lord I am willing to be made a Preacher my self for that I have been a horriâ—le Sinner wherefore if thou shâ—lt forgive my great Transgressions I shâ—ll be a fit man to tell of thy wonderous Grace to others Yea Lord I dare promise that if thou wilt have mercy upon me it shall tend to the glory of thy Grace and also to the increase of thy Kingdom for I will tell it and Sinners will hear on'â— And there is nothing so suiteth with the hearing Sinner as Mercy and to be inform'd that God is willing to bestow it upon him I will teach Transgressors thy ways and Sinners shâ—ll be Converted unto thee Nor will Christ Jesus miss of his design in profering of Mercy in the first place to the biggest Sinners You know what work the Lord by laying hold of the Woman of Samaria made among the People there They knew that she was a Town-Sinner an Adultress Yea one that after the most audacious manner lived in Uncleanness with a man that was not her Husband But when she from a turn upon her Heart went into the City and said to her Neighbours Come Oh how they came how they flocked out of the City to Jesus Christ Then they went out of the City and came to him and many of the Samaritans People perhaps as bad as her self believed on him for the saying of the woman which testified saying He told me all that ever I did John 4.39 That word He told me all that ever I did was a great Argument with them for by that they gathered That tho he knew her to be vile yet he did not despise her nor refuse to shew how willing he was to communicate his Grace unto her And this fetched over fiâ—st her then them This woman as I said was a Samaritan-Sinner a Sinner of the worst Complexion For the Jews abhorred to have ought to do with them verse 9. wherefore none more fit than she to be made one of the Decoys of Heaven to bring others of these Samaritan Wild-Fowls under the Net of tâ—e Grace of Christ. And she did the work to purpose Many and many more of the Samaritans believed on him Verse 40 41 42. The Heart of man tho set on Sin will when it comes once to a perswasion that God is willing to have Mercy upon us incline to come to Jesus Christ for life witness those turn-a-ways from God that you also read of in Jeremiah for after they had heard three or four times over that God had Mercy for backsliders they broke out and said Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God. Or as those in Hosea did For in thee the Fâ—therless find mercy Jer. 3.22 Hos. 14.1 2 3. Mercy and the revelation thereof is the only Antidote against Sin.
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