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
High Priest God's Sacrifices accepted and God's Eye and God's Heart perpetually Psâ—l 76.1 2. Psal. 122.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. 1 King. 9.3 But Thirdly We are to consider Jerusâ—lem also in her Decays for as she is to considered she is the proper object of our Text as will be fâ—rther shewed by and by Jerusâ—lem as I toId you â—as the place and feaâ— of God's Worship but now decayed degâ—nâ—rated and apostatizâ—d The Word the Rule of Worship was rejected of them and in its place they had put and set up their own Traditions They had rejected also the most weighty Ordinances and put in the room thereof their own little things Mat. 15. Mark 7. Jerusalem was therefore now greatly backslidden and become the place where Truth and true Religion was much defaced It was also now become the very sink of Sin and seat of Hypocrisie and gulf where true Religion was drowned Here also now reigned Presumption and groundless Confidence in God which is the bane of Souls Amongst its Rulers Doctors and Leaders Envy Malice and Blasphemy vented it self against the Power of Godliness in all places where it was espied As also against the Promoters of it yea their Lord and Maker could not escape them In a Word Jerusalem was now become the Shambles the very Slaughter-shop for Saints This was the place wherein the Prophets Christ and his People were most horribly persecuted and murdered Yea. so hardned at this time was this Jerusalem in her Sins that she feared not to commit the biggest and to bind her self by Wish under the guilt and damning evil of it saying when the had murdered the Son of God His Blood be upon us and our Children And though Jesus Christ did both by Doctrine Miracles and Holiness of Life seek to put a stop to their Villanies yet they shut their eyes stopt their ears and rested not till as was hinted before they had driven him out of the World. Yea that they might if possible have extinguished his Name and exploded his Doctrine out of the World they against all Argument and in despite of Heaven its mighty hand and undeniable proof of his Resurrection did hire Souldiers to invent a Lye saying His Disciples stole him away from the Grave on purpose that Men might not count him the Saviour of the World nor trust in him for the Remission of Sins They were saith Paul contrary to all Men For they did not only shut up the Door of Life against themselves but forbad that it should be opened to any else Forbidding us saith he to preach to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sin alway Matt. 23.35 chap. 15.7 8 9. Mar. 7. â— 7 8 Mat. 3 7.8 9. Joh. 8.33 41. Mat. 27.18 Mar. 3.30 Luk. 265. Mat. 23. 37. Luk. 13 33 34. Psal. 2.22 23. Chap. 4.10 Mat. 27.25 Chap. 20.11 12 13 14 15. 1 Thes. 2.14 15 16. This is the City and these are the People This is their Character and thâ—se are their Sins Nor can there be produced their parallel in all this World. Nay what World what People what Nation for Sin and Transgression could or can be compâ—red to Jerusalem Especially if you joyn to the matter of fact the Light they sinned against and the Patience which they abused Infinite was the Wickedness upon this account which they committed After all their abusings of wise Men and Prophets God sent unto them John Baptist to reduce them and then his Son to redeem them but they would be neither reduced nor redeemed but persecuted both to the Death Nor did they as I said stop here the Holy Apostles they afterwards persecuted also to Death even so many as they could the rest â—he drove from them unto the utmost Corners Secondly I come now to shew you what it was to preach the Gospel to them It was saith Luke to preach to them Repentance and remission of Sins in Christs Name Or as Mark has it to bid thâ—m repent and believe the Gospel Mar. 1.15 Not that Repentance is a cause of Remission but a sign of our hearty reception thereof Repentance is therefore here put to intimate that no pretended Faith of the Gospel is good that is not accompanied with it And this he doth on purpose 'cause he would not have them deceive themselves For with what Faith can he expect remission of Sins in the Name of Christ that is not heartily sorry for them Or how shall a man be able to give to others a satisfactory account of his unseigned subjection to the Gospel that yet abides in his impenitency Wherefore Repentance is here joined with Faith in the way of receiving the Gospel Faith is that without which it cannot be received at all And Repentance that without which it cannot be received unseignedly When therefore Christ says he would have Repentance and Remission of Sins preached in his Name among all Nations it is as much as to say I will that all men every where be sorry for their sins and accept of mercy at Gods hand thorow me lest they fall under his wrath in the Judgment For as I said without Repentance what pretence soever men have of Faith they cannot escape the wrath to come Wherefore Paul saith God commands all men evâ—ry where to repent in order to their Salvation because he hath appointed a day in the which he will Judge the World in Righteâ—usness by that man whom he hath ordained Acts 17.30 And now to come to this Clause Beginning at Jerusalem That is that Christ would have Jerusalem have the first offer of the Gospel 1. This cannot be so commanded because they had now any more right of themselves thereto than had any of the Nations of the World for their Sins had divested them of all self-deservings 2. Nor yet because they stood upon the advance ground with the worst of the Sinners of the Nations Nay rather the Sinners of the Nations had the advancâ—-ground of them For Jerusalem was long before she had added this Iniquity to her sin worse than the very Nations that God cast out before the Children of Israel 2 Chron. 33. 3. It must therefore follow that this Clâ—use Bâ—gin at Jerusalem was put into this Commission of meer Grace and Compassion Even from the overflowings of the Bowels of Mercy For indeed they were the worst and so in the most deplorable condition of any People under the Heavens Whatever therefore their relation was to Abraham Isaac or Jacob however they formerly had been the People among whom God had placed his Name and Worship they were now degenerated from God more than the Nations were from their Idols and were become guilty of the highest Sins which the People of the World were capable of committing Nay none can be capable of committing of such pardonable Sins as they committed against their God when they slew his Son and persecuted his Name and Word From these Words therefore thus explained we gain this
p. 116 117 Three things to help the Jerusalem-sinner to know when to believe in Christ p. 119 The design of Satan p. 120 The danger of not Accepting when Christ offers Mercy p. 122 7. If it be so then here is ground for those that are not Sinners of the largest size to come to Christ for Mercy p. 122 123 Objection answered p. 123 A Man comparatively a little Sinner made by Conviction a great one p. 124 A lamentable cry for Pardon a great thing with God p. 125 A right Plea for Pardon lieth not in our numbring up but ariseth from the sense of the greatness of Sin p. 125 126 Heavenly Subtilty p. 126 The comparison of little and great Sinners explained p. 127 One of the comliest Sights in the World p 127 128 A Caution to the great and little Sinner p. 128 8. By this Grace of Christ is made appear the true reason of Satan's malice against him p. 128 Who Satan makes use of to manage his despight against Christ. p. 129 How they stickle for Satan unawares to themselves p. 130 131 9. Considering this mercifulness of Christ let the Tempted harp hereon for their comfort and consolation p. 133 Satan's Master-piece his Club and Maul ibid. The way to foil the Devil p. 134 At what season the Passover was first eaten p. 136 Nothing like Faith to help at a pinch ibid. Faith the Eye Hand and Mouth of the Soul ibid. 10. Here 's encouragement for such aâ— have in Word or Deed spoke or done badly in a day of Trial p. 138 A comfortable Similitude for such p. 138 Peter instanced ibid. Promises for such p. 139 An Objection answered p. 140 Christ has Bags of Mercy yet never broken up ibid. 11. Vse for Exhortation to Ministers and Christians to carry it to the World like their Master Christ ibid. We should not be Austere p. 142 We should not affect Woâ—ldly Grandure p. 143 We should in Life and Conversion be exemplary p. 144 A gentle Reproof ibid. The Conclusion p. 146 An answer to those Grand Objections that lie in the way of them that would believe For the Comfort of those that fear thâ—y have sinned against the Holy Ghost p. 149 c. A Catalogue of Books Printed and Sold by George Larkin at the Two Swans without Bishopsgate 1. SOlomon's Temple Spiritualiz'd Or Gospel-Light fetch'd out of the Temple at Jerusalem to let us more easily into the Glory of New-Testament Truths Wherein about Seventy Particulars relating to the Temple at Jerusalem are Explained and what they signifie in Gospel-Times Uâ—folded Brice Bonnd 1 s. 2. The Acceptable Sacrifice Or the Excellency of a Broken Heart Shewing the Nature Signs and Proper Effects of a Contrite Spirit Price Bound 1 s. 3. A Discourse of the Building Nature Excellency and Government of the House of God With Counsels and Directions to the Inhabitants thereof Price Stich'd 4 d. 4. The Jerusalem-Sinnâ—r Saved Or Good News for the Vilest of Men Being a Help for Despairing Souls Shewing that Jesus Christ would have Mercy in the first Place offered to the Biggest Sinners The Second Edition In which is added An Answer to those Grand Objections that lie in the way of them that would believe For the Comfort of those that fear they have sinned against the Holy Ghost Price Bound 1 s. All Four by John Bunyan of Bedford 5. Instructions for Children Or The Child's and Youth's Delight Teaching an easie way to Spell and Read True English Containing the Father's Godly Advice directing Parents in a Right and Spiritual Manner to Educate their Children With a Christian Catechism wherein all the Chief Principles of True Christianity are clearly Opened Together with many other things both Pleasant and Useful for the Education of Children Written by B. Keach Author of War with the Devil Recommended to the Use of all Parents and Schoolmasters by Hanserd Knollys Price Bound 6 d. 6. The Tutor to True English Or Brief and Plain Directions whereby all that can Read and Write may Attain to Orthography or the Exact Writing of English as readily as if bred Scholars Very much conducing likewise to the due Sounding and perfect Reading all sorts of Words used in the English Tongue With an Introduction to Arithmetick more easie than any yet extant And several other Observations of General Use Especially for the use of either Sex and Forreigners By Henry Care Price Bound 1 s. 7. The Great Discovery Or A Golden Key to unlock the Greatest Points of Divinity contained in the Old and New Testaments Wherein the Great Design of God for the Salvation of Sinners by Jesus Christ in a Covenant-way is more fully laid open and discovered than has ever been hitherto done by any By G. W. Price Bound 2 s. GOOD NEWS For the Vilest of Men. OR A Help for Despairing Souls Luke xxiv 47. Beginning at Jerusalem THe whole Verse runs thus And that repentance and remission of Sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem The Words were spoken by Christ after he rose from the Dead and they are here rehearsed after an Historical manner but do contain in them a formal Commission with a special Clause therein The Commission is as you see for the Preaching of the Gospel and is very distinctly incerted in the Holy Record by Matthew and Mark. Go teach all Nations c. Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospel unto every Creature Matt. 28.19 Mark 16.15 Only this Clause is in special mentioned by Luke who saith That as Christ would have the Doctrine of Repentance and Remission of Sins preached in his Name among all Nations so he would have the People of Jerusalem to have the first proffer thereof Preach it saith Christ in all Nations but begin at Jerusalem The Apostles then though they had a Commission so large as to give them Warrant to go and preach the Gospel in all the World yet by this Clause they were limited as to the beginning of their Ministry They were to begin this Work at Jerusalem Beginning at Jerusalem Before I proceed to an Observation upon the Words I must but briefly tâ—uch upon two things Namely 1. Shew you what Jerusalem now was 2. Shew you what it was to preach the Gospel to them So the first Jerusalem is to be considered of either 1. With respect to the descent of her People Or 2. With respect to her Preference and Exaltation Or 3. With respect to her present State as to her Decays First As to her Descent She was from Abraham the Sons of Jacob a People that God singled out from the rest of the Nations to set his love upon them Secondly As to her Preference or Exaltation she was the place of God's Worship and that which had in and with her the special â—okens and Signs of God's Favour and Presence above any oâ—her People in the Word Hence the Tribes went up to Jerusalem to Worship there was God's House God's
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
'T is of a thawing nature 't will lose the Heart that is frozen up in Sin yea 't will make the Unwilling willing to come to Jesus Christ for Life Wherefore do you think was it that Jesus Christ told the Adulterous woman and that before so many Sinners That he had not Condemned her but to alure her with them there present to hope to find favour at his hands As he also saith in another place I came not to Judge but to Save the World for might they not thence most rationally conclude That if Jesus Christ had rather save than damn an Harlot there was encouragement for them to come to him for Mercy I heard once a story from a Souldier who with his Company had laid Siege against a Fort that so long as the Besieged were perswaded their Foes would show them no favour they Fought like Mad-men but when they saw one of their Fellows taken and received to favour they all came tumbling down from their Fortress and dâ—livered themselves into their Enemies hands I am perswaded did men believe that there is that Grace and Willingness in the Heart of Christ to save Sinners as the Word imports there is they would come tumbling into his Arms But Satan has blinded their Minds that they cannot see this thing Howbeit the Loâ—d Jesus has as I said that others might take Heart and come to him given out a commandment that Mercy should in the fiâ—st place be offered to the biggest Sinners Begin saith he at Jerusalem And thus I end the third Reason Fourthly Jesus Christ would have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners Because that is the way if they receive it most to weaken the Kingdom of Satan and to keep it lowâ—st in every Age of the World. The biggest Sinners they are Satans Colonâ—ls and Captains the Leaders of his People and they that most stoutly make Head against the Son of God. Wherefore let these first be conquered and his Kingdom will be weak When Ishbosheth had lost his Abner his Kingdom was made weak nor did he sit but tottering then upon his Throne So when Satan loseth his strong men them that are mighty to work Iniquity and dextrous to manage others in the same then is his Kingdom weak 2 Sam. 3. Therefore I say Christ doth offer Mercy in the first place to such the more to weaken his Kingdom Christ Jesus was glad to see Satan fâ—ll like Lightning from Heaven that is suddenly or headlong and it was surely by casting of him out of strong Possessions and by râ—covering of some notorious Sinners out of his Clutches Luke 10.17 18 19. Samptson when he would pull down the Philistians Temple took hold of the two main Pillars of it and breaking them down came the House Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil and to destroy by converting Grace as well as by redeeming Blood. Now Sin swarms and lieth by Legions and whole Armies in the Souls of the biggest Sinners as in Garrisons Wherefore the way the most direct way to destroy it is first to deal with such Sinners by the Word of his Gospel and by the Merits of his Passion For Example tho I shall give you but a homely one Suppose a Family to be very Lowzy and one or two of the Family to be in chief the breeders the way the quickest way to clear that Family or at least to weaken the so swarming of those Vermine is in the first place to sweeten the Skin Head and Cloaths of the chief breeders And then though all the Family should be apt to breed them the number of them and so the greatness of that Plague there will be the more impaired Why there are some people that are in chief the Devils Sin-Breeders in the Towns and Places where they live The Place Town or Family where they live must needs be horrible lowsie and as it were eaten up with Vermin Now let the Lord Jesus in the first place cleanse these great Breeders and there will be given a nip to those swarms of Sins that use to be committed in such places throughout the Town House or Family where such sin-breeding Persons used to be I speak by Experience I was one of these lowzy ones one of these great sin-breeders I infected all the Youth of the Town where I was born with all manner of youthful Vanities The neighbours counted me so my practise proved me so Wherefore Christ Jesus took me first and taking me first the Contagion was much allayed all the Town over When God made me sigh they would harken and enquiringly say What 's the matter with John They also gave their I various opinions of me But as I said Sin cooled and failed as to his full carrier When I went out to seek the Bread of Life some of them would follow and the rest be put into a muse at home Yea almost the Town at first at times would go out to hear at the place where I found good Yea young and old for a while had some reformation on them also some of them perceiving that God had mercy upon me came crying to him for mercy too But what need I give you an Instance of poor I I will come to Manasseh the King So long as he was a ringleading Sinner the great Idolater and chief for Devilism the whole Land flowed with wickedness For he made them to sin and do worse than the Heathen that dwelt round about them or that was cast out from before them But when God converted him the whole Land was reformed Down went the Groves the Idols and Altars of Baal and up went true Religion in much of the Power and Purity of it You 'll say The King reformed by Power I answer doubtless and by Example too for People observe their Leaders as their Fathers did so did they 2 Chron. 33.2 King. 17.41 This therefore is another Reason why Jesus would have mercy offered in the first place to the biggest sinners because that is the best way if they receive it most to weaken the kingdom of Satan and to keep it poor and low And do you not think now that if God would but take hold of the hearts of some of the most notorious in your Town in your Family or Countrey that this thing would be verified before your faces It would it would to the Joy of you that are godly to the making of Hell to sigh to the great suppressing of Sin the glory of Christ and the joy of the Angels of God. And Ministers should therefore that this Work might go on take advantages to perswade with the biggest Sinners to come into Christ according to my Text and their Commissions Beginning at Jerusalem Fifthly Jesus Cbrist would have mercy offered in the first place to the biggest sinners Because such when converted are usually the best helps in the Church against temptations and fittest for the support of the feeble minded there Hence usually you
to wit because such sinners when converted are apt to love him most The Jerusalem-sinners were they that out-stript when they were Converted in some things all the Churches of the Gentiles They were of one heart and of one soul neither said any of â—hem that ought of the things that they possâ—ssed was their own neither was there any among them that lacked for as many as were possessors of Lands or Houses sold them and brought the price of the things that were sold and laid them down at the Apostles feet c. Acts 4.32 33 34 35. Now show me such another Pattern if you can But why did these do thus Oh! they were Jerusalem-sinners These were the Men that but a little before had killed the Prince of Life and those to whom he did that notwithstanding send the first offer of Grace and Mercy And the sense of this took them up betwixt the Earth and the Heaven and carried them on in such ways and methods as could never be trodden by any since They talk of the Church of Rome and set hâ—r in her Primitive state as a Pattern and Mother of Churches when the Truth is they were the Jerusalem-sinners when Converts that out-did all the Churches that ever was Seventhly Christ Jesus would have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest sinners beacause Grace when it is received by such finds matter to kindle upon more freely than it finds in other sinners Great Sinners are like the dry Wood or like great Candles which burns best and shines with biggest light I lay not this down as I did those Reasons before to shew that when great Sinners are Converted they will be encouragement to others though that is true but to shew that Christ has a delight to see Grace the Grace we receive to shine We love to see things that bear a good gloss yea we chuse to buy such kind of matter to work upon as will if wrought up to what we intend cast that lustre that we desire Candles that burn not bright we like not Wood that is green will rather smother and spuâ—ter and smoak and orâ—ok and flounce than cast a brave light and pleasant heat Wherefore great Folks care not much not so much for such kind of things as for them that will better answer their ends Hence Christ desires the biggest Sinner in him there is Matter to work by to wit a great deal of sin for as by the Tallow of the Candle the Fire takes occasion to burn the brighter so by the sin of the Soul Grace takes occasion to shine the clearer Little Candles shine but little for there wanteth matter for the Fire to work upon but in the great Sinner here is more matter for Grace to work by Faith shines when it worketh towards Christ through the sides of many and great Transgressors and so does Love for that much is forgiven And what matter can be found in the Soul for Humility to work by so well as by a sight that I have been and am an abominable Sinner And the same is to be said of Patience Meekness Gentleness Self-denial or of any other Grace Grace takes occasion by the vileness of the man to shine the more even as by the ruggidness of a very strong Distemper or Disease the vertue of the Medicine is best made manifest Where Sin abounds Grace much more abounds Rom. 5.20 A black string makes the Grace burn clear Some say when Grace and a good Nature meet together they do make shinning Christians but I say when Grace and a great Sinner meets and when Grace shall subdue that great Sinner to it self and shall operate after its kind in the Soul of that great Sinner then we have a shinning Christian Witness all those of whom mention was made before Abraham was among the Idolaters when in the Land of Assyria and served Idols with his Kindred on the other side of the Flood Jos. 24.2 Gen. 11.31 but who when called was there in the World in whom Grace shone so bright as in him The Thessalonians were Idolaters before the Word of God came to them but when they had received it they became examples to all that did believe in Macedonia and Achaia 1 Thess. 1.6 7 8 9 10. God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son are for having things seen for having the Word of Life held forth They light not a Candle that it might be put under a Bushel or under a Bed but on a Candlestick that all that come in may see the light Matt. 5.15 Mar. 4.21 Luk. 8.16 chap. 11.33 And I say as I said before in whom is it like so to shine as in the Souls of great sinners When the Jewish Pharisees dallied with the Gospel Christ threatned to take it from them and to give it to the barbarous Heathens and Idolaters Why so For they saith he will bring forth the Friends thereof in their season Therefore I say unto you The Kingdom of God Shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Mat. 21.41 43. I have often marvelled at our Youth and said in my heart What should be the reason that they should be so generally at this day debauched as they are For they are now Profane to amazement And sometimes I have thought one thing and sometimes another That is why God should suffer it so to be At last I have thought of this How if the God whose ways are past finding out should suffer it so to be now that he might make of some of them the more glorious Saints hereafter I know Sin is of the Devil but it cannot work in the world without permission and if it happens to be as I have thought it will not be the first time that God the Lord hath caught Satan in his own design For my part I believe that the time is at hand that we shall see better Saints in the World than has been seen in â—t this many aday And this Vileness that at present does so much swallow up out Youth is one cause of my thinking so For out of them for from among them when God sets to his Hand as of old you shall see what penitent ones what trembling ones and what â—dmirers of Grace will be found to profess the Gospel to the glory of God by Christ. Alas We are a company of worn-out Christians our Moon is in the Ware we are much more black than white more dark than light we shine but a little Grace in the most of us is dâ—cayed But I say when they of theâ—e debauched ones that are to be saved shall be brought in when these that look more like Devils than Men shall be Converted to Christ and I believe sâ—veral of them will then will Christ be exâ—lted Grace adored the World prized Sions Paths better trodden and Men in the pursuite of their own Salvation to the amazement of them that are left behind Just before Christ came
15 16. And these are hard speeches against him To say that he was not able or willing to save Men because of the greatness of their sins or to say that they were discouraged by his Word from Repentance because of the heinousness of their offences These things I say shall then be confuted He comes with ten thousand of his Sâ—ints to confute them and to stop their mouths from making objections against their own eternal damnation Here is Adam the destroyer of the World heâ—e is Lot that lay with both his Daughters here is Abraham that was sometimes an Idolater and Jacob that was a Supplanter and Ruben that lay with his Fathers Concubine and Judah that lay â—ith his Daughter-in-Law and Levy and Simeon that wickedly slew the Sechemites and Aaron that made an Idol to be Worshipped and that proclaimed a Religious Feast unto it Here is also Rahab the Harlot and Bathsheba that bare a Bâ—stard to David Here is Solomon that great Backslider and Manasseh that man of Blood and a Witch Time would fail to tell you of the Woman of Canaans Daughter of Mary Magdalen of Matthew the Publican and of Gideon and Sampson and many thousands more Alas alas I say what will these Sinners do that have through their unbelief eclipsed the glorious largeness of the mercy of God and gave way to despair of Salvation because of the bigness of their sins For all these though now glorious Saints in Light were sometimes Sinners of the biggest size who had sins that were of a notorious hue Yet now I say they are in their shining and heavenly Robes before the Throne of God and of the Lamb Blessing for ever and every that Son of God for their Salvation who dyed for them upon the Tree admiring that ever it should come into their Hearts once to think of coming to God by Chirst But above all blessing God for granting of them light to see those incouragements in his Testament without which without doubt they had beâ—n daunted and sunk down under guilt of Sin and Despair as their fellow sinnâ—rs have done Bâ—t now they also are all Witnessâ—s for God and for his Grace against an unbâ—lieving World for as I said they shall come to convince the World of their Speeches their hard and unbelieving words that they have spoken concerning the mercy of God and the merits of the Passion of his blessed Son Jesus Christ. But will it not think you strangely put to silence all such thonghts and words and reasonings of the Ungodly before the Barr of God doubtless it will yea and will send them away from his presence also with the greatest guilt that possibly can fallen upon the Consciences of Men. For what will sting like this I have through mine own foolish narrow unworthy undervaluing thoughts of the love and ability of Christ to save me brought my self to everlasting ruine 'T is true I was a horrible sinner not one in a hundred did live so vile a life as I but this should not have kept me from closing with Jesus Christ I see now that there are abundance in Glory that once were as bad as I have been but they were saved by Faith and I am damned by Unbelief Wrâ—tch that I am why did not I give glory to the Redeeming Blood of Jesus Why did I not humbly cast my Soul at his blessâ—d foot stool for Mercy Why did I judge of his ability to save me by the voice of my shallow reason and the voice of a guilty Conscience Why betook not I my self to the holy Word of God Why did I not read and pray that I might understand since now I perceive that God said then He giveth liberally to them that pray and upbraideth not Jam. 1.5 'T is rational to think that by such Cogitations as these the unbelieving World will be torn in pieces before the Judgment of Christ Especially those that have lived where they did or might have heard the Gospel of the Grace of God. Oh! that saying It shall be more tolerable for Sodom at the Judgment than for them will be better understood See Luke 10.8 9 10 11 12. This Reason therefore standeth fast Namely That Christ by offering mercy in the first place to the biggest Sinners now will stop all mouths of the impenitent at the day of Judgment and cut off all excuse that shall be attempted to be made from the thoughts of 〈◊〉 greatness of their sins why they caâ—â— not to him I have often thought of the day of Judgement and how God will deal with sinners at that day And I believe it will be managed with that sweetness with that equitableness with that excellent Righteousness as to every sin and circumstance and aggravation thereof that men that are damned before the Judgment is over shall receive such conviction of the righteous Judgment of God upon them and of their deserts of Hell fire that they shall in themselves conclude that there is all the reason in the world that they should be shut out of Heaven and go to Hell-fire These shall go away into everlasting fire Matt. 25.46 Only this will tare That they have mist of Mercy and Glory and obtained everlasting damnation through their unbelief But it will tare but themsâ—lves but their own Souls they will gnash upon themselves For in that Mercy was offered to the chief of them in the first place and yet they were damned for rejecting of it They were damned for forsaking what they had a propriety in for forsaking their Own Mercy And thus much for the Reasons I will conclude with a word of Application The APPLICATION FIrst Would Jesus Christ have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest sinners Then this shews us how to make a right judgment of the heart of Christ to Men. Indeed we have advantage to guess at the goodness of his Heart by many things as by his taking our nature upon him his dying for us his sending his Word and Ministers to us and all that we might be saved But this of beginning to offer mercy to Jerusalem is that which heightens all the rest for this doth not only confirm to us that Love was the cause of his dying for us but it shews us yet more the depth of that Love He might have dyed for us and yet have extended the benefit of his death to a few as one might call them of the best-conditioned sinners to those who though they were weak and so could not but sin yet made not a trade of sinning To those that sinned not lavishingly There are in the World as one may call them the moderate Sinners the sinners that mix Righteousness with their Pollutions the sinners that though they be sinners do what on their part lies some that are blind would think so that they might be saved I say it had been Love great Love if he had dyed for none but such and sent his love to such But that he should
send out conditions of Peace to the biggest of Sinners yea that they should be offered to them first of all for so he means when he says Begin at Jerusalem This is wonderful this shows his heart to purpose as also the heart of God his Father who sent him to do thus There is nothing more incident to Men that are awake in their Souls than to have wrong thoughts of God Thoughts that are narrow and that pinch and pen up his Mercy to scanty and beggarly conclusions and ridged legal conditions supposing that it is rude and an intrenching upon his Majesty to come our selves or to invite others until we have scraped and washed and rubbed off as much of our dirt from us as we think is convenient to make us somewhat orderly and handsome in his sight Such never knew what these Words meant Begin at Jerusalem Yea such in their hearts have compared the Father and his Son to niggardly rich Men whose Money comes from them like drops of blood True says such God has Mercy but he is loth to part with it You must please him well if you get any from him He is not so free as many suppose nor is he so willing to save as some pretended Gospellers imagine But I ask such If the Father and Son be not unspeakably free to shew Mercy why was this Clause put into our Commission to preach the Gospel Yëa why did he say Begin at Jerusalem For when men through the weakness of their wits have attempted to shew other reasons why they should have the first proffer of Mercy yet I can prove by many undeniable Reasons that they of Jerusalem to whom the Apostles made the First offer according as they were commanded were the biggest Sinners that ever did breathe upon the face of God's earth set the unpardonable sin aside upon which my Doctrine stands like a Rock That Jesus the Son of God would have Mercy in the fiâ—st place offered to the biggest Sinners And if this doâ—h not shew the heart of the Father and the Son to be infinitely free in bestowing forgiveness of Sins I confess my self mistaken Neither is there set this aside another Argument like it to shew us the willingness of Christ to save Sinners For as was said before all the rest of the signs of Christ's mercifulness might have been limitted to Sinners that are so and so qualified but when he says Begin at Jerusalem the Line is stretched out to the utmost no man can imagine beyond it and it is folly here to pinch and pare to narrow and seek to bring it within scanty bounds for he plainly saith Begin at Jerusalem The biggest Sinner is the biggest Sinner the biggest is the Jerusalem-sinner 'T is true he saith that Repentance and Remission of sins must go together but yet Remission is sent no the chief the Jerusalem sinner nor doth Repentance lessen at all the Jerusâ—lem-sinners crimes it diminisheth none of his sins nor causes that there should be so much as half a one the fewer It only puts a stop to the Jerusalem-sinners course and makes him willing to be saved freely by Grace and for time to come to be governed by that blâ—ssâ—d Word that has brought the Tidings of good things to him Besides no man shâ—ws himself willing to be saved that repenteth not of his deeds for he that goes on still in his trespasses declares that he is resolved to puâ—sue his own damnation further Learn then to judge of the largeness of God's heart and of the heart of his Son Jâ—sus Christ by the Word Judge not thereof by feeling nor by the reports of thy Conscience Conscience is oft-times here befooled and made to go quite besides the Word 'T was judging without the Word that made David say I am cast off from God's eyes and shall perish one day by the hand of Saul Psal. 3.1.22 1 Sam. 27.1 The Word had told him another thing namely that he should be King in his stead Our Text says also that Jesus Châ—ist bids Preachers in their preaching Repentance and Remission of Sins Begin first at Jâ—rusalem Thereby declaring most truly the infinite largeness of the merciful heart of God and his Son to the sinful Children of Men. Judge thou I say therefore of the goodness of the heart of God and his Son by this Text and by other of the same import so shalt thou not dishonour the grâ—ce of God nor needlesly fright thy self nor give away thy Faith nor gratifie the Devil nor lose the benefit of his Word I speak now to weak Believers Secondly Would Jesus Christ have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners to the Jerusalem sinners Thâ—n by this also you must learn to judge of the sufficiency of the merits of Christ not that the Merits of Christ can be comprehended for that they are beyond the Conceptions of the whole World being called The unsearchable riches of Christ but yet they may be apprehended to a considerable degree Now the way to apprehend them most is to consider what offers after his Resurrection he makes of his Grace to Sinners for to be sure he will not offer beyond the vertue of his Merits because as Grace is the cause of his Merits so his Merits are the basis and bounds upon and by which his Grace stands good and is let out to Sinners Doth he then command that his Mercy should be offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners It declares that there is a sufficiency in his Blood to save the biggest Sinners The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all Sin. And again Be it known unto you Men and Brethren That through this Man this Man's Merits is preached to you the forgiveness of Sins and by him All that believe are justified from All things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13.38 Observe then thy Rule to make Judgement of the Sufficiency of the blessed Merits of thy Saviour if he had not been able to have reconciled the biggest Sinners to his Father by his Blood he would not have sent to them have sent to them in the first place the Doctrine of Remission of Sins for Remission of Sins is through Faith in his Blood We are justified freely by the Grace of God through the Redemption that is in the Blood of Christ. Upon the square as I may call it of the worthiness of the Blood of Christ Grace Acts and offers Forgiveness of Sin to Men Ephes. 1.7 chap. 2.13 14. Colos. 1.20 21 22. Hence therefore we must gather That the Blood of Christ is of infinite value for that he offereth Mercy to the biggest of Sinners Nay further since he offereth Mercy in the first place to the biggest Sinners Considering also that this first act of his is that which the World will take notice of and expect it should be continued unto the end Also it is a disparagement to a Man that seeks his own Glory
am ashamed Answer Oh! don't be ashamed to be saved Sinner Object But my old Companions will mock me Ans. Oh! don't be mocked out of Eternal Life Sinner Thy stubbornness affects afflicts the Heart of thy Saviour Carest thou not for this Of old He beheld the City and wept over it Canst thou hear this and not be concerned Luke 19.41 42. Shall Christ weep to see thy Soul going on to destruction and wilt thou sport thy self in That way Yea shall Christ that can be eternally Happy without thee be more afflicted at the thoughts of the loss of thy Soul than thy self who art certainly eternally miserable if thou neglectest to come to him Those things that keep thee and thy Saviour on thy part asunder are but Bubbles the least prick of an affliction will let out as to thee what now thou thinkest is worth the venture of Heaven to enjoy Hast thou not Reason Canst thou not so much as once soberly think of thy dyiâ—g hour or of whether thy sinful life will drive thee then Hast thou no Conscience or having one is it rocked so fast asleep by Sin or made so weary with an unsuccessful calling upon thee that it is laid down and cares for thee no more Poor Man thy state is to be lamented Hast no Judgmemt Art not able to conclude that to be saved is better than to burn in Hell and that Eternal Life with God's favour is better than a Temporal Life in God's displeasure Hast no affliction but what is bruitish what none at all No affection for the God that made thee What none for his loving Son that has shewed his love and dyed for thee Is not Heâ—ven worth thy affection O poor Man which is strongest think'st thou God or thee If thou art not able to overcomâ— him thou art a fool for standing out against him Mat. 5.25 26. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. He will gripe hard his Fift is stronger than a Lions Paw take heed of him he will be angry if you despise his Son and will you stand guilty in your Trespasses when he offereth you his Grace and Favour Exod. 34.6 7 〈…〉 10 29 30 31. Now we come to the Text Beginning at Jerusalem This Text though it be now one of the brightest Stars that shineth in the Bible because there is in it as full if not the fullest offer of Grace that can be imagined to the Sons of Manâ— yet to them that shall perish from under this Word even this Text will be to such one of â—he hottest Goals in Hell. This Text therefore will save thee or sinâ— thee there is no shifting of it If it saves thee it will set thee high if it sinks thee it will set thee low But I say Why so unconcerned Hast no Soul Or dost think thou mayest lose thy Sâ—ul and save thy self Is it not pity had it otherwise been the Will of God that ever thou wast made a Mâ—n for that thou settest so little by thy Soul Sinner Take the Invitation Thou art called upon to come to Christ Nor art thou called upon but by order from the Son of God though thou shouldest happen to come of the biggest sinners For he has bid us offâ—r Mercy as to all the World in general so in the first place To the Sinners of Jâ—rusalem or to the biggest sinners Fifthly Would Jesus Christ have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest sinners Then this shews how unreasonable a thing it is for men to despair of Mercy For those that presume I shall say something to them afterward I now speak to them that Despair There are four sorts of Despair There is the despair of Devils There is the despair of Souls in Hell There is the despair that is grounded upon Mens Deficiency And there is the despair that they are perplexed with that are willing to be saved but are too strongly born down with the burden of their sins The despair of Devils the Damneds despair and that despair that a Man has of attaining of Life because of his own Deficience are all unreasonable Why should not Devils and Damned Souls dâ—spair Yea why should not Man despair of getting to Heaven by his own abilities I therefore am concerned only with the fouâ—th sort of Despair to wit with the despair of those that would be saved but are to strongly born down â—ith the burden of their sins I say therefore to thee that art thus And wâ—y Despair Thy despair if it was reasonable should flow from thee because found in the Land that is beyond the Grave or because thou certainly knowest that Christ will not or cannot save thee But for the first thou art yet in the Land of thâ— Living and for the second thou hast ground to believe the quite contrary Christ is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him and if he were not willing he wouâ—d not have commanded that Mercy iâ— the first place should be offered to the biggest sinners Besides he hath said Aâ—d lâ—t him that is athirst come and whosoever will lâ—t him take the Water of Life Freâ—ly that is with all my heart What groâ—nd now is here for Despair If thou sayâ—st The number and burden of my sins I answer Nay That is rather a ground for Faith because such an one above all others is invited by Christ to come unto him yea promised Rest and Forgiveness if they come Matt. 11.28 What ground then to despair Verily none at all Thy despair then is a thing unreasonable and without footing in the Word But I have no â—xperience of God's love Gâ—d has given me no comfort or ground of hope though I have waited upon him for it many a day Thou hâ—st experience of God's love for that he has opened thine eyes to see thy sins and for that he has given thee desires to be saved by Jesus Christ. For by thy sense of Sin thou act made to see thy poverty of Spirit and that has laid thee under a sure ground to hope that Heaven shall be thine hereafter Also thy desires to be saved by Christ has put thee under another Promise so â—here is two to hold thee up in hope though thy present burden be never so heavy Matt. 5 3 6. As for what thou sayest as to God's silence to thee perhaps he has spoken to thâ—e once or twice already but thou hast not perceived it Job 33.14 15. However thou hast Christ Crucified set forth before thine eyes in the Bible and an invitation to come unto him though thou be a Jerusalem-sinner tho thou be a biggest Sinner and so no ground to despair What if God will be silent to thee is that ground of despair Not at all so long as there is a Promise in the Bible that God will in no wise cast away the coming sinner and so long as he invites the Jerusalem-sinner to come unto him Job 6.37
none despair that are sorry for their sins and would be saved by Jesus Christ Let none Presume that abide in the liking of their sins though they seem to know the exceeding grace of Christ for though the door stand wide open for the reception of the Penitent yet 't is fast enough barr'd and bolted against the presumptuous sinner Be not deceived God is not mocked whatsoever a man sows that he shall reap It cannot be that God should be wheadled out of his Mercy or prevailed upon by lips of dissimulation He knows them that trust in him and that sincerely come to him by Christ for mercy Nahum 1.7 It is then not the abundance of sins committed but the not coming heartily to God by Christ for Mercy that shuts men out of doors And though their not coming heartily may be said to be but a Sin yet 't is Such a Sin as causeth that all thy other sins abide upon thee unforgiven God complains of this Thâ—y have not cried unto me with their heart They turned but not to the most High. They turned feignedly Jer 3.10 Hos. 7.14 16. Thus doing his Soul hates but the Penitent humble broken-hearted Sinner be his Transgressions red as Scarlet red like Crimsom in number as the Sand though his transgressions cry to Heaven against him for Vengeance and seem there to cry louder than do his Prayers or Tears or Groans for Mercy yet he is safe To this man God will look Isa. 1.18 chap. 66 2. Seventhly Would Jesus Christ have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners Then here is ground for those that as to practice have Not been such to come to him for mercy Although there is no Sin little of it self because it is a contradiction of the Nature and Majesty of God yet we must admit of divers numbers and also of aggravations Two Sins are not so many as three nor are three that are done in ignorance so big as One that is done against light against knowledge and Conscience Also there is the Child in Sin and a Man in Sin that has his Hairs gray and his Skin wrinkled for very Age. And we must put a differenâ—e betwixt these Sinners also For can it be that a Child of Seven or ten or sixteen years old should be such a Sinner a Sinner so vile in the Eye of the Law as he is who has walked according to the course of this World forty fifty sixty or seventy Years Now the Youth this Stripling though he is a Sinner is but a little sinner when compared with such Now I say If there be room for the first sort for those of the biggest size certainly there is room for the lesser size If there be a Door wide enough for a Gyant to go in at there is certainly room for a Dwarff If Christ Jesus has Grace enough to save great sinners he has surely Grace enough to save little ones If he can forgive five hundred pence for certain he can forgive fifty Luk 7.41 42. But you said before that the little sinners must stand by untill the great ones have received their gracâ— and that 's discouraging I answer There are two sorts of little Sinners such as are so such as feign themselves so There are those that feign themselves so that I intended there and not those that are indeed comparatively so Such as feign themselves so may wait long enough before they obtain Forgivenness But again A Sinner may be comparatively a little sinner and sensibly a great one There is then two sorts of greatness in sin greatness by reason of number greatness by reason of throughness of conviction of the horrible nature of Sin. In this last sense he that has but one sin if such a one could be found may in his own eyes find himself the biggest sinner in the world Let this Man or this Child therefore put himself among the great sinners and plead with God as great sinners do and expect to be saved with the great sinners and as soon and as hearttily as they Yea a little sinner that comparatively is truly so if he shall graciously give way to Conviction and shall in God's light diligently weigh the horrible nature of his own sins may yet sooner obtain Forgiveness for them at the hands of the heavenly Father than he that has ten times his sins and so cause to cry ten times harder to God for Mercy For the grievousness of the Cry is a great thing with God for if he will hear the Widdow if she cries at all how much more if she cries most grievously Exod. 22.22 23. It is not the number but the true sense of the abominable nature of Sin that makes the Cry for Pardon lamentable He as I said that has many sins may not cry so loud in the ears of God as he that has far fewer he in our present sense that is in his own eyes the biggest sinner is he that soonest findeth mercy The offer Then is to the Biggest sinner to the biggest sinner First and the mâ—rcy is first obtained by him that first confesseth himself to be such an one There are men that strive at the throne of Grace for Mercy by pleading the greatness of their Necessity Now their Plea as to the prevalency of it lieth not in their counting up of the number but in the sense of the greatness of their sins and in the vehemency of their cry for Pardon And it is observable that though the Birth right was Rubins and for his foolishness given to the Sons of Joseph yet Judah prevailed above his Brethren and of him came the Messias 1 Chron. 5.1 2. There is a heavenly subtilty to be managed in this matter Thy Brothâ—r came with subtilty and hath taked away thy blesing The blessing belonged to Esau but Jacob by his diligence made it his own Gen. 27.35 The offer is to the biggest sinner to the biggest sinner first but if he forbears to cry the sinner that is a sinner less by far than he both as to number and the nature of transgression may get the blessing first if he shall have grace to bestir himself well for the loudest Cry is heard furthest and the most lamentable pierces soonest I therefore urge this Head not because I would have little sinners go and tell God that they are little sinners thereby to think to obtain his Mercy for veily so they are never like to have it For such words declare that such a one hath no true sense at all of the nature of his sins Sin as I said in the nature of it is horrible though it be but one single sin as to act yea though it be but a sinful thought and so worthily calls for the damnation of the Soul. The Comparison then of little and great Sinners is to go for good sense among men But to plead the fewness of thy sins or the comparative harmlesness of their quantity before God argueth no sound