the jerusalem sinner saved-第2章

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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。　x。　5；
6；　chap。　xxiii。　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　lifetime：　　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　privilege　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　15th　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
shows　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　xv。

After　this　manner　therefore　the　mind　of　Christ　was　set　on　the
salvation　of　the　biggest　sinners　in　his　lifetime。　　But　join　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　sinners；　even　to　these　that　were　the
murderers　of　Jesus　Christ；　Acts　ii。　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　iii。　14…16；　chap。　iv。　10；　11；　chap。　v。　30；　chap。　vii。　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；　persuaded　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's　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　ii。　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　pause　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　cried　out；　Crucify　him；　crucify
him；　and　desired　that　Barabbas　the　murderer　might　live；　rather　than
him。　　What　will　become　of　me；　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　rejoiced
to　see　him　mocked　at　by　others。　　Can　there　be　hopes　for　me？

Peter。　　There　is　for　every　one　of　you。　　〃Repent　and　be　baptised　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；〃　is　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　it　is　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。　xi。　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　chapter　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　the　Son　of　God。　　You　have　killed；　yea；　〃you　have　denied；　the
holy　one　and　the　just；　and　desired　a　murderer　to　be　granted　unto　you；
and　killed　the　Prince　of　life。〃　　Mark；　he　falls　again　upon　the　very
men　that　actually　were；　as　you　have　it　in　the　chapters　following；　his
very　betrayers　and　murderers；　Acts　iii。　14；　15；　as　being　loath　that
they　should　escape　the　mercy　of　forgiveness；　and　exhorts　them　again
to　repent；　that　their　sins　might　〃be　blotted　out；〃　verses　19；　20。

Again；　in　the　fourth　chapter；　he　charges　them　afresh　with　this
murder；　ver。　10；　but　withal　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　Israel；　and　forgiveness　of　sins：　　ver。
29…31。　　Still　insinuating；　that　though　they　had　killed　him；　and　to
this　day　rejected　him；　yet　his　business　was　to　bestow　upon　them
repentance　and　forgiveness　of　sins。

'Tis　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　so
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　rendered　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　i。　8；　chap。　xiii。　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
were　preached　to　these　murderers；　the　number　of　the　disciples　was　not
above　〃a　hundred　and　twenty；〃　Acts　i。　15；　chap。　ii。　41；　chap。　iv。　4。

Also　among　these　people　that　thus　flocked　to　him　for　mercy；　there　was
a　〃great　company　of　the　priests；〃　chap。　vi。　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。
It　was　they　that　set　the　people　against　the　Lord　Jesus；　and　that　were
the　cause　why　the　uproar　increased；　until　Pilate　had　given　sentence
upon　him。　　〃The　chief　priests　and　elders；〃　says　the　text；　〃persuaded
（the　people）　the　multitude；〃　that　they　should　ask　Barabbas；　and
destroy　Jesus；　Matt。　xxvii。　20。　　And　yet　behold　the　priests；　yea；　a
great　company　of　the　priests；　became　obedient　to　the　faith。

Oh　th