the jerusalem sinner saved-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


destroy　Jesus；　Matt。　xxvii。　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。〃

Were　this　doctrine　well　believed；　where　would　there　be　a　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
virtue　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　showing
you　that　this　was　the　practice　of　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ　in　his
lifetime；　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　joined　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　show　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　xvi。　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　lifetime　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　ii。　15…47。

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　show　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　die　have　more　need　of　the　physician　than
they　that　are　but　now　and　then　troubled　with　an　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　man's　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　it　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　man's　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　Satan's　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　show　you　the　true　nature　of　this　reason；　to
wit；　That　Jesus　Christ　would　have　mercy　offered；　in　the　first　place；
to　the　biggest　sinners。

First；　Mercy　ariseth　from　the　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　pitiful；
very　pitiful；　and　of　great　mercy；〃　Isa。　lxiii。　9；　James　v。　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　worshipped　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
as　Zeboim？　（and　yet　thou　art　worse　than　they：　　nor　has　Samaria
committed　half　thy　sins）；　Ezek。　xvi。　46…51。　　My　heart　is　turned
within　me；　and　my　repentings　are　kindled　together；〃　Hos。　xi。　8。

But　where　do　you　find　that　ever　the　Lord　did　thus　yearn　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　Jericho；　the　cursed　city）　than　we
read　he　had　for　any　other　besides？　　His　wine　was　for　him；　his　oil　was
for　him；　his　beast　for　him；　his　penny；　his　care；　and　his　swaddling
bands　for　him；　for　alas！　wretch；　he　had　most　need；　Luke　x。　30…35。

Zaccheus　the　publican；　the　chief　of　the　publicans；　one　that　had　made
himself　the　richer　by　wronging　of　others；　the　Lord　at　that　time
singled　him　out　from　all　the　rest　of　his　brother　publicans；　and　that
in　the　face　of　many　Pharisees；　and　proclaimed　in　the　audience　of　them
all；　that　that　day　salvation　was　come　to　his　house；　Luke　xix。　1…8。

The　woman　also　that　had　been　bound　down　by　Satan　for　eighteen　years
together；　his　compassions　putting　him　upon　it；　he　loosed　her；　though
those　that　stood　by　snarled　at　him　for　so　doing；　Luke　xiii。　11…13；

And　why　the　woman　of　Sarepta；　and　why　Naaman　the　Syrian；　rather　than
widows　and　lepers　in　Israel；　but　because　their　conditions　were　more
deplorable；　（for　that）　they　were　most　forlorn；　and　farthest　from
help；　Luke　iv。　25；　27。

But　I　say；　why　all　these；　thus　named？　why　have　we　not　a　catalogue　of
some　holy　men　that　were　so　in　their　own　eyes；　and　in　the　judgment　of
the　world？　　Alas　if　at　any　time　any　of　them　are　mentioned；　how
seemingly　coldly　doth　the　record　of　scripture　present　them　to　us？
Nicodemus；　a　night　professor；　and　Simon　the　pharisee；　with　his　fifty
pence；　and　their　great　ignorance　of　the　methods　of　grace；　we　have　now
and　then　touched　upon。

Mercy　seems　to　be　out　of　his　proper　channel；　when　it　deals　with　self…
righteous　men；　but　then　it　runs　with　a　full　stream　when　it　extends
itself　to　the　biggest　sinners。　　As　God's　mercy　is　not　regulated　by
man's　goodness；　nor　obtained　by　man's　worthiness；　so　not　much　set　out
by　saving　of　any　such。　　But　more　of　this　anon。

And　here　let　me　ask　my　reader　a　question：　　suppose　that　as　thou　art
walking　by　some　pond　side；　thou　shouldst　espy　in　it　four　or　five
children　all　in　danger　of　drowning；　and　one　in　more　danger　than　all
the　rest；　judge　which　has　most　need　to　be　helped　out　first？　　I　know
thou　wilt　say；　he　that　is　nearest　drowning。　　Why；　this　is　the　case；
the　bigger　sinner；　the　nearer　drowning；　therefore　the　bigger　sinner
the　more　need　of　mercy；　yea；　of　help　by　mercy　in　the　first　place。
And　to　this　our　text　agrees；　when　it　saith；　〃Beginning　at　Jerusalem。〃
Let　the　Jerusalem　sinner；　says　Christ；　have　the　first　offer；　the
first　invitation；　the　first　tender　of　my　grace　and　mercy；　for　he　is
the　biggest　sinner；　and　so　has　most　need　thereof。

Secondly；　Christ　Jesus　would　have　mercy　offered　in　the　first　place　to
the　biggest　sinners；　because　when　they；　any　of　them；　receive　it；　it
redounds　most　to　the　fame　of　his　name。

Christ　Jesus；　as　you　may　perceive；　has　put　himself　under　the　term　of
a　physician；　a　doctor　for　curing　of　diseases：　　and　you　know　that
applause　and　fame；　are　things　that　physicians　much　desire。　　That　is
it　that　helps　them　to　patients；　and　that　also　that　will　help　their
patients　to　commit　themselves　to　their　skill　for　cure；　with　the　more
confidence　and　repose　of　spirit。　　And　the　best　way　for　a　doctor　or
physician　to　get　himself　a　name；　is；　in　the　first　place；　to　take　in
hand；　and　cure　some　such　as　all　others　have　given　off　for　lost　and
dead。　　Physicians　get　neither　name　nor　fame　by　pricking　of　wheals；　or
pricking　out　thistles；　or　by　laying　of　plaisters　to　the　scratch　of　a
pin；　every　old　woman　can　do　this。　　But　if　they　would　have　a　name　and
a　fame；　if　they　will　have　it　quickly　they　must；　as　I　said；　do　some
great　and　desperate　cures。　　Let　them　fetch　one　to　life　that　was　dead；
let　them　recover　one　to　his　wits　that　was　mad；　let　them　make　one　that
was　born　blind　to　see；　or　let　them　give　ripe　wits　to　a　fool；　these
are　notable　cures；　and　he　that　can　do　thus；　and　if　he　doth　thus
first；　he　shall　have　the　name　and　fame　he　desires；　he　may　lie　a…bed
till　noon。

Why；　Christ　Jesus　forgiveth　sins　for　a　name；　and　so　begets　of　himself
a　good　report　in　the　hearts　of　the　children　of　men。　　And　therefore　in
reason　he　must　be　willing；　as　also