the jerusalem sinner saved-第6章

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country；　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　persuade　with　the
biggest　sinners　to　come　into　Christ；　according　to　my　text；　and　their
commissions；　〃Beginning　at　Jerusalem。〃

Fifthly；　Jesus　Christ　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　have　some
such　in　the　first　plantation　of　churches；　or　quickly　upon　it。
Churches　would　do　but　sorrily；　if　Christ　Jesus　did　not　put　such
converts　among　them：　　they　are　the　monuments　and　mirrors　of　mercy。
The　very　sight　of　such　a　sinner　in　God's　house；　yea；　the　very　thought
of　him；　where　the　sight　of　him　cannot　be　had；　is　ofttimes　greatly　for
the　help　of　the　faith　of　the　feeble。

〃When　the　churches　（said　Paul）　that　were　in　Judea；　heard　this
concerning　me；　that　he　which　persecuted　them　in　time　past；　now
preached　the　faith　which　once　he　destroyed；　they　glorified　God　in
me；〃　Gal。　i。　20…24。

〃Glorified　God。〃　　How　is　that？　　Why；　they　praised　him；　and　took
courage　to　believe　the　more　in　the　mercy　of　God；　for　that　he　had　had
mercy　on　such　a　great　sinner　as　he。　　They　glorified　God　〃in　me；〃　they
wondered　that　grace　should　be　so　rich；　as　to　take　hold　of　such　a
wretch　as　I　was；　and　for　my　sake　believed　in　Christ　the　more。

There　are　two　things　that　great　sinners　are　acquainted　with；　when
they　come　to　divulge　them　to　the　saints；　that　are　a　great　relief　to
their　faith。

1。　　The　contests　that　they　usually　have　with　the　devil　at　their
parting　with　him。

2。　　Their　knowledge　of　his　secrets　in　his　workings。

For　the　first；　The　biggest　sinners　have　usually　great　contests　with
the　devil　at　their　partings；　and　this　is　an　help　to　saints：　　for
ordinary　saints　find　afterwards　what　the　vile　ones　find　at　first；　but
when　at　the　opening　of　hearts；　the　one　finds　himself　to　be　as　the
other；　the　one　is　a　comfort　to　the　other。　　The　lesser　sort　of　sinners
find　but　little　of　this；　till　after　they　have　been　some　time　in
profession；　but　the　vile　man　meets　with　his　at　the　beginning。
Wherefore　he；　when　the　other　is　down；　is　ready　to　tell　that　he　has
met　with　the　same　before；　for；　I　say；　he　has　had　it　before。　　Satan　is
loath　to　part　with　a　great　sinner。　　What　my　true　servant　（quoth　he）；
my　old　servant；　wilt　thou　forsake　me　now？　having　so　often　sold
thyself　to　me　to　work　wickedness；　wilt　thou　forsake　me　now？　　Thou
horrible　wretch；　dost　not　know；　that　thou　hast　sinned　thyself　beyond
the　reach　of　grace；　and　dost　think　to　find　mercy　now？　　Art　not　thou　a
murderer；　a　thief；　a　harlot；　a　witch；　a　sinner　of　the　greatest　size；
and　dost　thou　look　for　mercy　now？　　Dost　thou　think　that　Christ　will
foul　his　fingers　with　thee？

'Tis　enough　to　make　angels　blush；　saith　Satan；　to　see　so　vile　a　one
knock　at　heaven…gates　for　mercy；　and　wilt　thou　be　so　abominably　bold
to　do　it？　　Thus　Satan　dealt　with　me；　says　the　great　sinner；　when　at
first　I　came　to　Jesus　Christ。　　And　what　did　you　reply？　saith　the
tempted。　　Why；　I　granted　the　whole　charge　to　be　true；　says　the　other。
And　what；　did　you　despair；　or　how？　　No；　saith　he；　I　said；　I　am
Magdalen；　I　am　Zaccheus；　I　am　the　thief；　I　am　the　harlot；　I　am　the
publican；　I　am　the　prodigal；　and　one　of　Christ's　murderers：　　yea；
worse　than　any　of　these；　and　yet　God　was　so　far　off　from　rejecting　of
me　（as　I　found　afterwards）；　that　there　was　music　and　dancing　in　his
house　for　me；　and　for　joy　that　I　was　come　home　unto　him。　　O　blessed
be　God　for　grace　（says　the　other）；　for　then　I　hope　there　is　favour
for　me。　　Yea；　as　I　told　you；　such　a　one　is　a　continual　spectacle　in
the　church；　for　every　one　to　behold　God's　grace　and　wonder　by。

Secondly；　And　as　for　the　secrets　of　Satan；　such　as　are　suggestions　to
question　the　being　of　God；　the　truth　of　his　word；　and　to　be　annoyed
with　devilish　blasphemies；　none　more　acquainted　with　these　than　the
biggest　sinners　at　their　conversion；　wherefore　thus　also　they　are
prepared　to　be　helps　in　the　church　to　relieve　and　comfort　the　other。

I　might　also　here　tell　you　of　the　contests　and　battles　that　such　are
engaged　in；　wherein　they　find　the　besettings　of　Satan；　above　any
other　of　the　saints。　　At　which　times　Satan　assaults　the　soul　with
darkness；　fears；　frightful　thoughts　of　apparitions；　now　they　sweat；
pant；　cry　out；　and　struggle　for　life。

The　angels　now　come　down　to　behold　the　sight；　and　rejoice　to　see　a
bit　of　dust　and　ashes　to　overcome　principalities　and　powers；　and
might；　and　dominions。　　But；　as　I　said　when　these　come　a　little　to　be
settled；　they　are　prepared　for　helping　others；　and　are　great　comforts
unto　them。　　Their　great　sins　give　great　encouragement　to　the　devil　to
assault　them；　and　by　these　temptations　Christ　takes　advantage　to　make
them　the　more　helpful　to　the　churches。

The　biggest　sinner；　when　he　is　converted；　and　comes　into　the　church；
says　to　them　all；　by　his　very　coming　in；　Behold　me；　all　you　that　are
men　and　women　of　a　low　and　timorous　spirit；　you　whose　hearts　are
narrow；　for　that　you　never　had　the　advantage　to　know；　because　your
sins　are　few；　the　largeness　of　the　grace　of　God。　　Behold；　I　say；　in
me；　the　exceeding　riches　of　his　grace！　　I　am　a　pattern　set　forth
before　your　faces；　on　whom　you　may　look　and　take　heart。　　This；　I　say；
the　great　sinner　can　say；　to　the　exceeding　comfort　of　all　the　rest。

Wherefore；　as　I　have　hinted　before；　when　God　intends　to　stock　a　place
with　saints；　and　to　make　that　place　excellently　to　flourish　with　the
riches　of　his　grace；　he　usually　begins　with　the　conversion　of　some　of
the　most　notorious　thereabouts；　and　lays　them　as　an　example　to　allure
others；　and　to　build　up　when　they　are　converted。

It　was　Paul　that　must　go　to　the　Gentiles；　because　Paul　was　the　most
outrageous　of　all　the　apostles；　in　the　time　of　his　unregeneracy。
Yea；　Peter　must　be　he；　that　after　his　horrible　fall；　was　thought
fittest；　when　recovered　again；　to　comfort　and　strengthen　his
brethren。　　See　Luke　xxii。　31；　32。

Some　must　be　pillars　in　God's　house；　and　if　they　be　pillars　of　cedar；
they　must　stand　while　they　are　stout　and　sturdy　sticks　in　the　forest；
before　they　are　cut　down；　and　planted　or　placed　there。

No　man；　when　he　buildeth　his　house；　makes　the　principal　parts　thereof
of　weak　or　feeble　timber；　for　how　could　such　bear　up　the　rest？　but　of
great　and　able　wood。　　Christ　Jesus　also　goeth　this　way　to　work；　he
makes　of　the　biggest　sinners　bearers　and　supporters　to　the　rest。
This　then；　may　serve　for　another　reason；　why　Jesus　Christ　gives　out
in　commandment；　that　mercy　should；　in　the　first　place；　be　offered　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。

Sixthly；　Another　reason　why　Jesus　Christ　would　have　mercy　offered　in
the　first　place　to　the　biggest　sinners；　is；　because　they；　when
converted；　are　apt　to　love　him　most。

This　agrees　both　with　Scripture　and　reason。　　Scripture　says　so：　　〃To
whom　much　is　forgiven；　the　same　loveth　much。　　To　whom　little　is
forgiven；　the　same　loveth　little；〃　Luke　vii。　47。　　Reason　says　so：
for　as　it　would　be　the　unreasonablest　thing　in　the　world　to　render
hatred　for　love；　and　contempt　for　forgiveness；　so　it　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　drachm　of　it；　when　it　reaches　to　forgiveness；　is　great　above
all　the　world；　but　comparatively；　there　are　greater　extensions　of　the
love　of　Christ　to　one　than　to　another。　　He　that　has　most　sin；　if
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；　Titus　ii。　11；　12；　Rom。　xi。　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　into　the　land　of　Israel　to　take　him；
had　so　much　influence　upon　their　minds；　though　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
vi。　19…23。

But　to　forbear　to　illustrate　till　anon。　　One　reason　why　Christ　Jesus
shews　mercy　to　sinners；　is；　that　he　might　obtain　their　love；　that　he
may　remove　their　base　affections　from　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　it　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。　xv。　　He　it
was　that　persecuted　the　church　of　God；　and　wasted　it；　Gal。　i。　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　xxvi。　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！　　It　was　such　grace　to　save　me！　　It　was　such　marvellous
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
riches　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
were　not　imposed　upon　me。　　I　went　to　the　high…priest　and　desired　them
of　him；　Acts　ix。　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　Damascus；　I　stunk　so　horribly
like　a　blood…sucker；　that　I　became　a　terror　to　all　thereabout。　　Yea；
Ananias　（good　man）　made　intercession　to　my　Lord　against　me；　yet　he
would　have　mercy　upon　me；　yea；　joined　mercy　to