the jerusalem sinner saved-第8章

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receive；　to　shine。　　We　love　to　see　things　that　bear　a　good　gloss；
yea；　we　choose　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　sputter；　and　smoke；　and　crack；　and　flounce；　than
cast　a　brave　light　and　a　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
ruggedness　of　a　very　strong　distemper　or　disease；　the　virtue　of　the
medicine　is　best　made　manifest。　　Where　sin　abounds；　grace　much　more
abounds；　Rom。　v。　20。　　A　black　string　makes　the　neck　look　whiter；
great　sins　make　grace　burn　clear。　　Some　say；　when　grace　and　a　good
nature　meet　together；　they　do　make　shining　Christians：　　but　I　say；
when　grace　and　a　great　sinner　meet；　and　when　grace　shall　subdue　that
great　sinner　to　itself；　and　shall　operate　after　its　kind　in　the　soul
of　that　great　sinner；　then　we　have　a　shining　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。
xxiv。　2；　Gen。　xi。　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。　i。　6…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。　v。　15；　Mark　iv。　21；
Luke　viii。　16；　chap。　xi。　33。

And；　I　say；　as　I　said　before；　in　whom　is　light　like　so　to　shine；　as
in　the　souls　of　great　sinners？

When　the　Jewish　Pharisees　dallied　with　the　gospel；　Christ　threatened
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　fruits
thereof　in　their　season：　　〃Therefore　say　I　unto　you；　The　kingdom　of
God　shall　be　taken　from　you；　and　given　to　a　nation　bringing　forth　the
fruits　thereof；〃　Matt。　xxi。　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　it　this　many　a　day。　　And　this　vileness；　that　at　present　does　so
much　swallow　up　our　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
admirers　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
wane；　we　are　much　more　black　than　white；　more　dark　than　light；　we
shine　but　a　little；　grace　in　the　most　of　us　is　decayed。　　But　I　say；
when　they　of　these　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　several　of　them　will）；　then　will
Christ　be　exalted；　grace　adored；　the　word　prized；　Zion's　path　better
trodden；　and　men　in　the　pursuit　of　their　own　salvation；　to　the
amazement　of　them　that　are　left　behind。

Just　before　Christ　came　into　the　flesh；　the　world　was　degenerated　as
it　is　now：　　the　generality　of　the　men　in　Jerusalem；　were　become
either　high　and　famous　for　hypocrisy；　or　filthy　base　in　their　lives。
The　devil　also　was　broke　loose　in　a　hideous　manner；　and　had　taken
possession　of　many：　　yea；　I　believe　that　there　was　never　generation
before　nor　since；　that　could　produce　so　many　possessed　with　devils；
deformed；　lame；　blind；　and　infected　with　monstrous　diseases；　as　that
generation　could。　　But　what　was　the　reason　thereof；　I　mean　the　reason
from　God？　　Why　one　（and　we　may　sum　up　more　in　that　answer　that　Christ
gave　to　his　disciples　concerning　him　that　was　born　blind）　was；　that
the　works　of　God　might　be　made　manifest　in　them；　and　that　the　Son　of
God　might　be　glorified　thereby；　John　ix。　2；　3；　chap。　xi。　4。

Now　if　these　devils　and　diseases；　as　they　possessed　men　then；　were　to
make　way　and　work　for　an　approaching　Christ　in　person；　and　for　the
declaring　of　his　power；　why　may　we　not　think　that　now；　even　now　also；
he　is　ready　to　come　by　his　Spirit　in　the　gospel　to　heal　many　of　the
debaucheries　of　our　age？　　I　cannot　believe　that　grace　will　take　them
all；　for　there　are　but　few　that　are　saved；　but　yet　it　will　take　some；
even　some　of　the　worst　of　men；　and　make　blessed　ones　of　them。　　But；　O
how　these　ringleaders　in　vice　will　then　shine　in　virtue！　　They　will
be　the　very　pillars　in　churches；　they　will　be　as　an　ensign　in　the
land。　　〃The　Lord　their　God　shall　save　them　in　that　day　as　the　flock
of　his　people：　　for　they　shall　be　as　the　stones　of　a　crown；　lifted　up
as　an　ensign　upon　his　land；〃　Zech。　ix。　16。　　But　who　are　these？　　Even
idolatrous　Ephraim；　and　backsliding　Judah；　ver。　13。

I　know　there　is　ground　to　fear；　that　the　iniquity　of　this　generation
will　be　pursued　with　heavy　judgments：　　but　that　will　not　hinder　what
we　have　supposed。　　God　took　him　a　glorious　church　out　of　bloody
Jerusalem；　yea；　out　of　the　chief　of　the　sinners　there；　and　left　the
rest　to　be　taken　and　spoiled；　and　sold；　thirty　for　a　penny；　in　the
nations　where　they　were　captives。　　The　gospel　working　gloriously　in　a
place；　to　the　seizing　upon　many　of　the　ringleading　sinners　thereof；
promiseth　no　security　to　the　rest；　but　rather　threateneth　them　with
the　heaviest　and　smartest　judgments；　as　in　the　instance　now　given；　we
have　a　full　demonstration；　but　in　defending；　the　Lord　will　defend　his
people；　and　in　saving；　he　will　save　his　inheritance。

Nor　does　this　speak　any　great　comfort　to　a　decayed　and　backsliding
sort　of　Christians；　for　the　next　time　God　rides　post　with　his　gospel；
he　will　leave　such　Christians　behind　him。　　But　I　say；　Christ　is
resolved　to　set　up　his　light　in　the　world；　yea；　he　is　delighted　to
see　his　graces　shine；　and　therefore　he　commands　that　his　gospel
should　to　that　end　be　offered；　in　the　first　place；　to　the　biggest
sinners；　for　by　great　sins　it　shineth　most；　therefore　he　saith；
〃Begin　at　Jerusalem。〃

Eighthly；　and　lastly；　Christ　Jesus　will　have　mercy　to　be　offered　in
the　first　place　to　the　biggest　sinners；　for　that　by　that　means　the
impenitent　that　are　left　behind　will　be　at　the　judgment　the　more　left
without　excuse。

God's　word　has　two　edges；　it　can　cut　back…stroke　and　fore…stroke：　　if
it　doth　thee　no　good；　it　will　do　thee　hurt；　it　is　the　savour　of　life
unto　life　to　those　that　receive　it；　but　of　death　unto　death　to　them
that　refuse　it；　2　Cor。　ii。　15；　16。　　But　this　is　not　all；　the　tender
of　grace　to　the　biggest　sinners　in　the　first　place；　will　not　only
leave　the　rest；　or　those　that　refuse　it；　in　a　deplorable　condition；
but　will　also　stop　their　mouths；　and　cut　off　all　pretence　to　excuse
at　that　day。　　〃If　I　had　not　come　and　spoken　unto　them；〃　saith　Christ；
〃they　had　not　had　sin；　but　now　they　have　no　cloak　for　their　sin；〃　for
their　sin　of　persevering　in　impenitence；　Job　xv。　22。

But　what　did　he　speak　to　them？　　Why；　even　that　which　I　have　told　you；
to　wit；　That　he　has　in　special　a　delight　in　saving　the　biggest
sinners。　　He　spake　this　in　the　way　of　his　doctrine；　he　spake　this　in
the　way　of　his　practice；　even　to　the　pouring　out　of　his　last　breath
before　them；　Luke　xxiii。　34。

Now；　since　this　is　so；　what　can　the　condemned　at　the　judgment　say　for
themselves；　why　sentence　of　death　should　not　be　passed　upon　them？　　I
say；　what　excuse　can　they　make　for　themselves；　when　they　shall　be
asked　why　they　did　not　in　the　day　of　salvation　come　to　Christ　to　be
saved？　　Will　they　have　ground　to　say　to　the　Lord；　Thou　wast　only　for
saving　of　little　sinners；　and　therefore　because　they　were　great　ones；
they　durst　not　come　unto　him？　or　that　thou　hadst　not　compassion　for
the　biggest　sinners；　therefore　I　died　in　despair？　　Will　these　be
excuses　for　them；　as　the　case　now　standeth　with　them？　　Is　there　not
every　where　in　God's　book　a　flat　contradiction　to　this；　in　multitudes
of　promises；　of　invitations；　of　examples；　and　the　like？　　Alas；　alas！
there　will　then　be　there　millions　of　souls　to　confute　this　plea；
ready；　I　say；　to　stand　up；　and　say；　O！　deceived　world；　heaven　swarms
with　such；　as　were；　when　they　were　in　the　world；　to　the　full　as　bad
as　you。

Now；　this　will　kill　all　plea　or　excuse；　why　they　should　perish　in
their　sins；　yea；　the　text　says；　they　shall　see　them　there。　　〃There
shall　be　weeping；　when　you　shall　see　Abraham；　and　Isaac；　and　Jacob；
and　all　the　prophets　in　the　kingdom　of　heaven；　and　you　yourselves
thrust　out。　　And　they　shall　come　from　the　east；　and　from　the　west；
and　from　the　north；　and　from　the　south；　and　shall　sit　down　in　the
kingdom　of　God；〃　Luke　xiii。　28；　29。　　Out　of　which　company　it　is　easy
to　pick　such　as　sometimes　were　as　bad　people　as　any　that　now　breathe
on　the　face　of　the　earth。　　What　think　you　of　the　first　man；　by　whose
sins　there　are　millions　now　in　hell？　　And　so　I　may　say；　What　think
you　of　ten　thousand　more　besides？

But　if　the　world　will　not　stifle　and　gag　them　up　（I　speak　now　for
amplification's　sake）；　the　view　of　those　who　are　saved　shall。

There　comes　an　incestuous　person　to　the　bar；　and　pleads；　That　the
bigness　of　his　sins　was　a　bar　to　his　receiving　the　promise。　　But　will
not　his　mouth　be　stopped　as　to　that；　when　Lot　and　the　incestuous
Corinthian　shall　be　set　before　him；　Gen。　xix。　33…37；　1　Cor。　v。　1；　2。

There　comes　a　thief；　and　says；　Lord；　my　sin　of　theft；　I　thought；　was
such　as　could　not　be