the jerusalem sinner saved-第9章

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There　comes　a　thief；　and　says；　Lord；　my　sin　of　theft；　I　thought；　was
such　as　could　not　be　pardoned　by　thee！　　But　when　he　shall　see　the
thief　that　was　saved　on　the　cross　stand　by；　as　clothed　with　beauteous
glory；　what　further　can　he　be　able　to　object？　　Yea；　the　Lord　will
produce　ten　thousand　of　his　saints　at　his　coming；　who　shall　after
this　manner　execute　judgment　upon　all；　and　so　convince　all　that　are
ungodly　among　them；　of　all　their　hard　speeches　which　ungodly　sinners
have　spoken　against　him。　　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　saints　to　confute　them；　and　to　stop　their　mouths　from
making　objections　against　their　own　eternal　damnation。

Here　is　Adam；　the　destroyer　of　the　world；　here　is　Lot；　that　lay　with
both　his　daughters；　here　is　Abraham；　that　was　sometime　an　idolater；
and　Jacob；　that　was　a　supplanter；　and　Reuben；　that　lay　with　his
father's　concubine；　and　Judah　that　lay　with　his　daughter…in…law；　and
Levi　and　Simeon　that　wickedly　slew　thee　Shechemites；　and　Aaron　that
great　backslider；　and　Manassah　that　man　of　blood　and　that　made　an
idol　to　be　worshipped；　and　that　proclaimed　a　religious　feast　unto　it。
Here　is　also　Rachab　the　harlot；　and　Bathsheba　that　bare　a　bastard　to
David。　　Here　is　Solomon　a　witch。　　Time　would　fail　me　to　tell　you　of
the　woman　of　Canaan's　daughter；　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　ever
that　Son　of　God　for　their　salvation；　who　died　for　them　upon　the　tree；
admiring　that　ever　it　should　come　into　their　hearts　once　to　think　of
coming　to　God　by　Christ；　but　above　all；　blessing　God　for　granting　of
them　light　to　see　those　encouragements　in　his　testament；　without
which；　without　doubt；　they　had　been　daunted　and　sunk　down　under　guilt
of　sin　and　despair；　as　their　fellow…sinners　have　done。

But　now　they　also　are　witnesses　for　God；　and　for　his　grace　against　an
unbelieving　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
thoughts；　and　words；　and　reasonings　of　the　ungodly　before　the　bar　of
God？　　Doubtless　it　will；　yea　and　will　send　them　away　from　his
presence　also；　with　the　greatest　guilt　that　possibly　can　fasten　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　myself　to　everlasting　ruin。　　It　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。

Wretch　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　blessed　footstool
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　myself　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。　i。　5。

It　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　x。　8…12。

This　reason；　therefore；　standeth　fast；　namely；　that　Christ；　by
offering　mercy　in　the　first　place　to　the　biggest　sinner　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
the　greatness　of　their　sins）　why　they　came　not　to　him。

I　have　often　thought　of　the　day　of　judgment；　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　punishment；〃　Matt。　xxv。　46。

Only　this　will　tear　them；　that　they　have　missed　of　mercy　and　glory；
and　obtained　everlasting　damnation　through　their　unbelief；　but　it
will　tear　but　themselves；　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　sort　of　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　died　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　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　died　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　shews　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　rigid　legal　conditions；　supposing　that　it　is　rude；　and　an
intrenching　upon　his　majesty；　to　come　ourselves；　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　loath
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？　　Yea；　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　first　place　offered　to　the　biggest
sinners：　　and　if　this　doth　not　shew　the　heart　of　the　Father　and　the
Son　to　be　infinitely　free　in　bestowing　forgiveness　of　sins；　I　confess
myself　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　limited　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。

It　is　true；　he　saith；　that　repentance　and　remission　of　sins　must　go
together；　but　yet　remission　is　sent　to　the　chief；　the　Jerusalem
sinner；　nor　doth　repentance　lessen　at　all　the　Jerusalem　sinner's
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　sinner's　course；　and　makes　him　willing　to　be　saved　freely
by　grace；　and　for　time　to　come　to　be　governed　by　that　blessed　word
that　has　brought　the　tidings　of　good　things　to　him。

Besides；　no　man　shews　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　pursue　his　own　damnation　further。

Learn　then　to　judge　of　the　largeness　of　God's　heart；　and　of　the　heart
of　his　Son　Jesus　Christ；　by　the　word；　judge　not　thereof　by　feeling；
nor　by　the　reports　of　thy　conscience；　conscience　is　oftentimes　here
befooled　and　made　to　go　quite　beside　the　word。　　It　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；　Psalm　xxxi。　22；　1　Sam。
xxvii。　1。

The　word　had　told　him　another　thing；　namely；　that　he　should　be　king
in　his　stead。　　Our　text　says　also；　that　Jesus　Christ　bids　preachers；
in　their　preaching　repentance　an