the spoil with this great one; yea, he shall divide the spoil with the
strong, because he hath poured out his soul unto death, and he was
numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made
intercession for the transgressors; Isa. liii. 12.
_Ninthly_, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered in the first place to
the biggest sinners? Let the tempted harp upon this string for their
help and consolation. The tempted wherever he dwells, always thinks
himself the biggest sinner, one most unworthy of eternal life.
This is Satan’s master-argument: thou art a horrible sinner, a hypocrite,
one that has a profane heart, and one that is an utter stranger to a work
of grace. I say this is his maul, his club, his master-piece; he doth
with this as some do with their most enchanting songs, sings them
everywhere. I believe there are but few saints in the world that have
not had this temptation sounding in their ears. But were they but aware,
Satan by all this does but drive them to the gap out at which they should
go, and so escape his roaring.
Saith he, thou art a great sinner, a horrible sinner, a profane hearted
wretch, one that cannot be matched for a vile one in the country.
And all this while Christ says to his ministers, offer mercy, in the
first place, to the biggest sinners. So that this temptation drives thee
directly into the arms of Jesus Christ.
Were therefore the tempted but aware, he might say, Ay, Satan, so I am, I
am a sinner of the biggest size, and therefore have most need of Jesus
Christ; yea, because I am such a wretch, therefore Jesus Christ calls me;
yea, he calls me first: the first proffer of the Gospel is to be made to
the Jerusalem sinner: I am he, wherefore stand back Satan; make a lane,
my right is first to come to Jesus Christ.
This now will be like for like. This would foil the devil: this would
make him say, I must not deal with this man thus; for then I put a sword
into his hand to cut off my head.
And this is the meaning of Peter, when he saith, “Resist him stedfast in
the faith;” 1 Pet. v. 9. And of Paul, when he saith, “Take the shield of
faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the
wicked;” Eph. vi. 16.
Wherefore is it said, “Begin at Jerusalem,” if the Jerusalem sinner is
not to have the benefit of it? And if I am to have the benefit of it,
let me call it to mind when Satan haunts me with the continual
remembrance of my sins, of my Jerusalem sins. Satan and my conscience
say I am the biggest sinner,—Christ offereth mercy, in the first place,
to the biggest sinners. Nor is the manner of the offer other but such as
suiteth with my mind. I am sorry for my sin; yea, sorry at my heart that
ever sinful thought did enter, or find the least entertainment in my
wicked mind; and might I obtain my wish, I would never more that my heart
should be a place for ought but the grace, and spirit, and faith of the
Lord Jesus.
I speak not this to lessen my wickedness; I would not for all the world
but be placed by mine own conscience in the very front of the biggest
sinners, that I might be one of the first that are beckoned by the
gracious hand of Jesus the Saviour, to come to him for mercy.
Well, sinner, thou now speakest like a Christian, but say thus in a
strong spirit in the hour of temptation, and then thou wilt, to thy
commendation and comfort, quit thyself well.
This improving of Christ in dark hours, is the life, though the hardest
part of our Christianity. We should neither stop at darkness, nor at the
raging of our lusts, but go on in a way of venturing and casting the
whole of our affairs for the next world at the foot of Jesus Christ.
This is the way to make the darkness light, and also to allay the raging
of our corruption.
The first time the Passover was eaten, was in the night; and when Israel
took courage to go forward, though the sea stood in their way like a
devouring gulf, and the host of the Egyptians follow them at the heels;
yet the sea gives place, and their enemies were as still as a stone till
they were gone over; Exod. xii. 8; chap. xiv. 13, 14, 21, 22; chap. xv.
16.
There is nothing like faith to help at a pinch; faith dissolves doubts as
the sun drives away the mists. And that you may not be put out, know
your time, as I said, of believing it always. There are times when some
graces may be out of use, but there is no time wherein faith can be said
to be so. Wherefore faith must be always in exercise.
Faith is the eye, is the mouth, is the hand, and one of these is of use
all day long. Faith is to see, to receive, to work, or to eat; and a
Christian should be seeing or receiving, or working, or feeding all day
long. Let it rain, let it blow, let it thunder, let it lighten, a
Christian must still believe: “At what time,” said thee good man, “I am
afraid, I will trust in thee;” Psal. vi. 2, 3.
Nor can we have a better encouragement to do this, than is by the text
set before us, even an open heart for a Jerusalem sinner. And if for a
Jerusalem sinner to come, then for such an one when come. If for such a
one to be saved, then for such a one that is saved. If for such a one to
be pardoned his great transgressions, then for such a one who is pardoned
these, to come daily to Jesus Christ, too, to be cleansed and set free
from his common infirmities, and from the iniquities of his holy things.
Therefore let the poor sinner that would be saved labour for skill to
make the best improvement of the grace of Christ to help him against the
temptations of the devil and his sins.
_Tenthly_, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered in the first place to
the biggest sinners? Let those men consider this, that (have, or) may in
a day of trial have spoken or done what their profession or conscience
told them they should not, and that have the guilt and burden thereof
upon their consciences.
Whether a thing be wrong or right, guilt may pursue him that doth
contrary to his conscience. But suppose a man should deny his God, or
his Christ, or relinquish a good profession, and be under the real guilt
thereof; shall he therefore conclude he is gone for ever? Let him come
again with Peter’s tears, and no doubt he shall obtain Peter’s
forgiveness. For the text includes the biggest sinners.
And it is observable, that before this clause was put into this
commission, Peter was pardoned his horrible revolt from his Master. He
that revolteth in the day of trial, if he is not shot quite dead upon the
place, but is sensible of his wound, and calls out for a surgeon, shall
find his Lord at hand to pour wine and oil into his wounds, that he may
again be healed, and to encourage him to think that there may be mercy
for him: besides what we find recorded of Peter, you read in the Acts,
some were, through the violence of their trials, compelled to blaspheme,
and yet are called saints; Acts xxvi. 9–11.
Hence you have a promise or two that speak concerning such kind of men,
to encourage us to think that at least some of them shall come back to
the Lord their God. “Shall they fall,” saith he, “and not arise? Shall
they turn away, and not return?” Jer. viii. 4. “And in that day I will
assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that was driven out, and
her that I have afflicted. And I will make her that halteth a remnant,
and her that was cast off a strong nation; and the Lord shall reign over
them in Mount Zion for ever.” What we are to understand by her that
halteth, is best expressed by the Prophet Elijah; Mic. iv. 6, 7; Zeph.
iii. 19; 1 Kings xviii. 21.
I will conclude, then, that for them that have halted, or may halt, the
Lord has mercy in the bank, and is willing to accept them if they return
to him again.
Perhaps they may never be after that of any great esteem in the house of
God, but if the Lord will admit them to favour and forgiveness: O
exceeding and undeserved mercy! See Ezekiel xliv. 10–14.
Thou, then, that mayst be the man, remember this, that there is mercy
also for thee. Return therefore to God, and to his Son, who hath yet in
store for thee, and who will do thee good.
But perhaps thou wilt say, he doth not save all revolters, and,
therefore, perhaps not me.
_Answr_. Art thou returning to God? If thou art returning, thou art the
man; “Return ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings;”
Jer. iii. 22.
Some, as I said, that revolt, are shot dead upon the place, and for them,
who can help them? But for them that cry out of their wounds, it is a
sign they are yet alive, and if they use the means in time, doubtless
they may be healed.
Christ Jesus has bags of mercy that were never yet broken up or unsealed.
Hence it is said, he has goodness laid up; things reserved in heaven for
his. And if he breaks up one of these bags, who can tell what he can do!
Hence his love is said to be such as passeth knowledge, and that his
riches are unsearchable. He has, no body knows what; for no body knows
whom: he has by him in store for such as seem in the view of all men to
be gone beyond recovery. For this the text is plain. What man or angel
could have thought that the Jerusalem sinners had been yet on this side
of an impossibility of enjoying life and mercy? Hadst thou seen their
actions, and what horrible things they did to the Son of God; yea, how
stoutly they backed what they did with resolves and endeavours to
persevere, when they had killed his person, against his name and
doctrine; and that there was not found among them all that while, as we
read of, the least remorse or regret for these their doings; couldst thou
have imagined that mercy would ever have took hold of them, at least so
soon! Nay, that they should, of all the world, be counted those only
meet to have it offered to them in the very first place! For so my text
commands, saying, “Preach repentance and remission of sins among all
nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
I tell you the thing is a wonder, and must for ever stand for a wonder
among the sons of men. It stands also for an everlasting invitation and
allurement to the biggest sinners to come to Christ for mercy.
Now since, in the opinion of all men, the revolter is such a one; if he
has, as I said before, any life in him, let him take encouragement to
come again, that he may live by Christ.
_Eleventhly_, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered in the first place to
the biggest sinners? Then let God’s ministers tell them so. There is an
incidence in us, I know not how it doth come about, when we are
converted, to contemn them that are left behind. Poor fools as we are,
we forget that we ourselves were so; Tit. iii. 2, 3.
But would it not become us better, since we have tasted that the Lord is
gracious, to carry it towards them so, that we may give them convincing
ground to believe, that we have found that mercy which also sets open the
door for them to come and partake with us.
Ministers, I say, should do thus, both by their doctrine, and in all
other respects.
Austerity doth not become us, neither in doctrine nor in conversation.
We ourselves live by grace; let us give as we receive, and labour to
persuade our fellow-sinners which God has left behind us, to follow
after, that they may partake with us of grace. We are saved by grace,
let us live like them that are gracious. Let all our things (to the
world) be done in charity towards them; pity them, pray for them, be
familiar with them for their good. Let us lay aside our foolish,
worldly, carnal grandeur; let us not walk the streets, and have such
behaviours as signify we are scarce for touching of the poor ones that
are left behind, no not with a pair of tongs. It becomes us not thus to
do.
Remember your Lord, he was familiar with publicans and sinners to a
proverb; “Behold a gluttonous man, and a wine-bibber, a friend of
publicans and sinners;” Matt. xi. 19. The first part, concerning his
gluttonous eating and drinking, to be sure, was an horrible slander; but
for the other, nothing was ever spoke truer of him by the world. Now,
why should we lay hands cross on this text: that is, choose good
victuals, and love the sweet wine better than the salvation of the poor
publican? Why not familiar with sinners, provided we hate their spots
and blemishes, and seek that they may be healed of them?
Why not fellowly with our carnal neighbours? If we do take occasion to
do so, that we may drop, and be yet distilling some good doctrine upon
their souls? Why not go to the poor man’s house, and give him a penny,
and a Scripture to think upon? Why not send for the poor to fetch away
at least the fragments of thy table, that the bowels of thy fellow-sinner
may be refreshed as well as thine?
Ministers should be exemplary; but I am an inferior man, and must take
heed of too much meddling. But might I, I would meddle with them, with
their wives, and with their children too. I mean not this of all, but of
them that deserve it, though I may not name them.
But, I say, let ministers follow the steps of their blessed Lord, who by
word and deed shewed his love to the salvation of the world, in such a
carriage as declared him to prefer their salvation before his own private
concern, For we are commanded to follow his steps, “who did no sin,
neither was guile found in his mouth.”
And as I have said concerning ministers, so I say to all the brethren,
carry it so, that all the world may see, that indeed you are the sons of
love.
Love your Saviour; yea, shew one to another that you love him, not only
by a seeming love of affection, but with the love of duty. Practical
love is best. Many love Christ with nothing but the lick of the tongue.
Alas! Christ Jesus the Lord must not be put off thus: “He that hath my
commandments, and keepeth them,” saith he, “he it is that loveth me;”
John xiv. 21.
Practical love, which stands in self-denial, in charity to my neighbour,
and a patient enduring of affliction for his name; this is counted love.
Right love to Christ is that which carries in it a provoking argument to
others of the brethren; Heb. x. 24.
Should a man ask me how he should know that he loveth the children of
God? The best answer I could give him, would be in the words of the
Apostle John; “By this,” saith he, “we know we love the children of God,
when we love God, and keep his commandments;” 1 John, v. 2.
Love to God and Christ is then shewn when we are tender of his name; and
then we shew ourselves tender of his name when we are afraid to break any
the least of his commandments. And when we are here, then do we shew our
love to our brother also.
Now, we have obligation sufficient thus to do, for that our Lord loved
us, and gave himself for us, to deliver us from death, that we might live
through him.
The world, when they hear the doctrine that I have asserted and handled
in this little book; to wit, that Jesus Christ would have mercy offered
in the first place to the biggest sinners, will be apt, because
themselves are unbelievers, to think that this is a doctrine that leads
to looseness, and that gives liberty to the flesh; but if you that
believe love your brethren and your neighbours truly, and as you should,
you will put to silence the ignorance of such foolish men, and stop their
mouths from speaking evil of you.
And, I say, let the love of Christ constrain us to this. Who deserveth
our heart, our mouth, our life, our goods, so much as Jesus Christ, who
has bought us to himself by his blood, to this very end, that we should
be a peculiar people, zealous of good works?
There is nothing more seemly in the world, than to see a Christian walk
as becomes the Gospel; nor any thing more unbecoming a reasonable
creature, than to hear a man say, I believe in Christ, and yet see in his
life debauchery and profaneness. Might I, such men should be counted the
basest of men; such men should be counted by all unworthy of the name of
a Christian, and should be shunned by every good man, as such who are the
very plague of profession.
For so it is written, we should carry it towards them. Whoso have a form
of godliness, and deny the power thereof, from such we must turn away.
It has ofttimes come into my mind to ask, by what means it is that the
gospel profession should be so tainted with loose and carnal gospellers?
and I could never arrive to better satisfaction in the matter than
this,—such men are made professors by the devil, and so by him put among
the rest of the godly. A certain man had a fruitless fig-tree planted in
his vineyard; but by whom was it planted there? Even by him that sowed
the tares, his own children, among the wheat; Luke xiii. 6; Matt. xiii.
37–40. And that was the devil. But why doth the devil do thus? Not of
love to them, but to make of them offences and stumblingblocks to others.
For he knows that a loose professor in the church does more mischief to
religion than ten can do to it that are in the world.
Was it not, think you, the devil that stirred up the damsel that you read
of in Acts xvi., to cry out, “These are the servants of the most high
God, that shew unto us the way of salvation!” Yes it was, as is evident,
for Paul was grieved to hear it. But why did the devil stir up her to
cry so? but because that was the way to blemish the Gospel, and to make
the world think that it came from the same hand as did her soothsaying
and witchery; verse 16–18; “Holiness, O Lord, becomes thy house for
ever.”
Let, therefore, whoever they be that profess the name of Christ, take
heed that they scandal not that profession which they make of him, since
he has so graciously offered us, as we are sinners of the biggest size,
in the first place, his grace to save us.
Having thus far spoken of the riches of the grace of Christ, and of the
freeness of his heart to embrace the Jerusalem sinners, it may not be
amiss to give you yet, as a caution, an intimation of one thing, namely,
that this grace and freeness of his heart is limited to time and day; the
which, whoso overstandeth, shall perish notwithstanding.
For as a king, who, of grace, sendeth out to his rebellious people an
offer of pardon, if they accept thereof by such a day, yet beheadeth or
hangeth those that come not in for mercy until the day or time be past;
so Christ Jesus has set the sinner a day, a day of salvation, an
acceptable time; but he who standeth out, or goeth on in rebellion beyond
that time, is like to come off with the loss of his soul; 2 Cor. vi. 2;
Heb. iii. 13, 16, 17, 18, 19; chap. iv. 7; Luke xix. 41, 42.
Since, therefore, things are thus, it may be convenient here to touch a
little upon these particulars.
_First_, That this day, or time thus limited, when it is considered with
reference to this or that man, is ofttimes undiscerned by the person
concerned therein, and always is kept secret as to the shutting up
thereof.
And this, in the wisdom of God, is thus to the end; no man, when called
upon, should put off turning to God to another time. Now, and to-day, is
that and only that which is revealed in holy writ; Psal. 1. 22; Eccles.
xii. 1; Heb. iii. 13, 16.
And this shews us the desperate hazards which those men run, who when
invitation or conviction attends them, put off turning to God to be saved
till another, and, as they think, a more fit season and time. For many,
by so doing, defer this to do till the day of God’s patience and
long-suffering is ended; and then, for their prayers and cries after
mercy, they receive nothing but mocks, and are laughed at by the God of
heaven; Prov. i. 20–30; Isaiah lxv. 12–16; chap. lxvi. 4; Zech. xii.
11–13.
_Secondly_, Another thing to be considered is this, viz. that the day of
God’s grace with some men begins sooner, and also sooner ends than it
doth with others. Those at the first hour of the day, had their call
sooner than they who were called upon to turn to God at the sixth hour of
the day; yea, and they who were hired at the third hour, had their call
sooner than they who were called at the eleventh; Matt. xx. 1–6.
1. The day of God’s patience began with Ishmael, and also ended before
he was twenty years old. At thirteen years of age he was circumcised;
the next year after Isaac was born; and then Ishmael was fourteen years
old. Now that day that Isaac was weaned, that day was Ishmael rejected;
and suppose that Isaac was three years old before he was weaned, that was
but the seventeenth year of Ishmael; wherefore the day of God’s grace was
ended with him betimes; Gen. xvii. 24, 25; chap. xxi. 2–11; Gal. iv. 30.
2. Cain’s day ended with him betimes; for after God had rejected him, he
lived to beget many children, and build a city, and to do many other
things. But alas! all that while he was a fugitive and a vagabond. Nor
carried he any thing with him after the day of his rejection was come,
but this doleful language in his conscience, “From God’s face shall I be
hid;” Gen. iv. 10–15.
3. Esau, through his extravagancies would needs go to sell his
birth-right, not fearing (as other confident fools) but that yet the
blessing would still be his, after which he lived many years; but all of
them under the wrath of God, as was, when time came, made appear to his
destruction; for “When he would have inherited the blessing, he was
rejected, for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it
carefully with tears;” Heb. xii. 14–16.
Many instances might be given as to such tokens of the displeasure of God
against such as fool away, as the wise man has it, the prize which is put
into their hand; Prov. xvii. 16.
Let these things, therefore, be a further caution to those that sit under
the glorious sound of the Gospel, and hear of the riches of the grace of
God in Christ to poor sinners.
To slight grace, to despise mercy, and to stop the ear when God speaks,
when he speaks such great things, so much to our profit, is a great
provocation.
He offereth, he calls, he woos, he invites, he prays, he beseeches us in
this day of his grace to be reconciled to him; yea, and has provided for
us the means of reconciliation himself. Now, this despised must needs be
provoking; and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God.
But some man may say unto me, Fain I would be saved, fain I would be
saved by Christ; but I fear this day of grace is past, and that I shall
perish, notwithstanding the exceeding riches of the grace of God.
_Answer_. To this doubt I would answer several things.
_First_, With respect to this day.
_Secondly_, With respect to thy desires.
_Thirdly_, With respect to thy fears.
_First_, With respect to the day; that is, whether it be ended with a man
or no.
1. Art thou jogged, and shaken and molested at the hearing of the Word?
Is thy conscience awakened and convinced then that thou art at present in
a perishing state, and that thou hast need to cry to God for mercy? This
is a hopeful sign that this day of grace is not past with thee. For
usually they that are past grace, are also, in their conscience, past
feeling, being “seared with an hot iron;” Eph. iv. 18, 19; 1 Tim. iv. 1,
2.
Consequently, those past grace must be such as are denied the awakening
fruits of the Word preached. “The dead that hear,” says Christ, “shall
live;” at least while Christ has not quite done with them; the day of
God’s patience is not at an end with them; John v. 25.
2. Is there in thy more retired condition, arguings, strugglings, and
strivings with thy spirit to persuade thee of the vanity of what vain
things thou lovest, and to win thee in thy soul to a choice of Christ
Jesus and his heavenly things? Take heed and rebel not, for the day of
God’s grace and patience will not be past with thee till he saith his
“Spirit shall strive no more” with thee; for then the woe comes, when “he
shall depart from them;” and when he says to the means of grace, “Let
them alone;” Hos. iv. 17; chap. ix. 12.
3. Art thou visited in the night-seasons with dreams about thy state,
and that thou art in danger of being lost? Hast thou heart-shaken
apprehensions when deep sleep is upon thee, of hell, death, and judgment
to come? These are signs that God has not wholly left thee, or cast thee
behind his back for ever. “For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man
perceiveth it not; in a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep
falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; then he openeth the ears
of men, and sealeth their instruction, that he may withdraw man from his
purpose (his sinful purposes) and hide pride from man;” Job xxxiii.
14–17.
All this while God has not left the sinner, nor is come to the end of his
patience towards him, but stands at least with the door of grace a-jar in
his hand, as being loth as yet to bolt it against him.