the jerusalem sinner saved-第15节

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in　a　net；　Isa。　ii。　20。

Despair！　it　drives　a　man　to　the　study　of　his　own　ruin；　and　brings　him
at　last　to　be　his　own　executioner；　2　Sam。　xvii。　23；　Matt。　xxvii。　3…5。

Besides；　I　am　persuaded　also；　that　despair　is　the　cause　that　there
are　so　many　that　would　fain　be　Atheists　in　the　world：　　For　because
they　have　entertained　a　conceit　that　God　will　never　be　merciful　to
them；　therefore　they　labour　to　persuade　themselves　that　there　is　no
God　at　all；　as　if　their　misbelief　would　kill　God；　or　cause　him　to
cease　to　be。　　A　poor　shift　for　an　immortal　soul；　for　a　soul　who
liketh　not　to　retain　God　in　its　knowledge！　　If　this　be　the　best　that
despair　can　do；　let　it　go；　man；　and　betake　thyself　to　faith；　to
prayer；　to　wait　for　God；　and　to　hope；　in　despite　of　ten　thousand
doubts。　　And　for　thy　encouragement；　take　yet　（as　an　addition　to　what
has　already　been　said）　the　following　scripture；　〃The　Lord　taketh
pleasure　in　them　that　fear　him；　in　those　that　hope　in　his　mercy；〃
Psal。　cxlvii。　11。

Whence　note；　They　fear　not　God；　that　hope　not　in　his　mercy：　　also　God
is　angry　with　them　that　hope　not　in　his　mercy：　　for　he　only　taketh
pleasure　in　them　that　hope。　　He　that　believeth；　or　hath　received　his
testimony；　〃hath　set　to　his　seal　that　God　is　true；〃　John　iii。　33；　but
he　that　receiveth　it　not　hath　made　him　a　liar；　and　that　is　a　very
unworthy　thing；　1　John　v。　10；　11。　　〃Let　the　wicked　forsake　his　ways；
and　the　unrighteous　man　his　thoughts；　and　let　him　return　to　the　Lord；
and　he　will　have　mercy　on　him；　and　to　our　God；　for　he　will　abundantly
multiply　pardons。〃　　Perhaps　thou　art　weary　of　thy　ways；　but　art　not
weary　of　thy　thoughts；　of　thy　unbelieving　and　despairing　thoughts；
now；　God　also　would　have　thee　cast　away　these　thoughts；　as　such　which
he　deserveth　not　at　thy　hands；　for　he　will　have　mercy　upon　thee；　and
he　will　abundantly　pardon。

〃O　fools；　and　slow　of　heart　to　believe　all　that　the　prophets　have
spoken！〃　Luke　xxiv。　25。　　Mark　you　here；　slowness　to　believe　is　a
piece　of　folly。　　Ay！　but　sayst　thou；　I　do　believe　some；　and　I　believe
what　can　make　against　me。　　Ay；　but　sinner；　Christ　Jesus　here　calls
thee　fool　for　not　believing　all。　　Believe　all；　and　despair　if　thou
canst。　　He　that　believes　all；　believes　that　text　that　saith；　Christ
would　have　mercy　preached　first　to　the　Jerusalem　sinners。　　He　that
believeth　all；　believeth　all　the　promises　and　consolations　of　the
word；　and　the　promises　and　consolations　of　the　word　weigh　heavier
than　do　all　the　curses　and　threatenings　of　the　law；　and　mercy
rejoiceth　against　judgment。　　Wherefore　believe　all；　and　mercy　will　to
thy　conscience　weigh　judgment　down；　and　so　minister　comfort　to　thy
soul。　　The　Lord　take　the　yoke　from　off　thy　jaws；　since　he　has　set
meat　before　thee；　Hos。　xi。　4；　and　help　thee　to　remember　that　he　is
pleased　in　the　first　place　to　offer　mercy　to　the　biggest　sinners。

Sixthly；　Since　Jesus　Christ　would　have　mercy　offered　in　the　first
place　to　the　biggest　sinners；　let　souls　see　that　they　lay　right　hold
thereof；　lest　they；　notwithstanding；　indeed　come　short　thereof。
Faith　only　knows　how　to　deal　with　mercy；　wherefore　put　not　in　the
place　thereof　presumption。　　I　have　observed；　that　as　there　are　herbs
and　flowers　in　our　gardens；　so　there　are　their　counterfeits　in　the
field；　only　they　are　distinguished　from　the　other　by　the　name　of　wild
ones。　　Why；　there　is　faith；　and　wild　faith；　and　wild　faith　is　this
presumption。　　I　call　it　wild　faith；　because　God　never　placed　it　in
his　garden；　his　church；　it　is　only　to　be　found　in　the　field；　the
world。　　I　also　call　it　wild　faith；　because　it　only　grows　up　and　is
nourished　where　other　wild　notions　abound。　　Wherefore　take　heed　of
this；　and　all　may　be　well；　for　this　presumuptuousness　is　a　very
heinous　thing　in　the　eyes　of　God：　　〃The　soul；〃　saith　he；　〃that　doeth
ought　presumptuously　（whether　he　be　born　in　the　land；　or　a　stranger）；
the　same　reproacheth　the　Lord；　and　that　soul　shall　be　cut　off　from
among　his　people；〃　Numb。　xv。　30。

The　thoughts　of　this　made　David　tremble；　and　pray　that　God　would　hold
him　back　from　presumptuous　sins；　and　not　suffer　them　to　have　dominion
over　him；　Psal。　xix。　13。

Now　this　presumption；　then；　puts　itself　in　the　place　of　faith；　when
it　tampereth　with　the　promise　for　life；　while　the　soul　is　a　stranger
to　repentance。　　Wherefore　you　have　in　the　text；　to　prevent　doing
thus；　both　repentance　and　remission　of　sins　to　be　offered　to
Jerusalem；　not　remission　without　repentance：　　for　all　that　repent　not
shall　perish；　let　them　presume　on　grace　and　the　promise　while　they
will；　Luke　xiii。　1…3。

Presumption；　then；　is　that　which　severeth　faith　and　repentance；
concluding；　that　the　soul　shall　be　saved　by　grace；　though　the　man　was
never　made　sorry　for　his　sins；　nor　the　love　of　the　heart　turned
therefrom。　　This　is　to　be　self…willed；　as　Peter　has　it；　and　this　is　a
despising　the　word　of　the　Lord；　for　that　has　put　repentance　and　faith
together；　Mark　i。　15。　　And　〃because　he　hath　despised　the　word　of　the
Lord；　and　hath　broken　his　commandment；　that　soul　shall　utterly　be　cut
off：　　his　iniquity　shall　be　upon　him。〃　　Numb。　xv。　31。

Let　such　therefore　look　to　it；　who　yet　are；　and　abide　in　their　sins；
for　such；　if　they　hope；　as　they　are；　to　be　saved；　presume　upon　the
grace　of　God。　　Wherefore　presumption　and　not　hearkening　to　God's　word
are　put　together；　Deut。　xvii。　12。

Again；　Then　men　presume　when　they　are　resolved　to　abide　in　their
sins；　and　yet　expect　to　be　saved　by　God's　grace　through　Christ。　　This
is　as　much　as　to　say；　God　liketh　sin　as　well　as　I　do；　and　careth　not
how　men　live；　if　so　be　they　lean　upon　his　Son。　　Of　this　sort　are　they
that　build　up　Zion　with　blood；　and　Jerusalem　with　iniquity；　that
judge　for　reward；　and　teach　for　hire；　and　divine　for　money；　and　lean
upon　the　Lord；　Mic。　iii。　10；　11。　　This　is　doing　things　with　an　high
hand　against　the　Lord　our　God；　and　a　taking　him；　as　it　were；　at　the
catch。　　This　is；　as　we　say　among　men；　to　seek　to　put　a　trick　upon
God；　as　if　he　had　not　sufficiently　fortified　his　proposals　of　grace
by　his　holy　word；　against　all　such　kind　of　fools　as　these。　　But　look
to　it。

Such　will　be　found　at　the　day　of　God；　not　among　that　great　company　of
Jerusalem　sinners　that　shall　be　saved　by　grace；　but　among　those　that
have　been　the　great　abusers　of　the　grace　of　God　in　the　world。　　Those
that　say；　Let　us　sin　that　grace　may　abound；　and　let　us　do　evil　that
good　may　come；　their　damnation　is　just。　　And　if　so；　they　are　a　great
way　off　of　that　salvation　that　is　by　Jesus　Christ　presented　to　the
Jerusalem　sinners。

I　have　therefore　these　things　to　propound　to　that　Jerusalem　sinner
that　would　know；　if　he　may　be　so　bold　as　to　venture　himself　upon　this
grace。

First；　Dost　thou　see　thy　sins？

Secondly；　Art　thou　weary　of　them？

Thirdly；　Wouldst　thou　with　all　thy　heart　be　saved　by　Jesus　Christ？　　I
dare　say　no　less；　I　dare　say　no　more。　　But　if　it　be　truly　thus　with
thee；　how　great　soever　thy　sins　have　been；　how　bad　soever　thou
feelest　thy　heart；　how　far　soever　thou　art　from　thinking　that　God　has
mercy　for　these：　　thou　art　the　man；　the　Jerusalem　sinner；　that　the
Word　of　God　has　conquered；　and　to　whom　it　offereth　free　remission　of
sins；　by　the　redemption　that　is　in　Jesus　Christ。

When　the　jailor　cried　out；　〃Sirs；　What　must　I　do　to　be　saved？〃　　The
answer　was；　〃Believe　on　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　and　thou　shalt　be
saved。〃　　He　that　sees　his　sins　aright；　is　brought　to　his　wit's　end　by
them；　and　he　that　is　so；　is　willing　to　part　from　them；　and　to　be
saved　by　the　grace　of　God。

If　this　be　thy　case；　fear　not；　give　no　way　to　despair；　thou　presumest
not；　if　thou　believest　to　life　everlasting　in　Jesus　Christ：　　yea；
Christ　is　prepared　for　such　as　thou　art。

Therefore　take　good　courage　and　believe。　　The　design　of　Satan　is　to
tell　the　presumptuous；　that　their　presuming　on　mercy　is　good；　but　to
persuade　the　believer；　that　his　believing　is　impudent　bold　dealing
with　God。　　I　never　heard　a　presumptuous　man　in　my　life　say　that　he
was　afraid　that　he　presumed；　but　I　have　heard　many　an　honest　humble
soul　say；　that　they　have　been　afraid　that　their　faith　has　been
presumption。　　Why　should　Satan　molest　those　whose　ways　he　knows　will
bring　them　to　him？　　And　who　can　think　that　he　should　be　quiet　when
men　take　the　right　course　to　escape　his　hellish　snares？　　This；
therefore；　is　the　reason　why　the　truly　humbled　is　opposed；　while　the
presumptuous　goes　on　by　wind　and　tide。　　The　truly　humble　Satan　hates；
but　he　laughs　to　see　the　foolery　of　the　other。

Does　thy　hand　and　heart　tremble？　　Upon　thee　the　promise　smiles。　　〃To
this　man　will　I　look；〃　says　God；　〃even　to　him　that　is　poor；　and　of　a
contrite　spirit；　and　trembles　at　my　word；〃　Isa。　lxvi。　2。

What；　therefore；　I　have　said　of　presumption　concerns　not　the　humble
in　spirit　at　all。　　I　therefore　am　for　gathering　up　the　stones；　and
for　taking　the　stumblingblocks　out　of　the　way　of　God's　people：　　and
forewarning　of　them　that　lay　the　stumblingblock　of　their　iniquity
before　their　faces；　and　that　are　for　presuming　upon　God's　mercy；　and
let　them　look　to　themselves；　Ezek。　xiv。　6…8。

Also　our　text　stands　firm　as　ever　it　did；　and　our　observation　is
still　of　force；　that　Jesus　Christ　would　have　mercy　offered　in　the
first　place　to　t