the jerusalem sinner saved-第7节

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Manasseh　the　king。　　So　long　as　he　was　a　ring…leading　sinner；　the
great　idolater；　the　chief　for　devilism；　the　whole　land　flowed　with
wickedness；　for　he　〃made　them　to　sin；〃　and　do　worse　than　the　heathen
that　dwelt　round　about　them；　or　that　was　cast　out　from　before　them：
but　when　God　converted　him；　the　whole　land　was　reformed。　　Down　went
the　groves；　the　idols；　and　altars　of　Baal；　and　up　went　true　religion
in　much　of　the　power　and　purity　of　it。　　You　will　say；　The　king
reformed　by　power。　　I　answer；　doubtless；　and　by　example　too；　for
people　observe　their　leaders；　as　their　fathers　did；　so　did　they；　2
Chron。　xxxiii。　2。

This；　therefore；　is　another　reason　why　Jesus　would　have　mercy　offered
in　the　first　place　to　the　biggest　sinners；　because　that　is　the　best
way；　if　they　receive　it；　most　to　weaken　the　kingdom　of　Satan；　and　to
keep　it　poor　and　low。

And　do　you　not　think　now；　that　if　God　would　but　take　hold　of　the
hearts　of　some　of　the　most　notorious　in　your　town；　in　your　family；　or
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　the