the jerusalem sinner saved-第5部分

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heavens　to　our　help。　　But；

Thirdly；　Christ　Jesus　would　have　mercy　offered　in　the　first　place　to
the　biggest　sinners；　because　by　their　forgiveness　and　salvation；
others　hearing　of　it；　will　be　encouraged　the　more　to　come　to　him　for
life。

For　the　physician；　by　curing　the　most　desperate　at　the　first；　doth
not　only　get　himself　a　name；　but　begets　encouragement　in　the　minds　of
other　diseased　folk　to　come　to　him　for　help。　　Hence　you　read　of　our
Lord；　that　after；　through　his　tender　mercy；　he　had　cured　many　of
great　diseases；　his　fame　was　spread　abroad；　〃They　brought　unto　him
all　sick　people　that　were　taken　with　divers　diseases　and　torments；
and　those　which　were　possessed　with　devils；　and　those　which　were
lunatic；　and　those　that　had　the　palsy；　and　he　healed　them。　　And　there
followed　him　great　multitudes　of　people　from　Galilee；　and　Decapolis；
and　Jerusalem；　and　Judea；　and　from　beyond　Jordan；〃　Matt。　iv。　24；　25。

See　here；　he　first　by　working　gets　himself　a　fame；　a　name；　and
renown；　and　now　men　take　encouragement；　and　bring　from　all　quarters
their　diseased　to　him；　being　helped；　by　what　they　had　heard；　to
believe　that　their　diseased　should　be　healed。

Now；　as　he　did　with　those　outward　cures；　so　he　does　in　the　proffers
of　his　grace　and　mercy：　　he　proffers　that　in　the　first　place　to　the
biggest　sinners；　that　others　may　take　heart　to　come　to　him　to　be
saved。　　I　will　give　you　a　scripture　or　two；　I　mean　to　show　you　that
Christ；　by　commanding　that　his　mercy　should　in　the　first　place　be
offered　to　the　biggest　of　sinners；　has　a　design　thereby　to　encourage
and　provoke　others　to　come　also　to　him　for　mercy。

〃God；〃　saith　Paul；　〃who　is　rich　in　mercy；　for　his　great　love
wherewith　he　loved　us；　even　when　we　were　dead　in　sins；　hath　quickened
us　together　with　Christ　（by　grace　ye　are　saved）；　and　hath　raised　us
up　together；　and　made　us　sit　together　in　heavenly　places　in　Christ
Jesus。〃　　But　why　did　he　do　all　this？　　〃That　in　the　ages　to　come　he
might　shew　the　exceeding　riches　of　his　grace　in　his　kindness　towards
us　through　Christ　Jesus；〃　Eph。　ii。　4…7。

See；　here　is　a　design；　God　lets　out　his　mercy　to　Ephesus　of　design；
even　to　shew　to　the　ages　to　come　the　exceeding　riches　of　his　grace；
in　his　kindness　to　them　through　Christ　Jesus。　　And　why　to　shew　by
these　the　exceeding　riches　of　his　grace　to　the　ages　to　come；　through
Christ　Jesus；　but　to　allure　them；　and　their　children　also；　to　come　to
him；　and　to　partake　of　the　same　grace　through　Christ　Jesus？

But　what　was　Paul；　and　the　Ephesian　sinners？　（of　Paul　we　will　speak
anon）。　　These　Ephesian　sinners；　they　were　men　dead　in　sins；　men　that
walked　according　to　the　dictates　and　motions　of　the　devil；
worshippers　of　Diana；　that　effeminate　goddess；　men　far　off　from　God；
aliens　and　strangers　to　all　good　things；　such　as　were　far　off　from
that；　as　I　said；　and　consequently　in　a　most　deplorable　condition。　　As
the　Jerusalem　sinners　were　of　the　highest　sort　among　the　Jews；　so
these　Ephesian　sinners　were　of　the　highest　sort　among　the　Gentiles；
Eph。　ii。　1…3；　11；　12；　Acts　xix。　35。

Wherefore　as　by　the　Jerusalem　sinners；　in　saving　them　first；　he　had　a
design　to　provoke　others　to　come　to　him　for　mercy；　so　the　same　design
is　here　set　on　foot　again；　in　his　calling　and　converting　the　Ephesian
sinners；　〃That　in　the　ages　to　come　he　might　shew　the　exceeding　riches
of　his　grace；〃　says　he；　〃in　his　kindness　towards　us　through　Christ
Jesus。〃　　There　is　yet　one　hint　behind。　　It　is　said　that　God　saved
these　for　his　love；　that　is；　as　I　think；　for　the　setting　forth；　for
the　commendations　of　his　love；　for　the　advance　of　his　love；　in　the
hearts　and　minds　of　them　that　should　come　after。　　As　who　should　say；
God　has　had　mercy　upon；　and　been　gracious　to　you；　that　he　might　shew
to　others；　for　their　encouragement；　that　they　have　ground　to　come　to
him　to　be　saved。　　When　God　saves　one　great　sinner；　it　is　to　encourage
another　great　sinner　to　come　to　him　for　mercy。

He　saved　the　thief；　to　encourage　thieves　to　come　to　him　for　mercy；　he
saved　Magdalen；　to　encourage　other　Magdalens　to　come　to　him　for
mercy；　he　saved　Saul；　to　encourage　Sauls　to　come　to　him　for　mercy；
and　this　Paul　himself　doth　say；　〃For　this　cause；〃　saith　he；　〃I
obtained　mercy；　that　in　me　first　Jesus　Christ　might　shew　forth　all
long…suffering　for　a　pattern　to　them　which　should　hereafter　believe
on　him　to　life　everlasting；〃　1　Tim。　i。　16。

How　plain　are　the　words！　　Christ；　in　saving　of　me；　has　given　to　the
world　a　pattern　of　his　grace；　that　they　might　see　and　believe；　and
come；　and　be　saved；　that　they　that　are　to　be　born　hereafter　might
believe　on　Jesus　Christ　to　life　everlasting。

But　what　was　Paul？　　Why；　he　tells　you　himself；　I　am；　says　he；　the
chief　of　sinners：　　I　was；　says　he；　a　blaspheme；　a　persecutor；　an
injurious　person；　but　I　obtained　mercy；　1　Tim。　i。　14；　15。　　Ay；　that
is　well　for　you；　Paul；　but　what　advantage　have　we　thereby？　　Oh；　very
much；　saith　he；　for；　〃for　this　cause　I　obtained　mercy；　that　in　me
first；　Jesus　Christ　might　shew　all　long…suffering　for　a　pattern　to
them　which　shall　believe　on　him　to　life　everlasting。〃

Thus；　therefore；　you　see　that　this　third　reason　is　of　strength；
namely；　that　Jesus　Christ　would　have　mercy　offered　in　the　first　place
to　the　biggest　sinners；　because；　by　their　forgiveness　and　salvation；
others；　hearing　of　it；　will　be　encouraged　the　more　to　come　to　him　for
mercy。

It　may　well　therefore　be　said　to　God；　Thou　delightest　in　mercy；　and
mercy　pleases　thee；　Mich。　vii。　18。

But　who　believes　that　this　was　God's　design　in　shewing　mercy　of　old
namely；　that　we　that　come　after　might　take　courage　to　come　to　him　for
mercy；　or　that　Jesus　Christ　would　have　mercy　offered　in　the　first
place　to　the　biggest　sinners；　to　stir　up　others　to　come　to　him　for
life？　　This　is　not　the　manner　of　men；　O　God！

But　David　saw　this　betimes；　therefore　he　makes　this　one　argument　with
God；　that　he　would　blot　out　his　transgressions；　that　he　would　forgive
his　adultery；　his　murders；　and　horrible　hypocrisy。　　Do　it；　O　Lord；
saith　he；　do　it；　and　〃then　will　I　teach　transgressors　thy　ways；　and
sinners　shall　be　converted　unto　thee；〃　Psalm　li。　7…13。

He　knew　that　the　conversion　of　sinners　would　be　a　work　highly
pleasing　to　God；　as　being　that　which　he　had　designed　before　he　made
mountain　or　hill：　　wherefore　he　comes；　and　he　saith；　Save　me；　O　Lord；
if　thou　wilt　but　save　me；　I　will　fall　in　with　thy　design；　I　will　help
to　bring　what　sinners　to　thee　I　can。　　And；　Lord；　I　am　willing　to　be
made　a　preacher　myself；　for　that　I　have　been　a　horrible　sinner：
wherefore；　if　thou　shalt　forgive　my　great　transgressions；　I　shall　be
a　fit　man　to　tell　of　thy　wondrous　grace　to　others。　　Yea；　Lord；　I　dare
promise；　that　if　thou　wilt　have　mercy　upon　me；　it　shall　tend　to　the
glory　of　thy　grace；　and　also　to　the　increase　of　thy　kingdom；　for　I
will　tell　it；　and　sinners　will　hear　on't。　　And　there　is　nothing　so
suiteth　with　the　hearing　sinner　as　mercy；　and　to　be　informed　that　God
is　willing　to　bestow　it　upon　him。　　〃I　will　teach　transgressors　thy
ways；　and　sinners　shall　be　converted　unto　thee。〃

Nor　will　Christ　Jesus　miss　of　his　design　in　proffering　of　mercy　in
the　first　place　to　the　biggest　sinners。　　You　know　what　work　the　Lord；
by　laying　hold　of　the　woman　of　Samaria；　made　among　the　people　there。
They　knew　that　she　was　a　town　sinner；　an　adulteress；　yea；　one　that
after　the　most　audacious　manner　lived　in　uncleanness　with　a　man　that
was　not　her　husband：　　but　when　she；　from　a　turn　upon　her　heart；　went
into　the　city；　and　said　to　her　neighbours；　〃Come；〃　Oh　how　they　came！
how　they　flocked　out　of　the　city　to　Jesus　Christ！　　〃Then　they　went
out　of　the　city；　and　came　to　him。〃　　〃And　many　of　the　Samaritans
（people　perhaps　as　bad　as　herself）　believed　on　him；　for　the　saying　of
the　woman；　which　testified；　saying；　he　told　me　all　that　ever　I　did；〃
John　iv。　39。

That　word；　〃He　told　me　all　that　ever　I　did；〃　was　a　great　argument
with　them；　for　by　that　they　gathered；　that　though　he　knew　her　to　be
vile；　yet　he　did　not　despise　her；　nor　refuse　to　shew　how　willing　he
was　to　communicate　his　grace　unto　her；　and　this　fetched　over；　first
her；　then　them。

This　woman；　as　I　said；　was　a　Samaritan　sinner；　a　sinner　of　the　worst
complexion：　　for　the　Jews　abhorred　to　have　ought　to　do　with　them；
ver。　9；　wherefore　none　more　fit　than　she　to　be　made　one　of　the　decoys
of　heaven；　to　bring　others　of　these　Samaritan　wild…fowls　under　the
net　of　the　grace　of　Christ。　　And　she　did　the　work　to　purpose。　　Many；
and　many　more　of　the　Samaritans　believed　on　him；　ver。　40…42。　　The
heart　of　man；　though　set　on　sin；　will；　when　it　comes　once　to　a
persuasion　that　God　is　willing　to　have　mercy　upon　us；　incline　to　come
to　Jesus　Christ　for　life。

Witness　those　turn…aways　from　God　that　you　also　read　of　in　Jeremiah；
for　after　they　had　heard　three　or　four　times　over；　that　God　had　mercy
for　backsliders；　they　broke　out；　and　said；　〃Behold；　we　come　unto
thee；　for　thou　art　the　Lord　our　God。〃　　Or　as　those　in　Hosea　did；　〃For
in　thee　the　fatherless　find　mercy；〃　Jer。　iii。　22；　Hos。　xiv。　1…3。

Mercy；　and　the　revelation　thereof；　is　the　only　antidote　against　sin。
It　is　of　a　thawing　nature；　it　will　loose　the　heart　that　is　frozen　up
in　sin；　yea；　it　will　make　the　unwilling　willing　to　come　to　Jesus
Christ　for　life。　　Wherefore；　do　you　think；　was　it　that　Jesus　Christ
told　the　adulterous　woman；　and　that　before　so　many　sinners；　that　he
had　not　condemned　her；　but　to　allure　her；　with　them　there　present；　to
hope　to　find　favour　at　his　hands？　　（As　he　also　saith　in　another
place；　〃I　came　not　to　judge；　but　to　save　the　world。〃）　　For　might　they
not　thence　most　rationally　conclude；　that　if　Jesus　Christ　had　rather
save　than　damn　an　harlot；　there　was　encouragement　for　them　to　come　to
him　for　mercy。

I　heard　once　a　story　from　a　soldier；　who　with　his　company　had　laid
siege　against　a　fort；　that　so　long　as　the　besieged　were　persuaded
their　foes　would　shew　them　no　favour；　they　fought　like　madmen；　but
when　they　saw　one　of　their　fellows　taken；　and　received　to　favour；
they　all　came　tumbling　down　from　their　fortress；　and　delivered
themselves　into　their　enemies'　hands。

I　am　persuaded；　did　men　believe　that　there　is　that　grace　and
willingness　in　the　heart　of　Christ　to　save　sinners；　as　the　w