the jerusalem sinner saved-第14部分

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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　the　biggest　sinners。　　So　then　let　none　despair；　let
none　presume；　let　none　despair　that　are　sorry　for　their　sins；　and
would　be　saved　by　Jesus　Christ；　let　none　presume　that　abide　in　the
liking　of　their　sins；　though　they　seem　to　know　the　exceeding　grace　of
Christ；　for　though　the　door　stands　wide　open　for　the　reception　of　the
penitent；　yet　it　is　fast　enough　barred　and　bolted　against　the
presumptuous　sinner。　　Be　not　deceived；　God　is　not　mocked；　whatsoever
a　man　sows；　that　he　shall　reap。　　It　cannot　be　that　God　should　be
wheedled　out　of　his　mercy；　or　prevailed　upon　by　lips　of
dissimulation；　he　knows　them　that　trust　in　him；　and　that　sincerely
come　to　him　by　Christ　for　mercy；　Nahum　i。　7。

It　is　then　not　the　abundance　of　sins　committed；　but　the　not　coming
heartily　to　God　by　Christ　for　mercy；　that　shuts　men　out　of　doors。
And　though　their　not　coming　heartily　may　be　said　to　be　but　a　sin；　yet
it　is　such　a　sin　as　causeth　that　all　thy　other　sins　abide　upon　thee
unforgiven。

God　complains　of　this。　　〃They　have　not　cried　unto　me　with　their
heart；　they　turned；　but　not　to　the　most　High。　　They　turned
feignedly；〃　Jer。　iii。　10；　Hos。　vii。　14；　16。

Thus　doing；　his　soul　hates；　but　the　penitent；　humble；　brokenhearted
sinner；　be　his　transgressions　red　as　scarlet；　red　like　crimson；　in
number　as　the　sand；　though　his　transgressions　cry　to　heaven　against
him　for　vengeance；　and　seem　there　to　cry　louder　than　do　his　prayers；
or　tears；　or　groans　for　mercy；　yet　he　is　safe。　　To　this　man　God　will
look；　Isa。　i。　18；　chap　lxvi。　2。

Seventhly；　Would　Jesus　Christ　have　mercy　offered　in　the　first　place
to　the　biggest　sinners？　　Then　here　is　ground　for　those　that；　as　to
practice；　have　not　been　such；　to　come　to　him　for　mercy。

Although　there　is　no　sin　little　of　itself；　because　it　is　a
contradiction　of　the　nature　and　majesty　of　God；　yet　we　must　admit　of
divers　numbers；　and　also　of　aggravations。　　Two　sins　are　not　so　many
as　three；　nor　are　three　that　are　done　in　ignorance　so　big　as　one　that
is　done　against　light；　against　knowledge　and　conscience。　　Also　there
is　the　child　in　sin；　and　a　man　in　sin　that　has　his　hairs　gray；　and
his　skin　wrinkled　for　very　age。　　And　we　must　put　a　difference　betwixt
these　sinners　also。　　For　can　it　be　that　a　child　of　seven；　or　ten；　or
sixteen　years　old；　should　be　such　a　sinnera　sinner　so　vile　in　the
eye　of　the　law　as　he　is　who　has　walked　according　to　the　course　of
this　world；　forty；　fifty；　sixty；　or　seventy　years？　　Now　the　youth；
this　stripling；　though　he　is　a　sinner；　is　but　a　little　sinner；　when
compared　with　such。

Now；　I　say；　if　there　be　room　for　the　first　sort；　for　those　of　the
biggest　size；　certainly　there　is　room　for　the　lesser　size？　　If　there
be　a　door　wide　enough　for　a　giant　to　go　in　at；　there　is　certainly
room　for　a　dwarf。　　If　Christ　Jesus　has　grace　enough　to　save　great
sinners；　he　has　surely　grace　enough　to　save　little　ones。　　If　he　can
forgive　five　hundred　pence；　for　certain　he　can　forgive　fifty；　Luke
vii。　41；　42。

But　you　said　before；　that　the　little　sinners　must　stand　by　until　the
great　ones　have　received　their　grace；　and　that　is　discouraging！

I　answer；　there　are　two　sorts　of　little　sinners；　such　as　are　so；　and
such　as　feign　themselves　so。　　They　are　those　that　feign　themselves
so；　that　I　intended　there；　and　not　those　that　are　indeed
comparatively　so。　　Such　as　feign　themselves　so　may　wait　long　enough
before　they　obtain　forgiveness。

But　again；　a　sinner　may　be　comparatively　a　little　sinner；　and
sensibly　a　great　one。　　There　are　then　two　sorts　of　greatness　in　sin；
greatness　by　reason　of　number；　greatness　by　reason　of　thoroughness　of
conviction　of　the　horrible　nature　of　sin。　　In　this　last　sense；　he
that　has　but　one　sin；　if　such　a　one　could　be　found；　may　in　his　own
eyes　find　himself　the　biggest　sinner　in　the　world。　　Let　this　man　or
this　child　therefore　put　himself　among　the　great　sinners；　and　plead
with　God　as　great　sinners　do；　and　expect　to　be　saved　with　the　great
sinners；　and　as　soon　and　as　heartily　as　they。

Yea；　a　little　sinner；　that　comparatively　is　truly　so；　if　he　shall
graciously　give　way　to　conviction；　and　shall　in　God's　light
diligently　weigh　the　horrible　nature　of　his　own　sins；　may　yet　sooner
obtain　forgiveness　for　them　at　the　hands　of　the　heavenly　Father；　than
he　that　has　ten　times　his　sins；　and　so　cause　to　cry　ten　times　harder
to　God　for　mercy。

For　the　grievousness　of　the　cry　is　a　great　thing　with　God；　for　if　he
will　hear　the　widow；　if　she　cries　at　all；　how　much　more　if　she　cries
most　grievously？　　Exod。　xxii。　22；　23。

It　is　not　the　number；　but　the　true　sense　of　the　abominable　nature　of
sin；　that　makes　the　cry　for　pardon　lamentable。　　He；　as　I　said；　that
has　many　sins；　may　not　cry　so　loud　in　the　ears　of　God　as　he　that　has
far　fewer；　he；　in　our　present　sense；　that　is　in　his　own　eyes　the
biggest　sinner；　is　he　that　soonest　findeth　mercy。

The　offer　then　is　to　the　biggest　sinner；　to　the　biggest　sinner　first；
and　the　mercy　is　first　obtained　by　him　that　first　confesseth　himself
to　be　such　an　one。

There　are　men　that　strive　at　the　t