the jerusalem sinner saved-第15部分

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to　be　such　an　one。

There　are　men　that　strive　at　the　throne　of　grace　for　mercy；　by
pleading　the　greatness　of　their　necessity。　　Now　their　plea；　as　to　the
prevalency　of　it；　lieth　not　in　the　counting　up　of　the　number；　but　in
the　sense　of　the　greatness　of　their　sins；　and　in　the　vehemency　of
their　cry　for　pardon。　　And　it　is　observable；　that　though　the
birthright　was　Ruben's；　and；　for　his　foolishness；　given　to　the　sons
of　Joseph；　yet　Judah　prevailed　above　his　brethren；　and　of　him　came
the　Messias；　1　Chron。　v。　1；　2。

There　is　a　heavenly　subtilty　to　be　managed　in　this　matter。　　〃Thy
brother　came　with　subtilty；　and　hath　taken　away　thy　blessing。〃　　The
blessing　belonged　to　Esau；　but　Jacob　by　his　diligence　made　it　his
own；　Gen。　xxvii。　33。　　The　offer　is　to　the　biggest　sinner；　to　the
biggest　sinner　first；　but　if　he　forbear　to　cry；　the　sinner　that　is　a
sinner　less　by　far　than　he；　both　as　to　number　and　the　nature　of
transgression；　may　get　the　blessing　first；　if　he　shall　have　grace　to
bestir　himself　well；　for　the　loudest　cry　is　heard　furthest；　and　the
most　lamentable　pierces　soonest。

I　therefore　urge　this　head；　not　because　I　would　have　little　sinners
go　and　tell　God　that　they　are　little　sinners；　thereby　to　think　to
obtain　mercy；　for；　verily；　so　they　are　never　like　to　have　it：　　for
such　words　declare；　that　such　a　one　hath　no　true　sense　at　all　of　the
nature　of　his　sins。

Sin；　as　I　said；　in　the　nature　of　it；　is　horrible；　though　it　be　but
one　single　sin　as　to　act；　yea；　though　it　be　but　a　sinful　thought；　and
so　worthily　calls　for　the　damnation　of　the　soul。

The　comparison；　then；　of　little　and　great　sinners；　is　to　go　for　good
sense　among　men。　　But　to　plead　the　fewness　of　thy　sins；　or　the
comparative　harmlessness　of　their　quantity　before　God；　argueth　no
sound　knowledge　of　the　nature　of　thy　sin；　and　so　no　true　sense　of　the
nature　or　need　of　mercy。

Little　sinner；　when　therefore　thou　goest　to　God；　though　thou　knowest
in　thy　conscience　that　thou；　as　to　acts；　art　no　thief；　no　murderer；
no　whore；　no　liar；　no　false　swearer；　or　the　like；　and　in　reason　must
needs　understand　that　thus　thou　art　not　so　profanely　vile　as　others；
yet　when　thou　goest　to　God　for　mercy；　know　no　man's　sins　but　thine
own；　make　mention　of　no　man's　sins　but　thine　own。　　Also　labour　not　to
lessen　thy　own；　but　magnify　and　greaten　them　by　all　just
circumstances；　and　be　as　if　there　was　never　a　sinner　in　the　world　but
thyself。　　Also　cry　out；　as　if　thou　wast　the　only　undone　man；　and　that
is　the　way　to　obtain　God's　mercy。

It　is　one　of　the　comeliest　sights　in　the　world　to　see　a　little　sinner
commenting　upon　the　greatness　of　his　sins；　multiplying　and
multiplying　them　to　himself；　till　he　makes　them　in　his　own　eyes
bigger　and　higher　than　he　seeth　any　other　man's　sins　to　be　in　the
world；　and　as　base　a　thing　it　is　to　see　a　man　do　otherwise；　and　as
basely　will　come　on　it；　Luke　xviii。　10…14。

As；　therefore；　I　said　to　the　great　sinner　before；　let　him　take　heed
lest　he　presume；　I　say　now　to　the　little　sinner；　let　him　take　heed
that　he　do　not　dissemble：　　for　there　is　as　great　an　aptness　in　the
little　sinner　to　dissemble；　as　there　is　in　the　great　one。　　〃He　that
hideth　his　sins　shall　not　prosper；〃　be　he　a　sinner　little　or　great；
Prov。　xxviii。　13。

Eighthly；　Would　Jesus　Christ　have　mercy　offered；　in　the　first　place；
to　the　biggest　sinners？　　Then　this　shews　the　true　cause　why　Satan
makes　such　head　as　he　doth　against　him。

The　Father　and　the　Holy　Spirit　are　well　spoken　of　by　all　deluders　and
deceived　persons；　Christ　only　is　the　rock　of　offence。　　〃Behold　I　lay
in　Zion　a　stumbling…stone　and　a　rock　of　offence；〃　Rom。　ix。　33。　　Not
that　Satan　careth　for　the　Father　or　the　Spirit　more　than　he　careth
for　the　Son；　but　he　can　let　men　alone　with　their　notions　of　the
Father　and　the　Spirit；　for　he　knows　they　shall　never　enjoy　the　Father
nor　the　Spirit；　if　indeed　they　receive　not　the　merits　of　the　Son。
〃He　that　hath　the　Son；　hath　life；　he　that　hath　not　the　Son　of　God
hath　not　life；〃　however　they　may　boast　themselves　of　the　Father　and
the　Spirit；　1　John　v。　12。　　Again；　〃Whosoever　transgresseth；　and
abideth　not　in　the　doctrine　of　Christ；　hath　not　God：　　he　that　abideth
in　the　doctrine　of　Christ；　hath　both　the　Father　and　the　Son；〃　2　John
i。　9。

Christ；　and　Christ　only；　is　he　that　can　make　us　capable　to　enjoy　God
with　life　and　joy　to　all　eternity。　　Hence　he　calls　himself　the　way　to
the　Father；　the　true　and　living　way；　John　xiv。　6；　Heb。　x。　19；　20；　for
we　cannot　come　to　the　Father　but　by　him。　　Satan　knows　this；　therefore
he　hates　him。　　Deluded　persons　are　ignorant　of　this；　and；　therefore；
they　are　so　led　up　and　down　by　Satan　by　the　nose　as　they　are。

There　are　many　things　by　which　Satan　has　taken　occasion　to　greaten
his　rage　against　Jesus　Christ。

As；　first；　his　love　to　man；　and　then　the　many　expressions　of　that
love。　　He　hath　taken　man's　nature　upon　him；　he　hath　in　that　nature
fulfilled　the　law　to　bring　in　righteousness　for　man；　and　hath　spilt
his　blood　for　the　reconciling　of　men　to　God；　he　hath　broke　the　neck
of　death；　put　away　sin；　destroyed　the　works　of　the　devil；　and　got
into　his　own　hands　the　keys　of　death：　　and　all　these　are　heinous
things　to　Satan。　　He　cannot　abide　Christ　for　this。　　Besides；　he　hath
eternal　life　in　himself；　and　that　to　bestow　upon　us；　and　we　in　all
likelihood　are　to　possess　the　very　places　from　which　the　Satans　by
transgression　fell；　if　not　places　more　glorious。　　Wherefore　he　must
needs　be　angry。　　And　is　it　not　a　vexatious　thing　to　him；　that　we
should　be　admitted　to　the　throne　of　grace　by　Christ；　while　he　stands
bound　over　in　chains　of　darkness；　to　answer　for　his　rebellions
against　God　and　his　Son；　at　the　terrible　day　of　judgment。　　Yea；　we
poor　dust　and　ashes　must　become　his　judges；　and　triumph　over　him　for
ever：　　and　all　this　long　of　Jesus　Christ；　for　he　is　the　meritorious
cause　of　all　this。

Now　though　Satan　seeks　to　be　revenged　for　this；　yet　he　knows　it　is　in
vain　to　attack　the　person　of　Christ；　he　has　overcome　him：　　therefore
he　tampers　with　a　company　of　silly　men；　that　he　may　vilify　him　by
them。　　And　they；　bold　fools　as　they　are；　will　not　spare　to　spit　in
his　face。　　They　will　rail　at　his　person；　and　deny　the　very　being　of
it；　they　will　rail　at　his　blood；　and　deny　the　merit　and　worth　of　it。
They　will　deny　the　very　end　why　he　accomplished　the　law；　and　by
jiggs；　and　tricks；　and　quirks；　which　he　helpeth　them　to；　they　set　up
fond　names　and　images　in　his　place；　and　give　the　glory　of　a　Saviour
to　them。　　Thus　Satan　worketh　under　the　name　of　Christ；　and　his
ministers　under　the　name　of　the　ministers　of　righteousness。

And　by　his　wiles　and　stratagems　he　undoes　a　world　of　men；　but　there
is　a　seed；　and　they　shall　serve　him；　and　it　shall　be　counted　to　the
Lord　for　a　generation。　　These　shall　see　their　sins；　and　that　Christ
is　the　way　to　happiness。　　These　shall　venture　themselves；　both　body
and　soul；　upon　his　worthiness。

All　this　Satan　knows；　and　therefore　his　rage　is　kindled　the　more。
Wherefore；　according　to　his　ability　and　allowance；　he　assaulteth；
tempteth；　abuseth；　and　stirs　up　what　he　can　to　be　hurtful　to　these
poor　people；　that　he　may；　while　his　time　shall　last；　make　it　as　hard
and　difficult　for　them　to　go　to　eternal　glory　as　he　can。　　Oftentimes
he　abuses　them　with　wrong　apprehensions　of　God；　and　with　wrong
apprehensions　of　Christ。　　He　also　casts　them　into　the　mire；　to　the
reproach　of　religion；　the　shame　of　their　brethren；　the　derision　of
the　world；　and　dishonour　of　God。

He　holds　our　hands　while　the　world　buffets　us；　he　puts　bear…skins
upon　us；　and　then　sets　the　dogs　at　us。　　He　bedaubeth　us　with　his　own
foam；　and　then　tempts　us　to　believe　that　that　bedaubing　comes　from
ourselves。

Oh！　the　rage　and　the　roaring　of　this　lion；　and　the　hatred　that　he
manifests　against　the　Lord　Jesus；　and　against　them　that　are　purchased
with　his　blood！　　But　yet；　in　the　midst　of　all　this；　the　Lord　Jesus
sends　forth　his　herald　to　proclaim　in　the　nations　his　love　to　the
world；　and　to　invite　them　to　come　in　to　him　for　life。　　Yea；　his
invitation　is　so　large；　that　it　offereth　his　mercy　in　the　first　place
to　the　biggest　sinners　of　every　age；　which　augments　the　devil's　rage
the　more。

Wherefore；　as　I　said　before；　fret　he；　fume　he；　the　Lord　Jesus　will
divide　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