the jerusalem sinner saved-第16部分

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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　his　hand　to　cut　off　my　head。

And　this　is　the　meaning　of　Peter；　when　he　saith；　〃Resist　him　stedfast
in　the　faith；〃　1　Pet。　v。　9。　　And　of　Paul；　when　he　saith；　〃Take　the
shield　of　faith；　wherewith　ye　shall　be　able　to　quench　all　the　fiery
darts　of　the　wicked；〃　Eph。　vi。　16。

Wherefore　is　it　said；　〃Begin　at　Jerusalem；〃　if　the　Jerusalem　sinner
is　not　to　have　the　benefit　of　it？　　And　if　I　am　to　have　the　benefit　of
it；　let　me　call　it　to　mind　when　Satan　haunts　me　with　the　continual
remembrance　of　my　sins；　of　my　Jerusalem　sins。　　Satan　and　my
conscience　say　I　am　the　biggest　sinner；Christ　offereth　mercy；　in
the　first　place；　to　the　biggest　sinners。　　Nor　is　the　manner　of　the
offer　other　but　such　as　suiteth　with　my　mind。　　I　am　sorry　for　my　sin；
yea；　sorry　at　my　heart　that　ever　sinful　thought　did　enter；　or　find
the　least　entertainment　in　my　wicked　mind；　and　might　I　obtain　my
wish；　I　would　never　more　that　my　heart　should　be　a　place　for　ought
but　the　grace；　and　spirit；　and　faith　of　the　Lord　Jesus。

I　speak　not　this　to　lessen　my　wickedness；　I　would　not　for　all　the
world　but　be　placed　by　mine　own　conscience　in　the　very　front　of　the
biggest　sinners；　that　I　might　be　one　of　the　first　that　are　beckoned
by　the　gracious　hand　of　Jesus　the　Saviour；　to　come　to　him　for　mercy。

Well；　sinner；　thou　now　speakest　like　a　Christian；　but　say　thus　in　a
strong　spirit　in　the　hour　of　temptation；　and　then　thou　wilt；　to　thy
commendation　and　comfort；　quit　thyself　well。

This　improving　of　Christ　in　dark　hours；　is　the　life；　though　the
hardest　part　of　our　Christianity。　　We　should　neither　stop　at
darkness；　nor　at　the　raging　of　our　lusts；　but　go　on　in　a　way　of
venturing　and　casting　the　whole　of　our　affairs　for　the　next　world　at
the　foot　of　Jesus　Christ。　　This　is　the　way　to　make　the　darkness
light；　and　also　to　allay　the　raging　of　our　corruption。

The　first　time　the　Passover　was　eaten；　was　in　the　night；　and　when
Israel　took　courage　to　go　forward；　though　the　sea　stood　in　their　way
like　a　devouring　gulf；　and　the　host　of　the　Egyptians　follow　them　at
the　heels；　yet　the　sea　gives　place；　and　their　enemies　were　as　still
as　a　stone　till　they　were　gone　over；　Exod。　xii。　8；　chap。　xiv。　13；　14；
21；　22；　chap。　xv。　16。

There　is　nothing　like　faith　to　help　at　a　pinch；　faith　dissolves
doubts　as　the　sun　drives　away　the　mists。　　And　that　you　may　not　be　put
out；　know　your　time；　as　I　said；　of　believing　it　always。　　There　are
times　when　some　graces　may　be　out　of　use；　but　there　is　no　time
wherein　faith　can　be　said　to　be　so。　　Wherefore　faith　must　be　always
in　exercise。

Faith　is　the　eye；　is　the　mouth；　is　the　hand；　and　one　of　these　is　of
use　all　day　long。　　Faith　is　to　see；　to　receive；　to　work；　or　to　eat；
and　a　Christian　should　be　seeing　or　receiving；　or　working；　or　feeding
all　day　long。　　Let　it　rain；　let　it　blow；　let　it　thunder；　let　it
lighten；　a　Christian　must　still　believe：　　〃At　what　time；〃　said　thee
good　man；　〃I　am　afraid；　I　will　trust　in　thee；〃　Psal。　vi。　2；　3。

Nor　can　we　have　a　better　encouragement　to　do　this；　than　is　by　the
text　set　before　us；　even　an　open　heart　for　a　Jerusalem　sinner。　　And
if　for　a　Jerusalem　sinner　to　come；　then　for　such　an　one　when　come。
If　for　such　a　one　to　be　saved；　then　for　such　a　one　that　is　saved。　　If
for　such　a　one　to　be　pardoned　his　great　transgressions；　then　for　such
a　one　who　is　pardoned　these；　to　come　daily　to　Jesus　Christ；　too；　to
be　cleansed　and　set　free　from　his　common　infirmities；　and　from　the
iniquities　of　his　holy　things。

Therefore　let　the　poor　sinner　that　would　be　saved　labour　for　skill　to
make　the　best　improvement　of　the　grace　of　Christ　to　help　him　against
the　temptations　of　the　devil　and　his　sins。

Tenthly；　Would　Jesus　Christ　have　mercy　offered　in　the　first　place　to
the　biggest　sinners？　　Let　those　men　consider　this；　that　（have；　or）
may　in　a　day　of　trial　have　spoken　or　done　what　their　profession　or
conscience　told　them　they　should　not；　and　that　have　the　guilt　and
burden　thereof　upon　their　consciences。

Whether　a　thing　be　wrong　or　right；　guilt　may　pursue　him　that　doth
contrary　to　his　conscience。　　But　suppose　a　man　should　deny　his　God；
or　his　Christ；　or　relinquish　a　good　profession；　and　be　under　the　real
guilt　thereof；　shall　he　therefore　conclude　he　is　gone　for　ever？　　Let
him　come　again　with　Peter's　tears；　and　no　doubt　he　shall　obtain
Peter's　forgiveness。　　For　the　text　includes　the　biggest　sinners。

And　it　is　observable；　that　before　this　clause　was　put　into　this
commission；　Peter　was　pardoned　his　horrible　revolt　from　his　Master。
He　that　revolteth　in　the　day　of　trial；　if　he　is　not　shot　quite　dead
upon　the　place；　but　is　sensible　of　his　wound；　and　calls　out　for　a
surgeon；　shall　find　his　Lord　at　hand　to　pour　wine　and　oil　into　his
wounds；　that　he　may　again　be　healed；　and　to　encourage　him　to　think
that　there　may　be　mercy　for　him：　　besides　what　we　find　recorded　of
Peter；　you　read　in　the　Acts；　some　were；　through　the　violence　of　their
trials；　compelled　to　blaspheme；　and　yet　are　called　saints；　Acts　xxvi。
9…11。

Hence　you　have　a　promise　or　two　that　speak　concerning　such　kind　of
men；　to　encourage　us　to　think　that　at　least　some　of　them　shall　come
back　to　the　Lord　their　God。　　〃Shall　they　fall；〃　saith　he；　〃and　not
arise？　　Shall　they　turn　away；　and　not　return？〃　Jer。　viii。　4。　　〃And　in
that　day　I　will　assemble　her　that　halteth；　and　I　will　gather　her　that
was　driven　out；　and　her　that　I　have　afflicted。　　And　I　will　make　her
that　halteth　a　remnant；　and　her　that　was　cast　off　a　strong　nation；
and　the　Lord　shall　reign　over　them　in　Mount　Zion　for　ever。〃　　What　we
are　to　understand　by　her　that　halteth；　is　best　expressed　by　the
Prophet　Elijah；　Mic。　iv。　6；　7；　Zeph。　iii。　19；　1　Kings　xviii。　21。

I　will　conclude；　then；　that　for　them　that　have　halted。　or　may　halt；
the　Lord　has　mercy　in　the　bank；　and　is　willing　to　accept　them　if　they
return　to　him　again。

Perhaps　they　may　never　be　after　that　of　any　great　esteem　in　the　house
of　God；　but　if　the　Lord　will　admit　them　to　favour　and　forgiveness：　　O
exceeding　and　undeserved　mercy！　　See　Ezekiel　xliv。　10…14。

Thou；　then；　that　mayst　be　the　man；　remember　this；　that　there　is　mercy
also　for　thee。　　Return　therefore　to　God；　and　to　his　Son；　who　hath　yet
in　store　for　thee；　and　who　will　do　thee　good。

But　perhaps　thou　wilt　say；　he　doth　not　save　all　revolters；　and；
therefore；　perhaps　not　me。

Answr。　　Art　thou　returning　to　God？　　If　thou　art　returning；　thou　art
the　man；　〃Return　ye　backsliding　children；　and　I　will　heal　your
backslidings；〃　Jer。　iii。　22。

Some；　as　I　said；　that　revolt；　are　shot　dead　upon　the　place；　and　for
them；　who　can　help　them？　　But　for　them　that　cry　out　of　their　wounds；
it　is　a　sign　they　are　yet　alive；　and　if　they　use　the　means　in　time；
doubtless　they　may　be　healed。

Christ　Jesus　has　bags　of　mercy　that　were　never　yet　broken　up　or
unsealed。　　Hence　it　is　said；　he　has　goodness　laid　up；　things　reserved
in　heaven　for　his。　　And　if　he　breaks　up　one　of　these　bags；　who　can
tell　what　he　can　do！

Hence　his　love　is　said　to　be　such　as　passeth　knowledge；　and　that　his
riches　are　unsearchable。　　He　has；　no　body　knows　what；　for　no　body
knows　whom：　　he　has　by　him　in　store　for　such　as　seem　in　the　view　of
all　men　to　be　gone　beyond　recovery。　　For　this　the　text　is　plain。
What　man　or　angel　could　have　thought　that　the　Jerusalem　sinners　had
been　yet　on　this　side　of　an　impossibility　of　enjoying　life　and　mercy？
Hadst　thou　seen　their　actions；　and　what　horrible　things　they　did　to
the　Son　of　God；　yea；　how　stoutly　they　backed　what　they　did　with
resolves　and　endeavours　to　persevere；　when　they　had　killed　his
person；　against　his　name　and　doctrine；　and　that　there　was　not　found
among　them　all　that　while；　as　we　read　of；　the　least　remorse　or　regret
for　these　their　doings；　couldst　thou　have　imagined　that　mercy　would
ever　have　took　hold　of　them；　at　least　so　soon！　　Nay；　that　they
should；　of　all　the　world；　be　counted　those　only　meet　to　have　it
offered　to　them　in　the　very　first　place！　　For　so　my　text　commands；
saying；　〃Preach　repentance　and　remission　of　sins　among　all　nations；
beginning　at　Jerusalem。〃

I　tell　you　the　thing　is　a　wonder；　and　must　for　ever　stand　for　a
wonder　among　the　sons　of　men。　　It　stands　also　for　an　everlasting
invitation　and　allurement　to　the　biggest　sinners　to　come　to　Christ
for　mercy。

Now　since；　in　the　opinion　of　all　men；　the　revolter　is　such　a　one；　if
he　has；　as　I　said　before；　any　life　in　him；　let　him　take　encouragement
to　come　again；　that　he　may　live　by　Christ。

Eleventhly；　Would　Jesus　Christ　have　mercy　offered　in　the　first　place
to　the　biggest　sinners？　　Then　let　God's　ministers　tell　them　so。
There　is　an　incidence　in　us；　I　know　not　how　it　doth　come　about；　when
we　are　converted；　to　contemn　them　that　are　left　behind。　　Poor　fools
as　we　are；　we　forget　that　we　ourselves　were　so；　Tit。　iii。　2；　3。

But　would　it　not　become　us　better；　since　we　have　tasted　that　the　Lord
is　gracious；　to　carry　it　towards　them　so；　that　we　may　give　them
convincing　ground　to　believe；　that　we　have　found　that　mercy　which
also　sets　open　the　door　for　them　to　come　and　partake　with　us。

Ministers；　I　say；　should　do　thus；　both　by　their　doctrine；　and　in　all
other　respects。

Austerity　doth　not　become　us；　neither　in　doctrine　nor　in
conversation。　　We　ourselves　live　by　grace；　let　us　give　as　we　receive；
and　labour　to　persuade　our　fellow…sinners　which　God　has　left　behind
us；　to　follow　after；　that　they　may　partake　with　us　of　grace。　　We　are
saved　by　grace；　let　us　live　like　them　that　are　gracious。　　Let　all　our
things　（to　the　world）　be　done　in　charity　towards　them；　pity　them；
pray　for　them；　be　familiar　with　them　for　their　good。　　Let　us　lay
aside　our　foolish；　worldly；　carnal　grandeur；　let　us　not　walk　the
streets；　and　have　such　behaviours　as　signify　we　are　scarce　for
touching　of　the　poor　ones　that　are　left　behind；　no　not　with　a　pair　of
tongs。　　It　becomes　us　not　thus　to　do。

Remember　your　Lord；　he　was　familiar　with　publicans　and　sinners　to　a
proverb；　〃Behold　a　gluttonous　man；　and　a　wine…bibber；　a　friend　of
publicans　and　sinners；〃　Matt。　xi。　19。　　The　first　part；　concerning　his
gluttonous　eating　and　d