the jerusalem sinner saved-第8部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


sheep；　the　lost　groat；　and　the　prodigal　child。　　And　when　he　came　to
shew　what　care　the　shepherd　took　for　one　lost　sheep；　and　how　the
woman　swept　to　find　her　piece　which　was　lost；　and　what　joy　there　was
at　their　finding；　she　began　to　be　taken　by　the　ears；　and　forgot　what
she　came　about；　musing　what　the　preacher　would　make　of　it。　　But　when
he　came　to　the　application；　and　shewed；　that　by　the　lost　sheep　was
meant　a　great　sinner；　by　the　shepherd's　care；　was　meant　God's　love
for　great　sinners；　and　that　by　the　joy　of　the　neighbours；　was　shewed
what　joy　there　was　among　the　angels　in　heaven　over　one　great　sinner
that　repenteth；　she　began　to　be　taken　by　the　heart。　　And　as　he　spake
these　last　words；　she　thought　he　pitched　his　innocent　eyes　just　upon
her；　and　looked　as　if　he　spake　what　was　now　said　to　her：　　wherefore
her　heart　began　to　tremble；　being　shaken　with　affection　and　fear；
then　her　eyes　ran　down　with　tears　apace；　wherefore　she　was　forced　to
hide　her　face　with　her　handkerchief；　and　so　sat　sobbing　and　crying
all　the　rest　of　the　sermon。

Sermon　being　done；　up　she　gets；　and　away　she　goes；　and　withal
inquired　where　this　Jesus　the　preacher　dined　that　day？　and　one　told
her；　At　the　house　of　Simon　the　Pharisee。　　So　away　goes　she；　first　to
her　chamber；　and　there　strips　herself　of　her　wanton　attire：　　then
falls　upon　her　knees　to　ask　God　forgiveness　for　all　her　wicked　life。
This　done；　in　a　modest　dress　she　goes　to　Simon's　house；　where　she
finds　Jesus　sat　at　dinner。　　So　she　gets　behind　him；　and　weeps；　and
drops　her　tears　upon　his　feet　like　rain；　and　washes　them；　and　wipes
them　with　the　hair　of　her　head。　　She　also　kissed　his　feet　with　her
lips；　and　anointed　them　with　ointment。　　When　Simon　the　Pharisee
perceived　what　the　woman　did；　and　being　ignorant　of　what　it　was　to　be
forgiven　much　（for　he　never　was　forgiven　more　than　fifty　pence）；　he
began　to　think　within　himself；　that　he　had　been　mistaken　about　Jesus
Christ；　because　he　suffered　such　a　sinner　as　this　woman　was；　to　touch
him。　　Surely；　quoth　he；　this　man；　if　he　were　a　prophet；　would　not　let
this　woman　come　near　him；　for　she　is　a　town…sinner　（so　ignorant　are
all　self…righteous　men　of　the　way　of　Christ　with　sinners。）　　But　lest
Mary　should　be　discouraged　with　some　clownish　carriage　of　this
Pharisee　and　so　desert　her　good　beginnings；　and　her　new　steps　which
she　now　had　begun　to　take　towards　eternal　life；　Jesus　began　thus　with
Simon。　　〃Simon；〃　saith　he；　〃I　have　somewhat　to　say　unto　thee。　　And　he
saith；　Master；　say　on。　　There　was；〃　said　Jesus；　a　certain　creditor
had　two　debtors；　the　one　owed　five　hundred　pence；　and　the　other
fifty。　　And　when　they　had　nothing　to　pay；　he　frankly　forgave　them
both。　　Tell　me　therefore　which　of　them　will　love　him　most？　　Simon
answered　and　said；　I　suppose　that　he　to　whom　he　forgave　most。　　And　he
said　unto　him；　Thou　hast　rightly　judged。　　And　he　turned　to　the　woman；
and　said　unto　Simon；　Seest　thou　this　woman？　　I　entered　into　thy
house；　thou　gavest　me　no　water　for　my　feet；　but　she　hath　washed　my
feet　with　tears；　and　wiped　them　with　the　hairs　of　her　head。　　Thou
gavest　me　no　kiss：　　but　this　woman；　since　the　time　I　came　in；　hath
not　ceased　to　kiss　my　feet。　　My　head　with　oil　thou　didst　not　anoint；
but　this　woman　hath　anointed　my　feet　with　ointment。　　Wherefore　I　say
unto　thee；　Her　sins　which　are　many；　are　forgiven；　for　she　loved　much；
but　to　whom　little　is　forgiven；　the　same　loveth　little。　　And　he　said
unto　her；　Thy　sins　are　forgiven；〃　Luke　vii。　36…50。

Thus　you　have　the　story。　　If　I　come　short　in　any　circumstance；　I　beg
pardon　of　those　that　can　correct　me。　　It　is　three　or　four　and　twenty
years　since　I　saw　the　book：　　yet　I　have；　as　far　as　my　memory　will
admit；　given　you　the　relation　of　the　matter。　　However　Luke；　as　you
see；　doth　here　present　you　with　the　substance　of　the　whole。

Alas！　　Christ　Jesus　has　but　little　thanks　for　the　saving　of　little
sinners。　　〃To　whom　little　is　forgiven；　the　same　loveth　little。〃　　He
gets　not　water　for　his　feet；　by　his　saving　of　such　sinners。　　There
are　abundance　of　dry…eyed　Christians　in　the　world；　and　abundance　of
dry…eyed　duties　too；　duties　that　never　were　wetted　with　the　tears　of
contrition　and　repentance；　nor　ever　sweetened　with　the　great　sinner's
box　of　ointment。　　And　the　reason　is；　such　sinners　have　not　great　sins
to　be　saved　from；　or　if　they　have；　they　look　upon　them　in　the
diminishing　glass　of　the　holy　law　of　God。　　But　I　rather　believe；　that
the　professors　of　our　days　want　a　due　sense　of　what　they　are；　for；
verily；　for　the　generality　of　them；　both　before　and　since　conversion；
they　have　been　sinners　of　a　lusty　size。　　But　if　their　eyes　be　holden；
if　convictions　are　not　shewn；　if　their　knowledge　of　their　sins　is　but
like　to　the　eye…sight　in　twilight；　the　heart　cannot　be　affected　with
that　grace　that　has　laid　hold　on　the　man；　and　so　Christ　Jesus　sows
much；　and　has　little　coming　in。

Wherefore　his　way　is　ofttimes　to　step　out　of　the　way；　to　Jericho；　to
Samaria；　to　the　country　of　the　Gadarenes；　to　the　coasts　of　Tyre　and
Sidon；　and　also　to　Mount　Calvary；　that　he　may　lay　hold　of　such　kind
of　sinners　as　will　love　him　to　his　liking；　Luke　xix。　1…11；　John　iv。
3…11；　Mark　v。　1…21；　Matt。　xv。　21…29；　Luke　xxiii。　33…44。

But　thus　much　for　the　sixth　reason；　why　Christ　Jesus　would　have　mercy
offered　in　the　first　place　to　the　biggest　sinners；　to　wit；　because
such　sinners；　when　converted；　are　apt　to　love　him　most。　　The
Jerusalem　sinners　were　they　that　outstripped；　when　they　were
converted；　in　some　things；　all　the　churches　of　the　Gentiles。　　〃They
were　of　one　heart；　and　of　one　soul；　neither　said　any　of　them；　that
aught　of　the　things　that　they　possessed　was　their　own。〃　　〃Neither　was
there　any　among　them　that　lacked：　　for　as　many　as　were　possessors　of
lands　or　houses　sold　them；　and　brought　the　price　of　the　things　that
were　sold；　and　laid　them　down　at　the　apostles'　feet；〃　&c；　Acts　iv。
32…35。　　Now；　shew　me　such　another　pattern　if　you　can。　　But　why　did
these　do　thus？　　Oh！　they　were　Jerusalem　sinners。　　These　were　the　men
that　but　a　little　before　had　killed　the　Prince　of　Life；　and　those　to
whom　he　did；　that　notwithstanding；　send　the　first　offer　of　grace　and
mercy。　　And　the　sense　of　this　took　them　up　betwixt　the　earth　and　the
heaven；　and　carried　them　on　in　such　ways　and　methods　as　could　never
be　trodden　by　any　since。　　They　talk　of　the　church　of　Rome；　and　set
her　in　her　primitive　state；　as　a　pattern　and　mother　of　churches；　when
the　truth　is；　they　were　the　Jerusalem　sinners；　when　converts；　that
out…did　all　the　churches　that　ever　were。

Seventhly；　Christ　Jesus　would　have　mercy　offered；　in　the　first　place；
to　the　biggest　sinners；　because　grace　when　it　is　received　by　such；
finds　matter　to　kindle　upon　more　freely　than　it　finds　in　other
sinners。　　Great　sinners　are　like　the　dry　wood；　or　like　great　candles；
which　burn　best　and　shine　with　biggest　light。　　I　lay　not　this　down；
as　I　did　those　reasons　before；　to　shew；　that　when　great　sinners　are
converted；　they　will　be　encouragement　to　others；　though　that　is　true；
but　to　shew　that　Christ　has　a　delight　to　see　grace；　the　grace　we
receive；　to　shine。　　We　love　to　see　things　that　bear　a　good　gloss；
yea；　we　choose　to　buy　such　kind　of　matter　to　work　upon；　as　will；　if
wrought　up　to　what　we　intend；　cast　that　lustre　that　we　desire。

Candles　that　burn　not　bright；　we　like　not：　　wood　that　is　green　will
rather　smother；　and　sputter；　and　smoke；　and　crack；　and　flounce；　than
cast　a　brave　light　and　a　pleasant　heat：　　wherefore　great　folks　care
not　much；　not　so　much　for　such　kind　of　things；　as　for　them　that　will
better　answer　their　ends。

Hence　Christ　desires　the　biggest　sinner；　in　him　there　is　matter　to
work　by；　to　wit；　a　great　deal　of　sin；　for　as　by　the　tallow　of　the
candle；　the　fire　takes　occasion　to　burn　the　brighter；　so　by　the　sin
of　the　soul；　grace　takes　occasion　to　shine　the　clearer。　　Little
candles　shine　but　little；　for　there　wanteth　matter　for　the　fire　to
work　upon；　but　in　the　great　sinner；　here　is　more　matter　for　grace　to
work　by。　　Faith　shines；　when　it　worketh　towards　Christ；　through　the
sides　of　many　and　great　transgressors；　and　so　does　love；　for　that
much　is　forgiven。　　And　what　matter　can　be　found　in　the　soul　for
humility　to　work　by　so　well；　as　by　a　sight　that　I　have　been　and　am　an
abominable　sinner？　　And　the　same　is　to　be　said　of　patience；　meekness；
gentleness；　self…denial；　or　of　any　other　grace。　　Grace　takes　occasion
by　the　vileness　of　the　man　to　shine　the　more；　even　as　by　the
ruggedness　of　a　very　strong　distemper　or　disease；　the　virtue　of　the
medicine　is　best　made　manifest。　　Where　sin　abounds；　grace　much　more
abounds；　Rom。　v。　20。　　A　black　string　makes　the　neck　look　whiter；
great　sins　make　grace　burn　clear。　　Some　say；　when　grace　and　a　good
nature　meet　together；　they　do　make　shining　Christians：　　but　I　say；
when　grace　and　a　great　sinner　meet；　and　when　grace　shall　subdue　that
great　sinner　to　itself；　and　shall　operate　after　its　kind　in　the　soul
of　that　great　sinner；　then　we　have　a　shining　Christian；　witness　all
those　of　whom　mention　was　made　before。

Abraham　was　among　the　idolaters　when　in　the　land　of　Assyria；　and
served　idols　with　his　kindred　on　the　other　side　of　the　flood；　Jos。
xxiv。　2；　Gen。　xi。　31。　　But　who；　when　called；　was　there　in　the　world；
in　whom　grace　shone　so　bright　as　in　him？

The　Thessalonians　were　idolaters　before　the　word　of　God　came　to　them；
but　when　they　had　received　it；　they　became　examples　to　all　that　did
believe　in　Macedonia　and　Achaia；　1　Thess。　i。　6…10。

God　the　Father；　and　Jesus　Christ　his　Son；　are　for　having　things　seen；
for　having　the　word　of　life　held　forth。　　They　light　not　a　candle　that
it　might　be　put　under　a　bushel；　or　under　a　bed；　but　on　a　candlestick；
that　all　that　come　in　may　see　the　light；　Matt。　v。　15；　Mark　iv。　21；
Luke　viii。　16；　chap。　xi。　33。

And；　I　say；　as　I　said　before；　in　whom　is　light　like　so　to　shine；　as
in　the　souls　of　great　sinners？

When　the　Jewish　Pharisees　dallied　with　the　gospel；　Christ　threatened
to　take　it　from　them；　and　to　give　it　to　the　barbarous　heathens　and
idolaters。　　Why　so？　　For　they；　saith　he；　will　bring　forth　the　fruits
thereof　in　their　season：　　〃Therefore　say　I　unto　you；　The　kingdom　of
God　shall　be　taken　from　you；　and　given　to　a　nation　bringing