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of thy repentance； and offereth himself unto thee freely； as thou
standest among the Jerusalem sinners。
Take therefore encouragement； man； mercy is； by the text； held forth
to the biggest sinners； yea； put thyself into the number of the
worst； by reckoning that thou mayst be one of the first； and mayst
not be put off till the biggest sinners are served； for the biggest
sinners are first invited； consequently； if they come； they are like
to be the first that shall be served。 It was so with Jerusalem；
Jerusalem sinners were they that were first invited； and those of
them that came first （and there came three thousand of them the first
day they were invited； how many came afterwards none can tell）； they
were first served。
Put in thy name； man； among the biggest； lest thou art made to wait
till they are served。 You have some men that think themselves very
cunning； because they put up their names in their prayers among them
that feign it； saying； God； I thank thee I am not so bad as the
worst。 But believe it； if they be saved at all； they shall be saved
in the last place。 The first in their own eyes shall be served last；
and the last or worst shall be first。 The text insinuates it； 〃Begin
at Jerusalem；〃 and reason backs it； for they have most need。 Behold
ye； therefore； how God's ways are above ours； we are for serving the
worst last； God is for serving the worst first。 The man at the pool；
that to my thinking was longest in his disease； and most helpless as
to his cure； was first healed； yea； he only was healed； for we read
that Christ healed him； but we read not then that he healed one more
there！ John v。 1…10。
Wherefore； if thou wouldst soonest be served； put in thy name among
the very worst of sinners。 Say； when thou art upon thy knees； Lord；
here is a Jerusalem sinner！ a sinner of the biggest size！ one whose
burden is of the greatest bulk and heaviest weight！ one that cannot
stand long without sinking into hell； without thy supporting hand！
〃Be not thou far from me； O Lord！ O my strength； haste thou to help
me I say； put in thy name with Magdalen； with Manasseh； that thou
mayst fare as the Magdalen and the Manasseh sinners do。 The man in
the gospel made the desperate condition of his child an argument with
Christ to haste his cure： 〃Sir； come down；〃 saith he； 〃ere my child
die；〃 John iv。 49； and Christ regarded his haste； saying； 〃Go thy
way； thy son liveth；〃 ver。 50。 Haste requires haste。 David was for
speed； 〃Deliver me speedily；〃 〃Hear me speedily；〃 〃Answer me
speedily；〃 Psalm xxxi。 2； lxix。 17； cii。 2。 But why speedily？ I am
in 〃the net；〃 〃I am in trouble；〃 〃My days are consumed like smoke；〃
Psalm xxxi。 4； lxix。 17； cii。 3。 Deep calleth unto deep； necessity
calls for help； great necessity for present help。
Wherefore； I say； be ruled by me in this matter； feign not thyself
another man； if thou hast been a filthy sinner； but go in thy colours
to Jesus Christ； and put thyself among the most vile； and let him
alone to put thee among the children； Jer。 iii。 19。 Confess all that
thou knowest of thyself； I know thou wilt find it hard work to do
thus； especially if thy mind be legal； but do it； lest thou stay and
be deferred with the little sinners； until the great ones have had
their alms。 What do you think David intended when he said； his
wounds stunk and were corrupted； but to hasten God to have mercy upon
him； and not to defer his cure？ 〃Lord；〃 says he； 〃I am troubled； I
am bowed down greatly； I go mourning all the day long。〃 〃I am feeble
and sore broken； by reason of the disquietness of my heart；〃 Psalm
xxxviii。 3…8。
David knew what he did by all this； he knew that his making the worst
of his case； was the way to speedy help； and that a feigning and
dissembling the matter with God； was the next way to a demur as to
his forgiveness。
I have one thing more to offer for thy encouragement； who deemest
thyself one of the biggest sinners； and that is； thou art as it were
called by thy name； in the first place； to come in for mercy。 Thou
man of Jerusalem； hearken to thy call； men do so in courts of
judicature； and presently cry out； Here； Sir； and then they shoulder
and crowd； and say； Pray give way； I am called into the court。 Why；
this thy case； thou great； thou Jerusalem sinner； be of good cheer；
he calleth thee； Mark x。 46…49。 Why sitttest thou still？ arise： why
standest thou still？ come man； thy call should give thee authority to
come。 〃Begin at Jerusalem；〃 is thy call and authority to come；
wherefore up and shoulder it； man； say； Stand away； devil； Christ
calls me； stand away unbelief； Christ calls me； stand away all ye my
discouraging apprehensions； for my Saviour calls me to him to receive
of his mercy。 Men will do thus； as I said； in courts below； and why
shouldst not thou approach thus to the court above？ The Jerusalem
sinner is first in thought； first in commission； first in the record
of names； and therefore should give attendance with expectation； that
he is first to receive mercy of God。
Is not this an encouragement to the biggest sinners to make their
application to Christ for mercy？ 〃Come unto me all ye that labour and
are heavy laden；〃 doth also confirm this thing； that is； that the
biggest sinner； and he that has the biggest burden； is he who is
first invited。 Christ pointeth over the heads of thousands； as he
sits on the throne of grace； directly to such a man； and says； Bring
in hither the maimed； the halt； and the blind； let the Jerusalem
sinner that stands there behind come to me。 Wherefore； since Christ
says；。 Come； to thee； let thee angels make a lane； and let all men
give place； that the Jerusalem sinner may come to Jesus Christ for
mercy。
Fourthly； Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered； in the first place；
to the biggest sinners？ Then come thou profane wretch； and let me a
little enter into an argument with thee。 Why wilt thou not come to
Jesus Christ； since thou art a Jerusalem sinner？ How canst thou find
in thy heart to set thyself against grace； against such grace as
offereth mercy to thee？ What spirit possesseth thee； and holds thee
back from a sincere closure with thy Saviour？ Behold God groaningly
complains of thee； saying； 〃But Israel would none of me。〃 〃When I
called； none did answer；〃 Psl。 lxxxi。 11； Isa。 lxvi。 4。
Shall God enter this complaint against thee？ Why dost thou put him
off？ Why dost thou stop thine ear？ Canst thou defend thyself？ When
thou art called to an account for thy neglects of so great salvation；
what canst thou answer？ or doest thou think thou shalt escape the
judgment？ Heb。 ii。 3。
No more such Christs！ There will be no more such Christs； sinner！
Oh； put not the day； the day of grace； away from thee！ if it be once
gone； it will never come again； sinner。
But what is it that has got thy heart； and that keeps it from thy
Saviour？ 〃Who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord？ who among
the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord？〃 Psl。 lxxxix。
6。 Hast thou； thinkest thou； found anything so good as Jesus Christ？
Is there any among thy sins； thy companions； and foolish delights；
that like Christ can help thee in the day of thy distress？ Behold；
the greatness of thy sins cannot hinder； let not the stubbornness of
thy heart hinder thee； sinner。
Object。 But I am ashamed。
Answ。 Oh！ Do not be ashamed to be saved； sinner。
Object。 But my old companions will mock me。
Answ。 Oh！ Do not be mocked out of eternal life； sinner。
Thy stubbornness affects； afflicts the heart of thy Saviour。 Carest
thou not for this？ Of old he beheld the city； and wept over it。
Canst thou hear this； and not be concerned？ Luke xix。 41； 42。 Shall
Christ weep to see thy soul going on to destruction； and wilt thou
sport thyself in that way？ Yea； shall Christ； that can be eternally
happy without thee； be more afflicted at the thoughts of the loss of
thy soul； than thyself； who art certainly eternally miserable if thou
neglectest to come to him。
Those things that keep thee and thy Saviour； on thy part asunder； are
but bubbles； the least prick of an affliction will let out； as to
thee； what now thou thinkest is worth the venture of heaven to enjoy。
Hast thou not reason？ Canst thou not so much as once soberly think
of thy dying hour； or of whither thy sinful life will drive thee
then？ Hast thou no conscience？ or having one； is it rocked so fast
asleep by sin； or made so weary with an unsuccessful calling upon
thee； that it is laid down； and cares for thee no more？ Poor man！
thy state is to be lamented。 Hast no judgment？ Art not able to
conclude； that to be saved is better than to burn in hell？ and that
eternal life； with God's favour； is better than a temporal life in
God's displeasure？ Hast no affection but what is brutish？ what； none
at all？ no affection for the God that made thee？ what！ none for his
loving Son that has shewed his love； and died for thee？ Is not
heaven worth thy affection？ O poor man！ which is strongest thinkest
thou； God or thee？ If thou art not able to overcome him； thou art a
fool for standing out against him； Matt。 v。 25； 26。 〃It is a fearful
thing to fall into