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these things thus recorded； but to show to sinners what he can do； to
the praise and glory of his grace？
And it is observable； as I said before； we have but very little of
the salvation of little sinners mentioned in God's book； because that
would not have answered the design； to wit； to bring glory and fame
to the name of the Son of God。
What should be the reason； think you； why Christ should so easily
take a denial of the great ones； that were the grandeur of the world；
and struggle so hard for hedge…creepers and highwaymen （as that
parable； Luke xiv。； seems to import he doth）； but to show forth the
riches of the glory of his grace to his praise？ This I say； is one
reason to be sure。
They that had their grounds； their yoke of oxen； and their marriage
joys； were invited to come； but they made their excuse； and that
served the turn。 But when he comes to deal with the worst； he saith
to his servants； Go ye out and bring them in hither。 〃Go out
quickly； and bring in hither the poor； the maimed； the halt； and the
blind。〃 And they did so： and he said again； 〃Go out into the
highways and hedges； and compel them to come in； that my house may be
filled；〃 Luke xiv。 18； 19； 23。 These poor； lame； maimed； blind；
hedge…creepers and highwaymen； must come in； must be forced in。
These； if saved； will make his merits shine。
When Christ was crucified； and hanged up between the earth and
heavens； there were two thieves crucified with him； and behold； he
lays hold of one of them and will have him away with him to glory。
Was not this a strange act； and a display of unthought of grace？
Were there none but thieves there； or were the rest of that company
out of his reach？ Could he not； think you； have stooped from the
cross to the ground； and have laid hold on some honester man if he
would？ Yes； doubtless。 Oh！ but then he would not have displayed his
grace； nor so have pursued his own designs； namely； to get to himself
a praise and a name： but now he has done it to purpose。 For who
that shall read this story； but must confess； that the Son of God is
full of grace； for a proof of the riches thereof； he left behind him；
when upon the cross he took the thief away with him to glory。 Nor
can this one act of his be buried； it will be talked of to the end of
the world to his praise。 〃Men shall speak of the might of thy
terrible acts； and will declare thy greatness； they shall abundantly
utter the memory of thy great goodness； and shall sing of thy
righteousness。 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom； and
talk of thy power； to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts；
and the glorious majesty of his kingdom；〃 Psalm cxlv。 6…12。
When the word of God came among the conjurers and those soothsayers
that you read of； Acts xix。； and had prevailed with some of them to
accept of the grace of Christ； the Holy Ghost records it with a
boast； for that it would redound to his praise； saying； 〃And many of
them that used curious arts； brought their books together； and burned
them before all men： and counted the price of them； and found it
fifty thousand pieces of silver。 So mightily grew the word of God；
and prevailed；〃 Acts xix。 19； 20。 It wrenched out of the clutches of
Satan some of those of whom he thought himself most sure。
〃So mightily grew the word of God。〃 It grew mightily； it encroached
upon the kingdom of the devil。 It pursued him； and took the prey； it
forced him to let go his hold： it brought away captive； as prisoners
taken by force of arms； some of the most valiant of his army： it
fetched back from； as it were； the confines of hell； some of those
that were his most trusty； and that with hell had been at an
agreement： it made them come and confess their deeds； and burn their
books before all men： 〃So mightily grew the word of God； and
prevailed。〃
Thus； therefore； you see why Christ will have mercy offered in the
first place to the biggest sinners； they have most need thereof； and
this is the most ready way to extol his name that rideth upon the
heavens to our help。 But；
Thirdly； Christ Jesus would have mercy offered in the first place to
the biggest sinners； because by their forgiveness and salvation；
others hearing of it； will be encouraged the more to come to him for
life。
For the physician； by curing the most desperate at the first； doth
not only get himself a name； but begets encouragement in the minds of
other diseased folk to come to him for help。 Hence you read of our
Lord； that after； through his tender mercy； he had cured many of
great diseases； his fame was spread abroad； 〃They brought unto him
all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments；
and those which were possessed with devils； and those which were
lunatic； and those that had the palsy； and he healed them。 And there
followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee； and Decapolis；
and Jerusalem； and Judea； and from beyond Jordan；〃 Matt。 iv。 24； 25。
See here； he first by working gets himself a fame； a name； and
renown； and now men take encouragement； and bring from all quarters
their diseased to him； being helped； by what they had heard； to
believe that their diseased should be healed。
Now； as he did with those outward cures； so he does in the proffers
of his grace and mercy： he proffers that in the first place to the
biggest sinners； that others may take heart to come to him to be
saved。 I will give you a scripture or two； I mean to show you that
Christ； by commanding that his mercy should in the first place be
offered to the biggest of sinners； has a design thereby to encourage
and provoke others to come also to him for mercy。
〃God；〃 saith Paul； 〃who is rich in mercy； for his great love
wherewith he loved us； even when we were dead in sins； hath quickened
us together with Christ （by grace ye are saved）； and hath raised us
up together； and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus。〃 But why did he do all this？ 〃That in the ages to come he
might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards
us through Christ Jesus；〃 Eph。 ii。 4…7。
See； here is a design； God lets out his mercy to Ephesus of design；
even to shew to the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace；
in his kindness to them through Christ Jesus。 And why to shew by
these the exceeding riches of his grace to the ages to come； through
Christ Jesus； but to allure them； and their children also； to come to
him； and to partake of the same grace through Christ Jesus？
But what was Paul； and the Ephesian sinners？ （of Paul we will speak
anon）。 These Ephesian sinners； they were men dead in sins； men that
walked according to the dictates and motions of the devil；
worshippers of Diana； that effeminate goddess； men far off from God；
aliens and strangers to all good things； such as were far off from
that； as I said； and consequently in a most deplorable condition。 As
the Jerusalem sinners were of the highest sort among the Jews； so
these Ephesian sinners were of the highest sort among the Gentiles；
Eph。 ii。 1…3； 11； 12； Acts xix。 35。
Wherefore as by the Jerusalem sinners； in saving them first； he had a
design to provoke others to come to him for mercy； so the same design
is here set on foot again； in his calling and converting the Ephesian
sinners； 〃That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches
of his grace；〃 says he； 〃in his kindness towards us through Christ
Jesus。〃 There is yet one hint behind。 It is said that God saved
these for his love； that is； as I think； for the setting forth； for
the commendations of his love； for the advance of his love； in the
hearts and minds of them that should come after。 As who should say；
God has had mercy upon； and been gracious to you； that he might shew
to others； for their encouragement； that they have ground to come to
him to be saved。 When God saves one great sinner； it is to encourage
another great sinner to come to him for mercy。
He saved the thief； to encourage thieves to come to him for mercy； he
saved Magdalen； to encourage other Magdalens to come to him for
mercy； he saved Saul； to encourage Sauls to come to him for mercy；
and this Paul himself doth say； 〃For this cause；〃 saith he； 〃I
obtained mercy； that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all
long…suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe
on him to life everlasting；〃 1 Tim。 i。 16。
How plain are the words！ Christ； in saving of me； has given to the
world a pattern of his grace； that they might see and believe； and
come； and be saved； that they that are to be born hereafter might
believe on Jesus Christ to life everlasting。
But what was Paul？ Why； he tells you himself； I am； says he； the
chief of sinners： I was； says he； a blaspheme； a persecutor； an
injurious person； but I obtained mercy； 1 Tim。 i。 14； 15。 Ay； that
is well for you； Paul； but what advantage have we thereby？ Oh； very
much； saith he； for； 〃for this cause I obtained mercy； that in me
first； Jesus Christ might shew all long…suffering for a pattern to
them which shall believe on him to life everlasting。〃
Thus； therefore； you see that this third reason is of strength；
namely； that