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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 forth the
fruits thereof；〃 Matt。 xxi。 41…43。
I have often marvelled at our youth； and said in my heart； What
should be the reason that they should be so generally at this day
debauched as they are？ For they are now profane to amazement； and
sometimes I have thought one thing； and sometimes another； that is；
why God should suffer it so to be。 At last I have thought of this：
How if the God； whose ways are past finding out； should suffer it so
to be now； that he might make of some of them the more glorious
saints hereafter。 I know sin is of the devil； but it cannot work in
the world without permission： and if it happens to be as I have
thought； it will not be the first time that God the Lord hath caught
Satan in his own design。 For my part； I believe that the time is at
hand； that we shall see better saints in the world than has been seen
in it this many a day。 And this vileness； that at present does so
much swallow up our youth； is one cause of my thinking so： f