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world； and to shew； that he acteth not like the children of men。
This is that which he said of old。 〃I will not execute the
fierceness of my wrath； I will not return to destroy Ephraim； for I
am God and not man；〃 Hos。 xi。 9。 This is not the manner of men； men
are shorter winded； men are soon moved to take vengeance； and to
right themselves in a way of wrath and indignation。 But God is full
of grace； full of patience； ready to forgive； and one that delights
in mercy。 All this is seen in our text。 The biggest sinners must
first be offered mercy； they must； I say； have the cream of the
gospel offered unto them。
But we will a little proceed。 In the third chapter we find； that
they who escaped converting by the first sermon； are called upon
again； to accept of grace and forgiveness； for their murder committed
upon the Son of God。 You have killed； yea； 〃you have denied； the
holy one and the just； and desired a murderer to be granted unto you；
and killed the Prince of life。〃 Mark； he falls again upon the very
men that actually were； as you have it in the chapters following； his
very betrayers and murderers； Acts iii。 14； 15； as being loath that
they should escape the mercy of forgiveness； and exhorts them again
to repent； that their sins might 〃be blotted out；〃 verses 19； 20。
Again； in the fourth chapter； he charges them afresh with this
murder； ver。 10； but withal tells them； salvation is in no other。
Then； like a heavenly decoy； he puts himself also among them； to draw
them the better under the net of the gospel； saying； 〃There is none
other name under heaven given among men； whereby we must be saved；〃
ver。 12。
In the fifth chapter you find them railing at him； because he
continued preaching among them salvation in the name of Jesus。 But
he tells them； that that very Jesus whom they had slain and hanged on
a tree； him God had raised up； and exalted to be a Prince and a
Saviour； to give repentance to Israel； and forgiveness of sins： ver。
29…31。 Still insinuating； that though they had killed him； and to
this day rejected him； yet his business was to bestow upon them
repentance and forgiveness of sins。
'Tis true； after they began to kill again； and when nothing but
killing would serve their turn； then they that were scattered abroad
went every where preaching the word。 Yet even some of them so
hankered after the conversion of the Jews； that they preached the
gospel only to them。 Also the apostles still made their abode at
Jerusalem； in hopes that they might yet let down their net for
another draught of these Jerusalem sinners。 Neither did Paul and
Barnabas； who were the ministers of God to the Gentiles； but offer
the gospel； in the first place； to those of them that for their
wickedness were scattered like vagabonds among the nations； yea； and
when they rendered rebellion and blasphemy for their service and
love； they replied； it was necessary that the word of God should
first have been spoken to them； Acts i。 8； chap。 xiii。 46； 47。
Nor was this their preaching unsuccessful among these people： but
the Lord Jesus so wrought with the word thus spoken； that thousands
of them came flocking to him for mercy。 Three thousand of them
closed with him at the first； and afterwards two thousand more； for
now they were in number about five thousand； whereas before sermons
were preached to these murderers； the number of the disciples was not
above 〃a hundred and twenty；〃 Acts i。 15； chap。 ii。 41； chap。 iv。 4。
Also among these people that thus flocked to him for mercy； there was
a 〃great company of the priests；〃 chap。 vi。 7。 Now the priests were
they that were the greatest of these biggest sinners； they were the
ringleaders； they were the inventors and ringleaders in the mischief。
It was they that set the people against the Lord Jesus； and that were
the cause why the uproar increased； until Pilate had given sentence
upon him。 〃The chief priests and elders；〃 says the text； 〃persuaded
（the people） the multitude；〃 that they should ask Barabbas； and
destroy Jesus； Matt。 xxvii。 20。 And yet behold the priests； yea； a
great company of the priests； became obedient to the faith。
Oh the greatness of the grace of Christ； that he should be thus in
love with the souls of Jerusalem sinners！ that he should be thus
delighted with the salvation of the Jerusalem sinners！ that he should
not only will that his gospel should be offered them； but that it
should be offered unto them first； and before other sinners were
admitted to a hearing of it。 〃Begin at Jerusalem。〃
Were this doctrine well believed； where would there be a place for a
doubt； or a fear of the damnation of the soul； if the sinner be
penitent； how bad a life soever he has lived； how many soever in
number are his sins？
But this grace is hid from the eyes of men； the devil hides it from
them； for he knows it is alluring； he knows it has an attracting
virtue in it： for this is it that above all arguments can draw the
soul to God。
I cannot help it； but must let drop another word。 The first church；
the Jerusalem church； from whence the gospel was to be sent into all
the world； was a church made up of Jerusalem sinners。 These great
sinners were here the most shining monuments of the exceeding grace
of God。
Thus you see I have proved the doctrine； and that not only by showing
you that this was the practice of the Lord Jesus Christ in his
lifetime； but his last will when he went up to God； saying； Begin to
preach at Jerusalem。
Yea； it is yet further manifested； in that when his ministers first
began to preach there； he joined his power to the word； to the
converting of thousands of his betrayers and murderers； and also many
of the ringleading priests to the faith。
I shall now proceed； and shall show you；
1。 The reasons of the point：
2。 And then make some application of the whole。
The observation； you know； is this： Jesus Christ would have mercy
offered； in the first place； to the biggest sinners； to the Jerusalem
sinners： 〃Preach repentance； and remission of sins； in my name；
among all nations； beginning at Jerusalem。〃
The reasons of the point are：
First； Because the biggest sinners have most need thereof。 He that
has most need； reason says； should be helped first。 I mean； when a
helping hand is offered； and now it is： for the gospel of the grace
of God is sent to help the world； Acts xvi。 9。 But the biggest
sinner has most need。 Therefore； in reason； when mercy is sent down
from heaven to men； the worst of men should have the first offer of
it。 〃Begin at Jerusalem。〃 This is the reason which the Lord Christ
himself renders； why in his lifetime he left the best； and turned him
to the worst； why he sat so loose from the righteous； and stuck so
close to the wicked。 〃The whole；〃 saith he； 〃have no need of the
physician； but the sick。 I came not to call the righteous； but
sinners to repentance；〃 Mark ii。 15…47。
Above you read； that the scribes and pharisees said to his disciples；
〃How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners？〃
Alas！ they did not know the reason： but the Lord renders them one；
and such an one as is both natural and cogent； saying； These have
need； most need。 Their great necessity requires that I should be
most friendly； and show my grace first to them。
Not that the other were sinless； and so had no need of a Saviour； but
the publicans and their companions were the biggest sinners； they
were； as to view； worse than the scribes； and therefore in reason
should be helped first； because they had most need of a Saviour。
Men that are at the point to die have more need of the physician than
they that are but now and then troubled with an heart…fainting qualm。
The publicans and sinners were； as it were； in the mouth of death；
death was swallowing of them down： and therefore the Lord Jesus
receives them first； offers them mercy first。 〃The whole have no
need of the physician； but the sick。 I came not to call the
righteous； but sinners to repentance。〃 The sick； as I said； is the
biggest sinner； whether he sees his disease or not。 He is stained
from head to foot； from heart to life and conversation。 This man； in
every man's judgment； has the most need of mercy。 There is nothing
attends him from bed to board； and from board to bed again； but the
visible characters； and obvious symptoms； of eternal damnation。 This
therefore is the man that has need； most need； and therefore in
reason should be helped in the first place。 Thus it was with the
people concerned in the text； they were the worst of sinners；
Jerusalem sinners； sinners of the biggest size； and therefore such as
had the greatest need； wherefore they must have mercy offered to
them； before it be offered any where else in the world。 〃Begin at
Jerusalem；〃 offer mercy first to a Jerusalem sinner。 This man has
most need； he is farthest from God； nearest to hell； and so one that
has most need。 This man's sins are in number the most； in cry the
loudest； in weight the heaviest； and consequently will sink him
soonest： wherefore he has most need of mercy。 This man is shut up
in Satan's hand； fastest bound in the cords of his si