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them which shall believe on him to life everlasting。〃
Thus； therefore； you see that this third reason is of strength；
namely； that Jesus Christ 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
mercy。
It may well therefore be said to God； Thou delightest in mercy； and
mercy pleases thee； Mich。 vii。 18。
But who believes that this was God's design in shewing mercy of old
namely； that we that come after might take courage to come to him for
mercy； or that Jesus Christ would have mercy offered in the first
place to the biggest sinners； to stir up others to come to him for
life？ This is not the manner of men； O God！
But David saw this betimes； therefore he makes this one argument with
God； that he would blot out his transgressions； that he would forgive
his adultery； his murders； and horrible hypocrisy。 Do it； O Lord；
saith he； do it； and 〃then will I teach transgressors thy ways； and
sinners shall be converted unto thee；〃 Psalm li。 7…13。
He knew that the conversion of sinners would be a work highly
pleasing to God； as being that which he had designed before he made
mountain or hill： wherefore he comes； and he saith； Save me； O Lord；
if thou wilt but save me； I will fall in with thy design； I will help
to bring what sinners to thee I can。 And； Lord； I am willing to be
made a preacher myself； for that I have been a horrible sinner：
wherefore； if thou shalt forgive my great transgressions； I shall be
a fit man to tell of thy wondrous grace to others。 Yea； Lord； I dare
promise； that if thou wilt have mercy upon me； it shall tend to the
glory of thy grace； and also to the increase of thy kingdom； for I
will tell it； and sinners will hear on't。 And there is nothing so
suiteth with the hearing sinner as mercy； and to be informed that God
is willing to bestow it upon him。 〃I will teach transgressors thy
ways； and sinners shall be converted unto thee。〃
Nor will Christ Jesus miss of his design in proffering of mercy in
the first place to the biggest sinners。 You know what work the Lord；
by laying hold of the woman of Samaria； made among the people there。
They knew that she was a town sinner； an adulteress； yea； one that
after the most audacious manner lived in uncleanness with a man that
was not her husband： but when she； from a turn upon her heart； went
into the city； and said to her neighbours； 〃Come；〃 Oh how they came！
how they flocked out of the city to Jesus Christ！ 〃Then they went
out of the city； and came to him。〃 〃And many of the Samaritans
（people perhaps as bad as herself） believed on him； for the saying of
the woman； which testified； saying； he told me all that ever I did；〃
John iv。 39。
That word； 〃He told me all that ever I did；〃 was a great argument
with them； for by that they gathered； that though he knew her to be
vile； yet he did not despise her； nor refuse to shew how willing he
was to communicate his grace unto her； and this fetched over； first
her； then them。
This woman； as I said； was a Samaritan sinner； a sinner of the worst
complexion： for the Jews abhorred to have ought to do with them；
ver。 9； wherefore none more fit than she to be made one of the decoys
of heaven； to bring others of these Samaritan wild…fowls under the
net of the grace of Christ。 And she did the work to purpose。 Many；
and many more of the Samaritans believed on him； ver。 40…42。 The
heart of man； though set on sin； will； when it comes once to a
persuasion that God is willing to have mercy upon us； incline to come
to Jesus Christ for life。
Witness those turn…aways from God that you also read of in Jeremiah；
for after they had heard three or four times over； that God had mercy
for backsliders； they broke out； and said； 〃Behold； we come unto
thee； for thou art the Lord our God。〃 Or as those in Hosea did； 〃For
in thee the fatherless find mercy；〃 Jer。 iii。 22； Hos。 xiv。 1…3。
Mercy； and the revelation thereof； is the only antidote against sin。
It is of a thawing nature； it will loose the heart that is frozen up
in sin； yea； it will make the unwilling willing to come to Jesus
Christ for life。 Wherefore； do you think； was it that Jesus Christ
told the adulterous woman； and that before so many sinners； that he
had not condemned her； but to allure her； with them there present； to
hope to find favour at his hands？ （As he also saith in another
place； 〃I came not to judge； but to save the world。〃） For might they
not thence most rationally conclude； that if Jesus Christ had rather
save than damn an harlot； there was encouragement for them to come to
him for mercy。
I heard once a story from a soldier； who with his company had laid
siege against a fort； that so long as the besieged were persuaded
their foes would shew them no favour； they fought like madmen； but
when they saw one of their fellows taken； and received to favour；
they all came tumbling down from their fortress； and delivered
themselves into their enemies' hands。
I am persuaded； did men believe that there is that grace and
willingness in the heart of Christ to save sinners； as the word
imports there is； they would come tumbling into his arms： but Satan
has blinded their minds； that they cannot see this thing。 Howbeit；
the Lord Jesus has； as I said； that others might take heart and come
to him； given out a commandment； that mercy should in the first place
be offered to the biggest sinners。 〃Begin；〃 saith he； 〃at
Jerusalem。〃 And thus I end the third reason。
Fourthly； Jesus Christ would have mercy offered in the first place to
the biggest sinners； because that is the way； if they receive it；
most to weaken the kingdom of Satan； and to keep it lowest in every
age of the world。 The biggest sinners； they are Satan's colonels and
captains； the leaders of his people； and they that most stoutly make
head against the Son of God。 Wherefore let these first be conquered；
and his kingdom will be weak。 When Ishbosheth had lost his Abner；
his kingdom was made weak： nor did he sit but tottering then upon
his throne。 So when Satan loseth his strong men； them that are
mighty to work iniquity； and dexterous to manage others in the same；
then is his kingdom weak； 2 Sam。 iii。 Therefore； I say； Christ doth
offer mercy in the first place to such； the more to weaken his
kingdom。 Christ Jesus was glad to see Satan fall like lightning from
heaven； that is； suddenly or head long； and it was； surely； by
casting of him out of strong possessions； and by recovering of some
notorious sinners out of his clutches； Luke x。 17…19。
Samson； when he would pull down the Philistines temple； took hold of
the two main pillars of it； and breaking them； down came the house。
Christ came to destroy the works of the devil； and to destroy by
converting grace； as well as by redeeming blood。 Now sin swarms； and
lieth by legions； and whole armies； in the souls of the biggest
sinners； as in garrisons： wherefore the way； the most direct way to
destroy it； is first to deal with such sinners by the word of his
gospel； and by the merits of his passion。
For example； though I shall give you but a homely one： suppose a
family to be troubled with vermin； and one or two of the family to be
in chief the breeders； the way； the quickest way to clear that
family； or at least to weaken the so swarming of those vermin； is； in
the first place； to sweeten the skin； head； and clothes of the chief
breeders； and then； though all the family should be apt to breed
them； the number of them； and so the greatness of that plague there；
will be the more impaired。
Why； there are some people that are in chief the devil's sin…breeders
in the towns and places where they live。 The place； town； or family
where they live； must needs be horribly verminous； as it were； eaten
up with vermin。 Now； let the Lord Jesus； in the first place； cleanse
these great breeders； and there will be given a nip to those swarms
of sins that used to be committed in such places throughout the town；
house； or family； where such sin…breeding persons used to be。
I speak by experience： I was one of these verminous ones； one of
these great sin…breeders； I infected all the youth of the town where
I was born； with all manner of youthful vanities。 The neighbours
counted me so； my practice proved me so： wherefore Christ Jesus took
me first； and taking me first； the contagion was much allayed all the
town over。 When God made me sigh； they would hearken； and
enquiringly say； What is the matter with John？ They also gave their
various opinions of me： but； as I said； sin cooled； and failed； as
to his full career。 When I went out to seek the bread of life； some
of them would follow； and the rest be put into a muse at home。 Yea；
almost the town； at first； at times would go out to hear at the place
where I found good； yea； young and old for a while had some
reformation on them； also some of them； perceiving that God had mercy
upon me； came crying to him for mercy too。
But what need I give you an instance of poor I； I will come to
Manasseh the king。 So long as he was a ring…leading sinner； the