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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 the hands of the living God。〃 He will gripe hard；
his fist is stronger than a lion's paw； take heed of him； he will be
angry if you despise his Son； and will you stand guilty in your
trespasses； when he offereth you his grace and favour？ Exod。 xxxiv。
6； 7； Heb。 x。 29…31。
Now we come to the text； 〃Beginning at Jerusalem。〃 This text； though
it be now one of the brightest stars that shineth in the Bible；
because there is in it； as full； if not the fullest offer of grace
that can be imagined； to the sons of men； yet to them that shall
perish from under this word； even this text will be to such； one of
the hottest coals in hell。
This text； therefore； will save thee or sink thee： there is no
shifting of it： if it saves thee； it will set thee high； if it sinks
thee； it will set thee low。
But； I say； why so unconcerned？ Hast no soul？ or dost think thou
mayst lose thy soul； and save thyself？ Is it not pity； had it
otherwise been the will of God； that ever thou wast made a man； for
that thou settest so little by thy soul？
Sinner； take the invitation； thou art called upon to come to Christ：
nor art thou called upon but by order from the Son of God though thou
shouldst happen to come of the biggest sinners； for he has bid us
offer mercy； as to all the world in general； so； in the first place；
to the sinners of Jerusalem； or to the biggest sinners。
Fifthly； Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered in thee first place；
to the biggest sinners？ then this shews how unreasonable a thing it
is for men to despair of mercy： for those that presume； I shall say
something to them afterward。
I now speak to them that despair。
There are four sorts of despair。 There is the despair of devils；
there is the despair of souls in hell； there is the despair that is
grounded upon men's deficiency； and there is the despair that they
are perplexed with that are willing to be saved； but are too strongly
borne down with the burthen of their sins。
The despair of devils； the damned's despair； and that desp