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name； they should receive the gift of the Holy Ghost； Acts ii。 37；
38。
This he said to them all； though he knew that they were such sinners。
Yea； he said it without the least stick or stop； or pause of spirit；
as to whether he had best to say so or no。 Nay； so far off was Peter
from making an objection against one of them； that by a particular
clause in his exhortation； he endeavours； that not one of them may
escape the salvation offered。 〃Repent；〃 saith he； 〃and be baptized
every one of you。〃 I shut out never a one of you； for I am commanded
by my Lord to deal with you； as it were； one by one； by the word of
his salvation。 But why speaks he so particularly？ Oh！ there were
reasons for it。 The people with whom the apostles were now to deal；
as they were murderers of our Lord； and to be charged in the general
with his blood； so they had their various and particular acts of
villany in the guilt thereof； now lying upon their consciences。 And
the guilt of these their various and particular acts of wickedness；
could not perhaps be reached to a removal thereof； but by this
particular application。 Repent every one of you； be baptized every
one of you； in his name； for the remission of sins； and you shall；
every one of you； receive the gift of the Holy Ghost。
Object。 But I was one of them that plotted to take away his life。
May I be saved by him？
Peter。 Every one of you。
Object。 But I was one of them that bare false witness against him。
Is there grace for me？
Peter。 For every one of you。
Object。 But I was one of them that cried out； Crucify him； crucify
him； and desired that Barabbas the murderer might live； rather than
him。 What will become of me； think you？
Peter。 I am to preach repentance and remission of sins to every one
of you； says Peter。
Object。 But I was one of them that did spit in his face when he
stood before his accusers。 I also was one that mocked him； when in
anguish he hanged bleeding on the tree。 Is there room for me？
Peter。 For every one of you； says Peter。
Object。 But I was one of them that in his extremity said； give him
gall and vinegar to drink。 Why may not I expect the same when
anguish and guilt is upon me？
Peter。 Repent of these your wickednesses； and here is remission of
sins for every one of you。
Object。 But I railed on him； I reviled him； I hated him； I rejoiced
to see him mocked at by others。 Can there be hopes for me？
Peter。 There is for every one of you。 〃Repent and be baptised every
one of you in the name of Jesus Christ； for the remission of sins；
and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost。〃 Oh！ what a blessed
〃Every one of you；〃 is here！ How willing was Peter； and the Lord
Jesus； by his ministry； to catch these murderers with the word of the
gospel； that they might be made monuments of the grace of God！ How
unwilling； I say； was he； that any of these should escape the hand of
mercy！ Yea； what an amazing wonder it is to think； that above all
the world； and above every body in it； these should have the first
offer of mercy！ 〃Beginning at Jerusalem。〃
But was there not something of moment in this clause of the
commission？ Did not Peter； think you； see a great deal in it； that
he should thus begin with these men； and thus offer； so particularly；
this grace to each particular man of them？
But； as I told you； this is not all； these Jerusalem sinners must
have this offer again and again； every one of them must be offered it
over and over。 Christ would not take their first rejection for a
denial； nor their second repulse for a denial； but he will have grace
offered once； and twice； and thrice； to these Jerusalem sinners。 Is
not this amazing grace？ Christ will not be put off。 These are the
sinners that are sinners indeed。 They are sinners of the biggest
sort； consequently such as Christ can； if they convert and be saved；
best serve his ends and designs upon。 Of which more anon。
But what a pitch of grace is this！ Christ is minded to amaze the
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 ca