" Men will do thus, as I said, in courts below;
and why shouldst not thou approach thus to the courts 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 labor
and are heavy laden," doth also confirm this thing; that is, that
the biggest sinner and he that hath 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 shiner that stands there hehind, come to me." Wherefore,
since Christ says to thee, Come, let the angels make a lane and let
all men give place, that the Jerusalem sinner may come to Christ for
mercy.
DESPAIR OF MERCY UNREASONABLE.
Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the
biggest sinners? Then this shows how unreasonable a thing it is for
men to despair of mercy.
I am concerned only with the despair of those that would be saved,
but are too strongly borne down with the burden of their sins.
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