The Jerusalem-sinner saved: or, Good news for the vilest of men, being a help…

Above you read, that the Scribes and Pharisees said to his Disciples: How is it, that he eateth and drinketh with Publicans & 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.

Above you read, that the Scribes and Pharisees said to his Disciples: How is it, that he eateth and drinketh with Publicans & 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 shew 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 ⟨p. 22⟩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 Diseases 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 'twas 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 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 Mans 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