them warrant to go and preach the gospel in all the world, yet by
this clause they were limited as to the beginning of their ministry:
they were to begin this work at Jerusalem. "Beginning at Jerusalem."

Before I proceed to an observation upon the words, I must (but
briefly) touch upon two things: namely,

I. Show you what Jerusalem now was.

II. Show you what it was to preach the gospel to them.

I. For the first, Jerusalem is to be considered, either,

1. With respect to the descent of her people: or,

2. With respect to her preference and exaltation: or,

3. With respect to her present state, as to her decays.

First, As to her descent: she was from Abraham, the sons of Jacob, a
people that God singled out from the rest of the nations to set his
love upon them.

Secondly, As to her preference or exaltation, she was the place of
God's worship, and that which had in and with her the special tokens
and signs of God's favour and presence, above any other people in the
world. Hence the tribes went up to Jerusalem to worship; there was
God's house, God's high-priest, God's sacrifices accepted, and God's
eye, and God's heart perpetually; Psalm lxxvi. 1, 2; Psalm cxxii.; 1
Kings ix. 3. But,