been limited to sinners that are so and so qualified; but when he
says, "Begin at Jerusalem," the line is stretched out to the utmost:
no man can imagine beyond it; and it is folly here to pinch and pare,
to narrow, and seek to bring it within scanty bounds; for he plainly
saith, "Begin at Jerusalem," the biggest sinner is the biggest
sinner; the biggest is the Jerusalem sinner.

It is true, he saith, that repentance and remission of sins must go
together, but yet remission is sent to the chief, the Jerusalem
sinner; nor doth repentance lessen at all the Jerusalem sinner's
crimes; it diminisheth none of his sins, nor causes that there should
be so much as half a one the fewer: it only puts a stop to the
Jerusalem sinner's course, and makes him willing to be saved freely
by grace; and for time to come to be governed by that blessed word
that has brought the tidings of good things to him.

Besides, no man shews himself willing to be saved that repenteth not
of his deeds; for he that goes on still in his trespasses, declares
that he is resolved to pursue his own damnation further.

Learn then to judge of the largeness of God's heart, and of the heart
of his Son Jesus Christ, by the word; judge not thereof by feeling,
nor by the reports of thy conscience; conscience is oftentimes here
befooled and made to go quite beside the word. It was judging
without the word that made David say, I am cast off from God's eyes,
and shall perish one day by the hand of Saul; Psalm xxxi. 22; 1 Sam.
xxvii. 1.

The word had told him another thing; namely, that he should be king
in his stead. Our text says also, that Jesus Christ bids preachers,