in their preaching repentance and remission of sins, begin first at
Jerusalem, thereby declaring most truly the infinite largeness of the
merciful heart of God and his Son, to the sinful children of men.

Judge thou, I say, therefore, of the goodness of the heart of God and
his Son, by this text, and by others of the same import; so shalt
thou not dishonour the grace of God, nor needlessly fright thyself,
nor give away thy faith, nor gratify the devil, nor lose the benefit
of his word. I speak now to weak believers.

Secondly, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered in the first place to
the biggest sinners, to the Jerusalem sinners? then, by this also,
you must learn to judge of the sufficiency of the merits of Christ;
not that the merits of Christ can be comprehended, for that they are
beyond the conceptions of the whole world, being called the
unsearchable riches of Christ; but yet they may be apprehended to a
considerable degree. Now, the way to apprehend them most, is, to
consider what offers, after his resurrection, he makes of his grace
to sinners; for to be sure he will not offer beyond the virtue of his
merits; because, as grace is the cause of his merits, so his merits
are the basis and bounds upon and by which his grace stands good, and
is let out to sinners.

Doth he then command that his mercy should be offered in the first
place to the biggest sinners? It declares, that there is sufficiency
in his blood to save the biggest sinners. The blood of Jesus Christ
cleanseth from all sin. And again, "Be it known unto you therefore,
men and brethren, that through this man (this man's merits) is
preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that
believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be