observation：
  That　Jesus　Christ　would　have　mercy　offered　in　the　first　place　to　the
  biggest　sinners。
  That　these　Jerusalem　sinners　were　the　biggest　sinners　that　ever　were
  in　the　world；　I　think　none　will　deny；　that　believes　that　Christ　was
  the　best　man　that　ever　was　in　the　world；　and　also　was　their　Lord　God。
  And　that　they　were　to　have　the　first　offer　of　his　grace；　the　text　is
  as　clear　as　the　sun；　for　it　saith；　〃Begin　at　Jerusalem。〃　　〃Preach；〃
  saith　he；　〃repentance　and　remission　of　sins〃　to　the　Jerusalem
  sinners：　　to　the　Jerusalem　sinners　in　the　first　place。
  One　would　a…thought；　since　the　Jerusalem　sinners　were　the　worst　and
  greatest　sinners；　Christ's　greatest　enemies；　and　those　that　not　only
  despised　his　person；　doctrine；　and　miracles；　but　that　a　little　before
  had　had　their　hands　up　to　the　elbows　in　his　heart…blood；　that　he
  should　rather　have　said；　Go　into　all　the　world；　and　preach　repentance
  and　remission　of　sins　among　all　nations；　and　after　that　offer　the
  same　to　Jerusalem；　yea；　it　had　been　infinite　grace；　if　he　had　said
  so。　　But　what　grace　is　this；　or　what　name　shall　we　give　it；　when　he
  commands　that　this　repentance　and　remission　of　sins；　which　is
  designed　to　be　preached　in　all　nations；　should　first　be　offered　to
  Jerusalem；　in　the　first　place　to　the　worst　of　sinners！
  Nor　was　this　the　first　time　that　the　grace　which　was　in　the　heart　of
  Christ　thus　shewed　itself　to　the　world。　　For　while　he　was　yet　alive；
  even　while　he　was　yet　in　Jerusalem；　and　perceived　even　among　these
  Jerusalem　sinners；　which　was　the　most　vile　amongst　them；　he　still　in
  his　preaching　did　signify　that　he　had　a　desire　that　the　worst　of
  these　worst　should　in　the　first　place　come　unto　him。　　The　which　he
  showeth；　where　he　saith　to　the　better　sort　of　them；　〃The　publicans
  and　harlots　enter　into　the　kingdom　of　God　before　you；〃　Matt。　xxi。　31。
  Also　when　he　compared　Jerusalem　with　the　sinners　of　the　nations；　then
  he　commands　that　the　Jerusalem　sinners　should　have　the　gospel　at
  present　confined　to　them。　　〃Go　not；〃　saith　he；　〃into　the　way　of　the
  Gentiles；　and　into　any　of　the　cities　of　the　Samaritans　enter　ye　not；
  but　go　rather　to　the　lost　sheep　of　the　house　of　Israel；〃　Matt。　x。　5；
  6；　chap。　xxiii。　37；　but　go　rather　to　them；　for　they　were　in　the　most
  fearful　plight。
  These　therefore　must　have　the　cream　of　the　gospel；　namely；　the　first
  offer　thereof　in　his　lifetime：　　yea；　when　he　departed　out　of　the
  world；　he　left　this　as　part　of　his　last　will　with　his　preachers；　that
  they　also　should　offer　it　first　to　Jerusalem。　　He　had　a　mind；　a
  careful　mind；　as　it　seems；　to　privilege　the　worst　of　sinners　with　the
  first　offer　of　mercy；　and　to　take　from　among　them　a　people　to　be　the
  first　fruits　unto　God　and　to　the　Lamb。
  The　15th　of　Luke　also　is　famous　for　this；　where　the　Lord　Jesus　takes
  more　care；　as　appears　there　by　three　parables；　for　the　lost　sheep；
  lost　groat；　and　the　prodigal　son；　than　for　the　other　sheep；　the　other
  pence；　or　for　the　son　that　said　he　had　never　transgressed；　yea；　he
  shows　that　there　is　joy　in　heaven；　among　the　angels　of　God；　at　the
  repentance　of　one　sinner；　more　than　over　ninety　and　nine　just
  persons；　which　need　no　repentance；　Luke　xv。
  After　this　manner　therefore　the　mind　of　Christ　was　set　on　the
  salvation　of　the　biggest　sinners　in　his　lifetime。　　But　join　to　this；
  this　clause；　which　he　carefully　put　into　the　apostles'　commission　to
  preach；　when　he　departed　hence　to　the　Father；　and　then　you　shall　see
  that　his　heart　was　vehemently　set　upon　it；　for　these　were　part　of　his
  last　words　with　them；　Preach　my　gospel　to　all　nations；　but　see　that
  you　begin　at　Jerusalem。
  Nor　did　the　apostles　overlook　this　clause　when　their　Lord　was　gone
  into　heaven：　　they　went　first　to　them　of　Jerusalem；　and　preached
  Christ's　gospel　to　them：　　they　abode　also　there　for　a　season　and
  time；　and　preached　it　to　no　body　else；　for　they　had　regard　to　the
  commandment　of　their　Lord。
  And　it　is　to　be　observed；　namely；　that　the　first　sermon　which　they
  preached　after　the　ascension　of　Christ；　it　was　preached　to　the　very
  worst　of　these　Jerusalem　sinners；　even　to　these　that　were　the
  murderers　of　Jesus　Christ；　Acts　ii。　23；　for　these　are　part　of　the
  sermon：　　〃Ye　took　him；　and　by　wicked　hands　have　crucified　and　slain
  him。〃　　Yea；　the　next　sermon；　and　the　next；　and　also　the　next　to　that；
  was　preached　to　the　self…same　murderers；　to　the　end　they　might　be
  saved；　Acts　iii。　14…16；　chap。　iv。　10；　11；　chap。　v。　30；　chap。　vii。　52。
  But　we　will　return　to　the　first　sermon　that　was　preached　to　these
  Jerusalem　sinners；　by　which　will　be　manifest　more　than　great　grace；
  if　it　be　duly　considered。
  For　after　that　Peter；　and　the　rest　of　the　apostles；　had；　in　their
  exhortation；　persuaded　these　wretches　to　believe　that　they　had　killed
  the　Prince　of　life；　and　after　they　had　duly　fallen　under　the　guilt　of
  their　murder；　saying；　〃Men　and　brethren；　what　shall　we　do？〃　he
  replies；　by　an　universal　tender　to　them　all　in　general；　considering
  them　as　Christ's　killers；　that　if　they　were　sorry　for　what　they　had
  done；　and　would　be　baptized　for　the　remission　of　their　sins　in　his
  name；　they　should　receive　the　gift　of　the　Holy　Ghost；　Acts　ii。　37；
  38。
  This　he　said　to　them　all；　though　he　knew　that　they　were　such　sinners。
  Yea；　he　said　it　without　the　least　stick　or　stop；　or　pause　of　spirit；
  as　to　whether　he　had　best　to　say　so　or　no。　　Nay；　so　far　off　was　Peter
  from　making　an　objection　against　one　of　them；　that　by　a　particular
  clause　in　his　exhortation；　he　endeavours；　that　not　one　of　them　may
  escape　the　salvation　offered。　　〃Repent；〃　saith　he；　〃and　be　baptized
  every　one　of　you。〃　　I　shut　out　never　a　one　of　you；　for　I　am　commanded
  by　my　Lord　to　deal　with　you；　as　it　were；　one　by　one；　by　the　word　of
  his　salvation。　　But　why　speaks　he　so　particularly？　　Oh！　there　were
  reasons　for　it。　　The　people　with　whom　the　apostles　were　now　to　deal；
  as　they　were　murderers　of　our　Lord；　and　to　be　charged　in　the　general
  with　his　blood；　so　they　had　their　various　and　particular　acts　of
  villany　in　the　guilt　thereof；　now　lying　upon　their　consciences。　　And
  the　guilt　of　these　their　various　and　particular　acts　of　wickedness；
  could　not　perhaps　be　reached　to　a　removal　thereof；　but　by　this
  particular　application。　　Repent　every　one　of　you；　be　baptized　every
  one　of　you；　in　his　name；　for　the　remission　of　sins；　and　you　shall；
  every　one　of　you；　receive　the　gift　of　the　Holy　Ghost。
  Object。　　But　I　was　one　of　them　that　plotted　to　take　away　his　life。
  May　I　be　saved　by　him？
  Peter。　　Every　one　of　you。
  Object。　　But　I　was　one　of　them　that　bare　false　witness　against　him。
  Is　there　grace　for　me？
  Peter。　　For　every　one　of　you。
  Object。　　But　I　was　one　of　them　that　cried　out；　Crucify　him；　crucify
  him；　and　desired　that　Barabbas　the　murderer　might　live；　rather　than
  him。　　What　will　become　of　me；　think　you？
  Peter。　　I　am　to　preach　repentance　and　remission　of　sins　to　every　one
  of　you；　says　Peter。
  Object。　　But　I　was　one　of　them　that　did　spit　in　his　face　when　he
  stood　before　his　accusers。　　I　also　was　one　that　mocked　him；　when　in
  anguish　he　hanged　bleeding　on　the　tree。　　Is　there　room　for　me？
  Peter。　　For　every　one　of　you；　says　Peter。
  Object。　　But　I　was　one　of　them　that　in　his　extremity　said；　give　him
  gall　and　vinegar　to　drink。　　Why　may　not　I　expect　the　same　when
  anguish　and　guilt　is　upon　me？
  Peter。　　Repent　of　these　your　wickednesses；　and　here　is　remission　of
  sins　for　every　one　of　you。
  Object。　　But　I　railed　on　him；　I　reviled　him；　I　hated　him；　I　rejoiced
  to　see　him　mocked　at　by　others。　　Can　there　be　hopes　for　me？
  Peter。　　There　is　for　every　one　of　you。　　〃Repent　and　be　baptised　every
  one　of　you　in　the　name　of　Jesus　Christ；　for　the　remission　of　sins；
  and　ye　shall　receive　the　gift　of　the　Holy　Ghost。〃　　Oh！　what　a　blessed
  〃Every　one　of　you；〃　is　here！　　How　willing　was　Peter；　and　the　Lord
  Jesus；　by　his　ministry；　to　catch　these　murderers　with　the　word　of　the
  gospel；　that　they　might　be　made　monuments　of　the　grace　of　God！　　How
  unwilling；　I　say；　was　he；　that　any　of　these　should　escape　the　hand　of
  mercy！　　Yea；　what　an　amazing　wonder　it　is　to　think；　that　above　all
  the　world；　and　above　every　body　in　it；　these　should　have　the　first
  offer　of　mercy！　　〃Beginning　at　Jerusalem。〃
  But　was　there　not　something　of　moment　in　this　clause　of　the
  commission？　　Did　not　Peter；　think　you；　see　a　great　deal　in　it；　that
  he　should　thus　begin　with　these　men；　and　thus　offer；　so　particularly；
  this　grace　to　each　particular　man　of　them？
  But；　as　I　told　you；　this　is　not　all；　these　Jerusalem　sinners　must
  have　this　offer　again　and　again；　every　one　of　them　must　be　offered　it
  over　and　over。　　Christ　would　not　take　their　first　rejection　for　a
  denial；　nor　their　second　repulse　for　a　denial；　but　he　will　have　grace
  offered　once；　and　twice；　and　thrice；　to　these　Jerusalem　sinners。　　Is
  not　this　amazing　grace？　　Christ　will　not　be　put　off。　　These　are　the
  sinners　that　are　sinners　indeed。　　They　are　sinners　of　the　biggest
  sort；　consequently　such　as　Christ　can；　if　they　convert　and　be　saved；
  best　serve　his　ends　and　designs　upon。　　Of　which　more　anon。
  But　what　a　pitch　of　grace　is　this！　　Christ　is　minded　to　amaze　the
  world；　and　to　shew；　that　he　acteth　not　like　the　children　of　men。
  This　is　that　which　he　said　of　old。　　〃I