did not return to Him void; there was in every age a remnant, according to the election of grace. This remnant was, no doubt, very small; but still there were always some whose heart God had touched; and, indeed, this appears to have been essentially requisite to the existence of that favoured nation, for the Apostle, quoting the prophecy of Isaias, says, "Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrah." In like manner, Christ describes his people as the salt of the earth,' which is thus preserved from utter corruption, and consequent destruction. The ministry of John the Baptist had excited general attention. He preached that "the kingdom of heaven was at hand; and all men counted John that he was a prophet indeed."2 It had been foretold, that he should turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and should make ready a people prepared for the Lord. In exact correspondence with this, the Lord says, "The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it."4 During his personal ministry, the Lord Jesus was attended by multitudes, both at Jerusalem and throughout Judea; and although comparatively few believed his report, and only five hundred assembled to see him after his resurrection, yet many in Israel were thus prepared for receiving the love of the truth; and for the purpose of gathering them in to the fold of Christ, the Lord commanded his Apostles to begin at Jerusalem, and accordingly we find that many ten thousands believed.* 6 5 The word rendered thousands, is, in the original, myriads. 1 Matt. v. 13. 2 Mark xi. 32. 3 Luke i. 16, 17. 4 Luke xvi. 16. 4th, The commandment to begin to preach the Gospel at Jerusalem affords a striking illustration of the boundless riches of the love of God to sinners, and the efficacy of the atonement of Christ. In all God's dealings with Israel, we see his peculiar regard for that highly favoured people. He planted a vineyard, cultivated it with the greatest care, and let it out to husbandmen, to whom He sent his servants that they might receive the fruit of his vineyard; but they beat one, and killed another. In this rebellious conduct, the husbandmen long persisted. At last He sent to them his only Son; but, so far from reverencing him, they cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. Still the patience of the great Proprietor was not exhausted; and the Lord having triumphed over death and the grave, and thus finished transgression, made an end of sin, made reconciliation for iniquity, and brought in everlasting righteousness, gave commandment to his Apostles to begin the ministry of reconciliation in that city, the hands of whose inhabitants were still reeking with his blood. What an affecting illustration is thus given of the declaration, that it is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save the chief of sinners. In this commandment, the patience and long-suffering of God towards sinners are embodied. Many good works had Jesus done in Jerusalem. He had given eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, and was at all times ready to listen to the cry of the distressed. In contemplating the misery which was impending over its guilty inhabitants, He shed tears, lamenting their blindness and waywardness. Even his enemies, being judges, He did all things well; none could charge Him at any time with speaking or acting improperly. Yet, when the Roman S governor, convinced of his innocence, had determined to let Him go, and, in order to secure his release, required the people to make choice between Him and a miscreant who had been guilty of murder, they cried out with one accord, "Not this man, but Barabbas !" and not only so, but when He was nailed to the cross, they denied Him that sympathy which is generally afforded to the greatest criminals when receiving the due reward of their wickedness. They railed and scoffed at Him amidst his agony. We might have expected that, on account of such aggravated wickedness, the inhabitants of Jerusalem would have been excluded from the hope of forgiveness. They had killed the prophets, and stoned those who were sent to warn and admonish them, and now they had rejected and crucified their King, and had embrued their hands in the blood of the Son of God. Surely there remained for them nothing but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which should devour them, as God's implacable adversaries. But God's thoughts are not our thoughts, nor his ways our ways; and in the mode in which the Apostles were commanded to fulfil their ministry, a glorious exhibition was made of the benign aspect of the Gospel towards the greatest sinners. To Jerusalem, whose sins exceeded those of Sodom, the Gospel was commanded to be first preached. All their rebellion, and idolatry, and hatred of God the Father, manifested in their treatment of his only-begotten Son, did not prevent peace and pardon being first proclaimed in their ears. What encouragement is thus given to the most vile and unworthy! By commanding His Apostles to begin at Jerusalem, the Lord says to all who hear the Gospel, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as : snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."" Here we see the infinite value of the atonement made on Calvary; it is available for the chief of sinners; it removes guilt of the deepest dye. The most profligate and abandoned are thus encouraged to look for the mercy of the Lord Jesus unto eternal life; you may be a five hundred pence debtor,— your sins may have gone over your head as a heavy burden; but listen-it is the voice of the Lord, saying, 66 Begin at Jerusalem, and urge its guilty inhabitants to enter the ark !" Surely, then, however aggravated your guilt, the Lord hath set before you an open door, by which you have every encouragement to enter into life. Thus we see that the commandment to begin at Jerusalem powerfully illustrates the declaration, that the blood of Jesus cleanses the believer from all sin. 5th, Another reason for the commandment to begin at Jerusalem was, that it had been foretold by the prophets, that "from Jerusalem the Gospel should be sent to the nations. "But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, aud say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."2 On account of the wickedness of Israel, the Lord forsook Shiloh, where He first recorded his name. He then chose Mount Sion for his habitation, declaring that it was his rest for ever, where He would dwell. It is true, that under the Gospel, God was not to be worshipped in any particular place. "Ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father." But Jerusalem was not only the city of the great King, but an emblem of heaven; hence we read of the "heavenly Jerusalem." Hence too, we have seen the Lord promises to "pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first born." This promise was partially performed by many of the inhabitants receiving repentance unto life, through the preaching of the Gospel; whence it was to be sent to all nations. 6th, The Lord commanded the Apostles to begin at Jerusalem, to prove that he had not cast off his people. There are many passages of Scripture which incontrovertibly prove God's unchangeable love to his people, whom He had brought into covenant with Himself, but we shall only quote one of them: "Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the Lord hath chosen, He hath even cast them off? Thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them. Thus saith the Lord, If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, 1 John iv. 21. 2 Heb. xii. 22. 3 Zech. xii. 10. |