The Temper of Jesus - Benjamin Grosvenor / Christian Audio Sermons SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/stack45ny http://www.puritanaudiobooks.net/ Puritan Reformed Audiobooks playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzOwqed_gET1LMZlDNOqxx58LREHCiLsD This sermon is mentioned in the introduction to Stephen Charnock’s Existence and Attributes of God. The Temper of Christ "Go into all nations and offer this salvation as you go; but lest the poor house of Israel should think themselves abandoned to despair, the seed of Abraham, mine ancient friend; as cruel and unkind as they have been, go, make them the first offer of grace; let them that struck the rock, drink first of its refreshing streams; and they that drew my blood, be welcome to its healing virtue. Tell them, that as I was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, so, if they will be gathered, I will be their shepherd still. Though they despised my tears which I shed over them, and imprecated my blood to be upon them, tell them ’twas for their sakes I shed both; that by my tears I might soften their hearts towards God, and by my blood I might reconcile God to them Tell them, you have seen the prints of the nails upon my hands and feet, and the wounds of the spear in my side j and that those marks of their cruelty are so far from giving me vindictive thoughts, that, if they will but repent, every wound they have given me speaks in their behalf, pleads with the Father for the remission of their sins, and enables me to bestowit Nay, if you meet that poor wretch that thrust the spear into my side, tell him there is another way, a better way, of coming at my heart, If he will repent, and look upon him whom he has pierced, and will mourn, I will cherish him in that very bosom he has wounded; he shall find this blood he shed an ample atonement for the sin of shedding it. And tell him from me, he will put me to more pain and displeasure by refusing this offer of my blood, than when he first drew it." Benjamin Grosvenor D.D. (also Gravenor or Gravener) (1676–1758) was an English dissenting minister. He was born in London on 1 January 1676; his father, Charles Gravener, a prosperous upholsterer, at the Black Swan, Watling Street, became financially straitened in later life, and was supported by his son, who altered the spelling of his name (in 1710) to Gravenor, and then to Grosvenor (first used 1712, but not finally adopted till 1716). He was early impressed by a sermon at Gravel Lane, Southwark; baptised at 14 by Benjamin Keach, he was admitted to his Particular Baptist congregation in Goat Yard Passage, Horselydown. Keach then encouraged him to enter the ministry. In 1693 Gravener was placed at Attercliffe Academy under Timothy Jollie; while there, Grosvenor became a presbyterian, particularly as regards ordination. Returning to London in 1695 he studied under private tutors, and learned Hebrew from Cappel, a Huguenot refugee. He was at length dismissed from membership of his Baptist church. In 1699 he was examined and licensed by seven presbyterian ministers, including Robert Fleming the younger, and became assistant to Joshua Oldfield., at Globe Alley, Maid Lane, Southwark. In 1700 he was a candidate for the succession to Matthew Mead, in the Independent congregation at Stepney, but his excommunication by the Baptists may have affected his chances. In 1702 a Sunday evening lecture for young men was started at the Old Jewry meeting-house, Gravener and Samuel Rosewell being appointed lecturers. His popularity as a preacher increased, and on the death of Samuel Slater (24 May 1704) he was chosen pastor of the presbyterian congregation in Crosby Square. Here he was ordained on 11 July 1704. His congregation grew in importance, and was successful in raising funds. Grosvenor resigned the Old Jewry lectureship soon after his appointment at Crosby Square. He was for some years one of the preachers of the Friday evening lecture at the Weigh House, begun (1707) by Thomas Bradbury In 1716 he succeeded Robert Fleming as a preacher of the "merchants' lecture" on Tuesday mornings at Salters' Hall. In 1723 Grosvenor was elected a trustee of Dr. Williams's foundations. An operation for the removal of the uvula in 1726 somewhat affected his pronunciation. On 29 May 1730 the university of Edinburgh made him D.D. At Salters' Hall he lectured against popery in 1735, taking persecution as his theme; and he was active in the Old Whig, run 1735–8 by Benjamin Avery. In 1749 he resigned his congregation and his lectureship. Grosvenor's religious position was one of mutual toleration; in his own theology he remained a moderate Calvinist. He died on 27 August 1758, and was buried in Bunhill Fields; his funeral sermon was preached by John Barker. He left a bequest to the Presbyterian Fund, and his library to Warrington Academy.