A30143:195
Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners
Grace abounding to the chief of sinners, or, A brief and faithful relation of the exceeding mercy of God in Christ, to his poor servant John Bunyan wherein is particularly showed, the manner of his conversion, his fight and trouble for sin, his dreadful temptations, also how he despaired of Gods mercy, and how the Lord at length through [sic] Christ did deliver him from all the guilt and terror that lay upon him : whereunto is added, a brief relation of his call to the work of the ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath met with in prison : all which was written by his own hand there, and now published for the support of the the weak and tempted people of God.Grace abounding to the chief of sinners, or, A brief and faithful relation of the exceeding mercy of God in Christ, to his poor servant John Bvnyan wherein is particularly shewed, the manner of his conversion, his fight and trouble for sin, his dreadful temptations, also how he despaired of Gods mercy, and how the Lord at length thorow [sic] Christ did deliver him from all the guilt and terrour that lay upon him : whereunto is added, a brief relation of his call to the work of the ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath met with in prison : all which was written by his own hand there, and now published for the support of the the weak and tempted people of God.
London: printed by George Larkin, 1666
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
178. Then I considered that in the tenth of the Hebrews; and found that the wilful Sin there mentioned, is not every wilful sin, but that sin which doth throw off Christ, and then his Commandments too. Secondly, That must also be done openly, before two or three witnesses, to answer that of the Law, ver. 28. Thirdly, This sin cannot be committed but with great despite done to the Spirit of Grace; despising both the dissuasions from that sin, and the persuasions to the contrary: But the Lord knows, though this my sin was devilish, yet it did not amount to these.
178. Then I considered that in the tenth of the Hebrews; and found that the wilful Sin there mentioned, is not every wilful sin, but that sin which doth throw off Christ, and then his Commandments too. Secondly, That must also be done openly, before two or three witnesses, to answer that of the Law, ver. 28. Thirdly, This sin cannot be committed but with great despite done to the Spirit of Grace; despising both the disswasions from that sin, and the perswasions to the contrary: But the Lord knows, though this my sin was devilish, yet it did not amount to these.
179. And as touching that in the twelfth of the Hebrews, about Esau's selling his Birth-right, though this was that which killed me, and stood like a Spear against me; yet now I did consider, First, That his was not a hasty thought against the continual labour of his mind; but a thought consented to, and put in practice likewise, and that ⟨p. 62⟩too after some deliberation, Gen. 25. Secondly, It was a public and open action, even before his Brother, if not before many more; this made his sin of a far more heinous nature then otherwise it would have been. Thirdly, He continued to slight his Birth-right: He did eat and drink, and went his way; thus Esau DESPISED his Birth-right: yea, twenty year after he was found to despise it still, And Esau said, I have enough, my Brother, keep that thou hast to thy self,