The Jerusalem-sinner saved, or, Good news for the vilest of men being a help…

For the First, The biggest sins hav• usually great contests with the Devil at •heir partings; and this is an help to •aints. For ordinary Saints find afterwards ⟨p. 52⟩what the vile ones find at first; but when at the opening of hearts the one finds himself to be as the other, the one is a comfort to the other. The lesser sort of sinners find but little of this, till after they have been some time in profession; but the Vile Man meets with his at the beginning. Wherefore he, when the other is down, is ready to tell that he has met with the same before. For I say, he has had it before. Satan is loth to part with a great Sinner. What, my true Servant (quoth he) my old Servant, wilt thou forsake me now? Having so often sold thy self to me to work wickedness, wilt thou forsake me now? Thou horrible Wretch, dost not know, that thou hast sinned thy self beyond the reach of Grace, and dost think to find Mercy now? Art not thou a Murderer, a Thief, a Harlot, a Witch, a sinner of the greatest size, and dost thou look for mercy now? Dost thou think that Christ will foul his fingers with thee?

For the First, The biggest sinnes hav• •sually great contests with the Devil at •heir partings; and this is an help to •aints. For ordinary Saints find afterwards ⟨p. 52⟩what the vile ones find at first; but when at the opening of hearts the one finds himself to be as the other, the one is a comfort to the other. The lesser sort of sinners find but little of this, till after they have been some time in profession; but the Vile Man meets with his at the beginning. Wherefore he, when the other is down, is ready to tell that he has met with the same before. For I say, he has had it before. Satan is loth to part with a great Sinner. What, my true Servant (quoth he) my old Servant, wilt thou forsake me now? Having so often sold thy self to me to work wickedness, wilt thou forsake me now? Thou horrible Wretch, dost not know, that thou hast sinned thy self beyond the reach of Grace, and dost think to find Mercy now? Art not thou a Murderer, a Thief, a Harlot, a Witch, a sinner of the greatest size, and dost thou look for mercy now? Dost thou think that Christ will foul his fingers with thee?