A30160:53
The Jerusalem-sinner saved, or, Good news for the vilest of men being a help…
The Jerusalem-sinner saved, or, Good news for the vilest of men being a help for despairing souls, showing that Jesus Christ would have mercy in the first place offered to the biggest sinners / by John Bunyan.The Jerusalem-sinner saved, or, Good news for the vilest of men being a help for despairing souls, shewing that Jesus Christ would have mercy in the first place offered to the biggest sinners / by John Bunyan.
London : Printed and are to be sold by George Larkin, 1689
GOOD NEWS For the Vilest of Men. OR, A Help for Despairing Souls.
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.
After all their abusings of wise Men, and Prophets, God sent unto them John Baptist, to reduce them, and then his Son to redeem them; but they would be neither reduced nor redeemed, but persecuted both to the Death. Nor did they, as I said, stop here; the Holy Apostles they afterwards persecuted also to Death, even so many as they could, the rest •he drove from them unto the utmost Corners.
Secondly, I come now to show you what it was to preach the Gospel to them. It was, saith Luke, to preach to them Repentance and remission of Sins in ⟨p. 7⟩Christs Name. Or as Mark has it, to bid them repent and believe the Gospel, Mar. 1.15. Not that Repentance is a cause of Remission, but a sign of our hearty reception thereof. Repentance is therefore here put to intimate, that no pretended Faith of the Gospel is good, that is not accompanied with it. And this he doth on purpose 'cause he would not have them deceive themselves: For with what Faith can he expect remission of Sins in the Name of Christ, that is not heartily sorry for them? Or how shall a man be able to give to others a satisfactory account of his unfeigned subjection to the Gospel, that yet abides in his impenitency?
Secondly, I come now to shew you what it was to preach the Gospel to them. It was, saith Luke, to preach to them Repentance and remission of Sins in ⟨p. 7⟩Christs Name. Or as Mark has it, to bid th•m repent and believe the Gospel, Mar. 1.15. Not that Repentance is a cause of Remission, but a sign of our hearty reception thereof. Repentance is therefore here put to intimate, that no pretended Faith of the Gospel is good, that is not accompanied with it. And this he doth on purpose 'cause he would not have them deceive themselves: For with what Faith can he expect remission of Sins in the Name of Christ, that is not heartily sorry for them? Or how shall a man be able to give to others a satisfactory account of his unseigned subjection to the Gospel, that yet abides in his impenitency?