N03023:149
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. : In which is added, an answer to those grand objections that lie in the ways of them that would believe: for the comfort of those that fear they have sinned against the Holy Ghost / by John Bunyan of Bedford.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. : In which is added, an answer to those grand objections that lie in the ways of them that would believe: for the comfort of those that fear they have sinned against the Holy Ghost / by John Bunyan of Bedford.
Boston: printed for J. Edwards and H. Foster, 1733
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Fourthly, Jesus Christ would have Mercy offered in the first place to the biggest Sinners, Because that is the way if they receive it, most to weaken the Kingdom of Satan, and to keep it lowest in every Age of the World: The biggest Sinners they are Satan's Colonels, and Captains, the Leaders of his People, and they that most stoutly make head against the Son of God. Wherefore let these first be conquered, and his Kingdom will be weak. When Ishbosheth had lost his Abner, his Kingdom was made weak, nor did he sit but tottering then upon his Throne; So when Satan loseth his strong Men, them that are mighty ⟨p. 42⟩to work Iniquity, and dexterous to manage others in the same, then is his Kingdom weak. (2 Sam. 3.) Therefore I say, Christ doth offer Mercy, in the first place to such, the more to weaken his Kingdom. Christ Jesus was glad to see Satan fall like Lightning from Heaven, that is, suddenly or headlong; and it was surely, by casting of him out of strong Possessions, and by recovering of some notorious Sinners out of his Clutches, (Luke 1.17, 18, 19.)
Sampson, when he would pull down the Philistines Temple, took hold of the two main Pillars of it, and breaking them, down came the House. Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil, and to destroy by converting Grace, as well as by redeeming Blood. Now Sin swarms, and lieth by Legions and whole Armies, in the Souls of the biggest Sinners, as in Garrisons: Wherefore the way, the most direct way to destroy it is first to deal with such Sinners, by the Word of his Gospel, and by the Merits of his Passion.
Sampson, when he would pull down the Philistians Temple, took hold of the two main Pillars of it, and breaking them, down came the House. Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil, and to destroy by converting Grace, as well as by redeeming Blood. Now Sin swarms, and lieth by Legions and whole Armies, in the Souls of the biggest Sinners, as in Garrisons: Wherefore the way, the most direct way to destroy it is first to deal with such Sinners, by the Word of his Gospel, and by the Merits of his Passion.