N03023:163
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.
For the first, the biggest Sinners have usually great contest with the Devil at their parting; and this is an help to Satan: For ordinary Saints find afterwards 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 fort of Sinners find but little of this, till after they have been ⟨p. 47⟩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 loath 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 doth 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?
'Tis enough to make Angels blush, saith Satan, to see so vile a one knock at Heavens Gates for Mercy, and wilt thou be so abominably bold to do it? Thus Satan dealt with me, says the great Sinner? when at first I came to Jesus Christ. And what did you reply saith the Tempted? Why I granted the whole Charge to be true, says the other. And what did you despair? or how? No (saith he) I said, I am Magdalen, I am Zacheus, I am the Thief, I am the Harlot, I am the Publican, I am the Prodigal, and one of Christ's Murderers, yea, worse than any ⟨p. 48⟩of these: And yet God was so far off from rejecting of me (as I found afterwards) that there was music and dancing in his House for me, for Joy that I was come home unto him. Oh blessed be God for grace, (says the other) for then I hope there is savour for me. Yea, as I told you, such a one is a continual Spectacle in the Church, •or every one by to behold God's Grace, and Wonder!