N03023:198
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.
Hence Christ desires the biggest Sinners, in them there is Matter to work by, to wit, a great deal of Sin; for as by the Tallow of the Candle, the Fire takes occasion to burn the brighter; so by the Sin of the Soul, Grace takes occasion to shine the clearer. Little Candles shine but little, for there wanteth matter for the Fire to work upon; but in the great Sinner, here is more matter for Grace to work by. Faith shines, when it worketh towards Christ, through' the sides of many and great Transgressors; and so does Love, for that much is forgiven and what matter can be found in the Soul for Humility to work by, so well as by a sight, that I have been and am an abominable Sinner? And the same is to be said of Patience, Meekness, Gentleness and self-denial, or of any other Grace. Grace takes Occasion by the vileness of the Man to shine the more; even as by the ruggedness of a very strong Distemper, or Disease, the virtue of the Medicine is the best made manifest. Where Sin abounds, Grace much more abounds, Rom. 5 20. A black string makes the Neck look whiter; great Sins make Grace burn clear. Some say when Grace and good Nature meet together, they do make shining Christians; but I say, when Grace and a great Sinner meets, and when Grace subdue that great Sinner to it self, and shall ⟨p. 64⟩operate after its kind in the Soul of that great Sinner, then we have a shining Christian • Witness all those of whom mention wa• made before.
Hence Christ desires the biggest Sinners, in them there is Matter to work by, to wit, a great deal of Sin; for as by the Tallow of the Candle, the Fire takes occasion to burn the brighter; so by the Sin of the Soul, Grace takes occasion to shine the clearer. Little Candles shine but little, for there wanteth matter for the Fire to work upon; but in the great Sinner, here is more matter for Grace to work by. Faith shines, when it worketh towards Christ, thro' the sides of many and great Transgressors; and so does Love, for that much is forgiven and what matter can be found in the Soul for Humility to work by, so well as by a sight, that I have been and am an abominable Sinner? And the same is to be said of Patience, Meekness, Gentleness and self-denial, or of any other Grace. Grace takes Occasion by the vileness of the Man to shine the more; even as by the ruggedness of a very strong Distemper, or Disease, the vertue of the Medicine is the best made manifest. Where Sin abounds, Grace much more abounds,