N03023:404
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.
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.
It has oft-times come into my Mind to ask by what Means it is, that the Gospel Profession should be so haunted with loose and carnal Gospellers? And I could never arrive to better Satisfaction in the matter than this: Such Men are made Professors by the Devil, and so by him put among the rest of the Godly. A certain Man had a fruitless Fig-tree planted in his Vineyard; but by whom was it planted there? Even him that sowed the Tares, his own Children among the Wheat, Luke 13.6. Mat. 1.37, to 40. And that was the Devil. But why doth the Devil do thus: Not of love to them, but to make of them Offences and stumbling-blocks to others. For he knows that a loose professor in the Church, does more mischief to Religion than ten can do to it that are in the World.
It has oft-times come into my Mind to ask by what Means it is, that the Gospel Profession should be so haunted with loose and carnal Gospelers? And I could never arrive to better Satisfaction in the matter than this: Such Men are made Professors by the Devil, and so by him put among the rest of the Godly. A certain Man had a fruitless Fig-tree planted in his Vineyard; but by whom was it planted there? Even him that sowed the Tares, his own Children among the Wheat, Luke 13.6. Mat. 1.37, to 40. And that was the Devil. But why doth the Devil do thus: Not of love to them, but to make of them Offences and stumbling-blocks to others. For he knows that a loose professor in the Church, does more mischief to Religion than ten can do to it that are in the World.
Was it not, think you, the Devil that stirred up the Damsel that you read of in Acts 16. to cry out, These are the Servants of the most high God that show unto us the way of Salvation; Yes, it was as is evident, ⟨p. 132⟩for Paul was grieved to hear it. But why did the Devil stir up her to cry so? But because that was the way to blemish the Gospel, to make the World think that it came from the same hand as did her Sooth-saying and Witchery, v. 16, 17, 18. Holiness O Lord, becomes thy House for ever.