The Jerusalem Sinner Saved; or Good News for the Vilest of Men by John Bunyan 1689

Eighthly, and lastly, Christ Jesus will have mercy to be offered in the first
place to the biggest sinners; for that by that means the impenitent that
are left behind will be at the judgment the more left without excuse.
God’s word has two edges; it can cut back-stroke and fore-stroke: if it
doth thee no good, it will do thee hurt; it is the savor of life unto life to
those that receive it, but of death unto death to them that refuse it; 2
Cor. ii. 15, 16. But this is not all; the tender of grace to the biggest
sinners in the first place, will not only leave the rest, or those that
refuse it, in a deplorable condition, but will also stop their mouths, and
cut off all pretense to excuse at that day. “If I had not come and spoken
unto them,” saith Christ, “they had not had sin; but now they have no
cloak for their sin,” for their sin of persevering in impenitence; Job xv.
22.
But what did he speak to them? Why, even that which I have told you;
to wit, That he has in special a delight in saving the biggest sinners. He
spake this in the way of his doctrine; he spake this in the way of his
practice, even to the pouring out of his last breath before them; Luke
xxiii. 34.
Now, since this is so, what can the condemned at the judgment say for
themselves, why sentence of death should not be passed upon them? I
say, what excuse can they make for themselves, when they shall be
asked why they did not in the day of salvation come to Christ to be
saved? Will they have ground to say to the Lord, Thou wast only for
saving of little sinners; and therefore because they were great ones,
they durst not come unto him? or that thou hadst not compassion for
the biggest sinners, therefore I died in despair? Will these be excuses
for them, as the case now standeth with them? Is there not every where
in God’s book a flat contradiction to this, in multitudes of promises, of
invitations, of examples, and the like? Alas, alas! there will then be
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