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

all the day long.” “I am feeble and sore broken, by reason of the
disquietness of my heart;” Psalm xxxviii. 3–8.
David knew what he did by all this; he knew that his making the worst
of his case, was the way to speedy help, and that a feigning and
dissembling the matter with God, was the next way to a demur as to his
forgiveness.
I have one thing more to offer for thy encouragement, who deemest
thyself one of the biggest sinners; and that is, thou art as it were called
by thy name, in the first place, to come in for mercy. Thou man of
Jerusalem, hearken to thy call; men do so in courts of judicature, and
presently cry out, Here, Sir; and then they shoulder and crowd, and say,
Pray give way, I am called into the court. Why, this thy case, thou great,
thou Jerusalem sinner; be of good cheer, he calleth thee; Mark x. 46–49.
Why sitttest thou still? arise: why standest thou still? come man, thy
call should give thee authority to come. “Begin at Jerusalem,” is thy call
and authority to come; wherefore up and shoulder it, man; say, Stand
away, devil, Christ calls me; stand away unbelief, Christ calls me; stand
away all ye my discouraging apprehensions, for my Savior calls me to
him to receive of his mercy. Men will do thus, as I said, in courts below;
and why shouldst not thou approach thus to the court above? The
Jerusalem sinner is first in thought, first in commission, first in the
record of names; and therefore should give attendance with
expectation, that he is first to receive mercy of God.
Is not this an encouragement to the biggest sinners to make their
application to Christ for mercy? “Come unto me all ye that labour and
are heavy laden,” doth also confirm this thing; that is, that the biggest
sinner, and he that has the biggest burden, is he who is first invited.
Christ pointeth over the heads of thousands, as he sits on the throne of
grace, directly to such a man; and says, Bring in hither the maimed, the
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