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

strongest thinkest thou, God or thee? If thou art not able to overcome
him, thou art a fool for standing out against him; Matt. v. 25, 26. “It is a
fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” He will gripe
hard; his fist is stronger than a lion’s paw; take heed of him, he will be
angry if you despise his Son; and will you stand guilty in your
trespasses, when he offereth you his grace and favor? Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7;
Heb. x. 29–31.
Now we come to the text, “Beginning at Jerusalem.” This text, though it
be now one of the brightest stars that shineth in the Bible, because
there is in it, as full, if not the fullest offer of grace that can be
imagined, to the sons of men; yet to them that shall perish from under
this word, even this text will be to such, one of the hottest coals in hell.
This text, therefore, will save thee or sink thee: there is no shifting of it:
if it saves thee, it will set thee high; if it sinks thee, it will set thee low.
But, I say, why so unconcerned? Hast no soul? or dost think thou mayst
lose thy soul, and save thyself? Is it not pity, had it otherwise been the
will of God, that ever thou wast made a man, for that thou settest so
little by thy soul?
Sinner, take the invitation; thou art called upon to come to Christ: nor
art thou called upon but by order from the Son of God though thou
shouldst happen to come of the biggest sinners; for he has bid us offer
mercy, as to all the world in general, so, in the first place, to the sinners
of Jerusalem, or to the biggest sinners.
Fifthly, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered in thee first place, to the
biggest sinners? then this shews how unreasonable a thing it is for men
to despair of mercy: for those that presume, I shall say something to
them afterward.
I now speak to them that despair.
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