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The Jerusalem Sinner Saved
or； GOOD NEWS FOR THE VILEST OF MEN
by John Bunyan
BEGINNING AT JERUSALEM。Luke xxiv。 47。
The whole verse runs thus： 〃And that repentance and remission of
sins should be preached in his name among all nations； beginning at
Jerusalem。〃
The words were spoken by Christ； after he rose from the dead； and
they are here rehearsed after an historical manner； but do contain in
them a formal commission； with a special clause therein。 The
commission is； as you see； for the preaching of the gospel； and is
very distinctly inserted in the holy record by Matthew and Mark。 〃Go
teach all nations；〃 &c。 〃Go ye into all the world； and preach the
gospel unto every creature。〃 Matt。 xxviii。 19； Mark xvi。 15。 Only
this cause is in special mentioned by Luke； who saith； That as Christ
would have the doctrine of repentance and remission of sins preached
in his name among all nations； so he would have the people of
Jerusalem to have the first proffer thereof。 Preach it； saith
Christ； in all nations； but begin at Jerusalem。
The apostles then； though they had a commission so large as to give
them warrant to go and preach the gospel in all the world； yet by
this clause they were limited as to the beginning of their ministry：
they were to begin this work at Jerusalem。 〃Beginning at Jerusalem。〃
Before I proceed to an observation upon the words； I must （but
briefly） touch upon two things： namely；
I。 Show you what Jerusalem now was。
II。 Show you what it was to preach the gospel to them。
I。 For the first； Jerusalem is to be considered； either；
1。 With respect to the descent of her people： or；
2。 With respect to her preference and exaltation： or；
3。 With respect to her present state； as to her decays。
First； As to her descent： she was from Abraham； the sons of Jacob； a
people that God singled out from the rest of the nations to set his
love upon them。
Secondly； As to her preference or exaltation； she was the place of
God's worship； and that which had in and with her the special tokens
and signs of God's favour and presence； above any other people in the
world。 Hence the tribes went up to Jerusalem to worship； there was
God's house； God's high…priest； God's sacrifices accepted； and God's
eye； and God's heart perpetually； Psalm lxxvi。 1； 2； Psalm cxxii。； 1
Kings ix。 3。 But；
Thirdly； We are to consider Jerusalem also in her decays； for as she
is so considered； she is the proper object of our text； as will be
further showed by and by。
Jerusalem； as I told you； was the place and seat of God's worship；
but now decayed； degenerated； and apostatized。 The word； the rule of
worship； was rejected of them； and in its place they had put and set
up their own traditions； they had rejected also the most weighty
ordinances； and put in the room thereof their own little things；
Matt。 xv。； Mark vii。 Jerusalem was therefore now greatly
backsliding； and become the place where truth and true religion were
much defaced。
It was also now become the very sink of sin and seat of hypocrisy；
and gulf where true religion was drowned。 Here also now reigned
presumption； and groundless confidence in God； which is the bane of
souls。 Amongst its rulers； doctors； and leaders； envy； malice； and
blasphemy vented itself against the power of godliness； in all places
where it was espied； as also against the promoters of it； yea； their
Lord and Maker could not escape them。
In a word； Jerusalem was now become the shambles； the very slaughter…
shop for saints。 This was the place wherein the prophets； Christ；
and his people； were most horribly persecuted and murdered。 Yea； so
hardened at this time was this Jerusalem in her sins； that she feared
not to commit the biggest； and to bind herself by wish under the
guilt and damning evil of it； saying； when she had murdered the Son
of God； 〃His blood be upon us and our children。〃
And though Jesus Christ did； both by doctrine； miracles； and holiness
of life； seek to put a stop to their villanies； yet they shut their
eyes； stopped their ears； and rested not； till； as was hinted before；
they had driven him out of the world。 Yea； that they might； if
possible； have extinguished his name； and exploded his doctrine out
of the world； they； against all argument； and in despite of Heaven；
its mighty hand； and undeniable proof of his resurrection； did hire
soldiers to invent a lie； saying； his disciples stole him away from
the grave； on purpose that men might not count him the Saviour of the
world； nor trust in him for the remission of sins。
They were； saith Paul； contrary to all men： for they did not only
shut up the door of life against themselves； but forbade that it
should be opened to any else。 〃Forbidding us；〃 saith he； 〃to preach
to the Gentiles； that they might be saved； to fill up their sins
alway；〃 Matt。 xxiii。 35； chap。 xv。 7…9； Mark vii。 6…8； Matt。 iii。 7…
9； John viii。 33； 41； Matt。 xxvii。 18； Mark iii。 30； Matt。 xxiii。 37；
Luke xiii。 33； 34； Matt。 xxvii。 25； chap。 xx。 11…16； 1 Thess。 ii。 14…
16。
This is the city； and these are the people； this is their character；
and these are their sins： nor can there be produced their parallel
in all this world。 Nay； what world； what people； what nation； for
sin and transgression； could； or can be compared to Jerusalem！
especially if you join to the matter of fact the light they sinned
against； and the patience which they abused。 Infinite was the
wickedness upon this account which they committed。
After all their abusings of wise men； and prophets； God sent unto
them John Baptist； to reduce them； and then his Son to redeem them；
but they would be neither reduced nor redeemed； but persecuted both
to the death。 Nor did they； as I said； stop here； the holy apostles
they afterwards persecuted also to death； even so many as they could；
the rest they drove from them unto the utmost corners。
II。 I come now to show you what it was to preach the gospel to them。
It was； saith Luke； 〃to preach to them repentance and remission of
sins〃 in Christ's name； or； as Mark has it； to bid them 〃repent and
believe the gospel；〃 Mark i。 15； not that repentance is a cause of
remission； but a sign of our hearty reception thereof。 Repentance is
therefore here put to intimate； that no pretended faith of the gospel
is good that is not accompanied with it： and this he doth on
purpose； because he would not have them deceive themselves： for with
what faith can he expect remission of sins in the name of Christ；
that is not heartily sorry for them？ Or how shall a man be able to
give to others a satisfactory account of his unfeigned subjection to
the gospel； that yet abides in his impenitency？
Wherefore repentance is here joined with faith in the way of
receiving the gospel。 Faith is that without which it cannot be
received at all； and repentance that without which it cannot be
received unfeignedly。 When therefore Christ says； he would have
repentance and remission of sins preached in his name among all
nations； it is as much as to say； I will that all men every where be
sorry for their sins； and accept of mercy at God's hand through me；
lest they fall under his wrath in the judgment。 For as I had said；
without repentance； what pretence soever men have of faith； they
cannot escape the wrath to come。 Wherefore Paul saith； God commands
〃all men every where to repent；〃 （in order to their salvation）；
〃because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world
in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained；〃 Acts xvii。 31。
And now to come to this clause； 〃Beginning at Jerusalem；〃 that is；
that Christ would have Jerusalem have the first offer of the gospel。
1。 This cannot be so commanded； because they had now any more right
of themselves thereto than had any of the nations of the world； for
their sins had divested them of all self…deservings。
2。 Nor yet； because they stood upon the advance…ground with the
worst of the sinners of the nations； nay； rather； the sinners of the
nations had the advance…ground of them： for Jerusalem was； long
before she had added this iniquity to her sin； worse than the very
nations that God cast out before the children of Israel； 2 Chron。
xxxiii。
3。 It must therefore follow； that this clause； Begin at Jerusalem；
was put into this commission of mere grace and compassion； even from
the overflowings of the bowels of mercy； for indeed they were the
worst； and so in the most deplorable condition of any people under
the heavens。
Whatever； therefore； their relation was to Abraham； Isaac； or Jacob；
however they formerly had been the people among whom God had placed
his name and worship； they were now degenerated from God； more than
the nations were from their idols； and were become guilty of the
highest sins which the people of the world were capable of
committing。 Nay； none can be capable of committing of such
pardonable sins as they committed against their God； when they slew
his Son； and persecuted his name and word。
From these words； therefore； thus explained； we gain this
observation：
That Jesus Christ would have mercy offered in the first pl