The Jerusalem Sinner Saved or, Good News for the Vilest of Men

Bunyan, John, 1628-1688Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.4

Word count: 189K words
Chapters: 19

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Jerusalem Sinner Saved; or, Good News for the Vilest of Men by John BunyanAuthor: Bunyan, John, 1628-1688,Language: English, Class: BR: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Christianity, Release Date: Jun 1, 2002

Editor's review

This is a work of religious exhortation by John Bunyan, built around the theme of the "Jerusalem sinner" and conveying the message that even the most depraved may still be saved. Bunyan develops his argument with the earnestness and allegorical expression characteristic of The Pilgrim's Progress, in a direct tone and vivid imagery that bear the typical marks of seventeenth-century English Puritan literature. The book is brief, yet it concentrates the author's core concerns with sin and grace, and serves well as supplementary reading for understanding the shape of Bunyan's thought. Readers interested in religious literature or the history of Christian thought can see here how a sermon text carries theological argument in plain language. A caution: the book's purpose is religious exhortation, and its mode of argument differs considerably from modern conventions, so it is best read with its historical context in mind.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Puritan literature and the history of Christian thought
Readers who have read The Pilgrim's Progress and want to know Bunyan's other works
Literature enthusiasts studying seventeenth-century English sermon texts
Readers seeking an English public-domain religious text for extensive reading

Not a good fit for

Readers with no interest in religious topics who want only fiction
Readers expecting a modern psychological or literary-analytical perspective
Beginners with weak English who struggle with early modern English syntax

Reading tips

Begin with the preface or opening paragraphs to grasp the audience and main thrust of the exhortation.
Read the text as a historical document, noting how metaphor and scripture are used.
Consult a biography of Bunyan or background on the Puritan movement to understand the writing context.
Read a short section at a time, then restate its main argument in your own words.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Can I read this book without having read The Pilgrim's Progress?

Yes. This is a self-contained exhortatory text that does not depend on the plot of The Pilgrim's Progress. Still, learning about Bunyan's life and Puritan background first will make it easier to understand the starting point and tone of his argument; reading the two together also reveals the difference between his allegorical and sermon styles.

How difficult is the English in this book?

The original dates from the seventeenth century, and its syntax and vocabulary carry early modern English features, with some expressions markedly different from contemporary English. It suits readers with good English reading ability who are willing to consult background materials; beginners are advised to choose an annotated edition or read alongside a guide.

Is it a novel or a religious treatise?

It is a religious exhortatory treatise, not a fictional narrative. It discusses sin and grace in a sermon-like voice, relying heavily on metaphor and scriptural quotation. Read it as a treatise, grasping its main points and structure, rather than looking for a story.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Bunyan, John, 1628-1688 Author

John Bunyan (1628–1688) was an English writer and preacher. Public information about him is limited and many details of his life cannot be verified, yet eighteen of his works are held in this collection, which shows how widely his writings circulated. His best-known work, The Pilgrim's Progress, uses dream narrative to depict a Christian's journey from the City of Destruction to the heavenly country, and is a widely influential allegory in English literature. Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners is a spiritual autobiography recording his inner struggles and faith. Life and Death of Mr. Badman portrays a negative character through dialogue. His works centre on faith, salvation and morality, written in plain and forceful language rich in metaphor and dialogue, and have had a notable influence on later English literature and religious writing.