A30203:37
Sighs from hell, or, The groans of a damned soul discovering from the 16th…
Sighs from hell, or, The groans of a damned soul discovering from the 16th of Luke the lamentable state of the damned : and may fitly serve as a warning-word to sinners, both old and young, by faith in Jesus Christ, to avoid the same place of torment : with a discovery of the usefulness of the Scriptures as our safe conduct for avoiding the torments of hell / by John Bunyan.
London: printed for F. Smith, 1666
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. If these Verses had been spoken by Jesus Christ, and no more all the World would have gone […] to have cast a wrong interpretation on […], if Jesus had said only thus much, There was a certain rich man that fared sumptuously daily and a certain beggar laid at his Gate full of sores. The World would have made this conclusion of them, the rich man was the happy man. For at the first view, it doth represent such a thing. But take all together, (that is) read the whole Parable, and you shall find, that there is no man in a worse condition then he, as I shall clearly hold forth afterward.
1. If these Verses had been spoken by Jesus Christ, and no more all the World would have gone 〈…〉 to have cast a wrong interpretation on 〈…〉, if Jesus had said onely thus much, There was a certain rich man that fared sumptuously daily and a certain beggar laid at his Gate full of sores. The World would have made this conclusion of them, the rich man was the happy man. For at the first view, it doth represent such a thing. But take all together, (that is) read the whole Parable, and you shall find, that there is no man in a worse condition then he, as I shall clearly hold forth afterward.
2. Again, if a man would judge of men according to outward appearance, he shall oft••••• take his mark •miss. Here is a man to outward appearance, appears the only blessed man; bet•e• by half then the beggar, in as much as he is rich, the beggar poor; he is well clothed, but peradventure the beggar is naked; he hath good food, but the beggar would be glad of Dogs meat (And he desired to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich mans Table;) the rich man fares well ⟨p. 5⟩every day, but the beggar must be glad of a bit when he can get it. Oh! who would not be in the rich mans state? A wealthy man, sorts of new Suits, and dainty dishes every day: enough to make one, who minds nothing but his belly, and his back, and his lusts, to say, Oh that I were in that mans condition! Oh that I had about me, as that man had! Then I should live a life indeed; then should I have hearts ease good store; then I should live pleasantly, and might say to my soul, Soul, be of good cheer, eat, drink and be merry,