A30203:401
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.
Thus much in short touching this; that ungodly men undervalue the Scriptures, and give no credit to them, when the truth that is contained in them, is held forth in simplicity unto them, but rather cry out, nay, but if one should rise from the dead, then they think something might be done: when alas, though signs and wonders were wrought by the hands of those that preach the Gospel, these poor creatures would never the sooner convert, though they suppose they should, as is evident by the carriages of their fore-runners, who, albeit the Lord Jesus Christ himself did confirm his Doctrine by miracles, as opening blind eyes, casting out of Devils, and raising the dead, they were so far from receiving either him, ⟨p. 162⟩or his Doctrine, that they put him to death for his pains, though he had done so many Miracles among them▪ yet they believed not in him. John▪ 12. 37. But to pass this, I shall lay down some of the grounds of their rejecting, and underval• ing the Scriptures, and so pass on.
1. Because they do not believe that they are the Word of God, but rather suppose them to be the inventions of men, written by some Politicians, on purpose to make poor ignorant people to submit to some Religion and Government. Though they do not say this, yet their practices testify the same; as he that when he hears the words of the curse, yet blesseth himself in his heart, and saith, he shall have peace, though God saith he shall have none. Deut. 29. 18, 19, 20. And this must needs be, for did but men believe this, that it is the Word of God, then they must believe, that he that spake it is true, therefore shall every word and tittle be fulfilled. And if they come once to this, unless they be stark mad, they will have a care how they do throw themselves under the lash of eternal vengeance. For the Reason why the Thessalonians received the word, was, because they believed it was the Word of God, and not the word of man, which did effectually work in them by their thus believing.