A30203:424
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.
'Tis true, men may pretend to have the Testimony of the Spirit, and from that Conceit, set a low Esteem on the Holy Scriptures: But that Spirit that dwelleth in them, and reacheth them so to do, it is no better than the Spirit of Satan, though it calls it self by the Name of the Spirit of Christ. To the Law therefore, and to the Testimony Try them by that: If they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no Light in them.
The Apostle Peter, when he speaks of the glorious Voice that he had from the Excellent Majesty, saying of Christ, This is my beloved Son, hear him, saith thus to him whom he wrote unto; You have also a more sure Word of Prophecy, (or of the Prophets, for so you may read it) unto which you do well that you take heed. That is, Though we tell you that we had his excellent Testimony from his own Mouth, evidently, yet you have the Prophets: ⟨p. 176⟩We tell you this, and you need not doubt of the Truth of it; but if you should, yet you may not, must not, ought not, to question them: Search therefore unto them, until the Day dawn, and the Day-star arise in your hearts. That is, until by the same Spirit that gave forth the Scripture, you find the Truth confirmed to your Souls, which you have recorded in the Scriptures. That this Word of Prophecy, or of the Prophets, is the Scriptures, read on. For (saith he) knowing this first, that no Prophecy of the Scriptures, is of any private interpretation, &c. 2 Pet. 1. 18, 19, 20. But you will say, What needs all this ado, and why is all this time and pains spent in speaking to this, that is surely believed already? This is a Thing received by all, that they believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God, that sure Word of Prophecy, and therefore you need not spend your time in proving these Things, and the Truth of them, seeing we grant and confess the Truth of it, before you begin to speak your judgment of them.
The Apostle Peter, when he speaks of the glorious Voice that he had from the Excellent Majesty, saying of Christ, This is my beloved Son, hear him, saith thus to him whom he wrote unto; You have also a more sure Word of Prophecie, (or of the Prophets, for so you may read it) unto which you do well that you take heed. That is, Though we tell you that we had his excellent Testimony from his own Mouth, evidently, yet you have the Prophets: