A30203:431
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.
But you will say, How doth the Law kill and strike dead the poor Creature?
Answ. First, The Letter or Law, do kill thus: It is set home upon the Soul, and discovers to the Soul its Transgressions against the Law; and shows the Soul also, that it cannot completely satisfy the Justice of GOD, for the breach of his Law, therefore it is condemned, Joh. 3. 19. Mark, He that believes not is condemned already; To wit, by ⟨p. 179⟩the Law, that is, the Law doth condemn him; yea, it hath condemned him already for his sins against it, as it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them, Gal. 3. 10. Now all men, as they come into the World, are in this condition, that is, condemned by the Law. Yet not believing their Condemnation by the Law really, they do not also believe really and effectually the Law that doth condemn them. For as men have but a notion of the one, that is, their condemnation, because of sins against the Law; so they have but a notion of the condemning, killing, and destroying power of the Law; for as the one is, so in these Things, always is the other: There is no man that doth really believe the Law or Gospel further, than they do feel the power and authority of them in their hearts: Ye err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. Now this Letter, or Law, is not to be taken in the largest sense, but is strictly to be tied to the Ten Commandments, whose proper Work is only by showing the Soul its sins against this Law, to kill, and there leaves him stark dead, not giving him the least life, or support, or comfort, but leaves the Soul in an helpless and hopeless condition, as from it self, or any other mee• Creature.
Answ. First, The Letter or Law, do kill thus: It is set home upon the Soul, and discovers to the Soul its Transgressions against the Law; and shews the Soul also, that it cannot compleatly satisfie the Justice of GOD, for the breach of his Law, therefore it is condemned,