A30203:67
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 it may be objected, if the godly do die as well as the wicked, and if the Saints must appear before the Judgment Seat as well as the sinners; then what advantage have the godly more then the ungodly, and how can the Saints be in a better condition then the wicked?
Answ. Read the 22th Verse over again, and you shall find a marvellous difference between them, as much as is between Heaven and Hell, everlasting joy, and everlasting torment; for you find, that when the beggar died, which represents the godly, He was carried by the Angels into Abraham's Bosom, or into everlasting joy; Psal. 1. but the ungodly are not so, but are hurried by the Devils into the bottomless pit, drawn away in their wickedness: Prov. 14. 32. for he saith, And in Hell he lift up his eyes. When the ungodly do die, their misery beginneth; for then appear the Devils, like so many Lions, waiting every moment till the Soul depart from the Body. Sometimes they are very visible to the dying party, but ⟨p. 23⟩sometimes more invisible; but always this is certain, they never miss of the Soul, if it do die out of the Lord Jesus Christ, but do hale it away to the prison, as I said before, there to be tormented, and reserved until that great and general day of Judgment, at which day they must Body and Soul, receive a final sentence from the Righteous Judge, and from that time be shut out from the presence of God, into everlasting woe and distress. But the godly, when the time of their departure is at hand, then also are the Angels of the Lord at hand; yea, they are ready waiting upon the Soul to conduct it safely into Abraham's Bosom. I do not say, but the Devils are oft times very busy doubtless, and attending the Saints in their sickness; I, and no question but they would willingly deprive the Soul of Glory. But here is the comfort, as the Devils come from Hell to devour the Soul, (if it be possible▪ at its departure) so the Angels of the Lord come from Heaven, to watch over and conduct the Soul (in spite of the Devil) safe into Abraham's Bosom.