A30203:87
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.
Verse 23. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Verse 23. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosome.
Something in brief I have observed from the first part of this verse, namely from these words, And in hell he lift up his eyes. And indeed I have observed but something, for they are very full of matter, and many things might be taken notice of in them. There is one thing more that I might touch upon, as touched in this saying, and that is this, Methink the Lord Jesus Christ doth hereby signify, that men are naturally unwilling to see or take notice of their sad state, I say by nature; but though now they are willingly ignorant, yet in hell they shall lift up their eyes. That is, in hell they shall see and understand their miserable condition; and therefore to these words, In hell he lift up his eyes, he added, being in torment. As if he had said, Though once they shut their eyes, though once they were 2 Pet. 3. 5. willingly ignorant, yet ⟨p. 36⟩when they depart into hell, they shall be so miserably handled and tormented, that they shall be forced to lift up their eyes. While men live in this world, and are in a natural state, they will have a good conceit of themselves, and of their condition; they will conclude that they are Christians, that Abraham is their father, Matth. 3. 7, 8. and their state to be as good as the best; they will conclude they have faith, the Spirit, good hope, and an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ: but then, when they drop into hell, and lift up their eyes there, and behold, first their soul to be in extreme torments; their dwelling to be the bottomless pit; their company thousands of damned souls; also the innumerable company of devils; and the hot scalding vengeance of God, not only to drop, but to fall very violently upon them; then they will begin to be awakened, who all their life time were in a dead sleep. I say, when this comes to pass, Lo it will, then in hell they shall lift up their eyes, in the midst of torments they shall lift up their eyes.