A77813:16
A few sighs from hell, or, The groans of a damned soul. Or, An…
A few sighs from hell, or, The groans of a damned soul. Or, An exposition of those words in the sixteenth of Luke, concerning the rich man and the beggar : wherein is discovered the lamentable state of the damned : their cries, their desires in their distresses, with the determination of God upon them. A good warning word to sinners, both old and young, to take into consideration betimes, and to seek by faith in Jesus Christ to avoid, lest they come into the same place of torment. Also a brief discourse touching the profitableness of the Scriptures for our instruction in the way of righteousness, according to the tendency of the said parable. / By that poor and contemptible servant of Jesus Christ, John Bunyan.A few sighs from hell, or, The groans of a damned soul. Or, An exposition of those words in the sixteenth of Luke, concerning the rich man and the beggar : wherein is discovered the lamentable state of the damned : their cries, their desires in their distresses, with the determination of God upon them. A good warning word to sinners, both old and young, to take into consideration betimes, and to seek by faith in Jesus Christ to avoid, lest they come into the same place of torment. Also a brief discourse touching the profitableness of the Scriptures for our instruction in the way of righteousness, according to the tendancy of the said parable. / By that poor and contemptible servant of Jesus Christ, John Bunyan.
London: printed by Ralph Wood for M. Wright, 1658
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
First, consider what an ill bargain thou wilt make to sell thy precious soul for a short continuance in thy sins and pleasures; if that man drives but an ill trade, who to gain the world, should lose his soul, Matth. 16.26. then certainly thou a far worse, that sells thy soul for a very trifle. Oh, 'tis pity that so precious a thing should be parted withal, to be made a prey for the devouring lion, for that which is worse then nothing; if they were branded for desperate wretches, that caused their children to pass through the fire to Molech, surely thou much more that gives thy soul to devouring flames, to be fuel for the everlasting fire, upon so easy terms; what meanest thou, O man, to truck with the devils? Is there no better merchandise to ⟨image 8⟩trade in, then what comes from hell, or out of the bowels of the earth? and to be had upon no lower rates, then thy immortal soul? Yes, surely the merchandise of wisdom, which is better then the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof then fine gold, Prov. 3.14. Prov. 8.19. is exposed to sale. Rev. 3.18. And to be had without money or price; and if thou shouldest part with any thing for it, it is such, that it is better to part withal then to keep. The wise Merchant that sought a goodly pearl, having found one, sold all that he had, not himself, not his soul; and all that he sold was in it self not worth a farthing, and yet obtained the Pearl, Mat. 13.45, 46. Paul made the like exchange when he threw away his own righteousness, which was but rags, yea, filthy rags, Isaiah 64.6. And put on the garment of salvation, and cast away to the dunghill that which ⟨image 8⟩was once his gain, and won Christ, Phil. 3.8. Thou needest not cast away thy soul for puddle pleasures, behold the fountain of living water is set open, and thou invited to it, to take and drink thy belly, thy soul full without price or money,