A77813:28
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.
Reader, I have an Advertisement to thee concerning the following Discourse, and the Author of it. Thou hast in the Discourse many things of choice consideration presented to thee in much plainness, evidence, and authority, the explications are full, the applications are natural; be not offended at his plain and down-right language, it is for the discharge of the Authors conscience, and thy profit, besides the subject necessarily leads him to it. It is a mercy to be dealt thoroughly and plainly with, in the matters ⟨image 18⟩of thy soul; we have too many that sow pillows under mens elbows; and too few, who dealing plainly, divide to every man his portion. Read it not to pick quarrels with it, but to profit by it; and let not prejudice either against the Author, or manner of delivery, cause thee to stumble and fall at the truth; prejudice will both blind the eyes, that it shall not see the truth, and close it in with it, and make them too quick sighted, either to make faults where there is none, or to greaten them where they are; and so cause the Reader to turn the edge against the Author, or his Work, that should be turned upon his own heart. It is marvellous to see how the truth is quarrelled at, that comes from one, that would be easily received if it did drop from another: and I doubt not, if this Book had some other hand at it, there is scarce any expression that may be now carped at by some, ⟨image 18⟩but would have been swallowed without straining. We are now fallen into such an age, (the good Lord help us) that truth upon its own account, can challenge but little acceptance, except the Author be liked, or his lines painted with his own wit. But certainly truth is of so excellent a nature, of such singular advantage, and of so royal a descent, that it deserves entertainment for it self, and that not in our houses, or heads only, but in our hearts too, whatsoever the hand is that brings it, or the form that it appears in; men account gold worth receiving, whatsoever the messenger is that brings it, or the vessel that holds it.
Reader, I have an Advertisement to thee concerning the following Discourse, and the Authour of it. Thou hast in the Discourse many things of choice consideration presented to thee in much plainness, evidence, and authority, the explications are full, the applications are natural; be not offended at his plain and down-right language, it is for the discharge of the Authours conscience, and thy profit, besides the subject necessarily leads him to it. It is a mercy to be dealt thorowly and plainly with, in the matters