A Few Sighs From Hell or The Groans of the Damned Soul by that poor and contemptible servant of Jesus Christ, John Bunyan, 1658. Being an exposition of Luke 16:19-31, concerning the Rich Man and the Beggar, wherein is revealed the lamentable state of the Damned — their cries, and their desires in their distresses, with the determined judgment of God upon them. A good warning word to sinners, both old and young, to seek salvation by faith in Jesus Christ — 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 parable. The wicked shall be tuned into Hell, and all the nations that forget God. Psalm 9:17 And whoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15 THE AUTHOR TO THE READER Friend, because it is a dangerous thing to be walking towards the place of darkness and anguish; and again, because it is the journey that most of the poor souls in the world are taking, and that with delight and gladness, as if there was the only happiness to be found — I have therefore thought it my duty, being made sensible of the danger that will befall those who walk therein — for the preventing of you, O you poor man or woman! to tell you, by opening this parable, what sad success those souls have had, and are also likely to have, who have been, or shall be found persevering therein. We use to count him a friend, who will forewarn his neighbor of the danger, when he knows thereof, and also sees that the way his neighbor is walking in, leads right thereto, especially when we think that our neighbor may be either ignorant or careless of his way. Why friend, it may be, nay twenty to one, but you have walked, ever since you did come into the world, with your back towards Heaven, and your face towards Hell; and you, it may be, either through ignorance or carelessness, which is as bad, if not worse, have been running full hastily that way ever since! Why friend? I beseech you put a little stop to your mad race, and take a view of what treatment you will have, if you do in deed persist in this your dreadful course. Friend, your way leads down to death, and your steps take hold on Hell (Prov 5:5). It may be, that the path indeed is pleasant to the flesh — but the end thereof will be bitter to your soul. Hearken! Do you not hear the bitter cries of those who have recently died, saying: Let him dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame! (Luke 16:24). Do you not hear them say: Send someone out from the dead — to prevent my father, my brother, and my fathers house, from coming into this place of torment! Shall not then these mournful groans pierce your flinty heart? Will you stop your ears, and shut your eyes? And will you not regard this solemn warning? Take warning and stop your mad journey, before it be too late! Will you be like the silly fly — which is not quiet unless she is either entangled in the spiders web, or burned in the candle? Will you be like the bird that hastens to the snare of the fowler? Will you be like that simple one named in the seventh chapter of Proverbs, who will be drawn to the slaughter by the cord of a silly lust? O sinner, sinner, there are better things than Hell to be had, and at a cheaper rate by the thousandth part! O! there is no comparison! There is Heaven, there is God, there is Christ, there is communion with an innumerable company of saints and angels. Hear the message then that God sends, that Christ sends, that saints bring, nay, that the dead send unto you: I beg you, therefore, that you would send him to my fathers house! If one went unto them from the dead — they would repent! How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? And the scorners delight in their scorning? And fools hate knowledge? Turn at my reproof! Behold, says God, I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. I say, hear this voice, O silly one, and turn and live, O sinful soul, lest he make you hear that other saying — But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you — when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you! (Prov 1:14-27). O poor soul, If God and Christ invited you for your harm, it would be another matter; then if you did refuse, you might have some excuse to make, or fault to find, and ground to make delays. But this is for your profit, for your advantage, for the pardoning of your sins, the salvation of your soul, the delivering of you from Hell fire, from the wrath to come, from everlasting burnings — into favor with God, Christ, and communion with all happiness — that is so indeed. But it may be you will say, All that has been spoken to in this discourse is but a parable, and parables are no realities. I answer with this answer, That though it is a parable — yet it is a truth, and not a lie; and you shall find it so too, to your cost — if you shall be found a slighter of God, Christ, and the salvation of your own soul. But secondly, know for certain, that the things signified by parables are wonderful realities. O what a glorious reality was there signified by that parable, The kingdom of Heaven is like unto a net that was cast into the sea, etc. Signifying, that sinners of all sorts, of all nations, should be brought into Gods kingdom, by the net of the gospel. And O! how real a thing shall the other part thereof be, when it is fulfilled, which says, And when it was full they drew to shore, and gathered the good into vessels — but cast the bad away (Matt 13:47,48). Signifying the mansions of glory that the saints would have, and also the rejection that God will give to the ungodly, and to sinners. And also that parable, what a glorious reality is there in it, which says, Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and dies — it abides alone; but if it dies — it brings forth much fruit (John 12:24). To signify that unless Jesus Christ did indeed spill his blood, and die the cursed death — he should abide alone; that is, have never a soul into glory with him. But if he died, he should bring forth much fruit — that is, save many sinners. And also how real a truth there was in that parable concerning the Jews putting Christ to death, which the poor dispersed Jews can best experience to their cost; for they have been almost ever since, a banished people, and such as have had Gods sore displeasure wonderfully manifested against them, according to the truth of the parable (Matt 21:33-41). O therefore, for Jesus Christs sake, do not slight the truth, because it is revealed in a parable! For by this argument you may also, nay, you will slight almost all the things that our Lord Jesus Christ taught; for he spoke them for the most part — in parables. Why should it be said of you as it is said of some, These things are spoken to those who are outside in parables, that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand? (Luke 8:10). I say, take heed of being a quarreler against Christs parables, lest Christ also object against the salvation of your soul at the judgment day! Friend, I have no more to say to you now. If you do love me, pray for me, that my God would not forsake me, nor take his Holy Spirit from me; and that God would fit me to do and suffer what shall be from the world or devil inflicted upon me. I must tell you, the world rages, they stamp and shake their heads at me; the Lord help me to take all they shall do with patience; and when they smite the one cheek, to turn the other to them, that I may do as Christ has bidden me; for then the Spirit of God, and of glory, shall rest upon me. Farewell. I am yours, if you be not ashamed to own me, because of my low and contemptible place in the world. John Bunyan
Posted on: Sat, 18 Jan 2014 18:55:45 +0000