Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	lord_n	name_n	write_v	5,698	5	5.8489	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77813	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.	Bunyan, John, 1628-1688.	1658 (1658)	Wing B5516; Thomason E1927_2; ESTC R210338	119,232	307

the dead what need have they of such a thing Have they not Moses and the Prophets hath not Moses told them the danger of living in sin Deut. 27. from ver 15. to ver 26. And chap. 28.15 16 17 18 19 20. c. to the end of the chapter also ch 29.18 19 20 21. hath he not there told them what a sad state these persons are in that deceive themselves with the deceit of their hearts saying They shall have peace though they follow their sins in these words And when he heareth the words of this curse he bless himself in his heart saying I sh●ll have peace though I go on or walk in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkenness to thirst The Lord will not spare that man but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against him and all the curses that are written in this book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven Ag●in did not Moses write of the Saviour that was to come afterwards into the world Deut. 18.18 Nay have not all the Prophets from Samuel with all those that follow after prophesied and foretold these things therefore what need ●ave they that I should work such a miracle as to send one from the dead unto them They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them From whence observe again That God doth honour the writings of Moses and the Prophets as much nay more then if one should rise from the dead Should not a people seek unto their God what seek for seek for the living among the dead To the Law and to the testimonies saith ●od if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8 19 20. And let me tell you plainly I do believe that the devil knows this full well which makes him labour to beget in the hearts of his disciples and followers light thoughts of them and doth perswade them that even a motion from their own beguiled conscience or from his own wicked Spirit is to be observed and obeyed before them when the very Apostle of Jesus Christ though he heard a voice from the excellent glory saying This is my beloved Son c. Yet writing to the Churches and telling them he heard such a voice he commends the writings of the Prophets before it saying We have also a more sure word of the Prophets unto which ye do well to take heed c. 2 Pet. 1 17 18 19. Now if thou doubtest whether that place be meant the Scriptures the words of the Prophets or no read but the next verse where he addeth for a certain confirmation thereof these words Knowing this first that there is no prophecy of the Scriptures Mark it is the prophecy of the Scriptures There is no prophecy of the Scriptures of any private interpretation for prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And therefore O what a sad thing is it with those that go about to disown the Scriptures I tell you however you may slight them now yet when they come into hell and in bitterness of soul cry out Oh that one might go to forewarn my companions of their folly lest they come into this place of torment God doth and will answer them with these words they have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Again it is very observable who they are that are so tossed to and fro with the several winds of doctrine that have been broached in these dayes They are such for the most part as have had a light esteem of the Scriptures for the ground of errour as Christ saith is because they know not them Mark 12.24 And indeed it is just with God to give them over to follow their own dark blinded consciences to be led into errours that they might be damned into hell who did not believe that the things contained in the Scripture were the truth that they might be saved and go to heaven I cannot well tell how to have done speaking for and on the Scriptures side onely this I consider Verse 30. A word is enough to the wise and therefore I shall commit these things into the hands of them that are of God and as for the rest if they convert not to Jesus Christ I shall say to them rather then God will save them from hell with the breach of his holy word if they had a thousand souls a piece God would destroy them all for the Scriptures cannot be broken Joh. 10.35 Ver. 30. And he said nay Father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they would repent THe verse before you know as I told you it was part of an answer to such as lose their souls so it is a vindication of the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets where he saith They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them as if he had said they should have closed in with the tenders of mercy held out by Moses Samuel David Isaiah Jeremiah together with the rest of the glorious certain truths that I moved them to utter and hold forth in their generation to the world and also which they have left on record both for the warning comfort and reproof of them who in after ages should come into the world both by holding forth the state of man by nature how miserable it was and by holding out the mercy and grace of God and how large that was and also how free God is and ever was to save them that did come the right way to him namely by Christ together with the lamentable and sad state that those were and are and shall be in that did turne their backs on what they did then speak and afterwards leave on record for the good of succeeding generations if they vvould or v ill be blessed that are yet alive let them ovvn them clo●e in vvith that vvhich is held forth by them namely the Mesias or Jesus that came from heaven to earth on purpose to lay dovvn his life for the rebellious as I said before Novv this verse is an ansvver to the former and such an one as hath in it a kind of reject●on of the former ansvver Nay Father Abraham Nay saith he do not say so do not put them off vvith this send one from the dead and then there vvill be some hopes 'T is true thou speakest of the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets and sayest let them hear them but these things are not so vvell as I could vvish I had rather thou wouldst send one from the dead In these vvords therefore Nay Father Abraham there is a repulse given Nay let it not be so Nay I do not like of that ansvver Hear Moses and the Prophets nay The same expression is used by Christ Luk. 13.2 3. Think you that they upon whom the tower of

of them and all this made mention of in the Scriptures But for all this how thick and by heaps do these wretches walk up and down our streets Do but go into the Alehouses you shall see almost every room besprinkled with them so foming out their own shame that it is enough to make the heart of a Saint to tremble in so much that they would not be bound to have society with them any long while for all the world For as the wayes of the godly are not liked of by the wicked even so the wayes of the wicked are an abomination to the just Prov. 29.27 Psal 120.5 6. As now to particularize some things The Scriptures say Cursed is the man that trusteth in man that maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord. Jer. 17 5. And yet how many poor souls are there in the world that stand in so much aw and dread of man and do so highly esteem their favour that they will rather venture their souls in the hands of the devil with their favour then they will fly to Jesus Christ for the salvation of their soul if they must lose their favour and have their frownes and displeasure for the same Nay though they be convinced in their souls that the way is the way of God yet how do they labour to stisle convictions and turn their ears away from the truth and all because they will not lose the favour of an opposite neighbour Oh! I dare not for my Master my Brother my Landlord I shall lose his favour his house of work and so decay my calling O saith another I would willingly go in this way but for my Father he chides and tells me he will not stand my friend when I come to wants I shall never enjoy a penyworth of his goods he will disinherit me And I dare not saith another for my Husband for he will be a railing and tells me he will turn me out of doors he will beat me and cut off my legs But I tell you if any of these or any other things be so prevalent with thee now as to keep thee from seeking after Christ in his wayes they will also be so prevalent with God against thee as to make him cast off thy soul because thou didst rather trust man then God and delight in the imbracings of man rather than in the favour of the Lord. 2. Again the Scripture saith He that being often reproved heardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Prov. 29.1 Yet many are so far from turning though they have been convinced of their wretched state an hundred times that when convictions or trouble for sin comes on their consciences they go on still in the same manner resisting and choaking the same though remediless destruction be hard at their heels 3. Again thou hast heard say Vnless a man be borne again he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven Joh. 3.3 5 7. And yet thou goest on in a natural state an unregenerate condition nay thou dost resolve never to turn nor be changed though hell be appointed on purpose to swallow up such Isa 14.9 Psal 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God 4. Again the Scriptures saith plainly That he that loveth and maketh a lie shall have his part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 21.8 27. And yet thou art so far from dreading it that it is thy delight to jeast and jeer and lye for a penny or two pence or six pence gain And also if thou canst make the rest of thy companions merry by telling things that are false of them that are better then thy self thou dost not care a straw Or if thou hearest a lie from or of another thou wilt tell it and swear to the truth of it O miserable 5. Thou hast heard and read That he that believes not shall be damned Mar. 16.16 And that all men have not faith 2 Thess 3.2 and yet thou dost so much disregard these things that it is like thou didst scarce ever so much as examine seriously whether thou wert in the faith or no but dost content thy self with the hypocrites hope which at the last God will cut off and count it no better then the spiders web Job 8.13 14. or the house that is builded on the sands Luk. 6.49 Nay thou peradventure dost flatter thy self thinkest that thy faith is as good as the best of them all when alas poor soul thou mayest have no saving faith at all which thou hast not if thou be not borne again and made a new creature 2 Cor. 2.17 6. Thou hast heard That he that neglects Gods great salvation shall never escape his great damnation Heb. 2.3 compared with Luke 14.24 and Rev. 14.19 20. And yet when thou art invited intreated and beseeched to come in Luk. 14.17 18. 2 Cor. 5.19 20. Rom. 12.1 thou wilt make any excuse to serve the turn Nay thou wilt be so wicked as to put off Christ time after time notwithstanding he is so freely proferred to thee a little ground a few oxen a farme a wife a two penny matter a play nay the fear of a mock a scoffe or a jeer to be of greater weight to draw thee back than the salvation of thy soul to draw thee forward 7. And thou hast heard that Whosoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God Jam 4.4 But thou regardest not these things but contrariwise rather then thou wilt be out of the friendship and favour of this world thou wilt sinne against thine own conscience and get thy self into favour by fawning and flattering of the world Yea rather then thou wilt go without it thou wilt dissemble lye backbite thy neighbour and an hundred other tricks thou wilt have O sad 8. You have heard that the day of judgement is near in which you and I all of us mu●t appear before the tribunal of Jesus Christ and there be made to give an account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead even of all that ever we did yea of all our sins in thought and word and deed and shall certainly be damned for them too if we close not in with our Lord Jesus Christ and what he hath done and suffered for eternal life and that not notionally or contradictionally but really savingly in the power and by operation of the spirit through faith Eccles 11.9 12 14. Heb. 9 27. Acts 10.42 Acts 17.30 31. 2 Cor. 5.10 Rev 20.12 And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things that were written in the books There is the book of the Creatures the book of Conscience the book of the Lords Remembrance the book of the Law the book of the Gospel Rom. 1.20 compare with Rom.

his life time he enjoyed his good things and at the hour of death legions of devils will beset him innumerable evils will befall him and then shall he pay full dear for all the pleasures of sin that have carried away his heart from closing with and following the Lord in the day of his prosperity Ungodly men because they feel no changes now they fear none hereafter but flatter themselves with dying as the godly though their life is consumed in wickedness and their strength in providing for and satisfying the lusts of the flesh but as it fared with wicked Balaam so shall it fare with these and their vain hopes will prove a feeding upon ashes through their deceived heart that hath turned them aside Isaiah 44.20 For they that sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption Galat. 6.8 And they that plow iniquity and sow wickedness shall reap the same Job 4.8 Hosea 8.7 But they that sow to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Say ye then to the righteous it shall go well with him however it goes with him now a few dayes will produce a happy change It shall go well with him that feareth the Lord Eccles 8.12 Go on then O soul thou that hast set thy face towards heaven though the east-wind beats upon thee and thou finde trouble and sorrow these shall endure but for a night joy will undoubtedly come in the morning besides those sweet visits thou shalt have from thy precious Saviour in this thy day of darkness wait but a while and thy darkness shall be turned into light When the light of the wicked shall be put out and the spark of his fire wherewith he warmed himself shall not shine Job 18.5 Grudge not to see the wicked prosper and their steps washed with butter but rather put on bowels of mercy and pitty as the elect of God knowing that they are set in slippery places Psal 73.18 And their day is coming when fearful horrour shall suprize them and hell be opened to receive them nor yet be disquieted in thy minde that troubles and afflictions do beset thee round for as a worser thing is reserved for them so a better is prepared for thee Do they drink wine in bowls and dost thou mingle thy tears with thy drink Do they live in pleasures and spend their dayes in wealth and dost thou sigh and mourn in secret Well there is a cup for them in the hand of the Lord the wine whereof is red and full of mixture which they must drink up the dregs Psal 75.8 And the Lord hath a bottle for thy tears Psal 56.8 And a book fo● thy secret sighs and ere long thy brin●sh tears shal be turned into the sweetest wine which thou shalt drink new in the kingdom of the Father and thy secret sighs into glorious praises when thy mouth shall be filled with laughter and thy eyes see the King in his glory Now considering that these lines may be brought to the sight both of the one sort and the other I shall lay a few things before the thought of each and first to the worser sort 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 't is pitty that so precious a thing should be parted withall 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 fewel for the everlasting fire upon so easie tearms what meanest thou O man to truck with the devils Is there no better merchandize to 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 merchandize of wisdom which is better then the merechandize 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 dunghil that which 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 Isaiah 55.1 2 ly Take a short yet let it not be a slight view of the best of the things men prize so high that for the love of they lose their souls what are they Even painted nothings promising vanities like the apples of Sodom fair to the eye but being touched turn to dust or like our Mother Eve's that had a beautiful look but being tasted brings forth death which for the most part have proved snares to the owners and alwayes miserable comforters at the parting they cannot satisfie in life for the more of these things are had the more with a disquieted spirit are they reached after and what comes in serves but to whet up the greedy unsatisfied appetite after more The world passeth away and the lust thereof 1 John 2.17 Though most men content themselves with these yet it is not in these to satisfie them and had they but one glimpse of the world to come one cranny of light to discern the riches of Christ and the least taste of the pleasures that are at the right hand of God Psal 16.11 They would be as little satisfied without a share in them as they are now with what of worldly things they enjoy much less can they ease from pain at death clap a bag of gold as one once did to thy sinking spirit pained body and tormented conscience and it can neither chear up the one nor appease the other least of all can they deliver from or yield comfort after death those cannot serve as a bribe to death to pass thee by nor yet bring comfort to thy soul when thou art gone the rich fools large crop and great increase could not procure one nights respite nor one moments comfort Besides God regards them so little that frequently he gives the largest share of them to whom he hateth most Psal 17.14 And the least to