John Bunyan (1628 – 1688) was an English Baptist preacher and writer, best known for Pilgrim's Progress. In this exposition of the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Bunyan warns his readers of the horror of remaining under God's wrath, and sweetly opens up the only way of escape: faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. "Friend," Bunyan urges, "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. 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 father's house! If one went unto them from the dead—they would repent!'"