Charles E. Morris - "The Progressive Democracy of James M. Cox"

John Lothrop Motley - "The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1580 82"

John Lothrop Motley - "History of the United Netherlands, 1603 04"

Henry Bore - "The Story of the Invention of Steel Pens"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: The Works of John Bunyan Volume 1

J >> John Bunyan >> The Works of John Bunyan Volume 1




195. But before many weeks were over I began to despond again,
fearing lest, notwithstanding all that I had enjoyed, that yet I
might be deceived and destroyed at the last; for this consideration
came strong into my mind, that whatever comfort and peace I thought
I might have from the Word of the promise of life, yet unless there
could be found in my refreshment a concurrence and agreement in the
Scriptures, let me think what I will thereof, and hold it never so
fast, I should find no such thing at the end; "for the Scripture
cannot be broken" (John 10:35).

196. Now began my heart again to ache and fear I might meet with
disappointment at the last; wherefore I began, with all seriousness,
to examine my former comfort, and to consider whether one that
had sinned as I have done, might with confidence trust upon the
faithfulness of God, laid down in those words by which I had been
comforted and on which I had leaned myself. But now were brought
those sayings to my mind, "For it is impossible for those who were
once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were
made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of
God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away,
to renew them again unto repentance" (Heb 6:4-6). "For if we sin
willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful
looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour
the adversaries" (Heb 10:26,27). Even "as Esau, who, for one morsel
of meat sold his birthright; for ye know how that afterward, when
he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected; for he found
no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears"
(Heb 12:16,17).

197. Now was the word of the gospel forced from my soul, so that no
promise or encouragement was to be found in the Bible for me; and
now would that saying work upon my spirit to afflict me, "Rejoice
not, O Israel, for joy as other people" (Hosea 9:1). For I saw
indeed there was cause of rejoicing for those that held to Jesus;
but as for me, I had cut myself off by my transgressions, and left
myself neither foot-hold, nor hand-hold, amongst all the stays and
props in the precious word of life.

198. And truly I did now feel myself to sink into a gulf, as an
house whose foundation is destroyed; I did liken myself, in this
condition, unto the case of a child that was fallen into a mill-pit,
who, though it could make some shift to scrabble and spraul in the
water, yet because it could find neither hold for hand nor foot,
therefore at last it must die in that condition. So soon as this
fresh assault had fastened on my soul, that scripture came into my
heart, "This is for many days" (Dan 10:14). And indeed I found it
was so; for I could not be delivered, nor brought to peace again,
until well nigh two years and an half were completely finished. Wherefore
these words, though in themselves they tended to discouragement,
yet to me, who feared this condition would be eternal, they were
at sometimes as an help and refreshment to me.

199. For, thought I, many days are not, not for ever, many days
will have an end, therefore seeing I was to be afflicted, not a
few, but many days, yet I was glad it was but for many days. Thus,
I say, I could recall myself sometimes, and give myself a help, for
as soon as ever the words came 'into my mind' at first, I knew my
trouble would be long; yet this would be but sometimes, for I could
not always think on this, nor ever be helped 'by it,' though I did.

200. Now, while these Scriptures lay before me, and laid sin
'anew' at my door, that saying in the 18th of Luke, with others,
did encourage me to prayer. Then the tempter again laid at me very
sore, suggesting, That neither the mercy of God, nor yet the blood
of Christ, did at all concern me, nor could they help me for my
sin; 'therefore it was in vain to pray.' Yet, thought I, I will
pray. But, said the tempter, your sin is unpardonable. 'Well, said
I, I will pray. It is to no boot, said he.' Yet, said I, I will pray.
So I went to prayer to God; and while I was at prayer, I uttered
words to this effect, Lord, Satan tells me that neither thy mercy,
nor Christ's blood, is sufficient to save my soul; Lord, shall I
honour thee most, by believing thou wilt and canst? or 'him,' by
believing thou neither wilt nor canst? Lord, I would fain honour
thee, by believing thou wilt and canst.

201. And as I was thus before the Lord, that scripture fastened on
my heart, "O [wo]man, great is thy faith" (Matt 15:28), even as if
one had clapped me on the back, as I was on my knees before God.
Yet I was not able to believe this, 'that this was a prayer of
faith,' till almost six months after; for I could not think that I
had faith, or that there should be a word for me to act faith on;
therefore I should still be as sticking in the jaws of desperation,
and went mourning up and down 'in a sad condition,' crying, Is his
mercy clean gone? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? And I thought
sometimes, even when I was groaning in these expressions, they did
seem to make a question whether it was or no; yet I greatly feared
it was.

202. 'There was nothing now that I longed for more than to be put
out of doubt, as to this thing in question; and, as I was vehemently
desiring to know if there was indeed hopes for me, these words came
rolling into my mind, "Will the Lord cast off for ever? And will
he be a favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? Doth
his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious?
Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?" (Psa 77:7-9). And
all the while they run in my mind, methought I had this still as
the answer, It is a question whether he had or no; it may be he hath
not. Yea, the interrogatory seemed to me to carry in it a sure
affirmation that indeed he had not, nor would so cast off, but
would be favourable; that his promise doth not fail, and that he
had not forgotten to be gracious, nor would in anger shut up his
tender mercy. Something, also, there was upon my heart at the same
time, which I now cannot call to mind; which, with this text, did
sweeten my heart, and made me conclude that his mercy might not be
quite gone, nor clean gone for ever.'[47]

203. At another time, I remember I was again much under the question,
Whether the blood of Christ was sufficient to save my soul? In which
doubt I continued from morning till about seven or eight at night;
and at last, when I was, as it were, quite worn out with fear,
lest it should not lay hold on me, these words did sound suddenly
within my heart, He is able. But methought this word ABLE was
spoke so loud unto me; it showed such a great word, 'it seemed to
be writ in great letters,' and gave such a justle to my fear and
doubt, I mean for the time it tarried with me, which was about a
day, as I never had from that all my life, either before or after
that (Heb 7:25).

204. But one morning, when I was again at prayer, and trembling
under the fear of this, that no word of God could help me, that
piece of a sentence darted in upon me, "My grace is sufficient." At
this methought I felt some stay, as if there might be hopes. But,
oh how good a thing it is for God to send his Word! For about
a fortnight before I was looking on this very place, and then I
thought it could not come near my soul with comfort, 'therefore'
I threw down my book in a pet. 'Then I thought it was not large
enough for me; no, not large enough'; but now, it was as if it had
arms of grace so wide that it could not only enclose me, but many
more besides.

205. By these words I was sustained, yet not without exceeding
conflicts, for the space of seven or eight weeks; for my peace
would be in and out, sometimes twenty times a day; comfort now,
and trouble presently; peace now, and before I could go a furlong
as full of fear and guilt as ever heart could hold; and this was
not only now and then, but my whole seven weeks' experience; for
this about the sufficiency of grace, and that of Esau's parting
with his birthright, would be like a pair of scales within my mind,
sometimes one end would be uppermost, and sometimes again the other;
according to which would be my peace or trouble.

206. Therefore I still did pray to God, that he would come in with
this Scripture more fully on my heart; to wit, that he would help
me to apply the whole sentence, 'for as yet I could not: that he
gave, I gathered; but further I could not go,' for as yet it only
helped me to hope 'there might be mercy for me,' "My grace is
sufficient"; and though it came no farther, it answered my former
question; to wit, that there was hope; yet, because "for thee" was
left out, I was not contented, but prayed to God for that also.
Wherefore, one day as I was in a meeting of God's people, full of
sadness and terror, for my fears again were strong upon me; and as
I was now thinking my soul was never the better, but my case most
sad and fearful, these words did, with great power, suddenly break
in upon me, "My grace is sufficient for thee, my grace is sufficient
for thee, my grace is sufficient for thee," three times together;
and, oh! methought that every word as a mighty word unto me; as
my, and grace, and sufficient, and for thee; they were then, and
sometimes are still, far bigger than others be.

207. At which time my understanding was so enlightened, that I was
as though I had seen the Lord Jesus look down from heaven through
the tiles upon me, and direct these words unto me. This sent me
mourning home, it broke my heart, and filled me full of joy, and
laid me low as the dust; only it stayed not long with me, I mean
in this glory and refreshing comfort, yet it continued with me for
several weeks, and did encourage me to hope. But so soon as that
powerful operation of it was taken off my heart, that other about
Esau returned upon me as before; so my soul did hang as in a pair
of scales again, sometimes up and sometimes down, now in peace,
and anon again in terror.

208. Thus I went on for many weeks, sometimes comforted, and sometimes
tormented; and, especially at some times, my torment would be very
sore, for all those scriptures forenamed in the Hebrews, would
be set before me, as the only sentences that would keep me out of
heaven. Then, again, I should begin to repent that ever that thought
went through me, I should also think thus with myself, Why, how
many scriptures are there against me? There are but three or four:
and cannot God miss them, and save me for all them? Sometimes,
again, I should think, Oh! if it were not for these three or four
words, now how might I be comforted? And I could hardly forbear,
at some times, but to wish them out of the book.

209. Then methought I should see as if both Peter, and Paul, and
John, and all the writers, did look with scorn upon me, and hold me
in derision; and as if they said unto me, All our words are truth,
one of as much force as another. It is not we that have cut you
off, but you have cast away yourself; there is none of our sentences
that you must take hold upon but these, and such as these: "It is
impossible; there remains no more sacrifice for sin" (Heb 6). And
"it had been better for them not to have known" the will of God,
"than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment
delivered unto them" (2 Peter 2:21). "For the Scriptures cannot
be broken."[48]

210. 'These, as the elders of the city of refuge, I saw were to be
the judges both of my case and me, while I stood, with the avenger
of blood at my heels, trembling at their gate for deliverance, also
with a thousand fears and mistrusts, I doubted that they would shut
me out for ever (Josh 20:3,4).'

211. Thus was I confounded, not knowing what to do, nor how to be
satisfied in this question, Whether the scriptures could agree in
the salvation of my soul? I quaked at the apostles, I knew their
words were true, and that they must stand for ever.

212. And I remember one day, as I was in diverse frames of spirit,
and considering that these frames were still according to the nature
of the several scriptures that came in upon my mind; if this of
grace, then was I quiet; but if that of Esau, then tormented; Lord,
thought I, if both these scriptures would meet in my heart at once,
I wonder which of them would get the better of me. So methought I
had a longing mind that they might come both together upon me; yea,
I desired of God they might.

213. Well, about two or three days after, so they did indeed; they
bolted both upon me at a time, and did work and struggle strangely
in me for a while; at last, that about Esau's birthright began to
wax weak, and withdraw, and vanish; and this about the sufficiency
of grace prevailed with peace and joy. And as I was in a muse about
this thing, that scripture came home upon me, "Mercy rejoiceth
against judgment" (James 2:13).

214. This was a wonderment to me; yet truly I am apt to think it
was of God; for the word of the law and wrath must give place to
the word of life and grace; because, though the word of condemnation
be glorious, yet the word of life and salvation doth far exceed in
glory (2 Cor 3:8-12; Mark 9:5-7). Also, that Moses and Elias must
both vanish, and leave Christ and his saints alone.

215. This scripture did also most sweetly visit my soul, "And him
that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). Oh,
the comfort that I have had from this world, "in no wise"! as who
should say, by no means, for no thing, whatever he hath done. But
Satan would greatly labour to pull this promise from me, telling
of me that Christ did not mean me, and such as I, but sinners of
a lower rank, that had not done as I had done. But I should answer
him again, Satan, here is in this word no such exception; but "him
that comes," HIM, any him; "him that cometh to me I will in no wise
cast out." And this I well remember still, that of all the sleights
that Satan used to take this scripture from me, yet he never did
so much as put this question, But do you come aright? And I have
thought the reason was, because he thought I knew full well what
coming aright was; for I saw that to come aright was to come as I
was, a vile and ungodly sinner, and to cast myself at the feet of
mercy, condemning myself for sin. If ever Satan and I did strive
for any word 'of God in all my life, it was for this good word of
Christ; he at one end and I at the other. Oh, what work did we make!'
It was for this in John, 'I say, that we did so tug and strive';
he pulled and I pulled; but, God be praised, 'I got the better of
him,' I got some sweetness from it.

216. But, notwithstanding all these helps and blessed words of
grace, yet that of Esau's selling of his birthright would still at
times distress my conscience; for though I had been most sweetly
comforted, and that but just before, yet when that came into 'my'
mind, it would make me fear again, I could not be quite rid thereof,
it would every day be with me: wherefore now I went another way
to work, even to consider the nature of this blasphemous thought;
I mean, if I should take the words at the largest, and give them
their own natural force and scope, even every word therein. So when
I had thus considered, I found, that if they were fairly taken,
they would amount to this, that I had freely left the Lord Jesus
Christ to his choice, whether he would be my Saviour or no; for the
wicked words were these, Let him go if he will. Then that scripture
gave me hope, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee" (Heb 13:5).
O Lord, said I, but I have left thee. Then it answered again, "But
I will not leave thee." For this I thank God also.

217. Yet I was grievously afraid he should, and found it exceeding
hard to trust him, seeing I had so offended him. I could have been
exceeding glad that this thought had never befallen, for then I
thought I could, with more ease and freedom abundance, have leaned
upon his grace. I see it was with me, as it was with Joseph's
brethren; the guilt of their own wickedness did often fill them with
fears that their brother would at last despise them (Gen 50:15-17).

218. But above all the scriptures that I yet did meet with, that
in the twentieth of Joshua was the greatest comfort to me, which
speaks of the slayer that was to flee for refuge. And if the avenger
of blood pursue the slayer, then, saith Moses, they that are the
elders of the city of refuge shall not deliver him into his hand,
because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not
aforetime. Oh, blessed be God for this word; I was convinced that
I was the slayer; and that the avenger of blood pursued me, that I
felt with great terror; only now it remained that I inquire whether
I have right to enter the city of refuge.[49] So I found that he
must not, who lay in wait to shed blood: 'it was not the willful
murderer,' but he who unwittingly did it, he who did unawares
shed blood; 'not of spite, or grudge, or malice, he that shed
it unwittingly,' even he who did not hate his neighbour before.
Wherefore,

219. I thought verily I was the man that must enter, because I
had smitten my neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not aforetime.
I hated him not aforetime; no, I prayed unto him, was tender of
sinning against him; yea, and against this wicked temptation I had
strove for a twelvemonth before; yea, and also when it did pass
through my heart, it did it in spite of my teeth: wherefore I
thought I had right to enter this city, and the elders, which are
the apostles, were not to deliver me up. This, therefore, was great
comfort to me; and did give me much ground of hope.

220. Yet being very critical, for my smart had made me that I knew
not what ground was sure enough to bear me, I had one question
that my soul did much desire to be resolved about; and that was,
Whether it be possible for any soul that hath indeed sinned the
unpardonable sin, yet after that to receive though but the least
true spiritual comfort from God through Christ? The which, after
I had much considered, I found the answer was, No, they could not;
and that for these reasons:--

221. First, Because those that have sinned that sin, they are debarred
a share in the blood of Christ, and being shut out of that, they
must needs be void of the least ground of hope, and so of spiritual
comfort; for to such "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins"
(Heb 10:26). Secondly, Because they are denied a share in the
promise of life; they shall never be forgiven, "neither in this
world, neither in that which is to come" (Matt 12:32). Thirdly,
The Son of God excludes them also from a share in his blessed
intercession, being for ever ashamed to own them both before his
holy Father, and the blessed angels in heaven (Mark 8:38).

222. When I had, with much deliberation, considered of this matter,
and could not but conclude that the Lord had comforted me, and that
too after this my wicked sin; then, methought, I durst venture to
come nigh unto those most fearful and terrible scriptures, with
which all this while I had been so greatly affrighted, and on which,
indeed, before I durst scarce cast mine eye, yea, had much ado an
hundred times to forbear wishing of them out of the Bible; for I
thought they would destroy me; but now, I say, I began to take some
measure of encouragement to come close to them, to read them, and
consider them, and to weigh their scope and tendency.

223. The which, when I began to do, I found their visage changed;
for they looked not so grimly on me as before I thought they did.
And, first, I came to the sixth of the Hebrews, yet trembling for
fear it should strike me; which when I had considered, I found that
the falling there intended was a falling quite away; that is, as
I conceived, a falling from, and an absolute denial of the gospel
of remission of sins by Christ; for from them the apostle begins
his argument (vv 1-3). Secondly, I found that this falling away
must be openly, even in the view of the world, even so as "to put
Christ to an open shame." Thirdly, I found that those he there
intended were for ever shut up of God, both in blindness, hardness,
and impenitency: it is impossible they should be renewed again unto
repentance. By all these particulars, I found, to God's everlasting
praise, my sin was not the sin in this place intended.

'First, I confessed I was fallen, but not fallen away, that is,
from the profession of faith in Jesus unto eternal life. Secondly,
I confessed that I had put Jesus Christ to shame by my sin, but
not to open shame; I did not deny him before men, nor condemn him
as a fruitless one before the world. Thirdly, Nor did I find that
God had shut me up, or denied me to come, though I found it hard
work indeed to come to him by sorrow and repentance. Blessed be
God for unsearchable grace.'

224. Then I considered that in the tenth of the Hebrews, and found
that the willful sin there mentioned is not every willful sin,
but that which doth throw off Christ, and then his commandments
too. Secondly, That must also be done openly, before two or three
witnesses, to answer that of the law (v 28). Thirdly, This sin cannot
be committed, but with great despite done to the Spirit of grace;
despising both the dissuasions from that sin, and the persuasions
to the contrary. But the Lord knows, though this my sin was devilish,
yet it did not amount to these.

225. And as touching that in the twelfth of the Hebrews, about
Esau's selling his birthright, though this was that which killed me,
and stood like a spear against me; yet now I did consider, First,
That his was not a hasty thought against the continual labour of
his mind, but a thought consented to and put in practice likewise,
and that too after some deliberation (Gen 25). Secondly, It was a
public and open action, even before his brother, if not before many
more; this made his sin of a far more heinous nature than otherwise
it would have been. Thirdly, He continued to slight his birthright:
"He did eat and drink, and went his way; thus Esau despised
his birthright" (v 34). Yea, twenty years after, he was found to
despise it still. "And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep
that thou hast unto thyself" (Gen 33:9).

226. Now as touching this, that Esau sought a place of repentance;
thus I thought, first, This was not for the birthright, but for the
blessing; this is clear from the apostle, and is distinguished by
Esau himself; "he took away my birthright [that is, formerly]; and,
behold, now he hath taken away my blessing" (Gen 27:36). Secondly,
Now, this being thus considered, I came again to the apostle, to
see what might be the mind of God, in a New Testament style and
sense, concerning Esau's sin; and so far as I could conceive, this
was the mind of God, That the birthright signified regeneration,
and the blessing the eternal inheritance; for so the apostle seems
to hint, "Lest there be any profane person, as Esau, who for one
morsel of meat sold his birthright"; as if he should say, Lest there
be any person amongst you, that shall cast off all those blessed
beginnings of God that at present are upon him, in order to a new
birth, lest they become as Esau, even be rejected afterwards, when
they would inherit the blessing.

227. For many there are who, in the day of grace and mercy, despise
those things which are indeed the birthright to heaven, who yet,
when the deciding day appears, will cry as loud as Esau, "Lord,
Lord, open to us"; but then, as Isaac would not repent, no more will
God the Father, but will say, I have blessed these, yea, and they
shall be blessed; but as for you, depart from me, all ye workers
of iniquity (Gen 27:33; Luke 13:25-27).

228. When I had thus considered these scriptures, and found that
thus to understand them was not against, but according to other
scriptures; this still added further to my encouragement and
comfort, and also gave a great blow to that objection, to wit, that
the scripture could not agree in the salvation of my soul. And now
remained only the hinder part of the tempest, for the thunder was
gone beyond me, only some drops did still remain, that now and then
would fall upon me; but because my former frights and anguish were
very sore and deep, therefore it did oft befall me still, as it
befalleth those that have been scared with fire, I thought every
voice was Fire, fire; every little touch would hurt my tender
conscience.[50]

229. But one day, as I was passing in the field, and that too with
some dashes on my conscience, fearing lest yet all was not right,
suddenly this sentence fell upon my soul, Thy righteousness is
in heaven; and methought withal, I saw, with the eyes of my soul,
Jesus Christ at God's right hand; there, I say, as my righteousness;
so that wherever I was, or whatever I was adoing, God could not
say of me, He wants my righteousness, for that was just before him.
I also saw, moreover, that it was not my good frame of heart that
made my righteousness better, nor yet my bad frame that made my
righteousness worse; for my righteousness was Jesus Christ himself,
the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever (Heb 13:8).