John Masefield - "Jim Davis"

Charlotte M. Yonge - "Henrietta's Wish"

Gua Shen - "Meng Xi Bi Tan, Volume 1 6 [1031 1095 A.D.]"

Susanna Moodie - "Life in the Clearings versus the Bush"

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




Shall God enter this complaint against thee? Why dost thou put
him off? Why dost thou stop thine ear? Canst thou defend thyself?
When thou art called to an account for thy neglects of so great
salvation, what canst thou answer? or dost thou think that thou
shalt escape the judgment? (Heb 2:3). No more such Christs! There
will be no more such Christs, sinner! Oh, put not the day, the day
of grace, away from thee! if it be once gone, it will never come
again, sinner.

But what is it that has got thy heart, and that keeps it from thy
Saviour? 'Who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who among
the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord?' (Psa 89:6).
Hast thou, thinkest thou, found anything so good as Jesus Christ?
Is there any among thy sins, thy companions, and foolish delights,
that, like Christ, can help thee in the day of thy distress? Behold,
the greatness of thy sins cannot hinder; let not the stubbornness
of thy heart hinder thee, sinner.

Objection. I am ashamed.

Answer. Oh! don't be ashamed to be saved, sinner.

Objection. But my old companions will mock me.

Answer. Oh! don't be mocked out of eternal life, sinner.

Thy stubbornness affects, afflicts the heart of thy Saviour. Carest
thou not for this? Of old, 'he beheld the city, and wept over it.'
Canst thou hear this, and not be concerned? (Luke 19:41,42). Shall
Christ weep to see thy soul going on to destruction, and will
though sport thyself in that way? Yea, shall Christ, that can be
eternally happy without thee, be more afflicted at the thoughts
of the loss of thy soul, than thyself, who art certainly eternally
miserable if thou neglectest to come to him. Those things that
keep thee and thy Saviour, on thy part, asunder, are but bubbles;
the least prick of an affliction will let out, as to thee, what
now thou thinkest is worth the venture of heaven to enjoy.

Hast thou not reason? Canst thou not so much as once soberly think
of thy dying hour, or of whither thy sinful life will drive thee
then? Hast thou no conscience? or having one, is it rocked so fast
asleep by sin, or made so weary with an unsuccessful calling upon
thee, that it is laid down, and cares for thee no more? Poor man!
thy state is to be lamented. Hast no judgment? Art not able to
conclude, that to be saved is better than to burn in hell? and that
eternal life with God's favour, is better than a temporal life in
God's displeasure? Hast no affection but what is brutish? what,
none at all? No affection for the God that made thee? What! none
for his loving Son that has showed his love, and died for thee?
Is not heaven worth thy affection? O poor man! which is strongest,
thinkest thou, God or thee? If thou art not able to overcome him,
thou art a fool for standing out against him (Matt 5:25,26). 'It
is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the living God' (Heb
10:29-31). He will gripe hard; his fist is stronger than a lion's
paw; take heed of him, he will be angry if you despise his Son;
and will you stand guilty in your trespasses, when he offereth you
his grace and favour? (Exo 34:6,7).

Now we come to the text, 'Beginning at Jerusalem.' This text, though
it be now one of the brightest stars that shineth in the Bible,
because there is in it, as full, if not the fullest offer of grace
that can be imagined, to the sons of men; yet, to them that shall
perish from under this word, even this text will be to such one of
the hottest coals in hell. This text, therefore, will save thee or
sink thee: there is no shifting of it; if it saves thee, it will
set thee high; if it sinks thee, it will set thee low.

But, I say, why so unconcerned? Hast no soul? or dost think thou
mayest lose thy soul, and save thyself? Is it not pity, had it
otherwise been the will of God, that ever thou wast made a man,
for that thou settest so little by thy soul? Sinner, take the
invitation; thou art called upon to come to Christ: nor art thou
called upon but by order from the Son of God, though thou shouldst
happen to come of the biggest sinners; for he has bid us offer
mercy, as to all the world in general, so, in the first place, to
the sinners of Jerusalem, or to the biggest sinners.

Fifth, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place,
to the biggest sinners? Then, this shows how unreasonable a thing
it is for men to despair of mercy; for those that presume, I shall
say something to them afterward.

I now speak to them that despair. There are four sorts of despair.
There is the despair of devils; there is the despair of souls in
hell; there is the despair that is grounded upon men's deficiency;
and there is the despair that they are perplexed with that are
willing to be saved, but are too strongly borne down with the burden
of their sins.

The despair of devils, the damned's despair, and that despair that
a man has of attaining of life because of his own deficiency, are
all reasonable. Why should not devils and damned souls despair?
yea, why should not man despair of getting to heaven by his own
abilities? I, therefore, am concerned only with the fourth sort
of despair, to wit, with the despair of those that would be saved,
but are too strongly borne down with the burden of their sins. I
say, therefore, to thee that art thus, And why despair? Thy despair,
if it was reasonable, should flow from thee, because found in the
land that is beyond the grave; or because thou certainly knowest
that Christ will not, or cannot save thee.

But, for the first, thou art yet in the land of the living; and,
for the second, thou hast ground to believe the quite contrary;
Christ is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God
by him; and if he were not willing, he would not have commanded
that mercy, in the first place, should be offered to the biggest
sinners. Besides, he hath said, 'And let him that is athirst come.
And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely'; that
is, with all my heart. What ground now is here for despair? If thou
sayest, The number and burden of my sins; I answer, Nay; that is
rather a ground for faith; because such an one, above all others,
is invited by Christ to come unto him, yea, promised rest and
forgiveness if they come (Matt 11:28). What ground then to despair?
Verily, none at all. Thy despair, then, is a thing unreasonable,
and without footing in the Word.

But I have no experience of God's love; God hath given me no
comfort, or ground of hope, though I have waited upon him for it
many a day. Thou hast e xperience of God's love, for that he has
opened thine eyes to see thy sins: and for that he has given thee
desires to be saved by Jesus Christ. For by thy sense of sin thou
art made to see thy poverty of spirit, and that has laid under thee
a sure ground to hope that heaven shall be thine hereafter.

Also thy desires to be saved by Christ, has put thee under another
promise, so there is two to hold thee up in hope, though thy present
burden be never so heavy (Matt 5:3,6). As for what thou sayest as
to God's silence to thee, perhaps he has spoken to thee once or twice
already, but thou hast not perceived it (Job 33:14,15). However,
thou hast Christ crucified set forth before thine eyes in the Bible,
and an invitation to come unto him, though thou be a Jerusalem sinner,
though thou be a biggest sinner; and so no ground to despair. What
if God will be silent to thee, is that ground of despair? Not at
all, so long as there is a promise in the Bible, that God will in
no wise cast away the coming sinner, and so long as he invites the
Jerusalem sinner to come unto him (John 6:37).

Build not, therefore, despair upon these things; they are no
sufficient foundation for it, such plenty of promises being in the
Bible, and such a discovery of his mercy to great sinners of old;
especially since we have withal a clause in the commission given
to ministers to preach, that they should begin with the Jerusalem
sinners in their offering of mercy to the world. Besides, God says,
'They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they
shall mount up with wings like eagles'; but, perhaps, it may be long
first. I waited long, saith David, and did seek the Lord; and, at
length, his cry was heard: wherefore he bids his soul wait on God,
and says, For it is good so to do before thy saints (Psa 40:1;
62:5; 52:9).

And what if thou waitest upon God all thy days? Is it below thee?
And what if God will cross his book, and blot out the handwriting
that is against thee, and not let thee know it as yet? Is it fit
to say unto God, Thou art hard-hearted? Despair not; thou hast no
ground to despair, so long as thou livest in this world. 'Tis a
sin to begin to despair before one sets his foot over the threshold
of hell-gates. For them that are there, let them despair and spare
not; but as for thee, thou hast no ground to do it. What! despair
of bread in a land that is full of corn! despair of mercy when
our God is full of mercy! despair of mercy, when God goes about,
by his ministers, beseeching of sinners to be reconciled unto him!
(2 Cor 5:18-20). Thou scrupulous fool, where canst thou find that
God was ever false to his promise, or that he ever deceived the
soul that ventured itself upon him? He often calls upon sinners
to trust him, though they walk in darkness, and have no light (Isa
50:10). They have his promise and oath for their salvation, that
flee for refuge to the hope set before them (Heb 6:17,18).

Despair! when we have a God of mercy, and a redeeming Christ alive!
For shame, forbear; let them despair that dwell where there is no
God, and that are confined to those chambers of death which can be
reached by no redemption. A living man despair when he is chid for
murmuring and complaining! (Lam 3:39). Oh! so long as we are where
promises swarm, where mercy is proclaimed, where grace reigns,
and where Jerusalem sinners are privileged with the first offer
of mercy, it is a base thing to despair. Despair undervalues
the promise, undervalues the invitation, undervalues the proffer
of grace. Despair undervalues the ability of God the Father, and
the redeeming blood of Christ his Son. Oh unreasonable despair!
Despair makes man God's judge; it is a controller of the promise, a
contradictor of Christ in his large offers of mercy: and one that
undertakes to make unbelief the great manager of our reason and
judgment, in determining about what God can and will do for sinners.
Despair! It is the devil's fellow, the devil's master; yea, the
chains with which he is captivated and held under darkness for
ever: and to give way thereto in a land, in a state and time that
flows with milk and honey, is an uncomely thing.

I would say to my soul, 'O my soul! this is not the place of despair;
this is not the time to despair in; as long as mine eyes can find
a promise in the Bible, as long as there is the least mention of
grace, as long as there is a moment left me of breath or life in
this world, so long will I wait or look for mercy, so long will I
fight against unbelief and despair.' This is the way to honour God
and Christ; this is the way to set the crown on the promise; this
is the way to welcome the invitation and inviter; and this is the
way to thrust thyself under the shelter and protection of the word
of grace. Never despair so long as our text is alive, for that doth
sound it out--that mercy by Christ is offered, in the first place,
to the biggest sinner.

Despair is an unprofitable thing; it will make a man weary of waiting
upon God (2 Kings 6:33). It will make a man forsake God, and seek
his heaven in the good things of this world (Gen 4:13-18). It will
make a man his own tormentor, and flounce and fling like 'a wild
bull in a net' (Isa 51:20). Despair! it drives a man to the study
of his own ruin, and brings him at last to be his own executioner
(2 Sam 17:23; Matt 27:3-5).

Besides, I am persuaded also, that despair is the cause that there
are so many that would fain be Atheists in the world. For, because,
they have entertained a conceit that God will never be merciful to
them, therefore they labour to persuade themselves that there is
no God at all, as if their misbelief would kill God, or cause him
to cease to be. A poor shift for an immortal soul, for a soul
who liketh not to retain God in its knowledge! If this be the best
that despair can do, let it go, man, and betake thyself to faith,
to prayer, to wait for God, and to hope, in despite of ten thousand
doubts. And for thy encouragement, take yet, as an addition to what
has already been said, the following Scripture: 'The Lord taketh
pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy'
(Psa 147:11). Whence note, They fear not God, that hope not in his
mercy; also, God is angry with them that hope not in his mercy;
for he only taketh pleasure in them that hope. 'He that believeth,'
or 'hath received his testimony, hath set to his seal that God is
true' (John 3:33). But he that receiveth it not, 'hath made him
a liar,' and that is a very unworthy thing (1 John 5:10,11). 'Let
the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts:
and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him;
and to our God, for he will abundantly' multiply 'pardon' (Isa
55:7). Perhaps thou art weary of thy ways, but art not weary of
thy thoughts; of thy unbelieving and despairing thoughts; now, God
also would have thee cast away these thoughts, as such which he
deserveth not at thy hands; for 'he will have mercy upon thee, and
he will abundantly pardon.'

'O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have
spoken!' (Luke 24:25). Mark you, here, slowness to believe is
a piece of folly. Ay! but sayest thou, I do believe some, and I
believe what can make against me. Ay, but sinner, Christ Jesus here
calls thee fool for not believing all. Believe all, and despair if
thou canst! He that believes all, believes that text that saith,
Christ would have mercy preached first to the Jerusalem sinners.
He that believeth all, believeth all the promises and consolations
of the Word; and the promises and consolations of the Word weigh
heavier than do all the curses and threatenings of the law; and
mercy rejoiceth against judgment. Wherefore believe all, and mercy
will, to thy conscience, weigh judgment down, and so minister comfort
to thy soul. The Lord take the yoke from off thy jaws, since he has
set meat before thee (Hosea 11:4). And help thee to remember that
he is pleased, in the first place, to offer mercy to the biggest
sinners.

Sixth, Since Jesus Christ would have mercy offered, in the first
place, to the biggest sinners, let souls see that they lay right
hold thereof, lest they, notwithstanding, indeed, come short thereof.
Faith only knows how to deal with mercy; wherefore, put not in
the place thereof presumption. I have observed, that, as there are
herbs and flowers in our gardens, so there are their counterfeits
in the field; only they are distinguished from the other by the
name of wild ones. Why, there is faith, and wild faith; and wild
faith is this presumption. I call it wild faith, because God never
placed it in his garden--his church; 'tis only to be found in the
field--the world. I also call it wild faith, because it only grows
up and is nourished where other wild notions abound. Wherefore,
take heed of this, and all may be well; for this presumptuousness
is a very heinous thing in the eyes of God. 'The soul,' saith he,
'that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land,
or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall
be cut off from among his people' (Num 15:30).

The thoughts of this made David tremble, and pray that God would
hold him back from presumptuous sins, and not suffer them to have
dominion over him (Psa 19:13). Now, this presumption, then, puts
itself in the place of faith, when it tampereth with the promise
for life, while the soul is a stranger to repentance. Wherefore,
you have in the text, to prevent doing thus, both repentance and
remission of sins to be offered to Jerusalem; not remission without
repentance, for all that repent not shall perish, let them presume
on grace and the promise while they will (Luke 13:1-3).

Presumption, then, is that which severeth faith and repentance;
concluding that the soul shall be saved by grace, though the man
was never made sorry for his sins, nor the love of the heart turned
therefrom. This is to be self-willed, as Peter has it; and this
is a despising the Word of the Lord, for that has put repentance
and faith together (Mark 1:15). And 'because he hath despised the
Word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall
utterly be cut off: his iniquity shall be upon him' (Num 15:31).
Let such, therefore, look to it who yet are, and abide, in their
sins; for such, if they hope, as they are, to be saved, presume
upon the grace of God.27 Wherefore, presumption and not hearkening
to God's Word are put together (Deu 17:12).

Again, THEN men presume, when they are resolved to abide in their
sins, and yet expect to be saved by God's grace through Christ.
This is as much as to say, God liketh of sin as well as I do, and
careth not how men live, if so be they lean upon his Son. Of this
sort are they 'that build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with
iniquity'; that 'judge for reward, and--teach for hire, and--divine
for money, and lean upon the Lord' (Micah 3:10,11). This is doing
things, with an high hand, against the Lord our God, and a taking
him, as it were, at the catch.28 This is, as we say among men, to
seek to put a trick upon God; as if he had not sufficiently fortified
his proposals of grace, by his holy Word, against all such kind of
fools as these. But look to it! Such will be found at the day of
God, not among that great company of Jerusalem sinners that shall
be saved by grace, but among those that have been the great abusers
of the grace of God in the world. Those that say, Let us sin that
grace may abound, and let us do evil that good may come, their
damnation is just. And if so, they are a great way off of that
salvation that is, by Jesus Christ, presented to the Jerusalem
sinners.

I have, therefore, these things to propound to that Jerusalem sinner
that would know, if he may be so bold [as] to venture himself upon
this grace. 1. Dost thou see thy sins? 2. Art thou weary of them?
3. Wouldst thou, with all thy heart, be saved by Jesus Christ? I
dare say no less; I dare say no more. But if it be truly thus with
thee, how great soever thy sins have been, how bad soever thou
feelest thy heart, how far soever thou art from thinking that God
has mercy for thee, thou art the man, the Jerusalem sinner, that the
Word of God has conquered, and to whom it offereth free remission
of sins, by the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.

When the jailor cried out, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' the
answer was, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be
saved.' He that sees his sins aright, is brought to his wit's end
by them; and he that is so, is willing to part from them, and to
be saved by the grace of God. If this be thy case, fear not, give
no way to despair; thou presumest not, if thou believest to life
everlasting in Jesus Christ; yea, Christ is prepared for such as
thou art. Therefore, take good courage, and believe. The design of
Satan is, to tell the presumptuous that their presuming on mercy is
good; but to persuade the believer, that his believing is impudent,
bold dealing with God. I never heard a presumptuous man, in my life,
say that he was afraid that he presumed; but I have heard many an
honest humble soul say, that they have been afraid that their faith
has been presumption. Why should Satan molest those whose ways he
knows will bring them to him? And who can think that he should be
quiet, when men take the right course to escape his hellish snares?
This, therefore, is the reason why the truly humbled is opposed,
while the presumptuous goes on by wind and tide. The truly humble,
Satan hates; but he laughs to see the foolery of the other.

Does thy hand and heart tremble? Upon thee the promise smiles.
'To this man will I look,' says God, 'even to him that is poor and
of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word' (Isa 66:2). What,
therefore, I have said of presumption, concerns not the humble in
spirit at all. I therefore am for gathering up the stones, and for
taking the stumbling-blocks out of the way of God's people; and
forewarning of them, that they lay the stumbling-block of their
iniquity before their faces; and [of those] that are for presuming
upon God's mercy; and let them look to themselves (Eze 14:6-8).

Also, our text stands firm as ever it did, and our observation is
still of force, that Jesus Christ would have mercy offered, in the
first place, to the biggest sinners. So them, let none despair,
let none presume; let none despair that are sorry for their sins,
and would be saved by Jesus Christ; let none presume that abide
in the liking of their sins, though they seem to know the exceeding
grace of Christ; for though the door stands wide open for the reception
of the penitent, yet it is fast29 enough barred and bolted against
the presumptuous sinner. Be not deceived, God is not mocked;
whatsoever a man sows, that he shall reap. It cannot be that God
should be wheedled out of his mercy, or prevailed upon by lips of
dissimulation; he knows them that trust on him, and that sincerely
come to him, by Christ, for mercy (Nahum 1:7).

It is, then, not the abundance of sins committed, but the not
coming heartily to God, by Christ, for mercy, that shuts men out
of doors. And though their not coming heartily may be said to be
but a sin, yet it is such a sin as causeth that all thy other sins
abide upon thee unforgiven. God complains of this. 'They have not
cried unto me with their heart--they return, but not to the most
High.' They turned 'feignedly' (Jer 3:10; Hosea 7:14,16). Thus doing,
his soul hates [them]; but the penitent, humble, broken-hearted
sinner, be his transgressions red as scarlet, red like crimson, in
number as the sand; though his transgressions cry to heaven against
him for vengeance, and seem there to cry louder than do his prayers,
or tears, or groans for mercy; yet he is safe. To this man God will
look (Isa 1:18; 66:2).

Seventh, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place,
to the biggest sinners? Then here is ground for those that, as to
practice, have not been such, to come to him for mercy.

Although there is no sin little of itself, because it is a
contradiction of the nature and majesty of God, yet we must admit
of divers numbers, and, also, of aggravations. Two sins are not so
many as three; nor are three that are done in ignorance so big as
one that is done against light, against knowledge and conscience.
Also, there is the child in sin, and a man in sin that has his
hairs gray and his skin wrinkled for very age. And we must put a
difference betwixt these sinners also; for can it be that a child
of seven, or ten, or sixteen years old, should be such a sinner--a
sinner so vile in the eyes of the law as he is who has walked
according to the course of this world, forty, fifty, sixty, or seventy
years? Now, the youth, this stripling, though he is a sinner, is
but a little sinner, when compared with such. Now, I say, if there
be room for the first sort, for those of the biggest size, certainly
there is room for the lesser size. If there be a door wide enough
for a giant to go in at, there is certainly room for a dwarf. If
Christ Jesus has grace enough to save great sinners, he has surely
grace enough to save little ones. If he can forgive five hundred
pence, for certain he can forgive fifty (Luke 7:41,42).

But you said before, that the little sinners must stand by until
the great ones have received their grace, and that is discouraging!
I answer, there are two sorts of little sinners--such as are so, and
such as feign themselves so. There are those that feign themselves
so, that I intended there, and not those that are, indeed, comparatively
so. Such as feign themselves so, may wait long enough before they
obtain forgiveness.

But again, a sinner may be comparatively a little sinner,
and sensibly a great one. There are, then, two sorts of greatness
in sin--greatness by reason of number; greatness by reason of
thoroughness of conviction of the horrible nature of sin. In this
last sense, he that has but one sin, if such an one could be found,
may, in his own eyes, find himself the biggest sinner in the world.
Let this man or this child, therefore, put himself among the great
sinners, and plead with God as great sinners do, and expect to be
saved with the great sinners, and as soon and as heartily as they.
Yea, a little sinner, that, comparatively, is truly so, if he
shall graciously give way to conviction, and shall, in God's light,
diligently weigh the horrible nature of his own sin, may yet sooner
obtain forgiveness for them at the hands of the heavenly Father,
than he that has ten times his sins, and so cause to cry ten times
harder to God for mercy.