Franz Liszt - "Life of Chopin"

Jean de La Fontaine - "The Tales and Novels, v5: The Princess Bethrothed to Garba"

Octave Feuillet - "Monsieur de Camors, v2"

Hector Malot - "Conscience, v2"

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




And see if, in the end, he did not become a fool; for though he
accomplished the building of his barns, and put in there all his
fruits and his goods, yet even till now his soul was empty, and
void of all that was good; nor did he, in singing of that requiem
which he sung to his soul at last, saying, 'Soul, take thine ease,
eat, drink, and be merry,' show himself ever the wiser; for, in
all his labours he had rejected to get that food that indeed is
meat and drink for the soul. Nay, in singing this song he did but
provoke God to hasten to send to fetch his soul to hell; for so
begins the conclusion of the parable--'Thou fool, this night thy
soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be
which thou hast provided?' So that, I say, it is the greatest folly
in the world for a man, upon any pretence what ever, to neglect to
make good the salvation of his soul.

There are six signs of a fool, and they do all meet in that same
man that concerns not himself, and that to good purpose, for the
salvation of his soul. 1. A fool has not an heart, when the price
is in his hand, to get wisdom. (Prov 17:16). 2. 'It is a sport to
a fool to do mischief.' and to set light by the commission of sin
(Prov 10:23). 3. 'Fools despise wisdom;' 'fools hate knowledge'
(Prov 1:7,22). 4. 'A fool,' after restraint, 'returneth to his
folly' (Prov 26:11). 5. 'The way of a fool is right in his own
eyes' (Prov 7:15). 6. The fool goes merrily 'to the correction of
the stocks' (Prov 7:22).

I might add many more, but these six shall suffice at this time,
by which it appears that the fool has no heart for the heavenly
prize, yet he has to sport himself in sin; and when he despises
wisdom, the way is yet right before him; yea, if he be for some
time restrained from vice, he greedily turneth again thereto, and
will, when he has finished his course of folly and sin in this world,
go as heedlessly, as carelessly, as unconcernedly, and quietly,
down the steps to hell, as the ox goeth to the slaughter-house,
This is a soul fool, a fool of the biggest size; and so is every
one also that layeth up treasure for himself on earth, 'and is not
rich towards God' (Luke 7:21).

Objection 1. But would you not have us mind our worldly concerns?

Answer. Mind them, but mind them in their place; mind thy soul first
and most; the soul is more than the body, and eternal life better
than temporal; first seek the kingdom of God, and prosper in thy
health and thy estate as thy soul prospers (Matt 6:33; 3 John 2).
But as it is rare to see this command obeyed, for the kingdom of God
shall be thought of last, so if John's wish was to light upon, or
happen to some people, they would neither have health nor wealth in
this world. To prosper and be in health, as their soul prospers--what,
to thrive and mend in outwards no faster? then we should have them
have consumptive bodies and low estates; for are not the souls of
most as unthrifty, for grace and spiritual health, as is the tree
without fruit that is pulled up by the roots?

Objection 2. But would you have us sit still and do nothing?

Answer. And must you needs be upon the extremes? must you mind
this world to the damning of your souls? or will you not mind your
callings at all? Is there not a middle way? may you not, must you
not, get your bread in a way of honest industry; that is, caring
most for the next world, and so using of this as not abusing the
same? (1 Cor 7: 20-31). And then a man doth so, and never but
then, when he sets this world and the next in their proper places,
in his thoughts, in his esteem, and judgment, and dealeth with
both accordingly (2 Cor 4:18). And is there not all the reason in
the world for this? are not the things that are eternal best? Will
temporal things make thy soul to live? or art thou none of those
that should look after the salvation of their soul? (Deu 8:3; Matt
5:4; Heb10:39).

Objection 3. But the most of men do that which you forbid, and why
may not we?

Answer. God says, 'Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil'
(Exo 23:2). It is not what men do, but what God commands; it is not
what doth present itself unto us, but what is best, that we should
choose (Matt 6:23; Luke 10:41,42). Now, 'He that refuseth instruction,
despiseth his own soul;' and 'He that keepeth the commandment,
keepeth his own soul' (Prov 15:32; 19:16). Make not, therefore,
these foolish objections. But what saith the Word? how readest thou?
That tells thee, that the pleasures of sin are but for a season;
that the things that are seen are but temporal; that he is a fool
that is rich in this world, and is not so towards God; 'and what
shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose
his own soul?'

Objection 4. But may one not be equally engaged for both?

Answer. A divided heart is a naughty one (Heb 10:2). 'You cannot
serve God and mammon' (Matt 6:24; Luke 16:13). 'If any man love
the world, the love of the Father is not in him,' (1 John 2:15);
and yet this objection bespeaks that thy heart is divided, that thou
art a Mammonist, or that thou lovest the world. But will riches
profit in the day of wrath? (Prov 11:4). Yea, are they not hurtful
in the day of grace? do they not tend to surfeit the heart, and to
alienate a man and his mind from the things that are better? (Luke
21:34). Why, then, wilt thou set thy heart upon that which is not?
yea, then what will become of them that are so far off of minding
of their souls, that they, for whole months, and years together,
scarce consider whether they have souls to save?

USE THIRD.--But, thirdly, is it so? Is the soul such an excellent
thing, and is the loss thereof so unspeakably great? Then this should
teach people to be very careful to whom they commit the teaching
and guidance of their souls.

This is a business of the greatest concern; men will be careful
to whom they commit their children, who they make the executors of
their will, in whose hand they trust the writing and evidences of
their lands; but how much more careful should we be, and yet the most
are the least of all careful, unto whom they commit the teaching and
guidance of their souls. There are several sorts of soul shepherds
in the world: 1. There are idol shepherds (Zech 6:5). 2. There are
foolish shepherds (Zech 11:15). 3. There are shepherds that feed
themselves, and not their flock (Eze 34:2) 4. There are hard-hearted
and pitiless shepherds (Zech 9: 3). 5. There are shepherds that,
instead of healing, smite, push, and wound the diseased (Eze 34:4,21).
6. There are shepherds that 'cause their flocks to go astray' (Jer
50:6). 7. And there are shepherds that feed their flock; these are
the shepherds to whom thou shouldst commit thy soul for teaching
and for guidance.

Question. You may ask, How should I know those shepherds?

Answer. First, surrender up thy soul unto God, by Christ, and choose
Christ to be the chief Shepherd of thy soul; and He will direct
thee to His shepherds, and He will, of His mercy, set such shepherds
over thee 'as shall feed thee with knowledge and understanding' (1
Peter 2:25; 4:19; John 10:4,5; Song 1:7, 8; Jer 3:15; 23:4). Before
thou hast surrendered up thy soul to Christ, that He may be thy
chief Shepherd, thou canst not find out, nor choose to put thy
soul under the teaching and guidance of His under shepherds, for
thou canst not love them; besides, they are so set forth by false
shepherds, in so many ugly guises, and under so many false and
scandalous dresses, that, should I direct thee to them while thou
art a stranger to Christ, thou wilt count them deceivers, devourers,
and wolves in sheeps' clothing, rather than the shepherds that
belong to the great and chief Shepherd, who is, also, the Bishop
of the soul.

Yet this I will say unto thee, take heed of that shepherd that
careth not for his own soul, that walketh in ways, and doth such
things, as have a direct tendency to damn his own soul; I say,
take heed of such an one, come not near him, let him have nothing
to do with thy soul; for if he be not faithful to that which be his
own soul, be sure he will not be faithful to that which is another
man's. He that feeds his own soul with ashes, will scarce feed thine
with the bread of life; wherefore, take heed of such an one; and
many such there are in the world (Isa 44:20). 'By their fruits you
shall know them;' they are for flattering of the worst, and frowning
upon the best; they are for promising of life to the profane, and
for slaying the souls that God would have live; they are also men
that hunt souls that fear God, but for sewing pillows under those
arm holes which God would have to lean upon that which would
afflict them. These be them 'that, with lies, do make the heart of
the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad;' saith God; and that
have 'strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he shall not return
from his wicked way, by promising of him life' (Eze 13:18-22).

And as thou shouldest, for thy soul's sake, choose for thyself good
soul shepherds, so also, for the same reason, you should choose
for yourself a good wife, a good husband, a good master, a good
servant; for in all these things the soul is concerned. Abraham
would not suffer Isaac to take a wife of the daughters of Canaan,
(Gen 24:3); nor would David suffer a wicked servant to come into
his house, or to tarry in his sight (Psa 101:7). Bad company is,
also, very destructive to the soul, and so is evil communication;
wherefore, be diligent to shun all these things, that thou mayest
persevere in that way, the end of which will be the saving of thy
soul (Prov 13:20; 1 Cor 15:33).

And since, under this head, I am fallen upon cautions, let me add
these to those which I have presented to thee already:

Caution 1. Take heed, take heed of learning to do evil of any that
are good. 'Tis possible for a good man to do things that are bad;
but let not his bad action embolden thee to run upon sin. Seest
thou a good man that stumbleth at a stone, or that slippeth into
the dirt--let that warn thee to take heed; let his stumble make
thee wary, let his fall make thee look well to thy goings; 'ever
follow that which is good' (1 Thess 5:15). Thy soul is at stake.

Caution 2. Take heed of the good things of bad men, for in them
there lies a snare also; their 'good words and fair speeches' tend
to deceive (Rom 16:17, 18). Learn to be good, by the Word of God
and by the holy lives of them that be good; envy not the wicked,
'nor desire to be with them;' 'choose none of his ways' (Prov 3:31;
24:1). Thy soul lies at stake.

Caution 3. Take heed of playing the hypocrite in religion. What of
God and His Word thou knowest, profess it honestly, conform to it
heartily, serve Him faithfully; for what is the hypocrite bettered
by all his profession, 'when God taketh away his soul?' (Job 27:8).

Caution 4. Take heed of delays to turn to God, and of choosing His
ways for the delight of thy heart, 'for the Lord's eye is upon them
that fear Him, to deliver their souls' (Psa 33:18,19).

Caution 5. Boast not thyself of thy flocks and thy herds, of thy gold
and thy silver, of thy sons and of thy daughters. What is a house
full of treasures, and all the delights of this world, if thou be
empty of grace, 'if thy soul be not filled with good?' (Eccl 6:3).
But,

USE FOURTH.--Is it so? Is the soul such an excellent thing, and is
the loss thereof so unspeakably great? Then, I pray thee, let me
inquire a little of thee, what provision thou hast made for thy
soul? There be many that, through their eagerness after the things
of this life, do bereave their soul of good, even of that good the
which if they had it would be a good to them for ever (Eccl 4:8).
But I ask not concerning this; it is not what provision thou hast
made for this life, but what for the life, and the world to come.
'Lord, gather not my soul with sinners,' saith David, (Psa 26:9);
not with men of this world: Lord, not with them that have their
portion in this life, whose belly Thou fillest with Thy hid treasures.
Thus you see how Solomon laments some, and how his father prays to
be delivered from their lot who have their portion in this life,
and that have not made provision for their soul. Well, then, let
me inquire of thee about this matter. What provision hast thou made
for thy soul? And,

1. What hast thou thought of thy soul? What ponderous thoughts hast
thou had of the greatness and of the immortality of thy soul? This
must be the first inquiry: for he that hath not had his thoughts
truly exercised, ponderously exercised, about the greatness and the
immortality of his soul, will not be careful, after an effectual
manner, to make provision for his soul, for the life and world
to come. The soul is a man's all, whether he knows it or no, as I
have already showed you. Now a man will be concerned about what
he thinks is his all. We read of the poor servant that 'setteth
his heart upon' his wages (Deu 24:14,15). But it is because it is
his all, his treasure, and that wherein his worldly worth lieth.
Why, thy soul is thy all; it is strange if thou dost not think so!
and more strange if thou dost think so, and yet hast light, seldom,
and trivial thoughts about it. These two seem to be inconsistent,
therefore let thy conscience speak; either thou hast very great
and weighty thoughts about the excellent greatness of thy soul, or
else thou dost not count that thy soul is so great a thing as it
is, else thou dost not count it thy all.

2. What judgment hast thou made of the present state of thy soul?
I speak now to the unconverted. Thy soul is under sin, under the
curse, and an object of wrath; this is that sentence that by the
Word is passed upon it--'Woe unto their soul,' saith God, 'for
they have rewarded evil unto themselves.' (Isa 3:9). This is the
sentence of God. Well, but what judgment hast thou passed upon it
while thou livest in thy debaucheries? Is it not that which thy
fellows have passed on theirs before thee, saying, 'I shall have
peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add
drunkenness to thirst' (Deu 29:19). If so, know thy judgment is
gross, thy soul is miserable, and turn, or in little time thine
eyes will behold all this.

3. What care hast thou had of securing of thy soul, and that it
might be delivered from the danger that by sin it is brought into?
if a man has a horse, a cow, or a swine that is sick, or in danger
by reason of this or that casualty, he will take care for his beast,
that it may not perish; he will pull it out of the ditch on the
Sabbath day. But, oh! that is the day on which many men do put their
soul into the ditch of sin; that is the day that they set apart to
pursue wickedness in. 32 But, I say, what care hast thou taken to
get thy soul out of this ditch?--a ditch out of which thou canst never
get it without the aid of an omnipotent arm. In things pertaining
to this life, when a man feels his own strength fail, he will
implore the help and aid of another; and no man can, by any means,
deliver by his own arm his soul from the power of hell, which thou
also wilt confess, if thou beest not a very brute; but what hast
thou done with God for help? hast thou cried? hast thou cried
out? yea, dost thou still cry out, and that day and night before
him--'Deliver my soul' (Psa 17:13) 'Save my soul, preserve my soul'
(Psa 25:20) 'Heal my soul,' (Psa 42:4), and, 'I pour out my soul
unto thee?' (Psa 62:5). Yea, canst thou say, My soul, my soul waiteth
upon God, my soul thirsteth for Him, my soul followeth hard after
him? (Psa 63:1,8). I say, dost thou this, or dost thou hunt thine
own soul to destroy it? The soul, with some, is the game, their
lusts are the dogs, and they themselves are the huntsmen, and
never do they more halloo, and lure, and laugh, and sing, than when
they have delivered up their soul, their darling, to these dogs--a
thing that David trembled to think of, when he cried, 'Dogs have
compassed me. Deliver my darling,' my soul, 'from the power of the
dog' (Psa 22:16,20). Thus, I say, he cried, and yet these dogs were
but wicked men. But, oh! how much is a sin, a lust, worst than a
man to do us hurt; yea, worse than is a dog, (or) a lion, to hurt
a lamb!

4. What are the signs and tokens that thou bearest about thee,
concerning how it will go with thy soul at last? There are signs
and tokens of a good, and signs and tokens of a bad end that the
souls of sinners will have; there are signs of the salvation of the
soul, (Heb 6:9); evident tokens of salvation; and there are signs
of the damnation of the soul, evident signs of damnation (Phil
1:27,28; Job 21:29,30; 1 Sam 3:9). Now, which of these hast thou?
I cannot stand here to show thee which are which; but thy soul and
its salvation lieth before thee, and thou hast the book [the Holy
Bible] of signs about these matters by thee; thou hast also men of
God to go to, and their assemblies to frequent. Look to thyself;
heaven and hell are hard by, and one of them will swallow thee up;
heaven, into unspeakable and endless glory, or hell, into unspeakable
and endless torment. Yet,

5. What are the pleasures and delights of thy soul now? Are they
things Divine, or things natural? Are they things heavenly, or
things earthly? Are they things holy, or things unholy? For look
what think thou delightest in now, to those things the great God
doth count thee a servant, and for and of those thou shalt receive
thy wages at the day of judgment--'His servants ye are to whom ye
obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness'
(Rom 16:16).

Wicked men talk of heaven, and say they hope and desire to go
to heaven, even while they continue wicked men; but, I say, what
would they do there? If all that desire to go to heaven should come
thither, verily they would make a hell of heaven; for, I say, what
would they do there? why, just as they do here, scatter their
filthiness quite over the face of heaven, and make it as vile
as the pit that the devils dwell in. 33 Take holiness away out of
heaven, and what is heaven? I had rather be in hell, were there
none but holy ones there, than be in heaven itself with the children
of iniquity. If heaven should be filled with wicked men, God would
quickly drive them out, or forsake the place for their sakes. It
is true, they have been sinners, and none but sinners, that go to
heaven; but they are washed--' Such were some of you; but ye are
washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name
of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God' (1 Cor 6:11). When
the maidens were gathered together for the great king Ahasuerus,
before they were brought to him into his royal presence, they were to
be had to the house of the women, there to be purifed with things
for purification, and that for twelve months together--to wit,
six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours,
and other things, and so came every maiden to the king (Esth
2:3,9,12,13). God also hath appointed that those that come into
His royal presence should first go to the house of the women, the
church, 34 and there receive of the eunuchs things for purification,
things to make us 'meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the
saints in light' (Col 1:12). None can go from a state of nature
to glory but by a state of grace, the Lord gives grace and glory;
hence he that goeth to heaven is said to be wrought for it, fitted,
prepared for it (1 Cor 5:5; Rom 19:23).

USE FIFTH, Again, fifthly, Is it so? is the soul such an excellent
thing, and is the loss thereof so unspeakably great? Then this
doctrine commends those for the wise ones, that above all business
concern themselves with the salvation of their souls; those that
make all other matters but things by the by, and the salvation of
their souls the one thing needful. But, but few comparatively will
be concerned with this use; for where is he that doth this? Solomon
speaks of one man of a thousand (Eccl 7:28). However, some there
be, and blessed be God for some; but they are they that are wise,
yea, wise in the wisdom of God.

1. Because they reject what God hath rejected and that is sin.
2. Because they esteem but little of that which, by the Word, is
counted but of little esteem, and that is the world. 3. Because
they choose for a portion that which God commendeth unto us for
that which is the most excellent thing--viz., Himself, His Christ,
His heaven, His Word, His grace, and holiness; these are the great
and most excellent things, and the things that He has chosen that
is truly wise for his soul (and all other wise men are fools in
God's account, and in the judgment of His Word), and if it be so,
glory and bliss must needs be their portion, though others shall
miss thereof--'The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be
the promotion of fools' (Prov 3:35).

Let me, then, encourage those that are of this mind to be strong,
and hold on their way. Soul, thou hast pitched right; I will say of
thy choice as David said of Goliath's sword, 'There is none like
that; give it me.' 'Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man
take thy crown' (Rev 3:11). Oh! I admire this wisdom; this is by the
direction of the Lawgiver; this is by the teaching of the blessed
Spirit of God: not the wisdom which this world teacheth, nor the
wisdom which the world doth choose, which comes to nought (1 Cor
2: 6). Surely thou hast seen something of the world to come, and
of the glory of it, through faith; surely God has made thee see
emptiness in that wherein others find a fulness, and vanity in
that which by others is counted for a darling. Blessed are thine
eyes, for they see; and thine ears, for they hear.

But who told thee that thy soul was such an excellent thing as
by thy practice thou declarest thou believest it to be? What! set
more by thy soul than by all the world? What! cast a world behind
thy back for the welfare of a soul? Is not this to play the fool,
in the account of sinners, while angels wonder at and rejoice for
thy wisdom? What a thing is this, that thy soul and its welfare
should be more in thy esteem than all those glories wherewith the
eyes of the world are dazzled! Surely thou hast looked upon the
sun, and that makes gold look like a clod of clay in thine eyesight.

But who put the thoughts of the excellencies of the things that are
eternal--I say, who put the thoughts of the excellency of those
things into thy mind in this wanton age?--in an age wherein the
thoughts of eternal life, and the salvation of the soul, are with
and to many like the Morocco ambassador and his men, men of strange
faces, in strange habit, with strange gestures and behaviour,
monsters to behold. But where hadst thou that heart that gives
entertainment to these thoughts, these heavenly thoughts? These
thoughts are like the French Protestants, banished thence where
they willingly would have harbour.35 How came they to thy house,
to thy heart, and to find entertainment in thy sou1? The Lord keep
them in every imagination of the thoughts of thy heart for ever,
and incline thine heart to seek Him more and more.

And since the whole world have slighted and despised, and counted
foolish the thoughts and cogitations wherewith thy soul is exercised,
what strong and mighty supporter is it upon and with which thou
bearest up thy spirit, and takest encouragement in this thy forlorn,
unoccupied, and singular way? for so, I daresay, it is with the
most; but certainly it is something above thyself, and that is more
mighty to uphold thee than is the power, rage, and malice of all
the world to cast thee down, or else thou couldst not bear up, now
wind and weather, now the stream and the force thereof are against
thee.

Objection 1. 'I know my soul is an excellent thing, and that the
world to come and its glories, even in the smallest glimpse thereof,
do swallow up all the world that is here; my heart also doth greatly
desire to be exercised about the thoughts of eternity, and I count
myself never better than when my poor heart is filled with them;
as for the rage and fury of this world, it swayeth very little with
me, for my heart is come to a point; but yet, for all that, I meet
with many discouragements, and such things that indeed do weaken
my strength in the way.'

But, brave soul, pray tell me what the things are that discourage
thee, and that weaken thy strength in the way?

Why, the amazing greatness of this my enterprise, that is one
thing. I am now pursuing things of the highest, the greatest, the
most enriching nature, even eternal things; and the thoughts of
the greatness of them drowned me; for when the heat of my spirit in
the pursuit after them is a little returned and abated, methinks I
hear myself talking thus to myself: Fond fool! canst thou imagine
that such a gnat, a flea, a pismire as thou art, can take and
possess the heavens, and mantle thyself up in the eternal glories?
If thou makest first a trial of the successfulness of thy endeavours
upon things far lower, more base, but much more easy to obtain, as
crowns, kingdoms, earldoms, dukedoms, gold, silver, or the like,
how vain are these attempts of thine; and yet thou thinkest to
possess thy soul of heaven! Away, away! by the height thereof thou
mayest well conclude it is far above out of thy reach; and by the
breadth thereof it is too large for thee to grasp; and by the nature
of the excellent glory thereof, too good for thee to possess. These
are the thoughts that sometimes discourage me, and that weaken my
strength in the way.