Edna St. Vincent Millay - "The Lamp and the Bell"

John Lothrop Motley - "History of the United Netherlands, 1608(b)"

Dillon Wallace - "The Long Labrador Trail"

P. G. Wodehouse - "Jill the Reckless)"

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




Eighth Privilege.-The Advocate is always ready in court.-He appears
NOW in the presence of God

Ninth Privilege.-The Advocate will not be blinded with bribes

Tenth Privilege.-The Advocate is judge in the client's cause.-Joseph's
exaltation was Israel's advantage.-God's care of his people's
welfare

Eleventh Privilege.-The Advocate hath all that is requisite for an
advocate to have

FIFTH.-LAST HEAD.-TO SHOW THE NECESSITY OF CHRIST FOR OUR ADVOCATE

First.-To vindicate the justice of God against the cavils of the
devil.-Satan charges God with unjust words and actions.-God is
pleased with his design to save sinners

Second.-There is law to be objected against us.-Christ appeals to
the law itself.-Christ is not ashamed to own the way of salvation

Third.-Many things give our accuser advantage.-1. Many things
relating to the promises.-2. Many things relating to our lives.-3.
The threats annexed to the gospel

Fourth.-To plead about our afflictions for sins.-A simile of a man
indicted at the assizes, and his malicious adversary.-An allusion
to Abishai and Shimei, who cursed David

Fifth.-To plead the efficacy of our old titles to our inheritance,
if questionable because of new sins-Saints do not sell their
inheritance by sin

Sixth.-Our evidences are oft out of our hand, and we recover them
by our Advocate

SIXTH.-OBJECTIONS REMOVED

First Object.-What need all these offices or nice distinctions.-Answ.
The wisdom of God is not to be charged with folly.-God's people are
baffled with the devil for want of a distinct knowledge of Christ
in all his offices

Second Object.-My cause being bad, Christ will desert me.-Answ.
Sin is deadly destruction to faith.-A five-fold order observed in
the exercise of faith

Third Object.-But who shall pay the Advocate his fee?-Answ. There
is law, and lawyers too, without money.-Christ pleads for the
poor.-David's strange gift to God

Fourth Object.-If Christ be my Advocate once, he will always be
troubled with me.-Answ. He is an Advocate to the utmost

SEVENTH.-USE AND APPLICATION

Use First.-To consider the dignity God hath put upon Christ, by
offices, places of trust, and titles of honour, in general

Use Second.-To consider this office of an Advocate in particular;
by which consideration these advantages come:-1. To see one is not
forsaken for sin.-2. To take courage to contend with the devil.-3.
It affords relief for discouraged faith.-4. It helps to put off
the visor Satan puts on Christ.-A simile of a visor on the face
of a father.-Study this peculiar treasure of an advocate.-(1.)
With reference to its peculiarity.-(2.) Study the nature of this
office.-(3.) Study its efficacy and prevalency.-(4.) Study Christ's
faithfulness in his office.-(5.) Study the need of a share therein

Use Third.-To wonder at Christ's condescension, in being an Advocate
for the base and unworthy.-Christ acts in open court, 1. With a
holy and just God.-2. Before all the heavenly host.-3. The client
is unconcerned for whom the Advocate is engaged.-4. The majesty of
the man that is an Advocate

Use Fourth.-Improve this doctrine to strengthen grace. 1.To
strengthen faith.-2. To encourage to prayer.-3. To keep humble.-4.
To encourage to perseverance.-Object. I cannot pray; my mouth is
stopped.-Answ. Satan cannot silence Christ.-5. Improve this doctrine,
to drive difficulties down

Use Fifth.-If Christ pleads for us before God, we should plead for
him before men.-Nine considerations to that end.-The last reserve
for a dead lift

Use Sixth.-To be wary of sin against God.-Christianity teaches
ingenuity. 2 Christ is our Advocate, on free cost.-A comely conclusion
of a brute.-Three considerations added

Use Seventh.-The strong are to tell the weak of an Advocate to
plead their cause.-A word in season is good

Use Eighth.-All is nothing to them that have none to plead their
cause.-An instance of God's terrible judgment.-Object. There is
grace, the promise, the blood of Christ; cannot these save, except
Christ be Advocate?-Answ. These, and Advocate, and all, little
enough.-Christ no Advocate for such as have no sense of, and
shame for sin.-Object. Is not Christ an Advocate for his elect
uncalled?-Answ. He died, and prayeth, for all his elect, as Priest;
as Advocate, pleads for the called only

THE WORK OF JESUS CHRIST AS AN ADVOCATE.

"AND IF ANY MAN SIN, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUS
CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS."---I JOHN 2:1.

THAT the apostle might obtain due regard from those to whom
he wrote, touching the things about which he wrote, he tells them
that he received not his message to them at second or third hand,
but was himself an eye and ear witness thereof-That which was from
the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our
eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of
the word of life, (for the life was manifested, and we have seen
it, and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life, which was
with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have
seen and heard, declare we unto you.3

Having thus told them of his ground for what he said, he proceeds
to tell them also the matter contained in his errand-to wit, that
he brought them news of eternal life, as freely offered in the word
of the gospel to them; or rather, that that gospel which they had
received would certainly usher them in at the gates of the kingdom
of heaven, were their reception of it sincere and in truth--for,
saith he, then "the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanseth
you from all sin."

Having thus far told them what was his errand, he sets upon
an explication of what he had said, especially touching our being
cleansed from all sin--"Not," saith he, "from a being of sin; for
should we say so, we should deceive ourselves," and should prove
that we have no truth of God in us, but by cleansing, I mean
a being delivered from all sin, so as that none at all shall have
the dominion over you, to bring you down to hell; for that, for
the sake of the blood of Christ, all trespasses are forgiven you.

This done, he exhorts them to shun or fly sin, and not to consent
to the motions, workings, enticings, or allurements thereof, saying,
"I write unto you that ye sin not." Let not forgiveness have so
bad an effect upon you as to cause you to be remiss in Christian
duties, or as to tempt you to give, way to evil. Shall we sin because
we are forgiven? or shall we not much matter what manner of lives
we live, because we are set free from the law of sin and death? God
forbid. Let grace teach us another lesson, and lay other obligations
upon our spirits. "My little children," saith he, "these things
write I unto you, that ye sin not." What things? Why, tidings of
pardon and salvation, and of that nearness to God, to which you
are brought by the precious blood of Christ. Now, lest also by this
last exhortation he should yet be misunderstood, he adds, "And if
any man sin, we have an Advocate with the rather, Jesus Christ the
righteous." I say, he addeth this to prevent desponding in those
weak and sensible Christians that are so quick of feeling and
of discerning the corruptions of their natures; for these cry out
continually that there is nothing that they do but it is attended
with sinful weaknesses.

Wherefore, in the words we are presented with two great truths--l.
With a supposition, that men in Christ, while in this world, may
sin--, "If any man sin;" any man; none are excluded; for all, or
any one of the all of them that Christ hath redeemed and forgiven,
are incident to sin. By "may" I mean, not a toleration, but a
possibility; "For there is not a man, not a just man upon earth,
that doeth good, and sinneth not" (Eccl 7:20; 1 Kings 8:46). II.
The other thing with which we are presented is, an Advocate--, "If
any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous."

Now there lieth in these two truths two things to be inquired
into, as-First, What the apostle should here mean by sin. Second,
And also, what he here doth mean by an advocate-"If any man sin,
we have an Advocate." There is ground to inquire after the first
of these, because, though here he saith, they that sin have an
advocate, yet in the very next chapter he saith, "Such are of the
devil, have not seen God, neither know him, nor are of him." There
is ground also to inquire after the second, because an advocate is
supposed in the text to be of use to them that sin--, "If any man
sin, we have an Advocate."

First, For the first of these--to wit, what the apostle should here
mean by sin--, "If any man sin."

I answer, since there is a difference in the persons, there must be
a difference in the sin. That there is a difference in the persons
is showed before; one is called a child of God, the other is said
to be of the wicked one. Their sins differ also, in their degree at
least; for no child of God sins to that degree as to make himself
incapable of forgiveness; "for he that is begotten of God keepeth
himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not" (I John 5:18).
Hence, the apostle says, "There is a sin unto death" (v. 16). See
also Matthew 12:32. Which is the sin from which he that is born of
God is kept. The sins therefore are thus distinguished: The sins of
the people of God are said to be sins that men commit, the others
are counted those which are the sins of devils.

1. The sins of God's people are said to be sins which men commit,
and for which they have an Advocate, though they who sin after the
example of the wicked one have none. "When a man or woman," saith
Moses, "shall commit any sin that men commit--they shall confess
their sin--and an atonement shall be made for him" (Num 5:5-7).
Mark, it is when they commit a sin which men commit; or, as Hosea
has it, when they transgress the commandment like Adam (Hosea 6:7).
Now, these are the sins under consideration by the apostle, and to
deliver us from which, "we have an Advocate with the Father."

2. But for the sins mentioned in the third chapter, since the
persons sinning go here under another character, they also must be
of another stamp-to wit, a making head against the person, merits,
and grace of Jesus Christ. These are the sins of devils in the
world, and for these there is no remission. These, they also that
are of the wicked one commit, and therefore sin after the similitude
of Satan, and so fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Second, But what is it for Jesus to be an Advocate for these? "If
any man sin, we have an Advocate."

An advocate is one who pleadeth for another at any bar, or before
any court of judicature; but of this more in its place. So, then,
we have in the text a Christian, as supposed, committing sin, and
a declaration of an Advocate prepared to plead for him-"If any man
sin, we have an Advocate with the Father."

And this leads me first to inquire into what, by these words the
apostle must, of necessity, presuppose? For making use here of the
similitude or office of an advocate, thereby to show the preservation
of the sinning Christian, he must,

1. Suppose that God, as judge, is now upon the throne of his
judgment; for an advocate is to plead at a bar, before a court of
judicature. Thus it is among men; and forasmuch as our Lord Jesus
is said to be an "Advocate with the Father," it is clear that there
is a throne of judgment also. This the prophet Micaiah affirms,
saying, "I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of
heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left" (I Kings
22:19). Sitting upon a throne for judgment; for from the Lord, as
then sitting upon that throne, proceeded that sentence against king
Ahab, that he should go and fall at Ramoth-gilead; and he did go,
and did fall there, as the award or fruit of that judgment. That
is the first.

2. The text also supposeth that the saints as well as sinners are
concerned at that bar; for the apostle saith plainly that there
"we have an Advocate." And the saints are concerned at that bar;
because they transgress as well as others, and because the law
is against the sin of saints as well as against the sins of other
men. If the saints were not capable of committing of sin, what need
would they have of an advocate (I Chron 21:3-6. I Sam 12:13,14)?4
Yea, though they did sin, yet if they were by Christ so set free
from the law as that it could by no means take cognizance of their
sins, what need would they have of an advocate? None at all. If
there be twenty places where there are assizes kept in this land,
yet if I have offended no law, what need have I of an advocate?
Especially if the judge be just, and knows me altogether, as the
God of heaven does? But here is Judge that is just; and here is an
Advocate also, an Advocate for the children, an Advocate to plead;
for an advocate as such is not of use but before a bar to plead;
therefore, here is an offence, and so a law broken by the saints
as well as others. That is the second thing.

3. As the text supposes that there is a judge, and crimes of saints,
so it supposeth that there is an accuser, one that will carefully
gather up the faults of good men, and that will plead them at this
bar against them. Hence we read of "the accuser of our brethren,
that accused them before our God day and night" (Rev 12:10-12).
For Satan doth not only tempt the godly man to sin, but, having
prevailed with him, and made him guilty, he packs away to the court,
to God the judge of all; and there addresses himself to accuse
that man, and to lay to his charge the heinousness of his offence,
pleading against him the law that he has broken, the light against
which he did it, and the like. But now, for the relief and support
of such poor people, the apostle, by the text, presents them with an
advocate; that is, with one to plead for them, while Satan pleads
against them; with one that pleads for pardon, while Satan, by
accusing, seeks to pull judgment and vengeance upon our heads. "If
any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous." That is the third thing.

4. As the apostle supposeth a judge, crimes, and an accuser, so
he also supposeth that those herein concerned-to wit, the sinning
children-neither can nor dare attempt to appear at this bar
themselves to plead their own cause before this Judge and against
this accuser; for if they could or durst do this, what need they
have an advocate? for an advocate is of use to them whose cause
themselves neither can nor dare appear to plead. Thus Job prayed
for an advocate to plead his cause with God (Job 16:21); and David
cries out, "Enter not into judgment with thy servant," O God,
"for in thy sight shall no man living be justified" (Psa 143:2).
Wherefore, it is evident that saints neither can nor dare adventure
to plead their cause. Alas! the Judge is the almighty and eternal
God; the law broken is the holy and perfect rule of God, in itself
a consuming fire. The sin is so odious, and a thing so abominable,
that it is enough to make all the angels blush to hear it but so
much as once mentioned in so holy a place as that is where this
great God doth sit to judge. This sin now hangs about the neck of
him that hath committed it; yea, it covereth him as doth a mantle.
The adversary is bold, cunning, and audacious, and can word a
thousand of us into an utter silence in less than half a quarter
of an hour. What, then, should the sinner, if he could come there,
do at this bar to plead? Nothing; nothing for his own advantage.
But now comes in his mercy-he has an Advocate to plead his cause-"If
any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous." That is the fourth thing. But again,

5. The apostle also supposeth by the text there is an aptness
in Christians when they have sinned, to forget that they "have an
Advocate with the Father"; wherefore this is written to put them
in remembrance-"If any may sin, [let him remember] we have an
Advocate." We can think of all other things well enough-namely,
that God is a just judge, that the law is perfectly holy, that my
sin is a horrible and an abominable thing, and that I am certainly
thereof accused before God by Satan.

These things, I say, we readily think of, and forget them not. Our
conscience puts us in mind of these, our guilt puts us in mind of
these, the devil puts us in mind of these, and our reason and sense
hold the knowledge and remembrance of these close to us. All that
we forget is, that we have an Advocate, "an Advocate with the
Father"-that is, one that is appointed to take in hand in open
court, before all the angels of heaven, my cause, and to plead it
by such law and arguments as will certainly fetch me off, though
I am clothed with filthy garments; but this, I say, we are apt
to forget, as Job when he said, "O that one might plead for a man
with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!" (Job 16:21). Such
an one Job had, but he had almost at this time forgot it; as he
seems to intimate also where he wisheth for a daysman that might
lay his hand upon them both (Job 9:33). But our mercy is, we have
one to plead our cause, "an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ
the righteous," who will not suffer our soul to be spilt and spoiled
before the throne, but will surely plead our cause.

6. Another thing that the apostle would have us learn from the words
is this, that to remember and to believe that Jesus Christ is an
Advocate for us when we have sinned, is the next way to support
and strengthen our faith and hope. Faith and hope are very apt to
faint when our sins in their guilt do return upon us; nor is there
any more proper way to relieve our souls than to understand that
the Son of God is our Advocate in heaven. True, Christ died for our
sins as a sacrifice, and as a priest he sprinkleth with his blood
the mercyseat; ay, but here is one that has sinned after profession
of faith, that has sinned grievously, so grievously that his sins
are come up before God; yea, are at his bar pleaded against him
by the accuser of the brethren, by the enemy of the godly. What
shall he do now? Why, let him believe in Christ. Believe, that is
true; but how now must he conceive in his mind of Christ for the
encouraging of him so to do? Why, let him call to mind that Jesus
Christ is an Advocate with the Father, and as such he meeteth the
accuser at the bar of God, pleads for this man that has sinned
against this accuser, and prevaileth for ever against him. Here
now, though Satan be turned lawyer, though he accuseth, yea, though
his charge against us is true, (for suppose that we have sinned,)
"yet our Advocate is with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."
Thus is faith encouraged, thus is hope strengthened, thus is the
spirit of the sinking Christian revived, and made to wait for a good
deliverance from a bad cause and a cunning adversary; especially
if you consider,

7. That the apostle doth also further suppose by the text that
Jesus Christ, as Advocate, if he will but plead our cause, let
that be never so black, is able to bring us off, even before God's
judgment-seat, to our joy, and the confounding of our adversary;
for when he saith, "We have an Advocate," he speaks nothing if he
means not thus. But he doth mean thus, he must mean thus, because
he seeketh here to comfort and support the fallen. "Has any man
sinned? We have an Advocate." But what of that, if yet he be unable
to fetch us off when charged for sin at the bar, and before the
face of a righteous judge?

But he is able to do this. The apostle says so, in that he supposes
a man has sinned, as any man among the godly ever did; for we may
understand it; and if he giveth us not leave to understand it so,
he saith nothing to the purpose neither, for it will be objected
by some-But can he fetch me off, though I have done as David,
as Solomon, as Peter, or the like? It must be answered, Yes. The
openness of the terms ANY MAN, the indefiniteness of the word SIN,
doth naturally allow us to take him in the largest sense; besides,
he brings in this saying as the chief, most apt, and fittest to
relieve one crushed down to death and hell by the guilt of sin and
a wounded conscience.

Further, methinks by these words the apostle seems to triumph in
his Christ, saying, My brethren, I would have you study to be holy;
but if your adversary the devil should get the advantage of you,
and besmear you with the filth of sin, you have yet, besides all
that you have heard already, "an Advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous," who is as to his person, in interest with
God, his wisdom and worth, able to bring you off, to the comforting
of your souls.

Let me, therefore, for a conclusion as to this, give you an
exhortation to believe, to hope, and expect, that though you have
sinned, (for now I speak to the fallen saint) that Jesus Christ
will make a good end with the-"Trust," I say, "in him, and he shall
bring it to pass." I know I put thee upon a hard and difficult task
for believing and expecting good, when my guilty conscience doth
nothing but clog, burden, and terrify me with the justice of God,
the greatness of thy sins, and the burning torments is hard and
sweating work. But it must be; the text calls for it, thy case
calls for it, and thou must do it, if thou wouldst glorify Christ;
and this is the way to hasten the issue of thy cause in hand, for
believing daunts the devil, pleaseth Christ, and will help thee
beforehand to sing that song of the church, saying, "O Lord, thou
hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life"
(Lam 3:58). Yea, believe, and hear thy pleading Lord say to thee,
"Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause
of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup
of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no
more drink it again" (Isa 51:22). I am not here discoursing of the
sweetness of Christ's nature, but of the excellency of his offices,
and of his office of advocateship in particular, which, as a lawyer
for his client, he is to execute in the presence of God for us.
Love may be where there is no office, and so where no power is to
do us good; but now, when love and office shall meet, they will
surely both combine in Christ to do the fallen Christian good. But
of his love we have treated elsewhere; we will here discourse of
the office of this loving one. And for thy further information, let
me tell thee that God thy Father counteth that thou wilt be, when
compared with his law, but a poor one all thy days; yea, the apostle
tells thee so, in that he saith there is an Advocate provided for
thee. When a father provides crutches for his child, he doth as
good as say, I count that my child will be yet infirm; and when
God shall provide an Advocate, he doth as good as say, My people
are subject to infirmities. Do not, therefore, think of thyself
above what, by plain texts, and fair inferences drawn from Christ's
offices, thou are bound to think. What doth it bespeak concerning
thee that Christ is always a priest in heaven, and there ever lives
to make intercession for thee (Heb 7:24), but this, that thou art
at the best in thyself, yea, and in thy best exercising of all
thy graces too, but a poor, pitiful, sorry, sinful man; a man that
would, when yet most holy, be certainly cast away, did not thy high
priest take away for thee the iniquity of thy holy things. The age
we live in is a wanton age; the godly are not so humble, and low,
and base in their own eyes as they should, though their daily
experience calls for it, and the priesthood of Jesus Christ too.

But above all, the advocateship of Jesus Christ declares us to be
sorry creatures; for that office does, as it were, predict that
some time or other we shall basely fall, and by falling be undone,
if the Lord Jesus stand not up to plead. And as it shows this
concerning us, so it shows concerning God that he will not lightly
or easily lose his people. He has provided well for us-blood to wash
us in; a priest to pray for us, that we may be made to persevere;
and, in case we foully fall, an advocate to plead our cause, and
to recover us from under, and out of all that danger, that by sin
and Satan, we at any time may be brought into.

But having thus briefly passed through that in the text which I think
the apostle must necessarily presuppose, I shall now endeavour to
enter into the bowels of it, and see what, in a more particular
manner, shall be found therein. And, for my more profitable doing
of this work, I shall choose to observe this method in my discourse-

[METHOD OF THE DISCOURSE.]

FIRST, I shall show you more particularly of this Advocate's office,
or what and wherein Christ's office as Advocate doth lie. SECOND,
After that, I shall also show you how Jesus Christ doth manage this
office of an Advocate. THIRD, I shall also then show you who they
are that have Jesus Christ for their Advocate. FOURTH, I shall
also show you what excellent privileges they have, who have Jesus
Christ for their Advocate. FIFTH, And to silence cavillers, I shall
also show the necessity of this office of Jesus Christ. SIXTH, I
shall come to answer some objections; and, LASTLY, To the use and
application.