Frank Gee Patchin - "The Pony Rider Boys in Montana"

Retold by Mary Catherine Judd - "Classic Myths"

John Lothrop Motley - "The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1568"

Emile Zola - "The Three Cities Trilogy: Paris, Vol. 4"

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




1. With a holy and just God; for he is the judge of all, and his
eyes are purer than to behold iniquity; yea, his very essence and
presence is a consuming fire; yet, before and with this God, and
that for such a people, Jesus Christ, the King, will be an Advocate.
For one mean man to be an Advocate for the base, with one that is
not considerable, is not so much; but for Christ to be an Advocate
for the base, and for the base, too, under the basest consideration,
this is to be wondered at. When Bathsheba, the queen became an
advocate for Adonijah unto king Solomon, you see how he flounced at
her, for that his cause was bad. "And why," saith he, "dost thou
ask Abishag for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also" (I Kings
2:16-23). I told you before, that to be an advocate did run one
upon hazards of reproach; and it may easily be thought that the
queen did blush, when, from the king, her son, she received such a
repulse; nor do we hear any more of her being an advocate; I believe
she had enough of this. But oh! This Christ of God, who himself is
greater that Solomon, he is become an Advocate, "an Advocate with
the Father," who is the eternally just, and holy, and righteous
God; and that for a people, with respect to him, far worse than
could be Adonijah in the eyes of his brother Solomon. Majesty and
justice are dreadful in themselves, and much more so when approached
by any, especially when the cause, as to matter of fact, is bad,
that the man is guilty of who is concerned in the advocateship of
his friend; and yet Jesus Christ is still an Advocate for us, "an
Advocate with the Father."

2. Consider, also, before whom Jesus Christ doth plead as an
Advocate, and that is before, or in the presence and observation
of, all the heavenly host; for whilst Christ pleadeth with God for
his people, all the host of heaven stand by on the right hand and
on the left (Matt 10:32). And though as yet there may seem to be
but little in this consideration, yet Christ would have us know, and
account it an infinite kindness of his to us that he will confess,
and not be ashamed of us before the angels of his Father (Mark 8:38).
Angels are holy and glorious creatures, and, in some respect, may
have a greater knowledge of the nature and baseness of sin than we
while here are capable of; and so may be made to stand and wonder
while the Advocate pleads with God for a people, from head to foot,
clothed therewith. But Christ will not be ashamed to stand up for
us before them, though they know how bad we are, and what vile
things we have done. Let this, therefore, make us wonder.

3. Add to these, how unconcerned ofttimes those are with themselves,
and their own desolate condition, for whom Christ, as an Advocate,
laboureth in heaven with God. Alas! The soul is as far off of knowing
what the devil is doing against it at God's bar as David was when
Saul was threatening to have his blood, while he was hid in the
field (I Sam 20:26-34). But, O true Jonathan! How didst thou plead
for David! Only here thou hadst the advantage of our Advocate,
thou hadst a good cause to plead; for when Saul, thy father, said,
"David shall surely die," thy reply was, "Wherefore shall he be
slain? What [evil] hath he done?" But Christ cannot say thus when
he pleadeth for us at God's bar; nor is our present senselessness
and unconcernedness about his pleading but an aggravation to our sin.
Perhaps David was praying while Jonathan was playing the advocate
for him before the king his father; but perhaps the saint is sleeping,
yea, sinning more, whilst Christ is pleading for him in heaven.
Oh! This should greatly affect us; this should make us wonder;
this should be so considered by us, as to heighten our souls to
admiration of the grace and kindness of Christ.

4. Join to these the greatness and gravity, the highness and glorious
majesty of the Man that is become our Advocate. Says the text, it
is Jesus Christ-"We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ."
Now, that he should become an Advocate, that he should embrace such
an employ as this of his advocateship, let this be a wonderment,
and so be accounted. But let us come to the fourth use.

Use Fourth. Is it so? Is Jesus Christ the Saviour also become our
Advocate? Then let us labour to make that improvement of this doctrine
as tendeth to strengthen our graces, and us, in the management of
them. Indeed, this should be the use that we should make of all
the offices of Christ; but let us, at this time, concern ourselves
about this; let, I say, the poor Christian thus expostulate with
himself-

1. Is Christ Jesus the Lord mine Advocate with the Father? Then
awake, my faith, and shake thyself like a giant; stir up thyself,
and be not faint; Christ is the Advocate of his people, and pleadeth
the cause of the poor and needy. And as for sin, which is one great
stumble to thy actings, O my faith, Christ has not only died for
that as a sacrifice, nor only carried his sacrifice unto the Father,
in the holiest of all, but is there to manage that offering as
an Advocate, pleading the efficacy and worth thereof before God,
against the devil, for us. Thus, I say, we should strengthen our
faith; for faith has to do not only with the Word, but also with
the offices of Christ. Besides, considering how many the assaults
are that are made upon our faith, we find all little enough to
support it against all the wiles of the devil.

Christians too little concern themselves, as I have said, with the
offices of Jesus Christ; and therefore their knowledge of him is
so little, and their faith in him so weak. We are bid to have our
conversation in heaven, and then a man so hath, when he is there,
in his spirit, by faith, observing how the Lord Jesus doth exercise
his offices there for him. Let us often, by faith, go to the bar
of God, there to hear our Advocate plead our cause; we should often
have our faith to God's judgment-seat, because we are concerned
there; there we are accused of the devil, there we have our crimes
laid open, and there we have our Advocate to plead; and this is
suggested in the text, for it saith, "We have an Advocate with the
Father"; therefore, thither our faith should go for help and relief
in the day of our straits. I say, we should have our faith to God's
judgment-seat, and show it there, by the glass of our text,35 what
Satan is doing against, and the Lord Jesus for, our souls. We should
also show it how the Lord Jesus carries away every cause from the
devil, and from before the judgment-seat, to the comfort of the
children, the joy of angels, and the shame of the enemy. This
would strengthen and support our faith indeed, and would make us
more able than, for the most part, we are to apply the grace of God
to ourselves, and hereafter to give more strong repulses to Satan.
It is easy with a man, when he knows that his advocate has overthrown
his enemy at the King's Bench bar or Court of Common Pleas, less
to fear him the next time he sees him, and more boldly to answer
him when he reneweth his threats on him. Let faith, then, be
strengthened, from its being exercised about the advocateship of
Jesus Christ.

2. As we should make use of Christ's advocateship for the
strengthening of our faith, so we should also make use thereof to
the encouraging us to prayer. As our faith is, so is our prayer;
to wit, cold, weak, and doubtful, if our faith be so. When faith
cannot apprehend that we have access to the Father by Christ, or
that we have an Advocate, when charged before God for our sins by
the devil, then we flag and faint in our prayer; but when we begin
to take courage to believe-and then we do so when most clearly
we apprehend Christ-then we get up in prayer. And according as a
man apprehends Christ in his undertakings and offices, so he will
wrestle with and supplicate God. As, suppose a man believes that
Christ died for his sins; why, then, he will plead that in prayer
with God. Suppose, also, that a man understands that Christ rose
again for his justification; why, then, he will also plead that in
prayer; but if he knows no more, no further will he go. But when he
shall know that there is also for him an Advocate with the Father,
and that that Advocate is Jesus Christ; and when the glory of this
office of Christ shall shine in the face of this man's soul; oh,
then, he takes courage to pray with that courage he had not before;
yea, then is his faith so supported and made strong, that his prayer
is more fervent, and importuning abundance. So that, I say, the
knowledge of the advocateship of Christ is very useful to strengthen
our graces; and, as of graces in general, so of faith and prayer in
particular. Wherefore, our wisdom is, so to improve this doctrine
that prayer may be strengthened thereby.

3. As we should make use of this doctrine to strengthen faith and
prayer, so we should make use of it to keep us humble; for the more
offices Christ executeth for us with the Father, the greater sign
that we are bad; and the more we see our badness, the more humble
should we be. Christ gave for us the price of blood; but that is
not all; Christ as a Captain has conquered death and the grave for
us, but that is not all: Christ as a Priest intercedes for us in
heaven; but that is not all. Sin is still in us, and with us, and
mixes itself with whatever we do, whether what we do be religious
or civil; for not only our prayers and our sermons, our hearings
and preaching, and so; but our houses, our shops, our trades, and
our beds, are all polluted with sin. Nor doth the devil, our night
and day adversary, forbear to tell our bad deeds to our Father,
urging that we might for ever be disinherited for this. But what
should we now do, if we had not an Advocate; yea, if we had not
one who would plead in forma pauperis; yea, if we had not one that
could prevail, and that would faithfully execute that office for
us? Why, we must die. But since we are rescued by him, let us, as
to ourselves, lay our hand upon our mouth, and be silent, and say,
"Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory."
And, I say again, since the Lord Jesus is fain to run through so
many offices for us before he can bring us to glory, oh! how low,
how little, how vile and base in our own eyes should we be.

It is a shame for a Christian to think highly of himself, since
Christ is fain to do so much for him, and he again not at all able
to make him amends; but some, whose riches consist in nothing but
scabs and lice, will yet have lofty looks. But are not they much to
blame who sit lifting up of lofty eyes in the house, and yet know
not how to turn their hand to do anything so, but that another,
their betters, must come and mend their work? I say, is it not more
meet that those that are such, should look and speak, and act as
such that declare their sense of their unhandiness, and their shame,
and the like, for their unprofitableness? Yea, is it not meet that
to every one they should confess what sorry ones they are? I am
sure it should be thus with Christians, and God is angry when it
is otherwise. Nor doth it become these helpless ones to lift up
themselves on high. Let Christ's advocateship therefore teach us
to be humble.

4. As we should improve this doctrine to strengthen faith, to
encourage prayer, and keep us humble, so we should make use of it
to encourage perseverance-that is, to hold on, to hold out to the
end; for, for all those causes the apostle setteth Christ before us
as an Advocate. There is nothing more discourages the truly godly
than the sense of their own infirmities, as has been hinted all
along; consequently, nothing can more encourage them to go on than
to think that Christ is an Advocate for them. The services, also,
that Christ has for us to do in this world are full of difficulty,
and so apt to discourage: but when a Christian shall come to
understand that-if we do what we can-it is not a failing either in
matter or manner that shall render it wholly unserviceable, or give
the devil that advantage as to plead thereby to prevail for our
condemnation and rejection; but that Christ, by being our Advocate,
saves us from falling short, as also from the rage of hell. This
will encourage us to hold on, though we do but hobble in all our
goings, and fumble in all our doings; for we have Christ for an
Advocate in case we sin in the management of any duty-"If any man
sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."
Let us, therefore, go on in all God's ways as well as we can for
our hearts; and when our foot slips, let us tell God of it, and
his mercy in Christ shall hold us up (Psa 84:9-12).

Darkness, and to be shut up in prison, is also a great discouragement
to us; but our Advocate is for giving us light, and for fetching
us out of our prison. True, he that Joseph chose to be his Advocate
with Pharaoh remembered not Joseph, but forgat him (Gen 40:14, 23);
but he that has Jesus Christ to be his Advocate shall be remembered
before God, (Micah 7:8-10).-"He remembered us in our low estate;
for his mercy endureth for ever" (Psa 136:23). Yea, he will say
to the prisoners, Show yourselves; and to them that are in the
prison-house, Go forth. Satan sometimes gets the saints into the
prison when he has taken them captive by their lusts (Rom 7:23).
But they shall not be always there; and this should encourage us
to go on in godly ways; for "we must through much tribulation enter
into the kingdom of God."

Objection. But I cannot pray, says one, therefore how should
I persevere? When I go to prayer, instead of praying, my mouth is
stopped. What would you have me do?

Answer. Well, soul, though Satan may baffle thee, he cannot so
serve thine Advocate; if thou must not speak for thyself, Christ
thine Advocate can speak for thee. Lemuel was to open his mouth
for the dumb-to wit, for the sons of destruction, and to plead the
cause of the poor and needy (Prov 31:8, 9). If we knew the grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ, so as the Word reveals it, we would believe,
we would hope, and would, notwithstanding all discouragements, wait
for the salvation of the Lord. But there are many things that hinder,
wherefore faith, prayer, and perseverance, are made difficult things
unto us-"But if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous": and, God "shall fight for you, and
you shall hold your peace," was once a good word to me when I could
not pray.

5. As we should improve this doctrine for the improvement
and encouragement of these graces, so we should improve it to the
driving of difficulties down before us, to the getting of ground
upon the enemy-"Resist the devil," drive him back; this is it for
which thy Lord Jesus is an Advocate with God in heaven; and this
is it for the sake of which thou art made a believer on earth (I
Peter 5:9; Heb 12:4). Wherefore has God put this sword, WE HAVE
AN ADVOCATE, into thy hand, but to fight thy way through the world?
"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life," and say,
"I will go in the strength of the Lord God." And since I have an
Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, I will not
despair, though "the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about"
(Psa 49:5).

Use Fifth. Doth Jesus Christ stand up to plead for us with God, to
plead with him for us against the devil? Let this teach us to stand
up to plead for him before men, to plead for him against the enemies
of his person and gospel. This is but reasonable; for if Christ
stands up to plead for us, why should not we stand up to plead for
him? He also expects this at our hands, saying, "Who will rise up
for me against the evil doers? Who will stand up for me against the
workers of iniquity?" (Psa 94:16). The apostle did it, and counted
himself engaged to do it, where he saith, he preached "the gospel
of God with much contention" (I Thess 2:2). Nor is this the duty of
apostles or preachers only, but every child of God should "earnestly
contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints"
(Jude 3).

And, as I said, there is reason why we should do this; he standeth
for us. And if we, (1.) Consider the disparity of persons to plead,
it will seem far more reasonable. He stands up to plead with God,
we stand up to plead with men. The dread of God is great, yea,
greater than the dread of men. (2.) If we consider the persons
pleaded for. He pleads for sinners, for the inconsiderable, vile,
and base; we plead for Jesus, for the great, holy, and honourable.
It is an honour for the poor to stand up for the great and mighty;
but what honour is it for the great to plead for the base? Reason,
therefore, requireth that we stand up to plead for him, though there
can be but little rendered why he should stand up to plead for us.
(3.) He standeth up to plead for us in the most holy place, though
we are vile; and why should we not stand up for him in this vile
world, since he is holy? (4.) He pleads for us, though our cause
is bad; why should not we plead for him, since his cause is good?
(5.) He pleads for us, against fallen angels; why should we not
plead for him against sinful vanities? (6.) He pleads for us to
save our souls; why should not we plead for him to sanctify his
name? (7.) He pleads for us before the holy angels; why should
not we plead for him before princes? (8.) He is not ashamed of us,
though now in heaven; why should we be ashamed of him before this
adulterous and sinful generation? (9.) He is unwearied in his pleading
for us; why should we faint and be dismayed while we plead for him?

My brethren, is it not reasonable that we should stand up for him
in this world? Yea, is it not reason that in all things we should
study his exaltation here, since he in all things contrives our
honour and glory in heaven? A child of God should study in every
of his relations to serve the Lord Christ in this world, because
Christ, by the execution of every one of his offices, seeks our
promotion hereafter. If these be not sufficient arguments to bow us
to yield up our members, ourselves, our whole selves to God, that
we may be servants of righteousness unto him; yea, if by these and
such like we are not made willing to stand up for him before men,
it is a sign that there is but little, if any, of the grace of God
in our hearts.

Yea, further, that we should have now at last in reserve Christ
as authorized to be our Advocate to plead for us; for this is the
last of his offices for us while we are here, and is to be put in
practice for us when there are more than ordinary occasions. This
is to help, as we say, at a dead lift, even then when a Christian
is taken for a captive, or when he sinks in the mire where is no
standing, or when he is clothed with filthy garments, or when the
devil doth desperately plead against us our evil deeds, or when
by our lives we have made our salvation questionable, and have
forfeited our evidences for heaven. And why then should not we
have also in reserve for Christ? And when profession and confession
will not do, when loss of goods and a prison will not do, when loss
of country and of friends will not do, then to bring it in, then
to bring it in as the reserve, and as that which will do-to wit,
willingly to lay down our lives for his name; and since he doth
his part without grudging for us, let us do ours with rejoicing
for him (Isa 24:15; John 21:19).

Use Sixth. Doth Jesus Christ stand up to plead for us, and that of
his mere grace and love? Then this should teach Christians to be
watchful and wary how they sin against God. This inference seems to
run retrograde; but whoso duly considers it, will find it fairly
fetched from the premises. Christianity teaches ingenuity, 36
and aptness to be sensible of kindnesses, and doth instruct us to
a loathness to be overhard upon him from whom we have all at free
cost. "Shall we-sin that grace may abound? God forbid. Shall we do
evil that good may come? God forbid. Shall we sin because we are
not under the law, but under grace? God forbid" (Rom 6:1, 2, 15).

It is the most disingenuous thing in the world not to care how
chargeable we are to that friend that bestows all upon us gratis.
When Mephibosheth had an opportunity to be yet more chargeable to
David, he would not, because he had his life and his all from the
mere grace of the king (II Sam 19:24-28). Also David thought it
too much for all his household to go to Absalom's feast, because it
was made of free cost. Why, Christ is our Advocate of free cost,
we pay him neither fee nor income for what he doth; nor doth he
desire aught of us, but to accept of his free doing for us thankfully;
wherefore let us put him upon this work as little as may be, and
by so doing we shall show ourselves Christians of the right make
and stamp. We count him but a fellow of a very gross spirit that
will therefore be lavishing of what is his friend's, because it
is prepared of mere kindness for him; Esau himself was loath to do
this; and shall Christians be disingenuous?

I dare say, if Christians were sober, watchful, and of a more
self-denying temper, they need not put the Lord Jesus to that to
which for the want of these things they do so often put him. I know
he is not unwilling to serve us, but I know also that the love of
Christ should constrain us to live not to ourselves, but to him
that loved us, that died for us, and rose again (II Cor 5:14, 15).
We shall do that which is naught too much, even then when we watch
and take care what we can to prevent it. Our flesh, when we do our
utmost diligence to resist, it will defile both us and our best
performances. We need not lay the reins on its neck and say, What
care we? the more sin the more grace, and the more we shall see
the kindness of Christ, and what virtue there is in his Advocate's
office to save us. And should there be any such here, I would
present them with a scripture or two; the first is this, "Do ye
thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise?" (Deut 32:6).
And if this gentle check will not do, then read the other, Shall
we say, Let us do evil that good may come? their damnation is just
(Rom 3:8). Besides, as nothing so swayeth with us as love, so there
is nothing so well pleasing to God as it. Let a man love, though he
has opportunity to do nothing, it is accepted of the God of heaven.
But where there is no love, let a man do what he will, it is not
at all regarded (I Cor 13:1-3). Now to be careless and negligent,
and that from a supposed understanding of the grace of Christ in
the exercise of his advocateship for us in heaven, is as clear sign
as can be, that in thy heart there is no love to Christ, and that
consequently thou art just a nothing, instead of being a Christian.
Talk, then, what thou wilt, and profess never so largely, Christ is
no Advocate of thine, nor shalt thou, thou so continuing, be ever
the better for any of those pleas that Christ, at God's bar, puts
in against the devil, for his people.

Christians, Christ Jesus is not unwilling to lay out himself for
you in heaven, nor to be an Advocate for you in the presence of his
Father; but yet he is unwilling that you should render him evil
for good; I say, that you should do so by your remissness and
carelessness for want of such a thinking of things as may affect
your hearts therewith. It would be more comely in you, would please
him better, would agree with your profession, and also better would
prove you gracious, to be found in the power and nature of these
conclusions. "How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer
therein?" (Rom 6:2)." If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God;
for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When
Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear
with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon
the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil
concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things'
sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience" (Col
3:1-6).

I say, it would be more comely for Christians to say, We will not
sin because God will pardon; we will not commit iniquity because
Christ will advocate for us. "I write unto you that ye sin not;
though if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father." Why,
the brute would conclude, I will not do so, because my master
will beat me; I will do thus, for then my master will love me. And
Christians should be above [such] men, brutish men.

And for a conclusion as to this, let me present you with three
considerations-(1.) Know that it is the nature of grace to draw holy
arguments to move to goodness of life from the love and goodness of
God, but not thence to be remiss (II Cor 5:14). (2.) Know therefore
that they have no grace that find not these effects of the discoveries
of the love and goodness of God. (3.) Know also that among all the
swarms of professors that from age to age make mention of the name
of Christ, they only must dwell with him in heaven that do part
from iniquity, and are zealous of good works (II Tim 2:19). He gave
himself for these (Titus 2:11-14). Not that they were so antecedent
to this gift. But those that he hath redeemed to himself are thus
sanctified by the faith of him (Acts 26:18).