Charles Ives - "Essays Before a Sonata"

John Kendrick Bangs - "A Rebellious Heroine"

Constant - "Private Life of Napoleon Bonaparte, V5"

Charles Kingsley - "The Hermits"

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 3

J >> John Bunyan >> The Works of John Bunyan Volume 3




CHR. Why, how dost thou think in this matter?

IGNOR. Why, to be short, I think I must believe in Christ for
justification.

CHR. How! think thou must believe in Christ, when thou seest
not thy need of Him! Thou neither seest thy original nor actual
infirmities; but hast such an opinion of thyself, and of what
thou dost, as plainly renders thee to be one that did never see
a necessity of Christ's personal righteousness to justify thee
before God.[288] How, then, dost thou say, I believe in Christ?

IGNOR. I believe well enough for all that.

CHR. How dost thou believe?

IGNOR. I believe that Christ died for sinners; and that I shall
be justified before God from the curse, through His gracious
acceptance of my obedience to His law. Or thus, Christ makes my
duties, that are religious, acceptable to His Father, by virtue
of His merits; and so shall I be justified.[289]

CHR. Let me give an answer to this confession of thy faith.

1. Thou believest with a fantastical faith; for this faith is
nowhere described in the Word.

2. Thou believest with a false faith; because it taketh justification
from the personal righteousness of Christ, and applies it to thy
own.[290]

3. This faith maketh not Christ a justifier of thy person, but
of thy actions; and of thy person for thy actions' sake, which is
false.[291]

4. Therefore, this faith is deceitful, even such as will leave
thee under wrath, in the day of God Almighty; for true justifying
faith puts the soul, as sensible of its lost condition by the
law, upon flying for refuge unto Christ's righteousness, which
righteousness of His is not an act of grace, by which He maketh, for
justification, thy obedience accepted with God; but His personal
obedience to the law, in doing and suffering for us what that
required at our hands; this righteousness, I say, true faith
accepteth; under the skirt of which, the soul being shrouded, and
by it presented as spotless before God, it is accepted, and acquit
from condemnation.[292]

IGNOR. What! would you have us trust to what Christ, in His own
person, has done without us? This conceit would loosen the reins
of our lust, and tolerate us to live as we list; for what matter
how we live, if we may be justified by Christ's personal righteousness
from all, when we believe it?

CHR. Ignorance is thy name, and as thy name is, so art thou; even
this thy answer demonstrateth what I say. Ignorant thou art of
what justifying righteousness is, and as ignorant how to secure
thy soul, through the faith of it, from the heavy wrath of God.
Yea, thou also art ignorant of the true effects of saving faith
in this righteousness of Christ, which is, to bow and win over
the heart to God in Christ, to love His name, His Word, ways, and
people, and not as thou ignorantly imaginest.

HOPE. Ask him if ever he had Christ revealed to him from Heaven.[293]

IGNOR. What! you are a man for revelations! I believe that what
both you, and all the rest of you, say about that matter, is but
the fruit of distracted brains.

HOPE. Why, man! Christ is so hid in God from the natural apprehensions
of the flesh, that He cannot by any man be savingly known, unless
God the Father reveals Him to them.[294]

IGNOR. That is your faith, but not mine; yet mine, I doubt not,
is as good as yours, though I have not in my head so many whimsies
as you.

CHR. Give me leave to put in a word. You ought not so slightly to
speak of this matter; for this I will boldly affirm, even as my
good companion hath done, that no man can know Jesus Christ but by
the revelation of the Father (Matt. 11:27); yea, and faith too,
by which the soul layeth hold upon Christ, if it be right, must be
wrought by the exceeding greatness of His mighty power; the working
of which faith, I perceive, poor Ignorance, thou art ignorant
of (1 Cor. 12:3; Eph 1:18, 19). Be awakened then, see thine own
wretchedness, and fly to the Lord Jesus; and by His righteousness,
which is the righteousness of God, for He Himself is God, thou
shalt be delivered from condemnation.[295]

IGNOR. You go so fast, I cannot keep pace with you. Do you go on
before; I must stay a while behind.[296]

Then they said-

Well, Ignorance, wilt thou yet foolish be, To slight good counsel,
ten times given thee? And if thou yet refuse it, thou shalt know,
Ere long, the evil of thy doing so. Remember, man, in time, stoop,
do not fear; Good counsel taken well, saves: therefore hear. But
if thou yet shalt slight it, thou wilt be The loser (Ignorance)
I'll warrant thee.

Then Christian addressed thus himself to his fellow-

CHR. Well, come, my good Hopeful, I perceive that thou and I must
walk by ourselves again.

So I saw in my dream that they went on apace before, and Ignorance
he came bobbling after. Then said Christian to his companion, It
pities me much for this poor man, it will certainly go ill with
him at last.

HOPE. Alas! there are abundance in our town in his condition,
whole families, yea, whole streets, and that of pilgrims too; and
if there be so many in our parts, how many, think you, must there
be in the place where he was born?

CHR. Indeed the Word saith, "He hath blinded their eyes, lest they
should see," &c. But now we are by ourselves, what do you think
of such men? Have they at no time, think you, convictions of sin,
and so consequently fears that their state is dangerous?

HOPE. Nay, do you answer that question yourself, for you are the
elder man.

CHR. Then I say, sometimes (as I think) they may; but they being
naturally ignorant, understand not that such convictions tend to
their good; and therefore they do desperately seek to stifle them,
and presumptuously continue to flatter themselves in the way of
their own hearts.

HOPE. I do believe, as you say, that fear tends much to men's
good, and to make them right, at their beginning to go on pilgrimage.

CHR. Without all doubt it doth, if it be right; for so says the
Word, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"[297] (Prov.
1:7; 9:10; Psa. 111:10; Job. 28:28).

HOPE. How will you describe right fear?

CHR. True or right fear is discovered by three things-

1. By its rise; it is caused by saving convictions for sin.

2. It driveth the soul to lay fast hold of Christ for salvation.

3. It begetteth and continueth in the soul a great reverence of
God, his Word, and ways, keeping it tender, and making it afraid
to turn from them, to the right hand or to the left, to anything,
that may dishonour God, break its peace, grieve the Spirit, or
cause the enemy to speak reproachfully.[298]

HOPE. Well said; I believe you have said the truth. Are we now
almost got past the Enchanted Ground?

CHR. Why, art thou weary of this discourse?

HOPE. No, verily, but that I would know where we are.

CHR. We have not now above two miles further to go thereon. But
let us return to our matter. Now the ignorant know not that such
convictions as tend to put them in fear are for their good, and
therefore they seek to stifle them.

HOPE. How do they seek to stifle them?

CHR. 1. They think that those fears are wrought by the devil
(though indeed they are wrought of God); and, thinking so, they
resist them as things that directly tend to their overthrow. 2.
They also think that these fears tend to the spoiling of their
faith, when, alas for them, poor men that they are, they have none
at all! and therefore they harden their hearts against them. 3.
They presume they ought not to fear; and therefore, in despite of
them, wax presumptuously confident. 4. They see that those fears
tend to take away from them their pitiful old self-holiness,[299]
and therefore they resist them with all their might.

HOPE. I know something of this myself; for, before I knew myself,
it was so with me.[300]

CHR. Well, we will leave, at this time, our neighbour Ignorance
by himself, and fall upon another profitable question.

HOPE. With all my heart, but you shall still begin.

CHR. Well then, did you not know, about 10 years ago, one Temporary
in your parts, who was a forward man in religion then?[301]

HOPE. Know him! yes, he dwelt in Graceless, a town about two miles
off of Honesty, and he dwelt next door to one Turnback.

CHR. Right, he dwelt under the same roof with him. Well, that man
was much awakened once; I believe that then he had some sight of
his sins, and of the wages that were due thereto.

HOPE. I am of your mind, for, my house not being above three miles
from him, he would ofttimes come to me, and that with many tears.
Truly I pitied the man, and was not altogether without hope of
him; but one may see, it is not every one that cries, Lord, Lord.

CHR. He told me once that he was resolved to go on pilgrimage,
as we do now; but all of a sudden he grew acquainted with one
Save-self, and then he became a stranger to me.

HOPE. Now, since we are talking about him, let us a little inquire
into the reason of the sudden backsliding of him and such others.

CHR. It may be very profitable, but do you begin.

HOPE. Well then, there are in my judgment four reasons for it-

1. Though the consciences of such men are awakened, yet their
minds are not changed; therefore, when the power of guilt weareth
away, that which provoked them to be religious ceaseth, wherefore
they naturally turn to their own course again, even as we see the
dog that is sick of what he has eaten, so long as his sickness
prevails, he vomits and casts up all; not that he doth this
of a free mind (if we may say a dog has a mind), but because it
troubleth his stomach; but now, when his sickness is over, and so
his stomach eased, his desire being not at all alienate from his
vomit, he turns him about and licks up all, and so it is true which
is written, "The dog is turned to his own vomit again" (2 Peter
2:22).[302] Thus I say, being hot for Heaven, by virtue only of
the sense and fear of the torments of hell, as their sense of hell,
and the fears of damnation, chills and cools, so their desires for
Heaven and salvation cool also. So then it comes to pass, that
when their guilt and fear is gone, their desires for Heaven and
happiness die, and they return to their course again.[303]

2. Another reason is, they have slavish fears that do overmaster
them; I speak now of the fears that they have of men, for "the
fear of man bringeth a snare" (Prov. 29:25). So then, though they
seem to be hot for Heaven, so long as the flames of hell are about
their ears, yet, when that terror is a little over, they betake
themselves to second thoughts; namely, that it is good to be
wise, and not to run (for they know not what) the hazard of losing
all, or, at least, of bringing themselves into unavoidable and
unnecessary troubles, and so they fall in with the world again.

3. The shame that attends religion lies also as a block in their
way; they are proud and haughty, and religion in their eye is low
and contemptible; therefore, when they have lost their sense of
hell and wrath to come, they return again to their former course.

4. Guilt, and to meditate terror, are grievous to them. They like
not to see their misery before they come into it; though perhaps
the sight of it first, if they loved that sight, might make them
fly whither the righteous fly and are safe. But because they do,
as I hinted before, even shun the thoughts of guilt and terror,
therefore, when once they are rid of their awakenings about the
terrors and wrath of God, they harden their hearts gladly, and
choose such ways as will harden them more and more.

CHR. You are pretty near the business, for the bottom of all is,
for want of a change in their mind and will. And therefore they
are but like the felon that standeth before the judge, he quakes
and trembles, and seems to repent most heartily, but the bottom
of all is the fear of the halter; not that he hath any detestation
of the offence, as is evident, because, let but this man have his
liberty, and he will be a thief, and so a rogue still, whereas,
if his mind were changed, he would be otherwise.

HOPE. Now, I have showed you the reasons of their going back, do
you show me the manner thereof.[304]

CHR. So I will, willingly.

1. They draw off their thoughts, all that they may, from the
remembrance of God, death, and judgment to come.

2. Then they cast off by degrees private duties, as closet prayer,
curbing their lusts, watching, sorrow for sin, and the like.

3. Then they shun the company of lively and warm Christians.

4. After that, they grow cold to public duty, as hearing, reading,
godly conference, and the like.

5. Then they begin to pick holes, as we say, in the coats of some
of the godly; and that devilishly, that they may have a seeming
colour to throw religion (for the sake of some infirmity they have
espied in them) behind their backs.

6. Then they begin to adhere to, and associate themselves with,
carnal, loose, and wanton men.

7. Then they give way to carnal and wanton discourses in secret;
and glad are they if they can see such things in any that are
counted honest, that they may the more boldly do it through their
example.

8. After this, they begin to play with little sins openly.

9. And then, being hardened, they show themselves as they are.
Thus, being launched again into the gulf of misery, unless a
miracle of grace prevent it, they everlastingly perish in their
own deceivings.[305]

Now I saw in my dream, that by this time the Pilgrims were got
over the Enchanted Ground, and entering into the country of Beulah,
whose air was very sweet and pleasant, the way lying directly through
it, they solaced themselves there for a season (Isa. 62:4). Yea,
here they heard continually the singing of birds, and saw every
day the flowers appear in the earth, and heard the voice of the
turtle in the land (Song. 2:10-12). In this country the sun shineth
night and day; wherefore this was beyond the Valley of the Shadow
of Death, and also out of the reach of Giant Despair, neither
could they from this place so much as see Doubting Castle.[306]
Here they were within sight of the city they were going to, also
here met them some of the inhabitants thereof; for in this land
the Shining Ones commonly walked, because it was upon the borders
of Heaven. In this land also the contract between the bride and the
bridegroom was renewed; yea, here, "As the bridegroom rejoiceth
over the bride, so did their God rejoice over them" (Isa. 62:5).
Here they had no want of corn and wine; for in this place they met
with abundance of what they had sought for in all their pilgrimage
(v. 8). Here they heard voices from out of the city, loud voices,
saying, "Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation
cometh! Behold, His reward is with Him!" (v. 11). Here all the
inhabitants of the country called them, "The holy people, The
redeemed of the Lord, Sought out," &c. (v. 12).

Now, as they walked in this land, they had more rejoicing than in
parts more remote from the kingdom to which they were bound; and
drawing near to the city, they had yet a more perfect view thereof.
It was builded of pearls and precious stones, also the street
thereof was paved with gold; so that by reason of the natural
glory of the city, and the reflection of the sunbeams upon it,
Christian with desire fell sick. Hopeful also had a fit or two
of the same disease.[307] Wherefore, here they lay by it a while,
crying out, because of their pangs, "If ye find my Beloved, tell
Him that I am sick of love[308]" (Song. 5:8).

But being a little strengthened, and better able to bear their
sickness, they walked on their way, and came yet nearer and nearer,
where were orchards, vineyards, and gardens, and their gates opened
into the highway. Now, as they came up to these places, behold,
the gardener stood in the way, to whom the Pilgrims said, Whose
goodly vineyards and gardens are these? He answered, They are the
King's, and are planted here for His own delight, and also for the
solace of pilgrims. So the gardener had them into the vineyards,
and bid them refresh themselves with the dainties (Deut. 23:24).
He also showed them there the King's walks, and the arbours, where
He delighted to be; and here they tarried and slept.[309]

Now I beheld in my dream, that they talked more in their sleep at
this time than ever they did in all their journey; and being in
a muse thereabout, the gardener said even to me, Wherefore musest
thou at the matter? It is the nature of the fruit of the grapes
of these vineyards to go down so sweetly, as to cause the lips of
them that are asleep to speak.[310]

So I saw that when they awoke, they addressed themselves to go up
to the city. But, as I said, the reflection of the sun upon the
city (for "the city was pure gold)," (Rev. 21:18), was so extremely
glorious, that they could not, as yet, with open face behold it,
but through an instrument made for that purpose (2 Cor. 3:18). So
I saw, that as they went on, there met them two men, in raiment
that shone like gold; also their faces shone as the light.[311]

These men asked the Pilgrims whence they came; and they told them.
They also asked them where they had lodged, what difficulties and
dangers, what comforts and pleasures they had met in the way; and
they told them. Then said the men that met them, You have but two
difficulties more to meet with, and then you are in the city.[312]

Christian then, and his companion, asked the men to go along
with them; so they told them they would. But, said they, you must
obtain it by your own faith. So I saw in my dream that they went
on together, until they came in sight of the gate.

Now, I further saw, that betwixt them and the gate was a river,
but there was no bridge to go over; the river was very deep. At the
sight, therefore, of this river, the Pilgrims were much stunned:
but the men that went with them said, You must go through, or you
cannot come at the gate.[313]

The Pilgrims then began to inquire if there was no other way to
the gate; to which they answered, Yes; but there hath not any,
save two, to wit, Enoch and Elijah, been permitted to tread that
path, since the foundation of the world, nor shall, until the
last trumpet shall sound (1 Cor. 15:51, 52). The Pilgrims then,
especially Christian, began to despond in their minds, and looked
this way and that, but no way could be found by them, by which
they might escape the river.[314] Then they asked the men if the
waters were all of a depth. They said, No; yet they could not
help them in that case; for, said they, you shall find it deeper
or shallower, as you believe in the King of the place.

They then addressed themselves to the water; and entering, Christian
began to sink, and crying out to his good friend Hopeful, he said,
I sink in deep waters; the billows go over my head, all his waves
go over me! Selah.[315]

Then said the other, Be of good cheer, my brother, I feel the
bottom, and it is good. Then, said Christian, Ah! my friend, "the
sorrows of death have compassed me about"; I shall not see the
land that flows with milk and honey; and with that a great darkness
and horror fell upon Christian, so that he could not see before
him. Also here he in great measure lost his senses, so that he
could neither remember, nor orderly talk of any of those sweet
refreshments that he had met with in the way of his pilgrimage.
But all the words that he spake still tended to discover that he
had horror of mind, and heart fears that he should die in that
river, and never obtain entrance in at the gate. Here also, as they
that stood by perceived, he was much in the troublesome thoughts
of the sins that he had committed, both since and before he began
to be a pilgrim. It was also observed that he was troubled with
apparitions of hobgoblins and evil spirits; for ever and anon he
would intimate so much by words.[316] Hopeful, therefore, here had
much ado to keep his brother's head above water; yea, sometimes
he would be quite gone down, and then, ere awhile, he would rise
up again half dead. Hopeful also would endeavour to comfort him,
saying, Brother, I see the gate, and men standing by to receive
us; but Christian would answer, It is you, it is you they wait
for; you have been Hopeful ever since I knew you.[317] And so
have you, said he to Christian. Ah, brother! said he, surely if I
were right He would now arise to help me; but for my sins He hath
brought me into the snare, and hath left me. Then said Hopeful,
My brother, you have quite forgot the text, where it is said of
the wicked, "There are no bands in their death; but their strength
is firm. They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they
plagued like other men" (Psa. 73:4, 5). These troubles and distresses
that you go through in these waters are no sign that God hath
forsaken you; but are sent to try you, whether you will call to
mind that which heretofore you have received of His goodness, and
live upon Him in your distresses.[318]

Then I saw in my dream, that Christian was as in a muse a while.
To whom also Hopeful added this word, Be of good cheer, Jesus
Christ maketh thee whole;[319] and with that Christian brake out
with a loud voice, O! I see Him again, and He tells me, "When thou
passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the
rivers, they shall not overflow thee" (Isa. 43:2). Then they both
took courage, and the enemy was after that as still as a stone,
until they were gone over. Christian therefore presently found
ground to stand upon, and so it followed that the rest of the river
was but shallow. Thus they got over.[320] Now, upon the bank of
the river, on the other side, they saw the two shining men again,
who there waited for them; wherefore, being come out of the river,
they saluted them, saying, We are ministering spirits, sent forth
to minister for those that shall be heirs of salvation. Thus they
went along towards the gate.[321] Now you must note that the city
stood upon a mighty hill, but the Pilgrims went up that hill with
ease, because they had these two men to lead them up by the arms;
also, they had left their mortal garments behind them in the
river, for though they went in with them, they came out without
them. They, therefore, went up here with much agility and speed,
though the foundation upon which the city was framed was higher
than the clouds.[322] They, therefore, went up through the regions
of the air, sweetly talking as they went, being comforted, because
they safely got over the river, and had such glorious companions
to attend them.[323]

The talk they had with the Shining Ones was about the glory of
the place; who told them that the beauty and glory of it was
inexpressible. There, said they, is the "Mount Zion, the heavenly
Jerusalem, the innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of
just men made perfect" (Heb. 12:22-24). You are going now, said
they, to the paradise of God, wherein you shall see the tree of
life, and eat of the never-fading fruits thereof; and when you
come there, you shall have white robes given you, and your walk
and talk shall be every day with the King, even all the days of
eternity (Rev. 2:7; 3:4; 22:5). There you shall not see again
such things as you saw when you were in the lower region upon the
earth, to wit, sorrow, sickness, affliction, and death, "for the
former things are passed away." You are now going to Abraham, to
Isaac, and Jacob, and to the prophets-men that God hath taken away
from the evil to come, and that are now resting upon their beds,
each one walking in his righteousness[324] (Isa. 57:1, 2; 65:17).
The men then asked, What must we do in the holy place? To whom
it was answered, You must there receive the comforts of all your
toil, and have joy for all your sorrow; you must reap what you
have sown, even the fruit of all your prayers, and tears, and
sufferings for the King by the way (Gal. 6:7). In that place you
must wear crowns of gold, and enjoy the perpetual sight and vision
of the Holy One, for "there you shall see Him as He is" (1 John
3:2). There also you shall serve Him continually with praise,
with shouting and thanksgiving, whom you desired to serve in the
world, though with much difficulty, because of the infirmity of
your flesh. There your eyes shall be delighted with seeing, and
your ears with hearing the pleasant voice of the Mighty One. There
you shall enjoy your friends again, that are gone thither before
you; and there you shall with joy receive, even every one that
follows into the holy place after you. There also shall you be
clothed with glory and majesty, and put into an equipage fit to
ride out with the King of glory. When He shall come with sound of
trumpet in the clouds, as upon the wings of the wind, you shall
come with Him; and when He shall sit upon the throne of judgment,
you shall sit by Him; yea, and when He shall pass sentence upon
all the workers of iniquity, let them be angels or men, you also
shall have a voice in that judgment, because they were His and your
enemies (1 Thess. 4:13-17; Jude 14; Dan. 7:9, 10; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3).
Also when He shall again return to the city, you shall go too,
with sound of trumpet, and be ever with Him.