Padraic Colum - "The King of Ireland's Son"

George Bernard Shaw - "O'Flaherty V. C."

A. Merritt - "The Metal Monster"

Georges Ohnet - "Serge Panine, 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 3

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




[136] Shall the world venture their soul's ruin for a poor corruptible
crown; and shall not we venture the loss of a few trifles for an
eternal crown? Shall they venture the loss of eternal life for
communion with base, drunken, covetous wretches; and shall we not
labour as hard, run as fast, nay, a hundred times more diligently,
for such glorious and eternal friends as God to love, Christ
to redeem, the Holy Spirit to comfort, and saints and angels in
Heaven for company? Shall it be said at the last day, that the
wicked made more haste to hell than you to Heaven? O let it not
be so, but run with all might and main! They that will have Heaven
must run for it, because the devil will follow them. There is
never a poor soul that is gone to it, but he is after that soul.
And I assure them the devil is nimble; he is light of foot, and
can run apace. He hath overtaken many, tripped up their heels,
and given them an everlasting fall--(Heavenly Footman).

[137] Bunyan illustrates the care of Christ for his afflicted ones
with striking simplicity. "I love to play the child with children.
I have met with a child that had a sore finger, so that it was
useless. Then have I said, Shall we cut off this finger, and buy
my child a better, a brave golden finger? At this he started, and
felt indignation against me. Now, if a child has such tenderness
for a useless member, how much more tender is the Son of God to
his afflicted members?"-(Saint's Privilege, vol. 1, p. 674). The
text here quoted forms the foundation of Bunyan's admirable Advice
to Sufferers, in which he delightfully dwells upon the topics
which Evangelist addresses to the Pilgrims, when on the verge of
bitter persecution-(ED).

[138] Vanity Fair is the City of Destruction in its gala dress,
in its most seductive and sensual allurements. It is this world in
miniature, with its various temptations. Hitherto we have observed
the pilgrims by themselves, in loneliness, in obscurity, in the
hidden life and experience of the people of God. The allegory
thus far has been that of the soul, amidst its spiritual enemies,
toiling towards Heaven; now there comes a scene more open, tangible,
external; the allurements of the world are to be presented, with
the manner in which the true pilgrim conducts himself amidst
them. It was necessary that Bunyan should show his pilgrimage in
its external as well as its secret spiritual conflicts; it was
necessary that he should draw the contrast between the pursuits
and deportment of the children of this world and the children
of light; that he should show how a true pilgrim appears, and is
likely to be regarded, who, amidst the world's vanities, lives
above the world, is dead to it, and walks through it as a stranger
and a pilgrim towards Heaven-(Cheever).

[139] A just description of this wicked world. How many, though
they profess to be pilgrims, have never yet set one foot out of
this fair; but live in it all the year round! They "walk according
to the course of this world" (Eph. 2:2); for "the god of this
world hath blinded their minds" (1 Cor. 4:4). But all those for
whose sins Jesus hath died "He delivers from this present evil
world" (Gal. 1:4). You cannot be a pilgrim, if you are not delivered
from this world and its vanities; for if you love the world, if
it has your supreme affections, the love of God is not in you, (1
John 2:15); you have not one grain of precious faith in precious
Jesus-(Mason).

[140] Mr. James, who, in 1815, published the "Pilgrim" in verse,
conjectures that Bunyan's description of the Fair arose from
his having been at Sturbridge Fair, near Cambridge. It was thus
described in 1786-"The shops or booths are built in rows like
streets, having each its name; as Garlick Row, Bookseller's Row,
Cook Row, &c. Here are all sorts of traders, who sell by wholesale
or retail; as goldsmith's toymen, braziers, turners, milliners,
haberdashers, hatters, mercers, drapers, pewterers, china warehouses,
and in a word, most trades that can be found in London. Here are
also taverns, coffee-houses, and eating-houses, in great plenty.
The chief diversions are puppets, rope-dancing, and music booths.
To this Fair, people from Bedfordshire and the adjoining counties
still resort. Similar kinds of fairs are now kept at Frankfort and
Leipzig. These mercantile fairs were very injurious to morals;
but not to the extent of debauchery and villany, which reign in
our present annual fairs, near the metropolis and large cities."
See an account of this fair in Hone's Year Book, page 1538-(ED).
Our author evidently designed to exhibit in his allegory the grand
outlines of the difficulties, temptations, and sufferings, to
which believers are exposed in this evil world; which, in a work
of this nature, must be related as if they came upon them one
after another in regular succession; though in actual experience
several may meet together, many may molest the same person again
and again, and some harass him in every stage of his journey. We
should, therefore, singly consider the instruction conveyed by
every allegorical incident, without measuring our experience, or
calculating our progress, by comparing them with circumstances
which might be reversed or altered with almost endless variety.
In general, Vanity Fair represents the wretched state of things
in those populous places especially, where true religion is
neglected and persecuted; and, indeed, "in the whole world lying
in wickedness," as distinguished from the church of "redeemed
sinners"-(Scott).

[141] Christ will not allow his followers to bury their talent in
the earth, or to put their light under a bushel; they are not to
go out of the world, or to retire into cloisters, monasteries,
or deserts; but they MUST all go through this fair. Thus our Lord
endured all the temptations and sufferings of this evil world,
without being impeded or entangled by them, or stepping in the
least aside to avoid them; and he was exposed to greater enmity
and contempt than any of His followers-(Scott).

[142] The world will seek to keep you out of Heaven with mocks,
flouts, taunts, threatenings, jails, gibbets, halters, burnings,
and deaths. There ever was enmity between the seed of the serpent
and the seed of the woman, and no endeavours can reconcile them.
The world says, They will never come over to us; and we again say,
By God's grace we will not go over to them.

[143] Holy Hunt of Hitchin, as he was called, a friend of Bunyan's,
passing the market-place where mountebanks were performing, one
cried after him, "Look there, Mr. Hunt!" Turning his head another
way, he replied, "Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity"-(Ivimey).

[144] An odd reply. What do they mean? That they are neither
afraid nor ashamed to own what was the one subject of their souls'
pursuit-the truth. Understand hereby, that the whole world, which
lieth in wickedness, is deceived by a lie, and is under the delusion
of the father of lies. In opposition to this, all believers in
Christ are said to be of the truth (1 John 3:19). They know and
believe that capital truth with which God spake from Heaven, "This
is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt. 3:17). This
truth-that Jesus is the Son of God, and our only Saviour-lies at the
foundation of all their hope; and to get more and more acquainted
with Him, is the grand object of their pursuits. For this the
world hates them; and Satan, who is an enemy to this truth, stirs
up the world against them. "For," says our Lord, "they are not of
the world, even as I am not of the world" (John 17:16)-(Mason).

[145] In 1670, the town porters of Bedford being commanded to
assist in a brutal attack upon the Nonconformists, ran away,
saying, "They would be hanged, drawn, and quartered, before they
would assist in that work"; for which cause the justices committed
two of them (which they could take) to the jail. The shops were
shut up, so that it seemed like a place visited with the pest,
where usually is written upon the door, "Lord, have mercy upon
us!"-(Narrative of Proceedings against Nonconformists, p. 5. 4to,
1670).

[146] This is a true representation of what took place in England
in Bunyan's time. It was a disgrace to our nation, that Englishmen,
urged on by a fanatic church, treated two young and interesting
women with a barbarity that would make savages (so called) blush.
It was at Carlisle that two female pilgrims, Dorothy Waugh and
Ann Robinson, were dragged through the streets, with each an iron
instrument of torture, called a bridle, upon their heads; and were
treated with gross indecency-(ED).

[147] The great object of the Gospel is to fit man for his active
duties in this world, and prepare him for heavenly enjoyments in
the world to come. Not like those lazy creeping things that shut
themselves up in nunneries or monasteries to avoid the temptations
and troubles, the resistance or hearing of which glorifies God.
Christians are to be as lights-not hid under a bushel but seen of
all men. The prayer of their Lord was and is, not that they should
be taken out of the world, but kept from its evil contaminations-(ED).

[148] In Bunyan's account of his imprisonment, he closes it with
these words-"Thus have I, in short, declared the manner and occasion
of my being in prison; where I lie waiting the good will of God
to do with me as He pleaseth; knowing that not one hair of my head
can fall to the ground without the will of my Father which is in
Heaven. Let the rage and malice of men be ever so great, they can
do no more, nor go any further, than God permits them. When they
have done their worst, 'we know that all things work together for
good to them that love God'" (Rom. 8:28).

[149] The description of the process against the pilgrims, is
framed in such a manner as emphatically to expose the secret reasons
which influence men thus to persecute their innocent neighbours.
The very names employed declare the several corrupt principles of
the heart from whence this atrocious conduct results-(Scott).

[150] This is one of Satan's lies, much used by his emissaries,
to the present day. A Christian fears God, and honours the king;
he renders unto civil government that which belongs to civil and
temporal things, but he dares not render unto Caesar the things
that belong to God; and for thus righteously doing he is called
disloyal-(ED).

[151] Superstition, or false devotion, is a most bitter enemy to
Christ's truth and his followers. This fellow's evidence is very
true; for as the lawyer said of Christ's doctrine, "Master, thus
saying, thou reproachest us also" (Luke 11:45). So false worshippers,
who rest in forms, and rites, and shadows, are stung to the quick
at those who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus,
and have no confidence in the flesh; such a conduct pours the
utmost contempt upon all the will-worship, and doctrines, and
superstition of carnal men-(Mason). With such, traditions, human
inventions, forms, and externals, appear venerable and sacred; and
they are mistaken with pertinaceous ignorance for the substance
of religion. What is pompous and burdensome appears to such men
meritorious; and the excitement of mere natural passions, as at a
tragedy, is falsely deemed a needful help to true devotion. Their
zeal hardens their hearts, and causes bitter rage, enmity, and
calumny, against the pious Christians-(Scott).

[152] As soon as the poor sinner says, "O Lord our God, other lords
beside Thee have had dominion over us: but by Thee only will we
make mention of Thy name" (Isa. 26:13), your officious Pickthanks
are always ready to bear testimony against him; and a blessed
testimony this is; it is well worth living to gain, and dying in
the cause of. If we are real disciples of Christ, we shall, as
He did, testify of the world that the works thereof are evil, and
the world will hate us for His sake (John 7:7)-(Mason). Pickthank
has no real principle, but puts on zeal for any party that will
promote his interests; he inwardly despises both the superstitious
and the spiritual worshipper-(Scott).

[153] This is the Christian's plea and glory. While he knows "the
tender mercies of the wicked are cruel" (Prov. 12:10), yet he
also knows that the "merciful kindness of the Lord is great, and
the truth of the Lord endureth forever" (Psa. 118:2)-(Mason).

[154] A more just and keen satirical description of such legal
iniquities can scarcely be imagined, than that contained in this
passage. The statutes and precedents adduced, with a humourous
reference to the style in which charges are commonly given to
juries, show what patterns persecutors choose to copy, and whose
kingdom they labour to uphold. Nor can any impartial man deny
that the inference is fair, which our author meant the reader to
deduce, namely, that nominal Protestants, enacting laws requiring
conformity to their own creeds and forms, and inflicting punishments
on such as peaceably dissent from them, are actually involved in
the guilt of these heathen persecutors--(Scott).

[155] These words, and this trial, were quoted (January 25, 1848)
by the Attorney-General, at Westminster Hall, in answer to the
manner in which Dr. Hampden was then charged with heresy by the
Puseyites-(ED).

[156] If the Lord were to leave us in the hands of men, we should
still find that their tender mercies are cruel. Such a jury as
tried Faithful might be found in every county of Britain-(Burder).
To this may be added, that the witnesses are still living-(ED).

[157] Nothing can be more masterly than the satire contained in
this trial. The judge, the witnesses, and the jury, are portraits
sketched to the life, and finished, every one of them, in quick,
concise, and graphic touches; the ready testimony of Envy is
especially characteristic. Rather than anything should be wanting
that might be necessary to despatch the prisoner, he would enlarge
his testimony against him to any requisite degree. The language
and deportment of the judge are a copy to the life of some of
the infamous judges under King Charles, especially Jefferies. You
may find, in the trial of the noble patriot Algernon Sidney, the
abusive language of the judge against Faithful almost word for
word. The charge to the jury, with the Acts and laws on which the
condemnation of the prisoner was founded, wax full of ingenuity
and meaning-(Cheever).

[158] Bunyan gives a good portrait of Faithful in his Howe of
Lebanon, referring to the character of Pomporius Algerius, mentioned
in Fox's Book of Martyrs. "Was not this man, think you, a giant?
did he not behave himself valiantly? was not his mind elevated a
thousand degrees beyond sense, carnal reason, fleshly love, and
the desires of embracing temporal things? This man had got that
by the end that pleased Him; neither could all the flatteries,
promises, threats, reproaches, make him once listen to, or inquire
after, what the world, or the glory of it could afford. His mind
was captivated with delights invisible. He coveted to show his
love to his Lord, by laying down his life for His sake. He longed
to be where there shall be no more pain, nor sorrow, nor sighing,
nor tears, nor troubles. He was a man of a thousand!" Speaking
of the pillars in that house at Lebanon, he says, "These men had
the faces of lions, they have triumphed in the flames."

[159] This is a most exquisitely beautiful sketch; it is drawn to
the life from many an era of pilgrimage in this world; there are
in it the materials of glory, that constituted spirits of such noble
greatness as are catalogued in the eleventh of Hebrews-traits of
cruel mockings and scourgings, bonds and imprisonments-(Cheever).

[160] Political interests engage ungodly princes to promote
toleration, and chain up the demon of persecution. The cruelties
they exercise disgust the people, and they are disheartened by
the ill success of their efforts to extirpate the hated sect-(Scott).

[161] I have often recorded it with thankfulness, that though in
the dreary day of my pilgrimage, the Lord hath taken away a dear
and faithful Christian friend, yet he has always raised up another.
A very great blessing this, for which Christians can never be
thankful enough-(Mason).

[162] Is not this too much the case with professors of this day?
The Spirit of truth says, "All that will live godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12). But how many act
as if they had found the art of making the Spirit of truth a liar!
for they can so trim and shape their conduct, as they vainly think
to follow Christ, and yet to keep in with the world, which is at
enmity against Him-a most fatal and soul-deceiving error-(Mason).

[163] What is this something that By-ends knew more than all the
world? How to unite Heaven and hell-how to serve God and Mammon-how
to be a Christian and a hypocrite at the same time. O the depth of
the depravity of the human heart; alas! how many similar characters
now exist, with two tongues in one mouth, looking one way and
rowing another-(ED).

[164] Fear not, therefore, in her for to abide, She keeps her ground,
come weather, wind, or tide.--(Bunyan's House of God, vol. 2, p.
579). If we will follow Christ, He tells us that we must take up
our cross. The wind sets always on my face; and the foaming rage
of the sea of this world, and the proud and lofty waves thereof
do continually beat upon the sides of the bark, or ship, that
myself, my cause, and my followers are in-(Bunyan's Greatness of
the Soul, vol. 1, p. 107).

[165] Mind how warily these pilgrims acted to this deceitful
professor. They did not too rashly take up an ill opinion against
him; but when they had full proof of what he was, they did not hesitate
one moment, but dealt faithfully with him, and conscientiously
withdrew from him-(Mason). In a letter written in 1661, from Exeter
jail, by Mr. Abraham Chear, a Baptist minister of Plymouth, who
suffered greatly for nonconformity, and at length died in a state
of banishment, there is this remark, "We have many brought in here
daily, who go out again almost as soon, for a week in a prison
tries a professor more than a month in a church"-(Ivimey).

[166] It might have been supposed that the persons here introduced
were settled inhabitants of the town of Vanity, or the City
of Destruction; but, indeed, they professed themselves pilgrims,
and desired, during the "sunshine," to associate with pilgrims,
provided they would allow them to hold the world, love money,
and save all, whatever became of faith and holiness, of honesty,
piety, truth, and charity?-(Scott).

[167] Pretended friends come with such expostulations as these:
Why, dear Sir, will you give such offence? How much would it be
for your comfort and interest in the world if you would but be a
little more complying, and give way in some particular points and
phrases. O what a syren's song! May the Lord enable every faithful
servant to reply, "Get thee behind me, Satan"-(J. B.).

[168] These words of Solomon are thus wickedly misapplied by many
to the present day. Ecclesiastes 7:16, 17 probably refers to the
administration of justice which should be tempered with mercy, but
not with laxity; or it may refer to the foolish opinions expressed
upon the characters of Pharisee and publican, exalting the one
or decrying the other overmuch. It cannot be meant to censure
the utmost efforts after true righteousness, nor to sanction the
slightest degree of wickedness-(ED).

[169]Woe unto them who wander from the way. Art bound for hell,
against all wind and weather? Or art thou one agoing backward
thither? Or dost thou wink, because thou would'st not see? Or dost
thou sideling go, and would'st not be Suspected Yet these prophets
can thee tell, Which way thou art agoing down to hell.--(Acts
7:20-22. Bunyan's House of God, vol. 2, p. 582).

[170] Notwithstanding By-ends could be reserved with faithful
pilgrims, yet he can speak out boldly to those of his own spirit
sad character. O the treacherous deceivings of the desperate
wickedness of the human heart! Who can know it? No one but the
heart-searching God-(Mason).

[171] Some men's hearts are narrow upwards, and wide downwards:
narrow as for God, but wide for the world. They gape for the one,
but shut themselves up against the other. The heart of a wicked
man is widest downward; but it is not so with the righteous man.
His desires, like the temple Ezekiel saw in the vision, are still
widest upwards, and spread towards Heaven. A full purse, with a
lean soul, is a great curse. Many, while lean in their estates,
had fat souls; but the fattening of their estates has made their
souls as lean as a rake as to good-(Bunyan's Righteous Man's
Desires, vol. 1, p. 745).

[172] This dialogue is not in the least more absurd and selfish
than the discourse of many who now attend on the preaching of the
Gospel. If worldly lucre be the honey, they imitate the bee, and
only attend to religion when they can gain by it; they determine
to keep what they have at any rate, and to get more, if it can be
done without open scandal-(Scott).

[173] There is a fund of satirical humour in the supposed case
here very gravely stated; and if the author, in his accurate
observations on mankind, selected his example from among the
mercenaries that are the scandal of the Established Church, her
most faithful friends will not greatly resent this conduct of
a dissenter-(Scott). Dr. Paley would have done well to have read
this chapter in Bunyan before composing some of the chapters in
his Moral Philosophy, and his Sermon on the Utility of Distinctions
in the Ministry-(Cheever).

[174] Here is worldly wisdom, infernal logic, and the sophistry of
Satan. We hear this language daily, from money-loving professors,
who are destitute of the power of faith. But in opposition to all
this, the Holy Ghost testifies, "The love of money is the root of
all evil" (1 Tim. 6:10), and a covetous man is an idolater (Col.
3:5). Hear this, and tremble, ye avaricious professors. Remember,
ye followers of the Lamb, ye are called to "let your conversation
be without covetousness" (Heb, 13:5); your Lord testifies, "Ye
cannot serve God and Mammon" (Luke 16:13)--(Mason).

[175] How doth this commend itself to those who make merchandise
of souls. What swarms of such locusts are there in this day!-(J.B.).

[176] If thou art one who tradeth in both ways: God's now, the
devil's then; or if delays Thou mak'st of coming to thy God for
life; Or if thy light and lusts are at a strife About who should
be master of thy soul, And lovest one, the other dost control;
These prophets tell thee can which way thou bendest, On which thou
frown'st, to which a hand thou lendest.--(Titus 1:16. See vol. 2,
p. 582).

[177] Bunyan, in his Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity, thus
addresses such characters: "This is the man that hath the breath
of a dragon; he poisons the air round about him. This is the man
that slays his children, his kinsmen, his friend, and himself-he
that offends God's little ones. O the millstone that God will
shortly hang about your neck, when the time is come that you must
be drowned in the sea and deluge of God's wrath!"-(See vol. 2, p.
539). The answer of Christian, though somewhat rough, is so conclusive
as to fortify every honest mind against all the arguments which
the whole tribe of time-serving professors ever did, or ever can
adduce, in support of their ingenious schemes and insidious efforts
to reconcile religion with covetousness and the love of the world,
or to render it subservient to their secular interests-(Scott).

[178] Here see the blessedness of being mighty in the Scripture,
and the need of that exhortation, "Let the Word of Christ dwell
in you richly" (Col. 3:16). For the Word of God is quick and
powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword; it pierces through
all the subtle devices of Satan, and the cunning craftiness
of carnal professors; and divideth asunder the carnal reasonings
of the flesh, and the spiritual wisdom which cometh from above.

Teach me, my God and King,
In all things THEE to see,
And what I do in any thing
To do it as for THEE--(Mason).

[179] The Hill Lucre stands somewhat out of the way, but temptingly
near. They that will profit by the mine must turn aside for it (Prov.
28:20, 22). Sir J. Mandeville, in his Travels, says, that in the
Vale Perilous is plenty of gold and silver, and many Christian
men go in for the treasure, but few come out again, for this are
strangled of the devil. But good Christian men, that are stable
in the faith, enter without peril-(ED).

[180] Eve expected some sweet and pleasant sight, that would tickle
and delight her deluded fancy; but, behold sin, and the wrath of
God, appear to the shaking of her heart; and thus, even to this
day, doth the devil delude the world. His temptations are gilded
with sweet and fine pretences, that men shall be wiser, richer,
more in favour, live merrier, fare better, or something; and by
such like things the fools are easily allured. But when their eyes
are opened, instead of seeing what the devil falsely told them,
they see themselves involved in wrath-(Bunyan on Genesis, vol. 2.
p. 431).