Henry Adams - "Mont Saint Michel and Chartres"

Richard Harding Davis - "In the Fog"

Charlotte M. Yonge - "The Pigeon Pie"

Edward S. Corwin - "John Marshall and the Constitution,"

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




First, For the first, that the gospel hath and will be especially
effectual at certain seasons for the saving of the sons of men;
it is showed us by the descending of the angels into the pool of
Bethesda to trouble the water, which as it was at certain seasons,
so he that in those seasons first stepped in, he only was made
whole of whatsoever disease he had (John 5:4). It is showed us also
in that parable of the Lord's hiring men to work in his vineyard;
which time of hiring, though it lasteth in general from the first
hour to the eleventh, yet so as that there were vacant seasons
between hiring-times and hiring-times, quite through the whole
day; he went out at the first, third, sixth, ninth and eleventh
hour, and not at every hour, to hire labourers (Matt 20:1-6).
For as God hath appointed out beforehand the number of his elect,
so also he hath determined in his good pleasure the day of their
bringing in, and will then have them as certainly as the wild
ass is found in her month (Gal 1:15,16; Hosea 6:11; Jer 2:24). Of
which times and season, because men are ignorant, therefore they
should with all faithfulness wait upon God in all the seasons of
his grace for their souls, even as he did for his body; who because
he would be there at all seasons, brought thither his bed and couch
to rest there (John 5:8).

Second, As by the fruit of this tree being yielded at certain
seasons, we may gather that there are certain seasons in which the
word in an especial manner shall be blessed and made successful
to the salvation of many souls. So again, in that he saith this
fruit is yielded every month, it signifieth that in the days of
the building of the city, the New Jerusalem, these seasons will
be very thick and quick. 'Lift up thine eyes,' saith God to this
city, 'all they gather themselves together, they come to thee; thy
sons shall come from far, and thy daughters' from the ends of the
earth. 'All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto
thee' so that thou wonderingly shalt say, 'Who are these that fly
as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows!' (Isa 60:4,7,8).
For 'I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be
exalted. Behold these shall come from far; and lo these from the
north, and from the west, and those from the land of Sinim' (Isa
49:11,12).

Third, In that she is said to yield not only fruit, but all manner
of fruit; and that not only one manner of fruit now, and another
then, but all manner of fruit, and that every month; it argueth
also that at this day Jerusalem shall have abundance of heavenly
and spiritual provision, and of variety of dainties for her solace
and refreshment; always new, I say, and immediately from the tree.
The fruits of the vine shall at that day be upon the mountains of
Samaria, and shall be eaten 'as common things,' saith the prophet
(Jer 31:5). 'Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice; for the Lord
will do great things. Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field, for
the pastures of the wilderness do spring; for the tree beareth
her fruit; the fig-tree and the vine do yield their strength. Be
glad, then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God;
for he hath given you the former' and the latter 'rain moderately,
and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain
and the latter rain in the first month; and the floors shall be
full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. And
I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the
canker-worm and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm' hath eaten.
'And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name
of the Lord' (Joel 2:21-25). And then shall every one not only sit
under his own vine, and under his own fig-tree, but from thence they
shall call each to other, to give to each other their dainties,
and none shall make them afraid (Zech 3:10).

[The virtue of the leaves.] 'And the leaves of the tree were for
the healing of the nations.' By leaves here, we may understand the
blessed and precious promises, consolations, and encouragements,
that by virtue of Christ's undertaking for us, we have everywhere
growing upon the new covenant; which promises and encouragements
they are and will be most freely handed to the wounded conscience
that will be tossed upon the restless waves of doubt and unbelief,
as was the olive leaf by the dove brought home to Noah, when he
was tossed upon the waves of that outrageous flood that then did
drown the world (Gen 8).

But again, by this word, the leaves, you may conceive that still
he hath his eye to the paradise in which at first God placed Adam
and his companion, for it was to leaves they fled for covering
after they had transgressed against their Maker (Gen 3:7). Now
then, in his saying the leaves are for healing; it is as if he
had said, the paradise that will be towards the latter end of the
world will far outstrip the paradise that first was planted in the
beginning thereof; for as the tree of life, which is the Christ and
Saviour, shall stand where did the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil, which is the old covenant and law of works: so the leaves
of this tree shall be for healing, and for covering the nakedness
of poor transgressors, though the leaves that Adam found in the
first paradise, do what he could, did leave him naked.

Christ's leaves are better than Adam's aprons. Ezekiel saith that
these leaves are for medicine (47:12), that is, they are for
healing, saith John; the which may most fitly be applied to the
blessed promise of grace. For as a leaf for medicine, when applied
to a sore in the body, doth supple, mollify, and heal the wound;
so the word of promise, when rightly applied to the soul, it doth
supple, mollify, and heal the wounded conscience. 'He sent his
word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his
wonderful works to the children of men!' (Psa 107:20,21).

'And the leaves,' &c. There is yet another mystery lieth in these
words.

He doth not say, and the fruits thereof are for the healing of the
nations, but the leaves, by which he would have us to understand
that all the benefits and privileges that we do receive from
Christ, they are as inferior to the glory we shall have from him
when we come to heaven, as inferior, I say, as the leaves are to
the fruit. Again, the comfort and sweetness that at any time we
receive from the Lord, it is not before but after a promise is
suitably applied, even as the fruit of the tree with which the
body is comforted is not before but after the leaves have put
forth themselves. Wherefore Christ might well say to Nathaniel,
and that after he had received some refreshments from a leaf, 'Thou
shalt see greater things than these' (John 1:50); and Paul, that
yet 'a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory' is laid
up for all believers (2 Cor 4:17). For indeed, indeed, the glory
that God hath prepared for us against the day of God, it doth and
will more outstrip the most high enjoyment of the highest saint in
New Jerusalem, notwithstanding their enjoyment will be so eminent,
than doth the sweetest fruit outstrip the leaf that hangeth on
that tree. 'And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of
the nations.' If the leaves be so good, O Lord, let us enjoy the
fruit; and not a little, or earnest, but the whole harvest thereof
in thy kingdom. Thus much touching this water and tree of life.

[The ease, peace, and tranquility of the city.]

Ver. 3. 'And there shall be no more curse: but the throne
of God--shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him.' This
is the conclusion of the whole discourse, and it showeth unto us
the blessed effect of the blessed recovering of this city to her
first and primitive state. These words, therefore, they are only
applicable to this state of the church. For there hath no state of
the church been yet in the world but that state hath been liable to
a curse; but this state, to wit, the state she will be in at her
building again, will be a state without parallel, a state properly
her own.

'And there shall be no more curse.' By curse in this place we
are chiefly to understand, not the taking away of the curse, the
eternal curse which separates between God and the soul for ever-for
so the curse in this sense hath always been taken away by virtue
of the terms, the general terms of the new covenant, and that in
common for every saint in all ages (Gal 3:13)-but by curse here we
are to understand that, or those curses that do, and have frequently
befallen the church for her sin and apostasy; as namely, the giving
up his people to their own darkness and ignorance; his suffering
them to swerve from his true worship and ordinances: his giving
them up into the hand of those that hate them, to become among
them a hissing, a taunt, a reproach, and a by-word, as it is at
this day (Zeph 1:12-17; Psa 43:28; Jer 29:18; 44:8,12). His taking
away from them the means, to wit, the outward word of the gospel,
and suffering them to be even at the point to famish for the want
thereof (Amos 8:9-13). These and other things are the curses that
he here saith shall be no more among his people; for indeed they
shall not, because the gospel-pattern shall never be removed
more, nor their light to see, nor their love to practise, never
be diminished more. Their defence, also, 'shall be the munition
of rocks; bread shall be given them, and their waters shall be
sure' (Isa 33:16). As here, you find the tree and river of the
water of life are fixed now in the midst of this city. Wherefore
now the church, as I have all along showed you, shall have her sun
at the height, her light as the light of seven days, and shall go
no more down for ever. Also she shall never be pulled down. She
shall be a tabernacle that shall never be pulled down, neither
shall one of the cords thereof be loosed, or one of her stakes
again removed (Isa 33:20).

'There shall be no more curse: but the throne of God shall be in
it.' Indeed, here lieth the reason of all blessedness to any people,
even the presence of God. Now the presence of God is with his
people, either at times or seasons, or all together. He will not
be to this city a God of times and seasons, even like a way-faring
man that tarries but for a night, as he used to be to his people
of old, but here he will abide, rest, and dwell (Zeph 3:17; Jer
14:8,9; Zech 2:10,11). I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem,
and my house shall be built in it, saith the Lord. And, again,
'I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem for ever' (Eze 43:9).
Wherefore John considering this, he saith, there shall be here
no more any curse, but the throne of God. God will now, when he
returneth to Jerusalem, bring his seat with him to signify his
sitting down in the midst of his people, to be their company-keeper
for ever.

[Import of the word THRONE.] 'But the throne of God--shall be in
it.' By this word 'throne,' we are to understand yet further these
particular things-

First. How blessed a state this city will be in at all times for
the answer of prayer! The throne of God will be in the midst of
them; the throne of grace, the mercy-seat, they will be open now
to all the inhabitants of this city; yea, the fame thereof shall
so spread that it shall be rumoured among all the nations that in
Jerusalem God will be found speedily; that in Jerusalem the God of
heaven and eternal mercy is found at all times by them that seek
his face. 'Mine house,' said he, 'shall be called a house of prayer
for all people' (Isa 56:7). Yea, many people, and strong nations,
shall at that day come to seek the Lord at Jerusalem, and to pray
before the Lord. And at that day the very fasts of the house of
God 'shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful
feasts; therefore, love the truth and peace' (Zech 8:19-22).

Second. The throne of God being now established in this city, what
a government, what rule, what a life of holiness and godliness,
what dread and majesty will now be in the hearts of all the sons
of this city! How to a hair's-breadth will he command and guide
them with his eye at all times, when they should either turn to
the right hand or to the left. What wisdom, I say, what holiness,
what grace and life will be found in all their words and actions?
(Isa 48:17). The throne of God is among them, from which there
will come continual influence, light, and splendour, into all their
hearts. 'Hear ye the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare
it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattereth Israel will
gather him and keep him, as a shepherd doth his sheep. For the
Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him
that was stronger than he. Therefore they shall come and sing in
the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the
Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of
the flock, and of the herd, and their soul shall be as a watered
garden, and they shall not sorrow any more at all' (Jer 31:10-12).

Third. The throne of God being in this city, there is also thereby
discovered what sway and commanding an authority this city will
have at this day, as I have already showed you, over all the earth
(Isa 2:9,10). 'The Lord also shall roar out of Zion and utter his
voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shall shake,
but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of
the children of Israel' (Joel 3:16). This was figured forth by the
throne of Solomon, in the days when that city was in its prosperity;
which throne, to show the majesty and commanding awe that then that
city had over all, both far and near, it had, for the bearers of
the steps, twelve lions, six on this side, and six on that side
of the throne (1 Kings 10:18-20). This city shall then be the head
and chief, but the tail and reproach no more. 'Glorious things are
spoken of thee, O city of God' (Psa 87:3).

'And his servants shall serve him.' That is, HIM ONLY. Indeed his
servants serve him always, but yet withal they do too too often
serve with the wills and lusts of men, even in their service
and worshipping God; that is, they serve him in much affliction,
temptation, fear, and persecution; but then they shall serve him
without any of these. Yea, 'they shall take them captives, whose
captives they were, and they shall rule over their oppressors.
And it shall come to pass in the day [O city] that the Lord shall
give thee rest from thy sorrow,--and from the hard bondage wherein
thou wast made to serve' (Isa 14:2,3), and thou shalt serve the
Lord thy God 'without fear, in holiness and righteousness before
him all the days of thy life' (Luke 1:74,75).

'And they shall see his face.' This also argueth a very great
dispensation of grace and mercy to this Jerusalem. When God did
deliver up his people into the hand of the king of Babylon, he
said it should be done in fury and in anger, and that for their
wickedness he would hide his face from his city (Deu 31:17; Jer
33:5). Wherefore, by the sight of his face here, we are to understand
that glorious visible appearance of God that then will be for
this city and people in the face of all the world (1 Peter 3:12).
For by the face of God we are to understand the discovery of his
severity, providences, and wonderful outgoings among the sons of
men (Job 6:8-13). As also the glorious breaking forth of grace,
mercy, and forgiveness through Christ Jesus, all which the people
of God shall then most marvellously see and behold (Heb 1:1-3; 2
Cor 4:6).

First. They shall see his severity and judgments upon the whore.

Second. They shall see how God, by his strange judgments and works
of wonder, hath brought this about. 'Who shall not fear thee, O
Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations
shall come and worship before thee, for thy judgments are made
manifest' (Rev 15:4). 'They that are delivered from the noise of
archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse
the righteous acts of the Lord, even the righteous acts towards
the inhabitants of his villages in Israel' (Judg 5:11).

Third. And as for his mercy, they shall see that their horn is
exalted, and that they are near to him. 'Praise ye the Lord' (Psa
148:14).

'And his name shall be in their foreheads.' And 'his name.' That
is, his fear and image, it shall appear in all their doings.
Sometimes he saith he will write his fear and law in their hearts
and minds. Which fear and law is all one with that which in this
place he calleth his name in their foreheads. The forehead of a
man is the place above all parts of the body that is most naked and
plain to be beheld of all that pass by; wherefore, when he saith
their Father's name shall be in their foreheads, it is as if he
had said, the profession of my people shall now be open, and the
beauty of it apparent to all beholders; 'I will make' them, saith
God, 'a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I
turn back your captivity before your eyes' (Zeph 3:20). Every face
shall then shine with oil, as well as every heart be replenished
with milk and wine. This was held forth by the memorial that the
Israelites were to wear, at God's command, between their eyes;
which memorial was the doctrine of unleavened bread and of the
paschal lamb, the doctrine of faith and holiness (Exo 13:6-9; 1 Cor
5:8). Wherefore, by name here, he means the faith and holiness of
the gospel, which in those days shall walk openly with honour,
with reverence, and esteem before all men. At this day the world
will, as I have said, be so far off from opposing and persecuting,
that they shall wonder, and tremble, and fear before this people;
yea, be taken, affected, and pleased with the welfare of this
beloved. 'The mountains and the hills shall break forth before
her into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their
hands' (Isa 55:12). 'All nations shall call them blessed, for they
shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts' (Mal 3:12).
The waters of Noah shall now be no more, the tumultuous multitudes
shall now be gone, and there will be no more sea (Isa 54:9; Psa
65:7; 89:9; Rev 21:1,2). Now therefore the doves may be gathering
their olive-branches, and also find rest for the soles of their
feet, while the ark shall rest upon the mountains of Ararat (Gen
8:4,5).

'The wolf also shall [now] dwell with the lamb, and the leopard
shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion and the
fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.--The lion
shall eat straw like the ox. And the suckling shall play on the
hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the
cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy
mountain, saith the Lord' (Isa 11:6-9; 56:2-5).

Blessed is he whose lot it will be to see this holy city descending
and lighting upon the place that shall be prepared for her situation
and rest! Then will be a golden world; wickedness shall then be
ashamed, especially that which persecutes the church. Holiness,
goodness, and truth, shall then, with great boldness, countenance,
and reverence, walk upon the face of all the earth. 'From the
rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the same, my name
shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense
shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name
shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts' (Mal
1:11). It will be then always summer, always sunshine, always
pleasant, green, fruitful, and beautiful to the sons of God. 'And it
shall come to pass in that day that the mountains shall drop down
new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers
of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth
of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim.--And
Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to
generation' (Joel 3:18,20). 'And the name of the city from that
day shall be, The Lord is there' (Eze 48:35). O blessedness! 'And
he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord
God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants
the things that must shortly be done' (Rev 22:6).

I conclude therefore with that earnest groan of Moses, the man of
God, 'O satisfy us early with thy mercy, that we may rejoice and
be glad all our days.--Make us glad according to the days wherein
thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their
children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and
establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our
hands establish thou it' (Psa 90:14-17). Amen.


FOOTNOTES:


1. The note upon this passage in the Genevan or Puritan version,
with which Bunyan was familiar, is, 'God will raise up in his
church such as shall rule and govern for the defence of the same,
and instruction of his enemies, under Messiah, whom the prophet
calleth here the Lord and Head of this kingdom.'-Ed.

2. From the Genevan or Puritan version.

3. 'Set out' render prominent, plain, or conspicuous.-Ed.

4. In Bunyan's days, a few fanatics from among the Fifth Monarchy
men conceived that the millennium had arrived, and that it was
their duty to take possession of the kingdom for Jesus. They were
mad enough, like the late Mr. Courtnay, to imagine that their
bodies were invulnerable, and they marched out to seize London.
A few of the trained bands soon encountered them, some were shot
and the rest were punished, and this absurd attempt was at an end
in a few hours. This gave the enemies of true religion a pretext,
which they eagerly seized, of charging these absurd notions upon
all who feared God, and a severe persecution followed. To deprecate
and counteract these reports, Bunyan is very explicit in noting
the difference between a spiritual and a temporal kingdom.-Ed.

5. 'Spices' is from the Genevan version; our authorized text has
'powders.'-Ed.

6. Referring to the attempts made in Bunyan's days to introduce Popery.
It is admirably shown in the Pilgrim's Progress, p. 193-'This is
the spring that Christian drank of; then it was clear and good,
but now it is dirty with the feet of some that are not desirous
that pilgrims here should quench their thirst.'-Ed.

7. All authority in the church is strictly limited to the written
Word. Throw away then to the owls and the bats all tradition,
and the power of the church to decree rites and ceremonies. It is
treason against God to suppose that he omitted anything from his
Bible that his church ought to do, or commanded that which may be
neglected, although human laws may authorize such deviation.-Ed.

8. The walls do not go from or leave the foundations, but, resting
upon them, they gradually ascend to perfection.-Ed.

9. Anabaptist was the name given to those who submitted to be baptized
upon a profession of faith, because, having been christened when
infants, it was called re-baptizing.-Ed.

10. 'Hub'; an obstruction, a thick square sod, the mark or stop at
the game of quoits.-Ed.

11. These observations apply to such churches as admit to the
Lord's table unconverted persons, because they have passed through
certain outward ceremonies; and to those who refused to admit the
most godly sayings, because they had not submitted to an outward
ceremony.-Ed.

12. See Isaiah 8:19. 'To peep and mutter,' as pretended sorcerers
or magicians attempting their incantations against the truth.-Ed.

13. This is an allusion to the ancient English pastime of combat,
called quarterstaff.-Ed.

14. Bunyan most accurately traces the pedigree of God's fearers,
who, at the expense of life, maintained the spirituality of divine
worship. He commences with our early Reformers, Wickliff and Huss,
to the later ones who suffered under Mary; continues the line of
descent through the Puritans to Bunyan's brethren, the Nonconformists.
All these were bitterly persecuted by the two lions-Church and
Sate. The carnal gospellers, that confused heap of rubbish that
crawled up and down the nation like locusts and maggots, refers to
the members of a hierarchy which were ready to go from Popery to
Protestantism, and back again to Popery, or to any other system,
at the bidding of an Act of Parliament.-Ed.

15. 'Virtue'; strength, efficacy, power.-Ed.

16. 'To travel and trade,' means to pursue or labour in an habitual
course, exercise, or custom, as, 'Thy sin's not accidental but a
trade.'-Shakespeare. Or, trade wind.-Ed.

17. The perfect unity of the Christian world is not likely to take
place before the glorious meeting in the holy city, under the
personal reign of Christ. The divisions among Christians arise,
as Bunyan justly says, from antichristian rubbish, darkness, and
trumpery; the great evil arising from difference of opinion, is
that lust of domination over the faith of others which naturally
leads to bitterness and persecution. In the earliest days one was
of Paul, another of Apollos, and another of Cephas. The exercise
of Christian forbearance was not an act of uniformity, but a
declaration of the Holy Ghost. 'Who art thou that judgest another
man's servant?' 'Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind'
(Rom 14:4,5).-Ed.