Ravi Zacharias about Annie Johnson Flint - He giveth more grace

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“There is nothing permanent except change.”–Heraclitus

Dennis Edwards

I read this post today and it bothered me. Why? Because it is not true, or only partially true. Yes, we might agree everything does change. I get old, my ideas change, my likes change, society changes, many things in life change. But there are some things that don't change and because they don't change we are able to do science. We are able to send men to the moon and travel around the world in planes. Many of today's inventions in science are the result of unchanging laws of nature. 

Without these unchanging laws we won't have been able to calculate how to get to the moon. It was the consistency of those laws that made scientific discovery possible. Otherwise, if everything was changing, science would be impossible. Science is based upon these unchanging laws. Our understanding of the laws might change and become more profound over time, but those laws, like gravity, continue to operate in a conforming manner. They don't change. Yes, they may be winding down and eventually go to mass entropy and death. But the laws are constant. Why is that? Why is 2+2 always 4, unless you are playing word games? Because these laws of science and of reasoning and of nature are a reflection of the eternal laws of the creation's Creator.

The Bible tells us, "I am the Lord, I change not."[1] In the New Testament we read, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever."[2] God and His eternal love for us is unchanging, and everlasting. In the Psalms we read, “O my God, I say, take me not away in the midst of my days— you whose years endure throughout all generations! Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end."[3] 

We also read, "O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endures for ever."[4]

Jeremiah the prophet writes, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."[5] 

Jesus even said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."[6]

So you see, there are some things that are constant, like God and His love for you and me. In Genesis after the flood God promised that the seasons would not change while the earth remained. He said, "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."[7] He promised that nature would act constantly the same, just like it has over all recorded history. That's why we can do science and find things out, try to figure how God did things and how He keeps them running. Without this fact of God's unchanging nature, science wouldn't even be possible. It is the fact that God is unchanging and His love for us is unchanging that this weary world has any hope at all. Call upon Him and His unchanging steadfast love. Build your life on Him the solid Rock of God, unchanging and sure from everlasting to everlasting. In Jesus' name we pray.

Notes

[1] Malachi 3:6
[2] Hebrews 13:8
[3] Psalm 102:24-27
[4] 1 Chronicles 16:34
[5] Lamentations 3:22-23
[6] Matthew 24:35
[7] Genesis 8:22

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Syrian Foreign Ministry Blasts New U.S.-Backed Border Force

(Reuters) The Syrian government denounced a new border force which the United States is building with its militia allies in northern Syria as a “blatant assault” on sovereignty, state media said on Monday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the formation of a border zone controlled by U.S.-backed rebels could lead to the partition of Syria.

Dennis Edwards: Let us read from a paper written about the Oded Yinon plan for a Greater Israel back in 1982:

Oded Yinon, the former senior official with the Israeli Foreign Ministry and journalist for the Jerusalem Post published a book in 1982 which is called; “A Strategy for Israel in the Nineteen Eighties” also known as the Yinon Plan. It is an Israeli strategic plan to ensure Israeli regional superiority through the balkanization of the surrounding Arab states into smaller and weaker states. Yinon Plan called for the “dissolution” of “the entire Arab world including Egypt, Syria, Iraq and the Arabian Peninsula.” 

Each country was to be made to “fall apart along sectarian and ethnic lines,” after which each resulting fragment would be “hostile” to its “neighbours.” Later, plans to balkanize Syria, Iraq and other Middle Eastern states were laid out by former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in a 2006 trip to Tel Aviv. It was part of the so called “Project for a New Middle East”. This was a carbon copy of the Yinon Plan drawn up by Israel in 1982. 

Former US Secretary of State John

Kerry called for Syria to be partitioned saying it was “Plan B” if negotiations failed. But in reality this was always plan A, although officially Plan A was “Assad Must Go”. Then NATO planned on shifting narratives from, ‘evil dictator must be stopped” to “we must protect the minorities”. As it is mentioned before plans to balkanize Syria originates from the Yinon Plan as it aimed at dismembering the Syrian state in accordance with its ethnic and religious structure, into several states. Quite simply, divide and conquer is the plan. When viewed in the current context, the war on Iraq, the 2006 war on Lebanon, the 2011 war on Libya, the ongoing war on Syria, must be understood in relation to the “Greater Israel” (Eretz Israel HaShlema) project.[1]  

So we see the American government continues to be the hatchet for Israel's secret hegemonic plans for regional supremacy. Long before 9/11 these plans were hatched and Israel's smartest minds put to work on creating a viable plan to accomplish Israel's territorial and security goals. The Yinon plan has been followed to a "T" with Israel using the military might of the USA to bring down their enemies. 

Way back before 9/11 former NATO chief General Wesley Clark leaked the plans the US government had for a New World Order in the Middle East. He said that there were plans to remove or destabilise seven nations in the proximity of the Middle East. Much of those plans has been fulfilled except for the the dismantling of the Iranian government, though that might still be underway.

Could those five Israeli "students" who were arrested for celebrating the destruction of the Twin Towers from a building in New Jersey have been Mossad bomb agents. They could have been involved in the Mossad's plan to bring down the towers and then to have it blamed on the Arabs. Bush was quickly given a blank sheet by the American people and Congress to wage war against "our" enemies. Why were these men so quickly released and allowed to return to Israel without a thorough investigation into their activities. Records show there were later suspicious night time working crews working on the elevators during the summer months leading up to 9/11. Could those "elevator crews" have been the very five Israeli "students?"

The present Prime Minister Netanyahu has said every inter Arab conflict must be encouraged.

[1] Ayşe TEKDAL FİLDİŞ, “Greater Israel” Project and Balkanization of Syria, Namik Kemal University, Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of International Relations, tekfil@hotmail.co.uk, March 2017, http://ibaness.org/bnejss/2017_03_03/07_Fildi%C5%9F.pdf 

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Men for Sale

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Abbas slams US, others in defiant speech

By Andrew Carey and Abeer Salman, CNN - Updated 0941 GMT (1741 HKT) January 15, 2018

Jerusalem (CNN)Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas appears to have confirmed reports that the Trump administration has earmarked Abu Dis, a town adjacent to Jerusalem, as the capital of a future Palestinian state, during a speech to the PLO Central Council.

"Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the state of Palestine," Abbas told delegates at a meeting on Sunday called to discuss the United States' recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. "We are at a critical moment and our future is in danger ... we are currently being offered Abu Dis as our capital."

Israel accelerates plans that imperil two-state solution
Previous US administrations have hewed to the international consensus that East Jerusalem, which includes the Old City and its key religious sites, would be the capital of any Palestinian state.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Abbas' remarks.
The two-day meeting in Ramallah included all Palestinian factions except Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which are not members of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Attendees are expected to discuss ramifications of the US' recognition and strategies, according to official news agency Wafa.
Abbas' address had been seen as an opportunity to chart a Palestinian course forward in the light of Trump's announcement last month on Jerusalem.
"I call on the Central Council to revise all the agreements signed between the PLO and Israel because Israel has brought these agreements to a dead end," said Abbas.

Palestinian officials slam Trump's threat to cut US aid
"Israel has ended the Oslo agreement" so the PLO Central Council must decide "where should we go from here?"
Even so, Abbas reaffirmed his commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"We are committed to resolving the two states on the basis of international legitimacy, the Arab peace initiative, and the state of Palestine on the 1967 borders," he said.
He also said he advocated only "peaceful popular resistance."
Addressing the future role of the United States in the peace process, Abbas said: "We will not accept the US as a mediator after what they did."
He singled out two individuals for particular criticism: "The American ambassador to Israel [David Friedman] and [the US Ambassador to the UN] Nikki Haley bring shame on the administration, if it has any self-respect."
In an apparent swipe at Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, seen as receptive to the Trump administration's plans for the Middle East, Abbas said: "We do not interfere with the affairs of Arab countries and we do not accept anyone interfering in our own affairs." Singling out one country that he accused of playing an underhand role, but chose not to name, he said: "Stay away from us."
Former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was among the first Israelis to react, branding Abbas' address an "extremist speech."
"We are not giving up on a country with a Jewish majority and a border between us and them," she said on Twitter. "To there we have to advance, with or without the Palestinians."

CNN's Oren Liebermann and Ian Lee contributed to this report.

 Comment by Dennis Edwards: The Palestinian/Jerusalem question will just not go away. Will the world be forced to make some kind of international agreement on the status of Jerusalem and the future of the Palestinians? Will this agreement involve the building of the Third Temple and the renewal of Jewish sacrificial worship for the first time since the destruction of the 2nd Temple by the Roman legions in 70 AD? The Bible seems to indicate, if we are understanding it properly, that there will be such an agreement. The prophet Daniel calls it a "Holy Covenant." The covenant will be framed by the Antichrist and many nations will confirm it. It will be a seven year pact. However, because of scheming behind the scenes and impending military action against him, the Antichrist breaks the agreement, invades Israel, stops the sacrificial worship and places something called in Scripture, "the abomination of desolation" in the Temple.

The placing of the abomination of desolation in the Temple was the key sign Jesus gave to his disciples when they asked him what would be the sign of the end and of His coming. Jesus warned that when the abomination of desolation was placed in the Temple the Great Tribulation would begin. He said the tribulation would be the worst the world would ever face and that if He didn't return no life on earth would be saved. Finally, He announced, not that He would come secretly and snatch away His followers in a secret Rapture, but that He would return immediately after the tribulation. At that point His followers would be rescued and those left on earth would pass through and even worst period of troubles culminating in the Battle of Armageddon which ends with Christ's physical return to stop the Antichrist and his followers from destroying the whole world and enforce a peaceful reign on earth for 1,000 years.

That's a brief resume of what the Bible says. Of course, there's a lot more. But that is the general outline. We are living in exciting times as many of today's current events seem to be lining up with the possibility of fulfilling these Bible prophecies. Have you studied your Bible to know what to expect? Have the false American prophets put you to sleep with their unscriptural Secret Rapture? Have the rich television preachers made you sick of religion and all that it stands for? Well, comfort yourself with the thought that Jesus Himself was killed by "righteous" religious people.

For more information read my online book:  Where is America in Bible Prophecy?

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Bitterness, NO! A Compilation

 The above quote is accredited to Leon Brown and sometimes quoted by Nick Vujicic

Boxer Rubin Carter, who spent 18 years in jail for a crime he did not do said, "Hatred and bitterness and anger only consume the vessel that contains them. They don't hurt another soul." However, I believe that Emerson Fosdick, the Christian writer, may be the actual author of those lines.

 Written by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Christians in Ephesians.

Nick Vujicic. What kind a person are you going to be? Bitter or Better?

The author of Hebrews in the New Testament tells us to watch out for a root of bitterness that not only destroys us, but affects those around us.

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Israel Launches Airstrikes on Syria, as Assad’s Forces Near Victory

By Patrick Cockburn, The Independent, January 10, 2018

Israeli jets and ground-to-ground missile attacks on targets in the outskirts of Damascus are a mark of Israel’s heightened concern as President Bashar al-Assad comes close to winning the civil war in Syria. Israel’s security cabinet has held meetings several times in recent days to discuss how it should respond to the “day-after” the war as Syria returns to Mr Assad’s control and to Iran’s expanded influence in Syria according to Israeli television reports.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel’s policy was to stop Hezbollah moving “game-changing weapons” out of Syria into Lebanon. “We back it [the policy] up as necessary with action,” he added. Israel has carried out more than 100 air strikes against Syrian Army and Hezbollah arms depots and military facilities in the past six years.

The strikes are a sign that Israel is trying to adjust to likely new developments in Syria in 2018: as the end of the civil war comes in sight, Hezbollah and the Syrian armed forces, both battle hardened by the war, will no longer be tied down by fighting and could be deployed to confront Israel.

The Syrian war is by no means over, but the success of the coalition that includes Iran, Syria, Lebanese Hezbollah and Iraqi Shia forces means that the balance of power in the region is swinging against Israel.

The Syrian Army is advancing swiftly without much resistance into the largest remaining rebel enclave in province of Idlib south west of Aleppo, in an offensive launched a week ago. Backed by artillery and air strikes, Syrian units are fighting Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as the al Nusra Front and once the Syrian arm of al-Qaeda, which is dominant in the province. Other rebel groups complain that HTS is refusing to cooperate with them in holding back government forces.

The Syrian Army and air force are also battering Eastern Ghouta, the other large rebel enclave just east of Damascus, the capture of which would give Mr Assad full control of the capital and the area round it, something he has not enjoyed since 2011.

Although the long-term success of Syrian government forces looks inevitable, it will take them time to re-establish central control. The Syrian Kurds–who captured Isis’s de facto capital Raqqa in October backed by US-led air strikes–control a great swathe of territory east of the Euphrates. They need to keep US support, including several bases in Kurdish-held territory, as a guarantee against Turkish military intervention or an offensive by Syrian forces. At the same time, they look to a long-term agreement with Damascus which would guarantee their autonomy.

Israel is concerned about the return of the Syrian Army to parts of southern Syria close to Israel as it tries to reopen the road to Jordan. There is a US-Russian agreement arranged by President Vladimir Putin that Hezbollah and Iranian backed forces will not approach within 25 miles of the Israeli-Syrian front line in the Golan.

But Mr Assad is likely to be less reliant on the support, and more independent of the wishes, of his two main allies, Russia and Iran, as he gets close to victory.

The latest Israeli air strikes and the angry Syrian response show that both sides are muscle-flexing. But, while the Israelis have an interest in preventing Hezbollah acquiring a substantial arsenal of long-range missiles that could reach far into Israel, neither side has an interest in going to war which would cause a lot of destruction but produce no winner, as in 2006 when Israel fought Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Israel has received vociferous backing from President Trump and the US but the Israelis must wonder–along with the rest of the world–how much Mr Trump’s supportive tweets are really worth. Even his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is not an unalloyed gain for Israel since it changes nothing much on the ground, but it has put the Israeli-Palestinian issue back at the top of the political agenda in the Middle East to a degree not seen since 9/11 and the start of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Israeli air strikes are not necessarily a precursor to a wider military conflict, but they do show that Israel believes it can no longer stay on the margins of the Syrian war. As the conflict comes to an end that is bound to be messy, Israel wants to be a leading player in shaping its final outcome.

Dennis Edwards: Here again we see that an international agreement about the Palestinian and Israeli situation is still a topic of discussion. Mr, Cockburn, author of the article, says the present developments have put the Israeli-Palestinian issue back on top of the political agenda where it hasn't been for many years. Will we see the famous "Holy Covenant" predicted in the Bible by the prophet Daniel?

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.[Daniel 9:27]

Daniel's prophecies intertwine the Holy Covenant with the resuming of Jewish sacrificial worship in Jerusalem. The prophecies are clear that half way through the seven year pact, the covenant is broken. It is at this point that the abomination of desolation is placed in the temple.

And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that makes desolate.[Daniel 11:31]

Jesus gave the placing of the abomination of desolation in the temple as the prime sign of the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso reads, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.[Matthew 24:15 -21]

He also said that the sign of His coming in the clouds of heaven would appear "immediately after the tribulation of those days."

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.[Matthew 24: 29]

Keep your eyes and ears open for some kind of international agreement regarding Israel, the Palestinians and the rebuilding of the Third Jewish Temple. These events could very well be the fulfillment of Bible prophecy and a dire warning to the world that we are approaching great catastrophic events on the road to Armageddon.

For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. [Revelation 16:14-16]

Note: All references from the King James Bible, though I dropped some of the "ths."

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Speech Given at NPHS Class of 1967 50th Reunion

Good Evening!

I'd like to thank you for giving me this moment of opportunity to address you. It's been wonderful learning what you have done, what you are doing, and what you will be doing in the future. Each and everyone of you is wonderful, and I look forward to discovering more about you during the rest of the evening.

As class president I was responsible to organise the class reunions. But how could I fulfil that responsibility living the last forty-three years abroad. I couldn't. Thankfully for all of us, others saw the need, heard our cry and responded, and we are here tonight as a result of their efforts, small and great over a long period of time.

My oldest son recently told me, "Dad, there is not much we can do to change the world. But we can make efforts wherever we are to build friendship and community. Because community promotes understanding, which promotes love, which promotes positive action in the lives of those concerned."

Therefore, as president of the NPHS class of 1967, on behalf of all the class members present and absent, we would like to present a token [a trophy] of our appreciation to the following people:

Matthew Kilpatrick
Rene Scanlan Harzula
Roger Graubard [not pictured]
Lucy Bernardi Minichino [front right]
Jo-Ann Grace Bandomer [back right]

Let's all give them a warm round of applause for all their efforts.

A friend of mine recently wrote me a note that said something to this effect: "Dennis, with all the crazy things that are happening in the world, I don't know if I'll ever see you again. So I wanted to tell you, I love you, and thanks for being my friend."[This friend has since died last week at the age of 79.]

My friend's thoughts reminded me of what the famous intellectual, Christopher Hitchens, said near the end of his life. Hitchens was at a book signing event where he met a twelve year old girl who had read all his books. He was very impressed, but he shared one thought with her in parting. He said, "Don't forget the love thing, that I was talking about tonight. Don't forget the love thing."

Here he was at the very end of his life, and Christopher Hitchens, the sceptic of sceptics, told this twelve year old girl "not to forget the love thing." His most important message for her to remember was "don't forget the love thing."

Roger Graubard

So to you my classmates and friends, I say "Remember the love thing." The Bible tells us that "he that loves, knows God for God is love."So let's apply love to every aspect of our lives. Okay?

Be happy! Be good! And remember, "It's not over 'til it's over." You might becoming into the greatest years of your life. Find purpose. Find a way to serve and help others.

My own father began volunteering at the age of 75. He started to play piano and sing with Loraine Cox's father. After my mother died my father had fallen into depression. The Cox's encouraged my dad to use his talent of music to inspire and help others. At first he didn't want to. But he ended up entertaining for thirteen years. He made lots of friends, and girlfriends and found a purpose in living.

At my father's funeral some years ago, one of the directors of one of the old folk's homes where he performed came up and talked with me. She said, "Dennis, your father asked to volunteer at our home when he was 80 years old. I thought he was crazy. I had to run a police background check on him. But he soon became the most popular event with the old folks. Of all the entertainment and volunteers who came, your father was loved the most by our residents. He was one of them and played the songs they loved. He won their hearts."

So, no matter what the future holds, your life can gain meaning and purpose, like my Dad's did in service to others. He served them and in return had his own need for fellowship and love fulfilled.

That's it for me. Build community like our Reunion Committee has done. Build friendship. Be kind and courteous even to those of differing opinions. Let the NPHS Class of 1967 continue to be a positive force for good in this weary world. Help others. Find purpose. Be thankful.

It's been great seeing you all again. Have a great night! And let's remember the love thing! [PS: If you are interested you can read my book at Dennis' Testimony. Thanks!]

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For Whom the Bell Tolls - by John Donne

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

These famous words by John Donne were not originally written as a poem - the passage is taken from the 1624 Meditation 17, from Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions and is prose. The words of the original passage are as follows:

John Donne
Meditation 17
Devotions upon Emergent Occasions

"No man is an iland, intire of it selfe; every man is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine; if a clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe is the lesse, as well as if a Promontorie were, as well as if a Mannor of thy friends or of thine owne were; any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee...." 

Dennis Edwards: I hope these poem by John Donne have stirred a desire in you to read him further. 

Found at:
http://www.famousliteraryworks.com/donne_for_whom_the_bell_tolls.htm

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John Donne - Poet

https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/john-donne


Related Schools & Movements:
Metaphysical Poet

read John Donne’s poems

John Donne was born in 1572 in London, England. He is known as the founder of the Metaphysical Poets, a term created by Samuel Johnson, an eighteenth-century English essayist, poet, and philosopher. The loosely associated group also includes George Herbert, Richard Crashaw, Andrew Marvell, and John Cleveland. The Metaphysical Poets are known for their ability to startle the reader and coax new perspective through paradoxical images, subtle argument, inventive syntax, and imagery from art, philosophy, and religion using an extended metaphor known as a conceit. Donne reached beyond the rational and hierarchical structures of the seventeenth century with his exacting and ingenious conceits, advancing the exploratory spirit of his time.

Donne entered the world during a period of theological and political unrest for both England and France; a Protestant massacre occurred on Saint Bartholomew’s day in France; while in England, the Catholics were the persecuted minority. Born into a Roman Catholic family, Donne’s personal relationship with religion was tumultuous and passionate, and at the center of much of his poetry. He studied at both Oxford and Cambridge Universities in his early teen years. He did not take a degree at either school, because to do so would have meant subscribing to the Thirty-nine Articles, the doctrine that defined Anglicanism. At age twenty he studied law at Lincoln’s Inn. Two years later he succumbed to religious pressure and joined the Anglican Church after his younger brother, convicted for his Catholic loyalties, died in prison. Donne wrote most of his love lyrics, erotic verse, and some sacred poems in the 1590s, creating two major volumes of work: Satires and Songs and Sonnets.

In 1598, after returning from a two-year naval expedition against Spain, Donne was appointed private secretary to Sir Thomas Egerton. While sitting in Queen Elizabeth’s last Parliament in 1601, Donne secretly married Anne More, the sixteen-year-old niece of Lady Egerton. Donne’s father-in-law disapproved of the marriage. As punishment, he did not provide a dowry for the couple and had Donne briefly imprisoned.

This left the couple isolated and dependent on friends, relatives, and patrons. Donne suffered social and financial instability in the years following his marriage, exacerbated by the birth of many children. He continued to write and published the Divine Poems in 1607. In Pseudo-Martyr, published in 1610, Donne displayed his extensive knowledge of the laws of the Church and state, arguing that Roman Catholics could support James I without compromising their faith. In 1615, James I pressured him to enter the Anglican Ministry by declaring that Donne could not be employed outside of the Church. He was appointed Royal Chaplain later that year. His wife died in 1617 at thirty-three years old shortly after giving birth to their twelfth child, who was stillborn. The Holy Sonnets are also attributed to this phase of his life.

In 1621, he became dean of Saint Paul’s Cathedral. In his later years, Donne’s writing reflected his fear of his inevitable death. He wrote his private prayers, Devotions upon Emergent Occasions, during a period of severe illness and published them in 1624. His learned, charismatic, and inventive preaching made him a highly influential presence in London. Best known for his vivacious, compelling style and thorough examination of mortal paradox, John Donne died in London on March 31, 1631.

Selected Bibliography

Poetry

Satires (1593)
Songs and Sonnets (1601)
Divine Poems (1607)
Psevdo-Martyr (1610)
An Anatomy of the World (1611)
Ignatius his Conclaue (1611)
The Second Anniuersarie. Of The Progres of the Soule(1611)
An Anatomie of the World (1612)
Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions (1624)
Deaths Dvell (1632)
Ivvenilia (1633)
Poems (1633)
Sapientia Clamitans (1638)
Wisdome crying out to Sinners (1639)

Prose

Letters to Severall Persons of Honour (1651)
A Collection of Letters, Made by Sr Tobie Mathews, Kt.(1660)

Essays

A Sermon Vpon The VIII. Verse Of The I. Chapter of The Acts Of The Apostles (1622)
A Sermon Vpon The XV. Verse Of The XX. Chapter Of The Booke Of Ivdges (1622)
Encania. The Feast of Dedication. Celebrated At Lincolnes Inne, in a Sermon there upon Ascension day(1623)
Three Sermons Upon Speciall Occasions (1623)
A Sermon, Preached To The Kings Mtie. At Whitehall(1625)
The First Sermon Preached To King Charles (1625)
Fovre Sermons Upon Speciall Occasions (1625)
Five Sermons Vpon Speciall Occasions (1626)
A Sermon Of Commemoration Of The Lady Dãuers(1627)
Six Sermons Vpon Severall Occasions (1634)
LXXX Sermons (1640)
Biathanatos: A Declaration of that Paradoxe, or Thesis that Selfe-homicide is not so (1644)
Naturally Sinne, that it may never be otherwise (1647)
Essayes in Divinity (1651)

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