PART FIVE – A Discourse Concerning the Holy Spirit by John Owen When I began assembling a library of Puritan books in the early 90’s (yes, I’m that old), Soli Deo Gloria was publishing many great authors. Additionally, living in England I had access to many great bookshops and found many treasures on the shelves. One of the Puritans I never came across back then was George Swinnock. Soli Deo Gloria didn’t publish Swinnock. I think this was because Don …
Category: Puritans
Part Four – The Excellency of a Gracious Spirit by Jeremiah Burroughs When I think about a truly spiritual writer; a writer whose is content constantly tethered to the interactions between God and man, my mind turns to John Owen (d. 1683). Owen is generally regarded as the Prince of the Puritans, although opinions as why he retains the accolade are not too easy to come by. For my part, I think he deserves the title because of the variety, …
PART THREE – The Doubting Believer by Obadiah Sedgwick Jeremiah Burroughs was one of the great preachers of the middle part of the Puritan period. He died in 1646 in his late forties, having written many helpful books, among which are some classics. I’m thinking, for example, of The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. I would also throw in his book Gospel Worship, which is an extended reflection on Leviticus 10. Burroughs also became well known for a commentary on …
Part 2: Pilgrim’s Progress There are a number of good books dealing with doubt that I would recommend. More modern authors like Os Guinness, Gary Habermas and J. P. Moreland have made solid contributions to this subject. Of the Puritan authors, we find quite a few addressing assurance, but not so many dealing with doubt. However, there is one particular book by a Puritan that I would place at the top of the pile of books on this topic and …
PART ONE The Pilgrim’s Progress was first published in 1678, with Part Two coming out in 1684. Although the second part, which records Christiana and her children making the journey that her husband made in the first book, is excellent, it is Christian’s journey in part one that everybody knows. The book is an allegory, and one of the best if not the best ever written. Bunyan’s characters stick in the mind. At least their names attach themselves to the …
I’m going to begin a series on Puritan books and writers that I hope will be edifying for my readers. I believe the Puritans to be the single greatest group of writers on the Christian Life and the Life of Faith. This is not to say I believe they were always right, or that they should be followed religiously on every sentence they wrote. I differ from them in their adherence to Reformed Covenant Theology, be it paedobaptist or credobaptist. …
