Author: JOEL BEEKE
Publisher: Reformation Heritage Books
ISBN: 978-1-60178-784-2
There is a good number of Puritan samplers available at present, but this is certainly one of the best.
The chapters cover in turn a Puritan perspective on the Bible, God, sin, Christ, grace, holiness, spiritual warfare, prayer, providence, pastoral counselling, heaven and hell, and zeal. The volume is replete with quotations from numerous 17th century theologians and preachers, including quite a few lesser-known figures.
The arrangement results in what is almost a mini systematic theology, perfectly illustrating how, for the Puritans, spiritual growth and practical Christian living flow from a sound grasp of biblical doctrine. Both authors have a comprehensive understanding of their subject and a passionate desire to help their readers grasp the unique value of the Puritan approach to the Christian faith.
In this they succeed admirably. Every believing reader must leave this book either determined to follow up its many intriguing leads or, at the very least, painfully aware that, somehow, they have been missing out big time.
The huge gulf that lies between the theology and preaching of the Puritans and that of so much modern-day evangelicalism is constantly laid bare. This chasm struck me particularly while reading the chapters on the sinfulness of sin, eternal realities, and sacrificial zeal – but it is evident throughout. The chapters on prayer and providence are among the simplest to read but are especially full of profoundly practical instruction.
Never before have the writings of the Puritans been so extensively, cheaply, and easily accessible. The book concludes with a very helpful guide on how to proceed into this treasure trove.
Jonathan Stephen
