ANOTHER NEW ONE ARRIVES: Spurgeon's "Lectures to My Students"

This is one beautiful book, published ... can I say it? ... Banner-style! Here are the details; you can order it now, online, from Banner of Truth by clicking HERE.

TITLE: Lectures to My Students
AUTHOR: C.H. Spurgeon
PAGE COUNT: 928
BINDING: Clothbound
ISBN: 978-0-85151-9661
LIST PRICE: $39.00
DESCRIPTION:

While C. H. Spurgeon is still remembered as being the most popular preacher of the Victorian era, it has generally been forgotten that the influence he exercised on fellow ministers and theological students was possibly an even greater factor in his life than his own personal ministry. That he organized a college, supervised the training of some 845 students, presided at an annual conference of ministers, and regarded all this as his ‘life’s labour and delight’ are facts that are little known today.
Spurgeon’s Lectures to my Students, contain the substance of Spurgeon’s regular Friday afternoon addresses to the college students. This new complete and unabridged Banner edition, which has been newly typeset, contains all the lectures in the original first and second series, including The Minister’s Self-Watch, The Preacher’s Private Prayer, The Minister’s Fainting Fits, The Holy Spirit in Connection with our Ministry, The Need of Decision for the Truth, and On Conversion as our Aim. Also included is a third series of lectures, originally published as The Art of Illustration, which focuses on the nature, use, and sources of illustrations and anecdotes in preaching.
To make this new edition as complete as possible, the publishers have also included Spurgeon’s Commenting & Commentaries, which contains two further lectures and a fascinating and often humorously annotated catalogue of commentaries. This catalogue, compiled by Spurgeon after a review of some three to four thousand volumes, is anything but dull: calculated to produce enthusiasts for books, it also opens up a new world by its well-placed signposts to the riches of the past.

"My College lectures are colloquial, familiar, full of anecdote, and often humorous: they are purposely made so, to suit the occasion. At the end of the week, I meet the students, and find them weary with sterner studies, and I judge it best to be as lively and interesting in my prelections as I well can be. They have had their fill of classics, mathematics, and divinity, and are only in a condition to receive something which will attract and secure their attention, and fire their hearts.

The solemn work with which the Christian ministry concerns itself demands a man's all, and that all at its best. To engage in it half-heartedly is an insult to God and man. Slumber must forsake our eyelids sooner than men shall be allowed to perish. Yet we are all prone to sleep as do others, and students, among the rest, are apt to act the part of the foolish virgins; therefore have I sought to speak out my whole soul, in the hope that I might not create or foster dullness in others. May he in whose hand are the churches and their pastors bless these words to younger brethren in the ministry, and if so I shall count it more than a full reward, and shall gratefully praise the Lord."

-- C. H. Spurgeon

NEW RELEASE: John Calvin's "Sermons on the Acts of the Apostles: Chapters 1-7"

Have you all heard that NEW RELEASES are arriving at the Banner of Truth? Here's one of them!
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TITLE: Sermons on the Acts of the Apostles: Chapters 1-7
AUTHOR: John Calvin
PAGES: 688
TYPE: Clothbound
LIST PRICE: $36.00 (U.S. currency)
DESCRIPTION: How to answer the question ‘Is your conscience at peace?’ A reading of any or all of these forty-four extant sermons on Acts by John Calvin will help the reader determine whether his conscience is at peace or simply asleep!

Calvin’s vigorous presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ in its full extent shows the sixteenth-century expositor understood the ramifications of New Testament theology, just as did his mentor, the apostle Paul, who, after presenting his reasoned understanding of the meaning of Christ’s work, immediately follows it with the ‘therefore’ of consequence. Calvin mixes biblical teaching and its demands on the believer’s life together so closely that the theology and its effects cannot be easily separated. Divine judgment and mercy underlie this ‘effects theology’, and it is the sense of judgment versus the promises of and the conditions for forgiveness and acceptance that informs the reader’s conscience whether he is indeed forgiven and at peace, a member of the body of Christ.

On the other hand, the reader of the sleeping conscience, by comparison and self-examination, will be incited to awaken to a new or renewed relationship with the pressing demands of Christian ‘effects theology’. Calvin pulls no punches. If belief does not end in an increasingly Christlike character, it is as good as no belief, no theology. The reader is either at peace or asleep.

‘One wonders, after perusing any sequence of Calvin’s sermons, whether Calvin would he welcomed in many Protestant, even Presbyterian, pulpits today. Calvin is hailed for his biblical theology, but largely ignored with respect to his insistence upon the transformed-life, life-long self-abnegation demanded of genuine Christian discipleship. The motive behind his insistence arises from his acute awareness that God, after expressing his fatherly love and gracious acceptance of the wayward, remains the uncompromising judge of all humankind, Christian or not. That awareness of judgment should, Calvin says, “make our hair stand on end” and drive us to repentance, without which there is no forgiveness.

‘It is hoped that the reader of these sermons will seek not just to confirm the sermons’ agreement with Calvinistic theology, but particularly to experience Calvin’s sincere and profound personal response to the loving and merciful God whose Son is on the threshold of judging with finality the whole world with mercy and justice.’

—From the Translator’s Preface

John Calvin is generally thought of as the greatest theologian of the Protestant Reformation or as a gifted Bible commentator whose insights into the text of Scripture are still highly valued today. Yet it is not widely known that the greatest obligation Calvin felt was not to his fellow scholars, nor even to his students, but to the ordinary people – citizens of Geneva and persecuted refugees, shopkeepers and merchants, the young and the old – who crowded St Peter’s church no less than ten times a fortnight to listen to his sermons in French.
Calvin’s sermons have lain for too long in the shadow of his commentaries. In seeking to correct this imbalance, it should be remembered that a sermon serves a very different purpose from a commentary. While explanation and interpretation are enough for students, they are never enough for a congregation of sinners. That is why Calvin’s sermons always combine the essential elements of all true preaching – exposition, exhortation and practical application. So let the reader be warned: this volume contains lively preaching! Calvin aims to awaken the conscience and also demands life-changing action. Is it any wonder that such preaching was used by God to bring spiritual renewal on an unprecedented scale to the people and nations of sixteenth-century Europe?
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To purchase this book from Banner of Truth, CLICK HERE.

Book Review: "The Art of Prophesying," and Banner's Puritan Paperback Series

Thank you, Benjamin Glaser, for sharing the following:
I am a sucker for Banner of Truth Trust's Puritan Paperbacks. I find the situation surrounding the early Puritan writers and our own to quite similar. We have much to learn from their wisdom. This work by William Perkins on Preaching is dynamite text for any preacher who really wants to understand how the Scriptures interact with your preaching. Highly Recommended.

The "Puritan Reading Challenge" is GROWING!

It would seem that nearly several hundred people have now signed on for "The Puritan Reading Challenge" that Timmy Brister posted on his blog before the end of the year. As an update on his blog, he wrote, "After three days, over 100 people have signed on! I am super-excited. Also I have tallied 55 blogs plugging or blogging the challenge. Thanks to everyone who has helped get the word out! Perhaps we can see 200?!" That would be great! If you would like to accept the challenge and read a Puritan Paperback each month during 2008, CLICK HERE. He also posted a comment by Tim Keller whereby Tim wrote, "For what it’s worth, I read all but one of the books on this list during seminary and my early ministry, and they had an enormous, life-changing, ministry-shaping impact on me. A couple of them almost literally saved my life. I couldn’t recommend them more highly. I’d only add: a) Read Owen on Temptation as well as Mortification. It’s short and well worth the read. b) Consider adding Baxter’s Saints Everlasting Rest. Other than those, I’d agree that these are the best short, accessible Puritan works. A great list." Keep reading! Steve

Are You An Appreciator of Letters?

Wow. Dean over at "Life & Letters" blog certainly is one who has come to appreciate the value of reading the letters from the likes of a Samuel Rutherford, John Calvin, etc. You'll find excerpts from a number of them at his blog. The most recent one follows - indeed a challenge from Calvin that ought not be restricted to the "student of law at the University of Padua" to whom it was written. Thanks, Dean.
Steve
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As I understand from your letter, that it is not very long since the Lord shed the light of His gospel on you, I could not give a fitter expression of my love towards you, than by exhorting and encouraging you to daily exercises. For we see sparks of piety immediately disappear which had shone forth on many occasions; because, instead of increasing the flame, they rather extinguish what little light the Spirit of God had enkindled in them, by the empty allurements of the world, or the irregular desires of the flesh. That nothing of this kind may happen to you, you must first of all give devoted submission to the will of the Lord, and in the next place, you must fortify yourself by His sacred doctrines.

Letters from John Calvin: Selected from the Bonnet Edition, the Banner of Truth, 1980, p. 118.

Psalm 146 ... again

This morning's read. So good. No matter how many times. God truly does nourish our souls through the reading of His Word.
Wishing you a great day with Him.
Steve
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"Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day there plans come to nothing.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them - the Lord, who remains faithful forever.
He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord."

"Home Again, Home Again ..."

There is a Mother Goose nursery rhyme that goes,
To market, to market, to buy a fat pig,
Home again, home again, dancing a jig;
To market, to market, to buy a fat hog;
Home again, home again, jiggety-jog;
To market, to market, to buy a plum bun,
Home again, home again, market is done."
While I haven't danced a jig, bought a hog or purchased a bun, I can revise the last line and say,
Home again, home again, our Hawaii trip is done!

Mornings sure are tough still; today is the first day back at my desk here at Banner of Truth in Carlisle, PA and 8:30 a.m. eastern time still feels as if it's the 3:30 a.m. Hawaii time that I'd grown used to. Wow. How do people do this?
To bring you up to date - I had a great visit and lunch with Kevin (pictured here as he takes a customer's lunch order) and his incredible staff at Covenant Books and Coffee there in Honolulu. If you visit the islands, you must stop in. And if you guess the identities of all ten(?) Puritans on his wall, he'll give you a free book. Thank you Kevin, along with Dave and Roland and Brandy and everyone else there at Covenant Books & Coffee.
My wife did an incredible job and loved working with the staff of Trinity Christian School in Kailua. And we both very much appreciate their serious desire and offer to have her work there full-time, but ...
Our trip home was blessed with an 8-hour stopover in Chicago; just enough time to be picked up by one of our "unofficially adopted sons," taken to his apartment to "crash," then join him and his wife for church followed by lunch with several other couples at another house - all before he returned us to O'Hare to continue our flight! Thanks, Mark!
Now, it's emails and messages and strategy planning and ............ I hope you are doing well (and are more awake than I am) wherever this finds you. Grace & peace to you this day.
Steve

Hawaiian Trip Update

Aloha, again. We have moved from the island of Maui to Oahu and are now enjoying the beautiful area of Kailua. Our hosts here, Trinity Presbyterian Church and Trinity Christian School have treated us like royalty. We have met so many wonderful people. Our purpose in being here, actually, is for my wife (an upper school principal and acting head of a classical Christian school) to come alongside the great staff here at the school. So, as business trips go, I happen to be the "spouse" on this one - not a bad trip to "tag along" on, huh? I heard it was 18 degrees at home yesterday; uhm ... it was warmer than that here!
:-)
I'm off to visit Covenant Books and Coffee in Honolulu now, a ministry of the Honolulu Bible Church. I happen to know that they carry a good number of Banner of Truth books. I'm looking forward to my visit.
Grace & peace.
Steve

Meet Richard Sibbes and the Puritan Paperback, "The Bruised Reed"

I'd like to direct your attention to Stephen Newell's "The Silent Holocron" blog. Stephen is an Associate Pastor at the Louisville Baptist Deaf Church where he and a group there are apparently reading "The Bruised Reed," by Richard Sibbes. Here's what Stephen wrote ... Enjoy, all - and thanks, Stephen!
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From Stephen Newell's "The Silent Holocron" blog:
The Puritan we will be reading this month is Richard Sibbes (1577-1635). Much of the following material is taken from Meet the Puritans by Joel Beeke and Randall Pederson, and The Genius of Puritanism by Peter Lewis.
Richard Sibbes was one of the most influential Puritans of his time, after William Perkins (1558-1602). He seems to have escaped the persecution by the English government that characterized the lives of many of his fellow Puritan ministers. Sibbes was known as “the heavenly Doctor” due to his godly preaching and heavenly manner of life, and his preaching and writing was extremely popular; especially the volume we will be reading this month, The Bruised Reed, and its companion, The Soul’s Conflict.
Sibbes was born at Tostock, Suffolk, which Beeke and Pederson call “the Puritan country of old England.” He was baptized as a child. He was a bibliophile; that is, he was a lover of books from an early age. His father, a wheelwright (a person who builds or repairs wheels) and a Christian himself, tried to break his son of his bookish ways by attempting to interest him in the wheelwright’s trade, but Sibbes refused, uninterested. At the age of 18 he was admitted to St. John’s College in Cambridge, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in 1599, a fellowship in 1601, and a Master of Arts in 1602. In 1603 Sibbes was converted through the preaching of Paul Baynes (c. 1573-1617), whom he called his “father in the gospel.” Baynes succeeded William Perkins at the Church of St. Andrews in Cambridge.
It seems Sibbes began to experience the blessings of God almost immediately following his conversion. He was ordained to the ministry in the Church of England in 1608 and the following year was chosen as one of the college preachers. In 1610 he earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree and from 1611 to 1616 served as lecturer at Holy Trinity Church, Cambridge. His preaching brought revival to a Cambridge which had fallen into “spiritual indifference” after the death of Perkins in 1602; and his speaking became so popular a gallery had to be built to accomodate visitors in the church. During this time, he became a major factor in the conversions of such noted Puritans as John Cotton and Hugh Peters, and was a large influence on Thomas Goodwin and John Preston, other notable Puritans.
In 1617 Sibbes went to London as a lecturer for Gray’s Inn, the largest of the four great Inns of Court (which remain to this day one of the most important centers in England for the study and practice of law). In 1626 he became master of St. Catharine’s College at Cambridge and received his Doctor of Divinity during this time. It is while here that he became known as “the heavenly Doctor.” In 1633 King Charles I offered Sibbes the charge of Holy Trinity, Cambridge. He continued to serve as preacher at Gray’s Inn, master of St. Catharine’s Hall, and vicat of Holy Trinity until his death in 1635.
Interestingly, Sibbes never married. He did, however, establish a large network of friendships that included godly ministers, noted lawyers and parliamentary leaders of the early Stuart era. He is quoted as saying, “Godly friends are walking sermons.” As a result, he wrote at least 13 introductions to the writings of his Puritan colleagues.

A Quote from Richard Sibbes

“To preach is to woo….The main scope of all [preaching] is, to allure us to the entertainment of Christ’s mild, safe, wise, victorious government.”

Synopsis of The Bruised Reed

This month’s Puritan Paperback is The Bruised Reed, authored obviously by Richard Sibbes. What follows is a brief synopsis from Meet the Puritans.
This treatise on the dejected sinner is one of the best works of its kind. In sixteen chapters, Sibbes expounds Isaiah 42:3, “A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.” Richard Baxter said that God used the reading of this treatise to effect his own conversion. Martin Lloyd-Jones wrote, “I shall never cease to be grateful to Richard Sibbes who was balm to my soul at a period in my life when I was overworked and badly overtired, and therefore subject in an unusual manner to the onslaughts of the devil….I found at that time that Richard Sibbes, who was known in London in the early seventeenth century as the ‘Heavenly Doctor Sibbes’ was an unfailing remedy….The Bruised Reed quieted, soothed, comforted, encouraged and healed me.”

Where to Buy The Bruised Reed

You can get this book from any of the links in my Books page. If you live in Louisville, you can run down to the Southern Seminary campus bookstore or, if you want it at a discount, the Christian Book Nook near the University of Louisville. If you’d like to order directly from the publisher, you may be able to take advantage of a great sale they are having at the Banner of Truth website. Just click on “Book Catalogue” to see the specials. Currently you can get 5 Puritan Paperbacks of your choice for $35. Take that opportunity to get yourself 5 months’ worth of reading in one fell swoop! See the reading schedule in the sidebar to determine which titles to purchase.
Well, that wraps up our first Puritan biography of 2008. I am now off to take a brief nap before reading another chapter of The Bruised Reed and then going to work. I pray you will take up the Puritan Challenge 2008!

OUTSIDE SOURCE BOOK REVIEW: "Raising Children God's Way" by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

BOOK REVIEWED: "Raising Children God's Way," by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
REVIEWER: Tyler Sultze at "Heart of Ezra" blog
THE REVIEW (his words, not mine): "With the Iowa caucuses being held today, it is easy to hear many messages which promote change to our society. Every presidential hopeful has an answer to what they would do in order to change society. While they say much about taxes, health care, the war on terror, international experience, and education, I have not heard one talk about parenting. What part do parents play in the fabric of society? Would things be different in the word if parents parented differently than they currently do?
Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers these questions and more in Raising Children God’s Way. These five sermons from Ephesians 6:1-4 compiled by Banner of Truth Trust give great insight into how parents are to raise children for the kingdom of God. Even though these sermons were given decades ago, they still are accurate with the trends of parenting today. It goes to show that God’s Word is timeless. Dr. Lloyd-Jones has given biblical precision concerning what the Lord requires from parents. When one picks this book up they will immediately see the passion and concern he has for the family.
Only 85 pages, Raising Children God’s Way is a short read, but it must be thoroughly digested. It is packed with biblical truth applied accurately to the fallen conditions of man. Those parents who are seeking to raise children who glorify God will be challenged and convicted by this book. The church thirsts for books like this, which brings the light of the Word of God to shine on the family. God has designed the family, instituted the family, and been an example to the family. We can no longer ignore the problems of parenting or seek to remedy them with anything other than the Bible.
Read a few excerpts from the book:
I believe that Christian parents and children, Christian families, have a unique opportunity of witnessing to the world at this present time by just being different. We can be true evangelists by showing this discipline, this law and order, this true relationship between parents and children. We may be the means under God’s hand of bringing many to a knowledge of the truth. Let us therefore think of it in that way.
Whether we like it or not, a breakdown in home-life will eventually lead to a breakdown everywhere.
But the tragedy of today, with its superficial thinking, is to assume that the opposite of wrong discipline is no discipline at all.
There is no more important influence in the life of a child than the influence of the home. The home is the fundamental unit of society, and children are born into a home, into a family. There you have the circle that is to be the chief influence in their lives. There is no question about that. It is the biblical teaching everywhere; and it is always in so-called civilizations were ideas concerning the home begin to deteriorate that society ultimately disintegrates.
Raising Children God’s Way is a must read for any parent. It will help shape one’s thinking around the truth of God and convince him or her of the importance of the necessity of the family. God’s design must not be forsaken and those of God’s church must uphold it for the glory of God and the testimony of Christ. Raising Children God’s Way will make your family look different than the rest of the world, but think of the opportunity it opens for the proclamation of the gospel. May the church encourage fathers and mothers to faithfully uphold the biblical standards of child rearing."
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For more information or to purchase this book, CLICK HERE.

Brief "Aloha" Greetings, from the Islands of Hawaii

Yes, if anyone has been wondering about my silence here on the blog, this should explain it. My wife and I are spending this week on the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Oahu. Actually, this is a business trip for my wife who, along with one other person, is consulting with a Christian school that has the desire to make some changes and expand. My wife is the Upper School Principal and, this year, Acting Head of School for a K-12 classical Christian school in the Harrisburg, PA area. As a dutiful and supportive spouse, I decided not to let my wife travel such a distance alone!
:-)
And while here, I plan to make a few visits this next week to a number of Banner of Truth accounts, including Covenant Books and Coffee, 1142 12th Avenue in Honolulu. I'm actually quite excited about visiting them; I'm not sure if someone from Banner has ever dropped in for a visit before! They seem to have established an interesting ministry by combining solid Christian literature with good coffee and even a lite cafe menu with soups, etc.
But that's next week. For now, it's the beaches of Maui and the hiking trails near Haleakala volcano (Oh, the mud that we got into during yesterday's hike as you can see in this picture with my wife in the distance!).
Blessings to all.
Steve

Galatians 4:4

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
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Wishing you ample time to worship and focus on all that's behind this verse in the coming week or so.
Blessings to you all.
Steve

Just heard from another church ...

... that is issuing a Puritan Challenge to its congregation for 2008. Nice.

This Is Going To Change Some Lives!

If you haven't given solid consideration to "The Timmy Brister Challenge" below, read this letter from one U.S. pastor, and then give it some serious thought. You CAN do this! I urge you to do this! Let me know if you decide to.
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Steve -
Six people from my church signed up to do the Puritan Challenge.... I am following Timmy's reading schedule below (except, I will need to substitute the Reformed Pastor with something else...I have not decided yet).
January: The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes (128 pp)
February: The Mystery of Providence by John Flavel (221 pp)
March: The Godly Man's Picture by Thomas Watson (252 pp)
April: Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices by Thomas Brooks (253 pp)
May: Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ by John Bunyan (225 pp)
June: The Mortification of Sin by John Owen (130 pp)
July: A Lifting Up for the Downcast by William Bridge (287 pp)
August: The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs (228 pp)
September: The True Bounds of Christian Freedom by Samuel Bolton (224 pp)
October: The Christian's Great Interest by William Guthrie (207 pp)
November: The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter (256 pp)
December: A Sure Guide to Heaven by Joseph Alleine (148 pp)
3 Individuals will foot their own bill (two are a couple who will share). I'm taking money out of my "[Special] Savings" program (a somewhat unsuccessful and now longstanding attempt to acquire [a certain] multi-volume set) and my wife and I will be purchasing a set for another, and one of our deacons (who fell in love with the Valley of Vision) is providing 6 months worth for another individual. I have one young mother of three who would like to be part of it and needs assistance. Any help (to any degree) from Banner would be most appreciated. Being a congregation of about 90-100 this time of year, I am tickled by the response. I can't wait to see what the Lord will do.
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That is so incredible! I would LOVE to hear from at least one other pastor who did likewise and pulled together a 2008 Puritans Reading Group. I, too, "can't wait to see what the Lord will do" with this group of believers!
Blessings to you all.
Steve

Why Read the Puritans?

As a great follow to "The Timmy Brister Challenge" (scroll down for earlier post), I pass along Pastor Josh Gelatt's answer to the question recently asked of him - "Why do you so often recommend reading the Puritans?" If you haven't considered Timmy's challenge yet for the new year, it makes you really think about it, doesn't it?
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The following is from Josh Gelatt, pastor at Indian River Baptist Church in northern Michigan.

QUESTION: "Why do you so often recommend reading the Puritans?"

ANSWER: Actually, I recommend many different types of books. In my church's monthly newsletter, I generally recommend and briefly review at least three books each issue--and only rarely will one of these be a Puritan author.

However, I do heartily (and often) recommend that everyday, average Christians read Puritan authors. A few years ago, just as I was finishing my first Seminary degree, I "stumbled" across a Puritan author. For my M.Div, I attended Grand Rapids Theological Seminary and during my time there I ran the school's book store (the pay was horrible, but I got to study while I worked and buy all the books I wanted at the school's cost). Though we rarely ordered from them, ... [I have since forgiven him for this! :-) ... Inserted comment from Burlew!] ... we regularly received a copy of The Banner of Truth Trust' book catalogue. On a whim, I ordered a copy of The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter (thinking it was a book about being theological Reformed). I thought it might interest some of the more Reformed students in our institution.

When it arrived, however, instead of putting it on the self I decided to skim through it first. This little book "caught" me. By the time I was done reading it was so worn, marked up, underlined, and coffee-stained that I had no choice but to buy it.

From Baxter I moved to Jonathan Edwards, back through Bunyan, Owen, Flavel, Sibbes, Rogers, Bolton, Bridge, Watson, Brooks, Burroughs (and the list goes on). In these Puritan authors I saw a faith unlike my own. They saw something in Christ that I didn't see, and I instantly realized they had possessed a depth of relationship and love for their Savior to which I only gave lip-service.

In today's Christian landscape, we are plagued with superficial faith, skin-deep commitment, shallow knowledge of Scripture, and rather cursory engagement with the mission Christ left for His people. While the Puritans had glaring mistakes of their own (not to mention excesses in some of the rigidity), certainly our modern culture is guilty of excess in how we champion the notion of Christian liberty.

I recommend serious, continued, and daily reading of the Puritan authors for the following reasons:

1. They understood the reality of sin in their personal lives. "Sin" is something that contemporary Evangelical churches do not discuss. The Fundamentalist churches see sin as something that "others" do (like liberals & homosexuals). The Emergent churches won't touch it, and the seeker movement have long moved past this troublesome doctrine. It is either denied outright, ignored, or quickly moved past in order to get on to 'nicer' discussions. Pastors (of all varieties) would rather speak on (and people would rather hear) sermons on our value, worth, and importance. The Puritans agreed, but understood that we can only truly understand our value when we understood the depth & ugliness of our sin, and what our Savior needed to do to remove it from us.The Puritans also refused to move "past" their sin. The more they grew in Christ, the more real their sin (even their former sin) became to them. Newton, for example, never got over his involvement in the slave trade. On his death bed, he reportedly said that he can only remember that he is a great sinner, and that Christ is a great savior. Luther (whose theology, along with Calvin, eventually produced Puritanism) is reported to have mutter "we are beggars, this is true" as his dying words. By focusing on their sin, they were able to see the true beauty of the Cross.

2. They understood, and were gentle towards, the human condition. The Puritans were masterful doctors of the soul. They were the 17th century version of a Professional Counselor. They understood the intricacies of the human soul, and took great care to study conditions such as depression. They systematically refused to 'write-off' depressed persons as those who just needed to shape up. Indeed, many of these Puritans suffered with depression themselves. During this period, several masterful works were produced--either analyzing the phenomenon or offering sound, practical wisdom in counseling individuals struggling with this depression.

3. They were thoroughly soaked in God's Word. These men lived and breathed scripture. Many of them would study Scripture for hours (8, 10, and even as much as 18 hours) per day. Their works are choke full of Scripture quotations, and subtle allusions to scripture abound in their writings. They truly sought to think God's thoughts after Him, and understood this was only possible with an intimate knowledge of the Bible. They believed in the divine power of Scripture to change lives, shape minds, and convert souls.

4. They were profoundly God-centered. The Puritans understood that life was ultimately about the glory of God. Their happiness, their activities, their joy, their purpose, their goals were all to be found (and fulfilled) in the giving of glory to the great King of Kings. John Owen's classic book (Communion with God) is about a believer's communion (relationship) with God as father, Jesus as Savior, and the Spirit as Comforter. Their lives revolved around the Triune God, and they saw all of life as being radically and completely centered on Him, and Him

5. They had the right priorities in their daily lives. The Puritans understood that the activities of our daily life were designed by God to bring glory and honor to Him. One Puritan author said "God's smile is my greatest reward". Thus, they sought to incorporate every aspect of life into their faith. They recognized that many Christians lived as "practical atheists". That is, individuals who believed in Christ, but lived the majority of their daily lives as if no God existed. While the Puritans did vigorously write against this mode of "Christian" (or rather, "Christ-less") living, they were fare more concerned with living as "full-fledged theists" themselves.

6. They saw the beauty and worth of Christ. Thomas Adams wrote: "Christ is the sum of the whole Bible, prophesied, typified, prefigured, exhibited, demonstrated, to be found in every leaf, almost in every line, the Scriptures being but as it were the swaddling bands of the child Jesus." In other words, they were radically centered on and devoted to Jesus. Thomas Goodwin wrote, "If I were to go to heaven, find that Christ was not there, I would leave immediately, for heaven would be a hell to me without Christ." The eminent Presbyterian James Durham also wrote, "If Christ is altogether lovely than all else is altogether loathsome." Jesus was something excellent to be savored, something beautify upon which to gaze, something prized to be possessed, and someone wonderful with whom to be friends.

7. They saw the excellency of God even in the midst of trials. They were individuals who suffered great persecution. Most (in the mid-17th century era) lost their pastorates as the government shut them out of their pulpits. The attempt was (1) to stop their ideas, and (2) to starve them to silence. Others were imprisoned, banished, tortured, disfigured, and killed. Yet instead of crying foul, and calling down curses upon the "establishment", these men saw the guiding hand of God. They understood that what 'men had intended for evil, God had intended for good'. Thomas Watson said, "God’s rod is a pencil to draw Christ’s image more lively on us,"while John Flavel wrote that if Christian goes "...two or three years without an affliction, and he is almost good for nothing." In another work, Flavel said "Grace tried [i.e. experiencing times of great difficulty] is better than grace, and more than grace. It is glory in its infancy." As we experience difficulty and trials in our contemporary lives, may we come to think as these men and see the graceful, loving hand of God in the midst of our most difficult moments.

8. They were some of the best thinkers of the age. Yes, the Puritans included all sorts. Men like John Bunyan, and uneducated tinker from the lower class, came to be hailed as one of the great writers and preachers of the era. However, Bunyan was an exception. For the most part, the Puritans were "divines", and antiquated term indicating that they were men who studied Divinity in the university. They fluently spoke Latin, were almost equally good in Greek and Hebrew, and were among the best educated men of the era. Many held top posts in Oxford (and other academic institutions) before being removed. By reading the Puritans, you are reading the best minds of that era.

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To access this post from Pastor Josh's blog, CLICK HERE
To see a complete list of Banner of Truth's Puritan Paperbacks, CLICK HERE.

Are You Up For "The Timmy Brister Challenge"?

Timmy Brister, over at his Provocations and Pantings blog has called us all to a new challenge for 2008 - Get acquainted with the Puritans - and he's gone so far as to give us five reasons for doing so AND a specific and workable plan to make it happen.

Timmy's reasons:
1. The Puritans had a relentless pursuit of God.
2. The Puritans were physicians of souls.
3. The Puritans possessed genuine piety because they knew how to fight the fight of faith.
4. The Puritans were pacesetters in church history.
5. Reading the Puritans will provide you a healthy perspective so as to prevent chronological snobbery.

Timmy's plan:
1. Get a copy of The Valley of Vision and meditate on the prayers as part of your daily devotions.
2. Commit to reading one Puritan Paperback a month - Check out Timmy's blog because he has specific books for specific months; it's great!
3. Read about the lives and stories of the Puritans - Again, Timmy has specific books that he's recommending; check them out.
A number of people have already left comments at Timmy's blog accepting his challenge. Without a doubt, this could be a life-changing year if you really follow through with this. Here's a complete list of Banner of Truth's Puritan Paperbacks, with Web links - they can be ordered at http://www.banneroftruth.org/ or by calling us here at the Banner of Truth office: 1-800-263-8085.
Happy reading!
Steve
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Acceptable Sacrifice, John Bunyan – $8.00
All Loves Excelling, John Bunyan – $7.00
All Things for Good, Thomas Watson – $8.00
Apostasy from the Gospel, John Owen - $9.00
Art of Prophesying, William Perkins - $9.00
Bruised Reed, Richard Sibbes - $7.00
Christian Love, Hugh Binning - $6.00
Christian’s Great Interest, William Guthrie – $9.00
Come & Welcome to Jesus Christ, John Bunyan – $9.00
Communion with God, by John Owen – $9.00
Doctrine of Repentance, Thomas Watson – $8.00
Dying Thoughts, Richard Baxter – $9.00
Glorious Freedom, Richard Sibbes – $8.00
Glory of Christ, John Owen – $8.00
Godly Man’s Picture, Thomas Watson – $8.00
Great Gain of Godliness, Thomas Watson – $10.00
Heaven on Earth, Thomas Brooks – $9.00
Holy Spirit, John Owen – $9.00
Jerusalem Sinner Saved, John Bunyan - $10.00
Justification Vindicated, Robert Traill - $6.00
Learning in Christ’s School, Ralph Benning - $8.00
Letters of Samuel Rutherford, Samuel Rutherford - $7.00
Lifting Up for the Downcast, William Bridge - $9.00
Lord’s Supper, Thomas Watson - $7.00
Mortification of Sin, John Owen - $9.00
Mystery of Providence, John Flavel - $8.00
Prayer, John Bunyan - $7.00
Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices, Brooks - $9.00
Puritan Treasury of Quotations, Thomas - $12.00
Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, Burroughs - $9.00
Reformed Pastor, Richard Baxter - $9.00
Secret Key to Heaven, Thomas Brooks - $10.00
Shorter Catechism Explained, T. Vincent - $9.00
Sinfulness of Sin, Ralph Venning - $9.00
Spirit and the Church, John Owen - $9.00
Sure Guide to Heaven, Joseph Alleine - $7.00
Temptation: Resisted & Repulsed, John Owen - $10.00
True Bounds of Christian Freedom, S. Bolton - $8.00

MAIL - I think you should read this!

The following came in from one pastor, like many, who has a ministry at his local county jail. You probably know how encouraging this is for us to read! Many thanks. Steve.
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I just returned from visiting an inmate at our county jail. His name is Jason [name changed]. A couple of months back I gave Jason a copy of Right with God by John Blanchard. Jason has not only read it three times but is now deeply involved in personal Bible study, prayer and is faithfully attending worship at the jail even though others tease him about it. Jason just told me he had another inmate read John’s book and said the man had a positive reaction to it. I just wanted you to know the help such a small book is continuing to have. I bought the book months ago out of curiosity and just took it to the jail thinking it would help. It has and continues to do so. Thank you so much for your work and Merry Christmas!
Together for Christ,
Allan

OUTSIDE SOURCE BOOK REVIEW: Three New Children's Titles from Banner

BOOKS REVIEWED: "A Bible Alphabet," "A Bible Alphabet Activity Book," and "The Work of His Fingers" ... all authored by Alison Brown
REVIEWER: Fermanagh Herald
THE REVIEW (his words, not mine): "Primary school teacher publishes three Bible books for children ... Three new titles for children, written and illustrated by former Enniskillen primary school teacher, Alison Brown, have just become available in time for Christmas.
'A Bible Alphabet', which has been beautifully produced by The Banner of Truth Trust is a 32 page, full colour, large format paperback with a difference.
Rather than referring to adult concepts such as 'L is for Love' or 'F is for Forgiveness', it begins with those more tangible Bible objects (a basket, a donkey, a fish, a needle, a raven) to introduce small children to well known characters from Scripture.
With large eye-catching illustrations, it is designed to whet the appetite of young readers for finding out just who did what in God's Book! And, to make it even more enjoyable there's also A Bible Alphabet Activity Book. Letters and pictures which match the originals can be coloured to help enhance the learning process.
Alison is originally from Florencecourt, and is a past pupil of Enniskillen Collegiate School. She began her teaching career in Jones Memorial Primary School (1983-1986) and, following her marriage, spent several years in Gibson Primary School, Omagh. Her love for drawing combined with the 'unforgettable fun' derived from sharing books with her own children in their early years led naturally to the desire to teach through the medium of words and pictures.
She is indebted to The Banner of Truth Trust who, following a conversation at the Christian Resource Exhibition in Belfast in February 2005, expressed an interest in publishing her work.
The third new title, 'The Work of Her Fingers', uses rhyming text, along with black line drawings and full colour illustrations, to draw the older child's attention to the fact that Earth is the only planet perfectly created by God to sustain human life. The evidence of design in the provision of energy, atmosphere, daylight, oxygen, ozone, seasons, water and food could be nothing other than the handiwork of a loving and intelligent Creator!
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To access this review directly, CLICK HERE.
For information or to purchase these books at 25% off from Banner, CLICK HERE, but be sure to see the ORDERING DEADLINES on the right of this blog site.

A Prayer Request from a Friend ...

I received word this morning from a good friend of mine, recent graduate of RTS-Charlotte who is currently managing the RTS bookstore there, Jake Hunt. Apparently there's been an outbreak of ebola in Bundibugyo, Uganda, where World Harvest has a medical missions team. Jake has "a post on his "Wiser Time blog" with a summary of what’s going on, a call to prayer, and an invitation to join believers in Uganda in a day of fasting Wednesday. Check it out, and please pray. I was in Uganda a number of years ago and share a special interest for the people there. Thanks.

Within Prison Walls, God Is Working

Daniel, from somewhere within a California prison, wrote us the following letter, which we received a short time ago. I thought you'd be interested in reading it, too.
In case you didn't know, each year, The Banner of Truth gives thousands of dollars worth of books away, to stock prison libraries, to support the work of prison chaplains, to minister to our troops overseas and at home, to assist missionaries and simply to enable someone without financial means to still get and read solid Christian literature ... all possible through the donations of individuals and churches to The Banner of Truth Book Fund. Email me if you'd like more information on how you might give, so that others, like Daniel, might grow.
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Dear Brethren,
As Thanksgiving approaches, my heart turns to God with thanksgiving for you. Banner of Truth is by far one of the greatest sources to me of our heavenly Father's love, kindness and grace. How I thank God for you brethren; and I pray that He will prosper and bless all that you do, both corporately and individually.
Being incarcerated, your books have been my chief source of sound doctrine and instruction. That is, in conjunction with the Bible. The fruit of your instruction in my life is evidenced in my call to be Ministries Coordinator and the mentor in an elder's mentoring program here at the prison. God alone has done this, but His means for equipping me has been Banner of Truth.
Thus praise, glory and thanksgiving is given to God for what He has done. And, as often as I pick up a book, thanksgiving will be given to God for all of you in the Banner of Truth family.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Daniel
2 Cor. 4:7
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Thank you so much for this, Daniel. You have encouraged us all greatly through you letter. May the Lord continue to meet your needs and use you for His Kingdom, as His servant within those walls. Grace & peace to you, brother. Steve

OUTSIDE SOURCE Book Review: "The Works of Andrew Fuller"

BOOK REVIEWED: "The Works of Andrew Fuller
REVIEWER: Allen R. Mickle, Jr., The Andrew Fuller Center For Baptist Studies
THE REVIEW (his words, not mine!): "Attention friends of Andrew Fuller! The Banner of Truth Trust has just released a new one volume edition of the Works of Andrew Fuller (1841 edition). This wonderful, hefty, volume is filled with over 1000 pages of the works of Andrew Fuller, the great Baptist pastor-theologian. In the United States you can order this book directly from The Banner here. If you are in Canada you can order it from the Canadian distributor, Sola Scriptura Ministries International. Don't pass this up! It makes a wonderful Christmas gift for the bibliophile in your home! Open up peoples eyes to the writings of this great but much neglected servant of Christ!"
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To access this review directly, CLICK HERE.
For more information, or to purchase this book at 25% off with free shipping from Banner of Truth, CLICK HERE.

OUTSIDE SOURCE Book Review: "Christ For Us," By Hugh Martin

BOOK REVIEWED: "Christ For Us: Sermons of Hugh Martin"
REVIEWER: Nick Batzig, Pastoral Intern at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA (Just a note: I met Nick earlier this year during my visit to Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary - "Great seeing this, Nick; thank you, sir."
THE REVIEW (his words, not mine): "Hugh Martin, Nineteenth Century Scottish theologian, authored many worthwhile books, among which are: Jonah: A Commentary, The Life of Simon Peter, The Abiding Presence, and Christ For Us. The strength of Christ For Us is its short series of sermons and devotional writings. There are two sermons I would particularly like to recommend. The first is titled "The Plague of the Heart" and is taken from 1 Kings 8: 38. It is an exposition of one particular verse in Solomon's prayer of dedication at the completion of the Temple. The verse comes in the context of Solomon praying for the people of God. He asks the LORD to remove the plagues that He has sent on Israel when they realize the plagues in their hearts and pray to the LORD confessing their sins. The other sermon is titled "Heart Plagues Cured" and is the Gospel centered solution to the plague in the heart. These two sermons form a masterful pair of expositions on the Law and the Gospel. They are true gems of experimental religion and Christological Old Testament preaching. I think you will find that they reflect something of the value of Rev. Martin's work. Banner of Truth Magazine has included a great article on the life and work of Hugh Martin online. This can be found here."
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To access this review directly, CLICK HERE.
For more information or to purchase this book at 25% off from Banner, CLICK HERE.

OUTSIDE SOURCE Book Review: "The Work of His Fingers," by Alison Brown

BOOK REVIEWED: The Work of His Fingers, by Alison Brown (A new children's literature title from Banner)
REVIEWER: Lorna at the Christian Bookshop Ossett
THE REVIEW (her words, not mine): "Wow, Banner of Truth have really gone for something different this time! 'The Work of His Fingers' is essentially a children's picture book with a rhyme 'in praise of creation'. The artwork is fascinating and the rhyme is surprisingly informative, even scientific. This is certainly not another vaguely inane children's poetry book with stupidly unrealistic pictures. I used it for the boys' bedtime story this evening and discovered that it led to all sorts of topics of conversation - the rotation of the earth, the ozone layer, the planets and universe. This did make me wonder what age group the book is really aimed at. Obviously at 4 and 2 yrs (and of course our 11 month old was listening in too) our boys found the science a bit mind-boggling, although rhyming books always go down well. The large booklet format (A4ish) would be good if this book was used to read to a group of children, but I think A5 would perhaps have been a better size for more personal reading. All in all though, I think it's a lovely book and will no doubt be reading it many more times yet.
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To access this review directly, CLICK HERE.
For more information, or to purchase this book from Banner, at 25% discount in the US & Canada, CLICK HERE.

Let Me Introduce You To 17-Year Old Ben

I've known Ben for a while, but really spent some time talking with this 17-year old teenager about a month or so ago. That's when I learned that he's reading his way through Banner of Truth's 14-volume set on Romans by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Soon after that, Ben's mom called to order two books that Ben wanted for his birthday: "Mortification of Sin," by John Owen, and "Godly Man's Picture," by Thomas Watson. And most recently, with Ben's work in Romans, I gave Ben a challenge - Memorize the Book of Romans! If he would, I would ... one verse at a time. "Better yet," I said,"How about you get some others to join us, sort of a 'Romans Club'?" Wouldn't you know it" He did! Three of his friends, so far, I think. Today's verse is Romans 1:9. Tomorrow we'll memorize 1:10. We're still early in the process, so we're still taking new members! My youngest daughter - age 13 - joined last night; she memorized Romans 1:1-3 before going to bed! And who said teenagers had to act like idiots! Grace & peace to you. Steve.

From the desk of Phil Ryken ...

Here's a comment from Pastor Phil Ryken, recently posted at the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals Reformation 21 Blog, that I didn't want you to miss - Thanks, Phil.
"Banner of Truth has republished a nice little book of selections from Samuel Rutherford's marvelous pastoral letters. The book is called The Loveliness of Christ, and it looks to be ideal for devotional use. Here is one of Rutherford's gems:"If there were ten thousand, thousand millions of worlds, and as many heavens full of men and angels, Christ would not be pinched to supply all our wants, and to fill us all."

Phil Ryken, Senior Pastor
Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia

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To access this comment directly, CLICK HERE.

For more information, or to purchase this book at 25% discount from Banner, CLICK HERE.

OUTSIDE SOURCE Book Review: The Puritan Paperback, "The Glory of Christ," by John Owen

BOOK REVIEWED: "The Glory of Christ," by John Owen - The Puritan Paperback Series version, made easier to read by Richard Rushing
THE REVIEWER: Pastor Scott Head at his blog
THE REVIEW (his words, not mine): "Today I had the great privilege to preach about the glory of God, specifically, the glory of God in Jesus Christ as our motivation for our affection and worship. I spent some time showing that God's attributes are, in a sense, the key for believers to behold His glory. His attributes, his characteristics, are the key to knowing God, and knowing Him is knowing Jesus. Jesus said if you have seen me you have seen the Father. As John Owen so eloquently shows in his book "The Glory of Christ", the glory of God, totally and utterly unknowable to mere men in our earthly state, is manifest in the person and deity of Jesus Christ and thus made knowable. (2 Cor 4:4, 2 Cor 3:12-18, etc.)Owens shows from scripture that we behold the glory of Christ, and thus that of the Father, by faith. So if we do not know Jesus, we do not know God (John 14:7). It takes spending time in the Word of God to KNOW this Jesus, and the true believer has that desire! If he claims to love the Lord, he will desire to KNOW the Lord and learn more and more about Jesus. It is the reasonable thing to expect of one who says they love God. This is done by hard work, study, scripture and the counsel of the Holy Spirit. The one who truly loves the Lord and desires to behold His glory mines the Word of God for every last bit of the knowledge of God that He can. He desires to do so with intent and passion. He digs out of genuine desire, not duty. He digs deep and works hard to know this Jesus not so that he can present His works to the Lord as if to say "Lord, Lord, look what I have done in your name", but because it is just what he does out of appreciation for what the Lord has done for him. To bring our works to the Lord as righteousness is to deny Him glory, and is idolatry. Instead, a true believer is motivated BY the glory of God, and in response pours himself into further knowing God. He is fully aware that he has no righteousness of his own with which to plead his case, because he has been the undeserved recipient of that glory by faith in Christ, for God's glory, motivated and instigated by God alone.I can heartily recommend Owen's book on this topic, it is an inexpensive price to pay for such clear and scripturally sound teaching. The Puritan Paperback version available from Banner of Truth publishing is abridged and features 'modernized' English, both of which would generally send me looking for a more true-to-the-author version. However, this edition is easy to read, only 184 pages, and exceptionally to the point. Owens' "The Glory of Christ" showed me from scripture truths I had never heard preached, and rarely read in modern Christian work. We've lost so much!
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Cor 4:6)
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To access this review directly, CLICK HERE.
For more information or to purchase this book at 25% off from Banner, CLICK HERE.

OUTSIDE SOURCE Book Review: "A Vision For Missions," by Tom Wells

BOOK REVIEWED: "A Vision For Missions," by Tom Wells
REVIEWER: Ben Wright, at his paleoevangelical blog
THE REVIEW (his words, not mine):
"The Best Little Book You've Probably Never Heard Of --
Thanksgiving provided a little extra time for reading, and I finished A Vision for Missions, a Banner of Truth paperback by Tom Wells.What's so great about it? Well, a friend of mine, who's spent some time doing missions work in Central Asia, described it as a combination of Packer's Knowing God and Piper's Let the Nations Be Glad, both of which are just stellar books.So here's Wells' thesis: "God is worthy to be known and proclaimed for who He is, and that fact is an important part of the missionary motive and message" (9). And here's why that thesis needs to be advanced: "Our danger, it seems to me, lies in . . . forgetting God in our zeal for men" (110).But the kicker about Wells' book is that you can get it here for under $5, and it's only 157 pages long. If I recall correctly, that's about 25% of the price and 30% of the size of Packer and Piper's books. By all means, buy a few extra and give them away if you can afford it."
And here's a comment added to Ben's post by Greg: "Yes! My high school teacher gave me this book as a graduation present: definitely a great read. My fave chapter was the one probably entitled The Only Wise God. It's lucid, it reads easy, it's cheap - what more could you ask for?"
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To access this review on Ben's blog, CLICK HERE.
For more information or to purchase this book, 25% off, from Banner, CLICK HERE.

Keep Them Cards and Letters Coming!

Actually, this picture and the quote below is from a message that was addressed to me and posted on The PuritanBoard Web site -
"You fellows made me very happy about a month ago..."
Thanks, Vaughan. I'm glad for your smile, and glad you took the time to send this to us. We do love to see the receiving end of our shipping process. The Works of John Owen look great there in your living room floor, but ... perhaps they'd be better stored on a shelf?
:-)
Blessings to you, brother.
Steve.

OUTSIDE SOURCE Book Review: "The Death of Death in the Death of Christ," by John Owen

BOOK REVIEWED: "The Death of Death in the Death of Christ," by John Owen

REVIEWER: "letterman" at The Library Thing

THE REVIEW (his words, not mine): "A Christian classic. The Death of Death in the Death of Christ is a polemical work, designed to show, among other things, that the doctrine of universal redemption is unscriptural and destructive of the gospel. . . . Those who see no need for doctrinal exactness and have no time for theological debates which show up divisions between so-called Evangelicals may well regret its reappearance. Some may find the very sound of Owen's thesis so shocking that they will refuse to read his book at all. . . . But . . . there are signs today of a new upsurge of interest in the theology of the Bible: a new readiness to test traditions, to search the Scriptures and to think through the faith. It is to those who share this readiness that Owen's treatise is now offered, in the belief that it will help us in one of the most urgent tasks facing evangelical Christendom today - the recovery of the gospel.
It is safe to say that no comparable exposition of the work of redemption as planned and executed by the Triune Jehovah has ever been done since Owen published his in 1684. None has been needed.
Owen's interpretation of the texts . . . is sure; his power of theological construction is superb; nothing that needs discussing is omitted, and . . . no arguments for or against his position have been used since his day which he has not himself noted and dealt with. . . . Owen's work is a constructive, broad-based biblical analysis of the heart of the gospel, and must be taken seriously as such. . . Nobody has a right to dismiss the doctrine of the limitedness . . . of the atonement as a monstrosity of Calvinistic logic until he has refuted Owen's proof that it is part of the uniform biblical presentation of redemption, clearly taught in plain text after plain text. And nobody has done that yet." -- J.I. Packer, from the Introduction"
Packer's well balanced definition of Calvinism in the introduction to that volume [John Owen's THE DEATH OF DEATH IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST] is by far the best we have seen in 42 years of intensive reading." -- Jay P. Green, Sr. A Christian classic.
John Owen is an example of a great theologian who prescribed to independency, and was unable to attain to covenanted reformation.

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To access this review directly, CLICK HERE.

For more information or to purchase this book at 25% off from Banner, CLICK HERE.

Articles of Interest

"Thanks, Tim Challies, for sharing a great Banner resource with the world - the Articles section on the Banner of Truth Web site.
Tim Challies begins a recent post on challies.com with these words: "The Banner of Truth web site features a host of useful articles (1302 at last count). One that I’ve found worth reading and bookmarking is entitled simply “Apostasy.” In the article..."
And, Dennis, one of the commenters on Tim's blog, added: "Tim, I appreciate this entry. I was not aware of the Banner of Truth website and it looks like an amazing resource. Thanks again."
Thanks, guys! To read Tim's post, visit challies.com by CLICKING HERE.
To visit the Banner Web site, for books and more, CLICK HERE.