How to Read the Puritan Paperbacks

This is a slightly edited repost from June, 2010.

If you’ve followed this blog for the past few years, you know that we enjoy the little Banner of Truth series of books called “Puritan Paperbacks.”  To be honest, the first time I (Shane) read one of these Paperbacks (I forget which one), I didn’t really enjoy it or appreciate it.  I thought it was too tedious, detailed, and ancient.  That was twelve years ago; now I have about seventeen of them and have benefited from them in many ways.  Here are a few things that have helped me read the Puritan Paperbacks with profit.  This list also applies to other Puritan books, for sure, but to keep it shorter, I’m thinking primarily of the Paperbacks.

To read the Puritan Paperbacks with profit, 

1) Know your systematic theology.  You don’t need a Ph.D. in systematics to benefit from them, but if you know your basic systematics (i.e. the attributes of God, the doctrine of man, the doctrine of Christ, the ordo salutis, etc.) it will be easier to read the Paperbacks.  For example, if you know the Westminster Standards well, or study Louis Berkhof’s Manual of Christian Doctrine, it will make reading the Paperbacks more enjoyable – you’ll be able to see that when the Puritans do “go deep,” they’re staying in the Reformed categories.  When I realized this, it made it easier and more edifying to read the Puritans on sanctification, because (just for one example) I knew that even when they were quite detailed, they were not blending it with justification.

2) Stick with it.  The archaic language and grammar is tough at first (you may need a dictionary!), and even daunting, but after a few Paperbacks you get used to it.  Be patient.  Remember that these authors wrote several hundred years ago, so the language and illustrations will be different (I still chuckle when I come across a word like “compunction”).  And as with all books, don’t be surprised when there are a few sections here and there that are less helpful than others.   Start with a short Paperback and perhaps read a chapter/section or two a week.  One good Paperback to read first is Thomas Watson’s ‘Repentance’ because it is short, clear, and very helpful – it won’t overwhelm you.  Similarly, Watson’s ‘All Things for Good,’ and Bunyan’s ‘All Love’s Excelling’ are short and clear.   Don’t read the longer and harder ones until later.  For example, wait quite awhile until you read The Sinfulness of Sin, A Lifting Up for the Downcast, and others that are detailed and over 200 pages.

3) Take notes.  When I read a Paperback, I have a pencil and highlighter in hand to mark the best sections.  I also make my own index in the back cover so that when I study a certain topic later I can just pull the Paperback off my shelf, turn to the back cover, find the topic and page number that I wrote, and turn there to find it highlighted/underlined.  You may want to do the same for certain Scripture references since the books don’t have scriptural indexes.  You’ll profit in the long run from reading these books by making your own topical or scriptural index so you can use them in your future studies and devotions.  I’ve also heard of some people keeping a reading journal of sorts.  Either way, taking notes on these books is helpful and edifying.

4) Approach reading the Paperbacks differently than you do other books.  The genre of these books is quite different than other things we read from day to day, so read them when you’re in the mood for deeper Christian writing.  Pray that the book will teach, convict, and comfort you in Christ.  If you approach the Paperbacks realizing that they are not newspaper articles, Christian Amish fiction novels, or other Christian fluff books, you’ll be in the right frame of mind to read.  I don’t recommend reading the Puritans on a tablet because if you’re not self-disciplined enough, you’ll be tempted to check email or browse the web when the reading becomes difficult.  I also find that I profit best from these books when I space them out a bit.  Reading them too often is something like too much of a good thing.  And, of course, it is good to vary our reading material; we should read the Puritans, but we should read other authors from other centuries as well.

In summary, I think with some time and effort, most Christians who are “readers” will be able to understand these books, profit from them, and learn to appreciate the Puritans at least to some extent.  Though I don’t elevate the Puritans above other writers/teachers, they have have taught me much about sin, salvation, and serving Christ.  Even if you don’t get “into” the Puritans, I challenge you to at least read a few shorter Puritan Paperbacks.  And I should warn you that once you’ve read a few of these Paperbacks, it just might make you realize how trendy, simple, and “thin” many modern Christian books are (you’ve been warned)!

By the way – one other great thing about these Paperbacks is that they are usually priced well under $10. 

rev shane lems

To Know the Love of Christ…

 John Bunyan lists several ways to grow in the knowledge of Christ’s love.  One is to know by the law that we are sinners.  Another is to know that our own righteousness is worthless in justification.  Yet one more is to know the difference between the law and the gospel:

“If you want to know the nature of this love, be much in acquainting your soul with the nature of the law, and the nature of the gospel (Gal 3:21).  Though they are not diametrically opposed to one another, yet they do propound things so differently to man, that if he doesn’t know where, when, and how to take them, it is impossible not to confound them, and in confounding them, lose his own soul (Rom 9:31-32).  The law is a servant, both first and last, to the gospel (Rom 10:3-4).  When the law is made a lord, it destroys, and when its dictates and commands are dependent upon for life, then it is for sure made a lord and savior.”

“The right knowledge of the nature of the love of Christ, is obtained and retained by keeping these two doctrines at an everlasting distance as to the conscience…not allowing the gospel to be removed one hair’s breadth from my conscience. …For there is nothing that Satan desires more than that the law abides in the conscience of an awakened Christian, and there to take the place of Christ, and faith.  For Satan knows that if this happens, the vail is presently drawn over the face of the soul, and the heart darkened as to the knowledge of Christ, and being darkened, the man is driven to despair of mercy or is put upon to work for life (2 Cor 3:13-15).”

In other words, if we begin to think Christ’s love for us is dependent upon our law keeping, we do not really know his love at all.  He loves and died for ungodly sinners.  The law shows us our sin, the gospel shows us our Savior.

The above Bunyan quote is found in All Loves Excelling, pages 86-7; I adjusted the wording in order to make it a bit easier to read. 

shane lems

God’s Love, Comfort, Prayer, and Evangelism (Bunyan)

 Don’t believe it when people tell you that Calvinists aren’t evangelistic.  Listen to this great piece from John Bunyan’s All Loves Excelling.  Here he’s commenting on Ephesians 3.18-19 – specifically the length of God’s love as it applies to comfort, prayer and evangelism.  (Note: I changed a few words to make it easier to read.)

“…Do not conclude that because you cannot reach God by your short arm, that therefore he cannot reach you with his long arm.  Look again, “Do you have an arm like God?” (Job 40:9), an arm like his for length and strength?  It becomes you, when you cannot perceive that God is within the reach of your arm, then to believe that you are within the reach of his, for it is long, and none knows how long.”

Here’s how he applies that comforting truth to prayer and evangelism.

“…Is there such a length, such a length in the arm of the Lord, that he can reach those that are gone away, as far as they can go?  Then this should encourage us to pray, and hope for the salvation of any one of our backslidden friends or family members, that God would reach out his arm after them…  Awake, O arm of the Lord, and be stretched out as far as to where my poor husband is, where my poor child, or to where my poor backslidden wife or friend is, and lay hold, fast hold!  They are gone from you, but O you, the Hope of Israel, fetch them again, and let them stand before you.”

“…Here is in this word length matter of encouragement for us thus to pray; for if the length of the reach of mercy is so great, and if also this length is for the benefit of those that may have gone far off from God, …then let this encourage you at the throne of grace, that they may come to God again.”

Amen. And by the way, this entire book is a jewel of comfort: All Loves Excelling by John Bunyan.

shane lems

sunnyside, wa

A Treasury of Puritan Quotes

Here’s a great little book that contains hundreds of quotes from many different Puritans from (roughly) the 17th century: A Puritan Golden Treasury ed. I. D. E. Thomas (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 2007).  This book is in the Puritan Paperbacks series, so it is small (roughly 5×7 inches and 320 pages).  The book is arranged topically; for example at the beginning you’ll find quotes about adoption, affliction, and adversity while at the end you’ll find quotes about the word, the world, and worship.  Here are a few examples.

Under the topic of Christ:

“It is a destructive addition to add anything to Christ” (Richard Sibbes).

Under the topic of justification:

“If you do not put a difference between justification wrought by the Man Christ without, and sanctification wrought by the Spirit of Christ within…you are not able to divide the word aright; but contrariwise, you corrupt the word of God” (John Bunyan).

Under the topic of love:

“We love him because he first loved us.  Love is like an echo, it returneth what it receiveth” (Thomas Manton).

I really appreciate this book and do recommend it, but I also  have a few quibbles.  I wish it had a topical index and a Scripture index.  I realize it would have made the book too lengthy, but citations would be helpful as well.  Despite these minor critiques, I encourage our readers to get it (it’s under $10).  I’m confident you’ll enjoy these nuggets, and it may even lead you to purchase a few more of these paperbacks if you haven’t already.  Feel free to comment if you have enjoyed this book or if you have questions about it.

shane lems

For Students of Prayer

 One way to grow in our Christian sighs and prayers is to assume our life long position as students – by learning from wise teachers.  Here are a few resources I’ve found helpful when studying the Lord’s Prayer or prayer in general.  (Note: these are not in any special order; I also realize there are other great books on prayer – these are some I’ve read.  Feel free to comment on your favorites).

John Bunyan, Prayer (Puritan Paperbacks).  This is a classic.

Matthew Henry, A Method for Prayer.  There are also three sermons/lectures about prayer as an appendix.  I enjoy this book, though I do wish it were in modern language.

William Willimon and Stanley Hauerwas, Lord, Teach us: The Lord’s Prayer and the Christian Life.  This is a creative (sometimes too creative!) and helpful commentary on the Lord’s Prayer, with some decent application.

Wilhelmus a Brakel has a big section on the Lord’s Prayer in volume three of his magnum opus, The Christian’s Reasonable Service.   This will give you tons upon which you can meditate.

N.T. Wright wrote one on the Lord’s prayer in the later 90′s that is worth reading, even if (like me) you don’t buy into his portentous revisions of justification and covenant(s).

Thomas Watson wrote a great book on the Lord’s Prayer.  Of course, if you’ve read this blog even a few times before, you know I’m quite partial to Watson.

R. C. Sproul has a relatively new commentary on the prayer of our Lord.  One usually can’t go wrong with Sproul.

Don’t forget Calvin’s section on the Lord’s Prayer in The Institutes.  This is quite personal for me – I didn’t know much about prayer until Calvin taught me.

I also have benefited from Charles’ Spurgeon’s collection of sermons on prayer called (at least my edition), The Power of Prayer in a Believer’s Life.

The last section of Abraham Kuyper’s excellent work on the Holy Spirit also deals with Christian prayer.  This is Kuyper at his poetic best.

We can’t forget the patristics!  Cyprian wrote a treatise (number IV in the Ante-Nicene Fathers) on the Lord’s Prayer.  Furthermore, in volume III of the ANF Tertullian has a brief commentary on the Lord’s Prayer (III.iii).  These are downright fun to read (and I mean that in a good way).

Of course, most Reformation confessions have a section on the Lord’s Prayer: the Westminster Catechisms, the Heidelberg Catechism, and Luther’s Large Catechism all have commentaries on the Lord’s Prayer.  This also means that commentaries on these catechisms will have commentaries on the Lord’s Prayer.  (And don’t neglect the different Christian traditions’ prayer books like the Book of Common Prayer in the Anglican tradition or Starck’s Prayer-Book in the Lutheran tradition.)

Finally, I don’t have time/space to list all the good commentaries on Matthew 6.5-13 & Luke 11.1-4 (along with other scriptures about prayer). 

Studying these will help one at least begin to pray without ceasing (1 Thes 5.17).

shane lems

sunnyside wa