Puritans

This book review by Terry Delaney appears on his website, Christian Book Notes (December 5, 2011). Used by permission. 

Sibbes, Richard. Josiah’s Reformation. Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2011. 176 pp. $10.00. Purchase at Westminster Bookstore or Mongerism Books for less.

Introduction

Josiah’s Reformation is the latest in the Puritan Paperbacks Series published by the Banner of Truth Trust. This work was originally published in 1629. Sibbes “always sought to get under the superficial layer of his listeners’ behavior and deal with their hearts.” It is for this reason that Richard Sibbes is one of the more beloved of the Puritans by today’s readers.

Summary

Josiah’s Reformation is a compilation of four sermons preached by the Puritan, Richard Sibbes from Isaiah 57:15, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose Name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

In explaining the doctrinal truth behind this verse, Sibbes exposits for his readers from 2 Chronicles 34:26-28 and offers four keys to true personal reformation. He looks at the tender heart first and foremost as the only means by which one can be humbled. He next looks at the art of self-humbling and the art of mourning. Both are necessary if true reformation is to take place in the soul. The last sermon (4th chapter) is entitled the Saint’s Refreshing. Here the reader is treated to true nourishment for the soul.

Review

You do not pick up the Puritans and expect to read something light and fluffy that does not impact you for in the here and now as well as later on down the road. Josiah’s Reformation offers sweet nourishment for the soul on most every page. The chapter on self-humbling is much needed today with our “me-first” theologies. I have said that there is much pride in the pastorate and many will know this to be true. Sibbes sought to not only teach his hearers how to properly self-judge, but he also offers, from Scripture, the importance of keeping ourselves humble. The art is when we are able to maintain that proper humility.

Far from being a book that will “work you over the coals,” Sibbes will bring you time and again to worship the Lord who alone enables the Christian to accomplish anything resembling reformation.

Again, Sibbes offers a wonderful treatise on the art of mourning…over sin. Not just your own sin, but the sins of others including your own nation. When was the last time you grieved over sin? Chapter three on Josiah’s Reformation will take you to that place of grief over sin once again.

All in all, while the language may be tough for some to overcome, it is well worth the effort to take the time and read through Josiah’s Reformation. To do so will be to take a break from the craziness of the world and to bask in the glory of the salvation granted to those who believe.

Recommendation

I heartily recommend to any who call on the name of Christ as Lord and Savior this work by Richard Sibbes entitled Josiah’s Reformation. It may be best to sit down and read it one chapter at a time (there are only four which take about an hour or so to read), but it is also worth putting on your nightstand and reading a page or two in the evening and meditate on the contents while drifting off to sleep.

“Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” (Heb. 13:7) And as one preacher said, “you can’t imitate what you don’t know.” So when was the last time your read a good Christian biography? Plenty of Christians have an abridged copy of Fox’s Book of Martyrs—which is a good place to start. I would like to suggest a few other good ones about some great church leaders that you may not have considered:

Meet the Puritans: With a Guide to Modern Reprints by Joel R. Beeke And Randall J. Pederson

Filled with short biographies of a hundred or so Puritans with a list of their works that are still in print. A great resource to get to really get to know the Puritans. And if you liked this book you can read about some other Puritans in Scottish Puritans: Select Biographies by W. K. Tweedie . It is two volumes loaded with biographical material.

John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace by Jonathan Aitken and Philip Yancey

More than a story about “Amazing Grace.” Read this book to discover his impact on the lives of Cowper and Wilberforce, and many others.

Amazing Grace by Eric Metaxas

The exciting story of William Wilberforce’s fight to stop the slave trade in England.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

Eric Metaxas is a adept writer. This biography reveals Bonhoeffer’s love for the Scriptures, Christ, and the Church revealing a Bonhoeffer that has been perverted for over fifty years. Metaxas does a great job of exhibiting Bonhoeffer’s struggle to do the will of God has he grapples with the issue of state and church. Highly recommended.

Calvin by T. H. L. Parker

Life of Arthur W Pink by Iain Murray

The Cambridge Seven: The True Story of Ordinary Men Used in No Ordinary Way by John Pollock

The Mighty Weakness of John Knox by Douglas Bond

Thomas Boston: His Life & Times by Andrew Thomson

Wesley and Men Who Followed by Iain H. Murray

Confessions St. Augustine

O.K., you have heard of this biography but have you read it? Get Garry Wills’ updated translation for a easy to read copy.

Anne Bradstreet: A Guided Tour of the Life and Thought of a Puritan Poet by Heidi L. Nichols

“Bradstreet’s unique role in church history, as a woman espousing Puritan and Reformed theology in the early American colonies, makes an ideal figure for study.” J.I. Packer

John Stott: The Making of a Leader: A Biography of the Early Years by Timothy Dudley-Smith

The Forgotten Spurgeon by Iain H. Murray

A Passion for God: The Spiritual Journey of A.W. Tozer by Lyle W. Dorsett

But make sure you don’t forget about reading about great missionaries! And this list is just a beginning:

Peace Child: An Unforgettable Story of Primitive Jungle Treachery in the 20th Century by Don Richardson

Daws: A Man Who Trusted God by Betty L Skinner

The story of Dawson Trotman the founder of The Navigators. Read the story about a disciplined man committed to the diligent study of God’s Word and training leaders to teach others to do the same.

Cameron Townsend: Good News in Every Language by Geoff Benge

Cameron Townsend is the founder of the Wycliffe Bible Translators.

John G. Paton: Missionary to the New Hebrides by John Gibson Paton

The Life and Diary of David Brainerd by Jonathan Edwards

This book has inspired missionaries for decades and has not been out of print since it was first published in 1749.

Hudson Taylor: Gospel Pioneer to China by Vance E. Christie

Flight Path: A Biography of Frank Barker Jr by Janie Buck & Mary Lou Davis

If none of these meet your fancy, you can always read about Bible characters. They can all be found in your Bible, but for a start you could read these:

The Apostle: A Life of Paul by John Pollock

Elijah: A Man of Heroism and Humility By Charles R. Swindoll

Charles Swindall has numerous books on Bible characters like Job, Ester, David, et al.

Simon Peter by Hugh Martin or From Simon to Peter by J. Glyn Owen

Both of these are out of print but are available used or in your local library.

…and the list goes on.

There was something else I wanted to mention about the prayer life of the Puritans (see “Praying Like a Puritan,” June 30, 2011 blog). Not only was the content of their prayers biblically rich; so were their salutations.

Here are a few opening addresses from their prayers found in the book, “The Valley of Vision.” It’s best if you read them slowly:

“O God Whose Will Conquers All”; “O Fountain of All Good”; “O Supreme Moving Cause”; “Thou Incomprehensible but Prayer-Hearing God”; “O Lover to the Uttermost”; “Thou Righteous and Holy Sovereign”; “O God of Unsearchable Greatness”; “O God of My Exodus”; “O Savior of Sinners”; “Glorious and Holy God”; “Searcher of Hearts”; “O Changeless God”; “Sovereign Lord”; “O Divine Lawgiver”; “Sovereign Commander of the Universe”; “Thou Great I AM”; “All Sufficient King”; “Lord Jesus, Great High Priest”; “Giver of All”; “Glorious Jehovah, My Covenant God”; “Lord of Immortality”; “O Lover of the Loveless”; “O God of the Open Ear”; “O God of My Delight”; “Thou Great Three-One”; “O God, My Exceeding Joy”; “O Maker and Upholder of All Things”; “Most Holy God”; “Thou Great and Only Potentate”; “King of Glory, Divine Majesty”; “O God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

There certainly isn’t anything wrong with “Dear God”; I’m glad because that’s how most of my prayers begin. But I think the Puritans were on to something. And that something was this; when you start a prayer which acknowledges God’s greatness, or character, or one of His attributes—what follows is more likely to be a prayer which reflects the truth of that salutation.

In other words, when I pray to the “All Omnipotent and Only Sovereign One”; I may do so with more faith—actually believing He is able to help me in my distress. Likewise, prayers addressed to the “Man Upstairs” or to “Yo God” will more than likely reflect those salutations, too: “If you got the time, Big Fella, can you help me out?”

The point is this, why not open our prayers actually acknowledging something true about the One we are about to approach? Why not remind ourselves Who He really is? The point isn’t to impress or sound Ivy League; the point is to focus our heart and mind on our God Who really is the “Great and Mighty One” or “Abba” or “The One Who Knows Me Like No Other.” You get the idea.

How about opening your prayers like a Puritan for awhile? I’m going to. Your and my prayer life is about to get an upgrade.

“O my Savior, help me. I am slow to learn, so prone to forget, so weak to climb; I am in the foothills when I should be on the heights….” Those Puritans sure knew how to pray; and it’s not because they had extensive vocabularies and were good with metaphors.

Theirs was a deep piety grounded in the Scriptures. As a result, they knew the depth of their sin; it is why their confessions were rarely, “God forgive me”—but instead, nuanced to precision:

I am pained by my graceless heart, my prayerless days, my poverty of love, my sloth in the heavenly race, my sullied conscience, my wasted hours, my unspent opportunities. I am blind while light shines around me: take the scales from my eyes, grind to dust the evil heart of unbelief.

Their petitions then got to the heart of the matter:

Make it my chiefest joy to study Thee, meditate on Thee, gaze on Thee, sit like Mary at Thy feet, lean like John on Thy breast, appeal like Peter to Thy love, count like Paul all things dung.

They were bold in asking for more grace:

Give me increase and progress in grace so that there may be more decision in my character, more vigor in my purposes, more elevation in my life, more fervor in my devotion, more constancy in my zeal.

And they knew how to end a prayer well:

As I have position in the world, keep me from making the world my position; may I never seek in the creature what can be found only in the Creator; let not faith cease from seeking Thee until it vanishes into sight. Ride forth in me, Thou King of kings and Lord of lords, that I may live victoriously, and in victory attain my end.

One doesn’t need to wax poetic to pray like this; for it is never about the words. As I heard one time, “some prayers break the backs of words”; the point being that sometimes our best prayers are our silent ones. But we won’t be able to pray like this unless our love and devotion to the One we pray to is deep; and our understanding of self is as well. And depth of both is gained in one place; the Scriptures.

The Puritans knew how to pray because they were trained by the Book. Go read and study and you will be amazed at the prayers that come out of your mouth.

[above prayer taken from, "The Disciple's Renewal," in The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions]