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Become doers of the word. (James 1:22) Jean Jacques Rousseau, one of the major architects of the French Enlightenment and consequently the French Revolution, was born in Geneva in 1712. He grew up in a Calvinist home and attended church regularly, later converting to Roman Catholicism so that he could stay in the good graces […]

They whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved. Westminster Confession of Faith God sovereignly decrees that none of his elect shall perish. As a […]

When thinking ‘Puritan,’ we will limit ourselves to the period 1600-1688 (alas, no Ryle!). In addition to the evangelical party of the Church of England (‘the Puritans’ proper), we ought also to consider the works of Independents, Presbyterians, Baptists, etc. My goal here is to whet your appetite from each of three areas: the praying […]

This is a little gem. It is only 21 pages long but contains more wise advice about preaching than books many times the length. J C Ryle, the well known Victorian Church of England minister writes about a subject close to his heart: Simplicity in preaching. In all his own writings (as well as his sermons) Bishop […]

First published 1893. This was the last book written by the celebrated 19th century preacher C. H. Spurgeon. He was working on it until a few days before his death so it contains the last thoughts that he wanted published. Spurgeon takes Jesus is King as this theme. He divides Matthew into just over 100 […]

At the age of twelve, I joined a local church of one of the large denominations. Previous to this I had received a lapel pin for memorizing the Ten Commandments and the books of the Bible. These things never completely left my mind, but neither did they save me. I can honestly say that I […]

For the promise is for you and your children. (Acts 2:39) My wife was recently walking in a West Hartford park and met a young mother with her two children. As Wini struck up a conversation with the mom it was clear that she was exhausted from the demands of motherhood. Wini then used one […]

Almost every young minister of the gospel could do with a Newton. They may not always realise that they need a Newton, but they probably do. To be blunt, they may not always want a Newton; those are the times when they need one most. In Wise Counsel: John Newton’s Letters to John Ryland Jr., […]

‘Alexander’s choice of subject matter, and the way he handles it, reveals a depth of maturity and humility that only decades of seeking and learning about God could produce . . . a refreshingly original explanation of timeless, Scriptural truths.’ [John Bird on Eric Alexander’s Our Great God and Saviour at the ‘Discerning Reader’ website.] […]

Stuart Olyott gave the 2010 Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones lecture on preaching at the John Owen Centre in London on September 27. Mr Olyott began with a tribute and a statement of his personal indebtedness to Dr Lloyd-Jones, mentioning hearing him on spiritual warfare in 1964 at the last Campbell Morgan lecture and on that famous […]

The Christian life is simultaneously a great joy and a great struggle. The joy and the struggle are synchronous, not sequential. It is not that we somehow graduate beyond the struggle to a life of ‘joy and peace in believing.’ To think this is to fail to understand just what the Christian life is. Let […]

Recently a friend shared a top 10 book list and one of the recommendations was ‘On the Goodness of God’ in volume 2 of The Existence and Attributes of God by Stephen Charnock.1 It had been a long while since I read any of Charnock, and, oh my, was it a feast for my soul […]

Some students wore hats in our services. Some were from Holland and others came from similar congregations where all the women wear hats. Another student was convicted by this and began to raise the subject with her friends and finally came to me. ‘You say you believe the Bible, but here is plain teaching in […]

Bucer was to Strasbourg what John Calvin became to Geneva. Bucer was the older Reformer; Calvin learned much from him during his stay in Strasbourg when exiled from Geneva. Eventually Bucer himself was forced out of Strasbourg and became a Professor of Divinity in Cambridge University. This volume has now been translated into English for […]

It is easy to see that the world is in a terrible state – with war, civil disobedience and crime affecting, in varying degrees, people across the globe. But, more fundamentally, we must recognise the terrible spiritual state of every individual human being, for frictions between nations and problems within individual countries and communities only […]

It was described as ‘the harshest Budget for a generation’, with its ‘harsh medicine of tax hikes and spending cuts’.1 The new Chancellor’s financial programme, presented to Parliament on June 22, was an attempt to reduce the huge deficit in the British Government’s accounts. This is not the place to discuss the wisdom or otherwise […]

This treatise1, originally published in 1825 and entitled A View of Evangelical Repentance, is a precious description of the grace of repentance. The name of its author, the highly-esteemed Dr Colquhoun of Leith (1748-1827), will be familiar to many. He traces the grace of repentance to the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration, and […]

The Rev. Arthur W. Kuschke, Jr., passed into glory at his home on July 1, 2010 at the age of 96. A native of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Mr. Kuschke graduated from Wheaton College in 1936, after which he earned the Th.B. and Th.M. degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary. Ordained by the Presbytery of Philadelphia in 1940, […]

John Milne (1807-68) was a pastor and evangelist who served the Lord in Scotland and India. He was also one of an outstanding group of ministers who God used to bring about a great awakening in Scotland in the early 1840’s. This account was written just after his death by his friend Horatius Bonar. Horatius […]

This famous book has been reprinted in hardback by the Banner of Truth Trust. It is 784 pages in length. David Brainerd gave himself wholeheartedly to missionary endeavour among groups of American Indians in what is now north-eastern USA. He was spared to this work for only a few years, dying of tuberculosis in 1747 […]

Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage (Psa. 119:54). If you have ever sung songs on long road trips, you know the value of singing while journeying. It helps time pass more quickly. It helps the mood stay positive. It helps recall home. It binds travellers together. It isn’t surprising, […]

Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift comes from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. (James 1:17) Astronomers tell us that our galaxy, the Milky Way, has over three billion stars, that it is one thousand light years deep, that it is one […]

In 1821 a young clergyman’s son matriculated at Worcester College, Oxford. Amongst the cleverest of his generation, he knew nothing of the wisdom which can only be imparted by the work of the Holy Spirit in the soul. Just previously, another young man, of similar academic capabilities, had graduated with an unexpectedly low third-class degree. […]

The current Pope (Joseph Ratzinger) entered office with a formidable reputation as the Vatican’s arch-conservative ‘enforcer’ of doctrine. In Protestant circles, it was conservative Evangelicals rather than mainline liberals that welcomed his appointment.1 Among those who praised his writings was Michael Horton (of Westminster Theological Seminary, California). While recognising that areas of disagreement exist, he […]

What is the Doctrine of Invincible Grace? God converts and calls men . . . according to his own purpose and grace, which is given us in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 1:9). David Dickson The Lord never applies his grace of purpose to gain a soul but he prevails. James Durham The grace of God […]