10 Must-Read Books by the Puritans for Christians Today
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When it comes to being on fire for the Lord, it’s hard to top the Puritans! Their passion for God’s word and deep insights into Scripture have continued to bless Christians for hundreds of years. Here are ten must-read beloved Puritan classics to strengthen and encourage the faith of every believer today.
Editor’s note: The below text is adapted from The Banner of Truth Trust and used with permission. If you’re looking for an outstanding curated list of Puritan writings, be sure to check out Banner of Truth’s website banneroftruth.org.
1. Communion with God by John Owen (1616-1683)
Communion with God was written in a time like our own when the doctrine of the Trinity was under attack and the Christian faith was being reduced to either rationalism on the one hand or mysticism on the other. John Owen believed that communion with God lies at the heart of the Christian life.
With the apostle Paul, Owen recognized that through the Son we have access by the Spirit to the Father. He never lost the sense of amazement expressed in the Gospel of John: “Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). In this outstanding book Owen explains the nature of this communion and describes its many privileges. Click here for Amazon link.
2. All Things for Good by Thomas Watson (1620-1686)
Seventeenth-century minister Thomas Watson’s book All Things for Good provides the biblical answer to the contemporary question: Why do bad things happen to good people? First published in 1663 (under the title A Divine Cordial), the year after Watson and some two thousand other ministers were ejected from the Church of England and exposed to hardship and suffering, All Things For Good contains the rich exposition of a man who lived when only faith in God’s word could lead him to such confidence.
Watson’s exposition is always simple, illuminating, and rich in practical application. He explains that both the best and the worst experiences work for the good of God’s people. He carefully analyses what it means to be someone who “loves God” and is “called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Click here for Amazon link.
3. The Doctrine of Repentance by Thomas Watson (1620-1686)
A good case could be made out for believing that “repentance” is one of the least used words in the Christian church today. In a world that will not tolerate the mention of sin, and in churches where it has been defined only in sociological terms, the biblical teaching on repentance has inevitably been ignored. Knowing what repentance is and actually repenting are essential to true Christianity. Jesus Christ himself said that if we do not repent, we will perish! It is vital, therefore, to read and study what Scripture has to say about this theme.
Few better guides have existed in this or any other area of spiritual experience than Thomas Watson. In The Doctrine of Repentance, we can learn much from this godly preacher who was a master of both Scripture and the human heart and wrote with a simplicity and directness that keeps his work fresh and powerful for the twenty-first century. Click here for Amazon link.
4. The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes (1577-1635)
Richard Sibbes, one of the most influential figures in the Puritan movement during the earlier years of the seventeenth century, was renowned for the rich quality of his ministry. The Bruised Reed shows why he was known among his contemporaries as “the sweet dropper.”
Drawing from Isaiah 42:3 and Matthew 12:20, Sibbes explains the kindness and love of Christ toward bruised and afflicted Christians. He counsels on how we are to view our weak beginnings as Christ does his sanctifying work in a person battered by corruption while striving to live the Christian life. And finally, he encourages us with the wisdom of joyful perseverance grounded in the ultimate victory of Christ Jesus that gives us hope in the midst of life’s struggles. Click here for Amazon link.
5. Prayer by John Bunyan (1628-1688)
Two works on prayer are brought together in John Bunyan’s Prayer. In Praying in the Spirit Bunyan defines what it means not only to pray with the Spirit and with understanding but also how to deal with difficulties in prayer. In The Throne of Grace, Bunyan explains both how to approach God’s throne in prayer and how our coming opens up the blessings God’s people receive from the high priestly ministry of Jesus Christ. Click here for Amazon link.
6. The Mortification of Sin by John Owen (1616-1683)
In this abridgement of The Mortification of Sin, the famous Puritan John Owen shows the need for Christians to engage in a lifelong battle against the sinful tendencies that remain in them, despite their having been brought to faith and new life in Christ.
Owen is very insistent that believers cannot hope to succeed in this battle in their own strength. He sees clearly that the fight can be won only through faith in Christ, and in the power of the Spirit. Fighting sin with human strength will produce only self-righteousness, superstition, and anxiety of conscience. But with faith in Christ, and with the power of the Spirit, victory is certain. The temptations in times like Owen’s and ours are obvious on every side; the remedy to them is clearly pointed out in this practical and helpful book. Click here for Amazon link.
7. The Mystery of Providence by John Flavel (1628-1691)
First published in 1678, John Flavel’s The Mystery of Providence is based on the words “God that performeth all things for me” (Psalm 57:2). It shows us how providence works for us in every stage and experience of our lives. The Mystery of Providence is richly illustrated from the lives of believers and from the author’s wide reading in church history. There are avenues of spiritual knowledge and experience opened to Christians in this work that they probably never knew existed. Click here for Amazon link.
8. The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs (1600-1646)
Jeremiah Burroughs is worthily reckoned as belonging to the front rank of English Puritan preachers. As such, he played a prominent part in the Westminster Assembly of Divines but died prematurely before the Assembly’s work was concluded.
Burrough’s writings, some published before and others after his death, were numerous, but The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment is one of the most valuable of them all. Its author was much concerned to promote (1) peace among believers of various “persuasions” and (2) peace and contentment in the hearts of individual believers during what he describes as “sad and sinking times.” The Rare Jewel concentrates upon this second aim. It is marked by balance, clarity, aptness of illustration, and warmth of appeal to the heart. Click here for Amazon link.
9. Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices by Thomas Brooks (1608-1680)
Puritan preacher Thomas Brooks treated the seductive influence and terrible power of Satan in a fuller and more complete way than in much of the literature of today. Brooks lists seven reasons for writing Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices. The first reason is enough:
Satan hath a greater influence upon men, and higher advantages over them than they think he hath, and the knowledge of his high advantage is the highway to disappoint him, and to render the soul strong in resisting, and happy in conquering.
While Brook’s main point is the need for Christians to know their enemy, he also offers practical helps to withstand Satan’s devices in order to help us avoid sin, remain focused on Christian duties, and to remain joyful knowing Christ has equipped us with the armor of God. Click here for Amazon link.
10. The Art of Prophesying: and the Calling of the Ministry by William Perkins (1558-1602)
Few things are more evident in contemporary churches than the decline in the importance attached to what is said from their pulpits. The deeper tragedy is that in many places the church has become a valley of dry bones. Something is needed to waken the dead and to breathe new life into the people of God. Puritan theologian and preacher William Perkins (1558-1602) provides basic guidance to help all Christians to read and use the Bible intelligently. He has a particularly powerful message for those who lead God’s people and especially those who preach.
The Art of Prophesying carries sparks capable of igniting a preacher. It should be beside every minister’s desk as a book to turn to again and again. Click here for Amazon link and here for the Banner of Truth link.
Looking for more helpful books by the Puritans? Be sure to check out Banner of Truth’s website banneroftruth.org for an outstanding curated list of Puritan writings.
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This article has been updated since its original publishing date of March 19, 2020.