WARNINGS TO THE CHURCHES by J. C. Ryle. Banner of Truth Trust, 171 pp, £1.95.
This selection of Ryle’s writings was first published by the Banner of
Truth Trust in 1967 and is now reprinted. Like all Ryle’s writings they are plain and edifying. Although they were addressed to men in his own day, yet much of what Ryle had to say has relevance for our own day. In dealing with the subject of the fallibility of ministers he had to say: “Your minister may be a man of God indeed, and worthy of all honour for his preaching and practice; but do not make a pope of him. Do not place his word side by side with the Word of God. Do not spoil him by flattery. Do not let him suppose that he can make no mistakes. Do not lean your whole weight on his opinion, or you may find to your cost that he can err.” In assessing the situation in Britain he warned that the tide of events seemed to be running strongly against Protestantism and in favour of Rome. He goes on: “I am no prophet. I know not where we are drifting. But at the rate we are going, I think it quite within the verge of possibility that in a few years the Church of England may be re-united to the Church of Rome. The Crown of England may be once more on the head of a Papist. Protestantism may be formally repudiated. A Romish Archbishop may once more preside at Lambeth Palace. Mass may be once more said at Westminster Abbey and St Pauls.”
We are glad to commend this paperback.
D.B.M.
THE GODLY MAN’S PICTURE by Thomas Watson. Banner of Truth Trust, 252 pp, £3.50.
Thomas Watson’s writings are well known and highly appreciated by exercised Christians. The Banner of Truth Trust has already published several of his works including A Body of Divinity, The Ten Commandments and The Lord’s Prayer. In this paperback we find Watson showing the characteristics of a godly man on the basis of the text in Psalm 32: 6 “For this shall every one that is godly pray unto Thee.” He gives the following twenty four marks of a godly man: He is (1) a man of knowledge; (2) a man moved by faith; (3) a man fired by love; (4) a man like God; (5) a man careful about the worship of God; (6) a man who serves God, not men; (7) a man who prizes Christ; (8) a man who weeps; (9) a man who loves the Word; (10) a man who has the Spirit of God residing in him; (11) a man of humility; (12) a man of prayer; (13) a man of sincerity; (14) a heavenly man; (15) a zealous man; (16) a patient man; (17) a thankful man; (18) a man who loves the saints; (19) a man who does not indulge himself in any sin; (20) a man who is good in his relationships; (21) a man who does spiritual things in a spiritual manner; (22) a man thoroughly trained in religion; (23) a man who walks with God; and
(24) a man who strives to be an instrument for making others godly.
Here is a treatise well suited for self-examination. Let every professed Christian buy it and test himself or herself by it.
D.B.M.
CALVIN’S WISDOM by Graham Miller. Banner of Truth Trust, 392 pp, £14.95.
This well-bound Banner of Truth Trust hardback is an anthology arranged alphabetically. It is drawn from the writings of John Calvin. The source reference is given with each quotation so it can act as a reference book to Calvin’s views on all the subjects with which he dealt. The Rev. J. Graham Miller, who drew up the anthology, states: “The aim is to let Calvin speak for himself, and for the reader to find for himself what I have found, ‘good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over’. It is expected that the serious reader will gain most benefit by taking one theme or sub-theme a day, giving time for assimilation and reflection. In this way the Anthology may prove an ideal primer in Reformed doctrine and practice, worship and churchmanship, personal and social life. And it will serve the reader for the best part of a year if read in this way.” Here is a volume then full to overflowing with Calvin’s views on Scriptural themes. It should prove especially beneficial to ministers and divinity students so that they may learn from one who was truly a master in Israel, but should prove edifying also to other readers.
D.B.M.
THE WORKS OF GEORGE SWINNOCK. Banner of Truth Trust. Set of 5 Volumes, £49.95 (set), £10.95 per volume.
The volume sent for review is Volume 5 of this set of the Works of George Swinnock. The works of Swinnock have been long out of print and the Banner of Truth Trust is to be congratulated on making them available to readers once more. Swinnock lived in the seventeenth century — a time celebrated for the noted Puritan Divines which it produced. Like many of his godly contemporaries, he suffered in the Great Ejection of 1662.
The fifth volume of this set is taken up with two treatises, one on Regeneration, the other on the condemnation of the Wicked. The first treatise is entitled, The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration, and is based on John 3: 3. The second treatise is entitled, The Sinner’s Last Sentence and is based on Matthew 25: 41, 42. As was common with the Puritans, Swinnock not only opens up the doctrine of regeneration
so that none need be in any doubt of its true nature, but also applies the doctrine to the heart of his readers lest they should fall short of obtaining this great change wrought in them by God, the Holy Ghost. It abounds with solemn warnings to the ungodly.
The second treatise, as one would expect, is a most solemn one dealing as it does with the pronouncement of the sentence: “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” In it he brings out the heinous nature of sin as meriting such a punishment. He seeks to show what banishment from Christ’s presence will mean for the condemned soul, that is, the awfulness of a lost eternity. As well as showing how dreadful will be the condition of such as live in sins of commission, he also points out the danger of sins of omission and that such sins are damnable. He enters very fully into these matters in order that sinners might be warned and that they might flee from the wrath to come. How much good might the men of the present generation obtain if only they were addicted to reading the noted works of the puritan divines.
D.B.M.
PREACHERS WITH POWER by Douglas Kelly. Banner of Truth Trust, 175 pp, £9.95.
This recently published Banner of Truth hardback seeks to assess the preaching of four noted preachers of the 19th Century in the Southern States of America. These men were Daniel Baker, James Henley Thornwell, Benjamin Morgan Palmer and John L. Girardeau. Brief accounts of their lives are given but it is with the character of their preaching that Douglas Kelly principally deals. All of these preachers were greatly used of the Lord in the ingathering of souls to His Kingdom and in the building up of believers in the faith of the gospel. The places where they laboured were greatly favoured in having the gospel so powerfully preached in their midst.
The lives of Thornwell and Palmer have already been reprinted by the Banner of Truth and some readers will be acquainted with them. However, this volume sets out the strengths and also the weaknesses — of which there appear to be very few — of these four noted servants of Christ. The aim of the author seems to be that of preaching which was displayed by these men would once again manifest itself in the preaching of the ministers of this generation. We warmly commend the book to ministers and divinity students.
D.B.M.
Eastern Europe Mission
by Rev. D. A. Ross