Both books reviewed here are obtainable from the Free Presbyterian Bookroom.

Reformed Confessions of the 16th and 17th Centuries in English Translation

vol 1: 1523-1532, compiled by James T Dennison, jr, published by Reformation Heritage Books, hardback, 832 pages, £37.99.

This is intended to be the first of a series of volumes presenting confessions of faith – in quite a wide sense – from 1523 to 1693. This first volume covers most of the first 30 years of that period and includes many important documents of the Reformation period from various parts of Europe, some translated into English specially for this volume. Each of the documents is preceded by a brief introduction to give its historical context.

First in chronological order is “The sixty-seven Articles of Huldrych Zwingli”, the Reformer of Zurich. He prepared them in 1523 for a debate with Roman Catholic representatives. For example, he asserted: (1) “Everyone who says that the gospel is nothing without the sanction of the Church errs and blasphemes God.” (3) “Christ is the only way to salvation of all who were, are now, or shall be.” (19) “Christ is the sole mediator between God and us.” Zwingli’s success in the debate led to a significant step towards Reformation in Zurich – the decision by the City Council: “Nothing is to be established or to be taught except what can be proved by the testimony of gospel doctrine and the authority of sacred Scripture by themselves”.

Other documents include some of Zwingli’s further writings, a number of Waldensian Confessions and three Catechisms written by John Calvin. Only the third of these is in question and answer format (373 questions and answers); it is designed for the instruction of children. The first question is: “What is the chief end of human life?” The child is to answer: “To know God”. The second question follows: “Why do you say that?” The answer is: “Because He created us and placed us in this world to be glorified in us. And it is indeed right that our life, of which He Himself is the beginning, should be devoted to His glory.”

The final document is more in the nature of a treatise: “Calvin on Eternal Predestination”. It appears here because, as the Editor states, “the Senate of Geneva recognised the work in 1552 as a defining element of the Reformation in their city”.

This large volume is an important historical resource. The whole series, assuming it is completed, will show the development of the Reformed Church’s understanding of her faith during the Reformation period and its immediate aftermath. While we regard The Westminster Confession as the most appropriate for confessing our faith, we recognise that it stands, so to speak, on the shoulders of many of these earlier documents. We commend the dedication of the Editor in producing this very significant volume.

Fearless Pilgrim, The Life and Times of John Bunyan

by Faith Cook, published by Evangelical Press, hardback, 528 pages, £16.99.

Faith Cook should need no commendation as the author of well-written biographies; her reputation is now well established. Most readers will recognise Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress as representing the typical Christian’s journey from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City but no doubt given a particular colour by his own experience. But Mrs Cook points out that “virtually all John Bunyan’s 50 or more lesser-known works are autobiographical to a certain degree, for he constantly drew on his own experiences of God’s delivering grace to point his readers to the way of escape from doubts and fears”.

Bunyan’s Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners provides much information about his conversion and Mrs Cook quotes liberally from it. One can feel the tremendous earnestness of Bunyan’s yearning for salvation: “Gold! Could it have been gotten for gold, what could I have given for it! Had I a whole world, it had all gone ten thousand times over for this, that my soul might have been in a converted state!” But he found salvation – freely given, “without money and without price”, for Christ’s sake. And we follow Bunyan through his various trials, including severe temptations. Called to preach the gospel, he had to endure repeated persecutions after the Restoration, of Charles II. These persecutions included imprisonment, which could easily have been avoided if he had consented to cease preaching. But, as he told lawyer William Foster, “I dare not leave off that work to which God has called me”.

The author fills in the historical background to help the reader gain an understanding of Bunyan’s circumstances. She also examines many of his writings, among them his Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ and comments on his “compassion for the plight of the troubled sinner who scarcely knows how to resolve his spiritual fears”. She quotes a marvellous dialogue which Bunyan represents the troubled sinner engaging in with the Saviour – a dialogue which Rev William MacLean used to delight in repeating:

“But I am a great sinner, sayest thou.