1All publications referred to here are obtainable from the Free Presbyterian Bookroom.
John Knox and the Reformation, by D M Lloyd-Jones & Iain H Murray, published by the Banner of Truth Trust, paperback, 142 pages, £5.50.
| | RRP | Offer |
|:—|:—|:—|
| William Grimshaw of Haworth , by Faith Cook | £9.50 | £7.50 |
| Banner of Truth, 1997, pbk, 342pp | £9.50 | £7.50 |
| A History of the Work of Redemption , by Jonathan Edwards | £16.50 | £14.00 |
| Banner of Truth, 2003, hbk, 440pp | £16.50 | £14.00 |
| The Preachers of Scotland , by W G Blaikie | £12.50 | £10.00 |
| Banner of Truth, 2001, hbk, 350pp | £12.50 | £10.00 |
| An All-Round Ministry , by Charles H Spurgeon | £7.25 | £5.00 |
| Banner of Truth, 2003, pbk, 396pp | £7.25 | £5.00 |
The first of Dr Lloyd-Jones’ lectures reprinted here, “Remembering the Reformation”, was delivered in 1960 to commemorate the fourth centenary of the Scottish Reformation. In conversational style he gives, not the history of the movement, but a description of it, with application to the twentieth century. He notes that “it was a pure reformation and the result was, I believe, that you had a purer Church” than in England. “What was the secret of it all?” he asks. “It was not the men . . . great as they were. It was God! God in His sovereignty raising up His men.”
The second of these lectures is entitled, “John Knox: The founder of Puritanism”, and was originally delivered at a Puritan Conference. Dr Lloyd-Jones justifies his claim by referring to Knox’s originality of thought, his bringing out clearly the guiding principles of Puritanism, and the fact that he applied his principles – following out into practice “what he believed to be the New Testament pattern regarding the nature of the Church, and the ordinances and the ceremonies, and the exercise of discipline”.
The final section, from Mr Murray’s pen, describes “John Knox and ‘the Battle’”, the spiritual battle in which he was engaged. The course of the Reformation of Scotland is outlined, with particular emphasis on Knox – on his preparation for leadership; on success and conflict, after his return to Scotland in 1559. There follows a description of him as a man, and some lessons we may learn from him. Knox’s authority came, we are told, “from the conviction that preaching is God’s work, the message is His word, and he was sure that the Holy Spirit would honour it”.
It will be good if the wish expressed in the conclusion to the Publisher’s Preface is fulfilled: “As we approach the five hundredth anniversary of the birth of John Knox, may this book encourage readers not only to remember him but also to consider the outcome of his life and to imitate his faith”.
Prayers on the Psalms, from the Scottish Psalter of 1595, published by the Banner of Truth Trust in their Pocket Puritan series, paperback, 152 pages, £3.25. These brief prayers were printed in the 1595 edition of the Scottish Psalter. As David B Calhoun explains in the Introduction, they first appeared in the French Psalter of 1563 and were the work of Augustin Marlorat, described as “an honoured colleague of Calvin and Beza in the Genevan Reformation”. Words in the original translation which have gone out of use have been replaced in this edition by others which are more easily understood today; otherwise the translation seems unchanged.
Corresponding to each of the 150 Psalms, there is a prayer which it would be appropriate to use after reading that Psalm. The prayers reflect the spirit of devotion which we would expect in a time when spiritual life was much more in evidence than it is today. The Introduction notes that these prayers “frequently included cries to God to deliver His people from their foes and to punish those enemies”. This, of course, reflects the content of many Psalms and was particularly appropriate during the persecutions of the sixteenth century. Professor Calhoun comments: “The whole history of the Huguenots is marked by long-lasting persecution and suffering – and they found great support in the Psalms, especially in Psalms of judgement and deliverance”.
Note: In 1953 Rev Fraser Macdonald wrote about Lionel Thomson, a five-year-old Oban boy who “gave early and undeniable evidence” of being a child of God. This material has been reprinted as a free illustrated booklet by Mr William Murray, Lonemore, Dornoch, IV25 3RW. It also appears as a chapter in Gospel Gleanings for Young People (F P Publications).