Samuel Rutherford (1600–61) was born in the village of Nisbet, Roxburghshire he was the eldest son of a well-to-do farmer. At an early age, his parents took notice of his intellectual gifts and believed that God would call him to the ministry, though they seldom spoke about Christ. He was a young man who knew much but lacked conviction and was living in sin.

While in school, Rutherford excelled in Latin and Greek, and in 1623 he acted as Regent of Humanity. Two years later, he was forced to resign from all his positions after inappropriate behavior with a young woman, whom he subsequently married. God used this incident to change his heart. 

In 1627, Rutherford pastored the church in Anwoth by the Solway in Kirkcudbrightshire for only nine years, and they were very life-giving for him. Rutherford rose at 3 a.m. every day, devoting hours to prayer and meditation. He wrote of one of his favorite places where he often walked in nature to ponder spiritual truths: “Woods, trees, meadows, and hills are my witnesses that I drew on a fair meeting between Christ and Anwoth.”

History shares that Rutherford could be a difficult man. On the one hand, he was godly and humble and had close intimacy with God. On the other hand, he had strong emotions and occasionally lost his temper and heaped abuse on his opponents. Historians believe Rutherford suffered from many mental issues, one being depression. Nevertheless, God used those inflictions and challenges to prepare Rutherford to comfort other suffering believers. Learning from experience, others, and personal devotion Rutherford wrote his catechism. He also wrote many letters to his congregation to encourage them and to keep Christ-centeredness in their life. 

Rutherford’s first wife, Euphame Hamilton (the woman who got in trouble while in university and used to kick-start his faith journey), died in 1630 after suffering intensely for thirteen months. Except for one daughter, all the children she and Rutherford had died at an early age. In 1635, Rutherford’s mother, who had come to live with them, also died. These were painful sorrows in his life, but they did not sway him from his calling as a shepherd.

Rutherford was politically active during his ministry. By the providence of God, he had placed the little church of Anwoth strategically. Using that connection, Rutherford soon became a strong opponent of Episcopacy (Anglicans) and wrote much against them and organized times of prayer and fasting to point out their corruption. So, in July 1636 the High Commission brought Rutherford’s ministry in Anwoth to an end due to of his nonconformity, barring him from preaching in Scotland and exiling him to Aberdeen. Aberdeen proved to be a trying time for Rutherford. It was heavily Arminian, committed to the Church of England, and opposed to his Reformed Presbyterian convictions. It was during his two years in Aberdeen many of his famous Letters were written. These were designed to be a way of encouraging his congregation in Aberdeen, through their struggles. 

In 1638, the Church of Scotland General Assembly restored Presbyterianism to the land and appointed Rutherford to the position of professor of theology at St. Mary’s College, St. Andrews. He reluctantly accepted, and only on the condition that he was allowed to preach at least once every Sunday. While he valued his work at the college, he still longed for his home and congregation back in Anworth. 

In 1670, he married his second wife, Jean M‘Math. He had one daughter, Agnes, from his previous marriage and six more from the second marriage, all of whom died before Rutherford.

When the Westminster Assembly began in 1643, Rutherford was one of six Scottish commissioners invited to attend. Rutherford wrote at least five books, including his other famous writing Lex Rex (1644). This book deals with a magistrate’s right to exact obedience from his subjects and a citizen’s obligations towards magistrates. It grapples with questions related to natural rights, civil law, Christian obedience, and Christian ethics. Rutherford argues for limitations on the divine right of kings. The crown is bestowed by the voluntary consent of the people; therefore, the people are at liberty to resist a tyrant. His books brought him fame and invitations in the late 1640s and early 1650s to join prestigious faculties in the Netherlands, including Utrecht, where Voetius was teaching. Rutherford declined every invitation.

Rutherford’s writings and political convictions brought tension at a time when Scotland was in flux, some supported the monarchy, and others did not. So, when the monarchy was restored in 1660, Rutherford knew persecution awaited him. Given his reputation and influence in Scotland, in 1661, the government charged him with treason, deprived him of his church, and his university chair, placed him under house arrest, and took away his salary. Lex Rex was ordered to be burned and his presbytery to be overthrown. Ultimately, Parliament, seeking to eliminate all resistance to Charles II, sentenced the most prominent covenantal leaders to hang. Rutherford anticipated that and considered it a privilege to give his life for his Savior. But by the time the summons arrived in 1661, charging him with treason and demanding his appearance, Rutherford was already on his deathbed. When the Council returned and reported to Parliament that Rutherford was dying, Parliament almost unanimously decided that he not be allowed to die in the college. However, Lord Burleigh made a plea that allowed Rutherford to die in the college. Rutherford, peacefully on March 30, 1661, at St. Mary’s College, St. Andrews. Some of his last words were, “I shall live and adore Christ; glory to my Redeemer forever. Glory, glory dwelleth in Emmanuel’s land.” To his fellow ministers, he said, “Dear brethren, do all for Christ. Pray for Christ. Preach for Christ. Beware of men-pleasing.” 

Samuel Rutherford lived a life filled with many trials, but he always remained close to Christ. To glean insights into the man who loved his congregation, read his Letters. To understand his political convictions read Lex Rex.

Benjamin Keach was born in 1640 in Stokes-Hammond, Bucks, England, and died July 18, 1704, in Horselydown, Southwark, England. Keach was a famous Baptist preacher in London who, among other achievements, wrote two theologically influential Baptist works, developed the first Baptist Catechism in 1677, and was involved in the formation of the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689 in tandem with the historically significant Baptist ministers Hanserd Knollys and William Kiffin, among others.

Keach was born into an Anglican family and was christened as an infant, but at the age of fifteen was convinced by Scripture that his paedobaptism was invalid and that he subsequently needed to be re-baptized by immersion upon a profession of faith. By the mere age of eighteen, he began to preach, and in 1660, at the age of only twenty, Keach began preaching regularly in Southwark, where he remained to shepherd his flock for the rest of his life. His congregation was later named the New Park Street Church and then moved to the Metropolitan Tabernacle, coming under the pastorship of famous Baptist preachers such as John Gill, John Rippon, and later, Charles Spurgeon.

On October 8, 1664, Keach was imprisoned for two weeks and fined twenty pounds for preaching without a license from the Church of England, and for his Baptist Catechism — a considerable amount in those days (about $4000 today) for a poor Puritan preacher who did not align with Anglicanism. It was said that he was arrested on the charges of being “a seditious, heretical and schismatical person, evilly and maliciously disposed and disaffected to his Majesty’s government and the government of the Church of England.” Keach’s imprisonment put him in prison around the same time as his fellow Baptist John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim’s Progress.

The Church of England tried to silence Keach by further punishing him by placing him in the pillory. Keach, the bold man that he was, saw this as an opportunity to defend his writings and preach in front of a crowd. It is recorded that Keach asked if the authorities and Anglican ministers present could prove his works and preaching as false, to which they could not respond, to the effect that they only became all the more frustrated with him. So, as Keach would not cease defending his Baptist convictions, the authorities burned his Catechism right in front of him and threatened to gag him. But, before he was silenced, it is recorded that he quoted Matthew 5:10, saying, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

In 1668, while traveling to Southwark, he and his family were tragically robbed of all their possessions. That same year, he was so ill and was left by doctors to die. However, friend and fellow preacher, Hansard Knollys (1599–1691), heard and came to his bedside, and prayed for his recovery. After praying, he told Keach that he would be in heaven before him. To the surprise of all, Keach quickly recovered, and Knollys died two years later. In 1670, his first wife, Jane Grove, died after ten years of marriage and having five children, of whom only three survived infancy. He married a second time to Susannah Partridge (d. 1732).

Throughout his lifetime Keach often wrote to defend Christian convictions against the Quakers (his oldest daughter was a Quaker which created a lot of desire in his writings), but his most lasting influence likely comes from his role in the “hymn-singing” controversies. Keach is generally credited with being the first to introduce congregational hymn singing as a part of the regular worship of English-speaking congregations. Which he even used as a tactic to prevent being arrested by blending in with the congregants, so that the authorities did not know who started the singing.

Benjamin Keach died at the age of 64, on July 18, 1704, having pastored the same church for 36 years. His body was laid to rest in the Baptist cemetery. Through his many trials, he still managed to compile forty-three books. 

A funny side story is Benjamin Keach’s son, Elias Keach, (born in 1666 in London) came to America in 1686, dressed in black and wearing a clerical collar, hoping to be accepted as a minister. His ploy worked, and many people gathered to hear him preach. One Sunday, he was preaching his sermon and was convicted by his own message. He froze and when the congregation asked him what was wrong, he confessed his sins in front of the congregation and asked for a Baptist minister, and immediately went to him. He was saved and baptized at Pennypack Creek along the Delaware River. He was then ordained to the ministry and continued to minister faithfully.

“Be not troubled to think what shall become of thee and thine after my death, for be assured that my God, and the God of the widows and the fatherless, will not forsake thee, but will wonderfully provide for those and be comforted in this, that tho’ men take thy husband from thee, they cannot take thy God from thee; and so, do not think that thou hast lost thy husband, but only parted with him for a while, and in the meantime, thy Savour will be a husband unto thee and a father unto thy children.” Excerpt from Christopher Love’s final letter to his wife, Mary.

Those who enjoy reading Richard Sibbes (1577-1635) and Puritan authors whose writings and preaching emphasized the glories of heaven have often neglected Christopher Love (1618-1651). 

Christopher Love was born in Cardiff, Wales. He grew up in a middle-class family, received a good education, and loved reading but lived a life of sin. Love did not step into a church until the age of fifteen. Humoring his conscience, he decided to attend a church service with some of his friends. After listening to the preacher, William Erbery, Love became so convicted by sin and hell that he became depressed. The change in his life was so drastic that his father noticed his son changed that day. Love’s father tried to get him to participate in gambling and other sinful activities, but Love refused. As a result, his father locked him in his room to prevent him from going back to church the following Sunday. Love escaped the house using a makeshift rope and left for the church. Love thought “it better to displease his earthly father that to offend his new heavenly Father.”

William Erbery requested permission to have Christopher Love live with him so that he might further instruct him in his education and take proper care of the boy, his father begrudgingly agreed. This proved to be a fruitful decision for Love because he eventually attended Oxford in 1635 and earned his bachelor’s in 1639. However, he did not complete his Master of Arts degree because was expelled from the school for refusing to sign Archbishop Laud’s mandates for pastors in 1640. Love was the first to refuse to sign the mandates which had consequences because two churches in London wanted him to be their pastor, but he was denied because he was not an “ordained minister” due to Laud’s act.

Love moved to London and became chaplain to Sheriff Warner. He met the sheriff’s ward, Mary Stone (1639-1663), he married her, and the Loves had five children: two girls who died early in life, and three boys. One was born thirteen days after Love’s death. In 1641, he was put in prison for his preaching which denounced the errors of The Book of Common Prayer and superstitious ceremonies in the Church of England. Eventually, he was tried in the king’s court and acquitted.

In 1642, he tried for his M.A. but was expelled again because he refused to conform to Laud’s Act. During the Civil War, he became a chaplain and also ministered to many who were ill during the plague. In 1645, he became ordained as a Presbyterian minister and was one of the youngest to be a member of the Westminster Assembly, but he was not as actively involved as other members.

In 1652, Love was arrested for allegedly raising money for attempts at restoring the monarchy under Charles II. Love denied the charge and was convicted of treason for what became known as the “Love Plot.” Love’s wife, father, and many friends (including prominent ministers) in London interceded on his behalf, but to no avail. Love was beheaded on Tower Hill, London, on August 22, 1651, at the age of thirty-three. Presbyterians were divided on the issue. Some regarded Love as a heroic martyr, and others were less sympathetic to Love’s cause. In the end, the Scots and some English, like Love, were badly deceived by Charles II and his promises.

Christopher Love’s life was short and not the most “polished.” Perhaps because his life was cut short at the age of thirty-three and perhaps the reason little is known of him. Despite his short life, he has written much and surpassed many famous Puritans. However, it may be the case that his life was not as significant in history as his death. This is why what is recommended reading would be Love’s letters. Specifically, his correspondence with his wife. One would gather a powerful marriage, one that highlights a husband and wife’s love for one another, and a deep love for the Lord even amid trial.

“Of all preaching in the world, (that speaks not stark lies,) I hate that preaching which tendeth to make the hearers laugh, or to move their mind with tickling levity, and affect them as stage-players use to do, instead of affecting them with a holy reverence of the name of God.” ― Richard Baxter, The Reformed Pastor.

Richard Baxter (1615-1691) has been recognized as being gifted with a pastoral heart. He labored for nearly twenty years as a pastor in Kidderminster, and historians note that his efforts were so effective that nearly everyone in the town was converted. Baxter’s philosophy of ministry and how to council congregants were recorded in his classic book, which is often recommended reading for seminaries, The Reformed Pastor.

Baxter was born in Rowtown, England. His family life was dysfunctional, his father was a gambler with large amounts of debt, and his mother was constantly ill. This resulted in Baxter being sent to live with his grandparents for the first ten years of his life. During that time he started to read books. At the age of ten, he returned home because his father was converted by the reading of the Scriptures. Baxter was grateful for his father because God used him as an instrument to convict him of sin and live for Christ. His education was largely informal and he particularly had a fondness for reading the Puritans, William Perkins, Richard Sibbes, and Ezekiel Culverwell. Eventually, he attended formal education at Wroxeter Grammar School. He received financial aid and was tutored by John Owen. After this, he was persuaded by Owen to forego university and pursue studies privately for the ministry and come under the mentorship of other men.

In 1638, he was an ordained minister in the Church of England and served as a schoolmaster in Dudley. After about two years, he left the Church of England to ally himself with the Puritans, which forced his move to Kidderminster. Historians note that Baxter was known as a forceful preacher who did not shy away from church discipline and controlled the Lord’s Supper. While this may seem harsh to modern readers, it is important to know that Baxter held a high view of church and her purity. During England’s Civil War, Baxter served as a chaplain for Cromwell’s army and even preached before him. Chaplaincy proved to be a fruitful ministry where he could implement his philosophy of ministry to soldiers and learn more doctrine. In 1647, Baxter had to leave his post as a chaplain due to a serious illness and as a result, he devoted more time and energy to his ministry in Kidderminster. 

In 1662, due to the Act of Uniformity, Baxter (nearly fifty years old) was removed from his church. Around that same time, he married a young woman by the name of Margaret Charlton. Baxter found great comfort in his wife, who helped him in his ministry with areas of counseling, excepting confidential matters. Eventually, the Baxters moved to London and in that season he was imprisoned at least three times for preaching without a license (consequently, he never took up the pastoral calling again), and his books were taken from him. In 1685 when James II took the throne, Baxter was accused by the Chief Justice of teaching false doctrines and so should be hanged. Baxter was spared from hanging but was sentenced to five months in prison. The implementation of the Toleration Act of 1689 freed Baxter from many of his trials, which allowed him to focus on his writing.

Scholars note that Baxter was a “hardworking” minister who persevered through not only many trials but also illnesses (chronic pain and tuberculosis). By the time of his death, he had a library of over 150 treatises and countless letters and papers. 

Puritan Scholar Joel Beeke notes that Richard Baxter’s theology was a “strange theological mix.” He had unusual views regarding salvation and atonement. However, this should not discourage someone from reading Baxter, specifically his devotional writings in which he encourages one’s personal holiness and sanctification. In these writings, his theology and his theological convictions are largely absent. 

“All the longer your delay, the more your sin gets strength and rooting. If you cannot bend a twig, how will you be able to bend it when it is a tree?” – Richard Baxter

Recommended readings would be Richard Baxter’s sermon on Anger and his two most famous writings The Reformed Pastor and The Saint’s Everlasting Rest. 

“Those families wherein this service of God [family worship] is performed, are (as it were) little churches, yea, even a kind of Paradise upon earth.” William Perkins, Household-Government, in Works 3:670.

While William Perkins (1558-1602) was an adolescent, his name was the talk of the town. Not in a good sense. Though the details are scarce, his personal life was quite sinful, he was addicted to alcohol, and he was seen as the town drunk. One day while a woman was walking with her child she said to her child, “hold your tongue, or I will give you to drunken Perkins yonder.” Overhearing this, the Lord convicted him and then eventually saved him. 

Perkins studied at Christ’s College in Cambridge, and he earned his B.A. and M.A. in 1584. After graduating, he stayed in Cambridge as a lecturer at Great St. Andrew’s Church and Christ’s College until his death. Perkins stood out among his contemporaries at the College because he educated his students on theological matters along with finances, morals, and manners. Which was experienced by his students as he catechized them. On Sunday afternoons he counseled to help people who were “spiritually distressed.” 

Perkins’s preaching style was simple and plain, but he was considered exceptionally gifted with the ability to reach the common people. One area, in particular, the Lord laid on his heart was to preach to the prisoners in the local jail. One story tells us that a prisoner on death row came up to Perkins (while he was preaching), and knelt before him, not fearing for his death but for the judgment of God. Perkins knelt with the man, they prayed together, and Perkins pointed this man to the Gospel. This prisoner who once had tears of fear knowing his impending judgment, now transitioned to tears of joy knowing his sins were forgiven. The man then stood up, testified the salvation of Christ, it is only by His blood he was forgiven, and faced his sentence with courage knowing he was saved from hell. Keeping this story in mind, it proves that theology does not need to be cold, and it does not have to make one heartless. Yes, Perkins held firmly to the theological convictions of election and the reprobate, but he knew that everyone needed to hear the Gospel and that people are sinners in need of a Savior.

Perkins saw God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility as “friends.” Puritan scholar, Joel Beeke, notes that his preaching “wed predestinarian preaching with practical, experiential living.” Beeke also notes that “[Perkins] became the principle architect of the Puritan movement.” His writings were outselling those of Calvin, Bullinger, and Beza combined in his day. 

Perkins was involved in controversy, he sought to reform the Church of England. The key areas he took a stand with were the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. He did not agree with the minister partaking in the communion meal himself, having people kneel before the sacrament (which he saw as “antichristian”), and turning toward the east during the mass.  

In 1594, Perkins married a widow, Timothy Cradock. During their short seven-year marriage, they conceived seven children. Three died in infancy, and the last was born after his passing due to complications from kidney stones in 1602. 

Known as “The Elizabethan Puritan,” William Perkins, was counted as the forefather of Puritanism and one of the greatest Puritans that ever lived. Perkins influenced many Puritans in his life such as William Ames (1576-1633), Richard Sibbes (1577-1635), John Cotton (1585-1652), and John Preston (1587-1628). J. I. Packer writes, “No Puritan author save Richard Baxter ever sold better than Perkins, and no Puritan thinker ever did more to shape and solidify historic Puritanism itself.” If you are to read one book by Perkins it would be The Art of Prophesying and the Calling of the Ministry. In this book, Perkins brings to the forefront what needs to be said from the pulpit. This explains that far too many preachers neglect the Gospel and need to go back to the text and invigorate the soul of the congregants through God’s Word. The book is also beneficial to help all Christians read and use the Bible properly. 

“Though Satan has his devices to draw souls to sin, yet we must be careful that we do not lay all our temptations upon Satan, that we do not wrong the devil, and father upon him what is to be fathered upon our own base hearts. Man has such an evil root within him, that were there no devil to tempt him, no wicked men in the world to entice him, yet that cursed sinful nature that is in him would draw him to sin, though he knows beforehand that the wages of sin is eternal death. The whole frame of man is out of frame: the understanding is dark, the will cross, the memory slippery, the affections crooked, the conscience corrupted, the tongue poisoned, and the heart wholly evil, only evil, and continually evil. If God should chain up Satan, and give him no liberty to tempt the sons of men to vanity or folly, they would not, they could not but sin against Him by reason of that cursed nature that is in them. Satan has only a persuading sleight, not an enforcing might. He may tempt us, without ourselves he cannot conquer us. In every sin our hearts carry the greatest stroke: the fire is our wood, though it be the devil’s flame. Satan can never undo a man without himself; but a man may easily undo himself without Satan. Don’t excuse yourself by your accusing him.” Thomas Brooks, Helps Against Temptation, monergism.com/helps-against-temptation

Not much is known about Thomas Brooks, and most of what we have today is based on his writings and collected sermons. Historians believe he was born in a wealthy home in 1608 and entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1625. However, it is uncertain whether he left before graduating or not. Brooks became an ordained minister in 1640 and a Chaplin for the English navy which he enjoyed. His times at sea were good for his soul as he said, “through grace I can say that I would not exchange my sea experiences for England’s riches.”

After the Civil War, he became the minister of St. Thomas the Apostle and then St. Margaret’s church. He was well recognized and had opportunities to preach in parliament before the House of Commons. But even a good report from the government, Brooks still lost his preaching license due to the Act of Uniformity. The Act required all ministers to use the Anglican prayer book to conduct worship services, prayers, sacraments, and other church structures. Brooks, like many other of his contemporaries (Thomas Goodwin, John Owen …), could not agree with this and preferred a Congregational view of church governance. Brooks did get his preaching license back in 1672 with the passing of the Declaration of Indulgence but lost it again in 1676. 

Even with his battles with the government, Brooks did not stop preaching whenever the opportunity arose. He actually faced very little persecution at his congregational church in Moorfields not far from St. Margaret’s church. Even when the Great Plague of London (an estimated 100,000 people died out of an estimated population of 460,000) he did not leave London, unlike many other ministers, he faithfully tended to his congregation and city.

Brooks’ personal life also had challenges, but he always held fast to Christ. His first wife, Martha Burgess, “godly woman whom he greatly treasured,” died in 1676. Brooks deeply loved Martha as he wrote, “[Martha] was always best when she was most with God in a corner. She has many a whole day been pouring out her soul before God for the nation, for Zion, and the great concerns of her own soul.” A few years after Martha’s passing Brooks married a notably younger woman, Patience Cartwright, before his passing in 1680.

Thomas Brooks has been recorded as a gifted preacher who had simple words, offered practical advice, and was full of Scripture pointing to Christ and His power. Charles Spurgeon had high praise for Thomas Brooks, and he even compiled an entire book of his sayings and illustrations. Spurgeon titled his book Smooth Stones Taken from Ancient Brooks and writes in the preface,

As a writer, Brooks scatters stars with both his hands: he hath dust of gold; in his storehouses all manners of precious stones. Genius is always marvelous; but when sanctified it is matchless. Had Brooks been a worldly man, his writings would have been most valuable; but since he was an eminent Christian, they are doubly so. He had the eagle eye of faith, as well as the eagle wing of imagination. He saw similes, metaphors, and allegories everywhere; but they were all consecrated to his Master’s service: his heart indited the good matter, for he spake of the things which he made touching the King. Charles H. Spurgeon, Smooth Stones Taken from Ancient Brooks, Preface (bold mine).

A recommended book by Thomas Brooks is Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices. 

Ralph Venning wrote in The Sinfulness of Sin, “let me again, then, entreat, beseech and beg you for God’s sake and for your souls’ sake not to sin.” 

Ralph Venning (1621-1674) was born in Devon, England, and spent his childhood and young adult life in Tavistock. It was there that Venning met a Puritan preacher, George Hughes, who faithfully ministered to him and two other men who also went on to minister. Historians note that Venning owed a lot of his ministerial understanding to Hughes and held him in high regard. They had a bond like Paul and Timothy as Venning called Hughes his spiritual “father.”

Venning was not a wealthy man, so while he studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge he had to work menial jobs at the college to pay for his education. While at Emmanuel College he received his B.A. in 1646 and M.A. in 1650. During his studies and work, he still managed to find time to be a chaplain in the Tower of London and write two books.

Venning lived in London for most of his life and connected with many Puritan preachers such as Joseph Caryl, John Owen, Richard Baxter, and George Griffith. The 1660s was a “rollercoaster” of a season for Venning. In 1661 he married a widow, became a lecturer at St. Olave’s, then in 1662 was ejected by Arch Bishop Laud’s Act of Uniformity, and he became friends with Robert Bragge (an Independent non-conformist minister) and together they served together at Pewterers’ Guild Hall until Venning’s death. 

Venning’s personality was strong, but his demeanor was one that tried who avoid being involved in any partisanship. However, he was committed to the cause of the “Puritan Revolution” and served in a variety of capacities while Thomas Cromwell led the Commonwealth. He was tasked with assessing candidates for chaplaincy in the Navy, promoting evangelism amongst the natives in New England, and his favorite and one of great importance was “the promotion of godliness in every aspect of daily life.” He was so committed to the Gospel that he preached in the open air adjacent to the Roman Catholic Cathedral St Paul’s in London. Preaching in such a spot would have attracted a variety of people from the Mayor of London, to commoners, and visitors to London. 

His final sermon was in 1674, at the age of 54, and on that day the Lord inflicted him with an illness and called him home. Although Ralph Venning’s name is not well known among Puritans, he is one that is worth reading. Jonathan Edwards said in “The Preacher” (1705, i. 203): “[Venning] turns sentences up and down, and delights in little cadences and chiming of words.”

Ralph Venning knew that the Gospel of Jesus Christ could not be understood without knowledge of sin. Today many people do not know what sin is, so it is impossible for them to comprehend the reality and weight of sin. Society tells us to refuse objective standards by ignoring God and his Law. Today’s hypermodern context places us as “master and commander” of our own destiny with short-sighted goals, and worldly wisdom. Even though Venning lived over three hundred years ago, his work The Sinfulness of Sin provides insights on how to battle sin. He provides a clear explanation of what sin is, why it is serious, and what needs to be done about it. Venning’s words are powerful as he is able to articulate that only when we look at our sinful state we are able to discover the beauties of God’s forgiveness. As one author said, “[Venning’s The Sinfulness of Sin] is a reliable medicine for a fatal epidemic.”

To learn more about Ralph Venning, read The Sinfulness of Sin, or The Way to True Happiness which is a recorded sermon.

“Contentment is not such a poor business as many make it. They say, ‘you must be content,’ and so on. But Paul needed to learn it, and it is a great art and mystery of godliness to be content in a Christian way, and it will be seen to be even more of a mystery when we come to show what lessons a gracious heart learns when it learns to be contented. Take a scholar who has great learning and understanding in arts and sciences; how did he begin? He began, as we say, his ABC, and then afterward he came to his Testament, and Bible and accidence*, and so to his grammar, and afterwards to his other books.“
Jeremiah Burroughs, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, 45. 

Jeremiah Burroughs (1599–1646) was born in London, England. He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1621 and a Master of Arts degree in 1624. During his studies, Burroughs was tutored by Thomas Hooker, a prominent British American colonial clergyman. After obtaining his M.A., Burroughs was removed from the university due to his nonconformist views on the Church of England.

Burroughs’ first ministerial position only lasted four years (1627–1631). He was an associate pastor to Edmund Calamy (also a Puritan minister) in Suffolk. Burroughs and Calamy were removed from their positions at the church for refusing to cite and read aloud the proclamation of King James’ The Book of Sports in church, which declared only specific recreational activities such as dancing, archery, and others were permissible on the Lord’s Day.

Burroughs’ second ministerial position did not last much longer either. From 1631–1636 he was the Rector of Tivetshall, Norfolk, and as soon as he was appointed as Rector, he was in “hot water.” Burroughs did not agree with the direction of Archbishop Laud, who demanded conformity in the Church of England. The conformity demanded the communion table be placed in a specific location in the church, encouraged “superstitious gestures” during mass, prohibited afternoon sermons on Sunday, required clergy and congregants to bow at the name of Jesus, and forced the reading of prayers rather than the Holy Spirit led and required reading of The Book of Sports at some point in the service. Many of these were even contrary to the Prayer Book that Laud was supposed to follow. Burroughs did not agree with these laws nor took kindly to Laud, which resulted in his suspension from Tivetshall. In nine years, Burroughs was removed from two churches and a university for not adhering to the Act of Uniformity, but that did not sway him from proclaiming the Gospel and writing. 

As tensions grew in England, Burroughs decided to leave England and live in the Netherlands with other English Independent Nonconformists. From 1638 to 1640, while in the Netherlands, he was a preacher and teacher in Rotterdam and soon became friends with two other independent ministers, Sidrach Simpson and William Bridge. These three labored together within their respective churches as propagandists for congregationalism in the 1640s. 

In 1640, the rules once implemented by Laude came to an end with the Long Parlament. Burroughs soon returned to England and served as a pastor in two large congregations. Burroughs’ preaching became so renowned in London that he preached in the House of Commons and House of Lords on multiple occasions. Another Puritan, Thomas Brooks, called Burroughs the “prince of preachers.” 

When he was not preaching, he was part of the impactful Westminster Assembly. However, he was among a small group of five Independents who opposed certain forms of church government in the Presbyterian structure. Even though Burroughs sided with the Independents, the Assembly respected him. Puritan Richard Baxter said, “If all the Episcopalians had been like Archbishop Ussher, all the Presbyterians like Stephen Marshall, and all the Independents like Jeremiah Burroughs, the breaches of the church would soon have been healed.” Even though Burroughs was an Independent, he desired unity and peace amongst the brethren of other denominations and to not cause fractures over matters of dispute. 

While laboring for his congregation and working with the Assembly, Burroughs’ life on this earthly plane ended in 1646. He fell off his horse and succumbed to his injuries. 

Even though the Lord only granted Jeremiah Burroughs 47 years of life, he had a profound impact through his preaching and writing. Many scholars today hold him in high regard as a prolific writer, a leader, and one who many respected. Further emphasizing this point, The Banner of Truth website says, “[Burroughs’] grasp of doctrine, discernment into the very recesses of the human heart, comprehensive and profound knowledge of Scripture and ability to apply it, and superb gift of illustration, are all exemplified in them.” Christian Blogger and theologian Tim Challies said, “If you are going to read just one work by Jeremiah Burroughs, make it The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. This, of all his works, has stood the test of time as a truly unique work. It is among the very first Puritan works I read and one that made a deep impact in my life.”

To learn more about the writings of Jeremiah Burroughs and how Christ worked through his life, read The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment.

Many Christians have read, used, or heard of Matthew Henry’s New and Old Testament Biblical Commentary. Many have seen his Commentary online and without much careful consideration never thought much of the man. 

Matthew Henry was born in a farmhouse in a border town between Wales and England. It was around the time of his birth that his father, Philip Henry, was ejected from the pastorate for not complying with the Act of Uniformity. During his childhood, his father, Philip, helped with his education, and at the age of 18, Henry’s father took him to study under the Presbyterian minister, Thomas Doolittle, who was taught by the Puritan minister Richard Baxter. Unfortunately, the place of his study was a nonconforming school and as a result, students were barred from entering Oxford and Cambridge. However, that did not dissuade him from studying, and he pursued further education in law and was admitted to the renowned Gray’s Inn in 1685, where Richard Sibbes once ministered. 

Henry returned to London in 1686 and began preaching in his father’s neighborhood and a year later Henry became the minister of the town of Chester (where he ministered for 25 years) and was privately ordained as a minister in London due to the Act of Uniformity. While in Chester, his preaching style gained the attention of many nonconformists and this resulted in his congregation growing to approximately 350 people. In 1687 he married Katherine Hardware, but in 1689 she died during childbirth. The following year he married Mary Warburton and they had nine children with three dying during childbirth. While Henry was living in Chester, his fame was growing and he was also busy holding monthly services in surrounding villages and preaching to prisoners in the castles.

In 1710, a church in Hackney, London, requested Henry to be their minister, and in the summer of 1711, Henry wrote down eleven reasons why it would be beneficial for him to go. A few of those reasons were he would have better access to printers and libraries. This made sense since he was working on his magnum opus, commentary on the entire Bible. The congregation was much smaller in Hackney with fewer than 100 people when Henry arrived. With such a small congregation he preached every day of the week, sometimes two or three times the same day. The spiritual state in London was in major decline which is what drove him to zealously preach the Gospel. 

During his time in Hackney, Henry became increasingly ill. He developed diabetes and repeated attacks of kidney stones. However, he still managed to find time to work on and developed his commentary which was published in the hands of many readers. While on a preaching tour, his horse threw him but denying injury he preached at Nantwich on Proverbs 31:18. The congregants noticed that he was not well and were concerned. After the sermon, it was noted that his demeanor was weak and lethargic, and soon he became unconscious and died due to a brain hemorrhage. Despite Matthew Henry’s many battles with health, governmental pressures, long hours of ministering, and working on his commentary, he was committed to the cause of Christ. One reading his biography on his life would notice his tenacity and demeanor, as he was not shy from any conflict, in fact, he was born into it. Henry was a man who constantly rose to the challenge, and sought ways to overcome it for the sake of Christ. 

The work of the commentary on the Bible that Henry began in 1704 to the time of his death in 1714, he only got as far as the Book of Acts. Thankfully, it was finished by several faithful ministers after his death. They used many of his sermons and notes to complete the work. 

Many historians note that the commentary is Puritan with a heavy emphasis on glorifying God in one’s whole life. Henry’s Biblical commentary has been widely used by many throughout the centuries, some of the more recognized names of preachers and hymn writers are George Whitefield, Charles Wesley, and John Ryland Sr.

It is unfortunate in today’s context many academics skip over Matthew Henry’s commentary. It is often considered “outdated” or not “technical” as more recent commentaries, but that Christians must not ignore the labors of this man. Henry’s work is extremely beneficial especially when it comes to practical applications and understanding of the Scriptures. Many scholars encourage Christians to not discredit Matthew Henry’s commentary, but to hold it in high regard and that his work should be counted among the ranks of Calvin for a commentary set. So, next time you see the option of a Matthew Henry Commentary option when reading your Bible online, consider inquiring what this famous, preacher, teacher, and expositor had to say about the text. 

John Bunyan is well recognized for his famous book Pilgrim’s Progress, but most do not know his life’s story was filled with many trials, he approached each challenge with courage grounded in his Savior, Jesus Christ. 

John Bunyan was born in Elstow, near Bedford, in 1628 and died in 1688 in London. During his childhood and youth, he rebelled against God by living for himself. In his biography Bunyan said, “that from a child I had but few equals, both for cursing, swearing, lying, and blaspheming the holy name of God.” As a teenager, he joined Oliver Cromwell’s army which further aided in his rebellion. While in the army, during a siege at Leicester, a fellow soldier relieved Bunyan of his post, and “as he stood sentinel he was shot in the head with a musket bullet and died.” This greatly shook Bunyan as he was faced with his own mortality. 

After being discharged from the army, Bunyan married a God-fearing woman, historians are unsure of her name. Through books and discussions with her, he became convicted of sin and started to reform his life through his own efforts. He started to go to church, stopped swearing (after being called out by a local woman), and honored the Sabbath. It was all surface level until he was impacted by John Gifford, his pastor in Bedford. Bunyan was baptized by immersion at the age of twenty-five and soon was appointed a deacon of Gifford’s church. In 1655, three years after being introduced to Gifford, Bunyan’s beloved pastor died, and as a result, Bunyan was preaching to various congregations in Bedford, and hundreds came to hear him. The church in Bedford was unique for its time because it practiced adult baptism by immersion and was an open-communion church, admitting those who were professing believers in Christ were able to participate in communion. Around 1656 Bunyan published his first book (Some Gospel Truths Opened), which established him as a Puritan, to protect people from being misled by the Quakers. It was around this time that his first wife died, and he remarried in 1659 to another godly woman, Elizabeth. 

Bunyan was a nonconformist, and in 1660 Bunyan was arrested for preaching without a license. Officials told Bunyan he would be freed if he no longer preached, to which he replied, “If I am freed today, I will preach tomorrow.” As a result, he spent the next twelve years in prison. His wife Elizabeth, was an advocate for her husband during his imprisonment (1660-1672). She pleaded for his release, but the judges rejected her request. Essentially, Bunyan remained in prison with no formal charge and no legal sentence for refusing to give up preaching the Gospel and denouncing the Church of England as false.

While in prison, Bunyan’s only literary resources were his Bible and Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. With those resources, he wrote around eleven books over the course of his twelve years of imprisonment. In 1672, when the law against nonconformist preaching was starting to relax, the church in Bedford appointed Bunyan as their pastor in January, while he was still in prison, though he was not released until May. Bunyan had a few years of reprieve before going back to prison for preaching. It was during his second imprisonment (1675-1677) that he wrote four books, one of which was his famous Pilgrim’s Progress. 

John Owen, another Puritan, who was close with the political elites, and thought very highly of Bunyan appealed for his release and was successful. Bunyan went back to preaching to his congregation and ministering to people through his writings and in the last three years of his life he wrote more than ten books. 

Even though he was a prolific writer, Bunyan was noted for having a pastor’s heart and regularly tended to his flock. His last act as a minister was successfully mediating a disagreement between a father and son. Unfortunately, he caught a cold while traveling in the cold weather from this meeting and soon died of a fever. At his deathbed, it is recorded that he said, “Weep not for me, but for yourselves. I go to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will, no doubt, through the mediation of his blessed Son, receive me, though a sinner; where I hope we ere long shall meet, to sing the new song, and remain everlastingly happy, world without end.” 

As we glean from the life and times of John Bunyan, we can see that he was a man who counted the cost and understood what it meant to follow his Savior. If it meant going to prison for the sake of the Gospel or caring for his congregants he would do so as Christ’s representative, making the most of the opportunity given to him. He did not count his trials as an opportunity to share the Gospel with others. If he could not preach to his congregation, he would write to them and others. It is said that John Owen would gladly exchange all his learning for Bunyan’s power of touching men’s hearts. To this day, Bunyan is still impacting people for the sake of the Gospel through his writings and exemplary life.