Robert Purnell (1606–1666) was a 17th-century English Particular Baptist pastor and author, known for his warm-hearted devotion to Christ and his pastoral concern for the spiritual growth of believers. From 1660 until his death, he was pastor of Broadmead Baptist Chapel, Bristol during a time of great theological and political upheaval. (He was succeeded in […]

A review of A “Phoenix of Women”: Puritan Spirituality in the Letters of Brilliana Harley Edited by Michael AG Azad Haykin. Lady Brilliana Harley (1598-1643) was born in Holland to English Protestants in one of the English colony towns of the Dutch Republic. From an early age she was seen to be godly, and as […]

Banner of Truth have just published a new Puritan Paperback. This is a little devotional book incorporating daily snippets of wisdom from the writings of William Gurnall, the Puritan minister and author of The Christian in Complete Armour. These are just small bitesize chunks of thought provoking truth to meditate on throughout the day. As […]

An understanding of church history is essential for the vitality of any true church. A church, or Christian, severed from history – both the heritage of their own tradition and the history of the universal church – is like a ship without an anchor, prone to be tossed about by any wind of doctrine and […]

This extract from the recently published Theological Tracts of Anne Dutton is part of an encouraging letter written to a friend who had asked for Anne’s thoughts on Isaiah 41:10 Be Not Dismayed… And though at times you are greatly dismayed and your heart is ready sink within you, through unbelieving fear, through heart and […]

Hope that Endures – How Puritan Wisdom Challenges the Modern Soul, by Emily Lucas If you think the Puritans have nothing relevant to say about life today, this book will challenge that assumption! Emily starts by recounting in an honest way her own struggles with the busyness of modern life and how she has found […]

“Bespangled with Divine Grace” – The Spirituality of John Gill, published by Joshua Press in the Classics of Reformed Spirituality series. This little book was recently reviewed well in the Gospel Standard magazine and would be worth checking out: John Gill was the greatest and most accomplished Baptist theologian of the eighteenth century and had […]

The second book in the new Baptist Heritage Series has just been published. This is a reprint of Abraham Booth’s An Apology for the Baptists, which is a clear and persuasive answer to those who advocated an open communion position in the eighteenth century. The introduction to the book gives some helpful contextual history and […]

The following call for prayer and fasting was sent by the Baptist Churches of Ireland to their brethren in England in 1653, and has continuing relevance to us today. The Churches of Christ in Ireland, walking in the faith and order of the gospel, do agree together through the Lord’s assistance, to set apart one […]

Recently published by Gospel Standard Publications is Justifying Faith which is the first book in the new Baptist Heritage Series. This series is all about republishing works by key figures within the Particular Baptist tradition specifically from the 17th to 20th Centuries. Thomas Hardcastle is not a well known figure. He was a seventeenth century […]

The Nicene Creed by Kevin DeYoung, published by Crossway This is an excellent explanation of the Nicene Creed. It would be ideal as an introdution for those who may not be familiar with it already, and certainly not superfluous for those who only need a refresher. DeYoung outlines the historical background to how the Nicene […]

Originally published on our blog Talking Shop, 17th September 2019: It is always a pleasure to read an Ann Benton book. Her style is down-to-earth and practical when writing on family matters, whether it is caring for young children or elderly parents. Her latest offering is no exception.  ‘The Fruitful Home’ is based on her […]