I’m a big fan of Puritan literature, Puritan theology, and the like. I’m pretty often asked what it is about Puritan stuff that I like so much. So, I thought tonight I’d take just a few minutes and touch on my reasons for liking Puritan writing more than contemporary writing.
Here are three basic reasons why I like the old works of the Puritans more than most new works today:
1. They never seem to divorce what is emotional and what is practical from what is true.
I mean to say that they don’t have this dividing wall between their theology and their lives. The profound and deep theology explored in much Puritan literature is never just left as information, bouncing around in people’s heads. It’s always treated with respect. It’s nearly always treated as God’s truth that ought to profoundly affect the various facets of people’s lives.
That isn’t something you’re used to finding in modern writing. In modern writing you tend to find people saying, “theology doesn’t matter”, then putting great emphasis on people’s lives being transformed. Or, you find them going through great treaties on the Word with little or no attention paid to how or where exactly these beautiful truths flesh out.
Most of the Puritan theology I’ve read from gracefully combines these two camps, making for some very challenging writings.
2. They’re constantly quoting scripture.
Any work of Christian literature is only good in as much as it says what the bible says. I mean in a sense to say, there is nothing profoundly, eternally important to be said, that isn’t implicit in the Word of God. So, if you’re going to write about God, but not write what God has written, you may as well not write at all.
It seems to me that the Puritans knew this. Almost every piece of Puritan literature I’ve read is nearly half quoting and have commentating.
3. They never seem to dance around their topic.
In the Word are themes that are both comforting, as well as challenging and uncomfortable for us. The tendency of many writers, as well as pastors and preachers, today is to tip-toe around difficult subjects. Either not to address them at all, or perhaps to address them only very briefly, or in some cases to address them all together incorrectly.
The trouble is that the whole council of God is important. If God felt in necessary to share such and such a subject, then we ought not shrink away from it. But, that’s just what many authors do today. We end up with a half portion of teaching and a seriously mal-nourished church.
This is also something mostly foreign to the earlier church writers. I have yet to see a difficult or offensive subject appear before one of my Puritan writers, in which they’ve shrunk from their duty. I believe this is telling and it gives me a certain confidence in their writings.
My Conclusion:
I think more folks, especially the Spiritually thirsty, should give some time and thought to the saints who have gone before us. They have shared their thoughts and feelings and we have a great deal to learn from them. So, get online, purchase some books, and give it a shot.
Here’s a great place to start reading: The Sinfulness of Sin by Ralph Venning
Here’s a great place to look for resources: www.banneroftruth.org
