Puritan Portraits (Packer)

Here one of the leading authorities on the Puritans, J. I. Packer introduces us to their rich theology and deep spirituality. Packer gives us profiles of John Flavel, Thomas Boston, John Bunyan, Matthew Henry, Henry Scougal, John Owen and Stephen Charnock and two closer portraits of William Perkins and Richard Baxter. The writings of the Puritans continue to profoundly reward readers and here J. I. Packer brings them alive in an inspiring way to encourage a new generation to experience their delights.

Table of Contents:

Prologue: The Devotional Direction

Part One: Puritan Pastors at Work

Part Two: Puritan Pastors in Profile: Seven Portraits Introduction

1. Henry Scougal: The Life of God in the Soul of Man

2. Stephen Charnock: Christ Crucified

3. John Bunyan: The Heavenly Footman

4. Matthew Henry: The Pleasantness of a Religious Life

5. John Owen: The Mortification of Sin

6. John Flavel: Keeping the Heart

7. Thomas Boston: The Art of Man Fishing, The Crook in the Lot, Repentance

Part Three: Two Puritan Paragons

William Perkins

Richard Baxter

Epilogue: The Puritan Pastor’s Programme

Author

J. I. Packer (DPhil, Oxford University) serves as the Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology at Regent College. He is the author of numerous books, including the classic best-seller Knowing God. Packer served as general editor for the English Standard Version Bible and as theological editor for the ESV Study Bible.

Endorsements 

"With characteristic ease of style, clarity of thought, and theological insight, Dr Packer introduces us to the life and thought of seven of the all-time masters of what one of them called 'the life of God in the soul of man.' Puritan Guides to Glory is a treat for anyone with healthy spiritual taste buds." - Sinclair B. Ferguson ~ Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, South Carolina

"Like many, I first met the Puritans through the writings of Dr Packer and thus owe him a debt of gratitude. In this volume he has once again excelled: here are thoughtful introductions to some key Puritan thinkers and their works, along with a Puritan manifesto for today's pastors. This is vintage Packer. In an age of trendy fluff, here is solid food for the church and for the soul." - Carl R. Trueman ~ Paul Woolley Professor of Historical Theology and Church History, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

"Over the years, J. I. Packer has convinced many of us that, if we would be more than spiritual pygmies, we need to spend time with the Puritans. Now, in this elegant and engaging book, he has given us the most accessible and inspiring way in to them. Thank you, Dr Packer, thank you!" - Michael Reeves ~ Head of Theology, UCCF

"When I've been asked to recommend a book on the Puritans, J. I. Packer's A Quest for Godliness typically came first to mind. With the release of Puritan Portraits, a fresh and spiritually invigorating survey of several key Puritan pastors and theologians, I can now point to a second volume that is must reading. "Puritan Christianity," says Packer, "was serious business." So, too, must ours be, and there is simply no better tour guide for exploring Puritan faith and spirituality than J. I. Packer. Highly recommended!" - Sam Storms ~ Pastor of Bridgeway Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

"The best way to meet great men is through a personal introduction by someone who knows them well. That's precisely what J. I. Packer does in this book, introducing us to several Puritan-minded men of the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries. But this is more than biography. As Packer does so well, in this book the Puritans become mirrors in which we see heavenly truths about the gospel, evangelism, spiritual growth, and suffering. I thank God for the gathering of this previously scattered material into one volume, and anticipate that it will bless many." - Joel R. Beeke ~ President and Professor of Systematic Theology and Homiletics, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan