Puritan Theology, A: Doctrine for Life

A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life offers a groundbreaking treatment of the Puritans’ teaching on most major Reformed doctrines, particularly those doctrines in which the Puritans made significant contributions. Since the late 1950s, nearly 150 Puritan authors and 700 Puritan titles have been reprinted and catalogued by Joel Beeke and Randall Pederson in their 2006 collection of mini-biographies and book reviews, titled, Meet the Puritans. However, no work until now has gathered together the threads of their teaching into a unified tapestry of systematic theology.

A Puritan Theology, by Joel Beeke and Mark Jones, attempts to do that. The book addresses Puritan teachings on all six loci of theology, covering fifty areas of doctrine. The book explores Puritan teachings on biblical interpretation, God, predestination, providence, angels, sin, the covenants, the gospel, Christ, preparation for conversion, regeneration, coming to Christ, justification, adoption, church government, the Sabbath, preaching, baptism, heaven, hell, and many other topics. It ends with eight chapters that explore Puritan “theology in practice.”

Some chapters highlight the work of a specific theologian such as William Perkins, William Ames, John Owen, Stephen Charnock, or Thomas Goodwin on a specific topic. Other chapters survey various authors on a particular subject. The goal of A Puritan Theology is to increase knowledge in the mind and godliness in the soul. It was written for theologians, historians, pastors, and educated laymen who seek to learn more about Puritan theology.

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1060 pages

View excerpt here.

"For more than half a century primary research on Puritan theologians and their teaching has been in full swing. Here now is a massive compendium of the findings, digested into sixty lively chapters. The authors' expository skill will keep readers on their toes, and the Puritans' own concern for godly living, which runs through everything, will send readers to their knees. This is a landmark book in every way."

- J. I. Packer, Board of Governors' Professor of Theology, Regent College

Table of Contents:

Prolegomena

1. The Puritans on Natural and Supernatural Theology

2. Puritan Hermeneutics and Exegesis

3. The Learned Doctor William Ames and The Marrow of Theology

Theology Proper

4. Stephen Charnock on the Attributes of God

5. The Puritans on the Trinity

6. John Owen on Communion with the Triune God

7. William Perkins on Predestination

8. Thomas Goodwin and Johannes Maccovius on Justification from Eternity

9. Thomas Goodwin’s Christological Supralapsarianism

10. The Puritans on Providence

11. The Puritans on Angels

12. The Puritans on Demons

Anthropology and Covenant Theology

13. The Puritans on the Sinfulness of Sin

14. The Puritans on the Covenant of Works

15. The Puritans on the Covenant of Redemption

16. The Puritans on the Covenant of Grace

17. The Puritans on the Old and New Covenants: A Gracious Moses?

18. The Minority Report: John Owen on Sinai

19. The Puritans on Covenant Conditions

Christology

20. The Puritans on Law and Gospel

21. Puritan Christology

22. The Puritans on Christ’s Offices and States

23. The Blood of Christ in Puritan Piety

24. Anthony Burgess on Christ’s Intercession for Us

25. Thomas Goodwin on Christ’s Beautiful Heart

26. The Puritans on Understanding and Using God’s Promises

Soteriology

27. Puritan Preparatory Grace

28. The Puritans on Regeneration

29. The Puritans on Union with Christ, Justification, and Regeneration

30. John Owen on Justification by Faith Alone

31. The Puritans on Coming to Christ

32. The Puritans on Living in Christ

33. The Puritans on Adoption

34. The Third Use of the Law

35. Richard Sibbes on Entertaining the Holy Spirit

36. William Perkins and His Greatest Case of Conscience

37. The Puritans on Perseverance of the Saints

Ecclesiology

38. The Puritans on the Government of the Church

39. The Puritans on the Offices of the Church

40. John Owen on the Christian Sabbath and Worship

41. Puritan Preaching (1)

42. Puritan Preaching (2)

43. John Bunyan’s Preaching to the Heart

44. The Puritans and Paedobaptism

45. The Puritans on the Lord’s Supper

46. Puritan Prayers for World Missions

Eschatology

47. “The City on a Hill”: The American Puritans’ Optimistic View of the End Times

48. Thomas Manton on the Judgment According to Works

49. How History Informs the Historicist: Thomas Goodwin’s Reading of Revelation

50. Christopher Love on the Glories of Heaven and Terrors of Hell

Theology in Practice

51. Puritan Theology Shaped by a Pilgrim Mentality

52. The Puritans on Walking Godly in the Home

53. Matthew Henry on a Practical Method of Daily Prayer

54. The Puritan Practice of Meditation

55. The Puritans on Conscience

56. Puritan Casuistry

57. Puritan Sacrificial Zeal

58. Practical Lessons from Puritan Theology Today

Afterword

59. A Final Word