# Essential reading for reforming ones mind



## Christoffer (Apr 6, 2010)

Besides reading the Bible, I've been ploughing through the Institutes for the last couple of months (or more). I am approaching the end and it has been a real eye-opener and very edifying and practical. Two questions:

1 What else would you consider a must-read? All comments are appreciated.

2 I am thinking of continuing with Calvin, buy his commentaries & sermons etc. Do you study commentaries as you would any other book or do you go to them only in cases where something is unclear?

Thank you


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## White Knight (Apr 6, 2010)

The Bruised Reed - Richard Sibbes, 
The Jerusalem Sinner Saved - John Bunyan,
The English Puritans - John Brown, 
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment - Jeremiah Burroughs,
The Christian’s Great Interest - William Guthrie, 
Body of Divinity - Thomas Watson
The Pilgrim’s Progress I & II - John Bunyan
Holiness - J. C. Ryle

Qeustion 1. I had that same question myself on my mind and ended up going online and researching what were required reading for degrees and modified a list from those. These are only the books that I have finished or am finishing reading that I can comment on. Good books. I'm partial to Richard Sibbes.

Question 2. Do you have that complete sermons of Martin Luther? Those are just as good as commentaries. His sermons do a good job of preparing the heart and making you think. Just a thought.


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## larryjf (Apr 6, 2010)

I ditto Zach on...
The Bruised Reed - Richard Sibbes, 
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment - Jeremiah Burroughs,
Body of Divinity - Thomas Watson

And would add...
The Mortification of Sin - John Owen
The Holy Spirit - John Owen
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ - John Owen
Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices - Thomas Brooks
The Christian in Complete Armour - William Gurnall


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## Wayne (Apr 6, 2010)

As long as you are sticking with Calvin, read his _On the Necessity of Reforming the Church_. It is found in the first volume of the seven volume set of _Tracts and Treatises_. Banner of Truth reissued this set in 2009 in hardback.


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## jwithnell (Apr 6, 2010)

Have you done much with Van Til? His insistence on maintaining a reformed perspective across the theological disciplines helps to refine and focus many of the "greats" that came before him.


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## Osage Bluestem (Apr 6, 2010)

The Holy Spirit - John Owen


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## py3ak (Apr 6, 2010)

Edward Fisher, _The Marrow of Modern Divinity_
Walter Marshall, _The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification_
C.S. Lewis, _The Discarded Image_
Alfred Edersheim, _The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah_

Some commentaries can be read straight through for pleasure and profit: I think Calvin's tend to fall into that category, along with some other writers (e.g., James Durham, C.H. Dodd -who is often wrong, though- Alec Motyer, Derek Kidner, Leon Morris). But some commentaries are very hard to read and it's more of a referring back and forth between them and the Biblical text, to let the text illuminate the commentary.


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## tommyb (Apr 6, 2010)

How shall we then Live - Francis Schaeffer


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## MLCOPE2 (Apr 6, 2010)

The complete works of John Owen.


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## Montanablue (Apr 6, 2010)

This is a great list. I'm bookmarking it. 

Question: Do posts like this ever completely disappear or are they archived "forever?" I've got a couple of these from the PB (mostly reading lists) bookmarked in my computer, but I wonder if I should do something better to preserve them in case they're going to go away in a few years.


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## Andres (Apr 6, 2010)

Montanablue said:


> This is a great list. I'm bookmarking it.
> 
> Question: Do posts like this ever completely disappear or are they archived "forever?" I've got a couple of these from the PB (mostly reading lists) bookmarked in my computer, but I wonder if I should do something better to preserve them in case they're going to go away in a few years.


 
Kathleen, if you read all the books, then you won't have to keep up with them.


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## Montanablue (Apr 6, 2010)

I know, I know... I have the problem (?) of having a wide set of interests and wanting to read about ALL of them. So, recently (with the exception of one D.A. Carson book), I've been obsessed with Boston abolitionists and motherhood during the Cold War. To cope with this horrifying illness of ihavetoknowitallness, I keep ridiculously long lists of books I plan to read - and they do eventually get read. Years later sometimes, but they DO get read.


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## Galatians220 (Apr 7, 2010)

_(In addition to the above...)_

"The Existence and Attributes of God" - Stephen Charnock

As to "The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah," as Ruben referred to, if you can find an unabridged version of it, you've made a find. I found mine about 10 years ago; it's a 2-volume set, copyrighted in 1967.

"Behold He Cometh," a commentary on Revelation by Herman Hoeksema and "Righteous by Faith Alone," same author, on Romans.

"Personal Declension and Revival of Religion in the Soul," by Octavius Winslow.

(For ex-Catholics, or people trying to witness to Catholics) "Night Journey from Rome to the New Jerusalem," by Clark Butterfield, an ex-priest. _If you can find it..._ Once I had a dozen of 'em and now I'm down to one.

Margaret


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## Kiffin (Apr 12, 2010)

This is so weird. I posted a similar thread in the theological forum...almost the same title....

http://www.puritanboard.com/f15/essential-reading-list-reforming-59874/


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## Casey (Apr 12, 2010)

Augustine's _Confessions_.


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## KaphLamedh (Apr 13, 2010)

I just bought Calvin´s Heart aflame selected commentaries on psalms. It it kind of daily readings. Good one, really.

other:
- Daily readings from MacArthur
- Spurgeon´s sermons (250 sermons, so there is a lot of reading for years)


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## Sven (Apr 13, 2010)

I would say continue on reading through the Reformed Tradition. Calvin is a good place to start, but others came after him who developed his thought. Read Ursinus, Wollebius, Turretin, Owen, Witsius, a' Brakel, John Brown, Hodge, Bavinck, Berkhof, etc. All of these men will Reform your mind.

Calvin's Commentaries were meant to be read through. I would read his sermons as well. 

On a side note, I wouldn't read Van Til until you read these men. Everything that Van Til said was said better by these men. And these men said best what Van Til should have said. maybe I'll post my reasons at another time. Happy reading.


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## Scott1 (Apr 13, 2010)

Westminster Standards

PCA blue notebook with loose leaf pages- Westminster Standards (Confession, Larger and Shorter Catechism with Scripture proofs at the bottom of each page) plus it has an excellent concise Reformation historical summary. [often, 2/3 or more of the page is Scripture]
CEP Bookstore - WESTMINSTER COF & CATECHISMS W/SCRIPTURE LOOSE L

The Blue notebook binder: (also designed to contain the PCA Book of Church Order, both the Westminster Standards and BCO are the constitution of the PCA):
CEP Bookstore - BOOK OF CHURCH ORDER BINDER

Orange booklet (postcard size) by The Banner of Truth Trust of the Shorter Catechism with Scripture proofs
Amazon.com: The Shorter Catechism, Vol. 10 (9780851512655): Westminster Assembly: Books



Westminster Standards Study Guide

GI Williamson
CEP Bookstore - WESTMINSTER CONFESSION FOR STUDY CLASSES


Practical Christian Living:

Joseph Pipa, The Lord’s Day
Lords Day: Jo Pipa: 9781857922011: Paperback Book - BooksChristian.com Christian Book Store

Oswald Chambers, If You Will Ask
Amazon.com: IF YOU WILL ASK (OSWALD CHAMBERS LIBRARY) (9780929239064): OSWALD CHAMBERS: Books



Eschatology:

Kim Riddlebarger, A Case for Amillennialism

A Case for Amillennialism: Kim Riddlebarger: 9780801064357: Christianbook.com


Reformed Theology Books

Calvin Know Cummings, Confessing Christ
[short booklet]
Westminster Bookstore - Reformed Books - Low Prices - Flat Fee UPS Shipping - Confessing Christ (020060)

JI Packer, Concise Theology
Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs :: Systematic Theologies :: Doctrine/Theology :: Monergism Books :: Reformed Books - Discount Prices - Free Shipping

JI Packer, Knowing God
Westminster Bookstore - Reformed Books - Low Prices - Flat Fee UPS Shipping - Knowing God by J. I. Packer 9780830816507

RC Sproul, The Holiness of God
Westminster Bookstore - Reformed Books - Low Prices - Flat Fee UPS Shipping - The Holiness of God (Paperback)

RC Sproul, What is Reformed Theology?
Westminster Bookstore - Reformed Books - Low Prices - Flat Fee UPS Shipping - What is Reformed Theology? by R. C. Sproul 9780801065590

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion [Abridged softcover edition convenient for reading]

https://store.ligonier.org/product.asp?idDept=B&idCategory=TH&idProduct=INS02BP

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion [classic, 2 volume edition for study and reference]

https://store.ligonier.org/product.asp?idDept=B&idCategory=TH&idProduct=INS04BH


Covenant Theology

Barrett, Michael Love Divine and Unfailing: The Gospel According to Hosea (The Gospel According to the Old Testament)

Westminster Bookstore - Reformed Books - Low Prices - Flat Fee UPS Shipping - Love Divine and Unfailing: The Gospel According to Hosea (The Gospel According to the Old Testament) (Paperback) by Michael P. V. Barrett 9781596380752


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