# What did the puritans read?



## Reformed Fox (Oct 19, 2015)

Does anyone know of a good book or website concerning what the puritans (or continental reformed thinkers) read or discussed? I am not looking for a resource concerning history per se or a list of reformed works, but rather a discussion of historical dialogues.

For example I read once that in 1644 (I think) six pamphlets were being published a day in Britain. What was the contemporary puritan response? There are some obvious places to look, such as Owen's polemics or Milton's response to the "Eikon Basilike". What made for popular reading during the Religious Settlement, for example?

I am partly inspired by a list I saw of authors most referenced in the discussions of the U.S. founding fathers. What authors were "popular" in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries?


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## arapahoepark (Oct 19, 2015)

Apuritansmind.com


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## au5t1n (Oct 19, 2015)

If their quotations are anything to go by, they read mostly Scripture, church fathers, Scripture, earlier reformers, and Scripture. Authors of polemical works also read contemporary doctrinal treatises, both for and against their own positions.


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## Reformed Fox (Oct 19, 2015)

au5t1n said:


> If their quotations are anything to go by, they read mostly Scripture, church fathers, Scripture, earlier reformers, and Scripture. Authors of polemical works also read contemporary doctrinal treatises, both for and against their own positions.



Of course these were their primary sources of inspiration, but I am looking for a discussion of contemporary events and the puritan response. (Perhaps I was not quite clear.) Historians for example make frequent note that by the 1630s the English had become voracious readers of pamphlets regarding parliamentary proceedings and the like, all leading up to the then-unforeseen Civil War. I imagine that puritan divines and laymen were involved in this debate and others but I cannot find any decent sources. There are plenty of collections regarding puritan thought generally, and broad books on early modern history but nothing more specific. 

I hope that helps.


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## au5t1n (Oct 19, 2015)

Reformed Fox said:


> I hope that helps.



It does. I look forward to learning more about this, too.


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## KMK (Oct 19, 2015)

From my humble experience, the Puritans quote a great deal of Greek philosophers, Greek mythology, Augustine, Chrysostom, and 'the Schoolmen'. In addition, in their polemical writings they quote works by their opponents exhaustively.


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## MW (Oct 19, 2015)

Perhaps library catalogues are of interest. A few of the deceased had their libraries sold off, and were itemised for the sale. Thomas Manton had quite a broad range of authors. I found it interesting to see what he may have been reading for sermon preparation.

If there is access to Early English Books Online, one could do a search on "Catalogus variorum librorum."


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## johnny (Oct 20, 2015)

Hi Gregory,

If you have a "lazy grand" to throw around.
Then you may be interested in this resource.

https://www.logos.com/libraryofearlyenglishhistorylist

There is also an American Version.


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## Reformed Covenanter (Oct 20, 2015)

Reformed Fox said:


> What did the puritans read?



Books.


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## JimmyH (Oct 20, 2015)

I was under the impression that they read each other, and their predecessors in the faith.


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## NaphtaliPress (Oct 20, 2015)

From references it is clear the Puritan writers knew their classical literature, histories, etc. Internationally produced books were available in London and some other regional areas. I was amazed, and often stumped for periods when trying to identify foreign books in various works, how obscure, to us now, some titles were. They also had a concern about dangerous literature like heretical opinions judging from the minutes of the Westminster Assembly and cases of the time.


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## hammondjones (Oct 20, 2015)

As an anecdote, this is one of my favorite parts from Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:



> But before I had got thus far out of these my temptations, I did greatly long to see some ancient Godly man’s Experience, who had writ some hundred of years before I was born; for, for those who had writ in our days, I thought (but I desire them now to pardon me) that they had Writ only that which others felt, or else had, through the strength of their Wits and Parts, studied to answer such Objections as they perceived others were perplexed with, without going down themselves into the deep. Well, after many such longings in my mind, the God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand, one day, a book of Martin Luther, his comment on the Galatians, so old that it was ready to fall piece from piece, if I did but turn it over. Now I was pleased much that such an old book had fallen into my hand; the which, when I had but a little way perused, *I found my condition in his experience, so largely and profoundly handled, as if his Book had been written out of my heart; this made me marvel: for thus thought I, this man could not know anything of the state of Christians now, but must needs write and speak of the Experience of former days.*
> 
> Besides, he doth most gravely also, in that book debate of the rise of these temptations, namely, Blasphemy, Desperation, and the like, shewing that the law of Moses, as well as the Devil, Death, and Hell, hath a very great hand therein; the which at first was very strange to me, but considering and watching, I found it so indeed. But of Particulars here I intend nothing, only this methinks I must let fall before all men, I do prefer this book of Mr. Luther upon the Galatians, (excepting the Holy Bible) before all the books that ever I have seen, as most fit for a wounded Conscience.


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## Reformed Fox (Oct 20, 2015)

Of course they read scripture, the Greeks, Augustine, Aquinas and the like. But so did everyone else. Does anyone know where I can find information on the contemporary sources puritans engaged with?


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## NaphtaliPress (Oct 20, 2015)

I'm still unclear what kind of study you are seeking. Give an example or two what you are looking for.


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## Reformed Fox (Oct 20, 2015)

I do seem to have trouble expressing myself here. The post should probably have been given a different name. "What contemporary works did the puritans read?" perhaps.

My understanding is that by the late 1500s there was a flowering of printed material in Britain and on the Continent as the reading public expanded. By the 1630s the output was feverish. Whenever I read a work of history I keep my eyes open for primary sources which often make for enjoyable reads. I also know that many of the puritans were polemicists attacking and defending various ideas floating around in the press. I am looking for some discussion of this dialogue. 

For example, after Charles was executed a book called "Eikon Basilike" was released to great popularity. The work idolized the now-dead king and gave support to the royalist cause. I know that Milton wrote the "Eikonklastis" in response. Here is a nicely contextualized piece of writing, but I stumbled upon it by accident. Were there any polemics against, say, the Council of Trent? I imagine there were but digging them up is not the easiest task. 

How did the puritans (or continental reformed figures) respond to their contemporaries via primary source documents? What was "popular" reading at the time? I know that there was a good deal of action-reaction going on in the press but I cannot find anything comprehensive and discussing this dialogue in a reformed context.


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## rickclayfan (Oct 20, 2015)

From what I've read from Owen so far, he seems to interact with Grotius, Bellarmine, Socinians (Socinus, Enjedinus, Crellius, and others), John Goodwin (Arminian), and Jews of his day and of the past. Just to name a few. And that's just Owen. I hear his library had plenty of heretical books that he read to sharpen his thinking. You can try to get a list of his books by looking into "bibliotheca oweniana." That'll give you the books Owen owned.


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## NaphtaliPress (Oct 20, 2015)

I don't think there is any one study for knowing the scope of this. Thomason tracts lists works by publication year, at least what he purchased and he purchased practically everything in the 1640s. It is not usual to see the puritans cite newspapers as these were just getting going in the 1640s but there were quite a number in London. Church government was the controversy of the day, and some report something like 15,000 publications on that subject alone were published during the 1640s. If Baillie can be gone by, he gives his book interests in correspondence with his cousin on the continent that he could not get in London. The Scots were particularly interested in the Dutch theologians who might support the Presbyterian cause an Baillie particularly focuses on Voetius. They paid enough attention that they clearly followed the release of thesi papers from the university there, as Voetius in particular is cited from a paper regarding polity in the Westminster Assembly's Grand Debate, long before the paper itself was republished in Voet's various collected works. It seems to me the avenues to explore here are quite varied.


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## Ask Mr. Religion (Oct 20, 2015)

Reformed Fox said:


> I do seem to have trouble expressing myself here. The post should probably have been given a different name. "What contemporary works did the puritans read?" perhaps.


You could tweak the following then follow the year-range links below the graph shown to see what works were extant at the time:

https://books.google.com/ngrams/gra...&direct_url=t1;,Reformed;,c0#t1;,Reformed;,c1


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## reaganmarsh (Oct 20, 2015)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> Reformed Fox said:
> 
> 
> > What did the puritans read?
> ...



You beat me to it.


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## Clark-Tillian (Oct 21, 2015)

They read almost everything they could get their hands on. Much classical literature etc. They didn't have the Net to distract them. On the other hand, imagine what they would've done with a powerful search engine and internet archives.


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