# Purchase One Puritan Complete Works



## Backwoods Presbyterian (Aug 28, 2009)

PB Brothers and Sisters,

I have been given a gift of $125.00 by a Grandparent (who just remembered I graduated from seminary ) and I would like to purchase a complete works of a Puritan writer with it. I currently do not have any volumes of any of them so it is a clean slate. So help me decide which one to buy.

Blessings and Thanks as always!


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## PuritanCovenanter (Aug 28, 2009)

I think Ferguson and Packer would say..... Rev. John Owen.


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## NaphtaliPress (Aug 28, 2009)

Manton, Brooks, or Flavel.


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## FenderPriest (Aug 28, 2009)

PuritanCovenanter said:


> I think Ferguson and Packer would say..... Rev. John Owen.



Er... not with only $125!

If you've got $125, and you're only going to use that (with no additional money of your own) I would recommend John Flavel, Richard Sibbes, or Thomas Brooks. Both are excellent guy, deep in the Scriptures, helpful in their sermons (not only for content, but for examples in preaching), pastoral in their aim, and guys you "feel" more than other Puritans.

Hope that helps!
~Jacob

PS - However, if you can add your own money to get Owen, do it!


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## BuddyOfDavidClarkson (Aug 28, 2009)

If you want something highly thoughtful and devotional, go with the works of David Clarkson. There are a million blessings in those three volumes.

Beyond that, I'd go for the works of Manton, Thomas Goodwin, and then John Owen. John Owen has no equal but slugging through the volumes can be real tough.


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## Philip A (Aug 28, 2009)

I voted for something else.
I bought a number of sets a few years ago and hardly cracked them, so they're on my "to eBay" list. Everything but John Owen.

For $125, maybe you should buy a few of mine


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## westminken (Aug 28, 2009)

I voted for John Murray. If you want to get a set that will give you the flavor of old WTS.


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## Wayne (Aug 28, 2009)

Philip may have a good idea--like exercise machines, Puritan sets can often be found virtually unused, with just a few miles on them. Buying used would stretch your dollars a bit further. The only caveat would be that this is gift money, and you may have to take that into account. The grandparent might expect to see new on the shelf.

I voted for Flavel--you'd get excellent content that will hold up to multiple re-readings.

One set you didn't have on your list--The Morning Exercises at Cripplegate, aka, The Puritan Sermons. Six volumes, reprinted by Richard Owen Roberts in the 1980s, but sets are still around. His son still runs the bookstore.


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## sastark (Aug 28, 2009)

Can you ever go wrong with Owen?

(and have you seen my Reformed Books For Sale thread? No Owen, but some other good things in there...ok, enough shameless plug for me)


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## gkterry (Aug 28, 2009)

One could get the complete works of Owens (including the Hebrews commentaries) from Ages Library for $15 if an electronic copy would suffice. That would leave plenty of room for other items.


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## Puritan Sailor (Aug 28, 2009)

I'll repeat the call for Owen. If you can only have one set, then scrape up a little more and go for Owen. Otherwise, I voted for Murray. The others are great too. Don't get me wrong. It's like picking one precious gem over another. But Murray would be one example of great Puritan thinking brought forward into more contemporary issues.


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## Theogenes (Aug 28, 2009)

Stephen Charnock!


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## dannyhyde (Aug 28, 2009)

If you are going to by any one set of any Puritan, you need to get either Owen or Goodwin. $125 won't cover that, but these are the two heavy weights of the 17th c. English theologians.

If you want "the king of preachers" of the 17th c. English, get Manton.


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## Wannabee (Aug 28, 2009)

Flavel would be nice. I'd say Manton though - a master of language and word pictures. He'll awaken your mind in a way perhaps only Spurgeon can do.


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## puritanpilgrim (Aug 28, 2009)

Have you guys noticed many of these works are in google books? They can be downloaded for free.


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## CharlieJ (Aug 28, 2009)

What about Thomas Boston? One of my profs (unnamed) said he is better than Calvin.


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## JOwen (Aug 28, 2009)

Thomas Manton's Complete works.


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## charliejunfan (Aug 28, 2009)

John Owen.....HINT


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## dannyhyde (Aug 28, 2009)

JOwen said:


> Thomas Manton's Complete works.



As one who reads and writes about Owen for his ThM, I have to say, though, that reading Manton's sermons is a whole other level of edification...


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## Hamalas (Aug 28, 2009)

I know some of y'all mean well with all the links and electronic offers but seriously, can that really compare to a good (physical) book?  It's just my opinion, but I'd rather fork out the extra money and have something in my hands that can one day be passed on to others!


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## py3ak (Aug 28, 2009)

Newton and Murray are not Puritans, of course, and "something else" might be or might not be.

I would get Sibbes, if I had the money, both because he is rather earlier than some of the others, and because his method of approach is soothing and encouraging, as well as learned and profound. A sample:


> Again, if we would be thankful, as Paul here, and begin heaven upon earth, labour to be assured of salvation, and perseverance in the Christian course. The papists, that speak against assurance and perseverance, kill prayer and praising of God. Shall a man praise God for that which he doubts of? I cannot tell whether God will damn me or not; perhaps I am but fitted as a sheep to the slaughter, &c. How shall a man praise God for any blessing he enjoys, when these thoughts are still with him? How shall a man praise God for salvation, when perhaps he shall not come to it? How shall a man praise God for that which perhaps he may fall from before he die? when perhaps he is God's to-day, and may be the devil's to-morrow? How can there be a hearty thanks, but when a man can say, 'The Lord will deliver me from every evil work,' that by mine own weakness and Satan's malice, I may occasionally fall into, betwixt this and heaven? Therefore, if we would praise God as we should, let us work our hearts to labour after assurance of God's favour; let us redeem our precious time, and every day set some time apart to strengthen our evidences for heaven, which will set us in a continual frame to every good work.


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## Pilgrim72 (Aug 28, 2009)

Thank you Ruben. I was in total agreement with what you wrote, plus the quote really blessed me.
I don't think a better response to the OP could've been written.


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