What books by the Puritans should I read?

The first is by Jeremiah Burroughs: The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. If there is something we need in the twenty-first century, it’s contentment. We are bored, yet we have more stuff than we’ve ever had. We complain, yet we have more stuff than kings have had in previous centuries. I do this. I complain. We need to learn the rare jewel of Christian contentment. So, go with Burroughs, and while you are at Burroughs, go ahead and read Gospel Worship—it’s a great book. R.C. was a big fan of Burroughs, so he would’ve recommended Burroughs.

A second would be Thomas Watson’s book, A Body of Divinity. He walks through the Westminster Standards. It’s such helpful doctrine and is written very practically. So, A Body of Divinity by Thomas Watson is a great text to read.

A third Puritan, if you want a tough-minded Puritan who well repays, is John Owen. You’ve got to be willing to reread a couple of paragraphs, but Owen is the Mount Everest of Puritan theologians. You can read anywhere in John Owen and benefit, but you’d do better to read later Owen first and then go to younger Owen.

So, there’s a good place to start.

This transcript is from a live Ask Ligonier event with Stephen Nichols and has been lightly edited for readability. To ask Ligonier a biblical or theological question, email ask@ligonier.org or message us on Facebook or Twitter.