“A Habitual Sight of Him”: The Piety of Thomas Goodwin – Joel R. Beeke and Mark Jones

Thomas Goodwin (1600–1680) was a faithful pastor, Westminster divine, advisor to Oliver Cromwell, and president of Magdalen College, Oxford. In this book, Joel R. Beeke and Mark Jones acquaint the reader with Goodwin through an informative biographical introduction. The remainder of the book, 35 selections from the writings of Goodwin, displays Goodwin’s constant attention to Christ in his various theological convictions. You will learn much about the life and teaching of this influential Puritan, and perhaps, be strengthened with a habitual sight of Christ.

“A Habitual Sight of Him”: The Piety of Thomas Goodwin – Joel R. Beeke and Mark Jones

Available: September 1

Thomas Goodwin (1600–1680) was a faithful pastor, Westminster divine, advisor to Oliver Cromwell, and president of Magdalen College, Oxford. In this book, Joel R. Beeke and Mark Jones acquaint the reader with Goodwin through an informative biographical introduction. The remainder of the book, 35 selections from the writings of Goodwin, displays Goodwin’s constant attention to Christ in his various theological convictions. You will learn much about the life and teaching of this influential Puritan, and perhaps, be strengthened with a habitual sight of Christ.

“A Habitual Sight of Him”: The Piety of Thomas Goodwin – Joel R. Beeke and Mark Jones

Available: September 1

Thomas Goodwin (1600–1680) was a faithful pastor, Westminster divine, advisor to Oliver Cromwell, and president of Magdalen College, Oxford. In this book, Joel R. Beeke and Mark Jones acquaint the reader with Goodwin through an informative biographical introduction. The remainder of the book, 35 selections from the writings of Goodwin, displays Goodwin’s constant attention to Christ in his various theological convictions. You will learn much about the life and teaching of this influential Puritan, and perhaps, be strengthened with a habitual sight of Christ.

Years ago I found a friend and hero in Lemuel Haynes. Being Reformed has at times been lonely. When I first began to embrace the biblical and historical theology of the Reformation, I looked and listened around and found no one who looked and sounded like me. Admittedly, this was before the internet boom and the on-demand access to information both contemporary and historical. Nevertheless, the heroes of the Reformation always came up as white European and American. While this is no reason to accept or reject truth, it does cause one to pause and contemplate the conspicuous absence of non-white voices.

Not seeing or hearing overtly Reformed voices within African-American history did cause me to wonder why. If these truths are so rich, biblical, and historical, why did not Christianity within the African-American tradition express them? The absence of voices and faces recognizably like mine made me wonder if God had skipped previous generations and decided to make the glories of the Reformation known to African-Americans only in the latter half of the twentieth century. While this would be unlike God, it was not beyond the realm of possibility. However, I’m thankful that God is wiser and more merciful than I can comprehend.

Unknown to my finite mind and existence, not only had God revealed the truths of the Reformation to past generations of African-Americans, but there had in fact been a long line of learned, passionate, and articulate African-Americans within the Reformed tradition. Once I learned this, I rejoiced in the wisdom and judgments of God to reveal to me that my lonely days were over. Among my long-lost friends and heroes was one of particular encouragement—namely, Lemuel Haynes. In these pages you will learn of him.

I am excited that my dear friend and brother, Thabiti Anyabwile, would take up the subject of our friend Lemuel Haynes. In many ways, Thabiti and Lemuel are a perfect match. As you will find in the following pages, Lemuel Haynes was a thoughtful preacher—so is Thabiti. Haynes was a pastor and a scholar—so is Thabiti. Haynes was passionate for the gospel and its defense—so is Thabiti. Haynes loved the church and sought the comfort of the saints and the conversion of the lost—so does Thabiti.

I rejoice to know that God has given me friends and heroes like Lemuel Haynes and Thabiti Anyabwile. I love them both. I have learned much from them. In reading this volume, I am sure you will too. Enjoy.

Anthony J. Carter

Atlanta, Georgia

May We Meet in the Heavenly World: The Piety of Lemuel Haynes

Thabiti M. Anyabwile

Paperback, 152 pages
Page size: 4.5 x 7 inches
Retail Price: $10.00
RHB Price: $7.50
Pre-order Price Today Only: $5.00
ISBN 978-1-60178-065-2
Available: June 30

In “May We Meet in the Heavenly World”, Thabiti M. Anyabwile introduces us to the New England preacher, Lemuel Haynes (1753–1833). Through both the biographical essay and the selections from Haynes’s writings, readers are sure to perceive an Edwardsian sense of spirituality that ever lived in view of eternity. Well acquainted with difficulties, suffering, and death, Haynes’s ministry was infused with the unfailing hope of heaven.

Commendations
“This well chosen selection from Lemuel Haynes’s writings represents a significant part of the earliest African-American engagements with the Reformed theological tradition. In that tradition Haynes and his black contemporaries, both American and British, found a language of justice and inspiration that allowed them to criticize slavery and racial prejudice, and to offer a Christian vision of a free society. “May We Meet in the Heavenly World” can be recommended to students of Christian theology and of American history.”

—John Saillant, author of Black Puritan, Black Republican: The Life and Thought of Lemuel Haynes, 1753–1833

About the author

Thabiti M. Anyabwile is senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands.  He has a strong professional and academic background in community psychology, with special interest in the history and development of the African American church. He is the author of The Faithful Preacher, What is a Healthy Church Member?, and The Decline of African American Theology. Pastor Anyabwile and his wife, Kristie, have three children.

For other books in the Profiles in Reformed Spirituality series, click herehttp://www.heritagebooks.org/bookstore/catalog/index.php?cPath=222_448

Edited and Introduced by Joel R. Beeke
Part of the Profiles of Reformed Spiritualityseries
Paperback, 185 pages
Retail Price: $10.00 RHB Price: $7.50

Available: Early February 2009

John Calvin is the most notable figure from the Reformed tradition. Unfortunately, he is often characterized as a stern and cerebral individual who had little concern for practical matters. However, Calvin was actually influential in promoting a profound sense of piety among early Protestantism. In “The Soul of Life”, Joel R. Beeke presents the life and ministry of Calvin with a special on emphasis Calvin’s efforts for cultivating healthy spirituality among the churches. The selections from Calvin’s own work will give readers a firsthand look at Calvin’s emphasis on godliness, and by God’s grace, will be a means for spurring on greater godliness in our day.

 I call “piety” that reverence joined with love of God which the knowledge of His benefits induces. For until men recognize that they owe everything to God, that they are nourished by His fatherly care, that He is the Author of their every good, that they should seek nothing beyond Him—they will never yield him willing service. Nay, unless they establish their complete happiness in Him, they will never give themselves truly and sincerely to Him. —John Calvin

The Sinfullness of Sin

If God be so incomparable, that there is none on earth, none in heaven comparable to him, it may inform us of the great venom and malignity of sin, because it is an injury to so great, so glorious, so incomparable a being. The higher and better any object is, the baser and the worse is that action which is injurious to it. To throw dirt on sackcloth is not so bad as to throw dirt on scarlet or fine linen. To make a flaw in a pebble of common stone is nothing to the making a flaw in a diamond of precious stone. Those opprobrious speeches, or injurious actions, against an ordinary person, which are but a breach of the good behavior, and bear but a common action at law, if against a prince, may be high treason, because of the excellency of his place, and majesty of his person. The worth and dignity of the object doth exceedingly heighten and aggravate the offence. How horrid then is sin, and of how heinous a nature, when it offendeth and opposeth not kings, the highest of men, not angels, the highest of creatures, but God, the highest of beings; the incomparable God, to whom kings and angels, yea, the whole creation is less than nothing! We take the size of sin too low, and short, and wrong, when we measure it by the wrong it doth to ourselves, or our families, or our neighbours, or the nation wherein we live; indeed, herein somewhat of its evil and mischief doth appear; but to take its full length and proportion, we must consider the wrong it doth to this great, this glorious, this incomparable God. Sin is incomparably malignant, because the God principally injured by it is incomparably excellent…. 

This section comes from pages 43 & 44. You can buy a copy of Trading and Thriving in Godliness here. 

Author: By J. Stephen Yuille, Forward by Anthony N.S. Lane

Price: $7.50, buy here. 

Description:George Swinnock (1627–1673) was a gifted English Puritan, known for his vivid illustrations of biblical truth. In “Trading and Thriving in Godliness”, J. Stephen Yuille highlights Swinnock’s conviction that godliness is the primary employment of every Christian. Yuille’s introductory essay analyzes the influences on, groundwork for, and expressions of piety in Swinnock’s life and thought. The book also contains fifty selections from Swinnock’s writings, exemplify his teaching on the foundation, door, value, pursuit, nature, means, and motives to godliness.

Endorsements: “Swinnock presents a vision of godliness that is anchored in God’s character and in His work of regeneration. Swinnock also affirms our call to respond to the greatness of this God. This obedience calls for the engagement of mind, will, and affections in the midst of the regularity of life, whether that be as a parent or employee, in prosperity or adversity, in life or death. There is much in Swinnock that we would do well to listen to and learn from.” —Kelly M. Kapic co-editor of The Devoted Life: An Invitation to the Puritan Classics

“Swinnock gives us the essence of Puritanism and J. Stephen Yuille gives us the essence of Swinnock. Here is doctrine and life, vision and devotion, the poetry and the passion of typical Puritan preaching. A first-rate taster of what is available in Swinnock’s Works.” —Peter Lewis, author of The Genius of Puritanism

Authored and Edited by:
Michael A. G. Haykin is Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky & Research Professor of Irish Baptist College, Constituent College of Queen’s University Belfast, N. Ireland.

Darrin R. Brooker is the editor and publisher of The Life and Works of Horatius Bonar CD. He and his wife Melissa are members of Trinity Baptist Church, Burlington, Ontario.

BLURBS:
Maurice Roberts says:
“This book of excerpts from the eminent Horatius Bonar is a window on the real Christian life. Living as Bonar did when Liberalism was seeking to replace Reformation theology with disguised Humanism, Bonar sounds his clarion calls: Be at your Bible; be earnest in prayer; be holy and zealous for God; preach the truth; live for eternity; shun worldliness; care to be remembered only by what you have done for Christ in this world. No message is more needed than this today.”

David P. Murray says:
“Bonar’s biography provides an enlightening vista of another age, while his selections give us penetrating insight into our own. As Bonar would wish, every word points us to the Christ of all ages and for all ages.”

Another volume of “Profiles of Reformed Spirituality” series for Reformation Heritage Books as been published and you can order it now, before it comes out. You can purchase this at Reformation Heritage Books or by calling 616- 977- 0599.

“Many people have never read Edwards, but after reading this interview, there may be some who want to see what he is all about. Do you have any suggestions of which of Edwards’s writings would be a good place for them to start?”

To which Dr. Haykin replied, “I would begin with his A Faithful Narrative of a Surprising Work of God, the account of the revival in his church in Northampton, Mass., in 1734-1735 (this is found in Banner of Truth’s Jonathan Edwards on Revival). Then, maybe his sermon “Heaven is a World of Love” (this is the last chapter of Charity and Its Fruits). Then, The Religious Affections. And of course, I would recommend “A Sweet Flame!”

We at Reformation Heritage Books would like to take the time in this post to focus on the book that Dr. Haykin stressed would be a great place to start in learning about Jonathan Edwards. A Sweet Flame was written by Dr. Michael Haykin who introduces to the readers the piety and spirituality of Jonathan Edwards. This biographical sketch of Jonathan Edwards done by Dr. Haykin reveals the importance f the New England ministers had on Scripture, family piety, and the church’s reliance upon God. Here Dr. Haykin gives 26 sections of different letters in which Jonathan Edwards had written, letters written from Edwards’s family upon his death, and an appendix drawing upon Edwards’s last will and the inventory of his estate.

This book is only number two of the many books to come in a series, which Dr. Michael Haykin is working on. This series of books will cover profiles in Reformed Spirituality, and are designed to show the piety and spirituality of the Reformed tradition by presenting descriptions of the lives of particular Christians with selected passages from their works. This combination of biographical sketch and collected portions from primary sources gives a taste of the treated person’s contribution to our spiritual heritage and some direction as to how the reader can find further edification through works of those people treated in this series. Under the guidance of series editors Dr. Joel R. Beeke and Dr. Michael A. G. Haykin, “Profiles in Reformed Spirituality” promises to provide a valuable primer to our rich Reformed heritage.

Some of the volumes which have already be published are, A Consuming Fire: The Piety of Alexander Whyte, A Sweet Flame: Piety in the Letters of Jonathan Edwards, and Devoted to the Service of the Temple: Piety, Persecution, and Ministry in the Writings of Hercules Collins.

Still to come in the series of “Profiles in Reformed Spirituality” are volumes over, Samuel Pierce, Horatius Bonar, Thomas Goodwin, John Owen, John Calvin and George Swinnock.