By I.D.E. Thomas
Gwasg Bryntirion Press (formerly Evangelical Press of Wales).
384 pages. £8.99
ISBN 1 85049 130 5
The writings of the Puritans are, for many, uncharted waters. By bringing together a selection of bite-sized extracts from various Puritan authors, the editor of this book of daily readings and meditations hopes to share with the uninitiated some of these 17th-century gems. Some of the authors, such as Bunyan, Baxter and Sibbes, are almost household names; others are much less familiar.
Each extract is preceded by a short Bible verse, quoted from the King James Version. The extracts vary in style: some explain the verse in its context, others take a word or phrase and comment on a related doctrinal issue. There are indeed some gems. I was particularly pleased to discover Richard Steele's 'Puritan Sermons' and 'A Remedy for Wandering Thoughts'.
