Puritan heart

SMOOTH STONES FROM ANCIENT BROOKS
Selections from the writings of Thomas Brooks
Edited by C.H. Spurgeon. Banner of Truth. 197 pages. £5.75
ISBN 978 1 848 711 136

Many of us now spend a larger amount of time surfing the internet than sitting reading a book from cover to cover.

This book, therefore, may appeal to the internet browser, as it can be plunged into on any page and you can hop from paragraph to paragraph. It is a like a Puritan book of Proverbs. There is no evident order, but page after page of miscellaneous snippets and ideas from Thomas Brook, albeit that, as one reads them, in some places a theme emerges, such as the battle against worldliness or the joy of Christian assurance.

Spurgeon was the original editor and it struck me that this might be a book for the preacher rejoicing in the insight of another preacher; for the rest of us, the book is more limited. Although the language is at times beautifully profound, it can sometimes be a little indigestible. As Spurgeon said: ‘Brooks saw similes, metaphors and allegories everywhere’. The title is linked to the ‘smooth stones’ collected by David to fight Goliath, which gives a flavour of the allegorical approach. Some insights are poignant but others are inaccessible to the modern reader.

The thing I find difficult in this collection is the absence of any context or lengthily argued idea, but I think the biggest hurdle is the lack of Bible references in the vast majority of ‘stones’. For a reader not steeped in Scripture, I would recommend something that gave opportunity for more direct biblical meditation; however, if this is approached as though it is poetry, it does provide some inspiring wisdom. For a reader who already loves Puritan literature, reading through these will provide a fresh insight into a godly Puritan heart.

Karen Soole,

chairs the Northern Women’s Convention