As stated previously I have been working my way through a set of ten short classics published in a series by Crossway a few years back. I hav enow read them all and here are my notes on the final seven.
First a sermon by Spurgeon on not despising the day of small things (with a shorter piece for ministers). It is classic Spurgeon and very encouraging - just as it says on the tin. Once again the beautfiful cover and presentation adds to the joy of the experience. Like others in this series I could find the text elsewhere but it was so good to read it through in one sitting or so. I was more than encouraged.
The J C Ryle also has the same beautiful presentation as the others in this series. Yes, it can once again be found elsewhere but once again it was a worthwhile exercise to sit and read it once more in more or less one sitting. Really enjoying this series.
These two sermons (the Lord's work in the Lord''s way and No little people) are not the sort of thing one immediately thinks of when thinking of Francis Schaeffer but such notes were sounded throughout his ministry and can be found elsewhere in his written works. I liked this quote “Often men have acted as though one has to choose between reformation and revival. Some call for reformation, others for revival, and they tend to look at each other with suspicion. But reformation and revival do not stand in contrast to one another; in fact, both words are related to the concept of restoration. Reformation speak of a restoration to pure doctrine, revival of a restoration in the Christian’s life. Reformation speaks of a return to the teachings of Scripture, revival of a life brought into proper relationship to the Holy Spirit. The great moments in church history have come when these two restorations have occurred simultaneously. There cannot be true revival unless there has been reformation, and reformation is incomplete without revival.” (No Little People).
Th next I read was the surprise contribution to the set. A litte longer than some, it contains four sermons by the dual heritage African/White American, Lemuel Haynes. The final sermon is against slavery and has a strength that comes from the author's own background. All the sermons are brief and to the point and well worth reading by all. This is an extract from the larger book "Lemuel Haynes: Black Puritan, Black Republican", also in my library but only partly read.
Martin Luther is always worth reading though his writings make up a vast library. This recent translation of The freedom of a Christian by Robert Kolb makes it very easy to read and this work is a basic one and short enough to read in no time. Nice intro by Carl Trueman.
Really loved the Jonathan Edwards one on Heaven a world of love though I must have read it before as it is found in Charity and its fruits. Edwards simply describes heaven as it must be in terms of it being a place of love. This has the effect of making you long for heaven and long to be more heavenly minded now. There is a short section describing hell in similar terms which works well. So glad to have read what was for me the ninth book in the seriies.
The life of God in the soul of man by Henry Scougal is the longest of the series and well worth reading. I have long been aware of it (see https://publishdarticles.blogspot.com/2018/03/books-in-history-scougal-on-life-o... ) Scougal seems to come at things from a different angle to many and this would be a great book for a religious person.
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