Book Reviews

A review by Paul Helm, Professor Emeritus of the University of London, of John Calvin’s Sermons on the Beatitudes.1 Calvin’s sermons were delivered extempore, taken down by the remarkable Denis Raguenier, published by the diaconate of Geneva, and the proceeds used to support refugees. Initially, Calvin was not keen on them being published, but when […]

Maggie Paton’s letters ought to be read alongside Paton’s autobiography. James Paton wrote that he was eager to publish these letters because ‘they present another picture of mission life and experiences in the New Hebrides’ from that portrayed in the now famous Autobiography of her husband.  The story of John Gibson Paton (1824-1907), Scottish Presbyterian […]

A review by Ryan M. McGraw of Catechizing Our Children: The Whys and Hows of Teaching the Shorter Catechism Today by Terry L. Johnson.1 Catechizing is often a missing ingredient in the discipleship of covenant children today. Many parents reject catechizing by pitting it against Bible memorization. Yet those making this objection fail to realize […]

A review by Martin Williams of Robert White’s translation of the 1541 edition of John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion.1 C. S. Lewis once wrote: There is a strange idea abroad that in every subject the ancient books should be read only by the professionals, and that the amateur should content himself with the […]

This review of The Pastor: His Call, Character, and Work first appeared in Ordained Servant: A Journal for Church Officers (2022 edition) published by the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. The Pastor: His Call, Character, and Work, by Faculty and Friends of ‘Old’ Princeton. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2020, x + 272 pages, $20.00. From time […]

The name Thomas Charles of Bala had been familiar to me for many years and I knew that he was an eminent evangelical Welsh minister of a bygone day. But beyond that, I confess, I knew next to nothing about him. If any reader of these lines has to make the same admission let me […]

Jim Elliff reviews Banner’s biography of Asahel Nettleton, an evangelist whose integrity and zeal marked him out during the Second Great Awakening. The author of The Life and Labours of Asahel Nettleton, Bennet Tyler, was a pastor for many years in South Britain, Connecticut, where he knew Asahel Nettleton (1783-1844) intimately. He eventually became the […]

While a ‘new biography’ no longer, Iain Murray’s Jonathan Edwards (1987) is a book which fires the mind, warms the heart, and calls us to fervent prayer. Sharon James explains how the book has proved an encouragement to her time after time. When the Banner of Truth published Iain Murray’s Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography […]

This review was first published in the 2022 edition of the New Horizons magazine and has been shared with permission. * * * The Lord Jesus once said, ‘every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old’ (Matt. 13:52). The treasures from […]

This review was first published in the 2022 edition of the New Horizons magazine and has been shared with permission. * * * In this pamphlet, OPC pastor Jeremiah Montgomery addresses the often vexing issue of assurance of salvation. Having walked the ‘valley of the shadow of doubt’ for more than twenty-five years, his purpose […]

Readers of the past few issues will know that this is the 60th anniversary year of the first Puritan Paperbacks. Following the introductory article, we have had an article on each of the first three volumes that were published, and this month we are looking at the fourth: John Flavel’s (c. 1630-91) The Mystery of […]

This is the third in a series of ‘taster’ articles to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the Puritan Paperbacks series. I can still remember as a teenager pulling my father’s copy of the 1962 Banner edition of Sermons of the Great Ejection off one of his study shelves and turning to Edmund Calamy’s sermon, ‘Trembling […]

This is the second in a series of ‘taster’ articles to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the Puritan Paperbacks series. Here, our Book Review Editor provides a flavour of one of the early titles to appear in the series. Heaven on earth! Who would refuse that? But what is it, and where do we find […]

‘The loving tenderness of Christ the good shepherd.’ – Mike Riccardi recommends The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes.

This is the first in a series of ‘taster’ articles to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the Puritan Paperbacks series. Here, the Trust’s Editorial Director provides a flavour of the inaugural title of the series, appearing in 1961. First published in 1649, William Bridge’s thirteen sermons on Psalm 42:11, entitled A Lifting Up for the […]

In the opinion of many, next to the Bible itself, the very best tool for family worship is The Child’s Story Bible by Catherine F. Vos. It is now back in print. Banner of Truth has republished it in cloth binding, beautiful paper and print with a marker to use as the pages are turned […]

‘Reducing your wants to your needs.’ – Conrad Mbewe recommends The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs.

Paul Washer talks about the impact Iain Murray’s books have had on his life and ministry, especially the biography of D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Two Questions Summer is fast approaching and many of us are still stuck at home. Although this can be challenging, don’t you agree that this is a great opportunity to work through a solid […]

John MacArthur recommends The Pastor of Kilsyth; a little biography by Islay Burns on the life and times of his father, Pastor W. H. Burns. In our celebrity-driven age (from which the evangelical church is far from exempt), this is exactly the kind of life we need to study. We need to be reminded of […]

Do you know who Ernest C. Reisinger was? In the video above, Katie Irwin, a long-time friend of Ernie’s, recounts her meeting Ernie and talks about the impact the life of this man of God had on her. She refers throughout to Geoff Thomas’ biography of Ernie Reisinger. Readers with an interest in the development […]

Hugh Martin (1822-85) combined a brilliant analytical and mathematical mind with a child-like heart which rested in Christ and his atoning work, as revealed in the Scriptures. Born and brought up in Aberdeen, he gained the top prizes in mathematics at the University there, before going on to study for the ministry. He cast in his […]

Join us as we guide you through one of Banner’s new reprints: The Great Awakening by Joseph Tracy. In this video overview we’ll summarize some of Tracy’s key points in the book while reading some longer sections to give you a flavour for what the book is like. This volume remains second to none in […]

Traditionally, Baptist have been very wary of written prayers. Our Baptist forefathers strenuously objected to the liturgical format of the Church of England, in which the corporate recitation of set prayers was a major element.  For instance, a prominent item at the trial of John Bunyan (1628-1688) in 1661 was Bunyan’s adamant opposition to the […]

Here is another worthy addition to a fine series, Banner of Truth’s ‘Puritan Paperbacks’. The quarry of Puritan spiritual writings seems inexhaustible: surely a testimony to the Christian godliness of our nation in a past age. In his ten-page ‘Introduction’ to this book Lewis Allen provides a valuable overview for all those who are new […]

These 54 sermons were preached during the last period of Calvin’s life (1554-1555). They are the mature fruit of John Calvin, the pastor and the student of Scripture, delivered over consecutive Sunday mornings and afternoons. During the week he preached on the Old Testament. The preacher knows first-hand the trials and disappointments of the pastor, […]