How the Puritans Helped J. I. Packer
Seven Points and Seven Books to Consider
Here’s a simple encouragement for your spiritual life that I hope you will take to heart:
Read the Puritans.
You will not find authors who are more saturated with Scripture, overflowing with biblical connections and insights. Their writings (books and sermons) relentlessly unpack God’s word, aiming it at the soul—mind, heart, and life. They were masters of spiritual, affectionate theology.
When J. I. Packer wrote that the Puritans shaped him in at least seven ways, I took note.1 Packer said the Puritans helped him:
1. Understand the reality of the Christian life. It is an ongoing battle to kill sin and cultivate holiness. We should not overly despair our weaknesses, or “get bogged down in mystical fanaticism.”2 The Christian life isn’t overly complicated.
2. Understand the sovereign grace of God and the redeeming love of Christ. For the Puritans, the sovereign love of God is a sweet subject. As Packer put it, “Biblical religion is God-centered, not man-centered. To get the love of Christ in focus changes one’s whole existence.”3
3. See intentional meditation on Scripture as vital for spiritual health. The mental mulling on God’s word, as stressed by the Puritans, helps us learn, know, recall, love, and respond to God and his word—which is to praise God.
4. See the true charge, duty, privilege, and joy of ministry. For Packer, his vision for preaching the gospel, teaching Scripture, shepherding souls, writing, and lecturing was given shape by the Puritans. Packer did these things exceedingly well.
5. See and feel the brevity of this life, while anticipating the next life. This mindset—or soulset, even—was so prevalent in the Puritans because they faced diseases, wars, prisons, high infant mortality rates, and many other sufferings. These pains pushed the Puritans to look to the horizon of heaven and eternity. Puritan writings are chock-full of reminders of the glories of eternity.
6. Understanding the importance of the church. While Packer was Anglican, and I’m a Baptist, the Puritans help us see the non-negotiable presence and power of the bride of Christ in the Christian life. Our place in this world is with the people of God.
7. Savor that theology is spirituality. Packer wrote, “The Puritans made me aware that all theology is also spirituality, in the sense that it has influence, good or bad, positive or negative, on its recipients’ relationship or lack of relationship to God.”4 The Puritans were spiritual theologians, or as Packer called them, “affectionate and practical” writers of the faith.
I couldn’t agree more with Packer. The Puritans have helped me know God and his word, enjoy Christ, walk in the power of the Spirit, preach the gospel, pray with light and heat, and feel the love of Christ as I behold his glory.
So, what Puritans should you pick up? Here’s seven I’d consider starting with:
As you can tell, my favorite Puritans are John Owen, Thomas Watson, Thomas Goodwin (then Flavel and Sibbes). Just get whatever you can by these men. While Packer loved Richard Baxter, his writings don’t speak to me as much as these three above. I’m currently working my way through Watson’s complete works. So rich. His word pictures, metaphors, and illustrations make him so enjoyable.
Add some Puritans to your reading list. Stock up. You won’t regret it.
For a great podcast on the Puritans, check out Dr. Stephen Yuille on Room for Nuance.
J. I. Packer, A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1990) 12–15.
Packer, 12.
Packer, 13.
Packer, 15.
Watson and Flavel,man. Flavel on union with Christ is pure gold. Watson on anything, but especially the Ten Commandments and contentment left me weeping at my desk more than once.
This is especially significant because Packer was an Anglican, and Puritans and Anglicans are often pitted against each other (and was certainly true historically!). They have much more in common than most people realize.