Baxter on Reading

The Puritan Richard Baxter gives the following advice on what to read:

"Make careful choice of the books which you read: let the holy scriptures ever have the pre-eminence, and, next to them, those solid, lively, heavenly treatises which best expound and apply the scriptures, and next, credible histories, especially of the Church . . . but take heed of false teachers who would corrupt your understandings."
1. As there is a more excellent appearance of the Spirit of God in the holy scripture, than in any other book whatever, so it has more power and fitness to convey the Spirit, and make us spiritual, by imprinting itself upon our hearts. As there is more of God in it, so it will acquaint us more with God, and bring us nearer Him, and make the reader more reverent, serious and divine. Let scripture be first and most in your hearts and hands and other books be used as subservient to it. The endeavours of the devil and papists to keep it from you, doth shew that it is most necessary and desirable to you.
2. The writings of divines are nothing else but a preaching of the gospel to the eye, as the voice preaches it to the ear. Vocal preaching has the pre-eminence in moving the affections, and being diversified according to the state of the congregation which attend it: this way the milk comes warmest from the breast. But books have the advantage in many other respects: you may read an able preacher when you have but a average one to hear. Every congregation cannot hear the most judicious or powerful preachers: but every single person may read the books of the most powerful and judicious; preachers may be silenced or banished, when books may be at hand: books may be kept at a smaller charge than preachers: we may choose books which treat of that, very subject which we desire to hear of; but we cannot choose what subject the preacher shall treat of. Books we may have at hand every day. and hour; when we can have sermons but seldom, and at set times. If sermons be forgotten, they are gone; but a book we may read over and over, till we remember it: and if we forget it, may again peruse it at our pleasure, or at our leisure. So that good books are a very great mercy to the world: the Holy Ghost chose the way of writing, to preserve His doctrine and laws to the 'Church, as knowing how easy and sure a way it is of keeping it safe to all generations, in comparison of mere verbal traditions.
3. You have need of a judicious teacher at hand, to direct you what books to use or to refuse: for among good books there are some very good that are sound and lively; and some good, but mediocre, and weak and somewhat dull; and some are very good in part, but have mixtures of error, or else of incautious, injudicious expressions, fitter to puzzle than edify the weak.

Honesty

One of the requirements to attend Spurgeon's college was a recommendation from the applicant's pastor. Spurgeon tells one story of a pastoral recommendation:

"I had a curious experience with one applicant. His pastor had given him an open letter, warmly commending him to me as a man called to the ministry; but, in another communication, sent to me by post, the minister wrote that the young man was not at all likely ever to become a preacher, and that he had only written the recommendation because the candidate's father was his chief deacon, and he feared to offend him by telling him the truth. I felt that it was quite unjust to put upon me the onus of refusing the young man; so, when he arrived, I gave him the epistle I had received, and left him and his father to settle the matter with their pastor in the best way they could"

Tid-Bit

Surprising work of God in the salvation of a sinner:

One woman was converted through reading a single page of one of Spurgeon's sermons wrapped around some butter she had bought.

Witnessing to the Indifferent

Following is a story in Spurgeon's own words of sharing the gospel with someone who agreed with everything he said but was not a believer:

"I had once to deal with a man who assented to everything I said. When I talked about the evil of sin, he agreed with me, and said that I was very faithful. When I set before him the way of salvation, he assented to it, but it was evident that his heart was not affected by the truth. I could almost have wished that he had flatly denied what I said, for that would have given me the opportunity of arguing the matter with him, and pressing him to come to a decision. At last, I felt that it was quite hopeless to talk to hint any longer, so I said, 'The fact is, one of these days you will die, and be damned,' - and I walked away without saying another word. As I expected, it was not very long before he sent for me, and when I went to him, he begged me to tell him why I had said such a dreadful thing to him. I answered, 'It seems quite useless for me to talk to you about the salvation of your soul, for you never appear to feel the force of anything that I say. I might almost as well pour oil down a slab of marble as expect you to be impressed by the truth that I set before you, and my solid conviction is that you will be damned.' He was quite angry with me for speaking so plainly; and I went away again, leaving him very cross. Before many hours were over, he was in all awful state of mind; the Holy Spirit had convinced him of his state as a sinner, and he was in an agony of soul. That sharp sentence of mine was like the hook in a fish's gills, but that fish was landed all right. The man was brought to repentance and faith; he was baptized, joined the church, and a few years ago went home to Heaven"

Sabbath

From the Puritan Lewes Bayly:

The Sabbath day is God’s market-day for the week’s provision, wherein He will have us to come unto him, and buy of him without silver or Money, the Bread of Angels, and Water of life, the Wine of the Sacraments, and Milk of the Word to feed our souls: tried Gold, to enrich our Faith: precious Eyesalve, to heal our spiritual blindness: and the white Raiment of Christ’s Righteousness, to cover our filthy nakedness.

Noah

How was it that Noah persevered in building the ark? He stood alone amidst a world of sinners and unbelievers. He had to endure scorn, ridicule and mockery. What was it that nerved his arm, and made him patiently work on and face it all? It was faith. He believed in a wrath to come. He believed that there was no safety, excepting in the ark that he was preparing. Believing, he held the world's opinion very cheap. He counted the cost by faith, and had no doubt that to build the ark was gain.

J. C. Ryle

Blanche Gamond

Blanche Gamond, a Huguenot sufferer in the 17th century, tells of her trials (from the book Stories of the Huguenots):

One day my mother was taken to the bishop, who offered her a large sum of money, saying, "Promise me that you and your family will change your religion, and this shall be yours". But my mother did not yield. Soon afterwards he sent his steward, who did his best to persuade us. "It grieves me", he said, "to see the injury that has been done to you. Believe me, the Bishop is willing to make it all up to you; and he will, moreover, grant one hundred francs to each member of your family".
I answered him; "thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. We have not been redeemed with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, which is an infinite price. When vineyards or fields are exchanged, it is the possessor of the property which is worth least who has to give money into that bargain. Your religion must therefore be worse than ours, as you offer money to make up the value. When Christ sent out his apostles, He commanded them to take neither purse nor scrip nor sword. You go from house to house with money in your hand, and then send your soldiers to strangle us. That is not quite the way to make good Catholics".
When he found that he could not gain us over, he left us to the dragoons (soldiers), and our sufferings increased. I was considered the most obstinate of the heretics. A neighbor said one day to one of the soldiers, "Do your best to convert that girl. She is more determined in her religion than any one else in our town. If I were you, I would carry her off to church by force". I overheard this conversation, and from that time devoted myself more zealously to the reading of the Holy Scriptures and to meditation, that I might be able to answer my enemies.