Jeremiah Burroughs

Recommendation:  5/5

Description of author:  Jeremiah Burroughs (1599-1646), one of the most readable of the English Puritans, was a pastor in London and was chosen to be one of the Westminster Assembly of Divines.

Comments:  This book is a collection of seven sermons preached in 1643 and 1644.  Each sermon is related to the subject of the fear of God.  He defines the fear of God and explains what it means to tremble at the Word of God.  He also explains practically how we as Christians can know whether or not we have a tender heart before God, how we obtain such a heart, and how we maintain it before God.  The book is full of much down-to-earth spiritual wisdom:  There’s many of you who will not tremble at God’s Word, but you will tremble at the fear of any loss.  You will tremble at men, though not at the Word of God.  But a true, gracious trembling at God’s Word strengthens the heart against fears . . . If you will never fear man, nor losses, nor any affliction, nor trouble, then fear the Word of God and tremble at that.  The more fear there is of God’s Word, the less fear there will be of any creature in the world.  It is the only way to free you from all fears whatsoever (p. 36).  A tender heart is a disposition that makes a man or woman a very useful member in the church or commonwealth.  It makes them a useful companion, for one who is of a tender spirit is always one who is very harmless.  A sour spirit is one who is very troublesome where he lives, but a tender spirit yields to anything, if God show him the reason.  He is of a quiet and gentle disposition (p. 109).