Old Doxoblogy

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Especially The Parchments

When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. (2Ti 4:13)
Paul was obviously a reader. Even in what are probably what he knows are his last days, he asks Timothy to bring a coat, his books, and especially the parchments. Probably some of the books and parchments are copies of the Old Testament, but a man like Paul who knew the not only the Scriptures, but the greek poets as well, probably had some other books that he enjoyed reading.

If you were like Paul, under arrest and uncertain of your fate, what ten books or sets of books would you like to be brought to you (besides the Bible), if you were allowed to read?

Here's my list.

Foxe's Book of Martyrs-John Foxe
The Confessions of Saint Augustine-Saint Augustine
The Early Church Fathers-Phillip Schaff & Alexander Roberts
Calvin's Commentaries-John Calvin
The Works of Jonathan Edwards-Jonathan Edwards
Biblical Theology-Geerhardus Vos
The Institutes-John Calvin
The Story of Christianity-Justo Gonzalez
The Pleasures of God-John Piper
Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners-John Bunyan

Alternate: C. H. Spurgeon; An Autobiography Volume 1 Volume 2-Charles Haddon Spurgeon

7 comments:

marc said...

Oooh! Good list Bro! Here's mine in no particualr order, Bible excluded:

1. CS Lewis "Space Trilogy"
2. Dalimore "George Whitefield"
3. Edwards "Works 2 vol"
4. Calvin "Works"
5. Bunyan "Works"
6. John Newton "Works"
7. Owen "Works"
8. Piper "Works"
9. Spurgeon "Works"
10. Luther "Works"
11. Zane Hodges "Works" (In case I run out of firewood)

Jeremy Weaver said...

Look! It's Marc!
Good list. Only Zane Hodges' books probably wouldn't burn very long.

BTW, I still haven't taken you off of the team. That means that theoretically you could post if you wanted to.
:-)

Rose~ said...

I wonder why you guys detest Zane Hodges so much.

pilgrim said...

Tough one.

But if I had to decide off the top of head right here & now-

1 A Heart for God-Sinclair Ferguson
2 Method of Grace-John Flavel
3 Passion of Christ (Fifty Reasons why Jesus Christ came and Died) (or something like that--I'd have to check the exact title)-John Piper
4 Sovereignty of God-Arthur Pink
5 John Owen's commentary on Hebrews
6 Morning & Evening- Spurgeon
7 Westminster Confession of Faith (My copy also has the Larger & Shorter Catechisms in it)
8 Willing to Believe RC Sproul
9 Anything by Stephen Charnock
10 The Freedom & Power of Forgiveness by John MacArthur

many of these are interchangable with others I didn't think of first, but #'s 1,2, 3, & 7 would be untouchable, and 5 & 9 probably would be too.

marc said...

Rose,
I don't detest Zane Hodges... its his writings that don't I care for. Too dispensational, too armin... err I mean, "non-calvinist" ;-).

David said...

Just the Bible. See how spiritual I am? O.K., really (in no particular order):

Schaff, History of the Christian Church
Spurgeon, The Treasury of David
Luther, The Bondage of the Will, Commentary on Romans, Commentary on Galatians (these three because I just got them and haven't read them yet)
The Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts
Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress
The Works of Jonathan Edwards
The Valley of Vision
The Prayer of Jabez

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