Reformation & Puritan Bible Commentaries: Gospels & Acts

.

Back to:

Reformation & Puritan Bible Commentaries

Bible Commentaries

.

The Prophets  ⇐ ⇒  The Epistles & Revelation

.

.

Subsections

Reformation & Puritan Commentaries on:

The Whole Bible, the Whole OT & Whole NT

Commentaries in Latin:

Whole Bible Commentaries

Whole New Testament Commentaries

.

.

Order of Contents

Life of Christ  30+
Gospels  4
.       Matthew  12+
.       Mark  3
.       Luke  5
.       John  17
Acts  8


.

.

The Life of Christ

1500’s

Calvin, John – Diverse Sermons of Master John Calvin, concerning the Divinity, Humanity, and Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, as also touching his Passion, Death, Resurection, Ascention: together with the Coming Down of the Holy Ghost upon his Apostles: and the first Sermon of St. Peter  (London, 1581)

.

1600’s

Estye, George –The History of the Gospel  in  Certain Godly & Learned Expositions Upon Diverse Parts of Scripture, as they were Preached…  (London, 1603)

Estye (c.1560-1601) was a reformed Anglican clergyman.

Hall, Joseph – Contemplations on the Historical Parts of the New Testament  d. 1656  The work only covers the life of Christ (not the whole N.T.).

Hall was an influential reformed Anglican bishop.  These devotional and practical contemplations savor of deep spirituality and are very insightful.  One of a kind and one of the best.

***  ‘Need I commend Bishop Hall’s Contemplations to your affectionate attention?  What wit!  What sound sense!  What concealed learning!  His style is as pithy and witty as that of Thomas Fuller, and it has a sacred unction about it to which Fuller has no pretension.’  ‘The work can be readily procured; but if its price were raised in proportion to its real value, it would become one of the most costly books extant.’ – Spurgeon

.

.

Various Parts of the Life of Christ

The Baptism of Christ

Cowper, William – Of Christ’s Baptism  1612  60 pp.

Cowper was a Scottish Bishop.

.

The Temptation of Christ

1500’s

Knox, John – An Exposition of Matt 4:1-4, Concerning the Temptation of Christ in the Wilderness  1556  29 pp., in Works  Buy  vol. 4, pp. 85-114

.

1600’s

Perkins, William – The Combat Between Christ and the Devil Displayed: or a Commentary upon the Temptations of Christ  d. 1602

Cowper, William – A Treatise of Christ’s Temptation  1612  147 pp.

Cowper was a Scottish bishop.

Dyke, Daniel – Two Treatises: The One of Repentance, the Other of Christ’s Temptations  d. 1614

Fuller, Thomas – A Commentary on Matt 4:1-11 concerning Christ’s Temptations, Delivered in 12 Sermons  1652

Fuller (1607-1661) was a reformed Anglican.

White, Thomas – The Sum of Practical Divinity Practiced in the Wilderness & Delivered by our Savior in his Sermon on the Mount, being observations upon the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth & Seventh Chapters of St. Matthew  1653

Gumbleden, John – Christ Tempted: the Devil Conquered. Or, A Short and Plain Exposition on a Part of the Fourth Chapter St. Matthew’s Gospel: Together with two sermons preached before the University at Oxford some years since
(London, 1657)

Gumbleden (1598 or 9-1657) was an English chaplain.

Nevay, John – 32 Sermons on Christ’s Temptation  †1672

Manton, Thomas – The Temptation of Christ in 7 Sermons  †1677  76 pp.  in Works, vol. 1, p. 259 ff.  †1677

.

The Beatitudes

Babington, Gervase – A Brief Conference Betwixt Man’s Frailty and Faith wherein is declared the true use, and comfort of those blessings pronounced by Christ in the Fifth of Matthew, that every Christian man and woman ought to make and take hold of in their several tentations and conflicts: laid down in this plain order of dialogue  1584

Harris, Robert – The Way to True Happiness, delivered in 24 Sermons on Mt. 5:1-12  1654  in Works  Westminster divine

Burroughs, Jeremiah – The Saints’ Happiness. Together with the several steps leading thereunto, delivered in divers Lectures on the Beatitudes; Being part of Christ’s Sermon in the Mount; contained in the fifth of Mathew  Buy  1660

Watson, Thomas – The Beatitudes: Or, a Discourse Upon Part of Christ’s Famous Sermon on the Mount  1671

.

The Sermon on the Mount

1500’s

Tyndale, William – Exposition of Chs. 5-7 of St. Matthew’s Gospel  115 pp.

Luther, Martin – Works, vol. 21: The Sermon on the Mount and the Magnificat  Buy

.

1600’s

Perkins, William  d. 1602

A Godly and Learned Exposition of Christ’s Sermon in the Mount [Matt 5-7]

The Reformation of Covetousness written upon Matt 6:19 to the end of the Chapter

White, Thomas – The Sum of Practical Divinity Practiced in the Wilderness & Delivered by our Savior in his Sermon on the Mount, being observations upon the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth & Seventh Chapters of St. Matthew  1653

Horneck, Anthony – Several Sermons upon the 5th of Matthew, being part of Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, vols. 1, 2  d. 1697

Horneck was a reformed Anglican. 

.

Expositions of the Lord’s Prayer, Mt. 6

This page covers all of Church history, but see the numerous works under the sections on the 1500’s & 1600’s.

Expositions of the Lord’s Prayer  63+

.

The Parables

Keach, Benjamin – An Exposition of the Parables  †1704

Keach (1640-1704) was a Calvinistic Baptist who ministered in the church that Spurgeon would later pastor.

**  “Although our honored predecessor makes metaphors run on as many legs as a centipede, he has been useful to thousands.  His work is old-fashioned, but it is not to be sneered at.” – Spurgeon

.

The Prodigal Son

Cowper, William – A Mirror of Mercy or The Prodigal’s Conversion Briefly, and Learnedly Expounded, and full of comfortable consolations for all penitent sinners  1615  272 pp.

Cowper (1568–1619) was a Scottish bishop.

Gouge, William – A Recovery From Apostasy. Set out in a Sermon preached at the Receiving of a Penitent Renegado into the Church, Oct. 21, 1638. Herein is the history of the surprising and admirable escape of the said penitent  1639  on Lk. 15:31

Rutherford, Samuel – On Luke 15:11-32, The Forlorn Son, Sermons 9-15  Buy  †1661  125 pp.

Sedgwick, Obadiah – The Parable of the Prodigal, containing The Riotous Prodigal, or, The Sinner’s Aversion from God; Returning Prodigal, or, The Penitent’s Conversion to God; Prodigal’s Acception, or, Favorable entertainment with God  1660  380 pp.

.

The Transfiguration

Hacket, John – Seven Sermons upon the Transfiguration  in A Century of Sermons upon Several Remarkable Subjects  1675  Westminster divine

Manton, Thomas – The Transfiguration of Christ in 7 sermons  77 pp.  in Works, vol. 1, p. 337 ff.

.

On Christ’s Passion & Death

Eliot, John – The Harmony of the Gospels in the Holy History of the Humiliation and Sufferings of Jesus Christ from his Incarnation to his Death & Burial  (Boston, 1678)

Eliot (1604-1690) was a puritan missionary to the American Indians.

Herle, Charles – Contemplations and Devotions on the Several Passages of our Blessed Savior’s Death and Passion  1631

Hacket, John – Five Sermons upon the Passion  in A Century of Sermons upon Several Remarkable Subjects  1675  Westminster divine

.

The Passion to the Ascension

Coverdale, Miles – Fruitful Lessons upon the Passion, Burial, Resurrection, Ascension, and of the Sending of the Holy Ghost, gathered out of the Four Evangelists, with a plain exposition of the same  d. 1568

Rollock, Robert

25 Sermons upon the Last Sermon and Conference of our Lord Jesus Christ with his disciples immediately before his Passion, Contained in the 14th, 15th, and 16th Chapters of the Gospel of St. John, as also upon that most excellent prayer, contained in the 17th Chapter  d. 1599

Lectures on the Passion, Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ from John 18-21, containing a perfect harmony of all the four Evangelists for the better understanding of all the circumstances of the Lord’s death and Resurrection  d. 1599

.

On the Resurrection

Hacket, John – 9 Sermons upon the Resurrection  in A Century of Sermons upon Several Remarkable Subjects  1675  Westminster divine

.

.

On All Four Gospels

1500’s

Marlorat, Augustine

A Catholic & Ecclesiastical Exposition of the Holy Gospel after St. Mathew, gathered out of all the singular and approved divines (which the Lord has given to his Church)  1570

A Catholic & Ecclesiastical Exposition of the Holy Gospel after St. Mark & Luke, gathered out of all the singular and approved divines, which the Lord has given to his Church  1583

A Catholic & Ecclesiastical Exposition of the Holy Gospel after St. Mark & Luke, gathered out of all the singular and approved divines, which the Lord has given to his Church  1583

A Catholic & Ecclesiastical Exposition of the Holy Gospel after St. John, gathered out of all the singular and approved divines (which the Lord has given unto his Church)  1575

Marlorat (1506-1562) was reformed.  His commentaries are particularly valuable as they are compendiums of block quotes from some of the best reformed divines of his day on the passages of that particular Biblical book.  See here for an excerpt from his commentary on John. 

**“Marlorate was an eminent French reformer, preacher and martyr.  His commentaries contain the cream of the older writers, and are in much esteem, but are very rare.  He wrote on the whole New Testament, but we have in English only the Gospels [2-3 John] and Jude [and Revelation 1 & 13].” – Spurgeon

Bullinger, Heinrich – The Sum of the Four Evangelists, Comprehending both the Course of the History & also the Several Points of Doctrine, set forth in the same pointing forth as it were with the hand that Jesus is Christ, the only perfect & sufficient Savior of all the Faithful  (London, 1582)

.

1600’s

Hall, Joseph – Contemplations on the Historical Parts of the New Testament  d. 1656

Hall (1574–1656) was an influential reformed Anglican bishop.  These devotional and practical contemplations savor of deep spirituality and are very insightful.  One of a kind and one of the best.

***  ‘Need I commend Bishop Hall’s Contemplations to your affectionate attention?  What wit!  What sound sense!  What concealed learning!  His style is as pithy and witty as that of Thomas Fuller, and it has a sacred unction about it to which Fuller has no pretension.’  ‘The work can be readily procured; but if its price were raised in proportion to its real value, it would become one of the most costly books extant.’ – Spurgeon

.

1700’s

Burkitt, William – Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the Four Holy Evangelists, viz., St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, St. John, wherein the Sacred Text is at large recited…  and the instructive example of the holy Jesus to our imitation recommended; designed for the instruction of private families  (London, 1700)

Burkitt (1650-1703) was a reformed Anglican clergyman and Bible commentator.


.

.

Matthew

1500’s

Tyndale, William – Marginal Notes on the First 21 Chapters of St. Matthew’s Gospel  d. 1536  10 pp.  The notes are sparse and not always important

Marlorat, Augustine – A Catholic and Ecclesiastical Exposition of the Holy Gospel after St. Mathew, gathered out of all the singular and approved divines (which the Lord has given to his Church)  1570

Marlorat (1506-1562) was reformed.  His commentaries are particularly valuable as they are compendiums of block quotes from some of the best reformed divines of his day on the passages of that particular Biblical book.  See here for an excerpt from his commentary on John. 

**“Marlorate was an eminent French reformer, preacher and martyr.  His commentaries contain the cream of the older writers, and are in much esteem, but are very rare.  He wrote on the whole New Testament, but we have in English only the Gospels [2-3 John] and Jude [and Revelation 1 & 13].” – Spurgeon

.

1600’s

Ward, Richard – Theological questions, dogmatic observations, and evangelical essays upon the Gospel St. Matthew, wherein about two thousand six hundred and fifty necessary and profitable questions are discussed; and five hundred and eighty special points of doctrine noted; and five hundred and fifty errors confuted, or objections answered: together with diverse arguments, whereby divers truths, and true tenets are confirmed  1640

Ward (1601-1684) was educated at Cambridge, England and St. Andrews, Scotland, and was a reformed minister in London.

**  “A huge mass of comment, in which are thousands of good things mostly set forth by way of question and answer.  Few could ever read it through; but to a wise minister it would be a mine of wealth.” – Spurgeon

Dickson, David – Matthew  Buy  1651  394 pp.

Dickson (c.1583–1663) was a Scottish covenanter.  This has been reprinted by Banner of Truth in their Geneva Commentary Series.

*** – ‘A perfect gem.  The work is, to men of our school, more suggestive of sermons than almost any other we have met with.’ – Spurgeon

Lightfoot, John – A Commentary on Matthew from the Talmud & Hebraica  mid-1600’s

Lightfoot was a reformed divine and Hebraicist who was invited to the Westminster Assembly.  He mined the Jewish writings for anything and everything that may be of help in understanding the New Testament.  Here are his results.  

This is the only work of its kind in English; the scholarly, more complete work (vol. 1, Mt; vol. 2, Mk-Jn) that has improved, in some ways, upon Lightfoot, done in the early 1900’s by H. Strack and P. Billerbeck, has still not been translated out of the German.  

If one is interested in seeing the results of the use of the Jewish writings in relation to the gospel accounts, see Edersheim’s Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, who thoroughly makes use of them from his encyclopedic knowledge of the Jewish writings from his orthodox Jewish upbringing his life’s work as a scholar. 

Gell, Robert – Notes & Observations upon Matthew  in Gell’s Remains, or Several Select Scriptures of the New Testament Opened & Explained, wherein Jesus Christ, as yesterday, today, and the same for ever, is illustrated, in sundry pious and learned notes and observations thereupon, in Two Volumes  (London, 1676)

Gell (1595-1665) was a reformed, Anglican chaplain and clergyman.  The DNB says: “…the ‘Remaines’ are especially valuable as a collection of most ingenious skeleton discourses.”

.

.

Chapters in Matthew

Also see above on Various Parts of the Life of Christ.

.

Leighton, Robert – Lectures on Matt 1-9  †1684  84 pp.

Leighton was a godly Scottish bishop whose writings are very spiritual and savory.

Blackwood, Christopher – Expositions & Sermons upon the Ten First Chapters of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, according to Matthew  1659

**  “This learned divine became a Baptist through studying the arguments against believers’ baptism.  This proves his candor.  His comment is somewhat out of date, but it is still good.” – Spurgeon

Rhegius, Urbanus – ‘An Homily or Sermon of the Famous Doctor Urbanus Rhegius of Faith and Resurrection, upon the Gospel of Mathew in the 9th Chapter, of the Woman, which was grieved with the issue of blood, and of the daughter of the chief ruler, which being dead, Christ restored to life, preached to the people of Hannouer in Saxon’  in Martin Luther, A Fruitful & Godly Exposition and Declaration of the Kingdom of Christ and of the Christian Liberty...  ([London, 1548])

Burroughs, Jeremiah – Christ Inviting Sinners to come to Him for Rest; Four Books on the Eleventh of Matthew   1659

Burroughs was an English puritan.

Cameron, Richard – Lecture on Mt. 18:1-17  †1680  9 pp., from Sermons in Times of Persecution  Buy

Cameron was a Scottish covenanter, from where the name ‘Cameronians’ comes from.  He is to be distinguished from John Cameron who lived earlier in the century.

Larkham, Thomas – The Wedding-Supper as it was handled out of the Fourteen First Verses of the 22nd Chapter of Matthew…  Wherein the offer of salvation, both to Jews and Gentiles, is noted: and diverse plain and pithy doctrines observed, and applied. Being the effect of twelve sermons preached  (London, 1652)

Shepherd, Thomas – The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied, being the substance of diverse sermons on Mt. 25:1-13  GB

Manton, Thomas – 27 Sermons on Matt 25:30-46  d. 1677


.

.

Mark

Marlorat, Augustin – A Catholic and Ecclesiastical Exposition of the Holy Gospel after St. Mark and Luke, gathered out of all the singular and approved divines, which the Lord has given to his Church 1583

Marlorat (1506-1562) was reformed.  His commentaries are particularly valuable as they are compendiums of block quotes from some of the best reformed divines of his day on the passages of that particular Biblical book.  See here for an excerpt from his commentary on John.

On his commentary on Matthew:  ** – “Marlorate was an eminent French reformer, preacher and martyr.  His commentaries contain the cream of the older writers, and are in much esteem, but are very rare.  He wrote on the whole New Testament, but we have in English only the Gospels [2-3 John] and Jude [and Revelation 1 & 13].” – Spurgeon

Lightfoot, John – A Commentary on Mark from the Talmud and Hebraica  mid-1600’s

Lightfoot was a reformed divine and Hebraicist who was invited to the Westminster Assembly.  He mined the Jewish writings for anything and everything that may be of help in understanding the New Testament.  Here are his results.  This is the only work of its kind in English; the scholarly, more complete work (vol. 1, Mt; vol. 2, Mk-Jn) that has improved, in some ways, upon Lightfoot, done in the early 1900’s by H. Strack and P. Billerbeck, has still not been translated out of the German.  

If one is interested in seeing the results of the use of the Jewish writings in relation to the gospel accounts, see Edersheim’s Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, who thoroughly makes use of them from his encyclopedic knowledge of the Jewish writings from his orthodox Jewish upbringing his life’s work as a scholar. 

.

.

Chapters in Mark

See also above on the Various Parts of the Life of Christ.

.

Petter, George – A Learned, Pious & Practical Commentary upon the Gospel According to St. Mark, chs. 1-11  1661

**  “Mr. J.C. Ryle says of this work: ‘For laborious investigation of the meaning of every word, for patient discussion of every question bearing on the text, for fullness of matter, for real thoughtfulness, and for continued practical application, there is no work on St. Mark which, in my opinion, bears comparison with Petter’s.  Like Goliath’s sword, there is nothing like it.’  We have found far less fresh thought in it than we expected, and think it rather tedious reading.” – Spurgeon


.

.

Luke

Marlorat, Augustin – A Catholic and Ecclesiastical Exposition of the Holy Gospel after St. Mark and Luke, gathered out of all the singular and approved divines, which the Lord has given to his church  1583

Marlorat (1506-1562) was reformed.  His commentaries are particularly valuable as they are compendiums of block quotes from some of the best reformed divines of his day on the passages of that particular Biblical book.  See here for an excerpt from his commentary on John.

On his commentary on Matthew: ** – “Marlorate was an eminent French reformer, preacher and martyr.  His commentaries contain the cream of the older writers, and are in much esteem, but are very rare.  He wrote on the whole New Testament, but we have in English only the Gospels [2-3 John] and Jude [and Revelation 1 & 13].” – Spurgeon

Lightfoot, John – A Commentary on Luke from the Talmud and Hebraica

Lightfoot was a mid-1600’s reformed divine who was invited to the Westminster Assembly.  He mined the Jewish writings for anything and everything that may be of help in understanding the New Testament.  Here are his results.  This is the only work of its kind in English; the scholarly, more complete work (vol. 1, Mt; vol. 2, Mk-Jn) that has improved, in some ways, upon Lightfoot, done in the early 1900’s by H. Strack and P. Billerbeck, has still not been translated out of the German.  

If one is interested in seeing the results of the use of the Jewish writings in relation to the gospel accounts, see Edersheim’s Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, who thoroughly makes use of them from his encyclopedic knowledge of the Jewish writings from his orthodox Jewish upbringing his life’s work as a scholar. 

.

.

Luke 1-2

Wycliff, John – ‘The Magnificat’  in Select English Works of John Wycliff, vol. 3, part 1, p. 48-52  †1384

Luther, Martin – An Exposition upon the Song of the Blessed Virgin Mary, called Magnificat, Whereunto are added the songs of Salve Regina, Benedictus and Nunc Dimittis  ([Southwark] 1538)

.

.

Lk. 15, The Prodigal Son

See also our pages on The Parables and on the significant strand of historic, reformed Christianity that has taught that God is a Father to All People by Creation.

.

1600’s

Cowper, William – A Mirror of Mercy or The Prodigal’s Conversion Briefly, and Learnedly Expounded, and full of comfortable consolations for all penitent sinners  1615  272 pp.

Cowper (1568–1619) was a Scottish bishop.

Gouge, William – A Recovery From Apostasy. Set out in a Sermon preached at the Receiving of a Penitent Renegado into the Church, Oct. 21, 1638. Herein is the history of the surprising and admirable escape of the said penitent  1639  on Lk. 15:31

Rutherford, Samuel – On Luke 15:11-32, The Forlorn Son, Sermons 9-15  Buy  †1661  125 pp.

Sedgwick, Obadiah – The Parable of the Prodigal, containing The Riotous Prodigal, or, The Sinner’s Aversion from God; Returning Prodigal, or, The Penitent’s Conversion to God; Prodigal’s Acception, or, Favorable entertainment with God  1660  380 pp.


.

.

John

Traheron, Bartholomew – An Exposition of a Part of St. John’s Gospel made in sundry readings in the English Congregation… and now published against the wicked enterprises of new stirred up Arians in England  d. 1558

**  “A little quaint old book.  Not intrinsically worth the price, nor a tenth of it.” – Spurgeon

Marlorat, Augustin –A Catholic and Ecclesiastical Exposition of the Holy Gospel after St. John, gathered out of all the singular and approved divines (which the Lord has given unto his Church)  1575

Marlorat (1506-1562) was reformed.  His commentaries are particularly valuable as they are compendiums of block quotes from some of the best reformed divines of his day on the passages of that particular Biblical book.  See here for an excerpt from this work.

On his commentary on Matthew: ** – “Marlorate was an eminent French reformer, preacher and martyr.  His commentaries contain the cream of the older writers, and are in much esteem, but are very rare.  He wrote on the whole New Testament, but we have in English only the Gospels [2-3 John] and Jude [and Revelation 1 & 13].” – Spurgeon

Lightfoot, John – Commentary on John from the Talmud and Hebraica

Lightfoot was a mid-1600’s reformed divine who was invited to the Westminster Assembly.  He mined the Jewish writings for anything and everything that may be of help in understanding the New Testament.  Here are his results.  This is the only work of its kind in English; the scholarly, more complete work (vol. 1, Mt; vol. 2, Mk-Jn) that has improved, in some ways, upon Lightfoot, done in the early 1900’s by H. Strack and P. Billerbeck, has still not been translated out of the German.  

If one is interested in seeing the results of the use of the Jewish writings in relation to the gospel accounts, see Edersheim’s Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, who thoroughly makes use of them from his encyclopedic knowledge of the Jewish writings from his orthodox Jewish upbringing his life’s work as a scholar.

Hutcheson, George – An Exposition of John  Buy  1657

*** – ‘Excellent; beyond all praise.  It is a full-stored treasury of sound theology, holy thought, and marrowy doctrine.’ – Spurgeon

“Vast in scope, rich in background information, and warm in devotional emphasis. May well be described as a pastor’s commentary on this Gospel.” – Cyril J. Barber

.

.

John 1-17

Luther, Martin 

Works  Buy

Vol. 22: Sermons on the Gospel of St. John – Chapters 1-4
Vol. 23: Sermons on the Gospel of St. John – Chapters 6-8
Vol. 24: Sermons on the Gospel of St. John – Chapters 14-16

.

.

John 1

Arrowsmith, John – Theanthropos, or, God-Man: being an exposition upon the first eighteen verses of the first chapter of the Gospel according to St. John. Wherein, is most accurately and divinely handled, the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ; proving Him to be God and man, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father: to the confutation of several heresies both ancient and modern  1660

.

.

John 2-4

Dyke, Daniel – Six Evangelical Histories of water turned into wine, the Temple’s purgation, Christ & Nichodemus, John’s last testimony, Christ, and the woman of Samaria, the ruler’s son’s healing, contained in the 2nd, 3rd & 4th Chapters of St. John’s Gospel: Opened & Handled…  (London, 1617)

.

.

John 4

Hildersham, Arthur – 108 Lectures upon John 4  1632

***  “A mass of godly teaching; but rather heavy reading.”

.

.

John 5

Gouge, William – An Exposition on the whole Fifth Chapter of John’s Gospel, also notes on other choice places of Scripture  1630, the other notes of scripture exposited are: John 3:29-34; Mark 1:25-2:14; Luke 3:19-20; James 4:7; Gen. 2:9,23; Ex. 12:8,11,14-16; Ps. 30:2; Eph. 5:22-33; 6:4-15

.

.

John 6

Brenz, Johannes – A Very Fruitful Exposition upon the Sixth Chapter of St. John divided into 10 Homilies, or Sermons  1550

Clagett, William – A Paraphrase with Notes, and a Preface upon the Sixth Chapter of St. John: showing that there is neither good reason, nor sufficient authority, to suppose that the Eucharist is discoursed of in that chapter, much less to infer the doctrine of transubstantiation from it  d. 1688

Clagett (1646-1688) was an Anglican.

.

.

John 14-16

Goodwin, Thomas – The Work of the Holy Ghost in our Salvation, Book 1, ch. 1, Some General Observations Premised out of Jn. 14-16  in Works, vol. 6

.

.

John 14-21

Rollock, Robert

25 Sermons upon the Last Sermon and Conference of our Lord Jesus Christ with his Disciples Immediately before his Passion, contained in the 14th, 15th, and 16th chapters of the Gospel of St. John, as also upon that most excellent prayer, contained in the 17th Chapter  d. 1599

Lectures on the Passion, Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ from John 18-21, containing a perfect harmony of all the four Evangelists for the better understanding of all the circumstances of the Lord’s death and Resurrection  d. 1599

.

.

John 17

Rollock, Robert – 25 Sermons upon the Last Sermon and Conference of our Lord Jesus Christ with his Disciples Immediately before his Passion, contained in the 14th, 15th, and 16th chapters of the Gospel of St. John, as also upon that most excellent prayer, contained in the 17th Chapter  d. 1599

Willet, Andrew – The Treasure of the Church consisting of the Perpetual Intercession and most holy prayer of Christ, set forth in John 17, which in this treatise is plainly interpreted, with necessary doctrines enlarged and fit applications enforced  1604

Willet (1562–1621)

Burgess, Anthony – 145 Expository Sermons upon John 17, or, Christ’s Prayer Before his Passion Explicated, and Both Practically and Polemically Improved  1656

***  “A Standard work by a great Puritan.  Somewhat prolix.” – Spurgeon

Hooker, Thomas – A Comment upon Christ’s Last Prayer in the Seventeenth of John, wherein is Opened the Union Believer’s have with God & Christ, and the Glorious Privileges Thereof  (London, 1656)

Manton, Thomas – 45 Sermons on John 17  d. 1677

“A deep, rich and full exposition by a Puritan divine.” – Cyril J. Barber

Newton, George – An Exposition with Notes, Unfolded and Applied on John 17, delivered in Sermons preached weekly on the Lord’s-Day, to the Congregation in Taunton Magdalene  Buy

Newton (1602–1681)

***  “If not one of the chief of the Puritans, Newton was but little behind the front rank in ability.  Joseph Alleine was his assistant minister at Taunton.  His writings are plain and profitable.” – Spurgeon

.

.

Acts

1500’s

Gwalther, Rudolph – A 175 Homilies or Sermons upon Acts  1572

Gwalther was reformed and was the successor to Heinrich Bullinger in Zurich, Switzerland.

**  “Full of Protestantism.  The author judged that, as Luke who wrote the Acts, was a physician, his book was meant to be medicine to the Church.” – Spurgeon

.

1600s

Lightfoot, John – Hebrew and Talmudical Exercitations upon the Acts of the Apostles  mid-1600’s

Lightfoot was a reformed divine and Hebraicist who was invited to the Westminster Assembly.  He mined the Jewish writings for anything and everything that may be of help in understanding the New Testament.  Here are his results. 

This is the only work of its kind in English; the scholarly, more complete work (vol. 1, Mt; vol. 2, Mk-Jn) that has improved, in some ways, upon Lightfoot, done in the early 1900’s by H. Strack and P. Billerbeck, has still not been translated out of the German.  

*  “Few now-a-days will care for this author, whose learning ran mostly in Talmudical channels.  He was profound, but not always discreet.” – Spurgeon

Du Veil, Charles-Marie – A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles  (London, 1685)  EEBO

Du Veil (1630-1685) was Reformed.

**  “Claude’s prefatory lettter highly commends this work.  The author defends the immersion of believers with earnestness.” – Spurgeon

“Reprinted from the first edition which appeared in 1685. Lengthy exposition by a man whose theological pilgrimage took him from Judaism to Roman Catholicism, to Anglicanism and finally to the Baptists. Supports all the cardinal doctrines of the faith. Argues for immersion.” – Cyril J. Barber

Pearson, John – Five Lectures on the Acts of the Apostles and Annals of St. Paul  The first half of the book covers Acts 2-9, the second half on the annals of St. Paul, covers much of the rest of the book.

Pearson (1613-1686) was an Anglican, known for his commentary on the Apostles’ Creed.

Cradock, Samuel – The Apostolical History, containing the Acts, Labors, Travels, Sermons, Discourses, Miracles, Successes and Sufferings of the Holy Apostles, from Christ’s Ascension, to the Destruction of Jerusalem, by Titus…  d. 1706 

Cradock was a reformed puritan.

“Tillotson, Reynolds, Doddridge, and others highly commended the works of this Puritan writer.  The style in which the ‘Apostolical History’ is got up is most uninviting; the book is nearly all italics.  Many modern works far excel it.” – Spurgeon

.

.

Chapters in Acts

Calvin, John

Sermons on the Acts of the Apostles: Chs. 1-7  Buy

Diverse Sermons of Master John Calvin, concerning the Divinity, Humanity, and Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, as also touching his Passion, Death, Resurrection, Ascension: together with the Coming Down of the Holy Ghost upon his Apostles: and the first Sermon of St. Peter  (London, 1581)

Sermons on the Ascension

Sermons on Pentecost

Lightfoot, John – A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, chs. 1-12 in Works, vol. 8, pp. 1-295  Reformed

**  “Few now-a-days will care for this author, whose learning ran mostly in Talmudical channels.  He was profound, but not always discreet.” – Spurgeon

Tye, Christopher – The Acts of the Apostles [chs. 1-14], translated into English meter… for all Christians that cannot sing, to read the good and Godly stories of the lives of Christ’s Apostles  1553

.

.

.

Related Pages