Sermons of the Great EjectionBanner of Truth, 275 pages, £6.25ISBN: 978-1-84871-152-5Star Rating : 4 This ‘puritan paperback’ contains sermons of men ejected from the Anglican Church in the time of Charles II. They were ejected because they refused to conform to the Act of Uniformity, which required them to adopt the Prayer Book turning their backs on their Puritan principles. These sermons are exhortations to the churches they were forced to leave behind. Two thousand Puritan ministers left their positions as Church of England clergy. The deadline for conforming to the Act was St Bartholomew’s Day. This date became known as ‘Black Bartholomew’s Day’ among dissenters, a reference to it occurring on the same day as the St Bartholomew’s Day massacre of the Huguenots, in France in 1572. There are seven men featured in this little book. Most of them, like Thomas Watson, will be well known to readers of Puritan works. The sermons give an indication of how thorough they were in their exhortations to their flocks. There are some memorable statements like ‘He that loves the Word above his life will let life go rather than the Word’ and ‘Oh, Lord! If thou wilt but overcome the love and fear of the world, if thou wilt but arm us against the smiles of the world, we shall stand steadfast’. The sermons are not an easy read in these times when most of us find many a sermon too long! However, for anyone who wants a glimpse into the godliness of these men, then this is the book to provide it. I found I had to concentrate hard at times!Peter Culver Bath
Sermons on the Great Ejection
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