Upcoming Puritan Sets from RHB - Thoughts?

[Deleted member 13126]

I am honestly surprised that the Spurgeon set will be facsimile, since it has been converted into contemporary text so many places online. I think I can name no less than 3 places where the entire set has been edited and put online. Not to say a physical set isnt warranted, only that updating the type-set should have been pretty easy. But they are taking a risk with it, I give it to them. Owning the complete set is going to be akin to people purchasing the entire WBC or NICOT/NT, which is going to be very few.

I agree. This will probably cost thousands upon thousands of dollars. I was discussing the cost of a potential reprint just this year with a gentleman from Solid Ground Books out of Port St. Lucie and he estimated that it would cost at least $3,000. If I didn’t have access to the content digitally and if it were considerably cheaper I might be able to justify it.

 

[davejonescue]

I agree. This will probably cost thousands upon thousands of dollars. I was discussing the cost of a potential reprint just this year with a gentleman from Solid Ground Books out of Port St. Lucie and he estimated that it would cost at least $3,000. If I didn’t have access to the content digitally and if it were considerably cheaper I might be able to justify it.

It is hard to fault RHB though. They are a non-profit entity, so it is not like they are all rolling in the dough from these sets. I think they take some of their proceeds and do missionary work, and they also offer their books usually lower than all other places. Its just that Christian bibliophilism exists, and for some Christians, buying books is akin to buying crack; and the high is the glory of having them proudly displayed on ones bookshelf. That is another reason I am so keen on just getting the "majors" in Logos. I caught the Puritan Ultimate one time on sale for $175. This included the completes of Baxter, Sibbes, Manton, Owens, Charnock, Boston, Bunyan, Flavel, Brooks, Traille, and Howe. Then I picked up the works of other Puritans separately. I think I caught Spurgeons sermons for sale for $80. And last RHB sale I picked up Perkins 10 vols. for $50; which I might have to buy in Logos again just for the sake of scripture pop-ups, though RHB offering them at such a great price was a treasure in itself. But for me it is trying to make my dollars go further; apart from the greater functionality of Logos books. For the price of 2 of these upcoming physical sets, I was able to get more Puritan literature than I can ever read; and as such, I really have no business buying more sets until I have made good use of the ones I already have; even for the sake of novelty. But there is always that tug to get what you dont have, to not feel "left out." I am almost 42 and kind of at the close of my book buying. I have about 3 or 4 more payments left on the NICOT/NT, a few on the WBC I was able to pick up at $400; then I may splurge on Augustines and Luthers works, and a couple more Systematics I dont own. Then its a wrap for my book buying. I will have plenty of Puritans, plenty of Commentaries, plenty of Original Language resources, and the list can go on. Which I dont think such a collection is bad for a layman; have been blessed with much more than I need. Then I just move on and start enjoying the literature.

But for me the physical book thing doesnt make sense anymore. Just being able to touch a scripture link and it pop-up while reading justifies digital in my thinking. It makes the reading experience holistic in that you dont have to stop and look up individual scripture instances. And with tablets being the way they are, I can lounge in my favorite chair and enjoy the process.

 

[PapaGottlieb]

Agreed. I already own far too many Puritan works, most of which I have not read. Buying sets without reading the books is poor stewardship, in my honest opinion. That being said, this only encourages me to read more valiantly and efficiently, since I would love to purchase and read everything here that RHB is planning on printing. I've got a lot of work set out for me!

Setting ourselves to the goal is important (and resetting after each failure).

In our congregation, small as it is in toto, exists an even smaller group of men who encourage each other in reading. This includes texting during the week as well as discussing it during fellowship. So, I know this one brother is working on Krummacher's Elijah the Tishbite now, and this other is in Sibbes, while I labor in Pink. And, of course, we're all working through scripture continually. This is a blessing of being in the body of Christ.

 

[Therren]

RHB recently announced what they intend to reprint over the next 10 years. Included is the works of:

• Anthony Burgess
• Samuel Rutherford
• William Bates
• Edward Reynolds
• Thomas Watson
• John Cotton
• Matthew Henry

As well as:

• Jonathan Edwards' New Testament Commentary
• The Practical Works of Richard Baxter
• The 63 volume set of Charles Spurgeon's sermons
• Morning & Evening Exercises by William Jay

This is a very exciting announcement! What do you all think of this?


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I heard word from a previous post they were also going to release hildersam’ works. That was 4 years ago. I don’t see him up here. Anyone have an update on that.

 

[chicagophil]

I'm excited about the Anthony Burgess set in particular. I would love it if Hildersam's works were edited, retyped, and printed. I have the volume on prayer, fasting, and humiliation for sin which is a dynamite little book. Based on that I found an online version of his sermons on John 4 that were hard to read because it used the old printing, so I stopped after a few sermons. But the ones I read were great.

 

[Brian Lee]

This is the first I have heard of the project on John Cotton's works which is very welcome.

It's astounding just how much there is here. I can't help but feel a little overwhelmed especially thinking that I'd like to read all of them let alone how one would afford and find space for them!

Just have to skip a few meals, is all.

 

[Theoretical]

Agreed. I already own far too many Puritan works, most of which I have not read. Buying sets without reading the books is poor stewardship, in my honest opinion. That being said, this only encourages me to read more valiantly and efficiently, since I would love to purchase and read everything here that RHB is planning on printing. I've got a lot of work set out for me!

One thing us bibliophiles should consider is knowing what we have even when we haven't yet gotten to it and may never get to it. Then, I believe it's worthwhile to consider having an open hand on whether someone we know can benefit from something we know we have when they bring up a given topic.

In the case of certain books that have been particularly valuable to me, I've been known to keep 2-3 copies so I can readily give them away for others they might be useful to. In the case of reference works, making your ownership of them known and that you're willing to have someone come over to look over it or borrow it (yes there's a very real risk there) is a way to make it "owned space" in your church and broader Christian circles in your physical area.

It can be poor stewardship or it can be having resources at your AND others' fingertips. Nassim Taleb is an interesting figure, not a Christian but with some solid wisdom, and he talks about what he calls an antilibrary - that is of books that have not been read. Ideally, I would say that there should be intentionality to read and at least be aware of what one has (so organization becomes valuable), but the books that haven't been read can also be goals and could be books someone else is called to read and wouldn't ever know about it but for you.

Being a dragon is a bad idea, but having a repository for the sake of yourself, your family, and those around you can be quite useful. I think the principle apples with physical and electronic resources alike, with good and bad uses and misuses.

 

[frog]

Any updates on the release date for these volumes, particularly for Rutherford?

 

[PapaGottlieb]

It is hard to fault RHB though. They are a non-profit entity, so it is not like they are all rolling in the dough from these sets. I think they take some of their proceeds and do missionary work, and they also offer their books usually lower than all other places. Its just that Christian bibliophilism exists, and for some Christians, buying books is akin to buying crack; and the high is the glory of having them proudly displayed on ones bookshelf. That is another reason I am so keen on just getting the "majors" in Logos. I caught the Puritan Ultimate one time on sale for $175. This included the completes of Baxter, Sibbes, Manton, Owens, Charnock, Boston, Bunyan, Flavel, Brooks, Traille, and Howe. Then I picked up the works of other Puritans separately. I think I caught Spurgeons sermons for sale for $80. And last RHB sale I picked up Perkins 10 vols. for $50; which I might have to buy in Logos again just for the sake of scripture pop-ups, though RHB offering them at such a great price was a treasure in itself. But for me it is trying to make my dollars go further; apart from the greater functionality of Logos books. For the price of 2 of these upcoming physical sets, I was able to get more Puritan literature than I can ever read; and as such, I really have no business buying more sets until I have made good use of the ones I already have; even for the sake of novelty. But there is always that tug to get what you dont have, to not feel "left out." I am almost 42 and kind of at the close of my book buying. I have about 3 or 4 more payments left on the NICOT/NT, a few on the WBC I was able to pick up at $400; then I may splurge on Augustines and Luthers works, and a couple more Systematics I dont own. Then its a wrap for my book buying. I will have plenty of Puritans, plenty of Commentaries, plenty of Original Language resources, and the list can go on. Which I dont think such a collection is bad for a layman; have been blessed with much more than I need. Then I just move on and start enjoying the literature.

But for me the physical book thing doesnt make sense anymore. Just being able to touch a scripture link and it pop-up while reading justifies digital in my thinking. It makes the reading experience holistic in that you dont have to stop and look up individual scripture instances. And with tablets being the way they are, I can lounge in my favorite chair and enjoy the process.

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Hey, davejonescue:

I am 48 and, as you say, "kind of at the close of my book buying." I went the other way, though, and while giving away my excess (i.e., those books I will never read again or that I would never read the first time), I am clinging to the small cache that I have, most in physical form (except for the Spurgeon sermons, of course) and when they carry my body out, they can have my cache.

I wonder if forty-something is the time to lock in and prepare for the last days (of our lives

 

[davejonescue]

Hey, davejonescue:

I am 48 and, as you say, "kind of at the close of my book buying." I went the other way, though, and while giving away my excess (i.e., those books I will never read again or that I would never read the first time), I am clinging to the small cache that I have, most in physical form (except for the Spurgeon sermons, of course) and when they carry my body out, they can have my cache.

I wonder if forty-something is the time to lock in and prepare for the last days (of our lives

Maybe. I was fortunate enough to get all of the "classics" by that age, first in physical, then again in digital. Looking realistically at the depth of some of these titles, the amount to sit and read, and soak up what they are saying I just feel bad spending anymore money on them. Even in Logos, I already have the NICOT, and a few more payments left on the WBC, not counting the scores of other commentaries I have in there from the Legacy Libraries I purchased. But even in it I am close to being finished after about $7,000 over about 3 years; might only still get Augustines and Luthers works, PRD, etc. The funny thing is, now that we got Project Puritas done, I am really having more fun at the moment at the possibility of getting so many of these Puritan works back out there at no cost; after coming to the realization that "hey, maybe this is what I am called to do for this season," that I dont really have much time to read any of the books I have. I kind of have dedicated myself to do a, Lord willing, 6 year term with Monergism, to see how far I get, since this seems to be the biblical standard of a servant. After that, I may stop editing and focus more on reading. It does feel good though to have those titles on standby, so that if and when the time comes, I dont have to scurry to come up with finances.

 

[chicagophil]

In the flyer last year it said that the Rutherford set would start coming out this Spring. Any updated ETA? I don't really know that much about Rutherford but as I learn more about him I get more interested....

(Really waiting for Burgess)

 

[bookslover]

Currently semi-patiently waiting for the first tranche of Spurgeon sermons to be released. This spring, I believe.

 

[JeffR]

Will there be ebook editions of these like there was for Perkins etc? No worries for shelf space that way. But those are beautiful looking books!!