| If we are allowed to have a "hero", someone that we look up to other than Jesus Christ Himself, then I would have to say that my hero is Charles Hadden Spurgeon. When God first called me into a deeper study of the Word so that I would be useful to my Master as a teacher and preacher, I also began to read the writings of the great men of the faith. I was drawn to Spurgeon from the beginning but chose not to quote or reference him in my public teaching. Everyone can quote Spurgeon, I thought. It makes you sound important if you can quote the "Prince of Preachers." Having no seminary training of my own, I was fearful of sounding pompous. Though I still don't want to sound pompous, I now quote him with familiarity, warmth, and pride. I've spent time delving into the life and theology of this one used so greatly by God. Having read several of his biographies, many of his sermons, and having been blessed by his commentary on the Psalms, I can say that he is truly my hero. |  |
What will you find on this page? The SPURGEON ARCHIVE has the largest and best selection of Spurgeon' writings and history available on the web. I certainly can't add to that, but what you will find here are my favorite sermons, quotes, and book recommendations from the "Prince of Preachers" and I hope that God will use his ministry to bless you as it has me. The list will grow over time as I read and study, so check back often. Now, go and read some Spurgeon!!
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10 Reasons why I like Spurgeon:
|
| 1)
Spurgeon, without a doubt, gave his entire life to the service of the
King. 2) Spurgeon was a Calvinist - he held strongly to the Doctrines of Grace. 3) Spurgeon had no formal theological training, but was one of the greatest theological minds in recent history. 4) Spurgeon could read 6 books of Puritan theology a week and remember what he read. 5) Spurgeon held to and defended the truths of Scripture, even against the liberal church of his day. 6) Spurgeon's philosophy of sermon preparation was that he "prepared the man, not the message." 7) Spurgeon was passionate about evangelism and preaching the gospel - a true mark of the Calvinist. 8) Spurgeon had a 12,000 volume library when he died and had probably read all of them! 9) Spurgeon had a sense of humor. 10) Spurgeon was a Baptist. |
| P.S. (11) Spurgeon enjoyed fine cigars! |
| Spurgeon
Quotes: |
| "The doctrine of justification itself, as preached by an Arminian, is nothing but the doctrine of salvation by works..." |
|
“The old
truth
that Calvin preached, that Augustine preached, that Paul preached, is
the truth
that I must preach to-day, or else be false
to my conscience and my God. I
cannot shape the truth; I know of no such thing as paring off the rough edges
of a doctrine. John Knox's gospel is my gospel. That which thundered
through |
|
"Free
will carried many a soul to hell, but never a soul to heaven."
|
| "I believe that nothing happens apart from divine determination and decree. We shall never be able to escape from the doctrine of divine predestination - the doctrine that God has foreordained certain people unto eternal life." |
| "We have come to a turning point in the road. If we turn to the right mayhap our children and our children's children will go that way; but if we turn to the left, generations yet unborn will curse our names for having been unfaithful to God and to His Word." |
Recommended Reading:
 Are You Sure You
Like Spurgeon? (Alan Maben)A Defense of
Calvinism (Spurgeon)Sermon#273 - The Blood of the
Eternal Covenant Sermon#3479
- All of Grace |
Recommended Biographies:
"The
Forgotten Spurgeon" by Iain Murray |
Spurgeon is remembered from many things...sometimes his evangelism, sometimes his Calvinism, and sometimes humor. But he is seldom remembered for the battles he waged for the orthodoxy of the church - his Lord's church. Rev. Murray traces three great controversies that Spurgeon faced during his ministry and three great fights that he faced in maintaining the "whole counsel" of God. They were the dilution of the Gospel by the London church, the debate over "Baptismal Regeneration" and the famous Downgrade controversy which saw him leave the Baptist union over their watering down of Biblical doctrine for the sake of Christian "unity." |
"Spurgeon
vs. Hyper-Calvinism" by Iain Murray |
Spurgeon was an evangelical - he preached the Gospel to all who would listen. Spurgeon was a Calvinist - he held to the Sovereignty of God in choosing an elect people who would be saved. Few men have been able to balance the two the way thy are presented in Holy Writ. The Hyper-Calvinists of his day saw no need to preach the Gospel to a lost and dying generation and instead holed up in their citadels of doctrinal correctness. Spurgeon had to follow Christ and the Apostles in preaching the Gospel to all men and, in doing so, faced attack from unlikely quarters. |
"Charles
H. Spurgeon - London's Most Popular Preacher" by W. Y. Fullerton |
Written by a contemporary and friend of Spurgeon, this biography gives us glimpses into the personal Spurgeon, his life, and ministry. A decent book for an overview of his life, but not complete by any means and it avoids the great theological battles for Truth that characterized Spurgeon's life. This book is out of print and can be purchased on the used market. You can also click HERE to read it on the web free of charge. |
What's on Gene's library shelves from the "Prince of Preachers"?
| "Spurgeon's Sermons" in 10 Volumes - Baker Books 1996 |
| "Lectures to My Students" - Zondervan 1969 |
| "Commenting & Commentaries" - Shelden & Company 1876 |
| "The Treasury of David" in 7 Volumes - Funk & Wagnalls Company 1892 |
| "Sermons in Stones" - Pilgrim Publications 1975 |
| "The Clue of the Maze" - Pilgrim Publications 1975 |
| "The Golden Alphabet - A Devotional Commentary on the 119th Psalm" - Pilgrim Publications |
| "Type & Emblems" - Pilgrim Publications (A Collection of Sermons) |
| "Sermons in Candles" - Pilgrim Publications (A Collection of Lectures) |
| "The Saint and His Savior" - Pilgrim Publications 1970 |
| "The Pastor in Prayer" - Pilgrim Publications (A Collection of Spurgeon's Prayers" |
| "The Art of Illustration" - Pilgrim Publications 1971 (Lectures to his students at the Pastor's College) |