"Ryken's Worldly Saints offers a fine introduction to seventeenth-century Puritanism in its English and American contexts. The work is rich in quotations from Puritan worthies and is ideally suited to general readers who have not delved widely into Puritan literature. It will also be a source of information and inspiration to those who seek a clearer understanding of the Puritan roots of American Christianity." -Harry Stout, Yale University "...the typical Puritans were not wild men, fierce and freaky, religious fanatics and social extremists, but sober, conscientious, and cultured citizens, persons of principle, determined and disciplined excelling in the domestic virtues, and with no obvious shortcomings save a tendency to run to words when saying anything important, whether to God or to a man. At last the record has been put straight." -J.I. Packer, Regent College "Worldly Saints provides a revealing treasury of primary and secondary evidence for understanding the Puritans, who they were, what they believed, and how they acted. This is a book of value and interest for scholars and students, clergy and laity alike." -Roland Mushat Frye, University of Pennsylvania "A very persuasive...most interesting book...stuffed with quotations from Puritan sources, almost to the point of making it a mini-anthology." -Publishers Weekly "With Worldly Saints, Christians of all persuasions have a tool that provides ready access to the vast treasures of Puritan thought." -Christianity Today "Ryken writes with a vigor and enthusiasm that makes delightful reading-never a dull moment." -Fides et Historia "Worldly Saints provides a valuable picture of Puritan life and values. It should be useful for general readers as well as for students of history and literature." -Christianity and Literature

Excerpt from The History of Guilford, Connecticut Among the manuscripts left by the late Ralph D. Smith Esq., who had devoted his leisure hours during the last forty years of his life to the study of historical and genealogical subjects, was found an outline sketch of the history of Guilford, written some thirty years ago and doubtless laid aside with the hope of resuming his labors upon it when more abundant materials should have been collected for the purpose. The history of the early settlers of the town was a favorite subject of study. Although not a native, he showed an attachment to it fully equal to that ever shown by any one to the place of his birth. He was thoroughly acquainted with its records and keenly alive to everything that would add to its reputation. Had this historical sketch been filled up and completed by his own hands, it would have undoubtedly compared favorably, in accuracy and completeness, with the history of any town heretofore written. Still it seemed proper to save what he had prepared, even in its incomplete form, as something of great value to the student of local history, and as a foundation upon which future laborers might build a more complete and exhaustive history. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.