In this episode of the Author Talks Podcast I interview Brian Cosby about his book Suffering and Sovereignty: John Flavel and the Puritans on Afflictive Providence (Reformation Heritage Books, 2012).
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About the Book:
John Flavel wrote extensively on the subject of human suffering and how it relates to divine sovereignty. He himself experienced great suffering through the deaths of three wives and a son and continual persecution from state officials. Because many of his writings deal directly with the theme of suffering and because of his own experience with it, Flavel is a significant resource for understanding a Puritan theology of human suffering and divine sovereignty.
In this book, Brian H. Cosby examines Flavel’s teachings on suffering and how that theology translated into practical application for suffering believers. Serious consideration is given to issues related to the origin and nature of suffering, how it relates to divine sovereignty, God’s purpose for it, how people were encouraged to respond to it, and the benefits of comfort and consolation such understandings produce in believers. Cosby ably gathers these elements together so as to present a Puritan theology of suffering drawn from Flavel’s writings.
About the Author:
Brian H. Cosby is pastor of Wayside Presbyterian Church (PCA) on Signal Mountain, Tennessee and adjunct professor of church history at Metro Atlanta Seminary. He is the author of several books and regularly contributes to various journals and magazines. You can learn more about Brian on his Amazon author page and at waysidechurch.org.
Books by Brian Cosby:
Other Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
- The Devoted Life: An Invitation to the Puritan Classics by Kelly M. Kapic & Randall C. Gleason
- Suffering Well: The Predictable Surprise of Christian Suffering by Paul Grimmond
- The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes
- A Divine Cordial by Thomas Watson
- A Treatise on Afflictions: Correction, Instruction: or, The Rod and the Word by Thomas Case
- Divine Providence by Stephen Charnock
- Seasonable Counsel by John Bunyan
- The Mystery of Providence by John Flavel
- An Honest and Well-Experienced Heart: The Piety of John Flavel by Adam Embry
- Keeper of the Great Seal of Heaven: Sealing of the Spirit in the Life and Thought of John Flavel by Adam Embry
- The Inner Sanctum of Puritan Piety by J. Stephen Yuille
- Works of John Flavel (6 Vol. Set)
- A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life by Joel R. Beeke & Mark Jones
- Puritan Portraits by J. I. Packer
- Meet the Puritans by Joel R. Beeke & Randall J. Pederson
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3 users responded in this post
Great talk about an important topic! Flavel’s pure gold.
Thanks Adam. Flavel was completely foreign to me until I talked to Brian about Rebels Rescued a few months back. He mentioned his forthcoming book on Flavel, which led to another interview.
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