Sacred Dissertations on the Lord's Prayer

by Herman Witius

This volume contains more than the title reveals. Prefaced to a 230-page exposition of the Lord's Prayer, Witsius devotes six chapters to the subject of prayer in general, which he calls the pulse of the renewed soul. His exposition on the Lord's Prayer is itself a masterpiece. In many instances, the questions grappled with receive greater scriptural and practical clarity from Witsius pen than from anything else written to date. Sound biblical exegesis and practical doctrinal substance, this book represents the cream of Reformed theology. Table of
On Prayer
On the Advantage and Necessity of Prayer
On the Preparation of the Mind for Right Prayer
On Gestures in Prayer
On Stated Hours of Prayer
On the Petitions which we ought to Present to Go
On the Address to our Heavenly Father
On Hallowing the Name of God
On the Coming of the Kingdom of God
On Doing the Will of God
On Daily Bread
On the Forgiveness of Debt
On Leading into Temptation
On the Conclusion of the Lord's Prayer

Genres: Theology

382 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Josh Anders · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is 2 books in 1 cover.
First one talks about prayer generally which was fine.
The second one is an exposition of the Lord’s Prayer which was an A+, so rich.

[Kevin Sheth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Herman Witsius' volume on the Lord's Prayer is an academic, yet accessible, exposition of the Lord's Prayer characteristic of the high orthodox period of Reformed scholasticism. But one should not assume that this is an academic treatise directed only towards the schoolmen. Instead, Witsius is a true pastor-scholar and his volume on the Lord's Prayer yields a rich theology full of practical and sound doctrine for both public and private use. One of the most impressive aspects of this work is the judicious appeals to the Early and Medieval Church Fathers, more frequent than any appeal to the Reformation Church Fathers. In this way, Witsius demonstrates his doctrine of prayer in general and his exposition of the Lord's Prayer to be wholly Christian, and not exclusive to a particular branch or sect of Christianity. It's also worth noting that Witsius' Reformed covenant theology allows him to explain and elaborate on the clear Jewish roots of the Lord's Prayer without succumbing to any view which might detract from the glory and honor due to Christ. Some readers may find difficulty with the liberal use of Greek and Hebrew, but Witsius' arguments can be grasped from the English text alone without a thorough understanding of the biblical languages. Witsius' careful and elaborate treatment of the Lord's Prayer is rich with the Gospel and useful for the whole of the Christian life.

[Seth Goodale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume was not too difficult of a read to be written by a Puritan, thankfully. I was quite surprised to see much of the orthodox faith contained in this work, and it has definitely reformed my times of prayer. It’s biblically reformed, so it’s simple and basic. It’s also orthodox, so it’s full of ancient wisdom. I hope to read through his Economy of the Covenants, and then his commentary on the Apostles Creed. If there is anyone looking for Puritanical and reformed writing, but also wanting orthodox wisdom, Witsius is the go-to guy.