When James Nichol included the
sermons
of the Suffolk Puritan Samuel Ward
(1577-1639) among the first of his
reprints of Puritan writers, he was
introducing a virtually unknown name to
the Christian world of the 1860s. But
he had the enthusiastic support of
another Suffolk minister and 'thorough
lover of Puritan theology', J.C. Ryle,
who wrote the biographical memoir of
Ward in this volume. 'Well would it be
for the churches', says Ryle, 'if we
had more preachers like him! The man
who preaches in the style of Ward will
never lack hearers . . . I hope that
men like him may be read and circulated
throughout the land.' 'Puritan
preaching at its best' (Evangelical
Times).