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).