A “phoenix of women”: Puritan spirituality in the letters of Brilliana Harley

Endorsements:

Brilliana Harley was a remarkably brilliant Puritan woman. Of her four hundred surviving letters, Dr. Haykin has selected thirty-eight which display her sincere love for Christ, her experiential knowledge of his sweetness and her deep desire to live all of life for his glory. In each letter, we find Puritan piety in practice through the example of a wife and mother living amid the trials of sickness, civil war, pregnancy, miscarriage, military sieges, the sorrows of missing a son away at university and the grief of writing (with no response) to a physically and emotionally absent husband while caring for a number of young children. The life and letters of this Puritan woman show that true theology is for real life and real life is about true theology.
--Joel R. Beeke, Chancellor and professor of homiletics & systematic theology, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Brilliana Harley has been praised for her bravery in defending her family's home and properties in her husband's absence during the English Civil Wars and for her undying devotion to her children, particularly expressed in her letters to her oldest son Ned. But there hasn't been until now a single, thorough study on her life and thought. Michael Haykin has remedied this lack. An experienced historian and engaging storyteller, he eschews hagiography to reveal the fascinating complexity of Brilliana's life and times. A seasoned believer, he highlights the vibrant, experiential faith that permeates Brilliana's writings and gently points the reader to the source of her joy, comfort and strength.
--Simonetta Carr, Author of several books, including Questions Women Asked: Historical Issues, Timeless Answers