Rating: 
Summary: Not Just Another Book on Prayer
Review: If you believe the Puritans were mindless, backward, fundamentalist then you have never read The Valley of Vision. This book illustrates the truth that the Puritans were theologians, passionate about Jesus and His kingdom, and sought God with all their hearts (Jeremiah 29:13). Arthur Bennett has done a marvelous job of going through thousands of Puritan prayers (the Puritans were noted for writing their prayers in their journals) and giving us a book that has Puritans prayers divided by separate headings. I love to read these prayers as I get ready for bed. The English language is beautiful from the pages of these Puritan saints. I long simply to pray with the hunger and desire that they prayed (Luke 11:1; 18:1; Colossians 4:2).
Rating:
Summary: Not Just Another Book on Prayer
Review: If you believe the Puritans were mindless, backward, fundamentalist then you have never read The Valley of Vision. This book illustrates the truth that the Puritans were theologians, passionate about Jesus and His kingdom, and sought God with all their hearts (Jeremiah 29:13). Arthur Bennett has done a marvelous job of going through thousands of Puritan prayers (the Puritans were noted for writing their prayers in their journals) and giving us a book that has Puritans prayers divided by separate headings. I love to read these prayers as I get ready for bed. The English language is beautiful from the pages of these Puritan saints. I long simply to pray with the hunger and desire that they prayed (Luke 11:1; 18:1; Colossians 4:2).
Rating:
Summary: Meditations of My Heart
Review: Someone gave me this book years ago and I now kick myself for letting in languish. Another friend recently gave me the leather edition and I committed to adding a daily reading to my devotional time. What a blessing! In the crush of today's "press" of activities where nearly all of us find ourselves, these prayers truly restore the soul and put the focus squarely back where it should be. What magnificent joy to be reminded of our awesome God in words and tone that honor Him. I echo the wish that Bennett had identified the writer of each prayer--but perhaps, as also noted, it would indeed distract from the clear intent to draw attention solely to our God. How much do I like The Valley of Vision? It will be our corporate gift to about 350 friends and family this next Christmas ... what better way to launch a new year than with this "simply" beautiful work in hand. But don't YOU wait that long!
Rating:
Summary: Meditations of My Heart
Review: Someone gave me this book years ago and I now kick myself for letting in languish. Another friend recently gave me the leather edition and I committed to adding a daily reading to my devotional time. What a blessing! In the crush of today's "press" of activities where nearly all of us find ourselves, these prayers truly restore the soul and put the focus squarely back where it should be. What magnificent joy to be reminded of our awesome God in words and tone that honor Him. I echo the wish that Bennett had identified the writer of each prayer--but perhaps, as also noted, it would indeed distract from the clear intent to draw attention solely to our God. How much do I like The Valley of Vision? It will be our corporate gift to about 350 friends and family this next Christmas ... what better way to launch a new year than with this "simply" beautiful work in hand. But don't YOU wait that long!
Rating: 
Summary: Puritanism brings dealth
Review: The Puritans were probably the most spiritually and emotionally abusive people in Church history. Most of the people interested in reading this book are probably Reformed (or Calvinistic) in their belief system and so this review will most likely fall on deaf ears, but take my word on this: Reformed theology, especially Puritanism of any brand, is devastating to any spiritual life. All the "holiness" and "love" is exterior in nature and leaves the soul barren, cold, intolerant, and abusive to anything other than its own narrow view of life. I know. I used to be a Puritan of puritans, zealously devoted to the "Reformed Faith" and the Puritanical life and interpretation of the bible. It nearly sucked all the life out of me. Puritan people are not joyous people. They only find joy in their completely restricted views of life and small bands of like-minded friends (who themselves are, generally speaking, intolerant, cold, and unhappy). They can't see the misery that they are in and the only real joy that they have is their own style of misery. I've experienced this first hand for many years and know many who are still bound in their happy misery. Please don't scoff. I know that you are, but please don't. Because if you do you are already in that place and have probably willfully locked yourself in that little spiritual cage and threw away the keys. This is what Puritanism does. It changes you or keeps you cold, hungry, and (generally speaking) bitter. Certainly there are those who are rare birds that are incredibly resilient to the deadening effects of Puritanism but even these people are not unaffected by it. I escaped. It looks incredibly appealing for those hungry for truth and seeking to honor God in the highest way possible. This book makes it very appealing, but it is actually a sugar-coated drug that changes your identity as a person, it makes you addicted to itself, and generally makes you incapable of unconditional love. Puritanism is the opposite of who Christ is and was while here on this earth. The closest analogy of Puritanism in the bible are the pharisees. If you want the best perspective on Puritanism and most of the "Reformed Faith" read every instance of Christ addressing the Pharisees and Lawyers. Puritans are utterly concerned with the Law and appearances (they are incapable of truly seeing the heart even though they talk a lot about the heart) and are identical examples of the Scribes, Pharisees, and Lawyers of Jesus' day.
Now, I say all this after having been a member of both Reformed Presbyterian and Reformed Baptist Churches (both Confessional). I have read hundreds of Puritan works and all the most respected Reformed and Puritan literature. I was a reformed arm-chair theologian, a self-made scholar, and was a zealot, devoted to the Reformed Faith and Puritanism as any man ever was. It almost killed me. God mercifully delivered me from my self-imposed cage and brought life and love back to my heart.
Read "The Reformers and Their Stepchildren" (though I am not a baptist any longer it does well in revealing Puritanism) by Leonard Verduin. But even better I would recommend reading "The Book Your Church Doesn't Want You to Read" by Tim C. Leedom and "The Dark Side of Christian History" by Helen Ellerbe. They will give you a good and balanced perspective of Puritanism.
So if you value your heart and cherish what you put into your mind, stay way from all Puritanical writings and Reformed theology in general. Read "The Inescapable Love of God" by Thomas Talbott (ISBN: 1581128312) one of the greatest and spiritually healthy books ever written.
Rating:
Summary: A book that every Christian should own!
Review: The Valley of Vision, by Arthur Bennett is a collection of Puritan prayers compiled and listed by topic. With subjects such as the Trinity, penitence and deprecation, approach to God, and Gifts of grace (to name a few), The Valley of Vision gives us insight into the humble piety of the Puritan prayer life. It also shares with us our need for this reverence for God and the importance of true communion with Him through prayer. The first prayer summarizes the purpose of this book with the following words, "Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision, where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights..." The main theme of the book is to show Christians that we are first brought to the valley in order that we may see above the mountaintops. This book is a must have for every Christian. It can be used as a daily devotional as well as a guide for our own prayers. Deeply moving and overflowing with the reflections of God's immeasurable grace, Valley of Vision will touch every home and press every heart towards a closer walk with the Lord.
Rating:
Summary: No mindless mantras here . . . only food for the soul
Review: There are no mindless mantras here, only food for the hungry soul. What a service the editor has done in compiling together these beauty-filled, theologically-rooted, passionate, Puritan prayers for our use today! In an age where prayer is all too often treated with flippancy, rather than reverence and as a means to get things rather than as a channel for communion with God, this is a refreshing book. As with most of the Puritan writings, this book will nourish your inner man. It would be a wonderful gift for your spiritually minded friends.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is truly uplifting to the soul!
Review: This book is a collection of puritan prayers and devotions. This book has been written not to "supply you with prayers but to prompt and encourage the Christian as he treads the path on which others have travelled previously. These prayers are truly accurate it putting together the thoughts and feelings of all Christians, "I cant pray this well" and will leave you with true contentment from above. This book is a must to add to your Christian library or just to leave next to your bible like me. Joe Callon
Rating:
Summary: A right view of God's awesomeness and man's weakness..
Review: This book will change your perspective on God's (and man's) true position in the Christian life. These people had the right idea on honoring God, and confessing sin. If you cherish a relationship with God and yet have a hard time finding the right words to say when asking forgiveness (or worshiping), this book will help "guide" you along the way, but it should not to take the place of scripture reading.
Rating:
Summary: "A VISION OF GOD"
Review: This collection of prayers by some of the Puritan fathers is one of the best sources for devotional reading, introspection, and meditation. The prayers of these men attempt to express the inexpressible greatness of God, while confessing their own utter
depravity. But these prayers really go far beyond this: they serve as a personal challenge to expand and elevate one's estimation of God, which can never be too high.
A friend recently gave me a copy as a gift. After reading a few of these prayers, I, too, gave some out as gifts. Is there anything greater than knowing God? Yes! and that is to know even more of His incomprehensible greatness. Let these prayers push you to a higher realm in your personal relationship with Him.
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