The Westminster Assembly is widely known for its doctrinal standards and debates on church polity. But how often is the assembly noted for its extraordinary intervention in the pulpit ministry of the Church of England? In God's Ambassadors, Chad Van Dixhoorn recounts the Puritan quest for a reformation in preachers and preaching and how the Westminster Assembly fit into that movement. He examines the assembly's reform efforts, tracing debates and exploring key documents about preaching in a way that both highlights disagreements within the assembly's ranks and showcases their collective plan for the church going forward. Moreover, Van Dixhoorn reveals the rationale behind the assembly's writings and reforms, both in terms of biblical exegesis and practical theology. Unlike any other book, God's Ambassadors draws attention to the lengths to which the Westminster Assembly would go in promoting godly preachers and improved preaching.

Table of Contents:
Preface and Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Note on Sources
Part I: Blind Guides and Scandalous Ministers
1. The Call to Reform
2. The Road to Reform
3. The Challenge of Reform
Part II: A Reforming Assembly
4. Purifying Pulpits
5. The Pastor's Office
6. Ordaining Preachers
7. Directions for Preaching
Part III: In Theory
On Preachers: Godly, Trained, and Ordained
On Preaching: The Word of God as the Ordinary Means of Grace
On Preaching: Audible and Visible Words
On Preaching: Christ-Centered Sermons
On Preaching: Christ-Centered Exegesis
On Study and Style: 'The Spirit's Working'
Conclusions
Epilogue
Appendix A: Duties of a Minister [extract from Doc 19]
Appendix B: Directory for Ordination
Appendix C: Directory for Preaching
Bibliographies
1. Manuscript
2. Pre-1700 Printed Sources
3. Post-1700 Printed Sources and Edition

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