The faithful of all generations have found spiritual nourishment in the Scriptures and in the works of Christians of earlier generations. Martin Luther and John Calvin would not have become who they were apart from their reading Augustine. God used the writings of Martin Luther to move John Wesley from a religion of dead works to an experience at Aldersgate in which his "heart was strangely warmed."

Shepherd’s Notes: Christian Classics Series is designed to give readers a quick, step-by-step overview of some of the enduring treasures of the Christian faith. They are designed to be used alongside the classic itself – either in individual study or in a study group. Shepherd's Notes will give pastors, laypersons, and students quick, concise, and easy-to-understand access to many treasured classic writings of Christian faith.