Skip to content

The Library

Forty Centuries of Christian Writing

1774 works catalogued century by century, from the literature the Bible was written among to the present — each with a note on what it is, why it lasted, and where to read it.

1501–1600

The Sixteenth Century

1 work

28 January 1573

Latin

The Warsaw Confederation

The Polish nobility

A sworn agreement among nobles of differing religions that they will not shed blood over faith, made a condition of every subsequent royal election.

Western · LawRead elsewhere

1601–1700

The Seventeenth Century

2 works

1612

English

A Short Declaration of the Mystery of Iniquity

Thomas Helwys · c. 1575–c. 1616

An argument that the king has no authority over conscience, and that heretics, Turks, Jews, and whomsoever ought not to be punished for their religion.

Baptist · TreatiseRead elsewhere

1644

English

Areopagitica

John Milton · 1608–1674

A speech to Parliament against licensing the press, arguing that truth needs no protection in a free and open encounter and that a good book is a precious lifeblood.

Reformed · PolemicRead elsewhere