As eldest son and heir to a fortune, John Charles Ryle had a hopeful future in Britain’s Parliament until the day his father declared bankruptcy. In a single moment he was stripped of everything. Ryle was devastated.

And yet, had this not happened, J. C. Ryle would likely not have entered the clergy and become one of the most influential evangelical leaders of the nineteenth century. From his ministry Ryle went on to publish many important works and vigorously defend the purity of Reformed faith. Most significantly, Ryle’s personal tragedy led to a steadfast faithfulness and holiness in his life.

Presented here is a newly repackaged and republished edition of J. I. Packer’s brief biography of the life of J. C. Ryle alongside the great preacher’s classic work Holiness. Admiring Ryle’s passion for God’s Word, Packer aims to open up the life of this godly man for a contemporary audience. Readers new to Ryle’s work will especially benefit from a first encounter with his essay on holiness.