The Reformed Pastor

by Richard Baxter

Overview

Despite the title, this book is equally informative to those in the pulpit and those in the pew. It was penned when Baxter was unable to attend a meeting of ministers, so he wrote this to them. It covers what it means to take heed to ourselves, to the flock, to spiritual things, to church discipline. He prays for unity and peace in the churches, for greater vigor on the part of everyone in expressing our life in Christ. He proves the importance of family worship and catechism, hope in and expectation of success in all our Christian endeavors, due to the mediatorship of Christ and the indwelling guidance of the Spirit.

In this book one discovers the heart of the man. For Baxter was both earnest and insistent upon discovering to a person their spiritual state. He would ask, "Can you truly say that all the known sins of your past life are the grief of your heart,... that you have cast your soul upon Christ alone for the pardon of your sins by His blood? Can you truly say that your heart has turned away from your former sins [so that] you now hate the sins you formerly loved. Can you truly say that you have taken the everlasting enjoyment of God for all your happiness [so that] it has all of your heart, of your love, of your desire and care? ... Do you daily and principally seek to please God?

If these questions did not convince him that the person was converted, then he must be made to know how far he fails to measure up to being a Christian. Make him to know how he has despised God. For His view was, "you must get to his heart, or else you have done nothing"

He applied this method of catechizing families in his Kidderminster parish, insisting on heads of families learn, then teach their children. There resulted multitudes of conversions during his 14 years there.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781479239726
Publisher:	CreateSpace Publishing
Publication date:	09/01/2012
Pages:	182
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.39(d)

About the Author

Richard Baxter (1615-1691) was an English Puritan church leader, poet, hymn-writer, theologian, and controversialist. Dean Stanley called him "the chief of English Protestant Schoolmen". After some false starts, he made his reputation by his ministry at Kidderminster, and at around the same time began a long and prolific career as theological writer. After the Restoration he refused preferment, while retaining a non-separatist Presbyterian approach, and became one of the most influential leaders of the nonconformists, spending time in prison.

Table of Contents

	Publisher's Preface	vii
	Brief Account of Baxter's Life, A	viii
	Baxter's Preface	ix
	To the People in the Churches	xviii
	The Reformed Pastor	1
	What is it to Take Heed to Ourselves?	2
	What it is to Take Heed to the Flock	11
	Ministerial Work is Concerned with Spiritual Things	12
	A Suggested Address to the Church in a Case of Discipline	23
	What to Do if the Disciplined One Shows Remorse	24
	Those Who Remain Impenitent Must Be Rejected	25
	A Plea for Church-Discipline as a Means to Keep Churches Pure	25
	How the Work of a Pastor Should be Performed	28
	The Need for Unity and Communion Among Pastors	33
	A Pastor's Humility Evidenced by His Free Confession of Sin	35
	The Sin of Undervaluing Unity and Peace in the Church	41
	Most Ministers Are Negligent of Their Studies	44
	Ministers Do Not Do Their Work With Vigor	45
	Worldliness and Selfish Interests Are Too Much Among Us	46
	Our Relationship to the Flock Should Quicken Us	51
	Our Relationship to Christ Should Encourage Us	53
	Be Careful That Your Graces Are Lively	59
	Keep Up Your Earnest Desires and Expectations of Success	61
	Do Not Neglect the Execution of Discipline Any Longer	65
	The Reasons for Private, Personal Family Instruction	67
	The Difficulties of the Work Encourage Us To Do It	75
	Directions As to How to Apply Yourself to This Work	78
	Answers to Objections That May Be Raised Against This Work	81
	Direction for the Proper Management of This Work	88
	Once They Have Agreed to Come, How Shall You Deal With It	90
	Summation of Christianity for Unlearned Hearers	92
	How to Deal With Certain Types of Persons	97
	How to Deal With Schismatics	98
	What About the Lukewarm and Unsteady Christian?	101