The Reformed Pastor - Richard Baxter

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souls in the congregation are bound, for their own safety, to have personal recourse to him, for the resolving of their doubts, and for help against their sins, and for direction in duty, and for increase of knowledge and all saving grace; and that ministers are purposely settled in congregations to this end, to be still ready to advise and help the flock. If our people did but know their duty, they would readily come to us, when they are desired, to be instructed, and to give an account of their knowledge, faith, and life; and they would come of their own accord, without being sent for; and knock oftener at our doors; and call for advice and help for their souls; and ask, 'What shall we do to be saved?' Whereas now the matter is come to that sad pass, that they think a minister hath nothing to do with them: and if he admonish them, or if he call them to be catechized and instructed; or if he would take an account of their faith and profiting, they would ask him by what authority he doth these things? and think that he is a busy, pragmatical fellow, who loves to be meddling where he hath nothing to do; or a proud fellow, who would bear rule over their consciences; whereas they may as well ask, by what authority he preacheth, or prayeth, or giveth them the sacrament They consider not, that all our authority is but for our work; even a power to do our duty; and that our work is for them: so that it is but an authority to do them good. They talk not more wisely, than if they should quarrel with a man who would help to quench a fire in their houses, and ask him, by what authority he doth it? Or that would give money to relieve the poor, and they should ask him, By what authority do you require us to take this money? Or as if I offered my hand to one that is fallen, to help him up, or to one that is in the water, to save him from drowning, and he should ask me by what authority I do it? And what is it that hath brought our people to this ignorance of their duty, but custom? It is we, brethren, to speak truly and plainly, who are to blame, that have not accustomed them and ourselves to any more than common public work. We see how much custom doth with the people. Where it is the custom, as among the Papists, they hesitate not to confess all their sins to the priest; but, among us, they disdain 149
to be catechized or instructed, because it is not the custom. They wonder at it, as a strange thing, and say, Such things were never done before. And if we can but prevail to make this duty as common as other duties, they will much more easily submit to it than now. What a happy thing would it be, if you might live to see the day, that it should be as ordinary for people of all ages to come in course to their ministers for personal advice and help for their salvation, as it is now usual for them to come to the church to hear a sermon, or receive the sacrament! Our diligence in this work, is the way to bring this about. 9. It will give the governors of the nation more correct views about the nature and burden of the ministry, and so may procure from them further assistance. It is a lamentable impediment to the reformation of the Church, and the saving of souls, that, in most populous towns, there are but one or two men to oversee many thousand souls, and so there are not laborers in any degree equal to the work; but it becomes an impossible thing for them to do any considerable measure of that personal duty which should be done by faithful pastors to all the flock. I have often said it, and still must say it, that this is a great part of England's misery, that a great degree of spiritual famine reigns in most cities and large towns throughout the land, even where they are insensible of it, and think themselves well provided. Alas! we see multitudes of ignorant, carnal, sensual sinners around us -- here a family, and there a family, and there almost a whole street or village of them -- and our hearts pity them, and we see that their necessities cry loud for our speedy and diligent relief, so that 'he that hath ears to hear' must needs hear. Yet if we were never so fain, we cannot help them: and that not merely through their obstinacy, but also through our want of opportunity. We have found by experience, that if we could but have leisure to speak to them, and to open plainly to them their sin and danger, there were great hopes of doing good to many of them, that receive little by our public teaching. But we cannot come at them; more necessary work prohibits us: we cannot do both at once; and our public work must be preferred, because there we deal with many at once. 150
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THE REFORMED PASTOR Richard Baxter
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published, in 1766, an Abridgement
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similar suggestion. To furnish ever
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of my ordinary pain and weakness, I
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call on them to labor as for your l
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wisdom will gainsay it? Will zeal f
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Catechisms, I take a catalogue of a
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and serious business. Much judgment
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Your unworthy fellow -servant Richa
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• Secondly, To show why we must t
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heartily entertain that Savior whom
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God, and to preach an unknown Chris
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holy can rightly study them or know
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education of youth, especially in o
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into any dangerous error, and vent
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matter of practice, and they were o
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poor of your flock; they are apt to
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overcome it; lest, while you seek t
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yet as is most suitable to the capa
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Chapter 2 The motives to the oversi
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our very hearts, and is it not nece
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advantage of it. God forbid that we
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troops of Christ against Satan and
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out ways enough to wipe off any sta
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and of the life to come, as will wi
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with an affected fervency, but he s
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have leprous or even dirty hands. T
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ordained ministers without a specia
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heed to which their state requireth
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a hard measure, and that your wife
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1. We must labor, in a special mann
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to us to acquaint them with it, and
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perfecting of the saints, that they
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the work be cast on us alone; and m
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have but a few days or hours more t
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what he purposed, or promised to be
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exercised in such proceedings, lest
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prayers of the congregation. In suc
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eproach it by our negligence, while
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Chapter 4 The manner of the oversig
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upon the greatest, most certain, an
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they are not, and have no other way
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cavillers may be silenced. The weig
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and how will the remnants of old Ad
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than to his work, and not to care m
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find out means to close such breach
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Chapter 5 Motives to the oversight
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those that Christ hath set over the
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world. O that our hearts were but m
Page 99 and 100: which is committed to our charge. I
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Page 103 and 104: own sins, as well as the sins of th
Page 105 and 106: to this unworthy county! And I hope
Page 107 and 108: Satan, we have no great reason to e
Page 109 and 110: honor, or that their interest in th
Page 111 and 112: our reproofs, and if the applause b
Page 113 and 114: ulers, and bear the sway wherever t
Page 115 and 116: (1) If we were duly devoted to our
Page 117 and 118: Though I move you not to a constant
Page 119 and 120: worldly interests in opposition to
Page 121 and 122: they see that you seek not the thin
Page 123 and 124: church's service as they can. I wou
Page 125 and 126: and an interest distinct from that
Page 127 and 128: parties; or that ever well discerne
Page 129 and 130: sorrow, that where the servants of
Page 131 and 132: (1) Lay not too great a stress upon
Page 133 and 134: their practice shows their hearts a
Page 135 and 136: Besides, consider what a disadvanta
Page 137 and 138: churches, who were moderate men, an
Page 139 and 140: it is his last means when reproofs
Page 141 and 142: Chapter 7 Application to the duty o
Page 143 and 144: the Church, I will enumerate some o
Page 145 and 146: among the saints in glory, and prai
Page 147 and 148: godly jealousy,' and what temptatio
Page 149: they who were against reformation i
Page 153 and 154: are in smaller parishes may do. And
Page 155 and 156: etter from them, that have not been
Page 157 and 158: For we shall not leave out any man
Page 159 and 160: and renouncing the world, and parti
Page 161 and 162: Chapter 9 Motives from the difficul
Page 163 and 164: 2. Having noticed these difficultie
Page 165 and 166: Chapter 10 Motives from the necessi
Page 167 and 168: in private we may do it much more.
Page 169 and 170: men, pity us.' Now, do that for the
Page 171 and 172: Chapter 11 Application of these mot
Page 173 and 174: wilderness; to steer the vessels th
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Page 179 and 180: (14) All the judgments that God hat
Page 181 and 182: prayers and cries, on one of our pu
Page 183 and 184: Chapter 12 Objections to this duty
Page 185 and 186: physician to be thoroughly studied
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Page 189 and 190: pleasures? If you must, then, for s
Page 191 and 192: together in vain discourse, and spe
Page 193 and 194: this the voice of obedience, or of
Page 195 and 196: such men for want of better, I cann
Page 197 and 198: Shepherd of the Church, will not lo
Page 199 and 200: Answer: (1): It is not to be denied
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most of the preaching recorded in t
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advantage of ministers having a sin
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I am first to give you some directi
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As, (1) That God's oracles must be
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will perhaps convince them and inci
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Chapter 14 Directions for this duty
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willing to hear you, and receive in
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is. If you ask, 'What is repentance
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expressions are put into their mout
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will raise the dead to life again,
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you, or is it not Have you experien
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chiefly for the purpose of preparin
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much greater a work have I yet to d
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(2) As you may not soon have an opp
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or three cold words of advice, with
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The Reformed Pastor - Richard Baxter

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