The Reformed Pastor - Richard Baxter

Preface
William Brown
Of this work as published by the Author, the following was the title:
‘Gildas Salvianus: The Reformed Pastor, showing the nature of the Pastoral
work; especially in Private Instruction and Catechizing; with an open
CONFESSION of our too open SINS: Prepared for a Day of Humiliation
kept at Worcester, December 4, 1655, by the Ministers of that County, who
subscribed the Agreement for Catechizing and Personal Instruction at their
entrance upon that work, By their unworthy fellow Servant, Richard Baxter,
Teacher of the Church at Kederminster.’
Of the excellence of this work, it is scarcely possible to speak in too
high terms. It is not a directory relative to the various parts of the ministerial
office, and in this respect it may, by some, be considered as defective; but,
for powerful, pathetic, pungent, heartpiercing address, we know of no work
on the pastoral office to be compared with it. Could we suppose it to be read
by an angel, or by some other being possessed of an unfallen nature, the
reasonings and expostulations of our author would be felt to be altogether
irresistible; and hard must be the heart of that minister, who can read it
without being moved, melted, and overwhelmed, under a sense of his own
shortcomings; hard must be his heart, if he be not mused to greater
faithfulness, diligence, and activity in winning souls to Christ. It is a work
worthy of being printed in letters of gold: it deserves, at least, to be engraven
on the heart of every minister.
But, with all its excellencies, the ‘Reformed Pastor,’ as originally
published by our author, labors under considerable defects, especially as
regards its usefulness in the present day. With the view of remedying the
imperfections of the original work, the Rev Samuel Palmer, of Hackney,
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