The Title to the Saints’ Rest-Richard Baxter
The Title to the Saints’ Rest – Richard Baxter If there is such a glorious rest awaiting only the people of God, why do most people neglect the certainty of their title to it? What strange madness is it that allows people to live happily while uncertain of their destiny? I would think that we […]
The Suburbs of Heaven-Richard Baxter
The Suburbs of Heaven – Richard Baxter If there is such a wonderful rest remaining for us, why don’t we think about it more? Has the eternal God provided us such a hope, and promised to take us up to dwell with Himself; and is it not worth thinking about? Do we believe this, and […]
The Splendor of the Saints’ Rest-Richard Baxter
The Splendor of the Saints’ Rest – Richard Baxter Let us draw a little nearer and see the splendor of this heavenly rest. The Lord cover us with His gentle grace while we approach to take this view. What an honor is this rest. It is called the purchased possession because Christ bought it for […]
The Reformed Pastor – The Oversight of the FLOCK-Richard Baxter
The Reformed Pastor – The Oversight of the FLOCK – Richard Baxter 1. The NATURE of This Oversight Having shown you what it is to take heed to ourselves, I am to show you next what it is to take heed to all the flock. It was first necessary to take into consideration, what we […]
The Reformed Pastor – The Oversight of OURSELVES-Richard Baxter
The Reformed Pastor – The Oversight of OURSELVES – Richard Baxter “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28). Though some think that Pauls exhortation to these […]
The Reformed Pastor – Dedication -Richard Baxter
n The Reformed Pastor – Dedication -Richard Baxter To my reverend and dearly beloved brethren, the faithful ministers of Christ, in Britain and Ireland, Grace and Peace in Jesus Christ be increased. The subject of this treatise so nearly concerns yourselves, and the churches committed to your care, that it emboldens me to this address, […]
The Reformed Pastor – Application-Richard Baxter
The Reformed Pastor – Application-Richard Baxter 1. The Use of Humiliation Reverend and dear brethren, our business here this day is to humble our souls before the Lord for our past negligence, and to implore Gods assistance in our work for the time to come. Indeed, we can scarcely expect the latter without the former. […]
The Possession of the Saints’ Rest is Not on Earth-Richard Baxter
The Possession of the Saints’ Rest is Not on Earth – Richard Baxter We have not yet come to our resting place. How foolish it is to expect it here. What Christian doesn’t deserve this correction? All of us would like continual prosperity, because it is so pleasing to the flesh; but we don’t consider […]
The People Who Receive the Saints’ Rest-Richard Baxter
The People Who Receive the Saints’ Rest – Richard Baxter The heavenly rest is designed for “the people of God,” as the text identifies them (Heb. 4:9). They are chosen by God “before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4). They are but a part of humanity. They are fewer than the world imagines, yet […]
The Need of Personal Revival-Richard Baxter
The Need of Personal Reviva – Richard Baxter I know not what others think, but for my own part I am ashamed of my stupidity, and wonder at myself that I deal not with my own and others souls as one that looks for the great day of the Lord; and that I can have […]
The Necessity of Seeking the Saints’ Rest-Richard Baxter
The Necessity of Seeking the Saints’ Rest – Richard Baxter Why don’t people seek this wonderful rest more enthusiastically? You would think that if a person heard even once about such a tremendous possibility, and if he believed what he heard, that he would almost forget to eat and drink, and would care for nothing […]
The Nature of the Saints’ Rest-Richard Baxter
The Nature of the Saints’ Rest – Richard Baxter From heaven’s height the soul surveys the Promised Land. Looking back on earth, the soul views the dreary wilderness through which it passed. To stand on Mount Memory, comparing heaven with earth, fills the soul with unimaginable gratitude, and makes it exclaim: “Is this the inheritance […]
The Misery of Those Who Lose the Saints’ Rest-Richard Baxter
The Misery of Those Who Lose the Saints’ Rest – Richard Baxter If you, reader, are a stranger to Christ and to the holy nature and life of His people, and if you live and die in this condition, let me tell you that you will never partake of the joys of heaven or have […]
The Hallway to the Saints’ Rest-Richard Baxter
The Hallway to the Saints’ Rest – Richard Baxter The hallway to heaven is not barricaded anymore. The flaming sword no longer bars the passage to Paradise, for Christ has provided the way in. The porch of this temple is magnificent, and the gate of it is called “Beautiful.” Here are the four corners of […]
The Duty of Helping Others to Seek the Saints’ Rest-Richard Baxter
The Duty of Helping Others to Seek the Saints’ Rest – Richard Baxter Has God set before us such a wonderful possession as the saints’ everlasting rest, and made us capable of such unimaginable happiness? Why, then, don’t all of the children of this kingdom exert themselves more to help others to enjoy it? We […]
Reason and Zeal for Drowsy Sinners-Richard Baxter
Reason and Zeal for Drowsy Sinners – Richard Baxter If we were heartily devoted to our work, it would be done more vigorously, and more seriously, than it is by the most of us. How few ministers do preach with all their might, or speak about everlasting joys and everlasting torments in such a manner […]
On Sin-Richard Baxter
On Sin – Richard Baxter Richard Baxter (1615-1691) was a Puritan preacher. This portion comes from a massive volume entitled “A Christian Directory” which deals with a multitude of very practical and spiritual issues in the believer’s life. This particular excerpt is on the subject of the great sinfulness of sin. Labour clearly to understand […]
How to Seek the Saints’ Rest While on Earth-Richard Baxter
How to Seek the Saints’ Rest While on Earth – Richard Baxter Be convinced of the value of heaven, for if you do not believe it to be the greatest treasure, you will never set your heart upon it. This conviction must sink into your heart, for if it is only an intellectual opinion it […]
How to Persevere in Heavenly Contemplation-Richard Baxter
How to Persevere in Heavenly Contemplation – Richard Baxter The hardest part of heavenly meditation is bringing it into clear focus. It is easier to think about “heaven” as an abstract idea than to concentrate on the real heaven. Faith meets tremendous resistance in trying to view that which is supernatural. It grows tired quickly. […]
Hindrances to a Heavenly Life on Earth-Richard Baxter
Hindrances to a Heavenly Life on Earth – Richard Baxter If you value a heavenly life upon earth, I must charge you to avoid some dangerous hindrances. LIVING IN ANY KNOWN SIN is a great impediment to a heavenly life. If this be your situation, I dare say that heaven and your soul are strangers. […]
Heavenly Meditation-Richard Baxter
Heavenly Meditation – Richard Baxter Now, reader, according to the directions already given, conscientiously practice meditation as well as prayer. Do it daily if possible. Retire into some private place at the most convenient time, and lay aside all worldly thoughts. With all possible seriousness and reverence look up towards heaven. Remember there is your […]
Heavenly life encouragements-Richard Baxter
Heavenly life encouragements – Richard Baxter I have given you, dear reader, my best advice for maintaining a heavenly life. If you cannot meditate as systematically and completely as I have recommended, then do it as you can. Just be sure to do it seriously and frequently. Become friendly with this heavenly work, and you […]
Four Aids to Heavenly Contemplation-Richard Baxter
Four Aids to Heavenly Contemplation – Richard Baxter Having set your heart in tune, we now come to the music itself. Having acquired an appetite, approach the feast. Come, for all things are now ready. Heaven and Christ and the eternal glory are before you. Four factors promote heavenly contemplation. The first factor is consideration. […]
Directions for Heavenly Contemplation-Richard Baxter
Directions for Heavenly Contemplation – Richard Baxter Meditation is the means by which the soul digests truth for its nourishment and strength. It was God’s command to Joshua, “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according […]
Directions for Hating Sin-Richard Baxter
Directions for Hating Sin – Richard Baxter Direct. I. Labour to know God, and to be affected with his attributes, and always to live as in his sight.No man can know sin perfectly, because no man can know God perfectly. You can no further know what sin is than you know what God is, whom […]
Christian Economics ~ Excerpts- Cases about Divorce and Separation-Richard Baxter
Christian Economics ~ Excerpts – Cases about Divorce and Separation- [i]Quest.[/i]V. May husband and wife part by mutual consent, if they find it be for the good of both? [i]Answ.[/i] If you speak not of dissolving the bond of their relations, but withdrawing as to cohabitation, I answer, 1. it is not to be done […]
An Essay on The Genius, Works, and Times of Baxter ~ Excerpts-Richard Baxter
An Essay on The Genius, Works, and Times of Baxter ~ Excerpts – Richard Some few years before his death, Baxter took a minute and extensive survey of his own character, and committed it to paper. From this paper the following extracts are taken: – Because it is soul-experiments which those that urge me to […]
Self-Denial
Self-Denial -Richard Baxter You hear ministers tell you of the odiousness and danger and sad effects of sin; but of all the sins that you ever heard of, there is scarce any more odious and dangerous than selfishness, and yet I doubt there are many that never were much troubled at it, nor sensible of […]
The Need of Personal Revival
The Need of Personal Revival – Richard Baxter I know not what others think, but for my own part I am ashamed of my stupidity, and wonder at myself that I deal not with my own and others souls as one that looks for the great day of the Lord; and that I can have […]
The Evil of Backbiting and Evil-Speaking
The Evil of Backbiting and Evil – Speaking – Richard Baxter 1. It is forbidden of God among the heinous, damning sins, and made the character of a notorious wicked person, and the avoiding of it is made the mark of such as are accepted of God and shall be saved: Rom. 1:29, 30, it […]