Tuesday, September 4, 2007

the REFORMED PASTOR












Richard Baxter's book The Reformed Pastor must be read by pastors. The "reformed" in its title is not indicative of Calvinism, but of needed transformation. Here are some excerpts:

"Self-denial is of absolute necessity in every Christian, but it is doubly necessary in a minister, as without it he cannot do God an hour’s faithful service. Hard studies, much knowledge, and excellent preaching, if the ends be not right, is but more glorious hypocritical sinning."

"Reverence is that affection of the soul which proceedeth from deep apprehensions of God and indicateth a mind that is much conversant with him."

"I must say, though I condemn myself in saying it, that he who readeth but this one exhortation of Paul to the elders of the church at Ephesus, and compareth his life with it, must be stupid and hard-hearted, if he do not melt under a sense of his neglects, and be not laid in the dust before God and forced to bewail his great omissions, and to fly for refuge to the blood of Christ, and to his pardoning grace."

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