Richard Baxter, To Live is CHRIST

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Introduced by Alan C. Clifford

Paperback; 160 pages; ISBN 978-0-9929465-9-3

£10.00

___________________________________________

TO LIVE IS CHRIST

___________________________________________

Warning and Wooing the World,

Challenging and Comforting the Church

Richard Baxter

Introduced by Alan C. Clifford

CONTENTS

Biographical Introduction

1. Making Light of Christ

2. The Grand Question Resolved

3. Calamy on Baxter

4. Epilogue: Baxter’s Christianity

Preface

A Christian man who, in the estimate of others, was ranked with the Prophets, the Apostles and the Church Fathers, must be extraordinary by any standard. Such was the great Puritan Richard Baxter (1615-91). More widely read than Shakespeare in his day, he is one of England’s greatest Christian preachers. His extraordinary seventeenth-century ministry at Kidderminster, Worcestershire is celebrated by an appropriate local statue. A more significant monument, Baxter’s nationwide influence was diffused by such still-gripping ‘page turners’ as The Saints’ Everlasting Rest and Call to the Unconverted. His lovely hymn ‘Ye holy angels bright’ is still enjoyed by modern worshippers. Neither must we ignore his colourful and dramatic life as recorded in his autobiography with its exotic Latin title Reliquiae Baxterianae. Baxter also made a mark on English history by his courageous stand before the infamous Judge Jeffreys in 1685.

Richard Baxter is arguably the greatest of all the Puritans—a giant among giants! As a saintly, energetic, dedicated, brilliant and large-hearted servant of Christ, he is probably the most effective pastor-evangelist this country has ever known. Certainly, what C. H. Spurgeon was to the 19th, and George Whitefield (together with the Wesley brothers) was to the 18th, Baxter was to 17th century England. A. B. Grosart wrote that Baxter is said ‘to have drawn more hearts to the great bleeding heart than any other Englishman of his age’.

Furthermore, his pen-productions proved just as famous as his pulpit ministry at Kidderminster. The sheer scale and variety of his contribution over a forty-two year period is breathtaking, including his late massive scholarly Latin treatise Methodus theologiae christianae (1681) and the earlier popular persuasive to holiness A Saint or a Brute (1662). Remarkably, many of Baxter’s writings are still being published 300 years on. His style remains surprisingly lucid and lively when most of his contemporaries are obviously dated. Baxter’s books still retain their power to inform, arouse and edify the modern reader. His message remains as powerful and meaningful as ever.

For further confirmation of this claim, this book contains the complete texts of two of Baxter’s shorter, little-known and unjustly-neglected publications, the first and last of his evangelistic/pastoral works, Making Light of Christ (1655) and The Grand Question Resolved (1692).

HISTORICAL ENDORSEMENTS:

CALAMY ON BAXTER

“There are no writings … that have more of a true Christian spirit, a greater mixture of judgement and affection, or a greater tendency to revive pure and undefiled religion that have been more esteemed abroad, or more blessed at home for the awakening the secure, instructing the ignorant, confirming the wavering, comforting the dejected, recovering the profane, or improving such as are truly serious, than the Practical Works of this author.”

Dr Edmund Calamy (1671-1732), minister in London.

DODDRIDGE ON BAXTER

“Baxter is my particular favourite,.. I cannot indeed forbear looking upon him as one of the greatest orators that our nation ever produced… He discovers a manly eloquence, and the most evident proofs of an amazing genius; His works are very proper for conviction. Few were ever instrumental of awakening more souls.”

Dr Philip Doddridge (1702-51), minister and tutor in Northampton.

A PUPIL OF DODDRIDGE ON HIS TUTOR AND BAXTER

“Such an author as Mr Baxter who is more excellent to me than all the dead uninspired authors, as you are more than all the living.”

David Dickson (b. 1709), Edinburgh.

A TESTIMONY

“Notwithstanding the value of Spurgeon, Ryle, Lloyd-Jones and others, no Christian writers grip me like Baxter and Doddridge, especially the former. My whole soul glows when I read him.”

Dr Alan C. Clifford (b. 1941), minister in Norwich.

NEW ENDORSEMENTS

Your Baxter edition has arrived, for which much thanks. It is a very nicely produced book, with an introduction that clearly introduces the key points about Baxter, his thinking and contribution, to those for whom he is only a name, and the choice of texts is spot on: these are crisp and focused pieces, with all Baxter’s evangelistic skill and passion but without the digressions and expansiveness that can sometimes tire readers(!). And it’s very nice to see you on Calamy and the summary epilogue included. It is altogether a fine publication.

Neil Keeble, Emeritus professor of English Studies, University of Stirling

Thank you once again for your new book “To Live is CHRIST”. It is brilliant! It is so clearly set out, easy and enjoyable to read, and totally relevant to our world of today. I suppose I would wish to say that it is Baxter at his very best and, if I may be so bold, Dr Clifford at his very best too – and that really is saying something! That it is not too lengthy, and covers many essential truths in such precise fashion is such a blessing. It is a book which should never be far away from any minister’s hands, and personally, I intend that to be so.

John Rose, retired pastor, Norfolk

Richard Baxter, To Live is CHRIST

Introduced by Alan C. Clifford

Paperback; 160 pages; ISBN 978-0-9929465-9-3

£10.00

___________________________________________

TO LIVE IS CHRIST

___________________________________________

Warning and Wooing the World,

Challenging and Comforting the Church

Richard Baxter

Introduced by Alan C. Clifford

CONTENTS

Biographical Introduction

1. Making Light of Christ

2. The Grand Question Resolved

3. Calamy on Baxter

4. Epilogue: Baxter’s Christianity

Preface

A Christian man who, in the estimate of others, was ranked with the Prophets, the Apostles and the Church Fathers, must be extraordinary by any standard. Such was the great Puritan Richard Baxter (1615-91). More widely read than Shakespeare in his day, he is one of England’s greatest Christian preachers. His extraordinary seventeenth-century ministry at Kidderminster, Worcestershire is celebrated by an appropriate local statue. A more significant monument, Baxter’s nationwide influence was diffused by such still-gripping ‘page turners’ as The Saints’ Everlasting Rest and Call to the Unconverted. His lovely hymn ‘Ye holy angels bright’ is still enjoyed by modern worshippers. Neither must we ignore his colourful and dramatic life as recorded in his autobiography with its exotic Latin title Reliquiae Baxterianae. Baxter also made a mark on English history by his courageous stand before the infamous Judge Jeffreys in 1685.

Richard Baxter is arguably the greatest of all the Puritans—a giant among giants! As a saintly, energetic, dedicated, brilliant and large-hearted servant of Christ, he is probably the most effective pastor-evangelist this country has ever known. Certainly, what C. H. Spurgeon was to the 19th, and George Whitefield (together with the Wesley brothers) was to the 18th, Baxter was to 17th century England. A. B. Grosart wrote that Baxter is said ‘to have drawn more hearts to the great bleeding heart than any other Englishman of his age’.

Furthermore, his pen-productions proved just as famous as his pulpit ministry at Kidderminster. The sheer scale and variety of his contribution over a forty-two year period is breathtaking, including his late massive scholarly Latin treatise Methodus theologiae christianae (1681) and the earlier popular persuasive to holiness A Saint or a Brute (1662). Remarkably, many of Baxter’s writings are still being published 300 years on. His style remains surprisingly lucid and lively when most of his contemporaries are obviously dated. Baxter’s books still retain their power to inform, arouse and edify the modern reader. His message remains as powerful and meaningful as ever.

For further confirmation of this claim, this book contains the complete texts of two of Baxter’s shorter, little-known and unjustly-neglected publications, the first and last of his evangelistic/pastoral works, Making Light of Christ (1655) and The Grand Question Resolved (1692).

HISTORICAL ENDORSEMENTS:

CALAMY ON BAXTER

“There are no writings … that have more of a true Christian spirit, a greater mixture of judgement and affection, or a greater tendency to revive pure and undefiled religion that have been more esteemed abroad, or more blessed at home for the awakening the secure, instructing the ignorant, confirming the wavering, comforting the dejected, recovering the profane, or improving such as are truly serious, than the Practical Works of this author.”

Dr Edmund Calamy (1671-1732), minister in London.

DODDRIDGE ON BAXTER

“Baxter is my particular favourite,.. I cannot indeed forbear looking upon him as one of the greatest orators that our nation ever produced… He discovers a manly eloquence, and the most evident proofs of an amazing genius; His works are very proper for conviction. Few were ever instrumental of awakening more souls.”

Dr Philip Doddridge (1702-51), minister and tutor in Northampton.

A PUPIL OF DODDRIDGE ON HIS TUTOR AND BAXTER

“Such an author as Mr Baxter who is more excellent to me than all the dead uninspired authors, as you are more than all the living.”

David Dickson (b. 1709), Edinburgh.

A TESTIMONY

“Notwithstanding the value of Spurgeon, Ryle, Lloyd-Jones and others, no Christian writers grip me like Baxter and Doddridge, especially the former. My whole soul glows when I read him.”

Dr Alan C. Clifford (b. 1941), minister in Norwich.

NEW ENDORSEMENTS

Your Baxter edition has arrived, for which much thanks. It is a very nicely produced book, with an introduction that clearly introduces the key points about Baxter, his thinking and contribution, to those for whom he is only a name, and the choice of texts is spot on: these are crisp and focused pieces, with all Baxter’s evangelistic skill and passion but without the digressions and expansiveness that can sometimes tire readers(!). And it’s very nice to see you on Calamy and the summary epilogue included. It is altogether a fine publication.

Neil Keeble, Emeritus professor of English Studies, University of Stirling

Thank you once again for your new book “To Live is CHRIST”. It is brilliant! It is so clearly set out, easy and enjoyable to read, and totally relevant to our world of today. I suppose I would wish to say that it is Baxter at his very best and, if I may be so bold, Dr Clifford at his very best too – and that really is saying something! That it is not too lengthy, and covers many essential truths in such precise fashion is such a blessing. It is a book which should never be far away from any minister’s hands, and personally, I intend that to be so.

John Rose, retired pastor, Norfolk