BAXTER

MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Richard Baxter, was born in 1615, at Rowton, near Shrewsbury, in England.  After surmounting great difficulties in securing an education for the ministry he was ordained in 1638, in the Church of England, his first important charge being that of Kidderminster, where he established his reputation as a powerful evangelical and controversial preacher.  Altho opposed to Cromwell’s extreme acts, he became a chaplain in the army of the Rebellion.  His influence was all on the side of peace, however, and at the Restoration he was appointed chaplain to Charles ii.

Baxter left the Church of England on the promulgation of the Act of Uniformity, and in 1662 retired to Acton in Middlesex, where he wrote most of his works.  The Acts of Indulgence enabled him to return to London, where he remained until Judge Jeffreys imprisoned and fined him on a charge of sedition.  He was the most prolific writer and controversialist of his day among nonconformists.  Baxter left only two works which seem likely to be of ever fresh interest, “The Saint’s Rest” and “Calls to the Unconverted.”  He died in London in 1691.

BAXTER

1615-1691

MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION

But they made light of it.—­Matt, xxii., 5.

Beloved hearers; the office that God hath called us to is, by declaring the glory of His grace, to help under Christ to the saving of men’s souls.  I hope you think not that I come hither to-day on another errand.  The Lord knows I had not set a foot out-of-doors but in hope to succeed in this work for your souls.  I have considered, and often considered, what is the matter that so many thousands should perish when God hath done so much for their salvation; and I find this that is mentioned in my text is the cause.  It is one of the wonders of the world, that when God hath so loved the world as to send His Son, and Christ hath made a satisfaction by His death sufficient for them all, and offereth the benefits of it so freely to them, even without money or price, that yet the most of the world should perish; yea, the most of those that are thus called by His Word!  Why, here is the reason—­when Christ hath done all this, men make light of it.  God hath showed that He is not unwilling; and Christ hath showed that He is not unwilling that men should be restored to God’s favor and be saved; but men are actually unwilling themselves.  God takes not pleasure in the death of sinners, but rather that they return and live.  But men take such pleasure in sin that they will die before they will return.  The Lord Jesus was content to be their physician, and hath provided them a sufficient plaster of His