Category Archives: Baxter, Richard

Richard Baxter on the intermediate state

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Richard Baxter: The Saint’s Everlasting Rest (1650).  Abridged by Benjamin Fawcett (1759).

Baxter was suffering from a serious illness when he set down his thoughts on the blessedness of the life to come.

At the end of ch. 4, Baxter sets out his conviction ‘that the souls of believers do enjoy inconceivable blessedness and glory, even while they remain separated from their bodies.’

What can be more plain than those words of Paul? We are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home, or rather sojourning in the body, we are absent from the Lord.…

Richard Baxter on profitably hearing God’s word preached

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From Chapter XIX of The Practical Works of Richard Baxter, “Directions for Profitable Hearing God’s Word Preached”

Titus 3: Directions for Holy Resolutions and Affections in Hearing

The understanding and memory are but the passage to the Heart, and the Practice is but the expression of the Heart: therefore how to work upon the Heart is the principal business.

Directions:

  1. Live under the most convincing lively serious Preacher that possibly you can.
  2. Remember that Ministers are the Messengers of Christ, and come to you on his business and in his name.
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Richard Baxter on contemplation

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Richard Baxter wrote about contemplation in A Christian Directory and The Saints’ Everlasting Rest.

Following Baxter distinguishes between the contemplative life and the active life:

‘Every active christian is bound to somewhat of contemplation; and all contemplative persons are bound to obedience to God, and to so much of action as may answer their abilities and opportunities. But yet some are much more called to the one, and some to the other; and we denominate from that which is most eminent and the chief.

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The mutual love of husband and wife

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Richard Baxter spells out the mutual love that a husband and wife must have for one another:-

I pray you, next tell me my duty to my wife and hers to me.

The common duty of husband and wife is,

1. Entirely to love each other; and therefore choose one that is truly lovely.… ;and avoid all things that tend to quench your love.

2. To dwell together, and enjoy each other, and faithfully join as helpers in the education of their children, the government of the family, and the management of their worldly business.…