Baxter's classic rebuke of pastors is convicting in the Puritan tradition and Chesterton-ian in its quotability (I had to stop taking notes). I amazed at the ability of the Puritans to convict by exposing sin specifically and, at the same time, point to the supreme glory of Christ. It is an ability that can come only from a God-entranced view of all things (to steal a title). Below is a collection of quotes by category:
The Weighty Charge of Pastoral Ministry
"When we have led them to the living waters, if we muddy it by our filthy lives, we may lose our labour, and they be never the better." (Chapter 2 "The Oversight of the Flock" pg. 87)
"...but when we have undertaken a particular charge, we have restrained the exercise of our gifts so specifically to that congregation, that we must allow others no more than it can spare of our time and help, except where the public good requireth it..." (Chapter 2 "The Oversight of the Flock" pg. 88)
"When we are commanded to take heed to all the flock, it is plainly implied, that flocks must ordinarily be no greater than we are capable of overseeing, or 'taking heed to.' God will not lay upon us natural impossibilities: he will not bind men to leap up to the moon, to touch the stars, or to number the sands of the sea. If the pastoral office consists of overseeing all the flock, then surely the number of souls under the care of each pastor must not be greater than he is able to take such heed as is here required." (Chapter 2 "The Oversight of the Flock" pg. 88)
Work as to the Lord
Although the following quote is written with my vocation in mind, it is applicable to all as every vocation is from God and to be attended with the same vision (Col. 3:23-24). I believe all our pursuits will have an enduring quality only when motivated by a love for our Creator.
"Content not yourselves with being in a state of grace, but be also careful that your graces are kept in vigorous and lively exercise, and that you preach to yourselves the sermons which you study, before you preach them to others. If you did this for your own sakes, it would not be lost labour; but I am speaking to you upon the public account, that you would do it for the sake of the Church, When your minds are in a holy, heavenly frame, your people are likely to partake of the fruits of it. Your prayers, and praises, and doctrine will be sweet and heavenly to them. They will likely feel when you have been much with God: that which is most on your hearts, is like to be most in their ears. I confess I must speak it by lamentable experience, that I publish to my flock the distempers of my own soul. When I let my heart grow could, my preaching is cold; and when it is confused, my preaching is confused; and so I can oft observe also in the best of my hearers, that when I have grown cold in preaching, they have grown cold too; and the next prayers which I have heard from them have been too like my preaching. We are the nurses of Christ's little ones. If we forbear taking food ourselves, we shall famish them; it will soon be visible in their leanness, and dull discharge of their several duties. If we let our love decline, we are not like to raise up theirs. If we abate our holy care and fear, it will appear in our preaching: if the matter show it not, the manner will. If we feed on unwholesome food, either errors or fruitless controversies, our hearers are like to fare the worse for it. Whereas, if we abound in faith, and love, and zeal, how would it overflow to the refreshing of our congregations, and how would it appear in the increase of the same graces in them! O brethren, watch therefore over your own hearts: keep out lusts and passions, and worldly inclinations; keep up the life of faith, and love, and zeal: be much and home, and be much with God - if you make not this a work to which you constantly attend, all will go wrong, and you will starve your hearers; or, if you have an affected fervency, you cannot expect a blessing to attend it from on high." (pg 61-62)
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15.4-6)
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