Neither Prophets nor Apostles

by Richard Baxter

Introduction by Ken Pullen

For months now I have been directed to the writings and preaching of numerous Puritan pastors, theologians and hymn writers. The more I delve into this period in Christianity the more I am convinced there is a great need for all professed believers to journey back in order to walk straighter, bolder, more faithful, stronger and equipped today.

I began this back in July of 2018 by buying and reading William Gurnall’s The Christian in Complete Armour. I bought this three volume set after hearing a sermon delivered in the church my wife and I attend on the full armour of God. There was actually more than one sermon on this subject since the senior pastor at the church truly places the word of God before himself and for in-depth true Biblical instruction for those in the congregation and he drinks fully of its milk and meat in the hope and prayer the hearers of God’s word do so as well.

This began my becoming awakened to the world of Puritan writings, sermons and the overall path of faithfulness the Puritans walked on towards God our Father, Jesus Christ our Lord, and towards eternal life rather than this fleeting fleshly life leading to constant troubles and coming up empty while only heading towards eternal damnation the pleasures, distractions and beliefs this world can offer up.

I am now going to begin what will be an ongoing series of short writings, devotionals, prayers and sundry discovered edifying things to include in this place. Knowing the wisdom of these men of God will make this place better and that being directed in doing this is directed by the Lord for instruction, reproof, and spiritual wisdom in the times in which we live.

Let us begin.

What follows is the first installment. I hope and pray you find them as beneficial in your walk with the Lord as I find them in my daily walk.

With the first installment from every Puritan writer I shall provide a bit of background.

In Christ alone, with a growing Puritan heart for God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Saviour,

Ken Pullen

Richard Baxter (1615-1691) — An English Puritan pastor, theologian and hymn writer. Known for his practical divinity. A self-taught man of more than 130 books, of which he never took remuneration instead giving out free copies. What follows here are parts of Baxter’s immensely popular A Call to the Unconverted published in 1658. All the Baxter pieces herein pertain to conversion.

Neither Prophets nor Apostles

by Richard Baxter

Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Psalm 51:13

The eternal God that made you for a life everlasting, and has redeemed you by His only Son, when you had lost it and yourselves, being mindful of you in your sin and misery, has indicated the gospel, and sealed it by His spirit, and commanded His ministers to preach it to the world, that pardon being freely offered you, and heaven being set before you, He might call you off from your fleshly pleasures, and from following after this deceitful world, and acquaint you with the life that you were created and redeemed for, before you are dead and past remedy.

He sends you not prophets or apostles, that receive their message by immediate revelation; but yet He calls you by His ordinary ministers, who are commissioned by Him to preach the same gospel which Christ and His apostles first delivered. The Lord sees how you forget Him and your latter end, and how light you make of everlasting things, as men that understand not what they have to do or suffer. He sees how bold you are in sin, and how fearless threatening’s…He sees the dreadful day at hand, when your sorrows will begin, and you must lament all this with fruitless cries in torment and desperation; and then the remembrance of your folly will tear your hearts, if true conversion now prevent it not. in comparison of your sinful miserable souls, the lord, that better knows your case than you can know it, has made it our duty to speak to you in His name (2 Corinthians 5:19) and to tell you plainly of your sin and misery, and what will be your end, and how sad a change you will shortly see, if yet you go on a little longer.