Visscher—Why Catechism Preaching

[MW]

In another place in his writings, Baxter put it another way: he said that he started catechizing because he realized that his sermons ("...and now, 17thly...") were over most of his people's heads. Apparently, it never occurred to him to simplify and shorten his sermons.

That would be one way of alleviating oneself of the duty to carry on the ministry from house to house as well as in public -- just perform the public ministry like you were in someone's house. But I doubt Mr. Baxter's conscience could have managed to excuse it.

 

[bookslover]

Oh, and Richard here's a quote I found the other day that you might like.

T.E. Watson, "Andrew Fuller's Conflict with Hypercalvinism" in Puritan Papers, v.1 (quoting from Fuller's journal).
"O Lord God, I find myself in a world where thousands profess thy name. All profess to be searching after the truth; to have Christ and the inspired writers on their side. I am afraid lest I should be turned aside from the simplicity of the gospel. I feel my understanding full of darkness, my reason exceedingly imperfect, my will ready to start aside, and my passions strangely volatile. O illumine my understanding, teach my reason reason, my will rectitude, and let every faculty of which I am possessed be kept within the bounds of thy service.
O let not the sleight of wicked men, who lie in wait to deceive, nor even the pious character of great men (who may yet be under great mistakes) draw me aside. Nor do thou suffer my own fancy to misguide me. Lord, thou hast given me a determination to take no principle at secondhand; but to search for everything at the pure fountain of thy word. Yet, Lord, I am afraid, seeing I am as liable to err as other men, lest I should be led aside from the truth by mine own imagination.
I pray that I may not only be kept from erroneous principles, but may so love the truth, as never to keep it back. O Lord, if thou wilt open mine eyes to behold the wonders of thy Word, and give me to feel their comforting tendency, then shall the Lord be my god; then let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I shun to declare, to the best of my knowledge, the whole counsel of God."

Yes, an excellent quotation. Thanks for posting it.

 

[py3ak]

Well, Adam said he would be back on line today, so maybe we can pick this back up.