Puritan
church leader, poet, hymn-writer, theologian
, and controversialist
. Dean Stanley
called him "the chief of English Protestant Schoolmen". After some false starts, he made his reputation by his ministry at Kidderminster
, and at around the same time began a long and prolific career as theological writer. After the Restoration he refused preferment, while retaining a non-separatist presbyterian approach, and became one of the most influential leaders of the nonconformists, spending time in prison.
Baxter was born at Rowton, Shropshire
, at the house of his maternal grandfather.
All are making haste towards hell, until by conviction, Christ brings them to a halt, and then, by conversion, turns their hearts and lives sincerely to himself.
Special mercy arouses more gratitude than universal mercy.
In hell, sinners shall forever lay all the blame on their own wills. Hell is a rational torment by conscience.
Sinners, hear and consider, if you wilfully condemn your souls to bestiality, God will condemn them to perpetual misery.
Christ leads me through no darker rooms Than He went through before.
Do not mathematics and all sciences seem full of contradictions and impossibilities to the ignorant, which are all resolved and cleared to those that understand them?
If I were but sure that I should live to see the coming of the Lord, it would be the joyfulest tidings in the world. O that I might see His kingdom come! It is the characteristic of His saints to love His appearing, and to look for that blessed hope. "The Spirit and the bride say, Come." "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."