The following pages are a joint effort intended as a “threefold cord,” as it were. James Packer, a pastor-teacher, and Michael Lundy, a physician-psychiatrist, were drawn together by a shared admiration for Richard Baxter (1615–1691), a classic Puritan writer on the Christian life, perhaps best known for his work The Reformed Pastor. The plan of this volume, following our introductory chapters, is to reproduce two addresses by Richard Baxter, as well as a shorter essay in the appendix, and to indicate how his wisdom may be brought into the twenty-first century to become a resource for ministry today.
J.I. Packer and Michael S Lundy have come together in this new book to reprint and update several of Richard Baxter's essays on depression aka MELANCHOLY.
Chapter 3, “Advice to Depressed and Anxious Christians,” offers an edited and updated version of Baxter’s “Directions to the Melancholy about Their Thoughts,” in his Christian Directory. Chapter 4, “The Resolution of Depression and Overwhelming Grief through Faith,” edits and updates Baxter’s “The Cure of Melancholy and Overmuch Sorrow, by Faith.” The appendix does the same for Baxter’s “The Duty of Physicians,” also in A Christian Directory.
I don't know that I'd go so far as to say it is an annotated publication of Baxter's sermons. But they certainly go a long way towards making Baxter more accessible to modern readers. Commentary is provided to a certain degree in the foot-notes. Each author provides a chapter on Baxter as an introduction and to set the context for what follows.
For example, Packer's introductory chapter states that,
"Three basic perspectives pervade all of Baxter’s practical writings, each a guideline toward spiritual well-being as he understood it. The first is the primacy of the intellect. All truth, so he says repeatedly, enters the soul via understanding. All motivation begins in the mind as one contemplates the realities and possibilities that draw forth affection and desire; all fellowship with Christ the Mediator also begins in the mind, with knowledge of his undying love and present risen life; all obedience begins in the mind, with recognition of revelation concerning his purpose and will. Calls to consider—to think, that is, and so get God’s truth clear first in one’s head and then in one’s heart—are accordingly basic to Baxter’s instruction. The second perspective is the unity of human life before the Lord. God made us to fulfill simultaneously two great commandments: to love God himself in his triune being, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. The third perspective is the centrality of eternity. Heaven and hell are realities, and the greatness of the human soul consists partly, at least, in the fact that we will never cease to be, but must inhabit one or the other of these destinations forever.
This will not only help readers place the essays or sermons in this book into context but moving beyond this book to his others as well. (I, for one, DO want to read Baxter now.)
Lundy's introductory chapter points out that Baxter was both a minister AND a physician. "Baxter wrote about the care of the soul and the care of the body as if they were indivisible if not indistinguishable components of the same person."
So. Are Baxter's sermons accessible? Are they relevant? To the first I answer yes. They've done a good job. As to the second question, I'm still thinking. The book does provide food for thought. Which is a good sign--almost always. In this case it's in a good way. I can confidently say that some big-picture ideas, some principles or themes, can be taken away from reading Baxter. The modern reader can benefit. How much they benefit will vary from reader to reader. But I can't honestly say that it works down to the little details flawlessly.
Baxter surprised me in a good way. Here is one of my favorite lists.
1. Our thoughts of the infinite goodness of God should be proportionate to our thoughts concerning his infinite power and wisdom.
2. The mercy of God has provided for all mankind so sufficient a Savior that no sinner shall perish for lack of a complete satisfaction made for his sins by Christ. No man’s salvation or pardon requires that he provide satisfaction for his own sins.
3. Christ has in his gospel covenant (which is an act of selfsacrifice) given himself with pardon and salvation to all that will penitently and believingly accept the offer. None perish that hear the gospel but the final, obstinate refusers of Christ and life.
4. He who believes the truth of the gospel so far as to consent to the covenant of grace—that God the Father would be his Lord and reconciled Father, and Christ his Savior, and the Holy Spirit his sanctifier—has true, saving faith and a right to the blessing of the covenant.
5. The day of grace is so coextensive or equal to our lifetime that whoever truly repents and consents to the covenant of grace before his death is certainly pardoned and in a state of life. It is everyone’s duty to do so, that pardon may be had.
6. Satan’s temptations are not our sins: it is only our yielding to temptation that is sin.
7. The effects of natural sickness or disease are not (in and of themselves) sins.
8. The smallest sins (formally) and least likely to condemn us are those which we are most unwilling to commit and least love or enjoy.
9. No sin that we hate more than we love shall condemn us, if we would rather leave and be delivered from it than keep it.
10. He is truly sanctified who would rather be perfect in holiness of heart and life, in loving God, and in living by faith than to have the greatest pleasures, riches, or honors of the world, considering also the means by which both are attained.
Other favorite quotes:
Don’t waste your thoughts thinking about your thoughts. Just as we need to direct the thoughts of careless sinners inwardly and turn them from the world and sin and to themselves, in a different way we need to direct the thoughts of self-perplexing, melancholy persons outwardly. This is so because it is the nature of their disorder to be always accusing themselves. Remember that it is a far higher, nobler, and sweeter work to think of God, Christ, and heaven, than of such worms as we ourselves are.
Think and speak as much about the mercy you have received as you do about the sin you have committed.
Making a great deal of every thought that enters your mind will keep those thoughts in your mind longer. For what we are most aware of we think most about. What we least regard we least remember.
The design of the Devil is to present God to us as being like the Evil One himself, who is in fact a malicious Enemy who delights to cause hurt. Since men hate the Devil for his spite, would he not encourage them to hate and blaspheme God, were he able to convince them that God is more evil in intent than he, Satan himself?
It is atheism in practice to think your sufferings are not part of his providence.
If you are not satisfied that God alone, Christ alone, heaven alone is enough for you in terms of happiness and contentment, then look into the matter: you may become convinced. Go, review your catechism and the foundations of religion. Then you will learn to store up treasure in heaven and not here on earth.
Controversy is better than an indifferent atheism that goes with what is politically acceptable, no matter what that might be.
Faith is not divine faith if it does not depend upon divine revelation, nor is it divine obedience which is given to anything other than divine government or commandment.
Set your thoughts on the things you know to be right and good: don’t focus on yourself and your own heart. Even the best may find within much to trouble them. As turning millstones only wear themselves down in the absence of grain to grind, so do the thoughts of the depressed when they think only of the troubles of their own hearts. To the degree that you can, direct your thoughts toward these four matters: a. the infinite goodness of God, who is more full of love than is the sun of light; b. the immeasurable love of Christ in redeeming mankind, and the sufficiency of his sacrifice and merits; c. the free covenant and offer of grace, which give pardon and life to all who neither prefer sin nor obstinately refuse them to the end; d. the inconceivable glory and joy that all the blessed have with Christ, and that God has promised with his oath and seal to everyone who consents to the covenant of grace and are willing to be saved and ruled by Christ.
© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible
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