His books of practical divinity have been effectual for more conversions of sinners to God than any printed in our time: and while the church remains on earth, will be of continual efficacy to recover lost souls. - There is a vigorous pulse in them, that keeps the reader awake and attentive .... His Call to the Unconverted, how small in bulk, but how powerful in virtue! Truth speaks in it with that authority and efficacy, that it makes the reader to lay his hand upon his heart, and find that he hath a soul and a conscience, though he lived before as if he had none. He told some friends, that six brothers were converted by reading that Call, and that every week he received letters of some converted by his books. This he spake with most humbled thankfulness, that God was pleased to use him as an instrument for the salvation of souls.
Edmund Calamy added that it was “a book blessed by God with marvellous success, in reclaiming persons from their impieties” and adds that
Cotton Mather, in his life, gives an account of an Indian (ie native American) prince, who was so well affected with this book, that he sat reading it, with tears in his eyes, till he died.
English editions regularly appeared down the years. By 1659 the fifth edition had appeared, by 1660 the ninth. Further editions in Baxter's lifetime include those of 1663, 67, 69 (13th edition), 71 (15th) 75 (18th) 78 (20th) 82 (21st). After his death it continued to be printed. Another edition was published in 1692 and by 1704 the 29th (carefully corrected) edition had appeared. There were further editions in 1746 and 47. The latter was printed in Edinburgh rather than London and led to a Gaelic edition, printed in Glasgow, in 1750 (reprinted 1845 and 94). English editions kept coming too – at least two editions in the 1760s, four in the 1780s, another four in the 1790s.
Maurice Roberts has noted its influence on George Whitefield prior to his conversion. Doddridge is another who was helped by Baxter's book. A perhaps more unusual example of someone affected by it in this period is the freed slave and autobiographer, James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw (c 1705-1775). In his autobiography he tells how having come under conviction of sin his master gave him Baxter's book. He says at first
This was no relief to me neither; on the contrary it occasioned as much distress in me as the other (Bunyan's Holy War) had before done, as it invited all to come to Christ; and I found myself so wicked and miserable that I could not come.
He was ready to commit suicide and was unwell for some few days. However, in a while he became more encouraged and soon writes “I now began to relish the book my master gave me, Baxter's call to the unconverted, and took great delight in it.” He so delighted in Baxter that he came to the point where “above all places in the world” he “wish'd to see Kidderminster, for” he says “I could not but think that on the spot where Mr Baxter had lived, and preach'd, the people must be all righteous.”
There was no let up in the 19th Century with editions regularly appearing in different forms throughout the period. Several times in the early years of the century an abridged version by Benjamin Fawcett appeared (1806, 20, 35) as well as other editions (1811, 15, 16, 17, 18, 25). From 1829 several editions appeared with an essay by Dr Thomas Chalmers (1829, 31, 50) and with additional material from Baxter including his Now or never and 50 reasons why a sinner ought to turn to God this day without delay.
It is worth noting here that Baxter's Call was not his only book on conversion. A few months before he had published a larger Treatise on conversion and just after Directions and persuasions to a sound conversion. Now or never appeared in 1663. Beougher says that the theme of conversion appears regularly throughout his writings.
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