Some 350 years ago this year (1) a little book was published that has had a great impact not just in the life-time of its author but ever since. The book's author was Richard Baxter and the book, the most widely circulated of all his writings, is known as A call to the unconverted or to give it its full title A call to the unconverted to turn and live and accept of mercy while mercy may be had, as ever they would find mercy in the day of their extremity from the living God by his unworthy servant Richard Baxter; to be read in families where any are unconverted.
Timothy Beougher (2) says that “Puritan religious experience centred around conversion”. Baxter's book is one of two books from the Puritan era (the other is Joseph Alleine's Alarm to the unconverted published 15 years later and partly based on Baxter) widely considered to be “outstanding classics on the subject”.
In 1829 a writer in Boston wrote of the great energy of style and fervent zeal for the salvation of sinners found in Baxter. He went on to say of Baxter's Call
Timothy Beougher (2) says that “Puritan religious experience centred around conversion”. Baxter's book is one of two books from the Puritan era (the other is Joseph Alleine's Alarm to the unconverted published 15 years later and partly based on Baxter) widely considered to be “outstanding classics on the subject”.
In 1829 a writer in Boston wrote of the great energy of style and fervent zeal for the salvation of sinners found in Baxter. He went on to say of Baxter's Call
The present work holds a prominent rank among his publications. A rapid succession of editions has been published in various countries, and multitudes have undoubtedly been trained for heaven, whose attention was first awakened to the concerns of the soul by reading his Call to the Unconverted.
In his biography of Baxter William Orme surmised that
The results in the conversion of men, arising from this book, have been greater probably than have arisen from any other mere human performance.
A more recent writer says of Baxter that without doubt
A more recent writer says of Baxter that without doubt
his most famous and enduring contribution to Christian literature was a devotional work published in 1658 under the title Call to the unconverted. This slim volume was credited with the conversion of thousands and formed one of the core extra-biblical texts of evangelicalism until at least the middle of the nineteenth century.
The first evangelistic pocket book
According to Jim Packer the Puritans invented evangelistic literature. He called Baxter's Call “the first evangelistic pocket book in English” (3). Orme suggests that until Baxter
Conversion in all its important aspects, and unutterably important claims, had not before been discussed, at least in our language; nor had any man previously employed so boundless a range of topics, in conjunction with such an energetic and awakening style of addressing sinners.
The book has remained in print down the years and has been greatly used by God many times. Packer speaks of how it “brought an unending stream of readers to faith during Baxter's lifetime”. In a note found after his death Baxter himself tells us that the occasion for his book was the urging of Archbishop Ussher “to write directions suited to the various states of Christians, and also against particular sins”. Baxter felt incompetent but later, after Ussher's death, he set about it, he says,
According to Jim Packer the Puritans invented evangelistic literature. He called Baxter's Call “the first evangelistic pocket book in English” (3). Orme suggests that until Baxter
Conversion in all its important aspects, and unutterably important claims, had not before been discussed, at least in our language; nor had any man previously employed so boundless a range of topics, in conjunction with such an energetic and awakening style of addressing sinners.
The book has remained in print down the years and has been greatly used by God many times. Packer speaks of how it “brought an unending stream of readers to faith during Baxter's lifetime”. In a note found after his death Baxter himself tells us that the occasion for his book was the urging of Archbishop Ussher “to write directions suited to the various states of Christians, and also against particular sins”. Baxter felt incompetent but later, after Ussher's death, he set about it, he says,
yet, so as that to the first sort of men, the ungodly, I thought vehement persuasions meeter than directions only: and so for such I published this little book, which God hath blessed with unexpected success, beyond all the rest that I have written, except The Saint's Rest. In a little more than a year, there were about 20,000 of them printed by my own consent, and about ten thousand since, beside many thousands by stolen impressions, which poor men stole for lucre's
sake. Through God's mercy, I have information of almost whole households converted by this small book which I set so light by: and, as if all this in England, Scotland, and Ireland, were not mercy enough to me, God, since I was silenced, hath sent it over in his message to many beyond the seas; for when Mr Elliot had printed all the Bible in the Indian language, he next translated this my Call to the Unconverted, as he wrote to us here. And yet God would make some farther use of it; for Mr Stoop, the pastor of the French Church in London, being driven hence by the displeasure of his superiors, was pleased to translate it into French. I hope it will not be unprofitable there; nor in Germany, where it is printed in Dutch.
sake. Through God's mercy, I have information of almost whole households converted by this small book which I set so light by: and, as if all this in England, Scotland, and Ireland, were not mercy enough to me, God, since I was silenced, hath sent it over in his message to many beyond the seas; for when Mr Elliot had printed all the Bible in the Indian language, he next translated this my Call to the Unconverted, as he wrote to us here. And yet God would make some farther use of it; for Mr Stoop, the pastor of the French Church in London, being driven hence by the displeasure of his superiors, was pleased to translate it into French. I hope it will not be unprofitable there; nor in Germany, where it is printed in Dutch.
1. Baxter's preface is dated December 11, 1557
2. In his book on Baxter and conversion
3. In his Quest for Godliness or Among God's Giants
No comments:
Post a Comment