Making light of Christ and salvation Author:Richard Baxter Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: AN ESSAY BAXTER'S LIFE, MINISTRY, AND THEOLOGY. It is a remark of Dr Wilkins, Bishop of Chester, that " it was enough for one age to produce such a man as ... more »Richard Baxter." The age which had the honour of producing this holy and great man, was the age of the Commonwealth, the age of Nonconformity. " Never did our England, since she first emerged from the ocean, rise so high above surrounding nations. The rivalry of Holland, the pride of Spain, the insolence of France, were thrust back by one finger each; yet those countries were more powerful than they had ever been. The sword of Cromwell was preceded by the mace of Milton, by that man which, when Oliver had rendered his account, opened to our contemplation the garden-gate of Paradise. And there were some around not unworthy to enter with him. In the compass of sixteen centuries, you will not number on the whole earth so many wise and admirable men, as you could have found united in that single day, when England shewed her true magnitude, and solved the question, Which 19 Most, One Or A Million ? There were giants in those days; but giants who feared God, and not who fought against him." Baxter was one of the numerous giants of the Commonwealth. He was to its theology what Cbomwell was to its politics,—what Milton was to its liberties,—and what Owen was to its non-conformity. This distinguished man was remarkable in every form of his character, and in all those combinations of qualities which fitted him for extensive usefulness, as an eminent saint, a laborious pastor, and a profound divine. The series of works presented to the public in the Library of Puritan Divines, are intended to interest the private Christian, the faithful Minister, and the theological Student. To meet these cases, this Essay is arranged to embra...« less