Perhaps the best and most famous Puritan work on the pastoral ministry, by a man who was a powerful instrument in the hand of God to transform his city of Kidderminster for the cause of Christ.

The Reformed Pastor is the result of a lecture Baxter was to deliver to a group of pastors. As it turn out, his health prevented him from attending, but he sent his manuscript to be read to the men. The biblical basis for his call of reform is Acts 20:28. “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”

Baxter easily divides his work into two parts, taking heed to ourselves and taking heed of the flock. For pastors, Baxter first calls on us to make sure we have the faith that we preach to others! And that we live that faith. For the flock, Baxter calls for a return to biblical church discipline and the careful, personal instruction of people in their homes from the catechism. As stated earlier, Baxter modeled this pattern. He preached two one-hour sermons each week and spent two whole days each week going from home to home catechizing his members. He argues that it is in this personal, home teaching that one can really find out what his parishioners know, if they are truly in the faith, and instruct them more fully in the core doctrines of the faith.