Richard Baxter (1615-1691) was one of the greatest of England's Puritan clergy. He lived through the terrible Civil Wars and served as a chaplain in Oliver Cromwell's army. A theologian and pastor, he was deeply respected even by those who opposed him.

After the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660, Baxter – who had supported it – was hopeful that a truly national church could be established. However, the Church of England was riven with dissension and he was one of those expelled with other dissenters in 1662. He was to be imprisoned for his faith and forbidden to preach, and at one stage – at the age of nearly 70 – was threatened with flogging by the infamous Judge Jeffreys. His last years were spent in peace and in the writing of several books.

Here are bine quotes from Richard Baxter.

1. Study hard, for the well is deep, and our brains are shallow.

2. Lay siege to your sins, and starve them out by keeping away the food and fuel which is their maintenance and life.

3. I preached as never sure to preach again, and as a dying man to dying men.

4. Preaching a man a sermon with a broken head and telling him to be right with God is equal to telling a man with a broken leg to get up and run a race.

5. Of all preaching in the world, (that speaks not stark lies) I hate that preaching which tendeth to make the hearers laugh, or to move their mind with tickling levity, and affect them as stage-players use to do, instead of affecting them with a holy reverence of the name of God.

6. When I compare my slow and unprofitable life with the frequent and wonderful mercies received, it shames me, it silences me, and leaves me inexcusable.

7. You are likely to see no general reformation till you procure family reformation.

8. Heaven is won or lost on earth; the possession is there, but the preparation is here.

9. Publicans and harlots do sooner come to heaven than Pharisees, because they are sooner convinced of their sin and misery.