Reformed Pastor - Baxter - X - Chapter 3 continued

Required reading
Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter (we'll be reading from the 1862 edition available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Continue Chapter 3 by reading Part 2 (Objections to this duty).

My summary
Now Baxter addresses objections to the duty of catechising.  He attempts to answer nine objections:
OBJECTION 1: We teach our people in public; and how then are we bound to teach them, man by man, besides?

OBJECTION 2: All the parish are not the church, nor do I take the pastoral charge of them, and therefore I am not satisfied that I am bound to take these pains with them.

OBJECTION 3: This course will take up so much time, that a man will have no opportunity to follow his studies. Most of us are young and inexperienced, and have need of much time to improve our own abilities, and to increase our own knowledge, which this course will entirely prevent.

OBJECTION 4: But this course will destroy the health of our bodies, by continual spending our spirits, and allowing us no time for necessary recreations; and it will wholly lock us up, from friendly intercourse with others, so that we must never stir from home, nor enjoy ourselves a day with our friends, for the relaxation of our minds; but, as we shall seem uncourteous and morose to others, so we shall tire ourselves, and the bow that is always bent will be in danger of breaking at last.

OBJECTION 5: I do not think that it is required of ministers that they make drudges of themselves. If they preach diligently, and visit the sick, and perform other ministerial duties, and occasionally do good to those they converse with, I do not think that God doth require that we should thus tie ourselves to instruct every person distinctly, and to make our lives a burden and a slavery.

OBJECTION 6: The times that Paul lived in required more diligence than ours. The churches were but in the planting, the enemies many, and persecution great. But now it is not so.

OBJECTION 7: But if you make such severe laws for ministers, the Church will be left without them. For what man will choose such a toilsome life for himself? or what parents will impose such a burden on their children? Men will avoid it both for the bodily toil, and the danger to their consciences, if they should not well discharge it.

OBJECTION 8: But to what purpose is all this, when most of the people will not submit? They will not come to us to be catechized, and will tell us that they are now too old to go to school. And therefore it is better to let them alone, as trouble them and ourselves to no purpose.

OBJECTION 9: But what likelihood is there that men will be converted by this means, who are not converted by the preaching of the Word, when that is God's chief ordinance for that end? ‘Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the preaching of the word.'

What grabbed me
This was the section that was really for me, but I'm still unconvinced.  Most of the objections had to do with laziness and Baxter was splendid in stirring up such objectors to work hard for their Lord.  If you want a reading to kick you into hard work, this was it.

But my main objection concerns whether catechising should be given such a high priority, particularly over preaching.  It is not about whether catechising will wear me out, but whether it is the best possible use of my time and what I am called to do above all else as a minister.

Baxter did try to answer my issue with 'Objection 9': 'I hope there are none so silly as to think this conference is not preaching. What? doth the number we speak to make it preaching? Or doth interlocution make it none? Surely a man may as truly preach to one, as to a thousand. And, as we have already said, if you examine, you will find that most of the preaching recorded in the New Testament, was by conference, and frequently interlocutory, and that with one or two, fewer or more, as opportunity served. Thus Christ himself did most commonly preach. Besides, we must take account of our people's learning, if we regard the success of our work.'

It seems now Baxter has changed the meaning of 'preaching'.  Up to this point in the book he has drawn a distinction between 'preaching' and 'catechising', now he is saying 'preaching' is 'catechising'.  If this is so, then he should not have a problem with me spending the majority of my time 'catechising' from the pulpit.

I must admit I feel a bit guilty for disagreeing with Baxter so strongly, so I'd be interested to hear of any readers who are in agreement with Baxter?

Next week's reading       
Conclude Chapter 3 by reading Part 3 (Directions for this duty).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.