"Let us hear these arguments of Christ, whenever we feel ourselves grow dull and careless"

I've always loved Richard Baxter's great 1656 book, The Reformed Pastor. It's really one long exposition of Paul's charge to the Ephesian pastors in Acts 20:28--"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood."

Reflecting on that verse, Baxter wrote to those of us who serve as pastors:

Oh then, let us hear these arguments of Christ, whenever we feel ourselves grow dull and careless: 'Did I die for them, and wilt not thou look after them? Were they worth my blood and are they not worth thy labor? Did I come down from heaven to earth to seek and to save that which was lost; and wilt thou not go to the next door or street or village to seek them? How small is thy labour and condescension as to mine? I debased myself to this, but it is thy honor to be so employed. Have I done and suffered so much for their salvation; and was I willing to make thee a co-worker with me, and wilt thou refuse that little that lieth upon thy hands?'

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