This work examines Richard Baxter's understanding and practice of pastoral ministry from the perspective of his own stated concern for 'reformation' and in the broader context of Edwardian, Elizabethan and early Stuart pastoral ideals and practice. It investigates Baxter's major treatise on pastoral ministry and explores the background of each aspect of his pastoral strategy.Examines Richard Baxter?'s practice of pastoral ministry in the broader historical context of Edwardian, Elizabethan and early Stuart pastoral ideals and practices.Far from being novel, Baxter's practice of pastoral ministry certainly reflects aspects of his puritan predecessor's practice, if not their rhetoric. The book concludes by considering the impact of Baxter's pastoral legacy, both on the lives of individual pastors and on the subsequent discussion of 'puritan' ministry