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THE LIFE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Rev. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 ABRIDGED FROM ORME's LIFE OF B.VXTER. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION. 
 
 JAMES BCSSELL, PUBLISHING AGENT. 
 
 1840. 
 
Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year 1840, by A. W. 
 Mitchell, in the office of the Clerk of the District Court for the 
 Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA. 
 WILLIAM S. MARTIEN, PRINTER. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 In making this abridgement, no change 
 has been made in the facts, as stated by the 
 original author, but often in the reflexions 
 and inferences from these facts, others have 
 been substituted in the place of those made 
 by Mr. Orme, and many of his have been 
 entirely omitted. When his language is 
 used to any extent, notice is given of it to 
 the reader, and marks of quotation prefixed; 
 but often in condensing the narrative his 
 words are retained without any particular 
 ackno wledgmen t. 
 
LIFE OF 
 
 Rev. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 Richard Baxter, was bom in the county 
 of Salop, Nov. 12th, 1615. In his earliest 
 years, while he was chargeable with faults 
 common to children, he was the subject of 
 many serious impressions. He lived for 
 years with his grandfather, but at the age of 
 ten returned to the house of his father, who 
 then resided at a village within five miles of 
 Shrewsbury. He was extremely unfortu- 
 nate in his teachers, some of whom were 
 shamefully immoral, and others incompetent; 
 while all of them greatly neglected his in- 
 struction. He also missed the advantages of 
 a University education, by a proposal made 
 to his parents to place him with Mr. Richard 
 Wickstead, chaplain to the Council at Lud- 
 low, with whom he remained above a year, 
 and then returned to his father. After this, 
 
6 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 at the request of Lord Newport, he went to 
 Wroxeter, where he taught in the free school, 
 for six months, during the illness of one of 
 his former schoolmasters. 
 
 When he had reached his eighteenth year, 
 Mr. Wickstead prevailed on him to relin- 
 quish his studies, and seek his fortune at 
 court. He accordingly went to Whitehall, 
 with a recommendation to Sir Henry Her- 
 bert, then Master of the Revels, by whom he 
 was kindly received. But after a month's 
 attendance, finding the kind of life which he 
 must there live, little to his taste, and still 
 feeUng a strong inclination to the holy min- 
 istry, he returned home, and resumed his 
 studies with great diligence; until at the in- 
 stance of Sir Richard Foley, he was made 
 teacher of the free school at Dudley. While 
 in this situation he had the opportunity of 
 perusing several practical treatises, by which 
 means he was brought to a deep sense of 
 rehgion. This seems to have been kept up 
 by the ill state of health in which he then 
 was; for he had the impression, that he 
 should live not more than a year. Feeling 
 now a strong desire to be useful in the con- 
 version of sinners, he resolved to enter on 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 7 
 
 the ministry, and applied to Dr. Thornbo- 
 rough, Bishop of Worcester, for ordination. 
 At this time he entertained no scruples about 
 conformity to the Church of England. But 
 after he began to preach at Dudley, he be- 
 came acquainted with several non-confor- 
 mists, who put into his hands several books 
 in favour of their opinions, and among the 
 rest. Dr. Ames's " Fresh Suit against Cere- 
 monies." This he read with attention; and 
 it was the first means of changing his views, 
 on this subject. From Dudley he removed 
 to Bridgenorth, and there officiated as as- 
 sistant to Mr. Mastard, the minister of the 
 place, who treated him with great kindness 
 and respect, and did not press upon him con- 
 formity, in those points, concerning which he 
 now entertained scruples. About this time, 
 what was called the et csettra oath, was in- 
 troduced, which led him to study with still 
 more attention the subject of conformity; 
 and the result was, an increased dislike of 
 many things in the Church. Though not 
 opposed to every form of episcopacy, he 
 thought it very unreasonable to take it for 
 granted, that the English Church was so im- 
 maculate, as to justify a solemn oath, that he 
 
8 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 would never consent to have it altered. He 
 had observed, that the imposition of this 
 oath, which was designed to subject the na- 
 tion unalterably to their bishops, produced 
 the effect of alienating the minds of many 
 from them, much more than they had been 
 before. 
 
 When the Long Parliament appointed a 
 committee to hear complaints against scan- 
 dalous and incompetent clergymen , the town 
 of Kidderminster, in Worcestershire, drew 
 up a petition against their vicar, Mr. Danse, 
 and his two curates, as insufficient. The 
 living was then worth about £200 per an- 
 num; and the vicar as a compromise with 
 the people, offered to give from his income 
 £60, to any person who might be chosen by 
 fourteen trustees, appointed by the people. 
 An occasional sermon from Mr. Baxter gave 
 such universal satisfaction, that he was im- 
 mediately called, and went to reside at Kid- 
 derminster in 1640. He found the place over- 
 spread with ignorance and profaneness; but 
 by a divine blessing on his faithful labours, a 
 great reformation was produced; for though 
 at first he met with much opposition, by 
 ^ perseverance and fidelity in the discharge of 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 9 
 
 his pastoral duties, extraordinary success at- 
 tended his labours, in the conversion of many 
 souls, and the establishment of religion in 
 almost every family of the place. 
 
 In the civil contest between the king and 
 parliament, Baxter sided with the latter, in 
 consequence of which, he was obliged to 
 leave Kidderminster; for the rabble became 
 very riotous, and their fury seems to have 
 been particularly directed against him; so 
 that his life was in danger. His friends, 
 therefore, advised him to withdraw for a sea- 
 son from the scene of his labours. On leav- 
 ing Kidderminster, he went to Gloucester, 
 where he found the people civil and reli- 
 gious; as different from those of Kiddermin- 
 ster, as if they lived under a different govern- 
 ment. Here he remained for a month, dur- 
 ing which short period, several pamphlets 
 were published ; and public disputation'^ 
 were held by the ministers, with various 
 sects, and particularly with the Baptists. 
 
 At these religious tournaments, the victory 
 was commonly claimed by both parties; but 
 if the justice of the cause were to be judged 
 of from the spirit and weapons of the com- 
 batants, it would have been granted to 
 
10 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 neither. About a dozen young men in Glou- 
 cester had been re-baptized, and laboured, as 
 was very natural, to draw others after them. 
 Mr. Winnel, the minister of the place, wrote 
 a book against the Baptists; but being of a 
 hot and impatient spirit, he rather excited 
 than calmed the minds of the people ; and 
 while he produced little effect on the Baptists, 
 he brought upon himself the censure of the 
 public for his asperity and violence. This 
 was the commencement, Baxter says, of 
 much evil at Gloucester. 
 
 * After a month's absence from his charge, 
 his friends at Kidderminster solicited his re- 
 turn; and he complied, but found affairs in a 
 state little better than when he went away; 
 for the fury of the rabble and the insolence of 
 the King's troops were such, that he was 
 again forced to withdraw. The war was 
 now in active operation in that part of the 
 country; the royal forces being under the 
 command of Prince Rupert, and the Parlia- 
 ment's under the Earl of Essex. Upon the 
 Lord's day, October 23, 1642, while he was 
 preaching for his friend, Mr. Samuel Clark, 
 at Alcester, it became evident the armies 
 were engaged, for the report of cannon was 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 11 
 
 distinctly heard during the sermon. This 
 was the battle of Edgehill, in which though 
 botli armies suffered much, the success was 
 not decisive on either side, for although 
 Prince Rupert defeated the Earl of Essex's 
 left wing, the other part of his army suffered 
 a defeat, while his men were engaged in 
 plundering the wagons. 
 
 Baxter went on the ground next morning, 
 and found the Earl of Essex encamped on 
 the field of battle, and the King's army fa- 
 cing them on a hill about a mile off. There 
 were about a thousand dead bodies on the 
 field between them; and some, he supposes, 
 had been already buried. But neither of the 
 armies seemed disposed to renew the con- 
 flict, and gradually removed from each other. 
 
 Baxter now found himself in an embar- 
 rassing situation. Driven from his home, 
 and destitute of money and friends, he knew 
 not whither to betake, himself. After some 
 consideration, he resolved to go to Coventry, 
 where an old acquaintance, Mr. Simon King, 
 was minister. Accordingly, he went thither, 
 and remained a month; but there appeared 
 no more probability of a termination of the 
 war now than before. While he was consi- 
 
12 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 dering what course he should pursue, he 
 received an invitation from the governor and 
 committee of the city, to remain and preach 
 ta the soldiers. This suited well with his 
 present urgent necessities, but he was re- 
 solved not to accept a commission as chap- 
 lain to a regiment; yet he was willing to 
 preach once or twice a week to the garrison. 
 Here then, he took up his abode in the Go- 
 vernor's house, and lived in as much quiet- 
 ness as if it had been a time of peace ; preach- 
 ing to the soldiers once a week, and once 
 on the Lord's day to the people, receiving 
 nothing from either but his food. 
 
 The war having spread over almost every 
 part of the country, and great agitation and 
 confusion ensuing, there was safety scarcely 
 any where. For two months he retired from 
 Coventry, and went into Shropshire; and 
 having got his father out of prison, he re- 
 turned to Coventry, where he spent another 
 year in studying the Scriptures and preach- 
 ing to the soldiers. Among his hearers, he 
 informs us, there were many godly and judi- 
 cious persons. There were also at Coventry, 
 about thirty worthy ministers, who had taken 
 refuge there from the popular fury, and from 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 13 
 
 the brutal insolence of the soldiers, though 
 they had never meddled in the contest which 
 was going on. 
 
 At Coventry, Mr. Baxter took the solemn 
 league and covenant, and administered it, to 
 another, of which he afterwards bitterly re- 
 pented. The garrison at Coventry consisted 
 of both citizens and countrymen. The latter 
 were such as had been forced from their own 
 dwellings, and were among the most reli- 
 gious persons in all that country. A few 
 fanatical persons of Sir Henry Vane's party, 
 who had come over from New England, got 
 into the garrison, and with an Anabaptist 
 tailor, greatly disturbed the peace of the gar- 
 rison, by infecting the honest soldiers with 
 their opinions; but they were not so success- 
 ful here as in Cromwell's army. Mr. Baxter 
 preached in public on the Anabaptist contro- 
 versy, and against the Separatists. Some of 
 his Worcester friends, and even some of the 
 foot soldiers were able, he informs us, to 
 baffle the Separatists, Anabaptists, and An- 
 tinomians; and so the garrison was kept 
 sound. 
 
 The Anabaptists now sent for one Benja- 
 min Cox, an old minister of their persuasion, 
 
14 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 from Bedford, who was no contemptible 
 scholar, and with whom Baxter had much 
 controversy, first by word of mouth, and 
 afterwards in writing. Cox was desired to 
 leave the city; but returning again he was 
 imprisoned. Some ascribed this to Baxter, 
 but he declares that he had nothing to do 
 with putting him in, though he used his in- 
 fluence to get him out of prison. 
 
 Naseby being not far from Coventry, he, 
 upon the report of the battle and victory at 
 that place, had a desire to go over and see 
 whether some of his dear friends, who were 
 in Cromwell's army, were dead or alive. 
 Accordingly, two days after the battle, he 
 went and saw his friends, and learned many 
 particulars respecting the state of the army. 
 He found abundance of sober, honest, ortho- 
 dox men among the troopers and officers; 
 others were tractable and ready to hear the 
 truth; but there were a few proud, self-con- 
 ceited, hot-headed sectaries, who had got 
 into the high places, and were Cromwell's 
 chief favourites, and who by their very heat 
 and activity bore down the rest, or carried 
 them along with them. These were the soul 
 of the army, though much fewer in number 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 15 
 
 than the rest, being indeed not one to twenty 
 in it. Their strength was in Cromwell's, 
 Whalley's, and Rich's regiments of horse. 
 These men were resolved to put down king, 
 nobles, and bishops. Cromwell and his coun- 
 cil preferred to join themselves to no party, 
 but they were constantly casting odium on 
 the Scots and the Presbyterians. Baxter was 
 now convinced that all was lost, by the sound 
 ministers forsaking the army, and leaving it 
 a prey to fanatics. At first every regiment 
 had a good chaplain, but after the battle of 
 Edgehill they returned home; and as the 
 sectaries increased, they were more averse 
 to going into the army. He also blamed 
 himself for refusing an invitation from Crom- 
 well, who intended to form his troop into a 
 regular church, and who, in their name, re- 
 quested Baxter to be their pastor; but he 
 reproved them for their design, and would 
 not comply with their invitation. Now these 
 very men, afterwards became the leaders of 
 the army, and some of them were active in 
 all the changes which took place. 
 
 About this time he was again invited by 
 Colonel Whalley to join the army, and after 
 consultation with the ministers at Coventry, 
 
16 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 he consented to go; but the Governor and 
 garrison so strenuously opposed it, that it 
 was with difficulty he could get away. After 
 considerable altercation, and after parting 
 with his friends in some displeasure, he went 
 to Cromwell's army. When he arrived, Oli- 
 ver Cromwell coolly bade him welcome, but 
 never afterwards spoke one word to him, or 
 ever gave him any opportunity of meeting 
 with the councils and officers; so that his 
 chief purpose in joining the army was frus- 
 trated. Cromwell's secretary gave out, jeer- 
 ingly, that a reformer had come to the camp 
 to save church and state. Having joined the 
 army, however, he set himself to find out the 
 errors of the soldiers, and to argue them out 
 of their mistakes. His Ufe among them was 
 spent in a continual contention with seducers, 
 or in reasoning gently with the more tract- 
 able. A spirit of disputation on religious 
 points, at this time pervaded the army. The 
 opinion which he found most prevalent, and 
 for which all the sectaries contended most 
 strenuously, was religious liberty, or the right 
 of every man to judge for himself in matters 
 of religion; and that the civil magistrate 
 ought to exercise no authority over matters 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 17 
 
 of faith, but should leave every man to the 
 liberty of worshipping God agreeably to the 
 dictates of his own conscience. 
 
 Baxter's indefatigable zeal led him to seek 
 an acquaintance with the leaders of the sec- 
 taries, who, he found, were old separatists, 
 proud, self-conceited men, and he made it 
 his object to expose their weakness and in- 
 consistency. But there was in the army a 
 more dangerous party than these; those who 
 rejected all external worship, cried down the 
 ministry, spoke against the translation of the 
 Bible, allowed of no arguments from Scrip- 
 ture but in express words, and were vehe- 
 ment against the government of church and 
 state. These m.en treated Baxter with scorn; 
 but when they disputed with him, they 
 drowned all reason in fierceness, vehemency, 
 and multitude of words. They greatly strove 
 for places of power, and were ready to mu- 
 tiny when important places were given to 
 such as were not of their party. These were 
 the men who were afterwards called Level- 
 lers, who rose up against Cromwell, and 
 were surprised at Burford,and were entirely 
 defeated and scattered. Thompson, their 
 2 
 
18 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 general, had been a corporal in Bethel's 
 troop. 
 
 No man could have been better adapted 
 to the place which he occupied than Baxter. 
 His extraordinary talents, his versatility of 
 mind, and his fondness for disputation, sin- 
 gularly qualified him for the work which 
 he had now to perform. Probably such an 
 army as that of the Parliament, the world 
 never saw. Baxter attempts to account for 
 the spirit with which they were actuated, and 
 attributes it to a few leading characters; but 
 the causes were various and manifold. His 
 attempts to check the progress of error, fana- 
 ticism and anarchy, were as ineffectual as 
 would be attempts to check a volcano, by 
 throwing stones into the crater. The mate- 
 rials for the tempest which now burst upon 
 the land, had been long gathering and pre- 
 paring in secret; and although, for a while, 
 it spread desolation and dismay all around, 
 yet it cleared the atmosphere, political and 
 religious; so that it has been rendered more 
 salubrious for Christians and freemen. 
 
 About this time a strange report was 
 circulated against Baxter; as that he had 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 19 
 
 murdered a man in cold blood; or, that he 
 was present when one Lieutenant Hurdman 
 inhumanly ran a certain Major Jennings 
 through the body, and that he took from his 
 neck the king's picture; and while he was 
 swimming in his gore, told him he was a 
 popish rogue, and the like. To which Bax- 
 ter answered, " I solemnly protest, that to 
 my knowledge, I never saw Major Jennings; 
 that I never saw the man wound or touch 
 him," &c. 
 
 For two years he accompanied the army 
 in its various movements, but was able to 
 accomplish little in the way which he had 
 contemplated, when he joined himself to it. 
 Thus disappointed in his expectation of use- 
 fulness, and with his health much impaired, 
 he found it necessary to withdraw from a 
 station so arduous. The people of Kidder- 
 minster, moreover, having renewed their 
 complaint against their old vicar, and having 
 obtained his dismission, offered the place to 
 Baxter; but he positively declined having 
 any thing to do with the parish, except as 
 regarded the lecture. This he was willing 
 to take upon the same terms as to salary, 
 which had been accepted before; that is, £60 
 
20 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 and a house; he expected to receive ^40 
 more from a neighbouring place. This was 
 all he asked or wished; and the engagement 
 being made, he recommenced his labours. 
 Formerly, he had preached twice on each 
 Lord's day; but he was now able to preach 
 but once on the Sabbath, and as often in the 
 week, besides occasional sermons. Every 
 Thursday evening such of his neighbours as 
 were desirous of it, met at his house for con- 
 versation and religious exercises; each one 
 having liberty to propose his doubts, or to 
 ask any questions. To these he 'gave suit- 
 able answers; and before they separated, it 
 was his custom to call first upon one and 
 then another to lead in prayer, besides pray- 
 ing with them himself This, with the sing- 
 ing of a psalm, was all that was done. On 
 another evening, some younger persons met 
 and spent two or three hours in prayer. On 
 every Saturday evening it was customary to 
 meet at each other's houses, to repeat the 
 sermon of the preceding Sabbath, and to pre- 
 pare for the duties of the next day. Once in 
 a few weeks they had, on one occasion or 
 another, a day of humiliation and prayer. 
 Every reUgious woman who escaped the 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 21 
 
 dangers of child-birth, kept, with a select 
 company of her neighbours, a day of thanks- 
 giving for God's mercy in her safe deliver- 
 ance. Every week he and his assistant took 
 fourteen families each, for catechising and 
 conference; the assistant going into the coun- 
 try, and Mr. Baxter attending to such as 
 were in the town. He first heard them re- 
 cite the words of the catechism, and then 
 examined them about the sense; and lastly, 
 urged upon them the state of mind and prac- 
 tice which corresponded with the truths re- 
 cited. He was careful not to press them 
 hard, when, through ignorance, they were 
 unable to answer, but passed them by, or 
 said something by way of exhortation. He 
 spent about an hour with each family, and 
 permitted no other persons to be present, lest 
 through bashfulness, any should be embar- 
 rassed and prevented from answering freely, 
 or lest one should be led to speak of the 
 ignorance or mistakes of his neighbours. 
 Every Monday and Tuesday afternoon was 
 spent in these family visitations; and the 
 mornings of the same days were spent by his 
 assistant in the same exercise. For five or 
 six years he was under almost a necessity of 
 
22 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 practising physic, for on one occasion, when 
 sickriess prevailed, he was led to prescribe, 
 and afterwards he was applied to and sent 
 for continually. But for these services he 
 never took a penny from any one, on which 
 account many came to him; so that as many 
 as twenty persons would often be at his door 
 in one ddiy. And though God gave hira 
 more success than he expected, yet he found 
 it necessary to relinquish the practice, be- 
 cause it interfered so much with his studies, 
 and from an apprehension that he might do 
 barm for want of skill. To prevent the ne- 
 cessity of pursuing this course, he induced a 
 pious and attentive physician to settle there, 
 binding himself to give up the practice alto- 
 gether, except when requested, in some diffi- 
 cult cases, to consult with the regular physi- 
 cian. 
 
 During all this period, the writing of books 
 to be printed was his principal business: his 
 preaching, and preparation for the pulpit, he 
 says, were mere recreations. He wrote 
 every thing with his own hand, and never 
 made an hour's use of an amanuensis. He 
 lost much lime in attending to his bodily 
 complaints. On account of the extreme 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 23 
 
 weakness of his stomach, he could not rise 
 very early, and his infirmities were often 
 such that an hour sometimes elapsed before 
 he was dressed. He took also an hour to 
 walk before dinner, and another before sup- 
 per; and after supper he could seldom study. 
 All which, with family duties, prayer, and 
 meals, left but little time for study; which 
 he considered the greatest personal affliction 
 of his life. 
 
 Every first Wednesday in the month, a 
 meeting was held for parish discipline; and 
 every first Thursday of the month, was the 
 minister's meeting for discipline and dispu- 
 tation. In these disputations Mr. Baxter 
 was almost uniformly appointed moderator; 
 and he commonly delivered a written opi- 
 nion on the subject discussed. Besides, 
 every Thursday, he had the company of 
 divers pious ministers, after the lecture, with 
 whom he spent the afternoon, until the time 
 for the meeting of the weekly conference. 
 For fourteen years he was thus usefully and 
 happily occupied, in the midst of times of 
 great difiiculty and trouble. For this kind- 
 ness of a benignant Providence, he expresses 
 the warmest gratitude, and even wonder, 
 
24 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 that in those days of licentiousness and con- 
 fusion, under a usurper, such a mercy should 
 have been vouchsafed to him. 
 
 His public preaching met with an atten- 
 tive, diligent auditory. Before he entered 
 the ministry, God blessed his private conver- 
 sation to the conversion of some, who con- 
 tinued to be exemplary Christians. Those, 
 in the beginning of his ministry, he was wont 
 to number as his jewels; yet after a while, 
 they so increased that he could not keep 
 count. The church was commonly very 
 full; and the hearers so increased, that it was 
 found necessary to erect several additional 
 galleries for the accommodation of the peo- 
 ple. On the Lord's day, there was no dis- 
 order to be seen in the streets; and as one 
 passed along, he might hear a liundred fami- 
 lies singing psalms, or engaged in repeating 
 sermons. When Baxter first came to Kid- 
 derminster, there might, perhaps be found 
 one family in a street, who worshipped God: 
 when he left the place, there were some 
 whole streets in which there could not be 
 found a single family in which the worship 
 of God was not maintained. Even in those 
 houses which were the worst, such as taverns 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 25 
 
 and ale-houses, there were commonly found 
 one or more, who feared God, and called 
 upon his name. Such as conducted them- 
 selves scandalously were excommunicated; 
 and of six hundred communicants, there 
 were not twelve of whose piety he did not 
 entertain a good hope. 
 
 Some of the poor men of the congregation 
 competently understood the body of divinity, 
 and were able to judge in difficult controver- 
 sies : and some of them were so able in 
 prayer, that very few ministers were equal 
 to them, in order and fulness. Abundance 
 of them were able to pray in a very pro- 
 per manner with their families, or others; 
 possessing a remarkable gift, and lively ut- 
 terance which rendered it edifying to hear 
 them; and the innocency of their lives and 
 temper of their minds were such, as to call 
 forth the praises of all who regarded the 
 truth. The professors of religion were gene- 
 rally of humble minds and carriage, of meek 
 and quiet behaviour to others, and of blame- 
 less conversation. His labours also, in the 
 surrounding towns, were eminently blessed, 
 especially at Dudley and Shiffnal; when he 
 preached there, the nailers and other labour-- 
 3 
 
26 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 ers would crowd the house, and hang upon 
 the boards and windows, without. 
 
 His labours also with his brethren, in the 
 ministry, were not ineffectual. Their cleri- 
 cal, weekly meetings for conference and dis- 
 putation, were not unprofitable; and though 
 contentious, were comfortable. They took 
 great delight in each other's company ; and 
 the remembrance of those meetings was 
 pleasant to all who took part in them. And 
 when he laboured to bring his brethren to 
 the work of catechising, and instructing 
 every family by itself, he found a ready con- 
 sent in most, and performance in many. 
 
 The account which Mr. Baxter gives of 
 the means and reasons of his success, de- 
 serves the attention of every pastor. 
 
 The people to whom he came had not pre- 
 viously grown hard under the faithful preach- 
 ing of the gospel. They had never before 
 enjoyed an awakening ministry; but only a 
 few formal, cold sermons. Baxter himself 
 was then young, and full of animation. His 
 voice too was naturally penetrating and mov- 
 ing, which with common hearers is a great 
 matter. He preached also as a dying man ; 
 for on account of his bodily infirmities, he 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 27 
 
 had the prospect of death continually before 
 him. Another great advantage which he 
 had, was, that the most of those who on his 
 first coming, had bitterly opposed him, and 
 risen in tumuhs against him, on account 
 of their hatred to the Puritans, went out to 
 the wars, in the king's army, and were quick- 
 ly killed or never returned again ; so that on 
 his second coming, there were few disposed 
 to make any open opposition to the power of 
 godliness. 
 
 The usurpation of Cromwell served to re- 
 move much of that odium, which, under the 
 bishops, had followed all serious piety. He 
 gave liberty, indeed, to all sects, and attempt- 
 ed to establish none; and by this very liber- 
 ty, of which many complained, as believing 
 that toleration was a connivance at error, 
 there was a door opened for the gospel, in 
 many places, where before it was closed. 
 
 Baxter found also, that his having a good 
 report among the people, as an honest and 
 sincere man who really sought their good, 
 was of unspeakable advantage in promot- 
 ing the success of his ministry. If the people 
 of the place had suspected the purity and 
 benevolence of his motives; if they had 
 
28 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 believed him to be erroneous, scandalous, 
 worldly or covetous, his niinistry would have 
 been hindered. A bishop must have a good 
 report with those who are without. He was 
 greatly assisted also, by the zeal of the godly 
 in the place. They thirsted after the salva- 
 tion of their neighbours, and being dispersed 
 all over the town, they were every where 
 ready to discountenance error and vice, to 
 justify piety, and to convince, reprove, and 
 exhort men, as occasion offered, and as there 
 was need. They also inculcated the duty of 
 prayer, and the sanctification of the Lord's 
 day; and it was a custom for those who 
 were intelligent and serious, when they had 
 a meeting at their houses, to repeat sermons, 
 &c.,they invited their ignorant neighbours to 
 attend, so that often the houses of the better 
 sort of people, on such occasions, would be 
 crowded with poor people. Their holy, hum- 
 ble, and exemplary lives were of the greatest 
 advantage to the success of his ministry. 
 Nothing so convinces men of the truth and 
 reality of vital religion, as the living example 
 and meek and humble spirit of its professors; 
 while, on the other hand there is no greater 
 obstruction to the gospel, than the inconsis- 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 29 
 
 tent lives and unsavoury spirit of many, who 
 are in the communion of the Church. The 
 unity and concord which were preserved 
 among the pious were also a great benefit. 
 The place was also in a good degree exempt 
 from those sects and heresies, which abound- 
 ed at this time in most places in the land. 
 
 Private meetings were found to be an 
 effectual help to the progress of piety, in the 
 place, for, thereby, truths that had slipped 
 away, were recalled, and serious impressions 
 which were in danger of being worn away 
 by intercourse with the world, were renewed, 
 and good desires cherished. These meet- 
 ings were found also greatly to increase the 
 religious knowledge of the people; and by 
 the continual exercise of the gift of prayer, 
 many improved in this exercise, and the 
 younger learned to pray, by hearing those 
 that were older. They furnished the preacher 
 also, with an opportunity of knowing the 
 persons, who were beginning to be serious; 
 for if any one was wounded by the arrows 
 of truth, in the public dispensation of the 
 vsrord, he would be sure to drop into these 
 meetings. By the means of these also, idle 
 meetings and the loss of time, were prevent- 
 
30 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 ed; and so far were these religious societies 
 from promoting schism, that they were the 
 chief means of preventing every thing of the 
 kind; for the pastor was commonly there in. 
 the midst of them, solving their doubts, si- 
 lencing their objections, and moderating them 
 in all things. Some controversies which the 
 pastor had with gainsayers, particularly with 
 the Quakers, greatly confirmed the people in 
 the belief of the truth. These people endea- 
 voured to set up a meeting in the town. 
 Baxter invited them to meet in the church, 
 and there to hold a public disputation, when 
 he so exposed their errors and deceits before 
 all the people, that they received no counte- 
 nance from them, and gained not so much as 
 one proselyte in the town. 
 
 Baxter mentions as one means of his ex- 
 traordinary success, in his pastoral labors, 
 the honesty and diligence of his assistants ; 
 and the presence and countenance of vigilant 
 and faithful justices of the peace, who for 
 the most part, were men of piety, and were 
 always ready to use their authority to sup- 
 press vice, and promote good order, and vir- 
 tuous conduct. It gave him no small advan- 
 tage, that, being a single man, and spending 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 31 
 
 little on himself, he was able to distribute the 
 larger part of his income among the poor. 
 And when he found any of their children 
 possessed of promising talents, he would by 
 means of his own funds and the aid of his 
 friends, send them to be educated at the Uni- 
 versity. Several of these became useful 
 preachers, and with their brethren were eject- 
 ed by the act of uniformity; while others 
 conformed, and remained in the ministry. In 
 giving charitable relief to the indigent, he 
 never made it a question whether they were 
 good of bad; for, he thought, the bad had 
 souls and bodies that needed charity most. 
 And for the encouragement of liberality, Mr. 
 Baxter makes this remark, that ivhat little 
 funds he ever acquired, were obtained, when 
 he gave most away; and that when he has 
 been able to give little, his increase has been 
 also diminished. 
 
 Another furtherance of the good work was, 
 the books which he wrote and gave away 
 among the people. Of some small books he 
 gave every family one, which came to about 
 eight hundred ; of the larger size, he gave 
 fewer; and to every poor family destitute of 
 a Bible, he gave one. He considered it a 
 
32 LIFE OP THE 
 
 great advantage, that the business which 
 most of the people followed, allowed them 
 time to read, and to talk of divine things. 
 This business was the weaving of the Kid- 
 derminster stuffs; and as they stand in their 
 looms, the men can set a book before them, 
 or discourse with one another; whereas, 
 ploughing and many other kinds of work 
 leave the labourers so weary, that they have 
 little inclination to read, and while occupied 
 with their business no opportunity. In con- 
 nexion with this subject, Baxter remarks, 
 "that freeholders and tradesmen are the 
 strength of religion and of the community; 
 while gentlemen and beggars, and servile 
 tenants, are the strength of iniquity." He 
 found that his single life afforded much ad- 
 vantage; for he needed little for his support; 
 and as he had no children of his own, he 
 could bestow his undivided attention and 
 affections upon his people ; and living free 
 in a great measure, from family cares, he 
 had more time to devote to his sacred calling. 
 
 He was of opinion also, that God made 
 his practising physic a great advantage to 
 his ministry; for they that cared not for their 
 souls, loved their lives, and cared for their 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 33 
 
 bodies ; and by this they were rendered very 
 tractable and obedient. When he looked 
 over his people, he saw multitudes whose 
 lives or health, God had made him the means 
 of preserving; and as it cost them nothing, a 
 sense of gratitude led them to seek to gratify 
 him, by attending on his ministry. 
 
 In most cases, where there were irreligi- 
 ous and vicious people, there were some of 
 their connexions brought under the saving 
 influence of the gospel. Many children did 
 God work upon, at fourteen, fifteen, or six- 
 teen years of age; and this had a powerful 
 effect to reconcile their parents, and older 
 people to religion. They that would not 
 hear him, would hear their own children, 
 und some who had been wont to talk against 
 godliness, would not hear it spoken against, 
 when it was their own children's case. 
 Some who disregarded religion as a per- 
 sonal concern, seemed to be proud that they 
 had understanding, religious children; and 
 there were some of seventy or eighty years 
 of age, who had Hved without God all their 
 lives, but were now hopefully reconciled to 
 God, in consequence of the conversion of 
 their own children. Another great help to 
 
34 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 his success was, the custom already mention- 
 ed, of dealing with every family apart, cate- 
 chising and instructing them. That which 
 was spoken to them personally seemed to 
 awaken their attention, and affect them much 
 more than public preaching. 
 
 The faithful exercise of church discipline 
 also, was no small furtherance of the peo- 
 ple's good; for Baxter found, that without 
 discipline, he never could have kept the reli- 
 gious part of the church from divisions and 
 separations. Pious people have, from their 
 very character, an inclination to separate 
 from the profane and irreligious; and if they 
 had not seen a determination to separate 
 such from the communion, they would have 
 been disposed to withdraw from the society. 
 Many abstained from coming to the Lord's 
 table for fear of discipline; for out of sixteen 
 hundred of proper age to come to the Lord's 
 table, there were no more than six hundred 
 communicants. It was the custom, however, 
 for all to come that would, so that their ex- 
 clusion was their own act. And as to the 
 posture in partaking of the ordinance, every 
 one was permitted to follow his own judg- 
 ment, or inclination. 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 35 
 
 He baptized the children of all sorts, but 
 he required the parents to give him, private- 
 ly or publicly, an account of their faith; and 
 if any father was a scandalous sinner, he 
 made him confess his sin openly, with appa- 
 rent penitence, before he would baptize his 
 child. If he refused, the administration of 
 the ordinance was postponed until the mo- 
 ther brought the child; for he says, he rarely 
 found both father and mother so destitute of 
 knowledge and faith, as in a church-sense, 
 to be incapable thereof. 
 
 Another advantage which he found to con- 
 tribute to his success was, ordering his doc- 
 trine in such a manner, that while he kept 
 in view the main end of preaching, he adapt- 
 ed it to the peculiar circumstances and dis- 
 eases of his flock. The things which he con- 
 tinually inculcated were the fundamental 
 principles of Christianity ; which were so fre- 
 quently brought to view, that they became 
 the matter of their daily cogitations, and dis- 
 courses. But to keep therh humble, under a 
 conviction of their own ignorance, he would 
 commonly put something in every sermon 
 which was above their own discovery, and 
 which they had not known before. By this 
 
36 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 means, they were kept in a learning state, 
 and their thirst for knowledge was both ex- 
 cited and gratified. For he thought, if min- 
 isters tell their people no more than they 
 already know, they will be tempted to torn 
 preachers themselves, and suppose that they 
 have learned all that the minister can teach 
 them, and have become as wise as be is. 
 Ministers will be despised if they do not 
 possess knowledge superior to that of their 
 people; but if he communicates to them 
 things which they did not know before, by 
 a daily addition to their former light, they 
 will be led on with desire and delight. He 
 never thought it expedient to take up their 
 time with unprofitable controversies, which 
 could not produce edification; nor did he 
 affect novelties in doctrine, contrarj^ to the 
 received opinions of the universal church; 
 but such things as tended to illustrate the 
 great doctrines before mentioned, or about 
 the right way of methodizing them. 
 
 One important circumstance connected with 
 the success of this eminent pastor was, that 
 he kept himself free from all uorldiy en- 
 tanglements; so that he had his whole 
 time, except what sickness deprived him of, 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 37 
 
 for his pastoral duties. Personally, he had 
 nothing to do with the tithes of the parish; 
 but every thing of this kind he committed 
 into the hands of others, of whom he never 
 took any account. And if any one refused 
 to pay his tithes and was poor, he directed 
 his agents not to exact them, but to remit 
 the debt. 
 
 In domestic concerns, he was freed from 
 all care, by his father and step-mother, and 
 by an aged housekeeper, of eminent piety, 
 who took all the care of the family, and laid 
 out all the money needed for housekeeping, 
 so that he never had one hour's trouble about 
 it; and for fourteen years, that he remained 
 at Kidderminster, he never took any account 
 of her transactions, as being certain of her 
 fidelity, providence, and skill. 
 
 He attended, as often as he could, the 
 Aveekly lectures, which were set up in the 
 surrounding country; and united with the 
 zealous ministers in the neighbouring towns, 
 to have the gospel preached occasionally in 
 every destitute place. A plan was also adopt- 
 ed of sending zealous, popular ministers to 
 visit the congregations which had pastors, 
 and to stir them up to do their duty. They 
 
38 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 chose four men to engage in this work, An- 
 drew Tristram, Henry Oasland, Thomas 
 Baldwin, and Joseph Treble, who were to 
 go, each man his day, once a month, which 
 was every Lord's day among the four, and 
 to preach at those places which had most 
 need, twice on the Lord's day. To avoid 
 all offence, they went sometimes to the con- 
 gregations of abler men, and wherever they 
 came, they made it an object, always to say 
 something to draw the people to the honour 
 and special regard of their own pastors; 
 that, however weak some of them might be, 
 they might see that they came not to draw 
 away the people's hearts from them, but to 
 strengthen their hands, and help them in 
 their work. This circulating lecture, in the 
 opinion of Mr. Baxter, did a great deal of 
 good, and the ministers who laboured in it 
 were compensated by some benevolent per- 
 sons in London. Although it was at first an 
 experiment, for one year, yet all were so 
 convinced of its utility, that it was continued 
 until these godly ministers were turned out, 
 when all these benevolent works went down 
 together. 
 
 The preceding account of Baxter's labours 
 
# 
 
 REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 39 
 
 is taken from his own narrative. Few men 
 have been so fully and heartily devoted to 
 pastoral duties, and few have been blessed 
 with such abundant success. There seems 
 to have been a remarkable suitableness in the 
 means used to produce the effects recorded, 
 and a manifest proportion between the la- 
 bour employed, and the fruit produced. 
 
 The simplicity, and intense ardour of his 
 preaching demand special notice. It was ad- 
 mirably adapted to instruct the ignorant, to 
 arouse the careless, and to build up the pious 
 in their most holy faith. He sought out ac- 
 ceptable words; but he had neither time nor 
 taste for making what are called fine ser- 
 mons. He studied not brilliancy, but point. 
 His object was not to dazzle, but to convince; 
 not to excite admiration of himself, but to 
 procure the reception of his message. He 
 never' aimed at drawing attention to the 
 preacher, but always at fixing it at home, or 
 guiding it to Christ. He never ^'courted 
 a grin" when he should have "wooed a soul," 
 nor played with the fancy, when he should 
 have been dissecting the heart. His subjects 
 were always the most important which can 
 engage the attention of man; the Creed — 
 
40 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 the Commandments — and the Lord's Prayer; 
 or according to his own simple definition of 
 them, the things to be believed d^ud the things 
 to be done. These were the leading and, in- 
 deed, the only topics of his ministry. Into 
 these he entered with all the intense ardour 
 of his acute and deeply impressible mind. 
 He never spoke like a man who was indif- 
 ferent whether his audience felt what he said, 
 or considered him in earnest on the subject. 
 His eye, his action, his tones, his every word 
 were expressive of deep and impassioned 
 earnestness, that his hearers might be saved. 
 His eloquence was of the highest order; not 
 the eloquence of nicely selected words — or 
 the felicitous combination of terms and 
 phrases; or the music of exquisitely balanced 
 periods (though these properties may often 
 be found in his discourses) but the eloquence 
 of the most important truths, vividly appre- 
 hended, and energetically delivered. It was 
 the eloquence of a soul burning with ardent 
 devotion to God, and inspired with the deep- 
 est compassion for men ; on whom the powers 
 of the worlds of darkness and of light, exercis- 
 ed their mighty influence; and spoke through 
 his utterances, all that was tremendous in 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 41 
 
 warning, and all that was delightful in invi- 
 tation and love. He was condescending to 
 the ignorant, faithful to the self-righteous and 
 careless, tender to the timid and afflicted. In 
 a word, as a preacher he became all things 
 to all men, if by any means he might save 
 some. It was impossible that such a man 
 should labour in vain. 
 
 Another thing highly deserving attention 
 in the ministerial conduct of Baxter, was his 
 careful avoidance of every thing which might 
 prejudice his hearers against him, and his 
 diligent cultivation of whatever was likely 
 to gam their esteem, or secure their impar- 
 tial attention. No one could be less a man 
 of pleasure than he. Except as they might 
 promote the object of his ministry, he was 
 regardless of human frown or favour. But 
 he considered nothing unimportant which 
 either stood in the way of his success, or was 
 likely to promote it. His conduct in regard 
 to his tithes; hisremainingsolongunmarried; 
 his practising physic; his liberality to the 
 poor; his distribution of the Bible, and other 
 good books, were all intended to be subser- 
 vient to his great work. The gaining of 
 souls to Christ was the only object for which 
 4 
 
42 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 he lived. Hence amidst the seeming variety 
 of his pursuits and engagements, there was 
 a perfect liarmony of design. His ruhng and 
 controUing principle was, the love of his 
 Master, producing the desire of a full and 
 faiihtul discharge of his dnly as his approved 
 minister. This was the centre around which 
 ever\' thing moved, and by which every thing 
 in his circumstances and character was at- 
 tracted or repelled. This gave unity to all 
 his plans, and constituted the moral force of 
 all his actions. It gave enlightened energy 
 to his zeal, exquisite tenderness to his per- 
 suasions, warmth and fervency to his admo- 
 nitions. It poured over all his public and 
 private ministrations that holy unction which 
 diffused its fragrance, spreading its bland and 
 refreshing influences all around. 
 
 A third point, worthy of observation in 
 his ministry is, that it was not limited to the 
 pulpit, or considered as discharged in the 
 parlour. The blow which he aimed at the 
 people in mass, in public, was followed by 
 successive strokes, addressed to the indivi- 
 duals in private. The congregation was not 
 permitted to forget, during the week, what 
 they had been taught on the Sabbath. The 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 43 
 
 man who would have been lost in the crowd; 
 or who might have sheltered himself under 
 the exceptions which belong to a general 
 address, was singled out, shut up to the faith, 
 or left to bear the stings of an instructed and 
 alarmed conscience. The young were inter- 
 ested and led on; the wavering were ad- 
 monished and established; the strong were 
 taught to minister to the weak; and the 
 prayers of many a holy band, at once, 
 strengthened the hands of their minister, and 
 " girded each other for the race divine." This 
 was truly making full proof of his ministry, 
 and promoting in his congregation the grand 
 objects and aims of the fellowship of Chris- 
 tianity. 
 
 " When we thus connect the public talents, 
 and private character of Mr. Baxter; the 
 energy and point of his pulpit addresses, with 
 the assiduousness, the perseverance, and the 
 variety of other labours; his devotion to God, 
 his disinterested love to men; what he was as 
 a pastor, with all that he was as a preacher; 
 we cease to wonder at the effects which he 
 produced. No place could long resist such a 
 train and style of aggression. All people 
 must feel the force of such a moral warfare 
 
44 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 as that which he waged. There are few in- 
 dividuals who could escape without being 
 wounded, or conquered, by such an assailant. 
 In comparison with him, how few are there, 
 even among the faithful ministers of Christ, 
 who can tliink of themselves or their labours 
 with satisfaction ? Yet, was there nothing in 
 Baxter, but what the grace and power of 
 God can do for others. There was something 
 in his exertions almost superhuman; yet he 
 seemed to accomplish all with a considerable 
 degree of ease and comfort to himself He 
 never seems to have been bustled, but he was 
 always busy; and thus he found time for all 
 he had to do, while he employed that time in 
 the most profitable manner. We have only 
 to find an increase of such ministers in the 
 Church of Christ, who will employ the 
 same kind of means, in order to the accom- 
 plishment, in any place, of effects that will 
 not shrink from a comparison with Kidder- 
 minster itself in all its glory." 
 
 The above just and striking portraiture of 
 Baxter is chiefly in the words of the late la- 
 mented Wilham Orme, who has given to the 
 public an admirable abridgement of " Bax- 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 45 
 
 ter's Life and Times," accompanied with 
 A critical Examination of his Writings." 
 The effects of Baxter's labours, at Kidder- 
 minster, were lasting, as well as extensive. 
 He never lost his affection for his beloved 
 flock, when separated from them; but often 
 refers to them, and to the comfort which he 
 had in ministering unto them. Many of them 
 continued to adorn the doctrine of God, their 
 Saviour, till they finished their mortal course; 
 and now, doubtless, constitute their pastor's 
 crown of rejoicing, in the presence of their 
 Redeemer. 
 
 Nor did the effects of his ministry expire 
 with that generation. Mr. Fawcett, who 
 abridged The Saint's Rest," in 1759, says, 
 " that religious spirit thus happily introduced 
 by Baxter, is yet to be traced in the town 
 and neighbourhood, in some degree." He 
 represents professors of that place as " pos- 
 sessing an unusual degree of candour and 
 friendship for each other;" thus evincing, 
 that Kidderminster had not lost the amiable 
 spirit it had imbibed more than a century 
 before. 
 
 When the gospel was removed from the 
 Church it was received and cherished in the 
 
46 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 Dissenters' meeting; though at what time a 
 separate congregation was set up there is not 
 known. Mr. Baxter whilst he served there, 
 always opposed an entire separation from the 
 established Church; and carried his opposi- 
 tion so far, as seriously to offend some of his 
 congregation. But in process of time a sepa- 
 ration did take place which laid the founda- 
 tion of a large Dissenting congregation ; for 
 although the people could be persuaded to 
 remain in the Church, while they had such 
 a pastor as Baxter; they could not endure 
 some of his successors. When Mr. Baxter 
 removed, he advised the people to be guided 
 by Mr. Sergeant, minister of Stone, who had 
 formerly been his assistant in pastoral la- 
 bours; and Mr. Thomas Baldwin, who had 
 acted as school-master in Kidderminster 
 during his residence there; a good scholar 
 and a man possessed of respectable ministe- 
 rial qualifications. This Mr. Baldwin was 
 minister of the parish of Chadesley, until 
 ejected by the Bartholomew act ; after which 
 he removed to Kiddermmster, and became 
 the minister of those non-conformists who 
 then left the church. His ministry was fre- 
 quently interrupted, but he died in Kidder- 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 47 
 
 minster, in 1693. After his death, Mr. 
 White, the vicar of the parish preached and 
 pubUshed his funeral sermon, in which he 
 speaks in the highest terms of his piety, his 
 talents, and his moderation. The sermon is 
 honourable alike to the preacher and the 
 deceased. He was succeeded at Kidder- 
 minster by Mr. Francis Spilsbury, son of the 
 Rev. John Spilsbury, the ejected minister of 
 Broomsgrove, and nephew to Dr. Hall, 
 Bishop of Bristol. He was ordained in the 
 year 1693, and after a useful ministry of 
 thirty-four years, died in 1727. His uncle 
 used to visit him, and not only make his 
 house his home, but met his clergy in it, 
 while his nephew was the pastor of the Dis- 
 senting congregation. Dr. Hall was at the 
 same time, master of Pembroke College, and 
 Margaret professor of Divinity at Oxford. 
 Mr. Spilsbury was succeeded by Mr. Brad- 
 shaw, who married his daughter; and was 
 a man of similar sentiments and spirit, and 
 laboured in the congregation until 1745, 
 when he was succeeded by Mr. Benjamin 
 Fawcett, a favourite pupil of Dr. Doddridge, 
 and who abridged several of Baxter's works. 
 His death occurred in 1780. After his de- 
 
48 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 cease a division took place in the congrega- 
 tion, which led to the erection of another 
 meeting-house, of which the Rev. Robert 
 Gentleman was the preacher, who edited 
 Orton's Exposition of the Old Testament. 
 In the original congregation, Mr. Barrett 
 became the successor of Mr. Fawcett. He 
 was a man of respectable talents. He 
 was followed by Mr. Steill, of Lancashire; 
 on whose removal Mr. Kelmore, educated 
 at Gosport, was ordained to the pastoral 
 office in ISIO. - He was succeeded by Mr. 
 Joseph John Freeman, afterwards a mission- 
 ary in Madagascar; whose place has been 
 supplied by Doctor James Ross, formerly 
 a missionary at Karass, in Russian Tartary. 
 
 Mr. Orton, in his letters to Dissenting 
 clergymen, informs us, "that the pulpit in 
 which Mr. Baxter preached is still preserved. 
 A few years ago it, together with the pews, 
 was sold for a trifle. A gentleman anxious 
 to preserve it, purchased it from the person 
 who had it in possession, for five pounds, 
 and placed it in the new meeting-house. It 
 is rather a handsome production of its kind. 
 In form it is octagonal. The panels have 
 long carved flowers on them, and are paint- 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 49 
 
 ed different colours; and some of the gild- 
 ing still remains. It has a large sounding 
 board surmounted by a crown upon a 
 cushion. Around the top is this inscription, 
 " And call upon his name, declare his works 
 among the people." It appears, that this 
 pulpit was not built for Baxter, but was the 
 gift of Alice Dawks, in the year 1621." 
 
 Baxter having spent two years in the par- 
 liament's army, had the opportunity of 
 thoroughly understanding the characters of 
 all the leading men on that side; and, in par- 
 ticular, he seems to have been acquainted 
 with the true character of Oliver Cromwell. 
 Perhaps no man was better quaUfied to trans- 
 mit to posterity an impartial history of that 
 great and much misrepresented man. They 
 never were friends; and Baxter had a strong 
 dislike of Cromwell's usurpation. He was 
 of opinion, that he at first encouraged and 
 patronized the sectaries of every description; 
 but that when he got the reins of govern- 
 ment into his own hands, he set himself to 
 undermine and suppress them. On one oc- 
 casion, Baxter was sent for to preach before 
 Cromwell; and according to his usual free- 
 dom and fidelity, he insisted on a subject^. 
 5 
 
50 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 which he believed ought to affect the con- 
 science of the usurper. ^ After the sermon 
 Oliver sent for Baxter, and for five hours 
 they disputed, respecting the lawfulness of 
 the existing government. Baxter expressed 
 his opinions without restraint, and perhaps, 
 with too little respect for the man whose 
 talents, courage, and poUcy had placed him 
 at the head of the British government. It is 
 certainly much to the credit of the Protector, 
 that he bore with Baxter's plain speaking. 
 The same things spoken to any of the Stuarts 
 would have cost him his head; but Cromwell 
 bore with him, although he knew that Baxter 
 had denounced him as a usurper. Cromwell 
 was a professed friend of religious liberty; 
 and accordingly, persecuted none for their 
 religious opinions. On this subject his opi- 
 nions were much more correct than those of 
 Baxter. No man was ever more reviled 
 and abused than Cromwell; and none more 
 highly extolled by his partisans and friends. 
 By the soldiers and sectaries he was almost 
 adored; while by the Royalists, the Episco- 
 palians, and many of the Presbyterians, he 
 was abhorred, as a perfidious hypocrite. 
 Baxter thinks that he meant honestly, in the 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 51 
 
 main; and that he was pious apd conscien- 
 tious in the chief course of his Ufe, till pros- 
 perity and success corrupted him. And al- 
 though he believed him to be a usurper, and 
 as good as told him so to his face, he was of 
 opinion that both church and state derived 
 great benefits from his administration. As 
 a large part of the parishes were burdened 
 with an ignorant and immoral clergy, he ap- 
 pointed "Triers," to cast out such men, and 
 to introduce others of better character in 
 their place. This has been railed at as a 
 tyrannical measure; and, perhaps cannot be 
 easily justified, in principle ; yet the effects 
 were very beneficial to the people; as by 
 this means, many parishes received able and 
 pious ministers, in the place of men of the 
 lowest character. In estimating the charac- 
 ter of Cromwell, Baxter probably ascribes 
 too much to selfishness and ambition; and 
 too little to conscience and rehgion; under 
 the influence of which undoubtedly he acted, 
 in a considerable degree. No doubt he had 
 great faults; but he had also splendid vir- 
 tues, which if they had been found in any 
 other than a usurper, would have been em- 
 
52 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 blazoned by his friends, and eulogized, even 
 by his enemies. 
 
 Since Baxter may be considered as intelli- 
 gent and impartial a witness of the effect of 
 Cromwell's administration, as can readily be 
 found, it may not be amiss to set down a 
 summary of his testimony. " I do not be- 
 lieve," said he, "that ever England had so 
 able and faithful a ministry since it was a 
 nation, as it hath this day; and few nations 
 on earth, if any, have the like. The change 
 is so great within these twelve years, that it 
 is one of the greatest joys I ever had in the 
 world, to behold it. 0, how many congre- 
 gations are now plainly, and frequently 
 taught, that lived then in obscurity ! How 
 many able and faithful men are now in the 
 country in comparison of what were then? 
 How graciously hath God prospered the 
 studies of many young men, that were little 
 children in the beghining of these troubles, 
 so that they now eclipse most of their seniors. 
 I hope I shall rejoice in God while I have a 
 being for the change that I have lived to see, 
 that so many hundreds of faithful men are 
 so hard at work for the saving of souls," &c. 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 53 
 
 But it is a lamentable reflection, that Baxter 
 lived to see most of these godly ministers 
 ejected from their ministry and shut out from 
 a field of usefulness; while multitudes of in- 
 competent men were put in their place. 
 
 In the political changes which followed 
 the death of Cromwell, until the restoration 
 of Charles II., Baxter concurred in the sen- 
 timents of the Presbyterians, to whom he 
 was attached, and who had a principal hand 
 in bringing back the king to his throne. But 
 these men were completely deceived by the 
 promises, and the hypocritical protestations 
 of the king; and the consequence was, that 
 with him they brought in upon the nation, 
 a desolating flood of irreligion ; and fell them- 
 selves under a heavy yoke of ecclesiastical 
 tyranny. Out of mere zeal for legitimacy, 
 they exchanged the mild and tolerant govern- 
 ment of the Protector, for the domination of 
 a proud ecclesiastical hierarchy, who would 
 be satisfied with nothing less than complete 
 uniformity. Baxter and his friends who 
 contributed so essentially to the restoration 
 of the king, during their whole lives were 
 crushed under the yoke of high-church au- 
 
54 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 thoritv. No doubt they acted from princi- 
 ple; but their integrity was greater than 
 their wisdom. They might have foreseen, 
 that, whoever might be active in restoring 
 the king, when once firmly established, he 
 would be disposed to favour those who had 
 always adhered to his cause, and who had 
 suffered much on his account. 
 
 Baxter, through the whole revolution, 
 acted conscientiously; but his course was by 
 no means characterized by enlightened wis- 
 dom. He sided with the Parliament, but 
 maintained the rights of the king: enjoyed 
 the liberty and immunities afforded by the 
 protectorate; and yet spoke and preached 
 against the Protector. He hailed the return 
 of Charles; but yet doubted, whether he was 
 free from allegiance to Richard. He first 
 took the solemn league and covenant, and 
 then preached against it, and prevented all he 
 could from taking it. Though the evidence 
 of Charles's dissimulation towards the Pres- 
 byterians, was soon manifested, and the evi- 
 dence of it as strong as the light of day; yet 
 it was long before Baxter could be persuad- 
 ed to believe it. It was in him a fault that 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 55 
 
 abstract principles, and refined destinations 
 often influenced him more than plain mat- 
 ters of fact. 
 
 Immediately before the restoration he was 
 called to London, and preached before the 
 parliament. After that event, he did not re- 
 turn to reside at Kidderminster, the beloved 
 field of his pastoral labours, for more than 
 fourteen years. During this long residence, 
 his labours were not confined to pastoral 
 duties. He endeavoured also to serve his 
 generation, and future generations, by means 
 of the press; and published a number of vo- 
 lumes, intended to defend the Christian reli- 
 gion ; all of which show the indefatigable 
 diligence of this extraordinary man ; for the 
 books quoted and referred to in these publi- 
 cations, seem enough to have occupied a 
 hfetime, in perusing. It must be admitted 
 that he wrote and published too many books. 
 Less than one half the number, and of half 
 the bulk would have been far more useful to 
 his own generation, and to those that came 
 after. But we ought not to complain. The 
 " Saint's Rest," and the "Call to the Uncon- 
 verted," give him a claim to be considered a 
 rich benefactor to all who can read the Eng- 
 
56 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 lish language. And although very few pastors 
 have ever been so successful as Baxter, by 
 his personal labours, I think, it may at this 
 time be safely asserted that all the effects of 
 his preaching in the pulpit, and instructing 
 in a more private way, were but as a drop 
 in the bucket, when compared with the ex- 
 tensive and growing influence of his practi- 
 cal writings; for at this day, there are ten 
 readers of these popular works, where there 
 was one in the age in which they were pub- 
 lished; and we see not but that this increase 
 will go on in a ratio which cannot be calcu- 
 lated. How blessed is that man who is 
 honoured to write a book, which shall serve 
 for the instruction of millions of souls, and 
 of generations innumerable ? 
 
 About the time of the king's return, Bax- 
 ter had his heart full of the benevolent 
 scheme of propagating the gospel among the 
 American Indians. During the period of the 
 commonwealth a collection had been made 
 by order of government, in every parish in 
 England, to assist Mr. Eliot, celebrated as 
 the Apostle of the Indians, and others, in car- 
 rying on this truly Christian work. 
 
 The money thus contributed was laid out, 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 57 
 
 partly in the purchase of stocks, and partly in 
 land, to the amount of seven or eight hundred 
 pounds per annum; and this fund was vested 
 in a corporate body, to be employed in extend- 
 ing Christianity among the Indians. The land 
 had been purchased from Colonel Bedding- 
 field, who upon the king's return seized it 
 again ; upon the unjust pretext, that all trans- 
 actions and engagements which had taken 
 place in Cromwell's time, were null and void 
 in law, and that the corporation had no longer 
 any existence. The corporation, of which 
 Mr. Ashurst was treasurer, knowing that 
 Mr. Baxter was deeply interested in this en- 
 terprise, requested him to attend their meet- 
 ing and give them his counsel; and upon 
 consultation it was agreed that he should en- 
 deavour to obtain a new charter from the 
 king. This through the influence of the Lord 
 Chancellor, he happily obtained. His lord- 
 ship also decided a suit in chancery against 
 the claims of Beddingfield. Mr. Ashurst and 
 Mr. Baxter had the nomination of the new 
 members of the corporation, and they agreed 
 to recommend the Honourable Robert Boyle, 
 as President; Mr. Ashurst was reappointed 
 treasurer; and the whole matter was put into 
 
58 
 
 UFE OF THE 
 
 a State of excellent and efficient operation. 
 This affair brought Mr. Baxter into intimate 
 correspondence with EUot, Norton, goFemor 
 Endicot, and other excellent men, who were 
 engaged in this good work. The correspon- 
 dence between Eliot and Baxter continaed 
 through a principal part of the remainder of 
 their lives. It is pleasing to see, with what 
 ardour he entered into this missionary enter- 
 prise, when the spirit of missions was rare in 
 England. One of his letters to Eliot contains 
 so much evidence of a right spirit on this in- 
 eresting subject, that our readers will be gra- 
 tified with an extract from it; though it was 
 written some time after the period of which 
 we are now speaking. 
 
 " Though our sins have separated us from 
 tlie people of our love and care, and depriir- 
 ed us of all the pubUc Uberty of preaching 
 the Gospel of our Lord, I greatly rejoice in 
 the liberty, help, and success which Christ 
 hath so long vouchsafed to you in his work. 
 There is no man on earth whose work I think 
 more honourable and comfortable than yours; 
 to propagate the Gospel and kingdom of 
 Christ into those dark parts of the world, is 
 a better work than our devouring and hating 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 59 
 
 one another. There are many here who 
 would be ambitious of being your fellow 
 labourers; but that they are informed that 
 you have access to no greater number of In- 
 dians, than your present assistants are able 
 to instruct. An honourable gentleman, Mr. 
 Robert Boyle, the governor of the Corpora- 
 tion for your work, a man of great learning 
 and worth, and of a very public, universal 
 mind, did mention to me a public collection 
 in all our churches, for the maintaining of 
 such ministers as are willing to go hence unto 
 you, partly while they are learning the In- 
 dian language, and partly while they labour 
 in the work; as also to transport them. But 
 I find those backward that I have spoken to 
 about it, partly suspecting it a design of those 
 that would be rid of them; partly fearing, 
 that when the money is gathered, the work 
 may be frustrated by the alienation of it : 
 partly, because they think there will be no- 
 thing considerable gathered, because the 
 people that are unwillingly divorced from 
 their teachers, will give nothing to send them 
 further from them, and those that are wil- 
 lingly separated from them, will give nothing 
 to those they no more respect: but especially, 
 
60 I-IFE OF THE 
 
 because they think, on the aforesaid grounds, 
 that there is no work for them to do, if they 
 were with you. There are many here, I 
 conjecture, who would be glad to go any 
 where, to the Persians, Tartarians, Indians, 
 or any unbeUeving nation, if they thought 
 they would be serviceable: but the difficulty 
 of their language is their greatest discourage- 
 ment The industry of the Jesuits and 
 
 Friars, and their successes in Congo, Japan, 
 China, &c. shame us all, save you: but yet, 
 for their personal labours in the Gospel, here 
 are many that would be willing to lay out, 
 where they have liberty and a call. I should 
 be glad to learn from you, how far your In- 
 dian tongue extendeth, how large or populous 
 the country is that useth it, if it be known; 
 and whether it reach to a few scattered neigh- 
 bours, who cannot convey their knowledge 
 far because of other languages. We very 
 much rejoice in your happy work, the trans- 
 lation of the Bible, and bless God that 
 strengthened you to finish it. If any thing 
 of mine may be honoured to contribute, in 
 the least measure, to your blessed work, I 
 shall have great cause to be thankful to God, 
 and wholly submit the alteration and use of 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 61 
 
 it to yonr wisdom. Methinks the Assembly's 
 Catechism should be, next to the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, most worthy of your labours." This 
 admirable letter shows how deeply Baxter 
 entered into the philanthropic views which 
 were then rare, but which have been since 
 so generally adopted by Christians. How 
 would his noble spirit have exulted, had he 
 lived to witness, even Avith all their imper- 
 fections, the extended exertions of modern 
 times ! How ardently would he have sup- 
 ported every scheme of sending the Scrip- 
 tures, or the knowledge of salvation, to the 
 destitute parts of the world ! If there is joy 
 in heaven over the plans of earth which tend 
 to the furtherance of the gospel, Baxter, 
 though removed from the scene of labour 
 and trial, is no doubt exulting in much that 
 is now going forward. 
 
 While he lived at Kidderminster, his cor- 
 respondence must have been very great and 
 laborious; the existing remains of it show 
 that it was very extensive and multifarious. 
 
 Dr. Manton consulted him in 1658, re- 
 specting a plan for calling a General Assem- 
 bly of the ministers of England, to determine 
 certain matters, and arrange their ecclesias- 
 
62 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 tical affairs. To this he returned an answer, 
 expressive of his doubts respecting the prac- 
 ticability and expediency of the scheme. He 
 was friendly to such associations, but from 
 the state of the country he thought nothing 
 could be effected. Indeed, there is no reason 
 to think that Cromwell would have permitted 
 such an assembly of Presbyterian ministers 
 to meet, since he would not permit the people 
 of Scotland to hold their assemblies. 
 
 Besides his concern in public affairs, he 
 was consulted by multitudes respecting their 
 affairs; and especially he was requested to 
 solve many doubtful cases of conscience; in 
 answer to which he often returned long and 
 minute answers. 
 
 In such labours and exercises as have been 
 described above, did Baxter spend fourteen 
 of the most useful and happy years of his 
 life. 
 
 After the king's return, the leading Pres- 
 byterian ministers were, for a while, treated 
 with attention and apparent respect; and 
 several of them were appointed his chaplains, 
 among whom was Baxter. They were so 
 far deceived, as to believe that it was really 
 intended to comprehend them in the religious 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 63 
 
 establishment about to be formed. The offer 
 of a bishopric was made to Baxter, Calamy 
 and Reynolds: of whom only the last accept- 
 ed the offer. Baxter excused himself in a 
 very respectful letter to the Lord Chancellor. 
 
 A conference was proposed to the king by 
 some of his advisers, to which the leading 
 Presbyterian ministers should be called. The 
 object was to consider of some plan of agree- 
 ment, which should unite all moderate men, 
 whether Episcopalians or Presbyterians. At 
 this conference Baxter was the chief speaker, 
 and addressed the king in a long and able 
 speech, in which he explained the views and 
 feelings of the great body of those with whom 
 he acted. He showed how the existing 
 differences might be settled or disposed of; 
 and how much his government would be 
 strengthened by the union of all sober mind- 
 ed Christians. He assured him that he did 
 not speak for the Presbyterians as such, or 
 for any party, but for the religious part of 
 his subjects in general; and he represented 
 to him how large a part of his subjects he 
 would find them to be; and that all that was 
 requisite to secure a union of all good people, 
 
64 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 was to insist on agreement only in things 
 necessary. 
 
 He even went so far as to hold up as an 
 example, the course pursued in regard to 
 religion by the late usurper; and entreated 
 his majesty not to pursue a system of policy 
 which should induce any part of his subjects 
 to look back with regret upon the privileges 
 enjoyed under the administration of a usurp- 
 er. In this connexion he adverted to two 
 evils which ought to be deprecated: the one 
 was the depriving the people of their faithful 
 pastors, and taking away from them tlieir 
 liberty of worshipping God, which religious 
 privileges they prized above all earthly bless- 
 ings; the other evil to be dreaded and avoid- 
 ed, was the indulgence of and connivance at 
 vice, which had been restrained and sup- 
 pressed by the usurper. He, moreover, 
 urged upon him the exercise of a salutary 
 discipline in the church, by which unworthy 
 and incapable ministers might be kept out 
 of the church. 
 
 This long address to the king is replete 
 with wisdom, and is a noble example of 
 fidelity, and at tlie same time manifests a 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 65 
 
 respectfulness and delicacy in the expression 
 of the author's opinions, which are never the 
 attendants of a fanatical spirit. The whole 
 address is as good a model of faithful counsel 
 to a monarch, as can any where be found; 
 and happy would it have been for Charles, 
 and for the nation, if he had hstened to the 
 advice now so respectfully given to him. 
 But from what we know of his duplicity and 
 profligacy, it is probable that he was at this 
 viery time secretly laughing at the simpHcity 
 of the venerable men who were pleading 
 before him, for the rights of God and their 
 fellow subjects. He so far dissembled his 
 real sentiments, however, as to give a very 
 gracious answer to the ministers who attend- 
 ed on him, and even went so far as to pro- 
 mise that he would do every thing he could 
 to bring about the union of all good men; 
 and if it was not accomplished, it would be 
 their own fault; but that he was resolved to 
 see it accomplished. Old Mr. Ash, one of 
 the Presbyterian ministers present, was so 
 overcome with this favourable reception, and 
 the prospect of peace and concord, that he 
 burst into tears in the royal presence; and in 
 words expressed the great joy which these 
 6 
 
66 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 promises of his majesty had put into his 
 heart. 
 
 It cannot now be ascertained whether 
 Charles, at this time, might not have had a 
 desire to unite all his subjects, for the sake 
 of the strength and peace which it would 
 afford to his kingdom; and it may be, that, 
 contrar^r to his own opinions now expressed, 
 he was afterwards influenced b}' the high 
 church party, to pursue other measures. 
 This is the most charitable construction 
 which can be put on his conduct. But, 
 whatever policy might have dictated, there 
 can be no doubt of his deadly hatred to all 
 the Puritans, whom he considered the mur- 
 derers of his father, and the cause of all his 
 suflerings. And there were those about him 
 whose hatred was not less, and who were 
 fully determined to make their yoke heavier 
 than before. 
 
 The king now called upon the Presbyte- 
 rian ministers to give their views of a plan 
 of union; to which they objected that they 
 were a few persons, and had no authority to 
 act in behalf of their brethren, and begged 
 time to lay the matter before them. But this 
 the king thought would be too tedious: it 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 67 
 
 was therefore determined to hold a meeting 
 at Sion College, to which all ministers should 
 be freely invited to come and aid them by 
 their counsels. The result of this meeting 
 was, that certain papers were drawn up to 
 be presented to the king. It was agreed to 
 adopt Archbishop Usher's form of church 
 government, and the papers were mostly 
 prepared by Dr. Calamy and Dr. Reynolds; 
 but Baxter drew up the abstract which was 
 laid before the king. The papers now agreed 
 on show that the non-conformists were not 
 rigidly bigotted to their own notions. They 
 were willing to concede many things, and to 
 yield to many for the sake of peace. The 
 paper against ceremonies was drawn up 
 by Dr. Reynolds and Dr. Worth, both of 
 whom afterwards conformed, and were made 
 bishops. Indeed the only ceremonies which 
 they specified as offensive to the consciences 
 of many, Avere, the use of the surplice, the 
 sign of the cross in baptism, bowing at the 
 name of Jesus, and kneeling at the altar. 
 The form of church government was pre- 
 sented in Usher's own words. This was a 
 sort of Presbyterian Episcopacy, in which 
 the bishop was a perpetual moderator of 
 
6S 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 the presbytery; a primus inter pares; but 
 clothed with no mdependent authority. They 
 also agreed to a liturgy, but objected to a 
 rigid enforcement of conformity to it. As the 
 object of the meeting was to make conces- 
 sions, and agree on some principles of com- 
 promise, they had reason to expect some 
 advances of a similar kind, from the other 
 party; but they never moved a step, nor 
 manifested the least disposition to promote 
 union and concord. When the king heard 
 the papers read, he seemed pleased, as he 
 said, that he was glad to find that they had 
 declared in favour of a liturgy, and of the 
 substance of Episcopacy. He said, that he 
 would see that the bishops should come 
 down, and make reasonable concessions on 
 their part; and he had no doubt that an 
 agreement would take place. 
 
 Already, however, many worthy ministers 
 were turned out of their places, and those 
 restored, whom the parliament had ejected. 
 The Presbyterian ministers would not have 
 objected, if all should have been restored 
 who were competent to instruct the people 
 and of good character, but they complained 
 of the restoration of ignorant and scandalous 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 69 
 
 ministers, by the ejectment of able and godly- 
 men, whom the people loved, and who were 
 a blessing to the flock. 
 
 The Presbyterian ministers waited long 
 for the proposals of the bishops, but they 
 waited in vain, for any condescension from 
 them, for the only communication which 
 they received from this quarter was, a paper 
 expressive of bitter opposition to their plan. 
 They felt that they were treated unworthily, 
 and Baxter was requested to prepare an an- 
 swer to this paper; which, however, was 
 never used; it is preserved in his life, as 
 written by himself, together with the paper 
 to which it is an answer. 
 
 The king, however, that he might not 
 seem totally regardless of his promises, so 
 often repeated, published a " Declaration'^ 
 of what he was disposed to do to satisfy all 
 parties, as it related to religion. This paper, 
 while it seemed in words to grant much, 
 and even recognised and renewed the en- 
 gagements entered into, at Buda, contained 
 so many exceptions and evasive clauses, 
 that it was in reality worth nothing. When 
 this document was considered by the Pres- 
 byterian ministers, they saw, at once, that 
 
70 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 such a scheme as there proposed, would 
 never answer the purpose of promoting con- 
 cord. Baxter was, therefore, requested to 
 prepare a paper containing their views. As 
 he had penetration to see now, that all hopes 
 of a compromise were at an end, and that 
 all they had to do was to keep a good con- 
 science, and set an example of probity to 
 posterity, he judged it proper to come out, 
 and speak their sentiments plainly; but when 
 his " Remarks" were read, both Dr. Calamy 
 and Dr. Reynolds were dissatisfied with his 
 plainness, and said, it would not be endured. 
 They particularly objected to the prediction, 
 which it contained, of evils that might be 
 expected, if the agreement was not entered 
 into; which they said the king would inter- 
 pret into a threat. Baxter, however, defend- 
 ed what he had written; upon which a refer- 
 ence was made to the Earl of Manchester 
 and the Earl of Anglesea, and Lord Hollis, 
 when all of these persons joined with Dr. 
 Reynolds and Dr. Calamy, in advising that 
 alterations should be made. Without being 
 convinced of its propriety, Baxter yielded to 
 their opinion. 
 
 A Utile before this paper was presented, a 
 
 « 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 71 
 
 meeting took place between Dr. Morley, Dr. 
 Hinchman, and Dr. Cosins, on the one side; 
 and Dr. Reynolds, Dr. Calamy, and Mr. 
 Baxter, on the other; but after much ram- 
 bhng conversation, nothing was agreed upon. 
 
 When the petition, spoken of above, was 
 presented to the Lord Chancellor, it was so 
 ungrateful, that they never called to present 
 it to the king. But as the king had publish- 
 ed his "Declaration," containing the plan of 
 ecclesiastical government which he designed 
 to establish, it was now the proper time to 
 petition his majesty for any alterations which 
 were desired. Accordingly, another paper 
 was prepared, which merely specified the 
 alterations which the subscribers wished in 
 the plan proposed in the " Declaration." 
 When this was presented, the King came to 
 the Lord Chancellor's house, where were 
 convened a number of persons, of both par- 
 ties; not called together to discuss the arti- 
 cles of the " Declaration," but as it was read 
 ovdt, they were permitted to object to any 
 particular part. The divines on the part of 
 the bishops, who were present, were, Dr. 
 Hinchman, bishop of Salisbury; Dr. Cosins, 
 bishop of Durham 5 Dr. Gauden, afterwards 
 
72 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 bishop of Exeter; Dr. Seldon, bishop of Lon- 
 don; Dr. Morley, then bishop of Worcester, 
 Dr. Barwick, dean of St. Paul's; Dr. Hacket, 
 bishop of Coventry; and several others, 
 among whom Dr. Gunning was most nota- 
 ble. On the other side, were. Dr. Reynolds, 
 Mr. Calamy, Mr. Ash, Dr. Wallis, Dr. Man- 
 ton, Dr. Spurstow, and Mr. Baxter. When 
 the Lord Chancellor had finished reading 
 the king's " Declaration," he proposed of his 
 own accord, to change some words; but they 
 were not material. Much conversation now 
 took place respecting re-ordination, and the 
 right of presbyters to control the bishop, &c. 
 The speakers on one side were. Dr. Gun- 
 ning, and Dr. Morley, and on the other, Mr. 
 Calamy, and Mr. Baxter. 
 
 When this was ended, the Lord Chancellor 
 read a petition from the Independents and 
 Anabaptists, and then drew out of his pocket 
 an addition to the " Declaration," — " That 
 others also be permitted to meet for religious 
 worship, so that they do not do this to the 
 disturbance of the peace." To this not a 
 word was said. The Presbyterians perceiv- 
 ed, at once, that there was a snare laid for 
 them, for this would secure the liberty of the 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 73 
 
 Papists; and if they opposed it, use would 
 be made of it against their petition. Dr. 
 Wallis whispered to Mr. Baxter, and entreat- 
 ed him " not to say any thing, for it was an 
 odious business;" and the bishops remained 
 silent also. At length, Baxter fearing that 
 their very silence might be construed into 
 an approbation, made a few remarks, which 
 were answered by the king himself. Before 
 the meeting was dissolved, the king commit- 
 ted the " Declaration" to four divines, to alter 
 any expressions which might appear to them 
 objectionable. The persons selected by his 
 majesty were Bishop Morley, Bishop Hinch- 
 man. Dr. Reynolds, and Mr. Calamy. When 
 the " Declaration" was published, it appeared 
 that several unimportant alterations had been 
 made in it, to render it more acceptable to 
 moderate men amons^ the non-conformists. 
 These alterations were exceedingly gratifying 
 to Baxter, and he expressed his feelings to 
 the Lord Chancellor, and said it was his pur- 
 pose to persuade all his brethren to conform. 
 Upon this the Lord Chancellor made him the 
 offer of a bishopric, of which a more parti- 
 cular account will be given hereafter. Bax- 
 ter was not long in discovering, however,. 
 7 
 
74 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 that the policy of the king was merely to 
 amuse the Presbyterians, until affairs were 
 in that condition that he could crush them. 
 To carry the scheme through, it was agreed 
 to weaken the party by making some of their 
 leading men bishops; not that they wanted 
 such bishops, but because it was the most 
 effectual method of silencing such men, and 
 destroying their influence with their own 
 party. The plan succeeded with some, but 
 not with Baxter. 
 
 A confidential agent was employed to 
 sound Baxter, and learn whether he would 
 accept the bishopric of Hereford. He gave 
 no encouragement, but did not think it expe- 
 dient, at that time, to return a positive an- 
 swer. After the publication of the king's 
 declaration, the same messenger was sent 
 privately to negociate with him, and also 
 with Mr. Calamy and Dr. Reynolds; to each 
 of whom a bishopric was also off'ered. These 
 three distinguished men freely conferred 
 together on the subject; and it was agreed 
 among them, that according to the " Decla- 
 ration," as now altered, there was no ob- 
 stacle, from conscientious scruples of the 
 lawfulness of the thing, in the way of their 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 75 
 
 acceptance, provided they should judge it to 
 be expedient. Mr. Calamy was solicitous 
 that they should all act in unison in this 
 business, and either all accept or all refuse; 
 but by this time the rumour of the thing had 
 spread through the city, and public opinion 
 made a difference between the parties. The 
 people decided that Reynolds and Baxter 
 might consistently accept of bishoprics, as 
 they had uniformly advocated a modified 
 episcopacy; but that Mr. Calamy could not, 
 without departing from the principles which 
 he had always held, and in favour of which 
 he had published. This feeling in regard to 
 Calamy was so strong, that Mr. Newcomen, 
 his brother-in-law, and many others, wrote 
 to him on the subject, to dissuade him from 
 accepting the office. Baxter determined, for 
 prudential reasons, to, decline; and when 
 consulted by his two friends, would give no 
 advice to Calamy; but he advised Reynolds 
 to accept, on the condition that things should 
 be regulated according to the king's " De- 
 claration," and that he might be permitted 
 to resign it, when he could not exercise it on 
 those terms. When Baxter next visited the 
 Lord Chancellor, he suddenly asked him 
 
76 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 what his purpose was in regard to the bish- 
 opric; finding it necessary to make known 
 his decision, he informed the chancellor that 
 he could not accept; but that he would prefer 
 giving his reasons in writing, to which his 
 lordship consented. 
 
 The following is an extract from his let- 
 ter: 
 
 « My Lord, 
 
 " Your great favour and condescension 
 encourage me to give you more of my sense 
 of the business which your lordship was 
 pleased to propound. I was, till I saw the 
 < Declaration/ much dejected, and resolved 
 against a bishopric as unlawful. But find- 
 ing such happy concessions in the great point 
 of parochial power and discipline, and in 
 the liturgy and ceremonies, my soul rejoiced 
 in thankfulness to Gad and his instruments, 
 and my conscience presently told me it was 
 my duty to do my best with myself and 
 others, as far as I had interest and opportu- 
 nity, to suppress all sinful discontents: and 
 having now competent materials put into my 
 hand, without which I could do nothing, to 
 persuade all my brethren to thankfulness, 
 and obedient submission to the government. 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 77 
 
 Being raised to some joyful hopes of seeing 
 the beginning of a happy union, I shall crave 
 your lordship's pardon for presuming what 
 further endeavours will be necessary to ac- 
 complish it. 1. If your lordship will endea- 
 vour to get the ^ Declaration' passed into an 
 act. 2. If you will get a commission for 
 those persons who are to be deputed to re- 
 vievy the ' Common Prayer/ as soon as pos- 
 sible. 3. If you will further effectually, the 
 restoration of able ministers, who are lately 
 removed. 4. If you will open some way 
 for the ejectment of the scandalous and insuf- 
 ficient. 5. If you will put as many of our 
 persuasion as you can into bishoprics — more 
 than three, if it may be. If you will desire 
 the bishops to place some of them in inferior 
 places of trust, especially rural deaneries, 
 which is a station suitable to us, in that it 
 hath no salary nor coercive power; but that 
 simple, pastoral, persuasive power which we 
 desire. This much will set us all in joint. 
 And for my own part, I hope this very week 
 to disperse the seeds of satisfaction, in many 
 counties in England; my conscience com- 
 manding me to make this my very work and 
 business, unless the things granted should be 
 
78 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 reversed, which God forbid. I must inform 
 your lordship, that I am utterly against ac- 
 cepting of a bishopric, because I am conscious 
 that it will overmatch my sufficiency, and 
 affright me with the thought of my account 
 for so great an undertaking. Especially 
 because it will effectually disable me from 
 promoting the church's peace. And men 
 will question all my argumentations and per- 
 suasions, when they see me in the dignity 
 which I plead for; but will take me to speak 
 my conscience impartially, when I am but 
 as one of themselves. So I must profess to 
 your lordship that it will stop my own mouth, 
 that I cannot for shame speak half so freely 
 as I now can and will, if God enable me, for 
 obedience and peace. I therefore humbly 
 crave that your lordship will put some able 
 man of our persuasion into the place which 
 you intend, though I now think that Dr. 
 Reynolds and Mr. Calamy may better accept 
 of a bishopric than I, which I hope your 
 lordship will promote." 
 
 He then proceeds to name more than a 
 dozen ministers, any one of whom, he thinks, 
 would answer well for this high station. He 
 then expresses his thanks for the honour 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 79 
 
 which had been intended for him; and says, 
 that he feels as grateful for the favour as if 
 he had accepted it. And he concludes this 
 remarkable letter, by modestly requesting 
 that some humble station of usefulness might 
 be provided for him. His heart, however, 
 was evidently in Kidderminster. He there- 
 fore hints, that as the vicar of his old parish 
 was unwilling to resign, if a prebend, or 
 some other place could be given him, he 
 might then, without loss, resign the vicarage 
 to him. But the conscientious man is careful 
 to say, that he dares not recommend this man 
 to any pastoral charge, or other place where 
 preaching is required. " If," says he, " there 
 be any great inconvenience or difficulty in 
 the way, I can well be content to be his 
 curate. Perhaps history cannot furnish a 
 parallel to this; a man in the same letter in 
 which he declines a bishopric, humbly solicits 
 the place of a curate to a vicar who had not 
 the gift of preaching! 
 
 Mr. Calamy blamed Mr. Baxter for giving 
 in his declinature alone; before there was a 
 mutual understanding what course should be 
 pursued. Baxter, however, explained to 
 him, how he had been led to give an answer. 
 
80 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 by the unexpected demand of the Lord Chan- 
 cellor. Dr. Reynolds was almost as quick, 
 in accepting, as Baxter was, in refusing ; and 
 gave out by way of apology, that some 
 friend had taken out the conge d'elire for 
 him, without his knowledge. Baxter in- 
 forms us, that Dr. Reynolds read to him a 
 "profession" directed to the king, in which 
 he declared that he took a bishop and pres- 
 byter to differ not ordine but gradv; that a 
 bishop was no more than a chief presbyter; 
 and that he was not to ordain or govern, but 
 with his presbyters' assistance and consent; 
 that he accepted the place as described in the 
 king's "declaration," and not as it stood be- 
 fore in England; and that he would not hold 
 or exercise it on any other terms. Whether 
 he ever presented it to the king is uncertain. 
 Such resolutions, in one who accepts the 
 dignity of a bishopric, are of very little va- 
 lue, however sincerely made, at the time. 
 In the case of Dr. Reynolds, we know, that 
 his office was not held and exercised in ac- 
 cordance with the principles professed, in this 
 paper; and we know, that he did not resign 
 or abdicate his office, even when most of his 
 brethren were, in an iniquitous manner eject- 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 81 
 
 ed from their livings. Whether he exerted 
 himself to prevent these tyrannical proceed- 
 ings, we know not; but it is certain that he 
 continued to be the bishop of Norwich until 
 his death, which event occurred, in 1676. 
 
 Mr. Calamy remained long in suspense, 
 and did not speedily return an answer, and 
 his bishopric was not filled ; until at length 
 the issue of the negociation with the Presby- 
 terians was brought to a close; when he did 
 not hesitate to decline. The deanery of Ro- 
 chester was offered to Dr. Manton, and that 
 of Coventry and Litchfield to Dr. Bates; but 
 they refused, on the same account, as Mr. 
 Calamy. It has also been said, that Mr. Ed- 
 ward Bowles was offered the deanery of 
 York, which he refused. Baxter's promp- 
 titude and decision in refusing, on the most 
 disinterested considerations, this splendid of- 
 fer, does him infinite credit. He towers, on 
 comparison, far above his compeers. 
 
 After the royal "Declaration" was pub- 
 lished, the ministers of London met, and re- 
 turned thanks to the king for his moderation 
 and goodness. This paper was presented No- 
 vember 16th, 1660, by a number of the Lon- 
 don ministers, not including Mr. Baxter. The 
 
82 LIFE OF THE 
 
 next day, the king sent for him to come to 
 him. He supposed it probable that his ma- 
 jesty had been displeased with the plainness 
 and earnestness with which he spoke, when 
 in his presence; but the king assured him 
 that he had not been offended, and that in 
 his freedom and warmth he saw evidence of 
 his honesty. He was led, therefore, to con- 
 clude, that it was hoped that some further 
 use might be made of him, in promoting the 
 designs of the court. As the king had in his 
 " Declaration" promised that the liturgy 
 should be revised and reformed, and certain 
 alterations adopted to meet the feelings of 
 the non-conformists, Baxter frequently im- 
 portuned the Chancellor to carry this engage- 
 ment into effect. At last. Dr. Reynolds and 
 Mr. Calamy were authorized to name the 
 persons, on their side, to manage the con- 
 ference; and then a commission, under the 
 great seal was issued, empowering these per- 
 sons to meet for this purpose. The persons 
 chosen on the other side, included the arch- 
 bishop of York, with twelve bishops, and 
 eleven non-conformist ministers, with a pro- 
 vision of other persons to supply the place of 
 any who might be prevented from attending. 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 83 
 
 A meeting was accordingly appointed, and 
 Savoy, the residence of ttie bishop of Lon- 
 don, was selected as the place of the con- 
 ference. The bishops, beside Dr. Frewen, 
 the archbishop of York, were Dr. Sheldon, 
 Dr. Morley, Dr. Saunderson, Dr. Cosins, Dr. 
 Hinchman, Dr. Walton, Dr. Lany, Dr, King, 
 Dr. Stern, and Dr. Gauden. The ministers on 
 the other side were. Dr. Reynolds, Mr. Bax- 
 ter, Mr. Clark, Dr. Spurstow, Dr. Lightfoot, 
 Dr. WalUs, Dr. Manton, Dr. Bates, Dr. Ja- 
 comb, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Rawlinson, and Mr. 
 Case. 
 
 The bishop of London said, that the Con- 
 ference was called at the suggestion and re- 
 quest of the non-conformists, and that the 
 bishops had nothing to do until they brought 
 in their exceptions, and proposed alterations 
 to the Uturgy. The Presbyterian ministers 
 were not generally pleased with this method 
 of proceeding; but to Mr. Baxter it seemed 
 best to comply with the bishop's proposal, as 
 they ought to bring forward nothing in 
 which they were not all agreed. It would 
 also save them from almost endless alterca- 
 tion, to exhibit their views in writing. And 
 he alleged, that upon this plan, whatever 
 
84 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 they said would not be liable to be misrepre- 
 sented, and would all come before the public; 
 and that, perhaps, they would never have 
 again such an opportunity of giving their 
 testimony in favour of a moderate reforma- 
 tion of the liturgy. By such considerations 
 as these, Baxter prevailed on his brethren to 
 consent to the plan proposed : only they asked 
 leave to bring in their exceptions, at one 
 time, and their additions at another, which 
 was granted. To us it appears, however, that 
 the Presbyterians were fully caught in the 
 trap laid for them. The whole burden of 
 the conference was by this plan laid upon 
 them, while the bishops merely stood upon 
 the defensive. By agreeing to exhibit all 
 their exceptions at once, the number appear- 
 ed so great that the impression would be 
 made that they were captious, discontented 
 men, who could not be satisfied. And upon 
 this plan, things great and small would, as 
 it were, be placed on a level, by being pro- 
 miscuously exhibited in the same paper. 
 
 The plan being agreed upon, the non-con- 
 formist ministers divided the business, as 
 well as they could among themselves. The 
 additions, however, or new forms, to be pro- 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 85 
 
 posed, they committed to Baxter alone ; and at 
 the end of a fortnight, this indefatigable man 
 had completed a new liturgy. Finding his 
 brethren unprepared with their exceptions, 
 he turned his hand to this also, and drew up 
 a paper containing such exceptions as occur- 
 red to him. Both his " liturgy" and "ex- 
 ceptions," have been printed in his life, and 
 it is scarcely necessary to pass any judgment 
 on them at present. The time allowed was 
 too short for judicious compilation of such a 
 work. It is found by experience, that no 
 compositions are more difficult than prayers, 
 adapted to a promiscuous congregation. Bax- 
 ter undertook more than any man could per- 
 form well, in a fortnight. Indeed, no one 
 man is competent to form a liturgy. It re- 
 quires the combined resources of a number 
 of minds. Prayers may be scriptural and 
 correct, and may yet be defective in several 
 qualities which are requisite in forms of this 
 kind. Besides, he aimed at too great a change 
 from the old liturgy. Other things being 
 equal, prayers to which the people have 
 been long accustomed are greatly preferable 
 to new ones; and if we must have a liturgy, 
 we see no good reason for objecting to that 
 
86 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 of the Church of England. There is, indeed, 
 a want of order in the service, and too much 
 repetition ; but on the whole, the prayers 
 possess much simple dignity in their concep- 
 tion, and style. The}' are also comprehen- 
 sive, and the petitions so general in their 
 character, that they are adapted to a promis- 
 cuous congregation. We are inclined to 
 think, therefore, that Baxter's undertaking 
 was injudicious, and are not surprised that 
 it failed of success. All the prejudices and 
 associations of the people were strongly in 
 favour of the prayers which had been long 
 in use ; and most of those who were opposed 
 to the English liturgy, would have been 
 equally opposed to any other liturgy. They 
 objected to the principle, and not to the exe- 
 cution. The whole scheme of attempting to 
 introduce a new liturgy, appears to us to 
 have been ill judged ; and its failure might 
 have been predicted upon the common prin- 
 ciples of human nature. 
 
 During the sitting of this Conference, the 
 members of the convocation were chosen; 
 and things were so managed by the bishops, 
 that a majority of their friends were returned. 
 Had there been a fair expression of the opin- 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 87 
 
 ion of the existing clergy at the restoration, 
 there would have been a great majority 
 against diocesan episcopacy; bat by the 
 ejectment of several hundred, who had been 
 put in the place of such ministers as were 
 judged incompetent, who had been turned 
 out by the parliament, or by the Triers of 
 Cromwell; and because none were permitted 
 to vote, who had not received episcopal ordi- 
 nation, the convocation consisted, mainly, of 
 the friends of the bishops. But, in London, 
 by a small majority of votes, Mr. Baxter and 
 Mr. Calamy were returned among others. 
 The bishop of London, however, having the 
 right to select six out of the whole number 
 returned, was pleased to leave out these two 
 distinguished men. Baxter greatly rejoiced 
 in this ; for he knew, that he could accom- 
 phsli nothhig in the convocation, and he felt 
 happy to escape the contention and conflict 
 to which he must have been subject, had he 
 been a member ; for he was not a man that 
 could remain silent when he saw things going 
 wrong. 
 
 The new liturgy, prepared by Baxter, 
 after being read over frequently by the breth- 
 ren, was adopted with no other alteration, 
 
88 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 than leaving out some things which were 
 thought unnecessary; and the Utany, on 
 account of its length, was thrown into an 
 appendix. Dr. Wallis was requested to pre- 
 pare the prayer for the king, which he did ; 
 and this was the only prayer in the new 
 liturgy, of which Baxter was not the author. 
 The non-conformists foreseeing, however, 
 what would be the result, in regard to the 
 alterations proposed by them, resolved to 
 offer an earnest petition to the bishops to 
 propose such alterations, as to them appear- 
 ed necessary or expedient. Baxter was re- 
 quested to draw up this petition: which he 
 did, and it was accepted by his brethren, 
 with only one or two verbal alterations. He 
 was then requested to present it, and to seek 
 an opportunity of reading it in a full meet- 
 ing. When the reading of the paper was 
 proposed, some were against it, and so would 
 all of them have been, says Baxter, had they 
 known what it contained. After it was 
 read. Dr. Gunning delivered a long and 
 vehement speech against it; to which Baxter 
 commenced an answer, but was interrupted 
 in the midst of it. He was content to bear 
 this, since he had been permitted to read the 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 89 
 
 whole of the petition. He now delivered 
 the petition to the bishops, and also a fair 
 copy of the " Reformed Liturgy.^' They 
 t received both, and so they separated. 
 
 Tlie time of the commission authorizing 
 the conference was limited to three months, 
 and that time was nearly expired, and yet 
 nothing done to promote the peace of the 
 Church. It was now evident, that the 
 bishops were determined to yield nothing. 
 Instead of returning an answer to parts of 
 the reformed liturgy, and proposed altera- 
 tions, they handed in a paper, in opposition 
 to any alteration. The brethren were now 
 determined to give a plain answer to their 
 paper, and Mr. Baxter was requested to 
 draw it up. He went to Spurstow's in 
 Hackney, for the sake of retirement, and in 
 eight days finished his answer. This the 
 brethren read, and approved; except, that 
 they wished it had been more full at the 
 close; but the author had occupied so much 
 time in the beginning, in establishing his 
 principles, that he had not room to enlarge 
 on particulars, in the close. This answer 
 was handed in at the next meeting ; and it 
 was evident, they were not pleased with the 
 8 
 
90 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 length of it. Baxter says he had good rea- 
 son for believmg that the majority of the 
 bishops never read the papers handed in by 
 the ministers, and knew nothing of their con- 
 tents, except such things as were publicly 
 read. These papers were folded up and car- 
 ried away, and were probably seen by none 
 but those whose business it was made to an- 
 swer them. All the efforts made to induce 
 them to say what concessions they were wil- 
 ling to make, or what alterations to propose, 
 were utterly ineffectual. They alleged, that 
 the king's "Declaration'^ only spoke of ne- 
 cessary alterations; but that until it was 
 shown that any alterations were necessary, 
 they could not agree to make them. Much 
 time was spent in contending about this mat- 
 ter. The object of the conference was to 
 promote peace and concord, but to enter now 
 into a dispute about the liturgy and ceremo- 
 nies would defeat every hope of this kind ; 
 and the ministers saw that if they declined 
 all discussion, they would be considered as 
 shrinking from the contest, through fear. 
 Baxter urged his brethren to agree to enter 
 into a disputation, after declaring, that the 
 failure of the primary end of the king's com- 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 91 
 
 mission, did not rest with them. It was 
 finally agreed, that three persons should be 
 chosen, on each side, to conduct the debate. 
 On the one side were. Doctors Gunning, 
 Pearson, and Sparrow ; and on the other, 
 Baxter, Bates, and Jacomb. They met ac- 
 cordingly in the presence of many of the 
 Episcopal party; but the non-conformists, 
 except the three advocates, all absented 
 themselves. The debate, as might have 
 been anticipated, partook more of the nature 
 of a personal altercation, than of a grave re- 
 ligious argument. The following account of 
 the conference, and the principal actors is 
 taken from Baxter. 
 
 *'Dr. Sheldon, the Bishop of London, and 
 since Archbishop of Canterbury, only ap- 
 peared the first day of each conference, 
 which beside that before the king, was twice 
 in all, and meddled not in any disputations; 
 but all men supposed, that he and Bishop 
 Morley, and Bishop Hinchman, were the 
 doers and disposers of all such affairs. 
 
 " Frewen, the Archbishop of York, spoke 
 very little; and came but once or twice in 
 all. Bishop Morley was often there, and 
 with free and fluent words, with much ear- 
 
92 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 nestness, was the chief speaker of all the 
 bishopSj and the greatest interrupter of us. 
 Bishop Cosins was there constantly, and had 
 a great deal of talk, but so little logic, na- 
 tural or artificial, that no one was much 
 moved by any thing he said — but he was 
 excellently well versed in canons, councils, 
 and fathers: and he was more familiar and 
 affable than the rest. Hinchman, since Bishop 
 of London, was one of the most grave, come - 
 ly, reverend aspect of any of them; and had 
 a good insight into the fathers and councils. 
 He spake calmly and slowh*, but not often; 
 but was as high in principles as any of them. 
 Bishop Saunderson was sometimes there, but 
 never spoke, except a very little. 
 
 '•Bishop Gauden was seldom absent; and 
 bitter as is his pen, he was the only moderate 
 man among the bishops, except our Bishop 
 Reynolds. He showed no learning nor logic, 
 but had a calm, fluent, rhetorical tongue. 
 Bishop Lucy, of St. David's, spoke once or 
 twice, a few words, calmly; and so did Bishop 
 Nicholson of Gloucester, and Bishop Griffith 
 of St. Asaph's; though they were not commis- 
 sioners. King, Bishop of Chichester, I never 
 saw there; Bishop Warner, of Rochester, 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 93 
 
 was present once or twice. Lany, of Peter- 
 borough, was once or twice there ; and also 
 Walton, Bishop of Chester, but neither of 
 them spoke much. Of all the bishops, none 
 had so promising a face as Dr. Sterne, bishop 
 of Carlisle. He looked so honestly, gravely, 
 and soberly, that I scarce thought such a face 
 could have deceived me. When I was en- 
 treating them not to cast out so many of their 
 brethren through the nation, he turned to 
 the other reverend bishops and said, " He 
 will not say in the kingdom, lest he own a 
 king.^^ This was all I ever heard that 
 worthy prelate say. I told him with grief, 
 that half the charity which became so grave 
 a bishop, might have helped him to a better 
 exposition of the word nation. 
 
 Bishop Reynolds spoke much the first 
 day to bring them to moderation ; afterwards 
 he spoke occasionally, in the same spirit. 
 He was a solid, honest man, but through 
 mildness, and excess of timorous reverence 
 for great men, altogether unfit to contend 
 with them. Mr. Thorndike spoke a few 
 impertinent, passionate words, confuting the 
 opinion we had formed of him from his writ- 
 ings. Dr. Earle, Dr. Heylin, and Dr. Bar- 
 
94 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 wick, never came. Dr. Hacket, since bishop 
 of Coventry and Litchfield, said nothing by 
 which he could be distinguished. Dr. Spar- 
 row said but httle, but that little was with a 
 spirit to produce division. Dr. Gunning and 
 Dr. Pierce, did all their work beside Dr. 
 Morley's discourses; but with a great differ- 
 ence in the manner. 
 
 "Dr. Pierce was their true logician and 
 disputant; but Dr. Gunning's passionate in- 
 vectives, with some argumentation, were 
 not so agreeable. Dr. Pierce, however, dis- 
 puted accurately, soberly, and calmly; being 
 but once in any passion; breeding in us great 
 respect for him, and a persuasion that if he 
 had been independent, he would have been 
 for peace; and if all had been in his power 
 it would have gone well. He was the 
 strength and honour of that cause, which 
 we doubted whether he heartily maintained. 
 He was their forwardest and greatest speak- 
 er, understanding well what belonged to a 
 disputant; a man of greater study and indus- 
 try than any of them; well read in fathers 
 and councils, and of a ready tongue. He 
 was also, as I hear and believe, of very tem- 
 perate life also, as to all carnal excesses, 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 95 
 
 whatsoever. But so vehement for his high 
 and imposing principles, and so over-zealous 
 for Arminianism, and formality, and church 
 pomp; and so eager and fervent in his dis- 
 course, that I conceive his prejudice and 
 passion much perverted his judgment. I am 
 sure, they made him lamentably overrun 
 himself in his discourses. Of Dr. Pierce, I 
 will say no more, because he hath said so 
 much of me." 
 
 It is probable from what is here said, that 
 Baxter and Pierce were brought into direct 
 collision; and were probably both sore with 
 the wounds received from each other. Jere- 
 my Taylor says, in one of his letters, speak- 
 ing of Baxter, " But I suppose he has met 
 with his match, for Mr. Pierce has attacked 
 him, and they are joined in the lists." 
 
 " On our part," says Baxter, " Dr. Bates 
 spoke very solidly, judiciously, and perti- 
 nently, when he did speak. As for myself, 
 the reason why I spoke so much was, be- 
 cause it was the desire of my brethren, and 
 I was loth to expose them to the hatred of 
 the bishops, and was willing to take it all 
 upon myself; they themselves having so 
 much wit, as to be therein more sparing and 
 
96 LIFE OF THE 
 
 cautious than I. I thought also the day 
 and cause commanded me those two things 
 which then were objected to me as my 
 crimes, viz. speaking too boldly and too 
 long. I thought it a cause I could comfort- 
 ably suffer for, and should as willingly be a 
 martyr, for charity as for faith.^^ 
 
 Thus ended the Savoy Conference, the last 
 of the attempts to reconcile churchmen and 
 dissenters, in which the court, and the autho- 
 rities of the church took any active part. 
 The issue might have been foreseen even at 
 the beginning, from the disposition of the 
 leading Episcopal commissioners, and from 
 the conduct of Sheldon at the very first 
 meeting. 
 
 Burnet says, not without considerable jus- 
 tice, "The two men that had the chief man- 
 agement of the debate, were the most unfit 
 to heal matters, and the fittest to widen them 
 that could have been found out. Baxter 
 was the opponent, and Gunning the respon- 
 dent, who was afterwards advanced first to 
 the see of Chichester and then to Ely. He 
 was a man of great reading, and noted for a 
 special subtlety of arguing. All the arts of 
 sophistry were made use of by him on all 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 97 
 
 occasions, in as confident a manner as if 
 they had been sound reasoning. Baxter and 
 he spent some days in much logical arguing, 
 to the diversion of the town, who thought 
 here were a couple of fencers engaged in 
 disputes, that never could be brought to an 
 end, or to any good effect." 
 
 The Presbyterian ministers having com- 
 pletely failed, as they believed, in the object 
 of this conference, drew up a correct account 
 of the whole affair, and presented it to the 
 king in the form of a petition. It was writ- 
 ten by Baxter, and with a few alterations 
 and amendments, was, at last, laid before 
 his majesty, with a fair copy of all the pa- 
 pers, by Dr. Manton, Dr. Reynolds, Dr. 
 Bates, and Mr. Baxter. It gave a short his- 
 tory of the conference and its unsuccessful 
 issue, and concluded by praying, that the 
 benefit of the king's " Declaration'^ might 
 be continued to the people, and that the ad- 
 ditions promised in it might be bestowed. 
 It does not appear that the king said any 
 thing of importance at the winding up of the 
 affair. He parted with the ministers civilly, 
 but with a full determination to pursue such 
 measures, as, (to adopt the expression of his 
 9 
 
LIFE OF THE 
 
 grandfather respecting the Puritans,) would 
 "drive them out of the kingdom, or do 
 worse.'^ 
 
 For a while hopes were entertained, that 
 the parliament might pass the " Declaration" 
 into a law; but in this they soon found them- 
 selves in a mistake; and instead of having 
 their burdens made lighter than before, they 
 were made ten times heavier. The convo- | 
 cation made the Prayer Book more grievous j 
 than ever, and the parliament passed a new . 
 act of conformity, with a new form of sub- | 
 scription, and a new declaration to be made | 
 against the covenant. So that the king's de- I i 
 claration not only died before it came into 
 execution, but a weight more grievous than I 
 a thousand ceremonies was added to the old 
 conformity, with a heavy penalty, \ 
 
 We have seen that Baxter's highest ambi- 
 tion was to be restored to Kidderminster. 
 For this he petitioned, and would have been 
 content, even to be the curate of the old vi- 
 car; a man of no talents or worth, and to- 
 tally unqualified for the place which he occu- 
 pied. He did attempt once a quarter to read ^ 
 some sort of a discourse, which however, ^ 
 only caused the people to laugh at him. | 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 99 
 
 Both the king and Lord Chancellor appear to 
 have been willing for Baxter to return ; but 
 the thing was effectually prevented by the 
 opposition of Sir Ralph Clare, an old courtier, 
 who resided there, and was the patron of 
 the old vicar. This man did not like to have 
 Baxter so near to him; and by representing 
 to bishop Morley, that the people of Kidder- 
 minster were disposed to be factious and 
 schismatic, and that Baxter had a complete 
 ascendancy over them, he effected it, that 
 every overture made for Baxter's restoration 
 to his people was rejected; although the Lord 
 Chancellor himself wrote a kind and entreat- 
 ing letter to Sir Ralph Clare in favour of 
 Baxter. When all plans had failed, Baxter 
 paid a visit to Kidderminster, and begged the 
 vicar to permit him to take the lecture, which 
 he had before had; but he refused. He then 
 offered to be his curate, but this he also re- 
 fused; and finally he offered to preach with- 
 out any compensation, whatever, but even 
 this was not permitted. There can be no 
 doubt, that the old vicar in the whole affair, 
 acted under the influence of Clare and Mor- 
 ley, who had hitherto so effectually hindered 
 the return of Baxter to his beloved people. 
 
100 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 In carrying his end, Sir Ralph Clare was in 
 no way scrupulous about the truth and cor- 
 rectness of his reports. In several instances, 
 Baxter convicted him of manifest falsehood. 
 On one occasion he represented, that out 
 of sixteen hundred communicants, only six 
 hundred were for Baxter; and that he had 
 refused when he lived there to adminis- 
 ter the communion to any person kneeling; 
 whereas, he had published from the pulpit, 
 repeatedly, that they were permitted to re- 
 ceive the eucharist, in any posture which 
 they chose ; and to show how false was the 
 report, that most of the people were opposed 
 to him, his friends carried about a paper in 
 which the subscribers expressed their earnest 
 desire for his return, to which sixteen hun- 
 dred out of eighteen hundred persons put 
 their names; and the greater part of the re- 
 mainder, were from home or could not be 
 seen. And instead of a general disaffection, 
 which Clare had asserted, he declares, that 
 he had heard of but one man who was op- 
 posed to his return, and that was a man who 
 had lately come to the town, and was a bi- 
 gotted Roman Catholic. Although all pros- 
 pect of returning to Kidderminster was gone, 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 101 
 
 yet Baxter seemed unwilling to take any- 
 other charge, and for a while, preached in 
 London, wherever he found an opportunity; 
 but after some time he judged it best to have 
 a place of stated preaching, and he united 
 with Dr. Bates, in the lecture of St. Dun- 
 stan in the West, where he preached once a 
 week, and the people gave him some main- 
 tenance. 
 
 While preaching here, one day, some bricks 
 and dust fell down in the steeple or belfry, 
 on which the people thought the steeple was 
 falling, and as is usual on such occasions, a 
 dreadful rush and tumult took place; and 
 the noise in the gallery led the people below 
 to think, that the church was falling. While 
 the people were thus thrown into horrible 
 confusion; so that some precipitated them- 
 selves from the gallery into the body of the 
 church, Baxter sat down composedly in the 
 pulpit, until the whole disturbance was over. 
 The people were scarcely quietly seated 
 again, before a bench on which many were 
 sitting near the communion table, broke, and 
 a second rush and tumult took place, even 
 worse than the first. On this second distur- 
 bance, an old woman was heard to ask God 
 
102 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 forgiveness for not taking the first warning, 
 and promising, if God would deliver her, this 
 once, to take heed of coming hither again. 
 When the people were composed, Baxter re- 
 sumed his discourse, by saying, " We are in 
 the service of God to prepare ourselves that 
 we may be fearless at the great noise of the 
 dissolving world, when the heavens shall pass 
 away, and the elements melt with fervent 
 heat." While the church of St. Dunstan's 
 was repairing, he preached at St. Bride's, at 
 the other end of Fleet street, where the curate 
 read the Common Prayer regularly before 
 sermon. He was therefore, the occasion of 
 many attending on this service, who were 
 not in the habit of doing so. 
 
 Mr. Ashurst and about twenty others in- 
 vited him to preach on a week day, in Milk 
 street, for which service he received £40; 
 and he did so until he was silenced the next 
 year. That he might, as far as possible, act 
 consistently with the laws, he went to the 
 Archbishop of Canterbury and requested a 
 license to preach, which the archbishop very 
 readily granted. But as Baxter was uni- 
 formly attended by crowded audiences, the 
 envy of the regular clergy was excited, and 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 103 
 
 the spies of the bishops often reported him 
 as a dangerous and seditious man; so that 
 frequently he thought it necessary to pub- 
 lish the sermons which they misrepresented. 
 Even his private letters to his family were 
 intercepted, and though found to contain 
 nothing factious or treasonable, were sent 
 round among the bishops, which shows what 
 a jealousy they entertained of his influence. 
 Frequently he was threatened with an arrest; 
 and on a certain occasion, a knight ofi'ered 
 the Bishop of Worcester his troop of horse 
 to apprehend him. At length Bishop Morley 
 prohibited him from preaching in his diocese, 
 although Baxter ofi'ered to promise that he 
 would confine his preaching to the creed, 
 commandments, and Lord's prayer. 
 
 Baxter was now completely shut out from 
 his old flock, to whom he had, till this time, 
 occasionally ministered. They parted, as 
 may be supposed, with great reluctance, and 
 much grief and many tears. Their situation 
 was more distressing, from the fact that Mr. 
 Baldwin, who had succeeded Mr. Baxter in 
 the lecture, and of whom, as a scholar and 
 good preacher, we have already spoken, was 
 
104 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 also forbidden to preach, by the bishop; yet 
 he remained at Kidderminster as a private 
 person, and visited the people in their houses. 
 The minister brought in was a man altoge- 
 ther insufficient, not being capable of teach- 
 ing even the fundamental points of religion; 
 and would often preach in direct opposition 
 to the articles of the church, and in his appli- 
 cations did what he could to bring an odium 
 on a holy life, to keep men fromi it, and to 
 promote the interests of Satan. 
 
 But now the fatal day of St. Bartholomew 
 arrived, when the act of conformity was 
 to go into operation. This memorable day, 
 which witnessed above two thousand of the 
 most learned and pious ministers of England 
 ejected from their charges, and cast, without 
 resources, upon the wide world, was August 
 24th, 1662, being the very day of the year 
 in which the Huguenots, a century before, 
 were so cruelly murdered by the Papists, in 
 France. Baxter, as soon as the act passed, 
 ceased from preaching, for the present, as he 
 wished to let it be seen that he did not con- 
 form; and as he did not wish that the ene- 
 mies of the non-conformists should have any 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 105 
 
 occasion against them, for disobedience to the 
 laws.* 
 
 Many of the silenced ministers were equal 
 in learning and abilities to any of the Epis- 
 copalians. Baxter, Calamy, Owen, Bates, 
 and Howe, were as capable of forming en- 
 larged and comprehensive views of truth and 
 duty, as Pearson, Gunning, Morley, or any 
 others of the high church party; while, as it 
 regards the evidences of Christian character 
 and devotedness, there were few of the class 
 from which they seceded, who can compare 
 with them. 
 
 Baxter informs us that good old Simeon 
 Ashe died on the eve of St. Bartholomew's 
 day; and was thus taken away from the evil 
 to come. 
 
 As they were forbidden to preach, so they 
 were privately watched, that they might not 
 exhort one another, or pray together; and 
 every meeting for prayer was considered a 
 seditious meeting, and was called by the 
 
 * That the non-conformist ministers had justifiable 
 grounds for separating from the Church of England, is a 
 point which we do not mean to discuss; but whoever 
 wishes to see the reasons of their conduct clearly set forth, 
 may consult the tenth chapter of Calamy 's Abridgement. 
 
106 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 odious name of a " Conventicle.^' In regard 
 to the vigilance and jealousy exercised over 
 the ejected ministers, Mr. Baxter relates the 
 following fact : " One Mr. Beale, in Hatton 
 Garden, having a son, his only child, sick of 
 a fever, and brought so low that the physi- 
 cians thought he would die, desired a few 
 friends to meet at his house to pray for him. 
 As it pleased God to hear our pra^^ers, and 
 to restore the child, and his mother shortly 
 after falling sick of a fever, we were again 
 requested to meet at the house and pray for 
 her recovery, the last day when she was ne£ir 
 to death. It happened that Dr. Bates and 
 myself were not able to attend; but it being 
 understood that we were to be there, two 
 justices were procured from the other end of 
 the town, to come with the sergeant-at-arms 
 of the Parliament, to apprehend us. When 
 they came, most of the company were dis- 
 persed, except a few of their kindred, and 
 three ministers who remained to pray. These 
 officers came into the very room where the 
 sick woman was dying, and took down the 
 names of such as were present; but were 
 evidently disappointed. What an occasion 
 would it have been to them that reproached 
 
REV. RICHAKD BAXTER. 107 
 
 US as Presbyterian, seditious schismatics, to 
 have found us praying with a dying woman, 
 that they might cast us into prison!'^ 
 
 In the year 1663, Dr. Juxon, archbishop 
 of Canterbury, died, and was succeeded by 
 Sheldon. About this time there were fre- 
 quent rumours of an indulgence or compre- 
 hensive, to be granted to the silenced minis- 
 ters: but instead of liberty, their yoke was 
 made heavier; for a bill against private 
 meetings passed the House of Commons, and 
 shortly after became a law. The sum of it 
 was " that every person above sixteen years 
 old, who should be present at any meeting 
 under colour or pretext of religion, in other 
 manner than is allowed by the liturgy or 
 practice of the Church of England, where 
 there are five persons more than the house- 
 hold, shall, for the first offence, by a justice 
 of peace, be recorded, and sent to jail three 
 months, till he pay five pounds; and for the 
 second offence six months, till he pay ten 
 pounds; and the third time being convicted 
 by a jury, shall be banished to some of the 
 American plantations, excepting New Eng- 
 land, or Virginia.'^ The misery of the peo- 
 ple under this act was, that no one could 
 
108 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 tell what it meant; for the liturgy intermed- 
 dles not with the interior of families; and in 
 this diversity of family customs, no one knew 
 what the practice of the Church was. Be- 
 sides it was a tyrannical law, as it gave 
 power to justices to record, fine, and impri- 
 son a man, without a jury, for the first and 
 second ofTence. This trial fell upon the peo- 
 ple, as well as the ministers; but they were 
 very courageous, and exhorted them to stand 
 it out and preach until they were sent to 
 prison, while the whip was off their back; 
 but when it came to their own case, and 
 some of them had been seized and sent to 
 prison, their tone was greatly changed, and 
 they now thought it better for the ministers 
 to preach often to a few in secret, than but 
 once or twice in public to many. Indeed, 
 the people were now in a great strait to 
 know what to do. Some thought that if 
 they met in separate but contiguous houses, 
 the law could not take hold of them; but 
 then it was remarked, that the sole power of 
 judging was given to the justices to deter- 
 mine what constituted an unlawful meeting. 
 Great lawyers gave their opinion, that per- 
 sons coming to a house on business, could 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 109 
 
 not fall under the penalty of this law ; but 
 this was all wind; for still the justices had 
 the power of determining every thing. 
 
 Some division in favour of the non-confor- 
 mists now took place, by reason of the fa- 
 natical and extravagant behaviour of the 
 Quakers, who seemed to glory in their sulfer- 
 ings ; and assembled boldly at public places, 
 and were daily dragged away to prison. 
 
 Baxter and Bates were in the habit of at- 
 tending the common prayer, in the parish 
 churches; but this was so far from mitigating 
 the opposition to them, that it increased it. 
 And there was in this the appearance of in- 
 consistency ; for if it was not sinful to conform 
 one day, it would not be to conform alto- 
 gether. The reason why the Episcopalians 
 disliked them the more on this account, was, 
 that they feared their influence would be 
 greater. No doubt they acted conscien- 
 tiously, but the expediency of their conduct 
 may well be doubted; and it is certain, that 
 by this course they offended both churchmen 
 and dissenters. 
 
 The great plague in London was a memo- 
 rable event, which drove from the city, nearly 
 all the parochial clergy; but a number of the 
 
110 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 non-conformist ministers remained and occu- 
 pied the deserted pulpits, and preached with 
 extraordinary effect. Among these Mr. Vin- 
 cent deserves the first place. Baxter had re- 
 tired to Acton, on account of his heahh, and 
 for the sake of leisure, before the plague 
 broke out. Here, he spent several years 
 diligently occupied in the composition of re- 
 ligious books. Here he composed his great 
 work of practical divinity, called, "The 
 Christian Directory," which will remain 
 a monument of his piety, sagacity, and know- 
 ledge of the Scriptures and of the human 
 heart. To learn whether he could get it 
 licensed, he offered a single treatise to Mr. 
 Grig, who had been a non-conformist, but 
 was now chaplain to the Bishop of London; 
 and who professed a great regard for Baxter. 
 He informed him, that he durst not license 
 it. But some practical tracts which he sent 
 without a name to the Archbishop of Can- 
 terbury, were licensed; although accident- 
 ally, they were known to be his. 
 
 So vigilant was the watch over these silenc- 
 ed ministers that they were scarcely permit- 
 ted to preach to their own families if a few 
 others happened to be present. One day an 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. HI 
 
 ancient gentlewoman came to Baxter's house 
 while he was engaged in worship ; but her 
 knock not being heard or attended to, she 
 did not get in until the service was over ; 
 when she expressed so strong a desire to hear 
 him, that he appointed a day, on which she 
 might attend ; but before it arrived, he re- 
 ceived an intimation that she was actuated 
 by the most malignant motives, and was act- 
 ing as a spy upon him; and so that danger 
 was avoided. Several learned theologians, 
 in foreign parts, wished to carry on a literary 
 correspondence with Baxter ; among whom 
 were Amyraut, and Zollikoffer, but he durst 
 not engage in such a correspondence, lest his 
 motives should be misrepresented. 
 
 The judgments of God by the plague did 
 not lead the English government to exercise 
 justice towards the suffering Diss.enters. The 
 parliament, being driven from London, re- 
 tired to Oxford, where the king, removed 
 from the personal danger of the plague, was 
 busy in contriving an act, to make the case 
 of the silenced ministers incomparably har- 
 der than it was before, by imposing upon 
 them an oath, which if they refused, " they 
 must not come, except on the road, within 
 
112 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 five miles of any city, or of any corporation, 
 or any place that sendeth burgesses to par- 
 liament; or to any place where they had 
 preached since the act of oblivion." The 
 promoters of this most iniquitous law, are 
 said to have been Sheldon, archbishop of 
 Canterbury, and Ward, bishop of Salisbury. 
 It was promoted also by Lord Chancellor 
 Hyde; but was strenuously opposed in the 
 House of Lords, by the Earl of Southampton, 
 Lord Treasurer of England ; for although he 
 had always adhered to the king, he knew 
 what good policy required, and what was 
 due to humanity. The act passed however 
 into a law. 
 
 The oath prescribed was in the following 
 words, " I, A. B. do swear that it is not law- 
 ful, upon any pretence whatsoever, to take 
 arms against the king ; and that I do abhor 
 that traitorous position of taking arms by 
 his authority against his person, or against 
 those that are commissioned by him, in pur- 
 suance of such commission; and that I will 
 not, at any time, endeavour any alteration 
 of the government either in church or state." 
 
 It is hard to tell, whether the impiety, the 
 folly, or the cruelty of this oath is the great- 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 113 
 
 est. Baxter submitted a number of queries 
 to Sergeant Fountain, respecting the true 
 construction of this oath, to which he receiv- 
 ed learned and detailed answers ; but after 
 all explanations he could not agree to take it. 
 Sheldon determined to execute this act rigor- 
 ously; and his orders to the bishops were 
 issued accordingly; requiring among other 
 things, the names of all the ejected ministers, 
 in their several dioceses, with the place of 
 their abode, and manner of life. Many, 
 however, received such an interpretation of 
 this oath, that they were induced to take it, 
 among whom was Dr. Bates. His reasons 
 may be seen in a letter addressed to Baxter, 
 on the occasion. The reasons of the latter 
 for declining are far stronger. The oath was 
 a wicked device to ensnare or injure the si- 
 lenced ministers; and the taking of it, in no 
 case added to the reputation of those who 
 did it. 
 
 The plague having ceased, Baxter return- 
 ed to Acton, from which he had been driven 
 by this dreadful scourge: when he came 
 back the burying ground appeared like a 
 plowed field so great was the number of 
 fresh graves. 
 
 10 
 
114 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 In the year 1666, September 2d, after mid- 
 night, London was set on fire, when, for 
 three days, the conflagration raged with in- 
 creasing violence, until almost all the city 
 within the walls, and much without them, 
 was burnt. The people for want of or- 
 ganization could do nothing to resist the 
 raging element. The engines were out of 
 order, or could not be worked for want of 
 skill. Most of the booksellers brought their 
 books into the vaults under St. Paul's church, 
 where it was thought almost impossible the 
 fire should come. But when the church it- 
 self was burnt all the books were destroyed, 
 which was not only a great private, but an ir- 
 reparable public loss. The burning leaves of 
 some of these books were picked up at the 
 distance of twenty miles from London. The 
 fire met with no check, until some of the 
 seamen taught them to blow up some of the 
 houses with gunpowder; though in some di- 
 rections it is said to have stopped, as it began, 
 without any known cause. Baxter fully be- 
 lieved that the city was set on fire by the 
 Papists; and that this was the common be- 
 lief, is manifest from the inscription on the 
 monument; built on purpose to commemo- 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 115 
 
 rate this event; but of the fact there exists 
 not a particle of evidence; and what incen- 
 diary could have calculated upon the devas- 
 tation of this fire before hand? But some 
 good arose out of this great disaster ; for the 
 churches being now burnt, and the parish 
 ministers scattered, the non-conformists, were 
 determined to go on and preach to the people, 
 until they were imprisoned. Dr. Manton 
 had his rooms full in Covent Garden, Mr. 
 Thom.as Vincent, Mr. Thomas Doolittle, Dr. 
 Samuel Annesley, Mr. Wadsworth, Mr. Jane- 
 way, Mr. Chester, Mr. Franklin, Mr. Tur- 
 ner, Mr. Grimes, Mr. Nathaniel Vincent, Dr. 
 Jacomb, and Mr. Thomas Watson, with 
 many others, kept their meetings open, and 
 fitted up large rooms for the accommodation 
 of the hearers; and some who were able 
 erected chapels, furnished with pulpits, gal- 
 leries, seats, &c. The Independents also set 
 up their meetings. Mr. Griffiths, Mr. Brooks, 
 Mr. Caryl, Mr. Barker, Dr. Owen, Mr. Philip 
 Nye, and Dr. Thomas Goodwin, all came to 
 the city of London. It was also a favoura- 
 ble circumstance that those churches which 
 remained had the best of the conformist min- 
 isters, for their pastors; such as Dr. Stilling- 
 
116 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 fleet, Dr. Tillotson, Mr. White, Dr. Outram, 
 Dr. Patrick, Mr. Gifford, Dr. Whitchcot, Dr. 
 Horton, Dr. Nest, &:c. Persons of moderate 
 principles heard the conformists and non- 
 conformists indifferently, but the high church 
 party declaimed against all meetings not 
 under the wing of Episcopacy, as sedi- 
 tious, schismatic, and unlawful conventicles; 
 while some on the other extreme would hear 
 none of the ministers who conformed to the 
 established Church. 
 
 Some new rumors were again afloat re- 
 specting religious liberty and toleration; but 
 the leaders of the Episcopal party wrote ve- 
 hemently against it; and began now not to 
 wish to have the non-conformist ministers in 
 the church, on any terms. Several pamphlets 
 were published for and against toleration. 
 Some too, who were for free discussions in 
 philosophy, and especially such as were ad- 
 mirers of Des Cartes, and were at first called 
 Latitudinarians and Cambridge Arminians, 
 being not so strict in their theology or way 
 of piety, as some, thought that conformity 
 was too small a matter to keep them out of 
 the ministry. " But afterwards they grew," 
 says Baxter, " into a distaste of the weakness 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. H? 
 
 of many Christians, who used some harsh 
 phrases in prayer, preaching, and discourse. 
 Hence they contracted a dislike to the doc- 
 trines and mode of worshipping pursued by 
 tlieir more serious brethren." The men to 
 whom he refers asLatitudinarians, were such 
 as Dr. More, Worlhington, Whitchcot, Cud- 
 worth, Wilkins, who were mostly of Cam- 
 bridge, and about this time introduced a cold, 
 philosophical, inefficient mode of preaching 
 into the English pulpit. 
 
 It was a remarkable dispensation of Pro- 
 vidence, that Chancellor Hyde who had been 
 so powerful an instrument in the persecution 
 of the non-conformists, should now fall en- 
 tirely into disgrace with his own party. As 
 soon as the Duke of Buckingham came into 
 power, he began to show indulgence to all 
 Dissenters; and pursued a policy, the reverse 
 of that which Hyde had considered necessary. 
 The ministers of London were now connived 
 at, and held their religious meetings without 
 disturbance. Some attributed this change to 
 the king, some to the Duke of Buckingham, 
 and others to a wish to favour the papists. 
 
 About this time, a proposal was received 
 of a plan of comprehending the non-confor- 
 
118 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 mists in the church. This was communicated 
 from the Lord Treasurer, through Sir John 
 Babor. who wished to know what terms 
 would satisfy the Dissenters. They propos- 
 ed that two moderate and learned men should 
 be appointed to confer with Dr. Manton, Dr. 
 Bates, and Mr. Baxter. Accordingly, bishop 
 Wilkins and his chaplain, were sent to the 
 non-conformist ministers. The bishop was an 
 open hearted, generous man, and the whole 
 thing had proceeded from him. He request- 
 ed them to state their terms; which he pro- 
 nounced to be altogether incapable of being 
 received; and then he proposed his own plan 
 of a comprehension. After this conference, 
 lie disclosed the plan to Dr. Ward, in the 
 hope of bringing him into the scheme ; but 
 he revealed it to the other bishops, who im- 
 mediately set themselves to defeat it. A bill 
 had been prepared, and judge Hales was to 
 have introduced it into the House of Lords. 
 As soon as the parliament met, this plan of 
 an indulgence and comprehension, was ru- 
 moured among the members: and to crush 
 the aflfair in the bud, a resolution was pro- 
 posed, that no man should bring such a bill 
 into the house. And Dr. Sheldon, the more 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 119 
 
 effectually to crush the non-conformists, sent 
 a circular to all the bishops, calling on them 
 to send up an account of the conventicles, in 
 their respective dioceses, and how many at- 
 tended them, and whether they could easily 
 be suppressed by the magistrate. When he 
 received the information which he wanted, 
 he went to the king, and got a proclamation 
 issued to put the laws in force against all 
 non-conformists, and especially, against the 
 preachers, according to the statute, which 
 forbad their living in corporate towns. The 
 treaty for a comprehension amused for a 
 while, but like all similar plans came to no- 
 thing. Although bishop Wilkins' plan did 
 not come fully up to the wishes of the mi- 
 nisters; yet they would have very gladly 
 availed themselves of it, " How joyfully,'* 
 says Mr. Baxter, " would fourteen hundred 
 at least of the non-conformist ministers of 
 England have yielded to these terms if they 
 could have got them. But alas! all this la- 
 bour was in vain ! For the prelates and pre- 
 latists so far prevailed, that as soon as ever 
 the parliament met, they prevented all talk 
 or motion of such a thing." " In April 1663, 
 Dr. Creighton, dean of Wells, the loquacious 
 
120 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 and ready tongued court preacher, who was 
 used to preach Calvin to hell, and Calvinists 
 to the gallows, and by his scornful revilings 
 and jests, to set the court on laughter, was 
 suddenly, in the pulpit, without any sickness, 
 surprised with atonishment, worse than Dr. 
 South the Oxford orator, had been, before 
 him. When he had repeated a sentence over 
 and over, he was so confounded, he could go 
 no further at all, and was fain, to all men's 
 wonder, to come down. His case was more 
 wonderful than almost any other man's, be- 
 ing not only a fluent extempore speaker, but 
 one that was never known to want words, 
 especially, to express his satirical, or bloody 
 thoughts." 
 
 The Presbyterian ministers were informed 
 that the king would now very gladly receive 
 an address from them, as he was much in- 
 clined to favour them. They were informed 
 that the address must be a thankful acknow- 
 ledgment of his majesty's clemency, and of 
 the liberty which, under his gracious admi- 
 nistration, they were permitted to enjoy. 
 Such an address was accordingly prepared, 
 and was presented by Dr. Manton, Dr. Bates, 
 Dr. Jacomb, and Mr. Ennis. Mr. Baxter 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 121 
 
 excused himself from taking any part in this 
 business, on account of ill-heahh; because, 
 in all former cases, whatever he had touched 
 of this kind, had utterly failed, and disap- 
 pointed all their hopes. 
 
 The address was most graciously received, 
 and Charles played the hypocrite with con- 
 summate art. After all, things remained as 
 they were before. Much discussion took 
 place, and many pamphlets were written 
 against toleration. The writers gathered 
 out of the writings of Baxter, and other non- 
 conformists, all that they had ever written 
 against the toleration of Papists and Quakers, 
 and now turned their own weapons against 
 themselves. These thrusts were hard to 
 parry by all those who, like Baxter, advo- 
 cated a half-way toleration. 
 
 While Baxter lived at Acton, he preached 
 to his own family, but few of the inhabitants 
 showed any inclination to attend; first, be- 
 cause they did not wish to involve him in 
 difficulty; and secondly, because they were 
 afraid of bringing themselves under the lash 
 of the Conventicle law. They were, more- 
 over, an ignorant people, who knew very 
 little of the value of the gospel. But when 
 U 
 
122 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 the Conventicle act had expired, by its own 
 Hmitation, and he preached publicly, many 
 came, so that his house was insufficient to 
 contain them. When they had come once, 
 they appeared to desire to come again ; and 
 a great number of them seemed to be seri- 
 ously affected with the things which they 
 heard. Many came from Brentford and the 
 neighbouring towns; and in all the town, 
 there were not found any who showed them- 
 selves adversaries to the preacher. Here 
 Mr. Baxter became acquainted with Chief 
 Justice Hale, one of the best and greatest 
 men that England ever produced. Baxter 
 has given a portraiture of his character, with 
 a bold but just pencil. 
 
 Having incidentally mentioned Baxter's 
 ^family, we are admonished that we have 
 omitted, in its proper place, an account of a 
 very extraordinary event in his Hfe. We 
 refer to his marriage. The report of it, be- 
 fore it occurred, was rung about through the 
 country, as though it had been a great won- 
 der, or a great crime ; so that the king's mar- 
 riage was hardly more talked of than his. 
 This is not very wonderful, when it is con- 
 sidered that he had written earnestly against 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 123 
 
 ministers' marrying; which, indeed, he seem- 
 ed to consider as barely lawful in any case. 
 He had remained single through his earlier 
 and middle age; and now, at the age of forty- 
 seven, to marry a young wife, not half as old. 
 as himself, seemed to be a strange thing. 
 But it is not to be marvelled at, of any man, 
 that, once in his life, he should play the fool. 
 This would here appear to be the fact, in 
 regard to Baxter; for it was scarcely to be 
 expected that, considering the peculiarity of 
 his temper, and that his habits were now 
 fixed, any person could be found, with whom 
 an alliance could be formed, likely to be pro- 
 ductive of lasting comfort to both parties. 
 But such a person was found, who appears 
 to have been eminently fitted to promote the 
 happiness and aid the usefulness of this great 
 and excellent man. The reader will not 
 deem an account of this matter from Baxter's 
 own pen, tedious. 
 
 " We were born," says he " in the same 
 county, within three miles and a half of 
 each other; but she of one of the chief fami- 
 lies in the county, and I, but of a mean 
 j freeholder, called a gentleman, for his ances- 
 I tor's sake. Her father, Francis Charlton, 
 
124 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 was one of the best justices of the peace in 
 the county, a grave and worthy man, who 
 did not marry until he was aged and gray, 
 and died while his children were very 
 young.'' . . . After the death of the father, 
 the mother took a house in Kidderminster, 
 whither her daughter followed her. Baxter's 
 preaching produced a deep and abiding im- 
 pression on the mind of Miss Charlton, and 
 he was called to aid in relieving her mind 
 from the distress under which she laboured. 
 In time she became an eminent Christian, 
 and though young, was in all respects, fitted 
 to be the wife of Richard Baxter. But he 
 must be permitted to give his own account 
 of the transaction. " The unsuitableness of 
 our age, and my former known purposes 
 against the conveniency of ministers marry- 
 ing, who have no sort of necessity, made 
 ours the matter of much public talk and 
 wonder. But the true opening of her case 
 and mine would take away the wonder of 
 her friends and mine, that knew us — viz. 
 the many strange occurrences which brought 
 it to pass; and the notice of it would much 
 conduce to the understanding of many other 
 passages in our lives; yet wise friends, by 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 125 
 
 whom I am advised, think it better to omit 
 such personal particularities. Both in her 
 case and mine there was much extraordinary, 
 which it doth not concern the world to be 
 acquainted with. From the first thought of 
 it, many changes and stoppages intervened, 
 and long delays, till I was silenced and eject- 
 ed: at last on September 10th, 1662, we 
 were married in Bennet-Fink church, by 
 Mr. Samuel Clark, having been before con- 
 tracted, by Mr. Simeon Ash, in the presence 
 of Henry Ashurst and Mrs. Ash." 
 
 He proposed, before their marriage, that 
 she should agree to the following conditions: 
 1. That he should possess nothing which 
 was hers, before marriage. 2. That she 
 should so order her affairs, that he should 
 be entangled in no law-suit. 3. That she 
 should expect none of his time, which his 
 ministry required. 
 
 " When we were married," says he, " her 
 sadness and melancholy left her. Counsel 
 did something to it, and contentment some- 
 thing; and being taken up with our house- 
 hold affairs, did something. We lived in in- 
 violated love, and mutual complacency, sen- 
 sible of the benefit of mutual help, nearly 
 
126 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 nineteen years. I know not that we ever 
 had any breach in point of love, or point of 
 interest, save only that she grudged, that I 
 had persuaded her to surrender so much of 
 her estate, to the disabling her from helping 
 others." 
 
 The married life of Baxter was a very un- 
 settled one, so that for most of the time, he 
 might be said to have, "no certain dwelling 
 place." About the year 1670, Baxter was 
 imprisoned for holding conventicles, at Ac- 
 ton. The prosecutor was a certain Dr. 
 Ryves, the parson of that parish, who was 
 also one of the king's chaplains. He was 
 brought before the justices, at Brentford, and 
 treated very indecorously, on the trial. He 
 was sent by mittimus to Clerkenwell prison, 
 for holding a conventicle; not having taken 
 the Oxford oath. Serjeant Fountain advised 
 him to have recourse to habeas corpus, and 
 to apply for it to the court of Common Pleas. 
 He did so, and the judges released him on 
 the ground that the mittimus was not in 
 legal form, but announced to the multitude 
 who attended the trial, that if the mittimus 
 had not been defective in point of law, they 
 could not have released the reverend gentle- 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 127 
 
 man; as no doubt he had violated the law 
 which forbad the holding of conventicles. 
 
 When the justices saw that he was dis- 
 charged, not satisfied to have driven him 
 from Acton, they made out a new mittimus, 
 naming the fourth of June, as the day on 
 which he had preached. And this mittimus 
 they put into an officer's hands, in London, 
 to bring him, not to Clerkenwell, but to New- 
 gate prison, which, since the best part of it 
 was burnt down, was the most noisome pri- 
 son in the whole country, the dungeon of the 
 Tower excepted. 
 
 From 1665 to 1670, Baxter produced some 
 of his most considerable works, as his " Rea- 
 sons for the Christian Religion;" " Directions 
 to weak Christians how to grow in grace;" 
 and the latter part of the ^' Christian Direc- 
 tory;" the "Life of Faith;" the "Cure of 
 Church Divisions;" and some others. 
 
 During this period also, he had a long 
 discussion, orally and in writing, with Dr. 
 Owen, about the terms of agreement among 
 Christians of all parties. It was not produc- 
 tive of any practical effect, at the time; and 
 the blame of the failure, Mr. Baxter lays 
 upon Owen. These two great men differed, 
 
128 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 not in essential matters, but in many minor 
 points; and more in disposition. Owen was 
 calm, dignified, and firm, but respectful and 
 courteous; Baxter was keen and cutting in 
 his reproofs, sanguine in his expectations, 
 and so confident of his own sincerity, as 
 often to push matters too far. 
 
 In the year 1670, the act against conven- 
 ticles was renewed, and made more severe 
 than ever: several new clauses being added, 
 which Baxter believed had special reference 
 to his own case. This new law was exe- 
 cuted with great rigour, so that it appeared 
 to be the design of the government to extir- 
 pate the non-conformists. Dr. Manton was 
 imprisoned for six months, for preaching in 
 his own house, and within the very parish 
 of which he had been the rector. 
 
 After Baxter's release from prison, he re- 
 sided at Totteridge. While here he was 
 sent for to Barnet, to meet Lauderdale, who 
 was then proceeding to Scotland, to make 
 some alterations in the affairs of that coun- 
 try. By the king's permission he consulted 
 Baxter, and offered him, if he would go to 
 Scotland, a bishopric, a church, or the man- 
 agement of some of the colleges. Baxter 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 129 
 
 was too discerning to be caught in this trap; 
 for such it seems to have been. Lauderdale 
 no sooner went to Scotland, than he became 
 one of the greatest persecutors of the Pres- 
 byterian Church, Baxter, in declining the 
 proposals of Lauderdale, wrote him a letter, 
 which, as it is characteristic of the man, will 
 be here inserted. 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 " Being deeply sensible of your Lordship's 
 favours, I humbly return to you my hearty 
 thanks; but the following considerations for- 
 bid me to entertain any hopes of such a re- 
 moval. 
 
 "The experience of my great weakness 
 and decay of strength, and particularly of 
 this last winter's pain, and how much worse 
 I am in winter than in summer, fully per- 
 suade me, that I should live a little while in 
 Scotland, and that in a disabled and useless 
 condition; rather keeping my bed than the 
 pulpit. 
 
 " I am engaged in writing a book, which 
 if I could hope to live to finish, is almost all 
 the service I expect to do God and his church 
 in the world — a Latin ' Methodus Theolo- 
 
130 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 giae.' Indeed, T can scarcely hope to live 
 so long, as it requires yet nearly a year's 
 labour. Now if I should spend that half 
 year or year, which should finish this work, 
 in travel, and then leave it undone, it would 
 disappoint me of the ends of my life. I live 
 only for work, and therefore should remove 
 only for work, and not for wealth and hon- 
 ours, if ever I remove. 
 
 " If I were there, all I could hope for 
 would be, the liberty to preach the gospel of 
 salvation, and especially in some university, 
 among young scholars. But I hear that you 
 have enough already for this work, who can 
 probably do it better than I can. 
 
 " I have a family, and in it a mother-in- 
 law, of eighty years of age, of honourable 
 extract and great worth, whom I must not 
 neglect, and who cannot travel. To such an 
 one as I, it is so great a business to remove 
 a family, with all our goods and books so 
 far, that it deterreth me from thinking of it; 
 especially having paid so dear for removals 
 these eight years past, as I have done; and 
 being but yesterday settled in a house, which 
 I have newly taken, and that with great 
 trouble and loss of time. And if I should 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 131 
 
 find Scotland disagree with me, which I fully 
 conclude it would, I must remove all back 
 again. 
 
 " I am weary of the noise of contentious 
 revilers, and have oft had thoughts to go into 
 a foreign land, if I could find where I might 
 have healthful air and quietness, but to live 
 and die in peace. When I sit in a corner 
 and meddle with nobody, and hope the world 
 will forget that I am alive, court, city and 
 country are still filled with clamours against 
 me. When a preacher wants preferment, 
 his way is to preach, or write a book against 
 the non-conformists, and me by name; so 
 that the menstrua of the press, and the pul- 
 pits of some, are bloody invectives against 
 myself, as if my peace were inconsistent with 
 the kingdom's happiness. Never did my 
 eyes read such impudent untruths, in matters 
 of fact, as such writings contain. They cry 
 out for answers, and reasons of my non-con- 
 formity, while they know the law forbiddeth 
 me to answer them unlicensed. I expect not 
 that any favour or justice of my superiors 
 should cure this; but if I might be heard 
 speak before I be judged by them, I would 
 request that I might be allowed to live quiet- 
 
132 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 ly, to follow my private studies, and might 
 once again have the use of my books, which 
 I have not seen these ten years. I pay for 
 a room for their standing at Kidderminster, 
 where they are eaten by worms and rats; 
 having no security for my quiet abode, to 
 send for them. I would also ask that I might 
 have the Hberty every beggar hath, to travel 
 from town to town. I mean but to London, 
 to oversee the press, when any thing of mine 
 is licensed for it. If I be sent to Newgate 
 for preaching Christ's gospel, (for I dare not 
 sacrilegiously renounce my calling, to which 
 I am consecrated per sacrament um ordinis,) 
 I would request the favour of a better prison, 
 where I may but walk and write. These I 
 should take as very great favouue, and ac- 
 knowledge your lordship my benefactor, if 
 you procure them. 
 
 " I think I broke no law in any of the 
 preachings of which I am accused. I most 
 confidently think that no law imposeth on 
 me the Oxford oath, any more than on any 
 conformable minister; and I am past doubt- 
 ing that the present mittimus for my impri- 
 sonment, is quite without law. But if the 
 justices think otherwise, now, or at any time, 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 133 
 
 I know no remedy. I have a license to 
 preach pubUcly in London diocese, under 
 the archbishop's own hand and seal, which 
 is yet valid for occasional sermons, though 
 not for lectures or cures; but I dare not use 
 it, because it is in the bishop's power to recall 
 it. Would but the bishop, who, one would 
 think, would not be against the preaching of 
 the gospel, not recall my license, I could 
 preach occasional sermons, which would 
 absolve my conscience of all obligation to 
 private preaching; for it is not maintenance 
 that I expect. I never received a farthing 
 for my preaching, to my knowledge, since 
 May 1st, 1662. I thank God that I have 
 food and raiment, without being chargeable 
 to any man, which is all that I desire, had 
 I but leave to preach for nothing; and that 
 only when there is a notorious necessity," 
 &c. 
 
 This touching letter was followed by an- 
 other to the same nobleman, on the divided 
 state of the country; and proposes that mo- 
 derate divines should meet and debate mat- 
 ters, in order to some plan of concord. It is 
 wonderful, that after all his experience, he 
 
134 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 should have placed any confidence in such a 
 measure. 
 
 In the year 1671, died his very particular 
 friend, Serjeant Fountain, who gave Baxter 
 £10 every year, from the time of his being 
 silenced until his death. " He was a man," 
 says Baxter, " of quick understanding, and 
 upright and impartial in his life; of serious 
 fervency towards God, and open zealous 
 owning of true piety and hoUness." 
 
 The only respite which the non-conform- 
 ist ministers received, was from the king's 
 connivance; not enforcing the severe laws 
 against them. 
 
 By the shutting up of the King's Exche- 
 quer this year, Baxter lost £1000 which he 
 had deposited there ; for though it was only 
 intended to keep it closed for one year, it 
 does not appear that he ever recovered the 
 money. 
 
 In 1672, the king published a "Declara- 
 tion," dispensing with the penal laws against 
 non conformists. This document declares, 
 
 that the king, in virtue of his supreme 
 power in matters ecclesiastical, suspends all 
 penal laws thereabout, and that he will grant 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 135 
 
 a convenient number of public meeting-places 
 to men of all sorts that conform not, provided 
 the persons are approved by him, and do not 
 preach seditiously, nor against the Church of 
 England." The evident design was not to 
 secure liberty to the non-conformists, but to 
 the Roman Catholics; consequently, the Lon- 
 don ministers were not harmonious in their 
 sentiments of the use which should be made 
 of this just, but illegal privilege. They were 
 all glad, however, to avail themselves of the 
 opportunity of promoting the interests of true 
 religion. And it is probable, that had it not 
 been for the favour entertained towards the 
 Romanists by the king and his family, and 
 some of his court, the non-conformisis would 
 have been entirely crushed. Providence has, 
 on many occasions, favoured the Dissenters, 
 by means of the struggles of party, until now 
 their body has arrived at such a measure of 
 strength, as, under God, constitutes its best 
 security. 
 
 In October of this year, Baxter fell into a 
 ' dangerous fit of sickness, from which how- 
 ever, God, in his wonted mercy, recovered 
 him. Having received a license by means 
 of Sir Thomas Player, chamberlain of Lon- 
 
136 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 don, he preached his first sermon, in a tole- 
 rated place, on the 19th of November. 
 
 Some merchants now set up a lecture at 
 Pinners' Hall in London, to be supplied by- 
 six ministers, allowing them twenty shillings 
 a piece for each sermon ; of these they chose 
 him to be one. But after preaching four ser- 
 mons, he found much complaint made, by 
 the Independents, as though he had preached 
 against them, every time he spoke of the sin 
 of making division, or unnecessary separa- 
 tion. He was also charged with preaching 
 up Arminianism, and free will, and man's 
 power. 
 
 In January 1673 he set up a lecture, at 
 Mr. Turner's church in New Street, near 
 Fetter Lane, which was attended with en- 
 couraging evidences of God's special bless- 
 ing; but for these labours he never took a 
 penny from any one. 
 
 The Parliament met on the 20th of Febru- 
 ary, and voted the king's " Declaration" to 
 be illegal. The king promised, that it should 
 not be drawn into a precedent: and there 
 was some talk of a law for the relief of the 
 non-conformists, but nothing was done ; and 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 137 
 
 all the old laws remained in full force, al- 
 though they were not rigorously executed. 
 
 Baxter now took a house in Bloomsbury, 
 in London, where he removed with his fa- 
 mily after Easter; having previously spent 
 three quiet years at Totteridge. 
 
 The Parhament now grew into great jea- 
 lousy of the prevalence of popery. As the 
 Duke of York was the commander of the 
 army, fears began to be entertained, that the 
 Papists were designing to establish them- 
 selves, by force. A law was therefore en- 
 acted, that no person should hold any office 
 of trust, who did not take the oath of alle- 
 giance and supremacy, and receive the sacra- 
 ment according to the order of the Church of 
 England. This was the origin of the cele- 
 brated Test Act, concerning which so much 
 has been said and written; and which now 
 only forms a part of the history of religious 
 tyranny, in the years that are past. The Dis- 
 senters with more conscience than wisdom, 
 at first acquiesced in this measure, although 
 afterwards they struggled hard to throw off 
 the yoke; but did not succeed until within a 
 few years, when it was repealed. It was in 
 all respects an iniquitous law, because a so- 
 12 
 
138 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 lemn religious ordinance was prostituted to 
 state policy; and men of infidel sentiments 
 and profane lives, were brought to bow at 
 the altar, for the sake of office. And although 
 it was designed to be a bulwark against the 
 Papists, it was doubtless as acceptable to a 
 majority in both houses, because it kept out 
 the Dissenters. 
 
 In 1674 the health of Baxter was much 
 impaired, but he still continued his labours 
 in London, with hopeful success. Satan how- 
 ever contrived new hinderances, and raised 
 fresh persecutions against this destroyer of 
 his kingdom. He was arrested and brought 
 before Sir William Pulteney, but this worthy 
 magistrate found the warrant illegal, and thus 
 the malignant informer was defeated. This 
 seizure was under the Conventicle Act. 
 
 New schemes of comprehension and peace 
 were every year talked of. At length, a con- 
 ference was proposed by some of the leading 
 bishops, Stillingfleet, Tillotson, Morley, and 
 Ward; which like all the former attempts 
 at reconciliation, proved abortive. Indeed, 
 the two last mentioned bishops had no real 
 desire for any such thing, as appeared by the 
 course afterwards pursued. Under their in- 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 139 
 
 fluence he was again prosecuted before Sir 
 Thomas Davis, where the accusation against 
 him was preaching in an unconsecrated place, 
 not using the common pra^^-er, &c. Though 
 at first permission to speak was denied him 
 yet at length liberty was given, when he so 
 confounded the informers, and perplexed the 
 alderman, that the latter suspended the order 
 which he had just made, to distrain upon his 
 goods. But he afterwards executed this or- 
 der, and warrants were sent to distrain, upon 
 two judgments, for preaching in New street. 
 
 The room in which he preached had once 
 sunk, when pressed by the audience which 
 crowded it, and more recently the whole 
 building had fallen in ruins over the heads 
 of the people. Many henceforward would 
 not come to this place ; Baxter, therefore, 
 encouraged by his friends, set about building 
 a house of worship in Oxenden street. By 
 the zeal and influence of his wife another 
 place of meeting was prepared for Mr. Read 
 in Bloomsbury, in which Baxter engaged to 
 help him occasionally. 
 
 But it was his lot to be followed by per- 
 secutors. As warrants were out to distrain 
 upon his property for preaching, he first kept 
 
14U 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 his door shut for a while, and then resolved 
 to sell off his books and his goods. The 
 first time he preached in the meeting-house 
 which he had prepared, was the occasion of 
 a plot to send him for six months to prison 
 on account of the Oxford oath. But by a 
 turn of providence their design was frus- 
 trated. 
 
 At this time Baxter was troubled with an 
 extraordinary complication of diseases, of 
 which in his life he gives a minute and rather 
 disgusting detail. 
 
 Being driven from home, he availed him- 
 self of his old license to preach in various 
 parishes; and multitudes attended, who were 
 not accustomed to go to the house of God. In 
 some places where scarcely a hundred had 
 been wont to come, his audience consisted of 
 two or three thousands. One of the places 
 where he preached was Rickmers worth, 
 abounding with Quakers, because William 
 Penn, their leader had his residence here. 
 Baxter felt anxious that the people should 
 have an opportunity of hearing what could 
 be said for their recovery. William Penn was 
 not backward to give him the opportunity 
 which he desired: upon which he continued 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 141 
 
 speaking to two rooms full of people, from 
 ten o'clock till five, fasting. One lord, two 
 knights, and four ministers of the established 
 church were present. 
 
 His friends at home had got one Mr. Sed- 
 don to preach the second sermon in his new 
 chapel. He was a non-conformist of Derby- 
 shire, and was fully warned of the danger 
 which threatened him. While he was preach- 
 ing, three justices waited, expecting to see 
 Baxter, and the artless man had every op- 
 portunity of escaping, but when he came to 
 the justices, and some one told them, that he 
 was the preacher, they put his name in the 
 warrant, and sent him to prison, where he 
 remained three months. His persecutors 
 were the more exasperated because he had 
 escaped the snare laid for him; and they 
 waited for an opportunity to seize him. 
 Several of the justices however died; and 
 about the same time he lost his most excel- 
 lent friend. Judge Hale, to whom he had 
 often been indebted; and of whose death he 
 speaks in a most affecting manner. 
 
 From 1671 to 1675 he wrote and publish- 
 ed a number of books. Among these was, 
 " The Christian Directory" on which he had 
 
142 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 been employed for some years. In this time 
 also, he published his " Poor Man's Family 
 Book;" "The Divine Appointment of the 
 Lord's Day;" and the "Catholic Theology;" 
 besides a number of other treatises. This, 
 therefore, seems to have been one of the 
 busiest periods of his life, as a writer. 
 Though he preached less, and was much 
 affected in body; yet he laboured incessant- 
 ly with his pen. The mere supervision of 
 the press for the printing so many volumes 
 would have been occupation enough for a 
 common man. 
 
 When he had been kept a whole year out 
 of the chapel which he had built, he resolved 
 to erect another in the parish of St. Martin, 
 where there were sixty thousand who had 
 nx) church to which they could go. But in 
 1676, strict orders were given by the king to 
 enforce the laws against non-conformists. 
 The people, however, were reluctant to see 
 them executed. Mr. Joseph Read was the 
 first now committed to prison; but he had 
 been such a friend to the poor, that they 
 crowded round him, when called before the 
 justice, and strongly manifested their affec- 
 tion. About this time several of the high 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 143 
 
 church clergy spoke against Baxter in their 
 sermons, as Mr. Jane, and Dr. Mason, the 
 latter of whom charged him with equivoca- 
 tion; a thing of which he was utterly inca- 
 pable. The whole ground of the attack was 
 the misapprehension of one Ross, who en- 
 deavoured to extort from him a promise that 
 he would not preach again. Mason died 
 soon after his public attack on this venerable 
 man. 
 
 Being hindered from preaching in his own 
 chapel, he was obliged to let it lie idle, and 
 had to pay yearly £30, ground-rent; and 
 was glad to preach for nothing near it in a 
 chapel built by another for gain. But he 
 had not preached here long before a warrant 
 was issued to apprehend him. He asked 
 the Earl of Lauderdale, what occasioned this 
 work against him. He was advised to call 
 on the Bishop of London, which he did, and 
 was courteously treated, but the warrant 
 was not withdrawn; and for more than four 
 and twenty days, his door was watched by 
 the constables; so he went no more to the 
 bishops. 
 
 In 1677, upon the death of Thomas Wads- 
 worth, of Southwark, Baxter was invited to 
 
144 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 take his place, where, though he refused to 
 become the pastor, he preached for several 
 months in peace, when Dr. Lloyd became 
 the pastor of St. Martin's in the Fields. Bax- 
 ter was encouraged by Dr. Tillotson to offer 
 him his chapel in Oxenden street, which to 
 his great satisfaction he accepted ; but even 
 this simple and public transaction was shame- 
 fully misrepresented to his discredit. Dr. 
 Lloyd, however, when applied to, confirmed 
 the statement which Baxter gave of the mat- 
 ter. Of several years towards the close of 
 Baxter's Ufe we have few particulars. He 
 needed rest. His constitution was complete- 
 ly broken, but his courage and the ardour of 
 his mind were invincible ; and as long as he 
 could move his hand, he persisted in writing. 
 
 In 1676, he brought out, "The Judgment 
 of the Non-conformists " The Non-con- 
 formist's Plea for Peace," in three parts, with 
 a "Defence," the "True and only Way of 
 Concord;" "Church History of Bishops;" 
 "Answer to Dr. Stillingfleet ;" "Treatise of 
 Episcopacy ;" " Apology for the Non-con- 
 formist's Ministry ;" "Dissent from Dr. Sher- 
 lack ;" and the "Search for the English Schis- 
 matic." All these, besides his "Methodus 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 145 
 
 Theologiae," were the production of five 
 years. His most valued friends began now 
 to drop off: Judge Hale, and Dr. Manton he 
 missed exceedingly, and lamented much. 
 He also mentions the Rev. Henry Stubbs, 
 whose custom was to preach every day,, 
 and often twice in the day. Frequently he 
 fell down in the pulpit in a fit, and would 
 get up and go on again. He alleged that he 
 had often gone ill into the pulpit, and come 
 out better. When he died, he left ^6200 to 
 Bristol, and a like sum to London, to buy 
 Bibles for the poor, also a fund to educate 
 poor children, and to assist poor ministers' 
 widows in their necessities. Another of his 
 dear friends, now taken away from him, was 
 the Rev. John Corbet, born and brought up 
 in the city of Gloucester, and a student of 
 Magdalen-Hall, Oxford; a man of singular 
 excellence. He also gives the character of 
 Rev. Thomas Gouge and Henry Ashurst. 
 
 But the greatest loss which Baxter sus- 
 tained in his old age, was that of his wife, 
 which took place after a short and painful 
 illness, June 14th, 1681. Considering the 
 constitutional temperament of Baxter, and 
 his advanced age, when this union was form- 
 13 
 
146 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 ed, it cannot but be considered very remark- 
 able, that the mutual attachment between 
 -them was so ardent and uninterrupted. Her 
 funeral sermon was preached by John Howe, 
 and though he dwells little on her character, 
 we can learn from his discourse that he con- 
 sidered her an extraordinary woman. Bax- 
 ter wrote a memoir, which he called, "A 
 •Breviate" of her life, in which he says, "As 
 to religion we were so perfectly of one mind, 
 that I know not that she differed from me in 
 any one point, or circumstance, except in the 
 prudential management of what we were 
 agreed in. She was for universal love of all 
 true Christians, and not appropriating the 
 Church to a party; and was against all cen- 
 soriousness and partiality in religion. She 
 was for acknowledging all that was of God 
 in conformists and non conformists; but she 
 had much more reverence for the elder con- 
 formists, than for the younger ones; who 
 ventured upon things merely for worldly 
 ends, without a tender fear of sinning. If 
 any young men of her own friends were in- 
 clined merely to swim with the stream, with- 
 out due trial of the case, it greatly displeased 
 her, and she thought hardly of them. 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 147 
 
 " The nature of true religion, holiness, obe- 
 dience, and all duty to God and man, was 
 printed in her conceptions, in so distinct and 
 clear a manner, as made her endeavours and 
 expectations, still look at greater exactness 
 than I and such as I could reach. She was 
 very desirous that we should all have lived 
 in a constancy of devotion and a blameless in- 
 nocency ; and in this respect, she was the 
 nieetest helper I could have had in this world, 
 that ever I was acquainted with. For I was 
 apt to be over careless in my speech, and too 
 backward to my duty, and she was still en- 
 deavouring to bring me to greater readiness 
 and strictness in both. If I spake rashly, or 
 sharply, it offended her. If I carried it (as I 
 was apt) with too much neglect of ceremony 
 or humble compliment to any, she would 
 modestly tell me of it. If my very looks 
 seemed not pleasant, she would have me 
 amend them. If I forgot any week to cate- 
 chise my servants and familiarly instruct 
 them personally, beside my ordinary family 
 duties, she was troubled at my remissness. 
 And whereas, of late years, my decay of 
 spirits, and diseased heaviness and pain, 
 niade me much more seldom and cold in 
 
148 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 profitable discourse and conference in my 
 house, than I had been when I was younger, 
 and had more ease and spirits and natural 
 vigour, she much blamed me, and was trou- 
 bled at it, as a wrong to herself and others. 
 Yet her judgment agreed with mine, that too 
 much table talk and too often, of the best 
 things, doth but tend to dull the common 
 hearers, and harden them under it, as a cus- 
 tomary thing: and that too much good talk 
 may bring it into contempt or make it inef- 
 fectual." 
 
 The death of such a woman in the very 
 prime of life, (for she was little more than 
 forty when she died) was an irreparable loss 
 to Baxter. She had tenderly nursed him for 
 many years, and now, with increased age 
 and infirmity, he was left to sorrow over her 
 tomb, though not without hope. The deci- 
 sion of her character, the fervency of her 
 piety, the activity and disinterestedness of 
 her Christian benevolence, left no doubt' 
 remaining, that her spirit rested with God, 
 where it has long since been joined by that 
 of her much loved husband and companion. 
 
 Baxter's suff'erings seemed to increase 
 with his years. Old and almost bereft of 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 149 
 
 friends, he was moreover exceedingly dis- 
 eased in body; so that the wonder is how 
 his life was protracted so long. His ene- 
 mies and persecutors likewise seem to have 
 increased in number and virulence. 
 
 In July, 1682, he retired a while into the 
 country, and returned in August in great 
 weakness. He met his congregation, how- 
 ever, in New-street, and preached to them 
 in such debility that he fully expected it 
 would be his last sermon there. He had no 
 sooner finished preaching, than he was ar- 
 rested by many constables and other officers, 
 led by a violent and greedy informer. By 
 one warrant his person was seized for com- 
 ing within five miles of a corporate town; 
 and five other warrants, to distrain for one 
 hundred and ninety pounds, for preaching 
 five sermons. He gave himself up, and they 
 began to seize his books, and household 
 goods, even to the very bed from which he 
 had lately risen. While they were hurrying 
 him to the magistrate, to be sent to jail, he 
 was met by Dr. Thomas Cox, who forced 
 him back to his couch and bed, and went 
 and took his oath before five justices, that 
 Mr. Baxter could not go to prison without 
 
150 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 danger of death. The justices, after consult- 
 ing with the king, consented that for the pre- 
 sent imprisonment should be forborne, that 
 he miglit die at home. But they executed 
 all their warrants on his books and goods. 
 Some friends paid them as much money as 
 they were appraised at. Although he sent 
 two witnesses to prove that the goods were 
 not his own, they proceeded to sell every 
 thing. And when afterwards, he borrowed 
 a bed and some necessaries, they threatened 
 to come upon him again, and take these arti- 
 cles as his; so that he had no remedy but to 
 forsake his house and goods, and take secret 
 lodgings at a distance, in a stranger's house. 
 Of this house, which he was obliged thus to 
 forsake, he had taken a long lease, and was 
 obliged to pay the rent, while it remained 
 unoccupied. His old friends, however, were 
 so liberal, that he was obliged to restrain 
 their bounty. His greatest suffering how- 
 ever, was from disease, which now seized 
 upon him with terrible violence. He endur- 
 ed all these extreme sufferings with Christian 
 fortitude and patience; for his trust was firm- 
 ly fixed in God. 
 
 The injustice with which the Dissenters 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 151 
 
 were now treated may be learnt from a sin- 
 gle fact. A Mr. Robert Mayot, a godly 
 man, and a conformist, in his last wiil left 
 six hundred pounds to Mr. Baxter, to be 
 distributed to sixty poor ejected ministers, 
 adding, ^-that he did it, not because they 
 were non-conformists, but because they were 
 poor and pious. But the king's attorney 
 sued for it in chancery, and the Lord Keeper 
 North, gave it all to the king. But Provi- 
 dence defeated this unrighteous sentence; for 
 the money was directed to be applied to the 
 maintenance of a chaplain at Chelsea Col- 
 lege: it was kept till after the revolution; 
 when the Commissioner of the Great Seal 
 restored it to Baxter, to be applied accord- 
 ing to the will of the testator; which was 
 done accordingly. 
 
 Again, in 16S4, while he lay languishing 
 in pain, the justices of the sessions sent war- 
 rants to apprehend him. He refused to open 
 his chamber; and not having authority to 
 break it open they set six officers at his study 
 door, who watched all night, and kept him 
 from his bed and food; so that, the next day, 
 he was obliged to give himself up to them; 
 when they carried him before the sessions, 
 
152 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 though he was scarcely able to stand. They 
 then bound hhn over to his good behaviour 
 in a bond of four hundred pounds. Upon 
 demanding to know of what crime he was 
 accused, it was answered, None; that this 
 was merely a measure of precaution. He 
 inquired, why he was suspected, and by 
 whose information; but he received no satis- 
 factory answer. He was continued under 
 this bond, and on the 11th of December, 
 16S4, was forced to be carried to the sessions- 
 house, in all his weakness and pain, or else 
 iiis bond would have been forfeited. The 
 justices informed him that he must continue 
 bound, lest others should expect to be dis- 
 charged. On another occasion he was forced 
 in the same manner to the sessions-house, 
 and obliged again to enter into a bond for 
 his good behaviour, with a penalty of four 
 hundred pounds, as before. 
 
 On the 8th of February, 1685, God was 
 pleased to call out of the world Charles II. 
 His character is too well known to every read- 
 er, to be required to be given here. Most 
 will agree, that he was one of the greatest 
 curses with which the English nation was 
 ever visited. His father and brother had 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 153 
 
 some redeeming qualities in their character; 
 but he had neither the personal virtues of the 
 one, nor the conscientious regard to religion 
 of the other. 
 
 The most extraordinary circumstance, in 
 the eventful life of Baxter, was his trial be- 
 fore Judge Jefferies, for something published 
 in his " Paraphrase of the New Testament," 
 which had been printed a little before. In 
 May he appeared, in obedience to a sum- 
 mons, in Westminster Hall, where an in- 
 formation was ordered to be entered against 
 him. He moved for longer time, to prepare 
 himself for his trial; but this was refused. 
 Jefferies said, " I will not give him a minute's 
 time to save his life." The trial took place 
 in Guildhall, on the 30th of May. Sir Henry 
 Ashurst stood by him during the whole time. 
 Baxter appeared to be humbly composed 
 when he came into court, and while he wait- 
 ed for the judge. When the jury was sworn, 
 Baxter objected to them as being incompe- 
 tent to try such a cause; as they were trades- 
 men and not scholars, he alleged that they 
 were incapable of pronouncing whether his 
 " Paraphrase" was or was not according to 
 the original text. He therefore prayed that 
 
154 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 he might have a jury of learned men: even 
 thoiigli the one half of them should be Pa- 
 pists. This objection, as might have been 
 expected, was overruled by the court. The 
 words picked out as the ground of accusa- 
 tion, and, as is supposed by Dr. Sherlock, 
 were construed as reflecting on the prelates 
 of the Church of England; and therefore as 
 seditious. The passages may be seen in 
 Orme's Life of Baxter. After the king's 
 counsel had opened the cause, and brought 
 forward the charges with their aggravations, 
 the counsel for Baxter, employed by Sir 
 Henry Ashurst, defended him with ability; 
 but were in the most uncourteous manner 
 interrupted or set down by the judge. 
 
 Baxter attempted to say something for 
 himself, when the judge became outrageous, 
 and reviled hiai in the most opprobrious 
 terms. 
 
 " Richard, Richard," said he, " dost thou 
 think we'll hear thee poison the court? 
 Richard, thou art an old fellow, an old 
 knave. Thou hast written books enough to 
 load a cart, every one as full of sedition, I 
 might say treason, as an egg is full of meat. 
 Hadst thou been whipped out of thy writing 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 155 
 
 trade forty years ago, it had been happy. 
 Thou pretendest to be a preacher of the gos- 
 pel of peace, and ihou hast one foot in the 
 grave; it is time for thee to think what ac- 
 count thou intendest to give. But leave tliee 
 to thyself, and I see thou'lt go on as ll^ou hast 
 begun; but, by the grace of God, I'll look 
 after thee. I know thou hast a mighty part}'-, 
 and I see a great many of the brotherhood 
 in corners, waiting to see what will become 
 of their mighty don, and a doctor of the party 
 (looking towards Dr. Bates) at your elbow; 
 but, by the grace of Almighty God, I'll crush 
 you all. Come, what do you say for yourself, 
 you old knave; come, speak up. What doth 
 he say? I am not afraid of you, for all the 
 snivelling calves you have about you" — 
 alluding to some persons who were in tears, 
 about Baxter. 
 
 " Your lordship need not," replied Baxter, 
 " for I'll not hurt you. But these things will 
 surely be understood one day; what fools 
 one set of Protestants are to persecute the 
 other." And lifting up his eyes to heaven, 
 he said, " I am not concerned to answer such 
 stuff, but am ready to produce my writings 
 for the confutation of all this; and my life 
 
156 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 and conversation are known to many in this 
 nation." 
 
 The attorneys, counsel for Baxter, were 
 now prevented from saying any thing fur- 
 ther; and when he himself would have spo- 
 ken, he was prevented, and the unjust judge 
 addressed the jury in a long and fulsome 
 charge. When he had done, Baxter said, 
 " Does your lordship think that any jury will 
 pass a verdict against me, on such a trial as 
 this.^" "I'll warrant you, Mr. Baxter," 
 said he; "don't you trouble yourself about 
 that." Accordingly, the jury, without leav- 
 ing the bar, laid their heads together and 
 found him guilty. 
 
 As Baxter left the court he said to the 
 judge, that one of his predecessors in office 
 had entertained very different thoughts of 
 him from his lordship. Jefferies answered, 
 " That there was not an honest man in Eng- 
 land, but what took him for a great knave." 
 When the trial was over, Sir Henry Ashurst, 
 who had never left him, led him through the 
 crowd, and conveyed him away in his coach. 
 Baxter exerted himself to obtain a more fa- 
 vourable decision than he could expect from 
 Judge Jefferies. He wrote to a nobleman at 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 157 
 
 court, whose name does not appear, request- 
 ing him to use his influence to have him 
 delivered out of the hands of Jefl'eries; and 
 he wrote a long and temperate letter to the 
 Bishop of London, to obtain for him a more 
 impartial trial. This letter has been pre- 
 served, and is worthy of a careful perusal. 
 
 It does not appear that these applications 
 were of any avail to him; though it is possi- 
 ble that the sentence might have been hea- 
 vier, if no one had interposed in his behalf. 
 On the 29th of June he had the judgment of 
 the court, which was, that he should pay five 
 hundred marks, and lie in jail until the money 
 was paid; and that he should be bound to 
 his good behaviour for seven years. It is 
 said that Jefferies proposed that he should be 
 pubUcly whipped through the city; but his 
 brethren would not accede to it. 
 
 The strange, outrageous conduct of the 
 Chief Justice of England, on this occasion, 
 is a thing almost unaccountable. If he had 
 intended to render all judicial proceedings 
 contemptible, he could not have taken a 
 course more effectual than the one pursued 
 at Baxter's trial. It has been doubted 
 whether his cruel behaviour, ought to be at- 
 
158 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 tributed to his desire to gratify a royal mas- 
 ter, or to his own savage disposition. The 
 latter has, however, been the common opi- 
 nion. For this was but the commencement 
 of a series of atrocious actions, by which the 
 disgust and indignation of all honest people 
 was aroused. 
 
 There was never perhaps an instance of 
 more bare-faced injustice, than this condem- 
 nation of Baxter. In the passages cited as 
 the ground of the information, there is not 
 even a mention made of bishops; and not a 
 word respecting the Church of England, in 
 particular. But in consequence of the un- 
 righteous verdict, now obtained against him, 
 he was dragged to prison, where he was 
 confined for two years; and would have 
 been until his death, unless the fine had 
 been remitted. 
 
 The man who seems to have been most 
 officious in these persecutions, was L'Es- 
 trange, one of the most unprincipled, and 
 mercenary scribblers of the age; a man who 
 stuck at nothing which the interests of arbi- 
 trary power and high-church politics requir- 
 ed. To such a man, Richard Baxter's suf- 
 ferings afi'orded a delicious repast. He had 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 159 
 
 often before attacked him by his pen : ho had 
 now seized a more formidable and danger- 
 ous weapon. The conduct of Dr. Sherlock 
 is more difficult to be accounted for. He is 
 said to have suggested, that a charge of trea- 
 son might be founded on Baxter's exposi- 
 tion of the twelfth chapter of the Epistle to 
 the Romans. But it was not thought by- 
 legal men that there was sufficient founda- 
 tion for the charge; otherwise it would have 
 been adopted. Mr. Mathew Henry, in a let- 
 ter to his father, dated the 1 7th of November, 
 1685, has given us an affecting picture of 
 this suffering saint. " I went," says he, 
 "to Southwark to Mr. Baxter. I was to 
 wait upon him once before, and then he was 
 busy. I found him in pretty comfortable 
 circumstances, though a prisoner in a private 
 house, near the prison, attended on by his 
 own man and maid. My good friend Mr. S. 
 L. went with me. He is in as good health 
 as we can expect; and methinks looks bet- 
 ter, and speaks heartier, than when I saw 
 him. last. The token you sent, he would by 
 no means be persuaded to accept, and was 
 almost angry, when I pressed it from one 
 
160 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 outed as well as himself. He said he did 
 not use to receive; and I understand since 
 his need is not great. We sat with him 
 about an hour. I was very glad to find, that 
 he so much approved my present circum- 
 stances. He said he knew not why young 
 men might not improve as well as by travel- 
 ling abroad. He inquired for the Shropshire 
 friends, and observed, that of those gentle- 
 men who were with him at Wem, he hears 
 of none whose sons tread in their father^s 
 steps, but Colonel Hunt's. ... He gave us 
 some good counsel to prepare for trials; and 
 said the best preparation for them was a life 
 of faith, and constant course of self-denial. 
 He thought it harder constantly to deny 
 temptations to sensual lusts and pleasures, 
 than to resist one single temptation to deny 
 Christ for fear of suffering : the former re- 
 quiring such constant watchfulness. How- 
 ever, after the former the latter will be the 
 easier. He said, we who are young are apt 
 to count upon great things; but we must not 
 look for them; and much more to this pur- 
 pose. He said, he thought dying by sick- 
 ness much more painful and dreadful than 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 161 
 
 dying a violent death; especially considering 
 the extraordinary supports which those have, 
 who suffer for righteousness' sake." 
 
 When it was seen that Baxter would 
 neither pay the fine nor petition for a release, 
 a private offer appears to have been made 
 to him through Lord Powis, that the king 
 would grant it as a matter of favour. A 
 man by the name of Williams offered to as- 
 sist him, in procuring his liberty. Baxter 
 appears to have had some suspicion of him; 
 and his object at last appeared to be to get 
 money; as he afterwards made a demand of 
 ^638, for his trouble. Baxter resisted this 
 demand, and sent to Lord Powis, who so- 
 lemnly declared, that this man had no influ- 
 ence whatever, and deserved no reward. 
 Lord Powis himself appears to have been 
 the man who managed this affair, and ob- 
 tained Baxter's deliverance from prison, 
 though not his release from the bond by 
 which he was bound over to his good beha- 
 viour. On the 24th of November, 1686, Sir 
 Samuel Astrey sent his warrant to the keeper 
 of the King's Bench prison, to discharge him. 
 He gave sureties, however, for his good be- 
 haviour. His majesty signified that it should 
 14 
 
162 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 not be interpreted as a breach of good beha- 
 viour, to reside in London, though that was 
 inconsistent with the Oxford act. For some 
 time after his release he continued to Wve 
 within the rules of the Bench; till, on the 
 28th of February, 1687, he removed to his 
 house in the Charter-house-yard; and again, 
 as far as his health would permit, assisted 
 Mr. Sylvester in his public labours. 
 
 Towards the close of his course, Baxter 
 took a solemn review of his life, opinions, 
 and writings, and much benefit may be de- 
 rived from these mature reflections. He does 
 not profess to give an account of God's va- 
 rious dealings towards him as an individual, 
 either in his providence or grace. " For any 
 particular account of heart occurrences and 
 God's operations on me, I think it some- 
 what unsavoury to recite them: seeing God's 
 dealings are much the same with all his ser- 
 vants in the main; and points wherein he 
 varieth, are usually so small, that I think such 
 not fit to be repeated. Nor have I any thing 
 extraordinary to glory in, which is not com- 
 mon to the rest of my brethren, who have 
 the same spirit, and are servants of the same 
 Lord. The true reason why 1 do adventure 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 163 
 
 SO far upon the censure of the world, as to 
 tell them wherein the case is altered with 
 me is, that I may take off young inexpe- 
 rienced Christians from over confidence in 
 their first apprehensions, and from overvalu- 
 ing their first degrees of grace, or too much 
 applauding, or following unfurnished, inex- 
 perienced men; and that they may be direct- 
 ed what mind and course of life to prefer, by 
 the judgment of one that hath tried both be- 
 fore them. 
 
 " The temper of my mind hath somewhat 
 altered with the temper of my body. When 
 I was young, I was more vigorous, affec- 
 tionate, and fervent in preaching, conference, 
 and prayer, than ordinarily I can be now. 
 My style was more extemporate and loose, 
 but by the advantage of warmth, and a very 
 familiar moving voice and utterance, my 
 preaching then did more affect the auditory, 
 than it did many of the last years before I 
 gave over preaching. But what I delivered 
 then was much more raw, and had more 
 passages that would not bear the trial of ac- 
 curate judgment; and my discourses had both 
 less snbstance and less judgment, than of late. 
 
 " My understanding was then quicker and 
 
164 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 could more easily manage any thing that 
 was presented to it on a sudden; but it is 
 since better acquainted with the ways of 
 truth and error, and with a multitude of 
 mistakes of the world, which I then did not 
 actually know. I was then like a man of 
 quick understanding, who was to travel where 
 he never went before, or to cast up an ac- 
 count which he had not before examined, or 
 to play on an instrument of music which be 
 never saw before: so that I am very confi- 
 dent that my judgment is much sounder and 
 
 firmer now than it was then 
 
 " In my younger years, my trouble for sin 
 was more about my actual failings; but now 
 I am much more troubled for inward defects 
 for want of the vital graces of the soul. My 
 daily trouble is for my ignorance of God, 
 weakness of belief, want of greater love to 
 God, strangeness to him, and to the life to 
 come, and for want of a greater willingness 
 to die, and more longing to be with God in 
 heaven. . . . Had I all the riches of the 
 world how gladly would I give them for a 
 fuller knowledge, belief, and love of God and 
 everlasting glory! These wants are the great- 
 est burden of my life and which make my 
 life itself a burden. 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 165 
 
 "Heretofore I placed much of my reli- 
 gion in tenderness of heart, grieving for sin, 
 and penitential tears; and less of it in the 
 love of God, in studying his goodness, and 
 in engaging in his joyful praises, than now 
 I do 
 
 " My judgment is much more for frequent 
 and serious meditation, on the heavenly 
 blessedness than it was in my younger days, 
 I then thought a sermon on the attributes of 
 God and the joys of heaven not the most ex- 
 cellent. — Nothing pleased me so well as the 
 doctrine of regeneration and the marks of 
 sincerity; because these things were suitable 
 to my own state; but now I had rather hear, 
 read, and meditate on God and heaven than 
 on any other subject. I perceive it is the ob- 
 ject which altereth and elevateth the mind; 
 which will resemble that it most frequently 
 feedeth on. It is not only useful to our com- 
 fort to be much in heaven in believing 
 thoughts, it must animate all our other duties, 
 and fortify us against every temptation and 
 sin. 
 
 " Formerly I knew much less than now, 
 and yet was not half so much acquainted 
 with my own ignorance. I had a great de- 
 
166 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 light in the daily new discoveries which I 
 made, and of the light which shined in upon 
 me, like a man that cometh into a country 
 where he never was before. . . I now find 
 far greater darkness in all things, and per- 
 ceive how very little we know in comparison 
 of that of which we are ignorant. I have 
 therefore far meaner thoughts of my own un- 
 derstanding, though I must needs know it is 
 better furnished than it was then. 
 
 " I now see more good and evil than here- 
 tofore I did. I see that good men are not so 
 good as I once thought them, but have more 
 imperfections, and that a nearer approach 
 and fuller trial do make the best appear more 
 faulty than their admirers at a distance think. 
 I find that few are so bad as malicious ene- 
 mies, or censorious, separating professors do 
 imagine. In some, indeed, I find that human 
 nature is corrupted into a greater likeness to 
 devils, than I once thought any on earth had 
 been; but even in the wicked, usually, there 
 is more for grace to make advantage of, and 
 more to testify for God and holiness, than I 
 once believed there had been. 
 
 " I less admire gifts of utterance, and the 
 bare profession of religion, than I once did; 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 167 
 
 and have much more charity for many who, 
 by the want of gifts, make an obscure pro- 
 fession. I once thought that almost all who 
 could pray movingly and fluently, and talk 
 well of religion, had been saints. But expe- 
 rience hath opened to me what odious crimes 
 may consist with high profession; while I 
 have met with divers obscure persons, not 
 noted for any extraordinary profession or 
 forwardness in religion, but only to live a 
 quiet, blameless life, whom I have after found 
 to have long lived, as far as I could discover, 
 a truly godly and sanctified life; only their 
 prayers and duties were, by accident, kept 
 secret from other men's observation. Yet he 
 that would, upon this pretence, confound the 
 godly and ungodly, may as well go about to 
 lay heaven and hell together. 
 
 "I am not so narrow in my special love 
 as formerly, being less censorious, and taking 
 more than I did for saints; it must needs 
 follow, that I love more as saints than I did 
 formerly. 
 
 " I am not so narrow in my principles of 
 church communion as once I was. I more 
 plainly perceive the difference between the 
 church as congregate and visible, and as 
 
168 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 regenerate or mystical. I can now distin*- 
 guish between sincerity and profession; that 
 a credible profession is proof sufficient of a 
 man's title to church admission; and that the 
 profession is credible in foro ecclesise, which 
 is not disproved. I am not for narrowing 
 the church more than Christ himself alloweth 
 us, nor for robbing him of any of his flock. 
 I am more sensible, how it is the will of 
 Christ that every man be the chooser or re- 
 fuser of his own felicity, and that it lieth 
 most on his own hands whether he will have 
 communion with the church or not; and that 
 if he be a hypocrite, it is himself that will 
 bear the loss. 
 
 " Yet I am more sensible than ever of the 
 great use and need of ecclesiastical discipline; 
 what a sin it is in the pastors of the church 
 to make no distinction, but by bare names 
 and sacraments! What a great dishonour 
 to Christ it is, when the church is as vicious 
 as pagan and Mahometan assemblies, and 
 differs from them only in ceremony and 
 name ! 
 
 " I am much more sensible how prone 
 many young professors are to spiritual pride, 
 and self-conceitedness, and unruliuess, and 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 169 
 
 division, and so to prove the grief of their 
 teachers, and firebrands in the church; and 
 how much of a minister's work heth in pre- 
 venting this, and in humbhng and confirming 
 such young and inexperienced professors, 
 and keeping them in order in their progress 
 in rehgion. Yet I am more sensible of the 
 sin and mischief of using men cruelly in 
 matters of religion, and of pretending men's 
 good and the order of the church, for acts of 
 inhumanity or micharitableness. Such know 
 not their own infirmity, nor yet the nature 
 of the pastoral government, which ought to 
 be paternal and by love; nor do they know 
 the way to win a soul, or to maintain the 
 church's peace. 
 
 " My soul is much more afliicted with the 
 thoughts of this miserable world, and more 
 •drawn out in desire of its conversion thani 
 heretofore. I was wont to look little further 
 than England in my prayers, not considering 
 the state of the rest of the world; or if I 
 prayed for the conversion of the Jews, that 
 was almost all. But now, as I better under- 
 stand the case of the world, and the method 
 of the ' Lord's prayer,' there is nothing in the 
 world that lieth so heavy on my heart, as the 
 15 
 
170 LIFE OF THE 
 
 thought of the miserable nations of the earth. 
 It is the most astonishing part of all God's 
 providence to me, thai he so far forsakelh 
 almost all the world, and confineth his special 
 favour to so few; that so small a part of the 
 world hath the profession of Christianit\^, in 
 comparison of heathens, Mahometans, and 
 ignorant nations of the earth; that among 
 Christians there are so few that are saved 
 from gross delusions, and have any compe- 
 tent knowledge; and that among these there 
 are so few that are seriously religions, and 
 set their hearts on heaven. No part of my 
 prayers is so deeply serious as that for in- 
 fidels, and for the conversion of an ungodly 
 world; that God's name maybe sanctified, 
 and his kingdom come, and his will be done 
 on earth as it is in heaven. 
 
 " Nor was I ever before so sensible what 
 a plague the division of languages is, which 
 hindereth our speaking to them for their 
 conversion; nor what a great sin tyranny is, 
 which keepeth out the gospel from most of 
 the nations of the world. Could we but go 
 among Tartars, Turks, and heathens, and 
 speak their language, I should be but little 
 troubled for the silencing of eighteen hundred 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 171 
 
 ministers at once in England; nor for all the 
 rest that were cast out here, and in Scotland 
 and Ireland; there being no employment in 
 the world so desirable, in my eyes, as to la- 
 bour for the winning of such miserable souls; 
 which maketh me greatly honour Mr. John 
 Eliot, the apostle of the Indians in New 
 England, and whoever else have laboured 
 in such a work. 
 
 " I am more deeply afflicted for the dis- 
 agreements of Christians, than I was when 
 I was a younger Christian. Except the case 
 of the infidel world, nothing is so bad and 
 grievous to my thoughts as the case of di- 
 vided churches; and, therefore, I am more 
 deeply sensible of the sinfulness of those 
 prelates and pastors of churches, who are 
 the principal causes of such divisions. 0 
 how many millions of souls are kept by 
 them in ignorance and ungodliness, and de- 
 luded by faction, as if it were true religion ! 
 How is the conversion of infidels hindered 
 by them, and Christ and religion heinously 
 dishonoured! The contentions between the 
 Greek church and the Roman, the Papists 
 and Protestants, the Lutherans and the Cal- 
 
172 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 vinists, have wofully hindered the kingdom 
 of Christ. 
 
 " I am further than ever I was from ex- 
 pecting great matters of unity, splendour and 
 prosperity to the Church on earth, or that 
 saints should dream of a kingdom of this 
 world, or flatter themselves with the hope of 
 a golden age, or of reigning over the ungodly, 
 till there be new heavens and a new earth, 
 wherein dwelleth righteousness. On the con- 
 trary, I am more apprehensive that suffering 
 must be the Church's most ordinary lot, and 
 true Christians must be self-denying cross- 
 bearers, even where there are none but for- 
 mal, nominal Christians to be the cross-ma- 
 kers. 
 
 " I do not lay so great a stress on the ex- 
 ternal modes and forms of worship, as many 
 young professors do, I cannot be so narrow 
 in my principles of church communion, as 
 many are, that are so much for a liturgy, or 
 so much against it; so much for ceremonies, 
 or so much against them, that they can hold 
 no communion with any church not of their 
 way. If I were among the Greeks, the Lu- 
 therans, the Independents, the Anabaptists, 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 173 
 
 owning no heresy, nor setting themselves 
 against charity and peace, I would sometimes 
 hold occasional communion with them as 
 Christians, if they would give me leave, with- 
 out forcing me to any sinful subscription or 
 action; though my most usual communion 
 should be with that society which I thought 
 most agreeable to the word of God, if I were 
 free to choose. I cannot be of their opinion, 
 that think that God will not accept him that 
 prayeth by the common prayer book, and 
 that such forms are a self-invented worship, 
 which God rejecteth; nor yet can I be of 
 their mind, who say the like of extempore 
 prayers. 
 
 " I am much less regardful of the appro- 
 bation of man, and set much lighter by con- 
 tempt or applause, than I did long ago. I 
 am oft suspicious, that this is not only from 
 the increase of self-denial and humility, 
 but partly from my being glutted and sur- 
 feited with human applause. All worldly 
 things appear most vain and unsatisfactory 
 when we have tried them most; yet, though 
 I feel this may have some hand in the effect, 
 as far as I can perceive, the principal causes 
 are, the knowledge of man's nothingness, 
 
174 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 and God's transcendent greatness, and a 
 sense of the brevity of human things, and 
 the nearness of eternity; which some have 
 imputed to self-conceitedness and morose- 
 ness. 
 
 " I am more and more pleased with a soU- 
 tary life: and though in a way of self-denial 
 I could submit to the most public life for the 
 service of God, when he requireth it, and 
 would not be unprofitable that I might be 
 private ; yet I must confess, it is much more 
 pleasing to myself to be retired from the 
 world, and to have very little to do with 
 men; and to converse with God, and con- 
 science, and good books. 
 
 " Though never much tempted to the sin 
 of covetousness, my fear of dying, was wont 
 to tell me that I was not sufficiently loosened 
 from the world; but now I find it much easier 
 to be loose from this world, than to live by 
 fahh above. To despise earth is easy to me, 
 but not so easy to be conversant with hea- 
 ven. I have nothing in the world, which I 
 could not easily let go; but to get satisfying 
 apprehensions of the other world, is the great 
 and grievous difficulty. 
 
 " I am much more conscious of the odi- 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 175 
 
 ousness of the sin of pride; scarcely any sin 
 appeareth more odions to me; and, especial- 
 ly in matters spiritual and ecclesiastical. I 
 think so far as any man is proud he is kin to 
 the devil, and utterly a stranger to God and 
 himself. 
 
 "I am much more sensible than hereto- 
 fore of the breadth, and length, and depth, 
 of the radical, universal, odious sin of selfish- 
 ness, and therefore have written so much 
 against it; and of the excellency and neces- 
 sity of self-denial, and of a public mind, and 
 of loving our neighbours as ourselves. 
 
 " I am more solicitous than I have been 
 about my duty to God, and less solicitous 
 about his dealings with me; being assured 
 that he will do all things well; acknowledg- 
 ing the goodness of all the declarations of 
 his holiness, even in the punishment of man; 
 and knowing that there is no rest but in the 
 will and goodness of God. 
 
 " Though my works were never such as 
 could be any temptation to me to dream of 
 obliging God by proper merit, yet one of the 
 most ready, constant, imdoubted evidences of 
 my uprightness, and interest in his covenant, 
 is, the consciousness of my living devoted ta 
 
176 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 him. I the more easily believe the pardon 
 of my failings, through my Redeemer, while 
 I know that I serve no other master, and 
 that I know no other end, but to live to him 
 in the world, notwithstanding my infirmities. 
 This bent and business of my life, with my 
 longing desires after perfection in the know- 
 ledge and love of God, and in a holy and 
 heavenly mind, are the two constant, stand- 
 ing evidences which put me out of doubt of 
 my sincerity. 
 
 " Though my habitual judgment, resolu- 
 tion, and scope of life, be still the same, yet 
 I find great mutability as to the actual ap- 
 prehensions and degrees of grace; and con- 
 sequently find, that so mutable a thing as 
 the mind of man, would never keep itself if 
 God were not its keeper. 
 
 "Thus much of the alterations of my soul 
 since my younger years, I thought best to 
 give the reader, instead of all those expe- 
 riences and actual motions and affections, 
 which I suppose him rather to have expect- 
 ed an account of. And having transcribed 
 thus much of a life which God hath read, 
 and conscience hath read, and must further 
 read, I humbly lament it, and beg pardon of 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 177 
 
 it, as sinful, and too unequal and unprofita- 
 ble. I warn the reader to amend that in his 
 own, which he findeth to be amiss in mine; 
 confessing also that much hath been amiss, 
 which I have not here particularly mention- 
 ed, and that I have not lived according to 
 the abundant mercies of the Lord. But what 
 I have recorded hath been especially to per- 
 form my vows, and declare his praise to all 
 generations, who hath filled up my days with 
 his invaluable favours, and bound me to 
 bless his name for ever. 
 
 " Having mentioned the changes, which I 
 think were for the better, I must add, that as 
 I confessed many of my sins before, so I 
 have been guilty of many since, which be- 
 cause materially they seemed small, have 
 had the less resistance, and yet on the review 
 do trouble me more than if they had been 
 greater, done in ignorance. To have sinned, 
 while I wrote and preached against sin, 
 and had such abundant and great obliga- 
 tions from God, and made so many promises 
 against it, doth lay me very low; not so 
 much in fear of hell, as in great displeasure 
 against myself, and such self-abhorrence as 
 would cause revenge against myself, were it 
 
178 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 not forbidden. When God forgiveth me I 
 cannot forgive myself; especially for my rash 
 words or deeds, by which I have seemed in- 
 jurious, and less tender and kind than I 
 should have been to my near and dear rela- 
 tions, whose love abundantly obliged me. 
 When such are dead, though we never dif- 
 fered in point of interest, or any other mat- 
 ter, every sour or cross provoking word, 
 which I gave theni maketh me almost irre- 
 concilable to myself. 
 
 "That which I have named by-the-by, is 
 grown one of my great diseases. I have lost 
 much of that zeal which I had to propagate 
 any truths to others, save the mere funda- 
 mentals. When I perceive ministers or peo- 
 ple to think they know what they do not, 
 which is too common, and to dispute those 
 things which they never thoroughly studied, 
 or expect that I should debate the case with 
 them, as if an hour's talk would serve in- 
 stead of an acute understanding and seven 
 years' study, I have no zeal to make them 
 of my opinion, but an impatience of continu- 
 ing discourse with them on such subjects; 
 and am apt to be silent, or to turn to some- 
 thing else; which, though there be some rea- 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 179 
 
 son for it, I feel cometh from a want of zeal 
 for the truth, and from an impatient temper 
 of mind. I am ready to think that people 
 should quickly understand all in a few words; 
 and if they cannot, to despair of them, and 
 leave them to themselves. I know the more 
 that this is sinful in me, because it is partly 
 so in other things, even about the faults of 
 my servants, or other inferiors; if three or 
 four warnings do not do them good, I am 
 much tempted to despair of them, turn them 
 away, and leave them to themselves. 
 
 " I mention all these distempers that my 
 faults may be a warning to others to take 
 heed; as they call on myself for repentance 
 and watchfulness. 0 Lord! for the merits, 
 and sacrifice, and intercession of Christ, be 
 merciful to me a sinner, and forgive my 
 known and unknown sins." 
 
 " If ever a human being," says Orme, 
 " was made transparent by its own simpli- 
 city and integrity, we may be justified in 
 saying, it was Richard Baxter. In the length- 
 ened and rigid description which he has given 
 of himself, he may be regarded as furnishing 
 us with that window in the breast, for which 
 the philosopher so ardently, but vainly, sigh- 
 
180 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 ed; and by which he has enabled us to see 
 all its movements and hidden springs. Mak- 
 ing every allowance for the deceitfulness of 
 the human heart, and that partiahty to our- 
 selves which constitutes one of the leading 
 evils of our nature, no reasonable doubt can 
 be entertained that Baxter has given a full 
 and very fair view of his principles and cha- 
 racter. It is certain, that his judgment of 
 himself leaned to the severe rather than the 
 lax side ; and that while he wished before 
 men to be acquitted of evils and crimes of 
 which he had not been guilty, and the ad- 
 mission of which would have fixed reproach 
 on the gospel, he was chiefly desirous that 
 no over estimate should be formed of his 
 attainments as a Christian." 
 
 His solemn warnings to the young and in- 
 experienced are not to be considered as the 
 doting of an old man, peevish from his own 
 waning popularity, or from being oversha- 
 dowed by the splendid attractions of others. 
 He had had much experience among the 
 professors of religion, over many of whom 
 he had been called to mourn. His instruc- 
 tions are as applicable now as ever, when so 
 many are injured by want of sobriety of 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 181 
 
 mind, and are ready to be tossed about by 
 every wind t)f doctrine ; when Christianity 
 has come to be regarded as a new discovery, 
 which nobody has understood till lately; and 
 the Bible considered as a book of enigmas, 
 capable of the wildest solutions, and the 
 most fanciful combinations. To follow truth 
 wherever it may lead is the duty of all Chris- 
 tians: to have the fortitude to stop where its 
 evidence ceases; not to substitute our own 
 fancies in the place of the revelation of God; 
 to be ready to receive from all, and to refuse 
 to submit to the dictation of any, ought no 
 less to be our study and our aim. 
 
 The love of controversy is hateful, the fear 
 of it pusillanimous. Both ought to be avoid- 
 ed by every rightly constituted mind. No 
 man of his age engaged more in it than Bax- 
 ter, and yet no man spoke more against it. 
 In both he was sincere. He loved not con- 
 troversy for its own sake, but he was fre- 
 quently impelled by a love of truth, or that 
 which he considered as truth, to engage in 
 what was most unpleasant to Christian feel- 
 ings. He sometimes erred in his judgment 
 in these matters, but never was influenced by 
 unworthy motives, or guilty of disingenuous 
 
182 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 conduct. He loved peace and he loved his 
 friends; but he loved truth more. 
 
 It is instructive to observe the deep hu- 
 milit}^ of his mind, and the tenderness of his 
 conscience. As he approached the world of 
 glory and appeared to others, to be eminent- 
 ly fitted for its enjoyments, the contemplation 
 of its light and splendour, only made his 
 darkness and pollution more apparent to 
 himself. The increasing clearness of his 
 perceptions had not only a direct, but a reflex 
 operation. If it increased his knowledge 
 of heaven, and inflamed his desire of its 
 blessedness, it also filled him with a deeper 
 consciousness of his own immeetness for its 
 pure and perfect felicity. He rejoiced, he 
 also trembled; he exuhed in hope, but he 
 also feared as a sinner. While the Divine 
 character attracted him by its infinite love 
 and compassion, it awed him by the majesty 
 of its holiness, and its peerless glory. 
 
 The importance which he attached to the 
 enjoyment of God, as the main spring and 
 principle of genuine religion, and the degree 
 in which he appears to have experienced it, 
 are delightful proofs of the ripeness of his 
 own soul for that blessedness for which he 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 
 
 183 
 
 so earnestly panted. The expansion of his 
 love to God increased his love to men ; led 
 him to bear with their infirmities, to mourn 
 over their evils, and to pity their miseries. 
 As he approached nearer to heaven, he seem- 
 ed to breathe more of this spirit, and to carry 
 its very atmosphere, an atmosphere of holy 
 love, about him. He felt he had little more 
 to do upon earth than to pray for its guilty 
 inhabitants, and supplicate God to establish 
 his own kingdom. Thus did he continue to 
 bless that world in which he had experienced 
 so much ingratitude and affliction, and pre- 
 pare for the mansions in his Father's house, 
 in which he is, no doubt, now enjoying a dis- 
 tinguished place. 
 
 During the reign of James II. Baxter 
 seems to have mingled but little in public 
 affairs. His bodily afflictions were great, and 
 he was cruelly persecuted, the greater part 
 of the time. What his opinion was of the 
 revolution, we have no opportunity of know- 
 ing. When the prince of Orange arrived in 
 London, the dissenting ministers to the num- 
 ber of ninety, waited on him with a congrat- 
 ulatory address; but it is probable, Baxter 
 
184 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 was not of the number. His age and infir- 
 mities disqualified him for such a ser\ ice. 
 
 When the act of toleration was passed and 
 a qualified subscription to the articles of re- 
 ligion, required of all who would avail them- 
 selves of the privilege which this law con- 
 ferred, Baxter drew up a long paper of ex- 
 planations and exceptions, in which he ex- 
 plicitly declared in what sense he received 
 the articles, and expressing his dissent from 
 other constructions which might be put upon 
 them. Eighty of the dissenting ministers of 
 London concurred with him in his explana- 
 tions and objections; and upon these prin- 
 ciples they were contented to subscribe. 
 
 The affair of the agreement of the Lon- 
 don Presbyterian and Independent ministers, 
 must have interested Baxter much, as union 
 was always dear to his heart ; and every 
 scheme for promoting it, would meet with 
 his cordial concurrence, as long as he was 
 capable of writing or speaking. These arti- 
 cles of agreement were adopted before Bax- 
 ter's death, although they were not publish- 
 ed till 1692. 
 
 From the time of his release from im- 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 185 
 
 prisonment, Baxter lived in Charter-house 
 square, near the meeting-house then occu- 
 pied by his friend Sylvester; for whom he 
 preached gratuitously on the Lord's day 
 mornings, and every alternate Thursday 
 morning, as long as his strength permitted. 
 When he had assisted his friend in this man- 
 ner for four years and a half, he was no 
 longer able to go on with public preaching; 
 but during the residue of his life he opened 
 the doors of his own house twice every day, 
 to all that would come to join him in family 
 worship, to whom he read the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, from whence ' he preached the king- 
 dom of God, and taught those things which 
 concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all con- 
 fidence, no man forbidding him,' even as one 
 greater than himself had done before him. 
 But at last his growing infirmities took him 
 off from this also; confining him first to his 
 chamber and then to his bed. There, though 
 pain and sickness wasted his body, his soul 
 remained rational, strong in faith and hope; 
 arguing itself into, and preserving itself in 
 patience and joy through grace; which gave 
 him great support, and kept out doubts and 
 fears concerning his eternal welfare. The 
 16 
 
186 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 latter years of his life, though full of bodily 
 suffering and sorrow, and less occupied with 
 the public service of God, were not years of 
 idleness. Between the year 16S2 and his 
 death, he wrote many of his works, and some 
 of these the most useful. During this period, 
 not to mention single sermons and tracts, he 
 published, his True History of Councils 
 enlarged and defended On the Immor- 
 tahty of the soul, and the Nature of Spirits;" 
 "Compassionate Counsels to young men;'' 
 "Family Catechism;'' "Dying Thoughts;'' 
 "Dangerous Schismatic detected;" " Catho- 
 lic Communion defended;" "Paraphrase on 
 the New Testament;" "English Noncon- 
 formity;" "Knowledge and Love compar- 
 ed;" " Cain and Abel's malignity" — Several 
 pieces on the Antinomian and Millennarian 
 Controversies. The very last productions of 
 his pen show, that though his eyes had wax- 
 ed dim, and his natural force had abated, the 
 ardour of his mind had scarcely, if at all, 
 been impaired. 
 
 Dr. Calamy, who visited him during the 
 last year of his life, tells us, "' he talked in 
 the pulpit with great freedom about another 
 world, like one that had been there, and was 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 187 
 
 come as a sort of express from thence, to 
 make a report concerning it. He delivered 
 himself in public, as well as in private, with 
 great vivacity, and freedom, and his thoughts 
 had a peculiar edge." 
 
 Dr. Bates, however, has furnished the 
 most minute and most interesting account of 
 the last trying scene of Baxter's pilgrimage. 
 His funeral sermon, on occasion of his death, 
 is one of the best specimens of the preaching 
 of that excellent man. He had closely stu- 
 died the character of his friend, to whom he 
 appears to have been most tenderly attached; 
 and on whom he has pronounced an eulo- 
 gium, not more deserved by his character, 
 than it is beautiful in itself. But it will be 
 sufficient in this place to extract what re- 
 lates to Baxter's sickness and death. 
 
 " He continued to preach so long, notwith- 
 standing his wasted and languishing body, 
 that the last time he almost died in the pul- 
 pit. It would doubtless have been his joy 
 to have been transfigured in the mount. Not 
 long after he felt the approaches of death, 
 and was confined to his sick bed. Death 
 reveals the secrets of the heart: then words 
 are spoken with most feeling and least affec- 
 
188 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 tation. This excellent saint was the same 
 in his Ufe and death : his last hours were 
 spent in preparing others and himself to ap- 
 pear before God. He said to his friends who 
 visited him, ^ Ye come hither to learn to die. 
 I am not the only person that must go this 
 way. I can assure you, that your whole 
 life, be it ever so long, is little enough to pre- 
 pare for death. Have a care of this vain de- 
 ceitful world, and the lusts of the flesh. Be 
 sure you choose God for your portion, hea- 
 ven for your home, God's glory for your end, 
 his word for your rule ; and then you need 
 never fear, but we shall meet with comfort.' 
 
 " Never was penitent sinner more humble; 
 never was a sincere believer more calm and 
 comfortable. He acknowledged himself to 
 be the vilest dunghill worm (it was his usual 
 expression) that ever went to heaven. He 
 admired the Divine condescension to us, often 
 saying, ^ Lord, what is man; what am I vile 
 worm, to the great God ?' Many times he 
 prayed, * God be merciful to me a sinner:' 
 And blessed God that this was left on record 
 in the gospel, as an effectual prayer. He 
 said, ' God may justly condemn me for the 
 best duty I ever did. All my hopes are 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 189 
 
 from the free mercy of God in Christ/ which 
 he often prayed for. 
 
 " After a slumber, he waked, and said, * I 
 shall rest from my labour.' A minister pre- 
 sent said, ^ And your works shall follow 
 you.' To whom he replied, * No works; I 
 will leave out works, if God will grant me 
 the other.' When a friend was comforting 
 him with the remembrance of the good many 
 had received by his preaching and wrhings, 
 he said, * I was but a pen in God's hands, 
 and what praise is due to a pen ?' 
 
 " His resigned submission to the will of 
 God in his sharp sickness was eminent. 
 When extremity of pain constrained him 
 earnestly to pray to God for his release by 
 death, he would check himself, " It is not fit 
 for me to prescribe — when thou wilt, what 
 thou wilt, and how thou wilt.' 
 
 " Being in great anguish he said, ^0 ! how 
 unsearchable are his judgments, and his 
 ways past finding out : the reaches of his 
 providence we cannot fathom.' And to his 
 friends, * Do not think the worse of religion 
 for what ye see me suffer.' 
 
 " Being often asked by his friends, how it 
 was with his inward man, he replied, * I 
 
have a Avell grounded assurance of my eter- 
 nal happiness, and great peace and comfort 
 within.' But it was his trouble he could 
 not express it triumphantly, by reason of his 
 extreme pains. He said, * Flesh must perish 
 and we must feel the perishing of it; and 
 that though his judgment submitted, yet 
 sense would still make him groan.' 
 
 "Being asked by a person of quality, 
 whether he had not great joy from his be- 
 lieving apprehensions of the invisible state, 
 he replied, "What else think you Christian- 
 ity serves for?" He said the consideration 
 of the Deity in his greatness and glory was 
 too high for our thought; but the considera- 
 tion of the Son of God in our nature, and of 
 the saints in heaven whom he loved, did 
 much sweeten and familiarize heaven to him. 
 The description in Heb. xii. 22, was most 
 comfortable to him; that he was going to 
 the innumerable company of angels, and to 
 the general assembly and Church of the first 
 born, whose names are written in heaven; 
 and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits 
 of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the 
 Mediator of the new covenant ; and to the 
 blood of sprinkling that speaketh better 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 191 
 
 things than the blood of Abel.' That Scrip- 
 ture he said deserved a thousand, thousand 
 thoughts. 0 how comfortable is that pro- 
 mise, ^ Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, 
 neither hath it entered into the heart of man 
 to conceive, the things God hath laid up for 
 those that love him.' At another time, he 
 said, Uhat he found great comfort and sweet- 
 ness in repeating the Lord's Prayer, and was 
 sorry some good people were prejudiced 
 against the use of it, for there were all ne- 
 cessary petitions, for the soul and the body, 
 contained in it.' 
 
 " At other times he gave excellent coun- 
 sels to young ministers that visited him ; 
 earnestly prayed to God to bless their la- 
 bours, and make them very successful in 
 turning many souls to Christ ; expressed 
 great joy in the hopes that God would do a 
 great deal of good by them; and that their 
 spirits might be moderate and peaceful. 
 
 "He often prayed that God would be mer- 
 ciful to this miserable and distracted world, 
 and that he would preserve his church and 
 interest in it. He advised his friends to^e- 
 ware of self-conceit, as a sin that was likely 
 to ruin the nation 
 
192 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 "I went to him with a very worthy friend, 
 Mr. Mather, of New England, the day be- 
 fore he died, and speaking some comforting 
 words to him, he replied, *I have pain, there 
 is no arguing against sense, but I have peace, 
 I have peace.' I said to him, ' You are now 
 approaching your long desired home,' he 
 answered, believe, I believe.' He said to 
 Mr. Mather, * I bless God you have accom- 
 plished your business — the Lord prolong 
 your life.' He expressed great willingness 
 TO die ; and during his sickness, when asked 
 how he did, his reply was, ^almost well.'' 
 His joy was most remarkable, when in his 
 own apprehension death was nearest ; and 
 his spiritual joy "was at length consummated 
 in eternal joy." 
 
 "On Monday," says Sylvester, "death sent 
 his harbinger to summon him away. A 
 great trembhng and coldness extorted strong 
 cries from him for pity and redress from 
 heaven; which cries and agonies continued 
 for some time,till at length he ceased, and lay 
 in patient expectation of his change!" 
 
 "Being once asked by his faithful friend, 
 and constant companion, Mrs. Bushel, his 
 housekeeper, whether he knew her or not; 
 
EEV. RICHARD BAXTER. 193 
 
 requesting some sign of it, if he did; he softly- 
 cried "death, death." He now felt the bene- 
 fit-of his former preparations for the trying 
 time. The last words that he spake to me, 
 on being informed, I was come to see him, 
 were, ^Oh, I thank him, I thank him;' and 
 turning his eye to me said, ' The Lord teach 
 you how to die.'" 
 
 " As to himself, even to the last, I could 
 never perceive his peace and heavenly hopes 
 assaulted or disturbed. I have often heard 
 him greatly lament, that he felt no greater 
 liveliness in what appeared so great and 
 clear to him, and so very much desired by 
 him. He told me, he knew it should be well 
 with him when he was gone. He wondered 
 to hear others speak of their sensible and 
 passionately strong desires to die, and of 
 their comforts of spirit, when sensible of 
 their approaching death; when, though he 
 thought he knew as much as they, and had 
 as rational satisfaction as they could have 
 that his soul was safe, he never could feel 
 their sensible consolations. I asked him 
 whether much of this was not to be resolved 
 into bodily constitution; he told me that he 
 thought it might be so." 
 
 17 
 
194 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 " He expired on Tuesday morning, Decem- 
 ber 8th, 1691, though he had desired and ex- 
 pected his dissolution to be on the Lord's day, 
 which with joy he called a high day, because 
 of his desired change, then expected by him." 
 
 A wicked and groundless report was cir- 
 culated after his death, that he had been 
 greatly troubled with skeptical doubts before 
 he died. In regard to which Mr. Sylvester 
 thought it expedient to contradict it. He 
 said, We know nothing here that could in 
 the least minister to such a report as this. I 
 that was with him all along, have even heard 
 him triumphing in his heavenly expectation, 
 and ever speaking like one that could never 
 have thought it worth man's while to be, 
 were it not for the great interests and ends of 
 godliness. He told me that he doubted not 
 but it would be best for him, when he had 
 left this life and was translated to the hea- 
 venly regions.'^ 
 
 " He owned what he had written with re- 
 ference to the things of God, to the very last. 
 He advised those that came near him, care- 
 fully to mind their soul's concerns." "The 
 shortness of time, the importance of eternity, 
 the worth of souls, the riches of the grace of 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 195 
 
 Christ, the excellency of a heavenly mind 
 and life, and the great usefulness of the 
 word and means of grace, pursuant to his 
 eternal purposes, ever lay pressingly on his 
 Qwn heart, and extorted from him very use- 
 ful directions and encouragements to all that 
 came near him, even to the last." 
 
 Baxter was buried in Christ-church, where 
 the remains of his wife and her mother had 
 been deposited. His funeral was attended 
 by great numbers of different ranks; espe- 
 ciallj^, of ministers, conformists and non-con- 
 formists, who were eager to testify their re- 
 spect for one of whom it might have been 
 said with equal truth, as of the intrepid re- 
 former of the north, There lies the man, 
 who never feared the face of man." 
 
 His last will is dated July 7th, 16S9. The 
 beginning deserves to be quoted. 
 
 " I, Richard Baxter, of London, clerk, an 
 unworthy servant of Jesus Christ, drawing 
 to the end of this transitory life, having 
 through God's great mercy, the free use of 
 my understanding, do make this my last will 
 and testament, revoking all other Avills for- 
 iperly made by me. My spirit I commit 
 ■yyith hope and tr.vst of the heavenly felicity, 
 
196 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 into the hands of Jesus, my glorified Re- 
 deemer and Intercessor, and by his media- 
 tion into the hands of God, my reconciled 
 Father, the infinite, eternal Spirit, light, life, 
 and love, most great, wise, and good, the 
 God of nature, grace, and glory; of whom, 
 through whom, and to whom are all things; 
 my absolute owner, ruler, benefactor, whose 
 I am, and whom I, though imperfectly, 
 serve, seek, and trust; to whom be glory, 
 for ever, amen. To him I render most hum- 
 ble thanks, that he hath filled up my life with 
 abundant mercy, and pardoned my sin, by 
 the merit of Christ, and vouchsafed by his 
 Spirit to renew and seal me as his own, and 
 to moderate and bless to me my long suffer- 
 ings in the flesh, and at last to sweeten them 
 by his own interest and comforting approba- 
 tion, who taketh the cause of love and con- 
 cord as his own," &c. &c. 
 
 He ordered his books to be distributed 
 among poor scholars. All that remained of 
 his estate, after a few legacies to his kindred, 
 he disposed of for the benefit of the souls and 
 bodies of the poor. 
 
 His principal heir was his nephew, Wil- 
 liam Baxter, a person of considerable attain- 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 197 
 
 ments as a scholar, and an antiquary. He 
 published several works, which brought him 
 considerable fame as a scholar. 
 
 Baxter's person, according to Sylvester, 
 was tall and slender; and in the latter part 
 of his life he stooped very much. His coun- 
 tenance was composed and grave, but some- 
 what incUning to smile. He had a piercing 
 eye, a very articulate speech, and his manners 
 were rather plain than complimentary. He 
 had a great command over his thoughts. As 
 one expressed it, " He could say what he 
 would, and he could prove what he said." 
 
 "He was a man of clear, deep, fixed 
 thought; of copious and well digested read- 
 ing; of ready, free, and very proper elocu- 
 tion, and aptly expressive of his own thoughts 
 and sentiments. He was most intent upon 
 the weightiest and most useful parts of learn- 
 ing, yet a great lover of all kinds and degrees 
 thereof. He could, in preaching, writing, con- 
 ference, accommodate himself to all capaci- 
 ties. He had a moving jo^z^^o^, and useful 
 acrimony in his words; neither did his ex- 
 pressions want that emphatical accent, which 
 the matter did require. When he spoke of 
 weighty and soul concerns, you might find 
 
198 
 
 LlfE OF THE 
 
 his very i^pirit drenched therein. He tvas 
 pleasingly conversible, save in his study 
 hours, when he could not bear with trivial 
 disturbances. He was sparingly facetious; 
 but never light or frothy. His heatt was 
 warm, his life was blameless, exemplary, and 
 uniform. He was unmoveable when con- 
 vinced of his duty; yet affable and conde- 
 scending where there was an opportunity of 
 doing good. His personal abstinence, se- 
 verities, and labours, were exceeding great. 
 He kept his body under, and always feared 
 pampering his flesh too much. His charity 
 was very great in proportion to his abihties. 
 His purse was ever open to the poor; when 
 the case required it, he never thought great 
 sums too much; and his charities were not 
 confined to parties or dpinions;^' 
 
 A few other particulars we will extract 
 from Dr. Bates' funeral sermon, which will 
 assist in giving us a full view of this eminent 
 man. 
 
 " His prayers were an effusion of the most 
 lively, melting expressions, of his intimate, 
 ardent affections to God. From the abund- 
 ance of his heart, his lips spoke. His soul 
 took wing for heaven, and rapt up the souls 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 199 
 
 of Others with him. Never did I see or hear 
 a holy minister address himself to God with 
 more reverence and humility, with respect to 
 his glorious greatness; never with more zeal 
 and fervency, correspondent to the infinite 
 moment of his requests; nor with more filial 
 affiance in the divine mercy. 
 
 " In his sermons, there was a rare union 
 of arguments and motives, to convince the 
 mind, and gain the heart. All the fountains 
 of reason and persuasion were open to his 
 discerning eye. There was no resisting the 
 force of his discourses, without denying rea- 
 son and divine revelation. He had a mar- 
 vellous felicity and copiousness of speaking. 
 There was a noble negligence in his style; 
 for his great mind could not stoop to the af- 
 fected eloquence of words. He despised flashy 
 oratory; but his expressions were clear and 
 powerful; so convincing the understanding, 
 so entering into the soul, so engaging the af- 
 fections, that those were as deaf adders, who 
 were not charmed by so wise a charmer. 
 He was animated with the Holy Spirit, and 
 breathed celestial fire, to inspire heat and 
 life into dead sinners, and to melt the obdu- 
 rate in their frozen tombs. 
 
200 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 " He that was so solicitous for the salvation 
 of others, was not Degligeut of his own ; but 
 his first care was to prepare himself for hea- 
 ven, lu him the virtues of the contemplative 
 and active life were eminentl}^ united. His 
 time was spent in communion with God, and 
 in charity to men: he lived above the sen- 
 sible world, and in solitude and silence con- 
 versed with God. The frequent and serious 
 meditation of eternal things, was the power- 
 ful means to make his heart holy and hea- 
 venly; and from thence his conversation. 
 His life was a practical sermon, a drawing 
 example. There was an air of sanctity in 
 his mortified countenance: his deportment 
 was becoming a stranger on earth, and a 
 citizen of heaven. Humility is to other graces, 
 as the morning star is to the sun; that goes 
 before it, and follows it in the evening. Hu- 
 mility prepares us for the receiving of grace: 
 " God gives grace to the humble.'* And it 
 follows the exercise of grace: "not I," says 
 the apostle, '* but the grace of God in me." 
 
 " In Mr. Baxter there wais a rare union of 
 sublime knowledge, and other spiritual excel- 
 lencies, with the lowest opinion of himself. 
 To one who had sent him a letter full of 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 201 
 
 expressions of honour and esteem, he said, 
 ^ You admire one whom you do not know; 
 knowledge will cure your error. The more 
 we know God, the more reason we see to 
 admire him ; but the knowledge of the crea- 
 ture lessens our esteem.' To the same per- 
 son, expressing his veneration for his excel- 
 lent gifts and graces, he replied with warmth, 
 have the remainder of pride in me; how 
 dare you blow up the sparks of it?^ He 
 desired some ministers to meet at his house 
 and spend a day in prayer, for his direction 
 in a matter of moment. Before the duty 
 was begun, he said, ' I have desired your 
 assistance at this time, because I believe God 
 will sooner hear your prayers than mine.' 
 He imitated Augustine, both in his peniten- 
 tial confessions and retractions. In conjunc- 
 tion with humility, he had great candour for 
 others. He was severe to himself, but can- 
 did in excusing the faults of others; whereas 
 the busy inquirer into the faults of others, is 
 usually the easy neglecter of his own. 
 
 " Self-denial and contempt of the world 
 were shining graces in him. I never knew 
 any person less indulgent to himself, and 
 more indifferent to his temporal interest. 
 
202 
 
 tiFE OT THE 
 
 The offer of a bishopric was no temptation 
 to him; for his exalted soul despised the 
 pleasures and profits, which others so ear- 
 nestly desire. He valued not an empty title 
 on his tomb. 
 
 " His patience was truly Christian. God 
 does often try his children by affliction, to 
 exercise their graces, to occasion their vic- 
 tory, and to entitle them to a triumphant 
 felicity. This saint was tried with many 
 afflictions. We are very tender of our repu- 
 tation; his name was obscured under a cloud 
 of detraction. Many slanderous darts were 
 thrown at him; he was charged with schism 
 and sedition. It is true, the censures and 
 reproaches of others whom he esteemed and 
 loved, touched him in the tender part; but 
 he, with the great apostle, accounted it a 
 small thing to be judged by men. But his 
 patience was more tried by his continual 
 pains and languishing. Martyrdom is a 
 more easy way of dying, when the combat 
 and the victory are finished at once, than to 
 die by degrees every day. His complaints 
 were frequent, but who ever heard an un- 
 submissive word drop from his lips } In his 
 sharp pains he said, ' I have a rational pa- 
 
REV. RICHARl) BAXTER. 203 
 
 tience and a believing patience, though sense 
 would recoil.' 
 
 " His peaceful spirit was a clear character 
 of his being a child of God. How ardently 
 he desired to cement the breaches among us, 
 which others widen and keep open, is pub- 
 licly known. He said to a friend, * I can as 
 willingly be a martyr for love, as for any 
 article of the creed.' 
 
 " Love to the souls of men was the pecu- 
 liar character of Mr. Baxter's spirit. In this 
 he imitated and honoured our Saviour, who 
 prayed, died, and lives for the salvation of 
 souls. All his natural and supernatural en- 
 dowments Were made subservient to this end. 
 It was his meat and drink, the life and joy 
 of his life, to do good to the souls of men. 
 His industry in his studies was almost incre- 
 dible. He had a sensitive nature, as desirous 
 of ease as others, and faint faculties, yet such 
 was his continual application to his great 
 work, as if the labour of one day had sup- 
 plied strength for another, and the willing- 
 ness of the spirit had supported the weakness 
 of the flesh." 
 
 After this extended description of his cha- 
 racterj by such a man as Bates, who had been 
 
204 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 long and intimately acquainted with him, 
 there is need of little to be added. " I will 
 notice only/' says the judicious Orme," what 
 I conceive to have been one great leading 
 feature of his character. In describing this, 
 I have no better or more appropriate term 
 to employ, than the word unearthly; and 
 even this is inadequate to express all that 
 was absent from, and all that belonged to his 
 character as a Christian, a pastor, and a di- 
 vine. Among his contemporaries there were 
 men of equal talents, of more amiable dispo- 
 sitions, and of greater learning; but there 
 was no man in whom there appears to have 
 been so little of earth, and so much of hea- 
 ven; so small a portion of the alloy of huma- 
 nity, and so large a portion of all that is 
 celestial. He felt scarcely any of the attrac- 
 tion of this world, but felt and manifested 
 the most perfect affinity for the world to 
 come. 
 
 The strength and operations of his prin- 
 ciples appeared in all the workings of his 
 mind, and in every part of his personal con- 
 duct as a Christian. It was manifested in 
 the intense ardour of his zeal, and the burn- 
 ing fervour of his preaching. It was mani- 
 
REV. RICHARP BAXTER. 205 
 
 fest in his triumph over the weakness and 
 infirmities of his diseased body; in his supe- 
 riority to the blandishments and charities of 
 life, when they interfered with his work; 
 and in his equal regardlessness of shame and 
 suffering, reward or honour, where the ser- 
 vice of Christ, and the good of men were 
 concerned. 
 
 Influenced by this principle he threw him- 
 self into the army, to check what he consi- 
 dered its wild career. He reproved Crom- 
 well; expostulated with Charles, and dared 
 the frown of both. The same motive induc- 
 ed him to abstain from marriage, while his 
 work required all his attention. For him a 
 bishopric had no charms, and a prison no 
 terrors, when he could not enjoy the one 
 with a good conscience, and was doomed to 
 the other for conscience sake. He stood un- 
 appalled before the bar of Jefferies, listening 
 with composure to his ribaldry; and would 
 have gone to the gibbet or the stake without 
 a murmur or complaint. His very impru- 
 dences seem to have arisen from the excess 
 in which, compared with others, this princi- 
 ple existed in him. He seems scarcely to 
 have understood the meaning of the word 
 
206 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 prudence; and in so far as it is allied to 
 worldly wisdom he knew it not. To him, 
 conscience and the law of God were the rule 
 of duty, not utility, or the hope of success. 
 There was no possibility of influencing him 
 by the hope of reward, or the fear of disap- 
 pointment. Consequences seldom entered 
 into his calculations. He would not be de- 
 terred from preaching a sermon, writing a 
 book, or making a speech, if duty seemed to 
 require it, by all the entreaties of his breth- 
 ren, or the threatening of his enemies. The 
 favour and the frown of God he alone re- 
 garded, and by their irresistible influence he 
 was carried fearlessly onward to eternity. 
 
 The nicety of many of his distinctions, 
 and the scrupuloshy of his conscience, arose, 
 not merely from the metaphysical character 
 of his mind, but from its high spirituality. 
 His conscience, like the sensitive plant, 
 shrunk from every touch, thai was calculat- 
 ed, however remotely, to aff"ect it. On this 
 account, he could not subscribe what he did 
 not understand; he could not profess to be- 
 lieve, when he had not suflicient evidence; 
 he could not promise to obey, if he did not 
 intend to perform; or if he questioned the 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 207 
 
 right to command. He was not a quibbling 
 sophist, who dehghted to perplex and entan- 
 gle, but a Christian casuist, alive to the au- 
 thority of God, and concerned only to know 
 and do his will. 
 
 In the high toned character of Baxter's 
 religion, we are furnished with an illustrious 
 instance of the efficacious grace of God. It 
 was this which made him all that he was, 
 and effected by him what he did. No man 
 would have been more disposed than himself 
 to magnify its richness, its freeness, and its 
 power. Whatever mistakes may be sup- 
 posed to belong to his theological creed, they 
 affected not his view of this principle in the 
 Divine administration, or his experience of 
 its power. But grace blessed him not only 
 in bestowing pardon and inducing its accep- 
 tance, but by producing conformity of cha- 
 racter to God, and meetness for the enjoy- 
 ment of heaven; this he cultivated and ex- 
 perienced in an eminent degree. During 
 more than half a century, he adorned, by 
 every Christian virtue, the doctrine of God, 
 his Saviour, and died cherishing the deepest 
 humility and self-abasement, yet rejoicing in 
 hope of the glory of God. 
 
208 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 In Studying the character of Baxter, then, 
 while I would do honour to the man, and 
 justice to his talents; while I would speak in 
 the strongest terms of his genius and his elo- 
 quence; while I would venerate him as the 
 leader of the noble army of non-conformist 
 confessors, whose labours and sufferings 
 have secured to them a deathless renown, I 
 would above all contemplate him as the 
 man of God, strong in faith, rich in the 
 fruits of love, and adorned with the beauties 
 of holiness. In these respects, he had pro- 
 bably, few equals, and no superiors, even in 
 an age when eminent characters were not 
 rare. But what God did for him he can do 
 for others; and what a world might this be, 
 were every country furnished with but a 
 few such men as Richard Baxter! 
 
 After giving so high a character of Mr. 
 Baxter, as a Christian, a pastor, and a prac- 
 tical writer, it is proper to admonish the 
 reader, that in doctrinal theology he is by no 
 means a safe guide. He attempted what 
 others before him had essayed, but which is 
 incapable of being accomplished; the recon- 
 ciliation of the Arminian and Calvinistic 
 theories; or rather, to take a stand between 
 
EEV. RICHARD BAXTER. 209 
 
 these two systems and to secure the advan- 
 tages of each. This theory, for a while had 
 many admirers; and also was much opposed 
 under the name of Baxterianism. But 
 those who have studied this subject most 
 profoundly, have been convinced, that Cal- 
 vinism is a system complete in itself; so that 
 the consistent theologian must adopt it en- 
 tire, or reject it wholly; and that the princi- 
 ples on which Arminianism is adopted, must, 
 if pursued, lead to pure Pelagianism. There 
 is, however, very little in Baxter's practical 
 writings, which is not consistent with ortho- 
 doxy; and these are the only works of this 
 great man which are likely to be read here- 
 after, as no others are included in the new 
 edition of his works, lately published, in 
 octavo, and extending to more than twenty 
 volumes. There are, however, in parts of 
 these, some curious and strange opinions; 
 but they are not such as are likely to be 
 adopted in the present age. This edition 
 may therefore be recommended to the pious 
 reader, as comprehending a vast body of 
 practical and casuistical theology, suited to 
 Christians in every condition of life. 
 
 The judicious and very interesting " Re- 
 18 
 
210 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 view which Orme has given of the writings 
 of Baxter, and which forms the second part 
 of his work, occupies nearly four hundred 
 pages in large Svo. Of this we have no 
 room for even a compend; but will insert 
 the catalogue of Baxter's writings, furnished 
 by Mr. Ortne, and annexed to his "Review." 
 
 CATALOGUE OF BAXTER'S WRITINGS. 
 
 1. Aphorisms of JustiScalion, 1649. 
 
 2. The Saiiu's Everlasiing Rest, 1649. 
 
 3. Plain Scripture Proof of Infantile Church- 
 
 membership and Baptism, 1650. 
 
 4. Animadversions on a Tract, by Mr. Thomas 
 
 Bedford, 1652. 
 
 5. A Friendly Accommodation of the Contro- 
 
 versy with Mr. Bedford, 1652. 
 
 6. Tombs' Precursor, Stayed and Examined, 
 
 1652. 
 
 7. Letters between Mr. Baxter and Mr. Tombs, 
 
 1652. 
 
 8. The right Method for Peace of Conscience, 
 
 1653. 
 
 9. Richard Baxter's judgment of the Persever- 
 
 ance of Believers, 1653. 
 
 10. Christian Concord; or the Agreement of the 
 
 Associated Pastors and Churches of Wor- 
 cestershire, 1653. 
 
 11. The Worcester Petition to Parliament, 1653. 
 
 12. The Petition Defended, 1653. 
 
 13. True Christianity. Two Assize Sermons, 
 
 1654. 
 
 14. Richard Baxter's Apology — Reasons of Dis- 
 
 sent from Mr. Blake, <$cc. 1654. 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 211 
 
 15. Richard Baxter's Reduction of a Digressor 
 
 in Reply to Kendal, 1654. 
 
 16. Admonition to Eyre, 1654. 
 
 17. Crandon Anatomized, 1654. 
 
 18. Confutation of Lewis Molinaeus, 1654. 
 
 19. Confession of Faith, 1655. 
 
 20. Humble advice to the Members of Parlia- 
 
 ment, 1655. 
 
 21. Making light of Christ, 1655. 
 
 22. Of Judgment. A Sermon, 1655. 
 
 23. The Quaker's Catechism, 1655. 
 
 24. The Unreasonableness of Infidelity, 1655. 
 
 25. Gildas Salvianus ; or the Reformed Pastor, 
 
 1656. 
 
 26. The Agreement of the Worcestershire Min- 
 
 isters for Catechising, 1656. 
 
 27. Certain Disputations of Right to the Sacra- 
 
 ments, 1656. 
 
 28. The Safe Religion — Three Disputations 
 
 against Popery, 1657. 
 
 29. A Treatise of Conversion, 1657. 
 
 30. A Winding Sheet for Popery, 1657. 
 
 31. A Sheet for the Ministry against Malignants, 
 
 1657. 
 
 32. A Sheet against the Quakers, 1657. 
 
 33. A Second Sheet for the Ministry, 1657. 
 
 34. A Sheet — Of the Duties of Justices in Cor- 
 
 porations, towards God. 
 
 35. A Call to the Unconverted, 1657. 
 
 36. Crucifying the World by the Cross, 1658. 
 
 37. A Saving Faith, 1658. 
 
 38. Confirmation and Restoration, 1658. 
 
 39. Directions and Persuasions to a Sound Con- 
 
 version, 1658. 
 
 40. Disputations of Church Government, 1658. 
 
 41. The Judgment, &c. of the Associated Mem- 
 
212 
 
 LIFE OF THE 
 
 bers of Worcestershire, in reference to 
 
 Dury, 1658. 
 42. Four Disputations on Justification, 1658. 
 4'^. Universal Concord, 1658. 
 
 44. The Grotian Religion Discovered, 1658. 
 
 45. Key for Catholics, 1659. 
 
 46. Holy Commonwealih, 1659. 
 
 47. A Treatise of Death. A Funeral Sermon, 
 
 1659. 
 
 48. A Treatise of Self-denial, 1659. 
 
 49. Catholic Unity, 1659. 
 
 50. True Catholic, and Catholic Church, 1659. 
 
 51. A Sermon of Repentance, before the House 
 
 of Commons, 1659. 
 
 52. A Sermon of Right Rejoicing, before the 
 
 Lord Mayor, 1659. 
 
 53. Life of Faith. A Sermon before the King,l 659. 
 
 54. Successive Visibility of the Church, 1659. 
 
 55. Vain Religion of the Hypocrite, 1659. 
 
 56. The Fool's Prosperity,' 1659. 
 
 57. The Last Work of a Believer, 1659. 
 
 58. The Petition to the Bishops for Peace, 1661. 
 
 59. The Reformed Liturgy, 1661. 
 
 60. Mischiefs of Self-ignorance, &c. 1662. 
 
 61. Baxter's Account to the Inhabitants of Kid- 
 
 derminster, of the cause of his being forbid 
 to preach, 1662. 
 
 62. A Saint or a Brute, 1662. 
 
 63. Now or Never, 1663. 
 
 64. Fair Warning; twenty-five Reasons against 
 
 the toleration of Popery, 1663. 
 
 65. Divine Life, 1664. 
 
 66. Two Sheets for Poor Families, 1665. 
 
 67. A Sheet for the Instruction of the Sick dur- 
 
 ing the Plague, 1665. 
 
 68. Reasons lor the Christian Religion, 1667. 
 
 69. Directions to the Converted, 1669. 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 213 
 
 70. The Life of Faith, 1670. 
 
 71. Cure of Church Divisions, 1670. 
 
 72. Defence of the Principles of Love, 1671. 
 
 73. Divine Appointment of the Lord's Day, 1671. 
 
 74. Duty of Heavenly Meditation, 1671. 
 
 75. Holiness the Design of Christianity, 1671. 
 
 76. The Power of Magistrates and Church Pas- 
 
 tors, 1671. 
 
 77. God's Goodness Vindicated, 1671. 
 
 78. Second Admonition of Mr.E. Bagshaw, 1671. 
 
 79. More Reasons for the Christian Religion, 
 
 1672. 
 
 80. Sacrilegious Desertion of the Holy Ministry 
 
 rebuked, 1672. 
 
 81. Certainty of Christianity without Popery, 
 
 1672. 
 
 82. The Church told of Mr. E. Bagshaw's Scan- 
 
 dals, J 672. 
 
 83. Christian Directory, folio, 1673. 
 
 84. Full and Easy Satisfaction as to the True 
 
 Religion, 1674. 
 
 85. Poor Man's Family Book, 1674. 
 
 86. An Appeal to the Light; a Sermon, Eph. i. 
 
 3, 1674. 
 
 87. Catholic Theology, folio, 1675. 
 
 88. More Proofs of Infants' Church Membership, 
 
 1675. 
 
 89. Two Disputations of Original Sin, 1675. 
 
 90. Select Arguments against Popery, 1675. 
 
 91. Treatise on Justifying Righteousness, 1675. 
 
 92. Answer to Dr. Tullie's Angry Letter, 1675. 
 
 93. Substance of Mr. Cartwright's Exceptions 
 
 considered, 1675. 
 
 94. Christ, not the Pope, the Universal Head of 
 
 the Church, 1675. 
 
 95. Reasons for Ministerial Plainness and Fide- 
 
 lity, 1676. 
 
214 
 
 LIFE OP THE 
 
 96. A Review of the State of Christian Infants, 
 
 1676. 
 
 97. Jiulgment of non-conformists on the office of 
 
 Reason in Religion, 1676. 
 
 98. Judgment of non-conformisls respecting 
 
 Grace and Morality, 1676. 
 
 99. Judgment of non-conformists of things indif- 
 
 ferent, commanded by authority, 1676. 
 
 100. About Things Sinful by accident', 1676. 
 
 101. What mere non-conformity is not, 1676. 
 
 102. Roman Transubstaniiation, 1676. 
 
 103. Naked Popery, 1677. 
 
 104. Funeral Sermon for Henrv Stiibbs, 1678. 
 
 105. Which is the True Church, 1679. 
 
 106. The Non-conformists' Plea for Peace, 1679. 
 
 107. Funeral Sermon for Mrs. Marv Cox, 16S0. 
 
 108. The True and Only Way of Concord, 1680. 
 
 109. Defence of the Non-conformists' Plea, 1680. 
 
 110. Second Part of Non-conformists' Plea, 1680. 
 
 111. A Moral Prognostication, 1680. 
 
 112. Church History of the Government of Bish- 
 
 ops, 1680. 
 
 113. Answer to Dr. Siillingdeel's Charge of Sep- 
 
 aration, 1680. 
 
 114. Treatise of Episcopacy, 1681. 
 
 115. Funeral Sermon for Henrv Ashurst, Esq. 
 
 1681. 
 
 116. Poetical Fragments, 1681. 
 
 117. Apology for the Non-conforraists* Ministry. 
 
 1681. 
 
 118. Methodus Theologix Christianap, folio, 1681. 
 110. Universal Human Church Supremacy, 1681. 
 
 120. Baxter's Dissent from Dr. Sherlock. 'l681. 
 
 121. A Search for the English Schismatic, 1681. 
 
 122. Third Defence of the" Cause of Peace, 1681. 
 
 123. A Second Defence of the mere Non-con- 
 
 formisls, 1681. 
 
REV. RICHARD BAXTER. 215 
 
 124. A Breviate of the Life of Mrs. Margaret 
 
 Baxter, 1681. 
 
 125. Answer to Mr. DodweU's Letter, 1682. 
 
 126. A Specimen of the Present Mode of Contro- 
 
 versy in England, in Reply to L'Eslrange, 
 1682. 
 
 127. The True History of Councils enlarged and 
 
 Defended, 1682. 
 
 128. Funeral Sermon for Mr. John Corbet, 1682. 
 
 129. Immortality of Man's Soul, 1682. 
 
 130. Nature of Spirits, 1682. 
 
 131. Cure of Melancholy, Sermon, 1682. 
 
 132. Compassionate Counsel to Young Men, 1682. 
 
 133. How to do good to many, 1682. 
 
 134. Family Catechism, 1683. 
 
 135. Additions to Poetical Fragments, 1683. 
 
 136. Obedient Patience, 1683. 
 
 137. Farewell Sermon — Intended to have been 
 
 preached at Kidderminster, but forbidden, 
 1683. 
 
 138. Richard Baxter's Dying Thoughts, 1683. 
 
 139. Dangerous Schismatic Detected and Con- 
 
 futed, 1683. 
 
 140. Second Part against Schism and against Mr. 
 
 Raphson, 1683. 
 
 141. Survey of the Reply to Mr. Humphrey, 1683. 
 
 142. Catholic Communion Defended, 1684. 
 
 143. Answer to Dr. Owen's Arguments against 
 
 that Practice, 1684. 
 
 144. Whether Parish Congregations be true Chris- 
 
 tian Churches, 1684. 
 
 145. A Short Answer to * A Theological Dia- 
 
 logue,' 1684. 
 
 146. Catholic Communion Doubly Defended, 
 
 1684. 
 
 147. Judgment of Sir Matthew Hale of the Na- 
 
 ture of Religion, 1684. 
 
216 
 
 LIFE OF BAXTER. 
 
 148. Uniim Necessarium, 1685. 
 
 149. A Paraphrase on the New Testament, 1685. 
 
 150. Richard Baxter's Sense of the Subscribed 
 
 Articles, 1689. 
 
 151. English Non-conformity, under Charles II. 
 
 and James II. 1689. 
 
 152. Knowledge and Love compared, 1689. 
 J53. Cain and Abel's Malignity, 1689. 
 
 154. Scripture Gospel Defended, 1690. 
 
 155. Defence of Christ and Free Grace, 1690. 
 
 156. End of Doctrinal Controversies, 169 J. 
 
 157. Glorious Kingdom of Christ against Thomas 
 
 Beverly, 1691. 
 
 158. Reply to Mr. Thomas Beverly, 1691. 
 
 159. Of National Churches, 1691. 
 
 160. Against Revolt to a Foreign Jurisdiction, 
 
 1691. 
 
 161. Richard Baxter's Penitent Confession and 
 
 necessary Vindication, 1691. 
 
 162. Certainty of the World of Spirits, evinced 
 
 by Unquestionable Histories of Appari- 
 tions, 1691. 
 
 163. Protestant Religion truly stated and justified, 
 
 1692. 
 
 164. Paraphrase of the Psalms of David, 1692. 
 
 165. Treatise of Universal Redemption, 1694. 
 
 166. Reliqnise Baxterianae, fol. 1696. 
 
 167. Monthly Preparations for the Holy Commu- 
 
 nion, 1696. 
 
 168. The Mother's Catechism, 1701. 
 
 THE E^D