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\ 


THE 


PRACTICAL   WORKS 


OF 


THE  REV.  RICHARD  BAXTER: 


WITH 


A  LIFE  OF  THE  AUTHOR, 


AND 


A  CRITICAL  EXAMINATION  OF  11  IS   WHinsas, 

BY   THE 

REV.    WILLIAM    ORME, 


AVTHOR    OP  "the   LIFE   OF    JOHN    OWEN,  n.I>.  ;"  "  BIBLIOTMECA  Bini.ICA/'  KTC. 


VOL.  I. 
IN   TWENTY. THRKE    VOLlJMElS. 


LON  DON: 
JAMES    DUNCAN,    37,    PATERNOSTER    ROW. 


MDCCCXXX. 


LONDON  I 

PHINISD    BY    MILLS,   JOWBTT,  •AWD   lIHXt, 
BOLT-COUBT,    FLE&TrSTBEXT* 


CONTENTS  TO  PART  I. 


CHAPTER    I. 


1615—1638. 


P««e 


Birth  of  Baxtei>-Cbaracter  of  bis  Father— Low  State  of  Religion- 
Baxter's  first  reli^ous  Impressions— His  early  Education — Progress 
of  his  Religious  Feelings — Residence  at  Ludlow  Castle — Escapes  ac- 
quiring a  Taste  for  Gaming — ^Returns  Home — Illness  and  its  Effects — 
Nature  and  Progress  of  his  Education — Its  Defects — ^Troubled  with 
Doubts— Distress  of  Mind— Diseased  Habit  of  Body— Goes  to  Court- 
Remarkable  Preservation — Death  of  bis  Mother — His  Attachment 
to  the  Ministry — His  Conformity — Becomes  acquainted  with  the 
NonconformistS'-^rdained  to  the  Ministry I 


CHAPTER    II. 

1638—1642. 

Baxter  preaches  his  First  Sermon — Examines  the  Nonconformist  Con- 
troversy— Adopts  so^e  of  the  principles  of  Nonconformity — Progress 
of  his  Mind — Residence  in  Bridgnorth — The  Et-csetera  Oath — Exa- 
mines the  subject  of  Episcopacy — In  danger  from  not  Conforming— 
The  Long  Parliament — Petition  from  Kidderminster — Application  to 
Baxter — His  Compliance — Commences  bis  Labours — General  View 
of  the  State  of  Religion  in  the  Country  at  this  time — Causes  of  the 
Civil  War — Character  of  the  Parties  engaged  in  it — Baxter  blames 
both — A  decided  Friend  to  the  Parliament — Retires  for  a  time  from 
Kidderminitcr •    •    •    .    •      19 


VI  CONTBNTS  TO   PART   1. 

CHAPTER    III. 

1642—1646. 


P*«e 


Baxter  goes  to  Gloucester— Returns  to  Kiddemiiiister— Viaits  Alcester 
—Battle  of  Edghill— Residence  in  Coventry— Battle  of  Naseby— 
State  of  the  Parliamentary  Army — Consults  the  Ministers  about 
going  into  it — Becomes  Chaplain  to  Colonel  Whalley's  reg;iment — 
Opinions  of  the  Soldiers — Disputes  with  them-7-Battle  of  Langport — 
Wicked  Report  of  an  Occurrence  at  this  place — The  Army  retires  to 
Bridgwater  and  Bristol — Becomes  ill — ^Various  Occurrences  in  the 
Army — Chief  Impediments  to  his  Success  in  it— Cromwell — Harri- 
son— Berry — Advised  by  the  Ministers  to  continue  in  it — Goes  to 
London  on  account  of  his  Health — Joins  the  Army  in  Worcestershire 
Attacked  with  violent  Bleeding — Leaves  the  Army — Entertained  by 
Lady  Rous—- Remarks  on  his  Views  of  the  Army,  and  conduct  in  it   •      39 


CHAPTER    IV. 

1646—1656. 

The  Reli{rious  Parties  of  the  Period— The  Westminster  Assembly- 
Character  of  the  Erastians — Episcopalians — Presbyterians — Inde- 
pendents*— Baptists — State  of  Religion  in  these  Parties— Minor  Sects 
— Vauists  —  Seekers  —  Ranters —Quakers — Behmenists — Review  of 
this  period 68 


CHAPTER    V. 
1646—1660. 

Baxter  resumes  his  Labours  at  Kidderminster — His  Account  of  Public 
Aflfairatill  the  Death  of  Charles  I. — Conduct  while  in  Kidderminster 
towards  Parliameut — ^I'owards  the  Royal  Party — His  Ministry  at 
Kidderminster — His  Employments—His  Success— His  Advantages — 
Remarks  on  the  Style  of  his  Preaching— His  Public  and  Private 
Exertiom—Tbeir  lasting  Bffects 99 


•  « 


CONTBNTS  TO   PART  I.  Vll 

CHAPTER    VI. 

1648—1660. 

Page 

The  CommoDweaUb — CromweH'a  Trettment  of  hl)i  Pftrliainent— The 
Trien — Committee  of  FundameotaU^PriDciplet  ou  which  Baxter 
acted  towards  Cromwell— Preaches  before  him— Interviews  with  him 
—Admission  of  the  Benefits  of  Cromwell's  Govemmeot — Character 
of  Cromwell — Remarks  on  that  Character— Richard's  Succession  and 
Retirement — ^The  Restoration— Baiter  goes  to  London— Preachen 
before  Parliament— Preaches  before  the  Lord  Mayor— The  Kinfi^'s 
Arrival  in  London — Reception  by  the  London  Ministers — Notices  of 
various  Labours  of  Baxter  during  his  second  residence  in  Kidder* 
miuster — Numerous  Works  written  during  this  period— Extensive 
Correspondence — Concluding  Observations 136 


CHAPTER    VII. 

1660—1062. 

The  Restoration — Views  of  the  Nonconformists— Conduct  of  the  Court 
towards  them — Baxter's  desire  of  Agreement — Interview  with  the 
King — Baxter's  Speech — The  Ministers  requested  to  draw  up  their 
Proposals — Meet  at  Sion  College  for  this  purpose — Present  their 
Paper  to  the  King — Many  Ministers  ejected  already — The  King's  De- 
claration— Baxter's  Objections  Ut  it— Presented  to  the  Chancellor  in 
the  form  of  a  Petition — Meeting  with  his  Majesty  to  hear  the  De- 
claration— Declaration  altered— Baxter,  Calamy,  and  Reynolds,  of- 
fered Bishopricks — Baxter  declines — Private  Interview  with  the  King 
— The  Savoy  Conference — Debates  about  the  Mode  of  Proceeding — 
Baxter  draws  up  the  Reformed  Liturgy — Petition  to  the  Bishops — 
No  Disposition  to  Agreement  <»n  their  part— Answer  to  their  former 
Papers — Personal  Debate — Character  of  the  lending  Parties  on  both 
bides — Issue  of  the  Conference 171 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

1661—1665. 

Baxter  endeavours  to  p^ain  Possession  of  Kidderminster— The  King  and 
Claremlon  favourable  to  it— Defeated  by  Sir  Ralph  Clare  and  Bishop 
Morlej^-^^nduct  of  Sir  Ralph  Clare  to  the  People  of  Kidderminster 

h2 


VIU  CONTENTS  TO   PART   I. 

Page 
—Baxter's  spirited  ReinoDstraDce— Insurrection  of  the  Fifth  Mo- 
narchy Men — Baxter's  Preaching  in  London — Obtains  a  License  from 
the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury — Attempts  to  negociate  with  the  Vicar 
of  KidJerrbin&ter — ^Treatment  of  the  People  by  the  Bishop  and  Clergy 
—Baxter  entirely  separated  from  Kidderminster — ^Takes  leave  of  Uie 
Church — Act  of  Uniformity — Its  Injustice,  Impolicy,  and  Cruelty- 
Its  injurious  Effects — Baxter's  Marriage — Declaration  of  Indulgence 
—Death  and  Character  of  Ash — Nelson — Hardships  of  the  Noncon- 
formists— Death  of  Archbishop  Juxon — Succeeded  by  Sheldon — ^Act 
against  Private  Meetings— Sufferings  of  the  People — Baxter  retires  to 
Acton — Works  written  or  published  by  him  during  this  period — Cor- 
respondence— Occasional  Communion — Consulted  by  Ashley— >Con- 
dudiog  Memorials  of  the  year  1665 215 


CHAPTER    IX. 

1665—1670. 

k  The  Plague  of  London — Preaching  of  some  of  the  Nonconformists— 
The  Five-Mile  Act— The  Fire  of  London— Benevolence  of  Ashurst 
and  Gouge — The  Fire  advantageous  to  the  Preaching  of  the  Silenced 
Ministers — Conformist  Clergy — More  Talk  about  Liberty  of  Con- 
science— The  Latitudinarians  —  Fall  of  Clarendon — ^The  Duke  of 
Buckingham — Sir  Orlando  Bridgman— Preaching  of  the  Noncon- 
formists connived  at — Fresh  Discussions  about  a  Comprehension- 
Dr.  Creighton — Ministers  imprisoned — Address  to  the  King — Non- 
conformists attacked  from  the  Press— -Baxter's  Character  of  Judge 
Hale— Dr.  Ryves — Baxter  sent  to  Prison— Advised  to  apply  for  a 
Habeas  Corpus — Demands  it  from  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas— Be- 
haviour of  the  Judges— Discharged— Removes  to  Totteridge — His 
Works  during  this  period — Correspondence  with  Owen 254 


CHAPTER    X. 

1670—1676. 

Conventicle  Act  renewed^-Lord  Lauderdale— Fears  of  the  Bishops  about 
the  increase  of  Popery — ^Bishop  Ward — Groves-Serjeant  Fountain 
—Judge  Vaughan— The  King  connives  at  the  Toleration  of  the  Non- 
conformists— Shuts  up  the  Exchequer — ^The  Dispensing  Declaration 
•—License  applied  for  on  Baxter's  behalf— >Finner's  Hall  Lecture— 


CONTENTS  TO   PART   I.  IX 

Pag« 
Baxter  fictachei  at  different  places— The  Kind's  Declaration  voted 
ille|ral  bj  Pteliameut— The  Test  Act— Baxter  desired  by  the  Earl  of 
Orrery  to  draw  up  new  Terms  of  Agreement — Healings  Measure  pro- 
posed in  the  House  of  Comnons,  which  fails — Conduct  of  some  of  the 
Conformists — Baxter's  Afflictions — Preaches  at  St.  James's  Market- 
House — Licenses  recalled — Baxter  employs  an  Assistant-*  Appre- 
hended by  a  Warrant— Escapes  beings  imprisoned — Another  Scheme 
of  Comprehension— Informers— City  Ma^strates— Parliament  falls 
on  Lauderdale  and  others— The  Bishops'  Test  Act— Baxter's  Goods 
distrained — Various  Ministerial  Labours  and  Sufferiogs— Controversy 
with  Penn — Baxter's  Danger— His  Writings  during  this  period     .    •    285 


CHAPTER    XL 

1676—1681. 

Baxter  resumes  Preaching  in  the  Parish  of  St.  Martin — Nonconformists 
again  persecuted — ^Dr.  Jane— >Dr.  Mason— Baxter  preaches  in  Swallow- 
street — Compton,  Bishop  of  London — Lamplugh,  Bishop  of  Exeter- 
Lloyd,  Bishop  of  Worcester — Various  Slanders  against  Baxter — Death 
of  Dr.  Manton — Pinner's  Hall  Lecture— Popish  Plot — Earl  of  Dan  by 
— Baxter's  Interference  on  behalf  of  banished  Scotsmen — Hungarians 
—The  Long  Parliament  of  Charles  If.  dissolved— Transactions  of  the 
New  Parliament — Bill  of  Exclusion — Meal-Tub  Plot— Baxter's  Re- 
flections on  the  Times — Writings — Death  of  Friends — Judge  Hale — 
Stubbs  —  Corbet  —  Gouge  —  Ashurst  —  Baxter's  Step-mother— Mrs. 
Baxter 322 


CHAPTER    XII. 

1681—1687. 

The  continued  Sufferings  of  Baxter— Apprehended  and  his  Goods  dis- 
trained— Could  obtain  no  Redress— General  Sufferings  of  the  Dis- 
senters—Mayofs  Legacy— Baxter  again  apprehended  and  bound  to 
his  good  behaviour— Trial  of  Rosewell  for  High  Treason— Baxter 
brought  before  the  Justices,  and  again  bound  over— His  concluding 
Reflections  on  the  State  of  his  own  Times— Death  of  Charles  II.— 
Fox's  notice  of  the  Treatment  of  the  Dissenters,  and  of  the  Trial  of 
Baxter-Apprehended  on  a  Charge  of  Sedition— Brought  to  Trial*. 


CONTENTS  TO  PART  I. 


Paj?e 


lodictment— £iLtrflu>rdinai7  Behaviour  of  Jefferies  to  Baxter  and  his 
CouDsel — Found  Guilty— -Endeavours  to  procure  a  New  Trial,  or  a 
mitigated  Sentence— His  Letter  to  the  Bishop  of  London— Pined  and 
imprisoned— Remarks  on  the  Trial — Conduct  of  L'Estrange — Sher- 
lock—Behaviour While  in  Prison— The  Fine  remitted— Released 
from  Prison— Assists  Sylvester  in  the  Ministi^     ••••••.•    .146 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

1687—1691. 

Baxter's  Review  of  his  own  Life  and  Opinions,  and  Account  of  his  ma- 
tured Sentiments  and  Feelings — Remarks  on  that  Review — ^The 
Public  Events  of  his  last  Years— The  Revolntion— -The  Act  of  Tolera- 
tion— Baxter's  sense  of  the  Articles  required  to  be  subscribed  by  this 
Act — Agreement  of  the  Presbyterian  and  Independent  Ministers  of 
London — Last  Years  of  Baxter — Preaches  for  Sylvester — His  Writings 
— Visited  by  Dr.  Calamy— 'Account  of  his  last  Sickness  and  Death,  by 
Bates  and  Sylvester— Calumnious  Report  respecting  the  State  of  his 
Mind— Vindicated  by  Sylvestei^Buried  in  Chris^church— His  Will 
—William  Baxter— Funeral  Sermons  by  Sylvester  and  Bates — Sketch 
of  his  Character  by  the  latter— Concluding  Observations  on  the  Cha- 
racteristic Piety  of  Baxter     • 378 


CONTENTS  TO  PART  U. 


CHAPTER    I. 

WORKS   ON  THE  EVIDENCES   OP   RELIGION. 


Pa(« 


latroductory  Observations  on  the  Theologicftl  Literature  of  the  period 
— Arran^ment  of  this  Pftrt  of  the  Worit — Importance  of  the  Evi- 
dences of  ReligionF— *  Unreatonablelietf  of  Infidelity '-^Dedication  to 
Brai^lttil— Intended  as  a  Replj  to  Clement  Writef-^Nature  and  Plan 
of  tke  Work— >*  Reasons  of  the  Christian  Relisrion  '—View  of  the 
Work—*  More  Reasons  for  the  Christian  Religion '—Intended  as  a 
Reply  to  Lord  Herbert-^  On  the  Immortality  of  the  Soul  '—Notice  of 
First  Attack  in  English  on  this  Doctrine— Glanvil— Dr.  Henry  More  • 
—Baxter's  Notions  of  the  Soul's  Immateriality — '  Certainty  of  the 
World  of  Spirits ' — Singular  Nature  of  this  Book — Remarks  on  Witch- 
craft and  Apparitions — Baxter,  the  First  Original  Writer  iu  Eug^lisli 
00  th^  Evidences  of  Revelation — Momay — Grotius — Bishop  Fotherby 
—Stillin^fleet— Concluding^  Observations 415 


CHAPTER    II. 

DOCTRINAL  WORKS. 

Introductory  Observations—'  Aphorisms  of  Justification ' — Animadver- 
sions on  the  Aphorisms  by  Burgess,  Warreu,  Wallis,  Cartwright,  and 
Lawson— Other  Antagonists — '  Apology ' — Molineus,  Crandon,  Eyres 
— '  Confession  of  Faith  ' — *  Perse?erance ' — Kendal — Barlow — Shep- 
herd— *  Saving  Faith' — *  Dissertations  on  Justification  * — '  On  Justify- 
ing Righteousness ' — Controversy  with  Tully — *  Original  Sin ' — *  Uni- 
versal Redemption' — *  Catholic  Theology ' — *  Methodus  Theologie ' 

'  End  of  Doctrinal  Controversies ' — Geoeral  View  of  Baxter's  doc- 
trinal Seiitimeuts — Strictures  ou  his  Manner  of  conducting  Contro- 
refgy — CoacIusJaa ^     ,     ^     ^  w^ 


Xli  CONTENTS  TO   PART   II. 


CHAPTER    III. 

WORKS  ON   CONVERSION. 


Paff» 


Introductory  Remarks— <  Treatise  of  Conversion  '— '  Call  to  the  Un* 
converted ' — <  Now  or  Never ' — *  Directions  for  a  Sound  Conversion  ' 
«— 'Directions  to  the  Converted '— <  Character  of  a  Sound  Christian ' 
— *  Mischiefs  of  Self-i^orance ' — ^The  Countess  of  Balcarras — Con- 
troversy with  Bishop  Morley— ><  A  Saint  or  a  Brute'— > Various  smaller 
Treatises— Concluding  Observations      •.•••••••••    485 


CHAPTER   IV. 

VrORKS  ON  CHRISTIAN   EXPERIENCE. 

Introductory  Remarks—'  Right  Method  for  settled  Peace  of  Con- 
science '—Colonel  Bridges—'  The  Crucifyinf^  of  the  World  '—Thomas 
Foley,  Esq.— <  Treatise  on  Self-Denial '— <  Obedient  Patience'— <  Life 
of  Fdth* — *  Knowledge  and  Love  compared '«— Sir  Henry  and  Lady 
Diana  Ashurs^-*  God's  Goodness  indicated ' — Various  Discourses — 
*  Cure  of  Melancholy  ' — Baxter's  Experience  among  Persons  thus 
afflicted— Conclusion 511 


CHAPTER    V. 

WORKS  ON    CHRISTIAN  ETHICS. 

Introductory  Observations  —  Systematic  Theoloi^  —  The  Fathers — 
Schoolmen— Casuists— Reformers— Calvin's  Institutions— Works  of 
Perldns— Archbishop  Usher's  System— Leigh's  Body  of  Divinity- 
Baxter's  <  Christian  Directory '—Intended  as  the  Second  Part  of  his 
*  Methodtts  '—-His  own  Account  of  it — Remarks  on  the  Arrangement 
— 'Opposed  to  the  Politics  of  Hooker — Progress  of  the  Doctrine  of 
Passive  Obedience'in  England — Character  of  the  *  Directory ' — Com- 
pared with  the  *  Diictor  Dubitantium  '  of  Taylor— <  The  Reformed 
Pastor'—'  Reasons  for  Ministerial  Plainness ' — *  Poor  Man's  Family 
Book'— <  The  Catechising  of  Families '— <  The  Mother's  Catechism ' 
— *  Sheets  for  the  Poor  and  Afflicted '— '  Directions  to  Justices  of  the 
Peace'—*  How  to  do  Good  to  Many ' — *  Counsels  to  Young  Men '— ^ 
The  Divine  Appointment  of  the  Lord's  Day — Concluding  Remarks    •    538 


CONTENTS  TO  PART  II.  V& 


CHAPTER    VI. 

I 

WORKS   ON   CATHOLIC   COMMUNION. 


Pas* 


Unity  of  the  Early  Christians — Causes  of  Separatioo— Meant  of  Re- 
union— Sentinaents  of  Hall  on  this  Subject— Baxter,  the  Orig^ina^ 
tor,  in  Modem  Hmes,  of  the  true  Principle  of  Catholic  Comma- 
Dion — His  various  Labours  to  [>romote  it— '  Christian  Concord'— 
Baiter's  Church  Communion  at  Kidderminster — '  Ag^reement  of 
Ministers  in  Worcestershire' — *  Disputations  of  Right  to  the  Sacra- 
ments '—Sir  William  Morice — *  Confirmation  and  Restauration '— 
*  Disputations  on  Church  Government '-^Dedicated  to  Richard  Crom- 
well— *  Judgment  concerning  Mr.  Dury  '—Some  Account  of  Dury 
— <  Universal  Concord  '—Baxter's  Efforts  in  promoting  Union  re- 
tarded by  the  Restoration—'  Catholic  Unity  '—'True  Catholic  and 
Catholic  Church' — '  Cure  of  Church  Divisions '—Controversy  with 
Bagshaw — '  Defence  of  the  Principles  of  Love ' — '  Second  Admonition 
to  Bagshaw ' — *  Church  told  of  Bagshaw's  Scandal ' — Further  Ac- 
count of  Bagshaw — '  True  and  Only  Way  of  Concord ' — *  Catholic 
Communion  Defended,'  in  Five  Parts — '  Judgment  of  Sir  Matthew 
Hale ' — *  Baxter's  Sense  of  the  Subscribed  Articles  ' — '  Church  Con- 
cord ' — ^^  Of  National  Churches ' — ^*  Moral  Prognostication ' — Summary 
View  of  Baxter's  Sentiments  on  Catholic  Communion  and  Church 
Government    • 573 


CHAPTER    VII. 

WORKS   ON    NONCONFORMITY, 

Introductory  Observations  on  the  History  of  Notaconformity — 'The 
Nonconformist  Papers'— Never  answered — '  Sacrilegious  Desertion  of 
the  Ministry — •  The  Judgment  of.  Nonconformists  of  the  Office  of 
Reason  in  Matters  of  Religion '— *  Of  the  Difference  between  Grace 
and  Morality '— *  About  Things  Indifferent '— *  About  things  Sinful  '— 
*  What  Mere  Nonconformity  is  not  '- '  Nonconformists'  Plea  for 
Peace' — Second  Part  of  Ditto— Defence  of  Ditto— Correspondence 
with  Tillotson— '  Answer  to  Dr.  Stillingfleet '— '  Second  Defence  of 
the  Mere  Nonconformist ' — *  Search  for  the  English  Schismatic ' — 
'Treatise  of  Episcopacy ' — '  Third  Defence  of  the  Cause  of  Peace' 
— *  Apology  for  the  Nonconformists'  Ministry ' — *  English  Noncon- 
formity'-HCondosiou  •    •    •    614 


19T  CONTJINTS  TO  BAHT  |f» 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

WORKS  ON    POPERY. 

Page 

Introductory  Observations— <  The  Safe  Religion'—*  Winding-Sbeet  for 
Popery  '—*  GroMan  Religion  '—Controversy  vrith  Peirce,  Wom^ck, 
Heylittj  and  Bramball— '  Key  for  Catholics  '— *  Successive  Visibility 
of  the  Cburch  * — Controversy  with  Johnson — *  Fair  Warning ' — '  Dif- 
ference between  the  Power  of  Church  Pastors  and  the  Roman 
Kingdom' — 'Certainty  of  Christianity  without  Popery' — '  Full  and 
Easy  Satisfaction,  which  is  the  True  Religion' — Dedicated  to  Lau- 
derdale— *  Christ,  not  the  Pope,  the  Head  of  the  Church '— <  Roman 
Tradition  Examined ' — <  Naked  Popery  '—Controversy  with  Hutchin- 
son— *  Which  is  the  True  Church  ' — '  Answer  to  Dodwell '— '  Dissent 
from  Sherlock ' — *  Answer  to  Do4weirs  Letter  calling  for  more  An- 
swers ' — *  Against  Revolt  to  a  Foreign  Jurisdiction ' — '  Protestant 
Religioatruly stated'— Conclusion    •••••• 641 


CHAPTER    IX- 

WORKS   ON   ANTINOMIANISM. 

The  Nature  of  Antioomianism — Its  Appearance  at  the  Reformation — 
Originated  in  Popery — Origin  in  England — ^The  Sentiments  of  Crisp — 
Baxter's  early  Hostility  to  it— The  chief  Subject  of  bis  <  Confession  of 
Faith'— Dr.  Fowlei^-Baxter's  *  Holiness,  the  Design  of  Christianity' 
— <  Appeal  to  the  Light '— <  Treatise  of  Justifying  Rigbteousness  '— 
Publication  of  Ci-isp's  Works— Controversy  wbich  ensued— Baxter's 
*  Scripture  Gospel  Defended  '—The  lofiueuce  of  his  Writings  and 
.  Preacbipg  on  Antioomianisni^— Leading  Errors  of  the  System    .    .    •    650 


CHAPTER     X. 

WORKS   ON    BAPTISM,  QUAKBRISM,   AND    MILLBNARIANISM. 

Introductory  B.emarkfi— Controversy  with  Tombes— *  Plain  Proof  of 
Infant  Baptisvi  ' — Answered  by  Tombes— <  More  Proofs  of  Infant 
ChorcU<^eiiibership '— Contravefsy  with  DaAvers-^*  Rtivieii  of  the 
$4^  vf  Chfisiiau  Ipfviti'-rControYer^  with  the.  guftkfrtooSMl^ 


gWTINTS  TO  FAirt  u«  ^ 

Behaviour  of  the  Quakers—*  Worcestershire  Petition  to  Parliament  *— 
«  PetitioQ  Defended*—*  Qaaker's  Catechism  ^— •  Single  Sheets '  re- 
bsiog  to  thelQuakers— Controversy  with  Beverley  on  the  Millenium— 
Account  of  Beverley—*  The  Glorloue  Kingdom  of  Christ  described  ' 
—Answered  by  Bevcrlcy^Baxter's  *  Reply '- Conclusion     .... 


680 


CHAPTER    XL 

POLITICAL   AND  HISTORICAL  WORKS. 

Introductory  Oheenrations — *  Humble  Advice '— *  Holy  Commonwealth ' 
•-Origia  and  Design  of  the  Work-*-lnvolved  the  Author  in  much 
Trouble— The  Political  Principles  which  it  avows— Recalled  by  Bax- 
ter^Motives  for  doing  so— 'Church  History  of  Bishops  '—Attacked  by 
Morice— <  True  History  of  Bishops  and  Councils  Defended '— <  Bre- 
viat  of  tlie  Life  of  Mrs.  Baxter'— <  Penitent  Confession  '-Conduct 
of  Long  towards  Baxter — '  Reliquiie  Baxterians ' — Character  of  this 
Work— Imperfectly  Edited  by  Sylvester— CaliMny'f  Account  of  it,  and 
its  Reception — His  Abridgment  of  it — Controversy  to  which  it  led     •    702 


CHAPTER     XII. 


DEVOTIONAL   WORKS. 


Introductory  Observations—*  The  Saint's  Everlasting:  Rest  '-Written 
for  his  own  use  iu  the  time  of  Sickness — Composed  in  Six  Months 
—Notices  of  Brook,  Pym,  and  Hampden,  whose  names  are  omitted 
in  the  later  Editions— Description,  Character,  and  Usefulness,  of 
the  Work — Attacked  by  Firmin— Baxter's  '  Answer  to  his  Exceptions' 
— *  The  Divine  Life  ' — Occasioned  by  a  request  of  the  Countess  of 
Balcarras — Its  Object  and  Excellence — *  Funeral  Sermons  '  for  vari- 
ous Persons—'  Treatise  of  Death  '— *  Dying  Tbougiits' — *  Reformed 
Liturgy ' — *  Paraplirase  on  the  New  1  cstament ' — *  Monthly  Pre- 
parations for  the  Communion  ' — *  Poetical  Fragments ' — *  Additions  ' 
to  the  Fragments—*  Paraphrase  of  the  Psalms  '—General  Review  of 
his  Poetry— Conclusion ....•••••    7J4 


Xn^  CONTENTS  TO  PART  II, 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

f 

GBN£RAL  CONCLUSION. 

Page 
Baxter,  the  author  of  Prefaces  to  many  Books  by  others— Leaves  vari- 
ous Treatises  in  MauuKcript-^His  extensive  Correspoudeuce  still  pre- 
served—Letter to  Increase  Mather— Account  of  Transactions  with 
his  Bookselleni — Concurrence  of  Opinions  respecting  him  as  a  Wri- 
ter —  Barrow  —  Boyle — Wilkins — Usher  —  Manton  —Bates — ^Dod- 
drid|^  —  Kippis  — Orton —Addison  — Johnson  —  Granger—  Wilber- 
force — His  own  Review  of  his  Writings— Its  characteristic  candour 
and  fidelity — ^The  magnitude  of  his  Labours  as  a  Writer — ^The  num- 
ber and  variety  of  his  Works — His  Readiness — His  Style — Sometimes 
injudicious,  both  in  his  Writings  and  his  Conduct— Deficient  in  the 
full  statement  of  Evangelical  Doctrine — Causes  of  this  Deficiency- 
Conclusion     •••«.••• 763 


ChroDologicalListofthe  Works  of  Baxter 793 


THE 

LIFE  AND  TIMES 

OP  • 

RICHARD  BAXTER- 


CHAPTER  I. 

1615—1638. 


Birth  of  BuLter«>Cliaracter  of  bis  Fatker— I^w  State  of  Religion— Qaxter'^ 
first  relif^us  Impressions — His  early  Education — Profess  of  his  religious 
Feelings — Residence  at  Ludlow  Castle— Escapes  acquiring  a  Taste  for  Gam- 
iog— Returns  Home— Illness  and  its  Effects— Nature  and  Progress  of  his 
Education— lU  Defects— Troubled  with  DoubU— Distress  of  Mind— Dis- 
eased Habit  of  Body— Goes  to  Court— Remarkable  Preservation— Death  of 
his  Mother- His  Attachment  to  the  Ministry— His  Conformity— Becomes 
acquainted  with  the  Nonconformists — Ordained  to  the  Ministry. 

The  excellent  person  whose  life  and  writings  constitute  the 
subject  of  the  following  memoirs,  was  the  son  of  Richard  Bax- 
ter, of  Eaton-Constantine,  in  Shropshire.  His  mother's  name 
was  Beatrice,  a  daughter  of  Richard  Adeney,  of  Rowton,  near 
High-Ercall,  the  seat  of  Lord  Newport,  in  the  same  county. 
At  this  place  Richard  Baxter  was  born,  on  the  1 2th  •  of  No- 
vember, 1615  ;  and  here  he  spent,  with  his  grandfather,  the 
first  ten  years  of  his  life. 

His  father  .was  a  freeholder,  and  possessed  of  a  moderate 
estate ;  but  having  been  addicted  to  gaming  in  his  youth,  hia 

*  It  seems  rather  singular  that  Baxter  should  be  guilty  of  a  mistake  re« 
tpectiug  the  day  of  his  own  birih.  There  is,  however,  a  discrepaucy  between 
the  date  here  given  by  himself,  and  that  iu  the  parish  register.  The 
following  extract  from  it,  made  by  my  frieud  Mr.  Williams,  of  Shrewsbury, 
shows  that  either  Mr.  Haxter  or  the  parish  clerk  must  have  made  a  mistake. 
"Richard  Sonne  and  heyr  of  Richard  Baxter  of  Eatou  Constantyne  and 
Beatrice  his  wife,  baptized  the  sixth  of  November,  1615."  If  he  was  baptised 
on  the  sixth,  he  coukl  not  be  boru  on  the  twelfth!  But  perhaps  sixth  is  a 
mistake  in  the  register  for  tixieenth, 

V0L«  U  B 


2  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMES 

property  became  so  deeply  involved,  that  much  care  and  frugality 
were  required  to  disencumber  it  at  a  future  period  of  his  life. 
Before,  or  about  the  time  that  Richard  was  born,  an  important 
change  took  place  in  his  father.  This  was  effected  chiefly  by  the 
reading  of  the  Scriptures,  as  he  had,  not  the  benefit  of  christian 
association,  or  of  the  public  preaching  of  the  Gospel.  Indeed,  the 
latter  privilege  could  scarcely  then  be  enjoyed  in  that  county. 
There  was  little  preaching  of  any  kind,  and  that  little  was  cal- 
culated to  ipjure,  rather  thi^  to  benefit. '  In  High  ^all,  there 
were  four  readers  in  the  course  of  six  years ;  all  of  them  igno- 
rant, and  two  of  them  immoral  men.  At  Eaton-Constantine, 
there  was  a  reader  of  eighty  years  of  age.  Sir  William  Rogers, 
who  never  preached;  yet  he  had  two  livings,  twenty  miles  apart 
from  each  other.  His  sight  failingy  he  repeated  the  prayers 
without  book,  but  to  read  the  lessons,  he  employed  a  com- 
mon labourer  one  year,  a  tailor  another ;  and,  at  last,  his  own 
Qonj  the  best  stage-player  and  gamester  in  all  the  country,  got 
ord^rdt  and  supplied  one  of  his  places*  Within  a  few  miles 
round  were  nearly  a  dozen  more  ministers  of  the  mne  descrip- 
tion :  poor,  ignorant  readers,  and  most  of  them  of  dissolute 
lives.  ^  Three  or  four,  who  were  of  a  different  obaracter,  though 
all  conformists,  were  the  objects  of  popular  derision  and  hatred, 
as  Puritans.  When  such  was  the  character  of  the  priests,  we 
need  not  Wonder  that  the  people  were  profligate,  and  despisers 
of  them  that  were  good.  The  greater  part  of  the  Lord's-day 
was  spent  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  village  in  dancing  round  a 
may*pole,  near  Mr.  Baxter's  door,  to  the  no  small  distress  and 
disturbance  of  the  family. 

To  his  father's  instructions  and  example,  young  Richard  was 
indebted  for  his  first  religious  convictions*  At  a  very  early  pe  • 
riod,  his  mind  was  impressed  by  his  serious  conversation  about 
God  and  the  life  to  come.  His  conduct  in  the  family  also,  and 
th^  manneir  in  which  he  was  reproached  by  the  people  as  a 
iPuritan  and  hypocrite,  g^ve  additional  effect  to  his  conversa- 
tion.    Parents  should  be  careful  what  they  say  in  the  pre- 

^  In  bis  Third  Defence  of  the  Cause  of  Peace,  Baxter  g:ive8  the  names  of  aU 
the  incltirlduals  above  referred  to,  with  adtJitl«»nal  drcuroatances  of  a  disgrace- 
M  nature  in  the  history  of  each.  The  stateneut  is  a  v«rj  shocking  oue,  even 
In  the  moAt  nilti|;ated  form  in  which  I  could  present  it;  but  justice  to  Baxter 
'and  toblf  nccount  of  the  times,  required  tliat  the  facu  should  not  be  withheld. 
They  ^ve  a  deplorable  view  of  the  state  of  the  period,  and  show,  very  power- 
fully, the  necessity  of  some  of  the  measures  which  were  pursued  at  a  future 
period  for  the  purification  of  the  church. 


OP  RICHAAD    BAXTBIU     .  S 

aeiice  of  children,  as  well  aa  what  they  say  to  them ;  for  if 
occasional  addresses  are  not  supported  by  a  regular  train  of 
holy  and  consistent  conduct,  they  are  not  likely  to  produce  sa* 
httary  effect.  There  must  have  been  some  striking  indications  of 
religions  feeling  in  Baxter,  when  a  child ;  for  bis  father  remark- 
ed to  Dr.  Bates,  that  he  would  even  then  reprove  the  improper 
conduct  of  other  children,  to  the  astonishment  of  those  who 
heard  him.  ^  The  account,  too,  which  he  gives  of  the  early 
visitings  of  bis  conscience,  sliows  that  something  was  operating 
in  him,  the  nature  and  design  of  which  he  did  not  then  fully 
understand*  He  was  addicted,  during  his  boyhood,  to  vari- 
ous evils — such  as  lying,  stealing  ^fruit,  levity,  pride,  disobe-*' 
dience  to  parents.  These  sins  made  him  occasionally  very  un^ 
easy,  even  in  his  youth,  and  cost  him  considerable  trouble  to 
overcome.  It  would  be  improper,  however,  to  attach  mucb 
importance  to  these  uneasy  feelings,  as  such  emotions  have  fre^ 
qaendy  been  experienced  in  early  life,  yet  never  followed  by 
any  evidence  of  decided  change  of  character.  It  is  only  when 
they  continue,  or  are  afterwards  accompanied  by  an  entire 
change  of  life,  that  they  ought  to  be  considered  as  of  heavenly 
origin.  This  was  happily  the  case  in  the  present  instance. 
Baxter's  early  impressions  and  convictions,  though  often  like 
the  morning  cloud  and  early  dew,  were  never  entirely  dissipated; 
but  at  last  fully  established  themselves  in  a  permanent  influence 
on  his  character. 

His  early  education  was  very  imperfectly  conducted.  From 
six  to  ten  years  of  age,  he  was  under  the  four  successive  curates 
of  the  parish,  two  of  whom  never  preached,  and  the  two  who 
had  the  most  learning  of  the  four  drank  themselves  to  beggary, 
and  then  left  the  place.  At  the  age  of  ten  he  was  removed  to 
his  father's  house,  where  Sir  William  Rogers,  the  old  blind  man 
of  whom  we  have  already  spoken,  was  parson.  One  of  his 
curates  who  succeeded  a  person  who  was  driven  away  on  being 
discovered  to  have  officiated  under  forged  orders,  was  Baxter's 
principal  schoolmaster.  This  man  had  been  a  lawyer's  clerk, 
but  hard  drinking  drove  him  from  that  profession,  and  he  turned 
curate  for  a  piece  of  bread.  He  only  preached  once  in  Baxter's 
timev  and  then  was  drunk  !  From  such  men  what  instruction 
could  be  expected  ?  How  dismal  must. the  state  of  the  country 
have  been,  when  they  could  be  tolerated  either  as  ministers  or 

'  Funeral  Serinoo  foe  Baiter* 
b2 


4  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMES 

teachers  !  His  next  instructor,  who  loved  him  much,  he  tells 
us,  was  a  grave  and  eminent  man,  and  expected  to  be  made  a 
bishop*  He  also,  however,  disappointed  him ;  for  during  no 
less  than  two  years,  he  never  instructed  him  one  hour;  but  spent 
his  time,  for  the  most  part,  in  talking  against  the  factious  Puri- 
tans. In  his  study,  he  remembered  to  have  seen  no  Greek  book 
but  the  New  Testament ;  the  only  father  was  Augustine  de  Ci- 
vitate  Dei ;  there  were  a  few  common  modern  English  works, 
and  for  the  most  of  the  year,  the  parson  studied  Bishop 
Andrews'  Sermons.*^ 

Of  Mr.  John  Owen,  master  of  the  free-school  at  Wroxeter, 
he  speaks  more  respectfully.  To  him  he  was  chiefly  indebted 
for  his  classical  instruction.  He  seems  to  have  been  a  re- 
spectable man,  and  under  him  Baxter  had  for  his  schoolfel- 
lows the  two  sons  of  Sir  Richard  Newport,  one  of  whom  be- 
came Xiord  Newport;  and  Dr.  Richard  Allestree,  afterwards  a 
distinguished  loyalist^  for  which  he  was  made  Regius  Professor 
of  Divinity,  at  Oxford,  and  Provost  of  Eton  College.*  When 
fitted  for  the  University  by  Owen,  his  master  recommended  that 
instead  of  being  sent  to  it,  he  should  be  put  under  the  tuition  of 
Mr.  Richard  Wickstead,  chaplain  to  the  Council  at  Ludlow,  who 
was  allowed  by  the  king  to  have  a  single  pupil.  From  him,  as 
he  had  but  one  scholar,  to  whom  he  engaged  to  pay  par- 
ticular attention,  much  was  naturally  expected.  But  he  also 
neglected  his  trust.  He  made  it  his  chief  business  to  please  the 
great  and  seek  preferment ;  which  he  tried  to  do  by  speaking 
against  the  religion  and  learning  of  the  Puritans,  though  he  had 
no  great  portion  of  either  himself.  The  only  advantage  young 
Baxter  had  with  him,  was  the  enjoyment  of  time  and  books. 

Considering  the  great  neglect  of  suitable  and  regular  instruc- 
tion, both  secular  and  religious,  which  Baxter  experienced  in 
his  youth,  it  is  wonderful  that  he  ever  rose  to  eminence.  Such 
disadvantages  are  very  rarely  altogether  conquered.  But  the 
strength  of  his  genius,  the  ardour  of  his  mind,  and  the  power  of 
his  religious  principles,  compensated  for  minor  defects,  subdued 
every  difficulty,  and  bore  down  with  irresistible  energy  every 
obstacle  that  had  been  placed  in  his  way.  As  the  progress  of 
his  religious  character  is  of  more  importance  than  that  of  his 
learning,  it  is  gratifying  that  we  are  able  to  trace  it  very  minutely. 

^  Apolo^  for  the  Nooconformist  Ministry^  p.  58. 
*  Athen.  Oxon.  vol.  u.  p.  505. 


OF  aiCHARD  BAXTER.  5 

The  oonyictions  of  his  childhood  were  powerfully  revived 
when  about  fifteen  years  of  age,  by  reading  an  old  torn  book^ 
knt  by  a  poor  man  to  his  father.  This  little  work  was  called 
^  Bunny's  Resolution/  being  written  by  a  Jesuit  of  the  name  of 
Parsons,  but  comeeted  by  Edmund  Bunny/  Previously  to  this 
be  had  never  experienced  any  real  change  of  heart,  though  he 
had  a  sort  of  general  love  for  religion.  But  it  pleased  Qod  to 
awaken  his  soul,  to  show  him  the  folly  of  sinning,  the  misery  of  the 
wicked,  and  the  inexpressible  importance  of  eternal  things.  His 
convictions  were  now  attended  with  illumination  of  mind,  and 
deep  seriousness  of  heart.  His  conscience  distressed  him,  led 
him  to  much  prayer,  and  to  form  many  resolutions;  but 
whether  the  good  work  was  then  begun,  or  only  revived,  he 
never  could  satisfactorily  ascertain.  Hiis  is  a  circumstance  of 
little  importance.  R^neration  can  take  place  but  once,  but 
more  conversions  than  one  are  required  in  many  an  individual's 
life.'  If  we  are  assured  that  the  great  change  has  really  been 
effected,  the  time  and  circumstances  in  which  it  occurs  are  of 
small  moment. 

Another  work  which  was  very  useful  to  him  at  this  time,  is 
better  known ;  ^  The  Bruised  Reedj'  by  Dr.  Richard  Sibbs ;  a 
book  which  has  passed  through  many  editions,  and  has  been  ho- 
noured to  do  good  to  many.  Here  he  discovered  more  clearly  the 
nature  of  the  love  of  God,  and  of  the  redemption  of  Christ;  and 
was  led  to  perceive  how  much  he  was  indebted  to  the  Redeemer. 
1111  these  things  are  understood,  and  their  influence  felt,  no 
man  can  be  considered  as  converted.  The  works  of  Perkins 
*  On  Repentance,'  on  '  Living  and  Dying  well,'  and  ^  On  the 
Government  of  the  Tongue,'  also  contributed  to  instruct  and  im- 
prove him.    Thus,  by  means  of  books  rather  than  of  living 

'  This  work  was  ori^'nally  written  on  the  principleg  of  Popery ;  but  Bun- 
ny expunf^  and  altered  whatever  was  unsuitable  to  the  Protestant  belief, 
and  published  it  in  an  improved  form.  The  Jesuit  was  naturally  enoug^h  dis- 
pleased at  the  freedom  used  with  his  work,  which  led  Mr.  Bunny  to  write  a 
pamphlet  in  defence  of  his  conduct.  Bunny  was  a  Puritan  of  the  oldest  class. 
He  was  rector  of  Bolton  Percy,  and  enjoyed  some  other  preferments  in  the 
church  ;  but  he  was  a  man  of  apostolic  zeal,  and  travelled  much  throu^  the 
country  for  the  purpose  of  preaching  the  gospel.  He  died  in  1617.  ^'  Athen.  • 
Oson.'  vol.  1.  p.  364.)  The  work  edited  by  Bunny  was  useful  to  others  as 
weU  as  to  Baxter.  Two  other  Nonconformist  ministers,  Mr.  Fowler  and  Mr. 
Michael  Old,  were  first  seriously  impressed  by  it;  and  Baxter  tells  us  that  he 
had  beafd  of  iU  success  with  others  also.  (Baxter  against  Revolt  to  a  Foreign 
IttrisdictioD,  p.  540.) 

t  Luke  xxii.  32. 


6  TRfi   LfFB   AND  TIMJBS 

instruments,  Odd  was  pleased  to  lead  him  to  himself.  Hid  con- 
nexions with  men  tended  to  injure  and  to  stumble  him  rather 
than  to  do  him  good.  Among  the  things  he  mentions  which 
had  no  tendency  to  promote  his  spiritual  profit,  was  his  confirm- 
ation by  Bishop  Morton,  to  whom  he  went  when  about  four- 
teen, with  the  rest  of  the  boys.  He  asked  no  questions,  re- 
quired no  certificate,  and  hastily  said,  as  he  passed  on,  three  or 
four  words  of  a  prayer,  which  Baxter  did  not  understand.^  The 
careless  observance  of  the  forms  of  religion,  whether  these  forms 
be  of  human  or  divine  ordination,  is  never  defensible:  and  must 
always  have  a  hardening  effect  on  the  mind. 

While  residing  at  Ludlow  Castle  with  Mr.  W^ckstead,  he 
was  exposed  to  great  temptation.  When  there,  he  formed 
an  acquaintance  with  a  young  man,  who  afterwards  unhappily 
apostatised,  though  he  then  appeared  to  be  decidedly  religious. 
They  walked  together,  read  together,  prayed  together,  and 
were  little  separate  by  night  or  by  day.  He  was  the  first  person 
Baxter  ever  heard  pray  extempore,  out  of  the  pulpit ;  and  who 
taught  him  to  do  the  same.  He  appeared  full  of  zeal  and  dili- 
gence, of  liberality  and  love;  so  that,  from  his  example  and  con- 
versation he  derived  great  benefit.  This  young  man  was  first 
drawn  from  his  attachment  to  the  Puritans  by  a  superior,  then 
led  to  revile  them,  and  finally  to  dishonour  his  profession  by 
shameful  debauchery.  Such  frequently  is  the  progress  of  reli- 
gious declension. 

During  his  short  residence  at  Ludlow  Castle,  Baxter  made  a 
narrow  escape  from  acquiring  a  taste  for  gaming,  of  which  he 
gives  a  curious  account.  The  best  gamester  in  the  house  under- 
took to  teach  him  to  play.  The  first  or  second'  game  was  sw 
nearly  lost  by  Baxter,  that  his  opponent  betted  a  hundred  to  one 
against  him,  laying  down  ten  shillings  to  his  sixpence.  He  told 
him  there  was  no  possibility  of  his  winning,  but  by  getting  one 
cast  of  the  dice  very  often.  No  sooner  was  the  money  down,  than 
Baxter  had  every  cast  that  he  wished ;  so  that  before  a  person 
could  go  three  or  fou^  times  round  the  room  the  game  was  won. 
This  so  astonished  him  that  he  believed  the  devil  had  the  com- 
mand of  the  dice,  and  did  it  to  entice  him  to  play ;  in  conse- 
quence of  which  he  returned  the  ten  shillings,  and  resolved  never 
to  play  more.  Whatever  maiy  be  thought  of  the  fact  or  of 
Baxter's  reasoning  on  it,  the  result  was  to  him  important  and 
beneficial. 

^  Third  Defence  of  Noncon.  p.  40. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  7 

On  retdrmng  from  Ludlow  Castle  to  his  fiather's,  he  found 
his  old  sehoolmaster,'  Owen,  dying  of  a  consumption.  At  the 
request  of  Lord  Newport,  he  took  charge  of  the  school  till  it 
should  appear  whether  the  master  would  die  or  recover.  In  about 
a  cpiarter  of  a  year  his  death  relieved  Baxter  from  this  office, 
and  as  he  had  determined  to  enter  the  ministry,  he  placed  him* 
self  under  Mr.  Francis  Qarbet,  then  minister  of  Wroxeter,  for 
further  instmction  in  theology.  With  him  he  read  logic  about 
a  month,  but  was  seriously  and  long  interrupted,  by  symptoms 
of  that  complaint  which  attended  him  to  his  grare.  He  was  at- 
tacked  by  a  violent  cough,  with  spitting  of  blood,  and  other  indi- ' 
cadons  of  consumption.  These  symptoms  continued  to  distress 
him  for  two  years,  and  powerfully  tended  to  deepen  his  religious 
feelings.  A  common  attendant  on  such  a  state  of  body,  depreft* 
Am  of  spirits,  Baxter  also  experienced.  He  became  more  anxious 
about  his  eternal  welfare,  entjsrtained  doubts  of  his  own  sincerity, 
and  questioned  whether  he  had  any  spiritual  life  whatever.  He 
complafaied  grievously  of  his  insensibility:  *^I  was  not  then,"  he 
says,  ^'sensible  of  the  incomparable  excellence  of  holy  love,  and 
delight  in  God  ;  nor  much  employed  in  thanksgiving  and  praise  ; 
but  all  my  groans  were  for  more  contrition,  and  a  broken  heart } 
I  prayed  most  for  tears  and  tenderness.'' 

Ezekid  Culverweirs  ^Treatise  on  Faith,'  and  some  other  good 
books,  together  ^MHth  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Garbet,  and  other 
excellent  men,  were  the  means  of  comforting  and  still  further 
instructing  him.  The  apparent  approaches  of  death  on  the  one 
hand,,  however,  and  the  smitings  of  conscience  on  the  other, 
were  the  discipline  which,  under  gracious  influence,  produced 
the  most  valuable  results.  They  made  him  appear  vile  and 
loathsome  to  himself,  and  destroyed  the  root  of  pride  in  his 
800L  They  restrained  that  levity  and  folly  to  which  he  was,  Iry 
age  and  constitution,  inclined.  They  made  this  world  appear 
to  him  88  a  carcass  without  life  or  loveliness,  and  undermined 
the  love  of  literary  fame,  of  which  he  had  before  been  ambi-* 
iious.  They  produced  a  higher  value  for  the  redemption  of 
Christ,  and  greater  ardour  of  devotedness  to  the  Redeemer  him^ 
self.  They  led  him  to  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  to 
r^rd  all  other  things  as  of  subordinate  and  trifling  import- 
snee.  The  man  who  experienced  such  benefits  from  the  divine 
treatment,  had  reason  to  rejoice,  rather  than  to  complain  of 
k ;  and  so  did  Baxter. 

In  consequence  of  these  thii^s,  divinity  was  not  merely«anaed  oa 


r>      :  ' 


8  THE  LIFE  AND  TIMES 

with  the  rest  of  his  studies^— -it  had  always  the  first  and  chief  p.aee. 
He  was  led  to  stndy  practical  theology  in  the  first  place^  in  the 
'TOost  practical  books,  and  in  a  practical  order.  He  did  this  for  the 
purpose  of  instructing  and  reforming  hb  own  soul.  He  read  a 
multitude  of  the  best  English  theological  works,  before  he  read 
'  any  foreign  systems  of  divinity.  Thus  his  afiections  were  exdted» 
while  his  judgment  was  informed ;  and  having  his  own  benefit 
\4!hiefly  in  view,  he  pursued  all  his  studies  with  the  greater  ardour 
{  I  and  profit.  It  is  matter  of  regret  that  theology  is  often  studied 
ly  more  with  a  view  to  the  benefit  of  others  than  of  the  student 
]^\  himself.  It  is  pursued  as  aprofesaon,  rather  than  as  belonging 
to  personal  character  and  enjoyment.  Hence  it  firequently 
^t  produces  a  pernicious  instead  of  a  salutary  effect  on  the  mind, 
and  debases  rather  than  elevates'  the  character.  Familiarity 
with  divine  things,  which  does  not  arise  from  personal  interest 
in  them,  is  to  be  dreaded  more  than  most  eWls  to  which  man  is 
liable. 

The  broken  state  of  his  health,  the  irregularity  of  his  teachers, 
and  his  never  being  at  any  university,  materially  injured  his  learn- 
ing and  occasioned  lasting  regrets.  He  never  acquired  any  great 
knowledge  of  the  learned  languages.  Of  Hebrew  he  scarcely 
knew  any  thing ;  his  acqumntance  with  Greek  was  not  profound  ; 
and  even  in  Latin,  as  his  works  show,  he  must  be  regarded  by  a 
sdiolar  as  little  better  than  a  barbarian.  Of  mathematics  he 
knew  nothing,  and  never  had  a  taste  for  them.  Of  logic  and 
metaphysics  he  was  a  devoted  admirer,  and  to  them  he  dedi* 
cated  his  labour  and  his  delight.  Definitions  and  distuietioni 
were  in  a  manner  his  occupation ;  the  quodmiy  the  qmd  $ii^  and 
quotuplex — modes,  eonseguenees,  and  a^juneU,  were  his  vooditt- 
lary.  He  never  thought  he  understood  any  thing  till  he  could 
anatomize  it,  and  see  the  parts  distinctly ;  and,  certainly,  very 
few  have  handled  the  knife  more  dexterously,  or  to  so  great 
an  extent.  His  love  of  the  niceties  of  metaphysical  disquisition 
plunged  him  very  early  into  the  study  of  controversial  divinity. 
The  schoolmen  were  the  objects  of  his  admiration ;  Aquinas, 
Scotus,  Durandus,  Ockham,  and  their  disciples,  were  the  teachers 
from  whom  he  acquired  no  small  portion  of  that  acuteness  for 
which  he  became  so  distinguished  as  a  dispute^,  and  of  that 
logomachy  by  which  most  of  his  writings  are  more  or  less 
drformed. 

Early  education  exerts  a  prodigious  power  over  the  foture  pur- 
suits and  habits  of  t)^e  individuiflt  )ts  imperfections  or 


OF  RICUARB  BAXTBR.  9 

ties  win  generally  appear^  if  he  ^attempt  to  make  any  figure  in 
the  scieiitific  or  literary  world.  The  advantages  of  a  university  or 
academical  education  will  never  be  despi^d  except  by  him  who 
never  enjoyed  them,  or  who  affects  to  be  superior  to  their 
necewty.  It  cannot  be  denied,  however,  that  some  of  our  most 
eminent  men  in  the  walks  of  theology,  as  well  as  in  other 
departments,  never  enjoyed  these  early  advantages.  The  cele- 
brated Erasmus,— -'' diat  great  honoured  name,''  and  Julius 
Cksbt  Scaliger,  had  neither  of  them  the  benefit  of  a  regular  early 
education.  As  theological  writers,  few  men,  among  our  own 
countrymen,  have  been  more  useful  or  respected  than  Andrew 
Fuller,  Abraham  Booth,  and  Archibald  Maclean,  yet  none  of 
Aem  received  much  education  in  his  youth.  Dr.  Carey  is  a  pro- 
digy, as  an  oriental  scholar,  and  yet  never  was  twelvemonths  at 
sebool  in  hb  life.  Among  these,  and  many  other  men  of  emi- 
nence, who  never  walked  an  academic  porch,  Richard  B^ter 
holds  a  prominent  place.  In  answer  to  a  letter  of  Anthony 
Wood,  inquiring  whether  he  was  an  Oxonian,  he  replied,  with 
beautiful  and  dignified  simplicity — ^^  As  to  myself,  my  faults  are 
no  disgrace  to  any  university,  for  I  was  of  none ;  I  have  little  but 
what  I  had  out  of  books,  and  inconsiderable  helps  of  country 
tutors.  Weakness  and  pain  helped  me  to  study  how  to  die ; 
that  set  me  on  studying  how  to  live ;  and  that  on  studying  the 
doctrine  from  which  I  must  fetch  my  motives  and  comforts : 
b^inning  with  necessities,  I  proceeded  by  degrees,  and  now 
am  going  to  see  that  for  which  I  have  lived  and  studied.''^ 

Academical  education  is  valuable,  when  it  excites  a  taste  for 
learning,  sharpens  the  natural  powers,  and  smoothes  the  path  of 
knowledge ;  but  when  it  is  substituted  in  after  life  for  diligent 
q>plication,  and  is  supposed  to  supply  the  lack  of  genius  or 
industry,  it  renders  comparatively  little  service  to  its  possessor. 
Hiose  who  have  not  enjoyed  it,  firequently  make  up  the  defi- 
ciency by  the  greater  ardour  of  their  application,  and  the  power- 
fill  energy  of  natural  talent.  This  was  eminently  the  case  with 
Baxter.  Conscious  of  the  imperfections  of  his  early  education, 
he  applied  himself  with  indefatigable  diligence ;  and  though  he 
never  attained  to  the  elegant  refinements  of  classical  literature, 
in  all  the  substantial  attainments  of  sound  learning  he  excelled 
most  of  his  contemporaries.  The  regrets  which  he  felt  at  an 
early  period,  that  his  scholarship  was  not  more  eminent,  he  has 
expressed  with  a  great  degree  of  feeling,  if  not  with  the  highest 
poetical  elegance. 

*  Athen.  Ox.  vol.  ii.  1125. 


f 


10  THfi   LtVB  AND  TfMBS 

**  Thy  methods  cmt'd  m j  ways :  my  yfMmg  desiM 
To  academic  f^lory  did  aspire. 
Fain  I'd  have  sat  in  such  a  nurse's  lap. 
Where  I  mi|^t  Iod^  hare  had  a  slu^g^rd't  nap ; 
Or  have  been  dandled  on  her  reverend  kncet» 
And  known  by  honoured  titles  and  defies ; 
And  there  have  spent  the  flower  of  my  days 
In  soaring^  in  the  air  of  hnman  praise. 
Yea,,  and  1  thouf^ht  it  needfoi  to  H^  ends. 
To  make  the  prejudiced  world  my  friends ; 
That  so  my  praise  might  go  before  thy  grace , 
Preparing  men  thy  message  to  embrace ; 
Also  my  work  and  ofl&ce  to  adorn. 
And  to  avoid  profane  contempt  and  scorn. 
But  these  were  not  thy  thoughts  ;  thou  didst  foresee 
That  such  a  course  would  not  be  best  for  me. 
Thou  mad'st  me  know  that  men's  contempt  and  scorn 
Is  such  a  cross  as  must  be  daily  borne." 

Referring  to  what  had  once  been  his  feelings^  he  expresses 
himself  with  great  indignation^  and  then  gives  utterance  to  the 
hig^  satisfaction  he  felt  in  the  enjoyments  God  had  bestowed 
on  him-^better  far  than  titles  and  learning. 

**  My  youthful  pride  and  folly  now  I  see. 

That  grudged  for  want  of  titles  and  degree ; ' 

That  blushed  with  shame  when  this  defect  was  known  ; 

And  an  inglorious  name  could  hardly  own. 

Forgive  this  pride,  and  break  the  serpent's  brain ; 

Pluck  up  the  poisonous  root  till  none  remain. 

Honours  are  shadows,  which  from  seekers  fly. 

But  fbtlow  after  those  who  them  deny. 

I  brought  none  with  me  to  thy  work ;  but  there 

1  found  more  than  I  easily  could  bear : 

Although  thou  would'st  not  give  me  what  I  would, 

Thon  gavest  me  the  promised  hondred*fold» 

O  my  dear  God !  bow  precious  is  thy  love! 

Thy  waysy  not  ours,  lead  to  the  Joys  above."  ^ 

Dming  many  of  his  early  years,  Baxter  was  greatly  troubled 
with  doubts  about  his  own  salvation.  These  were  promoted 
in  a  considerable  degree,  perhaps^  by  the  particular  cast  of  his 
mind,  and  the  state  of  his  body.  They  respected  various  things 
which  discover  the  imperfection  of  his  knowledge  at  the  time  } 
but  which,  aa  they  may  be  useful  to  others,  are  worthy  of  somd 
attention. 

He  was  distressed  because  he  could  not  trace,  so  distinctly, 
the  nirorkings  of  the  Spirit  on  his  hearty  as  they  are  described 
by  some  divines ;  because^he  could  not  ascertain  the  time  of  bis 
conversion ;  because  he  felt  great  hardness  of  heart,  and  a  want 
of  lively  apprehension  of  spiritual  things ;  because  he  had  felf 

k  Poetical  Pntgfbeiits,  pp.  dl^-^. 


Of  RICHARD  BAXTER.  U 

XDimctions  from  his  childhood^  and  more  of  the  influence  of 
fear  than  of  love  in  the  regulation  of  his  conduct;  and  because 
his  grief  and  humiliation^  on  account  of  sin,  were  not  greater* 
He  was  afterwards  satisfied  that  these  were  not  sufficient  or 
scriptural  grounds  for  doubting  his  personal  interest  in  the  sal- 
vadon  of  Christ.  He  found  that  the  mind  is,  in  general,  too 
dark  and  confused,  at  the  commencement  of  the  divine  work^ 
to  be  able  to  attend  to  the  nature  or  order  of  its  own  operations; 
and  that  the  first  communications  of  gracious  influence,  in  most 
cases,  it  is  impossible  to  trace.  He  perceived  that,  while  in 
the  body,  the  influence  of  spiritual  and  eternal  things  is  greatly  . 
impeded,  or  counteracted,  in  all.  He  saw  that  education  and 
early  convictions  were  the  way  in  which  Ood  communicates  his 
salvation  to  many;  and  that  the  soul  of  a  believer  is  but  gradually 
delivered  from  the  safe,  though  troublesome,  operations  of  fear^ 
till  it  arrives  at  the  high  and  excellent  enjoyments  of  love. 

Persons  who  are  agitated  with  perplexities  similar  to  those  of 
Baxter,  are  frequently  directed  to  means  little  calculated  to 
afford  relief.  Refined  disquisitions  on  the  nature  of  spiritual  ope-  |  f 
ration,  on  the  AtnJ  or  degree  of  conviction  which  must  be  possess- 
ed at  the  time  of  conversion,  or  afterwards ;  on  the  evidences  of 
faith  and  repentance,  are  not  much  fitted  to  remove  the  fears  and 
anxieties  of  conscience.  It  is  very  questionable,  indeed,  whether 
any  individual  will  ever  obtain  comfort  by  making  himself,  or  the 
eridences  of  personal  religion,  the  object  of  chief  attention.  All 
hope  to  the  guilty  creature  is  exterior  to  himself.  In  the  human 
character,  even  under  christian  influence,  sufficient  reason  for 
condemnation,  and  therefore  for  fear,  will  always  be  found.  It 
is  not  thinking  of  the  disease,  or  of  the  mode  in  which  the  remedy 
operates,  or  of  the  description  given  of  these  things  by  others,  but 
using  the  remedy  itself,  that  will  effect  a  cure.  The  Gospel  is  the  / 
heavenly  appointed  balsam  for  all  the  wounds  of  sin,  and  Jesus  is  ^ 
the  great  Physician :  it  is  to  him,  and  to  his  testimony,  therefore  \ 
as  the  revelation  of  pardon  and  healing,  that  the  soul  must  be  ^ 
directed  in  all  the  stages  of  its  spiritual  career.  When  the  glory  •* 
of  his  character  and  work  is  seen,  darkness  of  mind  will  be 
dissipated,  the  power  of  sin  will  be  broken,  genuine  contrition 
will  be  felt,  and  joy  and  hope  will  fill  the  mind.  It  is  from  the. 
Saviour  and  his  sacrifice  that  all  proper  excitement  in  religion 
must  proceed  ;  and  the  attempt  to  produce  that  excitement  by 
the  workings  of  the  mind  on  itself,  must  inevitably  fail.  Self- 
examination  to  discover  the  power  of  truth  and  the  progress  of 


M 


12  THB  LIFE  AND  TIBfSS 

principle  in  us,  U  highly  important;  but  when  employed  with  a 
view  to  obtain  comfort  under  a  sense  of  guilt,  it  never  can  suc- 
ceed :  nothing  but  renewed  application  to  the  cross  can  produce 
the  latter  effect. 

Baxter  himself,  long  before  his  death,  arrived  at  these  very 
vieiWs.     **  I  was  once,''  he  says,  **  wont  to  meditate  most  on  my 
own  heart,  and  to  dwell  all  at  home.  •  I  was  still  poring  over 
either  my  sins  or  wants,  or  examining  my  sincerity.    But  now,. 
^  {  though  I  am  greatly  convinced  of  the  need  of  heart-acqu^ntance 
aild  employment,  I  see  more  the  need  of  higher  work ;  and  that 
]  I  should  look  oftener  on  God,  and  Christ,  and  heaven,  than  upon 
'  my  own  heart.    At  home,  I  can  find  distempers  to  trouble  me, 
and  some  evidences  of  my  peace ;  but  it  is  above  that  I  must 
I  .find  matter  of  delight,  and  joy,  and  love,  and  peace  itself.    I 
i  would  therefore  have  one  thought  at  home,  on  myself  and 
I  sins,  and  many  thoughts  above,  on  the  amiable  and  beatifying 
'^  objects.*' > 

But  the  thing  which  distressed  him  most,  and  from  which  he 
found  it  most  difficult  to  obtain  deliverance,  was  the  conviction 
that,  after  his  change,  he  had  sinned  knowingly  and  deliberately. 
Every  wilful  transgression  into  which  he  fell,  renewed  and  per- 
petuated his  distress  on  this  account.  He  was  led,  however,  to 
understand  that  though  divine  grace  implants  in  the  soul  enmity 
to  every  known  sin,  which  appears  in  general  in  the  supe- 
riority which  it  maintains  over  evil,  yet  it  is  not  always  in  such 
a  degree  as  to  resist  strong  temptation.  That  will  sometimes 
prevail  against  the  Spirit  and  the  love  of  God ;  not,  however,  to 
the  extinction  of  love,  or  the  destruction  of  the  habit  of  holi- 
ness. There  is  but  a  temporary  victory :  the  bent  and  ardour  o{ 
the  soul  are  still  most  towards  God ;  the  return  to  him  after 
transgression,  when  the  mind  has  been  humbled  and  renewed  to 
repentance,  shows  more  evidently  than  ever  the  fixed  character 
of  the  Christian  :  as  the  needle  in  the  compass  always  returns  to 
the  pn^er  point,  when  the  force  that  turned  it  aside  is  withdrawn; 
and  as  the  running  stream  appears  to  flow  clearer  than  before, 
when  that  which  polluted  it  is  removed.  The' continual  enjoy- 
ment of  divine^  strength,  and  the  actud  presence  of  spiritual 
motives  in  the  mind,  can  alone  preserve  it  from  the  evil  to  which 
it  is  here  exposed.  Sin  will  always  generate  fears,  which  will 
increase  in  proportion  as  it  has  been  wilful  or  persevered  in; 
80  that  the  best  way  to  keep  off  doubts  and  alarms,  and  to  main- 

1  I«ife,  part  i.  129. 


OF  RICHARD  -BAXtSR.  IS 

tain  comfort,  is  to  keep  up  obedience  and  dependence  on  God, 
or  qiuckly  and  penitently  to  return  when  we  have  sinned.  But 
^  Who  can  understand  his  errors  ?  Cleanse  thou  us  from  .secret 
faults :  keep  back  thy  servants  from  presumptuous  sins,  that  they 
may  not  have  dominion  over  them/' 

Other  perplexities,  and  the  means  of  their  removal,  are  stated 
at  great  length,  and  with  great  minuteness,  by  him,  in  his  own  life 
A  specimen  of  them  has  been  given  above ;  and  if  these  are  un- 
derstood^ all  the  rest,  which  are  only  varieties  of  the  same  disease 
and  subject  to  the  application  of  the  same  remedy,  vrill  be  suifi- 
dently  comprehended.  As  it  is  dangerous  for  persons  afflicted 
with  nervous  disorders  to  read  medical  books,  so  those  who  are 
much  troubled  with  perlexity  about  their  spiritual  state,  are 
liable  to  be  injured,  rather  than  benefited,  by  descriptions  of 
mental  disease.  The  disquisitions  of  such  a  spiritual  metaphy- 
sician as  Baxter  are  more  likely,  if  deeply  pondered,  to  perplex 
the  generality  of  Christians,  than  to  enlighten  and  comfort  them. 

Notice  has  already  been  taken  of  Baxter's  consumptive  com- 
plaints :  it  may  be  proper,  once  for  all,  to  give  some  particulars 
respecting  his  state  of  health,  which  will  save  the  trouble  of 
subsequent  repetitions,  throw  light  on  his  state  of  mind  and  pecu« 
liarities  of  teiSper,  and  enable  us  more  correctly  to  appreciate, 
and  more  strongly  to  admire,  the  unconquerable  ardour  and  de- 
votedness  of  soul  which  could  accomplish  such  peculiar  labours 
with  so  feeble  and  diseased  a  body. 

His  constitution  was  naturally  sound,  but  he  was  always  very 
thin  and  weak,  and  early  affected  with  nervous  debility.  At 
fourteen  years  of  age,  he  was  seized  with  the  small-pox,  and 
soon  after,  by  improper  exposure  to  the  cold,  he  was  affected 
with  a  violent  catarrh  and  cough.  This  continued  for  about 
two  years,  and  was  followed  by  spitting  of  blood,  and  other 
phthisical  symptoms.  He  became,  from  that  time,  the  sport  of 
medical  treatment  and  experiment.  One  physician  prescribed 
one  mode  of  cure,  and  another  a  different  one;  till,  from 
first  to  last,  he  had  the  advice  of  no  less  than  thirty-six  profes- 
sors of  the  healing  art.  By  their  orders  he  took  drugs  without 
number,  till,  from  experiencirlg  how  little  they  could  do  for  him, 
he  forsook  them  entirely,  except  some  particular  symptom 
urged  him  to  seek  present  relief*  He  was  diseased  literally  from 
head  to  foot;  his  stomach  flatulent  and  acidulous;  violent 
rheumatic  headachs;  prodigious  bleedings  at  the  nose;  his 
blood  so  thin  and  acrid  that  it  oozed  out  from  the  points  of  his 


14  THB  UFB  AND  TIMB8 

fingersy  and  kept  them  often  raw  and  bloody;  bis  legs  swelled  and 
dropsical,  &c«  His  physicians  called  it  hypochondria,  he  himself 
considered  \tpr4Bmatura  senectui — premature  old  age;  so  tbat^ 
at  twenty  he  had  the  symptoms^  in  addition  to  disease,  of 
fourscore !  To  be  more  particular  would  be  disagreeable  i  and 
to  detail  the  innumerable  remedies  to  which  he  was  directed,  or 
which  he  employed  himself,  would  add  little  to  the  stock  of 
medical  knowledge*  He  was  certainly  one  of  the  most  diseased 
and  afflicted  men  that  ever  reached  the  full  ordinary  limits  of 
human  life.  How,  in  such  circumstances,  he  was  capable  of  the 
exertions  he  almost  incessantly  made,  appears  not  a  little  myste- 
rious. His  behaviour  under  them  is  a  poignant  reproof  to  many, 
who  either  sink  entirely  under  common  afflictions,  or  give  way 
to  indolence  and  trifling.  For  the  acerbity  of  his  temper  we  are 
now  prepared  with  an  ample  apology.  That  he  should  have 
been  occasionally  fretful,  and  impatient  of  contradiction,  is  not 
surprising,  considering  the  state  of  the  earthen  vessel  in  which 
his  noble  and  active  spirit  was  deposited.  No  man  was  more 
sensible  of  his  obliquities  of  disposition  than  himself  ;  and  no 
man,  perhaps,  ever  did  more  to  maintain  the  ascendancy  of 
Christian  principle  over  the  strength  and  waywardness  of 
passion. 

We  return  to  the  regular  narrative  of  his  life.  In  1633, 
when  he  was  in  his  eighteenth  year,  he  was  persuaded  by 
Mr.  Wickstead,  to  give  up  his  design  and  preparation  for  the 
ministry,  and  to  go  to  London  and  try  his  fortune  at  court. 
His  parents,  having  no  great  desire  that  he  should  be  a  minister, 
advised  him  to  follow  the  recommendation  of  his  former  tutor  ; 
who,  in  consequence,  introduced  him  to  Sir  Henry  Newport, 
then  master  of  the  revels.  With  him  he  lived  about  a  month 
at  Whitehall,  but  soon  got  enough  of  a  court  life,  being  enter- 
tained with  a  play  instead  of  a  sermon,  on  the  Lord's  Day  after- 
noon, and  hearing  little  preaching,  except  what  was  against 
the  Puritans,  These  were  the  religious  practices  of  the  court, 
in  the  sober  times  of  king  Charles  the  martyr,  apd  furnish  us 
with  a  practical  commentary  on  the  book  of  sports,  Tired 
and  disgusted  with  the  situation  in  which  he  was  now  placed, 
and  his  mother  being  il],  and  desiring  his  return,  he  left  court, 
and  bade  farewell  to  all  its  employments  and  promises. 

While  in  London  at  this  time,  he  foriped  an  acquaintance 
with  Humphrey  Blunden,  afterwards  noted  as  a  chemist,  and  for 
procuring  to  be  translated  and  published  the  writings  of  Jacob 


or  RICHAID  BAXTIR.  IS 

Befameiu    Blondeii  was  then  apprentice  to  a  bookseller^  and 
powfaaed  of  connderaUe  knowledge  and  piety;  to  hia  letters,  con- 
icnation  respecting  books,  and  christian  consolation,  Baxter  was 
mnch  indebted.  On  his  way  home,  about  Christmas,  he  met  with    ^ 
a  remarkable  deliverance.     There  was  a  violent  storm  of  snow      \ 
sDcceeding  a  severe  frost ;  on  the  road  he  met  a  loaded  waggon, 
which  he  could  pass  only  by  riding  on  the  side  of  n  bank  |  his 
horae  slipped,  the  girths  broke,  and  he  was  tlirown  immediately 
before  the  wheel*    Without  any  discernible  cause,  the  horses 
stopped  when  he  was  on  the  verge  of  destruction,  and  thus  hia 
life  was  marvellously  preserved  1    How  inexplicable  to  us  are 
the  ways  and  arrangements  of  Providence  !    In  some  cases,  the 
snapping  of  a  hair  occasions  death ;  in  other,  life  b  preserved    x 
by  an  almost  miraculous  interference. 

On  reaching  home,  he  found  his  mother  in  the  greatest  extre- 
mity of  pun,  and  after  uttering  heart-piercing  groans  the 
whole  winter  and  spring,  she  took  her  departure  on  the  10th  of 
May,  1634.  Of  her  religious  character  he  says  nothing,  except 
whan  noticing  the  religion  of  the  family ;  from  which  we  have 
reason  to  believe  that  there  was  hope  in  her  end.  His  father, 
sbout  a  year  afterwards,  married  Mary,  the  daughter  of  Sir 
Thomas  Hunks,  a  woman  who  proved  an  eminent  blessing  to  the 
{Eunily.  She  reached  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-six;  and 
her  holiness,  mortification,  contempt  of  the  world,  and  fer* 
vency  of  prayer,  rendered  her  an  honour  to  religion,  and  a 
pattern  to  all  who  knew  her. 

Baxter's  mind  was  now  more  than  ever  impressed  with  the 
importance  of  the  christian  ministry.  He  did  not  expect  to 
live  long,  and  having  the  eternal  world,  as  it  were,  immediately 
before  him,  he  was  exceedingly  desirous  of  communicating  to 
the  careless  and  ignorant  the  things  which  so  deeply  impressed 
himself.  He  was  very  conscious  of  his  own  insufficiency  for 
the  work,  arising  from  defective  learning  and  experience ;  and 
he  knew  that  his  want  of  academical  hououra  and  degrees 
would  affect  his  estimation  and  usefulness  with  many.  Be- 
lieving, however,  tiiat  he  would  soon  be  in  another  world  ;  that 
he  possessed  a  measure  of  aptness  to  teach  and  persuade  men ; 
and  satisfied  that,  if  only  a  few  souls  should  be  converted 
by  his  instrumentality,  he  would  be  abundantly  rewarded ;  he 
got  the  better  of  all  his  fears  and  discouragements,  and  resolved 
to  devote  himself  to  the  work  of  Christ.  So  powerful,  indeed| 
were  his  own  convictions  of  the  madness  and  wretchedness  of 
presuniptuous  biniiera,  and  of  the  clearness  and  force  of  those 


16  THB  LIFB  AND  TIMB8 

reasons  which  ought  to  persuade  •men  to  embrace  a  godly  life, 
that  he  thought  the  man  who  was  properly  dealt  with^  and  yet 
capable  of  resisting  them^  and  persevering  in  wickedness,  fitter 
for  Bedlam  than  entitled  to  the  character  of  sober  rationality* 
He  was  simple  enough  to  think,  he  had  so  much  to  say 
on  these  subjects,  that  men  would  not  be  able  to  withstand 
him ;  forgetting  the  experience  of  the  celebrated  reformer,  who 
found,  '^  that  oM  Adam  was  too  strong  for  young  Melancthon/' 

mi  this  time,  he^as  a  Conformist  in  principle  and  practice. 
His  family,  though  serious,  had  always  conformed.  His  ac- 
quaintances were  almost  all  of  the  same  description ;  and,  as 
Nonconformist  books  were  not  easily  procured,  his  reading 
was  mostly  on  the  other  side,  Mr,  Garbet,  his  chief  tutor^  of 
whose  learning  and  piety  he  had  a  high  opinion,  was  a  strict 
churchman ;  he  supplied  him  with  the  works  of  Downham, 
Sprint,  Burgess,  Hooker,  and  others,  who  had  written  strongly 
against  {he  Nonconformists.  ™  One  of  that  party  also,  Mr, 
Bamel,  of  Uppington,  though  a  worthy,  blameless  man,  was  but 
an  inferior  scholar,  while  the  Conformists  around  him  were 
men  of  learning.  These  things  increased  his  prejudices  at 
the  cause,  which  he  afterwards  embraced.  By  such  means  he 
was  led  to  think  the  principles  of  churchmen  strong,  and  the 
reasonings  of  the  Nonconformists  weak. 

With  the  exception  of  Hooker,  the  other  episcopal  writers 
here  mentioned  are  now  little  known  or  attended  to.  The 
'  Ecclesiastical  Polity '  of  that  distinguished  man  both  super- 
seded and  anticipated  all  other  defences  of  the  church  of  Eng- 
land. In  it  the  strength  of  the  episcopal  cause  is  to  be  found, 
and,  from  the  almost  superstitious  veneration  with  which  his 
name  is  invariably  mentioned,  by  the  highest,  as  well  as  the 
more  ordinary,  members  of  the  church,  it  is  evident  how  much 
importance  they  attach  to  his  labours.  Of  the  man  whom 
popes  have  praised,  and  kings  commended,  and  bishops, 
without  number,  extolled,  it  may  appear  presumptuous  in  me  to 
express  a  qualified  opinion.  But  truth  ought  to  be  spoken. 
The  praise  of  profound  erudition,  laborious  research,  and 
gigantic  powers  of  eloquence,  no  man  will  deny  to  be  due  to 
Hooker.  But,  had  his  celebrated  work  been  written  in  defence 
of  the  Popish  hierarchy,  and  Popish  ceremonies,  the  greater 
part  of  it  would  have  required  little  alteration.  Hence  we 
need  not  wonder  at  the  praise  bestowed  on  it  by  Clement  VIIL| 

■  Apology  for  Nonconformisti,  p«  §9. 


OP   RICHARD   BAXTER.  17 

or  that  James  II.  should  have  referred  to  it  as  one  of  two  books  1 1 
which  promoted  his  conversion  to  the  church  of  Rome.  His 
views  of  the  authority  of  the  church,  and  the  insufficiency  of 
Scripture,  are  much  more  Popish  than  Protestant;  and  the 
greatest  trial  to  which  the  judiciousness  of  Hooker  could  have 
been  subjected,  would  have  been  to  attempt  a  defence  of  the  Re- 
formation on  his  own  principles.  His  work  abounds  with 
sophisms,  with  assumptions,  and  with  a  show  of  proof  when 
the  true  state  of  the  case  has  not  been  given,  and  the  strength 
of  the  argument  never  met.  The  quantity  of  learned  and  in- 
genious reasoning  which  it  contains,  and  the  seeming  candour 
and  mildness  which  it  displays,  have  imposed  upon  many,  and 
procured  for  Hooker  the  name  of  ^^judiciouSy'  to  which  the 
solidity  of  his  reasonings,  and  the  services  he  has  rendered  to 
Christianity,  by  no  means  entitle  him." 

About  his  twentieth  year,  he  became  acquainted  with  Mr. 
Symonds/  Mr.  Cradock,^  and  some  other  zealous  Nonconformist 

^  A  very  important  'and  curious  note  respecting^  the  Ecclesiastical  Polity 
the  reader  wiU  find  in  M'Crie's  *  Life  of  Melville/  vol.  ii.  p.  461.  The  edition 
of  Hooker's  Works,  which  has  lately  issued  from  the  press  of  Holdsworth  and 
Ball,  is  the  only  correct  edition  which'  has  appeared  fur  many  years ;  while 
the  cmrious  notes  of  the  editor  furnish  much  important  illustration  of 
Hooker's  meaning,  as  well  as  supply  some  of  the  arguments  of  his  adver- 
saries, to  which  he  often  replies  very  unfairly. 

"  There  were  several  Nonconformist  ministers  of  the  name  of  S^'mouds; 
so  that  it  is  difficult  to  determine  to  which  uf  them  Baxter  refers.  One 
of  them  was  originally  beneficed  at  Sandwich,  in  Kent,  and  went  to  London 
during  the  civil  wars,  where  he  became  an  Independent,  and  a  Baptist,  if  we 
may  believe  Edwards.  According  tu  that  abusive  writer,  he  preached  strange 
things  «  for  toleration  and  liberty  for  all  men  to  worship  God  according  to 
their  conscience"* !"  He  appears,  also,  to  have  been  one  of  Sir  Thomas  Fair- 
fax's chaplains;  and  was  afterwards  appointed  one  of  the  itinerant  ministers 
ofWaleJi,  by  the  House  of  Commons. — Edwards's  Gangrena,  part  iii.  passim. 
Another  Mr.  Joseph  Symonds  was  sometime  assistant  to  Mr.  Thomas  Gata- 
ker,  at  Rutherhithe,  near  London,  and  Rector  of  St.  Martin's,  Ironmonger- 
lane.  He  afterwards  became  an  Independent,  and  went  to  Holland,  where  he 
was  chosen  pastor  of  the  church  at  Rotterdam,  in  the  place  of  Mr.  Sydrach 
Sympsou.  He  preached  before  Parliament  in  1641. — Brook* t  Puritans, 
vol.  iii.  pp.  39,  40.  it  is  probable  that  one  of  these  two  respectable  men 
was  Baxter's  acquaintance  at  Shrewsbury. 

**  Mr.  Walter  Cradock,  a  Welsh mau,  on  account  of  his  Puritanical  sen- 
timents, was  driven  from  the  church  in  1634,  shortly  before  Baxter  became 
acquainted  with  him.  He  formed  an  Independent  church  at  Llanfaches, 
in  Wales,  in  the  year  1639.  He  was  one  of  the  most  active  labourers  iu  the 
principality  during  the  Commonwealth,  and  procured  the  New  Testament  to 
be  printed  in  Welsh,  for  the  use  of  the  common  people.  He  died  about  1660, 
leaving  some  sermons  and  expositions,  wbicli  were  collected  and  printed  in 
two  vols.  8vo,  in  ISOO.^ Brook's  lAves,  vol.  iii.  pp.382— 386. 

VOL.  I,  C 


18  THB  UFS  ANP  TIMES 

mmbtera,  in  Shrewsbury  and  the  neighbourhood.  Their  fervent 
piety  ftnd  exoellent  conversation  profited  him  exceedingly;  and 
discovering  that  these  were  the  people  persecuted  by  the  bishops^ 
he  began  to  imbibe  a  prejudice  against  the  hierarchy  on  that  ac- 
count ;  and  felt  persuaded  that  those  who  silenced  and  troubled 
such  men  could  not  be  followers  of  the  Liord  of  love«  Stilly  when 
he  thought  of  ordination  he  had  no  scruple  about  subscription. 
And  why  should  he  ?  for  he  tells  us  himself  ^'  that  he  never 
once  read  over  the  book  of  ordination ;  nor  the  half  of  the  book 
of  homilies ;  nor  weighed  carefully  the  liturgy ;  nor  sufficiently 
understood  some  of  the  controverted  points  in  the  thirty*niae 
articles.  His  teachers  and  his  books  made  him  think,  in 
general^  that  the  Conformists  had  tlie  better  cause ;  so  that  he 
kept  out  all  particular  scruples  by  that  opinion/'  It  is  very 
easy  to  keep  free  from  doubts  on  any  subject,  by  restraining  the 
freedom  of  inquiry,  and  giving  full  credit  to  the  statements  and 
reasonings  of  one  side. 

About  this  time,  1638,  Mr.  Thomas  Foley,  of  Stourbridge,  in 
Ayorcestershire,  recovered  some  lands  at  Dudley,  which  had 
been  left  for  charitable  purposes ;  and  adding  something  of  his 
own,  built  and  endowed  a  new  school-house.  The  situation  of 
head  master  he  offered  to  Baxter.  This  he  was  willing  to  ac- 
cept, as  it  would  also  aflbrd  him  the  opportunity  of  preaching  in 
some  destitute  places,  without  being  himself  in  any  pastoral  rela- 
tion, which  office  he  was  then  indisposed  to  occupy.  Accordingly, 
accompanied  by  Mr.  Foley,  and  his  friend  Mr.  James  Berry,  he 
repaired  to  Worcester,  where  he  was  ordained  by  Bishop  ll)orn- 
borough  ;P  and  received  a  licence  to  teach  the  school  at  Dud- 
ley. Thus  was  he  introduced  to  that  ministry,  the  duties  of 
which  he  discharged  with  so  much  diligence  and  success  for 
many  years ;  which  proved  to  him  a  source  of  incessant  solici- 
tude, and  of  many  trials ;  but  its  blessedness  he  richly  expe- 
nenced  on  eaKh,  and  now  reaps  the  reward  in  heaven. 

*  Of  Thorntiorfitf^h,  1  have  not  observed  that  Baxter  has  said  any  (hin<^. 
He  Kvetl  to  a  ffeat  nge,  dyin^  in  the  year  19'!  1,  io  his  uiuety  fniirth  year.  He 
wan  the  author  of  a  few  pamphlets  of  a  philosophiral  and  political  nature. 
H'bat  h«  was,  as  a  reli|^oiis  Dian,  I  cannot  UfW,—  ^ootTs  AtKen.  Oxon.  (Kdit. 
mist,)  vol.  Hi.  p.  3. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  19 


CHAPTER    11 

1638—1642. 


Buter  preaches  bli  First  Sermpn—Examinei  the  Nonconformist  Controversy 
—Adopts  some  of  the  principles  of  Noncoufonnity— >Progres8  of  his  &iin4 
—Residence  in  Bridgnorth— The  Et-csetera  Oath— Examines  the  subject 
*of  Episcopacy — In  danger  from  not  conforming— The  Long  Parliament-^ 
Petition  from  Kidderminster*-Application  to  Baxter— His  Compliance—* 
Commences  his  Labours-r-General  View  of  the  State  of  Religion  in  the 
Country  at  this  time — Causes  of  the  Civil  War— Character  of  the  t'arties 
engaged  in  it— Baxter  blames  both — A  decided  Friend  to  the  Parliament 
— Re4res  for  a  tiine  from  Kidderminster. 

Baxter  preached  his  first  public  sermon  in  the  upper  church 
of  Dudley,  and  while  in  that  parish  began  to  study  with  greater 
attention  than  he  had  formerly  done  the  subject  of  Noncon- 
formity. From  some  of  the  Nonconformists  in  the  place,  he 
received  books  and  manuscripts  which  he  had  not  before  seen; 
and  though  all  his  predilections  were  in  favour  of  the  church  as 
it  was,  he  determined  to  examine  impartially  the  whole  contro- 
versy. 

On  the  subject  of  episcopacy,  Bishop  Downham  had  satisfied 
him  before ;  but  he  did  not  then  understand  the  dbtinction 
between  the  primitive  episcopacy,  and  that  of  the  church  of 
England.  He  next  studied  the  debate  about  kneeling  at  the 
Bacraikient,  and  was  satisfied,  by  Mr.  Paybody,  of  the  lawfulness 
of  conformity  to  that  mode.  He  turned  over  Cartwright  and 
Whitgift;  but,  having  procured  Dr.  Ames'  *  Fresh  Suit  against 
Human  Ceremonies  in  God's  Worship,'**  and  the  work  of  Dr. 

4  Ames'  *  Fresh  Suit,'  4to,  1633,  is  one  of  the  most  able  works  of  the  period, 
on  the  subject  on  which  it  treats.  Its  author  was  a  man  of  profound  learuinj?, 
I^reat  acuteness,  and  eminent  piety.  This  work  enters  very  fully  into  all  the 
^reat  points  relating  to  the  exercise  of  human  authority  in  the  tfainf^  of  God, 
aud  the  introduction  of  human  customs  and  ceremonies  Into  divine  worship ; 
tnd  though  not  professedly  an  answer  to  Hooker's  EU:clesiaslical  Polity, 
embraces  every  thing  of  importance  in  that  noted  work.  It  has  also  the  ad- 
vantage of  the  Polity,  in  the  higher  respect  it  everywhere  discovers  for  the 
Word  of  God,  and  the  decided  appeal  it  uniformly  makes  to  it.  In  a  sentence  or 
two  of  the  Preface,  he  gives  the  turning  point  of  the  whole  controversy  c— "  The 
state  of  this  war  is  this :  we,  as  it  becometb  Christians,  stand  upon  the  suM- 
ciency  of  Christ's  institutions  for  all  kind  of  worship,    ne  word^  say  we,  and 

c  2 


20  THB   LIFB   AND  TIMES 

Burgess/  on  the  other  side,  he  devoted  himself  chiefly  to  the 
examination  of  these  two  works  as  containing  the  strength  of 
the  cause  on  both  sides.  The  result  of  his  studies  at  this  time^ 
according  to  his  own  account,  was  as  follows : 

Kneeling  at  the  sacrament  he  thought  lawfuh  The  propriety 
of  wearing  the  surplice  he  doubted;  but  was,  on  the  whole, 
inclined  to  submit  to  it,  though  he  never  wore  one  in  his  life. 
The  ring  in  marriage  he  did  not  scruple ;  but  the  cross  in  baptism 
he  deemed  unlawful.  A  form  of  prayer  and  liturgy  he  thought 
might  be  used,  and,  in  some  cases,  might  be  lawfully  imposed ; 
but  the  church  liturgy  he  thought  had  much  confusion,  and 
many  defects  in  it.  Discipline  he  saw  to  be  much  wanted;  but 
he  did  not  then  understand  that  the  very  frame  of  diocesan 
episcopacy  precluded  it ;  and  thought  its  omission  arose  chiefly 
from  the  personal  neglect  of  the  bishops.  Subscription  he 
began  to  judge  unlawful,  and  thought  that  he  had  sinned  by  his 
former  rashness ;  for,  though  he  yet  approved  of  a  liturgy  and 
bishops,  to  subscribe,  ex  animOy  that  there  is  nothing  in  the 
articles,  homilies,  and  liturgy,  contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  was 
what  he  could  not  do  again.  So  that  subscription,  the  cross 
in  baptism,  and  the  promiscuous  giving  of  the  Lord's  supper  to 
drunkards,  swearers,  -and  all  who  had  not  been  excommunicated 
by  a  bishop,  or  his  chancellor,  were  the  three  things  to  which 
at  this  time  he  became  a  nonconformist.  Although  he  came  to 
these  conclusions,  he  kept  them,  in  a  great  measure,  to  himself; 
and  still  argued  against  the  Nonconformists,  whose  censorious* 
ness  and  inclination  to  separation  he  often  reproved.  With 
some  of  them  he  maintained  a  dispute  in  writing,  on  kneeling 
at  the  sacrament,  and  pursued  it,  till  they  were  glad  to  let  it 
drop«    He  laboured  much  to  repress  their  boldness,  and  bitter* 

nothlni^  but  the  word,  in  matters  of  religious  worship.  The  prelates  rise  up 
on  the  other  side,  and  win  ntcdfi  have  us  allow  i^ud  use  certain  human  cere- 
monies in  our  Christian  worship.  W6  desire  to  be  excused,  as  holding  them 
unlawful.  Christ  we  know,  and  aU  that  cometh  from  him  we  arc  ready  to 
embrace :  but  these  human  ceremonies  we  know  not,  nor  can  have  anything 
to  do  with  them.  Upon  this  they  make  fierce' war  upon  us  ;  and  yet  lay  aU 
the  fault  of  this  war,  and  the  mischiefs  of  it,  on  our  backs." 

'  The  work  of  Dr.  John  Burgess,  to  which  the  *  Fresh  Suit'  was  a  reply,  ii 
his  *  Answer  to  the  Reply  to  Dr.  Morton's  Defence.'  4to.  1631.  Bishop  Mor*' 
ton  had  written  '  A  Defence  of  the  Innocence  of  the  three  Ceremonies  of  the 
Church  of  England^the  Surplice^  the  Cross  aiVer  Baptism,  and  Kneeling  at 
the  Sacrament.'  4to.  1618.  To  this  Dr.  Ames  published  a  reply.  Morton  did 
not  think  proper  to  meet  Ames  himself,  but  devolved  the  task  on  Burgess,  who 
gave  hard  and  abusive  words  in  abundance,  but  great  poverty  of  argument| 
as  the  work  of.Ames  very  successfully  shows. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  21 

ness  of  language  against  the  bishops,  and  to  reduce  them  to 
greater  patience  and  charity.  But  he  found  that  what  they  suf- 
fered from  the  bishops  was  the  great  impediment  to  his  success ; 
that  he  who  will  blow  the  coals  must  not  wonder  if  some  of  the 
sparks  fly  in  his  face;  and  that  to  persecute  men  and  then 
invite  them  to  charity,  is  like  whipping  children  to  make  them 
give  over  crying.  He  who  will  have  children,  must  act  as  a 
father ;  but  he  who  will  be  a  tyrant,  must  be  content  with 
slaves. 

It  is  gratifying  and  instructive  to  be  furnished  with  such  an 
account  of  the  progress  of  Baxter's  mind.  It  strikingly  dis« 
plays  his  candour,  and  his  fidelity  to  his  convictions.  Whether 
he  employed  the  best  means  of  arriving  at  the  truth,  may  be 
questioned;  the  shorter  process,  of  directly  appealing  to  tlie 
Bible,  might  have  saved  him  a  great  deal  of  labour  and  perplex- 
ity; but  this  was  not  the  mode  of  settling  controversies  then 
generally  adopted.  The  conclusions  to  which  he  came,  were 
fewer  than  might  have  been  expected,  or  than  afterwards  satis- 
fied his  own  mind ;  but  they  probably  prepared  him  for  further 
discoveries,  and  greater  satisfaction.  He  who  is  faithful  to  that 
which  he  receives,  and  who  studies  to  know  the  mind  of  God^ 
will  not  only  be  made  more  and  more  acquainted  with  it,  but 
will  derive  increasing  enjoyment  from  following  it. 

Baxter  continued  in  the  town  of  Dudley  about  a  year.  The 
people  were  poor  but  tractable ;  formerly  they  were  much  ad- 
dicted to  drunkenness,  but  they  became  ready  to  hear  and  obey 
the  word  of  God.  On  receiving  an  invitation  to  Bridgnorth, 
the  second  town  in  Shropshire,  however,  he  saw  it  his  duty  to 
leave  Dudley,  and  to  remove  thither.  Here  he  acted  as  assist- 
ant to  Mr.  William  Madstard,  whom  he  describes  as  '^  a  grave 
and  severe  divine,  very  honest  and  conscientious ;  an  excellent 
preacher,  but  somewhat  afflicted  with  want  of  maintenance,  but 
more  with  a  dead-hearted,  unprofitable  people."  In  this  place 
Baxter  had  a  very  full  congregation  to  preach  to;  and  was 
fireed  from  all  those  things  which  he  scrupled  or  deemed  unlaw- 
fiil.  He  often  read  the  Common  Prayer  before  he  preached ; 
but  he  never  administered  the  Lord's  Supper,  never  baptised  a 
child  with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  never  wore  a  surplice,  and  never . 
appeared  at  any  bishop's  court.  The  inhabitants  were  very 
ignorant.  The  town  had  no  general  trade,  and  was  full  of  inns 
and  alehouses ;  yet  his  labours  were  blessed  to  some  of  the 
people,  though  not  to  the  extent  in  which  they  were  successful 


! 


32  THA    LlfB  AND  TIMKS 

m  some  other  places.  He  mentions  that  he  was  then  in  th^ 
ftrvour  of  his  affections,  and  never  preached  with  more  vehement 
desires  of  men's  conversion ;  but  the  applause  of  the  preacher^ 
was  the  only  success  he  met  with  from  most  of  the  people. 

The  first  thing  which  tried  him,  while  here,  and,  indeed, 
threatened  his  expulsion,  was  the  Et-CfBtera  oath.  This  oath 
formed  part  of  certain  canons  or  constitutions  enacted  by  a  con- 
vocation held  at  London  and  York,  in  1640.  The  main  thing 
objected  to  in  it,  was  the  following  absurd  clause  :  '^  Nor  will  I 
ever  give  my  consent  to  alter  the  government  of  this  church  by 
archbishops,  bishops,  deans,  and  archdeacons,  &c.,  a^  it  stands 
now  established  and  ought  to  stand.'''  This  oath  was  ordered  to 
be  taken  by  all  ecclesiastical  persons  on  pain  of  suspension  and 
deprivation.  Alarmed  at  this  imposition,  the  ministers  of  Shrop* 
shire,  though  all  friends  to  episcopacy,  appointed  a  meeting  at 
Bridgnorth,  to  take  it  into  consideration.  Here  the  subject  was 
argued  fro  and  C(m  by  Mr.  Christopher  Cartwright,  a  man  of 
profound  learning,  on  the  one  side,  and  by  Baxter  on  the  other. 
Baxter's  objections  to  the  oath  appeared  to  the  ministers  more 
formidable  than  the  answers  were  satisfactory,  so  that  the  meet- 
ing broke  up  in  a  state  of  great  consternation.  An  oath  binding 
fallible  men  never  to  change  themselves,  or  give  their  consent  to 
alterations  however  necessary,  and  including  in  an  ^^  et  ce^tera** 
nobody  knows  what,  is  among  the  greatest  instances  of  eccle- 
staatical  despotism  and  folly  on  record.  A  measure  more  ruinous 
to  the  ohufoh  could  scarcely  have  been  devised. 

Its  eflfect  on  Baxter  was,  not  only  a  resolution  never  to  sub- 
scribe to  it,  but  a  determination  to  examine  mpre  thoroughly  the 
nature  of  that  episeopacy ,  the  yoke  of  which  he  began  to  feel  so  in- 
supportable. For  this  purpose  he  procured  all  the  books  he  could 
get  on  both  sides,  and  examined  them  with  great  care.  Bucer 
de  Gubernatione  Ecdesiae,   Didoclavii    Altare  Damascenum,^ 

•  Neal,  ii.  ^03. 

,*  Tbe  *  Altare  DamasceDum/  is  the  woric  of  David  Calderwood,  author  of 
the  'True  History  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,'  and  otie  of  the  objects  of  Janes 
ttie  Fiftl'f  iinpiacable  dislike.  It  was  published  in  HoUaod,  io  1623,  wheiv 
th«  author  wa«  in  »xile,  qp  account  of  his  opposition  to  the  court  and 
episcopacy.  It  is  intended  as  a  refutation  of  <  Lin  wood's  Description  of  the 
Pbliey  of  the  Church  of  Enj^Und  ;'  but  it  embraces  all  the  leading  questions 
at  istne  between  EpUcopallans  and  Presbyterians.  It  attracted  forest  «tien* 
tioa  at  ttie  line ;  so  that  King  James  himself  is  said  to  have  read  it»  and  r»» 
plied  to  one  of  the  bishops,  who  affirmed  it  would  be  answered— «  What  the 
devil  will  you  aaswef,  man  ?  There  is  nothiD|°^  here  bu\  Scripture,  reason,  and 
the  ftitliert.'* 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTBR.  23 

Jacob,"  nirker,'  and  Baynes/  on  the  one  side ;  and  Down- 
ham,  Hooker,  Saravia,'  Andrews,  &c.  on  the  other.  Tlie 
consequence  of  these  researches,  was  his  full  conviction  that  the 
English  episcopacy  is  a  totally  different  thing  jFrom  the  primitive, 
that  it  had  corrupted  the  churches  and  the  ministry,  and  de- 
stroyed all  christian  discipline.*  Thus  this  Et-eatera  oath,  which 
was  framed  to  produce  unalterable  subjection  to  prelacy,  was  a 
chief  means  of  alienating  Baxter  and  many  others  from  it. 
Their  former  indifference  was  shaken  off  by  violence,  and  those 
who  had  been  disposed  to  let  the  bishops  alone,  were  roused  by 
Ae  terrors  of  an  oath,  to  look  about  th^m  and  resist.  Many 
also,  who  were  formerly  against  the  Nonconformists,  were  led  by 
the  absurdity  of  this  oath,  to  think  more  favourably  of  them :  so 
that  on  the  whole  it  proved  advantageous  rather  than  injurious 
to  their  cause. 

The  imposition  of  the  service  book  on  Scotland,  at  this  time^ 
produced  great  disturbances  there  also,  and  led  the  Scots  first  to 
enter  into  a  solemn  covenant  against  Popery  and  superstition^ 
and  afterwards  to  march  an  army  into  England.  The  imposi- 
tioii  of  ship-money,  which  occasioned  the  celebrated  resistance 
of  Hampden,  excited  great  and  general  discontent  in  Englandf 
and  hastened  on  those  civil  commotions  which  so  long  agitated 
the  country,  and  from  which  the  most  important  effects  arose. 

The  King  met  the  Scots  at  Newcastle,  and  after  a  time  form- 
ed an  agreement  with  them.  The  Earl  of  Bridgewater,  lord 
president  of  the  Marches  of  Wales,  passing  through  Bridgnorth 

*  Jacob  wafi  a  BrownUt,  and  one  of  the  earliest  Indepeudents  in  England. 
The  work  referred  to  by  Baxter,  was  probably  hit  *  Reaioos  taken  out  of  the 
Word  of  God  and  the  b<»it  human  Testtmonies,  proving  a  Necessity  for  reform- 
iBi;  our  churches  in  England/'  1604.  It  is  written  with  very  considerable 
abnity  ;  and,  pmoogst  pther  things,  endeavours  to  prove  "  that  for  two  hun- 
dred y^ars  after  Christ,  the  churches  were  not  diocesan,  but  congregational.** 

*■  The  work  of  Parker,  <  De  Politeia  Ecdesiastica  Christi,  et  Hierarchica 
oi>posita,  Libri  Tres,'  4to,  1621,  was  posthumous,  the  author  having  died  in 
Holland,  1614.  He  was  a  learned  and  pious  man  :  his  work  against '  Sym- 
bolising with  Antichrist  in  Ceremonies/  produced  a  great  effect,  and  occa- 
iioned  much  trouble  to  the  writer.  Parker  was,  in  sentiment,  partly  Presby- 
terian, and  partly  Independent. 

^  Paul  Baynes  was  the  author  of  '  The  Diocesan*s  Trial,'  in  answer  to  Dr. 
Bownham's  Defence. 

*  Adrian  Sararia  wat  a  celebrated  scholar,  a  native  of  Hedln  in  Artois,  but 
who  lived  many  years  in  England,  and  was  one  Of  the  warmest  supporters  of 
episcopacy.^  He  publii^hed,  among  other  things,  a  treatise  on  'The  divers 
Degrees  of  Ministers  of  the  Gospel,"  and  a  reply  to  Beza's  tract  *  DeTriplic! 
EpiscopaUi.'  He  was  one  of  the  translators  of  the  Bible  appointed  by  King 
James,  and  died  shortly  after  the  finishing  of  that  work|  io  his  eigtity-second 
year.r — Mhen,  Oxon,  vol.  L  p.  765. 

*  Baxter's  'Treatise  of  Episcopacy  ;*«-Preface. 


24  THE   LIFB  AND   TIMB8 

to  join  his  majesty,  was  informed  on  Saturday  evening,  that 
neither  Mr.  Madstard  nor  Baxter  used  the  sign  of  the  cross ; 
that  they  neither  wore  a  surplice^  nor  prayed  against  the  Scots. 
These  were  crimes  of  no  ordinary  magnitude  in  those  days  of 
terror.  His  lordship  told  them  that  he  would  come  to  church 
on  the  morrow,  and  see  what  was  done.  Mr.  Madstard  went 
away,  and  left*  the  reader  and  Baxter  to  face  the  danger.  On 
the  sabbath,  however,  his  lordship  suddenly  changed  his  purpose, 
and  went  to  Litchfield,  so  that  nothing  came  out  of  the  affair. 
"Thus  I  continued,"  says  Baxter,  "  in  my  liberty  of  preaching 
the  Gospel  at  Bridgnorth,  about  a  year  and  three  quarters,  which 
I  took  to  be  a  very  great  mercy  in  those  troublesome  times." 

The  Long  Parliament  now  began  to  engage  attention,  and  its 
proceedings  produced  the  most  powerful  effects  on  the  country. 
The  members  soon  discovered  their  hostility  both  to  ship-money, 
and  the  Et-ccetera  oath ;  while  their  impeachment  of  Strafford  and 
Laud,  showed  their  determination  to  resist  the  civil  and  ecclesias- 
tical domination,  under  which  the  country  had  so  long  groaned. 
The  speeches  of  Faulkland,  Digby,  Grimstone,  Pym,  Fiennes, 
and  others,  were  printed  and  greedily  bought.  These  excited  a 
strong  sense  of  danger  among  the  people,  and  roused  their  in- 
dignation against  the  king  and  the  bishops. 

The  unanimity  of  this  celebrated  assembly  in  its  opposition  to 
prerogative  and  high-church  claims,  did  not  arise  from  the  mem- 
bers being  all  of  one  mind  on  religious  subjects.  One  party  cared 
little  for  the  alterations  which  had  been  made  in  the  church  ; 
but  said,  if  parliaments  be  once  put  down,  and  arbitrary  govern- 
ment set  up,  every  thing  dear  to  Englishmen  will  be  lost. 
Another  party  were  better  men,  who  were  sensible  of  the  value 
of  civil  liberty,  but  were  most  concerned  for  the  interests  of 
religion.  Hence  they  inveighed  chiefly  against  the  innovations 
in  the  church,  bowing  to  altars,  Sunday  sports,  casting  out 
ministers,  high-commission  courts,  and  other  things  of  a  similar 
nature.  And  because  they  agreed  with  the  former  party  in  assert- 
ing the  people's  rights  and  liberties,  that  party  concurred  with 
them  in  opposing  the  bishops  and  their  ecclesiastical  proceed- 
ings 

When  the  spirit  of  the  Parliament  came  to  be  understood,  the 
people  of  the  different  counties  poured  in  petitions  full  of  com- 
plaints. The  number  of  ministers  who  had  been  silenced  by  the 
bishops,  and  of  individuals  and  families  who  had  been  banished  on 
account  of  religion,  was  attempted  to  be  ascertained.  Some 
who  bad  been  condemned  to  perpetual  imprisonment,  after 


OF  RICHABD   BAXTBU.  25 

suffering  the  basest  indignities,  were  released  and  brought  home 
in  triumph.  Among  these  were  Mr.  Peter  Smart,^  Dr.  Leighton,^ 
Mr.  Henry  Burton/  Dr.  Bastwick/  and  Mr.  Prynne ;'  all  of  whom 

^  Mr.  Smart,  for  preaching^  a  sermoD,  in  wbich  be  spoke  Tery  freely  ai^aiost 
the  ceremonies  of  the  church*  was  fined*  excommunicated*  degraded*  de- 
prived* and  imprisoned  nearly  twelve  years.  The  damage  be  sustained 
amounted  to  several  thousand  pounds*  for  which  be  afterwards  received  some 
compensation  by  order  of  Parliament.  Laud  and  Cosins  were  his  chief  per- 
secutors.— FuUer's  Chereh  Hist,  b.  xi.  p.  173. 

*  "  Leigbton ,  (says  Heylin)  was  a  Scot  by  birth,  a  doctor  of  physic  by 
profession,  a  fiery  Puritan  in  faction." — lA/e  of  Laud^  p.  126.  His  crime 
consisted  in  the  publication  of  '  An  Appeal  to  Parliament*  or  Sion*s  Plea 
against  Prelacy.'  For  this  offence  he  was  condemned  to  suffer  the  loss  of 
both  ears*  to  have  his  nostrils  slit*  his  fo^head  branded,  to  be  publicly  whip« 
pcd,  fined  ten  thousand  pounds,  and  perpetually  imprisoned  !  When  this  sen- 
tence was  pronounced,  Laud*  it  is  said,  took  off  his  hat,  and  g^ve  thanks  to 
God.  The  sentence*  in  all  its  parts,  was  executed  with  shocking  barbarity. 
At  the  end  of  his  twelve  years  imprisonment,  when  set  at  liberty  by  the  Par- 
liament, be  could  neither  see,  bear,  nor  walk.  '  Sion's  Plea*  is  certainly 
written  with  much  acerbity,  and  some  parts  of  it  are  liable  to  misconstruction. 
When  Heylin  alleges  that  be  incites  Parliament  « to  kill  all  the  bishops^ 
and  smite  them  under  the  fifth  rib,"  he  lies  and  defames.  The  last  expres- 
sion* indeed,  occurs  ;  but  that  it  does  not  refer  to  the  persons  of  the  bishops, 
the  following  sentence  from  the  conclusion  of  the  appeal  clearly  shows— 
*^  We  fear  they  (the  bishops)  are  like  pleuritic  patients,  that  cannot  spit* 
whom  nothing  but  incision  will  cure,  we  mean  of  their  callings,  not  of  their 
perams,  to  whom  we  have  no  quarrel,  but  wish  them  better  than  they  either 
wish  to  us  or  to  themselves."  (p.  179.)  Some  of  his  language  is  certainly  un- 
guarded, but  in  moderate  times  would  have  been  liable  to  no  misinterpretation. 
The  physician  had,  no  doubt,  more  of  asperity  and  vindictiveness  in  bis  tem- 
per than  bis  son,  the  amiable,  enlightened,  and  heavenly- minded  Bishop  of 
Dumblaoe. 

^  Henry  Burton  was  an  Independent,  and  originally  engaged  about  court* 
when  Charles  I.  was  Prince  of  Wales.  To  the  loss  of  his  place,  Heylin* 
with  his  usual  charity,  ascribes  bis  hostility  to  the  hierarchy. — Life  of  Laud^ 
p.  98.  His  own  account  is  more  deserving  of  credit.  By  several  publica- 
tions* he  provoked  the  wrath  of  the  High  Commission  Court ;  but  for  one* 
'  For  God  and  the  King,'  he  was  sentenced  to  be  punished  in  a  similar  man- 
ner to  Leighton*  and  suffered  accordingly.  A  narrative  of  himself*  which  he 
published,  and  the  substance  of  wbich  was  reprinted  in  the  *  Cong.  Mag.'  for 
1820*  is  uncommonly  interesting.  If  I  may  judge  from  this  memoir,  and  his 
'  Vindication  of  the  Churches  commonly  called  Independeut*'  he  was  a  man 
of  piety,  talents,  and  moderation. 

«  Dr.  Bastwick,  a  physician  at  Colchester,  for  pulilishiog  a  Latin  book  which 
reflected  on  the  bishops,  and  denying  their  superiority  to  presbyters,  was  excom- 
municated, debarred  the  exercise  of  bis  prufessiou,  lined  one  thousand  pounds, 
and  imprisoned  till  be  should  recant  For  another  hook,  supposed  to  be  writ- 
ten by  him  while  in  prison,  the  same  sentence  was  pai^sed  and  executed  on 
him  as  on  Burton  and  Prynne.  Dr.  Bastwick,  I  doubt  not,  was  a  good  man; 
but  his  spirit  was  very  violent.  His  book,  <  The  Utter  Routing  of  all  the  In- 
dependent Army,'  in  which  his  fellow- sufferer  Burton  Is  the  chief  object  of 
attack,  is  shameful  for  a  Christian  to  have  written. 
'  William  Prynne,  <*  a  bencher,  late  of  Lincoln's  Inn,"  was  the  most  extra- 


26  THB  LIFE  AND  T1MS5 

had  been  treated  with  the  most  wanton  and  unmerited  eraelty. 
Acts  were  passed  against  the  High-commission  court,  and  the 
secular  power  of  churchmen ;  and  for  the  continuance  of  the  par- 
liament till  it  should  dissolve  itself.  A  committee  was  appointed 
to  receive  petitions  and  complaints  against  the  clergy,  which  pro- 
duced multitudes  of  petitions  from  all  parts  of  the  country.  As 
a  specimen  of  what  was  brought  in,  White,  the  chairman,  pub- 
lished ^  One  Century  of  Scandalous  Ministers,'  in  which  a  most 
dreadful  exposure  is  made  of  the  ignorance,  immoralityt  and  in- 
competency of  many  of  the  established  teachers. 

The  town  of  Kidderminster,  amongst  other  places,  prepared 
9  petition  against  their  minister,  whose  name  was  Dance.  They 
represented  him  as  an  ignorant  and  weak  man,  who  preached 
but  once  a  quarter,  was  a  frequenter  of  alehouses,  and  sometimes 
drunk.  His  curate  was  a  common  tippler  and  drunkard,  a 
railler,  and  trader  in  unlawful  marriages.  The  vicar  knowing  his 
incompetency,  offered  to  compound  the  business  with  the  town. 
'Instead  of  his  present  curate,  he  offered  to  allow  sixty  pounds 
per  annum  to  a  preacher  whom  a  committee  of  fourteen  of  them 
shodd  choose.  This  person  he  would  permit  to  preach  when' 
he  pleased ;  and  he  himself  would  read  prayers,  and  do  any 
other  part  of  the  parish  routine.  The  town  having  agreed  to 
this,  withdrew  their  petition. 

After  trying  a  Mr,  Lapthorn,  the  committee  of  Kidderminstei; 
applied  to  Baxter  to  become  their  lecturer  on  the  above  terms. 
This  invitation  is  dated  the  9th  of  March,  1640.  The  legal 
instrument  appointing  him  to  the  situation,  bears  the  date  of 
April  Sth^  1641,  and  is  signed  by  about  thirty  individuals.  He 
also  received  a  very  affectionate  letter  from  a  number  of  persons 

ordioaiy  man  of  all  the  sufTerere.  His  first  crime  consisted  in  writing^  the  "  His- 
triomastixyor  a  treatise  against  plays,  masquerades,"  &c.;  for  this  his  ears  were 
cropped,  &c.  His  second  crime  was  a  libel  a^inst  the  bishops ;  for  which  he 
received  sentence  along  with  the  other  two.  As  his  ears  had  formerly  been 
cut  off,  the  stumps  were  now  literally  sawed  off,  or  in  the  words  of  a  coarse, 
humorous  epitaph  composed  for  him,  "they  fanged  the  remnant  of  his 
lugs."  He  wrote  more  books,  and  quoted  more  authorities,  than  any  man  of 
his  time ;  and  did  much  to  expose  the  unconstitutional  and  lawless  mea- 
sures which  had  been  long  pursued  by  the  bishops  and  the  court.  He  seems 
to  have  been  an  Erastian  respecting  church  government.  It  is  wonderfoli 
that  after  having  suffered  so  much  from  government  Interference  in  religion,  be 
should  have  written  a  book  to  prove  **  that  Christian  Kings  and  Magistrates 
have  authority,  under  the  Gospel,  to  puoish  idolatry,  apoatasy,  heresy,  blas- 
phemy, and  obstinate  schism,  with  pecuniary,  corporal, and  in  some  casesi  with 
capital  punishments."— ^M^.  Ox,  ii.pp.  311 — 327, 


of  irttfARD  BAXTBR.  27 

beloqgiiig  to  the  congregation.*  With  this  invitation  he  waa  very 
wflling  to  comply,  as,  on  Tarious  accounts,  he  felt  disposed  to 
labour  in  that  place*  The  congregation  was  large,  and  the 
church  very  convenient.  The  people  were  ignorant,  rude,  and 
loose  in  their  manners;  but  had  scarcely  ever  enjoyed  any 
fiuthfiil,  evangelical  preaching.  There  was,  at  the  same  time, 
a  small  number  of  pious  people  among  them,  who  were  humble 
and  holy,  and  fit  to  assist  a  minister  in  instructing  the  rest.  The 
state  of  Bridgnorth  had  made  him  resolve  never  to  settle  among 
people  who  had  been  hardened  under  an  awakening  ministry;  but 
that  he  would  go  either  to  those  who  never  had  enjoyed  such  a 
blessing,  or  to  those  who  had  profited  by  it.  He  accordingly  re- 
paired to  the  place,  and,  after  preaching  only  one  day,  was  chosen 
by  the  electors  nemine  caniradieenie,  **  Thus,''  says  he,  *^  I  was 
brought^  by  the  gracious  providence  of  Ood,  to  that  place  which 
hsd  the  chiefest  of  my  labours,  and  yielded  me  the  greatest  fruits 
of  eomibrt ;  and  I  noted  the  mercy  of  God  in  this,  that  I  never 
vent  to  any  place  in  my  life  which  I  had  before  desired,  or 
diought  of,  much  less  sought,  till  the  sudden  invitation  did  sur- 
prise me.'* 

His  attachment  to  Kidderminster  remained  through  all  the 
duuigea  of  his  future  life.  Speaking  of  it  many  years  after  he 
had  left  it^  he  says,  with  much  feeling  and  beauty, 

"  Bat  among  all,  dodc  did  to  much  abound 
With  fruitful  mercies ,  as  that  barren  g^roundy 
Where  I  did  make  my  best  and  lonj^t  stay. 
And  bore  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day. 
Merciea  grew  thicker  there  than  summer  flowers. 
They  over-numbered  my  days  and  hours. 
There  was  my  dearest  flock  and  special  charge, 
Our  hearts  with  mutual  love  Thou  didst  enlarge  : 
'Twas  there  thy  mercy  did  my  labours  bless. 
With  the  most  great  and  wonderful  success."^ 

His  removal  to  Kidderminster  took  place  in  1640.  His  pre- 
vious ministry  had  been  »pent,  he  tells  us,  under  the  infirmities 
already  noticed,  which  made  him  live  and  preach  in  the  constant 
prospect  of  death.  This  was  attended  with  incalculable  benefit 
to  himself  and  others ;  it  gave  much  of  that  earnestness  and  unc- 
tion to  his  preaching  for  which  it  was  so  eminently  distinguished, 
and  without  which  no  one  will  ever  preach  with  much  success. 

s  All  these  documents  are  still  preserved  among  the  Baxter  MSS.  in  the 
library  at  Red  Cross-street. 
^  Poetical  Fragments,  p.  34. 


28  t  THB.  LIFE  AND  T1M88 

His  iiffiictions  greatly  weakened  his  temptations,  excited  great 
contempt  of  the  world,  taught  him  the  inestimable  value  of  time, 
and  ^^  stirred  up  his  sluggish  heart  to  speak  to  sinners  with  some 
compassion,  as  a  dying  man  to  dying  men." 

With  these  feelings  he  began  his  labours  in  the  place  which 
his  name  has  immortalised.  He  continued  in  it  about  two  years 
at  first,  till  the  civil  wars  drove  him  away ;  and  after  his  return, 
at  the  distance  of  several  years,  he  remained  about  fourteen 
more.  During  all  this  time  he  never  occupied  the  vicarage  house, 
though  authorised  to  do  so  by  an  order  of  parliament ;  but  al- 
lowed the  old  vicar  to  live  in  it  without  molestation.  He  found 
the  place  like  a  piece  of  dry  and  barren  earth,  overrun  with  ig- 
norance and  vice ;  but  by  the  blessing  of  God  on  his  labours, 
it  ultimately  became  rich  in  all  the  fruits  of  righteousness.  Op- 
position and  ill-usage,  to  a  considerable  extent,  he  had  to  en- 
counter at  the  beginning ;  but,  by  patient  continuance  in  well- 
doing, he  overcame  all  their  prejudices,  and  produced  universal 
love  and  veneration.  At  one  time  the  ignorant  rabble  raged 
against  him  for  preaching,  as  they  supposed,  that  God  hated  all 
infants;  because  he  had  taught  the  doctrine  of  original  sin.  At 
another  time  they  actually  sought  his  life,  and  probably  would 
have  taken  it,  had  they  found  him  at  the  moment  of  their  rage ; 
because,  by  order  of  parliament,  the  churchwardens  attempted  to 
take  down  a  crucifix  which  was  in  the  church-yard.  His  cha- 
racter was  slandered  by  a  false  report  of  a  drunken  beggar,  which 
all  who  disliked  him  and  his  fidelity  chose  to  believe  and  to 
propagate ;  but  none  of  these  things  moved  him,  or  diminished 
the  ardour  of  his  zeal  to  do  good  to  the  unthankful  and  the 
unholy. 

The  nature  and  success  of  Baxter's  ministry  at  Kidderminster 
will  be  noticed  with  more  propriety  when  we  come  to  the  period 
of  his  second  residence.  In  the  mean  time,  we  must  advert  to 
the  civil  commotions  in  which  the  country  was  involved,  and 
which,  more  or  less,  implicated  all  who  were  placed  in  public 
situations.  To  understand  the  nature  of  those  commotions,  and 
the  part  which  Baxter  took  in  them,  it  will  be  necessary  to  ad- 
vert to  the.  state  of  religion  in  the  country  at  large ;  without  a 
knowledge  of  which,  it  is  impossible  to  form  a  correct  opinion 
of  the  disastrous  circumstances  which  produced  so  much  tnisery, 
and  have  occasioned  so  much  misrepresentation. 

It  has  often  been  alleged,  that  the  civil  convulsions  of  the  coun- 
try were  chiefly  promoted  by  the  Puritanical  sticklers  for  presby- 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTER.  29 

terianism  and  independency ;  who,  instigated  by  hatred  of  the 
episcopal  hierarchy ,  were  determined  to  accomplish  its  overthrow. 
Nothing  can  be  more  erroneous,  as  the  following  account,  drawn 
tip  by  Baxter  many  years  afterwards,  with  great  candour  and 
clearness,  fully  shows.  It  gives  a  most  melancholy  view  of  the 
wre&hed  condition  of  religion  in  England,  before  and  at  the 
commencement  of  the  wars,  and  very  naturally  accounts  for  the 
turn  which  affairs  took  during  their  progress,  by  which  the  whole 
ecclesiastical  system  was  finally  reduced  to  ruin.  It  shows  that 
the  number  of  Nonconformists  at  the  commencement  of  the  civil 
troubles  was  so  very  small,  that  they  could  have  excited  no  dis- 
turbance, had  they  even  wished  to  do  it ;  and  that  the  chief  cause 
of  their  increase  was  the  injurious  treatment  they  experienced 
from  the  bishops  and  their  officers. 

^^  Where  I  was  bred,  before  1640,  which  was  in  divers 
places,  I  knew  not  one  presbyterian  clergyman  or  layman,  and 
but  three  or  four  nonconforming  ministers.  Till  Mr.  Ball  wrote 
in  favour  of  the  liturgy,  and  against  Canne,  Allen,  &c.,  and 
till  Mr.  Burton  published  his  '  Protestation  Protested,'  I  never 
thought  what  presbytery  or  independency  was,  nor  ever  spake 
with  a  man  who  seemed  to  know  it.  In  the  place  where  1  first 
lived,  and  the  country  about,  the  people  were  of  two  sorts.  The 
generality  seemed  to  mind  nothing  seriously,  but  the  body  and 
the  world  :  they  went  to  church,  and  could  answer  the  parson 
in  responses,  and  thence  to  dinner,  and  then  to  play.  They 
never  prayed  in  their  families ;  but  some  of  them,  on  going  to 
bed,  would  say  over  the  creed  and  the  Lord's  prayer,  and  some 
of  them  the  Hail  Mary.  They  read  not  the  Scriptures,  nor  any 
good  book  or  catechism  :  few  of  them  indeed  could  read,  or 
had,  a  Bible.  They  were  of  two  ranks ;  the  greater  part  were 
good  husbands,  as  they  called  them,  and  minded  nothing  but 
thejr  business  or  interest  in  the  world  :  the  rest  were  drunkards. 
Most  were  swearers,  though  they  were  not  all  equally  gross ; 
both  sorts  seemed  utter  strangers  to  any  more  of  religion  than  I 
have  named,  though  some  hated  it  more  than  others. 

"  The  other  sort  were  such  as  had  their  consciences  awakened 
to  some  regard  for  God  and  their  everlasting  state,  and,  accord- 
ing to  the  various  measures  of  their  understanding,  did  speak 
and  live  as  serious  in  the  christian  faith,  and  would  inquire 
what  was  duty,  and  what  was  sin,  and  how  to  please  God  and 
make  sure  of  salvation ;  and  make  this  their  business  and  inte- 
rest, as  the  rest  did  the  world.    They  read  the  Scriptures,  and 


30  TBS  LIFB  AKD  TIMBS 

such  bdoks  ds  <The  Practice  of  Piety/  <  Dent's  Plain  Man's 
Pathway/  and  ^  Dod  on  the  Commandments/  &c.  They  used 
to  pray  in  their  families,  and  alone ;  some  with  the  book,  and 
some  without.  They  would  not  swear,  nor  curse,  nor  take  Ckxl's 
name  lightly.  They  would  go  to  the  next  parish  church  to  hear 
a  sermon  when  they  had  none  at  their  own ;  and  would  read  the 
Scriptures  on  the  Lord's  day,  when  others  were  playing.  There 
were,  where  I  lived,  about  the  number  of  two  or  three  families 
in  twenty,  which,  by  the  rest,  were  called  Puritans,  and  derided  as 
hypocrites  and  precisians,  that  would  take  on  them  to  be  holy  | 
yet  hardly  one,  if  any,  of  them  ever  scrupled  conformity  $  and 
they.were  godly,  conformable  ministers  whom  they  went  from 
^  home  to  hear.  These  ministers  being  the  ablest  preachers,  and 
\  ^  men  of  serious  piety,  were  also  the  objects  of  vulgar  oUoqny^ 
'  \as  Puritans  and  precisians. 

^^  This  being  the  condition  of  the  vulgar  where  I  was,  when  I 
came  into  the  acquaintance  of  many  persons  of  honour,  and 
power,  and  reputed  learning,  I  found  the  same  seriousness  iii 
religion  as  in  some  few  before  described,  and  the  same  daily 
scorn  of  that  sort  of  men  in  others,  but  differently  clothed }  (or 
these  would  talk  more  bitterly,  but  yet  with  a  greater  show  of 
reason,  against  the  other,  than  the  ignorant  country  people  did* 
They  would,  also,  sometimes  talk  of  certain  opinions  in  religion, 
and  some  of  them  would  use  part  of  the  common  prayer  in  their 
houses ;  others  of  them  would  swear,  though  seldom,  and  these 
small  oaths,  and  lived  soberly  and  civilly.  But  serious  talk  of 
God  or  godliness,  or  that  which  tended  to  search  and  reform  the 
heart  and  life,  and  prepare  for  the  life  to  come,  they  would  at 
least  be  very  averse  to  hear,  if  not  deride  as  puritanicaL 

'^  lliis  being  the  fundamental  division,  some  of  those  who 
were  called  Puritans  and  hypocrites,  for  not  being  hypocriteS| 
but  serious  in  the  religion  they  professed,  would  some* 
times  get  together ;  and,  as  drunkards  and  sporters  would 
meet  to  drink  and  play,  they  would,  in  some  very  few  places 
where  there  were  many  of  them,  meet  after  sermon  on  the  Lord's 
days,  to  repeat  the  sermon,  and  sing  a  psalm,  and  pray.  For 
this,  and  for  going  from  their  own  parish  churches,  tl)ey  were 
first  envied  by  the  readers  and  dry  teachers,  whom  they  soroe« 
times  went  from,  and  next  prosecuted  by  apparitors,  officials^ 
archdeacons,  commissaries,  chancellors,  and  other  episcopal  in- 
\  struments.  In  former  times  there  had  been  divers  presbyte* 
rJau  Nonconformists,  who  earnestly  fkVeaded  (ot  ^mv^K  discipline  i 


OF  RICHARD   RAXTRR.  81 

to  sabdiie  wboi%  divers  canons  were  made^  which  served  the 
torn  against  these  meetings  of  the  conformable  Puritans,  and 
i^gainst  going  from  their  own  parish  churches^  though  the  old 
Presbyterians  were  dead,  and  very  few  succeeded  them.  About 
as  many  Nonconformists  as  counties  were  left ;  and  tliose  few 
stock  most  at  subscription  awd  ceremonies,  which  were  the  hin- 
derance  of  their  ministry,  and  but  few  of  them  studied,  or  un- 
derstood^  the  Presbyterian  or  Independent,  disciplinary  causes. 

^  But  when  these  conformable  Puritans  were  thus  prosecuted, 
it  bred  in  them  hard  thoughts  of  bishops  and  their  courts,  as 
oiemies  to  serious  piety,  and  persecutors  of  that  which  they 
should  pcomote.  Suffering  induced  this  opinion  and  aversiou ; 
and  the  ungodly  rabble  rejoiced  at  their  troubles,  and  applauded 
the  bishops  for  it,  and  were  everywhere  ready  to  set  the  appa- 
ritors on  them,  or  to  ask  them,  '  Are  you  holier  and  wiser  than 
the  bishops  ?'  So  that  by  this  time  the  Puritans  took  the  bishops 
to  be  captains ;  and  the  chancellors,  archdeacons,  commissaries, 
officials,  and  apparitors,  their  officers,  and  the  enemies  of 
serious  godliness ;  and  the  vicious  rabble  to  be  as  their  army  to 
suppress  true  conscientious  obedience  to  God,  and  care  of  men's 
salvation.  The  censured  clergy  and  officers,  on  the  other  hand, 
took  the  censurers  to  be  schismatics,  and  enemies  to  the  church, 
unfit  to  be  endured,  and  fit  to  be  prosecuted  with  reproach  and 
punishment;  so  that  the  said  Puritans  took  it  to  be  but  die 
common  enmity  that,  since  Cain's  days,  hath  been  in  tlie  world, 
between  the  serpent's  and  the  woman's  seed.  When  the 
persons  of  bishops,  chancellors,  officials,  apparitors,  &c.,  were 
come  under  such  repute,  it  is  easy  to  believe  what  would  be 
said  against  their  office.  And  the  more  the  bishops  thought  to 
cure  this  by  punishment,  the  more  they  increased  the  opinion 
that  they  were  persecuting  enemies  of  godliness,  and  the  ca|>* 
tains  of  the  profane. 

^^  VV^hen  such  sinful  beginnings  had  prepared  men,  the  civil 
contentions  arising,  those  called  Puritans,  were  mostly  against 
that  side  to  which  they  saw  the  bishops  and  their  neighbours 
enemies.  And  they  were  for  their  punishment  the  more,  because 
it  seemed  desirable  to  reform  the  bishops,  and  restore  the  liberty 
of  those  whom  they  prosecuted  for  the  manner  of  their  serving 
God.  Yet  they  desired,  wherever  I  was,  to  have  lived  peaceably 
at  home  ;  but  the  drunkards  and  rabble  that  formerly  hated 
them,  when  they  saw  the  war  beginning,  grew  enraged  :  for  if  a 
man  did  but;>rav'  mid  swg  a  psalm  in  his  house,  tliey  wouM  ctv^ 


32  THE   LIFB   AND  TIMES 

^Down  with  the  Roundheads !'  (a  word  then  new  made  for  them,) 
and  put  them  in  fear  of  sudden  violence.  Afterwards  they  brought 
the  King's  soldiers  to  plunder  them  of  their  goods,  which  made 
them  fain  to  run  into  holes  to  hide  their  persons:  and  when 
their  goods  were  gone,  and  their  lives  in  continual  danger,  they 
were  forced  to  fly  for  food  and  shelter.  To  go  among  those  that 
1  hated  them,  they  durst  not,  when  they  could  not  dwell  among 
\  such  at  home.  And  thus  thousands  ran  into  the  parliament's  gar- 
i     risons,  and,  having  nothing  there  to  live  upon,  became  soldiers.*'^ 

The  circumstances  which  led  to  an  open  rupture  between  the 
king  and  his  parliament,  Baxter  regarded  as  attaching  blame  to 
both  parties.  The  people  who  adhered  to  the  Parliament,  he 
alleges,  were  indiscreet  and  clamorous,  and,  in  some  instances,  pro- 
ceeded to  open  acts  of  violence.  Some  members  of  the  Hciuse 
themselves  were  imprudent,  and  carried  things  too  high.  Am9ng 
these  he  reckoned  Lord.  Brook  and  Sir  Henry  Vane  as  leaders. 
To  these  causes  must  be  added  the  want  of  confidence  in  the 
King  which  was  generally  felt ;  and  which  arose  partly  from  the 
offence  they  had  given  him,  which  they  feared  he  rather  dissem- 
bled than  forgave ;  and  partly  from  indications  of  His  Majesty's 
insincerity,  which  they  early  began  to  discover. 

On  the  part  of  the  King  the  war  was  hastened  by  the  calling 
up  of  the  northern  army ;  by  the  imposing  of  a  guard  upon  the 
House  of  Commons ;  by  his  entering  it  in  a  passion  to  seize  the 
five  members ;  by  the  conduct  of  Lord  Digby,  and  other  cavaliers; 
and,  above  all,  by  the  Irish  massacre  and  rebellion,  the  blame  o. 
which  was  charged  on,  the  King  and  his  advisers. 

In  a  state  of  great  exasperation,  Charles  left  London,  and 
erected  his  standard  at  Nottingham.  The  parliament  assembled 
an  army  under  the  Earl  of  Essex,  and  thus  both  sides  prepared 
to  settle,  by  force  of  arms,  what  they  could  not  determine  in 
council.  It  is  no  part  of  the  design  of  this  work  to  describe 
the  progress  of  this  fearful  contest ;  but  a  view  of  the  rank  and 
character  of  the  parties  which  were  engaged  in  it,  may  enable 
the  reader  to  understand  its  bearings  on  religion. 

A  great  part  of  the  nobility  forsook  the  Parliament  and  join- 
ed the  King,  particularly  after  the  battle  of  Edge-Hill.  Many 
members  of  the  House  of  Commons,  and  a  great  number  of  the 
knights  and  men  of  family  in  the  several  counties,  had  been  with 
him  from  the  beginning.    The  tenantry  of  the  aristocracy,  also^ 

^  Baxter's  True  History  of  Councils  Eolarged,  pp.  91—93. 


OF  RfCHARD  BAXTER.  33 

• 

and  a  great  body  of  the  common  people^  who  may  be  said  to  be 
constitutionally  loyal,  were  for  the  monarch.  He  had  thus  the 
two  ends  of  the  chain,  but  wanted  the  middle  and  connecting 
links.  The  parliament  was  supported  by  the  inferior  gentlemen 
in  the  country,  and  by  the  body  of  merchants,  freeholders,  and 
tradesmen,  in  all  the  principal  towns  and  manufacturing  districts* 
Among  these  persons,  religion  had  much  greater  influence  than 
it  had  either  on  the  highest  or  the  lowest  ranks.  Whatever 
power  the  love  of  political  liberty  exercised,  it  was  the  appre- 
hension of  danger  to  religion,  which  chiefly  roused  them  and 
filled  the  army  of  the  parliament.  The  body  of  the  persons 
who  were  called  Puritans,  and  precisians  ;  and  who  discovered 
by  their  conduct  that  they  were  in  earnest  on  the  subject  of  reli- 
gbn,  adhered  to  the  cause  of  the  parliament.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  gentry,  who  were  not.  so  precise— who  scrupled  not 
atauoath^  who. loved  gaming,  plays,  and  drinking;  and  the 
ministers  and  people,  who  were  for  the  King's  book,  and  for 
dancing  and  recreations  on  the  Lord's  day ;  who  went  to  church 
to  bear  common  prayer,  and  relished  a  sermon  which  lashed  the 
Puritans— these  for  the  most  part  opposed  the  parliament. 

The  difference  between  the  two  parties  was  very  strongly 
marked,  it  arose  from  the  opposite  characters  which  they  sus- 
tained, and  accounts  for  many  of  the  events  which  occurred. 
*^  There  is  somewhat,*'  says  Baxter,  "  in  the  nature  of  all  world- 
ly men  which  makes  them  earnestly  desirous  of  riches  and  ho- 
nours in  the  world.  They  that  value  these  things  most  will  seek 
them ;  and  they  that  seek  them  are  more  likely  to  find  them 
than  those  that  despise  them.  He  who  takes  the  world  and 
preferment  for  his  interest,  will  estimate  and  choose  all  means 
accordingly ;  and,  where  the  world  predominates,  gain  goes  for 
godliness,  and  serious  religion,  which  would  mortify  their  sin, 
is  their  greatest  enemy.  Yet,  conscience  must  be  quieted,  and 
reputation  preserved ;  which  cannot  be  done  without  some  reli- 
gion. Therefore,  such  a  religion  is  necessary  to  them,  as  is 
consistent  with  a  worldly  mind :  which  outside  formality,  lip 
service,  and  hypocrisy,  are ;  but  seriousness,  sincerity,  and  spi- 
rituality, are  not. 

"  On  the  other  side,  there  is  that  in  the  new  nature  of  a  be- 
liever, which  inclineth  him  to  things  above,  and  causeth  him  to 
look  at  worldly  grandeur  and  riches  as  things  more  dangerous 
than  desirable.  He  is  dead  to  the  world,  and  the  world  to  him^ 
by  the  cross  of  Christ.     No  wonder,  thereforey  if  few  such  at- 

VOU  U  D 


l! 


/ 


84  THB  U9B  AND  TI1IB8 

tain  to  greatness,  or  ever  arrive  at  much  preferment  on  earth, 
lliey  are  more  fearful  of  displeasing  God  than  all  the  world, 
and  cannot  stretch  their  consciences,  or  turn  aside  when  the  inte- 
rest or  will  of  man  requireth.  As  before,  he  that  was  born  after 
the  flesh  persecuted  him  that  was  bom  after  the  Spirit  |  so  it 
was  here,  llie  rabble  of  the  great  and  little  vulgar  did  every 
where  hate  those  that  reproved  their  sin,  and  condemned  them 
by  a  holy  life.  This  ignorant  rabble,  hearing  also  that  the 
bishops  were  against  the  Puritans,  were  the  more  emboldened 
against  them.  They  cried  up  the  bishops  on  this  account,  and 
because  thoy  loved  that  mode  of  worship  which  they  found 
most  consistent  with  their  ignorance  and  carelessness.  Thus, 
the  interests  of  the  bishops,  and  of  the  profane  people  of  Eng- 
land, seemed  to  be  twisted  together.'* 

The  majority  of  the  Nonconformists  and  serious  people  were 
opposed  to  the  prelates,  and  those  who  espoused  their  «de ;  be- 
cause the  high-church  party  derided  and  abused  them ;  because 
■D  many  scandalous  and  incompetent  men  were  among  the  con- 
forming clergy  |  because  the  piety  and  talents  of  the  Noncon- 
formist ministers,  many  of  whom  had  been  silenced,  were  mdre 
distinguished  than  those  of  the  other  party ;  because  they  liked 
a  scriptural  mode  of  worship  better  than  the  liturgy,  though 
they  did  not  deem  it  unlawful;  because  the  bishops'  courts 
made  fasting  and  prayer  more  perilous  than  swearing  and 
drunkenness ;  because  they  regarded  the  bishops  as  supporters 
of  the  book  of  sports,  and  discouraged  afternoon  lectures  even 
by  conforming  ministers;  because  when  they  saw  bowing 
at  the  altar  and  other  innovations  introduced,  they  knew  not 
where  they  would  end ;  and,  because  they  saw  that  the  bishops 
approved  of  ship  money  and  other  encroachments  on  their  civil 
rights. 

These  were  the  true  and  principal  reasons  why  so  great  a  num^ 
ber  of  those  persons  who  were  counted  most  religious  fell  iu  with 
the  parliament ;  and  why  the  generality  of  the  serious,  diligent 
preachers  joined  it ;  not  taking  arms  themselves,  but  support- 
ing it  by  their  influence  and  their  presence.  The  King's  party, 
indeed,  alleged  that  the  preachers  stirred  up  the  war  ;  but  this 
is  far  from  correct,  it  is  true,  they  discovered  their  dislike  to 
many  corruptions  in  church  and  state ;  and  were  glad  that  the 
parliament  attempted  a  reformation  of  them.  But  it  was  con- 
forming ministers  who  did  even  this ;  for  the  bishops  had 
ejeoied  mesl  of  the  nonconforming  ministers  long  before. 
Those  who  made  up  the  Westminster  assembly,  and  who  were 


/( 


OV  RICHARD   BAXTBR.  35 

the  honour  of  the  parliamentary  party  throagh  the  land^  were  \ ! 
almost  all  such  as  had  till  then  conformed.  » 

Names  of  contempt  and  reproach,  as  might  be  expected, 
were  plentifully  used  on  both  sides  at  the  beginning  and  during 
the  continuance  of  this  unnatural  war.  Rebels  and  roundheads 
were  the  common  appellations  bestowed  on  the  parliamentary 
party,  in  addition  to  Puritan  and  formalist.^  Malignants,  cava- 
liers, dam-mes,  were  the  designations  used  or  retaliated  by  the 
other.* 

Reasons,  many  and  VRrious,  were  assigned  for  the  lawfulness 
ot  the  war  by  both  parties ;  and  men  generally  adopted  that 
side  to  which  their  interests  or  their  feelings  chiefly  inclined^ 
Those  who  opposed  the  war  on  the  part  of  the  Commons^ 
were  of  different  sentiments.  Some  thought  no  king  might  be 
resisted ;  others  that  our  king  might  not  be  resisted,  because 
we  had  sworn  allegiance  and  submission  to  him  ;  and  a  third 
party,  which  granted  that  he  might  be  resisted  in  some  cases, 
contended  that  a  sufficient  case  had  not  been  made  out.  They 
maintained  that  the  law  g^ve  the  king  the  power  of  the  militia, 
which  the  parliament  sought  to  wrest  from  him;  that  the 
oommons  began  the  war  by  permitting  tumults  to  deprive  the 
members  of  their  liberty,  and  to  insult  the  king ;  that  the  mem* 
bers  of  parliament  are  themselves  subjects,  and  bound  by  their 
oath  of  allegiance ;  that  it  Is  not  lawful  for  subjects  to  defend 
religion  or  reformation  against  their  sovereign  by  force ;  that 
it  is  contrary  to  the  doctrine  of  Protestants,  the  practice  of  the  * 
ancient  Christians,  and  the  injunctions  of  Scripture,  to  resist 
the  higher  powers ;  that  the  King  was  falsely  accused  as  if  he 
were  about  to  destroy  liberty,  religion,  and  parliaments  ;  that  the 
allegations  of  Papists  respecting  the  rebellious  tendency  of  Pro* 
testantism  were  supported  by  this  war ;  that  it  proceeded  from 
impatience  and  distrust  of  God ;  and  that  religion  is  best  pro^ 
moted  by  patient  sufferings. 

^  The  term  Rmmdiiead  was  bestowed  either  because  the  Puritaos  uMuiIly  wore 
short  haify  and  the  royal  paity  lon^;  or  because  soiua  say,  the  Queen,  atStraf- 
furd's  trial,  asked,  in  reference  to  Prynne,  who  \.\i2it  round'headed  man  was,  who 
spoke  so  strongly.  The  device  on  the  standard  of  Colonel  Cook,  a  fmrUaiaent- 
iry  officer,  was  a  raao  in  armour  cutting  off  the  corner  of  a  square  cap  with 
a  sword.     His  motto  was  JihUo  quadrata  rotuttdis. 

^  Fuller's  derivation  of  Malignant  is  in  his  usual  witty  style;  "The  deduc- 
tion thereof  being  disputable  ;  whether  from  bad  fire,  or  bad  fuel,  maim  igniMy 
or  wuUum  lignum  t  but  this  is  surf >  betwiat  both*  the  name  roadv  a  great  com- 
bustion." 

1)2 


36  THB  LIFB  AND  TIMES 

Some  of  these  reasons  are  plausible,  and  others  have  consider* 
able  force ;  they  Are  partly  derived  from  the  constitution  of 
England,  and  partly  from  the  nature  and  obligations  of  religion* 
To  all  of  them  the  writers  on  the  side  of  the  parliament  replied 
at  great  length ;  and  justified  the  resistance  of  the  people  to  the 
arbitrary  measures  of  government^  on  other  and  unanswerable 
grounds.  Instead  of  stating  these  at  length,  I  shall  here  give* 
the  reflections  of  Baxter^  which  embrace  the  strength  of  them^ 
in  his  own  words. 

^*  For  my  own  part,  I  freely  confess  that  I  was  not  judicious 
enough  in  politics  and  law  to  decide  this  controversy..  Being 
astonished  at  the  Irish  massacre,  and  persuaded  fully  tx)th  of  the 
parliament's  good  endeavours  for  reformation,  and  of  their  real 
danger,  my  judgment  of  the  main  cause,  much  swayed  my 
judgment  in  the  matter  of  the  wars  ;  and  the  arguments  h  fine, 
et  a  naiura,  et  necessitate,  which  common  wits  are  capable  of 
discerning,  did  too  far  incline  my  judgment  in  the  cause  of  the 
war,  before  I  well  understood  the  arguments  from  our  particular 
l^ws.  The  consideration  of  the  quality  of  the  persons  also,  that 
sided  for  each  cause,  did  greatly  work  with  me,  and  more  than 
it  should  have  done.  I  verily  thought  that  if  that  which  a  judge 
in  court  saith  is  law,  must  go  for  law  to  the  subject,  as  to  the 
decision  of  that  cause,  though  the  king  send  his  broad  seal 
against  it ;  then  that  which  the  parliament  saith  is  law,  is  law 
to  the  subject  about  the  dangers  of  the  commonwealth,  what- 
ever it  be  in  itself.  ' 

^^  I  make  no  doubt  that  both  parties  were  to  blame,  as  it 
commonly  falleth  out  in  most  wars  and  contentions ;  and  I  will 
not  be  he  that  will  justify  either  of  them.  1  doubt  not  but  the 
headiness  and  rashness  of  the  younger  inexperienced  sort  of 
religious  people,  made  many  parliament  men  and  ministers 
overgo  themselves  to  keep  pace  with  those  Hotspurs.  No  doubt 
but  much  indiscretion  appeared,  and  worse  than  indiscretion  in 
the  tumultuous  petitioners ;  and  much  sin  was  committed  in  the 
dishonouring  of  the  king,  and  in  the  uncivil  language  against 
the  bishops  and  liturgy  of  the  church.  But  these  things  came 
chiefly  from  the  sectarian,  separating  spirit,  which  blew  the  coak 
among  foolish  apprentices.  And  as  the  sectaries  increased,  so 
the  insolence  increased.  One  or  two  in  the  House,  and  five  or 
six  ministers  that  came  from  Holland,  and  a  few  relicts  of  the 
Brownists  that  were  scattered  in  the  city,  did  drive  on  others^ 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  37 

and  sowed   the  seeds  which  aftenvard  spread  over  all  the 
land.*" 

^  But  I  then  thought,  whoever  was  faulty,  the  people's  liberties 
and  safety  should  not  be  forfeited.  I  thought  that  all  the  sub- 
jects were  not  guilty  of  all  the  faults  of  king  or  parliament  when 
they  defended  them :  yea,  that  if  both  their  causes  had  been  bad 
as  against  each  other ;  yet  that  the  subjects  should  adhere  to 
that  party  which  most  secured  the  welfare  of  the  nation,  and  might 
defend  the  land  under  their  conduct  without  owning  all  their 
caose.  And  herein  I  was  then  so  zealous,  that  I  thought  it  was 
a  great  sin  for  men  that  were  able  to  defend  their  country,  to  be 
neuters.  And  I  have  been  tempted  since  to  think  that  I  was  a 
more  competent  judge  upon  the  place,  when  all  things  were  be« 
fore  our  eyes,  than  I  am  in  the  review  of  those  days  and  actions 
so  many  years  after,  when  distance  disadvantageth  the  appre- 
hension/' ° 

It  is  evident  from  these  statements,  that  Baxter  was  a  de- 
cided friend  to  the  parliamentary  cause.  The  reasons  which 
influenced  his  judgment  were  those  which  probably  guided  the  de« 
termination  of  the  great  body  of  persons  who  espoused  that  side, 
in  the  momentous  controversy  which  then  divided  the  country. 
Many  of  those  who  were  incapable  of  judging  in  the  nume« 
rous  political  questions  and  altercations,  which  the  grand 
subject  involved,  were  well  enough  qualified  to  form  an  opinion 
respecting  the  substantial  merits  of  the  difference  between  the 
king  and  the  people.  The  love  of  religion,  and  the  desire  of 
liberty,  were  the  great  inspiring  principles.  The  resistance 
which  they  met  with  only  increased  their  vigour,  and  thus  in- 

■  It  is  very  singular  that  Baxter  should  attribute  so  much  evil  to  the  dis- 
scntiD^  brethren  of  the  Westminster  assembly,  and  the  sectaries  of  whom 
tbey  were  the  reputed  leaders,  especially  after  his  own  account  of  the  former 
state  of  thin^  which  we  have  given.  The  civil  wars  produced  or  occasioned 
the  sects,  not  the  sects  the  wars.  The  lung  parliament  had  taken  some  of  its 
stroogett  measures  before  the  five  Independent  ministers  returned  to  England 
from  Holland.  A  good  while  must  have  elapsed  after  their  return  before  their 
influence  could  extend  far ;  and  without  violent  and  unreasonable  opposition 
to  their  fair  and  moderate  request  for  a  toleration,  their  influence  at  no  time 
would  have  been  great.  Compared  with  many  of  their  opponents,  both  their 
Uogoage  and  their  temper  were  moderate ;  and  it  might  be  easy  to  show  that 
the  exaggerated  lamentations  and  insulting  abuse  of  their  adversaries  were 
calculated  to  produce,  and  actually  did  produce,  a  worse  effect  on  the  country 
than  anything  done  by  the  Independents  either  in  or  out  of  parliament.  On 
Ibis  subject  farther  particulars  will  be  furnished  in  a  subsequent  part  of  tbit 
work. 

*  life,  part  i.  p.  39. 


38  THB   LIFB  AND  TIMBS 

Bured  their  success*  Though  they  were  guilty  of  occasional  evil^ 
and  produced  temporary  confusion,  the  great  objects  which  they 
contemplated  were  never  lost  sight  of«  and  the  result  of  the 
struggle  was  in  a  high  degree  glorious* 

We  have  already  glanced  at  the  trouble  Baxter  experienced 
at  Kidderminster,  from  the  ignorant  rabble,  which  disliked 
his  preaching  and  his  strictness.  Towards  the  end  of  1642, 
the  heat  of  the  parties  became  so  great  that  he  was  ex-» 
posed  to  considerable  danger.  The  king's  declarations  were  read 
in  the  market-place,  and  a  country  gentleman,  who  officiated  on 
the  occasion,  stopped  at  sight  of  Baxter,  and  called  out  ^^  There 
goes  a  traitor/'  The  commission  of  array  was  set  on  foot^ 
which  increased  the  rage  of  the  rioters.  ^^  Down  with  the  round- 
heads," became  the  watch-word;  and  knocking  down  every  person 
whose  hair  was  short  and  his  dress  respectable  immediately 
followed.  In  consequence  of  these  things,  Baxter  was  advised  to 
withdraw  for  a  short  time  from  the  scene  of  his  labours.  The 
county  of  Worcester  was  devoted  to  the  king ;  so  that  no  one 
who  was  known  to  be  for  the  parliament  could  then  be  of  service* 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER,  39 


CHAPTER    III. 

1642-1646. 


Batter  fOM  to  Glouoe^r— Returns  to  KiddenniD8ter-.Vi8it8  Alceatei^Btttla 
of  EdghiU— RtsSdeiiee  in  Coventry— Battle  of  Naseby— State  of  the  Par- 
liamtptary  Army— Consults  the  Ministers  about  goiB|^  into  it — Becomes 
Chaplain  to  Colonel  Whalley's  re^ment — Opinions  of  the  Soldiers — ^Disputes  ^ 
with  them — ^Battle  of  Laa^port— Wicked  Report  of  an  Occurrence  at  this 
place — ^The  Army  retires  to  Bridgewater  and  Bristol — ^Becomes  ill — Various 
Occurrences  in  the  Army — Chief  Impediments  to  his  Success  in  it — Crom- 
well— Harrlson-^Berry — ^Advised  by  the  Ministers  to  continue  in  it— Ones 
to  London  on  account  of  his  Health— Joins  the  Army  in  Worcestershire— 
Attacked  with  violent  Bleedings— Leaves  the  Army— Entertained  by  Lady 
Roue— Ramarka  on  his  Views  of  the  Anny»  and  conduct  in  it» 

Thb  immediate  cause  of  Baxter's  withdrawment  from  Kidder- 
minster was  a  violent  attack  on  his  life^  and  on  that  of  the  church- 
warden, by  a  mob,  excited  by  a  parliamentary  order  for  defacing 
images  of  the  Trinity  in  churches,  and  removing  crucifixes ;  to 
which  they  considered  Baxter  a  party,  though  the  execution  of 
the  order  had  not  been  attempted.  This  brutal  outrage  shows 
the  ignorant  and  degraded  state  of  the  people.  On  leaving 
Kidderminster,  he  went  to  Gloucester,  where  he  found  the  people 
civil  and  religious,  as  different  from  those  of  the  former  place  as 
if  they  had  lived  under  another  government.  Here  he  remained 
for  a  month,  during  which  many  political  pamphlets  were  pub- 
lished on  both  sides.  Here,  also,  he  first  witnessed  the  conten- 
tions between  the  ministers  and  the  Baptists,  and  other  sects, 
which  then  frequently  took  place  in  the  country.  A  public  arena 
was  chosen ;  judges,  or  moderators,  were  appointed ;  champions 
on  each  side  bade  defiance :  while  the  public  were  called  to 
witness  the  religious  tournament,  and  to  applaud  the  victor. 
Truth  was  generally  claimed  by  both  parties  j  but  if  the  justice 
of  the  cause  depended  on  the  spirit  and  weapons  of  the  cham- 
pions, in  most  instances  she  would  have  disclaimed  both.  About 
a  dosen  young  men,  in  Gloucester,  of  considerable  parts,  had 
been  re-baptised,  and  laboured,  as  was  very  natural,  to  draw 


40  THB   UP£  AND  TIMES. 

Others  after  them.  The  minister  of  the  place,  Mr*  Winnd, 
being  hot  and  impatient,  excited  rather  than  calmed  them.  He 
wrote  a  book  against  them,  which  produced  little  effect  on  the 
Baptists,  and  led  the  people  of  the  country  to  blame  him  for  his 
violence  and  asperity.  This  was  the  commencement^  Baxter 
says,  of  much  evil  at  Gloucester. 

\Vhen  he  had  remained  in  it  about  a  month,  his  friends  at 
Kidderminster  wished  him  to  return,  which  he  accordingly  did  $ 
but,  after  continuing  a  short  time,  he  found  the  state  of  matters 
so  little  improved,  the  fury  of  the  rabble  and  of  the  king's 
Soldiers  being  still  great,  that  he  was  under  the  necessity  of 
withdrawing  agun.  The  war  was  now  in  active  operation  in 
that  part  of  the  country ;  the  main  army  of  the  king,  com- 
manded by  Prince  Rupert,  and  that  of  the  parliament,  under 
the  Earl  of  Essex,  occupying  the  county  of  Worcester.  After 
noticing  some  petty  skirmishes,  he  gives  the  following  account 
of  the  battle  of  Edghill,  and  his  subsequent  proceedings : 

^^  Upon  the  Lord's  day,  October  23, 1642, 1  preached  at  Al* 
cester  for  my  reverend  friend,  IVlr.  Samuel  Clark.  As  I  was 
preaching,  the  people  heard  the  cannon  play,  and  perceived  that 
the  armies  were  engaged.  When  the  sermon  was  done,  in  the 
afternoon,  the  report  was  more  audible,  which  made  us  all  long 
to  hear  of  the  success.  About  sun-setting,  many  troops  fled 
through  the  town,  and  told  us  that  all  was  lost  on  the  parlia- 
ment's side ;  and  that  the  carriages  were  taken,  and'  the  wag* 
gons  plundered,  before  they  came  away.  The  townsmen  sent  a 
messenger  to  Stratford-on-Avon,  to  know  the  truth.  About  four 
o'clock  in  the  morning  he  returned,  and  told  us  that  Prince 
Rupert  wholly  routed  the  left  wing  of  the  Earl  of  Essex's  army  j 
but  while  his  men  were  plundering  the  waggons,  the  nuun  body 
and  the  right  wing  routed  the  rest  of  the  king's  army;  took  his 
standard,  but  lost  it  again ;  killed  General,  the  Earl  of  lindsay^ 
and  took  his  son  prisoner :  that  few  persons  of  quality,  on  the 
side  of  the  parliament,  were  lost,  and  no  nobleman  but  Lord, 
St.  John,  eldest  son  to  the  Earl  of  Bolingbroke :  that  the  loss 
of  the  left  wing  happened  through  the  treachery  of  Sir  Faithful 
Fortescue,  major  to  Lord  Fielding's  regiment  of  horse,  idio 
turned  to  the  king  when  he  should  have  charged  :  and  that  the 
victory  was  obtained  principally  by  Colonel  Hollis's  regiment  of 
London  red-coats,  and  the  Earl  of  Essex's  own  regiment  and 
life  guard,  where  Sir  Philip  Stapleton,  Sir  Arthur  Haselrigge^ 
and  Colonel  Urrey,  did  much. 


OP  RICUARD  BAXTER.  41 

^  Nest  monung,  bdng  desirous  to  see  the  fields  I  went  to 
SdgUlI,  and  finmd  the  Earl  of  Essex^  with  tlie  remaining  part 
of  his  army,  keeping  the  ground^  and  the  king's  army  facing 
them  upon  the  hUl  about  a  mile  off.  There  were  about  a  thou- 
•and  dead  bodies  in  the  field  between  them;  and  many  I  suppose 
were  buried  before*  Neither  of  the  armies  moving  towards  each 
otiier^  the  king's  army  presently  drew  off  towards  Banbury,  and 
then  to  QxfenL  The  Earl  of  Essex's  went  back  to  provide  for 
the  wmmded,  and  refiresh  themselves  at  Warwick  Castle,  be- 
longing to  Lord  Brook.*^ 

^  For  myself,  I  knew  not  what  course  to  take.  To  live  at 
home^  I  was  uneasy  3  but  especially  now,  when  soldiers  on  one 
side  or  other  would  be  frequently  among  us,  and  we  must  still 
be  at  the  mercy  of  every  furious  beast  that  would  make  a  prey 
of  na.  I  had  neither  money  nor  firiends :  I  knew  not  who  would 
receive  me  in  any  place  of  safety ;  nor  had  I  any  thing  to  satisfy 
them  for  my  diet  and  entertainment*  Hereupon  1  was  per- 
suaded, by  one  that  was  with  me,  to  go  to  Coventry,  where  an  old 
acqnaintuce,  Bilr.  Simon  King,  was  minister ;  so  diither  I  went, 
widi  s  purpose  to  stay  there  till  one  side  or  other  had  got  the 
irictory,  and  the  war  was  ended:  for  so  wise  in  matters  of  war 
was  I,  and  all  the  country  beside,  that  we  commonly  supposed 
that  a  very  few  days  or  weeks,  by  one  other  battle,  would  end 
the  wars.  Here  I  stayed  at  Mr.  King's  a  month ;  but  the  war 
was  then  as  far  from  being  likely  to  end  as  before. 

^  While  I  was  thinking  what  course^  to  take  in  this  necessity, 
the  committee  and  governor  of  the  city  desired  me  to  stay  vrith 
diem,  and  lodge  in  the  governor's  house,  and  preach  to  the 
soldiers.  The  offer  suited  well  with  my  necessities ;  but  I  re- 
solved that  I  would  not  be  chaplain  to  a  regiment,  nor  take 
a  commission :  yet,  if  the  mere  preaching  of  a  sermon  once  or 
twice  a  vreek  to  the  garrison  would  saUsfy  them,  I  would  accept 
of  the  offer,  till  I  could  go  home  again.  Here,  accordingly,  I 
fived  in  the  governor's  house,  followed  my  studies  as  quietly  as 
in  a  time  of  peace,  for  about  a  year ;  preaching  once  a  week  to 
the  soldiers,  and  once,  on  the  Lord's  day,  to  the  people ;  taking 
nothing  from  either  but  my  diet."  ^ 

*  Baztei's  accouut  of  this  battle  is  substantimlly  the  same  with  Ciarendon'sy 
tiioaffa  the  latter  eodeavoiin  to  show  that  the  victory  was  rather  on  the  side 
of  the  king  than  of  the  parliament.  The  coosequenoes  which  followed,  how. 
ever,  aflbrd  convindni^  proof  that  the  advantages  were  on  the  side  of  the  par« 
liaoMot. 

•  Life,  port  i.  pp.  43, 44* 


42  THS   LIFE  AND  TIMBS 

Ac  the  end  of  this  period,  the  war,  so  far  from  being  termi- 
nated, had  spread  almost  over  the  whole  cowitryt  In  moet  of 
the  counties  there  were  garrisons  and  troops  belonging  to  both 
parties,  which  caused  conflicts  in  every  quarter.  There  were  few 
paC^ishes  in  which  blood,  at  some  time  or  other,  was  not  shed  | 
so  general  and  determined  was  the  hostility  of  the  parties 
to  each  other.  Baxter  removed  from  Coventry  to  Shropsbiie 
for  about  two  months;  during  which  time,  he  was  near  some  of 
the  skirmishes  which  then  almost  daily  took  place.  Having^t 
his  father  relieved  from  prison  at  LillshuU,  he  returned  to  Co- 
ventry,  and  spent  another  year  in  his  old  employment,  studying 
the  Scriptures  and  preaching  to  the  army. 

In  his  audience  in  this  place,  he  mentions  that  there  were  many 
godly  and  judicious  persons.  Among  these  were,  Sir  Rtcbard 
Skeffington,  Colonel  Godfrey  Bosville,  Mr.  Mackworth,  and  Mr# 
George  Abbot,  known  by  his  Paraphrase  on  the  Book  of  Job« 
There  were  also  about  thirty  worthy  ministers,  who  bad  fled  to 
Coventry  for  safiety,  from  the  soldiers  and  popular  fury,  thotigb 
they  never  meddled  in  the  wars :  Mr.  Richard  VineSy  Mrt 
Anthony  Burgess,  Mr.  Burdall,  Mr.  Brumskill,  Dr*  Bryan,  Dr« 
Grew,  Mr.  Stephens,  Mr.  Cradock,  Mr.  Morton  of  Bewdley^ 
Mr.  Diamond,  old  Mr.  Overton,  and  many  more. 

At  Coventry,  Baxter  took  the  covenant  himself,  and  gave  it 
to  another,  of  which  he  afterwards  bitterly  repented.  He  also 
publicly  defended  it  against  a  production  of  Sir  Francis  Nether*- 
sole's.  He  then  supposed  that  it  was  only  intended  as  a  test 
for  garrisons  and  soldiers,  and  did  not  anticipate  that  it  would 
afterwards  be  made  a  test  for  the  magistracy  and  miniatiy 
throughout  the  land  $  though  he  acknowledges  be  might  have 
foreseen  this,  had  he  attended  to  its  tenor»  Here,  also»  be 
openly  declared  himself  for  the  parliament ;  for  which,  in  his 
^Penitent  Confessions,' p  he  assigns  thirty- two  reasons;  with 
which  it  is  unnecessary  here  to  trouble  the  reader. 

^^  The  garrison  of  Coventry,"  he  says,  '^  consisted  bulf  of 
citizens,  and  half  of  countrymen.  The  latter  were  such  as  had 
been  forced  from  their  own  dwellings,  and  were  the  most  reli- 
gious men  of  the  parts  round  about.  One  or  two  persons  who 
came  among  us  from  New  England,  of  Sir  Henry  Vane's  party, 
and  one  Anabaptist  tailor,  had  almost  troubled  all  the  garrison^ 
by  infecting  the  honest  soldiers  with  their  opinions.    But  they^ 

p  Penitent  Confessions,  p.  23. 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTBR.  43 

faand  not  the  success  in  Coventry  which  they  had  done  in 
Cromwell's  army*  In  public  I  was  fain  to  preach  over  all  the 
controversies  against  the  Anabaptists  first,  and  then  against  the 
separatists.  In  private,  some  of  my  Worcester  neighbours^  and 
many  ol  the  foot  soldiers,  were  able  to  baffle  both  separatistSi 
Anabaptists,  and  Antinomians,  and  so  kept  all  the  garrison  sound* 
Ob  thtt,  the  Anabaptists  sent  to  Bedford,  for  one  Benjamin  Cox^ 
an  old  minister  of  their  persuasion,  and  no  contemptible  scholar^ 
the  son  of  a  bishop ;  and  he  and  I  had  first  a  dispute  by  word  of 
mouthy  and  afterwards  in  writing.  In  conclusion,  about  a  dozen 
poor  townsmen  were  carried  away ;  but  the  soldiers,  and  the  rest 
of  the  city,  were  kept  sound  from  all  infection  of  sectaries  and 
dividers."^  Mr.  Cox  was  desired  to  depart  the  first  timej 
but  coming  down  again  and  refusing  to  leave  the  city,  the  com- 
mittee imprisoned  him.  Some  ascribed  this  to  Baxter}  but  he 
declares  that  instead  of  using  his  influence  to  put  him  in^  he 
employed  it  to  get  him  out/  Be  this  as  it  may,  a  Baptist  church 
was  then  planted  in  Coventry,  which  has  subsisted  ever  since. 
Imprisotung  heretics  will  never  check  or  destroy  heresy ;  and 
preaching  controversies,  is  not  the  most  useful  method  either  of 
converting  unbelievers  or  establishing  saints. 

The  detail  which  Baxter  gives  in  his  own  life  of  the  subsequent 
pK^ress  of  the  civil  war,  which  so  long  fearfully  distracted  the 
country,  is  too  extended  and  minute  to  admit  of  being  fully  in- 
serted in  this  place.  Many  of  the  scenes  which  he  notices,  are 
better  described  by  others  who  witnessed  them,  and  with  whose 
description  the  generality  of  readers  are  now  well  acquainted. 
More  dependence  also  can  be  placed  on  his  statements  than  on 
his  reasonings ;  on  his  record  of  what  he  saw,  than  on  his  hear- 
say reports.  But  as  he  himself  acted  with  the  parliamentary 
army  for  a  considerable  time,  the  account  which  he  gives  of 
what  fell  under  his  own  observation,  and  of  his  personal  conduct, 
is  frequently  important  and  interesting,  and  may  always  be  re- 
ceived with  the  greatest  confidence.  To  these  things,  I  shall, 
therefore,  confine  my  narrative.  He  thus  describes  the  circum- 
stances which  led  to  his  joining  the  army,  his  employment  whilst 
in  it,  and  some  of  the  events  which  happened  during  his  con- 
nexion with  it. 

"  Naseby  being  not  far  from  Coventry,  where  I  was,  and  the 
noise  of  the  victory  being  loud  in  our  ears,  and  I  having  two  or 

1  Life,  part  i.  p.  46. 

'  Baxter  on  *  Infant  Baptism/  Preface. 


44  TAB  LIFE  AND  TIMES 

three  h4io  had  been  my  intimate  friends  in  CromwelKs  army^ 
whom  I  had  not  seen  for  above  two  years,  I  was  desirous  of  see-* 
ing  whether  they  were  dead  or  alive ;  so  to  Naseby  Field  I  went 
two  days  after  the  fight,  and  thence  by  the  army's  quarters  be- 
fore Leicester,  to  seek  my  acquaintance.*  When  I  found  them^ 
I  staid  with  them  a  night;  and  understood  from  them  thet 
state  of  the  army  much  better  than  ever  I  had  done  before* 
We  that  lived  quietly  in  Coventry  kept  to  our  old  principles,  and 
thought  all  others  had  done  so  too*  Except  a  very  few  inconside- 
rable persons,  we  were  unfeignedly  for  king  and  parliament  $ 
we  believed  that  the  war  was  only  to  save  the  parliament  and 
kingdom  from  papists  and  delinquents,  and  to  remove  the  divi- 
ders, that  the  king  might  again  return  to  his  parliament;  and  that 
tio  changes  might  be  made  in  religion,  but  by  the  laws  which  - 
had  his  free  consent.    We  took  the  true  happiness  of  king  and 
people,  church  and  state,  to  be  our  end,  and  so  we  understood 
the  covenant,  engaging  both  agfunst  Papists  and  schismatics; 
and  when  the  Court  News-book  told  the  world  of  the  swarms  of 
Anabaptists  in  our  armies,  we  thought  it  had  been  a  mere  lie^ 
because  it  was  not  so  with  us,  nor  in  any  of  the  garrisons  or 
county  forces  about  us.    But  when  I  came  to  the  army,  among 
Cromwell's  soldiers,  I  found  a  new  face  of  things  which  I  never 
dreamt  of;  I  heard  the  plotting  heads  very  hot  upon  that  which 
intimated  their  intention  to  subvert  both  church  and  state.    In- 
dependency and  Anabaptistery  were  more  prevalent;  Antino- 
mianism  and  Arminianism  were  equally  distributed ;  and  Thomas 
Moor's  followers  (a  weaver  of  Wisbitch  and  Lynn,  of  excellent 

*  The  best  account  which  I  have  met  with  of  the  battle  of  Naseby,  is  ia 
Spric^'s  'Ansiia  Red! viva;  Ea^land's  Recovery;  or,  the  History  of  the 
Army  under  the  conduct  of  Sir  Thomas  Fairfax/  &c.  1647.  Sprigf^  was 
General  Fairfax's  chaplain,  and  personally  acquainted  with  the  scenes  and 
transactions  which  he  describes.  The  booic  is  now  very  scarce ;  but  those 
who  think  the  ministers  of  the  army  were  mere  fanatics,  would  do  well  to 
consult  this  work*  As  it  comprehends  the  very  period  during^  which  Baxter 
was  in  the  army,  it  deserves  to  be  compared  with  his  account  of  th<«  trans- 
actions which  then  took  place.  Springe's  means  of  informatvon  mus^  have 
been  superior  to  Baxter's,  as  he  was  immediately  connected  with  the  g^eral 
himself;  yet  I  am  not  aware  of  any  important  diflference  between  then  in 
the  statements  of  facts ;  though  they  do  not  entirely  ag^ree,  as  is  noticed  w  a 
subsequent  page,  in  their  views  of  the  character  of  the  army.  1  should  s^Mp- 
pose  that  Baxter  did  not  occupy  any  veiy  conspicuous  place  in  the  army,  «■ 
hb  name  is  never  mentioned  by  Sprigge.  Clement  Walker  calls  SprlggJ^t 
<  Anglia,'  the  '  Legeud,  or  Romance,  uf  this  Army/  and  insinuates  that  it  mAu 
the  production  of  Nath.  Fieunes,  second  son  to  Lord  Say :  but  this  is  probabl^ 
one  of  ^  legends  of  that  mendacious  writer.  T 


OP  RICHARD   BAXTER.  45 

parts)  had  made  some  shifts  to  join  these  two  extremes  to* 
gether* 

^Abundance  of  the  common  troopers  and  many  of  theofficers^ 
I  found  to  be  honest,  sober,  orthodox  men ;  others  were  tract- 
able, ready  to  hear  the  truth,  and  of  upright  intentions.  But  a 
few  proud,  self-conceited,  hot-headed  sectaries  had  got  into  the 
highest  places,  and  were  Cromwell's  chief  favourites ;  and  by 
dieirvery  heat  and  activity,  bore  down  the  rest,  or  carried  them 
alcMig  with  them.  These  were  the  soul  of  the  army,  though 
much  fewer  in  number  than  the  rest,  being  indeed  not  one  to 
twenty  in  It;  their  strength  being  in  the  General's,  in  Whalley's 
and  in  Rich's  regiments  of  horse,  and  among  the  new-placed 
oflicers  in  many  of  the  rest. 

^  I  perceived  that  they  took  the  king  for  a  tyrant  and  an  enemy, 

and  really  intended  absolutely  to  master  him,  or  to  ruin  him, 

Iliey  thought  if  they  might  fight  against  him,  they  might  also 

killer  conquer  him;  and  if  they  might  conquer,  they  were  never 

more  to  trust  him  further  than  he  was  in  their  power.    They 

dMMight  it  folly  to  irritate  him  either  by  war  or  contradiction 

in  parliament,  if  so  be  they  must  needs  take  him  for  their  king, 

and  trust  him  with  their  lives  when  they 'had  thus  displeased 

him.     *  What,  were  the  lords  of  England,'    said  they,  ^  but 

William  the  Conqueror's  cologels ;  or  the  barons,  but  his  majors; 

or  the  knights,  but  his  captains  ! '    They  plainly  showed  that 

they  thought  God's  providence  would  cast  the  trust  of  religion 

and  the  kingdom  upon  them  as  conquerers ;  they  made  nothing 

of  all  the  most  wise  and  godly  in  the  armies  and  garrisons,  that 

were  not  of  their  way-     Per  fas  aut  nefasj  By  law  or  without 

it,  they  were  resolved  to  take  down,  not  only  bishops,  and  liturgy, 

and  ceremonies,  but   all   who    did    withstand    them.    They 

were  far  from  thinking  of  a  moderate  episcopacy,  or  of  any 

healing  method  between  the  episcopalians  and  the  presbyteri- 

aos ;  they  most  honoured  the  separatists,  anabaptists,  and  anti- 

nomians  ;  but  Cromwell  and  his  council  took  on  them  to  join 

themselves  to  no  party,  but  to  be  for  the  liberty  of  all.     Two 

sorts,  I  perceived,  they  did  so  commonly  and  bitterly  speak 

against,  that  it  was  done  in  mere  design,  to  make  them  odious  to 

the  soldiers,  and  to  all  the  land ;  and  these  were  the  Scots,  and 

with  them  all  presbyterians,  but  especially  the  ministers ;  whom 

they  called  priests,  and  priestbyters,  dryvines,  and  the  dissembly- 

meo,  and  such  like.    The  committees  of  the  several  counties, 

ttid  all  the  soldiers  that  were  under  them,  that  were  not  of  their 


46  THB  LIFB  ANB  TIMBS    • 

mind  and  way,  were  the  other  objects  of  their  ditpleasnre.  Some 
orthodox  captains  of  the  •army  partly  acquainted  me  with  all 
this,  and  I  heard  much  of  it  from  the  mouths  of  the  leaduig 
sectaries  themselves.  This  struck  me  to  the  very  heart,  and 
made  me  fear  that  England  was  lost  by  those  that  it  had  taken 
for  its  chief  friends. 

'^  Upon  this  I  began  to  blame  other  ministers  and  myself*  I 
saw  that  it  was  the  ministers  that  had  lost  all,  by  forsaking  the 
army,  and  betaking  themselves  to  an  easier  and  quieter  way  of 
life.  When  the  Earl  of  Essex  went  out  first,  each  regiment  bad 
an  able  preacher ;  but  at  Edghill  fight,  almost  all  of  them  went 
home]  and  as  the  sectaries  increased,  they  were  the  more  averse 
to  go  into  the  army.  It  is  true,  I  believe  now,  that  they  had 
little  invitation ;  and  it  is  true,  that  they  could  look  for  little  wel- 
come, and  great  contempt  and  opposition,  beside  all  other  diffi«f 
culties  and  dangers ;  but  it  is  as  true,  that  their  worth  and 
labour,  in  a  patient,  self-denying  way,  would  probably  have  pre* 
served  most  of  the  army,  and  have  defeated  the  contrivances  of 
the  sectaries,  saved  the  king,  the  parliament,  and  the  land* 
And  if  it  had  brought  reproach  upon  themselves  from  the  mali* 
cious,  who  called  them  Military  Levites,  the  good  which  they 
had  done  would  have  wiped  off  that  blot,  much  better  than  the 
contrary  course  would  have  done. 

*^  I  reprehended  myself  also,  who  had  before  rejected  an  invi-r 
tation  from  Cromwell,  when  he  lay  at  Cambridge  with  that 
famous  troop  with  which  he  began  his  army.  His  officers  pur- 
posed to  m^e  their  troop  a  gathered  church,  and  they  all  suIh 
scribed  an  invitation  to  me  to  be  their  pastor,  and  sent  it  me  to 
Coventry.  I  sent  them  a  denial,  reproving  their  attempt,  and 
told  them  wherein  my  judgment  was  against  the  lawfulness  and 
convenience  of  their  way,  and  so  I  heard  no  more  from  them ; 
but  afterwards  meeting  Cromwell  at  Leicester,  he  expostulated 
with  me  for  denying  them.  These  very  men  that  then  invited 
me  to  be  their  pastor,  were  the  men  that  afterwards  headed 
much  of  the  army,  and*  some  of  them  were  the  forwardest  in  all 
our  changes }  which  made  me  wish  that  I  had  gone  among 
them,  however  it  had  been  inteipreied;  for  then  all  the  fire 
was  in  one  spark. 

^'  When  I  had  informed  myself,  to  my  sorrow,  of  the  state  of 
the  army.  Captain  Evanson  (one  of  my  orthodox  informers) 
desired  me  yet  to  come  to  their  regiment,  which  was  the 
most  religious,  most  valiant,  and  most  successful  of  all  the 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTBR.  4^ 

m 

army ;  but  in  as  much  danger  as  any  one  whatsoever.  I  was 
unwilling  to  leave  my  studies,  and  friends,  and  quietness,  at 
Coventry,  to  go  into  an  army  so  contrary  to  my  judgment ; 
but  I  thought  the  public  good  commanded  me,  and  so  1  gave 
Mm  some  encouragement.  Whereupofi  he  told  his  colonel 
(Whall^),  who  also  was  orthodox  in  religion,  but  engaged  by 
kindred  and  interest  to  Cromwell  5  who  invited  me  to  be  chaplain 
to  his  regiment.  I  told  him  I  would  take  but  a  day's  time  to 
deliberate,  and  would  send  him  an  answer  or  else  come  to  him. 

^  Am  soon  as  I  came  home  to  Coventry,  I  called  together  an 
anembly  of  ministers ;  Dr.  Bryan,  Dr.  Grew,  and  many  others. 
I  told  them  the  sad  news  of  the  corruption  of  the  army,  and 
that  I  thought  all  we  had  valued  was  likely  to  be  endangered  by 
them  I  seeing  this  army  having  first  conquered  at  York,  and 
now  at  Naseby,  and  having  left  the  king  no  visible  army  but 
Qoring'si  the  fate  of  the  whole  kingdom  was  likely  to  follow  the 
dtsposition  and  interest  of  the  conquerors.  We  had  sworn  to  be 
troe  to  the  king  and  his  heirs  in  the  oath  of  allegiance.  All  our 
soidiera  here  think  that  the  parliament  is  faithful  to  the  king,  and 
have  no  other  purpose  themselves*  If  the  king  and  parliament, 
church  and  state,  be  ruined  by  those  men,  and  we  look  on  and 
do  nothing  to  hinder  it,  how  are  we  true  to  our  allegiance  and 
to  the  covenant,  which  bindeth  us  to  defend  the  king,  and  to  be 
against  schism,  as  well  as  against  Popery  and  profaneness  ? 
For  my  part,  said  I,  I  know  that  my  body  is  so  weak,  that  it  is 
likely  to  hazard  my  life  to  be  among  them  ;  I  expect  their 
fury  should  do  little  less  than  rid  me  out  of  the  way ;  and  I 
know  one  man  cannot  do  much  among  them  :  but  yet,  if  your 
judgment  take  it  to  be  my  duty,  I  will  venture  my  life ;  perhaps 
some  other  minister  may  be  drawn  in,  and  then  some  more  of 
the  evil  may  be  prevented. 

"The  ministers  finding  my  own  judgment  for  it,  and  being 
moved  with  the  cause,  did  unanimously  give  their  judgment  for 
my  going.  Hereupon,  I  went  straight  to  the  committee,  and  told 
tliem  that  I  had  an  invitation  to  the  armv,  and  desired  their  con- 
sent  to  go.  They  consulted  awhile,  and  then  left  it  wholly  to 
the  governor,  saying,  that  if  he  consented  they  should  not  hin- 
der me.  It  fell  out  that  Colonel  Barker,  the  governor,  was 
just  then  to  be  turned  out,  as  a  member  of.  parliament,  by  the 
self-denying  vote.  And  one  of  his  companions  (Colonel  WiU 
loughby)  was  to  l>e  colonel  and  governor  in  his  place.  Here- 
upon Colonel  Barker  was  content,  in  his  discontent,  that  I 


48  THR  LIFR  AND  TIMES 

should  go  out  with  him,  that  he  might  be  missed  the  moie ; 
and  so  gave  me  his  consent. 

*^  I  then  sent  word  to  Colonel  Whalley  that^  to-morroW 
God  willing,  I  would  come  to  him.  As  soon  as  this  was  done,  * 
the  elected  governor  was  much  displeased;  and  the  soldiers  were 
so  much  offended  with  the  committee  for  consenting  to  my 
going,  that  the  committee  all  met  again  in  the  nighty  and  sent 
for  me,  and  told  me  I  must  not  go.  I  told  them  that,  by  their 
consent,  I  had  promised,  and  therefore  must  go*  They  told 
me  that  the  soldiers  were  ready  to  mutiny  against  them,  and 
they  could  not  satisfy  them,  and  therefore  I  must  stay.  1  tdid 
them  that  I  would  not  have  promised,  if  they  had  not  consented^ 
though,  being  no  soldier  or  chaplain  to  the  garrison,  but  only 
preaching  to  them,  I  took  myself  to  be  a  free  man,  and  I  could 
not  break  my  word,  when  I  had  promised  by  their  consent. 
They  seemed  to  deny  their  consent,  and  said  they  only  referred 
me  to  the  governor.  In  a  word,  they  were  so  angry  with  me, 
that  I  was  fain  to  tell  them  all  the  truth  of  my  motives  and 
design,  what  a  case  I  perceived  the  army  to  be  in,  and  that  I 
was  resolved  to  do  my  best  against  it.  I  knew  not,  till  after- 
wards,, that  Colonel  William  Purefoy,  a  parliament-man,  one  of 
the  chief  of  them,  was  a  confident  of  Cromwell's;  and  as 
soon  as  I  had  spoken  what  I  did  of  the  army,  magisterially  he 
answereth  me, '  Let  me  hear  no  more  of  that :  if  Nol  Crom* 
well  'should  hear  any  soldier  but  speak  such  a  word,  he  would 
cleave  his  crown  :  you  do  them  wrong.  It  is  not  so.'  I  told 
him  what  he  would  not  hear,  he  should  not  hear  from  me : 
but  I  would  perform  my  word  though  he  seemed  to  deny  his. 
And  so  I  parted  with  those  that  had  been  my  very  great  friendsj 
in  some  displeasure.  The  soldiers,  however,  threatened  to  stop 
the  gates  and  keep  me  in ;  but,  being  honest,  understanding 
men,  I  quickly  satisfied  the  leaders  of  them  by  a  private  inti- 
mation of  my  reasons  and  resolutions,  and  some  of  them  ac- 
companied me  on  my  way. 

*^  As  soon  as  I  came  to  the  army,  Oliver  Cromwell  coolly  bade 
me  welcome,  and  never  spake  one  word  to  me  more  while  I  was 
there;  nor  once,  all  that  time,  vouchsafed  me  an  opportunity  to 
come  to  the  head-quarters,  where  the  councils  and  meetings 
of  the  officers  were ;  so  that  most  of  my  design  was  thereby 
frustrated.  His  secretary  gave  out  that  there  was  a  reformer 
come  to  the  army  to  undeceive  them,  and  to  save  church  and 
statCj  with  some  such  other  jeers;  by  which  I  perceived  that 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTBA.  49 

all  I  had  said  the  night  before  to  the  committee^  had  come  to 
Cromwell  before  me,  I  believe  by  Colonel  Purefoy's  means : 
but  Colonel  Whalley  welcomed  me,  and  was  the  worse  thought 
of  for  it  by  the  rest  of  the  cabal* 

^  Here  I  set  myself,  from  day  to  day,  to  find  out  the  corrup- 
tions of  the  soldiers,  and  to  discourse  and  dispute  them  out  of 
their  mistakes,  both  religious  and  political.  My  life  among 
them  was  a  daily  contending  agiunst  seducers,  and  gently  argu- 
ing with  the  more  tractable ;  but  another  kind  of  warfare  I  had 
than  theirs. 

^l  found  that  many  honest  men,  of  weak  judgments  and 
little  acquaintance  with  such  matters,  had  been  seduced  into  a 
disputing  vein,  and  made  it  too  much  of  their  religion  to  talk 
for  this  opinion  and  for  that;  sometimes  for  state  democra- 
cy, and  sometimes  for  church  democracy ;  sometimes  against 
forms  of  prayer,  and  sometimes  against  infant  baptism^ 
which  yet  some  of  them  did  maintain;  sometimes  against 
set  times  of  prayer,  and  against  the  tying  of  ourselves  to 
any  duty  before  the  Spirit  move  us;  and  sometimes  about 
free-grace  and  free-will,  and  all  the  points  of  Antinomian- 
ism  and  Arminianism.  So  that  I  was  almost  always,  when 
I  h^  opportunity,  disputing  with  one  or  other  of  them ; 
sometimes  for  our  civil  government,  and  sometimes  for  church 
order  and  government;  sometimes  for  infant  baptism,  and  oft 
against  Antinomianism,  and  the  contrary  extreme.  But  their 
most  frequent  and  vehement  disputes  were  for  liberty  of  con- 
science, as  they  called  it ;  that  is,  that  the  civil  magistrate  had 
nothing  to  do  to  determine  any  thing  in  matters  of  religion, 
by  constraint  or  restraint ;  but  every  man  might  not  only  hold, 
but  preach  and  do,  in  matters  of  religion,  what  he  pleased  : 
that  the  civil  magistrate  hath  nothing  to  do  but  with  civil 
things,  to  keep  the  peace,  protect  the  church's  liberties,  &c.^ 

^  It  is  very  interestiag^  to  find  that,  amidst  all  the  heresies  which  infected 
the  army,  of  which  Baxter  speaks  su  strangely,  the  heresy,  as  it  was  then 
deemed,  of  reli^ous  liberty,  so  extensively  prevailed.  It  is  a  pleasing  feature 
Iq  the  character  of  the  army,  that  it  contended  more  vehemently  for  this  thaa 
for  any  other  point  of  doctrine  or  form  of  relig^ion.  The  fanatical  Baptists 
and  Independents  of  the  parliamentary  forces,  maintained,  two  hundred  years 
1^,  the  doctrine  to  which  the  enlightened  parliament  of  Georg^e  the  Fourth, 
in  the  years  1828  and  1829,  was  brouf^ht  to  submit;  not  by  practised  politi- 
cians, or  spiritual  lonls,  but  by  a  man  accustomed  from  his  earliest  youth  to 
the  use  of  arms,  and  the  arbitrary  command  of  an  army.  Among  soldiers, 
religious  freedom  was  first  fiercely  contended  for;  and  by  a  soldier  iti 

VOL,  U  V 


50  THs  itFB  ksb  fiuks 

''  I  fduite  that  dne-hftif  dmdst^  of  the  M^tiuB  pHit^  iami^ 
th^ncl,  were  such  ui  were  either  drthodbx,  bi  bdt  tery  tSil^tlf 
touched  iHth  heterodoxy ;  aiid  almost  andthe^  hklf  were  hodMt 
men,  that  stepped  further  into  the  contending  Way  than  ,iney 
ctitild  Well  get  otit  Of  again;  hut  wh6,  with  coni^etent  help, 
inight  be  recbtei^ed.  There  Wete  a  ftw  fierjr,-  self-fcdnciited 
ttieti  atnoilg  th^m,  iirhd  kihdled  the  ^est,  arid  made  kU  thfc  hdtse 
and  btlstle,  and  carried  about  the  artny  as  they  pieced :  fiif 
the  greatest  pdrt  bf  thfe  eomthon  sdldieni,  especially  df  t}Hi  fddt^ 
were  ignorant  men,  of  little  religion ;  abundance  of  theiri  iirere 
buch  Its  had  been  taken  prisdriers,5r  ttitned  dilt  of  garmdns  tinder 
the  king,  arid  had  beeh  sbldiei^  hi  his  kfmf.  The^  wddd 
db  any  thing  to  please  Iheir  officers;  arid  were  I'cady  liiStHi- 
ments  for  the  seducers,  especially  ih  thei^  grfeat  #brkj  #>iieh 
was  to  cry  ddwti  the  cbtetiarit,  to  villify  illl  parish  (rilriist^^^  but 
especially  the  Scots  ahd  Presbyterians ;  tbt  the  mbst  ot  the  sol- 
diers that  i  sfioke  withj  riever  tdbk  the  cdvertarit,  becdHiie  ii  tttfd 
them  to  deferid  the  king's  persdtij  arid  to  extirpatb  h^t^y  atfd 
schism. 

*^  When  I  perceived  that  it  was  a  feW;  then,  Who  bbfe  tN^ 
bell,  and  did  all  the  hurt  ambng  ihem^  I  aequairited  thyself  wItH 
those  men,  and  would  be  oft  dlsputlhg  with  them>  iri  the  hekr- 
ihg  of  the  rest.  I  forind  that  they  were  riien  whb  had  been  iri 
London,  hatched  up  among  the  old  separatists,  and  had  madfe  it 
all  the  matter  of  their  study  and  religion  to  rail  against  minis- 
ters, parish  churches,  and  Presbyterians ;  and  who  had  llttte 
other  knoivledge,  or  discourse  of  any  thing  about  the  heart,  or 
heaven.  They  were  fierce  with  pride  and  self-concdtedriess^ 
and  had  gotten  a  very  great  conquest  over  their  charity,  both 
to  the  Episcopalians  and  Presbyterians :  where&s  many  of  those 
honest  soldiers  who  Were  tainted  but  with  sbme  doubts  about 
liberty  of  conscience  or  Independency,  were  meii  whb  wduld  dis- 
course of  the  points  of  sanctification  and  christian  experience 
v^ry  seriously,  t  so  far  prevailed  ih  opening  the  lolly  of 
these  revilers  and  self- conceited  men,  as  that  some  of  thetn  lie- 
carile  the  laughing-stock  of  the  soldiers  before  I  left  therii;  fthd 
wheh  they  pi-eacKed,  for  great  prieachers  they  were,  their  weafe^ 
ness  exposed  them  to  contempt.  A  great  part  of  the  mischief 
was  ddne  atnbng  the  soldiers  by  pamphlets,  which  Were  abttri- 

trtuiiipbt  have  bee n  rompletM.    I  re|^ret  that  1  cAnioot  place  Baxter  Itt  tMl 
frunt  rauks  of  its  friends. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  51 

dantiy  dispersed^  such  as  Overton^  Martin  Mar-Priest,  and 
more  of  his  ;■  and  some  of  J.  Lilburn's,  who  was  one  of  the 
preaching  officers ;  and  divers  against  the  king,  and  against  the 
ministry,  and  for  liberty  of  conscience,  &c.  llie  soldiers  being 
usually  dispersed  in  quarters,  they  had  such  books  to  read,  when 
they  had  Hone  to  contradict  them. 

*^  But  there  was  yet  a  more  dangerous  party  than  thes^ 
among  the  soldiers,  who  took  the  direct  Jesuitical  way.  They  first 
most  vehemehtly  declaimed  against  the  doctrine  of  election,  and 
for  the  power  of  free-will,  and  all  other  points  which  are  con- 
troverted between  the  Jesuits  and  Dominicans,  the  Arminians 
atid  Calvinists.  They  then  as  fiercely  cried  down  our  present 
translation  of  the  Scriptures,  and  debased  their  authority,  i 
though  they  did  not  deny  them  to  be  divine.  They  cried  \ 
down  ali  bur  ministry,  episcopal,  presbyterian,  and  independent,  ) 
and  all  our  churches.  They  vilified  almost  all  our  ordltiary 
worship ;  they  allowed  of  no  argument  from  Scripture,  but  what 
was  brought  in  its  express  words ;  they  were  vehement  against 
both  king  and  all  government,  except  popular:  and  against 
magistrates  meddling  in  matters  of  religion.  All  their  disputing 
was  with  as  much  fierceness  as  if  they  had  been  ready  to  draw 
their  swords  upon  those  against  whom  they  disputed.  They 
trusted  more  to  policy,  scorn,  and  power,  than  to  argument. 
They  would  bitterly  scorn  me  among  their  hearers,  to  preju- 
dice them  before  they  entered  into  dispute.  They  avoided  me 
as  much  as  possible  ;  but  when  we  did  come  to  it,  they  drowned 
all  reason  in  fierceness,  and  vehemency,  and  multitude  of  words. 
Tliey  greatly  strove  for  places  of  command  5  and  when  any 
place  was  due  by  order  to  another  that  was  not  of  their  mind, 
they  would  be  sure  to  work  him  out,  and  be  ready  to  mutiny  if 
they  had  not  their  will.  I  thought  they  were  principled  by  thfe 
Jesuits,  and  act^d  all  for  their  interest,  and  in  their  way.  But 
the  secret  spring  was  out  of  sight.  These  were  the  same  tnefi 
that  afterwards  were  called  Levellers,  who  rote  up  against  Crbitl^ 

*  These  pamphlets  were  imitations  of  the  Martin  Mar- Prelate  attacks 
upou  the  bishops  and  clergy  in  the  reif^n  of  Elizabeth.  They  partake  of  the 
severity,  and,  indeed,  scurrility,  of  their  prototypes,  and  were  (Calculated  to 
prodttcte  very  considerable  effect.  They  were  Itiostly  anonymous,  but  hatfe 
been  commonly  ascribed  to  Overton,  Lilburn,  and  persons  of  that  class.  Aa 
admirable  account  of  Lilburn,  with  a  very  correct  view  of  his  character,  is 
given  in  Godwin's  History  of  the  Commonwealth.'  0%'erton,  I  suspect,  was 
an  infidel — a  character  then  rather  uncommon.  He  wrote  a  pamphlet  to  prove 
inau's  iiiaterialitv,  which  made  considerable  noise  at  the  time. 

e2 


52  THE   UFB  AND   TIMES 

well,  and  were  surprised  at  Burford,  having  then  deceived  and  . 
drawn  to  them  many  more.    Thompson,  the  general  of  the 
levellers,  who  was  slain  then,  was  no  greater  a  man  than  one  of 
the  corporals  of  Bethel's  troop;  the  cornet  and  others  being 
much  worse  than,  he.' 

"Thus,"  concludes  Baxter^  "have  I  given  you  a  taste  of  my 
employment  in  the  army."     For  such  employment  he  was  of 
all  men  singularly  qualified.      Nothing  but  an  extraordinary 
taste  for  disputation,  could  have  disposed  him  to  enter  on,  or 
have  enabled  him  to  continue  in,   such   a  service.     Making 
allowance  for  the  colouring,  which  the  state  of  his  mind,  and 
the  extraordinary  nature  of  his  circumstances,  must  have  pro* 
duoed,  it  will  be  granted,  that  such  another  army  as  that  of 
the  Parliament,  at  this  period,  the  world  never  saw  before,  or 
since.     Baxter  endeavours  to  account  for  its  peculiar  character, 
from  the  influence  of  a  few  individuals.     But,  whatever  may 
be  ascribed  to  them  as  the  proximate  causes  of  particular  events, 
it  is  certain  tliat  other  and  more  powerful  causes  formed  the 
characters  of  these  soldiers,  and  are  necessary  to  account  for  the 
appearance  which   they   presented.      Civil   and   ecclesiastical  n 
oppression  had  goaded  many  to  desperation;  the  hope  and 
love  of  liberty  inspired  that  heroic  ardour,  wiiich  nothing  could   \ 
subdue ;  the  detection  of  many  a  false  pretence,  and  the  discovery 
of  many  important  errors,  by  which  they  had  long  been  abused 
and  deluded,  induced  suspicions  and  doubts,  and  instigated  to  a 
licentious  freedom  of  inquiry.  Authority  had  lost  all  its  weight; 
and  truth,  stripped  of  all  adventitious  ornament  and  recommend* 
ation,  seemed  clothed  with  irresistible  charms.     The  period  of 
darkness  and  the  reign  of  terror  were  regarded  to  have  passed 
away ;  and  the  dawn  of  peace,  liberty,  and  religion,  all  over  the   | 
the  world,  was  supposed  to  have  commenced.    Baxter's  exertions 
to  stem  the  progress  of  these  men,  however  well-meant,  were  like  i 
attempts  to  check  a  volcano,  by  throwing  stones  into  the  crater;  1 
or  to  resist  the  mountain  torrent  by  a  wicker  embankment.  The  V 
tempest  which  bad  been  long  collecting  at  length  burst  with 
tremdidous  fury;  but,  though,  for  a  time,  it  scattered  dismay  and 
desolation  all  around,  it  finally  cleared  the  political  and  reli* 
gious  atmosphere,  and  rendered  it  capable  of  being  breathed  by 
free  men  and  Christians. 

As  Baxter's  account  of  the  army  is  drawn  up  under  the  influ* 

'  Life>  part  i.  pp«  dO^S-l. 


OF    RICHARD    BAXTER.  53 

ence  of  strong  feeling,  arising  probably  from  the  disappointment 
he  experienced  in  his  attempts  to  cool  down  their  ardour,  and 
reconcile  their  theological  quarrels,  it  may  be  proper  to  present 
to  the  reader  the  character  of  these  soldiers,  as  drawn  by  another 
who  was  very  intimate  with  them,  and  whose  testimony  is  en- 
titled to  much  respect. 

"  The  officers  of  this  army,"  says  Sprigge, "  werc^uch  as  knew 
little  more  of  war  than  our  own  unhappy  wars  had  taught  them, 
except  some  few.  Indeed,  I  may  say  this,  they  were  better 
Christians  than  soldiers ;  wiser  in  faith  than  in  fighting;  and  could 
believe  a  victory  sooner  than  contrive  it ;  yet  were  they  as  wise  in 
soldiery  as  the  little  time  and  experience  they  had  could  make 
them.  Many  of  the  officers,  with  their  men,  were  much  engaged 
in  prayer  and  reading  the  Scriptures ;  an  exercise  that  soldiers, 
till  of  late,  have  used  but  little;  and  thus  they  went  on* and  pros- 
pered. Men  conquer  better  as  they  are  saints  than  soldiers ;  \ 
and  in  the  counties  where  they  came,  they  left  something  of 
God  as  well  as  of  Caesar  behind  them  ;  something  of  piety  aa 
well  as  pay. 

^'The  army  was,  what  by  example  and  justice,  kept  in  good 
order,  both  in  respect  of  itself  and  of  the  country ;  nor  was  it 
their  pay  that  pacified  them  ;  for,  had  they  not  had  more  civility 
than  money,  things  had  not  been  so  fairly  managed.  There 
were  many  of  them  differing  in  opinion,  yet  not  in  action  or 
business ;  they  all  agreed  to  preserve  the  kingdom  ;  they  pros- 
pered more  in  their  amity  than  uniformity.  Whatever  their 
opinions  were,  they  plundered  none  with  them,  they  betrayed 
none  with  them,  nor  disobeyed  the  state  with  them ;  and  they 
were  more  visibly  pious  and  peaceable  in  their  opinions  than 
those  we  call  more  orthodox.''^ 

This  is  the  testimony  of  one  whom  Baxter  would  perhaps 
have  called  a  sectary ;  but  he  was  chaplain  to  the  good  ortho- 
dox Presbyterian,  General  Fairfax,  and  could  not,  therefore,  have 
been  very  wild.  Besides,  his  whole  account  is  characterised  by 
sobriety,  and  accounts  better  for  the  conduct  and  success  of  the 
army,  than  some  parts  of  Baxter's  description.  It  is  a  duty, 
while  recording  events,  and  describing  characters  as  they  really 
existed,  to  embrace  every  fair  opportunity  of  vindicating  the  brave 
and,  I  must  call  them,  enlightened  men,  who  fought  the  battle  of 
England's  liberties,  and  to  whose  memories  a  large  debt  of 
gratitude  still  remains  undischarged. 

y  Sprigge's  •  Anglia  Rccliviva,'  pp.  324,  325. 


\ 


54  THB   LIFE  AND  TIMES 

^^As  soon  as  I  came  to  the  army/'  Baxter  proceeds,  ^'it 
marched  speedily  down  into  the  west,  because  the  king  had  no 
army  left  there  but  the  Lord  Goring's,  and  it  would  not  suffer  the 
fugitives  of  Naseby-fight  to  come  thither  to  strengthen  them.  We 
Came  quickly  down  to  Somerton,  when  Goring  was  at  Langport  ^ 
which  lying  upon  the  river,  Massey  was  sent  to  keep  him  in  on 
the  further  side,  while  Fairfax  attended  him  on  this  side,  with 
his  army*  One  day  they  faced  each  other,  and  did  nothing ;  the 
next  day  they  came  to  their  ground  again.  Betwixt  the  two 
armies  was  a  narrow  lane,  which  went  between  some  meadows  in 
a  bottom,  and  a  small  brook  crossed  the  lane  with  a  narrow 
bridge.  Goring  planted  two  or  three  small  pieces  at  the  head  of 
the  lane  to  keep  the  passage,  and  there  placed  his  best  horse ;  so 
that  none  could  come  to  them,  but  over  that  .narrow  bridge,  and 
up  that  steep  lane,  upon  the  mouth  of  those  pieces.  After  many 
hours  facing  each  other,  Fairfax's  great  ordnance  affrighting, 
Viore  than  hurting,  Goring's  men,  and  some  musqueteers  being 
sent  to  drive  them  from  under  the  hedges,  at  last  Cromwell  bi4 
Whalley  send  three  of  his  troops  to  charge  the  enemy,  and  bo 
sent  three  of  the  General's  own  regiment  to  second  them }  all 
being  of  Cromwell's  own  regiment.  Whalley  sent  Major  Bethel, 
Captain  E\canson,  and  Captain  Grove,  to  charge ;  M lyor  Des* 
borough,  with  another  troop  or  two,  came  after ;  as  they  could  go 
but  one  or  two  abreast  over  the  bridge.  By  the  time  Bethel 
an4  Evanson,  with  their  troops  were  got  up  to  the  top  of  the 
l^j^,  thjsy  m^t  with  a  select  party  of  Goring's  best  horse,  and 
ch^ged  thepi  at  sword's  point,  whilst  you  would  count  three  or 
(our  hundred,  and  then  put  them  to  retreat.  In  the  flight  they 
pursued  them  too  far  to  the  main  body ;  for  the  dust  was  so 
great,  being  in  the  very  hottest  time  of  summer,  that  they  who 
were  in  it  could  scarce  see  each  other;  but  I,  who  stood 
oyer  them  upon  the  brow  of  the  hill,  saw  all.  When  they  «saw 
themselves  upon  the  face  of  Goring's  army,  they  fled  back  ip 
baste,  and  by  the  time  they  came  to  the  lane  again.  Captain 
Grove's  troop  was  ready  to  relieve  them,  and  Pesborough  be- 
hind him.  They  then  rallied  again,  and  the  five  or  six  troops 
togetlier  marched  towards  all  Goring's  army ;  but  before  they 
G^me  to  the  front,  I  could  discern  the  rear  begin  to  run,  and  so 
bjeginning  in  the  rear,  they  all  fled  before  they  endured  any 
charge  ;  nor  was  there  a  blow  struck  that  day,  but  by  Bethel's 
and  Evanson's  troops,  on  that  side,  and  a  few  musqueteers  in  the 
hedges.     Goring's  army  fled  to  Bridgewater ;  and  very  few  of 


OF   BICHARI)   BAXTER.  55 

them  were  either  killed  or  taken  in  the  fight  or  the  purspit.  I 
hi^pened  to  be  next  to  Major  Harrison  as  soon  as  the  flight 
began^  and  hieard  him  with  a  loud  voice  break  forth  into  the 
praises  of  God  with  fluent  expressions^  as  if  he  had  been  in  4 
rapture/'* 

It  was  while  at  Langport,  that  a  remarkable  circumstance 
took  place,  which  continued  fpr  a  long  time  to  be  privately  cir- 
culated to  the  great  prejudice  of  Baxter's  character.  WiU 
the  reader  believe  tliat  he  was  actually  charged  with  killing  a 
man  in  cold  blood  with  his  own  hand  1  At  last  it  was  publicly 
laid  to  his  charge  by  Major  Jennings  himself,  in  the  form  of  an 
affidavit,  and  published  by  Vernon,  in  the  preface  to  his  life  of 
Dr.  Heylin.  The  following  is  a  copy  of  this  extraordinary 
document,  with  Baxter's  answer  to  it : 

''  Mr.  Baxter  may  be  pleased  to  call  to  mind,"  says  that  in« 
veterate  enemy  of  the  Nonconformists,  '^  what  was  done  to  one 
&Iajor  Jennings  the  last  war,  in  that  fight  that  was  between 
Lyndsel  and  Langford,  in  the  county  of  Salop }  where  the  king's 
party  having  unfortunately  the  worst  of  the  day,  the  poor  mail 
was  stripped  almost  naked,  and  left  for  dead  in  the  field, 
Mr.  Baxter,  and  one  Lieutenant  Hurdman,  taking  their  walk 
among  the  wounjded  and  dead  bodies,  perceived  some  life  left 
in  the  Major,  and  Hurdman  run  him  through  the  body  in  cold 
blood.  Mr.  Baxter  all  the  while  looking  on,  and  taking  off,  with 
his  own  hand,  the  king's  picture  from  about  his  neck,  told 
him,  psbe  was  swimming  in  his  gore,  that  he  was  a  popish  rogue, 
and  that  wa^  his  crucifix.  This  picture  was  kept  by  Mr. 
Baxter  for  many  years,  till  it  was  got  from  him,  but  not  without 
much  difficulty,  by  one  Mr.  3omerfield,  who  then  lived  with  Sir 
lliomas  Rous.  He  generously  restored  it  to  the  poor  man,  now 
aliye  at  Wick,  near  Pershore,  in  Worcestershire,  although,  at  the 
fight,  supposed  to  be  dead ;  being,  after  the  wounds  given  him, 
dragged  up  and  down  the  field  by  the  merciless  soldiers.    Mr. 


*  Major- General  Harrison  was  the  son  of  a  g^razier  at  Nantwicb,  in  Che- 
shire* and  bred  an  attorney,  but  quitted  that  prufessiuu  in  the  bi'g;iuinng  of 
the  civil  war.  He  was  a  man  of  courajje  and  of  great  volubility,  and  was  of 
siu^uiar  use  to  Cromwell  in  subduing  the  Presbyterians.  He  was  one  of  those 
who  pleaded  for  a  legal  trial  of  Charles  I.,  whom  he  undertook  to  bring  from 
Hurst  Ca.^tle,  for  that  purpose,  lie  is  said  to  have  amused  Fairfax  with  long 
prayers,  for  which  he  had  an  admirable  talcut,  at  the  time  of  the  king's  exe- 
cution. He  was  one  of  the  ten  regicides,  as  they  were  called,  who  were  exe- 
cuted in  October,  16(i0,  and  died  exulting  in  the  cause  for  which  he  suflered. 
—Granger's  Biog,  Hist,  vol.  iii.  p.  fi5. 


56  TUB    LIFB   AND  TIMES 

Baxter  approved  of  the  inhumanity  by  feeding  his  eyes  with 
80  bloody  and  so  barbarous  a  spectacle. 

*^  ],  Thomas  Jennings,  subscribe  to  the  truth  of  this  narrative, 
and  have  hereunto  put  my  hand  and  seal,  this  second  day  of 
March,  1682/'» 

In  reply  to  this  extraordinary  charge,  Baxter  says : 

^'  I  do  not  think  Major  Jennings  knowingly  made  this  lie ; 
but  was  directed  by  somebody's  report,  and  my  sending  him  the 
medal*  I  do  solemnly  protest,  that  to  my  knowledge,  I  never 
saw  Major  Jennings ;  that  I  never  saw  a  man  wound,  hurt, 
atrip  or  touch  him ;  that  I  never  spake  a  word  to  him,  much  less 
any  word  here  affirmed ;  that  I  neither  took  the  picture  from 
about  his  neck,  nor  saw  who  did  it ;  that  I  was  not  in  the  field 
when  it  was  done;  that  I  walked  not  among  any  wounded  or  dead, 
nor  heard  of  any  killed,  but  of  one  man;  and  that  the  picture 
was  never  got  from  me  with  difficulty;  but  that  this  is  the  truth,— 
The  parliament  had  a  few  men  in  Langford  House,  and  the  king 
at  Lyndsel,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  asunder,  who  used  oft  to 
skirmish  and  dare  each  other  in  the  fields  between*  Mv  innocent 
father  being  prisoner  at  Lyndsel ;  and  I,  being  at  Langford,  re- 
solved not  to  go  thence  till  he  was  delivered;  I  saw  the  soldiers 
go  out,  as  they  oft  did,  and  in  another  field  discerned  them  to  meet 
and  fight.  I  knew  not  that  they  had  seen  Jennings ;  but,  being 
in  the  house,  a  soldier  showed  a  small  medal  of  gilt  silver, 
bigger  than  a  shilling,  and  told  us  that  he  wounded  Jennings,  and 
took  his  coat,  and  took  that  medal  from  about  his  neck;  I  bought 
it  of  him  for  eighteen-pence,  no  one  offering  more.  Some 
years  after,  the  first  time  that  I  heard  where  he  was,  I  finely 
desired  Mr.  Somerfield  to  give  it  him  from  me,  who  had  never 
seen  him ;  supposing  it  was  a  mark  of  honour  which  might  be 
^usefiil  to  him.  And  now  these  lies  are  all  the  thanks  that  ever 
I  had."** 

Such  is  Baxter's  fiill  and  satisfactory  explanation  of  one  of 
the  most  improbable  and  wicked  calumnies  that  ever  was  pro- 
pagated against  a  man  of  God.  It  is  a  curious  illustration  of  the 
state  of  the  times,  that  such  a  base  story  could  find  reporters  and 
believers,  not  only  among  the  ignorant  and  the  profligate,  but 
even  among  the  respectable  part  of  the  clerg)'.  It  was  believed 
and  circulated  not  merely  by  such  persons  as  Vernon,  and  Long, 
and  Lestrange;  but  by  Dr.Boreman,  of  Trinity  College,  Cam- 

*  Baxter's  True  Hist,  of  Councils,  pp.  1—6, 
^  Ibid. 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTER.  57 

bridge ;  and  Dr.  Allestry,  of  Oxford.  The  latter,  however, 
much  to  his  credit,  wrote  him  a  letter  of  apology.  But  we  must 
now  retam  to  the  account  of  the  army. 

^Goring  immediately  fled  with  his  army  further  westward, 
to  Exeter ;  but  Fairfax  stayed  to  besiege  Bridgewater ;  and  after 
two  days  it  was  taken  by  storm,  in  which  Colonel  Hammond's 
service  was  much  magnified.  Mr.  Peters,  having  come  to  the  army 
from  London  but  a  day  before,  went  presendy  back  with  the 
news  of  Goring's  rout :  when  an  hundred  pounds  reward  was 
voted  to  himself  for  bringing  the  news,  and  to  Major  Bethel  for 
hb  service  ;  but  no  reward  was  given  to  Captain  Evanson,  be- 
cause he  was  no  sectary.  Bethel  alone  had  all  the  glory  and 
applause  from  Cromwell  and  that  party. 

^  From  Bridgewater  the  army  went  back  towards  Bristol ; 
where  Prince  Rupert  was  taking  Nunny  Castle  and  Bath  in 
the  way.  At  Bristol  they  continued  the  siege  about  a  month. 
After  the  first  three  days,  I  fell  sick  of  a  fever,  the  plague  being 
roond  about  my  quarters.  As  soon  as  I  felt  my  disease,  I  rode 
six  or  seven  miles  back  into  the  country,  and  the  next  morn- 
ing, vndi  much  ado,  I  got  to  Bath.  Here  Dr.  Venner  was  my 
careful  physician  :  and  when  I  was  near  death,  far  from  all  my 
acquaintance,  it  pleased  God  to  restore  me  ;  and  on  the  «four- 
teentb  day  the  fever  ended  in  a  crisis.  But  it  left  me  so  emaci- 
ated and  weak,  that  it  was  long  ere  I  recovered  the  little 
strength  I  had  before.  I  came  back  to  Bristol  siege  three  or 
four  days  before  the  city  was  taken.  The  foot,  which  were  to 
storm  the  works,  would  not  go  on  unless  the  horse,  who  had  no 
service  to  do,  went  with  them.  So  Whalley*s  regiment  was 
fain  to  go  on  to  encourage  the  foot,  and  to  stand  to  be  shot  at 
before  the  ordnance,  while  the  foot  stormed  the  forts.  Here  M^or 
Bethel,  who  in  the  last  fight  had  his  thumb  shot,  had  a  shot 
in  his  thigh,  of  which  he  died,  and  was  much  lamented.  The 
outworks  being  taken.  Prince  Rupert  yielded  up  the  city,  upon 
terms  that  he  might  march  away  with  his  soldiers,  leaving  their 
ordnance  and  arms. 

"After this,  the  army  marched  to  Sherborne  Castle,  the  Earl 
of  Bristol's  house ;  which,  after  a  fortnight's  siege,  they  took  by 
storm ;  and  that  on  a  side  which  one  would  think  could  never 
have  been  that  way  taken.  While  they  were  there,  the  country- 
men, called  clubmen,  rose  near  Shaftsbury,  and  got  upon  the 
top  of  a  hill.     A  party  was  sent  out  against  them,  who  marched 


58  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMES 

up  the  hill,  and  routed  them ;  though  some  qf  th.e  yaUwtett 
men  were  slain  in  the  front. 

"  When  Sherborne  Castle  was  taken,  part  of  the  army  werjt 
back  and  took  in  a  small  garrison  by  Salisbury,  called  Lang- 
ford  house,  and  so  marched  to  Winchester  Castle,  and  took  that 
after  a  week's  siege,  or  little  more.  From  thence  Cromwell 
went,  with  a  good  party,  to  besiege  Basing-housey  the  Marquis 
of  Winchester's,  which  had  frustrated  great  sieges  hpifjto* 
fore.  Here  Colonel  Hammond  was  taken  prisoner  into  the 
house,  afterwards  the  house  was  taken  by  stprm,  and  he  aayed 
the  Marquis  and  others;  and  much  riches  were  taken  by  the 
soldiers.^ 

*^  In  the  mean  time  the  rest  of  the  army  marched  down  agsip 
towards  the  Lord  Goriug,  and  Cromwell  came  after  them* 
When  we  followed  Lord  Goring  westward,  we  foun^  tbat, 
above  all  other  armies  of  the  king,  his  soldiers  were  most  bat^ 
by  the  people,  for  their  incredible  profi^neneis?,  and  their  (m- 
merciful  plundering,  many  of  them  being  foreigners.  A  sober 
gentleman,  whom  I  quartered  with  at  South  Pederton,  in  $Qine^* 
I  setshi^e,  averred  to  me,  that,  when  with  him,  a  company  of  them 
pricked  their  fingers,  and  let  the  blopd  run  into  the  cuoy  and 
i  drank  a  health  to  the  devil  in  it :  and  no  place  cQuLd  I  come 
')  into,  but  their  horrid  impiety  and  outrages  made  them  odious. 
"The  army  marched  d^own  by  Hynnington  to  Exeter  5  where 
I  continued  near  three  weeks  among  them  at  the  siege^  and 
then  Whalley's  regiment,  with  the  General's,  Fleetwood's,  and 
others,  being  sent  back,  1  returned  with  them  and  left  the  ^ege: 
which  continued  till  the  city  was  taken.  The  army  follpyrisfg 
Goring  info  Cornwall,  th.ere  forced  him  to  l^y  down  a^ms^  his 
men  j^oing  away  beyond  $.ea,  or  .elsewhere,  without  their  a^^ : 
and  at  last,  Pendennis  Castle,  and  all  the  garrisons  there,  were 
taken. 

"  In  the  mean  time,  Whalley  was  to  command  the  return  of 
the  party  of  horse,  to  keep  in  the  garrison  of  Oxford  till  the  ar^y 
could  come  to  besiege  it :  and  so  in  the  extreme  winter^  he 
quartered  about  six  weeks  in  Buckinghamshire :  and  then  was 
sent  to  lay  siege  to  Banbury  Castle,  where  Sir  William  Comptou 
was  governor,  who  had  wearied  out  one  long  siege  before. 
There  I  was  with  them  abpve  two  months,  till  the  castle  was 
taken ;  and  then  he  wjvs  sent  to  lay  siege  to  Worcester,  with  the 

«  Life,  purt  1.  pp.  jM,  55. 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTER.  59 

help  of  the  Northampton,  and  Warwick,  and  Newport  Pagnel 
soldiers,  who  had  assisted  him  at  Banbury,  At  Worcester,  be 
lay  in  siege  eleven  weeks :  and  at  the  same  time,  th^  army 
being  come  up  from  the  west,  lay  in  siege  at  Oxford. 

*^  By  this  time.  Colonel  Whalley,  though  Cromweirs  kinsman, 
and  commander  of  the  trusted  regiment,  grew  odious  among  the 
sectarian  commanders  at  the  head  quarters.  For  my  sake  he 
was  called  a  Presbyterian,  though  neither  he  nor  I  were  of  that 
judgment  in  several  points ;  Major  Salloway  not  omitting  to 
use  his  industry  in  the  matter  to  that  end.  When  he  had  brought 
the  city  to  a  necessity  of  present  yielding,  two  or  three  days 
before  it  yielded.  Colonel  Rainsborough  was  sent  from  Oxford, 
which  had  yielded,  with  some  regiments  of  foot  to  command  in 
chief;  partly  that  he  might  be  governor  there,  and  not  Whal- 
ley, when  the  city  was  surrendered.  So  when  it  was  yielded, 
Rainsborough  was  governor,  to  head  and  gratify  the  sectaries, 
and  settle  city  and  coupty  in  their  way :  but  the  committee  of 
the  county  were  for  Whalley,  and  lived  in  distaste  with  Rains* 
borough^  and  the  sectaries  prospered  there  no  further  than 
Worcester  city  itself,  a  place  which  deserved  such  a  judgment ; 
but  all  the  country  was  free  from  their  infection. 

^^All  this  while,  as  I  had  friendly  converse  with  the  sober 
part,  so  I  was  still  employed  with  the  rest  as  before,  in  preach* 
ing,    conference,    and   disputing   against    their    confounding 
errors ;  and  in  all  places  where  we  went,  the  sectarian  soldiers 
much  infected  the  counties,  by  their  pamphlets  and  converse. 
The  people  admiring  the  conquering  army,  were  ready  to  re- 
ceive whatsoever  they  commended  to  them;  and  it  was  the  way  of 
the  faction  to  represent  what  they  said,  as  the  sense  of  the  army, 
and  to  make  the  people  believe  that  whatever  opinion  they  vent- 
ed, which  one  in  forty  of  the  army  owned  not,  was  the  army's 
opinion.     When  we  quartered  at  Agmondesham,  in  Bucking- 
hamshire, some  sectaries  of  Chesham  had  set  up  a  public  meet- 
ing for  conference,  to  propagate  their  opinions  through  all  the 
country  5  and  this  in  the  church,  by  the  encouragement  of  ^n 
ignorant  sectarian  lecturer,  one  Bramble,  whom  they  had  got  in, 
while  Dr.  Cook,  the  pastor, and  Mr.  Richardson,  his  curate,  durst 
not  contradict  them.     When    this  public  talking-day   came. 
Bethel's  troopers,  with  other  sectarian  soldiers,  must  be  there  to 
confirm  the  Chesham  men,  and  make  men  believe  that  the  armv 
was  for  them.     I  thought  it  my  duty  to  be  there  also,  and 
took  divers  sober  officers  with  me,  to  let  them  see  that  more  of 


60  THB   JJFfi   AND  TIMES 

the  army  were  against  them  than  for  them.  T  took  the  reading 
pew,  and  Pitchford's  comet  and  troopers  took  the  gallery.  And 
there  I  found  a  crowded  congregation  of  poor  well-meaning 
people,  who  came  in  the  simplicity  of  their  hearts  to  be  deceived. 
Then  did  the  leader  of  the  Chesham  men  begin,  and  afterwards 
Pitchford's  soldiers  set  in,  and  I  alone  disputed  against  them 
from  morning  until  almost  night ;  for  I  knew  their  trick,  that  if 
I  had  but  gone  out  first,  they  would  have  prated  what  boasting 
words  they  listed  when  I  was  gone,  and  made  the  people  believe 
that  they  had  baffled  me,  or  got  the  best ;  therefore,  I  stayed  it 
out  till  they  first  rose  and  went  away.  The  abundance  of  non- 
sense which  they  uttered  that  day,  may  partly  be  seen  in  Mr* 
Edward's  ^  Gangraena ;'  for  I  had  wrote  a  letter  of  it  to  a  friend  in 
London,  so  that  and  another  were  put  into  Mr.  Edward's  book| 
without  my  name.^  But  some  of  the  sober  people  of  Agmondes- 
ham,  gave  me  abundance  of  thanks  for  that  day's  work,  which 
they  said  would  never  be  there  forgotten ;  I  heard  also  that  this 
sectaries  were  so  discouraged  that  they  never  met  there  any 
more.  I  am  sure  I  had  much  thanks  from  Dr.  Cook,  and  Mr. 
Richardson,  who,  being  obnoxious  to  their  displeasure  for  being 
for  the  king,  durst  not  open  their  mouths  themselves.  After  the 
conference,  I  talked  with  the  lecturer,  Mr.  Bramble,  and  found 
him  little  wiser  than  the  rest. 

^'  The  chief  impediments  to  the  success  of  my  endeavours,  I 
found,  were  only  two :  the  discountenance  of  Cromwell,  and  the 
chief  officers  of  his  mind,  which  kept  me  a  stranger  from  their 
meetings  and  councils ;  and  my  incapacity  of  speaking  to  mimy, 
as  soldiers'  quarters  are  scattered  far  from  one  another,  and 
I  could  be  but  in  one  place  at  once.  So  that  one  troop  at  a 
time,  ordinarily,  and  some  few  more  extraordinary,  was  all  that 
I  could  speak  to.  ^The  most  of  the  service  I  did  beyond 
Whalley's  regiment  was,  by  the  help  of  Capt.  Lawrence,  with 
some  of  the  General's  regiment,  and  sometimes  I  had  converse  with 
Major  Harrison  and  a  few  others ;  but!  found  that  if  the  army 
had  only  had  ministers  enough,  who  would  have  done  fiuch  littie 
as  I  did,  all  their  plot  might  have  been  broken,  and  king,  parlia- 
ment, and  religion,  might  have  been  preserved.  I,  therefore,  sent 
abroad  to  get  some  more  ministers  among  them,  but  I  could  get 
none.     Saltmarsh  and  Dell  were  the  two  great  preachers  at  the 

*  This  letter  appears  io  the  third  part  of  that  precious  collection  of  ab« 
surdity,  calumuj,  and  lyiu^.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  Baxter  should  have 
otfutribttted  any  thiog;  to  such  a  farrago  of  nonsense  and  wickedness. 


OF  BICHARD   BAXTER.  81 

held  qnarten ;  but  honest  and  judicious  Mr.  Edward  Bowles, 
kept  still  with  the  General.®  At  last  1  got  Mr.  Cook,  of  Foxhull^ 
to  come  to  assist  me ;  and  the  soberer  part  of  the  officers  and 
soldiers  of  Whalley's  regiment  were  willing  to  remunerate  him 
o«it  of  their  own  pay.  A  month  or  two  he  stayed  and  assisted 
me ;  but  was  quickly  weary,  and  left  them  again.  He  was  a 
fery  worthy,  humble,  laborious  man,  unwearied  in  preaching, 
bat  weary  when  he  had  not  opportunity  to  preach,  and  weary  of 
tbe  spirits  he  had  to  deal  with. 

^  All  this  while,  though  I  came  not  near  Cromwell,  his  designs 
were  visible,  and  I  saw  him  continually  acting  his  part,  ^fhe 
Lord  General  suffered  him  to  govern  and  do  all,  and  to  choose 
almost  all  the  officers  of  the  army.  He  first  nuLde  Ireton  com- 
missary-general ;  and  when  any  troop  or  company  was  to  be 
disposed  of,  or  any  considerable  officer's  place  was  void,  he  was 
sure  to  put  a  sectary  in  the  place :  and  when  the  brunt  of  the 
war  was  over,  he  looked  not  so  much  at  their  valour  as  their 
opinions ;  so  that,  by  degrees,  he  had  headed  the  greatest  part 
of  the  army  with  anabaptists,  antinomians,  seekers,  or  separatists, 
at  best.  All  these  he  led  together  by  the  point  of  liberty  of 
conscience,  which  was  the  common  interest  in  which  they  did 
unite.  .  Yet  all  the  sober  party  were  carried  on  by  his  profession, 
that  he  only  ])romoted  the  universal  interest  of  the  godly,  with- 
out any  distinction  or  partiality  at  all ;  but  still,  when  a  place 
fell  void,  it  was  twenty  to  one  a  sectary  had  it ;  and  if  a  godly 
man,  of  any  other  mind  or  temper,  had  a  mind  to  leave  the 
army,  he  would,  secretly  or  openly,  further  it.  Yet  did  he  not 
openly  profess  what  opinion  he  was  of  himself:  but  the  most 
that  he  said  for  any  was  for  Anabaptism  and  Antinomianism, 
which  he  usually  seemed  to  own.  Harrison,  who  was  then  great 
with  him,  was  for  the  same  opinions.  He  would  not  dispute 
with  me  at  all ;  but  he  would,  in  good  discourse,  very  fluently 
pour  out  himself  in  the  extolling  of  free  grace,  which  was 
savoury  to  those  that  had  right  principles,  though  he  had  some 
misunderstandings  of  free  grace  himself.  He  was  a  man  of  ex- 
cellent natural  parts  for  affection  and  oratory,  but  not  well  seen 
in  the  principles  of  his  religion  ;  of  a  sanguine  complexion, 

*  Mr.  Bowles  left  tlie  army  in  January,  1645,  for  his  charg^e  at  York,  and 
was  succeeded  by  Dell,  as  chaplain  to  the  General.  He  and  SaJtmarsh  were 
both  inclined  to  Antinumianism.  The  latter  was  a  complete  mystic  ;  though 
perhaps  both  went  further  afterwards,  than  when  they  were  about  Fairfax, 
who  seems  to  have  been  a  moderate,  sober-minded  mnu^^Sprig^ge's  Jnglia, 
p.  166. 


62  THfi  LIFB  AHH  TIMBS 

natuhdl J  of  stidh  vivacity^  hilarity,  and  alaciity,  as  tiMoth^r  man 
hath  when  hd  hath  drunken  a  cup  too  much;  but  naturally,  alsoi 
80  far  from  humble  thoughts  of  himself,  that  pride  was  his  ruin. 
*^  All  the  two  years  that  I  was  in  the  army,  even  my  old  bosom 
ftiehd,  wh6  had  liyed  in  my  house  and  been  dearest  to  me,  James 
Betty,  then  captain,  after  colonel    and  inajdr-general,  then 
lord  of  the  Upper  House,  who  had  formerly  inrited  me  to  Crbm- 
weirs  old  troOp,  did  never  oncfe  invite  me  to  the  krmj  at  first, 
nor  invite  me  to  his  quarters  after,  nor  ev^r  once  came  to  visit 
me,  or  even  saW  tne,  save  twice  or  thrice  that  Hve  met  accident- 
ally.    So  potent  is  the  interest  of  ourselves  and  our  opiniotis 
with  us,  against  all  other  bonds  whatever.     He  that  fdrsalceth 
himself  in  forsaking  his  own  opinions,  may  well  be  expected  to 
forsake  his  friend,  who  adhereth  to  the  tvay  which  he  forsaketh; 
dud  that  chitiige  which  maketh  hitti  think  he  was  hiinself  ah 
Ignorant,  misguided  man  before,  must  needs  riiake  him  thifak 
his  friend  to  be  still  ignorant  and  misguided,  and  value  him  ac- 
cdrditigly.     He  was  a  man,  I  verily  think,  befdre  the  wart, 
of  great   sincerity;   of  very  good  natural    parts,    especially 
mathematical  and  mechanical;    affectionate  in  religion,  and 
while  conversant  with  humblihg  providences,    dbctrihes,  and 
company,  he  carried  himself  as  a  Very  great  enemy  to  pride : 
but  when  Cromwell  made  him  his  favourite,  and  his  extraordi- 
nary valour  was  crowned  with  extraordinary  success,  and  when 
he  had  been  awhile  most  conversant  with  those,  who,  in  religion, 
thought  the  old  Puritan  ministers  were  dull,  self-conceited  men, 
of  a  lower  form,  and  that  new  light  had  declared  I  know  ndt 
what  to  be  a  higher  attainment,  his  mind,  his  aim,  his  talk  akid 
pM  were  altered  accordingly.    And  as  ministers  of  the  old  way 
\ikrefe  IbWer,  and  seetaries  tntich  higher,  in  his  esteem  than  for- 
fanerly ;  s6  he  iVilS  hibch  higher  in  his  owii  esteem  wheli  he 
thbtight  h^  had  attained  tnuch  higher,  than  he  was  befor^j  iVheh 
he  sat  With  his  Kllotvs  in  th^  comhidn  form.     i3eillg  neter  well 
Hiidied  in  tlie  bddy  of  divinity,  but  taking  his  light  attidhg  the 
sectaries,  befdre  the  light  which  Idnger  and  patient  studies  df 
divinity  should  hate  possessed  him  iVitht  he  lived  after  as  ho^ 
iiestly  as  edtild  be  expeeted  in  one  that  taketh  errbr  for  tHith| 
and  evil  to  be  good. 

"  After  this,  he  was  president  of  the  agitators,  a  major-gene^ 
ral  and  lord,  a  jpriiicipal  person  in  the  changes,  and  the  cfaie^ 
executioner  in  pulling  down  Hichard  Cromwell ;  and  then  one 
of  the  governing  council  of  state.    All  this  was  promoted  by 


OF  RICHARI)  BAXTBR.  6S 

th^  misithdetstattditig  bf  Profidehce;  for  He  Tftrily  thought 
thit  Gd^  by  thdf  rietories^  hM  so  called  thehi  id  look  after  thb 
gtftatiment  bf  the  iand^  laid  sd  entrusted  them  iHth  the  welfare 
of  all  hte  pMple  bere^  thkt  ihjty  Hrere  responsible  for  it,  ithd 
itti^t  lioff  iti  cbhscience  stand  Itill  while  any  thing  was  done 
which  they  thbiight  was  ifcgaihst  that  interest  which  th^  judged 
to  be  the  interest  of  the  people  of  Odd. 

''As  he  itits  the  chief  in  jiiilling  down,  hfe  was  one  of  the  first 
that  fell  t  {of  Sir  Arthur  Hoselrigge  taking  Pottshiduth,  his 
regiment  of  hor^to^  sent  to  block  it  up,  went  most  of  theih 
to  Sir  Arthur.  And  irhen  the  ariny  was  inelted  to  nothing, 
ibd  the  king  ready  to  cdihe  iii,  the  council  of  state  imprisoned 
biiH,  becadUte  he  would  not  promisief  td  live  p^aceiibly;  and  after- 
wards he  (being  ohb  df  the  four  whohi  Oienehd  Moiik  had  the 
Worst  thoughts  df)  was  closelj^  cdhflned  in  Scarboh>ugh  Castle ; 
baty  being  released,  hb  Mlbadici  a  gardener,  and  li? ed  in  a  safer 
state  than  in  all  his  greatness/ 

^  Wheti  Worcester  si«fge  wils  ov^r^  hating  fteen,  with  joy,  Kid- 
denninstery  abd  my  frietlds  there  once  again,  the  country  being' 
now  dleHred^  ihy  old  flock  expected  that  I  should  return  to 
them,  and  settle  in  peace  amdhg  them.     I  accordingly  went 
to  Coventry,  and   called  the   ministers  again   together^  i^hd 
voted  me  into  the  army.     I  told  them,  that  the  forsaking  of 
the  army,  by  the  old  ministers,  and  the  neglect  of  supplying 
their  places  by  others,  had  undone  us ;   that  I  had  laboured 
among  them  with  as  much  success  as  could  be  expected  in  the 
narrow  sphere  of  my  capacity:  but  that  was  little  to  all  the 
army ;  that  the  active  sectaries  were  the  smallest  part  of  the 
army  among  the  common  soldiers,  but  that  Cromwell  had  lately 
put  so  many  of  them  into  superior,  command,  and  their  indus- 
try was  so  much  greater  than  othet-s,  they  were  like  to  have 
ttoir  will ;  that  whatever  bbedience  they  pret^ndbd,  I  doubted 
not  but  they  would  pull  dot^  all  that  stood  in  th^ir  Wily;  in 
btate  and  church,  bdth  king^  parliaments  tmd  mihi&U^H,  and 

'  I  am  iHclibed  to  think  thitt  BiixUtT  has  ekpresled  s  morh  utifblroiirAhl^ 
opiuiuD  of  Uerry  than  he  deserved.  He  probably  found  it  iiieX|»edieiit  ur  even 
daD^eruiis,  to  cuiintenance  Baxter's  zeal  in  endeavuuriuf^  to  reform  the  ai'my 
aiJd  tlbftruct  tiib  dfesi^ii  iif  its  ifeadere  ;  (o  avoid  qiiarreiiin^  with  aii  inofTeiislve 
»Dd  well-iiieaiiiu^  but,  as  he  i*oUlil  rfrguM  him,  a  n roil «^- headed  thatt,  he 
i(rpt  out  of  bis  way.  Berry  wbs  a  man  of  talents  And  eoerg;y  ;  one  of  the  med 
who  %va<  formed  by  the  times ;  who  lived  in  the  tempest  and  the  eartbciuaice. 
fciiil  <lifik  \UU>  i}bS(-UHl5'  lb  the  caliii.  1  have  uutic'ed  him  in  ibe  Memoirs  uf 
Owen,  p.  27y,  2d  edit. 


64  THB   LIFE  AND  TIMES 

set  up  themselves.  I  told  them  that  for  the  little  that  I  had 
done,  I  had  ventured  my  life,  and  weakened  my  body  (weak 
before),  but  that  the  day,  which  I  expected,  was  yet  to  come ; 
and  that  the  greatest  service  with  the  greatest  hazard  was  yet 
before.  The  wars  being  now  ended,  I  was  confident  the  leaders 
would  shortly  show  their  purpose,  and  set  up  for  themselves :  and 
when  the  day  came,  all  that  were  true  to  king,  parliament,  and 
religion,  ought  to  appear,  if  there  were  any  hope,  by  contradict- 
ing them,  or  drawing  off  the  soldiers  from  them,  as  it  was  all  the 
service  that  was  yet  possible  to  be  done.  I  was  likely  to  do  no 
great  matter  in  such  an  attempt ;  but  there  being  so  many  in 
the  army  of  my  mind,  I  knew  not  what  might  be  till  the  day 
should  discover  it :  and  though  I  knew  it  was  the  greatest  hazard 
of  my  life,  my  judgment  was  for  staying  among  them  till  the 
crisis,  if  their  judgment  did  concur.  Whereupon  they  all  voted 
me  to  go  and  leave  Kidderminster  yet  longer,  which  accord- 
ingly 1  did. 

^^  From  Worcester  I  went  to  London  to  Sir  Theodore  Mayem, 
about  my  health :  he  sent  me  to  Tunbridge  Wells,  and  after 
some  stay  there  to  my  benefit,  I  went  back  to  London,  and  so 
to  my  quarters  in  Worcestershire,  where  the  regiment  was. 
My  quarters  fell  out  to-be  at  Sir  Thomas  Rous's,  at  Rous- 
Lench,  where  I  had  never  been  before.  The  Lady  Rous  was  a 
godly,  grave,  understanding  woman,  and  entertained  me  not  as 
a  soldier,  but  a  friend.  From  thence  I  went  into  Leicestershire, 
Staffordshire,  and  at  last  into  Derbyshire.  One  advantage  of 
this  moving  life  was,  that  I  had  opportunity  to  preach  in  many 
counties  and  parishes ;  and  whatever  came  of  it  afterward,  I 
know  not ;  but  at  the  time,  they  commonly  seemed  to  be  much 
affected. 

^^I  came  to  Major,  Swallow's  quarters,  at  Sir  John  Cook's 
house,  at  Melbourn,  on  the  edge  of  Derbyshire,  beyond  Ashby- 
de-Ia-Zouch,  in  a  cold  and  snowy  season :  and  the  cold,  toge- 
ther with  other  things  coincident,  set  my  nose  on  bleeding. 
When  I  had  bled  about  a  quart  or  two,  1  opened  four  veins, 
but  that  did  no  good.  I  used  divers  other  remedies,  for  several 
days,  to  little  purpose ;  at  last  1  gave  myself  a  purge,  which 
stopped  it.  This  so  much  weakened  me,  and  altered  my  com- 
plexion, that  my  acquaintances  who  came  to  visit  me,  scarcely 
knew  me.  Coming  after  so  long  weakness,  and  frequent  loss 
of  blood  before,  it  made  the  physicians  conclude  me  deplorate^ 
supposing  I  could  never  escape  a  dropsy. 


or  BICHARD  BAXTBB.  65 

^  Thus  God  unavoidably  prevented  all  the  efiiect  of  my  pur- 
poses in  my  last  and  chiefest  opposition  of  the  army;  and  took 
me  off  the  very  time  when  my  attempt  should  have  begun.  My 
purpose  was  to  have  done  my  best^  fir^t  to  take  off  that  regi* 
ment  which  I  was  with,  and  then,  with  Captain  Lawrence,  to 
have  tried  upon  the  General's,  in  which  two  were  Cromwell's 
chief  confidents;  and  then  to  have  joined  with  others  of  the  same 
mind ;  for  the  other  regiments  were  much  less  corrupted.  But  the 
determination  of  God  against  it  was  most  observable:  for  the 
very  time  that  I  was  bleeding,  the  council  of  war  sat  at  Notting- 
ham, where,  as  I  have  credibly  heard,  they  first  began  to  open 
their  purpose  and  act  their  part;  and,  presently  after,  they  en- 
tered into  their  engagement  at  Triploe  Heath.  As  I  perceived 
it  was  the  will  of  God  to  permit  them  to  go  on,  so  I  afterwards 
found  that  this  great  affliction  was  a  mercy  to  myself;  for  they 
were  so  strong,  and  active,  that  I  had  been  likely  to  have  had 
small  success  in  the  attempt,  and  to  have  lost  my  life  among 
them  in  their  fury.  And  thus  I  was  finally  separated  from  the 
army. 

^'  When  I  had  staid  at  Melboum,  in  my  chamber,  three  weeks, 
being  among  strangers,  and  not  knowing  how  to  get  home,  I 
went  to  Mr.  Nowell's  house,  at  Kirby-Mallory,  in  Leicester- 
shire, where,  with  great  kindness,  I  was  entertained  three  weeks. 
By  that  time,  the  tidings  of  my  weakness  came  to  the  Lady 
Rous,  in  Worcestershire,  who  sent  her  servant  to  seek  me  out ; 
and  when  he  returned,  and  told  her  I  was  afar  off,  and  he 
could  not  find  me,  she  sent  him  again  to  find  me,  and  bring  me 
thither,  if  I  were  able  to  travel.  So,  in  great  weakness,  thither 
I  made  shift  to  get,  where  I  was  entertained  with  the  greatest 
care  and  tenderness,  while  I  continued  the  use  of  means  for  my 
recovery :  and  when  I  had  been  there  a  quarter  of  a  year,  I  re- 
turned to  Kidderminster."^ 

Thus  terminated  Baxter's  connexion  with  the  army.  In  review- 
ing his  account  of  it,'we  cannot  help  admiring  the  disinterested- 
ness of  the  motives  by  which  he  appears  to  have  been  influenced, 
and  the  self-denial  which  he  exercised.  He  entered  the  army 
by  the  advice  of  his  friends,  and  with  the  sincere  intention  of 
doing  good ;  but  with  greater  confidence  in  the  effects  to  be  pro- 
duced by  his  labours  than  the  circumstances  warranted.  These 
high-minded  soldiers,  accustomed  to  dispute  as  well  as  to  fight, 

V  Life,  part  l.pp.  55—59. 
VOL.  !•  F 


66  THS  LIFE  AND  TIICKS 

and  who  were  no  less  confident  of  victory  in.  the  pol^nic  lurena 
than  of  triumph  in  the  field  of  battle^  were  not  to  be  put  down 
by  the  controveVsial  powers  of  Baxter,  great  as  those  powers 
were.  To  his  metaphysical  distinctions,  they  opposed  their 
personal  feelings  and  convictions,  which  were  produced  by  a 
very  different  process,  and  not  to  be  altered  by  any  refinements 
of  disquisition.  When  he  contended  against  the  justice  of 
their  cause,  to  his  arguments  they  opposed  their  success  ;  and 
often  must  he  have  lost  in  their  estimation  as  a  politician^  what 
he  had  gained  by  his  talents  and  piety  as  a  divine.  Mover 
ment^  and  dispersion,  which  were  death  to  him^  were  life 
to  them.  It  kept  up  their  spirits  and  their  excitement,  by 
giving  them  fresh  opportunities  of  exercising  their  gifts,  both 
of  the  sword  and  of  the  tongue.  Much  as  the  leaders  of  the 
army  respected  religion,  they  had  too  much  discernment  to 
encourage  the  influx  of  many  such  ministers  as  Baxter.  Crom- 
well and  his  officers  had  no  objection  to  an  occasional  theolo- 
gical contest  among  the  soldiers,  or,  even  to  engage  in  one 
themselves.  It  relieved  the  tug  of  war:  it  operated  as  a  diver- 
tisement  from  other  subjects  on  which  their  minds  would  have 
been  less  profitably  employed ;  while  it  often  excited  that  very 
ardour  of  soul,  on  which  the  success  of  the  army  of  the  Com* 
monwealth  mainly  depended. 

I  am  not  sure  that  even  the  ministers  themselves  were  not 
pleased,  in  this  manner  to  be  rid  of  Baxter.  It  is  remarkable^ 
that  while  they  warmly  approved  of  his  going  into  the  army  and 
remaining  with  it,  few  of  them  were  disposed  to  follow  his 
example.  This  could  not  arise  from  the  apprehension  of  per* 
sonal  danger,  for  they  could  have  little  to  fear  of  this  nature.  Iq  ' 
fact,  they  must  generally  have  been  safer  with  the  army  than  in 
the  towns  to  which  they  sometimes  resorted  for  protection.  While 
associating  with  Baxter,  they  must  have  remarked  the  fearless 
character  of  his  mind,  his  recklessness  of  danger,  and  his  regard- 
lessness  of  consequences.  His  love  of  disputation,  his  qualifica- 
tions as  a  debater,  and  his  devotedness  to  what  he  regarded  as 
the  cause  of  his  Master,  all  fitted  him  for  such  a  field  as  the  army 
presented.  The  very  qualities,  however,  which  fitted  him  for 
the  camp,  rendered  him  less  desirable  as  a  companion  in  the 
retired  and  secluded  walks  of  life.  A  company  of  ministers, 
shut  up  in  a  provincial  town  with  Baxter  for  twelve  months, 
probably  found  him  a  troublesome  friend.  The  restless  activity 
of  his  mind  could  not,  in  such  circumstancesj  find  scope  or  em- 


OF  RICHA1U>  BAXTBRi  6? 

ploymenL  By  advising  lum^  then,  to  follow  his  own  convictions, 
and  join  the  army,  they  at  once  did  homage  to  his  talents,  and 
gratified  his  love  of  employment ;  while,  by  remaining  in  retire-^ 
ment  and  safety  themselves,  they  showed  either  their  love  of 
ease,  or  that  thev  had  Kttie  Confidence  in  the  wisdom  or  success 
of  Baxter's  attempt  to  save  his  qpuntry,  and  deliver  his  king, , 
by  ministerial  influence  over  the  soldiers. 

Whatever  weight  may  be  due  to  these  reasonings,  it  is  evident 
that,  in  the  army,  Baxter  was  neither  an  idle  nor  an  unconcerned 
spectator.  He  laboured  indefatigably,  and  persevered  amidst  all 
diseovragements.  He  failed  in  his  main  object ;  but  he  suc- 
ceeded in  repressing  evil,  and  in  eneduraging  tnuch  that  was 
good.  He  acquired  considerable  additions  to  his  stock  of  ex- 
perience, and  his  knowledge  of  men,  and  has  left  us  some  im- 
portant information  respecting  the  characters  and  events  of  this 
period* 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  time  which  he  spent  in  the 
army,  and  chiefly  when  lud  aside  by  severe  illness,  he  wrote, 
though  they  were  not  then  published,  his  '  Aphorisms  of  Justi- 
fication,' and  his  '  Saint's  Rest.'  The  last  work  chiefly  occu- 
pied his  thoughts  and  his  pen,  though  the  other  appeared  first. 
His  disputes  with  the  antinomian  soldiers  led  to  his  ^Aphorisms, 
while  his  labours  and  aiHictions  produced  his  meditations  oh  . 
'The  Saint's  Everlasting  Rest.'  A  work  begun  and  finished  in 
these  circumstances  might  be  supposed  to  betray  traces  of  haste 
and  crudeness  ;  but  of  this,  such  is  far  from  being  the  case.  It 
discovers  the  maturity  and  elevation  of  mind  to  which  he  had 
efen  then  risen ;  and  had  he  never  written  more,  it  would  have 
stamped  his  character  as  one  of  the  most  devotional,  and  most 
eloquent  men  of  his  own,  or  of  any  other  age. 


f2 


68  THB  LIFE  AND  TIBIV8 


CHAPTER   IV. 

1646—1656. 


The  Relij^iouf  Parties  of  the  Period— The  Westminster  Assembly--ChaTacter 
of  the  Erastians^EpiscopaiiaDS — Presbyterians— IndepeDdents — Baptists- 
State  of  Relipon  in  these  Parties — Minor  Sects— Vanists— Seekers— Ranters 
— Quaicers — ^Behmenists — ^Review  of  this  period. 

Having,  in  the  preceding  chapter,  given  a  view  of  the  civil 
and  military  affairs  with  which  Baxter  was^  connected,  from  the 
commencement  of  his  ministry  till  the  time  of  his  leaving  the 
army,  we  must  now  attend  to  the  religious  state  of  the  nation, 
which  was  no  less  full  of  distraction,  and  of  which  he  has  left 
a  very  particular  account.  If  this  part  of  our  narrative  should 
carry  us  into  the  period  of  the  commonwealth,  it  will  save  future 
repetition,  as  most  of  the  sects  which  then  swarmed,  had  either 
commenced  their  existence  during  the  civil  wars,  or  naturally 
sprung  out  of  the  excitement  and  turbulence  which  those  wars 
produced. 

While  Baxter  lived  in  Coventry,  the  celebrated  Westminster 
Assembly  was  convened  by  order  of  parliament.  He  was  not 
himself  a  member  of  that  body;  but  he  was  well  acquainted 
with  its  chief  transactions,  and  with  the  leading  men  of  the 
several  parties  which  composed  it:  and,  as  he  has  given  his 
opinion  of  them  at  considerable  length,  it  may  be  proper  here 
to  introduce  it. 

^^  lliis  Synod  was  not  a  convocation,  according  to  the  diocesan 
way  of  government ;  nor  was  it  called  by  the  votes  of  the  minis- 
ters, according  to  the  presbyterian  way :  for  the  parliament,  not 
intending  to  call  an  assembly  which  should  pretend  to  a  divine 
right  to  make  obligatory  laws  or  canons,  but  an  ecclesiastical 
council,  to  be  advisers  to  itself,  thought  it  best  knew  who  were 
fittest  to  give  advice,  and  therefore  chose  them  all  itself.  Two 
were  to  be  chosen  from  each  county,  though  some  counties  had 
but  one,  that  it  might  seem  impartial,  and  give  each  party 
liberty  to  speak.  Over  and  above  this  number,  it  chose  many 
of  the  most  learned,  episcopal  divines ;  as.  Archbishop  Usher, 
Dr.  Holdswortb,  Dr.  Hammond^  Dr.  Wincop,  Bishops  Westfield 


OK  RICHARD  BAXTER.  69 

and  Prideaux,  and  many  more ;  but  they  would  not  come,  be- 
cause the  king  declared  himself  against  it.  Dr.  Featley,  and  a . 
few  more  of  that  party,  however,  came ;  but  at  last  he  was 
charged  with  sending  intelligence  to  the  king,  for  which  he  was 
imprisoned.  The  divines  there  congregated,  were  men  of  emi- 
nent learning,  godliness,  ministerial  abilities,  and  fidelity :  and 
being  not  worthy  to  be  one  of  them  myself,  I  may  the  more 
freely  speak  the  truth,  even  in  the  face  of  malice  and  envy; 
that,  as  far  as  I  am  able  to  juc)ge  by  the  information  of  all 
history  of  that  kind,  and  by  any  other  evidences  left  us,  the 
Christian  world,  since  the  days  of  the  apostles,  had  never  a  synod 
of  more  excellent  divines  than  this  and  the  synod  of  Dort. 

*^  Yet,  highly  as  I  honour  the  men,  I  am  not  of  their  mind 
in  every  part  of  the  government  which  they  would  have  set  up. 
Some  words  in  their  Catechism,  I  wish  had  been  more  clear  : 
and,  above  all,  I  wish  that  the  parliament,  and  their  niore  skil-, 
fill  hand,  had  done  more  than  was  done  to  heal  our  breaches, 
and  had  hit  upon  the  right  way,  either  to  unite  with  the  Episco- 
palians and  Independents,  or,  at  least,  had  pitched  on  the  terms 
that  are  fit  for  universal  concord,  and  left  all  to  come  in  upon 
those  terms  that  would."  • 

This  account  of  the  Westminster  Assembly  is,  doubtless,  more 
impartial  than  the  character  which  has  been  given  of  it,  either 
by  Clarendon  or  Milton.  Both  these  writers  were  under  the 
influence,  though  in  different  ways,  of  strong  prejudices  against 
it.  The  formerj  by  his  monarchical  and  episcopal  predilections  ; 
the  latter,  by  his  republicanism. .  Clarendon  hated  presbyterian- 
ism,  with  all  the  cordiality  of  a  cavalier,  who  regarded  it  as  a 
religion  unfit  for  a  gentleman,  and  as  synonymous  with  all  that 
is  vulgar,  hypocritical,  and  base.  Milton  abhorred  it  on  account 
of  its  intolerant  spirit,  and  the  narrow-minded  bigotry  of  many 
of  its  adherents  ;  as  well  as  for  private  reasons.  The  Assembly 
was,  in  the  estimation  of  both,  the  personification  of  all  that 
should  be  detested  by  enlightened  and  high-bom  men }  they 
hated  and  reviled  it  accordingly.  Baxter  knew  the  members 
better  than  Clarendon  or  Milton  did,  and  was  better  qualified  to 
judge  their  motives  and  appreciate  their  doings.  As  he  was  not 
one  of  them,  he  had  no  temptation  to  speak  in  their  favour ;  and 
from  his  well-known  love  of  truth,  had  he  known  any  thing  to 
their  prejudice,  he  would  not  have  concealed  it.  The  persons 
who  composed  the  Assembly,  were  generally  men  of  approved 

'  Life,  part  i.  p.  93. 


70  TAB  hVm  AND  TIMES 

christian  character  and  abilities,  and  several  of  them  distinguished 
for  learning.  But  both  the  men  and  their  doings  have  been  too 
highly  extolled  by  some,  and  too  much  undervalued  by  others.** 

^  Itord  Ciarepdon's  account  of  tbe  Assenibly  U  as  follows  :—*'  And  oow  t|if 
pfirliaineot  sjiuvred  what  cuqsultation  they  meant  to  have  with  |^ly  and 
lirarued  divines,  and  what  reformation  they  intended,  by  appointing  the 
knights  and  burgesseA  to  bring  in  the  names  of  such  divines  fur  the  several 
cpunties,  as  they  thought  fit  to  constitute  an  assembly  for  the  framing  a  new 
model  for  the  government  of  the  churchy  which  was  done  acrorUi4gly ;  those 
whp  were  true  sons  of  the  church,  not  so  much  as  endeavouring  the  nomina- 
tion of  sober  and  learned  men,  abhorring  such  a  reformation  as  began  with 
the  invasion  and  suppression  of  the  church's  rights,  in  a  synod  as  well  knowu 
as  Ma^^a  Chartfi :  and  if  any  well-affected  member,  not  ^ miugh  con- 
sidering the;  scandal  and  the  consequence  of  that  violation,  did  name  an 
orthodox  and  well- reputed  divine  to  assist  in  that  assembly,  it  was  argument 
eooogh  against  him,  that  he  was  nominated  by  a  person  in  whom  tliey  bad  no 
coQ^dence  ;  and  they  only  bad  reputation  enough  to  coromeqd  to  this  cousulta^ 
tion  those  who  were  known  to  desire  the  u^ter  demolishing  of  the  whole  fabric  of 
the  church  :  so  that  of  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  of  which  that  asseipbly 
ijfas  to  consist,  though  by  the  recommendation  of  two  or  three  members  of  the 
Comm^ps,  whom  they  yv^re  not  %villing  tp  displease,  apd  by  the  authori^  of 
the  Lpirds,  who  adfled  a  small  numiber  to  those  named  by  the  Houte  of  Com- 
mons, a  few  very  reverend  and  worthy  men  were  inserted  ;  yet,  of  the  whole 
number  there  were  not  above  twenty  who  were  not  declared  and  avowed  enemies 
to  the  doctrine  or  discipline  of  the  church  of  England ;  some  of  them  infamous 
in  their  lives  and  conversations,  and  most  of  thf;m  of  very  mean  parts  in  learn- 
ing, if  not  of  scandalous  ignorance ;  and  of  no  other  reputation  than  of  malice 
to  the  church  of  England.  So  that  that  convention  hath  not  since  produced 
any  thing  that  n^ight  not  then  reasonably  have  been  expected  from  it." — Hiti, 
9f  (ike  RthtU/t^m^  vol.  i.  pp.  530,  531.    Edit.  1720. 

The  charges  contained  in  the  latter  part  of  this  paragraph,  are  utterly  un- 
founded. The  members  of  the  Assembly  were,  in  general,  respectable  for  their 
talents  and  learning ;  and  aU  of  them  were  highly  respectable  in  point  of  cha- 
ract^.  It  is  equally  untrue  that  all,  or  ewn  any  considerable  number  of 
theqs,  ifere  enemies  to  the  church  of  England. 

The  passage  in  which  Milton  attacks  the  Assembly,  Is  written  with  his  usual 
force,  or,  as  I  ought  rather  to  say,  acrimony,  when  he  was  excited  by  opposition. 

f'  And  if  the  state  were  in  this  plight,  religion  was  not  in  much  better;  ta  re- 
form which,  a  certain  number  of  divines  were  called,  neither  chosen  l^  any 
rule  or  custom  ecclesiastical,  nor  eminent  for  either  piety  or  knowledge 
above  others  left  out ;  only  as  each  member  of  parliament,  in  his  private  fanc}', 
thought  fit,  so  electee)  one  by  one.  The  most  part  of  them  were  such  aa  bad 
preached  and  cried  down,  with  great  ^how  of  zeal,  th?  avarice  and  pluralities 
of  bishops  and  prelates  ;  that,  one  cure  of  souls  was  a  full  employment  for  one! 
spiritual  pastor,  how  able  soever,  if  not  a  charge  rather  above  human  strength. 
Yet  th^a^  copsci^ntiqus  men  (ere  any  part  of  the  work  was  done  for  which  they 
came  together^  and  that  on  the  public  salary)  wanted  not  boldness,  to  thet 
Ignominy  and  scandal  of  their  pastor-like  profession,  and  especially  pf  their 
boasted  reformation,  to  seize  into  their  hands,  or  not  unwillingly  to  accept, 
(besides  oue,  sometimes  two  or  more,  of  the  best  livings)  collegiate  masterships 
in  U^e  ynive^sity,  rich  lectures  in  the  city ;  setting  sail  to  all  winds  that  migbl 
blow  gain  mto  thieir  covetous  bosoms :  by  which  means  these  great  rebukers 
of  non-residence^  among  so  many  distant  cures,  were  not  ashamed  to  be  seen  so 


OF  ftlCHAtU)  BAXTBR.  71 

It  seems  very  doubtful  whether  the  parliament  wished  that 
the  Assembly  should  unite  in  a  form  of  church  government  to  be 
imposed  on  the  country.  It  was  called,  to  engage  the  attention 
of  the  Puritans^  and  to  please  the  s^ots  which  were  invited  to  send 
members  to  it.  The  leading  politicians  of  the  period,  were  too 
wise  to  suppose  that  men,  so  widely  different  in  sentiment  as 

quickly  pluralltts  aod  Don-residento  themselves,  to  a  fearful  eondemuatioiiy 
duobtleMy  by  their  own  mouths.  And  yet  the  main  doctrine  for  which  they 
look  su^  pay,  and  insisted  upon  with  more  vehemence  than  Gospel,  was  bu^ 
to  teU  ua,  in  eflfiect,  that  their  doctrine  was  worth  nothing,  and  the  spiritual 
power  of  their  ministry  less  available  than  bodily  compulsion ;  persuading  the 
nagittimte  to  use  it  as  a  stronger  means  to  subdue  and  bring  in  conscicnce» 
thaa  evanf elical  persuasion  :  distrusting  the  virtue  of  their  own  spiritual 
weapons  which  were  given  them,  if  they  might  be  rightly  called,  with  full 
warrant  of  sufficiency  to  pull  down  all  thoughts  and  imaginations  that  exalt 
themselves  against  God.  But  while  they  taught  compulsion  without  convince* 
peat,  which,  long  before,  they  complained  of  as  executed  unchristianly  against 
themselves,  their  contents  are  clear  to  have  been  no  better  than  antichristian  j 
setting  up  a  spiritual  tyranny  by  a  secular  power,  to  the  advancing  of  their 
own  authority  above  the  msgistrate,  whom  they  would  have  made  their  execu- 
tioner to  punish  church  delinquencies,  whereof  civil  laws  have  no  cognisance. 

"And  well  did  their  disciples  manifest  themselves  to  be  no  better  principled 
then  their  teachers ;  trusted  with  committeeships  and  other  gainful  offices, 
upon  their  commendations  for  zealous  and  (as  they  hesitated  not  to  term  them) 
gudly  men,  but  executing  their  places  like  children  of  the  devil,  nnfaithfuUy, 
unjustly,  unmercifully,  and,  where  not  corruptly,  stupidly.  So  that  between 
them,  the  teachers,  and  tliese,  the  disciples,  there  hath  not  been  a  more  igno- 
minious and  mortal  wound  to  faith,  to  piety,  to  the  worlc  of  reformation,  nor 
mure  caus^  of  blaspheming  given  to  the  euemies  of  God  and  truth,  since  the 
first  preaching  of  the  reformation.** 

This  passage  belongs  to  Milton's  *  Fragment  of  a  History  of  England,*  first 
published  in  1670  ;  but  from  which  the  quotation  was  expunged.  It  was  first 
printed  by  itself,  in  1681 ;  and  afterwards  appeared  in  the  edition  of  his  works 
published  in  1738.  It  should  be  remembered,  that  Milton  did  not  assail  the  As- 
umbly  till  after  some  of  them  had  denounced  his  work  on  the  'Doctrine  and 
Discipline  of  Divorce  ; '  which  led  to  his  being  brought  before  the  House  of 
Lords  for  that  publication.  Nothing  arose  from  this  occurrence  injurious  to 
Milton ;  but  he  never  forgave  the  Presbyterian  clergy  the  offence,  and  re- 
Tenges  himself  on  the  Assembly  in  the  above  tirade.  It  deserves  to  be  noticed, 
that  his  work  on  *  Divorce  *  is  dedicated  to  this  very  Assembly,  as  well  as  to  the 
Long  Parliament ;  both  of  which  he  afterwards  so  severely  denounces.  In  that 
dedication,  he  speaks  of  them  as  a  <*  select  assembly" — *'  of  so  much  piety  and 
wisdom*' — *'  a  learned  and  memorable  synod,"  in  which  **  piety,  learning, 
and  prudence,  were  housed."  This  dedication  was  written  two  years  after  the 
Assembly  had  met,  and  when  its  character  must  have  been  well  known.  When 
be  published  his  <  Tetrachordon,'  in  defence  of  the  former  work,  he  leaves  out 
the  Assembly  in  the  dedication,  and  addresses  it  to  the  parliament  only.  In 
the  *  Colasterion,'  he  attacks  the  anonymous  member  of  the  Assembly,  who 
had  assailed  bira,  with  the  utmost  scurrility ;  and,  from  that  time,  never  failed 
to  abuse  the  Presbyterians  and  the  Assembly.  It  is  painful  to  detract  from 
the  fair  fame  of  Milton;  but  even  he  is  not  entitled  to  vilify  the  character 
of  a  large  and  respectable  body  of  men,  to  avenge  his  private  quarrel. 


72  THB  LIF£  AND  TIMB8 

those  who  were  chosen  to  sit  in  this  convocation,  would  ever 
agree  in  the  divine  right  and  universal  obligation  of  any  eccle- 
siastical system ;  and,  that  they  did  not  wish  them  to  agree, 
seems  probable,  from  the  fact,  that  in  general,  when  there  ap- 
peared an  approach  towards  the  completion  of  their  ecclesiastical 
code,  new  difficulties  or  questions  were  always  proposed  to  them, 
which  occasioned  protracted  debates  and  increasing  differences. 
The  Assembly  at  last  broke  up  without  finishing  its  work.^ 

A  short  account  of  the  several  leading  parties  in  the  country, 
or  which  were  represented  in  the  Assembly,  will  justify  these  re- 
marks, and  throw  light  on  the  life  of  Baxter,  as  well  as  on  the 
state  of  the  period.  Baxter  himself  shall  furnish  the  chief  part  of 
the  information ;  because  he  tells  us  what  he  liked  and  disliked 
in  the  Erastian,  the  Episcopal,  the  Presbyterian,  and  the  Inde- 
pendent parties. 

The  Erastian  party,  in  the  Assembly,  was  composed  chiefly  of 
lawyers,  and  other  secular  persons  ;  who  understood  the  nature 
of  civil  government  better  than  the  nature,  forms,  and  ends  of 
the  church  of  Christ;  and  of  those  offices  appointed  by  him  for 
purposes  purely  spiritual.  The  leading  laymen  among  them) 
were  Selden  and  Whitelocke,  both  lawyers,  and  men  of  pro- 
found learning  and  talents.  Lightfoot  and  Coleman  were 
distinguished  as  much  among  the  divines  for  rabbinical  know- 
ledge, as  the  two  former  were  among  the  men  of  their  own 
profession. 

"The  Erastians,"  says  Baxter,  "I  thought,  were  in  the  right, 
•  in  .asserting  more  fully  than  others,  the  magistrates' power  in 
matters  of  religion ;  that  all  coercion,  by  mulcts  or  force,  should 
only  be  in  their  hands ;  that  no  such  power  belongs  to  the  pas- 
tors or  people  of  the  church ;  and  that  the  pastoral  power  is 
only  persuasive,  or  exercised  on  volunteers."  But  he  disliked  in 
them,  "  that  they  made  too  light  of  the  power  of  the  ministry, 
churchy  and  excommunication ;  that  they  made  church  com- 
munion more  common  to  the  impenitent,  than  Christ  would 
have  it ;  that  they  made  the  church  too  like  the  world,  by  break, 
ing  down  the  hedge  of  spiritual  discipline,  and  laying  it  almost 
common  with  the  wilderness  ;  and  that  they  misunderstood  and 
injured  their  brethren,  affirming  that  they  claimed  as  from  God 
a  coercive  power  over  the  bodies  and  consciences  of  men."**  The 

«  Bailie's  Letter,  and  Journals  passim ;  Memoirs  of  Owen,  pp.  53,  54,  400, 
2d  edition. 
^  Life,  part  ii.  p.  139.    The  following  amusing  account  of  the  origin  and  pro- 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTBRi  7^ 

tendency  and  design  of  the  system  would  oertAinly  convert  the 
church  Into  the  world,  and  the  world  into  the  church. 

**  The  Episcopal  party,"  he  says,  "  seemed  to  have  reason  on 
their  side  in  this,  that  in  the  primitive  church  there  were  apostles, 
evangelists,  and  others,  who  weYe  general  unfixed  officers,  not 
tied  to  any  particular  charge ;  but  who  had  some  superiority 
over  fixed  bishops  or  pastors.  And  as  to  fixed  bishops  of  par- 
ticular churches,  that  were  superior  in  degree  to  presbyters, 
though  I  saw  nothing  at  all  in  Scripture  for  them ;  yet  I  saw 
that  the  reception  of  them  was  so  very  early,  and  so  very  gene- 
ral, I  thought  it  most  improbable  that  it  was  contrary  to  the 
mind  of  the  apostles. 

'^  I  utterly  disliked  their  extirpation  of  the  true  discipline  of 
Christ,  not  only  as  they  omitted  or  corrupted  it,  but  as  their 
principles  and  church  state  had  made  it  impracticable.  They 
thus  altered  the  nature  of  churches,  and  the  ancient  nature  of 
bishops  and  presbyters.  They  set  up  secular  courts,  vexed 
honest  Christians,  countenanced  ungodly  teachers,  opposed  faith- 
ful ministers,  and  promoted  the  increase  of  ignorance  and  pro* 
faneness.''* 

No  supporters  of  such  views  were  in  the  Assembly ;  but  not  a 

few  of  the  members  were  partial  to  a  limited  episcopacy,  such  as 

that  for  which  Baxter  himself  pleaded.     Indeed,  a  number  of 

them  would  not  take  the  covenant  when  it  came  from  Scotland, 

till  it  was  explained  that  the  episcopacy  which  they  were  called    .  j 

to  disown,  was  only  the  hierarchy  of  England.*^    Among  these 

were,  Gataker,  Burgess,  Arrowsmith,  and  several  other  persons 

of  some  note.     In  the  parliament  there  was  a  large  proportion 

of  persons  of  this  description,  who  were  much  more  disposed  to 


^ressof  Erastianisro,  is  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  George  Gillespie,  one  of  the  Scots 
commissioners  to  the  Westminster  Assembly,  who  wrote  a  volume  against  itun- 
der  the  title  of  *  Aaron's  Rod  Blossoming.' — **  The  father  of  it  is  the  old  serpent ; 
its  mother  is  the  enmity  of  our  nature  against  the  kingdom  of  oyir  Lord  Jesus 
Christ;  and  the  midwife  who  brought  this  unhappy  brood  into  the  light  of  the 
^orld,  was  Thomas  Erastus,  doct(»rof  mediciue,  at  Heidelberg.  The  Erastian 
(rror  being  born,  the  breast<(  which  gave  it  suck,  were  profaueucss  and  self;  its 
^tron^food  when  advanced  in  growth,  was  arbitrary  government ;  and  its  careful 
tutor  was  Arminianism." — Book  i.  chap.  2.  The  book  from  which  this  curious 
<^>^tract  is  taken,  is  written  with  considerable  ability,  and  contains  unanswerable 
^r^uments  in  proof  that  the  New  Testament  furnishes  a  form  of  churctf 
government,  which  Christians  are  bound  to  adopt.  It  deser>'es  to  be  read  as  an 
iiDtidote  to  the  plausible  but  fallacious  reasonings  of  the '  Jrenicum/  of  Bishop 
Stiliingfleet. 
*  Life,  part  ii.  p.  140.  '  Neal,  iii.,  p.  56. 


74  rHB  LIVB   AND  TtMfiB 

acknowledge  a  limited  episcopacy  than  to  tiibinlt  to  the  divini 
right  of  Presbytery, 

The  great  body  of  the  Assembly,  and  of  the  Nonconformists, 
were  Presbyterians,  attached  from  principle  to  the  platform  of 
Geneva,  and  exceedingly  desirous,  in  alliance  with  Scotland,  of 
establishing  Presbyterian  uniformity  throughout  the  kingdom. 
The  leaders  of  this  party  in  the  Assembly  were,  Calamy,  Twias, 
Whyte,  Palmer,  Marshall,  and  the  Scottish  commissioners. 
And  in  the  House  of  Commons,  Hoilis,  Glyn,  Maynard,  Clement 
Walker,  and  William  Prynne.  They  were  supported  by  EsseXi 
Manchester,  and  Northumberland,  among  the  peers }  and  by 
the  body  of  the  clergy  of  London,  the  mass  of  the  religious 
professors  in  the  metropolis,  and  some  distinguished  persons  in 
the  army.  .  To  this  class  of  professors  Baxter  was  more  attached 
than  to  any  other,  though  it  is  evident,  that  while  he  eulogiaed  its 
virtues,  he  was  not  blind  to  its  faults. 

"  As  for  the  Presbyterians,"  he  says,  ^^  I  found  that  the  office 
of  preaching  presbyters,  was  allowed  by  all  who  deserved  the 
name  of  Christians ;  that  this  office  did  participate,  sub-* 
serviently  to  Christ,  in  the  propheticaly  or  teaching;  the /PfJet^Ajf, 
or  worshipping ;  and  the  governing  power  |  and  that  Scripture, 
antiquity,  and  the  nature  of  church  government,  clearly  show 
that  all  presbyters  were  church  governors,  as  well  as  church 
teachers.  To  deny  this,  were  to  destroy  the  office  and  to  en- 
deavour to  destroy  the  churches.  I  saw,  also,  in  Scripture, 
antiquity,  and  reason,  that  the  association  of  pastors  and  churches 
for  agreement,  and  their  synods  in  cases  of  necessity,  are  a  plain 
duty :  and  that  their  ordinary  stated  synods  are  usually  very, 
convenient.  I  saw,  too,  that  in  England  the  persons  who  were 
called  Presbyterians  were  eminent  for  learning,  sobriety,  and  piety: 
and  the  pastors  so  called  were  those  who  went  through  the  work 
of  the  ministry,  in  diligent,  serious  preaching  to  the  people,  and 
edifying  men's  souls  and  keeping  up  religion  in  the  land."^ 

The  following  are  the  things  in  this  body  to  which  he  objected: 
^^  I  disliked  their  order  of  lay-  elders,  who  had  no  ordination,  or 
power  to  preach,  or  to  administer  sacraments :  for  though  I  grant 
that  lay-elders,  or  the  chief  of  the  people,  were  often  employed 
to  express  the  people's  consent,  and  preserve  their  libertiea;  yet 
these  were  no  church  officers  at  all,  nor  had  any  charge  of 
private  oversight  of  the  flocks. 

^*  I  disliked,  also,  the  course  of  some  of  the  more  rigid  of  them^ 

K  Life,  part  ii.,  p.  140. 


OF  RICHAaD   BAXTBR.  75 

who  drew  too  near  the  way  of  prelacy^  by  grasping  at  a  kind  of 
secular  power  5  not  using  it  themselves,  but  binding  the  magi- 
strates to  confiscate  or  imprison  men,  merely  because  they  were 
excommunicated ;  and  so  corrupting  the  true  discipline  of  the 
church,  and  turning  the  communion  of  saints  into  the  com- 
munion of  the^  multitude,  who  must  keep  in  the  church  against 
their  wills  for  fear  of  being  imdone  in  the  world.     Whereas,  a 
man  whose  conscience  cannot  fee)  a  just  excommunication  unless 
it  be  backed  with  confiscation  or  imprisonment,  is  no  fitter  to  be 
a  member  of  a  Christian  church,  than  a  corpse  is  to  be  a  member 
of  a  corporation.     It  is  true  they  claim  not  this  power  as  jure 
amo;  but  no  mor^  do  the  prelates,  though  the  writ  de  excom- 
munieaio  capiendo  is  the  life  of  all  their  censures.     Both  parties 
too  much  debase  the  magistrate,  by  making  him  their  mere  exe- 
cutioner ;  whereas  he  ought  to  be  the  judge  wherever  he  is  the 
executioner,  and  ought  to  try  the  case  at  his  own  bar,  before  he 
be  obliged  to  punish  any  delinquent.     They  also  corrupt  the 
discipline  of  Christ,  by  mixing  it  with  secular  force.     They  re- 
proach the  keys,  or  ministerial  power,  as  if  it  were  a  leaden 
iword,  and  not  worth  a  straw,  unless  the  magistrate's  sword  en- 
force it.  What,  then,  did  the  primitive  church  for  three  hundred 
years  ?    Worst  of  all,  they  corrupt  the  church,  by  forcing  in  the 
rabble  of  the  unfit  and  unwilling ;  and  thereby  tempt  many 
godly  Christians  to  schisms  and   dangerous  separations.     Till 
magistrates  keep  the  sword  themselves,  and  learn  to  deny  it  to 
every  angry  clergyman  who  would  do  his  own  work  by  it,  and 
leavethem  to  their  own  weapons — the  word  and  spiritual  keys— 
and,  valeant  quantum  valere  possunty  the  church  will  never  have 
unity  and  peace. 

"  I  disliked,  also,  some  of  the  Presbyterians,  that  they  were 
not  tender  enough  to  dissenting  brethren  ;  but  too  much  against 
liberty,  as  others  were  too  much  for  it ;  and  thought  by  votes 
and  numbers  to  do  that  which  love  and  reason  should  have 
done."^ 

While  the  reader  must  admire  the  candour  of  these  remarks, 
as  they  bear  on  the  party,  with  which  Baxter  was  more  identified 
than  any  other,  he  will  no  less  cordially  approve  his  enlightened 
>iews  of  the  distinction  between  civil  and  ecclesiastical  power. 
Had  they  been  always  thus  viewed  and  distinguished,  how  many 
evils  would  have  been  prevented  both  in  the  church  and  in  the 
world  !     The  governments  of  the  earth  would  have  been  saved 

^  Life,  part  i!.,  pp.  143,  143. 


76  THB   UFB  AND  TIMB8 

a  vast  portion  of  the  perplexity  and  trouble  which  they  have 
experienced  in  the  management  of  their  affairs  ;  and  the  church 
would  have  been  preserved  from  much  of  that  secularity  which 
has  attached  to  it,  as  well  as  from  infinite  suffering  and  sorrow. 
Unfortunately,  Baxter  was  not  always  consistent  with  himself  on 
these  important  points.  The  concluding  sentence  of  this  very 
extract  shows,  that  while  he  was  a  friend  of  liberty,  he  was 
afraid  of  too  much  of  it.  He  never  would  have  been  himself 
a  persecutor ;  but  he  would  not  have  objected  to  the  exercibe 
of  a  certain  measure  of  coercion  or  restraint  by  others,  in  sup« 
port  of  what  he  might  have  considered  the  good  of  the  indi- 
viduals themselves,  or  of  what  the  interests  of  the  community 
required. 

Baxter  was  less  friendly  to  the  Independents  than  to  any 
other  of  the  leading  parties  of  his  times.  For  this,  various  rea* 
sons  may  be  assigned.  His  principles  and  dispositions  induced 
in  him  a  greater  attachment  to  ministerial  or  priestly  power,  than 
accorded  with  the  principles  of  that  body.  The  influence  of 
some  of  its  more  active  and  learned  ministers,  and  the  support 
which  they  derived  from  some  of  the  public  characters  whose 
exertions  were  directed  to  the  overthrow  of  civil  and  religious 
despotism,  and  the  establishment  of  general  liberty,  were  greater 
than  Baxter  was  disposed  to  approve.  Above  all,  as  he  consider-^ 
ed  the  great  master-spirits  of  that  agitating  period,  to  be  either 
really,  or,  for  political  reasons,  professedly,  attached  to  the  polity 
of  the  Independents,  he  regarded  the  whole  body  with  jealousy  and 
dislike.  I  will  not  deny  that  he  had  some  ground  for  part  of  the 
feeling  which  he  entertained  ;  though  1  think  he  was  mistaken 
in  various  particulars.  The  following  account  of  the  Indepen« 
dents,  considering  Baxter's  opinions,  is  honourable  both  to  the 
writer  and  to  the  body  to  which  it  refers. 

"  Most  of  them  were  zealous,  and  very  many  learned,  dis- 
creet, and  godly  men ;  fit  to  be  very  serviceable  in  the  church* 
In  the  search  of  Scripture  and  antiquity,  I  found,  that,  in  the 
beginning,  a  governed  church,  and  a  stated  worshipping  church, 
were  all  one,  and  not  two  several  things;  and  that,  though  there 
might  be  other  by-meetings  in  places  like  our  chapels  or  private 
houses,  for  such  as  age  or  persecution  hindered  to  come  to  the 
more  solemn  meetings,  yet  churches  then  were  no  bigger,  in 
respect  of  number,  than  our  parishes  now.  These, were  societies 
of  Christians  united  for  personal  communion,  and  not  only  for 
communion  by  meetings  of  officers  and  delegates  in  synods,  as 


OF  RICHARD   BAXT8R.  77 

many  churches  in  association  be.  I  saw,  if  once  we  go  beyond 
the  bounds  of  personal  communion,  as  the  end  of  particular 
churches^  in  the  definition,  we  may  make  a  church  of  a  nation, 
or  of  ten  nations,  or  what  we  please,  which  shall  have  none  of  the 
natore  and  ends  of  the  primitive,  particular  churches.  I  saw 
also  a  commendable  care  of  serious  holiness  and  discipline  in 
most  of  the  Independent  churches;  and  I  found  that  some  epis- 
copal men,  as  Bishop  Usher  himself,  did  hold  that  every  bishop 
was  independent,  as  to  synods,  and  that  synods  were  not  proper 
governors  of  the  particular  bishops,  but  only  for  their  concord/'^ 

fn  this  passage,  Baxter  grants  almost  every  thing  for  which  the 
Independents  have  contended.  It  is  rather  surprising,  consider- 
ing his  acuteness,  that  he  did  not  perceive  the  inferences  which 
ought  CO  be  drawn  from  the  premises.  If  primitive  churches 
were  possessed  of  separate  and  independent  authority,  and  con- 
listed  only  of  those  who  appeared  to  be  Christians  5  and  if  going 
beyond  personal  communion,  as  the  great  object  of  Christian 
association  leaves  every  thing  vague  and  indefinite,  it  seems  very 
dear  on  which  side  the  strength  of  the  argument  respecting 
church  government  and  fellowship  lies.  In  fact,  Baxter  was  more 
ao  Independent  or  congregationali8t,both  in  theory  and  practice, 
than  he  was  generally  disposed  to  admit. 

We  have  given  the  bright  side  of  the  picture  of  this  party;  we 
must  now  look  at  the  dark.  *^  In  the  Independent  way,"  he 
says,  ''  I  disliked  many  things.  They  made  too  light  of  ordina- 
tion. They  also  had  their  office  of  lay-eldership.  They  were 
commonly  stricter  about  the  qualification  of  church  members, 
than  Scripture,  reason,  or  the  practice  of  the  universal  church 
would  allow ;  not  taking  a  man's  bare  profession  as  credible,  and 
as  sufficient  evidence  of  his  title  to  church  communion  ;  unless 
either  by  a  holy  life,  or  the  particular  narration  of  the  passages 
of  the  work  of  grace,  he  satisfied  the  pastors,  and  all  the  church, 
that  he  was  truly  holy ;  whereas  every  man's  profession  is  the 
valid  evidence  of  the  thing  professed  in  his  heart,  unless  it  be 
disproved  by  him  that  qucstioneth  it,  by  proving  him  guilty  of 
heresies  or  impiety,  or  sins  inconsistent  with  it.  If  once  you  go 
beyond  the  evidence  of  a  serious,  sober  confession,  as  a  credible 
and  sufficient  sign  of  title  to  church  membership,  you  will  never 
know  where  to  rest.  The  church's  opinion  will  be  both  rule 
and  judge ;  and  men  will  be  let  in,  or  kept  out,  according  to  the 
various  latitude  of  opinions  or  charity  in  the  several  officers  or 

^  JJfe,  part  L,  p,  U0» 


78  THB   LIFE  ANB  TIMB8 

churches ;  so  that  he  will  h6  passable  in  one  chdrcb^  who  is  in-* 
tolerable  in  another;  and  thus  the  churches  will  be  hetero-* 
geneous  and  confused.^  There  is  in  all  this  a  little,  if  not  more 
than  a  little,  spiritual  pride  of  the  weaker  sort  of  profestors^ 
affecting  to  be  Ti.siblr  set  at  a  greater  distance  from  the  colder 
professors  of  Christianity,  than  God  would  have  them,  that  no 
thejr  may  be  more  observable  and  conspicuous  for  their  hoIine« 
in  the  world ;  and  there  is  too  much  uncharitableness  in  it^  when 
God  hath  given  sincere  professors  the  kernel  of  his  mercies^  even 
grace  and  glory,  and  yet  they  will  grudge  the  cold,  hypocritical 
professors,  so  small  a  thing  as  the  outward  shell,  and  visible 
communion  and  external  ordinances ;  yea,  though  such  are  k^ 
in  the  church  for  the  sake  and  service  of  the  sincere. 

''  I  disliked,  also,  the  lamentable  tendency  of  this  their  ymy  to 
divisions  and  subdivisions,  and  the  nourishing  of  heresies  and 
sects.  But  above  all  I  disliked,  that  most  of  them  made  the  people 
by  majoiity  of  votes,  to  be  church  governors,  in  excommunica* 
tions,  absolutions,  &c.,  which  Christ  hath  made  an  act  of  office^ 
and  so  they  governed  their  governors  and  themselves,  lliey  also 
too  much  exploded  synods ;  refusing  them  as  stated,  and  admit- 
ting tliem  but  upon  some  extraordinary  occasions.  1  disliked^ 
also,  their  over-rigidness  against  the  admission  of  Christians  cff 
other  churches  to  their  communion.  And  their  making  a 
minister  to  be  as  no  minister  to  any  but  his  own  flock,  and  to 
act  to  others  but  as  a  private  man;  with  divers  others  such 
irregularities  and  dividing  opinions  ;  many  of  which  the  mode« 
ration  of  the  New  England  synod  hath  of  late  corrected  and  dift* 
owned ;  and  so  done  very  much  to  heal  these  breaches."^ 

Such  is  Baxter's  account  of  the  Independents  of  his  timearf 
The  number  of  their  ministers  who  were  members  of  the  West- 
minster Assembly,  did  not  exceed  ten  or  t\telve.  Of  these^ 
Goodwin,  Nye,  Burroughs,  Simpson,  and  Bridge,  were  reckoned 

^  I  am  not  aware  that  Independents,  either  hi  early  or  in  latter  times,  rfe* 
quired  more  as  the  tvrm  of  religious  fellowship  than  a  credible  prufession  ;  ihmt 
U,  a  profession  entitled  to  belief,  under  all  the  circumstances  in  which  it  it 
made.  As  the  tendency  of  humao  nature  is  to  be  lax,  rather  than  rigid, 
Baiter^s  acc6nnt  of  the  rigidity  of  the  body  is  greatly  to  its  honour.  The  coA* 
elodingr  reflections  in  the  shove  paragraph,  on  the  motives  of  the  parties^  mod 
the  defence  of  impure  communion,  are  uu worthy  of  Baxter.  Some  of  the  other 
things  to  which  he  objects,  if  they  existed  in  the  infancy  of  the  body,  exist 
no  longer;  aod,  therefore,  do  not  reqnire  any  comment.  The  author  most 
refer  the  reader  to  the  *  Memoirs  of  Dr.Owen,'  for  a  fuller,  and,  as  he  coniidBrty 
«  more  correct  view  of  Independency,  than  what  is  given  by  Baxteri  or  thaa 
it  would  be  proper  to  introduce  here. 

^Ufe,  p»rt  a.,  pp.  143, 14i« 


OF  JUCHAAD  ^XTBR*  70 

as  the  leaden^  and  by  the  admission  of  all  parties  were  among  the 
most  distinguUhed  in  that  body  for  learning,  talents,  and  address. 
Baxter,  Baillie,  Lightfoot,  and  others,  unite  in  bearing  this  testi- 
mony to  them,  lliey  threw  every  possible  obstacle  in  the  way 
of  establishing  Presbyterian  uniformity )  and  though  outvoted 
by  numbers,  their  resistance  and  perseverance,  aided  by  the  en- 
lightened friends  of  religious  liberty  in  parliament,  among  whom 
must  be  reckoned  Vane,  Cromwell,  Pym,  and  Harrison,  suc- 
ceeded in  preventing  the  ascendancy  of  a  party,  which,  as  it  was 
then  constituted,  had  it  obtained  sufficient  power,  would  havd 
mercilessly  persecuted  all  who  opposed  its  progress  or  were  ini- 
mical to  its  interests. 

These  were  the  chief  parties  in   England,  when  the  West- 
minster Assembly  was  called,  and  which  may  be  considered  as 
represented  in  that  1>ody«   Little  difference  existed  among  them 
on  the  leading  principles  of  the  Gospel ;  which,  as  appears  from 
the  confession  and  catechisms  published  by  the  Assembly,  they 
held  decidedly  in  the  Calvinistic  view  of  those  principles.  There 
were,  doubtless,  many  persons  whose  religion  could  not  be  called 
in  question,  who  would  not  have  gone  so  far  as  some  of  the  ex- 
pressions in  those  documents  ;  but  considering  the  Assembly  as 
a  tolerably  fair  representative  of  the  religious  community  of 
England  at  that  time,  no  doubt  can  be  enteriained,  that  Calvin- 
ism was  then  the  prevailing  doctrinal  system,  both  in  the  church 
and  out  of  it. 

On  other  points,  especially  those  of  church  government  and 
discipline,  it  is  equally  clear  that  they  differed  widely  from  each 
other,  and  never  would  agree  in  any  common  system.  Jure 
^xcmo  prelatists,  solemn- league-and -covenant  presbyterians, 
latitudinarian  Erastians,  and  tolerating  independents,  could 
not  possibly  coalesce  as  the  friends  and  supporters  of  any  scheme 
to  which  all  should  be  required  to  submit.  On  leading  points  of 
ecclesiastical  polity  they  were  the  antipodes  of  each  other. 
Compromise  was  out  of  the  question;  submission  to  one  another, 
where  conscience  was  concerned,  would  have  been  regarded  as 
sin  against  God  ;  and  even  liberty  to  others,  to  act  according  to 
their  own  convictions,  was  considered  by  some  of  them  too  im- 
portant a  right  to  be  admitted,  or  boon  to  be  conferred.  Mean 
tin^  the  cause  of  civil  and  religious  freedom  steadily  advanced, 
and  finally  gained  ascendancy.  While  the  parties  differed 
among  themselves,  nothing  could  be  enforced  by  authority ;  and 
when  the  majority  decided  in  favour  of  the  divine  right  of  prea- 


\\ 


80  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMES 

byterianism^  the  civil  powers  had*  fallen  into  hands  which  took 
effectual  care  that  it  should  not  be  established,  llie  friends  of 
that  system,  grasping  at  too  much,  frustrated  their  own  aim;  and 
lost  in  the  struggle  for  exclusive  authority,  their  influence  in  re- 
ligion, and  their  importance  in. politics.  In  the  righteous  retri- 
bution of  Providence,  those  who  had  refused  to  grant  political 
existence  to  others,  finally  lost  their  own. 

The  account  of  the  leading  parties  in  the  nation  at  this  period, 
would  be  incomplete  without  noticing  another^ — the  Baptists. 
This  body  also  attracted  the  attention  of  Baxter,  and  as  he  dis- 
tinguished himself  in  several  controversies  with  its  ministers,  it  is 
gratifying  to  find  him  record  the  following  opinion  of  its  chsi- 
racter :  ^^  For  the  Anabaptists  themselves,  though  I  have  written 
and  said  so  much  against  them,  as  I  found  that  most  of  them 
were  persons  of  zeal  in  religion,  so  many  of  them  were  sober, 
godly  people,  who  differed  from  others  but  in  the  point  of  infant 
baptism,  or,  at  most,  in  the  points  of  predestination,  free-will, 
and  perseverance.  And  .1  found  in  all  antiquity,  that  though 
infant  baptism  was  held  lawful  by  the  church,  yet  some,  with 
Tertullian  and  Nazianzen,  thought  it  most  convenient  to  make 
no  haste;  and  the  rest  left  the  time  of  baptism  to  every  one's 
liberty,  and  forced  none  to  be  baptized  :  insomuch  as  not  only 
Constantine,  Theodosius,  and  such  others  as  were  converted  at 
the  years  of  discretion,  but  Augustine,  and  many  such  as  were 
the  children  of  Christian  parents  (one  or  both),  did  defer  their 
baptism  much  longer  than  I  think  they  should  have  done.  So 
that,  in  the  primitive  church,  some  were  baptized  in  infancy, 
and  some  in  ripe  age,  and  some  a  little  before  their  death  ;  and 
none  were  forced,  but  all  left  free ;  and  the  only  penalty  of  their 
delay  was,  that  so  long,  they  were  without  the  privileges  of  the 
church,  and  were  numbered  but  with  the  catechumens  or  ex- 
pectants.*' "*  I  believe  there  were  no  Baptists  in  the  Assembly, 
though  they  had  existed  long  before^  were  then  in  considerable 
number  in  the  country,  and  could  rank  among  themselves  many 
excellent,  and  a  few  learned  persons. 

Having  thus  exhibited  Baxter's  particular  views  of  the  great 
leading  parties  which  then  constituted  the  religious  world,  the  fol- 
lowing summing  up,  by  himself,  is  particularly  worthy  of  atten* 
tion: — "Among  all  these  parties,!  found  that  some  were  natural- 
ly of  mild,  calm,  and  gentle  dispositions ;  and  some  of  sour,  ho^ 
ward,  passionate^  peevish,  or  furious  natures.  Some  were  young, 

n  Life,  part  U.  pp.  140,  Ul. 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  81 

raw,  and  inexperienced,  and  these  were  like  young  fruit,  sour 
and  harsh ;  addicted  to  pride  of  their  own  opinions,  to  self- 
conceitedness,  turbulency,  censoriousness,  and  temerity ;  and  to 
engage  themselves  for  a  cause  and  party  before  they  understood 
the  matter.  They  were  led  by  those  teachers  and  books  that 
had  once  won  their  highest  esteem,  judging  of  sermons  and  per- 
sons by  their  fervency  more  than  by  the  soundness  of  the  matter 
and  the  cause.  Some  I  found,  on  the  other  side,  to  be  ancient 
and  experienced  Christians,  that  had  tried  the  spirits,  and  seen 
what  was  of  God,  and  what  of  man,  and  noted  the  events  of  both 
in  the  world.  These  were  like  ripe  fruit,  mellow  and  sweet; 
'  first  pure,  then  peaceable,  gentle,  easy  to  be  entreated,  full  of 
mercy  and  good  fruits,  without  partiality,  and  without  hypocrisy; 
^ho,  beuig  makers  of  peace,  did  sow  the  fruits  of  righteousness 
in  peace/ 

^^  But  I  found  not  all  these  alike  in  all  the  disagreeing  parties, 
though  some  of  both  sorts  were  in  every  party.    The  Erastian 
party  was  mostly  composed  of  lawyers,  and  other  secular  persons. 
The  Diocesan  party  consisted  of  some  grave,  learned,  godly 
bishops,  and  some  sober,  godly  people  of  their  mind ;  and^ 
withal,  of  almost  all  the  carnal  politicians,  temporizers,  pro- 
fane,^ and  haters  of  godliness,  in  the  land,  and  all  the  rabble  of 
the  ignorant,  ungodly  vulgar.     Whether  this  came  to  pass  from 
any  thing  in  the  nature  of  their  diocesan  government,  or  from 
their  accommodating  the  ungodly  sort  by  the  formal  way  of 
their  public  worship,  or  from  their  heading  and  pleasing  them  by 
running  down  the  stricter  sort  of  people  whom  they  hated ;  or 
all  these  together ;    and  also  because  the  worst  and  most  do 
always  fall  in  with  the  party  that  is  uppermost,  I  leave  to  the 
judgment  of  the  considerate  reader.     The  Presbyterian  party 
consisted  of  grave,  orthodox,  godly  ministers,  together  with 
the  hopefulest  of  the  students  and  young  ministers,  and  the  so- 
berest, godly,  ancient  Christians,  who  were  equally  averse  to 
persecution  and  to  schism ;  and  of  those  young  ones  who  were 
educated  and  ruled  by  these ;  as,  also,  of  the  soberest  sort  of 
the  well-meaning  vulgar  who  liked  a  godly  life,  though  they 
had  no  great  knowledge  of  it.     This  party  was  most  desirous  of 
peace. 

*'  The  Independent  party  had  many  very  godly  ministers  and 
people,  but  with  them  many  young,  injudicious  persons  5  inclined 
much  to  novelties  and  separations,  and  abounding  more  in  zeal 
tlian  knowledge;  vsuaUy  doing  more  for  subd\v\s\ou^  iVv^w  \\\^ 
yoL,  I,  G 


82  THB  LIFB  AND  TIMES 

few  sober  persons  among  them  could  do  for  unity  and  peace ; 
too  much  mistaking  the  terms  of  church  communion,  and  the 
difference  between  the  regenerate  (invisible),  and  the  congregate 
(or  visible)  church. 

**  The  Anabaptist  party  consisted  of  some  (but  fewer)  sober, 
peaceable  persons,  and  orthodox  in  other  points ;  but,  withal, 
of  abundance  of  young,,  transported  zealots,  and  a  medley  of 
opinionists,  who  all  hasted  directly  to  enthusiasm  and  subdivi- 
sions, and  by  the  temptation  of  prosperity  and  success  in  arms, 
and  the  policy  of  some  commanders,  were  led  into  rebellions  and 
hot  endeavours  against  the  ministry,  and  other  scandalous  crimes; 
and  brought  forth  the  horrid  sects  of  Ranters,  Seekers,  and 
Quakers,  in  the  land."  ° 

In  this  description  of  parties  we  observe  some  of  the  marked 
peculiarities  of  Baxter.  He  was  obviously  disposed  to  do  justice 
to  all,  and  ready  to  acknowledge  true  religion  wherever  he  found 
it;  but  a  little  more  zeal  in  some  particulars,  than  was  suited  to  his 
*  taste,  was  enough  to  induce  him  to  speak  more  strongly  of  the 
parties  than  the  case  justified :  besides,  he  was  influenced  not 
only  by  what  he  witnessed  himself,  but  by  what  he  heard  from 
others.  While  he  was  acute  and  candid,  he  was  credulous; 
more  disposed  to  listen  to  vague  and  injurious  reports  than  a 
tnan  of  his  piety  and  experience  ought  to  have  been  :  but,  after 
all,  the  picture  that  he  draws  of  the  parties  which  left  the 
church  is,  on  the  whole,  advantageous  to  them.  It  is  evident 
that  he  considered  there  was  a  large  preponderance  of  genuine 
religion  among  each  ;  which  far  more  than  outweighed  all  the 
dross  and  alloy  belonging  to  them.  They  who  imagine  there 
was  nothing  but  sectarian  zeal,  guided  and  excited  by  po- 
litical frenzy,  entirely  mistake  the  true  state  of  things.  There 
was  much  real  religion  in  the  parties  which  professed  it,  though 
mixed  up  with  a  great  deal  of  what  tended  to  injure  it,  or  occa- 
sion misconception  of  its  nature. 

Baxter  was  so  fully  convinced  of  the  prevalence  of  true  reli- 
gion among  the  persons  composing  the  leading  parties,  that 
he  made  it  much  of  the  business  of  his  life  to  convince 
them,  that  they  differed  less  from  each  other  than  they  them- 
selves supposed,  and  to  induce  them  to  act  together  in  Christian 
fellowship.  "  I  thought  it  my  duty,'*  he  says,  "  to  labour  to 
bring  them  all  to  a  concordant  practice  of  so  much  as  they  were 
agreed  in;  to  set  all  that  together  which  was  true  and  good 

»  Life,  part  Uu  pp.  U4— U^. 


or  RICHARD  BAXIVR.  88 

among  them  ail,  and  to  reject  the  reet;  and  especially  to  labour  to 
revive  Christian  charity,  which  faction  and  disputes  had  lamenta- 
bly extidguished.''®  This  object  he  prosecuted  in  the  most  inde^ 
fatigable  manner,  by  conversation,  preaching,  writing,aiid  disputp- 
ing;  and  though  he  often  compldns  of  disappointment,  and 
deplores  the  divisions  of  the  period,  his  success  in  uniting  all 
parties  in  the  town  of  Kidderminster,  was  complete ;  and  his 
influence  over  the  serious  people  of  the  county  at  large,  very 
considerable. 

Having  given,  chiefly  in  Baxter's  words,  an  account  of  the 
leading  religious  parties  of  the  period,  I  consider  this  the  best 
place  to  introduce  his  remarks  on  the  minor  sects;  some  of  which 
had  but  an  ephemeral  existence,  while  others  have  increased, 
extended,  and  still  remain.  I  feel  it  to  be  my  duty  to  record  his 
statements,  many  of  which  are  very  curious,  though  I  fear  they 
are  not  always  sufficiently  free  from  the  influence  of  that  preju- 
dice and  credulity  to  which  I  have  just  adverted. 

The  variety  of  religious  sects  which  sprung  up  during  the 
period  of  which  we  are  now  treating,  has  been  a  fruitful  topic  of 
teproach  and  exultation  to  infidels  and  worldly  ecclesiastics* 
The  former  of  these  classes  glory  in  the  fanaticism  of  the  sects, 
as  a  proof  of  the  absurdity  of  all  religion  whatever;  the  others 
refer  to  it  as  a  beacon  to  warn  men  of  the  danger  of  departing 
from  established  faith  and  forms.     Infidels  forget,  however,  that 
sects,  and  enthusiastic  ones  too,  are  not  confined  to  Christians. 
The  elegant  mythology  of  Greece  and  Rome  presented,  in  the 
deities  of  a  thousand  groves  and  streams,  any  thing  but  a  unity  of 
opinion  or  worship ;  while  the  conduct  of  the  worthies  of  those 
elegant  superstitions,  so  far  from  indicating  the  influence  of  a 
sober  rationality,  exhibited  '^all  monstrous,  all  prodigious  things/' 
Nor  were  the  haunts  of  philosophy  in  ancient,  or  the  schools  of 
philosophy  in  modern  times,  more  free  from  sects  and  schisms, 
and  from  fierce  and  angry  contentions.    Ecclesiastics  should  re- 
member that  unity  is  the  boast  of  the  Romish  church,  and  divi- 
sion her  reproach  of  Protestantism.     Not  that  she  is  entitled  to 
the  claim  of  unity,  or  to  fling  the  reproach  of  discord  at  others. 
She  has  her  sects  and  her  quarrels  too.     It  is  not  to  the  dis- 
credit of  the  reformation  that  it  gave  rise  to  a  diversity  of  opinion 
and  practice  among  the  reformers  themselves,  and  afforded  an 
opportunity  for  the  manifestation  of  errors  and  improprieties 
which  they  all  deplored.    The  excitement  produced  b^  XVvaX 

''Life, parti,  p.  Hi. 

q2 


I 


84  TBB   LIFE  AND  TIMES 

glorious  event  was  not  likely  to  spend  all  its  force  on  the  minds 
which  were  capable  of  bearing  it  without  injury ;  it  was  neces- 
sarily extended  to  others,  whose  passions  or  imaginations  were 
more  powerful  than  their  understandings.  On  such  men,  the 
pure  fire  which  burned  on  the  Protestant  altar  became  wild  fire ; 
not  warming  by  its  genial  heat,  or  consuming  evil  by  its  steady 
flame,  but  scorching,  and  vagrant ;  destroying  in  its  ftiry  both 
friends  and  fo^s. 

It  cannot  be  matter  of  surprise  that  the  civil  commotions  of 
England,  which  were  but  the  bursting  forth  of  a  volcano,  that 
had  long  been  burning  in  secret,  should  be  attended  with  similar 
effects.  The  convulsion  which  overturned  the  throne,  over- 
whelmed the  church,  and  nearly  destroyed  the  constitution,  was  a 
shock  which  even  the  most  powerful  minds  could  scarcely  sustain. 
It  was  natural  to  regard  it  as  the  crisis  of  religion  as  well  as  of 
politics,  and  to  contemplate  in  it  the  approach  or  commence- 
ment of  a  new  and  splendid  era.  Politicians,  astrologers,  lawyers, 
physicians,  and  philosophers,  as  well  as  theologians,  felt  its 
po>Yer.  Few  comparatively  of  any  class,  could  '^  sit  on  a  hill 
apart,''  and  contemplate,  with  calm  serenity,  the  whirlwind  and 
the  storm  which  were  then  raging ;  still  fewer  were  capable  of 
directing  them,  or  of  reducing  the  conflicting  elements  to  order 
and  harmony;  and  of  those  who  made  the  attempt,  not  a  few 
perished  in  it,  or  only  exposed  themselves  to  the  insult  and 
mockery  which  their  imbecile  temerity  justly  deserved. 

Religion,  firom  its  infinitely  greater  importance  than  all  other 
things,necessarily  wrought  most  powerfiilly  in  these  circumstances 
on  those  who  were  concerned  for  its  interests.  The  zeal  of  such 
persons,  was  not  always  in  proportion  to  the  strength  or  the  cor- 
rectness of  their  judgment.  It  was  not  too  fervent,  had  it  been 
sufficiently  enlightened ;  but  being,  in  many  instances,  in  the  in- 
verse ratio  of  knowledge  and  prudence,  it  produced  all  sorts  of 
wild  and  eccentric  movements.  We  deplore  that  this  should 
have  been  the  case;  but  it  U  foolish  to  be  surprised,  or  to  sneer, 
at  it.  Circumstances  produced  sects  in  religion  as  they  pro- 
duced parties  in  politics  :  they  formed  heresies  in  the  church  as 
thev  created  false  theories  in  the  state.  If  fanatics  and  heresi- 
archs  abounded,  so  did  quack  doctors,  and  political  empyrics. 
Spiritual  nostrums  were  not  more  numerous  or  discordant  than 
astrological  conundrums,  and  philosophical  dreams  and  visions. 
Let  Baxter's  account  of  the  following  sects  be  read  under  the 
inHuence  of  these  remarks,  and  uotVuwg  vj\\\  «l^)j^^x  ^vlher  unac* 
countable  or  extraordinary. 


OF  RICHARJ)   BAXTER.  85 

^*  In  these  times/'  referring  particularly  to  the  period  of  the 
Rump  Parliament,  *'  sprang  up  five  sects,  at  least,  whose  doctrines 
were  almost  the  same,but  they  fell  into  seVeral  shapes  and  names: 
the  Vanists ;  the  Seekers;  the  Ranters;  the  Quakers;  the 
Behmenists/'  Of  each  of  these^  we  are  furnished  with  a  short 
account. 

"The  Vanists,  for  I  know  not  by  what  other  name  to  make 
them  known,  were  Sir  Harry  Vane's  disciples ;  and  first  sprang  up 
under  him  in  New  England,  when  he  was  governor  there.  Their 
notions  were  then  raw  and  undigested,  and  their  party  quickly 
confounded  by  God's  providence ;  as  you  may  see  in  a  little 
book  of  Mr.  Thomas  Weld's,  of  the  rise  and  fall  of  Antinomian- 
ism  and  Familism  in  New  England,  p  Sir  Harry  Vane  being 
governor,  and  found  to  be  the  secret  promoter  and  life  of  the 
cause,  was  fain  fo  steal  away  by  night,  and  take  shipping  for 
England,  before  his  year  of  government  was  at  an  end. 

"  When  he  came  over  into  England,  he  proved  an  instrument  of 
greater  calamity  to  a  people  more  sinful  and  more  prepared  for 
God's  judgments.  Being  chosen  a  parliament  man,  he  was  very 
active  at  first  for  the  bringing  of  delinquents  to  punishment.  He 
was  the  principal  person  who  drove  on  the  parliament  to  go  too 
high,  and  act  too  vehemently  against  the  king :  and  being  of  very 
ready  parts,  and  very  great  subtilty,  and  unwearied  industry,  he 
laboured,  not  without  success,  to  win  others  in  parliament, 
citv,  and  countrv*  to  his  wav.  W'hen  the  Earl  of  Strafford  was 
accused,  he  got  a  paper  out  of  his  father's  cabinet  (who  was 
secretary  of  state)  which  was  the  chief  means  of  his  condemna- 
tion. To  most  of  our  changes,  he  was  that  within  the  House, 
which  Cromwell  was  without.  His  great  zeal  to  drive  all  into 
war,  and  to  cherish  the  sectaries,  especially  in  the  army,  made 
him,  above  all  men,  to  be  valued  by  that  party. 

"  His  unhappiness  lay  in  this,  that  his  doctrines  were  so 
cloudily  formed  and  expressed,  that  few  could  understand  them, 
and  therefore  he  had  but  few  true  disciples.  The  Lord  Brook  was 
slain  before  he  had  brought  him  to  maturity  :  Mr.  Sterry  was 
thought  to  be  of  his  mind,  as  he  was  his  intimate  friend  ;  but 
was  so  famous  for  obscurity  in  preaching,  being,  said  Sir 
Benjamin  Rudiard,  too  high  for  this  world,  and  too  low  for  the 

P  I  have  not  inserted  aU  that  Baxter  says  about  New  England.  The  foolish. 
story  about  Mrs.  Dyer  is  a  proof  only  of  the  malevolence  or  folly  of  the  inven- 
tors. Weld's  book  is  the  production  of  a  weak,  prejudiced  ip^o,  and  eulitlecl 
to  little  respect  as  authority. 


h 


88  TRX  UIB  AND  TfifBa 

Other,  that  he  thereby  proved  almost  barren  also;  and  ponity 
and  sterUUy  were  never  more  happily  conjoined*  ^  Mr.  Sprigge 
is  the  chief  of  his  more  open  dbcipies ;  and  too  well  known  by  a 
book  of  his  sermons/ 

^^  This  obscurity  was  imputed  by  some,  to  his  not  understand- 
ing himself;  but,  by  others,  to  design,  because  he  could  speak 
plainly  when  he  listed.  The  two  courses,  in  which  he  had  most 
success,  and  spake  most  plainly,  Were  his  ^  Earnest  Plea  for  Uni- 
versal Liberty  of  Conscience,  and  against  the  Magistrates  inter- 
meddling with  Religion ;  *  and  his  teaching  his  followers  to  revile 
the  ministry,  calling  them,  ordinarily,  blackcoats,  priests,  and 
other  names  which  then  savoured  of  reproach ;  and  those  gen- 
tlemen that  adhered  to  the  ministry,  they  said,  were  priest* 
ridden. 

^'  When  Cromwell  had  served  himself  by  him,  as  his  surest 
friend,  as  long  as  he  could,  and  gone  as  far  with  him  as  their 

«  Baxter's  q)iDioii  of  Sterry  underwent  a  great  chan^  after  this  pminijif 
pftsaage  was  written.  He  thus  speaks  of  bim  in  his  '  Catholic  Theology  : ' 
'<  It  is  long  since  I  beard  of  the  name  and  fame  of  Mr.  Peter  Sterry.  His  com- 
mon fame  was,  that  his  preaching  was  such  as  few,  or  none,  could  understand, 
which  increased  my  desire  to  hare  heard  him,  of  which  I  still  missed,  tboofli 
I  often  attempted  it.  But  now  since  his  death,  while  my  book  is  in  the  prets^ 
a  posthumous  tract  of  his  cometh  forth,  of  Free  WiU  :  upon  perusal  of  which, 
1  found  in  bim  the  same  notions  as  in  Sir  Harry  Vane  ;  but  all  handled  with 
much  more  strength  of  parts,  and  rapture  of  highest  derotion,  and  greater  can- 
dour toward  all  others,  than  I  expected.  His  preface  is  a  most  excellent  per- 
suasive to  universal  charity.  Love  was  never  more  extolled  than  throughout 
this  book.  Doubtless,  bis  bead  was  strong,  bis  wit  admirably  pregnant,  his 
searching  studies  hard  and  sublime,  and,  1  think,  his  heart  replenished  w^th 
holy  love  to  God,  and  great  charity,  moderation,  and  peaceableness  towardi 
men :  insomuch,  that  I  heartily  repent  that  I  so  far  believed  fame  as  to  think 
somewhat  bardlier  of  bim  and  his  few  adherents,  than  I  now  think  they  deserve." 
—  CSorM.  TheoL  part  iii.  p.  107. 

While  this'  passage  does  great  credit  to  the  candour  and  honesty  of  Baxter* 
it  shows  us  with  what  caution  we  ought  to  receive  his  opinions  of  the  sec- 
taries of  the  Commonwealth.  Sterry  has,  like  many  of  the  men  of  that  period, 
been  most  unrighteously  abused.  He  was  mystical ;  but  so  were  Feneloa, 
Madam  Guion,  Henry  More,  and  many  others,  whose  talents  and  piety  bava 
never  been  questioned.  His  works  prove  that  be  was  no  fool,  and  bis  conduct 
shows  that  he  was  not  a  knave.  He  was  a  man  of  a  highly  poetical  mind, 
which  soared  far  above  the  turbulent  atmosphere  by  which  he  was  surrounded, 
and  most  of  the  creatures  who  floated  in  it.  His  work  on  the  Will,  to  which 
Baxter  refers,  is  written  with  ability,  though  some  parts  of  it  are  not  very 
intelligible. 

'  The  book  of  Sermons  by  Sprigge,  to  which  Baxter  refers,  is,  I  suppose,  his 
*  Testimony  to  an  approaching  Glory  ;  being  an  Account  of  certain  Discourses 
lately  delivered  iu   Pancras,  Soperlane,  London.'  12mo.     1649.    The   worst 
which  can  be  said  of  these  discourses  is,  that  they  are  somewhat  mystical  \ 
otherwise  they  are  creditable  both  to  the  piety  aud  talents  of  their  author. 


OF  mCHARP  BAXIURf  87. 

my  lay  tacethar  (Vane  being  fox  a  fanatie  demoenMrf ^  and  Crom- 
well for  monarchy),  at  last,  there  was  no  remedy  but  they  "taust 
put ;  and  when  Cromwell  east  out  the  Rump,  be  called  Vane  a 
joggl^rjand  Martin  a  whoremonger,  to  excuse  his  usage  of  the  rest* 
Wboi  Vane  was  thus  Mi  by,  he  wrote  his  book,  called  ^  Tho 
Retired  Man's.  Meditations,'  wherein  the  best  part  of  his  opi« 
nions  are  so  expressed  as  will  make  but  few  men  bis  disciplefl« 
His  ^  Healing  Question '  is  more  plainly  written,  . 

*^  When  Cromwell  was  dead,  he  got  Sir  Arthur  Haselrigge  to 

be  his  close  adherent  on  civil  accounts,  procured  the  Rump  to 

be  set  up  agmn,  with  a  council  of  state,  and  got  the  power  much 

into  bis  own  hands.  When  be  was  in  the  height  of  this  power,  he 

set  upon  the  forming  of  a  new  commonwealth,  and,  with  some  of 

his  adherents,  drew  up  the  model,  which  was  for  popular  go-* 

vemmeut ;  but  so  that  men  of  his  confidence  must  be  the  people* 

''  Of  my  own  displeasing  him,  this  is  the  true  account.   It 

grieved  me  to  see  i^  poor  kingdom  tossed  up  and  down  in 

unquietness,  the  ministers  made  odious,  and  ready  to  be  cast 

out,   a    reformation  trodden  underfoot,    and  parliament  an4 

piety  made  a  scorn,  while  scarce  any  doubted  but  he  was  the  prin^ 

dpal  spring  of  all.  Therefore,  being  writing  against  the  PapistSj 

and  coming  to  vindicate  our  religion  against  them,  when  they  im^ 

pnte  to  US  the  blood  of  the  king,  I  fully  proved  that  the  Pro-> 

testants,  and  particularly  the  Presbyterians,  abhorred  it,  and 

suffered  greatly  for  opposing  it;  and  that  it  was  the  act  of 

CromwelFs  army,  and  the  sectaries,  among  which  I  named  the' 

Vanists  as  one  sort.    I  showed  that  the  Friars  and  Jesuits  were 

the  deceivers,  and,  under  several  vizors,  were  dispersed  among 

the  people.    Mr.  Nye  having  told  me  that  Vane  was  long  in 

Italy,  I  said  it  was  considerable  how  much  of  his  doctrine  he 

had  brought  from  Italy ;  whereas  it  appeared  that  he  was  only 

in  Prance,  and  Helvetia,  upon  the.borders  of  Italy.    By  mistake, 

it  was  printed  /rom  Italy.  I  had  ordered  the  printer  to  correct 

it '  towards  Italy; '  but,  though  the  copy  was  corrected,  the  im«« 

pression  was  not.   Hereupon  Sir  Henry  Vane,  being  exceedingly 

provoked,  threatened  me  to  many,  and  spake  against  me  in  the 

House  ;  and  one  Stubbs  (that  had  been  whipped  in  the  Convo* 

cation  House  at  Oxford)  wrote  for  him  a  bitter  book  against 

me.    He  from  a  Vanist,  afterwards  turned  a  Conformist :  since 

that,  he  turned  physician  ;  and  was  drowned  in  a  small  puddle, 

or  brook,  as  he  was  riding,  near  Bath.* 

*  Henry  Stubbs,  accordio^  to  Antiiony  Wood,  was  '<  tbe  mgilnoVftd  ^iwsQ. 


88  THE   LIFB.AND  TIMES 

^'  I  confess  my  writing  was  a  means  to  lessen  his  reputation,  and 
make  men  take  him  for  what  Cromwell,  who  better  knew  him, 
called  him,  a  juggler.  I  only  wish  I  had  done  so  much  in  time ; 
but  the  whole  land  rang  of  his  anger  and  my  danger ;  and  all 
expected  my  present  ruin  by  him  ;  but  to  show  him  that  I  was 
not  about  recanting,  as  his  agents  would  have  persuaded  me,  I 
wrote  also  against  his  *  Healing  Question,'  in  a  preface  before 
my  'Holy  Commonwealth ;'  and  the  speedy  turn  of  affairs  did 
tie  his  hands  from  executing  his  wrath  upon  me. 

^^  Upon  the  king's  coming  iii,  he  was  questioned,  along  with 
others,  by  the  Parliament,  But  seemed  to  have  his  life  secured ; 
but  being  brought  to  the  bar,  he  spake  so  boldly  in  justifying 
the  Parliament's  cause,  and  what  he  had  done,  that  it  exasperated 
the  king,  and  made  him  resolve  upon  his  death.  When  he 
came  to  Tower  Hill  to  die,  and  would  have  spoken  to  the  peo- 
ple, he  began  so  resolutely  as  caused  the  officers  to  sound  the 
trumpets  and  beat  the  drums,  and  hinder  him  from  speaking. 
No  man  could  die  with  greater  appearance  of  gallant  resolution 
and  fearlessness  than  he  did,  though  before  supposed  a  timorous 
man ;  insomuch  that  the  manner  of  his  death  procured  him 
more  applause  than  all  the  actions  of  his  life.  And  when  he 
was  dead,  his  intended  speech  was  printed,  and  afterwards 
his  opinions  more  plainly  expressed  by  his  friend  than  him- 
self. 

of  hia  age."  He  was  the  sod  of  a  'minister,  and  a  prot^g^  of  Sir  Henry  Vane*!t, 
by  whose  aid  he  was  educated  at  Oxford ;  where,  through  the  influence  of 
Owen,  he  was  made  one  of  the  Keepers  of  the  Bodleian  Library.  He  possessed 
very  considerable  parts  and  learning.  After  passing  through  various  changes, 
he  became  a  physician,  and  finally  settled  down  into  regular  connexion  with 
the  church.  He  wrote  maoy  pamphlets  on  all  subjects.  The  book  to  which 
Baxter  refers  is,  <A  Vindication  of  that  Prudent  and  Honourable  Knight,  Sir 
Henry  Vane,  from  the  Lies  and  Calumnies  of  Mr.  Richard  Baxter,  Minister 
of  Kidderminster^  in  a  Letter  to  the  said  Mr.  Richard  Baxter.'  1659.  It 
was  honourable  to  Stubbs  to  defend  his  friend  and  patron  ;  hut  he  ought  to 
have  treated  Baxter  with  more  courtesy.  The  story  of  bis  being  whipped  in  the 
convocation,  is  probably  entitled  to  little  more  attention  than  the  whipping  of 
Milton.  The  manner  of  his  death  proves  nothing  respecting  bis  former  life  or 
character,  and  was  perhaps  owing  to  no  fault  of  his,  though  Wood's  account 
is  written  with  his  characteristic  spleen,  and  evidently  intended  to  insinuate 
that  he  was  intoxicated.  **  He  being  at  Bath  attending  several  of  his  patients 
living  in  and  near  Warwick,  then  there,  was  sent  for  to  come  to  another  at 
Bristol  in  very  hot  weather :  to  which  place,  therefore,  going  a  by-way,  at 
ten  of  the  cluck  in  the  night,  on  the  twelfth  day  of  July,  in  sixteen  hundred  and 
teventy-six  (bis  bead  being  then  intoxicated  with  bibbing,  but  more  with 
talking  and  snuffing  of  powder),  was  drowned  passing  through  a  shallow  river, 
wherein,  as  'tis  supposed,  his  horse  stumbled  j  two  miles  distant  from  Bath/'— 
j//Aen,  Ojton»  voh  iiLp,  1082. 


OF  EICH AED  '  BAXTBR.  89 

~  '^  Wben  he. was  cmidfinnedy  some  of  his  friends  derired  me  to 
come  to  him,  that  I  might  see  how  iar  he  was  from  Popery,  and 
in  how  excellent  a  temper  (thinking  I  would  hare  asked  him 
forgiveness  for  doing  him  wrong) ;  1  told  them  that  if  he  had 
derired  it,  I  would  have  gone  to  him ;  but  seeing  he  did  not,  I 
supposed  he  would  take  it  for  an  injury ;  as  my  conference  was 
not  likely  to  be  such  as  would  be  pleasing  to  a  dying  man :  for 
though  I  never  called  him 'a  Papist,  yet  I  still  supposed  he  had 
done  the  Papists  so  much  service,  and  this  poor  nation  and  re- 
ligion so  much  wrong,  tliat  we  and  our  posterity  are  likely  to 
have  cause  and  time  enough  to  lament  it.  So  much  of  Sir 
Henry  Vane  and  his  adherents.^ 

*' The  second  sect  which  then  rose  up  was  that  called  Seekers. 
These  taught  that  our  Scripture  was  uncertain ;  that  present 
miracles  are  necessary  to  faith ;  that  our  ministry  is  null  and 
without  authority,  and  our  worship  and  ordinances  unnecessary 
or  vain  ;  the  true  church,  ministry.  Scripture,  and  ordinances, 
being  lost,  for  which  they  are  now  seeking.  I  quickly  found 
that  the  Papists  principally  hatched  and  actuated  this  sect,  and 
that  a  considerable  number  that  were  of  this  profession,  were 
some  Papists  and  some  infidels.  However,  they  closed  with  the 
Vanists,  and  sheltered  themselves  under  them,  as  if  they  had 
been  the  very  same. 

**  The  third  sect  were  the  Ranters.  These  also  made  it  their 
business,  as  the  former,  to  set  up  the  light  of  nature,  in  men, 
under  the  name  of  Christ,  and  to  dishonour  and  cry  down  the 
church,  the  Scripture,  the  present  ministry,  and  our  worship  and 
ordinances,  lliey  called  men  to  hearken  to  Christ  within  them; 
but  withal,  they  enjoined  a  cursed  doctrine  of  libertinism,  which 
brought  them  all  to  abominable  filthiness  of  life.  They  taught,  as 
the  Familists,  that  God  regardeth  not  the  actions  of  the  outward 
roan,  but  of  the  heart ;  and  that  to  the  pure,  all  things  are  pure 
(even  things  forbidden) :  and  so,  as  allowed  by  God,  they  spake 
most  hideous  words  of  blasphemy,  and  many  of  them  committed 
whoredoms  commonly. 

*  WhUe  I  hare  extracted  the  i^reater  part  of  Baxter's  character  of  Sir  Henry 
Vane,  I  cannot  help  expressing;  my  decided  opinion  that  it  is,  iu  various  par- 
ticularsy  incorrect.  Baxter  did  not  understand  him,  and,  tlierefure,  couhl  not 
do  him  justice.  He  was  brave,  saj^cious,  and  disinterested  ;  the  ardent  and 
enUf^teoed  friend  of  civil  and  reli«pous  liberty ;  distinguished  in  life  by  the 
deciiiion  of  his  piety,  and  in  death  (thouf^h  basely  murdered  in  violation  of  all 
faith  and  justice)  by  his  calm  yet  heroic  behaviour.  The  man  who  was  feared 
by  Cromwell,  bated  by  Charles,  and  praised  by  Miltou,  could  not  have  been  a 
silly  fanatic,  or  an  unprincipled  kDave. 


90  TUB  un  ANn  timbs 

^^  There  could  never  a  sect  arise  in  the  world  that  waa  a  louder 
warning  to  professors  of  religion  to  be  humble,  fearful,  and 
watchful ;  never  could  the  world  be  told  more  loudly,  whither 
the  spiritual  pride  of  ungrounded  novices  in  religion  tendeth ) 
and  whither  professors  of  strictness  in  religion,  may  be  carried 
in  the  stream  of  sects  and-  factions.  I  have  seen  myself,  letters 
written  from  Abingdon,  where,  among  both  soldiers  and  people^ 
this  contagion  did  then  prevail,  full  of  horrid  oaths,  curses, 
and  blasphemy,  not  iit  to  be  repeated  by  the  tongue  or  pen  of 
man ;  and  these  all  uttered  as  the  effect  of  knowledge,  and  a  part 
of  their  religion,  in  a  fanatic  strain,  and  fathered  on  the  Spirit 
of  God.  But  the  horrid  villanies  of  this  sect,  did  not  only 
speedily  extinguish  it,  but  also  as  much  as  ever  any  thing 
did,  to  disgrace  all  sectaries,  and  to  restore  the  credit  of  the 
ministry,  and  of  the  sober,  unanimous  Christians;  so  that  the  devil 
and  the  Jesuits  quickly  found  that  this  way  served  not  their  turn, 
and  therefore  they  suddenly  took  another. 

^'  And  that  was  the  fourth  sect,  the  Quakers,  who  were  but  the 
Ranters,  turned  from  horrid  profaneness  and  blasphemy,  to  a 
life  of  extreme  austerity,  on  the  other  side.  Their  doctrines  were 
mostly  the  same  with  the  Ranters ;  they  made  the  light  which- 
every  man  hath  within  him  to  be  his  sufficient  rule,  and,  conse^ 
quenlly,  the  Scripture  and  ministry  were  set  light  by.  They  spake 
much  for  the  dwelling  and  working  of  the  Spirit  in  us,  but  little 
of  justification,  and  the  pardon  of  sin,  and  our  recouciliatioB 
with  God  through  Jesus  Christ.  They  pretend  their  depen^ 
dence  on  the  Spirit's  conduct,  against  set  times  of  prayer,  and 
against  sacraments,  and  against  their  due  esteem  of  Scripture 
and  ministry.  They  will  not  have  the  Scripture  called  the 
Word  of  God ;  their  principal  zeal  lieth  in  railing  at  the  minit-i 
ters  as  hirelings,  deceivers,  false  prophets,  &c. ;  and  in  refusing 
to  swear  before  a  magistrate,  or  to  put  off  their  hat  to  any,  or 
to  say  you  instead  of  thou  or  iheCj  which  are  their  words  to  ail« 
At  first  they  did  use  to  fall  into  tremblings,  and  sometimes  vomits 
ings,  in  their  meetings,  and  pretended  to  be  violently  acted  on  by 
the  Spirit ;  but  now  that  is  ceased.  They  only  meet,  and  he  that 
pretendeth  to  be  moved  by  the  Spirit  speaketh;  and  sometimes 
they  say  nothing,  but  sit  an  hour  or  more  in  silence,  and  then 
depart.  One  while  divers  of  them  went  naked  through  several 
chief  towns  and  cities  of  the  land,  as  a  prophetical  act :  some  oi 
them  have  famished  and  drowned  themselves  in  melancholy;  and 
others^  undertaken^  by  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  to  raise  the  dead. 


or  RIGHAmD  BAXTBJL  91 

Thrif  dmf  leader^  James  Nayler,  acted  the  part  of  Christy  at 
Bristol,  according  to  much  of  the  history  of  the  Gospel ;  and 
was  long  laid  in  Bridewell  for  it,  and  his  tongue  bored,  as  a  blas- 
phemer^ by  the  Parliament.^  Many  Franciscan  friars,  and  other 
Papists,  have  been  proved  to  be  disguised  speakers  in  their 
assemblies,  and  to  be  among  them  ;  and  it  is  like  are  the  very 
sou)  of  all  theee  horrible  delusions.  But  of  late  one  William 
Penn  is  become  their  leader,  and  would  reform  the  sect,  and  set 
up  a  kind  of  ministry  among  them/ 

^'  The  fifth  sect  are  the  Behmenists,  whose  opinions  go  much 
towards  the  way  of  the  former,  for  the  sufficiency  of  the  light 
of  nature,  the  salvation  of  heathens,  &s  well  as  Christians,  and 
a  dependence  on  revelations,  &c.  But  they  are  fewer  in 
number,  and  seem  to  have  attained  to  greater  meekness,  and 
conquest  of  passion,  than  any  of  the  rest.  Their  doctrine  is  to 
be  seen  in  Jacob  Behmen*s  books,  by  those  that  have  nothing  else 
to  do  than  to  bestow  a  great  deal  of  time  to  understand  him  that 
was  not  willing  to  be  easily  understood,  and  to  know  that  his 
bombastic  words  signify  nothing  more  than  before  was  easily 
known  by  common  familiar  terms.  ^ 

*  Ib  iht  tot  volume  of  '  Burton's  Diary/  lately  edited  by  Mr.  Towill  Rutt, 
there  is  a  curious  account  of  the  debate  in  parliament  respecting  Nayler.  It 
lasted  ten  or  eleTen  days.  A  horrible  sentence  was  pronounced  and  inflicted  | 
but  he  made  a  very  narrow  escape  for  his  life,  as  several  of  the  members 
were  for  passing  sentence  of  death  upon  him.  Burton  was  a  witness  of  the 
execution  of  the  sentence,  and  bears  testimony  to  the  fortitude  with  which 
Nayler  bore  it.  The  Protector,  g^reatly  to  bis  honour,  interested  himself  on 
Nayler's  behalf.  The  conduct  of  the  House  of  Commons  was  as  unconstitu- 
tional as  its  sentence  was  brutal  and  unmerited. 

*  Baxter*^s  account  of  the  Quakers,  like  his  representations  of  the  other  sects 
to  which  be  was  opposed,  must  be  received  with  some  abatement,  and  with 
due  allowance  for  the  exaggerations  to  which  various  parts  of  the  conduct  of 
some  of  the  early  Friends  naturally  pave  rise.  They  wished  to  carry  refor- 
matioo  further  than  most  uf  the  parties  of  the  period  approved ;  they  were 
powerfully  influenced  by  the  doctrine  of  impressions,  for  which  they  so 
strenuously  contended  ;  their  zeal  was  roused  to  tlie  very  utmost  by  the  oppo- 
sition which  they  experienced;  and  which,  operating  on  some  peculiarly-ex- 
cited minds,  produced,  at  least,  temporary  insanity.  This  was  probably  the  case 
with  James  Nayler,  and  a  few  others,  whose  conduct  the  Friends  would  now  he 
far  from  approving ;  and  whose  severe  and  unmerited  sufferings  reflect  indelible 
disgrace  on  the  parties  who  inflicted  them.  The  heroic  and  persevering  con- 
duct of  the  Quakers  in  withstanding  the  interferences  of  government  with  the 
rights  of  conscience,  by  which  they  flnaily  secured  those  peculiar  privi- 
leges they  so  richly  deserve  to  enjoy,  entitles  them  to  the  veneration  of  all 
the  friends  of  civil  and  religious  freedom ;  and  more  than  compensates  for  those 
irregularities  and  extravagancies  which  marked  the  early  period  of  their 
history. 

f  The  writings  of  Jacob  Behmen  are  probably  better  known  now  »nd  mot« 


92  THB  UFB   AND  TIMES 

'^  The  chief  of  the  Behmenists^  in  England,  are  Dr  .Pordage  and 
his  family,  who  live  together  in  community,  and  pretend  to  hold 
visible  and  sensible  communion  with  angels,  whom  they  sometimes 
see,  and  sometimes  smell.  Mr.  Fowler,  of  Reading,  accosed 
him,  before  the  committee,  for  preaching  against  imputed 
righteousness,  and  various  other  things,  especially  for  famili- 
arity with  devils,  and  conjuration.  The  doctor  wrote  a 
book  to  vindicate  himself,  in  which  he  professeth  to  have 
/ 1  sensible  communion  with  angels,  and  to  know,  by  sights  and 
smells,  good  spirits  from  bad.  He  saith,  that  indeed  one 
month'  his  house  was  molested  with  evil  spirits,  which  was 
occasioned  by  one  Everard,  whom  he  taketh  to  be  a  conjurer, 
who  staid  so  long  with  him,  as  desiring  to  be  of  their  communion. 
In  this  time,  a  fiery  dragon,  so  big  as  to  fill  a  very  great 
room,  conflicted  with  him,  visibly,  many  hours;  one  ap- 
peared to  him  in  his  chamber,  in  the  likeness  of  Everard,  with 
boots,  spurs,  &c. ;  and  an  im))ression  was  made  on  the  brick 
wall  of  his  chimney,  of  a  coach  drawn  with  tigers  and  lions, 
which  could  not  be  got  out  till  it  was  hewed  out  with  pickaxes : 
and  another  on  his  glass  window,  which  yet  remaineth^  &c. 
Whether  these  things  be  true  or  false,  I  know  not.* 

'^  Among  these,  fall  in  many  other  sect-makers,  as  Dr.  Gell^  of 
London,  known  partly  by  a  printed  volume,  in  folio ;  *  and  one 

admired  than  they  were  in  the  days  of  Baxter.  William  Law  and  John  Wes- 
ley both  contributed,  especially  the  first,  to  ^in  gome  credit  for  them  iu  Eng- 
land. Jacob  was  a  very  harmless  enthusiast,  or  rather  madman,  whose  dreams 
and  visions  bewildered  himself,  and  the  revelation  of  them  bewildered  others. 
That  he  should  have  found  admirers  in  such  a  period  of  excitement  as  that 
which  Eng^land  experienced  during  the  Commonwealth,  cannot  be  matter  of 
surprise,  when  we  find  that  he  obtained  followers  in  the  quiet  reign  of  the 
Georges.  Those  who  do  not  choose  to  misspend  their  time  in  the  eKaminatioa 
of  his  mystical  conundrums,  will  find  enough  of  the  same  in  the  works  of  Law; 
or  may  amuse  themselves  by  looking  at  a  small  life  of  Behmen,  by  his  devoted 
admirer,  Francis  Okely;  formerly  of  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge.  1790. 

*  It  is  surprising  Baxter  should  not  have  perceived  that  Dr.  Pordage 
was  fitter  for  occupying  a  place  in  Bedlam,  than  to  rank  as  the  bead  or 
leader  of  a  sect.  If  madmen  are  to  be  reckoned  sect-makers,  we  might 
reckon  sect^  without  number,  in  all  ages  aod  places.  Granger  says  of 
him,  very  justly,  '<He  was  far  gone  in  one  of  the  most  incurable  kinds  of 
madness,  the  frenzy  of  enthusiasm ;  *'  yet  was  be  a  doctor  in  philosophy, 
medicine,  and  theology*. 

*■  Dr.  Gell,  of  whom  Baxter  speaks,  appears  to  have  been  a  very  singular 
roan.  He  published  two  folio  volumes  on  the  Scriptures  :  the  one  in  1659; 
the  other  appeared  after  his  death,  in  1676.  He  was  rector  of  St.  Mary,  Alder- 
maubury.  His  works  are  a  curious  mass  of  learning,  occasional  original, 
interpretation  of  the  Scriptures,  and  mystical  speculation,  often  of  a  very  pecu* 
JJar  nature.    But  men  of  a  similar  cast  of  mind  have  appeared  in  every  4igeu 


OF-RICHABD  BAXTBR.  93 

Mr.  Pufcer,  who  got  in  with  the  Earl  of  Pembroke,  and 
wrote  a  book  against  the  ^Assembly's  Confession/  in  which 
he  taketh  up  roost  of  the  Popish  doctrines,  and  riseth  up  against 
them  with  papal  pride  and  contempt,  but  owneth  not  the  pope 
himself.  Yet  he  headeih  his  body  of  doctrine  with  tlie  Spirit,  as 
die  Papists  do  with  the  pope.^  To  these  also  must  be  added 
Dr.  Gibbon,  who  goeth  about  with  his  scheme  to  proselyte  men, 
whom  I  have  more  cause  to  know  than  some  of  the  rest.^ 

^  All  these,  with  subtile  diligence,  promote  most  of  the  papal 
cause,  and  get  in  with  the  religious  sort,  either  upon  pretence  of 
austerity,  mortification,  angelical  communion,  or  clearer  light ; 
but  none  of  them  yet  owneth  the  name  of  a  Papist ;  but  what 
they  are,  indeed,  and  who  sendeth  them,  and  what  is  their  work, 
though  I  strongly  conjecture,  I  will  not  assert,  because  I  am  not 
fully  irertain :  let  time  discover  them/'  ^ 

^  Purkcr's  book  on  the  Assembly's  Catechism,  I  once  had  in  my  possession. 
He  appeart  to  have  been  a  concealed  Papist;  and,  partly  on  Popish,  and  partly 
on  Anninian  |»rinciples»  attacks  the  doctrmes  of  the  Westminster  Confession. 
But  it  is  quite  a  mail  of  confusion. 

*  The  person  to  whom  Baxter  here  refers,  was  Dr.  Nicholas  Gibbon,  who, 
after  the  Restoration,  became  rector  of  Corfe  Castle.  He  was  a  busy,  forward 
royalist.  The  foUowin|f  curious  account  of  his  intercourse  with  Baxter,  which 
is  given  in  another  part  of  his  life,  explains  the  alluiion  here  made  to  him.  It 
is  probable  that  Baxter  knew  enough  of  him ;  but  he  was  more  a  man  of  in- 
trigue than  the  maker  of  a  sect. 

**  While  I  lodged  at  Lord  Broghill's,  a  certain  person  was  importunate  to 
speak  wiib  me.  Dr.  Nic.  Gibbon,'^  who,  shutting  the  doors  on  us,  that  there 
might  be  no  witnesses,  drew  forth  a  scbeine  of  theology,  and  told  me  how  \o\\^ 
a  journey  he  had  once  taken  towards  me,  and  engaged  me  patiently  to  hear  him 
open  to  me  bis  scheme,  which  he  said  was  the  very  thing  that  I  had  been  long 
groping  after;  and  contained  the  only  terms  and  method  to  resolve  all  doubts 
whatever  in  divinity,  and  unite  all  Christians  through  the  world :  and  there 
was  none  of  them  printed  but  what  he  kept  himself,  and  he  communicated 
tbem  only  to  such  as  were  prepared,  which  he  thought  1  was.  1.  Searching; 
3.  Impartial  ;  and,  3.  A  lover,  of  method.  I  thanked  him,  and  heard  him 
above  au  hour  in  silence ;  and,  after  two  or  three  days'  talk  with  him,  I  found 
all  his  frame,  the  contrivance  of  a  very  strong  head-piece,  was  secretly  and 
cunningly  fitted  to  usher  in  a  Socinian  Popery,  or  a  mixture  of  Popery  and 
balf-Sociuianism.  Bishop  Usher  had  before  occasionally  spoken  of  him  in  my 
bearing  as  a  Socinian,  which  caused  mc  to  hear  him  with  suspicion ;  but  I 
beard  none  suspect  him  of  Popery,  though  I  found  that  it  was  that  which  was 
the  end  of  his  design.  This  juggler  hath  this  twenty  years,  and  more, 
gone  up  and  down  thus  secretly,  and  also  thrust  himself  into  places  of  pub- 
lic debate  (as  when  the  bishops  and  divines  disputed  before  the  king  at 
the  Isle  of  Wight,  &c.) ;  and  when  we  were  lately  offering  our  proposals  fur 
concord  to  the  king,  he  thrust  in  among  us  ;  till  I  was  fain,  plainly,  to  detect 
him  before  some  of  the  Lords,  which  enraged  him ;  and  he  denied  the  words 
which,  in  secret,  he  had  spoken  to  me.  Many  men  of  parts  and  learning  are 
perverted  by  him," — Z»«/(P,  part  ii.  pp.  205,  206. 
^  laJe,  part  L  p.  74-^70. 


94  TH£  LIFE  AND  TIMBS 

After  this  account  oJP  the  several  sects  and  their  leaders^  it  will 
be  proper  to  quote  a  portion  of  the  general  refiections  which 
Baxter  makes  upon  them.  "  These  are  they/'  he  says,  "  who 
have  been  most  addicted  to  church  divisions,  and  separations, 
and  sidings,  and  parties,  and  have  refused  all  terms  of  concord 
and  unity  :  who,  though  many  of  them  weak  and  raw,  were  yet 
prone  to  be  puffed  up  with  high  tlioughts  of  themselves,  and  to 
overvalue  their  little  degrees  of  knowledge  and  parts,  which  set 
them  not  above  the  pity  of  understanding  men.  They  have  been 
set  upon  those  courses  which  tend  to  advance  them  above 
the  common  people  in  the  observation  of  the  world,  and  to 
set  them  at  a  further  distance  from  others  than  God  alloweth, 
and  all  this  under  the  pretence  of  the  purity  of  the  church.  In 
prosecution  of  their  ends,  there  are  few  of  the  Anabaptists  that 
have  not  been  the  opposers  and  troublers  of  the  faithful  ministers 
of  God  in  the  land,  and  the  troublers  of  their  people,  and 
hinderers  of  their  success ;  strengthening  the  hands  of  the  pnn 
fane.  The  sectaries,  especially  the  Anabaptists,  Seekers,  and 
Quakers,  chose  out  the  most  able,  zealous  ministers,  to  be  the 
marks  of  their  reproach  and  obloquy,  and  all  because  they  stood 
in  the  way  of  their  designs,  and  hindered  them  in  the  propaga^ 
ting  their  opinions.  They  set  against  the  same  men  as  the 
drunkards  and  swearers  set  against,  and  much  after  the  same 
manner,  reviling  them,  and  raising  up  false  reports  of  them, 
and  doing  all  that  they  could  to  make  them  odious,  and  at 
last  attempting  to  pull  them  all  down;  only  they  did  it 
more  profanely  than  the  profane,  in  that  they  said.  Let  the 
Lord  be  glorified,  let  the  Gospel  be  propagated;  and  abused  and 
profaned  Scripture,  and  the  name  of  God,  by  prefixing  him  to 
their  faction  and  miscarriages.  Yea,  though  they  thought  them- 
selves the  most  understanding  and  conscientious  people  of  the 
land,  yet  did  the  gang  of  them  seldom  stick  at  any  thing  which 
seemed  to  promote  their  cause;  but  whatever  their  faction  in  the 
army  did,  they  pleaded  for  and  approved  it.  If  they  pulled 
down  the  parliament,  imprisoned  the  godly,  faithfql  members, 
and  killed  the  king ;  if  they  cast  out  the  Rump,  if  they  chose  a 
little  parliament  of  their  own ;  if  they  set  up  Cromwell ;  if  they 
raised  up  his  son,  and  pulled  him  down  again ;  if  they  sought 
to  obtrude  agreements  on  the  people ;  if  they  one  week  set 
up  a  council  of  state,  and  if  another  week  the  Rump  were  re* 
stored  ;  if  they  sought  to  take  down  tithes  and  parish  ministers, 
to  the  utter  confusion  of  religion  lu  tU^  laxvd;  in  all  these 


OF  RICHARD  EAXTIR.  85 

the  AnRbaptifttoy  Rnd  many  of  the  Independents  in  the  three 
kbgdomty  followed  them,  and  even  their  pastors  were  ready  to 
lead  them  to  consent. 

^  I  know  the  same  accusations  are  laid  by  some  in  ignorance 
and  malice^  against  many  that  are  guilty  of  no  such  things,  and^ 
therefore,  some  will  be  offended  with  me,  and  say  I  imitate  such 
repioBches ;  but  shall  none  be  reproved  because  some  are  slan* 
dered  ?  Shall  hypocrites  be  free  from  conviction  and  condemn 
nation^  because  wicked  men  call  the  godly  hypocrites  ?  Wo  to 
the  man  that  hath  not  a  faithful  reprover  !  but  a  thousand  woes 
will  be  to  him  that  hateth  reproof  1  Wo  to  them  that  had 
rather  sin  were  credited  and  kept  in  honour,  than  their  party 
dishonoured ;  and  wo  to  the  land  where  the  reputation  of  men 
doth  keep  sin  in  reputation  I  The  Scripture  itself  will  not 
spare  a  Noah,  a  Lot,  a  David,  an  Hezekiah,  a  Josiah,  a  P^ter  | 
hot  will  open  and  shame  their  sin  to  all  generations.  Yet| 
alas  I  the  hearts  of  many,  who  it  is  to  be  hoped  are  truly  religious, 
will  rise  against  him  that  shall  tell  them  of  the  misdoings  of 
diose  ct  their  opinion,  and  call  them  to  repentance.  The  poor 
church  of  Christ,  the  sober,  sound  religious  part,  are  like  Christ, 
that  was  crucified  between  two  thieves.  The  profane  and  for** 
mal  persecutors,  oh  one  hand,  and  the  fanatic,  dividing  sec- 
taries on  the  other,  have  in  all  ages  been  grinding  the  spiritual 
seed,  as  the  com  is  ground  between  the  millstones.  And  though 
their  sins  have  ruined  themselves  and  us,  and  silenced  so  many 
hundred  ministers,  and  scattered  the  flocks,  and  made  us  the 
hatred  and  scorn  of  the  ungodly  world,  and  a  by- word,  and 
desolation  in  the  earth,  yet  there  are  few  of  them  who  lament 
their  sin,  but  justify  themselves  and  their  misdoings;  and  the 
penitent  malefactor  is  unknown  to  us.  And  seeing  poste- 
rity must  know  what  they  have  done,  to  the  shame  of  our  laud 
and  of  our  sacred  profession,  let  them  know  thus  much  more, 
also,  to  their  own  shame,  that  all  the  calamities  which  have  be* 
fallen  us  by  our  divisions  were  long  foreseen  by  many :  and  they 
were  told  and  warned  of  them  year  after  year.  They  were  told 
that  a  house  divided  against  itself  could  not  stand;  and  that  the 
course  they  took  would  bring  them  to  shame,  and  turn  a  hope- 
ful reformation  into  a  scorn,  and  make  the  land  of  their  nativity 
a  place  of  calamity  and  wo  :  but  the  warning  signified  nothing 
to  them ;  these  ductile  professors  blindly  followed  a  few  self- 
conceited  teachers  to  this  misery,  and  no  warning  or  means  could 
ever  stop  tbews'** 

•  Ufe,  part  L  pp.  102, 103. 


( 


96  THB   life' AND  TIMBS 

Such  is  the  curious  account  which  Baxter  gives  of  the  extra- 
ordinary state  of  religion,  and  of  religious  parties^  during  this  sin- 
gular period  of  England's  history.  His  opportunities  to  become 
acquainted  with  the  state  of  things,  were  very  considerable,  and 
his  veracity  unquestionable.  Yet  1  cannot  help  thinking  that  a 
worse  opinion  may  be  formed  of  the  state  of  religion  from  what  he 
has  said,  than  the  real  circumstances  will  justify,  ^he  language 
of  many  would  lead  us  to  suppose  that  during  what  Milton  calls 
ironically  ^'  the  year  of  sects  and  schisms/*  those  sects  and 
schisms  were  almost  innumerable.  The  uncouth  designations 
employed  to  describe  them,  by  such  persons  as  Edwards,  Vicars, 
Pagitt,  and  Featley,  have  furnished  many  a  joke,  and  led  to 
many  an  exaggerated  description.  But  when  the  matter  comes 
to  be  examined,  a  great  deal  of  this  mist,  in  which  the  period  is 
enveloped,  is  cleared  away.  Baxter's  own  account,  which  dis- 
covers no  disposition  to  conceal  or,  extenuate,  shows,  that  beside 
the  leading  religious  parties,  which  were  composed  mostly  of 
respectable  persons,  there  were  only  five  other  sects  tliat  he  could 
describe.  Even  these  so  ran  into  one  another  that  he  could  not 
accurately  discriminate  them.  With  the  exception  of  the 
Quakers,  none  of  the  rest  is  entitled  to  be  spoken  of  as  a  distinct 
or  separate  sect.  All  the  others  appear  to  have  consisted  of  a 
small  number  of  floating  individuals,  who  had  no  defined  religi- 
ous system,  and  who  enjoyed  an  existence  and  influence  of  the 
most  ephemeral  nature.  Most  of  the  leaders  were  harmless  and 
inoffensive  in  their  lives ;  men  whose  hearts  were  better  than 
their  understandings  ;  and  who  were,  in  some  cases,  rendered 
mischievous,  chiefly  by  the  treatment  which  they  experienced.' 

These  sects  and  heresies  are  often  represented  as  hatched 
and  spawned  during  the  Commonwealth,  and  constituting  its 
disgrace ;  they  are  also  alleged  to  stamp  the  character  of  that 
much -misrepresented  period  of  our  history.  It  should  be  re- 
membered, however,  that  when  liberty  runs  riot,  it  is  generally 
when  it  has  been  preceded  by  oppression  and  tyranny*  Persecu- 
tion and  restraint  have  often  been  the  real  parents  of  those 
opinions,  which  are  sometimes  truly  extravagant,  and  at  other 

'  **  Old  Epiiraim  Pa^itt/'  as  he  calls  himself,  describes,  in  his  '  Heresio^ra- 
phy/  between  furty  and  fifty  different  sects  ;  but  the  whole  of  these  may  be 
reduced  to  a  very  few,  as  he  makes  mauy  foolish  distinctions.  For  instance, 
he  has  jinabaptisis,  and  Plunged  Anabaptists s  Separatists,  and  Semi'SeparaHsti, 
He  has  Jirownists,  BarrowistSyAinsworihianSj  llobinsonians,  who  were  all  men 
of  one  party.    He  has  Famitists,  Casta lian  Falnilists,  Familists  of  the  Mnm- 

iains,  and  Fantititts  of  the  Falliei  I  SucVv  \«  a  s^c\mt\i  oC  the  wisdom  and  the 

tnultiplyiog  powev  o£  Old  Ephraim  PagvU. 


Of  RICHARD  BAXTER.  97 

times  only  regarded  as  such  by  the  dominant  party ;  which  liberty 
has  not  created  but  only  brought  to  light.  That  the  sudden 
bursting  of  the  bonds  of  civil  and  ecclesiastical  slavery  should 
be  attended  with  some  temporary  evils,  is  only  what  might  be 
expected.  Who  thinks  of  blaming  the  emancipated  captive,  for  a 
few  freaks  and  a  little  wildness,  when  first  breathing  the  air  of  hea- 
ven ?  These  are  but  indications  of  powerful  emotion,  which,  when 
familiar  with  his  new  circumstances,  will  subside  into  a  delight- 
fid  calm*  The  strong  representations  of  gross  immoralities 
allied  to  be  practised  by  some  of  the  members  of  the  sects 
referred  to,  will  go  but  a  little  way  with  those  who  know  how 
the  primitive  believers  were  misrepresented,  and  what  treatment 
the  reformers  experienced^  Charges  of  this  kind  have  been 
commonly  preferred  against  the  followers  of  new  sects,  they 
therefore  always  require  to  be  very  fiilly  authenticated  before 
they  are  believed. 

Baxter's  notion  that  most  of  these  sects  were  either  projected 
or  instigated  by  Papists,  seems  not  sustained  by  any  satisfactory 
evidence.  He  was  full  of  alarms  on  this  subject ;  and  from  what 
he  knew  of  the  deceitful  nature  of  Popery,  he  was  prepared  to 
give  it  credit  for  any  mystery  of  iniquity.  That  the  priests  and 
Jesuits  were  disponed  to  aggravate  rather  than  mitigate  the  evils 
which  then  existed,  cannot  be  doubted.  But  the  leaders  of  the 
religious  parties  of  the  Commonwealth,  were  not  the  tools  with 
which  they  could  safely  work. 

If  we  look  around  on  the  state  of  parties  tit  present,  we  shall 
perhaps  be  convinced  that  sects  and  schisms  are  more  numerous 
than  even  in  the  time  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  not  a  few  of 
them  quite  as  extravagant.  What,  then  !  Is  this  a  proof  that 
we  have  no  religion,  or  of  the  evil  and  danger  of  religious  free- 
dom ?  No,  certainly.  But,  let  an  attempt  be  made  to  hinder 
exertion,  and  put  down  sects,  and  we  should  find  all  the  alleged 
evils  of  fanaticism  and  schism,  aggravated  and  multiplied  a 
thousandfold. 

The  divisions  of  the  Christian  church  are  undoubtedly  much 
to  be  deplored.  They  present  a  most  unseemly  appearance  to 
the  world,  of  that  religion  which  may  be  said  to  be  '^  o:.e  and 
indivisible.''  They  imply  much  imperfection  on  the  pan  of  its 
professors,  occasion  great  stumbling  to  unbelievers,  and  impair 
the  energy  and  resources  which  might  be  advantageously  em- 
ployed in  assailing  the  common  enemy.  The  causes  of  these 
divisions  are  to  be  sought  in  the  ignorance^  tV\«  vi^u^*^«xAk 


"08  .TAB  Lira  AKP  TIMBS 

ilie  prejudices  of  Christians ;  ia  indolent  submissimi  to  authority 
lon  one  part,  and  the  love  of  influence  on  another ;  in  the  power 
of  early  habits  and  associations ;  and^  above  all,  in  the  in&ieqce 
of  a  worldly  spirit,  which  warps  and  governs  the  mind  in  a 
thousand  ways. 

While  the  evil  of  this  state  of  things  is  freely  admitted,  it  is 
fx)ssible  to  exaggerate  both  the  extent  of  the  divisions  which 
exist,  and  the  injuries  which  result  from  them*    There  is  more 
oneness  of  mind  among  real  Christians  than  a  superficial  obser- 
ver might  suppose.    Baxter  was  quite  correct  in  maintainiiig 
that  they  differ  more  about  words  than  dungs.     In  thmr  views 
I  lof  leading  doctrines,  in  the  experience  of  their  influence^  in  the 
I  practical  effects  of  Christianity,  and  in  thdr  expectation*  of  its 
I  future  glory,  there  is  a  substantial  agreement  amoi^  them* 
V     In  the  wise  and  gracious  administration  of  God,  even  these 
imperfections  are  overruled,  and  rendered  productive  df  important 
good.    They  afford  opportunity  for  the  exercise  of  the  Christian 
virtues  of  forbearance,  patience,  and  love ;  they  put  the  tempers 
and  profession  of  men  to  the  test;  and  they  often  excite  a  ^irit 
of  emulation,  which,  though  not  unmixed  with   evil^  is  the 
means  of  extensive  benefit  to  others*    It  is  worthy  of  observn^ 
tion  that  all  attempts  to  produce  uniformity,  have  either  becm  de- 
feated ;  or  have  occasioned  fresh  divisions.  Under  the  appearance 
of  outward  unity,  the  greatest  diversity  of  opinion  generally  pre- 
vails.   And  genuine  religion   flourishes  most  amidst  what  is 
i    commonly  denounced  as  the  contentions  of  rival  sects*    The 
^    soil  whose  rankness   sends  forth  an  abundant  crop  of  veeds^ 
will  produce,  if  cultivated,  a  still  more  luxuriant  harvest  of  c<mi. 
If  the  times  of  Baxter  were  fruitfiil  of  sects,  and  some  of  them 
wild  and  monstrous,  they  were  still  more  fruitftil  in  the  number 
of  genuine,  holy,  and  devoted  Christians.     It  was  not  an  age  of 
fanaticism  only,  but  of  pure  and  undefiied  religioq* 


t>F  BICHARD  BAXTBR.  99 


CHAPTER  V. 

1646—1660. 


Baxter  regumes  hit  Labonn  at  Kidderminster-^Hig  account  of  Public  Aflllt#s 
mi  the  Death  of  Charles  I. — His  eonduct  while  in  Riddefininster  towards 
FarKaBieiit'^Towards  the  Royal  Party — Hit  Ministry  at  Kidderminster— >Hi8 
EmpfeyitieiiU^-Uit  Sncceie^His  Advaniages— Remarks  on  tbe  style  of  his 
preachiBf — His  fmhlic  and  private  exertions— Their  lasting  effects. 

In  the  fourth  chapter,  a  full  account  is  given  of  the  views  and 
conduct  of  Baxter  while  he  was  connected  with  the  victorious 
army  of  the  Commonwealth.  His  exertions  to  promote  its 
spiritual  interests,  were  indefatigable  and  disinterested.  With 
the  most  patriotic  principles  and  aims,  he  devoted  himself  to 
counteract,  what  he  considered  the  factious  and  sectarian  dis- 
positions of  the  soldiers  and  their  leaders ;  while  he  experienced 
nothing  but  sorrow  and  disappointment  as  the  fruit  of  his 
labours.  His  bodily  health,  always  feeble  and  broken,  at  length 
sunk  under  the  pressure  of  his  circumstances,  and  he  was  com- 
pelled reluctantly  to  retire  from  the  stormy  atmosphere  of  a 
camp  to  the  calmer  region  of  a  pastoral  cure. 

The  preceding  chapter  details  the  origin,  character,  and 
influence,  of  the  principal  and  the  minor  religious  parties 
which  made  a  figure  during  the  civil  wars,  or  enjoyed  an  ephe- 
meral notoriety  during  the  Commonwealth.  To  all  that  concern- 
ed both  the  civil  and  religious  interests  of  his  country,  Baxter 
was  powerfully  alive.  He  had  the  soul  of  a  patriot  as  well  as  of 
a  Christian ;  and  often  was  he  ready  to  weep  tears  of  blood  over 
the  civil  confusion  and  the  religious  distractions  of  his  country. 
Yet  were  these  halcyon  days,  in  regard  to  the  enjoyment  of  re- 
ligious privileges,  compared  with  those  which  preceded  and 
followed  them. 

After  various  digressions  he  thus  resumes  his  personal  narative: 
"  I  have  related  how  after  my  bleeding  a  gallon  of  blood  by  the 
nose,  that  I  was  left  weak  at  Sir  Thomas  Rous's  house,  at  Rous- 
Lench,  where  I  was  taken  up  with  daily  medicines  to  prevent  a 
dropsy :  and  hew£^  conscious  that  my  time  had  UOlb^^uVm^tov^ 

h2 


100  THB   LIVB   AND  TIMItt 

to  the  service  of  God  as  I  desired  it  had  been,  I  put  up  many  an 
earnest  prayer,  that  God  would  restore  me,  and  use  me  more  suc- 
cessfully in  his  work.  Blessed  be  that  mercy  which  heard  my 
groans  in  the  day  of  my  distress;  which  wrought  my  deliverance 
when  men  and  means  failed,  and  gave  me  opportunity  to  cele- 
brate his  praise. 

^'  Whilst  1  continued  there,  weak  and  unable  to  preach,  the 
people  of  Kidderminster  had  again  renewed  their  articles  agunst 
their  old  vicar  and  his  curate.  Upon  trial  of  the  cause,  the 
committee  sequestered  the  place,  but  put  no  one  into  it;  and 
'  placed  fhe  profits  in  the  hands  of  divers  of  the  inhabitants,  to  pay 
a  preacher  till  it  were  disposed  of.  These  persons  sent  to  me  and 
desired  me  to  take  it,  in  case  I  were  again  enabled  to  preach ; 
which  I  flatly  refused,  and  told  them  I  would  take  only  the  lec- 
ture which,  by  the  vicar's  own  consent  and  bond,4  held  before. 
Hereupon  they  sought  Mr.  Brumskill  and  others  to  accept  the 
place,  but  could  not  meet  with  any  one  to  their  minds :  they, 
therefore,  chose  Mr.  Richard  Serjeant  to  officiate,  reserving 
the  vicarage  for  some  ohe  that  was  fitter. 

^^  When  I  was  able,  after  about  five  months'  confinement,  to  go 
abroad,  I  went  to  Kidderminster,  where  I  found  only  Mr.  Ser- 
jeant in  possession ;  and  the  people  again  vehemently  urged  me 
to  take  the  vicarage.  This  1  declined ;  but  got  the  magistrates 
and  burgesses  together  into  the  townhall,  and  told  them,  that 
though  I  had  been  offered  many  hundred  pounds  per  annum 
elsewhere,  I  was  willing  to  continue  with  them  in  my  old  lec- 
turer's place,  which  I  had  before  the  wars,  expecting  they  would 
make  the  maintenance  a  hundred  pounds  a  year,  and  a  house ; 
and  if  they  would  promise  to  submit  to  that  doctrine  of  Christ, 
which  as  his  minister  I  should  deliver  to  them,  I  would  not  leave 
them.  That  this  maintenance  should  neither  come  out  of  their 
own  purses,  nor  any  more  of  it  out  of  the  tithes,  save  the  sixty 
pounds  which  the  vicar  had  before  bound  himself  to  pay,  1 
midertook  to  procure  an  augmentation  for  Milton  (a  chapel  in 
the  parish)  of  forty  pounds  per  annum.  This  I  afterwards  did; 
and  so  the  sixty  pounds  and  that  forty  pounds  were  to  be  my  part, 
and  the  rest  I  should  have  nothing  to  do  with.  The  covenant 
was  drawn  up  between  us  in  articles,  and  subscribed ;  in  which  I 
disclaimed  the  vicarage  and  pastoral  charge  of  the  parish,  and 
only  undertook  the  lecture. 

**  Thus  the  sequestration  continued  in  the  hands  of  the  towns- 
fiaea,  ae  ii/bresaid|  who  gath^^  tVk^  V^tX\^^  «sA  ^^^  \Sk^  (^^t «. 


OF   RICHARD  BAXTBK.  101 

hnndred  as  they  promised)  but  eighty  pounds  per  annum,  or 
ninety  at  most,  and  house-rent  for  a  few  rooms  at  the  top  of 
another  man's  house,  which  was  all  I  had  at  Kidderminster. 
The  rest  they  gave  to  Mr.  Serjeant,  and  about  forty  pounds  per 
annum  to  the  old  vicar ;  six  pounds  per  annum  to  the  king  and 
lord  for  rents,  and  a  few  other  charges. 

^^Beaide  this  ignorant  vicar,  there  was  a  chapel  in  the  parish, 
where  was  an  old  curate  as  ignorant  as  he,  that  had  long  lived 
upon  ten  pounds  a  year  and  the  fees  of  celebrating  unlawful 
marriages.  He  was  also  a  drunkard  and  a  railer,  and  the  scorn  of 
the  country,  i  knew  not  how  to  keep  him  from  reading,  though 
t  judged  it  a  sin  to  tolerate  him  in  any  sacred  office.  I  got 
an  augmentation  for  the  place,  and  an  honest  preacher  to 
instruct  them,  and  let  this  scandalous  fellow  keep  his  former 
sdpend  of  ten  pounds  for  nothing ;  yet  could  never  keep  him 
from  forcing  himself  upon  the  people  to  read,  nor  from  cele- 
brating unlawful  marriages,  till  a  little  before  death  did  call  him 
to  hia  account.  I  have  examined  him  about  the  familiar  points 
of  religion^  and  he  could  not  say  half  so  much  to  me  as  I  have 
heard  a  child  say. 

^  These  two  in  this  parish  were  not  all :  in  one  of  the 
next  parishes  called  ^  The  Rock/  there  were  two  chapels, 
where  the  poor  ignorant  curate  of  one  got  his  living  by  cut- 
ting £Eiggots,  and  the  other  by  making  ropes.  Their  abilities 
being  answerable  to  their  studies  and  employ ments.''^ 

Such  were  the  circumstances  in  which  Baxter  resumed  his 
labours  in  Kidderminster.     He  was  the  man  of  the  people's 
choice^  and  enjoyed  his  right  to  the  vicarage  of  the  parish,  had 
he  been  disposed  to  avail  himself  of  it  by  the  sequestration  of 
the  parliamentary  commissioners.     It  is  true  he  had  no  legal 
episcopal  title ;  and  of  this  his  enemies  took  advantage  an- 
other day ;  but  it  is  very  certain  he  had  no  hand  in  ejecting  the 
former  incompetent  incumbent,  or  in  forcing  himself  upon  the 
people  as  his  successor.    The  appointment  of  the  existing  Go- 
vernment therefore,  or  of  a  body  acting  under  its  sanction,  was 
sufficient  authority  to  justify  his  taking  possession  of  the  cure, 
and  to  support  his  complaint  of  unjust  treatment  when  subse- 
quently refused  liberty  to  preach  in  the  parish  by  Bishop  Mor- 
ley.     That  money  was  not  Baxter's  object,  is  evident  from  the 
nature  of  his  engagement ;  and  from  his  afterwards  offering  to 
continue  his  labours  firaHs,  if  he  might  only  be  peivavXX^^  \a 

f  Life,  pan  u  pp.  79,  90. 


102  THB  LIFE  AND  TiMBS 

preach  and  live  among  the  people,  no  doubt  can  he  entertained 
of  his  disinterested  love  to  the  work  of  Christ. 

Before  proceeding  to  state  the  nature  and  results  of  his  minis* 
try  in  the  place  where  he  was  honoured  by  God  to  effect  so 
much  good,  it  will  be  proper,  for  the  sake  of  connecting  the  pub- 
lic events  of  the  times,  to  advert  to  some  important  occurrences 
which  took  place  immediately  after  he  left  the  army,  and  dur- 
ing the  earlier  period  of  his  second  residence  in  Kidderminster. 
Leaving,  for  a  little,  the  narrative  of  his  personal  affiairs,  he  thus 
proceeds  : 

*^  I  must  now  look  back  to  the  course  and  affairs  of  the  king; 
who,  after  the  siege  of  Oxford,  having  no  army  left,  and  know- 
ing that  the  Scots  had  more  loyalty  and  stability  in  their  prinr 
ciples  than  the  sectaries,  resolved  to  cast  himself  upon  them,  and 
so  escaped  to  their  army  in  the  North.  The  Scots  were  very 
much  troubled  at  this  honour  that  was  cast  upon  them,  for  they 
knew  not  what  to  do  with  the  king.  To  send  him  back  to  the 
English  parliament,  seemed  unfaithfulness,  when  he  had  cast 
himself  upon  them ;  to  keep  him,  they  knew  would  divide  the 
kingdoms,  and  draw  a  war  upon  themselves  from  England, 
which  they  knew  they  were  now  unable  to  sustain.  They  kept 
him,  therefore,  awhile  among  them  with  honourable  entertain- 
ment, till  the  parliament  sent  for  him ;  and  they  saw  that  the 
sectaries  and  the  army  were  glad  of  it,  as  an  occasion  to  make 
them  odious,  and  to  invade  their  land.  Thus  the  terror  of  the 
conquering  army  made  them  deliver  him  to  the  parliament's 
commissioners  upon  two  conditions  :  I .  That  they  should  pro- 
mise to  preserve  his  person  in  safety  and  honour,  according  to 
the  duty  which  they  owed  him  by  their  allegiance.  2.  That 
they  should  presently  pay  the  Scots  army  one  half  what  was 
due  to  them  for  their  service,  which  had  been  long  unpaid.^ 
*^  Hereupon  the  king  being  delivered  to  the  parliament,  they 

^  The  treaty  for  the  payment  of  the  Scottish  arrears,  and  that  fur  the  deliver- 
ing up  of  the  king^i  were  quite  distinct  in  themselves,  though  they  proceeded 
together.  Baxter  is  also  mistaken  when  he  says,  the  king  was  g^ven  up  on 
the  two  conditions,  which  he  specifies.  He  was  delivered  up  without  any  odd* 
ditiont.  The  ohjecU  of  the  English  Parliament,  and  of  the  Scottish  Pariian 
ment«  were  the  same ;  the  covenant  and  the  propositions.  The  king's  life  could 
not  be  supposed  to  be  in  danger,  but  from  such  a  concussion  of  party,  and  sach 
an  ascendancy  of  persons  totally  different  from  those  with  whom  the  negotftp 
tion  was  going  on,  as  would  have  rendered  all  conditions  nugatory.  la  fact, 
the  life  of  the  king,  at  this  time,  was  safer  among  the  English  than  among 
the  Scots  ;  some  of  whom  had  conceived  the  Idea  of  bringing  him  to  the  tcaf- 
M  for  his  obstinate  refusal  to  agree  to  t\iete^m&ol\\AcoN«\i«QXw--Br«dAftv^'«« 

Godwin,  U.  257. 


OP  RICRAAD  BAXTBIU  108 

appointed  Colond  Richard  Greaves^  Major-Qeneral  Richard 
Brown^  with  others,  to  he  bh  attendants,  and  desired  him  to 
abide  awhile  at  Hdmby  House,  in  Nordiamptonshhre.  While 
he  was  here,  the  army  was  hatching  their  conspiracy  ;  and,  od 
the  sudden,  one  Comet  Joyce,  with  a  party  of  soldiers,  fetched 
away  the  king,  notwithstanding  the  parliament's  order  for  his 
security.  This  was  done  as  if  it  had  been  against  Cromwell^ 
will,  and  without  any  order  or  consent  of  tlieirs ;  but  ao  far 
was  Joyce  from  losing  his  head  for  such  a  treason,  that  it  proved 
the  means  of  his  preferment  ;^  and  so  far  was  Cromwell  and  his 
soldiers  from  returning  the  king  in  safety,  that  they  detained 
him  among  them  and  kept  him  with  them,  till  they  came  to 
Hampton  Court,  and  there  they  lodged  him  under  the  guard  of 
Colonel  Whalley,  the  army  quartering  all  about  him.  While' 
he  was  here,  the  mutable  hypocrites^  pretended  an  extra-* 
ordinary  care  of  the  king's  honour,  liberty,  safety,  and  con-' 
science.  They  blamed  the  austerity  of  the  parliament,  who 
had  denied  him  the  attendance  of  his  own  chaplains ;  and  of 
his  friends  in  whom  he  took  most  pleasure.  They  gave  liberty 
to  his  friends  and  chaplains  to  come  to  him ;  and  pretended 
that  they  would  save  him  from  tlie  incivilities  of  the  parliament 
and  the  Presbyterians. 

^  Whether  this  was  while  they  tried  what  terms  they  could 
make  with  him  for  themselves,  or  while  they  acted  any  other 
part,  it  is  certain  that  the  king's  old  adherents  began  to  extot 
the  army,  and  to  speak  against  the  Presbyterians  more  distaste- 
fully than  before.  When  the  parliament  offered  the  king  pro- 
positions for  concord,  which  Vane's  faction  made  as  high  and 
unreasonable  as  they  could,  that  they  might  come  to  nothing,* 
the  army,  forsooth,  offered  him  proposals  of  their  own,  which  the 
king  liked  better  :  but  which  of  them  to  treat  with  he  did  not 

'  Charles  was  weU  pleased  to  accompany  Joyce,  and  afterwards  refused 
to  return  at  tbe  command  of  Fairfax.  He  was,  in  fact,  g^lad  to  be  out  of  tht 
hands  of  the  Presbyterians. — Godwin,  li.  p.  320.  Tbe  g^reat  object  of  seizing 
tbe  kin^,  was  to  prevent  a  coalition  between  him  and  tbe  Presbyterian  party. 

^  It  was  the  mutable  hypocrisy  of  Charles,  rather  than  of  Cromwell,  that 
frustrated  every  amicable  arrangement.  Had  he  been  but  steady  to  any  on^ 
scheme  of  moderate  policy,  he  would  have  lost  neither  his  throne  nor  his  life. 
His  scheme,  on  all  occasions,  was  to  make  the  best  bargain  he  could,  till  he  got 
Mi  enesBdea  into  his  hands,  when  it  was  his  determination  to  destroy  them. 
Unfortunately  for  him  they  discovered  this,  and  acted  accordingly. 

^  The  defeat  of  an  adjustment  between  Charles  and  his  Parliament,  at  thi^ 
time.  w«9  Qwipf  to  Holii^  and  uot  to  Vane  and  his  piUTty.   ^^^  l^t^\je^% 
'History  of  tbe  British  Empire/  va)«  iff  ppt  96^  )P€|. 


104  THB  LIFB  AND  T1MB8 

know.  At  last,  on  the  sudden,  the  judgment  of  the  anny 
changed,  and  they  began  to  cry  for  justice  against  the  king; 
and,  with  vile  hypocrisy,  to  publish  their  repentance,  and  cry 
God's  mercy  for  their  kindness  to  the  king,  and  confess  that  they 
were  under  a  temptation :  but  in  all  this,  Cromwell  and  Ireton, 
and  the  rest  of  the  council  of  war,  appeared  not.  The  instru- 
ments  of  all  this  work,  must  be  the  common  soldiers.  Two  of 
the  most  violent  sectaries  in  each  regiment  are  chosen  by  them, 
by  the  name  of  agitators,'^  to  represent  the  rest  in  these  great 
affairs.  All  these  together  made  a  council,  of  which  Colonel 
James  Berry  was  the  president,  tliat  they  might  be  used,  ruled, 
and  dissolved,  at  pleasure.  No  man  that  knew  them,  will  doubt 
whether  this  was  done  by  Cromwell's  and  Ireton's  direction. 
This  council  of  agitators  take  not  only  the  parliament's  work 
upon  themselves,  but  much  more ;  they  draw  up  a  paper  called 
^  The  Agreement  of  the  People,'  as  the  model  or  form  of  a  new 
commonwealth.  They  have  their  own  printer,  and  publish 
abundance  of  wild  pamphlets,  as  changeable  as  the  moon.  The 
thing  contrived,  was  an  heretical  democracy.  When  Cromwell 
had  awhile  permitted  them  thus  to  play  themselves,  partly  to 
please  them,  and  confirm  them  to  him,  and  chiefly  to  use  them 
in  his  demo  lishing  work ;  at  last  he  seemed  to  be  so  much  for 
order  and  g  ovemment,  as  to  blame  them  for  their  disorder,  pre- 
sumption, and  headiness,  as  if  they  had  done  it  without  his  con* 
sent.  This  emboldened  the  parliament  not  to  censure  them  as 
rebels,  but  to  rebuke  them,  and  prohibit  them,  and  claim  their 
own  superiority ;  and  while  the  parliament  and  the  agitators 
were  contending,  a  letter  was  secretly  sent  to  Colonel  Whalley 
to  intimate  that  the  agitators  had  a  design  suddenly  to  surprise 
and  murder  the  king.  Some  thought  that  this  was  sent  from 
a  real  friend;  but  most  thought  it  was  contrived  by  Cromwell 
to  frighten  the  king  out  of  the  land,  or  into  some  desperate 
course  which  might  give  them  advantage  against  him.  Colonel 
Whalley  showed  the  letter  to  the  king,  which  put  him  into 
much  fear  of  such  ill-governed  hands ;  so  that  he  secretly  got 
horses,  and  slipped  away  towards  the  sea  with  twox)f  his  confi- 
dents only.  On  coming  to  the  sea,  near  Southampton,  they 
were  disappointed  of  the  vessel  which  they  expected  to  trans- 

*  Tbeorin^al  name  of  these  persons  was  o^^'icf  o/ort,  a  branch  of  the  tame  w«nl 

fvlth  adjuiant tttnd  altogether  different  from  agitator,  to  which  it  was  afterwards 

converted.    Brodie  ascribes  the  conduct  of  the  soldiers,  on  this  occasion,*  to 

tbe  iairigafu  ofHoUis,  and  the  Presbytevian  paxtj^  rather  than  to  tiie  Tpotkj 

ofCtomweil,  aceordmg  to  Baxter^-^Hitft.  W.  ^,^7. 


OV  BICHAKP  8AXTISR,  105 

port  them ;  and  so  were  fain  to  pass  over  into  the  Isle  of  Wight, 
and  his  majesty  was  commited  to  the  trust  of  Colonel  Robert 
Hanunond^  who  was  governor  of  a  castle  there.  For  a  day 
or  two  all  were  amazed  to  think  what  had  become  of  the  king  ; 
and  then  a  letter  from  the  king  to  the  house,  acquainted  them 
that  he  was  fmn  to  flee  thither  from  the  cruelty  of  the  agitators, 
who,  as  he  was  informed,  thought  to  murder  him ;  and  urging 
them  to  treat  about  ending  all  these  troubles.  But  here  Crom- 
well had  the  king  in  a  pinfold,  and  was  more  secure  of  him 
than  before.'^ 

^^  When  at  the  Isle  of  ^^ght,  the  parliament  sent  him  some 
propositions,  to  be  consented  to  in  order  to  his  restoration.  The 
king  granted  many  of  them ;  and  some  he  granted  not.  The 
Scottish  commissioners  thought  the  conditions  more  dishonour- 
able to  the  king  than  was  consistent  with  their  covenant  and 
duQr,  and  protested  against  them;  for  which  the  parliament 
blamed  them  as  hinderers  of  the  desired  peace.  The  chief  thing 
which  the  king  stuck  at,  was  the  utter  abolishing  of  episcopacy 
and  the  alienating  of  the  bishops'  and  the  dean  and  chapter 
lands.  Hereupon,  with  the  commissioners,  certain  divines 
were  sent  down,  to  satisfy  the  king,  viz. :  Mr.  Stephen  Mar- 
8haU,  Mr.  Richard  Vines,  Dr.  Lazarus  Seaman,  &c.,  who  were 
met  by  many  of  the  King's  divines.  Archbishop  Usher,  Dr.  Ham- 
mond, Dr.  Sheldon,  &c.  The  debates  here  being  in  writing, 
were  published,  and  each  party  thought  they  had  the  better. 
The  parliamentary  divines  came  off  with  great  honour. 

**They  seem  to  me,  however,  not  to  have  taken  the  course 
which  should  have  settled  these  distracted  churches.  Instead 
of  disputing  against  all  episcopacy,  they  should  have  changed 
diocesan  prelacy  into  such  an  episcopacy  as  the  conscience  of 
the  king  might  have  admitted,  and  as  was  agreeable  to  that 
which  the  church  had  in  the  two  or  three  first  ages.  I  confess 
Mr.  Vines  wrote  to  me,  as  their  excuse  in  this  and  other  matters 
of  the  Assembly,  that  the  parliament  tied  them  up  from  treating 
or  disputing  of  any  thing  at  all,  but  what  they  appointed  or 

*  There  is  no  evidence  whatever  that  the  king's  flight  from  HaoiptoD  Court 
**^  owing  to  any  secret  plot  of  Cromwell's,  or  to  any  fear  of  being  murdered^ 
^otcrtaiued  by  hU  majesty.  He  was  probably  advised  in  it  by  Cromwell,  who 
*u  tben  afraid  of  the  proceedings  of  the  army  ;  but  it  was  a  plan  of  the  king's 
^Q»  iutended  to  create  increased  confusion  and  distraction  among  his  oppu- 
^ts,  which  be  expected  to  be  able  to  turn  to  his  own  advantage.  Milton, 
^  kii « Second  Defence  of  the  People  of  England,'  vindicates  Cromwell  from 
^  cbirge  of  advising  the  Eight  of  Charlei,  or  being  a  party  to  it.  1  have  not 
^^^^tnred  the  stoiy  of  the  secret  letter  adverted  to  by  any  other  writer  than 
Buter, 


106  TBB  LIFB  AND  TIMB8 

proposed  to  ihem :  but  I  think  plain  dealing  with  snch  leaden 
had  been  best ;  and  to  have  told  ititm,  this  is  our  judgment,  and, 
in  the  matters  of  God  and  his  churchy  i¥e  will  serve  yoa  aoeord- 
ing  to  our  judgment,  or  not  at  all.  Though,  indeed,  as  tliey 
were  not  of  one  mind  among  themselves,  this  could  not  be 
expected.^ 

'^  Archbishop  Usher  there  took  the  right  course,  who  offered 
the  king  his  reduction  of  episcopacy  to  the  form  of  presbytery. 
He  told  me  himself,  that,  formerly,  the  king  had  refused  it^ 
but,  at  the  Isle  of  Wight,  he  accepted  it ;  and  as  he  would  not 
when  others  would,  so  others  would  not  when  he  would.  So  also, 
when  Charles  11.  came  in,  we  tendered  Usher's  scheme  of  tmion 
to  him  $  but  then  he  would  not.  Thus  the  true,  moderate^ 
healing  terms  are  always  rejected  by  those  that  stand  on  the 
higher  ground,  though  accepted  by  them  that  are  lower  and 
cannot  have  what  they  will :  from  whence  it  is  easy  to  perceive 
whether  prosperity  or  adversity,  the  highest  or  the  lowest,  be 
ordinarily  the  greater  hinderer  of  the  church's  unity  and  peace. 
I  know,  that  if  the  divines  and  parliament  had  agreed  for  a  mo- 
derate episcopacy  with  the  king,  some  Presbyterians  of  Sc6tland 
would  have  been  against  it,  and  many  Independents  of  Eng- 
land; and  the  army  would  have  made  it  the  matter  of  odious 
accusations  and  clamours :  but  all  this  ought  not  to  have  deterred 
foreseeing,  judicious  men,  from  those  healing  counsels  wUch 
must  close  our  wounds  whenever  they  are  closed.? 

^^  The  king,  sending  his  final  answers,  the  parliament  had  a 
k>ng  debate  upon  them,  whether  to  acquiesce  in  them  as  a  suffi- 
cient ground  for  peace.  Many  members  spake  for  resting  in 
them,  and,  among  others,  Mr.  Prynne  went  over  all  the  king's 
concessiops  in  a  speech  of  divers  hours  long,  with  marvellous 

^  A  full  and  impartial  account  of  the  nef^otiatioDs  held  at  the  Isle  ttf  Wight, 
it  given  by  Neal,  iii.  pp.  422, 443,  edit.  1S22.  The  treaty  failed  from  theobsti* 
nacy  of  the  king,  acting  by  the  advice  of  his  episcopal  counseUors,  who  were 
either  incapable  of  giviog  suitable  advice  in  difficult  circamstances,  or  not 
aware  of  the  peril  to  which  they  were  exposing  their  royal  master*  who  Ibolithlf 
imagined  he  could  save  himself  at  any  time  by  closing  either  with  the  Parlia- 
ment or  the  army.  It  would  probably  have  been  better  had  there  been  no 
divines  on  either  side. 

p  if  any  thing  is  calculated  to  expose  the  Tolly  and  danger  of  state  inter- 
ference with  religion,  it  is  the  fact,  that  the  peace  of  three  kingdoms  and  the 
fate  of  the  king  were  made  to  depend,  in  a  great  measure,  on  the  establish* 
ment  of  au  exclusive  form  of  church  government.  There  were,  donbtlesti 
other  things  at  the  root  of  the  misunderstanding,  but  the  nudn  o^nsible  re4- 
MOB  of  the  failure  of  the  treaty,  was  the  demand  on  the  one  ^art,  and  the  rt^t^i 
oa  the  other,  to  abolish  episcopacy^  voA  t&ta\>t\iVi  vtt%V>^ti  Vo^ Vv%  ^%nt« 


OF  HfCHARD  BAXTEH,  107 

memory^  and  showed  the  satisfactoriness  of  them  all.  So  that 
the  houae  voted  that  the  king's  concessions  were  a  sufficient 
ground  for  a  personal  treaty  with  him;  and  suddenly  gave 
a  concluding  answer^  and  sent  for  him  up.  But  at  such  a  crisis 
it  was  time  for  the  army  to  bestir  themselves.  Without  any  more 
ado,  Cromwell  and  his  confidents  sent  Colonel  Pride  with  a  party 
of  soldiers  to  the  house,  and  set  a  guard  upon  the  door :  one  part 
of  the  house,  who  were  for  them,  they  let  In ;  another  part  they 
tamed  away,  and  told  them  that  they  must  not  come  there;  and 
the  third  part  they  imprisoned.  To  so  much  rebellion,  perfidious- 
ness,  perjury,  and  impudence,  can  error,  selfishness,  and  pride  of 
great  successes,  transport  men  of  the  highest  pretences  toreligion.4 
^For  the  true  understanding  of  all  this,  it  must  be  remem- 
bered^ that  though  in  the  beginning  of  the  parliament  there  was 
scarce  a  noted,  gross  sectary  known,  but  Lord  Brook,  in  the 
House  of  Peers,  and  young  Sir  Harry  Vaiie,  in  the  House  of 
Commons  ;  yet,  by  degrees,  the  number  increased  in  the  lower 
house*  Major  Salloway  and  some  few  others.  Sir  Henry  Vane 
had  made  his  own  adherents  :  many  more  were  carried  part  of 
the  way  to  Independency  and  liberty  of  religions ;  and  many 
that  minded  not  any  side  in  religion,  did  think  that  it  was  not 
policy'ever  to  trust  a  conquered  king,  and  therefore  were  wholly 
for  a  parliamentary  government.  Of  these,  some  would  have 
lords  and  commons,  or  a  mixture  of  aristocracy  and  demo- 
cracy ;  others  would  have  commons  and  democracy  alone ;  and 
some  thought  that  they  ought  to  judge  the  king  for  all  the 
blood  that  had  been  shed.  Thus,  when  the  two  parts  of  the 
house  were  ejected  and  imprisoned,  the  third  part,  composed 
of  the  Vanists,  the  Independents,  and  other  sects,  with  the  de- 
mocratical  party,  was  left  by  Cromwell  to  do  his  business  under 
the  name  of  the  Parliament  of  England ;  which,  by  the  people 
in  scorn,  was  commonly  called  the  Rump  of  the  Parliament. 
The  secluded  and  imprisoned  members  published  a  writing, 
called  their  Vindication ;  and  some  of  them  would  afterwards 
have  thrust  into  the  House,  but  the  guard  of  soldiers  kept  them 

1  The  account  which  Mrs.  Hutchinson  gives  of  this  affair,  is  Tcry  different 
from  Baxter's.  She  imputes  the  whole  blame  of  acceding  to  the  terms  pro- 
posed by  the  king,  the  array's  interference  with  Parliament,  and  the  conse- 
quent ruin  of  the  icing,  to  the  conduct  of  the  Presbyterian  leaders,  who,  insti- 
gated by  hatred  of  the  Independents  and  other  sects,  consented  to  measures 
which  would  have  reinstated  Charles  without  any  adequate  security  to  his  sub- 
jects ;  hy  wbicb  tbejr  would  all  eventually  have  been  destroyedir— Memoir*  of 
Q>i.I^chms(m.  297^300.  WTiite/ock  and  Ludlow  agree  If  lthMw,HviUi\au¥». 


lOS  TUB  UFB  AND  TIMB8 

out^  and  the  Rump  were  called  the  honest  men.    And  these  are 
'  the  men  that  henceforward  we  have  to  do  with  in  the  progrest 
of  our  history  as  called  The  Parliament/ 

'^  As  the  Lords  were  disaffected  to  these  proceedings^  so  were 
the  Rump  and  soldiers  to  the  Lords ;  so  that  they  paraed  a  Tote^ 
supposing  that  the  army  would  stand  hy  them,  to  establish  the 
government  without  a  king  and  House  of  Lords ;  and  thus  the 
Lords  were  dissolved,  and  these  Commons  sat  and  did  all  alone. 
Being  deluded  by  Cromwell,  and  verily  thinking  that  he  would 
be  for  democracy,  which  they  called  a  commonwealth,  they 
gratified  him  in  his  designs,  and  themselves  in  their  disloyal 
distrusts  and  fears.  They  accordingly  called  a  high  court  of 
justice  to  be  erected,  and  sent  for  the  king  from  the  Isle  of 
Wight.  Colonel  Hammond  delivered  him,  and  to  Westmin- 
ster Hall  he  came,  and  refusing  to  own  the  court  and  their 
power  to  try  him.  Cook,  as  attorney,  having  pleaded  against 
him,  Bradshaw,  as  president  and  judge,  recited  the  charge,  and 
condenmed  him.'  Before  his  own  gate  at  Whitehall,  they 
erected  a  scaffold  ;  and,  in  the  presence  of  a  full  assembly  of 
people,  beheaded  him.  In  all  this  appeared  the  severity  of  God, 
the  mutability  and  uncertainty  of  worldly  things,  the  fruits  of  a 
sinful  nation's  provocations,  the  infamous  effects  of  error,  pride, 
and  selfishness,  prepared  by  Satan,  to  be  charged  hereafter  upon 
reformation  and  godliness,  to  the  unspeakable  injury  of  the 
Christian  name  and  Protestant  cause,  the  rejoicing  and  advan- 
tage of  the  Papists,  the  hardening  of  thousands  against  the 
means  of  their  own  salvation,  and  the  confiision  of  the  actors 
when  their  day  should  come. 

'  Thnnig^  Uie  whole  of  these  statements,  Baxter  ascribes  a  {^eat  deal  too 
much  to  the  craft  of  Cromwell,  aod  the  intrif^es  of  the  sectaries.  AUowin^ 
that  they  often  compensated  their  lack  of  power  by  superior  address  and  m- 
pidity  of  moyement,  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that  self-preservation  la  the 
first  law  of  man ;  and  that,  as  the  sectaries  were  in  dangler  of  beiugp  crashed 
between  two  powerful  parties,  the  Episcopalians  and  the  Presbyterians,  they 
naturally  exerted  themselves  to  prevent  the  ascendancy  of  either.  Had  there 
been  more  integ^ty  in  the  one  class,  and  mure  moderation  in  the  other,  Cron* 
WeU  and  his  party  would  have  had  a  less  difficult  part  to  play :  as  things 
were,  they  probably  accomplished  much  less  by  previous  intrig^  and  plottinf, 
than  by  taking  advanta^  of  unforeseen  occurrences. 

*  The  reader  who  thinks  of  Bradshaw  only  as  a  reg^icide  and  a  ruffian,  would 
do  well  to  consult  the  character  ^ven  6f  him  by  Milton,  in  bis  'Defence  of  the 
People  of  England.'  An  admirable  translation  of  the  passag^e  wiU  be  found  in 
*  Symmons'  Life  of  MUton,'  pp.  220—222.  Bradshaw  escapied  to  America,  and 
th«re  ended  his  days  in  peace.  Cook  expiated  his  political  offence  on  the  scaf- 
fold, and  died  with  aU  that  lofty  heroism  which  distin^ished  men  who  feh  that 
Ihey  loffered  not  for  personal  gfuUt,  but  for  the  crime  of  the  people  of  Snglaiid. 


Of  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  109 

^  The  Lord  General  Fairfax  all  this  while  stood  by^  and, 
with  high  resentment,  saw  his  lieutenant  do  all  this  by  tumal- 
tuous  soldiers,  tricked  and  overpowered  by  him  ;  neither  being 
soflBciently  upon  his  guard  to  defeat  the  intrigues  of  such  an 
actor  ;  nor  having  resolution  enough  to  lay  down  the  glory  of 
all  his  conquests,  and  forsake  him.  At  the  King's  death,  he  was 
in  wonderful  perplexities,  and  when  Mr.  Calamy  and  some  mi* 
nisters  were  sent  for  to  resolve  him,  and  would  have  further 
peiauaded  him  to  rescue  the  King,  his  troubles  so  confounded 
him^  that  his  servants  durst  let  no  man  speak  to  him :  and 
Cromwell  kept  him^  as  it  was  said,  in  praying  and  consulting 
till  the  stroke  was  given,  and  it  was  too  late  to  make  resistance. 
But  not  long  after,  when  war  was  determined  against  Scotland, 
he  laid  down  his  commission,  and  never  had  to  do  with  the 
army  more ;  and  Cromwell  become  General  in  his  stead.^ 

^  If  y<m  ask.  What  did  the  ministers  all  this  while  ?  I  answer, 
they  preached  and  prayed  against  disloyalty ;  they  drew  up  a 
writing  to  the  Lord  General,  declaring  their  abhorrence  of  all 
violence  agmnst  the  person  of  the  King,  and  urging  him  and 
his  army  to  take  heed  of  such  an  unlawful  act.  They  presented 
it  to  the  General  when  they  saw  the  King  in  danger ;  but  pride 
prevailed  against  their  counsels."^ 

Some  difference  of  opinion  may  exist  in  regard  to  the  cor* 
rectness  of  all  the  statements  and  reasonings  of  the  preceding 
extracts.     One  thing,  however,  is  very  apparent, — the  devoted 
royalty  of  Baxter.     While    he   acted  with  the  army  of   the 
Parliament,  and  advocated  the  cause  which  he  considered  it 
had  undertaken,  he  was  indignant  at  its  conduct,  when  it  as- 
sumed the  sovereign  power,  and  threatened  the  life  of  the  king. 
In  the  treatment  which  Charles  experienced,  Baxter  seems  to 
forget  every  thing,  but  the  sufferings  which  he  endured  and  the 
unconstitutional  conduct  of  his  adversaries.    The  death  of  that 
ill-fated  monarch,  he  regarded  less  as  the  result  of  his  own 
obstinacy  and  duplicity,  of  which  all  parties  were  furnished  with 
indubitable  proofs,  or  as  the  just  retribution  of  Heaven  for  these 
^d  many  other  evils  of  himself  and  his  family,  than  as  illustra- 
tions of  the  bad  principles  and  wicked  conduct  of  sectaries  and 

^  There  seems  something  very  absurd  in  th«  idea  that  Fairfax  was  igpaorant 
^what  all  the  country  knew,  that  the  death  of  the  king^  was  determin^;  and 
^t  he  was  hoaxed  by  CromweU  and  Harrison  tiU  it  was  accomplished, 
^fodie  examines  the  story  with  his  usual  diligence  and  acuteness.— JEM.  of 
^  Brii.  Emp.  iv.  p.  213— 21 6. 

*  life,  part  it  pp«  60'-64« 


IIQ  TBB  UFB  AND  T1MB8 

agitaton.  He  denounces  the  hypocrisy  and  perfidy  of  Crom« 
well  and  his  party,  and  represents  them  as  systematically  puna- 
ing  the  destruction  of  the  king.  They  are  justly  liable  to  the 
charge  of  dissimulation.  But  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that  it 
attaches  to  the  royal  party  and  to  its  head,  in  a  far  greater 
degree.  The  struggle  which  was  at  first  for  freedom  on  die  one 
side,  and  for  absolute  power  on  the  other,  became^  at  last,  a 
struggle  for  life,  on  both  sides.  The  final  catastrophe,  therefore^ 
deeply  as  it  is  to  be  lamented,  became  inevitable.  The  Presby- 
terians would  have  restored  the  king,  at  different  periods  of  the 
contest,  if  he  would  have  abolished  episcopacy,  and  established 
presbyterian  uniformity  in  its  stead.  They  were  prevented  from 
doing  so,  partly  by  the  scheming  of  Charles,  and  partly  by  the 
opposition  of  the  army.  The  Independents  would  have  restored 
him,  could  they  have  obtained  any  security  for  themselves,  and 
the  freedom  of  their  religion.  They  could  not  trust  the  king 
for  the  one,  or  the  Presbyterians  for  the  other.  Charles  played 
with  and  deceived  all  parties,  till  at  length  be  fell  a  sacrifice  to 
his  own  obstinacy  and  insincerity. 

The  full  discussion  of  the  difficult  and  complicated  sulyect  te 
which  the  preceding  paragraphs  relate  would  be  foreign,  fitNa 
the  nature  and  design  of  this  work;  which  is  intended  rather  as 
a  record  of  the  opinions  and  testimony  of  Baxter,  than  of  my 
own  sentiments.  On  many  points,  we  are  now  capable  of  forming 
more  correct  views  than  any  individual  could,  in  the  times  of 
Baxter.  We  are  less  under  the  influence  of  prejudice ;  we  have 
more  accurate  information ;  and  are,  therefore,  capable  of  look- 
ing at  all  the  transactions  with  more  impartiality.  I  beg  to 
refer  the  reader,  who  wishes  for  full  and  enlightened  views  on 
all  the  events  of  the  civil  wars  and  the  Commonwealth,  to  the 
work  of  Brodie,  which  I  have  often  referred  to  in  the  notes.  It 
is  distinguished  by  laborious  research,  great  acuteness,  and  moat 
praiseworthy  impartiality.  If  that  work  is  not  at  hand,  the 
^  History  of  the  Commonwealth,'  by  Godwin,  will  amply  supply 
its  place.  It  also  is  entitled  to  the  praise  of  discrimination  and 
impartiality.  Equity  requires  I  should  state,  thai  both  these 
writers  differ  considerably  from  Baxter  in  their  views  of  the 
principles  and  conduct  of  the  several  parties  who  figured  in  the 
distracted  period  of  which  they  treat. 

Baxter  himself,  while  these  tremendous  scenes  were  transact* 
mg,  Kved  remote  from  the  parties  principally  engaged  in  them. 
He  could  only  speak  and  reason  according  to  the  reports  which 


fiS  EICHARB  BAXTBR.  HI 

reached  hirn^  the  probability  or  improbability  of  which  he  usually 
determined  by  the  personal  knowledge  which  he  had  of  those 
to  whom  they  related.  Though  deeply  concerned  in  all  that 
affected  his  country's  weal^  he  was  now  better  employed  than  in 
contending  with  the  turmoils  of  a  camp^  or  in  sounding  and  ex- 
poung  the  policy  of  courts. 

During  the  early  part  of  his  second  residence  at  Kidderminster, 
several  other  circumstances  are  recorded  by  Baxter  worthy  of 
being  mentioned,  both  as  illustrating  his  own  character  and  the 
slate  of  the  period.  He  opposed  the  solemn  league  and  covenant, 
though  he  bad  formerly  taken  it  at  Coventry,  and^  therefore,  did 
not  please  the  Presbyterians  :  he  opposed  the  engagement,  and 
thus  incurred  the  displeasure  of  the  Independents.  Careful  only 
to  stand  well  with  bis  own  conscience,  it  was  matter  of  indif- 
ference to  him  who  were  his  friends  or  who  were  his  foes« 

^  Vqic  my  own  part,''  he  says,  ^'  though  I  kept  the  town  and 
parish  of  Kidderminster  from  taking  the  covenant,  seeing  how 
it  might  become  a  snare  to  their  consciences  \  yea,  and  most 
of  Worcestershire  beside,  by  keeping  the  ministers  from  offering 
it  in  any  of  the  congregations  to  the  people,  except  in  Wor- 
cester city,  where  I  had  no  great  interest,  and  knew  not  what 
they  did ;  yet  I  could  not  judge  it  seemly  for  him  that  believed 
there  is  a  God,  to  play  fast  and  loose  with  a  dreadful  oath,  as 
if  the  bonds  of  national  and  personal  vows  were  as  easily  shaken 
off  as  Sampson's  cords. 

'^  I  therefore  spake  and  preached  against  the  engagement,  and 
dissuaded  men  from  taking  it.  The  first  hour  that  I  heard  of 
it,  being  in  company  with  some  gentlemen  of  Worcestershire,  I 
presently  wrote  down  above  twenty  queries  against  it,  intending 
as  many  more  almost  against  the  obligation,  as  those  were  about 
the  sense  and  circumstances.  One  that  was  present  got  the 
copy  of  them,  and,  shortly  after,  I  met  with  them  verbatim,  as 
his  own,  in  a  book  of  Mr.  Henry  Hall's,  who  was  long  impri- 
soned for  writing  against  Cromwell."  " 

That  Baxter  was  the  friend  of  the  parliamentary  cause  not- 
withstanding, cannot  be  doubted ;  and  that  he  was  grateful  for 
the  protection  which  he  enjoyed  under  the  existing  government, 
is  equally  unquestionable  ^  yet  he  was  adverse  to  the  measures 
pursued  in  opposition  to  Charles  II.,  whose  right  to  the  throne 
he  fully  believed,  and  carried  his  conscientious  opposition  to  the 
commonwealth-government  so  far,  that  it  might  have  been  at« 

<"  Life,  psri  L  p.  64. 


112  THS  LtPB  AND  TIM18 

•  •  • 

tended  with  serious  consequences  to  himself.  He  was^  in  fact,  a 
royalist  in  principles  and  constitution  ;  and  a  friend  to  the  par- 
ties who  opposed  the  king,  from  necessity,  and  not  from  choice. 

''When  the  soldiers  were  going  against  the  king  and  the  Scots, 
I  wrote  letters  to  some  of  them,  to  tell  them  of  their  sin ;  and 
desired  them  at  last  to  begin  to  know  themselves.  They  were 
the  same  men  who  had  boasted  so  much  of  love  to  all  the  godly, 
and  pleaded  for  tender  dealing  with  them,  and  condemned  those 
that  persecuted  them  or  restrained  their  liberty,  who  were  now 
ready  to  imbrue  their  swords  in  the  blood  of  such  as  they  ac- 
knowledged to  be  godly ;  and  all  because  they  dared  not  be  as 
perjured  or  disloyal  as  they  were.  Some  of  them  were  startled 
at  these  letters,  and  thought  me  an  uncharitable  censurer^  who 
would  say  that  they  could  kill  the  godly,  even  when  they  were 
on  the  march  to  do  it :  for  how  bad  soever  they  spake  of  the 
cavaliers  (and  not  without  too  much  desert  as  to  their  morals), 
they  confessed,  that  abundance  of  the  Scots  were  godly  men. 
Afterwards,  however,  those  that  I  wrote  to  better  understood  me. 

''  At  the  same  time,  the  Rump,  or  Commonwealth,  which  so 
much  abhorred  persecution,  and  were  for  liberty  of  conscience, 
made  an  order  that  all  ministers  should  keep  certain  days  of 
humiliation,  to  fast  and  pray  for  their  success  in  Scotland :  and 
that  we  should  keep  days  of  thanksgiving  for  their  victories ;  and 
this  upon  pain  of  sequestration  !  So  that  we  all  expected  to  be 
turned  out ;  but  they  did  not  execute  it  upon  any,  save  one, 
in  our  parts.  For  myself,  instead  of  praying  and  preaching 
for  them,  when  any  of  the  committee  or  soldiers  were  my 
hearers,  I  laboured  to  help  them  to  understand,  what  a  crime 
it  was  to  force  men  to  pray  for  the  success  of  those  who  were 
violating  their  covenant  and  loyalty,  and  going,  in  such  a  cause, 
to  kill  their  brethren : — what  it  was  to  force  men  to  give 
God  thanks  fpr  all  their  bloodshed,  and  to  make  God's  minis- 
ters and  ordinances  vile,  and  serviceable  to  such  crimes,  by 
forcing  men  to  run  to  God  on  such  errands  of  blood  and  ruin : 
—and  what  it  is  to  be  such  hypocrites  as  to  persecute  and  cast 
out  those  that  preach  the  Gospel,  while  they  pretend  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  Gospel,  and  the  liberty  of  tender  consciences^ 
and  leave  neither  tenderness  nor  honesty  in  the  world,  when 
the  guides  of  the  flocks  and  preachers  of  the  Gospel  shall  be 
noted  to  swallow  down  such  heinous  sins.' 

'  Only  one  opiDion  can  be  entertained  respecting^  the  fearless  honesty  of 
BtxttTi  but  thft  wisdom  as  well  as  tho  prudenco  of  bis  behaHoor  nay  b« 


OP  RICHARD  BAXTER.  Il3 

^  My  own  hearers  were  all  satisfied  with  my  doctrine^  but 
the  committee-inen,  looked  sour,  yet  let  me  alone.  The  sol- 
diers said,  I  was  so  like  Love/  that  I  would  not  be  right  till 
I  was  shorter  by  the  head.  Yet  none  of  them  ever  meddled 
with  me,  farther  than  by  the  tongue ;  nor  was  I  ever  by  any 
of  them  in  those  times  forbidden  or  hindered  to  preach  one 
sermon,  except  only  one  assize  sermon,  which  the  high  sheriff 
had  desired  me  to  preach,  and  afterwards  sent  me  word  to  for- 
bear, as  from  the  committee ;  which  told  Mr.  Moor^  the  Inde- 
pendent preacher  at  the  college,  that  they  desired  me  to  forbear, 
and  not  to  preach  before  the  judges,  because  I  preached  against 
the  state.  But  afterwurds  they  excused  it,  as  done  merely  in 
kindness  to  me^  to  keep  me  from  running  myself  into  danger 
and  trouble."  * 

Notwithstanding  his  conduct  towards  the  leaders  and  soldiers 
of  the  Commonwealth,  various  circumstances  show  that  Baxter 
was  by  no  means  disposed  to  promote  the  interests  of  the  royal 
cause.  After  detailing  the  affairs  of  Cromwell  and  the  army  in 
Scotland,  and  the  march  of  Charles  with  the  royal  army  into 
England,  he  says  :— 

*'  The  greater  part  of  the  army  passed  close  by  Kiddermin- 
ster, and  the  rest  through  it.  Colonel  Graves  sent  two  or  three 
messages  to  me,  as  from  the  king,  to  come  to  him ;  and  after, 
when  he  was  at  Worcester,  some  others  were  sent :  but  I  was 
at  that  time  under  so  gre&t  an  affliction  of  sore  eyes,  that  I  was 
scarcely  able  to  see  the  light,  and  unfit  to  stir  out  of  doors. 
Being  not  much  doubtful  of  the  issue  which  followed,  I  thought, 
if  I  had  been  able,  it  would  have  been  no  service  at  all  to  the 
king,  it  being  so  little,  on  such  a  sudden,  that  I  could  add  to 
his  assistance. 

"  When  the  king  had  stayed  a  few  days  at  Worcester,  Crom- 
well came  with  his  army  to  the  east  side  of  the  city,  and  after 

Tery  justly  questioned.  To  take  the  side  of  the  Parliameot  as  be  bad  done,  and- 
now  to  oppose  tbe  existing:  Government  so  publicly,  wbile  prosecuting  tbe  ob- 
ject of  tbe  ori^nal  contest,  was  ratber  extraordinary.  It  is  a  great  proof  of 
the  moderation  of  tbat  Government,  that  it  let  bim  pass  witbout  molestation. 

f  The  Presbyterian  minister  wbo  was  executed  by  Cromwell,  for  correspond- 
ing with  tbe  King.  It  is  probable  be  was  put  to  death  ratber  as  an  example 
and  a  warning  to  others,  than  on  account  of  any  great  criminality  in  bis  own 
conduct.  Much  influence  was  used  to  obtain  his  life,  but  all  in  vain.  He 
was  certainly  a  martyr  to  Presbyteriau  loyalty.  **  He  died,"  says  Baxter, 
"  neither  timorously  nor  proudly  in  any  desperate  bravado ;  but  with  as  great 
aliu:rity  and  fearless  quietness  and  freedom  ^of  speech,  as  if  be  bad  but  gone 
to  bed,  and  badbsen  as  little  concerned  as  the  slanders  by."  Life,  part  i.  p.  67. 

■  Life,  part  i.  pp.  66, 67. 

VOL.  I.  I 


U4  THE  LIFE  AND  TIMBS 

that,  made  a  bridge  of  boats  over  the  Severn,  to  biiider  them 
from  foraging  on  the  other  Bide ;  but  because  so  great  an  army 
pould  not  long  endure  to  be  pent  up,  the  king  resolved  to  charge 
Cromwell's  men.  At  first,  the  Scottish  foot  charged  very  gal- 
lantly, some  chief  persons  among  the  horse,  the  Marquis  of 
Hamilton,  late  Earl  of  Limerick,  being  slain :  but>  at  last^  the 
hope  of  security  so  near  their  backs,  encouraged  the  king's  army 
to  retreat  into  the  city,  and  Cromwell's  soldiers  followed  them 
so  close  at  the  heels,  that  Major  Swallow,  of  Whalley's  regi- 
ment,  first,  and  others  after  him,  entered  Sidbury  gate  with 
them ;  and  so  the  whole  army  fled  through  the  city,  quite  away, 
many  being  trodden  down  and  slain  in  the  streets ;  so  that  the 
king  was  fain  to  fly  with  them  northward.  The  Lord  Wilmo^ 
the  Earl  of  Lauderdale,  and  many  others  of  his  lords  and  com- 
manders^ fled  with  him.  Kidderminster  being  but  eleven  miles 
from  Worcester^  the  flying  army  passed  some  of  them  through 
the  town,  and  some  by  it.  I  had  nearly  gone  to  bed  when  the 
noise  pf  the  flying  horses  acquainted  us  with  the  overthrow ;  and 
a  piece  of  one  of  Cromwell's  troops,  that  guarded  Bewdley 
bridge,  having  tidings  of  it,  came  into  our  streets,  and  stood  in 
the  open  market-place,  before  my  door,  to  surprise  those  that 
passed  by.  So,  when  many  hundreds  of  the  flying  army  came 
together,  and  the  thirty  troopers  cried  aiandy  and  fired  at  them, 
they  either  hastened  away,  or  cried  quarter,  not  knowing  in  the 
dark  what  number  it  was  that  charged  them.  Thus  as  many 
were  taken  there,  as  so  few  men  could  lay  hold  on  :  and,  till 
midnight,  the  bullets  flying  towards  my  door  and  windows,  and 
the  sorrowful  fugitives  hastening  by  for  their  lives,  did  tell  me 
the  calamitousness  of  war. 

"The  king,  parted  at  last  from  most  of ^  his  lords,  went 
to  Boscobel,  by  the  White  Ladies,  where  he  was  hid  in  an  oak, 
in  a  manner  sufficiently  declared  to  the  world  \  and  thence  to 
Mosely,  and  so,  with  Mrs.  Lane,  away  as  a  traveller,  and  es- 
caped all  the  searchers'  hands,  till  he  came  safe  beyond  sea,  as  is 
published  at  large  by  divers."* 

This  brief  notice  of  public  affairs,  and  of  Baxter's  conduct 
in  relation  to  them,  to  the  period  when  the  Commonwealth  and 
Cromwell  reigned  triumphant,  sufficiently  prepares  us  for  the 
interesting  account  given  by  him  of  his  labours  and  success  jn 
Kidderminster.  Perhaps  no  part  of  these  memoirs  is  so  im- 
portant as  this.    It  presents  an  admirable  view  of  the  man  of 

«  Life, parti,  pp.  110,  Ul« 


OF  gIpHARp  BAXTER,  11^ 

God,  abundant  io  labours,  patient  in  tribulatiop»  perseveriog  in 
the  exercise  of  faithfulness,  benevolencei  and  long-suffering,  and 
crowned  with .  extraordinary  success.  Without  ascribing  too 
much  to  the  agent,  or  expressing  unqualified  approbation  of  all 
the  ni^ans  employed,  it  is  impossible  not  to  perceive  the  adap- 
tation of  the  instrument  to  the  worky  or  to  doubt  that  the  divine 
blessing  rested  upon  the  measures  pursued.  The  sovereignty  of 
God  operates  not  independently  of  human  means  and  insfru- 
mentality,  but  in  connexion  with  them ;  and  it  will  rarely  \f 
ever  be  found,  that  suitably  qualified  agents  pursue,  in  a  right 
spirit  and  with  Christian  zeal,  the  good  of  men,  without  being 
rewarded  by  a  corresponding  measure  of  success.  The  circum- 
stances in  which  Baxter  found  Kidderminster  when  he  first  went 
to  i^  as  well  as  the  difficulties  and  troubles  which  he  bad  to 
encounter  during  the  two  years  he  then  resided  in  it^  have 
been  already  stated.  Ignorance,  immorality,  and  opposition 
to  the  Gospel,  prevailed  among  all  classes.  His  doctrine  was 
unpalatable^  his  maimer  of  life  and  hostility  to  vice  and  irreli- 
gion,  in  every  form,  still  more  so.  His  politics,  favouring  as  they 
did  the  cause  of  the  Parliament,  and  of  church  reform,  increased 
the  dislike,  and  prpduced  personal  violence.  The  conduct  of 
the  common  people,  influenced  by  all  these  things,  was  sp 
outrageous,  that  he  was  finally  compelled  to  leave  them.  This 
state  of  things  must  be  connected  with  his  account  of  the  won- 
derful change  in  the  character  of  the  place,  which  he  was  ho-^ 
noured  to  effect. 

After  a  long  account  of  some  remarkable  deliverances,  and 
of  his  bodily  weakness,  with  which  it  is  marvellous  that  he 
should  have  been  able  to  struggle,  he  thus  proceeds : — 

^^  I  shall  next  record  to  the  praise  of  my  Redeemer,  the 
comfortable  employment  and  success  which  he  vouchsafed  me 
during  my  abode  at  Kidderminster,  under  all  these  weaknesses. 
And,  1st.  I  will  mention  my  employment.  2.  My  successes. 
And,  3.  Those  advantages  by  which,  under  God,  they  were 
procured. 

^^  Before  the  wars,  I  preached  twice  each  Lord's  day ;  but 
after  the  war,  but  once,  and  once  every  Thursday,  beside  occa- 
sional sermons.  Every  Thursday  evening,  my  neighbours  who 
were  most  desirous,.and  had  opportunity,  met  at  my  house,  and 
there  one  of  them  repeated  the  sermon ;  afterwards  they  pro- 
posed what  doubts  any  of  them  had  about  the  sermon,  or  any 
other  case  of  conscience  5  and  I  resolved  their  doubts.    Last  of 

I  2 


116  THE   LIFE  AND  TIMES 

all^  I  caused  sometimes  one  and  sometimes  another  of  them  to 
pray,  to  exercise  them ;  and  sometimes  I  prayed  with  them 
myself:  which,  beside  singing  a  psalm,  was  all  they  did.  Once 
a  week,  also,  some  of  the  younger  sort,  who  were  not  fit  to  pray 
in  so  great  an  assembly,  met  among  a  few  more  privately, 
where  they  spent  three  hours  in  prayer  togethe;-.  Every  Satur- 
day night,  they  met  at  some  of  their  houses,  to  repeat  the  ser- 
mon of  the  former  Lord's  day,  and  to  pray  and  prepare  them- 
selves for  the  following  day.  Once  in  a  few  weeks,  we  had  a 
day  of  humiliation  on  one  occasion  or  other.  Every  religious 
woman  that  was  safely  delivered,  instead  of  the  old  feastings 
and  gossipings,  if  she  was  able,  did  keep  a  day  of  thanks- 
giving with  some  of  her  neighbours,  with  them  praising  God, 
and  singing  psalms,  and  soberly  feasting  together.  Two  days 
every  week,  my  assistant  and  myself  took  fourteen  families  be- 
tween us,  for  private  catechising  and  conference ;  he  going 
through  the  parish,  and  the  town  coming  to  me.  I  first  heard 
them  recite  the  words  of  the  catechism,  and  then  examined 
them  about  the  sense ;  and,  lastly,  urged  them,  with  all  possible 
engaging  reason  and  vehemency,  to  answerable  affection  and 
practice.  If  any  of  them  were  stalled  through  ignorance  or 
bashfulness,  I  forbore  to  press  them  any  further  to  answers,  but 
made  them  hearers,  and  either  examined  others,  or  turned  all 
into  instruction  and  exhortation.  I  sppnt  about  an  hour  with 
each  family,  and  admitted  no  others  to  be  present ;  lest  bashful- 
ness should  make  it  burthensome,  or  any  should  talk  of  the 
weaknesses  of  others :  so  that  all  the  afternoons  on  Mondays 
and  Tuesdays  I  spent  in  this  way,  after  I  had  begun  it,  (for  it 
was  many  years  before  I  did  attempt  it,)  and  my  assistant  spent 
the  morning  of  the  same  day  in  the  same  employment.  Before 
that,  I  only  catechised  them  in  the  church,  and  conferred  oc- 
casionally with  an  individual. 

**  Beside  all  this,  I  was  forced,  five  or  six  years,  by  the  peo- 
ple's necessity,  to  practise  physic.  A  common  pleurisy  happen- 
ing one  year,  and  no  physician  being  near,  I  was  forced  to  ad- 
vise them  to  save  their  lives  ;  and  I  could  not  afterwards  avoid 
the  importunity  of  the  town  and  country  round  about.  Be- 
cause I  never  once  took  a  penny  of  any  one,  I  was  crowded  with 
patients ;  so  that  almost  twenty  would  be  at  my  door  at  once  : 
and  though  God,  by  more  success  than  I  expected,  so  long  en- 
couraged me,  yet,  at  last,  I  could  endure  it  no  Ipnger ;  partly 
becaase  it  hindered  my  other  studies,  and  partly  because  the 


;  OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  117 

very  fear  of  miscoring  and  doing  any  one  harm,  did  make  it  an 
intolerable  burden  to  me.  So  that,  after  some  years'  practice,  I 
procured  a  godly  diligent  physician  to  come  and  live  in  the 
town,  and  bound  myself,  by  promise,  to  practise  no  more,  unless 
in  consultation  with  him,  in  case  of  any  seeming  necessity ;  and 
80  with  that  answer  I  turned  them  all  off,  and  never  meddled 
with  it  again. 

*'  But  all  these  my  labours  (except  my  private  conference  with 
the  families),  even  preaching  and  preparing  for  it,  were  but  my 
recreation,  and,  as  it  were,  the  work  of  my  spare  hours ;  for 
my  writings  were  my  chief  daily  labour ;  which  yet  went  the 
more  slowly  on,  that  I  never  one  hour  had  an  amanuensis  to 
dictate  to,  and  especially  because  my  weakness  took  up  so  much 
of  my  time.  All  the  pains  that  my  infirmities  ever  brought 
upon  me,  were  never  half  so  grievous  an  affliction  as  the 
unavoidable  loss  of  time  which  they  occasioned.  I  could  not 
bear,  through  the  weakness  of  my  stomach,  to  rise  before  seven 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  afterwards  not  till  much  later ;  and 
some  infirmities  I  laboured  under,  made  it  above  an  hour  before 
I  could  be  dressed.  An  hour,  I  must  of  necessity  have  to  walk 
before  dinner,  and  another  before  supper;  and  after  supper  I 
could  seldom  study :  all  which,  beside  times  of  family  duties, 
and  prayer,  and  eating,  &c.,  left  me  but  little  time  to  study.: 
which  hath  been  the  greatest  external  personal  affliction  of  all 
my  life. 

**Every  first  Wednesday  in  the  month  was  our  monthly-meet- 
ing for  parish  discipline ;  and  every  first  Thursday  of  the  month, 
was  the  ministers'  meeting  for  discipline  and  disputation.  In 
those  disputations  it  fell  to  my  lot  to  be  almost  constant  moderator; 
and  for  every  such  day,  I  usually  prepared  a  written  determina- 
tion ;  all  which  I  mention  as  my  mercies  and  delights,  and  not 
as  my  burdens.  Every  Thursday,  besides,  I  had  the  company  of 
divers  godly  ministers  at  my  house,  after  the  lecture,  with  whom 
I  spent  that  afternoon  in  the  truest  recreation,  till  my  neigh- 
bours came  to  meet  for  their  exercise  of  repetition  and  prayer. 

"  For  ever  blessed  be  the  God  of  my  mercies,  who  brought  me 
from  the  grave,  and  gave  me,  after  wars  and  sickness,  fourteen 
years'  liberty  in  such  sweet  employment !  How  strange  that,  in 
times  of  usurpation,  I  had  all  this  mercy  and  happy  freedom  ; 
when  under  our  rightful  king  and  governor,  I,  and  many  hun- 
dreds more,  are  silenced  and  laid  by  as  broken  vessels,  and  sus- 
pected and  vilified  as  scarce  to  be  tolerated  to  live  privately  and 


118  THB  L1f6  and  tiMBS 

quietly  in  the  land !  How  mysteriotis,  thiit  God  sliolild  ittlifcfe 
days  of  licentioushess  and  disorder  under  iin  usurper  so  great  k 
mercy  to  me,  and  many  a  thousand  more,  who  under  the  lawful 
gdvetnors  which  they  desired,  and  in  the  days  when  order  is 
said  to  be  restored,  do  sit  in  obscurity  and  unprofitable  silence, 
br  lie  in  prisons  ;  while  all  of  us  are  accounted  Ab  the  scufn  atid 
sweepings,  or  offscourings  of  the  earth. ^ 

"  I  have  mehtioned  my  secret  and  acceptable  employment ; 
let  me,  to  the  praise  of  my  gracious  Lord,  acquaint  you  with 
some  of  my  sutcess ;  and  I  will  not  suppress  it,  though  I  frirc- 
knoW  that  the  malignant  will  impute  the  mention  of  it  to  pride 
and  ostentation.  For  it  is  the  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving  which 
1  owe  to  my  most  gracious  God,  which  I  will  not  deny  him,  for 
fear  of  being  censured  as  proud ;  lest  I  prove  myself  proudfin- 
deed,  while  I  cartnot  undergo  the  imputation  of  .pride  itt  the 
performance  of  my  thanks  for  such  undeserved  mercies; 

"  My  public  preaching  met  with  an  attentive,  diligent  audi- 
tory. Having  broke  over  the  brunt  of  the  opposition  of  the 
tabble  before  the  wars,  I  found  them  afterwards  tractable  atid 
unprejudiced.  Before  I  entered  into  the  ministry, God  blessed  my 
private  conference  to  the  conversion  of  some,  who  remain  firta 
and  eminent  in  holiness  to  this  day :  but  then,  and  in  the  begin- 
ning of  my  ministry,  I  was  wont  to  number  them  as  jewels ;  but 
since  then  I  could  not  keep  ahy  number  of  them.  The  con- 
gregation was  usually  full,  so  that  we  were  fain  to  build  fiv^ 
galleries  afler  my  coming  thither ;  the  church  itself  being  very 
capacious,  and  the  most  commodious  and  convenient  that  etfer 
I  was  in.  Dur  private  meetings,  also,  were  full.  On  the  Lord's 
days  there  was  no  disorder  to  be  seen  in  the  streets ;  but  yoU 
might  hear  a  hundred  families  singing  psalms  and  repeating 
sermons  as  you  passed  through  them.  In  a  word,  when  I  camb 
thither  first,  there  was  about  one  family  in  a  street  that  wor- 
shipped God  and  called  on  his  name,  and  when  I  came  aWay, 
there  were  some  streets  where  there  was  not  one  poor  family  ib 

*>  Baxter's  <  Reformed  Pastor' may  be  considered  as  a  full  illustratioti  of  the 
practice  wbicli  be  here  describes  as  his  owu,  connected  ivitb  the  principles  fay 
Mfbich  it  is  recommended  and  enforced.  Of  that  vtork  I  shall  have  occasion 
to  speali  in  another  place ;  it  is  only  necessary  to  remark,  at  present,  the  con- 
sistency between  the  views  which  Baxter  maintained  with  so  much  ardoufy 
and  the  conduct  which  he  himself  pursued.  Those  who  regard  his  views  of 
the  ministry  as  impracticable,  have  only  to  remember  that  Baxter,  diseased, 
emaciated,  and  in  deaths  oft,  exemplified  the  conduct  which  he  so  admirably 
describes. 


Ol^  RICHARD   BAXTBR.  119 

the  aide  that  did  not  no ;  and  that  did  not^  by  professing  serious 
godliness,  give  us  hopes  of  their  sincerity.  And  in  those  families 
which  were  the  worst,  being  inns  and  alehouses,  usually  some 
persons  in  each  house  did  seem  to  be  religious. 

"  Though  our  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was  so  or- 
dered as  displeased  many,  and  the  far  greater  part  kept  away, 
we  had  six  hundred  that  were  communicants;  of  whom  there 
were  not  twelve  that  I  had  not  good  hopes  of  as  to  their  since- 
rity ;  those  few  who  consented  to  our  communion,  and  yet  lived 
scandalously,  were  excommunicated  aftenvards.  I  hope  there 
we^e  also  many  who  had  the  fear  of  God,  that  came  not  to  our 
communion  in  the  sacrament,  some  of  them  being  kept  off  by  hus- 
bands, by  parents,  by  masters,  and  some  dissuaded  by  men  that 
diffiered  from  us.  Those  many  that  kept  away,  yet  took  it  pa- 
tiently, and  did  not  revile  us  as  doing  them  wrong :  and  those 
rniraly  young  men  who  were  excommunicated,  bore  it  patiently 
as  to  their  outward  behaviour,  though  their  hearts  were  full  of 
bitterness. 

"  When  I  set  upon  personal  conference  with  each  family,  and 
catechising  them,  there  were  very  few  families  in  all  the  town 
that  refused  to  come;  and  those  few  were  beggars  at  the  town's 
ends,  who  virere  so  ignorant,  that  they  were  ashamed  it  should 
be  manifest.  Few  families  went  from  me  without  some  tears, 
or  seemingly  serious  promises  for  a  godly  life.  Yet  many  ig- 
norant and  ungodly  persons  there  were  still  among  us :  but 
most  of  them  were  in  the  parish,  and  not  in  the  town,  and  in 
those  parts  of  the  parish  which  were  farthest  from  the  town. 
And  whereas  one  part  of  the  parish  was  impropriate,  and  paid 
tithes  to  laymen,  and  the  other  part  maintained  the  church,  a 
brook  dividing  them,  it  fell  out  that  almost  all  that  side  of  the 
parish  which  paid  tithes  to  the  church,  were  godly,  honest  peo- 
ple, and  did  it  willingly,  without  contestation,  and  most  of  the 
bad  people  of  the  parish  lived  on  the  other  side.  Some  of  the 
poor  men  did  competently  understand  the  body  of  divinity,  and 
were  able  to  judge  in  difficult  controversies.  Some  of  them  were 
so  able  in  prayer,  that  very  few  ministers  did  match  them  in 
order  and  fulness,  and  apt  expressions,  and  holy  oratory,  with 
fervency.  Abundance  of  them  were  able  to  pray  very  laudably 
with  their  families,  or  with  others.  The  temper  of  their  minds, 
and  the  innocency  of  their  lives,  were  much  more  laudable  than 
their  parts.  The  professors  of  serious  godliness  were  generally 
of  very  humble  minds  and  carriage ;  of  meek  and  quiet  behaviour 


120  THE  LIFB  AND  TIMBS 

unto  others ;  and  of  blamelessness  and  innocency  in  their  con- 
versation. 

'^  God  was  pleased  also  to  give  me  abundant  encouragement 
in  the  lectures  I  preached  about  in  other  places;  as  at  Worces- 
ter, Cleobury,  &c.,  but  especially  at  Dudley  and  Sheflnal.  At 
the  former  of  which,  being  the  first  place  that  ever  I  preached  in, 
the  poor  nailers^  and  other  labourers,  would  not  only  crowd  the 
church  as  full  as  ever  I  saw  any  in  London,  but  also  hang  upon 
the  windows  and  the  leads  without. 

*^  In  my  poor  endeavours  with  my  brethren  in  the  ministry,  my 
labours  were  not  lost ;  our  disputatious  proved  not  unprofitable. 
Our  meetings  were  never  contentious,  but  always  comfortable ; 
we  took  great  delight  in  the  company  of  each  other ;  so  that  I 
know  that  the  remembrance  of  those  days  is  pleasant  both  to 
them  and  me.  When  discouragements  had  long  kept  me  from 
motioning  a  way  of  church  order  and  discipline,  which  all  might 
agree  in,  that  we  might  neither  have  churches  ungoverned,  nor 
fall  into  divisions  among  ourselves,  at  the  first  mentioning  of  it, 
I  found  a  readier  consent  than  I  could  have  expected,  and  all 
went  on  without  any  great  obstructing  difiiculties.  When  I 
attempted  also  to  bring  them  all  conjointly  to  the  work  of  cate- 
chising and  instructing  every  family  by  itself,  I  found  a  ready 
consent  in  most,  and  performance  in  many. 

*'  I  must  here,  then,  to  the  praise  of  my  dear  Redeemer,  set 
up  this  pillar  of  remembrance,  even  to  his  praise  who  hath  em- 
ployed me  so  many  years  in  so  comfortable  a  work,  with  such 
encouraging  success.  O  what  am  I,  a  worthless  worm,  not 
only  wanting  academical  honours,  but  much  of  that  furniture 
which  is  needful  to  so  high  a  work,  that  God  should  thus  abun- 
dantly encourage  me,  when  the  reverend  instructors  of  my  youth 
did  labour  fifty  years  together  in  one  place,  and  could  scarcely 
say  they  had  converted  one  or  two  in  their  parishes !  And  the 
greater  was  the  mercy,  because  I  was  naturally  of  a  discouraged 
spirit ;  so  that  if  I  had  preached  one  year,  and  seen  no  fruits  of 
it,  I  should  hardly  have  forborne  running  away,  like  Jonah ;  but 
should  have  thought  that  God  called  me  not  to  that  place. 

"  Having  related  my  comfortable  success  in  this  place,  I  shall 
next  tell  you  by  what  and  how  many  advantages  this  was  ef- 
fected, under  that  grace  which  worketh  by  means,  though  with 
a  free  diversity.  I  do  it  chiefly  for  their  sakes  who  would  know 
the  means  of  other  men's  experiments  in  managing  ignorant 
and  sinful  parishes. 


OP  RICHARD   BAXTER.  121 

^'  One  advantage  was^  that  I  came  to  a  people  who  never  had 
any  awakening  ministry  before^  but  a  few  formal  cold  sermons 
from  the  curate ;  for  if  they  had  been  hardened  under  a  powerful 
ministry,  and  been  sermon  proof,  I  should  have  expected  less. 

^  I  was  then,  also,  in  the  vigour  of  my  spirats,  and  had  na- 
turally a  familiar  moving  voice,  (which  is  a  great  matter  with  the 
common  hearers),  and  doing  all  in  bodily  weakness  as  a  dying 
man,  my  soul  was  the  more  easily  brought  to  seriousness,  and 
to  preach  as  a  dying  man  to  dying  men.  For  drowsy  formality 
and  custom ariness  doth  but  stupify  the  hearers,  and  rock  them 
asleep.  It  must  be  serious  preaching,  which  will  make  men 
serious  in  hearing  and  obeying  it. 

.  ^^  Another  advantage  was,  that  most  of  the  bitter  enemies  of 
godliness  in  the  town,  who  rose  in  tumults  against  me  before, 
in  their  hatred  of  Puritans,  had  gone  out  into  the  wars,  into  the 
king's  armies,  and  were  quickly  killed,  and  few  of  them  ever 
returned  again ;  and  so  there  were  few  to  make  any  great  op- 
position to  godliness. 

'^  The  change  that  was  made  in  the  public  affairs  also  by  the 
success  of  the  wars,  which,  however  it  was  done,  and  though 
much  corrupted  by  the  usurpers,  was  such  as  removed  many  and 
great  impediments  to  men's  salvation.  Before,  the  rabble  had 
boldness  enough  to  make  serious  godliness  a  common  scorn,  and 
call  them  all  Puritans  and  Precisians  who  cared  not  little  for 
God,  and  heaven,  and  their  souls,  as  they  did ;  especially  if  a 
man  was  not  fully  satisfied  with  their  undisciplined,  disordered 
churches,  or  lay-chancellor's  excommunications,  &c.  Then,  no 
name  was  bad  enough  for  him ;  and  the  bishops'  articles  in- 
quiring after  such,  and  their  courts,  and  the  high-commission 
grievously  afflicting  those  who  did  but  fast  and  pray  together,  or 
go  from  an  ignorant,  drunken  reader,  to  hear  a  godly,  able  preacher 
at  the  next  parish,  kept  religion  among  the  vulgar  under 
either  continual  reproach  or  terror ;  encouraging  the  rabble  to 
despise  and  revile  it,  and  discotiraging  those  that  else  would  own 
it.  Experience  telleth  us  that  it  is  a  lamentable  impediment 
to  men's  conversion  when  it  is  a  *  way  everywhere  spoken 
against,'  and  persecuted  by  superiors,  which  they  must  embrace; 
and  when  at  their  first  approaches,  they  must  go  through  such 
clangers  and  obloquy  as  is  fitter  for  confirmed  Christians  to  be 
exercised  with,  than  unconverted  sinners  or  young  beginners. 
Though  Cromwell  gave  liberty  to  all  sects  among  us,  and  did 
not  set  up  any  party  alone  by  force,  yet  this  much  gave  abundant 


182  Tfih  LIFB  ANt>  riMiS 

sldvatitage  to  the  GD!t))eI,  reifiotitig  the  prejtldic^  and  the  teitors 
^hich  hihdered  it ;  *  especially  considering;  that  godliness  htA 
caunteiititice,  and  reputatidn  also,  as  well  as  liberty*  Wh^reM 
before,  if  it  did  not  appear  in  all  the  fetters  and  formalities  tt  thd 
times,  it  was  the  common  Way  to  shame  and  ruin.  Hearing 
sermons  abroad,  when  there  were  none  or  worse  at  hdme )  fast* 
ing  and  praying  together ;  the  strict  observation  of  the  Lord's 
day,  and  suchl-ike,  went  under  the  dangerous  natne  of  Puri- 
tanism, as  much  as  opposing  bishops  and  ceremonies. 

"  I  know  you  may  now  meet  with  men  who  confidently 
affirm  that  all  religion  was  then  trodden  down,  and  heresy 
and  schism  were  the  only  piety;  but  I  give  watning  to  all 
ages  by  the  experience  of  this  incredible  age,  that  they  take 
heed  how  they  believe  any,  whoever  they  be,  while  they  ar# 
speaking  for  the  interest  of  their  factions  and  opinions^  against 
those  that  were  their  real  or  supposed  adversaries.* 

'*  For  my  part  I  bless  God,  who  gave  me  even  under  an  tisurpef 
whom  I  opposed,  such  liberty  and  advantage  to  preach  his 
Gospel  with  success,  as  I  cannot  have  under  a  king  to  whom 
I  have  sWorn  and  performed  true  subjection  and  obedience  ^ 
yea,  such  as  no  age,  since  the  Gospel  came  into  this  laiid,  did 
before  possess,  as  far  as  I  can  learn  from  history.  I  shall  add 
this  much  more  for  the  sake  of  posterity,  that  as  much  as  I 
have  said  and  written  against  licentiousness  in  religion,  and  (of 
the  magistrates'  power  in  it ;  and  though  I  think  that  land  most 
happy  whose  rulers  use  their  authority  for  Christ,  as  well  as  tbt 
the  civil  peace ;  yet,  in  comparison  of  the  rest  of  the  world,  I 
shall  think  that  land  happy  which  hath  but  bare  liberty  to  be  as 
good  as  the  people  are  willing  to  be.  And  if  countenance  and 
maintenance  be  but  added  to  liberty,  and  tolerated  errors  and 
sects  be  but  forced  to  keep  the  peace,  and  not  to  oppose  the 
substantial  of  Christianity,  I  shall  not  hereafter  much  fear  such 
toleration,  nor  despair  that  truth  will  bear  down  its  adversaries.* 
'^  Another  advantage  which  I  found,  was  the  acceptation  of 

*  Could  the  reader  wish  for  a  atrooger  testimony  in  favour  of  uni?ersal 
liberty  than  this  ?  Reli^on  prospered  more  under  the  Usurper  tbati  under 
the  legitimate  soTereign. 

^  it  is  important  to  connect  this  statement  fvith  Baxter's  account  pven  ia 
the  preceding  chapter  of  the  sects  and  heresies  of  the  period.  They  are  net 
at  variance  with  each  other.  But  to  answer  certain  purposes,  it  is  not  un- 
common to  quote  the  worst  representation  of  the  case  and  to  omit  the  other. 

*  Here  the  good  sense  and  Christian  feelings  of  Baxter,  evidently  f  et  the 
better  of  aU  his  theoretical  notions  of  civil  government  and  the  magistrates' 
power  in  rt ligion* 


oir  MchArd  baxtbr.  128 

AT  ptt9M  ainofig  the  people.  Though,  to  win  eatlmfltibn  and 
love  to  ourselves  only,  be  an  end  that  none  but  proud  men  and 
hvtk>critea  intend,  yet  it  is  most  certain  that  the  gratefulness  of 
the  person  doth  ingratiate  the  message^  and  greatly  prepareth 
\ht  people  to  receive  the  truth.  Had  they  taken  me  to  be  ig- 
norant, erroneous,  scandalous,  worldly,  self-seeking,  or  such-like, 
I  coold  have  expected  small  success  among  them. 

**  Another  advantage  which  I  had,  was  the  zeal  and  diligence 
of  the  godly  people  of  the  place.  They  thirsted  after  the  sal- 
vation of  their  neighbours,  and  were  in  private  my  assistants, 
abd  being  dispersed  through  the  town,  were  ready  in  almost  all 
companies  to  repress  seducing  words,  and  to  justify  godliness, 
convince,  reprove,  and  exhort  men  According  to  their  needs ; 
as  also  to  teach  them  how  to  pray  i  and  to  help  them  to  sanc- 
tify the  Lord's  day.  For  those  people  who  had  none  in  their 
families  who  could  pray,  or  repeat  the  sermons,  went  to  their 
next  neighbour's  house  who  could  do  it,  and  joined  with  them ; 
80  that  some  of  the  houses  of  the  ablest  men  in  each  street,  were 
filled  with  them  that  could  do  nothing,  or  little,  in  their  own. 

^  Their  holy,  humble,  blameless  lives  were  also  a  great  advan- 
tage to  me.  The  malicious  people  could  not  say.  Your  pro- 
fessors here  are  as  proud  and  covetous  as  any ;  but  the  blame- 
less lives  of  godly  people  did  shame  opposers,  and  put  to  silence 
the  ignorance  of  foolish  men,  and  many  were  won  by  their 
good  conversation. 

'  ^  Our  unity  and  concord  were  a  great  advantage  to  us ;  and 
our  freedom  from  those  sects  and  heresies,  with  which  many 
other  places  were  infected  We  had  no  private  church,  and 
though  we  had  private  meetings  we  had  not  pastor  against  pastor, 
or  church  against  church,  or  sect  against  sect,  or  Christian 
against  Christian. 

"Our  private  meetings  were  a  marvellous  help  to  the  propa- 
gating of  godliness,  for  thereby,  truths  that  slipped  away,  were 
recalled,  and  the  seriousness  of  the  people's  minds  renewed, 
and  good  desires  cherished.  Their  knowledge,  also,  was  much 
increased  by  them,  and  the  younger  sort  learned  to  pray  by  fre- 
quently hearing  others.  I  had  also  the  opportunity  of  knowing 
tlieir  case ;  for  if  any  were  touched  and  awakened  in  public, 
I  should  frequently  see  them  drop  into  our  private  meetings. 
Idle  meetings  and  loss  of  time  were  greatly  prevented ;  and  so 
far  were  we  from  being  by  this  in  danger  of  schism,  or  divi- 
sions, that  it  was  the  principal  means  to  prevent  them;  for 


124  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMBS 

here  I  was  usually  present  wi(h  them,  answering  their  doubts^ 
silencing  objections,  and  moderating  them  in  all. 

'^  Another  thing  which  advantaged  us,  was  some  public  dis* 
putations  which  we  had  with  gainsayers,  which  very  much  con- 
firmed the  people.  The  Quakers  would  fain  have  got  enter- 
tainment, and  set  up  a  meeting  in  the  town,  and  frequently 
railed  at  me  in  the  congregation ;  but  when  I  had  once  given 
them  leave  to  meet  in  the  church  for  a  dispute,  and,  before  the 
people,  had  opened  their  deceits  and  shame,  none  would  enter- 
tain them  more,  nor  did  they  get  one  proselyte  among  us. 

^^  Another  advantage,  was  the  great  honesty  and  diligence  of 
my  assistants.  Another  was  the  presence  and  countenance 
of  honest  justices  of  peace,  who  ordinarily  were  godly  men, 
and  always  such  as  would  be  thought  so,  and  were  ready  to  use 
their  authority  to  suppress  sin  and  promote  goodness. 

^'Another  help  to  my  success,  was  the  small  relief  which  my 
low  estate  enabled  me  to  afford  the  poor;  though  the  place  was 
req^oned  at  near  two  hundred  pounds  per  annum,  there  came  but 
ninety  pounds,  and  sometimes  onlyeighty  pounds  to  me.  Beside 
which,  some  years  I  had  sixty,  or  eighty  pounds  a  year  of  the 
booksellers  for  my  books :  which  little  dispersed  among  them, 
much  reconciled  them  to  the  doctrine  that  I  taught.  I  took 
the  aptest  of  their  children  from  the  school,  and  sent  divers  of 
them  to  the  universities ;  where  for  eight  pounds  a  year,  or 
ten,  at  most,  by  the  help  of  my  friends,  I  maintained  them. 
Some  of  these  are  honest,  able  ministers,  now  cast  out  with 
their  brethren  ;  but,  two  or  three,  having  no  other  way  to  live, 
turned  great  Conformists,  and  are  preachers  now.  In  giving 
the  little  I  had,  I  did  not  inquire  whether  they  were  good  or 
bad,  if  they  asked  relief;  for  the  bad  had  souls  and  bodies  that 
needed  charity  most.  And  this  truth  I  will  speak  to  the  en- 
couragement of  the  charitable,  that  what  little  money  I  have 
now  by  me,  I  got  it  almost  all,  I  scarce  know  how,  at  that  time 
when  I  gave  most,  and  since  I  have  had  less  opportunity  of 
giving,  I  have  had  less  increase. 

"  Another  furtherance  of  my  work,  was  the  books  which  I 
wrote,  and  gave  away  among  them.  Of  some  small  books  I  gave 
each  family  one,  which  came  to  about  eight  hundred ;  and  of 
the  bigger,  I  gave  fewer:  and  every  family  that  was  poor, 
and  had  not  a  Bible,  I  gave  a  Bible  to.  I  had  found  myself 
the  benefit  of  reading  to  be  so  great,  that  I  could  not  but 
think  it  would  be  profitable  to  others. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  125 

^  It  was  a  great  advantage  to  me,  that  my  neighbours  were 
of  such  a  trade,  as  allowed  them  time  enough  to  read  or  talk  of 
holy  things.  For  the  town  liveth  upon  the  weaving  of  Kidder- 
minster stuffs ;  and,  as  they  stand  in  their  looms,  the  men  can  set 
a  book  before  them,  or  edify  one  another;  whereas,  ploughmen, 
and  many  others,  are  so  wearied,  or  continually  employed, 
either  in  the  labours,  or  the  cares  of  their  callings,  that  it  is  a 
great  impediment  to  their  salvation.  Freeholders  and  trades- 
men are  the  strength  of  religion  and  civility  in  the  land  ;  and 
gentlemen,  and  beggars,  and  servile  tenants,  are  the  strength  of 
iniquity.  Though  among  these  sorts,  there  are  some  also  that 
are  good  and  just,  as  among  the  other  there  are  many  bad. 
And  their  constant  converse  and  traffic  with  London,  doth 
much  promote  civility  and  piety  among  tradesmen. 

'^  I  found  also  that  my  single  life  afforded  me  much  advan- 
tage :  for  I  could  the  easier  take  my  people  for  my  children, 
and  think  all  that  I  had  too  little  for  them,  in  that  I  had  no 
children  of  my  own  to  tempt  me  to  another  way  of  using  it. 
Being  discharged  from  most  of  family  cares,  and  keeping  but 
one  servant,  I  had  the  greater  vacancy  and  liberty  for  the  la- 
bours of  my  calling. 

'^  God  made  use  of  my  practice  of  physic  among  them  also 
as  a  very  great  advantage  to  my  ministry ;  for  they  that  cared 
not  for  their  souls,  did  love  their  lives,  and  care  for  their  bodies; 
andyby  this,  they  were  made  almost  as  obsen'ant,  as  a  tenant 
is  of  his  landlord.  Sometimes  I  could  see  before  me  in  the 
church,  a  very  considerable  part  of  the  congregation,  whose 
lives  God  had  made  me  a  means  to  save,  or  to  recover  their 
health ;  and  doing  it  for  nothing  so  obliged  them,  that  they 
would  readily  hear  me. 

"  It  was  a  great  advantage  to  me,  that  there  were  at  last  few 
that  were  bad,  but  some  of  their  own  relations  were  converted : 
many  children  did  God  work  upon,  at  fourteen,  fifteen,  or  six- 
teen years  of  age ;  and  this  did  marvellously  reconcile  the 
minds  of  the  parents  and  elder  sort  to  godliness.  They  that 
would  not  hear  me,  would  hear  their  own  children.  Thev  that 
before  could  have  talked  against  godliness,  would  not  hear  it 
spoken  against,  when  it  was  their  children's  case.  Many  who 
would  not  be  brought  to  it  themselves,  were  proud  that  they 
had  understanding,  religious  children  ;  and  we  had  some  old 
persons  of  eighty  years  of  age,  who  are,  I  hope,  in  heaven,  and 


}36  TliB  hlFR  4NP    TlU^B 

the  cpnveraion  of  their  own  children,  was  the  chief  meani  to 
overcome  their  prejudice^  and  old  customs,  and  conceits, 

^'  Another  great  help  to  my  success  at  last,  was  the  foraierlj 
described  work  of  personal  conference  with  every  family  ap^ 
with  catechising  and  instructing  them.  That  which  waa  spoken 
to  them  personally,  and  which  put  them  sometimes  upon  answersi 
awakened  their  attention,  and  was  easier  applied  than  public 
preaching,  and  seemed  to  do  much  more  upon  them, 

*^  llie  exercise  of  church  discipline  was  no  small  ftirtherance 
of  the  people's  good  :  for  I  found  plainly,  that  without  it,  I 
could  not  have  kept  the  religious  sort  from  separation  and  divi- 
sions/ There  is  something  generally  in  their  dispositioni, 
which  inclineth  them  to  dissociate  from  open  ungodly  sinnen, 
as  men  of  another  nature  and  society;  and  if  they  had  not  seen 
me  do  something  reasonable  for  a  regular  separation  of  the  no- 
torious, obstinate  sinners  from  the  rest,  they  would  irregu- 
larly have  withdrawn  themselves.  It  had  not  been  in  my 
power  with  bare  words  to  satisfy  them,  when  they  saw  we  had 
liberty  to  do  what  we  would.  And  so,  for  fear  of  disciplinei 
all  the  parish  kept  oiF  except  about  six  hundred,  when  there  were 
in  all  above  sixteen  hundred  at  an  age  to  be  communicants.  Yet 

'  The  entire  want  of  discipline  which  has  always  characterised  the  Esta- 
hlbhed  Church,  is  one  of  its  greatest  blots.  There  is  no  separatinii  wbatevtr 
between  the  precious  and  the  vile.  The  purity  of  Christian  fellowship,  or  the 
distinction  betwec!t]  the  church  and  the  world,  can  neither,  therefore,  be  un- 
derstood nor  practised.  On  this  subject,  Baxter  says,  referring  to  the  ri»e  of 
the  Puritans  : — «  There  was  scarcely  any  such  a  thing  as  church  govcrmpcvt 
or  discipline  known  in  the  land,  but  only  the  harassing  of  those  who  dissftoficd 
from  them.  In  all  my  life,  I  never  lived  in  the  parish  where  one  person  wai 
publicly  admonished,  or  brought  to  public  penitence,  or  excommunicated^ 
though  there  were  never  so  many  obstinate  drunkards,  wfaoremongfen,  or 
vilest  offenders.  Only  ]  have  known  now  and  then  one  for  getting  a  bastayd* 
that  went  to  the  bishop's  court  and  paid  bis  fees ;  and  f  heard  of  two  or  three 
in  all  the  country,  in  all  my  life,  that  stood  in  a  white  sheet  an  hour  in  the 
church ;  but  the  ancient  discipline  of  the  church  was  unknown.  And,  indeed, 
it  was  made  by  them  impossible,  when  one  man  that  lived  at  a  distance  fioin 
them,  and  knew  not  one  of  many  hundreds  of  the  flock,  did  take  upon  him  the 
sole  jurisdiction,  and  executed  it  not  by  himself,  but  by  a  lay  chancellor,  ex- 
cluding the  pastors  of  the  several  congregations,  who  were  but  to  Join  with 
the  churchwardens  and  the  apparitors  in  presenting  men,  and  bringiof 
them  into  their  courts ;  and  an  impossible  task  roust  needs  be  unperformed. 
And  so  the  controversy,  as  to  the  letter  and  outside,  was,  fflio  shall  be  the 
govemort  of  all  the  particular  churches?  But  to  the  sense  and  inside  of  it,  it 
was,  f^hether  there  should  be  any  effectual  church  government,  or  nttt 
IVhereupon,  those  that  pleaded  for  discipline,  were  called  by  the  new  name  of 
the  disciplinarians ;  as  if  it  had  been  a  kind  of  heresy  to  desire  discipline  to 
the  c\msc\i.**'-'ReformedPast9ry  ffbrks,  vol.  xiv.  p.  145. 


OF  RICHARO  BAXTER.  12/ 

because  it  Wju  their  own  doing,  wd  they  knew  they  might  come 
in  when  they  would,  they  were  quiet  in  their  separation ;  for  we 
look  them  for  the  Separatists.  Those  that  scrupled  our  ges- 
ture at  the  sacrament,  I  openly  told  that  they  should  have 
it  in  their  own.  Yet  did  I  baptise  all  their  children,  but  made 
them  first,  as  I  would  have  done  by  strangers,  give  me  privately, 
or  publicly  if  they  had  rather,  an  account  of  their  faith ;  and  if 
any  father  was  a  scandalous  sinner,  I  made  him  confess  his  sin 
^  openly,  mth  seeming  penitence,  before  I  would  baptise  his 
child.  If  be  refused  it,  I  forbore  till  the  mother  came  to  pre- 
sent it ;  for  I  rarely,  if  ever,  found  both  father  and  mother  so 
d^titute  of  knowledge  and  faith,  as  in  a  church  sense  to  be  in- 
capable hereof.' 

^Another  advantage  which  I  found  to  my  success,  was,  by 
ordering  my  doctrine  to  them  in  a  suitableness  to  the  main  end, 
and  yet  so  as  might  suit  their  dispositions  and  diseases.  The 
things  which  I  daily  opened  to  them,  and  with  greatest  impor- 
tunity laboured  to  imprint  upon  their  minds,  were  the  great 

r  Baxter  appean  to  liave  maintained  a  most  vigilant  and  effective  discipline 
ii  hU  coDgregatioQ.  Of  bis  fidelity  to  individuals,  many  proofs  remain  in  the 
pointed  letters  which  be  wrote  to  them.  The  following  is  a  specimen,  from 
the  Baxter  MSS.in  Redcross  Street  Library,  which  I  select  chiefly  on  account 
of  its  brevity.  It  shows  how  much  of  Congregationalism  was  in  Baxter's  system 
of  church  polity. 

"  George  Nichols^ 
"  Because  you  shall  have  no  pretence  to  say  that  we  deal  hardly  with  you,  I 
ibaU  not  meddle  with  that  which  is  commonly  called  excommunication  against 
yoia.  But  because  you  have  disclaimed  your  membership,  and  denied  to  ex- 
press repentance  of  it,  even  in  private,  which  you  should  have  done  in  public, 
1  shall  this  day  acquaint  the  church  of  your  sin  and  separation,  (in  which  you. 
bave  broken  your  covenant  to  God  and  us,)  and  that  you  are  no  more  a  mem- 
ber of  this  church  or  of  my  pastoral  charge.  1  shall  do  no  more,  but 
ihall  leave  the  rest  to  God,  who  will  do  more,  only  I  shall  desire  the 
church  to  pray  for  your  repentance  and  forgiveness ;  and,  therefore,  desire 
you  this  day  to  be  there  and  join  with  us  in  those  prayers.  And  then, 
except  you  openly  lament  your  sin,  you  shall  be  troubled  with  my  admo- 
nitions no  more.  From  this  time  forward  1  have  doue  with  you,  till  either 
God  correct  you,  or  I  and  my  warnings  and  labours  be  brought  in  aa  a  wit- 
ness against  you  to  your  confusion. 

'*  Your  compassionate  Friend, 

«  RICHARD  BAXTER. 
"  Jan.  28, 1658." 
The  answer  to  this,  is  on  the  same  sheet  in  another  hand. 

«♦  Sir, 
"  Except  Pearshall,  your  Constable,  will  come  to  church,  and  there  ac- 
knowledge that  he  has  done  me  wrong  in  saying  I  was  drunk^  1  shall  not  ap- 
pear there.        So  I  rest, 

**  Your  Servant, 

"  GEORGE  NICHOLS." 


128  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMES 

fundamental  principles  of  Christianity  contained  in  their  bap^ 
tismal  covenant,  even  a  right  knowledge  and  belief  of,  and  sub- 
jection and  love  to,  God  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  love  to  all  men,  and  concord  with  the  church  and  one 
another.  I  did  so  daily  inculcate  the  knowledge  of  God  our 
Creator,  Redeemer,  and  Sanctifier,  love  and  obedience  to 
God,  unity  with  the  church  catholic,  and  love  to  men  and  the 
hope  of  life  eternal,  that  these  were  the  matter  of  their  daily 
cogitations  and  discourses,  and,  indeed,  their  religion. 

"  Yet,  I  did  usually  put  in  something  in  my  sermon,  which  was  . 
above  their  own  discovery,  and  which  they  had  not  known  before ; 
and  this  I  did  that  they  might  be  kept  humble,  and  still  perceive 
their  ignorance,  and  be  willing  to  keep  in  a  learning  state.  For 
when  preachers  tell  their  people  of  no  more  than  they  know, 
and  do  not  show  that  they  excel  them  in  knowledge,  and  scarcely 
overtop  them  in  abilities,  the  people  will  be  tempted  to  turn  • 
preachers  themselves,  and  think  that  they  have  learned  all  that 
the  ministers  can  teach  them,  and  are  as  wise  as  they.  Hiey 
will  be  apt  to  contemn  their  teachers,  and  wrangle  with  all  their  , 
doctrines,  and  set  their  wits  against  them,  and  hear  them  as 
censurers,  and  not  as  disciples,  to  their  own  undoing,  and  to  the 
disturbance  of  the  church ;  and  thus  they  will  easily  draw  dis- 
ciples after  them.  The  bare  authority  of  the  clergy  will  not 
serve  the  turn,  without  overtopping  ministerial  abilities.  I  did 
this,  also,  to  increase  their  knowledge,  and  to  make  religion  plea- 
sant to  them,  by  a  daily  addition  to  their  former  light,  and  to 
draw  them  on  with  desire  and  delight.  But  these  things  which 
they  did  not  know  before,  were  not  unprofitable  controversies 
which  tended  not  to  edification,  or  novelties  in  doctrine  contrary 
to  the  universal  church;  but  either  such  points  as  tended  to  illus- 
trate the  great  doctrines  before  mentioned,  or  usually  about  the 
right  methodizing  of  them.  The  opening  of  the  true  and  pro- 
fitable method  of  the  creed,  or  doctrine  of  faith ;  the  Lord's 
Prayer,  or  matter  of  our  desires ;  and  the  ten  commandments^  ^ 
or  the  law  of  practice. 

*^  Another  thing  that  helped  me,  was,  my  not  meddling  with 
tithes  or  worldly  business,  whereby  I  had  my  whole  time,  except 
what  sickness  deprived  me  of,  for  my  duty,  and  my  mind  more 
free  from  entanglements  than  else  it  would  have  been  ;  and^ 
also,  I  escaped  the  offending  of  the  people,  and  contending  by 
any  law-suits  with  them.  Three  or  four  of  my  neighbours 
managed  all  those  kind  of  businesses,  of  whom  I  never  took  ac- 


OF  filCHARD  BAXTBR. 


129 


eouiit  $  and  if  any  one  refused  to  pay  his  tithes,  if  he  was  poor^ 
I  ordered  them  to  forgive  it  him.  After  that,  I  was  constrained 
to'  let  the  tithes  be  gathered,  as  by  my  title,  to  save  the  gatherers 
from  lawsuits.  But  if  the  parties  were  able,  I  ordered  them 
to  seek  it  by  the  magistrate,  with  the  damage,  and  give  both 
my  part  and  the  damages  to  the  poor ;  for  I  resolved  to  have 
none  of  it  myself  that  was  recovered  by  law,  and  yet  I  could 
not  tolerate  the  sacrilege  and  fraud  of  covetous  men.  Wheu 
they  knew  that  thb  was  the  rule  I  went  by,  none  of  them  that 
Here  able  would  do  the  poor  so  great  a  kindness  as  to  deny  the 
payment  of  their  tithes.  In  my  own  family,  I  had  the  help  of 
ny  father  and  stepmother^  and  the  benefit  of  a  godly,  under- 
standings faithful  servant,  an  ancient  woman,  near  sixty  years' 
oM,  who  eased  me  of  all  care,  and  laid  out  all  my  money  for 
hooaekeeping ;  so  that  I  never  had  one  hour's  trouble  about  it^ 
Qor  ever  took  one  day's  account  of  her  for  fourteen  years  to- 
gether, as  being  certain  of  her  fidelity,  providence,  and  skill. 

^  Finally,  it  much  furthered  my  success,  that  I  staid  still  in 
this  one  place,  near  two  years  before  the  wars,  and  above  four- 
teen years  after ;  for  he  that  removeth  oft  from  place  to  place, 
nay  sow  good  seed  in  many  places,  but  is  not  likely  to  see 
mnch  fruit  in  any,  unless  some  other  skilful  hand  shall  follow 
him  to  water  it.  '  It  was  a  great  advantage  to  me  to  have  almost 
all  the  religious  people  of  the  place,  of  my  own  instructing  and 
informing;  and  that  they  were  not  formed  into  erroneous  and 
factious  principles  before ;  and  that  I  staid  to  see  them  grow 
up  to  some  confirmedness  and  maturity. 

*^  Our  successes  were  enlarged  beyond  our  own  congregations, 
by  the  lectures  kept  up  round  about.  To  divers  of  them  I  went 
as  oft  as  I  was  able;  and  the  neighbouring  ministers,  oftener  than 
I;  especially  Mr.  Oasland,  of  Bewdley,  who,  having  a  strong 
body,  a  zealous  spirit,  and  an  earnest  utterance,  went  up  and 
down  preaching  from  place  to  place,  with  great  acceptance  and 
success.  But  this  business,  also,  we  contrived  to  be  universally 
and  orderly  managed.  For,  beside  the  fixed  lectures  set  up 
on  week  days,  in  several  places,  we  studied  how  to  have  them 
extend  to  every  place  in  the  county  that  had  need.  For  when 
the  parliament  purged  the  ministry,  they  cast  out  the  grosser 
sort  of  insufficient  and  scandalous  ones,  such  as  gross  drunkards 
and  the  like ;  and  also  some  few  civil  men  that  had  assisted  in 
the  wars  against  the  parliament,  or  set  up  bowing  to  altstrs,  or 
such  innovations;  but  they  had  left  in  nearly  one  half  the  minis- 

vou  I.  K 


ISO  THB  UFB  AND  TIMSS 

tersy  that  were  not  good  enough  to  do  much  service,  or  bad 
enough  to  be  cast  out  as  utterly  intolerable.  There  were  many 
poor,  weak  preachers  who  had  no  great  skill  in  divinity,  or  zeal 
for  godliness ;  but  preached  weakly  that  which  is  true,  and  lived 
in  no  gross,  notorious  sin.  These  men  were  not  cast  out,  but 
yet  their  people  greatly  needed  help ;  for  their  dark,  sleepy 
preaching  did  but  little  good.  We,  therefore,  resolved  that  some 
of  the  abler  ministers  should  often  voluntarily  help  them ;  but. 
all  the  care  was  how  to  do  it  without  offending  them. 

'^  It  fell  out  seasonably  that  the  Londoners  of  that  county,  at 
their  yearly  feast,  collected  about  thirty  pounds,  and  sent  it  me 
by  that  worthy  man,  Mr.  Thomas  Stanley,  of  Bread-«treet,  to 
set  up  a  lecture  for  that  year.  We,  therefore,  covered  all  our 
designs  under  the  name  of  the  Londoners'  Lecture,  which  took 
off  the  offence.  We  chose  four  worthy  men,  Mr.  Andrew 
Tristram,  Mr.  Henry  Oasland,  Mr.  Thomas  Baldwin,  and  Mr. 
Joseph  Treble,  who  undertook  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  ill  consequences  and  offence,  they  were 
sometimes  to  go  to  abler  men's  congregations  ;  and  wherever 
they  came,  to  say  something  always  to  draw  the  people  to  the 
honour  and  special  regard  of  their  own  pastors,  that,  how  weak 
soever  they  were,  they  might  see  that  we  came  not  to  draw 
away  the  people's  hearts  from  them,  but  to  strengthen  their 
hands,  and  help  them  in  their  work. 

^^This  lecture  did  a  great  deal  of  good;  and  though  the  Lon- 
doners gave  their  money  but  that  one  year,  when  it  was  once 
set  on  foot,  we  continued  it  voluntarily,  till  the  ministers  were 
turned  out  and  all  these  works  went  dou'n  together. 

^*  So  much  of  the  way  and  helps  of  those  successes,  which  I 
mention,  because  many  have  inquired  after  them,  as  willing,  with 
their  own  flocks,  to  take  that  course  which  other  men  have  by 
experience  found  to  be  effectual."  ^ 

I  have  thus  given  an  abridged  but  faithful  statement  of  Bax- 
ter's labours  and  success,  during  the  most  important  period  of 
his  public  ministry,  and  of  the  principal  means  which  promoted 
that  success.  In  few  instances  have  the  ministers  of  Christ 
been  honoured  to  be  so  extensively  useful  to  the  souls  of  their 
hearers ;  and  where  eminent  success  has  occurred  we  have  not 

^  Life^  part  i.,  pp.  63—96. 


tlmgrs  beeo  •uffieietitl/  infonned  of  the  meani  by  which  it  hu  * 
kwD  promoted.  The  secret  of  hit  success,  Baxter  has  disclosed 
Is  us  in  the  most  faithful  and  interesting  manner.  While  we 
sdmire  the  grace  of  God  which  so  abmidantijr  rested  npon  his 
idKmrs^  we  cannot  but  notice  at  the  same  time,  the  extraordi-* 
nary  suitableness  and  adaptation,  both  of  the  instrument  him-^ 
ad^  and  of  the  means  which  he  employed  in  the  work  he 
was  honoured  to  accomplish.  To  a  few  points  in  the  preced- 
ing statement,  I  hope  I  shall  be  forgiven  for  turning  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Christian  mmister. 

Abstracting  all  the  temporary  and  local  circumstances  to 
which  Baxter  adverts  as  fiivourable  to  his  success,  the  sim- 
^irity  and  intense  ardour  of  his  preaching  demand  oxxe  notice. 
It  waa  Admirably  adapted  to  instruct  the  ignorant,  to  rouse  the 
eardesa,  and  to  build  up  the  faithful.  He  sought  out  acceptable 
words,  but  he  had  neither  time  nor  taste  for  making  what  are 
called  fine  sermons;  he  studied  point,  not  brilliancy.  His  object 
was  not  to  dazzle,  but  to  convince;  not  to  excite  admiration 
of  faimaelf,  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  might  have  ''  wooed  a  soul ;''  or  played  with  the  hncff 
wlien  he  should  have  been  dissecting  the  heart.    His  subjects 
were  always  the  most  important  which  can  engage  the  attention 
of  man, — the  creed,  the  commandments,  and  the  Lord's  prayer} 
or,  according  to  his  own  simple  definition  of  them— -the  things 
to  be  believed,  the  things  to  be  done,  and  the  things  to  be  desired. 
These  were  the  leading,  indeed,  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 
indifferent  whether  his  audience  felt  what  he  said,  or  considered 
him  in  earnest  on  the  subject.    His  eye,  his  action,  his  every 
wwd,  were  expressive  of  deep  and  impassioned  earnestness, 
that  his  hearers  might  be  saved.     His  was  eloquence  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  proper- 
ties are  frequentiy  to  be  found  in  Baxter's  discourses) :  but  the 
eloquence  of  the  most  important  truths,  vividly  apprehended, 
and  energetically  delivered.    It  was  the  eloquence  of  a  soul 
burning  with  ardent  devotion  to  God,  and  inspired  with  the  deep- 
est cc^passion  for  men ;  on  whom  the  powers  of  the  worlds 

k2 


132  TAB  LIFS  ANJ>  TIMES 

of  darkness,  and  of  light,  exercised  their  mighty  influence^ 
and  spoke  through  his  utterances,  all  that  was  tremendous  in 
warning,  and  all  that  was  delightful  in  invitation  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  shpuld 
labour  in  vain. 

Another  thing  which  strikes  us  in  the  ministerial  conduct  of 
Baxter,  was  his  careful  avoidance  of  everything  which  might  pre- 
judice his  hearers  against  him,  and  his  diligent  cultivation  of 
whatever  was  likely  to  gain  their  favour,  or  secure  their  impartial 
attention.  No  one  could  be  less  of  a  man-pleaser  than  he  was; 
for,  apart  from  promoting  the  object  of  his  ministry,  he  was  re- 
gardless 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;  his  remaining  unmarried;  his  practising  physic;  his 
,  liberality  to  the  poor ;  his  distribution  of  books,  &c.,  were  aU 
intended  to  be  subservient  to  liis  great  work.  The  gaining  of 
souls  to  Christ  was  the  only  object  for  which  he  lived.  Hence, 
amidst  the  seeming  variety  of  his  pursuits  and  engagements, 
there  was  a  perfect  harmony  of  design.  His  ruling  and 
controlling  principle,  was  the  love  of  his  Master,  producing 
the  desire  of  a  full  and  faithful  discharge  of  his  duty  as  his 
approved  minister.  This  was  the  centre  around  which  every 
thing  moved,  and  by  which  every  thing  in  his  circumstances  and 
character  was  attracted  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 
persuasions,  warmth  and  fervency  to  his  admonitions.  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  mass  in  public, 
was  followed  by  successive  strokes  addressed  to  the  individuals, 
in  private.  The  congregation  was  not  permitted  to  forget,  during 
the  week,  what  they  had  been  taught  on  the  sabbath.  The  man 
who  would  have  been  lost  in  the  crowd,  or  who  might  have 
sheltered  Jiimself  under  the  exceptions  which  belong  to  a  geoeinl 


*  row  ftlCHAAD  BAXm«  IS3 

jiddresfly  was  ringled  oat,  cdnvicted,  and  shut  up  to  the  fiuth,  or 
left  to  bear  the  stings  of  an  instructed  and  alarmed  conscience. 
The  young  were  interested,  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.'"  lliis  was  truly  making  full  proof  of  his 
ministry,  and  promoting  in  hi^  congregation  the  grand  objects 
and  aims  of  the  fellowship  of  Christianity. 

When  we  thus  connect  the  public  talents,  and  private  eh»- 
lacter  of  Baxter;  the  energy  and  point  of  his  pulpit  addresses 
with  the  assiduousness,  the  perseverance,  and  the  variety,  of  his 
•  other  labours ;  his  devotion  to  God,  his  disinterested  love  to 
men;  what  he  was  as  a/Mt^or,  with  all  that  he  was  as  tBipreacher; 
we  cease  to  wonder  at  the  effects  which  he  produced.  No  place 
eould  loog  resist  such  a  train  and  style  of  aggression.  All  peo* 
pie  must  feel  the  force  of  such  a  moral  warfiire  as  that  which 
he  waged.  There  are  few  individuals,  who  could  escape  with- 
out being  wounded,  or  conquered,  by  such  an  assailant.  In 
eomparisoii  with  him,  how  few  are  there  even  among  the  fiiith- 
M  ministers  of  Christ,  who  can  think  of  themselves,  or  their 
labours  with  satisfaction  I  Yet,  was  there  nothing  in  Baxter, 
but  what  the  grace  and  power  of  God  can  do  for  others,  lliere 
was  something  in  his  exertions,  almost  super-human;  yet  he 
teemed  to  accomplish  all  with  a  considerable  degree  of  ease  and 
eomfort  to  himself.  He  never  seems  to  have  been  bustled, 
bat  he  was  always  busy ;  and  thus  he  found  time  for  all  he  had 
to  do,  while  he  employed  that  time  in  the  most  profitable  man- 
ner. We  have  only  to  find  an  increase  of  such  ministers  in  the 
church  of  Christ,  and  who  will  employ  the  same  kind  of  means, 
in  order  to  the  accomplishment,  in  any  place,  of  effects  that  will 
not  shrink  from  a  comparison  with  Kidderminster  itself  in  all 
its  glory. 

The  effecto  of  Baxter's  labours,  in  Kidderminster,  were  last- 
ing, as  well  as  extensive.  He  frequently  refers  to  his  beloved 
flock,  long  after  he  had  left  them,  in  terms  of  the  warmest  af- 
fection. Many  of  them  continued  to  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God, 
their  Saviour,  till  they  finished  their  mortal  course ;  and,  doubt- 
less, now  constitute  their  pastor*s  crown  of  rejoicing  in  the 
presence  of  their  Redeemer.  Nor  did  the  effects  of  his  exer- 
tions expire  with  that  generation.  Mr.  Fawcett,  who  abridged 
the '  Saints  Rest,'  in  1759,  says^  ^  that  the  religious  spirit  thus 


134  THB  LIFB  AND  TIUMB 

happily  introduced  by  Baxter^  is  yet  to  be  traced,  in  the  town, 
and  neighbourhood  in  some  degree."^  He  represents  the  pro- 
fessors of  that  place,  as  ^^  possessing  an  unusual  degree  of  can- 
dour, and  friendship,  for  each  other.'^  Thus  evincing,  ^^that 
Kidderminster  had  not  totally  lost  the  amiable  spirit  it  had 
imbibed  more  than  a  century  before/' j 

When  the  Gospel  was  removed  from  the  Church,  it  was  carried 
to  the  Meeting;  though  at  what  time  a  separate  congregation 
was  regularly  established,  cannot  now  be  satisfactorily  ascer- 
tained. Baxter  was  not  friendly  to  an  entire  separation  from 
the  church,  and  carried  his  opposition  to  it  so  far,  as  seriously 
to  offend  some  of  his  old  congregation,  who  could  not  endare  the 
teaching  of  his  successors.  A  separation  accordingly  took  place, 
which  laid  the  foundation  of  a  large  dissenting  congregation. 

On  Baxter's  removal  from  Kidderminster,  he  recommended 
to  the  people  to  be  guided  by  Mr.  Serjeant,  then  minister  of 
Stone,  who  had  formerly  assisted  him  ;  and  Mr.  Thomas  Bald- 
win, who  had  acted  as  schoolmaster  in  Kidderminster,  and  was 
both  a  good  scholar  and  possessed  of  respectable  ministerial 
qualifications.  Mr.  Baldwin  was  minister  of  the  parish  of 
Chaddesly  till  the  Bartholomew  ejectment :  he  then  removed 
to  Kidderminster,  and  settled  with  the  Nonconformists  who  left 
the  church.  His  ministry  was  repeatedly  interrupted ;  but  he 
died  in  Kidderminster,  in  1693.  After  his  death,  Mr.  White, 
the  vicar  of  the  parish,  preached  and  published  his  funeral  ser- 
mon ;  in  which  he  speaks  in  the  highest  terms  of  his  piety,  his 
talents,  and  his  moderation.  He  was,  in  all  respects,  worthy  to 
be  the  successor  of  Baxter.  The  sermon  is  honourable  alike 
to  the  preacher  and  to  the  deceased.^ 

He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Francis  Spilsbury,  son  of  the 
Rev.  John  Spilsbury,  the  ejected  minister  of  Bromsgrove,  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,  the  Bishop,  who  was  also  Master 
of  Pembroke  College,  Oxford^  and  Margaret  Professor,  used  to 
visit  him,  and  reside  in  his  family,  where  he  was  attended  by  his 
clergy,  while  his  nephew  preached  in  the  meeting.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Rev.  Matthew  Bradshaw,  who  married  his  daugh- 
ter. He  was  a  man  of  similar  sentiments  and  spirit,  and  la- 
boured in  the  congregation  till  the  year  1745,  when  he  was  sue- 

^  Preface.  J  Dedication. 

^  life,  part  iii.  p.  92 ;   Nonoon.  Mam,  iii.  pp.  389,  390 ;  White's  Sermon. 


ov  micHAiB  luornnu  139 

ceeded  liy  Beigamin  Fawcett,  a  favourite  pupil  of  Dr.  Doddridge^ 
and  who  abridged  several  of  Baxter's  works.  His  death  took 
place  in  1780.^  '  After  that  event  a  division  occurred^  which 
led  to  the  erection  of  another  meeting,  of  which  the  Rev.  Robert 
Gentleman^  who  edited  Orton's  Exposition  of  the  Old  TesU- 
ment,  became  the  first  minister. 

In  the  original  congregation,  Mr.  Barrett  became  the  sue- 
eessor  of  Fawcett ;  he  was  a  man  of  respectable  talents.  He 
was  followed  by  Mr.  Steill,  now  of  Wigan,  in  Lancashire ;  on 
whose  removal,  Mr.  Thomas  Helmore,  educated  at  Gosport, 
was  ordained  to  the  pastoral  office  in  1810.  He  was  foUowed 
by  Mr.  Joseph  John  Freeman,  now  a  missionary  in  Madagascar ; 
iHiose  place  has  been  supplied  by  Dr.  James  Roesj  formerly  a 
missionary  at  Karass,  in  Russian  Tartary."^ 

'  Manjr  psrticulan  respectini^  these  parties  may  be  seen  in  Mr.  Hanbuiy's 
**  Enlarged  Diary,  Ac.,  of  Mr.  Joseph  WiUiams,  of  Kidderminster/'  See 
ahe,  **  Orton's  Letters  to  Dissenting  Ministers  $"  in  the  second  ▼oloma  of 
vUcli  there  is  a  short  memoir  of  Mr.  Fawcett. 

*  The  polpit  in  which  Baxter  preached  is  stili  ^reserred.    Aboat  forty  years 

ago  it  was  sold,  together  with  the  pewiug  of  the  parish  church>  for  a  trifling 

Mm.    A  pentleman.  anxious  to  jMreserve  it  from  destruction,  bought  it  from 

the  first  purchaser  for  Ayt  pounds,  and  placed  it  in  the  vestry  of  the  new 

meeting.    It  is  ratlier  a  handsome  production  of  its  icind.  It  is  6f  an  octagon 

fcrm.    The  pannels  have  iong  carved  flowers  on  them^  which  are  painted 

different  colours,  and  some  of  the  gilding  still  remains.    There  is  a  large 

loanding-board  surmounted  by  a  crown  upon  a  cushion.    Around  the  top  is 

inscril>edy  "  And  call  upon  his  oame,  declare  his  works  among  the  people." 

(Psalm  cv.)    It  was  not  built  for  Baxter,  but  appears  to  have  been  the  gift  of 

Alice  Dawkx,  in  the  year  1621. 


136  THE  LiPfi  AND  TIMES 


CHAPTER   VI. 

1648-1660. 


The  Cominonwealth— Crorowcirs  treatment  of  his  Parliaments— The  Trien 
— Committee  of  Fundamentals — Principles  on  which  Baxter  acted  towards 
Cromwell— Preaches  before  him — Interviews  with  him — Admission  of  the 
Benefits  of  Cromwell's  Government— Character  of  Cromwell— Remarkf  on 
that  character — Richard's  Succession  and  Retirement — ^The  Restoratioii-^ 
Baxter  goes  to  London — Preaches  before  Parliament — Preaches  before  the 
JLiord  Mayor — ^The  King's  Arrival  in  London — Reception  by  the  Londoa 
Ministers— Notices  of  various  labours  of  Baxter  during  his  second  residcnoe 
in  Kidderminster — Numerous  Works  written  during  this  period-— Extensive 
Correspondence — Concluding  Observations, 

Having,  in  the  preceding  chapter,  given  a  full  view  of  th^ 
manner  in  which  Baxter  acted  in  his  ministerial  capacity,  dur- 
ing the  period  of  his  second  residence  in  Kidderminster,  com- 
prehending fourteen  years  of  the  most  active  and  interesting 
period  of  his  life,  we  shall  now  collect  some  of  his  views  re- 
specting the  political  events  and  characters  of  the  Common- 
wealth, and  notice  certain  parts  of  his  conduct  in  relation  to 
the  parties  in  power. 

To  give  a  full  detail  of  the  rapidly- shifting  scenes  which  then 
passed  along  the  stage,  or  of  the  principles  and  conduct  of  all 
the  actors,  is  impracticable ;  but  a  view  of  the  times  of  Baxter 
would  be  imperfect,  without  some  notice  of  them  ;  1  can  only 
make  a  selection,  and  that  selection  shall  be  chiefly  in  Baxter's 
own  words. 

His  former  connexion  with  the  army  of  the  Commonwealth, 
had  furnished  him  with  opportunities  of  knowing  the  characters 
of  not  a  few  of  the  leading  men,  in  many  respects  favourable  to 
his  forming  a  correct  judgment  of  their  characters,  and  of  the 
principles  by  which  they  were  actuated;  while  his  conscientious 
fidelity  led  him  to  speak,  both  to  them  and  of  them,  so  plainly 
as  to  leave  no  ambiguity  whatever  as  to  the  estimate  which  he 
formed. 

Every  thing  relative  to  Oliver  Cromwell  still  possesses  consi- 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTER,  187 

derabl6  interest ;  and  as  Baxter  has  said  a  good  deal  respecting 
him,  it  woidd  be  unjustifiable  in  these  memoirs,  to  omit  the 
substance  of  the  information  which  he  has  furnished.  The 
following  account  quite  harmonises  with  other  documents 
which  record  the  transactions  of  the  times*  Having  given  a 
uarradve  of  the  final  defeat  of  the  royal  army,  of  the  flight  of 
Charles  II.  to  France,  and  of  the  policy  pursued  toward  Scot* 
land,  he  thus  describes  the  measures  of  the  crafty  Protector,  in 
the  treatment  of  his  parliaments. 

^  Cromwell  having  thus  far  seemed  to  be  a  servant  to  the  par- 
liament, and  to  work  for  his  masters,  the  Rump,  or  Commons- 
wealth,  did  next  begin  to  show  whom  he  served,  and  take  that 
impediment  also  out  of  the  way.  To  this  end,  he  first  did  by  them 
18  he  did  by  the  Presbyterians,  make  them  odious  by  hard  speeches 
against  them  throughout  his  army ;  as  if  they  intended  to  perpe- 
tuate themselves,  and  would  not  be  accountable  for  the  money  of 
the  Commonwealth,  &c.  He  also  treated  privately  with  many  of 
them,  to  appoint  a  time  when  they  would  dissolve  themselves,  so 
that  another  free  parliament  might  be  chosen.  But  they  per- 
ceived the  danger,  and  were  rather  for  filling  up  their  number 
by  new  elections,  which  he  was  utterly  against. 

^^  His  greatest  advantage  to  strengthen  himself  against  them 
by  the  sectaries,  was  their  owning  the  public  ministry  and  its 
maintenance ;  for  though  Vane  and  his  party  set  themselves 
to  make  the  ministers  odious,  and  to  take  them  down  by  re- 
proachful titles,  still  the  greater  part  of  the  House  did  carry  it 
for  a  sober  ministry  and  competent  maintenance.  When  the 
Quakers  and  others  openly  reproached  the  ministry,  and  the 
soldiers  favoured  them,  I  drew  up  a  petition  for  the  ministry, 
got  many  thousand  hands  to  it  in  Worcestershire,  and  Mr. 
Thomas  Foley  and  Colonel  John  Bridges  presented  it.  The 
House  gave  it  a  kind  and  promising  answer,  which  increased 
the  sectaries'  displeasure  against  the  House.  When  a  certain 
Quaker  wrote  a  reviling  censure  of  this  petition,  I  wrote  a  de- 
fence of  it,  and  caused  one  of  them  to  be  given  to  each  parlia- 
ment-man at  the  door ;  but  within  one  day  after  this,  they  were 
dissolved.^  For  Cromwell,  impatient  of  any  more  delay,  suddenly 
took  Harrison  and  some  soldiers  with  him,  as  if  God  had  im- 
pelled him,  and,  as  in  a  rapture,  went  into  the  House  and  re- 
proved the  members  for  their  faults.     Pointing  to  Vane,  he 

*  These  were  published  under  the  title  of  *  The  Worcestershire  Petition/ 
and  the  *  Defence  of  it ;'  an  account  of  which  will  be  found  in  another  placet 


138  THJC  LIR  AND  TIBCfiS 

called  him  a  juggler ;  and  to  Henry  Martin,  caHed  him  whore* 
master  ;°^  and  having  two  such  to  instance  in,  took  it  for 
granted  that  they  were  all  unfit  to  continue  in  the  government 
of  the  Commonwealth,  and  out  he  turned  them.  So  ended. the 
government  of  the  Rump.  No  sort  of  people  expressed  any 
great  offence  that  they  were  cast  out,  though  almost  all,  save 
the  sectaries  and  the  army,  did  take  him  to  be  a  traitor  who 
did  it. 

"The  young  Commonwealth  being  already  headless,  you 
might  think  that  nothing  was  left  to  stand  between  Cromwell 
and  the  crown.  For  a  governor  there  nmst  be,  and  who  should 
be  thought  fitter  ?  But  yet  there  was  another  pageant  to  be 
played,  which  had  a  double  end :  first,  to  make  the  necessity 
of  his  government  undeniable  :  and,  secondly,  to  put  his  own 
soldiers,  at  last,  out  of  love  with  democracy ;  or,  at  least,  to 
make  those  hateful  who  adhered  to  itl  A  parliament  must  be 
called,  but  the  ungodly  people  are  not  to  be  trusted  with  the 
choice  ;  therefore  the  soldiers,  as  more  religious,  must  be  the 
choosers  ;  and  two  out  of  a  county  are  chosen  by  the  officers, 
upon  the  advice  of  their  sectarian  friends  in  the  country.  This 
was  called  in  contempt,  the  Little  ParUamentJ^ 

^^  Harrison  became  the  head  of  the  sectaries,  and  Cromwell 
now  began  to  design  the  heading  of  a  soberer  party,  who  were 
for  learning  and  a  ministry ;  but  yet  to  be  the  equal  protector 
of  all.  Hereupon,  in  the  little  sectarian  parliament,  it  was  put 
to  the  vote,  whether  all  the  parish  ministers  in  England  should 


■°>  A  very  curious  account  of  this  facetious,  but,  I  fear,  profli^te  commoiiery 
is  given  in  ^  Aubrey's  MisceUanies,*  vol.  ii.  pp.  434— -437.  A  sarcatm  of 
Charles  the  First,  upon  Martin,  is  there  alleged  tu  have  cost  the  king  the  loMi 
of  the  county  of  Berks.  He  was  one  of  the  king's  judges,  and  is  said  to 
have  owed  his  life  to  the  wit  of  Lord  Faulkland,  and  his  own  profligacy* 
**  Gentlemen,"  said  his  Lordship, ''  you  talk  of  making  a  sacrifice.  By  the 
old  law,  all  sacrifices  were  required  to  be  without  spot  or  blemish ;  and  aow 
you  are  going  to  make  this  old  rotten  rascal  a  sacrifice  l"  The  Joke  took,  and 
saved  Henry's  life. 

"  One  of  the  best  and  fullest  views  which  we  have  of  CromweU's  pailia- 
ments  has  been  recently  furnished  in  *  Burton's  Diary,'  edited  by  Mr.  TowiU 
Rutt.  It  shows  us  more  of  the  working  of  the  Protector's  system  than  any 
former  publication  had  done.  Certainly,  some  of  the  members  were  not  the 
best  qualified  of  all  men  to  be  legislators,  if  we  may  judge  from  many  of 
their  opinions  and  expressions,  as  they  here  appear.  They  meddled  with 
various  matters,  which  they  had  much  better  have  let  alone ;  though  it  is 
clear  that  even  Old  Noll,  with  all  his  power  and  sternness,  could  not  make 
them  do  what  he  pleased.  Scobell's  acU  of  these  parliaments  shows,  however, 
that  some  of  their  enactments  were  both  wise  and  salutary. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBS.  189 

itooee  be  put  down;  and  it  was  but  accidentally  carried  in  the 
negative  by  two  voices.®  It  was  taken  for  granted,  that  the 
tithes  and  universities  would,  at  the  next  opportunity,  be  voted 
down ;  and  so  Cromwell  must  be  their  saviour,  or  they  must 
perish ;  when  he  had  purposely  cast  them  into  the  pit,  that 
they  might  be  beholden  to  him  to  pull  them  out.  But  his  game 
was  so  grossly  played,  that  it  made  him  the  more  loathed  by 
men  of  understanding  and  sincerity.  80  Sir  Charles  Wolsley, 
and  some  others,  took  their  tim^,  and  put  it  to  the  vote,  whether 
the  House,  as  incapable  of  serving  the  Commonwealth,  should 
go  and  deliver  up  their  power  to  Cromwell,  from  whom  they 
had  received  it ;  which  was  carried  in  the  affirmative.  So  away 
they  went,  and  solemnly  resigned  their  power  to  him ;  and  now, 
who  but  Cromwell  and  his  armv  ?  ^ 

f ^  The  intelligent  sort,  by  this  time,  did  fully  see  that  Crom- 

*  This  itatement  is  iDcorrect :  no  such  question  a»  the  aholition  of  the  mi- 
nistry baviDg^  been  discussed  iu  that  parliament.    **  On  the  15th  of  July,  1653, 
the  qucttion  was  proposed  whether  the  fnaitUenance  of  ministers  by  tithes 
should  be  continued  after  the  third  day  of  November  next :  and  the  question 
being  pot,  that  that  question  be  now  put,  it  passed  in  the   negative.    The 
noes  is,  yeas  43.*' — Journals  of  the  House  of  Commons.    This,  I  have  no 
doubt,  is  the  affair  to  which  Baxter  refers.    The  reader  will  easily  distinguish 
between  the  abolition  of  tithes,  and  the  abolition  of  the  ministry.    The  fol- 
lowing extract  from  a  report  of  the  committee  on  tithes,  appointed  by  this 
parliament,  will  show  what  were  the  real  sentiments  entertained  by  them  on 
that  subject.    1  am  much  deceived  if  they  will  nut  be  thought  enlightened 
even  at  Uie  present  time.    **  Resolved,  that  it  be  presented  to  the  Parliament 
that  all  such  as  are  or  shall  be  approved  for  public  preachers  of  the  Gospel  in 
the  public  meeting  places,  shall  have  and  enjoy  the  maintenance  already  set- 
Ued  by  law  ;  and  such  other  encuura^-ement  as  the  Parliament  hath  already 
appointed,  or  hereafter  shall  appoint :  and  that  where  any  scruple  payment 
of  tithes,  the  three  next  justices  of  the  peace,  or  two  of  them,  shall  upon  com- 
plaint call  the  parties  before  them  ;  and,  by  the  oaths  of  lawful  witnesses, 
shall  duly  apportion  the  value  of  the  said  tithes,  to  be  paid  either  in  money 
or  land  by  them,  to  be  set  out  according  to  the  said  value,  to  be  held  and  en- 
joyed  by  him  that  was  to  have  had  the  said  tithes  :  and  in  case  such  appor- 
tiooed  value  be  not  duly  paid,  or  enjoyed  according  to  the  order  of  the  said 
justices,  the  tithes  shall  be  paid  in  kind,  and  shall  be  recovered  in  any  court 
of  record.    Upon  hearing  and  considering  what  hath  been  offered  to  this 
committee  touching  propriety  in  tithes  of  incumbents,  rectors,  possessors  of 
donatives,  or  propriate  tithes,  it  is  the  opinion  of  this  committee,  and  resolved 
to  be  reported  so  to  the  Parliament,  the  said  persons  have  a  legal  propriety 
in  tithes." — Joumai,  Dec.  2,  1653.    There  is  no  evidence  that  the  parlia- 
ment ever  intended  to  put  down  the  universities,  or  to  alienate  the  lauds  which 
belonged  to  them,  from  the  purpose  to  which  they  were  originally  destined* 

»  Cromwell,  in  his  opening  speech  at  the  meeting  of  the  ensuing  parlia- 
ment, solemnly  declared  that  he  knew  nothing  of  this  act  of  dissolution,  tiU 
the  speaker  and  the  members  came  and  put  it  into  his  hands.  It  is  strange 
if  he  was  ignorant  of  it,  and  equally  strange,  if  he. had  a  hand  in  it,  that  he 

should  in  public  declare  his  ignorance.—* J^arrtf*f  lAfe  of  Cronwell,  p.  334. 


140  THE  LIFB  AND  TIMES 

well's  d^ign  was,  by  causing  and  permitting  destruction  id 
hang  over  us,  to  necessitate  the  nation,  whether  it  would  or 
not,  to  take  him  for  its  governor,  that  he  might  be  its  pro* 
tector.  Being  resolved  that  we  should  be  saved  by  him  or 
perish,  he  made  more  use  of  the  wild-headed  sectaries  than 
barely  to  fight  for  him.  They  now  served  him  as  much  by  their 
heresies,  their  enmity  to  learning  and  the  ministry,  and  their  per- 
nicious demands  which  tended  to  confusion,  as  they  had  done 
before  by  their  valour  in  the  field.  He  could  now  conjure  up  at 
pleasure  some  terrible  apparition  of  agitators,  levellers,  or  sudw 
like,  who,  as  they  affrighted  the  king, from  Hampton  Court,  af« 
frighted  the  people  to  fly  to  him  for  refuge  ;  that  the  hand  that 
wounded  them,  might  heal  them.  Now  he  exclaimed  against 
the  giddiness  of  these  unruly  men,  and  earnestly  pleaded  for 
order,  and  government,  and  must  needs  become  the  patron  of 
the  ministry ;  yet,  so  as  to  secure  all  others  their  liberty."*  So 
much  for  the  address  and  policy  of  this  extraordinary  man. 

One  great  object  of  Cromwell's  government  was  the  purifica* 
lion  of  the  ministry.  For  this  purpose,  after  the  Westminster 
Assembly  was  dissolved,  he  appointed  a  body  of  Triers,  consist^ 
ing,  partly  of  ministers,  partly  of  laymen,  who  examined 
all  who  were  able  to  come  to  London ;  but  other  cases 
they  referred  to  a  committee  of  ministers  in  the  counties 
in  which  they  lived.  As  strange  accounts  have  been  given  of 
this  body,  and  as  Baxter  himself  disapproved  of  their  constitu- 
tion and  proceedings,  it  may  be  well  to  hear  his  account  of 
them. 

^*  Because  this  assembly  of  Triers  is  most  heartily  accused,, 
and  reproached  by  some  men,  I  shall  speak  the  truth  of  them, 
and,  I  suppose,  my  word  will  be  rather  taken,  because  most  of 
them  took  me  for  one  of  their  boldest  adversaries,  as  to  their 
opinions,  and  because  I  was  known  to  disown  their  power;  in-^ 
somuch,  that  I  refused  to  try  any  under  them  upon  their  refer- 
ence, except  very  few,  whose  importunity  and  necessity  moved 
me,  they  being  such,  as  for  their  episcopal  judgment,  or  some 
such  cause,  the  Triers  were  likely  to  have  rejected.  The  truth 
is,  that  though  their  authority  was  mild,  and  though  some  few 
who  were  over^busy,  and  over-rigid  Independents  among  them^ 
were  too  severe  against  all  that  were  Arminians,  and  too  parti- 
cular in  inquiring  after  evidences  of  sanctification  in  those  whom 

<  Life,  fart  i.  pp.  69— -71. 


09  HtCHARD   BAXTER.  14 1 

they  examined^  and  Bomewhat  too  lax  in  their  admission  of 
onieamed  and  erroneous  men,  who  favoured  Antinomianism 
or  Anabaptism ;  yet  to  give  them  their  due,  they  did  abundance 
of  good  to  the  church.  They  saved  many  a  congregation  from 
ignorant,  ungodly,  drunken  teachers;  that  sort  of  men,  who 
intended  no  more  in  the  ministry,  than  to  say  a  sermon,  as 
readers  say  their  common  prayers,  and  to  patch  up  a  few  good 
words  together,  to  talk  the  people  asleep  on  Sunday,  and  all 
the  rest  of  the  week  go  with  them  to  the  alehouse,  and  harden 
them  in  their  sin :  imd  that  sort  of  ministers,  who  either  preached 
against  a  holy  life,  or  preached  as  men  that  never  were 
acquainted  with  it.  All  those  who  used  the  ministry  but  as  a 
coBimon  trade  to  live  by,  and  were  never  likely  to  convert  a 
sou),  they  usually  rejected,  and  in  their  stead  they  admitted 
persons  of  any  denomination  who  were  able,  serious,  preach- 
ers, and  lived  a  godly  life.  So  that  though  many  of  them 
were  somewhat  partial  to  the  Independents,  Separatists,  Fifth- 
Monarchy  men,  and  Anabaptists,  and  against  the  Prelatists  and 
Arminians,  so  great  was  the  benefit  above  the  hurt  which  they 
brought  to  the  church,  that  many  thousands  of  souls  blessed 
God  for  the  faithful  ministers  whom  they  let  in,  and  grieved 
when  the  Prelatists  afterward  cast  them  out  again."' 

Whatever  objections  of  a  technical  nature  might  be  brought 
against  Cromwell's  Triers,  after  this  impartial  testimony  to  the 
general  character  of  their  proceedings,  no  person  acquainted 
with  the  principles  of  the  Gospel,  and  with  what  ought  to  con- 
stitute the  character  of  its  ministers,  will  object  to  the  ejection 
of  openly  ignorant  and  ungodly  teachers,  and  the  substitution 
in  their  place  of  those  who  feared  God,  and  were  likely  to  care 
for  the  souls  of  men.  It  is  evident,  the  Triers  were  not  mere 
partisans,  as  they  neither  ejected  men  on  account  of  their  sen- 
timents respecting  church  government,  nor  supplied  their  places 
by  persons  of  one  profession.  They  may  Iii^ve  caused  occasional 
kirdship  and  suffering,  but  it  seems  very  clear  from  Baxter, 
that  they  were  guided  by  sound  principles,  and  prosecuted 
through  good  report  and  through  bad  report,  the  best  interests 
of  religion. 

Reference  to  the  Triers  leads  me  to  notice  Baxter's  connex- 
ion with  the  committee  appointed  to  digest  and  report  respect- 
ing the  fundamentals  of  religion,  as  the  basis  of  a  system  of 

'  lafe,  parti,  p.  72. 


142  THB  LIFB  AND  TIMB8 

toleration,  or  religious  liberty,  to  be  adopted  by  theP^tment 
of  the  Commonwealth.  He  has  given  a  long  and  carious 
account  of  the  proceedings  of  this  committee,  and  of  his  own 
conduct  in  it,  the  substance  of  which  I  have  given  in  another 
place.'  Baxter  was  appointed  one  of  them  by  Lord  Broghill,  at 
the  suggestion  of  Archbishop  Usher.  He  came  late,  and  after 
certain  points  had  been  determined,  which  they  refused  to  alter* 
His  interference,  however,  probably  checked  their  proceeds 
ings,  and  contributed  to  defeat  the  object  which  some  of  them 
had  in  jiew.  Not  that  he  understood  religious  liberty  better 
than  the  others,  but  he  excelled  them  all  in  finding  out  objee* 
tions  to  whatever  was  proposed;  though  his  own  scheme  would 
not  have  greatly  improved  what  was  determined  by  the  miyo* 
rity.  The  most  important  result  of  this  meeting  to  Baxter^ 
was  its  being  the  means  of  introducing  him  to  Archbishop 
Usher,  with  whom  he  appears  to  have  had  much  friendly 
intercourse,  and  with  whose  views  of  church  government  he 
nearly  agreed.  Usher  was  one  of  the  most  amiable  of  meOy 
and  the  most  moderate  of  bishops ;  whose  enlightened  senti* 
ments  and  suggestions,  had  they  been  attended  to,  would  hav« 
preserved  the  country  from  many  of  the  evils  which  befell  it« 

The  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  country,  and  the  political 
management  of  Cromwell,  naturally  induced  a  great  diversity  of 
opinion  among  religious  people,  as  to  the  nature  and  extent  of 
the  submission  which  they  were  called  to  render  to  the  existing 
government.  Some,  regarding  it  as  a  usurpation,  and  influenced 
considerably  by  the  doctrine  of  divine  right,  opposed  and  reviled 
it.  Others  regarded  what  appeared  to  be  the  arrangements 
of  Providence,  as  the  will  of  God  that  they  should  submit  to^ 
asking  no  questions  for  conscience'  sake.  A  third  and  numeroui 
body,  in  theory  disputed  the  claims  of  Cromwell  and  his  party^ 
but  in  practice  quietly  submitted  to  the  laws  which  they  enacted. 
Baxter  in  this,  as  in  many  other  matters,  pursued  a  course  of 
his  own. 

^^  I  did  seasonably  and  moderately,  by  preaching  and  printings 
condemn  the  usurpation,  and  the  deceit  which  was  the  means  to 
bring  it  to  pass.  I  did  in  open  conference  declare  Cromwell 
and  his  adherents  to  be  guilty  of  treason  and  rebellion,  aggra- 
vated by  perfidiousness  and  hypocrisy.^    But  yet  I  did  not  think 

■  Life,  part  ii.  pp.  197—206.    Owen's  Memoirs,  pp.  113—116. 
*  Baxter  changed  his  mind  respecting  his  conduct  to  Cromwell  at  a  sub- 
sequent period.    In  his  *  Penitent  Confsssious/  written  in  1691^  he  says :  *<  I 


OF  EICIURD  BAXTER^  143 

it  my  duty  to  rave  against  him  in  the  pulpit,  or  to  do  this  so  un- 
seasonably and  imprudently  as  might  irritate  him  to  mischief. 
And  the  rather  because,  as  he  kept  up  his  approbation  of  a  godly 
life  in  general,  and  of  all  that  was  good,  except  that  which  the 
interest  of  his  sinful  cause  engaged  him  to  be  against ;  so  I  per** 
cetved  that  it  was  his  design  to  do  good  in  the  main,  and  to 
promote  the  Gospel  and  the  interests  of  godliness,  more  than 
any  bad  done  before  him ;  except  in  those  particulars  which 
were  against  his  own  interest.  The  principal  means  that  hence- 
forward he  trusted  to  for  his  establishment,  was  doing  good^ 
that  the  people  might  love  him,  or  at  least  be  willing  to  have 
his  government  for  that  good,  who  were  against  it  as  it  was 
usurpation.^  I  made  no  question  but  that  when  the  rightfill 
governor  should  be  restored,  the  people  who  had  adhered  to 
him,  being  so  extremely  irritated,  would  cast  out  multitudes  of 
the  ministers,  and  undo  the  good  which  the  usurper  had  doncj 
because  he  did  it,  and  would  bring  abundance  of  calamity  upon 
the  land.  Some  men  thought  it  a  very  hard  question,  whether 
they  should  rather  wish  the  continuance  of  a  usurper  who  did 
g0€>d,  or  the  restitution  of  a  rightful  governor  whose  followers 
would  do  hurt.  For  my  part  I  thought  my  duty  was  clear,  to 
disown  the  usurper's  sin  what  good  soever  he  would  do  j  and  to 
perform  all  my  engagement^ to  a  rightful  governor,  leaving  the 
issue  of  all  to  God ;  but  yet  to  commend  the  good  which  a 

am  in  great  doubt  how  far  I  did  well  or  ill  in  my  oppositjou  to  Cromwell  and  hit 
army  at  last.  I  am  satisfied  that  it  was  my  duty  to  disown,  and  as  I  said,  to  op- 
pose their  rebellion  and  other  sins.  But  there  were  many  honest,  pious  men 
among  them.  And  when  God  chooseth  the  e&ecutioner  of  justice  as  he  pleas* 
etby  I  am  oft  in  doubt  whether  I  should  not  have  been  more  passive  and  silent 
than  I  was  ;  though  not  as  Jeremiah  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  to  persuade  men  to 
submit,  yet  to  have  forborne  some  sharp  public  preaching  and  writing  against 
them, — when  they  set  themselves  too  late  to  promote  piety  to  ingratiate  their 
usurpation.  To  disturb  possessors  needeth  a  clear  call,  when  for  what  end 
soever  they  do  that  good,  which  men  of  better  title  will  destroy."  pp.  24,  25. 
From  a  letter  of  his  to  one  of  the  judges  among  his  MSS,  it  appears  he 
brought  bimhelf  into  difficulty  by  preaching  against  Cromwell.  How  he  got 
out  of  it,  or  what  was  the  extent  of  his  danger,  does  not  clearly  appear.  Crom- 
well's  usual  moderation  probably  induced  him  to  drop  proceedings. 

0  I  think  it  by  no  meaus  evident  that  Cromwell's  sole  motives  in  repressing 
evil  and  doing  good,  were  the  establishment  *and  consolidation  of  his  own 
power ;  or  that  he  stuck  at  uothiug,  when  it  was  necessary  to  accomplish  his 
own  interest.  That  he  was  ambitious  in  the  latter  part  of  bis  life,  is  certain ; 
and  that  he  had  also  learnt  the  royal  art  of  dissimulation,  is  undoubted  :  but 
that  there  was  a  great  preponderance  of  good  in  his  character,  and  of  just  and 
liberal  views  of  policy,  can  no  longer  be  matter  of  doubt  to  those  who  bars 
studied  bis  history. 


144  TUB  LIVE  AND   TIHBS 

usurper  doth,  and  to  do  every  lawful  thing  which  might  provoke 
him  to  do  more ;  and  to  approve  of  no  evil  which  is  done  by 
any,  whether  a  usurper  or  a  lawful  governor."  * 

With  Baxter,  to  hold  certain  sentiments,  and  to  act  upon 
them  in  the  face  of  every  danger  to  which  they  might  expose 
him,  were  the  same  thing.  The  following  anecdote  of  his 
personal  intercourse  with  Cromwell,  illustrates  the  preced- 
ing statement  and  the  character  of  Cromwell,  and  shows  how 
faithfully  he  acted  according  to  his  sentiments  and  convic- 
tions* 

'^  At  this  time  Lord  Broghill  and  the  Earl  of  Warwick ' 
brought  me  to  preach  before  Cromwell,  the  protector ;  which 
was  the  only  time  that  ever  I  preached  to  him,  save  once  long 
before,  when  he  was  an  inferior  man,  amongst  other  auditors.  I 
knew  not  which  way  to  provoke  him  better  to  his  duty  than  by 
preaching  on  1  Cor.  i.  10,  against  the  divisions  and  distractions 
of  the  church,  and  showing  how  mischievous  a  thing  it  was  for 
politicians  to  maintain  such  divisions  for  their  own  ends,  that 
they  might  fish  in  troubled  waters,  and  keep  the  church  by  its 
divisions  in  a  state  of  weakness  lest  it  should  be  able  to  oSend 
them ;  and  showing  the  necessity  and  means  of  union.    My 

*  Life,  parti,  p.  71. 

r  Robert  Rich,  the  second  Earl  of  Warwick,  was  at  an  early  period  of  bit  life 
the  patron  and  friend  of  the  persecuted  Puritans.  He  took  an  active  part  in 
the  prosecution  of  Strafford  and  Laud  ;  and  was  made  by  the  Long^  Parlia* 
ment,  in  opposition  to  the  will  of  Charles,  admiral  of  the  fleet,  and  afterwards 
lord  hi^h  admiral  of  England.  He  enjoyed  a  large  portion  of  the  confidence 
of  Cromwell,  and  was  one  of  the  few  old  nobility  who  sat  in  his  upper  house. 
Clarendon  praises  his  "  pleasant  and  companionable  wit  and  conversatioo  ;** 
and  speaks  of  "  his  fpreat  authority'andcred  it  with  the  Puritans,"  which  he 
represents  as  acquired  "by  makings  his  house  the  rendezvous  of  all  the 
silenced  ministers,  and  spending  a  <;ood  part  of  his  estate  upon  them,  and  by 
being  present  at  their  devotions,  and  making  himself  merry  with  them  and  at 
them,  which  they  dispensed  with."  He  intimates  that  *<  thus  he  became  the 
head  of  that  party,  and  got  the  style  of  a  godly  man  ;*'  though  '*  he  was  of 
universal  jollity,  and  used  great  license  in  his  words  and  actions." — HiiU 
vol.  ii.  p.  210.  This  I  believe  tu  be  one  of  those  cases  in  which  Garendon't 
politics  completely  corrupted  his  historical  integrity.  Dr.  Owen's  opinion  of 
Warwick's  piety,  may  be  seen  in  his  dedication  to  him  of  his  <  Salus  Elec- 
torum,'  Owen's  Works,  v.  p.  207.  Godwin's  view  of  his  character  Is  highl/ 
advantageous  to  his  talents  anil  respectability  as  a  man,  and  conveys  no  im- 
pression of  his  immorality,  which  is  strongly  implied  in  Clarendon's  account* 
Commonwealth,  i.  p.  192.  It  is  not  at  all  likely  that  a  profligate  man  should 
have  enjoyed  the  full  confidence  of  the  Puritans.  His  grandson  married  the 
Protector's  favourite  daughter.  Lady  Frances.  He  died  before  Cromwell,  in 
1658,  and  his  funeral  sermon  was  preached  by  Calamy,  who  makes  honour^ 
able  mention  of  his  religious  dispositioos  and  habits. 


OF  lUCHAlD  BAXTBS«  14$ 

fSabtiett  I  beard  was  displeasing  (o  him  and  his  conrd^  ;  bu( 
they  put  it  np. 

^  A  little  while  after,  Cromwell  sent  to  speak  with  me,  and 
when  1  came,  in  the  presence  of  only  three  of  his  chief  men/  he 
bc^^  a  long  and  tedious  speech  to  me  of  God's  providence  in 
the  change  of  the  government,  and  how  God  had  owned  it,  and 
what  great  things  had  been  done  at  home  and  abroad,  in  the 
peace  with  Spain  and  Holland,  &c.  When  he  had  wearied  us 
all  with  speaking  thus  slowly  about  an  hour,  1  told  him  it  was 
too  great  condescension  to  acquaint  me  so  fully  with  all  these 
matters,  which  were  above  me ;  but  I  told  him  that  we  took  our 
ancient  monarchy  to  be  a  blessing,  and  not  an  evil  to  the  land ; 
and  humbly  craved  his  patience  that  I  might  ask  him  how 
England  had  ever  forfeited  that  blessing,  and  unto  whom  that 
forfeitore  was  made  ?  I  was  fain  to  speak  of  the  form  of  govern- 
ment only,  for  it  had  lately  been  made  treason,  by  law,  to  speak 
for  the  person  of  the  king* 

^  Upon  that  question,  he  was  awakened  into  some  passion, 
and  then  told  me  it  was  no  forfeiture,  but  God  had  changed  it 
as  pleased  him  3  and  then  he  let  fly  at  the  parliament,  which 
thwarted  him ;  and  especially  by  name  at  four  or  Ave  of  those 
members  who  were  my  chief  acquaintances,  whom  I  presumed 
to  defend  against  his  passion  :  and  thus  four  or  five  hours  were 
spent* 

^  A  few  days  after  he  sent  for  me  again,  to  hear  my  judgment 
about  liberty  of  conscience,  which  he  pretended  to  be  most 
zealous  for,  before  almost  all  his  privy  council  3  where,  after 
anotlier  slow  tedious  speech  of  his,  I  told  him  a  little  of  my 
judgment.  And  when  two  of  his  company  had  spun  out  a  great 
deal  more  of  the  time  in  such-like  tedious,  but  more  ignorant 
speeches,  some  four  or  five  hours  being  spent,  I  told  him,  that 
if  he  would  be  at  the  labour  to  read  it,  1  could  tell  him  more  of 
my  mind  in  writing  in  two  sheets,  than  in  that  way  of  speaking 
in  many  days ;  and  that  I  had  a  paper  on  the  subject  by  me, 
written  for  a  friend,  which,  if  he  would  peruse,  and  allow  for  the 
change  of  the  person,  he  would  know  my  sense.  He  received  the 
paper  afterwards,  but  I  scarcely  believe  that  he  ever  read  it ;  for 
I  saw  that  what  he  learned  must  be  from  himself  3  being  more 

*  Lord  Broghill,  Lamberty  and  Thurlow,  were  the  individuals  present  on 
this  occasion.  Lambert  fell  asleep  during;  CroroweH's  %peech,^Baxtrr*s 
Penitent  Conftitums^  p.  25. 

SOU  i.  L 


148  OBB  UFHiAND  TIMBS 

disposed  to  tpeak  many  botm^  thah  to  hear  one ;  and  Bttle  heed^ 

ing  what  another  said,  when  he  had  spoken  himself."* 

This  characteristic  account  of  Cromwell's  conversation  and 
speeches,  very  much  corresponds  with  the  accounts  given  by 
other  contemporaries,  both  friends  and  enemies.  It  was  natural 
for  such  a  man  to  attach  quite  as  much  importance  to  hia  ^iwa 
opinions  as  to  those  of  his  friends ;  and,  comparing  him  with  the 
generality  of  the  persons  by  whom  he  was  surrounded,  there 
were  certainly  very  few  more  capable  of  forming  an  enlightened 
opinion  than  himself.  It  is  probable  that  he  sent  for  Baxter  ott 
the  present  occasion,  to  sound  him  about  his  ovm  views  and 
those  of  the  party  with  which  he  acted*  It  is  very  certain  he 
understood  the  doctrine  of  religious  liberty  much  better  than 
Baxter  did ;  and  acted  upon  it  both  towards  Episcopalians  and 
Presbyterians  in  a  different  way  from  what  those  bodies  did  wheil 
in  possession  of  power. 

Whatever  personal  displeasure  Cromwell  might  have  felt  at 
the  conduct  and  plain  dealing  of  Baxter,  on  this  and  other  oc- 
casions, it  is  much  to  his  honour  that  he  had  greatness  of  mind 
enough  not  to  resent  it.  Had  Baxter  used  the  same  freedom 
with  the  royal  successors  of  Cromwell  which  he  used  With  him, 
he  would  most  probably  have  lost  his  head.  He  narrowly 
enough  escaped  as  it  was,  though  most  conscientious  in  respect*^ 
ing  their  authority,  and  rendering  obedience  to  their  laws.  Bax* 
ter  had  the  candour  to  acknowledge  how  much  the  country  was 
obliged  to  Oliver. 

**  When  Cromwell  was  made  lord  protector,  he  had  the  policy 
not  to  detect  and  exasperate  the  ministers  and  others  who  con- 
sented not  to  his  government.  Having  seen  what  a  stir  the 
engagement  had  before  made^  he  let  men  live  quietly  MrithoUt 
putting  any  oaths  of  fidelity  upon  them,  except  members  of  his 
parliaments ;  these  he  would  not  allow  to  enter  the  House  till 
they  had  sworn  fidelity  to  him.  The  sectarian  party,  in  his  army 
and  elsewhere,  he  chiefly  trusted  to  and  pleased,  till,  by  the  peo- 
)»Ie's  submission  and  quietness,  he  thought  himself  well  settled; 
and  then  he  began  to  undermine  them,  and,  by  degrees,  to 
Work  them  out.  Though  he  had  so  often  spoken  for  the  Ana* 
baptists  before,  he  now  found  them  so  heady,  and  so  much 
against  any  settled  government,  and  so  set  upon  the  promoting 
of  their  way  and  party,  that  )ie  not  only  began  to  blame  their 

*  Life,  part  i.  p.  205. . 


OF  BlCUAVay  BAXTSSU  .14f 

vmlinefls,  but  also  to  design  to  settle  himself  lA  the  people's 
hvour  by  soppresaizig  them*  In  Ireland  they  were  grown  so 
high,  that  the  soldiers  were  many  of  them  re-baptised  as  the 
imy  to  preferment ;  and  those  who  opposed  them,  they  crushed 
NFith  nrnch  uncharitable  fierceness.  To  suppress  these,  he  sent 
thither  his  son  Henry  Cromwell,  who  so  discountenanced  the 
Anabaptists,  as  yet  to  deal  civilly  with  them ;  repressing  their 
bsoIeocMs,  but  not  abusing  them ;  promoting  the  work  of  the 
Gkispel,  and  setting  up  good  and  sober  ministers ;  and  dealing 
nvilly  with  the  Royalists,  and  obliging  all,  so  that  he  was  gene- 
raUy  bebved  and  well  spoken  of:  and  Major-Geueral  Ludlow, 
who  beaded  the  Anabaptists  in  Ireland,^  was  fain  to  draw  in  his 
head/'« 

This  statement  reflects  great  honour  on  the  sagacity  and  dex- 
tRNts  management  of  Cromwell*  He  was  surrounded  by  a  very 
strange  sort  of  people,  most  of  whom  thought  themselves  well 
qualified  to  govern  the  country,  and,  indeed,  to  rule  the  world. 
He  knew  that  great  mischief  would  result  from  pursuing  violent 
neasurea  against  such  persons ;  and,  therefore,  like  a  skilful 
tactirian,  he  gradually  deprived  them  of  power,  or  placed  them 
in  such  circumstances  that  they  could  do  little  harm  to  them- 
sdvea  or  to  others.  The  greatest  injury  that  could  have  been 
done  to  the  country,  would  have  been  to  place  his  own  power  in 
the  hands  of  any  of  the  dominant  factions.  Confusion  worse 
confounded  must  have  resulted  from  it.  This  appeared  as  soon 
as  the  Protector  was  removed.  Yet,  the  discrimination  and 
wise  policy  of  Cromwell  in  presiding  over  the  turbulent  elements 
of  the  Commonwealth,  are  thought  by  many  to  deserve  no  better 
names  than  cant,  dissimulation,  and  l^ypocrisy. 

To  narrate  the  various  transactions  of  a  civil  and  religious 
nature  which  belong  to  the  administration  of  Cromwell,  is  no 
part  of  the  design  of  this  work.  Enough  has  been  said  to 
afford  an  idea  of  the  state  of  things,  and  of  the  part  which 

^  Lndlow  was  not  a  Baptist,  so  far  as  I  can  ascertain,  though  the  form  of  ex- 
pradon  employed  by  Baxter  mif;bt  lead  us  to  suppose  it.  He  was  a  hif^h-minded 
republicaD  soldier.  A  man  of  Roman  rather  than  Christian  virtue ;  stem,  un- 
HHBpromisini^,  and  courageous ;  who  hated  Cromwell  as  heartily  as  Charles ; 
and  would  as  readily  have  sat  in  Judgment  on  the  one  as  a  traitor,  as  he  passed 
lentence  on  the  other  as  a  tyrant.  He  died,  after  an  exile  of  thirty  years,  in 
IwlfeEtrlaiid,  to  which  he  retirad  at  the  Restoration*  His  Memoirs  of  himself 
possess  very  considerable  interest ;  but  their  accuracy  cannot  alwa}'s  be  de- 
pended CD,  as  they  were  written  long  after  many  of  the  eveaU  which  they 


<  Life,  part  L  pt  74. 

l2 


iik  ftHZ  LIFB  AND  TIBfBft 

Baxter  acted  under  it.  The  following  character  of  Cromwdi 
is  well  drawn^  though  it  may  not  be  correct  in  every  par- 
ticular. 

*^  I  come  now  to  the  end  of  CromweU's  reign,  who  died  of  a 
fever  before  he  was  aware.  He  escaped  the  attempts  of  many, 
ivho  thought  to  have  dispatched  him  sooner,  but  could  not  es^ 
cape  the  stroke  of  God  when  his  appointed  time  was  come. 
»  ''  Never  man  was  highlier  extolled,  and  never  man  was  base- 
lier  reported  of,  and  reviled,  than  this  man.  No  mere  man  was 
better  and  worse  spoken  of  than  he,  according  as  men's  inte* 
rests  led  their  judgments.  The  soldiers  and  sectaries  moat 
highly  magnified  him,  till  he  began  to  seek  the  crown  and  the 
establishment  of  his  family ;  and  then  there  were  so  many  who 
MTQuld  be  half-kings  themselves,  that  a  king  did  seem  intolera- 
ble to  them.  The  Royalists  abhorred  him  as  a  most  perfidious 
hypocrite  ;  and  the  Presbyterians  thought  him  little  better,  in 
•his  management  of  public  matters. 

^^  If,  after  so  many  others,  I  may  speak  my  opinion  of  him, 
I  think  that  having  been  a  prodigal  in  his  youth,  and  afterwards 
changed  to  a  zealous  religionist,  he  meant  honestly  in  the  main, 
and  was  pious  and  conscientious  in  the  chief  course  of  his  life, 
till  prosperity  and  success  corrupted  him.  ^  At  his  first  en* 
trance  into  the  wars,  being  but  a  captain  of  horse,  he  took  spe- 
t^ial  care  to  get  religious  men  into  his  troop.  These  were  of 
greater  understanding  than  common  soldiers,  and  therefore 
were  more  apprehensive  of  the  importance  and  consequence  of 
the  war ;  and,  making  not  money,  but  that  which  th«y  took  for 
the  public  felicity,  to  be  their  end,  they  were  the  more  engaged 
to  be  valiant ;  for  he  that  maketh  money  his  end,  doth  esteem 
his  life  above  his  pay,  and  therefore  is  likely  enough  to  save  it 
by  flight  when  danger  comes,  if  possibly  he  can.  But  he  that 
maketh  the  felicity  of  church  and  state  his  end,  esteemeth  it 
«bove  his  life,  and  therefore  will  the  sooner  lay  down  his  life 
for  it.  Men  of  parts  and  understanding  know  how  to  mani^ 
their  business.  They  know  that  flying  is  the  surest  way  to 
death,  and  that  standing  to  it  is  the  likeliest  way  to  escape ; 
there  being  many  that  usually  fall  in  flight,  for  one  that  falls  in 
valiant  fighting/ 

'*  These  things,  it  is  probable,  Cromwell  understood;  and  that 

*  There  it  no  evidence  that  Cromwell  was  a  profli^te  man  in  early  lifc| 
and  to  the  last  he  maintained  the  greatest  regvd  for  justice,  morality,  aad 
the  public  interests  of  religion. 


OF  :BICBASI>  BAXtSR*  I49i 

none  obuld  lie  ^gaged,  such  valiant  men  as  the  religious.  Yet^ . 
I  eonjeptnre,  that,  at  his  first  choosing  such  men  inta  his  troop, 
it  was  the  v«y  esteem  and  love  of  religious  men  that  principally 
moved  him ;  and  the  avoiding  of  those  disorders,  mutinies, 
plunderings,  and  grievances  of  the  country,  which  debauched 
men  in  armies  are  commonly  guilty  of.  By  this  means  he  in- 
deed sped  better  than  he  expected.  Aires,  Desborough,  Berry, 
Evaiison,  and  the  rest  of  that  troOp,  did  prove  so  valiant,  that, 
as  far  as  I  coiild  learn,  they  fiever  once  ran  away  before  an 
enemy.  Hereupon  he  got  a  commission  to  take  some  care  of 
the  associated  counties,  where  he  formed  this  troop  into  a' 
doable  r^ment  of  fourteen  troops  ;  and  all  these  as  full  of 
religious  men  as  he  could  get.  These  having  more  than  ordi- 
nary wit  and  resolution,  had  more  than  ordinary  success ;  first 
in  Lincolnshire,  and  afterward  in  the  Eari  of  Manchester's  army^ 
at  York  fight.  With  their  successes,  the  hearts  both  of  cap- 
tains and  soldiers  secretly  rose  both  in  pride  and  expectation  : 
and  tbe  familiarity  of  many  honest,  erroneous  men,  as  Anabap- 
tbts,  Antinomiaus,  &c.  withal,  began  quickly  to  corrupt  their 
judgments.  Hereupon  Cromwell's  general  religious  zeal  gave 
way  to  the  power  of  that  ambition  which  increased  as  his 
successes  increased.  Both  piety  and  ambition  concurred  in 
countenancing  all  whom  he  thought  godly,  of  what  sect  so- 
ever ;  piety  pleaded  for  them  as  godly,  and  charity  as  men ;  and 
ambition  secretly  told  him  what  use  he  might  make  of  them. 
He  meant  well  in  ail  this  at  the  beginning,  and  thought  he  did 
all  for  the  safety  of  the  godly,  and  the  public  good ;  but  not 
without  an  eye  to  himself. 

^  When  success  had  broken  down  all  considerable  opposition, 
he  was  then  in  the  face  of  his  strongest  temptations,  which 
conquered  him  when  he  had  conquered  others.  He  thought 
that  he  had  hitherto  done  well,  both  as  to  the  eiid  and  means  ; 
that  God,  by  the  wonderful  blessing  of  his  providence,  had 
owned  his  endeavours,  a.id  that  it  was  none  but  God  who  had 
made  him  great.  He  thought,  that  if  the  war  was  lawful,  the 
victory  was  lawful ;  and  that  if  it  were  lawful  to  fight  against 
the  king,  and  conquer  him,  it  was  lawful  to  use  him  as  a  con- 
quered enemy,  and  a  foolish  thing  to  trust  him  when  they  had 
so  provoked  him.  He  thought  that  the  heart  of  the  king  was 
deep,  that  he  had  resolved  ijpon  revenge,  and  that  if  he  were 
once  king,  he  would  easily,  at  one  time  or  other,  accomplish  it ; 
that  it  was  a  dishonest  thing  of  the  parliament  tQ  set  men  to 


ISO  TAB  UIB  AND  TUn»> 

fight  for  than  against  the  king,  and  then  to  lay  Aorlieadi  iqxm' 
the  block,  and  be  at  his  mercy ;  and  that  if  this  must  be  their 
case,  it  was  better  to  flatter  or  please  him  than  to  fight  against 
him.* 

^^  He  saw  that  the  Scots  and  the  Presbyterians  in  the  parlia- 
ment, did,  by  the  covenant  and  the  oath  of  allegiance,  find 
themselves  bound  to  the  person  and  family  of  the  king ;  and 
that  there  was  no  hope  of  changing  their  minds  in  this.  Here- 
upon he  joined  with  that  party  in  the  parliament  who  were  for 
the  cutting  off  the  king  and  trusting  him  no  more ;  and  eonse* 
quently  he  joined  with  them  in  raising  the  Independents  to  „ 
make  a  faction  in  the  Synod  at  Westminster,  and  in  the  city ; 
in  strengthening  the  sectaries  in  the  army,  city,  and  country; 
and  in  rendering  the  Scots  and  ministers  as  odious  as  he  could, 
to  disable  them  from  hindering  the  change  of  government.' 

^^  In  the  doing  of  all  this,  which  distrust  and  ambition  per- 
suaded  him  was  well  done,  he  thought  it  lawful  to  use  his  wits,  to 
choose  each  instrument  and  suit  each  means,  unto  its  end  ^  and 
accordingly  he  modelled  the  army,  and  disbanded  all  other 
garrisons,  forces,  and  committees,  which  were  likely  to  have 
hindered  his  design.  As  he  went  on,  though  he  had  not  re- 
solved into  what  form  the  new  Commonwealth  should  be 
moulded,  he  thought  it  but  reasonable  that  he  should  be  the 
chief  person  who  had  been  chief  in  their  deliverance ;  for  the 
Lord  Fairfax,  he  knew,  had  but  the  name.  At  last,  as  he  (bought 
it  lawful  to  cut  off  the  king,  because  he  thought  he  was  lawfully 
conquered,  so  he  thought  it  lawful  to  fight  against  the  Scots  that 
would  set  him  up,  and  to  pull  down  the  Presbyterian  majority 
in  the  parliament,  which  would  else,  by  restoring  the  king,  undo 
all  which  had  cost  them  so  much  blood  and  treasure.  He  ae* 
cordingiy  conquered  Scotland,  and  nulled  down  the  parliament: 
being  the  easier  persuaded  that  all  this  was  lawful,  because  he 
had  a  secret  bias  and  eye  towards  his  own  exaltation.  For  be 
and  his  officers  thought,  that  when  the  king  was  gone,  a  govern** 
ment  there  must  be,  and  that  no  man  was  so  fit  for  it  as  he 
himself^  yea,  they  thought  that  God  had  called  them  by  m^ 

*  The  conduct  of  Charles  fully  Justified  this  view  of  his  character;  and 
much  more  than  the  ambition  of  Cromwell  contributed  to  his  unhappy  fate. 

'  What  is  here,  and  afterwards,  ascribed  entirely  to  CromweH'i  ambltioD, 
more  properly  belong^  to  the  desire  of  personal  preservation,  and  regard  for 
the  safety  of  the  country.  The  rulinj;  passion  of  CromweU  was  leal  for  what 
he  regarded  as  the  cause  of  God  and  his  country.  The  circumstances  made 
the  mao,  much  more  tiiaa  the  maa  the  circamstaaccff 


eF  RICHARD  BAXXntX  151^ 

to  fjomn  and  take  care  of  the  Commonwealthf  and  of 
the  interest  of  all  his  people  in  the  laud ;  and  that  if  they  stood 
by  and  suffered  the  parliament  to  do  that  which  they  thought 
was  dangerous,  it  would  be  required  at  their  hands,  whom  they 
thought  God  bad  made  the  guardians  of  the  land. 

^  Having  thus  forced  his  conscience  to  justify  all  his  cause, 
cutting  off  the  king,  setting  up  himself  and  his  adherents, 
putting  down  the  parliament,  and  the  Scots;  he  thought 
that  the  end  being  good  and  necessary,  the  necessary  means 
could  not  be  bad.  He  accordingly  gave  his  interest  and 
cause  leave  to  tell  him,  how  far. sects  should  be  tolerated  and 
commended,  and  how  far  not;  how  far  the  ministry  should 
be  owned  and  supported,  and  how  far  not ;  yea,  and  how  far 
professions,  promises,  and  vows,  should  be  kept  or  broken ;  and 
therefore  the  covenant  he  could  not  away  with,  nor  the  minis- 
ters, further  than  they  yielded  to  his  ends,  or  did  not  openly 
resist  them. 

^  He  seemed  exceedingly  open«»heartedf  by  a  familiar,  rustic,' 
sffscted  carriage,  especially  to  his  soldiers,  in  sporting  with 
them ;  but  he  thought  secrecy  a  virtue,  and  dissimulation  no 
▼ice ;  and  simulation,  that  is,  in  plain  English,  a  lie,  or  perfidi- 
ousness,  to  be  a  tolerable  fault  in  a  case  of  necessity  :  being  of 
the  same  opinion  with  the  Lord  Bacon,  who  was  not  so  precise 
ss  learned'*-*  that  the  best  composition  and  temperature  is  to 
have  openness  in  fame  and  opinion,  secrecy  in  habit,  dissimu- 
lation in  seasonable  use,  and  a  power  to  feign  if  there  be  no 
remedy/  He  therefore  kept  fair  with  all,  saving  his  open  or 
irreconcilable  enemies.  He  carried  it  with  such  dissimulation, 
that  Anabaptists,  Independents,  and  Antinomians,  did  all  think 
he  was  one  of  them ;  but  he  never  endeavoured  to  persuade 
the  Presbyterians  that  he  was  one  of  them;  but  only  that 
he  would  do  them  justice,  and  preserve  them,  and  that  he  ho* 
noured  their  worth  and  piety  :  for  he  knew  that  they  were  not 
so  easily  deceived. '  In  a  word,  he  did  as  our  prelates  have 
done,  begin  low,  and  rise  higher  in  his  resolutions  as  his  condi- 
tion rose.  The  promises  which  he  made  in  his  lower  condition, 
he  used  as  the  interest  of  his  higher  following  condition  did 

f  Cromwell  could  not  profess  to  be  a  Presbyterian,  without  renouncing  the 
leadings  principle  of  his  life  and  government — religious  liberty.  It  was  not 
the  difficulty  of  deceiving  them,  therefore  (for  they  had  often  been  outwitted  bj 
him) ,  which  kept  him  aloof  from  them,  but  his  opposition  to  their  narrow  and 
exclusive  spirit. 


I5!|  TBS  UFB  AND  ^IICBS 

require,  and  kept  up  as  much  honesty'and  godliness  in  the  main 
as  his  cause  and  interest  would  allow.  But  there  they  left  him, 
and  his  name  standeth  as  a  monitory  pillar  to  posterity,  to  tdl 
tliem  the  instability  of  man  in  strong  temptations  if  God  leave 
him  to  himself;  what  great  success  and  victories  can  do  to  lift 
up  a  mind  that  once  seemed  humble :  what  pride  can  do  to 
make  men  selfish,  corrupt  the  judgment,  justify  the  greatest 
errors  and  sins,  and  set  against  the  clearest  truth  and  duty ; 
what  bloodshed  and  enormities  of  life,  an  erring,  deluded  judg* 
ment  may  execute.  An  erroneous  sectary,  or  a  proud  self-seeker, 
is  oftener  God's  instrument  than  an  humble,  lamb-Uke,  inno-^ 
cent  saint."  ^ 

In  this  lengthened  description  of  Cromwell,  and  of  the 
principles  which  chiefly  directed  his  various  movements,  it  is  im- 
possible not  to  recognise  the  broad  features  of  the  Protector's 
character.  They  were  too  strongly  marked  to  be  mistaken  by 
such  a  man  as  Baxter,  however  cautiously  Cromwell  endea-* 
voured  to  conceal  them.  The  process,  too,  which  Baxter  de- 
scribes as  that  by  which  Oliver  finally  arrived,  not  only  at  the 
pinnacle  of  earthly  power  and  glory,  but  by  which  he  justified 
to  his  own  mind  the  measures  that  conducted  him  to  it,  is  very 
probably  that  which  actually  took  place.  Yet,  I  cannot  help 
thinking  that  Baxter  ascribes  too  much  to  Cromwell's  selfitb- 
ness  and  love  of  personal  aggrandisement ;  and  that  he  uses  too 
strong  language  about  the  violence  done  to  his  conscience,  to 
reconcile  him  to  the  means  which  he  employed.  Many  things. 
Vhich  he  did,  it  is  impossible  to  justify ;  but  even  these,  though 
they  cannot  be  defended,  admit  of  some  apology,  when  his  cir- 
cumstances are  considered ;  and  when  due  allowance  is  made 
for  human  infirmity,  and  for  the  influence  of  those  mistaken 
principles,  by  which  it  is  evident  both  he  and  many  of  the 
men  of  his  party  were  influenced.  Baxter  seems. not  to  do 
suflicient  justice  to  the  real  influence  of  religion  on  the  charac* 
ter  of  Cromwell ;  without  which,  it  is  not  possible  to  account 
for  many  parts  of  his  conduct.  His  opposition  to  Presbyterian- 
ism,  his  friendship  for  the  sectaries,  and  his  antimonarcbical 
principles  and  actions,  were  unpardonable  offences  in  the  esti* 
mation  of  Baxter.  Scarcely  any  degree  of  personal  excellence 
or  public  virtue  could  compensate,  in  his  opinion,  for  these  enor- 
mous evils.    It  should  be  remembered,  however,  that  if  Crom- 

k  Life,  part  i.  pp.  98—100. 


C9  ftlCBARD  HAXTBRS  153 

irdl  had  great  UaAtj^  he  had  also  splendid  virtues ;  which,  in 
any  other  eharacter  than  a  usurper's,  would  have  been  embla- 
loned  by  friends,  and  eulogised  by  enemies.  ^ 

Whatever  may  be  said  or  thought  of  the  personal  religion  of 
Cromwell,  the  influence  of  his  measures  and  government  on  the 
state  of  religion  in  the  country,  was  highly  favourable.  I  have 
quoted  the  strong  language  of  Baxter,  respecting  the  sects  and 
die  divisions  of  the  period,  and  the  pointed  censures  which  he 
pronounces  on  many  of  the  leading  men.  It  is  right  I  should 
quote  what  he  says  about  the  improved  state  of  religion  during 
the  Commonwealth.  What  a  contrast  does  the  following  pic- 
ture present,  to  the  dismal  representation  of  the  condition  of  reli- 
gion during  the  early  days  of  Baxter,  which  have  been  given  in 
the  first  part  of  this  work ! 

^  I  do  not  believe  that  ever  England  had  so  able  and  faithful 
a  ministry  since  it  was  a  nation,  as  it  hath  at  this  day ;  and  I 
£ear  that  few  nations  on  earth,  if  any,  have  the  like.  Sure  I 
am  the  change  is  so  great  within  these  twelve  years,  that  it  is 
one  of  the  greatest  joys  that  ever  I  had  in  the  world  to  behold 
it.  O,  how  many  congregations  are  now  plainly  and  frequently 
taught,  that  lived  then  in  great  obscurity !  How  many  able, 
faithful  men  are  there  now  in  a  county  in  comparison  of  what  were 
then  !  How  graciously  hath  God  prospered  the  studies  of  many 
young  men  that  were  little  children  in  the  beginning  of  the  late 
troubles ;  so  that  they  now  cloud  the  most  of  their  'seniors ! 
How  many  miles  would  I  have  gone  twenty  years  ago,  and  less, 
to  have  heard  one  of  those  ancient  reverend  divines,  whose  con- 

>  AmoD^  the  Baxter  MSS^is  a  letter  from  Juhn  Howe  to  Richard  Vines,  in 
which  his  circumstances,  as  chaplain  in  the  Protector's  family,  are  described 
ts  so  oncomfortable,  that  he  was  determined  to  leave  it.  This  letter  conveys 
a  stronger  reflection  on  the  character  of  Cromwell  than  any  thing  I  have  met 
with.  "  My  call  hither  was  to  a  wurk  I  thought  very  considerable ;  the  setting- 
up  the  worship  and  discipline  of  Christ  in  this  family,  wherein  I  was  to  he 
joined  with  another,  called  in  upon  the  same  account.  But  I  now  see  the 
designed  work  here  hopelessly  laid  aside.  We  affect  here  to  live  in  so  loose  a 
way,  that  a  man  cannot  fix  upon  any  certain  charge,  to  carry  towards  them  as 
a  minister  of  Christ  should :  so  that  it  were  as  hopeful  a  course  to  preach  in 
a  market,  or  any  other  assembly  met  by  chance,  as  here.  The  affected  dis- 
orderliness  of  this  family,  as  to  the  matters  of  God's  worship,  whence  arises  my 
despair  of  doing  good  in  it,  I  desire  as  much  as  possible  to  conceal ;  and  there- 
fore resolve  to  others  to  insist  upon  the  low  condition  of  the  place  I  left,  as  the 
reason  of  my  removal,  if  I  do  remove.  To  you  I  state  the  case  more  fully, 
hut  desire  you  to  be  very  sparing  in  making  it  known,  as  it  is  here  re- 
presented."— Baxter  MSS.  There  are  several  letters  from  Howe  to  Bax- 
ter among  these  MSS.  It  is  curious  to  find  Howe  speaking  of  himself  as  a 
**  raw  youth,  bashful,  pttsUanimous,  and  solicitous  about  the  flesh.*' 


154  THK  UWB  Asn  TIMm 

gregations  $fe  now  grown  thin^  and  their  parta  asteaiDMl  maaw 
by  reason  of  the  notable  improvements  of  Uieir  juniors  4 

^^  I  hope  I  shall  rejoice  in  Ood  while  I  have  a  b«og,  for  thft 
Qommon  change  in  other  parts  that  I  liave  lived  to  see  |  that 
so  many  hundred  fmthful  men  are  so  hard  at  work  for  the  savii^ 
of  souls,  ^  frementibus  licet  et  frendentibus  inimicia ; '  and  that 
more  are  springing  up  apace.    I  know  there  are  some  men' 
whose  parts  I  reverence,  who,  being  in  point  of  government 
of  another  mind   from   them,  will  be  offended  at  my  very 
mention  of  this  happy  alteration ;  but  I  must  profess  if  I  were 
absolutely  prelatical,  if  I  knew  my  heart,  I  could  not  choose  for 
all  that  but  rejoice.     What,  not  rejoice  at  the  prosperity  <tf 
the  church,  because  men  differ  in  opinion  about  its  order  i. 
Should  I  shut  my  eyes  against  the  mercies  of  the  Lord  ?     The 
souls  of  men  are  not  so  contemptible  to  me,  that  I  should  envy 
them  the  bread  of  life,  because  it  is  broken  to  them  by  a  hand- 
that  had  not  the  prelatical  approbation*    O  that  every  congre- 
gation  were  thus  supplied !  but  all  cannot  be  done  at  onea^ 
They  had  a  long  time  to  settle  a  corrupted  ministry  $  and  when- 
the  ignorant  and  scandalous  are  cast  out,  we  cannot  create 
abilities  in  others  for  their  supply ;  we  must  stay  the  time  of 
their  preparation  and  growth ;  and  then  if  England  drive  not 
away  the  Gospel  by  their  abuse,  even  by  their  wilful  unreform- 
edness  and  hatred  of  the  light,  they  are  likely  to  be  the  happiest 
nation  under  heaven.    For,  as  for  all  the  sects  and  heresies  that 
are  creeping  in  daily  and  troubling  us,  I  doubt  not  but  the  free 
Gospel,  managed  by  an  able,  self-denying  ministry,  will  effsetu* 
ally  disperse  and  shame  them  ail."^ 

Cromwell  being  dead,  his  son  Richard,  by  his  will  and  testa- 
ment, and  by  the  army,  was  quietly  settled  in  his  place.  ^^  He 
interred  his  father  with  great  pomp  and  solemnity.  He  called 
a  parliament,  and  that  without  any  such  restraints  as  his  father 
had  used.  The  members  took  the  oath  of  fidelity  or  allegiance 
to  him  at  the  door  of  the  house,  before  they  entered.  And  all 
men  wondered  to  see  every  thing  so  quiet  in  so  dangerous  a  time. 
Many  sober  men  that  called  his  father  no  better  than  a  traitorous 
hypocrite,  did  begin  to  think  that  they  owed  him  subjection ; 
which  I  confess  was  the  case  with  myself, 

^^  The  army  set  up  Richard  Cromwell,  it  seemed,  upon  trial, 
resolving  to  use  him  as  he  behaved  himself:  for  though  they 

"  ^  lUfonqcd  FMlorj  publjihsd  in  l6Mr^Workftf  ToL  auvf  pp.  I{k9»153«   . 


Cr  ftlCHASB  BiXTBB«  15S. 

flvore  fiddity  to  him,  tliey  meant  to  keep  it  no  longer  than  he 
pleased  them.  When  they  saw  that  he  began  to  favour  the 
sober  people  of  the  land,  to  honour  parliaments,  and  to  respect 
the  jnimsterBy  whom  they  called  Presbyterians,  they  presently 
resolved  to  make  him  know  his  masters,  and  that  it  was  they^ 
and  not  he,  who  were  called  by  God  to  be  the  chief  protectors 
of  the  interest  of  the  nation.  He  was  not  so  formidable  to  them: 
as  his  father  had  been,  and  therefore  every  one  boldly  spurned 
at  him.  The  fifth  monarchy-men  followed  Sir  Henry  Vane,  and' 
raised  a  great,  violent,  and  clamorous  party  agains]t  him,  among 
the  sectaries  in  the  city :  Rogers,  Feake,  and  such-like  fire- 
brands, preached  them  into  fury,  and  blew  the  coals ;  but  Dr. 
Owen  and  his  assistants  did  the  mdn  work.^ 

^  The  Wallingford-house  party,  consisting  of  the  active 
officers  of  the  army,  determined  that  Richard's  parliament  must 
be  dissolved ;  and  then  he  quickly  fell  himself.  Though  he 
never  abated  their  liberUes,  or  their  greatness,  he  did  not  suffi« 
dendy  befriend  them.  Though  Colonel  Ingolsby,  and  some 
others,  would  have  stuck  to  the  protector,  and  have  ventured  to 
surprise  the  leaders  of  the  'faction,  and  the  parliament  would 
have  been  true  to  him ;  Berry's  regiment  of  horse,  and  some 
others,  were  ready  to  begin  the  fray  against  him*  As  he  sought, 
not  the  government,  he  was  resolved  it  should  cost  no  blood  to 
keep  him  in  it ;  but  if  they  would  venture  for  their  parts  to 
new  confusions,  he  would  venture  his  part  by  retiring  to  privacy* 
And  so  to  satisfy  these  proud,  distracted  tyrants,  who  thought 
they  did  but  pull  down  tyranny,  he  resigned  the  government,  by 
a  writing  under  his  hand,  and  left  them  to  govern  as  they 
pleased. 

*^  His  good  brother-in-law,  Fleetwood,  and  his  uncle,  Des- 
borough,  were  so  intoxicated  as  to  be  the  leaders  of  the  conspi- 
racy ;  and  when  they  had  pulled  him  down,  they  set  up  a  few 
of  themselves  under  the  name  of  a  Council  of  State.  So  mad 
were  they  with  pride,  as  to  think  the  nation  would  stand  by  a^d 
reverence  them,  and  obediently  wait  upon  them  in  their  drunken 
giddiness ;  and  that  their  faction  in  the  army  was  made  by  God 
an  invincible  terror  to  all  that  did  but  hear  their  names.  The 
eore  of  the  business  also  was,  that  Oliver  had  once  made  Fleet- 
wood believe,  that  he  should  be  his  successor,  and  had  drawn 

^  For  an  account  of  Owen's  conduct  in  this  afl^O  see  *  Memoirs  of  Owen,' 
l»p.  213—215,  second  edition. 


15$  THB  UFB  AND  TIMBfr 

tn  instrument  to  that  purpose;  but  his  h»t'#iU  disappomted. 
him.  And  then  the  sectaries  flattered  him,  saying,  thai  a  tniljr 
godly  man,  who  had  commanded  them  in  the  wars,  was  to  be 
preferred  before  such  a  one  as  they  censured  to  have  no  true 
godliness.""* 

Richard  Cromwell  rose  to  the  Protectorate  without  efftnt, 
and  fell  from  it  without  much  regret  on  his  own  part^  and  with 
none  on  the  part  of  the  country.    The  formidable  difficulties, 
which  had  tried  the  genius  and  courage  of  the  father,  and 
had  greatly  accumulated  before  his  death,  soon  overwhelmed 
the  son.    His  talents,  though  not  despicable,  were  not  of  the 
first  order ;  and  never  having  been  bred  a  soldier,  he  was  Ettle 
qualified  for  managing  the  daring  spirits  by  which  he  was  sur- 
rounded.    He  was  a  lover  of  peace  and  a  friend  of  religion, 
and  had  he  quietly  succeeded  to  a  well-edtablished  throne,. 
would  have  filled  it  with  honour  to  himself,  and  advantage  to 
his  country.    But  it  was  a  difficult  affair  to  occupy  the  aeat  oC 
a  protector,  and  to  maintain  claims  which  were  still  regarded  as 
those  of  a  usurper.    Surrounded  by  cabals  of  enemies,  misled 
by  the  advice  of  injudicious  friends,  and  terrified  by  the  prospect 
of  new  civil  convulsions,  he  had  the  wisdom  to  descend  from  the 
seat  of  power,  without  a  struggle,  which  would  only  have  been 
attended  with  a  useless  efi^usion  of  blood,  and  followed  with  cer- 
tain defeat.    ^^  I  have  no  doubt,''  says  Baxter,  **  that  God  per* 
mitted  all  this  for  good ;  and  that,  as  it  was  the  treason  of  a  mili- 
tary faction  to  set  up  Oliver,  and  destroy  the  king,  so  it  was  their 
duty  to  have  set  up  the  present  king  instead  of  Richard.    Tlius 
God  made  them  the  means,  to  their  own  destruction,  contrary 
to  their  intentions,  to  restore  the  monarchy  and  family  which 
they  had  ruined.     But  all  this  is  no  thanks  to  them  ;  but  that 
which,  with  a  good  intention,  had  been  a  duty,  as  done  by 
them,  was  as  barbarous  perfidiousness  as  most  history  ever  did 
declare.    That   they  should  so  suddenly,  so  scornfully,  and 
proudly  pull  down  him  whom  they  had  so  lately  set  up  them- 
selves, and  sworn  allegiance  to  ;  that  they  should  do  this  with- 
out being  able  to  tell  themselves  why  they  did  it ;  that  they 
should  do  it,  while  a  parliament  was  sitting  which  had  so  many 
wise  and  religious  members,  and  accomplish  it,  not  only  without 

">  Life,  part  i.  pp.  100,  101.  There  are  letters  from  Baxter  to  Sir  Janet 
Netbersole,  and  Colonel  Harley,  about  the  affairs  of  the  country  durio; 
*^  Richard's  usurpatloD,  when  nien  were  raised  to  some  vaio  hopes/'^ 
Baxter  MSS. 


or  mcHARD  BAXTBK*  15? 

the  parliament's  advice,  but  in  spite  of  it,  and  force  him  to  dis- 
solve it  first;  that  they  should  so  proudly  despise,  not  merely  the 
fMurliament,  but  all  the  ministers  of  London  and  of  the  land ; 
yea,  and  act  against  the  judgments  of  most  of  their  own  party 
(the  Independents),  is  altogether  very  wonderful."'^ 

While  the  praise  or  blame  of  pulling  down  Richard  is  thus 
studiously  aacribed,  by  Baxter,  to  a  faction,  consisting  neither 
of  the  Presbyterians  nor  of  the  Independents,  it  is  very  evident, 
from  his  own  statements  afterwards,  that  the  Presbyteriaos  were 
more  deeply  concerned,  both  in  the  overthrow  of  the  Common- 
wealth, and  in  the  restoration  of  the  monarchy,  and  in  all  the 
plotting,  or,  as  he  would  have  called  it  in  others,  the  periidi- 
ousness  which  these  things  involved,  than  he  was  disposed  to 
admit*  That  party  threw  every  possible  difficulty  in  the  way 
of  tlie  Commonwealth  administration,  because  they  were  not  of 
sufficient  importance  under  it ;  and  did  all  they  could  to  bring 
back  the  king,  whom  they  could  not  doubt  would  reward  their 
fidelity,  and  comprehend  them  in  the  new  establishment.  They 
Were  taken  effectually  in  their  own  snare,  and  were  more  se- 
verely punished  and  disappointed  than  any  other. 

Shortly  after  this,  when  Sir  George  Booth's  rising  failed, 
^  Major  •General  Monk,  in  Scotland,  with  his  army,  grew  so 
sensible  of  the  insolence  of  Vane  and  Lambert,  and  the  fana- 
tics in  England  and  Ireland,  who  set  up  and  pulled  down  go- 
vernments as  boldly  as  if  they  were  making  a  lord  of  a  May 
game,  and  were  grasping  all  the  power  into  their  own  hands ; 
tliat  he  presently  secured  the  Anabaptists  of  his  army,  and 
agreed  with  the  rest  to  resist  those  usurpers,  who  would  have 
made  England  the  scorn  of  all  the  world.  At  first,  when  he 
drew  near  to  England,  he  declared  for  a  free  Commonwealth. 
When  he  came  in,  Lambert  marched  against  him,  but  his  sol- 
diers forsaking  him,  and  Sir  Arthur  Haselrigge  getting  Ports- 
mouth, and  Colonel  Morley  strengthening  him,  and  Major- 
General  Berry's  regiment  which  went  to  block  it  up,  revolting 
to  them,  the  clouds  rose  everywhere  at  once,  and  Lambert 
could  make  no  resistance ;  so  that  instead  of  fighting,  they 
were  fain  to  treat.  While  Monk  held  them  treating,  his  repu- 
tation increased,  and  theirs  abated  ;  their  hearts  failed  them, 
their  soldiers  fell  off;  and  General  Monk  consulted  with  his 
friends  what  to  do.    Many  counties  sent  letters  of  thanks  and 

«  Lifei  part  if  p.  lOK 


1S6  -THB  Lm  AND  TIMBB 

lenecmiragement  to  him«    Mr.  Thomms  Batnpfield  was"Miit*Iqf 
the  gentlemen  of  the  West,  and  other  counties  did  the  like ;  ao 
that  Monk  came  on,  but  still  declared  for  a  Commonwealth^ 
against  monarchy  5  till  at  last,  when  he  saw  all  ripened  there* 
to,  he  declared  for  thie  king.    The  chief  men,  as  far  as  I  ca^ 
learn,  who  turned  his  resolution  to  bring  in  the  king,  were  Mr. 
Clarges,®  and  Sir  William  Morris,  his  kinsman;    the  peti- 
tions and  affections  of  the  city  of  London,  principally  mored 
by  Mr.  Calamy  and  Mr.  Ash,  two  ancient  leading  able  minis* 
ters;  with  Dr.  Bates,  Dr.  Manton,  Dr.  Jacomb,  and  other 
ministers  of   London  who  concurred.     These  were  encon* 
raged  by  the  Earl  of  Manchester,  the  Lord  Hollis,  the  late  Bad 
of  Anglesey,  and  many  of  the  then  council  of  state.    The 
members  of  the  old  parliament,  who  had  formerly  been  ejected) 
being  recalled,  dissolved  themselves,  and  appointed  the  convening 
of  a  parliament  which  might  recall  the  king*    When  General 
Monk  first  came  into  England,  most  men  rejoiced,  in  hope  t6 
foe  delivered  from  the  usifrpation  of  the  fanatics,  Anabaptist8| 
Seekers,  &c.    I  was  myself  so  much  affected  with  the  strange 
providence  of  God,   tiiat  I  procured  the  ministers  to  agree 
upon  a  public  thanksgiving  to  God.    I  think  all  the  victories 
which   that  army  obtained,  were  not  more  wonderful   dian 
their  fall  was,  when  pride  and  error  had  prepared  them  for  iU 
It  seemed  wonderful  to  me,  that  an  army  which  had  got  so  many 
great  and  marvellous  victories,  vi^hich  thought  themselves  un* 
conquerable,  and  talked  of  nothing  but  dominion  at  homei 
and  marching  up  to  the  walls  of  Rome,  should  all  be  broken^ 
brought  into   subjection,  and  finally  disbanded,  without  one 
blow  stricken,  or  one  drop  of  blood  shed !     And  that  by  ao 
email  a  power  as  Monk's  army  in  the  beginning  was.     So  emi* 
nent  was  the  hand  of  God  in  all  this  change.''^ 
*    Among  all  the  dissemblers  and  hypocrites  of  a  period  abound* 
ing  in  the  display  of  these  qualities,  Monk  occupies  a  distin« 
guished  place.     He  is  eulogised  by  Clarendon,  and  commended 
by  Hume ;  and  for  his  successful  management  in  duping  the 
army  and  the  parliament,  and  restoring  the  exiled  monarch  on 

*  Claris  wms  ori^ally  ao  apothecary,  but  acting  as  physician  to  Moak'i 
anny*  became  M.D.  He  was  afterwards  created  Sir  Thomas  Clarget,  hj 
Charles,  for  his  senrices  at  the  restoration.  He  was  the  son  of  a  blacksmith,  and 
brother  to  Nan  Clargts,  better  known  by  that  appellation  than  by  her  fiitwt 
title,  the  Duchess  of  Albemarle,  a  situation  which  she  neither  deserved,  nor 
was  qualified  to  fill. 

f  Life,  parti,  p.  214. 


)Off  RICJIARD  BiDCTXK.  ^159 

hSh  aim  titnA^ht  Iraa  iTewarded  With  a  dukedom.^  Baxtelr  llad 
an  interview  with  Monk  after  he  came  to  London )  which  Iiud 
the  foundation  of  a  charge  preferred  against  him  by  L'Estrange, 
in  the  ninety-sixth  numbeir  of  ^TheObservator,'  that  he  had  en- 
deavoured to  influence  Monk  not  to  bring  back  the  king*  In 
reply  to  which^  Baxter  says : 

^^  Dr.  Mantou  (and  whether  any  other,  I  remember  not)  went 
once  with  me  toGeneral  Monk,  to  congratulate  him ;  but  with  the 
request,  that  he  would  take  care  that  debauchery  and  contempt 
of  religion  might  not  be  let  loose,  upon  any  men's  pretence  of 
hAug  for  the  king,  as  it  already  began  with  some  to  be.  But 
there  was  not  one  word  by  me  spoken  (or  by  any  one,  to  my 
remembrance)  against  his  calling  back  the  king ;  but  as  to  me, 
it  is  a  mere  ficUon.  And  the  king  was  so  sensible  of  the  same 
that  I  said,  that  he  sent  over  a  proclamation  against  such  men, 
as  while  they  called  themselves  the  king's  party,  did  live  in  de- 
bauchery and  profaneness;  which  proclamation  so  rejoiced  them 
that  were  after  Nonconformists,  that  they  read  it  publicly  in 
the  churches."'  Baxter's  denial  is  entitled  to  the  greatest  con- 
lidence,  as  his  conduct  at  the  time  of  the  restoration  shows  how 
heartily  be  rejoiced  in  it.  But  it  is  impossible  not  to  marvel  at 
the  simplicity  which  gave  Charles  credit  for  wishing  to  put  down 
debauchery  and  profaneness. 

"As  for  myself,"  he  says,  *^  I  came  to  London  April  the  13th, 
1660,  where  I  was  no  sooner  arrived,  but  I  was  accosted  by  the 
Earl  of  Lauderdale,  who  wa^  just  then  released  from  his  tedious 
confinement  in  Windsor  Castle,  by  the  restored  parliament, 
who  having  heard  from  some  of  the  sectarian  party,  that  my 
judgment  was,  that  our  obligations  to  Richard  Cromwell  were 
not  dissolved,  nor  could  be,  till  another  parliament,  or  a  fuller 
renunciation  of  the  government,  took  a  great  deal  of  pains  with 
me,  to  satisfy  me  in  that  point.*     And  for  quieting  people's 

4  '*  MoDk  DO  more  intended  or  designed  the  king's  restoration  when  he  came 
iDto  Eag^Uod,  or  first  came  to  London,  than  his  horse  did ;  but  shortly  after 
findini^  himself  at  a  loss,  that  he  was  purposely  made  odious  to  the  city,  and 
that  be  was  a  lost  man,  by  the  parliament,  and  that  the  generality  of  the  city 
and  country  were  for  the  restoring  the  king,  he  had  no  way  to  save  himself 
but  to  close  with  the  city." — Aubrty^  ii.  p.  455.  The  grand  object  and  aim  of 
Monk  in  all  he  did  was  his  own  aggrandisement. 

'  Calamy's  Continuation,  vol.  iv.  p.  911. 

■  It  is  evident  from  what  Baxter  himself  says,  that  he  was  apprised  at  an 

early  period  of  the  attempt  which  was  likely  to  be  made  to  bring  back  the 

.  king.    The  unnatural  union  of  the  Cavaliers  and  the  Presbyterians  to  effect 

Ihb  ol))ect,  appears  to  have  met  with  his  spprobfOioiu  A  letter  of  his  to  Major 


16D  THE  LIFB  AMB  TllOf 

minds,  which  were  in  no  small  commotion  througli  cTaiidiBrt&ii 
rumours,  he,  by  means  of  Sir  Robert  Murray,  and  the  Cocntesi 
of  Balcarras,  then  in  France,  procured  several  letters  to  bewii^* 
ten  from  thence,  full  of  high  eulogiums  on  the  king,  and  M' 
surances  of  his  firmness  in  the  Protestant  religion,  wMch  he  got 
translated  and  published.  Among  others,  one  was  sent  to  ne 
from  Monsieur  Caches,  a  famous,  pious  preacher  at  Charentoo; 
wherein,  after  a  high  strain  of  compliment  to  myself,  he  gave  A 
pompous  character  of  the  king,  and  assured  me,  that  dnrkf 
his  exile,  he  never  forebore  the  public  profession  of  the  Voh 
testant  religion,  no,  not  even  in  those  places  where  it  seemed 
prejudicial  to  his  affairs.  That  he  was  present  at  divine  wonhip 
in  the  French  churches,  at  Rouen  and  Rochelle,  though  not  it 
Charenton,  during  his  stay  at  Paris;  and  earnestly  pressed  ae 
to  use  my  utmost  interest,  that  the  king  might  be  restored  hf 
means  of  the  Presbyterians. 

'^  When  I  was  in  London,  the  new  parliament  beidg  called, 
they  presently  appointed  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  for  them- 
selves. The  House  of  Commons  chose  Mr.  Calamy,  Dr.  Chm- 
den,  and  myself,  to  preach  and  pray  with  them,  at  St.  Maiga- 
ret's,  Westminster.  In  that  sermon,  I  uttered  some  paatagm 
which  were  afterwards  matter  of  some  discourse.  Speaking  d 
our  differences,  and  the  way  to  heal  them,  I  told  them  that,  whe- 
ther we  should  be  loyal  to  our  king  was  none  of  our  differences* 
In  that,  we  were  all  agreed  ;  it  being  as  impossible  that  a  man 
should  be  true  to  the  Protestant  principles  and  not  be  loyal;  m 
it  was  impossible  to  be  true  to  the  Papist  principles,  and  to  bf 
loyal.  And  for  the  concord  now  wished  in  matters  of  chnrdi 
government,  I  told  them  it  was  easy  for  moderate  men  to  tsomc 
to  a  fair  agreement,  and  that  the  late  reverend  Primate  of  Ire- 
land and  myself  had  agreed  in  half  an  hour.  I  remember  nol 
the  very  words,  but  you  may  read  them  in  the  sermon,  wfaid) 
was  printed  by  order  of  the  House  of  Commons.^    The  neit 


Beake  was  intercepted,  but  beings  written  with  caution,  nothing  could  be 
of  it.  He  assigns  no  reason  for  leaving  Kidderminster,  and  comio^  to 
at  this  time ;  but  I  have  no  doubt  it  was  to  be  present  to  aid  and  assUl  U 
Presbyterian  brethren  as  circumstances  might  require.  Sir  Ralph  Clara  ia* 
formed  him  uf  some  things  that  were  going  on,  and  that  if  the  restoratkNi  tool 
place,  a  very  moderate  episcopacy  would  satisfy  that  party.  This  led  BaxlB 
to  propose  terms  of  uniou  to  Dr.  Hammond,  in  consequence  of  which  a  cor 
respondence  took  place,  but  which,  like  ail  such  schemes,  came  to  notbio^^^ 
lAfif  part  ii.  pp.  207 — 214. 

*  This  sermon  was  preached  on  the  30th  of  April,  1660,  and  is  printed  in  val 
xyH*  of  his  Works. .  The  subject  is  Kepeotaace,  the  text  £zek»  xxxvi.  3U   Bt 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  161 

morning  after  this  day  of  fasting*  the  i)arliament  unanimously 
voted  home  the  king ;  doing  that  which  former  actions  had  but 
prepared  for. 

**The  city  of  London,  about  that  time,  was  to  keep  a  day  of 
solemn  thanksgiving  for  General  Monk's  success  5  and  the  lord- 
mayor  and  alderman  desired  me  to  preach  before  them  at  St. 
Paul's  church ;  wherein  I  so  endeavoured  to  show  the  value  of 
that  mercy,  as  to  show  also,  how  sin  and  men's  abuse  might 
turn  it  into  matter  of  calamity,  and  what  should  be  right  bounds 
and  qualifications  of  that  joy.  The  moderate  were  pleased  with 
it;  the  fanatics  were  offended  with  me  for  keeping  such  a 
tlianksgiving ;  and  the  diocesan  party  thought  I  did  suppress 
their  joy.  The  words  may  be  seen  in  the  sermon  ordered  to 
be  printed.^ 

"When  the  king  was  sent  for  by  the  parliament,  certain 
divines,  with  others,  were  also  sent  by  the  parliament  and  city 
to  him  into  Holland:  viz.  Mr.  Calamy,  Dr.  Manton,  Mr.  Bowles^ 
and  divers  others ;  and  some  went  voluntarily ;  to  whom  his 
majesty  gave  such  encouraging  promises  of  peace,  as  raised 
some  of  them  to  high  expectations.*  And  when  he  came  in, 
as  he  passed  through  the  city  towards  Westminster,  the  Lon- 
don ministers  in  their  places  attended  him  with  acclamations,'' 

dedicates  it  to  the  House  of  Commous,  and  speaks  of  the  honour  which  he  con- 
sidered it^to  conclude  by  preaching  and  prayer,  the  service  which  immediately 
preceded  the  vote  of  the  House  to  recaU  his  majesty.  It  is  distinguished  by 
his  usual  plainness  and  fidelity,  and  contains  some  eloquent  passages.  Few 
such  sermons,  1  fear,  have  been  preached  in  that  house  since  then.  His  ad- 
vice and  requests  to  them  as  legislators  were  both  sound  and  moderate. 

*  This  sermon  was  preached  on  the  10th  of  May,  KiGO,  and  appears  io  vol. 
xvii.  uf  his  Works,  under  the  title  of  <*  Right  Kejoiciug,"  founded  on  Luke  x.  20. 
There  is  much  admirable  personal  address  in  this  diacourse,  and  the  allusions 
to  political  matters  are  brief  and  moderate. 

'  Charles  duped  the  Presbyterian  ministers  by  cavising  them  to  be  placed 
witliin  hearing  of  his  secret  devotions.  The  base  hypocrisy  of  this  man  is  a 
thousand  times  more  revolting  than  any  thing  of  the  kind  which  belonged  to 
Cromwell,  and  yet  in  Charles  it  is  passed  over  with  little  reprobation. 

7  A  very  amusing  account,  if  it  were  not  for  the  melancholy  issue,  is  given 
by  Aubrey,  of  the  intoxication  of  the  people  in  the  prospect  of  the  king's  re- 
turn. On  its  being  intimated  by  Monk,  that  there  should  be  a  free  parlia- 
ment, **  Immediately  a  loud  holla  and  shout  was  given,  all  the  bells  in  the 
city  ringing,  and  the  whole  city  looked  as  if  it  had  been  in  a  flame  by  the  bon- 
ftrtfi,  which  were  prodigiously  great  and  frequent,  and  ran  like  a  train  over 
the  city.  They  made  little  gibbets  and  roasted  rum  pes  of  mutton,  naye  I 
sawe  some  very  good  runipes  of  beef.  Health  to  King  Charles  II.  was 
dranke  in  the  streets,  by  the  bonfires,  even  ou  their  knees.  This  humour 
ran  by  the  next  night  to  Salisbury,  where  was  the  like  joy  ;  so  to  Chuike, 
where  they  made  a  great  bonfire  on  the  top  of  the  hill;  from  thence  to 
Blandford  and  Shaftesbury,  and  so  to  the  Laud*8  End.    Well !  a  free  parlia- 

VOL,  I.  M 


162  THB   LIFE  AND  TIMES 

and  by  the  hands  of  old  Mr.  Arthur  Jackson,  presented  him 
ivith  a  richly-adorned  Bible,  which  he  received^  and  told  them. 
It  should  be  the  rule  of  his  actions."* 

Thus  terminated  the  rule  of  the  Commonwealth  and  the  dy- 
nasty of  the  Cromwclis,  and  recommenced  the  reign  of  the  le- 
gitimate Stuarts.  Baxter's  narrative  notices  some  of  the  causes 
and  instruments  of  the  extraordinary  revolution  which  now 
took  place,  with  a  rapidity  and  unexpectedness  that  appear  like 
magical  rather  than  real  events.  But  the  true  causes  were  more 
deeply  seated  than  his  account  would  lead  us  to  suppose.  Nei- 
ther the  conduct  of  the  fanatical  sectaries,  nor  the  weakness  of 
Richard,  at  all  explains  the  downfall  of  the  Commonwealth,  and 
the  restoration  of  the  royal  family.  That  family  had  always  a 
powerful  and  influential  party  in  the  country,  consisting  of  the 
old  nobility  and  their  retainers ;  the  church  had  never  entirely 
lost  its  hold  of  a  considerable  body  of  the  population  ;  Pres- 
byterianism  was  too  rigid  a  system  to  suit  the  temper  and  genius 
of  the  multitude ;  the  ambition  of  Cromwell  had  lost  him  the 
affection  of  his  republican  associates,  and  destroyed  the  confi- 
dence and  respect  of  the  Independents  and  minor  sects.  Tired 
of  the  versatility  and  duplicity  of  a  man,  who  was  great,  but 
never  dignified  ;  feared,  but  not  loved  or  respected ;  and  pos- 
sessed by  a  blind  attachment  to  the  exiled  monarchy,  it  required 
only  the  favourable  opportunity  of  the  old  Protector's  death, 
and  the  concurrence  of  a  few  other  circumstances,  to  produce 
the  marvellous  change  which  occurred. 

Charles  began  by  playing  the  hypocrite  with  those  who  had  been 
deceived  with  their  eyes  open ;  but  he  soon  threw  off  the  vizor,  to 
their  terrible  dismay.  Nothing  more  strikingly  illustrates  the 
strength  of  attachment  to  monarchy,  which  seems  to  be  inherent 

ment  was  chosen,  and  Sir  Harbottle  Grimston  was  chosen  Speaker.  The 
first  tiling  he  put  to  the  question  was,  Whether  Charles  Stuart  should  be  sent 
fur,  or  no?  Vea,  yea,  nem,  con.  Sir  Thomas  Greenhill  was  then  in  towoey 
and  posted  away  to  Brussells,  found  the  kin^  at  dinner,  little  dreamiuf  of  so 
good  news,  rises  presently  from  dinner,  had  his  coach  immediately  made 
ready,  and  that  night  got  out  of  the  King  of  Spain's  dominions,  into  the 
Prince  of  Orange's  country.  Now,  as  the  morn  grows  lighter  and  lighter»aiMl 
more  glorious  till  it  is  perfect  day,  so  it  was  with  the  joy  of  the  people.    Maj- 

poles,  which  in  the  hypocritical  times  'twas to  set  up,  now  were  let  up 

in  every  cross  way ;  and  at  the  Strand  near  Dniry  Lane,  was  set  up  the  mott 
prodigious  one  for  height,  that,  perhaps,  ever  was  seen  ;  they  were  fain,  I  re- 
member, to  have  the  seaman's  art  to  elevate  it.  Tlie  juvenile  and  rustic  folks 
at  that  time  had  so  much  of  desire  of  this  kind,  that  I  think  there  have  been 
very  few  set  up  since."— -/^/lArty'*  MUceU  vol.  ii.  pp.  454, 456. 
>  Life,  part  L  pp.  214—218. 


OP   RICHARD   BAXTER. 

b  the  English  character,  than  the  facts  H'hich  have  been  brie 
glanced  at.    All  that  the  people,  the  religious  and  well-infomii 
People,  had  suffered  from  the  cruel  oppressions  of  the  Stua 
amily  was  forgotten;  not  because  Cromwell  had  used  thei 
rorse  (for  they  had  enjoyed  great  quietness  and  security  unde 
is  administration),  but  because  there  was  no  royal  blood  in  hii 
tins,  and  the  absence  of  the  port  and  high  bearing  of  a  mo- 
^rch  by  divine  right.     The  impatience  to  recall  the  exiled 
imily,  the  readiness  to  be  duped  by  the  oaths  and  promises  of  a 
^ofligate  prince,  who  had  learned  nothing  from  his  banishment 
It  the  vices  of  the  people  among  whom  he  sojourned,  are  evi- 
bices  of  infatuation  of  the  most  extraordinary  kind;  which  show 
tat  the  people  of  England  had  not  yet  been  sufficiently  disci- 
ined  and  prepared  for  the  enjoyment  of  freedom. 
The  leading  instruments  in  effecting  the  restoration,  may  be 
ktitled  to  respect  for  their  royalty,  but  deserve  little  credit  for 
ieir  patriotism,  their  disinterestedness,  or  their  wisdom.     The 
jrpocrisy  and  dissimulation  of  Monk,  the  murmuring  of  the 
byalists,  and  the  infatuation  of  the  Presbyterian  ministers,  were 
k  part  of  the  machinery  by  which  Providence  accomplished 
I  purposes.     While  we  mark  the  hand  of  God,  and  adore  the 
stice  of  his  Providence  in  punishing  a  nation's  sins,  the  parties 
10  were  instrumental  in  this  punishment,  and  the  principles 
lich  actuated  them,  have  no  claim  to  our  gratitude  or  respect. 
Baxter's  conduct  during  the  several  changes  which  have  been 
iced,  does  credit  to  his  conscientiousness  rather  than  to  his 
lorn.     He  acted  with  the  Parliament,  but  maintained  the 
ts  of  the  King;  he  enjoyed  the  benefits  of  the  Protectorate, 
spoke  and  reasoned  against  the  Protector ;  he  hailed  the 
•n  of  Charles,  but  doubted  whether  he  was  freed  from  alle- 
ge to  Richard.    The  craft  and  duplicity  of  Cromwell,  he 
ted  and  exposed ;  but  the  gross  dissimulation  and  heartless 
»rence  of  Charles  to  every  thing  except  his  own  gratifica- 
t  was  long  before  he  could  be  persuaded  to  believe.    Ab- 
principles  and  refined  distinctions,  in  these  as  in  some 
natters,  influenced  his  judgment  more  than  plain  matters 
.     Speculations,  de  jure  and  de  /actOy  often  occupied 
stracted    his    mind,   and   fettered   his  conduct,   while 
man  would  have  formed  his  opinions  on  a  few  obvious 
»  and  facts,  and  have  done  both  as  a  subject  and  a 
\  all  that  circumstances  and  the  Scriptures  required, 
taking  our  leave  of  Kidderminster,  to  which  place 

M  2 


164  THE   IJFK  AND  TIMES 

Baxter  never  returned  with  a  view  to  fixed  residence  or  minis- 
terial labour  after  the  restoration,  a  few  facts  remain  to  be 
stated,  to  complete  the  view  of  ius  life  and  exertions  during  this 
important  and  active  period. 

The  statement  of  his  labours  contained  in  the  preceding  chap- 
ter, by  no  means  includes  all  that  he  did  during  this  busy 
interval  of  his  life.  In  fact,  he  tells  us  that  the  labours  of  the 
pulpit  and  the  congregation  were  but  his  recreation ;  and  that 
his  chief  labour  was  bestowed  on  his  writings.  A  bare  enume- 
ration of  these,  of  which  a  full  account  will  be  given  in  a  subse- 
quent part  of  this  work,  would  justify  this  declaration,  strong  as  it 
may  appear  to  be.  It  is,  indeed,  marvellous,  that  a  man  who 
would  seem  to  have  been  wholly  engaged  with  preaching  in 
public  and  in  private ;  and  who  was  no  less  marked  for  the  num- 
ber and  variety  of  his  bodily  infirmities,  than  for  the  multiplicity 
of  his  ministerial  avocations,  and  who  seemed  to  have  lived  only 
in  the  atmosphere  of  a  printing-office ;  should,  under  all  these 
disadvantages,  have  produced  volumes  with  the  ease  that  other 
men  issue  tracts. 

During  the  fourteen  years  of  his  second  residence  at  Kid- 
derminster, he  found  time  partly  to  write  and  publish  hifl 
Aphorisms,  and  Saint's  Rest.  He  wrote  and  published,  beside 
other  things,  his  works  on  Infant  Baptism — On  Peace  of  Con- 
science— On  Perseverance — On  Christian  Concord — His  Apology 
— His  Confession  of  Faith — His  Unreasonableness  of  Infidelity 
— His  Reformed  Pastor — His  Disputations  on  right  to  the  Sacra- 
ments— Those  on  Church  Government — ^And  on  Justification— 
His  Safe  Religion — His  Call  to  the  Unconverted — On  the  Cru- 
cifying of  the  World — On  Saving  Faith — On  Confirmation— 
On  Sound  Conversion — On  Universal  Concord— His  Key  for 
Catholics — His  Christian  Religion — His  Holy  Commonwealth 
—His  Treatise  on  Death — And,  On  Self-denial,  &c.,  &c. 

When  it  is  reflected  on  that  many  of  these  books  are  conside- 
rable quarto  volumes,  and  that  they  make  a  large  proportion  of 
his  practical  works  now  republished,  beside  including  several  of 
his  controversial  pieces,  I  must  leave  the  reader  to  form  his  own 
opinion  of  the  indefatigable  application  and  untiring  zeal  of  this 
extraordinary  man.  The  reading  displayed  in  them,  the  corre- 
spondence to  which  they  frequently  led,  and  the  diversity  of  sub- 
jects which  they  embrace,  illustrate  at  once  the  indefatigable 
diligence  of  Baxter,  and  the  extraordinary  versatility  of  his  mind* 

He  also  found  time,  during  this  period,  to  propose  and  to 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTBRJ  165 

prosecute  several  schemes  of  union  and  concord  among  various 
classes  of  Christians^  which  led  to  an  extensive  correspondence, 
and  to  long  personal  conferences,  which  must  have  consumed 
no  small  portion  of  his  strength  and  leisure.  Beside  other 
plans  that  occupied  much  of  his  attention,  and  which  produced 
discussion  and  correspondence,  he  gives  an  account  of  three 
several  schemes  of  union  with  the  Independents;  all  of  which 
failed,  owing  to  the  difficulties  encumbering  tlic  subject,  but 
ivliich  he  laboured  to  remove.  One  of  these  schemes  had 
brought  on  a  long  correspondence  and  several  interviews  with 
Dr.  Owen.  But  the  Diocesans,  as  lie  calls  them,  the  Presby- 
lerians,  and  the  Baptists,  also  engaged  his  attention  with  a 
"view  to  union,  as  well  as  the  Independents,  and  with  the  same 
success. 

One  of  his  most  useful  employments,  about  the  period  of  the 
Icing's  return,  was  a  negociation  respecting  the  propcigation  of 
^he  Gospel  among  the  American  Indians.     During  the  Com" 
monwealth,  a  collection  by   order  of  Government,  had  been 
made  in  every  parish  in  England,  to  assist  Mr.  Elliot  (celebrated 
«s  the  apostle  of  the  Indians)  and  some  others  in  this  most 
lieiievolent  undertaking.     The  contributions  were  laid  out  partly 
in  stock,  and  partly  in  land,  to  the  amount  of  seven  or  eight 
hundred  pounds  per  aimum,  and  were  vested  in  a  corporate  body, 
to  be  employed  on  behalf  of  the  Indians.     After  the  king's  re- 
turn. Colonel  Beddingfield,  from  whom  the  land  had  been  pur- 
chased at  its  proper  value,  seized  it  again ;  on  the  unjust  pre- 
text, that  all  that  was  done  in  CromweH's  time,  was  null  and 
void  in  law,  and  that  the  corporation  formed,  had  no  longer  any 
legal  existence.     The  corporation,  of  wliich  Mr.  Ashurst  was 
treasurer,  consisted  of  excellent  persons.     They  were  exceed- 
ingly grieved  that  the  object  for  which  the  money  had  been 
raised,  should  thus  be  entirely  and  iniqnitously  defeated.  Baxter 
being  requested  to  meet  them,  and  to  assist  by  his  counsel  and 
influence,  which  he  readily  did,  was  employed  to  procure  if  pos- 
biblc  a  new  charter  of  corporation  from  the  king.     This,  chiefly 
through  the  influence  of  the  Lord  Chancellor,  he  happily  ob- 
tained.    His  lordship  also,  in  a  suit  in  chancery,  respecting  the 
property,  decided  against  the  claims  of  Beddingfield.     Mr.  As- 
hurst and  Baxter  had  the  nomination  of  the  new  members; 
the  Hon.  Roliert  Boyle,  at  their  recommendation,  was  made 
president  or  governor;  Mr.Ashurst  was  reappointed  as  treasurer; 


166  TUB   LIFE  AND  TIMES 

and  the  whole  matter  put  into  a  state  of  excellent  and  efficient 
operation. 

This  aflfair  brought  Baxter  into  intimate  correspondence 
with  Elliot,'  Norton,  Governor  Endicott  of  Massachusetts,  and 
some  other  excellent  men  who  were  engaged  in  the  good  work, 
or  otherwise  interested  in  the  religious  affairs  of  New  England. 
The  correspondence  with  Elliot  continued  during  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  remainder  of  both  their  lives.  That  distinguished 
man  was  honoured  to  lead  many  poor  savages  of  the  Ame- 
rican woods  to  the  knowledge  of  God ;  and,  to  accomplish  a 
translation  of  the  entire  Scriptures  into  their  language,  one  of 
the  most  dilHcult  for  a  foreigner  to  acquire.  It  is  highly  grati- 
fying to  observe  how  fully  Baxter  entered  into  these  missionary 
labours ;  and  that  at  a  ])eriod  when  the  subject  of  missions  was 
little  understood,  lie  not  only  regarded  it  as  a  great  work,  in  which 
Christians  arc  rc(|uircd  to  engage,  but  co-operated  with  those 
who  were  engaged  in  it  to  the  utmost  of  his  power.  I  cannot  resist 
introducing  an  extract  from  one  of  his  letters  to  Elliot,  though 
written  after  the  period  to  which  this  chapter  properly  belongs. 

^'  Though  our  sins  have  separated  us  from  the  people  of  our 
love  and  care,  and  deprived  us  of  all  public  liberty  of  preaching 
the  Gospel  of  our  Lord,  I  greatly  rejoice  in  the  liberty,  help, 
and  success,  which  Christ  hath  so  long  vouchsafed  you  in  his 
work.  There  is  no  man  on  earth,  whose  work  I  think  more 
honourable  and  comfortable  than  yours :  to  propagate  the  Gos- 
pel and  kingdom  of  Christ  into  those  dark  paits  of  the  world, 
is  a  better  work  than  our  devouring  and  hating  one  another. 
There  arc  many  here,  who  would  be  ambitious  of  being  your 
fellow  labourers,  but  that  they  are  informed  you  have  access 
to  no  greater  number  of  the  Indians  than  you  yourself,  and  your 
present  assistants,  are  able  to  instruct.  An  honourable  gentle- 
man, Mr.  Robert  Boyle,  the  governor  of  the  corporation  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  to  you,  partly  while  they  are  learning  the 
Indian  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  such  as  would  be  rid  of  them  ;  partly  fearing  that  when 
the  money  is  gathered,  the  work  may  be  frustrated  by  the  alia- 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  167 

nation  of  it ;  partly  because  they  think  there  will  be  nothing 
considerable  gathered^  because  the  people  that  are  unwillingly 
divorced  from  their  teachers,  will  give  nothing  to  send  them 
fiirther  from  them^  and  those  that  are  willingly  separated  from 
them,  will  give  nothing  to  those  they  no  more  respect ;  but 
specially,  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  anj'wherc,  to 
the  Persians,  Tartarians,  Indians,  or  any  unbelieving  nation,  to 
propagate  the  Gospel,  if  they  thought  they  would  be  serviceable  ; 
bat  the  difficulty  of  their  languages  is  their  greatest  discourage- 
ment.   The  universal  character  that  you  speak  of,  many  have 
talked  of,  and  one  hath  printed  his  essay ;  and  his  way  is  only 
by  numerical  figures,  making  such  and  such  figures  tc^stand  for 
the  words  of  the  same  signification  in  all  tongues,  but  nobody 
regards  it.     I  shall  communicate  your  motion  here  about  the 
Hebrew,  but  we  are  not  of  such  large  and  public  minds  as  you 
imagine;  every  one  looks  to  his  own  concernment,  and  some  to 
the  things  of  Christ  that  are  near  them  at  their  own  doors. 
But  if  there  be  one  Timothy  that  naturally  careth  for  the  state 
of  the  churches,  we  have  no  man,  of  a  multitude  more,  like- 
mmded ;  but  all  seek  their  own  things.     We  had  one  Dury  herc^ 
that  hath  above  thirty  years  laboured  for  the  reconciling  of  the 
churches,  but  few  have  regarded  him,  and  now  he  is  glad  to  es- 
cape from  us  into  other  countries.     Good  men  who  are  wholly 
devoted  to  God,  and  by  long  experience  are  accjuainted  witii  the 
interest  of  Christ,  are  ready  to  think  all  others  should  be  like 
them, but  there  is  no  hope  of  bringing  any  more  than  here  and 
there  an  experienced,  holy,  self-denying  person,  to  get  so  far 
above  their  personal  concernments,  and  narrowness  of  mind, 
*nd  80  wholly  to  devote  themselves  to  God.     The  industry  of 
tfle  Jesuits  and  friars,  and  their  successes  in  Congo,  Japan, 
China,  &c.,  shame  us  all  save  you  ;  but  yet,  for  their  personal 
'^bours  in  the  work  of  the  Gospel,  here   are  many  that  would 
"^  grilling  to  lay  out,  where  they  have  liberty  and  a  call,  though 
"^^fce  any  that  will  do  more  in  furthering  great  and  public 
*^^ks•     I  should  be  glad  to  learn  from  you  how  far  your  Indian 
^^^gue  extendeth :  how  large  or  populous  the  country  is  that 
^^^th  it,  if  it  be  known ;  and  whether  it  reach  only  to  a  few 
J^^ttered    neighbours,   who   cannot   themselves   convey  their 
,  ^'^owledge  far,  because  of  other  languages.     We  very  much  rc- 
J^ice  in  your  happy  work,  the  translation  of  the  Bible,  and  bless 


168  THE  LIFE  AXD  TIMES 

God  that  strengthened  you  to  finish  it.  If  any  thing  of  mine 
may  be  honoured  to  contriljiite,  in  the  least  measure,  to  your 
biciised  work,  I  shall  have  fj^rcat  cause  to  be  thankful  to  God, 
and  wholly  submit  the  alteration  and  use  of  it  to  your  wisdom. 
Mcthinks  the  Assemblies'  Catechism  should  be,  next  the  holy 
Scriptures,  most  worthy  of  your  labours."  ^ 

This  admirable  letter  shows  how  deeply  liaxtcr  entered  into 
the  philanthropic  views  which  were  then  so  rare,  but  which  have 
since  been  so  generally  adopted  by  ('hristians.  How  would  his 
noble  spirit  have  exulted  had  he  lived  to  witness,  even  with  all 
their  imperfections,  the  oxtendcd  exertions  of  modern  times. 
How  ardently  would  he  have  supported  every  scheme  of  sending 
the  Scriptures,  or  the  knowledge  of  salvation,  to  the  destitute 
j)arts  of  tl^e  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  of  trial,  is  no 
doubt  exulting  in  much  that  is  now  going  forward. 

His  correspondence  during  his  residence  in  Kidderminster, 
must  have  been  exceedingly  extensive  and  laborious ;  the 
existing  remains  of  it  affording  decisive  j)roof  of  its  multi- 
farious character,  and  of  the  aj)})lication  which  it  must  have 
required.  He  wjis  employed  on  all  occasions  of  a  public  nature 
where  the  interests  of  his  brethren  in  the  ministry,  or  the  cause 
of  religion  among  them,  required  the  co-operation  or  coun- 
sel of  others.  As  the  agent  of  the  ministers  of  Worcestershire, 
he  addressed  the  Provincial  Assembly  of  I^ondon  in  1654,  calling 
their  attention  to  the  state  of  the  Psalmody,  and  recpiesting  them 
to  adopt  measures  for  its  improvement.''  On  the  other  hand,  he 
M'as  requested  by  Calamy,  Whitfield,  Jcnkyns,  Ash,  Cooper, 
Wickens,  and  Poole,  to  assist  them  in  an  answer  which  they 
were  preparing  to  the  Independents.^  AVhat  aid  he  afforded 
does  not  appear.  We  cannot  doubt  his  disposition  to  assist  his 
brethren,  though  it  is  not  probable  he  and  they  would  have 
agreed,  either  in  their  mode  of  defending  Presbyterianism  or  of 
attacking  Independency. 

He  was  consulted  by  Manton,  in  IHSS,  about  a  scheme  for 
calling^a  general  assembly  of  the  ministers  of  I*]ngland,  to  de* 
tcrmine  certain  matters,  and  arrange  their  ecclesiastical  affairs* 

*  Life,  part  ii.  p.  295.  There  are  many  letters  wliicli  passed  between 
Baxter  atid  KUiut,  siiU  preserved  amoog  the  Baxter  MSS.  in  the  Redrross 
Street  Library. 

^  Baxter  MSS.  c  ibid. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  169 

To  this  he  returned  an  answer  expressive  of  doubts  of  its 
practicability  and  expediency.  He  was  friendly  to  such  as- 
sociations ;  but,  from  the  state  of  the  country  at  the  time^  he 
probably  felt  that  nothing  of  importance  could  be  effected. 
Indeed  there  is  no  reason  to  think  that  Cromwell  would  have 
permitted  any  such  general  assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  clergy 
to  take  place  in  England,  when  he  would  not  allow  them  to  hold 
such  meetings  in  Scotland. 

Both  Lord  Lauderdale  and  Major  Robert  Beake  introduced 

to  Baxter,  in  1657,  the  Rev.  James  Sharpe,  a  minister  of  the 

church  of  Scotland,  who  came  to  London  on  the  public  business 

of  that  church,  which  he  afterwards  vilely  betrayed.     He  was 

rewarded  for  his  treachery  at  a  future  period,  with  the  arch- 

Wahoprick  of  St.  Andrews,  where  at  last  lie  lost  his  life  by  the 

'^aiids  of  a  few  individuals,  who  thus  chose  to  avenge  their 

Country's  wrongs.     Of  his  piety,  Lauderdale  and  Beake  speak 

^tfoDgly ;  and  he  probably  was  at  this  time  a  very  different  man 

***<Mn  what  he  had  become  when  he  fell  before  the  wiles  of  a 

^Ourt,  and  the  lure  of  an  archbishop's  mitre.'* 

Beside  all  this,  Baxter  was  consulted  by  great  numbers  of  his 
brethren  in  the  ministry  in  various  parts  of  the  country,  re- 
^jjecting  matters  in  which  they  were  concerned  ;  and  by  a  mul- 
titude of  private  individuals,  on  cases  of  conscience,  which  he 
^•as  requested  to  solve.  To  all  those  he  returned,  often,  long 
^nd  minute  letters,  the  manual  labour  of  which  must  have  been 
>^ery  considerable,  especially  as  he  kept  copies  of  many  of  them.* 

'  Baxter  MSS.  Sharpe  was  sent  to  London  a^aiu  immediately  before  the 
Restoration,  with  a  view  to  ncgociate  the  interests  of  the  church  of  Scotland. 
%e  returned  after  the  King^  was  re-established,  with  a  plausible  letter  signed 
1>y  Lauderdale,  in  the  name  of  the  King,  lie  was  afterwards  rewarded  for  his 
treachery  and  apostacy  by  the  Primacy  of  Scotland.  It  is  impossible  to  justify 
liU  murder;  but  the  poor  people  of  Scotland  had  beeudriven  to  desperation  by 
looff-coutinued  oppression. 

*  There  are  some  hundreds  of  these  letters  amon«;  the  Redcross  Street  MSS. ; 
many  of  them  curious,  though  relating;  to  individuals  and  subjects  which  would 
Dot  DOW  interest  the  public.  Baxter  had  a  Ions;  correspondence  with  Cutaker, 
chiefly  ou  the  subjects  of  infant  baptism  and  original  sin.  Gataker  exceedingly 
bewails  the  differences  that  then  subsisted  among  Christians,  and  says  **  ihty 
may  well  be  lamented  with  an  ocean  of  tears."  He  had  a  laborious corrtspon- 
deoce  with  Dr.  Hill,  about  predestination,  a  subject  on  which  Baxter  wrote 
a  great  deal.  Besides  what  he  published  on  it,  there  is  enough  remaining 
among  bis  unpublished  manuscripts  to  make  a  volume  or  two.  Many  letters 
also  passed  between  him  and  Tombes,  Pnole,  Dury,  VVadsworth,  Bates,  and 
Howe.  There  are,  also,  many  letters  to  and  from  correspondents,  both  male  and 
female,  uf  the  names  of  Allan  and  Lamb?,  who  seem  to  have  enjoyed  no  small 
purtion  of  bis  attCDtion.    Some  of  these  are  printed  in  hU  Life  by  Sylvester. 


170  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMBS 

In  these  active  and  multifarious  labours^  Baxter  spent  four- 
teen of  the  happiest  and  most  useful  years  of  his  life.  Un« 
ceasingly  engaged  in  some  useful  pursuit^  his  mind  found 
sufficient  scope  and  employment  for  that  energy  by  which  it 
was  eminently  distinguished.  There  were  many  evils  then,  in- 
deed, as  well  as  at  other  times,  which  he  greatly  deplored  3  but 
there  was  so  great  a  preponderance  of  good  when  compared 
with  the  period  which  preceded,  and  with  that  which  followed 
it,  that  often  he  lamented  the  prosperous  days  he  had  enjoyed 
during  the  usurpation,  when  they  had  passed  away.  Instead, 
therefore,  of  having  to  record  his  various  plans  of  benevolence^ 
and  rejoicing  over  the  success  attending  them,  we  must  hence- 
forth hear  chiefly  of  his  fruitless  struggles  for  peace,  and  for 
liberty  to  preach  the  Gospel ;  of  the  disappointment  which 
followed  negociations ;  of  the  anguish  experienced  from  the 
restriction  of  his  ministry ;  of  confiscations,  imprisonment,  and 
being  unceasingly  harassed  for  conscience'  sake. 


I 


OF  BICHABD  BAXTBfU  171 


CHAPTER  VIL 


1660—1662. 


The  BcBtoration — Views  of  the  Nuuconformiflts — Conduct  of  the  Court  to- 
wtrds  them — Baxter's  desire  of  Agreement — Interview  with  the  Kin^«- 
Buter^f  Speech — ^The  Ministers  requested  to  draw  up  their  Proposals — 
MeetatSion  Collef^e  for  this  purpose— Present  their  paper  to  the  Kiu» — 
Uaoy  Miniitcrs  ejected  already— The  King's  Declaration— Baxter's  objec- 
tioM  to  it— Pfvseuted  to  the  Chancellor  in  the  form  of  a  Petition — Meeting 
«ith  his  Majesty  to  bear  the  Declaration— Declaration  altered — Baxter, 
Cilimy,auJ  Re>'nolds9  offered  Bishopricks — Baxter  declines— Private  inter- 
view with  the  King — The  Savoy  Conference— Debates  about  the  mode  of 
pnceeduig — ^Baxter  draws  up  the  Reformed  Liturgy — Petition  to  the  Bishops 
-*No  disposition  to  agreement  on  their  part— Answer  to  their  former  papers 
—PenoDal  debate— Character  of  the  leading  parties  on  both  sides — Issue 
of  the  Conference. 

Cbarlbs  II.  was  received  with  general  acclamation ;  which 

cin  only  l)e  accounted  for  from  that  love  of  change  which  is 

characteristic  of  nations  as  well  as  of  individuals;   from  the 

^ening  influence  of  Cromwell's  ambition,  and  the  imbecility  of 

his  son ;  from  the  disgust  felt  by  many  at  the  fanaticism  of  tlie 

times;   together  with  that  love  of  monarchy — its  pomp  and 

(ircamstance— -which  constitutes  a  distinguishing  feature  in  the 

character  of  Englishmen,     l^hat  Charles  deceived  the  people 

^y  his  professions,  is  clear ;  but  they  might  easily  have  obtained 

^ch  a  knowledge  of  his  principles,  habits,  and  sentiments,  had 

^  they  been   disposed  to  make  what  inquiry  the  nature  of  the 

c^se  seemed  to  demand,  as  might  have  prevented  the  deception 

from  taking  effect.     They  imagined  tliat  the  sufferings  endured 

l>y  the  royal  family  would  cure,  or  at  least  moderate,  that  here- 

'Jitary  love  of  arbitrary  power,  and  attachment  to  Popery,  which 

had  caused  most  of  those  sufferings ;  that  Charles  was  perhaps 

^oo  much  a  man  of  the  world,  to  make  the  costlv  sacrifices  for  a 

Religious  party  which  his  father  had  made ;  and  tliat  they  might 

^aaly  form  such  an  agreement  with  him  as  should  efTcctually 

tiinit  lus  power,  and  secure  their  rights.     In  all  this  they  dis- 


172  THB   MPB  AND  TIMES 

covered  their  own  weakness  and  simplicity.  In  fact,  Chailes 
returned  on  his  own  terms,  and  was  left  as  unfettered  aa  if 
he  had  come  in  hy  conquest;  saving  a  few  oaths,  which  he 
swallowed  without  scruple,  and  broke  without  remorse/  The 
bitter  effects  of  this  misguided  zeal  and  imprudence,  none  had 
greater  reason  to  feel  and  to  deplore  than  the  Presbyterian  por- 
tion of  the  Puritans,  who  were  greatly  instrumental  in  promoUng^ 
the  Restoration. 

The  views  of  the  leading  men  of  their  party  were,  on  some 
points,  discordant ;  but  they  all  agreed  in  welcoming  the  exiled 
monarch,  and  in  anticipating,  from  the  re-establishment  of 
monarchy  and  the  constitution,  the  enjoyment  not  only  of  pro- 
tection and  liberty,  (for  these  they  had  fully  enjoyed  under  the 
usurpation,)  but  of  a  system  of  church  government  modified  to 
meet  their  views,  and  by  which  they  should  be  comprehended  in 
the  ecclesiastical  establishment  of  the  countrv. 

m 

It  was  necessary,  in  the  circumstances  in  which  Charles  found 
himself,  not  to  offend  these  men ;  the  episcopal  party  also  being 
still  weak,  found  it  expedient  to  treat  them  with  apparent  respect. 
Several  of  the  ministers  were  accordingly  chosen  to  be  king's  chap- 
lains.^ Calamy,  Reynolds,  Ash,  and  several  others,  among  whom 
was  Baxter,  had  this  honour ;  and  Reynolds,  Calamy,  Spurstow, 
and  Baxter,  each  preached  once  before  his  majesty.  Manchester^ 

'  Charles  took  the  coveuant  three  several  times ;  once  at  the  completion  of 
the  treaty  abroad,  asrain  at  his  landing  in  Scotland,  and  a  third  time  when  he 
was  crowned  at  Scone  ;  while  it  is  impossible  to  believe  that  he  ever  bad  ths 
least  serious  intention  to  observe  it.  Though  it  is  considered  that  Cliarlet  «M 
a  Papist,  or  an  infidel,  nothing  can  excuse  his  want  of  principle  io  taking 
this  oath  ;  and  a^  the  profligacy  of  his  character  could  scarcely  be  unknuwa 
to  the  party  which  required  the  oath,  it  is  difticuU  to  excuse  their  conduct  in 
imposing  it,  or  in  being  satisfied  to  be  deceived  by  Oharles  submitting  bimiclf 
to  it. 

ff  Baxter  says,  «  When  I  was  invited  by  Lord  BroghUl,  afterwards  Earl  of 
Orrery,  to  meet  him  at  the  Lonl  Chaml>erlain*i>,  they  l>otb  persuaded  me  to 
accept  the  place.  1  desired  to  know  whether  it  were  his  majesty's  deiirei  or 
only  the  effect  of  their  favourable  request  to  him.  They  told  me  that  it  WM 
bis  majesty's  own  desire,  and  that  he  would  take  it  as  an  acceptable /m'tkeratu* 
•/  his  service.  Thereupon  I  took  the  oath  from  the  Lord  Chamberlain."  The 
date  of  his  certificate  is  June  2fi,  IfitiO. — /yi/rs  part  ii.  p.  229.  Dr.  Pcircey  the 
decided  adversary  of  Baxter,  thought  proper  to  dispute  whether  be  wai 
king's  chaplain,  when  he  published  the  sermon  preached  before  bis  majeftty» 
and  annexed  that  title  to  his  name.    'J'hecertiiicate,  however,  (tpeaks  for  itself. 

^  Edward,  Harl  of  Manchester,  was  a  nobleman  of  many  great  and  amia- 
ble qualities.  He  was  a  zealous  and  able  friend  of  liberty.  During  the  civil 
commotions  he  was  one  of  the  avowed  patriots  in  the  House  of  Peers,  and  the 
only  member  of  that  house  who  was  accused,  by  Charles,  of  high  treason^ 
along  with  the  five  members  of  the  House  of  Comniuus,    He  took  an  active 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTER.  173 

ind  Brogliill  were  the  noblemen  who  chiefly  managed  these  af- 
finnatthe  time.     In  conversation  with  them,  Baxter  mentioned 
^    the  importance,  and  what  he  regarded  as  the  facility,  of  an 
;.    agreement  between  the  Episcopalians  and  the  moderate  Presby- 
^    terians ;  and  the  happy  consequences  to  the  civil  and  religious 
:    interests  of  the  country  which  would  result  from  such  a  union. 
The  eifect  of  this  conversation  he  has  recorded. 
^  Lord  Broghill  ^  was  pleased  to  come  to  me,  and  told  me, 
\   that  he  had  proposed  to  the  king  a  conference  for  an  agree- 
^    Bent,  and  that  the  king  took  it  very  well,  and  was  resolved  to 
I    hrther  it.    About  the  same  time,  the  Earl  of  Manchester  sig- 
l    mfied  as  much  to  Mr.  Calamy  ;  so  that  Mr.  Calamy,  Dr.  Rey- 
nolds, Mr.  Ash,  and  myself,  went  to  the  Earl  of  Manchester, 
then  lord  chamberlain;  and  after  consulting  about  the  business 
with  him,  he  determined  on  a  day  to  bring  us  to  the  king.     Mr. 
Calamy  advised  that  all  of  us  who  were  the  kiug's  chaplains 
aught  be  called  to  the  consultation ;  so  that  we  four  might 
not  seem  to  take  too  much  upon  us  without  others.     So,  Dr. 
Wallis,  Dr.  Manton,  and  Dr.  Spurstow,  &c.,  went  with  us  to 
the  king ;  who,  with  the  Lord  Chancellor,  and  the  Earl  of  St. 
Aiban's,  came  to  us  in  the  Lord  Chamberlain's  lodgings. 

"We  exercised  more  boldness,  at  first,  than  afterwards  would 
have  been  borne.  When  some  of  the  rest  had  congratulated  his 
majesty's  happy  Restoration,  and  declared  the  large  hope  which 

firtiB  the  wars  on  the  side  of  the  Parliament,  and  was  one  of  the  leaders  of 

the  Prcibytcriao  party.    After  the  buttle  of  Newbury,   he  was   suspected  of 

bvouring  the  kins:*ft  interest.     He  was  a  decided  friend  of  the  Restoration, 

Uhlwts  immediately  after  it  appointed  chamberlain  of  the  household.     It  is 

cvideat,  from  rarious  circumstances,  that  he  was  a  real  friend  of  the  Non* 

Mafiirmiktt,  and  bore  to  Baxter,  in  (larticular,  a  very  cordial  attachment.   An 

occttrreuce  once  happened  at  his  table,  when  Baxter  was  diniuj;  with  him, 

vfaicb  ^ave  the  good  man  great  concern,  and  in  which  his  lordship,  as  soon  as 

ipprised  of  it,  acted  with  great  propriety  and  kindness. — IJ/fy  part  ii.  p.  289. 

*  Roger  Boyle,  Baron  of  Broghill,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  third  son  of  the 

int  Earl  of  Cork,  and  brother  to  the  Honourable  Robert  Boyle.    He  tiM)k  an 

•ctive  part  iu  the  civil  wars,  on  the  parliamentary  side.     He  was  regarded,  by 

ill  parties,  a.<  a  man  of  very  considerable  ability  and  address.    He  enjoyed  a 

lar:;e  share  of  the  Protector's  favour  and  confidence ;  was  president  of  his 

council  for  Scotland,  and  one  of  the  lords  of  his  up|H;r  house.     He  favoured 

the  Restoration,  ho%vever,  and  was  created  Earl  of  Orrery  on  the  5th  of  ScptCHi- 

ber,  1660.    He  was  also  nominated ,  the  ^anic  year,  Lord  President  of  Munster, 

to  life.     Uis  lordship  died  in  the  year  167!/.    There  seems  to  have  been  a 

cooftlderable  iotimary  between  him  and  Baxter.    It  was  in  his  lordship's 

liotise  Baiter  became  acquainted  with  Archbishon  llsher.     He  dedicates  one 

of  liis  works  to  him,  and  often  refers  to  him  iu  his  life,  generally  calling  him 

by  bii  first  title.  Lord  Broghill. 


174  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMES 

they  had  of  a  cordial  union  among  all  dissenters  by  his  mci 
I  presumed  to  speak  to  him  of  the  concernments  of  religi 
and  how  far  we  were  from  desiring  the  continuance  of  any  f 
tions  or  parties  in  tlie  church,  and  how  much  a  happy  un 
would  conduce  to  the  good  of  the  land,  and  to  his  imyssl 
satisfaction.  I  assured  him  that  though  there  were  turbttll 
fanatic  persons  in  his  dominions,  those  whose  peace  we  hum 
craved  of  him  were  no  such  persons ;  but  such  as  longed  ai 
concord,  and  were  truly  loyal  to  him,  and  desired  no  more  thad 
live  under  him  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life,  in  all  godliness  i 
honesty.  But  that  as  there  were  differences  between  them  I 
their  brethren,  about  some  ceremonies  or  discipline  of  1 
church,  we  humbly  craved  his  majesty's  favour  for  the  ending 
those  differences;  it  being  easy  for  him  to  interpose,  that  so  1 
people  might  not  be  deprived  of  their  faithful  pastors,  and  igl 
rant,  scandalous,  unworthy  ones  obtruded  on  them. 

^^  I  presumed  to  tell  him,  that  the  people  we  spoke  for  were  si 
as  were  contented  with  an  interest  in  heaven,  and  the  liberty  i 
advantages  of  the  Gospel  to  promote  it ;  and  that  if  these  # 
taken  from  them,  and  they  were  deprived  of  their  faithful  paste 
and  liberty  of  worshipping  God,  they  would  take  themselves 
undone  in  this  world,  whatever  else  they  should  enjoy :  that  tl 
the  hearts  of  his  most  faithful  subjects,  who  hoped  for  his  he 
would  even  be  broken;  and  that  we  doubted  not  but 
majesty  desired  to  govern  a  people  made  happy  by  him,  and  i 
a  broken-hearted  people.  1  presumed  to  tell  him,  that  the  I 
usurpers  so  well  understood  their  own  interest,  that  to  promt 
it,  they  had  found  the  way  of  doing  good  to  be  the  most  eff 
tual  means ;  and  had  placed  and  encouraged  many  thousi 
faithful  ministers  in  the  church,  even  such  as  detested  their  us 
pation ;  and  that  so  far  had  they  attained  their  ends  here 
that  it  was  the  principal  means  of  their  interest  in  the  peop 
wherefore,  I  humbly  craved  his  majesty,  that  as  he  was  our  la 
ful  king,  in  whom  all  his  people  were  prepared  to  centrCj  so 
would  be  pleased  to  undertake  this  blessed  work  of  promoti 
their  holiness  and  concord;  and  that  he  would  never  suffer  hi; 
self  to  be  tempted  to  undo  the  good  which  Cromwell,  or  s 
other,  had  done,  because  they  were  usurpers  that  did  it ;  or  d 
countenance  a  faithful  ministry,  because  his  enemies  had  i 
them  up ;  but  that  he  would  rather  outgo  them  in  doing  gox 
and  opposing  and  rejecting  the  ignorant  and  ungodly^  of  wl 
opinion  or  party  soever ;  that  the  people  whose  cause  we  recoi 


OF  IHCHARD   BAXTER.  175 

flwoded  to  him,  had  their  eyes  on  Iiim  as  the  officer  of  God,  to 
deCend  them  in  the  possession  of  the  helps  of  their  salvation ; 
which  if  he  were  pleased  to  vouchsafe  them,  their  estates  and 
fires  would  cheerfully  be  offered  to  his  service. 

^  I  Jiumbly  besought  him  that  he  would  never  suffer  his  sub- 
jects to  be  tempted  to  have  favourable  thoughts  of  the  late 
BNirpers,  by  seeing  the  vice  indulged  which  they  suppressed ; 
or  the  godly  ministers  or  people  discountenanced  whom  they  en- 
eoaraged;  and  that  all  his  enemies'  conduct  could  not  teach  him  a 
more  effectual  way  to  restore  the  reputation  and  honour  of  the 
unrpers  than  to  do  worse  than  they,  and  destroy  the  good  which 
the?  had  done.  And,  again,  I  humbly  craved  that  no  miKrepre- 
lentfktions  might  cause  him  to  believe,  that  because  some  fanatics 
have  been  factious  and  disloyal,  therefore  the  religious  people 
ID  his  dominions,  who  are  most  careful  of  their  souls,  are 
Mich,  though  some  of  them  may  be  dissatisfied  about  some  forms 
tod  ceremonies  in  God's  worship,  which  others  use  :  and  that 
oone  of  them  might  go  under  so  ill  a  character  with  him,  by 
I  misreports  behind  their  backs,  till  it  were  proved  of  them  per- 
Mmally,  or  they  had  answered  for  themselves  :  for  we,  that  bet- 
ter knew  them  than  those  that  were  likely  to  be  their  accusers, 
did  confidently  testify  to  his  majesty,  on  their  behalf,  that  they 
ire  resolved  enemies  of  sedition,  rebellion,  disobedience,  and 
difisions,  which  the  world  should  see,  and  their  adversaries  be 
convinced  of,  if  his  majesty's  wisdom  and  clemency  did  but  re- 
move those  occasions  of  scruple  in  some  points  of  discipline 
lod  worship. 

'*  I,  further,  humbly  craved,  that  the  freedom  and  plainness  of 
these  expressions  to  his  majesty  might  be  pardoned,  as  being 
eitorted  by  the  present  necessity,  and  encouraged  by  our  re- 
vived hopes.  I  told  him  also,  that  it  was  not  for  Presbyterians, 
or  any  party,  as  such,  that  we  were  speaking,  but  for  the  religious 
part  of  his  subjects  in  general,  than  whom  no  prince  on  earth 
W  better.  I  also  represented  to  him  how  considerable  a  part 
of  that  kingdom  he  would  find  them  to  be ;  and  of  what  great 
advantage  their  union  would  be  to  his  majesty,  to  the  people, 
and  to  the  bishops  themselves,  and  how  easily  it  might  be  pro- 
cured—by making  only  things  necessary  to  be  the  terms  of 
union — by  the  true  exercise  of  church  discipline  against  sin, — and 
^y  not  casting  out  the  faithful  ministers  that  must  exercise  it, 
^d  obtruding  unworthy  men  upon  the  people :  and  how  easy  it 
Was  to  avoid  the  violating  of  men's  solemn  vows  and  covenants, 


176  THB   LIFE  AND  'TIMES 

without  hurt  to  any  others.  And  finaliy,  I  requested  that  we 
might  be  heard  speak  for  ourselves,  when  any  accusations  were 
brought  against  us."  ^ 

In  this  long  address,  we  cannot  but  admire  the  good  sense 
and  honesty  of  Baxter,  who  could  thus  fully  and  delicately 
instruct  his  majesty  in  his  duty,  and  in  the  true  interests  of 
his  government  and  the  country.     Happy  would  it  have  been 
for  Charles,  had  he  listened  to  such  counsels ;  but  from  hii 
well-known  character,  we  can  have  little  doubt  that  he  was  at 
this  time  laughing  at  the  simplicity  of  the  venerable  men  who 
were  pleading  before  him  the  rights  of  God  and  their  fellow 
subjects.     A  better  illustration  of  casting  pearls  before  swine, 
could  not  easily  be  found  than  what  this  address  presents.    It 
was  quite  appropriate  to  plead  with  Charles,  his  solemn  pro- 
mises, to  remind  him  of  his  engagements,  to  place  before  bim 
the  circumstances  and  expectations  of  his  subjects,  and  to  urge 
upon  him  the  encouragement  of  some,  and  the  protection  of  all 
religious  people.     Rut  to  talk  to  such  a  man  of  discounte- 
nancing sin,  and  promoting  godliness,  or  to  entertain  any  ex* 
pectation  that  he  would  pay  the  least  attention  to  such  things, 
shoe's  that  the  parties  thus  addressing  him  were  better  Christians 
than  politicians.     Policy  required,  however,  that  he  should  treat 
them  decently  for  a  time ;  and  hence  he  deceived  them  by  an 
appearance  of  candour  and  kindness,  and  by  promises  never  in- 
tended to  be  fulfilled. 

"  The  king,"  says  Baxter^  "  gave  us  not  only  a  free  audience, 
but  as  gracious  an  answer  as  we  could  expect ;  professing  his 
gladness  to  hear  our  inclinations  to  agreement,  and  his  resolu- 
tion to  do  his  part  to  bring  us  together ;  and  that  it  must  not 
be  by  bringing  one  party  over  to  the  other,  but  by  abating  some- 
what on  both  sides,  and  meeting  in  the  midway;  and  that  if  it 
were  not  accomplished,  it  should  be  owing  to  ourselves  and  not 
to  him.  Nay,  that  he  was  resolved  to  sec  it  brought  to  pass, 
and  that  he  would  draw  us  together  himself,  with  some  more  to 
that  purpose.  Insomuch  that  old  Mr.  Ash  burst  out  into  tears 
of  joy,  and  could  not  forbear  expressing  what  gladness  this  pro- 
mise of  his  majesty  had  put  into  his  heart."  ^ 

Whether  Charles  himself  really  wished,  at  this  time,  to  etkci 
some  kind  of  union  between  the  parties,  but  was  diverted  from 
it  by  the  high-church  men  who  were  about  him,  it  is  difficult  to 

^  Life,  part  it.  pp.  230,  231.  >  Ibid.  p.  231. 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  177 

Miy*  The  probability  is,  he  would  have  cared  nothing  about  it 
if  he  could  have  quieted  both  classes,  at  least  for  a  time,  and  thus 
got  himself  firmly  established  on  the  throne.  He,  no  doubt,  bore 
the  Puritans  a  deadly  grudge,  for  having,  as  he  conceived,  de- 
stroyed his  father,  and  driven  himself  into  exile.  But  there  were 
those  around  him  who  hated  them  quite  as  heartily,  and  who 
were  determined,  if  possible,  to  make  their  yoke  heavier  than  be- 
fore. To  these  men  there  is  full  evidence  that  all  the  obnoxious 
measures  which  led  to  the  act  of  uniformity,  and  to  the  unmerited 
rafferings  which  arose  from  it,  properly  belong. 

Had  there  been  a  disposition  to  promote  peace  and  union, 
one  of  two  courses  might  have  been  pursued ;  either  of  which 
would  have  accomplished  the  objects,  or  at  least,  have  pre- 
vented an  open  rupture.  The  adoption  of  such  a  liturgy  and 
form  of  church  government  as  the  moderate  men  of  both  parties 
might  approve  :  this  was  most  ardently  desired  by  Baxter  and 
many  of  those  with  whom  he  acted ;  and  was  not  by  any  means 
impracticable.  Or  failing  that,  to  waive  enforcing  uniformity  of 
worship  and  ecclesiastical  order  upon  the  then-incumbents  of 
different  sentiments  on  these  points,  while  they  lived,  and  which 
they  were  entitled  to  expect  from  tlie  king's  declaration  at  Breda. 
The  court  had  this  measure  entirely  in  its  own  power.  On 
this  plan  a  prospective  act  of  uniformity  might  have  been  pass- 
ed, which  would  have  gradually  .effected  the  favourite  object, 
without  inflicting  tremendous  suffering  on  conscientious  men, 
and  an  incurable  wound  on  the  church  itself.  Every  principle 
of  integrity  and  good  policy  ought  to  have  secured  the  interests 
of  the  Nonconformists;  though  I  doubt  whether  the  interests  of 
religion  in  the  nation  would  ultimately  have  been  so  effectually 
promoted,  as  by  the  course  pursued.  The  iiardest,  the  most 
unjust,  the  most  oppressive  measure  that  could  be  adopted,  was 
the  rigorous  enforcement  of  episcopacy  and  the  liturgy,  with  all 
their  concomitants,  on  pious  and  conscientious  men.  For  this, 
whoever  was  the  party  chiefly  concerned  in  it,  no  apology  can 
be  found.     It  was  an  unnecessary  and  a  cruel  act  of  despotism. 

^'Either  at  this  time  or  shortly  after,  the  king  required  us  to 
draw  up  and  offer  him  such  proposals  as  we  thought  meet,  in 
order  to  agreement  about  church  government,  for  that  was  the 
main  difference ;  if  that  were  agreed  upon,  there  would  be  little 
danger  of  differing  in  the  rest :  and  he  desired  us  to  set  down 
the  most  that  we  could  yield  to. 

<<  We  told  him,  that  we  were  but  few  men,  and  had  no  com« 

VOL,   I,  N 


178  tllS  ttM  AND  nUMB 

mission  firoM  «iy  of  our  brelhf  en  to  express  Amir  tbitl^M ;  tad 
therefore  desired  that  his  majesty  woiild  give  lie  Ieli?e  to  ac- 
quaint our  brethren  in  the  country  with  it,  and  take  them  with 
us.  The  king  answered^  this  would  be  too  tedious,  and  make' 
too  much  noise :  and  therefore  we  should  do  what  we  eouM 
ourseWes  only>  with  those  of  the  city  we  could  take  with  w. 
And  when  we  then  professed  that  we  presumed  not  to  give  the 
sense  of  others,  or  oblige  them ;  and  that  what  we  did  must 
signify  but  the  minds  of  so  many  as  were  present ;  he  answered, 
that  it  should  signify  no  more,  and  that  he  did  not  intend  to  elA 
an  assembly  of  the  other  party,  but  would  bring  a  few,  such  as  he 
thought  meet  j  ^nd  that  if  he  thought  good  to  advise  with  a 
few  of  each  side,  for  his  own  satisfaction,  none  had  cause  to  be 
oflsnded  at  k. 

*'  We  also  craved  that,  at  the  same  time^  when  wd  offefed  on^ 
coftceseliofis  to  the  king,  the  brethren  on  the  other  side  mig^ 
bring  in  theirs,  contaimng  also  the  itttermost  that  they  coirid 
abate  and  yield  to  U9  for  concord,  that  seeing  both  togeth^,  wie 
might  see  what  probabiKty  of  success  we  had.  And  the  king 
promised  that  it  should  be  so. 

*^  We  hereupon  depturted>  and  appointed  to  mett  from  day  to 
day  at  Sion  College,  and  to  consult  there  openly  with  any  of 
our  brethren  that  would  please  to  join  us,  that  none  might  say 
they  were  excluded.  Some  city  ministers  came  among  us,  aad 
some  camre  not ;  and  divers  country  ministers,  who  were  in  the 
city,  camfe  also  to  us ;  as  I>r.  Worth,  since  a  bishop  in  Iretand, 
Mt.  Fnlwood,  sinc^e  archdeacon  of  Totness;  but  Mr.  MattfaevT 
Newcomen  was  most  constant  in  assisting  us. 

**  In  these  debates,  we  found  the  great  inconvenience  of  too 
many  actors,  though  there  cannot  be  too  mfany  consenters  to 
what  is  well  done  :  for  that  which  seemed  the  most  convenient 
expression  to  one,  seemed  inconvenient  to  another;  and  tve  trho 
aU  agreed  in  matter,  had  much  ado  to  agree  in  words.  Bat 
after  about  two  or  three  Peeks'  time,  we  drew  up  a  paper  ot 
proposals,  which,  with  Archbishop  Usher's  form  of  government, 
called  his  reduction,  we  should  offer  to  the  king.  Mr.  Caiaroy 
and  Dr.  Reynolds  drew  up  the  most  of  them  ;  Dr.  Worth  And 
Dr.  Reynolds  drew  up  what  was  against  the  ceremonies ;  the 
abstract  which  was  laid  before  the  king  I  drew  up.**  "* 

It  is  evident  that  both  caution  and  good  sense  mark  all  these 

-life,  part  ii.pp,  231,  833; 


(Mr  AieSARB  HAXntR.  179 

proMAigs.  Nothing  cooM  be  h\rer,  if  something  was  to  be 
«Meedecl  by  both  parties,  than  that  each  should  state  what  it 
was  tsadj  to  gire  up  or  to  modify ;  it  would  then  have  been 
aeeii  at  once,  whether  the  parties  were  lihely  to  agree  on 
any  common  basis.  The  NQnconformists,  it  is  clear,  were  not 
hekward  to  offer  concessions ;  and  had  they  been  met  with  a 
eoqeiliatory  spirit  by  the  church  party,  matters  would  not  hate 
proceeded  to  the  extremity  which  they  did.  As  some  of  their 
pqpers,  even  those  against  ceremonies,  were  drawn  up  by 
RejneMs  and  Worth,  who  both  afterwards  conformed,  and  were 
Bade  bishops,  their  proposals  must  have  been  very  reasonable. 

The  paper  referred  to  by  Baxter,  drawn  up  in  the  most 
respectful  manner,  and  containing  very  moderate  propositions, 
wn  laid  before  his  majesty.  It  embraced  the  leading  points 
of  difference  relating  to  choreh  government,  the  liturgy,  and 
c^OHonies,  on  which  such  extended  cohtroversies  had  been 
iBtintiified.  Usher's  scheme  of  a  reduced  episcopacy  (a  kind 
^  presbyterian  episcopate^  in  which  the  bishop  n  regarded 
nther  as  the  permanent  moderator  in  the  synods  or  coun- 
cils of  his  brethren,  the  primus  inter  pares,  than  as  clothed 
^  independent  authority,  and  exclusive  rights  and  privi- 
kges)  was  the  basis  of  their  proposition  on  this  head.  They 
agreed  on  the  lawfulness  of  a  liturgy,  but  objected  to  its  r^oroiis 
enforcement,  and  to  several  parts  of  the  Book  of  Commoii 
Prayer  which  required  amendment.  They  also  pointed  out  the 
various  ceremonies  in  divine  service  at  which  they  were  offend- 
ed; such  as  the  use  of  the  surplice,  the  sign  of  the  cross  at 
baptism,  bowing  at  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  kneeling  at  the  altar. 
AU  these  particulars  and  requests  they  humbly  laid  at  his  ma- 
jnt/s  feet.  They  also  presented  Usher's  own  model  as  drawn 
«p  in  1641. 

^When  we  went,"  says  Baxter,  ^^with  these  foresaid  papers 
^0  the  king,  and  expected  there  to  meet  the  divines  of  the  eftber 
pwty,  aceording  to  promise,  with  their  proposals  also,  contain- 
^"8  the  lowest  terms  which  they  would  yield  to  for  peace,  we 
^^  not  a  man  of  them,  nor  any  papers  from  them  of  that 
'^•tttre,  no,  not  to  this  day ;  but  it  was  not  fit  for  us  to  expos- 
^^ate  or  complain.  His  majesty  very  graciously  renewed  his 
Professions,  I  must  not  call  them  promises,  that  he  would  bring 
^  t<^tber,  and  see  that  the  bishops  should  come  down  and 
yield  on  their  part;  and  when  he  heard  our  papers  read,  he 
^med  well  pleaaad  with  them,  and  told  us,  he  waa  glad  that 

n2 


180  THB  LIFB  AND  TIMES 

we  were  for  a  liturgy  and  yielded  to  the  essence  of  episcopacy^ 
and^  therefore,  he  doubted  not  of  our  agreement ;  with  mach 
more,  which  we  thought  meet  to  recite  in  our  following  ad- 
dresses, by  way  of  gratitude,  and  for  other  reasons  easy  to  be 
conjectured. 

'^  Yet  was  not  Bishop  Usher's  model  the  same  in  all  points 
that  we  could  wish ;  but  it  was  the  best  that  we  could  have  the 
least  hope,  I  say  not  to  obtain,  but  acceptably  to  make  them 
any  offers  of;  for  had  we  proposed  ainy  thing  below  arch- 
bishops and  bishops,  we  should  but  have  suddenly  furnished 
them  with  plausible  reasons  for  the  rejecting  of  all  further  at- 
tempts of  concord,  or  any  other  favour  from  them. 

^'  Before  this  time,  by  the  king's  return,  many  hundred  wor- 
thy ministers  were  displaced,  and  cast  out  of  their  charges; 
because  they  were  in  sequestrations  where  others  had  by  the 
parliament  been  cast  out.  Our  earnest  desires  had  been,  that  all 
such  should  be  cast  out  as  were  in  any  benefice  belonging  for- 
merly to  a  man  that  was  not  grossly  insufficient  or  debauched; 
but  that  all  who  succeeded  such  as  these  scandalous  ones^ 
should  hold  their  places. 

^^  These  wishes  being  vain,  and  all  the  old  ones  restored,  the 
king  promised  that  the  places  where  any  of  the  old  ones  were  dead, 
should  be  confirmed  to  the  possessors :  but  many  others  got  the 
broad  seal  for  them,  and  the  matter  was  not^reat ;  for  we  were 
all  of  us  to  be  endured  but  a  little  longer.  However,  we 
agreed  to  offer  five  requests  to  the  king,  which  he  received/'  * 

These  requests  related  to  a  speedy  answer  from  himself  to 
their  proposals  about  agreement,  to  a  suspension  of  ptoeeed* 
ings  upon  the  act  of  conformity  till  such  agreement  were  come 
to  or  refused,  and  some  other  matters  arising  out  of  the  un- 
settled state  of  affairs  in  the  church.  While  they  waited^for  the 
promised  condescension  of  the  episcopal  divines,  they  received 
nothing  but  a  paper  expressive  of  bitter  opposition  to  th^ir  pro- 
posals. They  felt  that  they  were  treated  unworthily,  and  there- 
fore the  brethren  requested  Baxter  to  answer  it.  He  did  so; 
but  it  was  never  used,  as  there  seemed  no  probability  of  its 
having  any  good  effect.  In  his  life,  however,  we  are  furnished 
with  both  documents  at  large.  ^ 

A  short  time  after  this,  the  ministers  were  informed  that 
the  king  would  communicate  his  intentions  in  thfe  form  of  a 

»  Life,  part  ii.  p.  241.  •  IbM.  pp.  l^fL-SdS. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  181 

declaration^  to  which  they  would  be  at  liberty  to  furnish  their 
exceptions.  This  was  accordingly  done  on  the  4th  of  Septem-> 
ber,  1660.  This  paper,  which  is  very  long,  is  full  of  preten- 
sions to  zeal  for  righteousness,  peace,  and  union ;  unfair  in 
its  assumptions,  and  unkind  in  its  insinuations ;  and  expresses 
nothing  explicitly  but  the  determination  of  the  court  to  uphold 
things  as  they  were.  Tt  however  intimated  his  majesty's  ap- 
probation of  the  principles  and  conduct  of  the  Presbyterian  mi- 
nisters who  waited  upon  him  at  Breda ;  renews  the  declaration 
made  there  in  favour  of  liberty  of  conscience ;  promises  that  none 
should  be  molested  for  differing  from  the  forms  of  episcopacy; 
waives  enforcing  the  sign  of  the  cross  at  baptism,  kneeling  at 
the  sacrament,  the  use  of  the  surplice,  the  subscription  of  cano- 
nical obedience  and  re-ordination,  where  these  were  conscien- 
tiously objected  to.  It  renews  the  promise  to  appoint^a  meeting 
to  review  the  Liturgy ;  engages  to  make  some  alterations  re- 
specting the  extent  of  some  of  the  dioceses,  if  necessary,  and. 
to  modify  the  authority  of  the  bishops,  if  requisite ;  and  that 
some  other  matters  of  reformation  should  be  attended  to.  p  As 
far  aa  the  feelings  and  wishes  of  the  Presbyterian  party  on  the 
great  leading  points  of  church  government  and  discipline  were 
concerned,  it  was  vox  etpreterea  nihil,^ 

**  When  we  received  this  copy  of  the  declaration,''  says  Bax- 
ter, "  we  saw  that  it  would  not  serve  to  heal  our  differences ; 
we  therefore  told  the  Lord  Chancellor,  with  whom  we  were  to 
do  all  our  business,  that  our  endeavours,  as  to  concord,  would 
all  be  frustrated,  if  much  were  not  altered  in  the  declaration.  I 
pass  over  all  our  conferences  with  him,  both  now  and  at  other 
times.  In  conclusion,  we  were  requested  to  draw  up  our 
thoughts  of  it  in  writing,  which  the  brethren  imposed  on  me  to 
do.  My  judgment  was,  that  all  the  fruit  of  this  our  treaty,  be- 
side a  little  reprival  from  intended  ejection,  would  be  but  the 
satisfying  our  consciences  and  posterity  that  we  had  done  our 
duty,  and  that  it  was  not  our  fault  that  we  came  not  to  the  de- 
sired concord  or  coalition;  and  therefore,  seeing  we  had  no 
considerable  higher  hopes,  we  should  speak  as  plainly  as  honesty 
and  conscience  did  require  us.     But  when  Mr.  Calamy  and  Dr. 

f  This  declaration  was  drawn  up  by  Lford  Clarendon ;  but  the  evasive  claims 
which  rende^  it,  in  a  g^reat  measure,  nugatory,  were  inserted  by  the  secret 
advisers  of  the  Icing.  Sheldon,  Hinchman,  and  Morley,  were  deeply  engaged 
in  the  whole  affair.— 5fcref  History  of  Charles  11.,  vol.  i.  p.  93. 

^  Life,  parAL  p.  259,  265. 


IS9  THi  MR  A.fm  viias 

Reynoldt  bad  read  my  paper,  they  were  troubled  at  tha  friiua- 
nenB  of  it,  and  thought  it  never  would  be  endured,  and  tbtre- 
fore  desired  some  alteration ;  especially  that  I  might  leave  put 
the  prediction  of  the  evils  which  would  follow  our  pon-pigveo- 
laent,  wtucfa  the  court  would  interpret  as  a  threatening :  and 
the  mentioning  the  aggravations  of  covenant-breaking  and  per- 
jury.    I  gave  them  my  reasons  for  letting  it  stand  as  it  was. 
To  bring  me  more  effectually  to  their  mind,  they  told  t)ie  Earl 
of  Manchester,  with  whom,  as  our  sure  friend,  we  still  con- 
sulted, and  through  whom  the  court  used  to  communicate  to  us 
what  it  desired.    He  called  the  Earl  of  Anglesey '  and  the  Lord 
Hollis'  to  the  consultations  as  our  friends.    And  thesa  three 
lords,  with  Mr*  (^alamy  and  Dr.  Reynolds,  perused  all  tha 
writing ;  and  ali^  with  earnestness,  persuaded  me  to  the  ^^  al- 
terations,    I  oonfess,  I  thought  those  two  points  material  which 
they  excepted  against,  and  would  not  have  had  them  left  out^ 
and  thereby  made  them  think  me  too  plain  and  unpleasingi  a^ 
naver  used  to  the  language  or  converse  of  a  court.    Bot  it  W9f^ 
not  my  unslolfulness  in  a  more  pleasing  language,  but  my  r^aeoji^ 
and  oonscience  upon  foresight  of  the  issue  which  ivere  tl)a  c^^e* 
Whan  they  tM  mfi,  however,  it  lyould  not  sp  muc^  as  fat 


'The  Esri  of  Anfletcy  was  one  of  the  most  respectable  of  t^ofe  Bdblemeii 
^bo  were  amier^tooil  to  be  attached  to  tbe  ^onconlur mists.  He  was  a  naUve 
of  Ireland,  and  son  of  Lord  Mount  Norris.  He  was  at  firyt  supposed  to  faTour 
the  royal  cause,  but  afterwards  joined  tbat  of  tbe  parUameot,  and  went  to 
Ireland  in  its  service.  Thougb  he  had  taken  no  part  in  the  events  which  lid 
iinmediately  to  the  death  of  the  kin^,  his  lordship  did  no.t  increase  hif 
reputation  by  sitting  as  one  of  the  commissioners  on  tbe  trial  of  the  regi- 
cides. He  was  made  an  earl  for  his  important  services  in  promoting  Uie 
BBstoration,  and  roee  to  some  of  ihe  {highest  offi.ces  in  the  state  dur^  Ibe 
reign  of  Charles  1  J.  He  was  a  man  of  very  considerable  learning,  aqwl  ind||B- 
fatigable  in  business;  but  beseems  to  have  been  more  attentive  to  his  interests 
than  to  his  consistency,  or  to  what  was  due  to  the  religious  party  by  wbich  he 
was  held  in  estimation.— JK^.  Brii.  vol.  i.  pp.  I9)t— 200;  Jtken.  Or.  ToLif. 
pp.  181—186. 

*  Denzil,  Lord  Hollis,  second  son  of  the  first  Earl  of  Clare,  was  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  of  the  popular  leaders  in  the  reign  of  Charles  I.  He  was 
courageous,  patriotic,  honourable,  and  disinterested  in  aU  his  condi»ct.  IKf 
iippears  to  have  taken  a  decided  part  against  Charles  1.  (with  whom  l«e  had 
lived  upon  terms  of  intimate  friendship)  purely  from  the  love  of  his  country. 
He  was  the  principal  leader  of  the  Presbyterian  party,  which  placed  the  great- 
est confidence  in  him  ;  he  was  consequently  disliked  by  Cromwell  and  the  In- 
dependents, both  of  whom  he  opposed.  Even  Clarendon  acknowledges  that 
he  deserved  the  high  reputation  wbich  he  enjoyed,  ''  being  of  more  mpcfo^' 
pUshed  parts  than  any  of  the  Presbyterian  leaders."  It  does  not  appear, 
however,  that  he  espoused  the  Presbyteri^tn  interest  to  wsra^y  af^  the  re- 
storation as  he  had  done  before.  ^  * 


eemdf  mi  that  I^muat  go  mtb  it  myKslf,  far  nobody  tlao 
woiild^  I  yielded  to  the  alteradons/'  ^ 

^  A  litde  before  this  petition  wafi  agreed  on,  Uie  bishope'  party 

ippoiotedi  mt  our  request,  a  meeting  with  tooie  of  ua,  to  try 

bow  Dear  we  could  come,  in  preparation  for  what  was  to  be 

reselved  on.    Dr.  Morley,  Dr.  Hiachman,  and  Dr.  Cosies,  met 

Dr.  Reynolds,  Mr.  Calamy,  and  myself;  and  after  a  few  roving 

diacourses  we  parted,  without  bringing  them  to  any  particular 

^eoQccaaions  or  abatement,  only  their  general  talk  was,  from  the 

beginning,  aa  if  they  would  do  any  thing  for  peace  ui\ich  was 

^  to  be  done.    They  being  tbien  newly  elected,  but  not  conse- 

prated  to  their  several  bisbopricks,  we  called  them.  My  Lords, 

vrhich  Dr.  Bflorley  once  returned,  sayiqg,  '  We  may  call  you 

alao,  I  suppose,  by  the  same  name/  By  which  I  perceived  Uiey 

had  aome  purpose  to  try  that  way  with  us/'^ 

The  petition,  as  altered,  was  fioally  agreed  to.  It  expresses 
the  disappointment  which  the  ministers  experienced,  both  from 
the  contents  and  the  omissions  of  the  declaration;  the  pain 
which  was  caused  by  some  of  the  insinuations  contained  in  it  5 
the  diatinetiQn  which  they  had  always  contended  for  between  thu 
e|Hscopal  fona  of  church  government,  and  the  episcopacy 
established  in  England ;  and  presents  a  very  plain  view  of  that 
modified  system  of  government  and  discipline  which  would 
satisfy  themselves,  and,  they  believed,  the  great  body  of  serious 
persons  of  their  persuasion  throughout  the  country.  ^^  But  on 
being  delivered  to  the  Lord  Chancellory  it  was  so  ungrateful, 
that  we  were  never  called  to  present  it  to  the  king;  but,  instead 
of  that,  it  was  offered  us,  that  we  should  make  such  alterations 
in  the  declaration  as  were  necessary  to  attain  its  ends ;  with 
these  cautions,  that  we  put  in  nothing  but  what  we  judged  of 
flat  necessity;  and  that  we  alter  not  the  preface  or  language 
of  it :  for  it  was  to  ba  the  king's  declaration,  and  what  he 
spake  as  expressing  his  own  sense  was  nothing  to  us.  If  we 
thought  ha  imposed  any  thing  intolerable  upon  us,  we  had  leave 
to  express  our  desires  for  the  altering  of  it.  Whereupon  we 
agreed  to  offer  another  paper  of  alterations,  letting  all  the  rest 
of  the  declaration  alone  ;  but  withal,  by  word,  to  tell  those  we 
offered  it  to,  which  was  the  Lord  Chancellor,  that  this  was  not 
the  model  of  church  government  which  we  at  first  offered,  nor 
which  we  thought  most  expedient  for  the  healing  of  the  church; 

«^Life,  part  iL  p.  265.  «  Ibid.  274. 


184  THB  LIFB  AND  TllfSS 

but  seeing  that  cannot  be  obtained,  we  shall  humbly  subiuti 
and  thankfully  acknowledge  his  majesty's  condescensioUi  if  we 
may  obtain  what  now  we  offer,  and  shall  faithfully  endeavour  to 
improve  it  to  the  church's  peace,  to  the  utmost  of  our  power/'* 
Another  paper  of  alterations  was  accordingly  made  out  and 
sent  in.     ^^  After  all  this,  a  day  was  appointed  for  his  majesty  to 
peruse  the  declaration,  as  it  was  drawn  up  by  the  Lord  Chancel* 
]or,y  and  to  allow  what  he  liked,  and  alter  the  rest,  upon  the 
hearing  of  what  both  sides  should  say.    He  accordingly  came  to 
the  Lord  Chancellor's  house,  and  with  him  the  Dukes  of  Albe- 
marle and  Ormond,*  as  I  remember ;  the  Earl  of  Manchester, 
the  Earl  of  Anglesey,  the  Lord  HoUis,  &c. ;  and  Dr.  Sheldon, 
then  bishop  of  London,  Dr.  Morley,  then  bishop  of  Worcester, 
Dr.  Hinchman,  then  bishop  of  Salisbury,  Dr.  Cosins,  bishop  of 
Durham,  Dr.  Gauden,  afterwards  bishop  of  Exeter  and  Worcester, 
Dr.  Darwick,  afterwards  dean  of  St.  Paul's,  Dr.  Hacket,  bishop 
of  Coventry  and  Litchfield,  with  divers  others,  among  whom  Dr. 
Gunning  was  most  notable.     On  the  other  part  stood  Dr.  Rey* 
nolds,  Mr.  Calamy,  Mr.  Ash,  Dr.  Wallis,  Dr.  Manton,  Dr. 
Spurstow,  myself,  and  who  else  I  remember  not.    The  business 
of  the  day  was  not  to  dispute,  but  as  the  Lord  Chancellor  read 
over  the  declaration,  each  party  was  to  speak  to  what  it  dis- 
liked, and  the  king  to  determine  how  it  should  be,  as  he  liked 
himself.  While  the  Lord  Chancellor  read  over  the  preface,  th^re 
was  no  interruption,  only  he  thought  it  best  himself  to  blot  out 
those  words  about  the  declaration  in  Scotland  for  the  covenant,— 


>  Life,  part  ii.  pp.  274— 27f;. 

f  Hyde,  earl  of  Clureodon,  now  lord  chancellor,  wag  in  various  respects  a 
considerable  man.  He  possessed  a  larg^e  portion  of  that  kind  of  loyalty  which 
made  him  regard  the  ^lory  of  his  country  chiefly  as  it  contributed  to  the  fflorj 
of  the  king.  He  was  narrow-minded,  and  the  subject  uf  prejudices'of  the  most 
iriolent  ktnd^  especially  against  the  friends  of  liberty  and  the  Nonconform* 
ists.  It  does  not  appear  that  his  lordship  particularly  disliked  Baxter ;  on  the 
contrary,  be  seems  to  have  done  him,  occasionally,  some  little  kindness;  but 
to  Clarendon,  and  one  or  two  of  the  bishops,  a  large  portion  of  the  sufferings 
and  disappointment  of  the  Nonconformists,  after  the  Restoration,  ia  mainly  to 
be  attributed.  He  could  be  merry  with  them,  however,  sometimes.  He  told 
Baxter,  after  the  Savoy  conference,  that  had  he  been  but  as  fat  as  Dr.  Man- 
ton,  they  had  done  very  well.  Baxter  readily  replied,  that  if  his  lordship 
would  teach  him  the  art  of  growing  fat,  he  should  fiud  him  quite  ready  to 
learn.— Z^7/r,  part  ii.  p.  3.  • 

*  The  Duke  of  Ormond  was  lord  steward  of  the  household,  and  was  a 
man  of  great  integrity  and  benevolence.  He  had  always  been  a  royalist,  but 
was  miich  respected  by  all  parties.  I  am  not  aware  that  he  took  much  part  in 
the  affairs  which  related  to  the  Nonconformisis. 


OP  EICHARD  BAXnR.  185 

thitiie  did,  from  the  moment  it  passed  our  hand,  ask  God  forgive- 
oess  for  our  fMut  in  it.  The  great  matter  which  we  stopped  at,  was 
the  word  eomemi,  where  the  bishop  is  to  confirm  by  tiie  consent 
of  the  pastor  of  that  church ;  and  jthe  king  would  by  no  means 
pass  the  word  consent,  either  there  or  in  the  point  of  ordination 
or  oensnres,  because  it  gave  the  ministers  a  negative  voice.  We 
uged  him  hard  with  a  passage  in  his  father's  book  of  medita- 
tioiu,  where  he  expressly  granteth  this  consent  of  the  presby- 
ters;* but  it  would  not  prevail.  The  most  that  I  insisted  on 
was  from  the  end  of  our  endeavours,  that  we  came  not  hither 
for  a  personal  agreement  only  with  our  brethren  of  the  other 
wajr,  but  to  procure  such  gracious  concessions  from  his  majesty 
as  would  unite  all  the  soberest  people  of  the  land ;  and  we 
knew  that  on  lower  terms  it  could  not  be  done.  Though  con- 
9aU  be  but  a  little  word,  it  was  necessary  to  a  very  desirable 
end ;  if  it  were  purposed  that  the  parties  and  divisions  should 
rather  continue  unhealed,  then  we  had  no  more  to  say,  there 
being  no  remedy ;  but  we  were  sure  that  union  would  not  be 
attained,  if  no  consent  were  allowed  ministers  in  any  part  of 
the  government  of  their  flocks ;  and  so  they  would  be  only 
teachers,  without  any  participation  in  the  ruling  of  the  peo- 
ple, whose  rectors  they  were  called.  When  I  perceived  some 
offence  at  what  I  said,  I  told  them  that  we  had  not  the  judg- 
ments of  men  at  our  command.  We  could  not,  in  reason, 
suppose  that  our  concessions,  or  any  thing  we  could  do,  would 
change  the  judgments  of  any  great  numbers;  and  therefore, 
we  must  consider  what  will  unite  us,  in  case  their  judgments  be 
not  changed,  else  our  labour  would  be  to  no  purpose. 

'The  passage  in  the  *  EikoD  Basiiike/  to  which  Baxter  refers,  as  that  in 

vMch  Charles  concedes  that  the  bishops  should  rule  with  the  consent  of  the 

preibjfterSy  is,  I  apprehend,  the  following  :  «  Not  that  I  am  ag^aiost  the  ma- 

Bsfin^  of  this  precedency  and  authority  in  one  man,  by  the  joint  counsel  and 

f9iuemi  of  many  fresbyiet'S  .*  1  have  offered  to  restore  that,  as  a  fit  means  to 

avoid  diose  errors,  corruptions, and  partialities,  which  are  incident  to  anyone 

Sian :  also  to  avoid  tyranny,  which  becomes  no  Christian,  least  of  all  church- 

inen.    Besides,  it  will  be  a  means  to  take  away  that  burden  and  odium  of 

affiirs  which  may  lie  too  heavy  on  one  roan's  shoulders,  as  indeed  1  think  it 

formerly  did  on  the  bishops'  here."  (Pp.  153,  154.}    This  was  the  opinion  of 

Charles  I.  in  solitude  and  sufferiog,  and  therefore  no  reason  why  it  should  bind 

Charles  II.,  in  fUll  possession  of  royal  power  and  authority.    He,  indeed,  muse 

have  been  amused  at  the  quotation  of  his  father's  opinions  from  this  book  ; 

and  Dr.  Gaoden,  the  real  author  of  the  <  Eikon,'  who  was  now  present,  must 

have  been  not  a  little  mortified  by  the  reference  to  such  a  passage.    The  kiu^, 

it  is  ftaid,  when  the  reference  was  made,  said  quietly,  **  All  that  is  in  that  book 

is  not  Gospel ;"  a  remark  which  iLeant  more  than  met  the  ear.— fio^f'f  Fune- 

rtU  Sermwn/or  Baxter, 


iS9  fwi  un  Mfp  nwm 

^Biikop  UrnUf  told  than  "hoiv  peU  mu  9mm  m%  Md 
firfaiijt^iniilM^diBif^n^WjBMwUluig.  He  told  (the  kjng  gho  tkil 
po  map  ImuI  wrkCen  better  of  these  loattees  liuui  (  faad  dMtf 
md  t^ne  ia|r  five  Dbputoticme  lof  Ciwrcb  GENrenuMpI  laft 
|[]ieady  tp  be  firoduMd.  All  lht$  wee  to  intimele  m  if  I  mmt 
fiootredicted  «bat  I  bed  there  written.  J  told  hua  that  I  iied 
tkp  heat.  reaeoB  to  l^Kwir  wbut  I  bad  written,  end  thpt  (  nmefitt 
of  tlie  eaip^  nind.  A  greet  many  worde  thept  wew^  nkmaf  piyn 
\acy  aud  re-ordipatipti ;  Dr^Ouoiwg  i^id  BUhop  MpHef  epeafci 
mg  alnxMt  all  on  one  aicje,  aad  Dr.  Hincbpiaa  and  Dr«  ffnuwn 
eon^etipies ;  and  Mr.  Calaipy  and  myself  qapet  op  tM  ptber 
aide  ;  but  I  think  neitber  party  value  the  raa^Uipg  diacfnfffaaa 
of  that  day  ao  much  as  to  think  them  worth  reeordingi  Mr. 
Calamy  apawered  Dr.  Guboi ng  from  Seriptum  very  well,  agaiMt 
the  divine  right  of  prelacy  aa  a  diatinet  order*  When  Di; 
Chmning  told  them  that  Dr.  Hammond  had  said  enough  agpuiat 
the  Pr^abyteriap  cause  aad  ordination,  and  was  yet  nouawMadf 
I  thought  it  meet  to  tell  him,  that  I  had  answered  tbt  subataMa 
of  Ma  argnmenU,  and  said  enough,  monepver,  against  the  £0? 
ceaan  Arapl^  of  goyeramept ;  and  tp  prove  the  validi^  of  ihi 
Bliglish  pneabytera'  ordiQation,  which^  indeed,  wfeia  imaMWCSMl, 
though  I  was  very  d^eairpus  to  have  seen  au  answer  to  it.  I  said 
this,  because  they  had  got  the  book  by  them,  and  faecanse  I 
thought  the  unreasonableness  of  their  dealing  might  be  tviooadf 
who  force  ao  many  hundreds  to  be  re-ordained ;  and  will  pot 
any  of  them  answer  one  book,  which  is  written  to  prpyp  the 
validity  of  that  ordination  which  they  would  have  miUifiad, 
though  I  provoked  them  purposely  in  such  a  presence. 

'^  The  most  of  the  time  being  spent  thu^  in  speaking  to  par- 
ticulars of  the  declaration,  as  it  was  read,  when  we  came  la 
the  end,  the  Lord  Chancellor  drew  out  another  paper,  and  told 
us  that  the  king  had  been  petitioned  also  by  the  Independents 
and  Anabaptists  9  and  though  he  knew  not  what  to  think  of  it 
himself,  and  did  not  very  well  like  it,  yet  something  he  bad 
drawn  up  which  he  would  read  to  us,  and  desire  us  also  tP  give 
our  advice  about  it«  Thereupon  he  read,  a$  an  addition  to  the 
declaration, '  that  others  also  be  permitted  to  meet  for  religi- 
ous worship,  80  be  it  they  do  it  not  to  the  disturbance  of  the 
peace ;  and  that  no  justice  of  peaqs  or  officer  disturb  them.' 
When  he  had  read  it,  he  again  desired  them  ail  to  think  on  it, 
and  give  their  advice ;  but  all  were  silent.  The  Presbyterians 
all  perceived,  as  soon  as  they  heard  it,  that  ^  wnilld  ^s^PUr^  tba 


liberty  of  tkt  l^isto  $  and  Dn  Wallis  wbitperied  me  io  tfie  ear, 

aii4  entn^tad  mie  to  aay  notbiog,  for  it  waa  ao  odious  lnuimes^ 

ki4  to  jbt  tfa(K  bislpops  apeal^  to  it.    ^ut  the  bishops  would  iiot 

9paak  a  «sord|  nor  my  one  of  the  Presbyteriaos^  and  so  we  werie 

IiIms  to  hayse  ended  in  silence.    I  knew,  if  we  consented  to  it»  i( 

wnolfd  be  charged  on  us,  thai  we  spake  (or  a  toleration  of  Papists 

|ub4  acctaries:   ye|t  it  might  have   lengthened  out  our  own« 

And  if  we  spake  against  it,  all  sects  and  parties  would  be  set 

apioat  ss  as  the  causers  of  their  sufferings,  and  as  a  partiiS} 

people  that  would  have  liberty  ourselves,  but  would  have  no 

odwra  epjoy  it  with  us.    At  last,  seeing  the  silence  continue, 

I  tbooghc  our  very  silence  would  be  changed  on  us  as  consent, 

if  it  w^eot  on,  and  therefore  I  only  said  this :  *  Hat  this  reve- 

rpo4  bi^ather.  Dr.  Gunning,  even  now  q>eaking  against  th^s  sects, 

had  iiaoie4  the  Papists  and  the  Socinians :  for  our  parts,  we 

dtairfri  not  favour  to  ourselves  alone,  and  rigorous  severity  we 

deaimd  against  none.    As  we  humbly  thanked  his  majesty  for 

)us  indirigepce  to  ourselves,  9o  we  distinguished  the  tolerable 

pavfi^  ffom  the  intolerable.    For  the  former,  we  humbly  craved 

jaat  Icttp^  and  favour,  but  for  the  latter,  such  as  the  two  sorts 

apuncd  before  by  that  reverend  brother,  for  our  parts,  we  could 

mi  fBfii»  their  toleration  our  request.'  ^    To  which  his  majesty 

said,  there  were  laws  enough  against  the  Papbts ;  to  which  I 

replied,  that  we  understood  the  question  to  be,  whether  those 

lawa  abould  be  executed  on  them  or  not.    And  so  his  majesty 

hnoke  up  the  meeting  of  that  day. 

^  Before  the  meeting  was  dissolved,  his  majesty  had  all  along 
told  what  he  would  have  stand  in  the  declaration ;  and  he  named 
(our  divines,  to  determine  of  any  words  in  the  alteration,  if  there 
wer^  any  difference ;  that  is,  Bishop  Morley,  Bishop  Hinciiman, 
Dr.  jfteynolds,  and  Mr.  Calamy ;  and  if  they  disagreed,  that 
the  Earl  of  Anglesey  and  the  Lord  HolHs  should  decide  it.  As 
they  went  out  of  the  room,  I  told  the  Earl  of  Anglesey,  that 
we  had  no  other  business  there  but  th^  church's  peace  and 
welfare,  and  I  would  not  have  been  the  man  that  should  have 
done  so  much  against  it  as  he  had  done  that  day,  for  far 

^  Baxter's  honesty  is  always  evident  in  every  things  be  did  ;  but  here  bis  pre- 
)iiAicet  aod  imperfect  views  of  reii^ous  liberty  made  bim  appear  in  a  very 
ditsdvanta^^eous  lif  ht.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  conduct  of  the  court  on  thif 
occa»ioD  was  desired  to  entrap  the  Nonconfurinists.  If  they  said  yea  to  the 
proposition,  they  would  be  regarded  as  the  friends  of  Popery ;  if  they  said  nay, 
they  would  be  considered  enemies  to  the  liberties  of  others,  while  they  were 
strof  l^iof  for  their  own. 


188  THB  LIFB  AND  tlMSS 

more  than  he  was  like  to  get  by  it.  Though  called  a  Preabjr- 
terian,  he  had'  spoken  more  for  prelacy  than  we  expected  ;  and 
I  think  by  the  consequent  that  this  saying  did  some  good  ;  for 
when  I  afterwards  found  the  declaration  amended^  and.  aaked 
how  it  came  to  pass,  he  intimated  to  me  that  it  was  his  doing. 

**  When  I  went  out  from  the  meeting,  I  went  dejected^  beii^ 
fully  satisfied  that  the  form  of  government  in  that  dedaratMm 
would  not  be  satisfactory,  nor  attain  that  concord  which  was 
our  end,  because  the  pastors  had  no  government  of  the  flocks; 
and  I  was  resolved  to  meddle  no  more  in  the  business,  bat  pa^ 
tiently  suffer  with  other  dissenters.  But  two  or  three  days  after^ 
meeting  the  king's  declaration  cried  about  the  streets,  I  pre- 
sently stepped  into  a  house  to  read  it ;  and  seeing  the  word 
consent  put  in  about  confirmation  and  sacrament,  though  npt  as 
to  jurisdiction,  and  seeing  the  pastoral  persuasive  power  of 
governing  left  to  all  the  ministers  with  the  rural  dean,  and 
more  amendments,  I  wondered  how  it  came  to  pass,  but 
exceeding  glad  of  it;  perceiving  that  now  the  terms  were^ 
though  not  such  as  we  desired,  such  as  any  sober^  honest 
minister  might  submit  to.  1  presently  resolved  to  do  mj  best 
to  persuade  all,  according  to  my  interest  and  opportanity,  to 
conform  according  to  the  terms  of  this  declaration,  and  cheer- 
fully to  promote  the  concord  of  the  church,  and  brotherly  love, 
which  this  concord  doth  bespeak. 

^^  Having  frequent  business  with  the  Lord  Chancellor  about 
other  matters,  I  was  going  to  him  when  I  met  the  king's  decla- 
ration in  the  street ;  and  I  was  so  much  pleased  with  it^  that 
having  told  fiim  why  1  was  so  earnest  to  have  had  it  suited  to  the 
desired  end,  I  gave  him  hearty  thanks  for  the  addition,  and  told 
him  that  if  the  liturgy  were  but  altered  as  the  declaration  pro- 
mised, and  this  settled  and  continued  to  us  by  law,  and  not 
reversed,  I  should  take  it  to  be  my  duty  to  do  my  best  to  pro- 
cure the  full  consent  of  others,  and  promote  our  happy  con- 
cord on  these  terms ;  and  should  rejoice  to  see  the  day  when 
factions  and  parties  may  all  be  swallowed  up  in  unity,  and 
contentions  turned  to  brotherly  love.  At  that  time  he  began  to 
offer  me  a  bishoprick,  of  which  more  anon."^ 

The  account  which  Clarendon  gives  us  of  the  transactions 
relating  to  the  declaration,  are  very  different  from  Baxter's ;  and 
as  he  refers  to  the  conduct  of  the  ministers  on  this  occasion  for 

«  Life,  part  ii,  pp.  276, 279. 


OF  EICHARD  fiAXTBH.  189 

proof  of  the  necessity  of  a  rigorous  enforcement  of  the  laws, 
I  shall  gire  his  version  of  it  in  his  own  words.  This  I  should 
not  have  thought  necessary,  had  not  Bishop  Heber,  in  his  Life 
of  Jeremy  Taylor,  introduced  it  as  a  proof  of  the  ^^  disingenu- 
outness  of  some  of  the  Presbyterian  leaders,  and  the  absurd 
bigotry  of  others/'^ 

*'  Here/'  says  Clarendon,  **  I  cannot  but  instance  two  acts  of 
the  Pkesbyterians,  by  which,  if  their  humour  and  spirit  were  not 
enough  discovered  and  known,  their  want  of  ingenuity  and  in- 
t^rity  would  be  manifest ;  and  bow  impossible  it  is  for  men 
who  would  not  be  deceived,  to  depend  on  either.    When'  the 
declaration  had  been  delivered  to  the  ministers,  there  was  a 
clause  in  it,  in  which  the  king  declared  ^  his  own  constant 
practice  of  the  common  prayer,'  and  that  he  would  take  it  well 
from  those  who  used  it  in  their  churches,  that  the  common  people 
might  be  again  acquainted  with  the  piety,  gravity,  and  devotion 
of  ity  and  which  he  thought  would  facilitate  their  living  in 
good  neighbourhood  together,  or  words  to  that  effect.    When 
they  had  considered  the  whole  some  days,  Mr.  Calamy^  and 
some  other  ministers  deputed  by  the  rest,  came  to  the  Chancellor 
to  le^deliver  it  into  his  hands.    They  acknowjiedged  the  king 
had  been  very  gracious  to  them  in  his  concessions ;  though  he 
had  not  granted  all  that  some  of  their  brethren  wished,'  yet  they 
vere  contented,  only  desiring  him   that  he  would  prevail  with 
the  king,  that  the  clause  mentioned  before  might  be  left  out, 
which,  they  protested,  was  moved  by  them  for  the  king's  own 
end,  and  that  they  might  show  their  obedience  to  him,  and 
resolution  to  do  him  service.     For  they  were  resolved  them- 
selves  to   do  what  the  king  wished ;    first    to  reconcile  the 
people,  who  for  near  twenty  years  had  not  been  acquainted 
ynth   that  form,-  by  informing  them    that  it  contained  much 
piety  and  devotion,  and  might  be  lawfully  used ;  and  then  that 
they  would  begin  to  use  it  themselves,  and  by  degrees  accustom 
the  people  to  it,  which  they  said  would  have  a  better  effect  than 
if  the  clause  were  in  the  declaration.  For  they  should  be  thought 
in  their  persuasions  to  comply  only  with  the  king's  declaration, 
and  to  merit  from  his  majesty,  and  not  to  be  moved  from  the 
conscience  of  the  duty,  and  so  they  should  take  that  occasion  to 
manifest  their  zeal  to  please  the  king.     And  they  feared  there 
would  be  other  ill  consequences  from  it  by  the  waywardness  of 

^  H«ber*i  Life  of  Tsylor,  pp.  101, 341. 


IM)  tM  UFB  A1IJ>  TflfUS 

the  ccnntnon  people,  who  were  to  be  treated  #ith  Bkili,  tt4 
would  not  be  prevailed  upon  all  at  once.  The  khig  was  to  be 
present  the  next  morning,  to  helir  the  declaration  redd  the  last 
time  before  both  parties,  and  then  the  Chancellor  told  him,  hi  the 
presence  of  all  the  rest,  what  the  ministers  had  desired,  which 
they  again  enlarged  upon,  with  the  same  protestations  of  their 
resolutions,  in  such  a  manner  that  his  majesty  believed  they 
meant  honestly,  and  the  clause  was  left  out.  But  the  declara-, 
tion  was  no  sooner  published,  than,  observing  that  the  people 
were  generally  satisfied  with  it,  they  sent  their  emiaeeties 
abroad,  and  many  of  their  letters  were  intercepted,  and  parti- 
eularly  a  letter  from  Mr.  Calamy,  to  a  leading  minister  hi 
Somersetshire,  whereby  he  advised  and  intreated  him  that  he 
and  his  friends  would  continue  and  persist  in  the  Me  of  thi 
Directory^  and  by  no  means  admit  the  Common  Prayer  in  Oid# 
churches ;  for  thife  he  made  no  question  biit  that  thej  ahorid 
prevail  further  with  the  king  than  he  had  yet  consented  fa  ia 
his  declaration ! 

''  The  other  instance  was,  that  as  soon  as  the  deelsiratioii 
was  printed,  the  king  received  a  petition  in  the  name  of  file 
ministers  of  London,  and  many  others  of  the  same  opmkm  with 
them,  who  had  subscribed  that  petition,  amongst  whom  none  , 
of  those  who  had  attended  the  king  in  those  conferences  had 
their  names.  They  gave  his  majesty  humble  thanks  for  the 
grace  he  had  vouchsafed  to  show  in  his  declaration,  which  tlMj 
received  fM  an  earnest  of  his  future  goodness  and  condescen- 
sion, in  granting  all  those  other  concessions,  which  were 
absolutely  necessary  for  the  liberty  of  their  conscience,  and 
desired,  with  importunity  and  ill  manners,  that  the  wearing  the 
surplice,  and  the  using  the  cross  in  baptism,  might  be  abaolutdy 
abolished  out  of  the  church,  as  being  scandaloas  to  all  men  of 
tender  consciences !  From  these  two  instances,  all  men  may 
conclude  that  nothing  but  a  severe  execution  bf  the  Iftw  can 
prevail  upon  that  class  of  men  to  conform  to  government."* 

On  this  account  of  Clarendon's  much  might  be  said  to  show 
its  inaccuracy  and  unfairness.  It  might  be  inferred  from  what 
he  says,  that  the  only  matter  of  difference  about  the  declahi- 
tion,  respected  the  king's  use  of  the  Liturgy  in  his  privatte 
chapel,  and  his  wish  that  those  who  used  it  might  recommend 
il  to  others.    Whereas  I  cannot  perceive  that  the  minisfeft 

•  Udt  of  Lord  aarendoB,  pp.  7.5, 7a 


«f  BICIIABD  MXTn«  191 

olgcctedl  to  <!»•  at  all,  or  preterfei  may  request  that  the  claaae 
OD  thia  asfaject  shoidd  be  omitted.  Baxter^  it  is  ceiti^,  coiiki 
have  been  so  party  to  such  a  demand,  llie  petition  drawn  vp 
bj  him  for  hia  brethren,  at  first  sight  of  the  deelaration,  bnt 
wUeh  was  not  adopted^  eontains  no  reference  to  any  such  thing  i 
it  most  have  done  had  it  been  insisted  on,  as  Clatefndon 
And  in  &ct  the  declaration,  as  published,  eontains  the 
king's  request  that  the  ministers  would  recommend  the  Prayer-* 
book. 

Instead  of  their  being  dissatisfied  with  the  king's  declaration, 
as  altered  in  conformity  witH  some  of  their  wishes;  it  is  appa^ 
rent  from  Baxter's  narrative^  how  mtich  he  and  most  of  his 
brethren  rejoiced  in  it,  and  that  they  considered  Kttle  more  neees^' 
sary  tot  their  satisfaction  than  the  fulfilment  of  the  pToanlses 
eentained  in  it,  and  passing  it  into  a  law. 

The  dnpiieity  cfaiurged   on  Calamy  is  founded  on  the  evi-^ 
dtoce  of  letters  pretended  to  be  intercepted  j  the  most  conve* 
Dimt  sort  of  proof  for  a  prime  minister,  bat  the  most  villanoaa 
of  all  kinds  of  evidence.    The  conciuct  charged  is  not  consist- 
ent with  the  general  character  of  Calamy,  with  the  motives  by 
which  it  is  conceivable  he  should  have- been  actuated  at  the  time; 
or  with  the  fact,  that  subsequent  to  this  discovery  of  his  trea- 
chery, a  bishoprick  was  urged  upon  him,  by  Clarendon  himself. 
The  reason  why  the  thanks  presented  by  the  London  minis- 
ters for  his  majesty's  declaration,  (which  abounds  with  expres- 
sions of  loyalty  and  gratitude  for  his  gracious  concessions^)  were 
not  subscribed  by  those  who  had  waited  upon  the  king,  was  not, 
ai  Clarendon  insinuates,  disaffection  to  hint,  and  disappointment 
that  the  declaration  was  generally  acceptable.     The  ministers 
of  London,  it  appears,  differed  among  themselves  as  to  the  pro- 
priety of  thanking  his  majesty  for  the  declaration,  on  the  gromid 
that  it  implied  their  approbation  of  bishops  and  archbishops^ 
&c. ;  and  old  Arthur  Jackson,  who  had  presented  the  Bible  to 
Charles  on  his  entry  into  London,  decidedly  opposed  their 
doing  so,  contrary  to  the  wishes  of  Baxter  and  others. 

As  conclusive  evidence  how  little  the  authority  of  Clarendon 
is  worth  in  this  affair,  the  importunity  and  ill  manners  of  which 
he  acenscs  the  ministers  has  no  foundation  in  fact,  for  the  Isttt- 
guage  which  he  ascribes  to  them  does  not  occur  in  the  paper  to 
wUeb  be  refers.  He  grossly  misrepresents  the  petition  which 
they  presented.' 

*  See  Baxter's  Life,  part  iL  pp.  284,  285,  where  the  petition  ii  firen  at 
lam. 


192  THB  LIPB  AND  TIIIBS 

This  attempt  of  Clarendon  to  throw  the  blame  of  the  treat- 
ment which  the  Nonconformists  experienced  upon  their  unrea^ 
sonableness  and  duplicity,  is  the  pitiful  shift  of  a  man  who  must 
have  been  haunted  by  a  consciousness  of  the  undeserved  inju- 
ries which  he  had  been  the  chief  means  of  inflicting  upon 
others ;  and  who  makes  an  impotent  attempt  to  get  rid .  of  the 
guilt  and  the  odium  which  attach  to  his  conduct.  It  is  more 
surprising,  however,  that  such  a  man  as  Heber  could  allege^ 
that  the  only  differences  between  the  parties  respected  ^  the 
form  and  colour  of  an  ecclesiastical  garment,  the  wording  of  a 
prayer,  or  the  injunction  of  kneeling  at  the  sacrament.*''  He 
does  not,  indeed,  justify  the  conduct  of  the  ruling  powers ;  but 
be  entirely  forgets,  that  the  question  at  issue  really  was,  vrhe- 
ther  conscience^  be  it  well  or  ill  informed,  must  submit  to  the 
authority  of  men,  or  be  subject  to  the  authority  of  God  only. 
The  Nonconformists  believed  certain  things  to  be  unlawful  in 
the  worship  of  God ;  the  leaders  of  the  church  said,  ^  We  admit 
that  they  are  not  of  divine  authority,  but  they  are  enacted  by  us, 
we  believe  them  to  be  good,  you  must  therefore  submit  to  them, 
or  be  thrown  out/'  Holding  the  views  which  the  Nonconform- 
ists  did,  they  must  have  ceased  to  be  Christians,  had  they  not 
chosen  to  obey  God  rather  than  men.  For  this  conduct,  instead 
of  being  reproached  as  narrow-minded  and  bigoted  sectari- 
ans who  involved  the  nation  in  blood  and  mischief  for  trifles, 
they  deserve  to  be  held  in  everlasting  remembrance,  as  suiFerers 
for  pure  and  undefiled  religion. 

The  gratification  of  Baxter,  from  the  apparent  adoption  in 
the  declaration  of  some  of  the  phrases  contended  for  by  tbt 
ministers,  was  not  destined  to  be  of  long  continuance.  Nothing 
more  was  intended  by  the  court  than  the  amusement  of  the 
parties,  till  every  thing  was  sufficiently  ripe  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  its  real  intentions.  To  carry  on  the  same  scheme  of 
political  deception,  it  was  thought  desirable  to  make  some  of 
the  leadmg  ministers  bishops.  Not  that  they  wanted  such 
bishops ;  but  because  it  was  the  most  effectual  method  of  silen- 
cing such  men,  and  destroying  their  infhience  with  their  own 
party.  It  succeeded  with  some,  but  not  with  Baxter.  He  gives 
the  following  account  of  the  offers  which  were  made  to  himself, 
and  of  the  grounds  on  which  he  rejected  them. 

''A  little  before  the  meeting  about  the  king's  declaration, 
Colonel  Birch  came  to  me,  as  from  the  Lord  Chancellor,  to  per- 

K  Heber's  Life  of  Taylor,  p.  100. 


OP  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  193 

suade  me  to  take  the  bishoprick  of  Hereford,  for  he  had  bought 
the  bishop's  house  at  Whitburne,  and  thought  to  make  a  better 
baigain  with  me  than  with  another^  and,  therefore,  finding  that 
the  lord  chancellor  intended  me  the  offer  of  one,  he  desired  it 
might  be  that.  I  thought  it  best  to  give  them  no  positive  denial 
till  I  saw  the  utmost  of  their  intents :  and  I  perceived  that 
Colonel  Birch  came  privately,  that  a  bishoprick  might  not  be 
publicly  refused,  and  to  try  whether  I  would  accept  it,  that  else 
it  might  not  be  offered  me;  for  he  told  me  that  they  would 
not  bear  such  a  repulse.  I  told  him  tliat  I  was  resolved  never 
to  be  bishop  of  Hereford,  and  that  I  did  not  think  I  should  ever 
see  canse  to  take  any  bishoprick ;  but  I  could  give  no  positive 
answer  till  I  saw  the  king's  resolutions  about  the  way  of  church 
government :  for  if  the  old  diocesan  frame  continued,  he  knew 
we  could  never  accept  or  own  it.  After  this,  not  having  a  flat 
denial^  he  came  again  and  again  to  Dr.  Reynolds,  Mr.  Calamy, 
and  myself  together,  to  importune  us  all  to  accept  the  offer,  for 
the  bishoprick  of  Norwich  was  offered  to  Dr.  Reynolds,  and 
Coventry  and  Litchfield  to  Mr.  Calamy ;  but  he  had  no  positive 
answer,  but  the  same  from  me  as  before.  At  last,  the  day  that  the 
king's  dtelaration  came  out,  when  I  was  with  the  lord  chancellor, 
who  did  all,  he  asked  me  whether  I  would  acceptof  a  bishoprick ; 
I  told  him  that  if  he  had  asked  me  that  question  the  day  before, 
I  could  easily  have  answered  him  that  in  conscience  I  could 
not  do  it ;  for  though  I  could  live  peaceably  under  whatever 
government  the  king  should  set  up,  I  could  not  have  a  hand  in 
executing  it.  But  having,  as  I  was  coming  to  him,  seen  the 
king's  declaration,  and  seeing  that  by  it  the  government  is  so 
far  altered  as  it  is,  I  took  myself  for  the  church's  sake  exceed- 
ingly beholden  to  his  lordship  for  those  moderations;  and  my 
desire  to  promote  the  happiness  of  the  church,  which  that 
moderation  tendeth  to,  did  make  me  resolve  to  take  that  course 
which  tendeth  most  thereto.  Whether  to  take  a  bishoprick 
be  the  way,  I  was  in  doubt,  and  desired  some  further  time  for 
consideration.  But  if  his  lordship  would  procure  us  the  settle- 
ment of  the  matter  of  that  declaration,  by  passing  it  into  a  law, 
I  promised  him  to  take  that  way  in  which  I  might  most  serve 
the  public  peace. 

"  Dr.  Reynolds,  Mr.  Calamy,  and  myself,  had  some  speeches 
together  about  it ;  and  we  ail  thought  that  a  bishoprick  might  be 
accepted  according  to  the  description  of  the  declaration,  without 

VOL.  I.  o 


194  THB  LIF8  AND  TIMBS 

any  violation  of  the  covenant,  or  owning  the  ancient  prelacy  :^ 
but  all  the  doubt  was  whether  this  declaration  would  be  made  a 
law  as  was  then  expected,  or  whether  it  were  but  a  temporary 
means  to  draw  us  on  till  we  came  up  to  all  the  diocesans  desired. 
Mr.  Calamy  desired  that  we  might  all  go  together,  and  all 
refuse  or  all  accept  it. 

^'  By  this  time  the  rumour  of  it  fled  abroad,  and  the  voice  of 
the  city  made  a  difference.  For  though  they  wished  that  none 
4){  us  should  be  bishops,  the  said  Dr.  Reynolds  and  Mr.  Bax- 
ter, being  known  to  be  for  moderate  episcopacy,  their  acceptance 
would  be  less  scandalous ;  but  if  Mr.  Calamy  should  accept  it^ 
who  had  preached,  and  written,  and  done  so  much  against  it 
(which  were  then  at  large  recited),  never  Presbyterian  would  be 
trusted  for  his  sake.  So  that  the  clamour  was  very  loud  against 
his  acceptance  of  it :  and  Mr.  Matthew  Newcomen,  his  brother^ 
in-law,  and  many  more,  wrote  to  me  earnestly  to,  dissuade  him. 

*'  For  my  own  part,  1  resolved  against  it  at  the  first,  but  not  ai 
a  thing  which  I  judged  unlawful  in  itself  as  described  in  the 
king's  declaration :  but  I  knew  that  it  would  take  me  off  my 
writing.  I  looked  to  have  most  of  the  godly  ministers  cast 
out ;  and  what  good  could  be  done  by  ignorant,  vile,  inca- 
pable men  ?  I  feared  that  this  declaration  was  but  for  present 
use,  and  that  shortly  it  would  be  revoked  or  nullified ;  and  if  so, 
I  doubted  not  but  the  laws  would  prescribe  such  work  for 
bishops,  in  silencing  ministers,  and  troubling  honest  Christians 
for  their  conscience,  and  ruling  the  vicious  with  greater  lenity^ 
as  that  I  had  rather  have  the  meanest  employment  among  men. 
My  judgment  was  also  fully  resolved  against  the  lawfulness  of 
the  old  diocesan  frame. 

**  But  when  Dr.  Reynolds  and  Mr.  Calamy  asked  my  thoughts, 
I  told  them  that,  distinguishing  between  what  is  simply,  and 
what  is  by  accident,  evil,  I  thought  that  as  episcppacy  is  described 
in  the  king's  declaration,  it  is  lawful  when  better  cannot  be 
had ;  but  yet  scandal  might  make  it  unfit  for  some  men  more 
than  others.  To  Mr.  Calamy  therefore  I  would  give  no  counsel) 
but  for  Dr.  Reynolds,  I  persuaded  him  to  accept  it,  so  be  it  be 
would  publicly  declare  that  he  took  it  on  the  terms  of  the 
king's  declaration,  and  would  lay  it  down  when  he  could  no 

^  It  requires  a  considerable  portion  of  the  distinguishing;  powers  of  Baxter  to 
understand  how  the  acceptance  of  a^bishoprick,  on  any  such  footiofp  as  it  was 
likf  ly  to  bf  placed,  was  consistent  with  the  principles  of  the  coreoant. 


OV  EICHARD  ttAXTBR.  lOS 

bagnr  exeieiaa  it  on  those  terms.  Only  I  left  it  to  his  consideni^ 
JOD  whether  it  would  be  better  to  suy  till  he  saw  what  they 
rdold  do  with  the  declaration ;  and  for  myself,  I  was  confident 
•hoQld  see  cause  to  refuse  it. 

^  When  I  came  to  the  lord  chancellor  the  next  day  sa^e  one, 
m  aaked  me  of  my  resolution,  and  put  me  to  it  so  suddenly,  that 
waa  forced  to  delay  no  longer,  but  told  him  that  I  could  not 
fiC!€pt  it  for  scTeral  reasons.  And  it  was  not  the  least  that  I 
hoiight  I  could  better  serve  the  church  without  it,  if  he  would 
mt  prosecute  the  establishment  of  the  terms  granted;  and 
lecause  I  thought  it  would  be  ill  taken  if  I  refused  it  upon 
uiy  but  acceptable  reasons.  But  as  writing  would  serve  best 
igainst  misreports  hereafter,  I  the  next  day  put  a  letter  into  the 
lord  chancellor's  hand,  which  he  took  in  good  part;  in  which 
I  eoncealed  most  of  my  reasons,  but  gave  the  best,  and  used 
note  freedom  in  my  forther  requests  than  I  expected  should 
Inve  any  good  success."^ 

As  this  letter  contains  some  of  Baxter's  views  of  the  state  of 
things  which  then  existed,  and  suggests  to  the  lord  chancellor 
mearares  which,  if  adopted,  he  supposed  would  both  advance 
the  interests  of  the  church,  and  gratify  the  Nonconformists,  I 
ihall  present  it  entire.  Whether  he  had  any  reasons  for  believ^ 
ing  that  the  persons  whom  he  mentions  would  accept  of  bi<* 
ihoprics,  cannot  now  be  ascertained.  It  has  rarely  happened 
that  such  a  situation  has  been  so  completely  in  the  power  of  an 
individual  to  accept,  whose  principles  did  not  stand  in  the  way 
of  bis  acceding  to  it,  but  who  honourably  declined  it  for  him- 
self, and  so  uigenuously  recommended  others. 
^  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 
dejectfKi,  and  resolved  against  a  bishoprick  as  unlawful ;  but, 
finding  there  more  than  on  October  22d.,  that  his  majesty 
grants  us  the  pastor's  consent,  that  the  rural  dean  with  the 
whole  ministry  may  exercise  as  much  persuasive  pastoral  power 
as  I  could  desire,  and  that  subscription  is  abated  in  the  univer- 
sities, &c.  Finding  such  happy  concessions  in  the  great  point 
of  parochial  power  and  discipline,  and  in  the  liturgy  and  cere- 
monies, my  soul  rejoiced  in  thankfulness  to  God  and  his 
mstruments,  and  my  conscience  presently  told  me  it  was  my 

>  Lifei  part  11.  pp.  281,  SSa. 

o2 


196  THE  LIFB  ANB  TIMES 

duty  to  do  my  best  with  myself  and  others,  as  far  as  I  had  in- 
terest and  opportunity,  to  suppress  all  sinful  discontents ;  and 
haying  competent  materials  now  put  into  my  hands,  without 
which  I  could  have  done  nothing,  to  persuade  all  my  brethren 
to  thankfulness  and  obedient  submission  to  the  government. 
Being  raised  to  some  joyful  hopes  of  seeing  the  beginning 
of  a  happy  union,  I  shall  crave  your  lordship's  pardon  for  pre* 
suming  what  further  endeavours  will  be  necessary  to  accomplish 
it  1 .  If  your  lordship  will  endeavour  to  get  the  declaration 
passed  into  an  act.  2.  If  you  will  speedily  procure  a  commis- 
sion to  the  persons  that  are  equally  to  be  deputed  to  that  work, 
to  review  the  Common  Prayer-book,  according  to  the  declara^ 
tion.  3.  If  you  will  further  effectually  the  restoration  of  able^ 
faithful  ministers,  who  are  lately  removed,  who  have,  and  will 
have,  great  interest  in  the  sober  part  of  the  people,  to  a  settled 
station  of  service  in  the  church.  4.  If  you  will  open  some  way 
for  the  ejection  of  the  insufficient,  scandalous,  and  unable.  5. 
If  you  will  put  as  many  of  our  persuasion  as  you  can  into 
bishopricks,  if  it  may  be,  more  than  three.  6.  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  lis,  in 
that  it  hath  no  salary  or  maintenance,  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,  by  letters  this  very  week,  to 
disperse  the  seeds  of  satisfaction  into  many  counties  of  England.*^ 
My  conscience  commanding  me  to  make  this  my  very  work  and 
busings,  unless  the  things  granted  should  be  reversed^  which 
God  forbid.  I  must  profess  to  your  lordship  that  I  am  utterly 
against  accepting  of  a  bishoprick,  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  very  much  disable  me  from  an  effectual  promoting  of 
the  church's  peace.  As  men  will  question  all  my  argumentations 
and  persuasions,  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  lord- 
ship that  it  will  stop  my  own  mouth  that  I  cannot  for  shame  speak 
half  so  freely  as  now  I  can  and  will,  if  God  enable  me,  for  obe- 


^  How  different  is  this  from  Clarendon's  representation  of  the  behaviour  of 
Ae  ministers  ia  Irondon  towards  their  brethren  in  the  country ! 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  197 

dience  and  peace;  while  I  know  that  the  hearers  will  be  thinking 
I  am  pleading  for  myself.     I  therefore  humbly  crave 

^  That  your  lordship  will  put  some  able  man  of  our  persua- 
sion into  the  place  which  you  intend  for  ihe,  though  I  now  think 
that  Dr.  Reynolds  and  Mr.  Calamy  may  better  accept  of  a 
bishoprick  than  I,  which  I  hope  your  lordship  will  promote.  I 
shall  presume  to  offer  some  choice  to  your  consideration :  Dr. 
Francis  Roberts^  of  Wrington,  in  Somersetshire,  known  by  his 
works ;  Mr.  Froyzall,  of  Clun^  in  Shrops»hire  and  Hereford  dio- 
cese, a  man  of  great  worth  and  good  interest;  Mr.  Daniel 
Cawdrey,'  of  Billing,  in  Northamptonshire ;  Mr.  Anthony  Bur- 
gessy  of'  Sutton  Coldfield,  in  Warwickshire — all  known  by  their 
printed  works;  Mr.  John  Trap,  of  Gloucestershire;  Mr.  Fordy 
of  Bxeter ;  Mr.  Hughes,  of  Plymouth ;  Mr.  Bampiield,  of  Sher- 
borne; Mr.  Woodbridge,  of  Newbury;  Dr.  Chambers,  Dr. 
Bryan,  and  Dr.  Grrew,  all  of  Coventry ;  Mr.  Brinsley,  of  Yar- 
mouth ;  Mr.  Porter,  of  Whitchurch  in  Shropshire ;  Mr.  Gilpin, 
of  Cumberhind ;  Mr.  Bowles,  of  York ;  Dr.  Temple,  of  Bramp- 
ton, in  Warwickshire  :  I  need  name  no  more. 

'^ Secondly:  That  you  will  believe  I  as  thankfully  ac- 
knowledge your  lordship's  favour  as  if  I  were  by  it  possessed 
of  a  bishoprick :  and  if  your  lordship  continue  in  those  inten- 
tions, I  shall  thankfully  accept  it  in  any  other  state  or  relation 
that  may  further  my  service  to  the  church  and  to  his  ma- 
jesty. But  I  desire,  for  the  fore-mentioned  reasons,  that  it 
may  be  no  cathedral  relation.  And  whereas  the  vicar  of  the 
parish  where  I  have  lived  will  not  resign,  but  accept  me  only  as 
his  curate,  if  your  lordship  would  procure  him  some  prebendary, 
or  other  place  of  competent  profit,  for  I  dare  not  mention  him 
to  any  pastoral  charge,  or  place  that  reqiiireth  preaching,  that 
so  he  might  resign  that  vicarage  to  me,  without  his  loss,  accord- 
ing  to  the  late  act  before  December ;  for  the  sake  of  that  town 
of  Kidderminster,  I  should  take  it  as  a  very  great  favour.  But 
if  there  be  any  great  inconvenience  or  difficulties  in  the  way,  I 
can  well  be  content  to  be  his  curate.  I  crave  your  lordship's 
pardon  for  this  trouble,  which  your  own  condescension  has 
drawn  upon  you,  and  remain,"  &c.™ 

This  letter,  which  is  dated  the  1st  of  November  1660,  states 
clearly  Baxter's  approbation  of  the  king's  declaration,  and  his 

1  It  is  singular  that  Baxter  should  have  proposed  Cawdrey  for  a  bishoprick; 
He  was  one  of  the  most  decided,  indeed  violent,  Presbyterians  of  the  times. 
»  Life,  part  ii.  pp.  283,  284. 


198  TBB  LIFE  AND  TIMIt 

anxious  desire  that  it  might  be  put  on  the  fooling  of  hm,  wmi 
feirly  and  fully  acted  upon.  The  requests  which  the  letter  makes, 
were  not  unreasonable  in  themselves,  or  in  reference  to  the  state 
of  parties  at  the  time,  though  not  likely  to  be  all  complied  with. 
The  letter  as  a  whole,  is  an  admiralile  specimen  of  die  simpiH 
eity,  integrity,  and  disinterestedness  of  Baxter. 

*^  Mr.  Calamy/'  he  says,  ^^  blamed  me  for  giving  in  my  dental 
alone,  before  we  had  resolved  together  what  to  do.  But  I  told 
him  the  truth,  that  being  upon  other  necessary  business  with  the 
lord  chancellor,  he  put  me  to  it  on  the  sudden,  so  that  I  codd 
not  conveniently  delay  my  answer. 

''Dr.  Reynolds  almost  as  suddenly  aoeepted,  saying,  that 
some  friend  had  taken  out  the  cong£  d'elire  for  him  withoat  hii 
knowledge.  He  read  to  me  a  profession  directed  to  the  king, 
which  he  had  written,  where  he  professed  that  he  took  a  bishop 
and  a  presbyter  to  differ  not  ardine  but  gradu  ;  that  a  bishop 
¥ms  but  the  chief  presbyter,  and  that  he  was  not  to  ordain 
or  govern  but  with  his  presbyters'  assistance  and  eonsent; 
that  he  accepted  of  the  place  as  described  in  the  king's  de- 
claration, and  not  as  it  stood  before  in  England ;  and  that  he 
would  no  longer  hold  or  exercise  it  than  he  could  do  it  on  theM 
terms.  To  this  sense  it  was,  and  he  told  me  that  he  would 
offer  it  the  king  when  he  accepted  of  the  place  |  but  whether 
he  did  or  not  I  cannot  tell.  He  died  in  the  bishoprick  of  Nor* 
wich,  an.  1676.** 

''  Mr.  Calamy  long  suspended  his  answer,  so  that  that  bishop* 
rick  was  long  undisposed  of;  till  he  saw  the  issue  of  all  of  our 
treaty,  which  easily  resolved  him.^  Dr.  Manton  was  c^fered  the 
deanery  of  Rochester,  and  Dr.  Bates,  the  deanery  of  Coventry 

*  Dr.  Reynolds  was  a  person  of  good  learning;,  respectable  talents,  and 
decided  piety.  It  appears  that  Baxter  tbouglit  he  might,  ooDsistentlj  widi  his 
principles,  accept  a  bishoprick.  Reynolds  does  not  appear  to  have  beliefcd 
la  the  jua  di»muim  of  any  form  of  church  government,  and  theveliara  ha 
could  have  no  conscienti9Us  objections  to  a  bishoprick,  and  probably  thoagfal 
he  might  be  able  to  serve  the  Nonconformists  more  in  that  capac^, 
than  had  he  remained  one  of  themselves.  He  appears  to  have  managed  tlia 
see  of  Norwich  with  great  moderation,  though,  even  there,  much  suffisfiiig 
was  endured ;  many  of  the  Nonconformists  being  prosecuted  by  the  bishop's 
chancellor,  though,  it  is  said,  greatly  against  the  bishop's  will.  See  Chalmers' 
*  Life  of  Reynolds ,'  prefixed  to  his  works,  and  the  <  Conformist's  Plea  for  the 
Nonconformist,'  part  iv.  p.  ^7* 

^  It  would  have  been  honourable  to  the  character  of  Dr.  Calamy  had  he 
refused  the  bishoprick  in  a  more  prompt  and  decided  manner.  It  is  evident 
that  he  cast  a  longing,  lingering  look  towards  it,  and  said  nolo  ofmopari  with 
some  reluctance.    Nothing  seems  to  have  prevented  his  f^xepisOlOe  b9t  Ibt 


OV  ftlCHARD  BAXtmU  199 

and  Litdifield,  whieh  diey  both  after  some  time  refused.  And,  as 
Iheirdy  Mr.  Edward  Bowles  was  offered  the  deanery  of  York,  at 
leasly  which  he  refused." 

Tlius  ended  the  affair  of  the  Presbyterian  bishopricks,  which 
(fid  the  rejecters  more  honour  than  the  accepter.  Calamy 
•ecma  to  have  hesitated ;  perplexed,  it  would  appear,  by  opposite 
views  of  duty,  but  little  wishing  to  decline,  provided  he  could 
ba:ve  complied  without  compromising  his  character  and  consist- 
ency. Baxter's  promptitude  and  decision  reflect  the  greatest 
eredit  on  his  disinterested  and  upright  character.  The  king's 
declaration  was  issued ;  and  the  London  ministers,  glad  to 
veeeive  any  thing  which  seemed  to  promise  protection  and  en- 
eoaragement  to  their  labours,  met  and  thanked  his  majesty  for 
his  moderation  and  goodness,  and  entreated  him  still  to  attend 
to  their  requests.  It  was  presented  on  the  16th  of  November, 
1660,  by  a  number  of  the  ministers,  not  including  Baxter. 

^  Whether  this  came  to  the  king's  ears,  he  says  (or  what  else 
it  was  that  caused  it  I  know  not,  but  presently  after  the  Earl 
of  Lauderdale  came  to  tell  me),  that  I  must  come  the  next  day 
to  the  king,  who  was  pleased  to  tell  me  that  he  sent  for  me 
only  to  signify  his  favour  to  me.  I  told  him  I  feared  my  plain 
speeches,  October  22d,  which  I  thought  the  case  in  hand  com- 
manded me  to  employ,  might  have  been  displeasing  to  him;  but 
he  told  me  that  he  was  not  offended  at  the  plainness,  free- 
dom, or  earnestness  of  them,  but  only  when  he  thought  I  was 
not  in  the  right ;  and  that  for  my  free  speech  he  took  me  to  be 
the  honester  man.  I  suppose  this  favour  came  from  the  bishops, 
who  having  notice  of  what  last  passed,  did  think  that  now  I 
might  serve  their  interests."  p 

In  his  majesty's  declaration  it  was  intimated  that  the  liturgy 
should  be  reviewed  and  reformed,  and  certain  alterations  adopt- 
ed, to  meet  the  feelings  of  the  Nonconformists.  Baxter  frequently 
importuned  the  chancellor  to  carry  this  engagement  into  effect. 
At  last  Dr.  Reynolds  and  Mr.  Calamy  were  authorised  to  name 
the  persons  on  their  side  to  manage  the  conference ;  and  (hat 

•atciy  which  it  would  have  raised  ag^nst  his  coDsistency,  and  the  rfmon- 
strances  of  his  friends.  This  fact  throws  a  greater  shade  orer  his  character  for 
decision  than  any  thing  else  that  1  know.  He  possessed  highly  respectable 
talents,  was  the  leader  of  the  ministers  of  Loudon  for  many  years ;  and  must 
have  been  a  very  moderate  Presbyterian  when  he  could  deliberate  so  long 
whether  to  accept  or  to  reject  the  proferred  bishoprick.  Even  Baxter  seems  to 
think,  however,  he  might  have  acceded  consistently  with  his  sentiments. 
»UI«,  part  H.  p.  8S4. 


200  THB  LIFB  AND  T1MB8 

being  done,  a  commission  under  the  great  seal  was  issued'  em- 
powering the  persons  nominated  on  both  sides  to  meet  for  this 
purpose.  The  individuals  chosen,  comprehended  the  archbishop 
of  York  with  twelve  bishops  on  the  one  side,  and  eleven  Non« 
conformist  ministers  on  the  other ;  with  a  provision  of  other 
individuals,  to  supply  the  places  of  any  who  might  not  be  able 
to  attend. 

*^  A  meeting  was  accordingly  appointed,  and  the  Savoy,  the 
bishop  of  London's  lodgings,  named  by  them  for  the  plaee. 
There  met  us.  Dr.  Frewen,  archbishop  of  York  ;  Dr.*  Sheldon^ 
bishop  of  London;  Dr.  Morley,  bishop  of  Worcester;  Dr. 
Saunderson,  bishop  of  Lincoln ;  Dr.  Cosins,  bishop  of  Durham; 
Dr.  Hinchman,  bishop  of  Salisbury;  Dr.  Walton,  bishop  of 
Chester ;  Dr.  Lany,  bishop  of  Peterborough  ;  Dr.  King,  bishop 
of  Rochester;  Dr.  Stem,  bishop  of  Carlisle;  and  the  constantest 
man  in  attendance  of  them  all.  Dr.  Gauden,  bishop  of  Exeter.  On 
the  other  side  there  met.  Dr.  Reynolds,  bishop  of  Norwich ;  Mr. 
Clark,  Dr.  Spurstow,  Dr.  Lightfoot,  Dr.  Wallis,  Dr.  Mantoo^ 
Dr.  Bates,  Dr.  Jacomb,  Mr.  Cooper,  Mr.  Rawliuson,  Mr.  Case, 
and  myself.  The  commission  being  read,  the  archbishop  oi 
York,  a  peaceable  man,  spake  first,  and  told  us  that  he  knew 
nothing  of  the  business,  but  perhaps  the  bishop  of  London  knew 
more  of  the  king's  mind  in  it,  and  therefore  was  fitter  to  speak 
on  it  than  he.  The  bishop  of  London  told  us,  that  it  was  not 
they,  but  we  that  had  been  the  seekers  of  this  conference,  and 
who  desired  alterations  in  the  liturgy ;  and  therefore  they  had 
nothing  to  say  or  do,  till  we  brought  in  all  that  we  had  to  say 
against  it  in  writing,  and  all  the  additional  forms  and  alterations 
which  we  desired.  Our  brethren  were  very  much  against  this 
motion,  and  urged  the  king's  commission,  which  required  us  to 
meet  together,  advise,  and  consult.  They  told  him  that  by  con- 
ference we  might  perceive,  as  we  went  on,  what  each  would  yield 
to,  and  might  more  speedily  dispatch,  and  probably  obtain,  our 
end ;  whereas,  writing  would  be  a  tedious,  endless  business,  and 
we  should  not  have  that  familiarity  and  acquaintance  with  each 
other's  minds,  which  might  facilitate  our  concord.  But  the 
bishop  of  London  resolutely  insisted  on  not  doing  any  thing  till 
we  brought  in  all  our  exceptions,  alterations,  and  additions,  at 
once.  In  this  I  confess,  above  all  thin^  else,  I  was  wholly  of 
his  mind,  and  prevailed  with  my  brethren  to  consent ;  but,  I  con- 
jecture, for  contrary  reasons.  For,  I  suppose,  he  thought  that 
we  should  either  be  altogether  by  the  ears,  and  be  of  several 


OF  RICHAJU>  BAXTBR.  201 

nmids  among  ounelvefl,  at  least  in  our  new  forniB ;  or  that  when 
oor  proposals  and  forms  came  to  be  scanned  by  them,  they 
AoM  find  as  much  matter  of  exception  against  ours  as  we  did 
igainst  theirs  ;  or  that  the  people  of  our  persuasion  would  be  dis- 
sadafied  or  divided  about  it.    And  indeed  our  brethren  them- 
lebesi  thought  either  all,  or  much  of  this  would  come  to  pass, 
and  our  disadvantage  would  be  exceedingly  great.    But  I  told 
them  the  reasons  of  my  opinion ;  that  we  should  quickly  agree 
on  our  exceptions,  and  that  we  should  offer  none  but  what  we 
were  agreed  on  among  ourselves.     I  reminded  them,  that  we 
were  engaged  to  otkr  new  forms,  which  was  the  expedient  that 
bom  die  beginning  I  had  aimed  at  and  .brought  in,  as  the  only 
vay  of  accommodation,  considering  that  they  should  be  in 
Scripture  words,  and  that  ministers  should  choose  which  forms 
tbey  would.    I  stated,  that  verbal  disputes  would  be  managed 
trith  moch  more  contention;  but,  above  all,  that  in  no  other  way 
could  our  cause  be  well  understood  by  our  people,  or  foreigners, 
or  posterity ;  but  our  conference  and  cause  would  be  misreported, 
and  published,  as  the  conference  at  Hampton  Court  was,  to  our 
prejudice,  while  none  durst  contradict  it.    On  this  plan  what 
we  said  for  our  cause,  would  come  fiilly  and  truly  to  the  know- 
ledge of  England,  and  of  other  nations ;  and  that  if  we  refused 
this  opportunity  of  leaving  upon  record  our  testimony  against 
corruptions,  for  a  just  and  moderate  reformation,  we  might 
never  have  the  like  again.     So  for  these  reasons,  I  told  the 
bishops  that  we  accepted  of  the  task  which  they  imposed  on 
us ;  yet  so  as  to  bring  all  our  exceptions  at  one  time,  and  all 
our  additions  at  another  time,  which  they  granted.''^ 

There  is  doubtless  considerable  force  in  these  reasons  of 
Baxter's  for  managing  the  conference  in  writing  rather  than  by 
personal  discussion.  But  it  is  also  evident  that  the  Presby« 
terians  were  completely  taken  in  the  trap  prepared  for  them. 
The  other  party  were  thus  left  to  assume  that  right  was  on  their 
side ;  the  onus  of  objecting  in  every  case  was  thrown  on  the 
Nonconformists,  and  the  less  difficult  part  of  defending  long- 
established  usages  left  to  the  bishops.  As  they  required  to 
be  furnished  at  once  with  every  thing  objected  to  and  re- 
quired, the  probability  was,  either  that  the  Nonconformists 
would  disagree  among  themselves,  some  perhaps  going  too 
fiur,  and  others  stopping  short,  and  thus  a  satisfactory  reason 

«  Ufe,  part  iL  pp.  305, 306, 


THB  un  Atm  Ttms 

for  nikmkig  cfNnpUance  would  be  furnialied.  Or,  pitewrtlug 
a  eontiderable  mass  of  objection  and  alteration  at  onee^  a  saA- 
dent  pretence  would  be  afforded  for  holding  tham  up  ae  «► 
reasonable  and  captious^  and  determined  to  be  satislied  wkh 
nothing  less  than  an  entire  revolution  of  the  church.  Tha  kit 
probable  result  was  that  which  took  place^  and  Am  use  wn 
made  of  it  accordingly. 

The  Nonconformists,  after  withdrawing  from  this  coofeMMS^ 
in  which  they  had  only  a  choice  of  difficulties  to  eneounter,  agresd 
to  divide  among  themselves  the  task  devolved  on  them.  The  ss» 
lection  of  exceptions  to  the  Common  Prayer-book  they  distribdCsi 
among  them,  and  the  additions,  or  new  forms,  they  devolved  oa 
Baxter  alone.  He  immediately  set  himself  to  the  task,  and  cobh 
pleted,  in  a  fortnight,  an  entire  liturgy ;  correcting  the  diaordsfly 
arrangement,  removing  the  repetitions,  and  supplying  the  defieets 
of  the  Prayer-book;  which  he  considered  its  principal  CmAs. 
He  found,  at  the  end  of  the  fortnight,  that  his  brethren  bad  net 
completed,  their  part  of  the  business;  so,  to  assist  tbeas,  bs 
also  drew  up  a  paper  containing  the  exceptions  which  oeeumd 
to  him.  This  paper  and  his  liturgy  were  both  afkerwardi 
printed  by  himself.'  The  exceptions  and  alterations,  as  pte» 
sented,  are  also  printed  in  his  life.*  Few  persons  who  eonridei 
these  exceptions,  with  the  proposed  amendments,  if  any  toleia* 
ble  degree  of  candour  be  exercised,  will  be  ready  to  maintaia 
that  the  former  were  uncalled  for,  or  that  the  latter  would  not 
be  improvements.  But  where  undistinguishing  admiration  k 
directed  to  works  of  merely  human  composition,  it  cannot  be 
expected  that  any  alterations  will  be  regarded,  except  in  the 
light  of  captious  and  unnecessary  innovations. 

^*  When  the  exceptions  against  the  liturgy  were  finished,  die 
brethren  oft  read  over  the  reformed  liturgy  which  I  offered  tbttm* 
At  first  they  would  have  had  no  rubric  or  directory,  but  bare 
prayers,  because  they  thought  our  commission  allowed  it  not ;  at 
last  however  they  yielded  to  the  reasons  which  I  gave  them,  and 
resolved  to  take  them  in;  but  first  to  offer  the  bishops  their 
exceptions. 

''At  this  time  the  convocation  was  chosen;  for  till  now  if 
was  deferred.  Had  it  been  called  when  the  king  came  in,  the 
inferior  clergy  would  have  been  against  the  diocesan  and  impos* 
ing  way :  but  afterwards  many  hundreds  were  turned  out,  that  all 

'  Life,  part  U.  p.  308.  •  Ibid.  316. 


<Mr  IICHARD  BAXTBIU  SOS 

the  oM  •atpwelcrgd  minialers  might  come  in.  And  the  opfaiion  of 
le^vdinfttioii  beinf  aet  afoot,  all  those  ministers  that,  for  twenty 
jPsaiB  together^  while  bishops  were  laid  aaide^  had  been  ordained 
vithoot  dioeeaansy  were,  in  many  counties,  denied  any  voicet  in 
the  deelion  of  derka  for  the  convocation.  By  all  which  means, 
and  by  the  acrnplei  of  abundance  of  ministers,  who  thought  it 
vnlawfiii  to  have  any  thing  to  do  in  the  choosing  of  such  a  kind 
cf  aseemUy,  the  diocejsn  party  wholly  carried  it  in  the  choice. 

^la  London  the  election  was  appointed  to  be  in  Christ's 
Cbwcb,  on  the  second  day  of  May,  1661.  The  London  minis- 
tsfa  that  were  not  ejected,  proved  the  majority  against  the 
dioecaaii  party;  and  when  I  went  to  have  joined  with  them, 
they  sent  to  me  not  to  come,  as  they  did  also  to  Mr.  Calamy ; 
90^  without  my  kn<»wledge,  they  chose  Mr.  Calamy  and  me 
for  London.  But  they  carried  it  against  the  other  party  but  by 
three  voicee :  and  the  bishop  of  London  having  the  po¥rer  of 
diooaiBg  two  out  of  four,  or  four  out  of  six,  that  are  chosen  by 
the  mwistera  in  a  certain  circuit,  did  give  us  the  great  benefit 
ef  hdng  both  left  out.  So  we  were  excused,  and  the  city  of 
London  had  no  derfc  in  the  convocation.^  How  should  I  have 
been  thed  baited,  and  what  a  vexatious  place  should  I  have  had 
in  avch  a  convocation  I 

^'  On  the  fourth  day  of  May,  we  had  a  meeting  with 
the  bishops,  where  Mre  gave  in  our  paper  of  exceptions  to 
them,  which  they  received.  The  seventh  was  a  meeting  at 
^on  College,  of  all  the  London  ministers,  for  the  choice  of  a 
president  and  assistants  for  the  next  year ;  where  some  of  the 
Presbyterians,  upon  a  petty  scruple,  absenting  themselves,  the 
diocesan  party  carried  it,  and  so  got  the  possession  and  rule  of 
the  college.  The  eighth,  the  new  parliament  and  convocation 
sat  down,  being  constituted  of  those  fitted  and  devoted  to  the 
diocesan  interest.  On  the  two-and-twentieth  of  the  month, 
by  order  of  parliament,  the  national  vow  and  covenant  was  burnt 
in  the  s^et,  by  the  hands  of  the  common  hangman. 

^  When  the  brethren  came  to  examine  the  reformed  liturgy, 
and  bad  fi'cquently  read  it  over,  they  passed  it  at  last  in  the 
same  words  that  I  had  written  it,  save  only  that  they  put  out  a 
few  linee  in  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  where  the 

*  Tkds  k  only  one  of  rouy  proofs  of  the  enmity  of  Sheldon  to  the  whols 
NoDconformist  party,  and  of  hii  determination  to  thwart  them  every  way  in 
his  power.  Rather  than  have  Calamy  and  Baxter,  he  deprived  Loudon  of  its 
proper  representatives  in  Iht  convocation. 


204  THB  UFB  AND  TIMB8 

word  '^  offering '*  was  used ;  and  they  put  out  a  page  of  reaaom 
for  infant  baptism,  which  I  had  annexed  to  that  office,  thtnkiiq[ 
it  unnecessary.  They  also  put  the  larger  litany  into  an  iq)peii^ 
dix,  as  thinicing  it  too  long ;  and  Dr.  Wallis  was  denied  to 
draw  up  the  prayer  for  the  king,  which  is  his  work,  being  after- 
wards somewhat  altered  by  us.  We  agreed  to  put  before  it  a 
short  address  to  the  bishops,  professing  our  readiness  in  debate 
to  yield  to  the  shortening  of  any  thing  which  should  be  too  kng, 
and  to  the  altering  of  any  thing  that  should  be  found  amiss. 

^^  As  I  foresaw  what  was  likely  to  be  the  end  of  our  confar* 
ence,  1  desired  the  brethren  that  we  might  draw  up  a  plain  and 
earnest  petition  to  the  bishops,  to  yield  to  such  terms  of  peace 
and  concord  as  they  themselves  did  confess  to  be  lawful  to  be 
yielded  to :  for  though  we  were  equals  in  the  king's  commissioi^ 
yet  we  are  commanded  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  if  it  be  possibly 
and  as  much  as  in  us  lieth,  to  live  peaceably  vrith  all  men.  If 
we  were  denied,  it  would  satisfy  our  consciences,  and  justify  as 
before  all  the  world,  much  more  than  if  we  only  disputed  for  it 
However,  we  might  this  way  have  an  opportunity  to  produce 
our  reasons  for  peace,  which  else  we  were  not  likely  to  have. 

**  This  motion  was  accepted,  and  I  was  desired  to  draw  vf 
the  petition,  which  I  did,  and  being  examined,  was,  with  a  word 
or  two  of  alteration,  consented  to.  When  we  met  with  the  bi- 
shops, to  deliver  in  these  papers,  I  was  required  to  deliver  them : 
and,  if  it  were  possible,  to  get  audience  for  the  petition  before  aD 
the  company.  I  told  them,  that  though  we  were  equals  in  the 
present  work,  and  our  appointed  business  was  to  treat,  yet  we 
were  conscious  of  our  place  and  duty,  and. had  drawn  up  a  peti- 
tion to  them,  which,  though  somewhat  long,  1  humbly  craved 
their  consent  that  I  might  read.  Some  were  against  it,  and  so 
they  would  have  been  generally  if  they  had  known  what  was 
in  it ;  but  at  last  they  yielded  to  it ;  but  their  patience  was  never 
so  put  to  it  by  us  as  in  hearing  so  long  and  ungrateful  a  petition. 
When  I  had  read  it.  Dr.  Gunning  began  a  long  and  vehement 
speech  against  it :  to  which,  when  he  came  to  the  end,  I  replied; 
but  I  was  interrupted  in  the  midst  of  my  reply,  and  was  fain  to 
bear  it,  because  they  had  been  patient  with  so  much  ado  so  long 
before.  1  delivered  them  the  petition  when  1  had  read  it,  and 
with  it,  a  fair  copy  of  our  reformed  liturgy,  called  additional 
forms  and  alterations  of  theirs.  They  received  both,  and  so  we 
departed."'* 

•  Life,  part  li.  pp.  333, 334. 


Of  HICHARD  BAXTER.  203 

Tluit  there  was  no  disposition  on  the  part  of  the  bishops  to 
yield  any  thing,  is  very  evident  from  the  whole  of  their  conduct. 
The  comniission  onlv  extended  for  three  months,  a  considerable 
part  of  which  had  already  expired,  either  in  debating  how  the 
business  should  be  managed,  or  in  preparing  papers,  instead  of 
conferring  together  in  an  amicable  manner.  What  follows  in 
Baxter's  account  of  the  affair,  will  show  that  agreement  had 
neither  been  contemplated  nor  intended,  from  the  beginning.    . 

^  After  all  this,  when  the  bishops  were  to  have  sent  us  two 
papers,  one  of  their  concessions,  how  much  they  would  alter  of 
the*  liturgy  as  excepted  against,  and  the  other  of  their  accept* 
aoce  of  our  offered  forms  or  reasons  against  them  ;  instead  of 
both  these,  a  good  while  after,  they  sent  us  such  a  paper  as  they 
£d  before,  .of  their  reasonings  against  all  our  exceptions,  with- 
out any  abatements  or  alterations  at  all  that  are  worth  the 
naming.  Our  brethren,  seeing  what  they  were  resolved  to  bring 
it  to,  and  how  unpeaceably  they  managed  the  business,  did 
think  best  to  write  them  a  plain  answer  to  their  paper,  and  not 
to  suppress  it,  as  we  had  done  by  the  first.  This  task  also 
diey  imposed  on  me.  1  went  out  of  town,  to  Dr.  Spurstow's 
hoose^  in  Hackney,  for  retirement ;  where,  in  eight  days'  time,  I 
drew  up  a  reply  to  their  answer  to  our  exceptions.  This  the 
brethren  read  and  consented  to,  only  wishing  that  it  had  been 
larger  in  the  latter  end,  where  I  had  purposely  been  brief,  be- 
cause I  had  been  too  large  in  the  beginning;  and  because  jvor/i- 
eutars  may  be  answered  satisfactorily  in  a  few  words  when  the 
general  differences  are  fully  cleared. 

'^  By  this  time,  our  commission  was  almost  expired ;  and 
therefore  our  brethren  were  earnestly  desirous  of  personal  de- 
bates with  them  upon  the  papers  put  in,  to  try  how  much  altera- 
tion they  would  yield  to.  We  therefore  sent  to  the  bishops  to 
desire  it  of  them ;  and,  at  last,  they  yielded  to  it,  when  we  had 
but  ten  days  more  to  treat. 

.  **  When  we  met  them,  1  delivered  the  answer  to  their  former 
papers,  the  largeness  of  which  I  saw  displeased  them  ;  but  they 
received  it.  We  earnestly  pressed  them  to  spend  the  little 
time  remaining  in  such  pacifying  conference  as  tended  to  the 
ends  which  are  mentioned  in  the  king's  declaration  and  com- 
mission; and  told  them,  that  such  disputes  which  they  had 
called  us  to  by  their  manner  of  writing,  were  not  the  things 
which  we  desired,  or  thought  most  conducing  to  those  ends. 

^^  I  have  reason  to  think  that  the  generality  of  the  bishops 


206  TBB  UFB  AND  TI1IB8 

and  doctors  present,  nerer  knew  what  we  offered  them  in  the 
reformed  litargy,  nor  in  this  reply,  nor  in  any  of  our  pmpeni 
save  those  few  which  we  read  openly  to  them ;  for  they  were 
put  up,  and  carried  away;  and,  1  conjecture,  scarce  any  but  the 
writers  of  their  confutations  would  be  at  the  labour  of  reading 
them  over.  I  remember,  in  the  midst  of  our  last  disputatiooi 
when  I  drew  out  the  short  preface  to  the  last  reply,  which  Mn 
Calamy  wrote,  to  enumerate,  in  the  beginning,  before  their  eyes, 
many  of  the  grossest  corruptions,  which  they  stiffly  defended,  and 
refused  to  reform,  the  company  were  more  ashamed  and  silent 
than  at  any  thing  else  that  1  had  said.  By  which  1  perceived 
that  they  had  never  read  or  heard  that  very  prefiu:e  which  was 
an  epistle  to  themselves :  yea,  the  chief  of  them  confessed^  when 
they  bade  me  read  it,  that  they  knew  no  such  thing.  So  that|it 
seems,  before  they  knew  what  was  in  them,  they,  resolved  t9 
reject  our  papers,  right  or  wrong,  and  to  deliver  them  up  to 
their  contradictors. 

^'  When  we  came  to  our  debates,  I  first  craved  of  them  their 
animadversions  on  our  additions  and  alterations  of  the  Utmgf$ 
which  we  had  put  in  long  before  ;  and  that  they  would  tell  « 
what  they  allowed  or  disallowed  in  them,  that  we  might  have 
the  use  of  them,  according  to  the  words  in  the  king's  declara- 
tion  and  commission.  But  they  would  not,  by  any  importunityj 
be  intreated  at  all  to  debate  that,  or  to  give  their  opinions  about 
those  papers.  There  were  no  papers  that  ever  we  offered  them 
that  had  the  fate  of  these:  though  it  was  there  some  of 
them  thought  to  have  found  recriminating  matter  of  exceptions, 
we  could  never  prevail  with  them  to  say  any  thing  about 
them,  in  word  or  writing.  Once,  Bishop  Morley  told  us  of 
their  length,  to  which  I  answered,  that  we  had  told  them  in  oar 
preface,  that  we  were  ready  to  abbreviate  any  thing  which  on 
debate  should  appear  too  long ;  but  that  the  paucity  of  the 
prayers  made  the  ordinary  Lord's-day  prayers  far  shorter  than 
theirs.  And  since  we  had  given  our  exceptions  against  theirs, 
if  they  would  neither  by  word  nor  writing  except  against  ours,  , 
nor  give  their  consent  to  them,  they  would  not  honour  their 
cause  or  conference.  But  all  would  not  extort  either  debates 
on  that  subject,  or  any  reprehensions  of  what  we  had  offered  them. 

^*  When  they  had  cast  out  that  part  of  our  desired  eon* 
ference,  our  next  business  was,  to  desire  them,  by  friendly 
conference,  to  go  over  the  particulars  which  we  excepted 
against,  and  to  tell  us  how  much  they  would  abate,  and  what 


09  miCHARD  BAXTJB.  307 

altenidooi  diey  wieold  yield  to.    ThU,  Bisbop  Reynolds  oft 
prened  them  to,  and  so  did  all  the  rest  of  us  that  spake. 
Bat  they  resolutely  insisted  on  it,  that  they  had  nothing  to 
do  till  we  had  proved  that  there  was  a  necessity  for  altera- 
tion, which  we  had  not  yet  done ;  and  that  they  were  there, 
ready  to  answer  our  proofs.    We  urged  them  again  and  agun 
with  the  very  words  of  the  king's  declaration  and  commission  : 
*That  the  ends  expressed  are  for  the  removal  of  all  exceptions, 
snd  occasions  of  exceptions  and  differences,  from  among  our 
good  subjects,  and  for  giving  satisfaction  to  tender  consciences, 
snd  the  restoring  and  continuance  of  peace  and  amity  in  the 
churches.    And  the  means  are,  to  make  such  reasonable  and 
necessary  alterations,  corrections,  and  amendments  therein,  as 
shall  be  agreed  upon  to  be  needful  and  expedient,  for  the  giving 
astisfaction  to  tender  consciences,  and  restoring  and  continuing 
peaee^*  &c.  We  plainly  showed  hence,  that  the  king  supposeth 
that  9om€  alieraiioHi  must  be  made ;  but  the  bishops  insisted 
on  two  words  neceuanf  alterations,  and  9uch  a$  should  be 
agreed  om.    We  answered  them,  that  the  word  neceuary  hath 
reference  to  the  ends  expressed ;  viz.,  the  satisfying  tender  con« 
sdences,  and  is  joined  with  expedient :  and  that  it  was  strange  if, 
when  the  king  had  so  long  and  publicly  determined  of  the  end, 
sod  called  us  to  consult  of  the  means,  we  should  presume  now, 
at  last,  to  contradict  him,  and  to  determine  that  the  end  itself  is 
unnecessary;  and,  consequently,  no  means  necessary  thereto. 
What,  then,  have  we  all  this  while  been  doing  ?     When  they 
are  called  to  agree  on  such  necessary  means,  if  they  will  take 
advantage  of  that  word,  to  agree  on  nothing,  that  so  all  endea- 
vours may  be  frustrated  for  want  of  their  agreement,  God  and 
the  world  would  judge  between  us,  who  it  is  that  frustrateth  the 
king's  commission,  and  the  hopes  of  a  divided,  bleeding  church. 
^  Thus  we  continued  a  long  time  contending  about  this  point, 
whether  some  alterations  be  supposed  by  the  king*s  declaration 
and  commission  to  be  made  by  us ;  or,  whether  we  were  anew 
to  dispute  that  point  ?     But  the  bishops  would  have  that  to  be 
bur  task,  or  none,  to  prove  by  disputation,  that  any  alteration 
was  necessary  to  be  made ;  while  they  confuted  our  proofs.  We 
told  them,  that  the  end  being  to  satisfy  tender  consciences,  and 
procure  unity,  those  tender  consciences  did  themselves  profess, 
that  without  some  alterations,  and  these  considerable  too,  they 
could  not  be  satisfied ;  and  experience  told  them,  that  peace 
and  unity  could  not  without  them  be  attained.  But  still  they  said 


208  THX   LIFB  AND  TIMBS 

that  none  was  necessary,  and  they'  would '^eld  to  all  tbit  we 
proved  necessary.  •  Here  we  were  left  in  a  very  great  strait; 
if  we  should  enter  upon  a  dispute  with  them,  we  gave  up  the 
end  and  hope  of  our  endeavours ;  if  we  refused  it,  we  knew  that 
they  would  boast,  that  when  it  came  to  the  setting-to,  we  would 
not  so  much  as  attempt  to  prove  any  thing  unlawful  in  the 
liturgy,  nor  dare  dispute  it  with  them.    Mr.  Calamy^  with  some 
others  of  our  brethren,  would  have  had  us  refuse  the  motion  of 
disputing  as  not  tending  to  fulfil  the  king's  commands.    We  told 
the  bishops,  over  and  over,  that  they  could  not  choose  but  knoir 
that  before  we  could  end  one  argument  in  a  dispute,  our  time 
would   be  expired  3  that    it   could  not  possibly  tend  to  any 
accommodation ;  and  that  to  keep  off  from  personal  conference, 
till  within  a  few  days  of  the  expiration  of  the  commission,  and 
then  to  resolve  to  do  nothing  but  wrangle  out  the  time  in  a  dis- 
pute, as  if  we  were  between  jest  and  earnest  in  the  schools, was 
too  visibly  in  the  sight  of  all  the  world,  to  defeat  the  king's 
commission,  and  the  expectation  of  many  thousands,  who  longed 
for  our  unity  and  peace.    But  we  spoke  to  the  deaf ; .  they  had 
other .  ends,  and  were  other  men,  and  had  the  art  to  suit  the 
means  unto  their  ends.     For  my  part,  when  1  saw  that  they 
would  do  nothing  else,  I  persuaded  our  brethren  to  yield. to  a 
disputation  with  them,  and  let  them  understand  that  we  were 
far  from  fearing  it,  seeing  they  would  give  us  no  hopes  of  con- 
cord.   But,  withal,  first  to  profess  to  them,  that  the  guilt  of 
disappointing  his  majesty  and  the  kingdom,  lay  not  upon  us, 
who  desired  to  obey  the  king's  commission,  but  on  them.  Thus 
we  yielded  to  spend  the  little   time   remaining,  in  disputing 
with  them,  rather  than  go  home  and  do  nothing,  and  leave  them 
to  tell  the  court  when  they  had  so  provoked  us,  that  we  durst 
not  dispute  with  them,  nor  were  able  to  prove  our  accusations 
of  the  liturgy."* 

It  was  finally  agreed  that  three  on  each  side  should  be 
chosen  to  debate  the  unlawfulness  of  the  impositions  in  the 
Episcopal  system.  Drs.  Pearson,  Gunning,  and  Sparrow,  being 
on  the  one  side ;  and  Baxter,  Bates,  and  Jacomb,  on  the  other, 
llicy  met  accordingly,  in  the'presence  of  many  of  the  Episcopal 
party,  who  attended  in  considerable  numbers ;  but  the  Non- 
conformists, except  the  three  advocates,  all  absented  themselves. 
The  debate  itself,  which  Baxter  has  recorded  at  lengthy  was,  as 

>  Life,  part  ii.  pp.  233*236. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  209 

'might  havd  been  anticipated,  exceedingly  unsatisfactory; 
partaking  more  of  the  nature  of  personal  altercation  than  of 
grave  religious  argument.  The  discussion  was  carried  on  by 
ex-tempore  writing  as  well  as  by  occasional  speaking;  which 
must  have  been  as  wearisome  to  aH  parties,  as  the  history 
of  it  would  now  be  tedious  and  unprofitable.  As  Baxter 
chiefly  mainUuned  the  discussion  on  the  side  of  the  Noncon- 
formists, his  numerous  writings  contain  a  full  ex^sition  and 
defence  of  his  own  views  and  those  of  his  brethren  ;  while  the 
Uturgy  remains  unaltered,  and  the  defences  of  its  correctness 
and  propriety  to  this  day  are  very  numerous.  Baxter's  account 
of  the  principal  disputants,  and  of  the  part  which  they  respec- 
tively took  in  the  discussion,  may  appropriately  close  the  review 
of  the  Savoy  conference. 

^  Hie  bishop  of  Liondon,  Dr.  Sheldon,  since  archbishop  of 
Ginterbury,  only  speared  the  first  day  of  each  conference^ 
which,  beside  that  before  the  king,  was  but  twice  in  all,  as  I 
remember,  and  meddled  not  at  all  in  any  disputations :  y  but  all 
men  supposed  that  he  and  Bishop  Morley,  and  next  Bishop 
Hinchman,  were  the  doers  and  disposers  of  all  such  affairs. 
The  archbishop  of  York  (Frewen)  spake  very  little ;  and  came 
bat  once  or  twice  in  all.  Bishop  Morley  was  often  there,  but 
not  constantly,  and  with  free  and  fluent  words  with  much  ear- 
nestness, was  the  chief  speaker  of  all  the  bishops,  and  the  great- 
est interrupter  of  us  :  vehemently  going  on  with  what  he 
thought  serviceable  to  his  end,  and  bearing  down  our  answers 
by  the  said  fervour  and  interruptions.  Bishop  Cosins  was  there 
constantly,  and  had  a  great  deal  of  talk  with  so  little  logic,  na- 
tural or  artificial,  that  I  perceived  no  one  much  moved  by  any 
thing  he  said.  But  two  virtues  he  showed,  though  none  took 
him  for  a  magician ;  one  was,  that  he  was  excellently  well 
versed  in  canons,  councils,  and  fathers,  which  he  remembered, 
when  by  citing  of  any  passages  we  tried  him.  The  other  was, 
that  as  he  was  of  a  rustic  wit  and  carriage,  so  he  would  endure 

7  The  Tiews  of  ShelJon  in  the  affair  of  the  Savoy  coDference,  are  apparent  from 
one  circumstance.  When  Lord  Manchester  remarked  to  the  kin^,  that  he  was 
afraid  the  terms  of  the  act  of  uniformity  were  too  rigid  for  the  ministers 
to  comply  with,  Sheldon  replied,  **  1  am  afraid  they  will." — Bate's  Funeral 
Sermon  for  Baxter,  It  is  only  necessary  to  look  at  some  passages  of  Pepys's 
*  Memoirs,'  to  be  satisfied  that  Sheldon  was  a  profane,  as  well  as  an  un- 
principled man  ;  totally  unfit  for  the  office  which  he  held. — See  particularly 
vol.  ii.  p.  342.  Burnet  says,  <'  He  seemed  not  to  have  a  clear  sense  of  religion, 
if  any  at  all ;  and  spoke  of  it  most  commonly  as  of  an  eugiae  of  govetorocct^ 
and  a  matter  of  policy."— Oic»  Times y  i.  p.  257. 

SOU  !•  F 


210  7H8  Un  4KD  TIICB6 

more  freedom  of  diseoitne  with  him,  and  was  Inote  lAdde 
and  familiar  than  the  rett.  Bishop  Htnchinan,  since  Insbop 
of  London,  was  of  the  most  gmve,  comely,  reverend  aspect  d* 
any  of  them ;  and  of  a  good  insight  in  the  fathers  and 
Cosins  and  he,  and  Dr.  Gunning,  being  all  that  showed  any 
sjderable  skill  in  them  among  us ;  in  which  they  were  all  three 
of  very  laudable  understandings,  and  better  than  any  other  of 
either  of  the  parties  that  I  met  with.  Bishop  Hinchman  spake 
calmly  and  slowly,  and  not  very  often ;  but  was  as  high  in  lus 
principles  and  resolutions  as  any  of  them. 

^^  Bishop  Sanderson,  of  Lincoln,  was  sometimes  there,  bat 
never  spake,  that  I  know  of,  except  a  very  little;  but  his  great 
learning  and  worth  are  known  by  his  labours,  aUKi  his  aged 
peevishness  not  unknown.* 

^^  Bishop  Gauden  was  our  most  constant  helper :  he  and 
Bishop  Cosins  seldom  were  absent.  And  how  bitter  soever  his 
pen  might  be,  he  was  the  only  moderator  of  all  the  bishops, 
except  our  Bishop  Reynolds*  He  showed  no  logic,  nor  med- 
dled in  any  dispute  or  point  of  learning }  but  he  had  a  cahn, 
fluent,  rhetorical  tongue ;  and  if  all  had  been  of  his  mind  we 
had  been  reconciled.  But  when  by  many  days'  conference  in 
the  beginning,  we  had  got  some  moderating  concessions  from 
him,  and  from  Bishop  Cosins  by  his  means,  the  rest  came  in  the 
endf  and  brake  them  all.* 

*^  Bishop  Lucy,  of  St.  David's,  spake  once  or  twice  a  few 
words,  calmly ;  and  so  did  Bishop  Nicholson,  of  Gloucester,  and 
Bishop  Griffiths,  of  St.  Asaph's,  though  not  commissioners. 
King,  bishop  of  Chichester,  1  never  saw  there.  Bishop  Warner, 
of  Rochester,  was  once  or  twice.  Lany,  of  Peterborough,  was 
twice  or  thrice  there  |  and  Walton,  bishop  of  Chester,  but  nei- 
ther  of  them  spake  much,  ^ 

^^  Among  all  the  bishops,  there  was  none  who  had  so  pro- 
mising a  face  as  Dr.  Sterne,  bishop  of  Carlisle.  He  lookedi  so 
honestly,  gravely,  and  soberly,  that  I  scarce  thought  such  a 
face  could  have  deceived  me.    When  I  was  entreating  them  not 

■  It  ii  said  that  Bishop  Sanderton  requested,  on  his  death-l>ed»  that  tbt 
ejected  luiuisters  should  be  employed  aj^aiii  i  but  of  course  that  was  not  oum« 
plied  vf\th,'-' Baxter's  Ltfe,  pnrt  ii.  p.  363. 

•  It  Is  somewhat  singular  tltat  the  autlior  of  the  <  Eikon  lUsilike/  tbosM 
have  been  so  moderate  a  man  in  the  debates  with  the  Nonconformists.  Baa* 
ter'i  dp%criotion  of  his  calm  and  fluent  tongue,  agrees  very  well  with  the  style 
of  that  celebratea  book ;  the  controversy  about  which  is  now  set  at  res^  and 
tbs  claims  of  Gsudan  fuUy  ssccrlaiiMd. 

k  Life,  part  ii.  p.  364. 


oy   klCllARD   BAXtSit.  ittl 

td  cast  ottt  96  many  of  thi^ir  brethren  thrbugh  the  noHoH^  te 
turned  to  the  rest  of  the  reverend  bishops,  and  said^  '  He  will 
not  say  in  the  kinffdom,  lest  he  own  a  king.*  This  was  all  I 
ever  heard  that  Worthy  prelate  say.  I  told  hint  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  spake  tnuch  the  first  day,  for  bringing 
them  to  abatements  and  moderation ;  and  afterwards  he  sat 
irith  thfem,  and  spake  now  and  then  a  word  foir  inoderation. 
He  was  a  solid,  honest  man,  but  through  mildness  and  excess 
of  timorous  reverence  for  great  ihen^  altogether  unfit  to  contend 
with  thetti. 

''  Mr.  Thomdike  spake  once  a  few  tihpei^Unent^  passioh&t^ 
wofdS)  eonfiiting  the  opinion  which  Wte  hktd  received  of  him 
from  his  first  Writings^  and  eonfihning  that  which  his  seeond 
and  last  writings  had  given  Us  of  him«  Dh  Barle^  Dr.  HeyliM, 
and  Dn  Barwick^  never  camfe.  Dr.  Hacket,  since  bishop  of 
Cotentry  and  Litchfield^  said  nothing  to  make  us  kttow  ahy 
thing  of  him.  Dn  Sparrow  said  but  little,  but  that  little  wtos 
with  a  spirit  enough  for  the  imposing  dividing  cause. 

''Dr.  Peirce  and  Dr.  Gunning  did   all   their  work,  beside 
Bishop  Morley's  discourses,  but  with  great  diflferenee  in  the 
madnei'4     Dr.  Peirce  was  their  true  logician   and  disputant, 
without  whom^  as  far  as  I  could  discern,  we  should  have  had  no- 
thing frdm  them,  but  Dr.  Gutming's  passionate  invectives,  mixed 
With  some  argumentations.  He  disputed  acburately^  soberly,  and 
calmiyi  being  but  otide  in  any  passion ;  breeding  in  us  great 
respect  for  him,  and  a  persuasion  that  if  he  had  been  independ- 
ent, he  would  have  been  for  peace,  and  that  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  speaker; 
understanding  well  what  belonged  to  a  disputant ;  a  man  of 
greater  study  and  industry  than  any  of  them  ;  well  read  in  fa- 
thers, and  councils,  and  of  a  ready  tongue ;  I  hear,  and  believe, 
of  very  temperate  life  also,  as  to  all  carnal  excesses  whatso- 
ever; but  so  vehement  for  his  high,  imposing  principles,  and  so 
over  zealous  for  Arminianisni,  and  formality,  and  church  pomp ; 
and  so  very  eager  and  fervent  in  his  discourse,  that  I  conceive 
his   prejudice  and  passion  much  perverted    his  judgment.     I 
am  sure^  they  made  him  lamentably  overrun  himself  in  his  dis- 

«  Lift,  part  ii.  p.  281. 

f2 


21'2  THE   LIFE  AND  TIMES 

courses.    Of  Dr.  Peirce  1  will  say  no  more,  because  he  hath  said 
so  much  of  me.** 

"  On  our  part,  Dr.  Bates  spake  very  solidly,  judiciously,  and 
pertinently,  when  he  spake.  As  for  myself,  the  reason  why  I 
spake  so  much  was,  because  it  was  the  desire  of  my  brethren, 
and  I  was  loath  to  expose  them  to  the  hatred  of  the  bishops ;  but 
was  willing  to  take  it  all  upon  myself,  they  themselves  having 
60  much  wit  as  to  be  therein  more  sparing  and  cautious  than  I. 
I  thought  also  that  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  that 
I  could  comfortaby  suffer  for,  and  should  as  willingly  be  a  mar- 
tyr for  charity  as  for  faith.* '^ 

Thus  ended  the  Savoy  conference,  the  last  of  those  attempts 
to  reconcile  churchmen  and  dissenters,  in  which  the  court  and 
the  authorities  in  the  church  took  any  active  part.  The  issue 
might  have  been  foreseen  at  the  beginning,  from  the  disposition 
of  the  leading  Episcopal  commissioners,  and  from  the  condikt 
of  Sheldon  at  the  very  first  meeting ;  beside  what  was  known 
of  the  prevailing  feelings  of  the  court  and  the  whole  royal  party. 
Burnet  says,  with  considerable  justice,  '^  The  two  men  that  had 
the  chief  management  of  the  debate,  were  the  roost  unfit  to 
heal  matters,  and  the  fittest  to  widen  them  that  could  have 
been  found  out.  Baxter  was  the  opponent,  and  Gunning  vras 
the  respondent,  who  was  afterwards  advanced,  first  to  Chiches- 
ter, 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  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  w^te  a  couple  of  fencers  engaged 
in  disputes,  that  could  never  be  brought  to  an  end,  or  have  any 
good  eflfect.*' ' 

The  affair  having  thus  ended  in  a  kind  of  farce,  and  the  mi' 
nisters  having  totally  failed,  as  they  conceived,  in  the  great  object 
of  the  conference,  they  drew  up  a  correct  account  of  the  whole 
affair,  and  presented  it  to  the  king  in  the  form  of  a  petition. 

^  Jeremy  Taylor  says  io  one  of  hi«  letters,  <Mt  is  no  wonder  that  Baxter 
undervalues  the  gentry  of  England.    Vou  know  what  spirit  be  is  of,  but  I 
suppose  be  has  nrct  with  his  match  :  for  Mr.  Peris  (Peirce)  Ifath  attacked  him; 
and  they  are  joined  iu  the  lists." — Heber**  Lift  of  Taylor y  p.  88. 
'    *  Life,  part  ii.  pp.  3(j3,  364. 

'  Burnet's  'Own  Times/  vol,  i.  pp.  283,  284. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  213 

It  was  written  by  Baxter^  and  with  a  few  alterations  and  amend- 
ments, was  at  last  laid  before  his  majesty,  with  a  fair  copy  of 
ail  the  papers,  by  Dr.  Manton,  Dr.  Reynolds,  Dr.  Bates,  and 
Mr.  Baxter.  It  gives  a  short  history  of  the  conference,  and  its 
unsuccessful  issue,  and  concludes  by  praying  that  the  benefits ' 
of  the  king's  declaration  might  be  continued  to  the  people,  and 
that  the  additions  promised  in  it  might  be  bestowed.^  It 
does  not  appear  that  Charles  said  any  thing  particular  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  grandfather  respecting  the 
Puritans,  would  "  drive  them  out  of  the  kingdom,  or  do  worse/' 
The  failure  offers  one  of  many  illustrations  of  the  folly  of  at- 
tempting to  reconcile  the  principles  of  this  world,  with  the  laws 
and  government  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  It  is  true,  in  regard 
to  such  transactions  as  the  Savoy  conference,  as  well  as  of  other 
things,  '^  that  no  man  can  serve  two  masters." 

After  the  failure  of  the  negociation,  the  great  object  of  the 
ministers  was,  if  possible,  to  get  parliament  to  pass  the  king's 
declaration  into  a  l^w,  without  which  it  would  be  of  no  perma- 
nent force  or  obligation ;  and  for  a  time,  their  expectations  were 
encouraged  by  the  lord  chancellor.  But  when  it  came  to  the 
trial,  their  hopes  all  failed  them  ;  and  the  conformity  imposed, 
was  made  ten  times  more  burdensome  than  it  was  before.  For 
beside  that  the  convocation  had  made  the  Common  Prayer-book 
more  grievous  than  ever,  the  parliament  made  a  new  act  of  con- 
formity, with  a  new  form  of  subscription,  and  a  new  declaration 
to  be  made  against  the  obligation  of  the  covenant.  So  that 
the  king's  declaration  not  only  died  before  it  came  into  exe- 
cution, and  all  hopes,  treaties,  and  petitions,  were  not  only 
disappointed,  but  a  weight  more  grievous  than  a  thousand 
ceremonies  was  added  to  the  old  conformity,  with  a  heavy 
penalty.^ 

»  Life,  part  ii.  pp.  3()6— ;5G8. 

*  Although  tiie  Episcupal  commissioners  would  coucede  nothing;  to  the 
NuDCOD  Tor  mists  fur  the  sake  uf  peace,  they  soou  after  held  a  meetiu^  by 
themselves,  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  certain  alterations  in  the  ^  Book  of 
Common  Prayer,*  which  they  agreed  to  lay  before  the  next  convocation.  It 
assembled  on  the  8th  of  May«  166 1 ,  and  agreed  to  some  alterations  and  addi- 
tions. They  beg^an  with  the  ofTice  for  the  king's  birth  and  return,  which  was 
brought  in  on  the  IGth  of  May,  being  their  second  session.  On  the  18th  of 
May,  their  third  session,  they  proceeded  to  the  office  of  baptism  for  those  of 
riper  years.  By  December  20lh,  the  book  was  completed  and  subscribed  by 
the  members  of  both  houses. 


214  THE  UWM  ANO  Tiim 

)aiiiii||[«  Sev^^  l^Honi  in  the  caleo^ar  were  cbaD|ed  for  pthen  inm 
iof  the  days.  The  prayers  upoi^  particular  occasioas,  were  disjoined  fi 
liturgy.  The  prayecs  for  the  parliament,  that  (or  aU  conditiom  of  m 
tk^g^lWfal  tb%9H*iiv¥>y?t  ^fcf  »(ided>  *!svf^al  of  tUt  collects  w^  i 
th^  ip^^los  af^  f 99P!^H  ^er^  tak^u  out  of  the  last  traDslatiuio  of  tlM 
thjey  having  been  read  before,  according  to  the  old.  The  office  of  bapil 
those  of  riper  years,  the  forms  of  prayer  to  be  used  at  sea,  the  i^tifiD, 
nmKtjnkmk  «f  l^ivg  Cbftrl^  ai^  that  fyr  the  king'^  r^t^np,  or«^  U 
caUed,^hf  i^tof^tioj^,  of  the  royal  family,  wf  re  a^d^tt  The  book  di^  n 
press  till  some  time  after  it  was  subscribal,  the  Act  of  Uniform!^  f«ir  ei 
it  into  a  law  taking  up  a  considerable  time." — Nickofs  Prg/acei  to  iJU. 
Cfmmim  Brayet^  p.  ip.  Ii^  ^^U  theae  alteri^ns^  it  ^  very  ^lear  t^ 
topK  spec^l  cac^  th^^  no  ai^^otiyn  should  bf  shown  to  the  feeUnn 
judices  of  tl^e  Noncoi^om^^ts.  This  writer  has  forgotten  to  tint 
among  the  other  improvements  made  by  this  convocation  on  the  * 
Book,  •  Ihf  story  of  '*-.  Qell  tod  (he  Dragpn'  was  added  to  the  les^oni 
frpfp  the  ApoP^ri^ha  I 


OP  mfCHAU  MUTMtU  2tJl 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

1661—1655. 


Biiter  eodtMourt  to  pUa  pouwsiuii  of   Kiddemiioftter— The  King;  and 
Qinndoa  favourable  to  it^Dnfeated  by  Sir  Ralph   Clare  aad  Biibop 
Morley— Conduct  of  Sir  Ralph  Clare  to  the  People  of  Kidderminster— Ba&- 
tec*s  spirited  RemoDftnuice— Insurrection  of  the  Fifth  Monarchy  Men-^ 
Baiter's  Preachings  in  London — Obtains  a  License  from  the  Archhishop^ 
of  Canterbury— Attempts  to  negociate  with  the  Vicar  of  Kidderminster-^ 
Treatment  of  the  P^le  by  the  Bishop  and  Oer^ — Baxter  entirely  separated 
from  ICdderminster— Takes  leave  oftheChurch — ^Act  of  Uniformity — Rs  In- 
justice, Impolicy,  and  Cruelty — lis  injurious  Effects— Baater*8  Miarriage— -^ 
IdeclanUiim:  of  Indnlgence— Death  and  Charactsr  o£  Ash— Nelson*— Hnrd-- 
shipsof  the  Nonconformists^— Death  of  Arohbithop  Juxon— Succeeded  by 
Sheldon — Acta^inst  Private  Meetiog^s — Sufferings*  of  the  People — Banker 
retires  to  Acton — Works  written  or  published  by  him  during  thiapedod-^ 
Correspondence — Occasional  Communion— Consulted  by  Ashley— Conclud*- 
ing  Memorials  of  the  year  1565. 

In   the  preeeding"  chapter,  an  account  has  been  given  of  all 
the  public  tramactions  in  which  Baxter  was  engaged  from  the 
period  of  the  restoration  to  the  termination  of  the  Savoy  con- 
ference.    His  more  private  or  personal  affiairs  now  require  our 
attention.     In  his  letter  to  Lord  Clarendon,  declining  the  bi- 
shoprick  of  Herefbrd,  the   reader  will  have  observed  that  he 
prefers  a  request  of  a  very  humble  nature  respecting  Kidder- 
minster ;  that  if  hi»  lordship  would  bestow  some  prebendal 
place  on  Mr.  Dance,  the  vicar,  it  would  enable  him  to  return 
to  his  old  and  favourite  sphere  of  employment.     The  following 
narrative  brings  before  us  the  failure  of  this  application,  and,  in 
consequence,  his  entire  separation  from  Kidderminster. 

"  When  I  had  refused  a  bishoprick,  I  did  it  from  such  reasons 
OS  offended  not  the  lord  chancellor;  and,  therefore,  instead  of 
it,  I  presumed  to  crave  his  favour  to  restore  me  to  preach  to  my 
people  at  Kidderminster  again,  from  whence  I  had  been  cast 
out,  when  many  hundreds  of  others  were  ejected,  upon  the  re- 


216  TBB.  LIFB  AND  TIMBS  '     . 

storatiou  of  all  those  who  had  been  sequestered.  It  was  bot  a 
vicarage^  and  the  vicar  was  a  poor,  unlearned,  ignorant,  silly 
reader,  who  little  understood  what  Christiai^ity,  and  the  articles 
of  his  creed,  did  signify.  Once  a  quarter  he  said  something 
which  he  called  a  sermon,  which  made  him  the  pity  or  the 
laughter  of  the  people.  This  man,  being  unable  to  preach 
himself,  kept  always  a  curate  under  him  for  that  purpose. 
Before  the  wars,  I  had  preached  there  only  as  a  lecturer,  and  he 
was  bound  to  pay  me  sixty  pounds  per  annum;  my  people  were 
so  dear  to  me,  and  I  to  them,  that  I  would  have  been  with  them 
upon  the  lowest  lawful  terms.  Some  laughed  at  me  for  refusing 
a  bishoprick,  and  petitioning  to  be  a  reading  vicar's  curate ;  but. 
I  had  little  hopes  of  so  good  a  condition,  at  least  for  any  consi- 
derable time. 

"  The  ruler  of  the  vicar  and  all  the  business,  was  Sir  Ralph 
Clare ;  an  old  man,  and  an  old  courtier,  who  carried  it  towards 
me,  all  the  time  I  was  there,  with  great  civility  and  respect,  and 
sent  me  a  purse  of  money  when  I  went  away,  which  I  refused.^ 
But  his  zeal  against  all  who  scrupled  ceremonies,  or  who  would 
not  preach  for  prelacy  and  conformity,  was  so  much  greater  than 
his  respect  for  me,  that  he  was  the  principal  cause  of  my  re* 
moval.  I  suppose  he  thought  that  when  I  was  far  enough  off, 
he  could  so  far  rule  the  town,  as  to  reduce  the  people  to  his  way. 
But  he  and  others  of  that  temper  little  knew,  how  firm  conscien- 
tious men  are  to  the  matters  of  their  everlasting  interest,  and  how 
little  men's  authority  can  do  against  the  authority  of  God,  with 
those  that  are  unfeignedly  subject  to  him.  Opejily,  he  seemed 
to  be  for  my  return  at  first,  that  he  might  not  offend  the  people; 
and  the  lord  chancellor  seemed  very  forward  in  it,  and  all  the 
difficulty  was,  how  to  provide  some  other  place  for  the  old  vicar, 
Mr.  Dance,  that  he  might  be  no  loser  by  the  change.  It  was  so 
contrived,  that  all  must  seem  forward  in  it  except  the  vicar. 
The  king  himself  must  be  engaged  in  it;  the  lord  chancellor 
earnestly  presseth  it ;  Sir  Ralph  is  willing  and  very  desirous  of 
it;  and  the  vicar  is  willing,  if  he  may  but  be  recompensed  with 

'  Sir  Ralph  Clare,  of  Caldwell,  of  whom  Baxter  gives  tins  curious  account, 
vas  an  emioeut  royalist.  He  spent  a  ^reat  part  of  his  fortune  in  the  cause  of 
Charles  II.  Beiuf;  taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of  Worcester,  he  remained  a 
lon^  time  in  confinement;  till  released,  probably,  by  Baxter*s  influence,  by 
Major-General  Berry  coming  into  command  in  the  county,  it  appears,  from 
various  parts  of  Baxter's  narrative,  that  the  old  knight  was  a  great  thorn  in 
his  side.  In  Nash's  <  History  of  Worcestershire,'  portraits  of  Baxter  iiod  Sir 
}U)pb  are  i^vea  in  one  page.— Vol.  ii,  p.  44* 


or  MCHARD  BAXm.  217; 

ida  place,  from  which  I  had  received  but  ninety  ponnds 
mnn.  ESther  all  desire  it,  or  none  derire  it.  But  the 
nee  was,  that  among  all  the  livings  and  prebendaries  of 
id,  there  was  none  fit  for  the  poor  vicar.  A  prebend  he 
M»t  havi^  because  he  was  incompetent,  and  yet  he  is  still 
It  ennpetent  to  be  the  pastor  of  near  4,000  souls  1  The 
baneellor,  to  make  the  business  certain,  engages  him* 
*  m  valuable  stipend  to  the  vicar,  and  his  oMm  steward 
le  commanded  to  pay  it  for  him.  What  could  he  desire 
But  the  poor  vicar  was  to  answer  him  that  this  was  no 
J  to  him ;  his  lordship  might  withhold  that  stipend  at  his 
K,  and  then  where  was  his  maintenance  ?  Give  him  but 
i  tide  to  any  thing  of  eqdal  value,  and  he  would  resign, 
■lion  also  was  my  sure  and  intimate  friend.  But  no  such 
ivas  to  be  had,  and  so  Mr.  Dance  must  keep  his  place, 
hough  I  requested  not  any  preferment  but  this,  yet  even 
1 1  resolved  I  would  never  be  importunate.  I  only  nomi- 
h  as  the  favour  which  I  desired,  when  their  offers  in 
1  invited  me  to  ask  more ;  and  then  I  told  them,  that  if 
e  any  way  inconvenient  to  them,  I  would  not  request  it. 
It  the  very  first  I  desired,  that  if  they  thought  it  best  for 
car  to  keep  his  place,  I  was  willing  to  take  the  lecture, 
»  by  his  bond,  was  secured  to  me,  and  was  still  my  right; 
lat  were  denied  me,  I  would  be  his  curate  while  the  king's 
ation  stood  in  force.  But  none  of  these  could  be  accepted 
sen  that  were  so  exceedingly  willing.  In  the  end,  it  ap- 
1  that  two  knights  of  the  county,  Sir  Ralph  Clare  and  Sir 
Httkington,j  who  were  very  great  with  Dr.  Morley,  newly- 
bishop  of  Worcester,  had  made  him  believe  that  my 
It  was  so  great,  and  I  could  do  so  much  with  ministers 
»ple  in  that  county,  that  unless  I  would  bind  myself  to 
Ce  their  cause  and  party,  I  was  not  fit  to  be  there.  And 
flhop,  being  greatest  of  any  man  with  the  lord  chancellor, 
obstruct  my  return  to  my  ancient  flock.  At  last.  Sir 
Qare  did  freely  tell  me,  that  if  I  would  conform  to  the 
and  ceremonies  of  the  church,  preach  conformity  to  the 
!,  and  labour  to  set  them  right,  there  was  no  man  in 

Fobn  Packington,  of  Westwood,  was  another  warm  royalist  baronet, 
oaotj  of  Worcester.  He  was  husband  to  Lady  Packin^oo,  to  whom 
n-kDOwn  work,  *  The  Whole  Duty  of  Mao/  has  been  ascribed.  Sir 
KMse  was  the  resort  of  many  of  the  Episcopal  cleric  durin|^  the  wars 
t  Commonwealth ;  and  Dr.  Hammpnd  died  iQ  i%*-^Jthen,  (hen,  iii. 
r,  T.  377. 


218  xn  un  jlkd  Tuns 

Bagkoid  an  fift  to  kQ  therc^  for  no  mut  cimM 

do  it ;  but  if  I  wmild  not,  tfaore  was  no  mMi  to  unfit 

pbec^  for  oo  nao  could  more  hinder  lU 

^  I  demed  it  aa  dM  greoteal  favour  of  thes^  tkol  if  diqr  a^ 
teoded  not  aay  baiog  thoro  thay  wouM  pkioly  tdi  aae  ao^ 
I  anight  troiAlo  thorn  and  nqraelf  no  moro  aboot  it|  bal 
waa  a  fiafoor  too  great  to  bo  expected.  I  bad  cootiaaol  a»» 
coon^famenit  by  proaisea  till  I  waa  abaoat  tiitd  iai  waitiBf  a» 
then«  At  1bM>  meeting  Sir  Ralph  Claie  in  the  biatMp'a^  chombai^ 
I  deMjred  hun^  before  tbe  bishop,  to  tell  noe  to  my  fiicoy  if  hehod 
any  thing  agwoat  me  which  aught  cadtaie  ^  this  adob  Ho  taU 
no  thai  I  would  gtre  the  socvaaaent  to  none  kneelnigv  and  tint 
of  eighteea  hundred  coauamiieanta^  thoro  were  not  paat  ais 
huntbed  who  were  for  me,  and  the  rest  were  latfiof  fee  tho- vicar* 
I  answered,  I  was  very  glad  that  these  words  Mk  o«C  to  bo 
spoken  in  the  bishop's  hearing.  To  the  first  aecuaatMiy  I  tdd 
him,  that  be  himself  knew  I  invited  him  to  the  sacvamon^  and 
otfered  it  hkn  kneeUng^  and  that  under  my  kand^  io  wrilhiig^ 
that  openly  in  his  hearing  in  the  pulptC,  i  had  promhed  aod 
told  both  himi  and  all'  the  rest,  I  never  had  nor  ever  wouM  pol 
any  man  from  the  saerament  on  the  aecount  of  kneeling,  bai 
leave  every  one  to  the  posture  lie  should  choose.  I  fiuthap 
stated,  that  the  reason  why  I  never  gave  it  to  any  kneeling^ 
because  all  who  came  would  sit  or  staisd,  and  thoae  who 
for  kneeling  only  followed  him,  who  would  not  come  unlaaat 
would  administer  it  to  him  and  his  party  on  a  day  by  themaelvts^ 
when  the  rest  were  not  present;  and  1  had  no<mind  to<  belte: 
author  of  such  a  schism,  and  make,  as  it  were,  two  churcbaa 
of  one.  But  especially  the  consciousness  of  notorious  soandri^ 
which  they  knew  they  must  be  accountable  for,  did  mdco  many 
kneelers  stay  away ;  and  all  this  he  could  not  deny. 

^  As  to  the  second  chaise,  I  stated,  there  was  a  witness  ready 
to  say  as  he  did.  I  knew  but  one  man  in-  the  town  against  mc^ 
which  was  a  stranger  newly  come,  one  Ganderton,  an  attoroaj^ 
steward  to  the  Lord  of  Abergavenny,  a  Papist,  who  was  lord  of 
the  manor.  This  one  man  was  tlie  prosecutor,  and  witnessed  how 
many  were  against  my  return.  1  craved  of  the  bishop  diat  I 
might  send  by  the  next  post  to  know  their  minds,  and  if  that 
were  so  I  would  take  it  for  a  favour  to  be  kept  from  thenee. 
When  the  people  heard  this  at  Kidderminster,  in  a  day's  tine 
they  gi^thered  the  hands  of  sixteen  hundred  of  the  eighteen 
hundred  coran^unicants,  and  the  rest  were  suqh  as  were  frooi 


bcM.  Wiilun  four  or  five  ciajn  «fter»  I  Imppf nf4  ta  fiad  Sir 
Ralph  Glare  with  iha  bishop  aisaiq,  and  showed  him  the  hands 
of  ikteeii  hundred  eoipmuuic^t^  with  an  offer  of  nMye  if  th«y 
ought  have  time,  all  vevy  earoeal  for  my  r^^u^n.  Sif  Ralph  was 
al^ieed  as  to  that  poiut ;  but  he  and  the  bishop  appeared  m> 
mk  the  looro  Insist  VAy  ret«ra. 

^The  leltof^  which  the  lord  chancellof  upon  hia  owix  offer 
wroli  i(Mr  sae  to  Sif  Ralph  Ciare,^  he  gave  at  my  request  uur 
aeikd ;  and  ao  i  took  aL  copy  of  it  bMore  I  sent  it  away,  think* 
\^  the  chief  use  would  be  to  keep  it  aud  compare  i^  with  their 
distmg%  It  waa  as  foUoweth : 
ft<8i», 

^  M  a^m  a  little  out  of  cowtenaace^  that  after  the  dii^avery 

oi  tuoh  a  desire  in  his  majesty,  that  Mr.  Baxter  shc^ld  be  settUd 

in  Kidderminster,  as  he  was  heretofore^  and  my  promise  to  you 

i^the  king's  direction,  thait  Mr.  Dance  should  very  pmictually 

reeiive  a  reooflapenae  by  way  of  a  rent  upon,  his  or  your  bills 

charged  here  upon  my  steward,  Mr.  Baxter  hath  yet  no  fruit  of 

tUi  hia  m^iiasty'a  gopd  inteiKtion  t9wards  him  ;  so  that  he  hath 

tooBUieh  leasoa  to  believe  that  h#  is,  not  so  frankly  dealt  with 

is  this  particular  aa  he  deserves  to  be.     I  da  again  tell  you,  that 

it  wiU  be  very  acceptable  to  the  king  if  you  can  persuade  Mr.. 

Dance  to  surrender  that  charge  to  Mr.  Baxter;  and  iuth^  mean 

tim^  and  till  he  is  preferred  to.  as  profitable  an  employm.ent, 

whatever  agreement  you  shall  majic  with  him  for  an  annual  rent, 

it  ahaU  be  pmd  quarterly  upon  a  bill  from  you  charged  upon  my 

steward,  Mr.  Clutterbucke ;  and  for  the  exact  performance  of 

this,  you  may  securely   pawn  your  full   credit.     I   do   most 

earnestly  entreat  you^   that  you  will  with   all  speed   inform 

me  what  we  may  depend  upon  in  this  particular,  that  we  n^ay 

not  keep  Mr.  Baxter  in  suspense,  who  hath  deserved  very  well 

from  his  majesty,  and  of  whom  his  majesty  hath  a  very  good 

opmion ;  and  I  hope  you  will  not  be  the  less  desirous  to  comply 

with  him  for  the  particular  recommendation  of, 

" '  Sir, 
"  *  Your  very  affectionate  servant, 

"*  Edward  Hyde." 
^'  Can  any  thing  be  more  serious,  cordial,  and  obliging, 
than  all  this?  For  a  lord  chancellor,  that  hath  the  business  of 
the  kingdom  upon  his  hand,  and  lords  attending  him,  to  take 
up  his  time  so  much  and  often  about  so  low  a  vicarage  or  a 
curat  eship,  when  it  is.  npt  in  the  power  of  the  king  and  the 


220  THB  LIF^  AND  TIMBS 

lord  chancellor  to  procure  it  for  him^  though  they  §o  vehe- 
mently desire  it  ?  But,  oh  1  thought  I,  how  much  better  life 
do  poor  men  live,  who  speak  as  they  think,  and  do  as  they 
profess,  and  are  never  put  upon  such  shifts  as  these  for  thdr 
present  conveniences  !  Wonderful!  thought  I,  that  men  who 
do  so  much  overvalue  worldly  honour  and  esteem,  can  possiUy 
so  much  forget  futurity,  and  think  only  of  the  present  day,  as  if 
they  regarded  not  how  their  actions  be  judged  of  by  postmty. 
Notwithstanding  all  his  extraordinary  favour,  since  the  day  the 
king  came  in,  I  never  received,  as  his  chaplain,  or  as  a  preacher, 
or  on  any  account,  the  value  of  one  farthing  of  public  mainte- 
nance. So  that  I,  and  many  a  hundred  more,  had  not  had  a 
piece  of  bread  but  for  the  voluntary  contribution,  whilst  we 
preached,  of  another  sort  of  people :  yea,  while  I  had  all  this 
excess  of  favour,  I  would  have  taken  it  indeed  for  an  exceu, 
as  being  far  beyond  my  expectations,  if  they  would  but  hate 
given  me  liberty  to  preach  the  Gospel,  without  any  maintenance, 
and  leave  me  to  beg  my  bread/'^ 

There  is  something  very  singular  in  this  part  of  Baxter^s 
history.  Giving  Clarendon,  and  Charles,  who  also  appears  to 
have  been  a  party,  credit  for  sincerity  in  their  professed  friend- 
ship for  Baxter,  it  is  extraordinary  that  they  should  have  been 
defeated  by  the  management  of  the  '^old  civil  courtier,''  Sir 
Ralph,  or  the  wilely  bishop  of  Worcester,  Or.  Morley.  Yet, 
if  the  whole  was  only  designed  to  amuse  and  disappoint  Baxter, 
what  a  view  does  it  give  of  the  craft  and  duplicity  of  the  new 
government,  and  the  high  honour  of  the  cavaliers !  It  is  evi- 
dent, from  the  humour  with  which  Baxter  tells  the  story,  that 
he  was  convinced  the  whole  was  a  piece  of  artifice.  It  seems 
probable  that  Charles  and  Clarendon  would  have  been  willing 
that  he  should  get  back  to  Kidderminster,  but  the  bishop  was 
determined  he  should  not,  and  therefore  the  aifair  was  so 
managed  that  the  old  vicar  was  made  the  scape  goat.  So  little 
dependence  can  be  placed  on  the  promises  of  courts,  where  their 
own  interests  are  not  likely  to  be  served  by  the  parties ! 

"  A  little  after  this,  Sir  Ralph  Clare  and  otJiers  caused  the 
houses  of  the  people  of  the  town  of  Kidderminster  to  be 
searched  for  arms,  and  if  any  had  a  sword  it  was  taken  firom 
them.  Meeting  him  with  the  bishop,  I  desired  hini  to  tell  us 
why  his  neighbours  were  so  used,  as  if  he  would  have  made  the 
world  believe  they  were  seditious,  or  rebels,  or  dangerous  per- 

^  Life,  part  ii.  pp.  298-300, 


'     OF   RICHARD  fiAXtBR.  ^21 

oSy  that  should  be  treated  as  enemies  to  the  king.  He  answered 
e,  that  it  was  because  they  would  not  bring  out  their  arms 
hen  they  were  commknded^  but  said  they  had  none ;  whereas 
ley  had  arms  on  every  occasion  to  appear  on  the  behalf  of 
romwell.  This  great  disingenuity  of  so  ancient  a  gentleman 
awards  his  neighbours,  whom  he  pretended  kindness  to,  made 
e  break  forth  into  some  more  than  ordinary  freedom  of  re- 
!iMif ;  so  that  I  answered  him,  we  had  thought  our  condition 
ird,  that  by  strangers,  who  knew  us  not,  we  should  be  ordi- 
nily  traduced  and  misrepresented :  but  this  was. most  sad  and 
anrellous,  that  a  gentleman  so  civil,  should,  before  the  bishop, 
leak  such  words  against  a  corporation,  which  he  knew  I  was 
>le  to  confute,  and  were  so  contrary  to  truth.  I  asked  him 
hether  he  did  not  know  that  I  publicly  and  privately  spake 
^nat  the  usurpers,  and  declared  them  to  be  rebels ;  and 
hether  he  took  not  the  people  to  be  of  my  mind ;  and  whether 
and  they  had  not  hazarded  our  liberty  by  refusing  the  engage- 
tent  against  the  king,  and  House  of  Lords,  when  he  and  others 
'  his  mind  had  taken  it.  He  confessed  that  1  had  been  against 
romwell ;  but  the  people  had  always,  on  every  occasion,  ap- 
sared  in  arms  for  him.  I  told  him  that  he  struck  me  with  ad- 
iration,  that  it  should  be  possible  for  him  to  live  in  the  town, 
id  yet  believe  what  he  said  to  be  true,  or  yet  to  speak  it  in  our 
saring  if  he  knew  it  to  be  untrue.  I  professed  also  that  having 
red  there  sixteen  years  since  the  wars,  I  never  knew  that  they 
ace  appeared  in  arms  for  Cromwell,  or  any  usurper ;  and  chal* 
nged  him,  upon  his  word,  to  name  one.  I  could  not  get  him 
»  name  any  time,  till  I  had  urged  him  to  the  utmost ;  and 
len  he  instanced  in  the  time  when  the  Scots  army  fled  from 
Worcester.  I  challenged  him  to  name  one  man  of  them  that 
as  at  Worcester  fight,  or  bare  arms  there,  or  at  any  time  for 
le  usurpers :  and  when  he  could  name  none,  I  told  him  that 
1  that  was  done  to  my  knowledge  in  sixteen  years  of  that  time 
as  but  this,  that  when  the  Scots  fled  from  Worcester,  as  all  the 
)untry  sought  in  covetousness  to  catch  some  of  them  for  the 
ike  of  their  horses,  so  two  idle  rogues  of  Kidderminster,  that 
ever  communicated  with  me  any  more  than  he  did,  had  drawn 
?o  or  three  neighbours  with  them  in  the  night,  as  the  Scots 
sd,  to  catch  their  horses.  But  I  never  heard  of  three  that  they 
inght;  and  1  appealed  to  the  bishop  and  his  conscience,  whe- 
ler  he — that  being  urged,  couFd  name  no  more  but  this — did 
genuously  accuse  the  corporation,  magistrates,  and  people,  to 


222  TMB   LIFB  AND  TlMTItS 

have  appeared  on  all  occasions  in  arms  for  Cromwell  ?  WlMb 
they  had  no  more  to  say,  I  told  them  by  this  we  saw  what  mea- 
sures to  expect  from  strangers  of  his  mind,  when  he  titat  is  ottr 
neighbour,  and  noted  for  eminent  civility,  never  sticketh  to  speak 
such  things  even  of  a  people  among  whom  he  hath  still  lifed, 

'    '^  At  the  same  time,  about  twenty,  or  two- and- twenty  furi- 
ous fanatics,  called  fifth-monarchy  men,  consisting  of  one  Yenner, 
a  wine-cooper,  and  his  church  that  he  preached  unto,  being  trans- 
ported with  enthusiastic  pride,  did  rise  up  in  arms,  and  fought  in 
the  streets  like  madmen,  against  all  that  stood  in  their  wmy,  till 
there  were  some  killed,  and  the  rest  taken,  judged,  and  exeeatcd.' 
Iwrotea  letter  at  this  time  to  my  mother-in-law,  containing  no- 
thing but  our  usual  matter,  even  encouragements  to  her  In  hnr 
age  and  weakness,  fetched  from  the  nearness  of  her  rest,  togtthar 
with  the  report  of  this  news,  and  some  sharp  and  vehement  words 
against  the  rebels.    By  means  of  Sir  John  Packington,  or  his 
soldiers,  the  post  was  searched,  and  my  letter  intercepted,  opened 
and  revised,  and  by  Sir  John  sent  up  to  London  to  the  bishops, 
and  the  lord  chancellor.     It  was  a  wonder,  that  liaving  r^ 
it  they  were  not  ashamed  to  send  it  up ;  but  joyful  would  they 
have  been,  could  thev  have  found  but  a  word  in  it  which  cotild 
possibly  have  been  distorted  to  an  evil  sense,  that  malice  might 
have  had  its  prey.     I  went  to  the  lord  chancellor  and  com- 
plained of  this  usage,  and  that  I  had  not  the  common  liberty  d 
a  subject  to  converse  by  letters  with  my  own  family*     He  dis* 
owned  it,  and  blamed  men's  rashness,  but  excused  it  from  the 
distempers  of  the  times ;  yet  he  and  the  bishops  confessed  they 
had  seen  the  letter,  and  that  there  was  nothing  in  it  but  what 
was  good  and  pious.    Two  days  after,  came  the  Lord  Windsor, 
lord  lieutenant  of  the  county,  and  governor  of  Jamaica,  with 
Sir  Charles  Littleton,  the  king's  cup-bearer,  to  bring  roe  my 
letter  again  to  my  lodgings.     Lord  Windsor  told  me  the  lord 
chancellor  appointed  him  to  do  it;  so  after  some  expressioa 

^  Vennrr'fl  mad  iosMrrectiun  may  be  considered  as  the  lait  of  they^ftb* 
monarchy  system  for  many  years.  It  illustrates  the  leii|ctb  to  whieh  mm 
may  be  carried  by  adoptiui;  mikttikcn  views  of  Scriptare,  and  uf  tb€  principles 
urthe  kingdom  of  Christ.  It  is  quite  of  a  piece,  though  on  a  smaller  scale, 
with  the  conduct  of  the  Mun^ter  fanatics ;  and  ««as  a  most  unfortunate  occnr- 
rence,  not  merely  for  the  poor  deluded  individuals  themselves,  but  for  the 
country.  The  court  greedily  laid  hold  of  it  to  justify  the  adoptiou  of  measures 
to  crush  the  dissenters,  and  establish  a  standing  army,  by  which  the  arbitrary 
desif^ns  of  Charles  and  bis  new  g^overnmeot  might  be  effectually  accumplislied. 
-  Iftal,  It.  278-»280.  . 


of  Ibe  alMBe,  I  thanked  him  for  his  great  civility  and  favottr. 
B«i  I  taw  how  far  that  sort  of  men  were  to  be  trusted.''* 

Being  remored  from  his  beloyed  flock  in  Worcestershire,  and 
ncertain  whether  he  might  ever  return  to  them  or  not,  he.re^ 
hted  tp  take  any  other  charge,  but  preached  gratuitously  in 
London,  where  he  happened  to  be  invited.  When  he  had  done 
thb  above  a  year,  he  thought  a  fixed  place  was  better^  which 
led  him  to  join  Dr.  Bates,  at  St  Dunstan's  in  the  West,  where 
he  preached  once  a  week,  for  which  the  people  allowed  him  some 
maintenance.  Before  this  time  he  scarcely  ever  preached  a 
tcrmon  in  the  city,  but  he  had  accounts  from  Westminster  that 
he  had  preached  seditiously  or  against  the  government ;  when 
he  bad  neither  a  thouj^ht  nor  a  word  of  any  such  tendency* 
SomeUmes  he  preached  purposely  against  faction,  schism,  sedi* 
tioOf  and  rebellion,  and  those  sermons  also  were  reported  to  be 
fietioua  and  seditious.  Some  sermons  at  Covent  Garden  were 
•D  much  accused,  that  he  thought  it  necessary  to  print  them  in 
Us  own  defence.  Tliey  are  entitled  the  *  Formal  Hypocrite  Dt* 
tceted/  &c.  When  they  appeared,  he  heard  not  a  word  more 
againat  them.  The  accusations  against  him,  were,  in  general,  of 
ledition  and  faction,  and  speaking  against  the  church  j  but  not 
one  syllable  charged  of  a  particular  nature. 

^The  congregation  being  crowded,"  he  says,  ^was  that 
wUch  provoked  envy  to  accuse  me :  and  one  day  the  crowd  did 
drive  me  from  my  place.  It  fell  out  that  at  St.  Dunstan's  churchy 
in  the  midst  of  sermon,  a  little  lime  and  dust,  and  perhaps  a 
piece  of  a  brick  or  two,  fell  down  in  the  steeple  or  belfrey  near 
the  boys ;  so  that  they  thought  the  steeple  and  church  were  fall- 
ing ;  which  put  them  all  into  so  confused  a  haste  to  get  away, 
that  the  noise  of  their  feet  in  the  galleries  sounded  like  the 
falling  of  the  stones.  The  people  crowded  out  of  doors ;  the 
women  left  some  of  them  a  scarf,  and  some  a  shoe  l>ehind  them, 
tad  some  in  the  galleries  cast  themselves  down  upon  those  below, 
because  they  could  not  get  down  the  stairs.  I  sat  down  in  the 
polpit,  seeing  and  pitying  their  vain  distemper,  and  as  soon  as 
1  coMd  be  heard,  I  entreated  their  silence,  and  went  on.  The 
people  were  no  sooner  quieted  and  got  in  again,  and  the  audi- 
tory composed,  but  some  who  stood  upon  a  wainscot-bench, 
near  the  communion-table,  brake  the  bench  with' their  weight, 
so  that  the  noise  renewed  the  fear  again,  and  they  were  worse 
disordared  than  before.     One  old  woman  was  heard  at  the 

■  Life,  part  ii.  pp.  300, 301. 


2i4  THB  LIFB  AND  TllifiS 

church-door  asking  forgiveness  of  God  for  not  taking  the  first  warn- 
ing, and  promising,  if  God  would  deliver  her  this  once,  she  would 
take  heed  of  coming  hither  again.  When  they  were  again 
quieted  I  went  on;**  but  the  church  having  before  an  ill  name  as 
very  old,  rotten,  and  dangerous,  it  put  the  parish  upon  a  rescH 
lutTon  to  'pull  down  all  the  roof,  and  build  it  better,  which 
they  have  done  with  so  great  reparation  of  the  walls  and  stee-  * 
pie,  that  it  is  now  like  a  new  church  and  much  more  commo- 
dious for  the  hearers.^* 

^  While  the  church  was  repairing,  I  preached  out  my  quarter 
at  St.  Bride's,  at  the  other  end  of  Fleet  Street ;  where  the  com- 
mon prayer  being  used  by  the  curate  before  sermon,  I  occa- 
sioned abundance  to  be  at  common  prayer,  who  before  avoided 
it :  and  yet  my  accusations  still  continued.  On  the  week  days, 
Mr.  Ashurst,  with  about  twenty  citizens,  desired  me  to  preach  a 
lecture  in  Milk  Street ;  for  which  they  allowed  me  forty  pounds 
per  annum,  which  I  continued  near  a  year,  till  we  were  all  n- 
lenced.  At  the  same  time  I  preached  once  every  Lord's  day  at 
Biackfriars,  where  Mr.  Gibbons,  a  judicious  man,  was  minister. 
In  Milk  Street,  I  took  money,  because  it  came  not  from  the  parish- 
ioners, but  from  strangers,  and  so  was  no  wrong  to  the  minister, 
Mr.  Vincent,  a  very  holy,  blameless  man.  But  at  Biackfriars  I 
never  took  a  penny,  because  it  was  the  parishioners  who  called 
me,  who  would  else  be  less  able  and  ready  to  help  their  worthy 
pastor,  who  went  to  God  by  a  consumption,  a  little  after  he  was 
silenced  and  put  out.  At  these  two  churches  I  ended  the  course 
of  my  public  ministry,  unless  God  cause  an  undeserved  re8in<- 
rection.<> 

^'  Before  this,  I  resolved  to  go  to  the  archbishop  of  Canter* 
bury,  then  bishop  of  London,  to  ask  him  for  his  license  to  preach 
in  his  diocese.  Some  brethren  blamed  me  for  it,  as  being  an 
owning,  of  prelatical  usurpation.  I  told  them,  that  the  king 
had  given  him  a  power  to  suffer  or  hinder  me  in  my  duty,  be- 

*  This  is  a  remarkable  instance  of  the  composure  of  Baxter  in  very  alani- 
ing  circumstances ;  and  not  the  only  occasion  on  which  he  displayed  sremt  for- 
titude and  self-postession.  Dr.  Bates  tells  us,  when  the  confusion  was  oTcr» 
Baxter  rose  and  said,  **  We  are  in  the  service  of  God,  to  prepare  ourselves 
that  we  may  be  fearless  at  the  ^reat  noise  of  the  dissolving  world ;  when  the 
heavens  shall  pass  away,  and  the  elements  melt  with  fervent  heat." — M\mertil 
Sermon  for  Baiter,  Another  instance  of  alarm  occurred  when  he  wsi 
preachiog  at  the  place  over  the  market-house,  in  St.  James's ;  where  his  wife 
displayed  a  courage  and  presence  of  mind  equal  to  his  own, — lAft  ofhiiff^ft, 
pp.60,  61.  edit.i826. 

"*  IMt,  part  ii  pp.  301,  302. 


DF  IlfCHAR1>  BAXTER.  225 

Iiaving  power  as  the  church  magistrate  or  officer  of  the 
king;  and  though  I  was  under  no  necessity,  I  would  not  refuse 
a  lawful  thing,  when  authority  required  it.  The  archbishop 
received  me  with  very  great  expression  of  respect,  offered  me 
his  license,  and  would  let  his  secretary  take  no  money  of  me. 
Bat  when  he  offered  me  the  book  to  subscribe  in,  I  told  him  that 
he  knew  the  king's  declaration  exempted  us  from  subscription. 
He  bade  me  write  wh^t  I  would  :  I  told  him  what  I  resolved^ 
and  what  I  thought  meet  of  him  to  expect,  I  would  do  of 
choice,  though  I  might  forbear.  And  so,  in  Latin,  I  subscribed 
my  promise  not  to  preach  against  the  doctrine  of  the  church,  or 
the  ceremonies  established  by  law  in  his  diocese,  while  I  used 
his  license.  I  told  him  also  how  grievous  it  was  to  me  to  be 
daily  taunted  with  such  general  accusations  behind  my  back, 
and  asked  him  why  I  was  never  accused  of  any  particulars. 
He  confessed  to  me,  that  if  they  had  got  any  particulars  that 
would  have  deserved  notice,  I  should  have  heard  particularly 
from  him.  I  scarce  think  that  ever  I  preached  a  sermon  without 
tspy  to  give  them  his  report  of  it.P 

*^  Shortly  after  our  disputation  at  the  Savoy,  I  went  to  Rick- 
nansworth,  in-Hertfordshire,  and  preached  there  but  once,  from 
Matt  xxii.  1 2,  ^  And  he  was  speechless.'  I  spake  not  a  word  that 
was  any  nearer  kin  to  sedition,  or  that  had  any  greater  tendency 
to  provoke  them,  than  by  showing  that  wicked  men,  and  the 
refusers  of  grace,  however  they  may  now  have  many  things  to 
uy  to  excuse  their  sin,  will,  at  last,  be  speechless,  and  not  dare 
stand  to  their  wickedness  before  God.  Yet  did  the  bishop  of 
Worcester  tell  me,  when  he  silenced  me,  that  the  bishop  of 
London  had  showed  him  letters  from  one  of  the  hearers,  assur- 
ing him  that  I  preached  seditiously.  So  little  security  was  any 
man's  innocency,  who  displeased  the  bishops,  to  his  reputation 
with  that  party,  if  he  had  but  one  auditor  that  desired  to  get 
favoar  by  accusing  him.  A  multitude  of  such  experiences 
made  me  perceive,  when  I  was  silenced,  that  there  was  some 
mercy  in  it,  in  the  midst  of  judgment;  for  I  should  scarcely 
bave  preached  a  sermon,  or  put  up  a  prayer  to  God,  which  one 
or  other,  through  malice  or  hope  of  favour,  would  not  have 
l)een  tempted  to  accuse  as  guilty  of  some  heinous  crime.*i 

**  Soon  after  my  return  to  London,  I  went  into  Worcester- 
Aire,  to  try  whether  it  were  possible  to  have  any  honest  terms 

'  Life,  part  i.  p.  302.  «  Ibid.  p.  374. 

VOL.  I.  Q 


226  THB  LIFE  AKD  TIaIB^ 

from  the  redding  vicair  there,  that  I  might  preach  td  tiiy  fonUte 
flock  ;  but  when  I  had  preached  twice  or  thrice^  he  detiid  me 
liberty  to  preach  any  more.  I  offered  then  to  take  my  lecturCi 
which  he  was  bound  to  allow 'me,  under  a  bond  of  £500;  but  he 
refused  it.  I  next  offered  to  be  his  curate^  and  he  tofused 
it.  I  then  offered  to  preach  for  nothing,  and  he  refused  itt 
and,  lastly,  I  desired  leave  but  once  to  administer  the  sacrament 
to  the  people,  and  preach  my  farewell  sermon  to  them  ;  biit  he 
would  not  consent.  At  last,  I  understood  that  he  was  directed 
by  his  superiors  to  do  what  he  did  :  but  Mr.  Biddwin^  an  able 
preacher,  whom  I  left  there,  was  yet  permitted. 

'^  At  that  time,  my  aged  father  lying  in  great  pain  of  the 
stone  and  strangury,  I  went  to  visit  him,  twenty  miles  further : 
and  while  I  was  there,  Mr.  Baldwin  came  to  me,  and  told  IM 
that  he  also  was  forbidden  to  preach.  We  returned  both  to  Kid- 
derminster, and  having  a  lecture  at  Shiffnal  in  the  ^kyf  I 
preached  there,  and  staid  not  to  bear  the  evening  sermon,  be- 
cause I  would  make  haste  to  the  bishop.  It  fell  out  that  my 
turn  at  another  lecture  was  on  the  same  day  with  thftt  at  Shiff- 
tial,  viz.,  at  Cleobury,  in  Shropshire;  and  many  were  met 
in  expectation  to  hear  me.  But  a  company  of  soldier^  went 
there,  as  the  country  thought,  to  have  apprehended  me ;  who 
shut  the  doors  against  the  ministers  that  would  have  preached 
in  my  stead,  bringing  a  command  to  the  churchwarden  to  hin- 
der any  one  who  had  not  got  a  license  from  the  bishop ;  so  that 
the  poor  people  who  had  come  from  far,  were  fain  to  go  hoBM 
with  grieved  hearts. 

"  The  next  day  it  was  confidently  reported,  that  a  certain 
knight  offered  the  bishop  his  troop  to  apprehend  me,  if  I  offered 
to  preach :  and  the  people  dissuaded  me  from  going  to  the 
bishop,  supposing  my  liberty  in  danger.  I  went  that  morn- 
ing, with  Mr.  Baldwin,  and  in  the  hearing  of  him  ^  and  Dr. 
Warmestry,  then  dean  of  Worcester,  I  reminded  the  bishop  of 
his  promise  to  grant  me  his  license,  &c.,  but  he  refused  me 
liberty  to  preach  in  his  diocese ;  though  I  offered  to  preach  only 
oil  the  Creed,  the  Lord's-prayer,  and  the  Ten  Commandments^ 
catechistical  principles,  and  only  to  such  as  had  no  preaching. 

"  Bishop  Morley  told  me  when  he  silenced  me,  that  he  woold 
take  care  that  the  people  should  be  no  losers,  but  should  be 
taught  as  well  as  they  were  by  me.  When  I  was  gone,  he  gM 
awhile  a  few  scandalous  men,  with  some  that  were  more  civil  to 
keep  up  the  lecture,  till  the  paucity  of  their  auditors  gave  them 


W  ttfciaAAD  ^Axtfi^  ^2f 

i  pAtetiee  to  put  it  down.  He  came  hitiidelf  one  d&y  and 
preached  a  long  invective  against  them  and  me  as  Presbyte- 
rians, and  I  know  not  what;  so  that  the  people  wondered 
that  a  man  would  venture  to  come  up  into  a  pulpit  and  speak 
8o  confidently  to  those  he  knew  not,  the  things  which  they 
commonly  knew  to  be  untrue.  But  this  sermon  was  no  far  froni 
winning  any  of  them  to  the  estimation  of  their  new  bishop,  ot 
caring  what  he  called  the  admiration  of  my  person,  which  wad 
his  great  endeavour,  that  they  were  mUch  confirmed  in  thei^ 
former  judgments.  But  still  the  bishop  looked  at  Kiddermin* 
ster  as  a  factious,  schismatical,  Presbyterian  people,  that  must  be 
cured  of  their  overvaluing  of  me,  and  then  they  would  be  cured 
of  all  the  rest.  Whereas  if  he  had  lived  vrith  them  the  twenti- 
eth part  so  long  as  I  had  done,  he  would  have  known  that  they 
were  neither  Presbyterians,  nor  factious,  nor  schismatical,  nof 
seditions;  but  a  people  that  quietly  followed  their  hard  labour; 
learned  the  holy  Scriptures,  lived  a  holy,  blameless  life,  in 
humility  and  peace  with  all  men,  and  never  had  any  sect  or 
separated  party  among  them,  but  abhorred  all  faction  and  sidings 
in  religion,  and  lived  in  love  and  Christian  unity. 

^  When  the  bishop  was  gone,  the  dean  came  and  preached 
about  three  hours  to  cure  them  of  the  admiration  of  my  person; 
and  a  month  after  came  again  and  preached  over  the  same,  per- 
suading the  people  that  they  were  Presbyterians,  and  schismati-^ 
cal,  and  were  led  to  it  by  their  overvaluing  of  me.  The  people 
admired  the  temerity  of  these  men,  and  really  thought  that  they 
were  scarce  well  in  their  wits,  who  would  go  on  to  speak  things 
so  far  from  truth,  of  men  whom  they  never  knew,  and  that  td 
their  own  faces.  Many  have  gone  about  by  backbiting  to  makd 
people  believe  a  false  report  of  others,  but  few  will  think  to 
persuade  men  to  believe  it  of  themselves,  who  know  the  matter 
much  better  than  the  reprover  doth.  Yet  beside  all  this,  their 
lectnrers  went  on  in  the  same  strain ;  and  one  Mr.  Pitt,  who 
lived  in  Sir  John  Packington's  house  with  Dr.  Hammond,  was 
often  at  this  work,  being  of  the  judgmerit  and  spirit  of  Dr. 
Gunnings  and  Dr.  Peirce,  calling  them  Presbyterians,  rebellious^ 
serpents,  and  generation  of  vipers,  unlikely  to  escape  the  damna- 
tion of  hell,  yet  not  knowing  his  accusation  to  be  true  of  one 
man  of  them.  For  there  was  but  one,  if  one  Presbyterian  in  the 
town;  the  plain  honest  people  minding  nothing  but  piety, 
unity,  charity,  and  their  callings.  This  dealing,  instead  of  win- 
ning them  to  the  preacher,  drove  them  from  the  JectUre,  and 

^  o 


228  TAB  LIFE  AND  TIMB8 

then^  as  I  siud^  they  accused  the  people'of  deserting  it,  and  put 
it  down. 

^^  In  place  of  this  ordinary  preacher,  they  set  tip  one,  of  the 
best  parts  they  could  get,  who  was  far  from  what  his  patrons 
spake  him  to  be ;  he  was  quickly  weary  and  went  away.  They 
next  set  up  a  poor  dry  man,  who  had  been  a  schoolmaster  near 
ns,  and  ajfter  a  little  time  he  died.  They  then  took  another 
course,  and  set  up  a  young  man,  the  best  they  could  get,  who 
took  the  contrary  way  to  the  first,  over  applauded  me  in  the 
pulpit,  spoke  well  of  themselves,  and  used  them  kindly.  They 
were  naturally  glad  of  one  that  had  some  charity.  Thus  the 
bishop  used  that  flock,  who  say  that  till  then  they  never  knew 
so  well  what  a  bishop  was,  or  were  before  so  guilty  of.  that 
dislike  of  Episcopacy  of  which  they  were  so  frequently  and 
vehemently  accused.  I  heard  not  of  one  person  among  them, 
who  was  won  to  the  love  of  prelacy  or  formality  after  my 
removal.' 

'^  Having  parted  with  my  dear  flock,  I  need  not  say  with 
mutual  sense  and  tears,  I  left  Mr.  Baldwin  to  live  privately  among 
them  and  oversee  them  in  my  stead,  and  visit  them  from  house 
to  house ;  advising  them,  notwithstanding  all  the  injuries  they 
had  received,  and  all  the  failings  of  the  ministers  that  preached 
to  them,  and  the  defects  of  the  present  way  of  worship,  that  thejr 
should  keep  to  the  public  assemblies  and  make  use  of  such  helps 
as  might  be  had  in  public,  together  with  their  private  helps. 
Only  in  three  cases  they  ought  to  absent  themselves.  When 
the  minister  was  one  that  was  utterly  insufficient,  as  not  being 
able  to  teach  them  the  articles  of  the  faith  and  esseiftials  of  true 
religion ;  such  as,  alas  !  they  had  known  to  their  sorrow.  When 
the  minister  preached  any  heresy,  or  doctrine  which  was  directly 
contrary  to  some  article  of  the  faith,  or  necessary  part  of  godli** 
ness.  When  in  the  application  he  set  himself  against  the  ends 
of  his  office,  to  make  a  holy  life  seem  odious,  to  keep  men 
from  it,  and  to  promote  the  interests  of  Satan ;  yet  not  to  take 
every  bitter  reflection  upon  themselves  or  others,  occasioned  hj 
difference  of  opinion  or  interest,  to  be  a  sufficient  cause  to  say 
that  the  minister  preacheth  against  godliness,  or  to  withdraw 
themselves."  ■ 

**  When  the  Act  of  Uniformity  was  passed,  it  gave  the  ministers 
who  could  not  conform,  no  longer  time  than  till  Bartholomew's 

»  Life,  part  i«  pp,  374^376.  •  Ibid.  p.  376. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTERf  Q2S 

flay^  August  24, 1662,  and  then  they  must  be  all  cast  out.  This^ 
fatal  day  called  to  remembrance  the  French  massacre,  when  on 
the  same  day  thirty  or  forty  thousand  Protestants  perished  by 
Roman  religious  zeal  and  charity.  I  had  no  place  of  my  own ; 
but  I  preached  twice  a  week,  by  request,  in  other  men's  congre- 
gations, at  Milk  Street  and  Blackfriars.  The  last  sermon  that 
I  preached  in  public  was  on  May  25,  The  reasons  why  I  gave 
over  sooner  than  most  others  were,  because  lawyers  did  interpret 
a  doubtful  clause  in  the  act,  as  ending  the  liberty  of  lecturers  at 
tliat  time  ;•  because  I  would  let  authority  soon  know  that  I  in- 
tended to  obey  in  all  that  was  lawful ;  because  I  would  let  all 
ministers  in  England  understand  in  time^  whether  I  intended  to 
conform  or  not :  for,  had  I  staid  to  the  last  day,  some  would 
have  conformed  the  sooner,  from  a  supposition  that  1  intended 
it.  These,  with  other  reasons,  moved  me  to  cease  three  months 
before  Bartholomew  day,  which  many  ensured  for  awhile^  but^ 
afterwards,  better  saw  the  reasons  of  it/*  * 

Thus  ended  Baxter's  ministry  in  the  church  of  England. 
Most  persons  will  probably  think  that  he  carried  his  conscien- 
tious scruples  too  far ;  and  that  he  might,  at  least,  have  con- 
tinued his  labours  till  he  was  obliged  to  desist.  The  reasons 
assigned  for  his  conduct,  however,  possess  considerable  force ; 
but,  whether  they  are  approved  or  npt,  all  must  respect  the  man 
who  was  capable  of  acting  in  so  noble  and  disinterested  a  man- 
ner. He  carried  his  deference  for  authority  in  this  case  farther 
than  he  might  have  done ;  but  his  example  probably  led  others 
to  act  in  the  same  decided  manner  when  the  fatal  day  arrived, 
who  might  have  hesitated  had  there  been  a  doubt  how  such  a 
man  as  Baxter  whs  likely  to  act. 

The  Act  of  Uniformity,  for  which  the  country  was  indebted 
chiefly  to  Hyde  and  Sheldon,  by  which  two  thousand  of  the  most 
excellent  ministers  of  the  church  of  England  were  ejected  from 
their  livings,  took  effect,  as  stated  by  Baxter,  on  Bartholomew's 
day,  August  24,  1662.  Every  thing  practicable,  and  consistent 
with  what  they  regarded  as  the  will  of  God  and  the  rights  of  con- 
science, had  been  done  by  the  leaders  of  the  Nonconformists,  to 
prevent  the  passing  of  this  act,  or  to  procure  some  modification 
of  its  provisions;  but  all  was  in  vain.  Hatred  of  the  noncon- 
forming clergy^  a  desire  to  be  revenged  for  the  wrongs  which  it 

^  Itife^  part  ii.  p.  384. 


999  TB^  tIFB  Al^p  TIMB4 

|va8  "conceived  they  had  done  to  the  church,  and  the  tupppetd 
necessity  of  the  times,  urged  forward  the  royal  and  episcopal 
party,  flushed  with  recent  success,  and  eager  to  secure  the  ad- 
vantage which  they  had  acquired. 

To  many,  it  may  seem  as  if  the  Nonconformists  brought  their 
ejection  on  themselves  by  their  needless  scruples.  This  was 
the  charge  made  against  them  at  the  time,  and  in  which  many 
churchmen,  and  all  who  value  ease,  honour,  or  emolument,  more 
than  conscience,  continue  to  join.  Tliose,  however,^ who  con- 
sider themselves  bound  to  follow  the  revealed  law  of  Heaven  in 
all  matters  of  religion,  and  to  submit  to  their  fellow-creatures 
only  in  things  accordant  with  that  law,  or  which  are  left  unde- 
termined by  it,  will  judge  very  diiferently  the  conduct  of  these 
sincere .  confessors. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  all  the  ejected  ministers  were 
of  the  same  mind  on  every  point  in  which  their  separation  from 
the  church  was  involved  ;  on  the  contrary,  they  differed  consi- 
derably from  each  other,  though  they  agreed  generally  in  the 
unlawfulness  of  submitting  on  the  terms  which  were  proposed 
to  them.  Some  laid  the  chief  stress  on  one  point,  others  on  | 
different  one ;  some  would  have  gone  a  considerable  length  iQ 
submitting  to  authority ;  others  objected  more  decidedly  to  its 
exercise.  Some  were,  perhaps,  influenced  by  public  opinion, 
and  regard  to  consistency ;  while  the  great  majority  appear  to 
have  acted  from  a  conscientious  regard  to  duty  on  the  one  hand, 
and  fear  of  evil  on  the  other. 

The  things  imposed  on  them,  if  they  would  keep  their  liv- 
ings or  lectureships,  or  any  post  of  service  in  the  esti^blished 
church,  were  the  following : — ^They  must  submit  to  be  re-or- 
dained^ if  not  episcopally  ordained  before.  They  must  dedars 
their  unfeigned  assent  and  consent  to  all  and  every  thing  con- 
tained and  prescribed  in  and  by  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer, 
and  administration  of  the  sacraments,  and  othef  rites  aqd  cere- 
monies of  the  church  of  England ;  together  with  the  Psalt^ 
and  the  form  or  manner  of  making,  ordaining,  and  consecratii^ 
bishops,  priests,  and  deacons,  &c.;  to  which  was  attached  an 
equivalent  subscription.  They  must  take  the  oath  of  canonical 
obedience,  and  promise  subjection  to  their  ordinary,  according  to 
the  canons  of  the  church.  They  must  abjure  the  solemn  league 
and  covenant ;  and  they  must  also  abjure  the  taking  of  arms, 
upon  any  pretence  whatsoever,  against  the  king,  or  any  one 
commissioned  by  him,  .  These  things  were  all  strictly  enjoined 


iriduNit  my  thing  to  qualify  or  soften  thcnii  or  room  left  for  a 
d|9peiiaatioo.  So  that  if  a  man  scrupled  but  at  one  pointj 
though  he  could  have  complied  with  all  the  rest,  he  was  as  cer- 
taiply  ejected  as  if  he  had  disputed  the  whole." 

Those  who  wish  to  examine  the  full  weight  of  these  five 
points,  must  consult  the  Tenth  Chapter  of  Dr.  Calamy's  '  Abridg- 
m^nty'  in  which  that  learned  divine  illustrates,  at  great  length, 
their  bearing  on  many  important  matters,  and  supports,  by  rea- 
sonings which  have  never  been  fairly  met,  the  justifiable  secession 
of  the  Nonconformists  from  the  church  of  England,  on  those 
grounds.  The  conditions  were  so  framed,  that,  independently 
of  religious  considerations,  it  was  impossible  men  of  principle, 
vhp  had  taken  an  active  part  in  the  former  changes,  or  who 
hud  approved  of  those  changes,  could  submit  to  them.  They 
•xtei^ded  to  son^e  things  by  an  almost  wanton  stretch  of  au- 
thority, and  involved  a  total  departure  from  all  just  views  of 
civil  liberty,  the  cause  of  wjiich  must  be  regarded  as  virtually 
flbaodoned  by  those  who  submitted  to  them.  AH  the  temporal 
ipterests  of  the  ejected  party  were  on  the  side  of  compliance 
with  the  requirements  of  authority ;  whatever,  therefore,  may 
he  thought  of  their  judgment,  every  candid  individual  will  give 
them  full  credit  for  sincerity. 

But  it  is  not  necessary  to  rest  the  defence  of  the  Noncon- 
formist Confessors  on  this  ground.  They  were  not  a  body  of 
weak,  well-meaning  men,  for  whose  conscientiousness  we  may 
entertiun  a  very  high  respect,  while  we  have  little  reverence  for 
their  understanding.  The  leading  individuals  who  influenced  their 
brethren,  were  not  only  a  match,  but  an  over- match  for  their 
i^ponents.  Among  the  churchmen  of  the  day,  there  were  none 
superior,  i^s  scholars  and  divines,  to  Calamy,  Bates,  Owen,  Howe, 
Paxter,  and  many  others  who  could  be  mentioned.  They  were  as 
capable  of  forming  enlarged  and  comprehensive  views  of  truth 
l^ld  duty,  as  Pearson,  Gunning,  Morley,  or  any  other  of  their 
episcopal  adversaries;  while,  as  it  regards  the  evidences  of 
Christian  character  and  devotedness,  there  are  few  of  the  class 
6om  which  they  seceded,  who  will  admit  of  being  compared 
with  them. 

It  is  alleged,  that  the  points  on  which  they  differed  were,  in 
themselves,  of  very  inferior  importance,  and  therefore  to  create 
so  much  altercation,  and  cause  so  extensive  a  division  about 

■  Calamy,  vol.  i.  p.  196. 


232  THB  LIFE  ANDl  TIMBf 

them,  are  proofs  of  narrow-mindedness  and  illiberality*  It  is 
demanded  often  in  a  tone  of  triumph,  whether  the  things  te* 
quired  were  in  themselves  sinful ;  if  not  sinful,  it  is  inferred  they 
must  be  innocent;  and  hence  the  folly  and  impropriety  of  dis* 
puting  about  them  is  ascertained. 

To  all  this  it  has  been  replied,  that  if  the  things  referred  to 
are  so  unimportant  in  themselves,  why  were  they  not  viewed 
so  by  the  imposers,  as  well  as  by  the  refusers  ?  It  must  have 
been  worse,  on  this  principle,  to  impose  such  things,  than  to  re- 
sist their  imposition.  In  fact,  this  was  the  grand  matter  of  dis* 
pute  between  the  parties.  Importance  and  magnitude  were 
given  to /the  points  in  debate,  by  the  very  circumstance  of  their 
being  enforced  by  human  authority,  and  that  implicit  obedience 
to  them  was  required  from  all.  It  was  not  so  much  a  question, 
whether  a  prescribed  form  of  prayer  might  be  used  in  public,  at 
whether  no  prayer  should  ever  be  employed  but  that  form ;  and 
that  without  deviation  in  all  circumstances.  It  was  not  whether 
the  cross  in  baptism  might  be  used  by  those  who  approved  of 
it ;  but  whether  any  child  should  he  baptised,  unless  the  minis* 
ter  and  the  parents  both  agreed  to  employ  it.  It  was  not, 
whether  men  might  observe  the  Lord's-supper  kneeling;  but 
whether  the  Lord's-supper  should  be  refused  to  all  who  would 
not  kneel.  The  same  kind  of  remark  will  apply  to  all  the  other 
matters  under  discussion  between  the  church  and  the  Noncon- 
formists, at  this  time. 

Now,  will  any  man  who  has  the  least  regard  for  conscience, 
or  for  common  sense,  aver,  that  these  were  questions  of  a  trifling 
or  unimportant  nature  ?  It  is  obvious,  on  the  contrary,  that  thef 
embrace  the  very  first  principles  of  religious  obligation,  and  lie 
at  the  root  of  all  enlightened  views  of  our  duty  to  God,  and  of 
what  constitutes  acceptable  obedience  in  his  sight.  In  answer 
to  the  inquiry,  how  far  the  things  required  were  themselves 
sinful ;  it  may  be  said,  many  of  the  Nonconformists  believed 
them  to  be  so:  and  if  this  was  their  belief,  though  they  had  been 
mistaken,  they  were  not  only  justified  in  refiising  compliance, 
but  bound  to  do  so,  at  all  hazards.  They  regarded  them  as 
human  additions  to  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  Christ;  as 
imposed  without  authority  from  him ;  as  calculated  to  inter- 
fere with  the  obedience  which  they  owed  to  him  alone  in 
all  matters  of  religion  ;  as  popish  in  their  origin  and  tendency; 
and  as  destructive  of  that  liberty  with  which  Christ  has  made 
his  people  free.    The  controversy,  therefore,  was  not  about  a 


OF  AICHABB  SAXTBRf.  233^ 

km  trifling  dreamstances  or  adjuncts ;  it  was  a  grand,  struggle 
tor  principle,  liberty,  and  the  honour  of  Christ. 

I  am  aware  it  may  be  said,  that  all  the  Nonconformists  did 
not  clearly  understand  these  principles  themselves,  and  would  not 
have  been  averse  to  impose  in  their  turn.  What  then  ?  does  it 
bUow  that  they  had  not  truth  or  right  on  their  side,  when  they 
were  obliged  to  contend  for  principles  in  reference  to  them- 
idves,  the  full  extent  of  whose  operation  they  did  not  clearly 
nnderstand  ?  Certainly  not.  The  principles  which  they  endea-* 
roored  to  maintain,  and  for  which  many  of  them  suffered  the 
loss' of  all  things,  are  those  of  eternal  and  immutable  truth ;  and 
the  men  who  contributed  to  clear  off  even  a  part  of  the  rubbish 
in  which  they  had  long  been  buried,  however  imperfect  they 
may  have  been  in  some  respects,  are  entitled  to  our  deepest 
reverence.  . 

To  do  justice  to  those  men,  we  ought  to  place  ourselves  in^ 
their  circumstances.     Suppose  that  the  rulers  of  the  church  of 
England  were  now  to  determine,  ^  That,  on  or  before  the  24th 
of  August,  1830,  the  present  occupants  of  livings,  curacies,  &c., 
diall  subscribe  a  declaration,  engaging  themselves  to  baptise 
M>  child  without  the  employment  of  salt,  oil,  and  spittle,  as  a 
part  of  the  ordinance  of  baptism ;  to  administer  the  Lord's- 
wpper  to  those  only  who  should  previously  bow  to  the  sacred 
chalice,  and  submit  to  a  bread  wafer  being  put  upon  their 
tongues/  What  would  the  serious  clergy  of  the  church  think  of 
sach  a  demand  ?  Would  they  submit  to  it,  as  a  just  exercise  of 
ecclesiastical  authority  ?  Would  they^not,  to  a  man,  abandon 
their  livings,  rather  than  allow  their  consciences  thus  to  be 
kirded  over  and  defiled  ?  Or,  if  they  submitted  to  such  exactions, 
would  they  not  be  justly  regarded  by  their  flocks  and  countrymen, 
as  traitors  and  time-servers  ?     Would  not  any  one  who  should 
speak  of  such  a  controversy  as  unimportant,  or  as  relating  merely 
to  a  few  innocent  circumstances,  in  no  respect  affecting  the  na- 
ture of  the  ordinances  of  Christ,  be  considered  as  an  imperti- 
nent trifler  ?     Yet  this  supposed  case  is  not  stronger  than  that 
of  the  Nonconformists.  They  were  placed  in  this  very  situation, 
and  viewed  the  condition  to  which  they  were  obliged  to  sub- 
mit, as  a  similar  interference  would  now  be  regarded. 

The  injustice  and  cruelty  of  the  Bartholomew  act,  are 
strikingly  apparent  in  two  circumstances.  It  was  designed  to 
operate  as  SLpost-facio  law.  Had  it  been  merely  prospective  in 
its  operation,  something  more  might  have  been  alleged  in  its 


%^  TBI  USB  ANB  TIHXfti 

favour  than  can  nov  be  c^one*  A  gr«at  multitude  of  the  miiusf 
ters  of  the  church,  had  obtained  possession  of  their  livings  while 
no  such  conformity  was  either  required  or  considered  necetsary. 
Many  of  them,  indeed,  would  not  have  entered  the  church  at 
all,  if  such  conditions  had  been  prescribed  at  their  entrance,  or 
their  enactment  afterwards  anticipated.  To  pass  a  law,  theo, 
which  should  compel  all  those  persons,  either  to  violate  their 
consciences,  or  to  abandon  stations  of  usefulness,  and  the 
honourable  means  of  living,  was  roost  flagrant  injustice. 

But  even  this  is  not  all  the  hardship  of  the  case.  ^80 
great,"  says  Locke,  *^  was  the  zeal  in  carrying  on  this  church 
affair,  and  so  blind  was  the  obedience  required,  that  if  you  conn 
pute  the  time  of  passing  this  act,  with  the  time  allowed  for  tbfi 
clergy  to  subscribe  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  thereby  esta- 
blished ;  you  shall  plainly  find,  it  could  not  be  printed  and  dis- 
tributed, so  as  one  man  in  forty  could  have  seen  and  read  the 
book  they  did  so  perfectly  assent  and  consent  to/*^ 
.  When  these  facta  are  considered,  instead  of  being  smrprised 
that  two  thousand  ministers  preferred  leaving  the  church 
rather  than  submit  to  such  conditions,  it  is  more  surprising  thai 
the  many  thousands  who  remained,  should  have  found  means  of 
reconciling  their  consciences  to  the  terms.  It  is  not  so  much 
to  the  honour  of  the  Nonconformists,  that  they  left  the  church) 
as  i(  is  to  the  disgrace  of  the  Conformists,  that  they  continued 
in  it.  Had  they,  as  a  body,  resisted  the  iniquitous  measure,  it 
must  have  been  abandoned.  But  their  tame  submission  in  this 
instance,  prepared  the  court  to  make  further  encroachments,  and 
to  expect  implicit  obedience  from  the  clergy,  to  whatever  should 
be  enacted.  Such  tergiversation  and  inconsistency  on  the  part 
of  ministers  of  religion,  must  have  had  a  most  injurious  in* 
fluence  on  the  minds  of  worldly  men  ;  who  could  not  have  any 
respect  for  those  who  so  decidedly  discovered  that  they  looked 
^^  more  to  the  things  which  were  seen  and  temporal,  than  to  the 
things  which  are  unseen  and  eternal."  Not  a  few  of  theip  weie 
JH9  divinum  Prelatists  in  the  time  of  Charles  I ;  took  the  Pres- 
byterian covenant  under  the  Long  Parliament;  submitted  tpthe 

>  Locke's  Works,  x.  203, 204.  The  Act  of  Untfonnity  was  passed  on  the  13lh 
of  May,  1662.  AU  the  ministers  of  the  church  were  required  to  subscribe  and 
conform  before  the  24th  of  August  following.  It  is  certain  the  Commoo 
Prayer-book,  with  the  alterations  and  amendments  made  by  the  Convocatioo, 
did  not  leave  the  prest  till  a  few  days  before  the  24  th  of  Au^st;  it  was  tbero- 
fpre  UDposf ible  the  great  bodjf  of  the  ministers  could  possess  the  bqok. 


py  tfCBA8J>  SAKTlBj  888 

Ittdcptujhot  €iigag«Dient ;  and  once  more  M^ent^  vid  cont 
aoitMi  to  an  altered  prayer-book,  which  they  had  never  seisn.Y 

The  effects  resulting  both  to  the  Nonconformists  and  tq  the 
aatim  from  their  ejection,  were  of  a  melancholy  descriptipnf 
lllfiiltitudes  of  ministers  and  their  families  were  involved  in  great 
distress  and  poverty.  Few  qf  them  had  any  independent  prp« 
per^;  and  those  to  whom  they  afterwards  ministered,  when 
they  had,  an  opportunity,  were  generally  poor,  and  therefore 
little  able  to  assist  them.  They  were  not  only  driven  ont  of  the 
cbnrch,  but  persecuted  after  they  were  out.  Their  usefulness 
was  curtailed;  and,  in  many  instances,  entirely  destroyed • 
The  churches  they  vacated  were  generally  supplied  by  men  of 
very  different  principles  and  spirit  from  themselves.  The  estab- 
lished church  was  converted  into  a  mass  of  frigid,  outward  uni- 
formity, destitute  of  the  vitality  of  genuine  religion ;  and  more 
than  a  century  elapsed  before  it  recovered  from  the  effects  of 
this  almost  fatal  blow. 

Out  of  evil,  however,  the  Most  High  joften  educes  good, 
without  removing  the  blame  from  its  authqra.  This  was  the 
case  in  regard  to  the  Bartholomew  Section.  If  they  who, 
imitating  the  vicar  of  Bray,  change  with  every  change  of  the 
times,  harden  men  in  wickedness  and  infidelity,  the  contrary 
practice  must,  by  the  divine  blessing,  produce  an  opposite 
effect.  The  testimony  to  the  value  of  truth  and  the  rights  of 
conscience,  borne  by  two  thousand  men  voluntarily  suffering  the 
loss  of  their  livings,  their  worldly  respectability,  and  all  hope  of 
preferment,  could  not  have  been  altogether  in  vain.  Their 
patience  and  fortitude  under  suffering,  with  their  blameless  lives, 
^ded  powerfully  to  the  weight  of  their  preaching;  so  that  many 
of  them  were  probably  as  useful  without,  as  ever  they  had  been 
within,  the  pale  of  the  church.  Besides,  what  they  endured 
contributed  greatly  to  the  ultimate  triumph  of  civil  and  religious 
freedom.  ^Fhey  were  the  instruments  of  forming  an  extensive 
body  of  dissenters  in  all  parts  of  the  kingdom,  by  whose  means 
chiefly  the  power  of  religion  was  preserved  from  destruction  for 
many  years,  and  to  whom  the  country  has  been  indebted  for 

7  This  conduct  of  the  clerg^y  led  Locke  to  say  of  them,  "  The  clergy  rea- 
dily complied  with  the  Bartbulomew  act;  for  you  know  that  sort  of  men  are 
taught  ntber  to  obey  than  understand ;  and  to  use  that  learning  they  have,  to 
]astify»  not  to  examine  what  their  superiors  command." — Letter  to  a  Person 
of  QuaUtjff  WorU^  z.  2U2.  Could  a  greater  reproach  be  uttered  against  the 
abuiiterf  of  rdigion  ? 


^S  JOB  UfE  AVD  TIMBf 

more  blessings  than  will  ever  be  known  or  acknowledged  inihit 
world.* 

Shortly  after  the  Bartholomew  ejection,  an  event  of  great 
importance  occurred  in  the  history  of  Baxter,  and  which  appears 
to  have  made  considerable  noise ;  I  refer  to  his  marriage.  Some 
time  before  it  took  place,  he  tells  us  it  was  reported,  and  ^^  rung 
about  every  where,  partly  as  a  wonder,  and  partly  as  a  crime; 
and  that  the  king's  marriage  was  scarcely  more  talked  of  than 
his/'  For  this,  he  had  no  doubt  furnished  some  occasion  by  the 
manner  in  which  he  had  expressed  himself  respecting  ministers 
marrying ;  which  he  considered  barely  lawful,  and  had  for  many 
years,  while  engaged  in  the  most  laborious  part  of  his  ministry, 
dispensed  with  it  himself.  He  was  now  considerably  advanced 
in  life,  being  in  his  forty-seventh  year.    His  habits  were  formed, 

*  It  is  deplorable  to  find  such  a  man  as  Mr.  Southey,  attempting  to  defend 
or  paUiate  the  ioiquity  and  impolicy  of  this  wicked  act.  "  The  measare,**  he 
says,  "  was  complained  of  as  ao  act  of  enormous  cruelty  and  persecution ;  and 
the  circumstance  of  its  being  fixed  for  St.  Bartholomew's  day,  ghrt  the 
complainants  occasion  to  compare  it  with  the  atrocious  deed  committed  upon 
that  day  ag^ainst  the  Huguenots  in  France.  They  were  careful  not  to  remem* 
ber,  that  the  same  day,  and  for  the  same  reason  (because  the  tithes  wert 
commonly  due  at  Michaelmas),  had  been  appointed  for  the  former  ejectiiieBl» 
when  four  times  as  many  of  the  loyal  clergy  were  deprived  for  fidelity  to  their 
sovereign.  No  small  proportion  of  the  present  sufferers  had  obtained  their 
preferments  by  means  of  that  tyrannical  deprivation ;  they  did  but  now  drink 
of  the  cup  which  they  had  administered  to  others." — Bo^k  of  the  Ok«rdl» 
ii.  467. 

Seldom  has  a  larger  portion  of  misstatement  been  compi^essed  into  so  Imail 
a  space  as  in  the  above  passage.  It  would  have  been  obliging,  if  the  learned 
author  had  produced  his  authorities  for  his  assertions.  But  these  are  care- 
fully suppressed  throughout  the  work.  Hallam  remarks  on  the  passage 
respecting  Bartholomew's  day  :  <'  That  the  day  was  chosen  in  order  to  deprive 
the  incumbent  of  a  whole  year's  tithes,  Mr.  Southey  has  learned  from  Burnet; 
and  it  aggravates  the  cruelty  of  the  proceeding.  But  where  has  he  found  his 
precedent  ?  The  Anglican  clergy  were  ejected  for  refusing  the  covenant  at  no 
one  definite  period,  as,  on  reflection,  Mr.  Southey  would  be  aware  ;  nor  can  I 
find  any  one  parliamentary  ordinance  in  Husband's  collection,  that  mentiooi 
St.  Bartholomew's  day.  '  There  was  a  precedent,  indeed,  in  that  case,  which 
the  government  of  Charles  did  not  choose  to  follow.  One-fifth  of  the  incone. 
had  been  reserved  for  the  dispossessed  incumbents."—  Constitutional  UitUrf 
of  England,  ii.  460,  note. 

But  this  is  not  the  only  misrepresentation  in  the  above  passage.  Sontbcjr 
asserts  that /our  times  the  number  of  the  ministers  had  been  ejected  of  "  the 
loyal  clergy,"  as  he  is  pleased  to  denominate  them.  Eight  thousand  minis- 
ters of  the  church  formerly  dispossessed  of  their  livings!  And  for  whatf 
For  their  loyalty  to  their  sovereign !  And  by  whom  ?  By  the  Nonooo- 
formist  ministers,  who  were  only  now  drinking  the  cup  which  they  bad  given 
to  others  !  The  historian  of  the  church  is  really  unbounded  in  his  demandc 
on  the  confidence  of  his  readers,  when  he  expects  them  to  receive  such  mon- 
strous things  on  bis  bare  authority. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBB«  237 

his  inlirmities  of  body  manyi  and  the  peculiarities  of  his  views  and 
dispositions  such,  as  not  to  afford  great  encouragement  to  hope 
that  an  individual  would  easily  be  found  with  whom  an  alliance 
could  be  formed  likely  to  be  productive  of  lasting  comfort  to  both 
parties.  Such  a  person,  however,  was  found,  who  appears  to 
have  been  eminently  fitted  to  promote  the  happiness  and  aid  the 
usefulness  of  this  excellent  man.  From  what  he  calls  ^^  a  Bre- 
mte  of  her  life/'  which  will  be  noticed  in  another  place,  I 
extract  at  present  a  few  particulars. 

''  We  were  bom  in  the  same  county,  within  three  miles  and 
B  half  of  each  other,  but  she  of  one  of  the  chief  families  in  the 
county,  and  I  but  of  a  mean  freeholder,  called  a  gentleman,  for 
his  ancestors*  sake.  Her  father,  Francis  Charlton,  esq.,  was  one 
of  the  best  justices  of  the  peace  in  that  county,  a  grave  and 
worthy  man,  who  did  not  marry  till  he  was  aged  and  gray,  and 
died  while  his  children  were  very  young.  There  were  three  of 
them,  of  which  the  eldest  daughter  and  the  only  son  are  yet 
alive.  He  had  one  surviving  brother,  who,  after  the  father's 
death,  maintain^  a  long  and  costly  suit  about  the  guardianship 
of  the  heir.  This  uncle,  Robert,  was  a  comely,  sober,  gentle- 
man ;  but  the  wise  and  good  mother,  Mary,  durst  not  trust  her 
only  son  in  the  hands  of  one  that  was  his  next  heir ;  and  she 
thouglit  that  nature  gave  her  a  greater  interest  in  him  than  an 
uncle  had.  This  was  in  the  heat  of  the  late  civil  war,  and  Robert, 
being  for  the  parliament,  had  the  advantage  of  strength,  which 
put  her  to  seek  relief  at  Oxford  from  the  king,  and  afterwards 
to  marry  one  Mr.  Hanmer,  who  was  for  the  king,  to  make  her 
interest  that  way.  Her  house,  being  a  sort  of  small  castle,  was 
then  garrisoned  for  the  king.  At  last  Robert  procured  it  to 
be  besieged  by  the  parliament's  soldiers,  stormed  and  taken  \ 
where  the  mother  and  the  children  saw  part  of  the  buildings 
burnt,  and  some  lie  dead  before  their  eyes  j  and  so  Robert  got 
possession  of  the  children. 

*'  Afterwards^  however,  she,  by  great  wisdom  and  diligence, 
surprised  them,  secretly  conveyed  them  to  Mr.  Bernard's,  in 
Essex,  and  secured  them  against  all  his  endeavours.  The  wars 
being  ended,  and  she,  as  guardian,  possessing  her  son*s  estate, 
took  him  to  herself,  and  used  his  estate  as  carefully  as  for  herself; 
but  out  of  it  conscientiously  paid  the  debts  of  her  husband,  re- 
paired some  of  the  ruined  houses,  and  managed  things  faith- 
fully, according  to  her  best  discretion^  until  her  son  marrying^ 
took  his  estate  into  his  own  hands. 


S6S  4i»^  tiift  And  fiiillte 

^  She,  being  before  unknown  to  vA^,  came  to  KiddMhimter^ 
desiring  me  to  take  a  house  for  her  alone.  I  told  her  that  I 
Would  not  be  guilty  of  doing  any  thing  which  should  separate 
a  mother  from  an  ohly  son,  who  in  hi^  youth  had  so  much  tteM 
of  her  counsel,  conduct,  and  comfort ;  and  that  if  passion  in  her, 
or  any  fault  in  him,  had  caused  a  diflference,  the  love  which 
brought  her  through  so  iiiuch  trouble  for  him,  should  teaeh  h^ 
patience.  She  went  home,  but  shortly  came  again,  and  Ukk  i 
house  without  my  knowledge. 

^'  When  she  had  been  there  alone  awhile,  her  unmarned 
daughter,  Margaret^  then  about  seventeen  or  eighteen  years  at 
age,  came  after  her  from  her  brother's,  resolving  liot  to  forsake 
the  mother  who  deserved  her  dearest  love ;  though  soroetimel 
she  went  to  Oxford  to  her  eldest  sister,  wife  to  Mr.  Ambrose  Up- 
ton, then  canon  of  Christ-church.  At  this  time,  the  good  old 
motlier  lived  as  a  blessing  among  the  honest  poor  weavers  d 
Kidderminster,  strangers  to  her,  whose  company  for  their  piety 
she  chose  before  all  the  vanities  of  the  world.  In  which  time,  my 
acquaintance  with  her  made  me  know,  that  notwithstanding  she 
had  been  formerly  somewhat  passionate,  she  was  a  woman  of 
tnanly  patience  in  her  great  trials  ;  of  prudence,  piety,  justice^ 
impartiality,  and  other  virtues,"  • 

The  preaching  of  Baxter  appears  to  have  been  useful  to 
Miss  Charlton.  It  produced  very  powerful  impressions,  and  the 
deepest  distress  of  mind,  which  he  was  called  to  assist  in  re- 
lieving. She  became,  in  due  time,  an  eminent  Christian,  and 
in  all  respects  worthy  to  be  the  wife  of  Richard  Baxter.  But 
We  must  give  his  own  account  of  the  marriage,  and  a  few  par- 
ticulars respecting  his  wife. 

^^The  unsuitableness  of  our  age,  and  my  former  known  pur- 
poses against  marriage  and  against  the  conveniency  of  minis- 
ters marrying,  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,  and  the  many  strange  occurrences  which 
brought  it  to  pass,  would  take  away  the  wonder  of  her  friends  and 
mine  that  knew  us ;  and  the  notice  of  it  would  much  conduce  to 
the  understanding  of  some  other  passages  of  our  lives  ;  yet  frise 

•  Life  of  Mrs.  Baxter,  p.  1 — 3. 

^  As  nearly  as  I  can  calcolate  from  incidental  circumstanctfi,  the  afe  of 
Mrs.  Baxter,  at  the  time  of  her  marriage,  must  have  been  about  twenty-two  or 
twenty-three.  Her  husband,  as  has  already  been  stated,  was  in  bis  forty- 
Itventh  yea'r.  There  was  some  room^  therefore^  for  remark  on  the  dispari^ 
of  their  ages. 


Irieiias^  by  wliom  I  am  advised,  think  it  bettet  to  bin  it  flueh  peN 
sdiial  particularities^  at  least  at  this  time.  Both  in  her  case 
and  mine  there  was  much  extraordinary,  which  it  doth  not 
concern  the  iilrorld  to  be  acquainted  with.  From  the  iir^t 
thoughts  of  it,  many  changes  and  stoppages  intervened,  and 
long  delays,  till  I  was  silenced  and  ejected ;  and  so  being  sepa*^ 
rated  from  my  old  pastoral  charge,  which  was  enough  to  take 
ap  all  my  time  and  labour,  some  of  my  dissuading  reasons  wer^ 
then  over.  At  last,  on  September  10,  1662,  we  were  mar- 
ried in  Bennet-Fink  church,  by  Mr.  Samuel  Clark,  having  been 
before  contracted  by  Mr.  Simeon  Ash,  both  in  the  presence  of 
Mr.  Henry  Asharst  and  Mrs.  Ash. 

^  She  consented  to  these  conditions  of  oUr  marriage :  first, 
that  I  should  have  nothing  that  before  our  marriage  was  hers } 
that  I  who  wanted  no  earthly  supplies,  might  not  seem  to  marry 
her  for  covetousness.  Secondly,  that  she  would  so  alter  her 
affaita,  that  I  might  be  entangled  in  no  lawsuits,  l^irdly,  that 
she  would  expect  none  of  my  time  which  my  ministerial  work 
should  require. 

^When  we  were  married,  her  sadness  and  melancholy  va- 
nished; counsel  did  something  to  it,  and  contentment  some* 
thirig ;  and^  being  taken  up  with  our  household  affairs  did 
somewhat.  We  lived  in  inviolated  love,  and  mutual  compla-^ 
cency,  sensible  of  the  benefit  of  mutual  help,  nearly  nine- 
teen years.  I  know  not  that  ever  we  had  any  breach  in  point 
of  love,  or  point  of  interest,  save  only  that  she  somewhat 
grudged  that  I  had  persuaded  her  for  my  quietness  to  surrender 
so  much  of  her  estate,  to  the  disabling  her  from  helping  others 
so  much  as  she  earnestly  desired. 

'^  But  that  even  this  was  not  from  a  covetous  mind,  is  evident 
by  these  instances.  Though  her  portion,  which  was  two  thou- 
sand pounds  beside  what  she  gave  up,  was  by  ill  debtors  two 
hundred  pounds  lost  in  her  mother's  time,  and  two  hundred 
pounds  after,  before  her  marriage ;  and  all  she  had,  reduced  to 
about  one  thousand  six  hundred  and  fifty  pounds,  yet  she  never 
grudged  at  any  thing  that  the  poverty  of  debtors  deprived  her 
of."  ^ 

The  married  life  of  Baxter,  owing  to  the  state  of  the  times, 
was  a  very  unsettled  one.  During  a  great  part  of  it,  he  might 
literally  be  said  ^^  to  have  had  no  certain  dwelling-place."  They 

<  Life  of  Mrs.  Baxter^  pp.  49—53. 


240  THB  LIFE  AKD  TIMB8 

fint  took  a  house  in  Moorfields,  then  they  removed  to  Acton} 
after  that  to  another  there;  and  after  that,  he  says,  ^^  we  were 
put  to  remove  to  one  of  the  former  again ;  and  after  that  to 
divers  others  in  another  place  and  county/*  ^^The  women/' 
he  quietly  remarks,  ^'  have  most  of  that  sort  of  trouble^  but  my 
wife  easily  bore  it  all." 

We  shall  have  occasion  to  speak  of  Mrs.  Baxter  again ;  in 
the  mean  time,  we  must  return  to  the  more  public  events  of  hi^ 
husband's  life  and  times.  Referring  to  the  statement  already 
given  of  the  causes  and  immediate  consequences  of  the  act  of 
uniformity,  he  thus  proceeds  in  his  personal  narrative. 

^^  Having  got  past  Bartholomew's  day,  I  proceed  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  consequent  calamities.  When  I  was  absent,  resolv- 
ing to  meddle  in  such  businesses  no  more,  Mr.  Calamy  and  the 
other  ministers  of  London  who  had  acquaintances  at  court, 
were  put  in  hope  the  king  would  grant  that  by  way  of  indul- 
gence, which  was  formerly  denied  them ;  and  that  before  the 
act  was  passed,  it  might  be  provided  that  the  king  should  have 
power  to  dispense  with  such  as  deserved  well  of  him  in  his  re- 
storation, or  whom  he  pleased  :  but  all  was  frustrated.  After 
this,  they  were  told  that  the  king  had  power  himself  to  dispenie 
in  such  cases,  as  he  did  with  the  Dutch  and  French  churches, 
and  some  kind  of  petition  they  drew  up  to  offer  the  king :  but 
when  they  had  done  it,  they  were  so  far  from  procuring  their 
desires,  that  there  fled  abroad  grievous  threatenings  against 
them,  that  they  should  incur  a  premunire  for  such  a  bold 
attempt.  When  they  were  drawn  to  it  at  first,  they  did  it  wiA  ' 
much  hesitancy,  and  they  worded  it  so  cautiously,  that  it  ex- 
tended not  to  the  Papists.  Some  of  the  Independents  presumed 
to  say,  that  the  reason  why  all  our  addresses  for  liberty  had  not 
succeeded,  was  because  we  did  not  extend  it  to  the  Papists; 
that  for  their  parts,  they  saw  no  reason  why  the  Papists  should 
not  have  liberty  of  worship  as  well  as  others  3  and  that  it  was 
better  for  them  to  have  it,  than  for  all  of  us  to  go  without  it^ 
But  the  Presbyterians  still  answered,  that  the  king  might  him- 
self do  what  he  pleased ;  and  if  his  wisdom  thought  meet  to 
give  liberty  to  the  Papists,  let  the  Papists  petition  for  it  as  we 
did  for  ours  3  but  if  it  were  expected  that  we  should  be  forced  to 

'  It  18  gratifying^  to  find  that  such  were  the  opinions  of  some  of  the  Inde- 
pendenU  of  this  time.  It  shows,  that  correct  views  of  religious  liberty  were 
stUl  to  be  found  in  that  body,  though  much  can  be  said  in  vindication  of  the 
conduct  of  the  Presbyterianf* 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  241 

become  petitioners  for  liberty  to  Popery,  we  should  never  do  it, 
whatever  be  the  issue ;  nor  should  it  be  said  to  be  our  work. 

"On  the  26th  December,  1662,  the  king  sent  forth  a  de- 
daration,  expressing  his  purpose  to  grant  some  indulgence  or 
liberty  in  religion,  with  other  matters,  not  excluding  the  Papists, 
many  of  whom  had  deserved  so  well  of  him.  When  this  came 
out,  the  ejected  ministers  began  to  think  more  confidently  of 
some  indulgence  to  themselves.  Mr.  Nye,  also,  and  some 
other  of  the  Independents,  were  encouraged  to  go  to  the  king, 
and,  when  they  came  back,  told  us,  that  he  was  now  resolved  to 
^ve  them  liberty.  On  the  second  of  January,  Mr.  Nye  came  to 
me,  to  treat  about  our  owning  the  king's  declaration,  by  re- 
toming  him  thanks  for  it ;  when  I  perceived  that  it  was  design- 
ed that  we  must  be  the  desirers  or  procurers  of  it ;  but  I  told 
him  my  resolution  to  meddle  no  more  in  such  matters,  having 
incurred  already  so  much  hatred  and  displeasure  by  endeavouring 
imity.  The  rest  of  the  ministers  also  had  enough  of  it,  and  re- 
solved that  they  would  not  meddle  ;  so  that  Mr.  Nye  and  his 
brethren  thought  it  partly  owing  to  us  that  they  missed  their 
intended  liberty.  But  all  were  averse  to  have  any  thing  to  do 
with  the  indulgence  or  toleration  of  the  Papists,  thinking  it  at 
least  unfit  for  them.''  ^ 

However  we  may  be  disposed  to  blame  the  conduct  of  the 
Nonconformists  towards  the  Roman  Catholics  on  this  occasion, 
great  allowance  must  be  made  for  them,  considering  the  circum- 
stances in  which  they  were  placed.  No  favour  shown  by  the 
court  to  the  Catholics  was  intended  to  operate  beneficially  on 
the  Nonconformists.  It  was  not  love  for  liberty,  but  the  de- 
sire to  promote  arbitrary  power,  that  dictated  all  the  measures 
which  then  seemed  to  confer  common  privileges  on  Catholics  and 
Protestant  dissenters.  All  the  leanings  of  the  court  were  in 
favour  of  a  system  which  was  not  less  inimical  to  constitutional 
freedom  than  it  was  opposed  to  the  interests  of  true  religion. 
On-  these  accounts,  the  Nonconformists  were  willing  to  endure 
temporary  privations  and  persecutions  rather  than,  through 
impatience  to  get  rid  of  them,  perpetuate  the  civil  and  reli- 
gious degradation  of  the  country ;  which  would  certainly  follow 
on  the  establishment  of  Popery. 

The  personal  narrative  of  Baxter  abounds  with  notices, 
more  or  less  in  extent  and  interest,  of  numerous  Confessors 
among  the  ejected  ministers.    To  introduce  them  all,  would 

•  Life,  part  ii.pp.  429,  430. 
VOL.  I.  R 


i49  TBk'  ttPB  AND  TIMSS 

be  impiiicticable  within  the  limits  of  this  work.  But  Wi*fe  they 
entireljr  omitted,  injustice  would  he  done  to  th^  memoty  of  those 
holy  men^  who  suffered  for  conscience'  sake ;  and  an  imperfect 
impression  would  be  left  of  the  state  of  the  period.  I  have  already 
introduced  statesmen  and  politicians  ;  soldiers  and  churchmen. 
I  must  now  make  room  for  Baxter's  sketch  of  two  Noncon^ 
formists^  who  died  shortly  after  the  enforcement  of  the  aet. 

*^  Good  old  Simeon  Ash  was  buried  on  the  eve  of  Barthob^ 
mew  day,  and  went  seasonably  to  heaven  at  the  very  time  Wheii 
he  was  to  be  cast  out  of  the  church.  He  was  one  of  our  old- 
est Nonconformists ;  a  Christian  of  primitive  simplicity ;  not 
made  for  controversy,  nor  inclined  to  disputes,  but  of  a  holy  life) 
a  cheerful  mind,  and  of  a  fluent  elegancy  in  prayer;  foil  of 
matter  and  excellent  words.  His  ordinary  speech  was  holf 
and  edifying.  Being  much  confined  by  the  gout,  aiid  hkmj^ 
a  good  estate  and  a  very  good  wife^  inclined  to  entertah- 
ments  and  liberality,  his  house  was  very  much  freqtiented  by 
ministers.  He  was  always  cheerful,  without  profose  laughter  or 
levity :  never  troubled  with  doubtings  of  his  interest  in  Christ, 
but  tasting  the  continual  love  of  God,  was  much  disposed  to 
the  communicating  of  it  to  others,  and  the  comforting  of  de^ 
jected  souls.  His  eminent  sincerity  made  him  exceedingly  loved 
and  honoured;  insomuch  that  Mr.  Gataker,  Mf.  Whittaker, 
and  others,  the  most  excellent  divines  of  London,  when  they 
went  to  God>  desired  him  to  preach  their  funeral  sermons.  He 
was  Eealous  for  bringing  in  the  king.  Having  been  chaplain  to 
the  Earl  of  Manchester  in  the  wars,  he  fell  under  the  obloquy 
of  the  Cromwellians,  for  crossing  their  designs.  He  wrote  to 
Colonel  Sanders,  Colonel  Barton,  and  others  in  the  army.  When 
Monk  came  in  to  engage  them  for  the  king. 

^^  Having  preached  his*  lecture  in  Comhill,  being  heated,  he 
caught  cold  in  the  vestry,  and  thinking  it  would  prove  but  one 
of  his  old  fits  of  the  gout,  he  went  toHighgate,  where  it  tamed  to 
a  fever.  He  died  as  he  lived,  in  great  consolation,  and  cheer- 
ful exercise  of  faith,  molested  with  no  fears  or  doubts  dtsoemi- 
ble;  exceedingly  glad  of  the  company  of  his  friends,  and 
greatly  encouraging  all  about  him  with  his  joyfiil  expressions  in 
respect  of  death  and  his  approaching  change ;  so  that  no  man 
could  seem  to  be  more  fearless  of  it.  When  he  had,  towards 
the  last,  lain  speechless  for  some  time,  as  soon  as  I  came  to  Mm, 
gladness  so  excited  his  spirits,  that  he  spake  joyfully  and  freely 
of  his  going  to  God,  to  those  about  him.    I  staid  with  him  h^ 


OV  AICHARD  ttAXTBIL  348 

iit  evenifig^  till  we  had  long  expected  his  change^  being  speech-^ 
less  all  that  day)  and  in  the  night  he  departed/ 

'^  On  the  first  of  January  following  was  buried  good  Mr. 
James  Nalton,  another  minister  of  primitive  sincerity :  a  good 
linguist,  a  zealous,  excellent  preacher,  commonly  called  the 
fSHfimg  prcphetj  because  his  seriousness  oft  expressed  itself  by 
tears;  of  a  most  holy,  blameless  life;  and  Uiough  learned, 
greatly  averse  to  controversy  and  dispute.  In  almost  all  things 
he  was  like  Mr.  Asli,  except  his  natural  temper,  and  the  influ- 
ence it  had  upon  his  soul ;  both  of  them  so  composed  of  humi^ 
lity,  piety,  and  innocence,  that  no  enemy  of  godliness  that 
knew  them  had  a  word  to  say  agfunst  them.  They  were  scorned 
as  Puritans,  like  their  brethren,  but  escaped  all  the  particular 
exceptions  and  obloquy  which  many  others  uuderwenU  Dut  as 
one  was  cheerful,  so  the  other  was  from  his  youth  surprised 
with  violent  fits  of  melancholy  once  in  every  few  years  \  which, 
though  it  distracted  him  not,  yet  kept  him,  till  it  was  over,  in 
a  most  despondent  state.  In  his  health  he  was  over  humble, 
and  had  too  mean  thoughts  of  himself  and  all  that  was  his  own, 
and  never  put  out  himself  among  his  brethren  into  any  employ- 
ment which  had  the  least  show  of  ostentation.  Less  than  a 
year  before  his  deaths  he  fell  into  a  grievous  fit  of  melancholy, 
in  which  he  was  so  confident  of  his  gracelessness,  that  he  Usually 
cried  out  ^  O,  not  one  spark  of  grace,  not  one  good  desire  or 
thought  1  I  can  no  more  pray  than  a  post.  If  an  angel  from 
heaven  would  tell  me  that  I  have  true  grace,  I  would  not  believe 
him.'  And  yet  at  that  time  did  he  pray  very  well;  and  I  could 
demonstrate  his  sincerity  so  much  to  him  in  his  desires  and  life, 
that  he  had  not  a  word  to  say  against  it,  but  yet  was  harping 
still  on  the  same  string,  and  would  hardly  be  persuaded  that 
he  was  melancholy.  It  pleased  God  to  recover  him  from  this 
fir,  and  shortly  after  he  confessed  that  what  I  said  was  true, 
that  his  despair  Mras  all  the  effect  of  melancholy  ;  and  rejoiced 
much  in  God's  deliverance.  Shortly  after  this  came  out 
the  Bartholomew  Act,  which  cast  him  out  of  his  place  and 
ministry,  and  his  heart  being  troubled  with  the  sad  case 
of  the  church,  and  the  multitude  of  ministers  cast  out  and 
sileneed,  and  at  his  own  unserviceableness,  it  roused  his  melan-* 
choly,  which  began  also  to  work  with  some  fears  of  want  and 
his  family's  distress ;  all  which  cast  him  so  low,  that  the  violence 

'  Mr,  Alb  was  one  of  the  nuDisters  engaged  at  the  Savoy  conference,  but 
penonally  took  little  part  in  tht  dlfcnttiod. 

r2 


244^  THE   LIFE  AND  TIMES 

of  it  wore  him  away  like  a  true  marasmus.  So  that  without  any 
other  disease,  but  mere  melancholy,  he  consumed  to  death, 
continuing  still  his  sad  despondency  and  self-condemning  views. 
By  which  it  appeareth  how  little  judgment  is  to  be  made  of  a 
man's  condition  by  his  melancholy  apprehensions,  or  the  sad- 
ness of  his  mind  at  death ;  and  in  what  a  different  manner  men 
of  the  same  eminency  in  holiness  and  sincerity  may  go  to  God, 
Which  I  have  the  rather  showed  by  the  instance  of  those  two 
saints,. than  whom  this  age  hath  scarce  produced  and  setup  a 
pair  more  pious,  humble,  just,  sincere,  laborious  in  their  well- 
performed  work,  unblamable  in  their  lives,  not  meddling  with 
state  matters,  nor  secular  affairs,  and  therefore  well  spoken  of 
by  all."  « 

Such  is  a  specimen  of  the  men,  whom  the  leaders  of  the  church 
of  England  thought  it  needful  to  eject  from  the  office  of  the  mi- 
nistry, because  they  could  not  submit  to  the  exercise  of  an  un- 
righteous authority.  Such  were  some  of  the  fathers  of  Non- 
conformity. ITie  church  and  the  world  were  not  worthy  of 
them,  but  they  were  counted  worthy  not  only  to  believe,  but 
also  to  suffer  for  the  sake  of  Christ }  and  their  names  will  be 
held  in  everlasting  remembrance. 

The  intolerable  hardships  which  many  excellent  men  were 
called  to  endure,  it  is  not  possible  fully  to  exhibit.  They  were 
harassed  and  tormented  by  all  sorts  of  interferences,  even  when 
they  could  escape  fines  and  imprisonment.  The  following  may 
be  regarded  as  a  specimen. 

"  As  we  were  forbidden  to  preach,  so  we  were  vigilantly 
watched  in  private,  that  we  might  not  exhort  one  another,  of 
pray  together ;  and,  as  I  foretold  them  oft,  how  they  would  use  us 
when  they  had  silenced  us,  every  meeting  for  prayer  was  called 
a  dangerous  meeting  for  sedition,  or  a  conventicle  at  least.  I 
will  now  give  but  one  instance  of  their  kindness  to  myself.  One 
Mr.  Beale,  in  Hatton  Garden,  having.a  son,  his  only  child,  who 
being  long  sick  of  a  dangerous  fever  was  brought  so  low  that 
the  physicians  thought  he  would  die,  desired  a  few  friends, 
of  whom  I  was  one,  to  meet  at  his  house  to  pray  for  him.  Be- 
cause it  pleased  God  to  hear  our  prayers,  and  that  very  night  to 
restore  him ;  his  mother  shortly  after  falling  sick  of  a  fever,  we 
were  desired  to  meet  to  pray  for  her  recovery,  the  last  day  when 
she  was  near  to  death.    Among  those  who  were  to  be  there,  it 

i  Life,  part  ii.  p.  430, 431. 


OF   RICHARD  BAXTER.  245 

fell  oat  that  Dr.  Bates  and  I  did  fail  them,  and  could  not  come; 
bat  it  was  known  at  Westminster^  that  we  were  appointed  to  be 
tbere^  whereupon  two  justices  of  the  peace  were  procured  from 
the  distant  parts  of  the  towu^  one  from  Westminster  and  one 
from  Clerkenwell,  to  come  with  the  parliament's  serjeant  at 
arms  to  apprehend  us.  They  came  in  the  evenings  when  part 
of  the  company  were  gone.  There  were  then  only  a  few  of 
their  kindred,  beside  two  or  three  ministers  to  pray.  They 
came  upon  them  into  the  room  where  the  gentlewoman  lay 
ready  to  die,  drew  the  curtains,  and  took  some  of  their 
names ;  but,  missing  their  prey,  returned  disappointed.  What 
a  joy  would  it  have  been  to  them  that  reproached  us  as  Presby- 
terian, seditious  schismatics,  to  have  found  but  such  an  occa- 
sion as  praying  with  a  dying  woman,  to  have  laid  us  up  in 
prison  !  Yet,  that  same  week,  there  was  published,  a  witty,  ma- 
licious invective  against  the  silenced  ministers ;  in  which  it  was 
affirmed,  that  Dr.  Bates  and  1  were  at  Mr.  Beale's  house,  such  a 
day,  keeping  a  conventicle.  The  liar  had  so  much  extraor- 
dinary modesty  as,  within  a  day  or  two,  to  print  a  second  edi- 
tion, in  which  those  words,  so  easy  to  be  disproved,  were  left 
out.   Such  eyes  were  every  where  then  lifted  upon  us."  ^ 

In  the  beginning  of  June,  1663,  the  old,  peaceable  archbishop 
of  Canterbury,  Dr.  Juxon,  died;  and  was  succeeded  by  Dr. 
Gilbert  Sheldon,  bishop  of  London.  Juxon  was  a  very  respect- 
able prelate,  and  worthy  of  the  character  which  is  given  him 
by  Baxter.  His  conduct  during  the  trying  period  of  the  civil 
wars,  exhibited  great  moderation.  Jie  attended  Charles  I.  on 
the  scaffold,  and  received  his  last  commands  in  the  emphatical 
word,  ^^  Rembmbbr/'  At  the  Restoration,  he  was  made  arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury;  and  crowned  Charles  II.;  by  whom  he 
appears  to  have  been  not  greatly  respected.  He  seems  to  have 
been  an  amiable  man,  but  had  no  great  energy  of  mind.  Sheldon 
was  his  superior  for  learning  and  talents ;  dexterous  in  business, 
and  a  thorough  courtier  ;  but  more  of  a  politician  than  is  con- 
sistent with  integrity  of  character  and  religious  principle.  He 
was  an  implacable  enemy  of  the  Nonconformists. 

^^  About  these  times,  the  talk  of  liberty  to  the  silenced 
ministers,  for  what  end,  I  know  not,  was  revived  again,  and 
we  were. blamed  by  many  that  we  had  never  once  petitioned  the 
parliament ;  for  which  we  had  sufficient  reasons.  It  was  said, 
that  they  were  resolved  to  grant  us  either  an  indulgence  by  way 

^  Uie,  )>art  u.  p.  431, 432. 


348  TBI  LI{B  ANB  TIII18 

of  dispeniation,  or  a  comprehension  by  itome  additional  apt} 
taking  in  all  that  could  conform  in  some  particular  pointSt 
Hereupon  there  was  great  talk  about  the  question*  whether  the 
way  of  indulgence  or  the  way  of  comprehension  was  the  more 
desirable.  It  was  debated  as  seriously,  as  if,  indeed,  such 
a  thing  as  one  of  them  had  been  expected.  And  parUameot 
men  themselves  persuaded  us  that  it  would  be  done. 

^'  For  my  own  part,  I  meddled  but  little  with  any  such  busier 
ness,  since  the  failing  of  that  which  incurred  so  much  displea^ 
sure :  and  the  rather,  because  though  the  brethren  commis- 
feionad  with  me  stuck  to  me  as  to  the  cause,  yet  they  wertt 
not  forward  enough  to  bear  their  part  of  the  ungrateful  ma- 
nagement, nor  of  the  consequent  displeasure.  But  yet,  when 
an  honourable  person  was  earnest  with  me,  to  give  him  my 
judgment,  whether  the  way  of  indulgence  or  comprehension 
was  the  more  desirable,  that  he  might  discern  which  way  to  go 
in  parliament  himself,  1  gave  him  my  mind,  though  I  thought  it 
was  to  little  purpose.^ 

*^  Instead  of  indulgence  and  comprehension,  on  the  last  day 
of  June,  1668,  the  bill  against  private  meetings  for  rdigiooi 
exercises  passed  the  House  of  Commons,  and  shortly  after  was 
made  a  law.  The  sum  of  it  was,  ^  that  every  person  above 
sixteen  years  old,  who  should  be  present  at  any  meeting  under 
colour  or  pretence  of  any  exercise  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  household, 
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  England  or  Vif* 
ginia.'  The  calamity  of  the  act,  beside  the  main  matter,  waS| 
that  it  was  made  so  ambiguous,  that  no  man  that  ever  I  net 
with  could  tell  what  was  a  violation  of  it,  and  what  not ;  not 
knowing  what  was  allowed  by  the  liturgy  or  practice  of  the 
church  of  England  in  families,  because  the  liturgy  meddleth  not 
with  families ;  and  among  the  diversity  of  family  practice,  no 
man  knoweth  what  to  call  the  practice  of  the  church.  Too 
much  power  was  given  to  the  justices  of  the  peace  to  re* 
cord  a  man  an  offender  without  a  jury,  and  if  he  did  it  care- 
lessly, we  were  without  any  remedy,  seeing  he  was  noade  a 

^  Life,  pari  iL  p.  435. 


Of  RICHAED  B4XTIE.  847 

jvdge*  Aceording  to  the  plain  words  of  the  act,  if  a  man  did 
but  preach  and  pray,  or  read  some  licensed  book,  and  sing 
psalms,  he  might  have  more  than  four  present,  because  these 
are  allowed  by  the  practice  of  the  church  in  the  church ;  and 
the  act  seemeth  to  grant  an  indulgence  for  place  and  numberi 
so  be  it  the  quality  of  the  exercise  be  allowed  by  the  church ; 
wbioh  must  be  meant  publicly,  because  it  meddleth  with  no 
private  exercise.  But  when  it  came  to  the  trial,  these  pleas 
with  the  justices  were  vain :  for  if  men  did  but  pray,  it  was 
taken  fior  granted,  that  it  was  an  exercise  not  allowed  by  the 
church  of  England,  and  to  jail  they  went. 

'^  And  now  came  the 'people's  trial,  as  well  as  the  ministers'* 
Wbile  the  dangers  and  sufferings  lay  on  the  ministers  alone,  the 
people  were  very  courageous,  and  exhorted  them  to  stand  it  out 
and  preach  till  they  went  to  prison.  But  when  it  came  to  be  their 
own  case,  they  were  venturous  till  they  were  once  surprised 
and  imprisoned ;  but  then  their  judgments  were  much  altered, 
and  they  that  censured  ministers  before  as  cowardly,  because 
they  preached  not  publicly,  whatever  followed,  did  now  think 
tfwt  it  was  better  to  preach  often  in  secret  to  a  few,  than  but 
once  or  twice  in  public  to  many;  and  that  secrecy  was  no  sio, 
when  it  tended  to  the  furtherance  of  the  work  of  the  Gospel, 
and  to  the  church's  good.  The  rich  especially  were  as  cautious 
as  the  ministers.  But  yet  their  meetings  were  so  ordinary, 
and  so  well  known,  that  it  greatly  tended  to  the  jailers'  com- 
modity. 

**  The  people  were  in  a  great  strait,  those  especially  who 
dwelt  near  any  busy  officer,  or  malicious  enemy.  Many  durst 
not  pray  in  their  families,  if  above  four  persons  came  in  to  dine 
with  them.  In  a  gentleman's  house,  where  it  was  ordinary  (&9 
more  than  four  visitors,  neighbours,  messengers,  or  one  sort 
or  other,  to  be  most  ro  many  days  at  dinner  with  them,  many 
dnrst  not  then  go  to  prayer,  and  some  scarcely  durst  crave  a 
blessing  on  their  meat,  or  give  God  thanks  for  it.  Some  thought 
they  might  venture  if  they  withdrew  into  another  room,  and 
left  the  strangers  by  themselves :  but  others  said,  it  is  all  one  if 
they  be  in  the  same  house,  though  out  of  hearing,  when  it 
cometh  to  the  judgment  of  the  jui^tices.  In  London,  where  the 
houses  are  contiguous,  some  thought  if  they  were  in  several 
houses  and  heard  one  another  through  the  wall  or  a  window,  it 
would  avoid  the  law :  but  others  said,  it  is  all  in  vain  whilst  the 
justice  is  judge  whether  it  was  a  meeting  or  no.    Great  lawyers 


248  TRB  LIPB  AND  TIMB8 

said/  if  you  come  on  a  visit  or  business,  though  you  be  preaent 
at  prayer  or  sermon,  it  is  no  breach  of  the  law,  because  you  met 
not  on  pretence  of  a  religious  exercise :  but  those  that  tried 
them  said,  such  words  are  but  wind,  when  the  justices  come  to 
judge  you. 

*^  And  here  the  Quakers  did  greatly  relieve  the  sober  people 
for  a  time  3  for  they  were  so  resolute,  and  so  gloried  in  their  . 
constancy  and  sufferings,  that  they  assembled  openly  at  the 
Bull  and  Mouth,  near  Aldersgate,  and  were  dragged  away 
daily  to  the  common  jail ;  and  yet  desisted  not,  but  the  rest 
came  the  next  day,  nevertheless :  so  that  the  jail  at  Newgate 
was  filled  with  them.  Abundance  of  them  died  in  prison,  and 
yet  they  continued  their  assemblies  still.  They  would  sometimes 
meet  only  to  sit  still  in  silence,  when,  as  they  sud,  the  Spirit 
did  not  move  them  :  and  it  was  a  great  question,  whether  this 
silence  was  a  religious  exercise  not  allowed  by  the  liturgy,  &c. 
Once,  upon  some  such  reasons  as  these,  when  they  were 
tried  at  the  sessions,  in  order  to  a  banishment,  the  jury  acquit- 
ted  them ;  but  were  grievously  threatened  for  it.  After  that, 
another  jury  did  acquit  them,  and  some  of  them  were  fined  and 
imprisoned  for  it.  But  thus  the  Quakers  so  employed  Sir 
K.  B.,  and  the  other  searchers  and  prosecutors,  that  they  had 
the  less  leisure  to  look  after  the  meetings  of  soberer  men;^ 
which  was  much  to  their  present  ease.^ 

'^  The  divisions,  or  rather  the  censures  of  the  nonconform- 
ing people,  against  their  ministers  and  one  another,  began  now 
to  increase ;  which  was  long  foreseen,  but  could  not  be  avoided. 
I  that  had  incurred  so  much  the  displeasure  of  the  prelates, 
and  all  their  party,  by  pleading  for  the  peace  of  the  Non- 
conformists, did  fall  under  more  of  their  displeasure  than  any 
one  man  l)eside,  as  far  as  I  could  learn.  With  me  they  joined 
Dr.  Bates,  because  we  went  to  the  public  assemblies,  and  also 
to  the  common-prayer,  even  at  the  beginning  of  it.  Not  that 
they  thought  worse  of  us  than  of  others,  but  that  they  thought 
our  example  would  do  more  harm  ;  for  1  must  bear  them  wit- 
ness,  that  in  the  midst  of  all  their  censures  of  my  judgment  and 
actions,  they  never  censured  my  affections  and  intentions,  nor 

^  Had  there  been  more  of  the  same  determined  spirit  among  olhers,  whidi 
the  Friends  displayed,  the  suffering^  of  all  parties  would  sooner  have  come  to 
an  end.  The  government  must  have  given  way,  as  the  spirit  of  the  country 
would  have  been  effectually  roused.  Tbe  conduct  of  the  Quakers  was  infi- 
nitely to  their  honour. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBK.  249 

absted  their  charitable  estimation  of  me  in  the  main.  Of  the 
leading  prelates,  I  had  so  much  favour  in  their  hottest  indigna- 
tion^ that  they  thought  what  I  did  was  only  in  obedience  to  my 
conscience.  So  that  I  see  by  experience,  that  he  who  is  impar- 
tially and  sincerely  for  truth,  and  peace,  and  piety,  against  all  ' 
&u;ti<Hi8,  shall  have  his  honesty  acknowledged  by  the  several 
fiicdons,  whilst  his  actions,  as  cross  to  their  interest,  are  detest- 
ed :  whereas,  he  that  joineth  with  one  of  the  factions,  shall 
have  both  his  person  and  actions  condemned  by  the  other, 
though  his  party  may  applaud  both."  ^ 

That  Baxter  acted  conscientiously,  no  doubt  can  be  enter- 
tained ;  and  it  must  have  been  a  comfort  to  him,  to  enjoy  the 
testimony  of  a  good  conscience  amidst  the  conflict  through 
iwfaich  he  was  called  to  pass.     But  we  cannot  be  surprised  that 
liis  conduct  troubled  and  offended  both  churchmen  and  dis- 
senters, even  while  they  gave  him  credit  for  integrity.     Few 
could  enter  into   his  numerous,  and  often  wire-drawn   dis- 
tiDcdons ;   sometimes,  even  with  all  his  acuteness,  they  were 
founded  on  a  mistaken  view  of  the  case.     The  attempt  to 
meet  all  parties,  and   to  reconcile  them,  was  the  vainest  in 
which  this  most  worthy  and  devoted  individual  ever  engaged. 
Hi8  catholic  spirit  grasped  and  hoped  for  that  which  is  reserved 
far  happier  times  than  his  own,  or  than  has  yet  blessed  the 
church  of  God. 

^  Having  lived  three  years  and  more  in  London,  and  finding 
itneither  agree  with  my  health  nor  studies,  the  one  being  brought 
very  low  and  the  other  interrupted,  and  all  public  service  being 
9i  an  end,  I  betook  myself  to  live  in  the  country,  at  Acton,  that 
I  might  set  myself  to  writing,  and  do  what  service  I  could  for 
posterity,  and  live  as  much  as  possibly  I  could  out  of  the  world. 
Thither  I  went  on  the  14th  of  July,  1G63,  where  I  followed  my 
•todies  privately,  in  quietness,  and  went  every  Lord's-day  to  the 
public  assembly,  when  there  was  any  preaching  or  catechising, 
^i  spent  the  rest  of  the  day  with  my  family,  and  a  few  poor 
neighbours  that  came  in ;  spending  now  and  then  a  day  in  London. 
The  next  year,  1664,  I  had  the  company  of  divers  godly,  faith- 
ful friends  that  tabled  with  me  in  summer,  with  whom  I  solaced 
Myself  with  much  content.  Having  almost  finished  a  large 
treatise,  called  *  A  Christian  Directory,  or  Sum  of  Practical 
J^Wnity,'  that  I  might  know  whether  it  would  be  licensed  for  the 
I      P^  I  tried  the  licensers  with  a  small  treatise,  the  '  Character 

f  1  Life,  part  ii.  pp.  435, 436. 


S5Q  TAP  MVB  AhfH  TIMM 

of  a  Sound  Christiao,  aa  differenced  from  the  weiik  Cbriadmi  and 
the  Hypocrite/  I  offered  it  Mr.  Grigi  the  Bishop  of  liondfm'l 
chaplain,  who  had  been  a  Noncoi|fpF]|iist,  and  profeased  an  f%n 
traordinary  respect  for  me ;  but  he  durst  not  Ucen^iB  it»  Yd 
after«  when  the  plague  began,  I  sent  three  «ipgle  sheets  to  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury's  chaplain,  without  any  name,  that 
they  might  have  passed  unknown  ;  but^  accidentally,  they  knew 
them  to  be  mine,  and  they  were  licensed.  The  oqe  waa  Diree* 
tions  for  the  sick ;  the  second  was  Directions  for  the  conyenioa 
of  the  ungodly  ;  and  the  third  was  Instructions  for  a  holy  lib  i 
for  the  use  of  poor  families  that  cannot  buy  greater  bodUy  or 
will  not  read  them."  * 

Beside  these  works,  he  wrote  or  published,  between  tha  tiiBS 
of- his  leaving  Kidderminster  and  the  year  1665,  several  eonr 
siderable  works,  both  practical  and  controversial.  Among  these 
were,  bis  ^Life  of  Faith/  ^The  Successive  Visibility  of  the 
Church,'  *  The  Vain  Religion  of  the  Formal  Hypocrite/  *  The 
Last  Work  of  a  Believer,'  ^  The  Mischiefs  of  Self-ignoraoc^' 
his  Controversy  with  the  Bishop  of  Worcester  about  the  Causes 
of  his  leaving  Kidderminster,  his  ^  Saint,  or  Brute,'  ^  Now  or 
Never,'  and  ^The  Divine  Life.'  These  works,  considering  the 
public  business  in  which  he  was  engaged,  and  his  various  trials 
and  changes,  must  have  found  him  very  full  employment ;  aad 
only  a  mind  of  unceasing  activity,  and  a  pen  of  more  than  ordi? 
nary  dispatch,  could  have  accomplished  so  much. 

^^  March  26,  1665,  being  the  Lord's-day,  as  I  was  preafih- 
ing  in  a  private  house,  where  we  received  the  Lord*s  suppevy  a 
bullet  came  in  at  the  window  among  us,  passed  by  me,  aud 
narrowly  missed  the  head  of  a  sister-in-law  of  mine  that  was 
there,  but  hurt  none  of  us.  We  could  never  discover  whfioca  it 
came. 

^^  In  June  following,  an  ancient  gentlewoman,  with  her  son 
and  daughter,  came  four  miles  in  her  coach  to  hear  me  pre^ell 
in  my  family,  as  out  of  special  respect  to  me.  It  fell  out,  contrary 
to  our  custom,  that  we  let  her  knock  long  at  the  door,  and  did 
not  open  it :  and  so  a  second  time,  when  she  had  gone  away  and 
come  again ;  and  the  third  time  she  came  when  we  had  ended* 
She  was  so  earnest  to  know  when  she  might  come  again  to  bear 
me,  that  I  appointed  her  a  time ;  but  before  she  came  I  bad 
secret  intelligence  from  one  that  was  nigh  her,  that  she  came 
with  a  heart  exceeding  full  of  malice,  resolving,  if  possible,  to  da 

"^  IMe,  part  ii.  pp.  440,  441. 


or  BiClfABD  9AXT«|U  9tl 

me  wli9t  mwbifff  olm  cpald  by  ai^usation,  and  ao  tjiat  danger 

WM  ttfmded."" 

During  this  period^  some  foreign  ministers  of  eminencei  who 

bad  heard  of  Baj(ter's  character  and  talents,  and  were  desirous 

of  cultivating  hit  acquaintance  and  friendship,  wished  u>  engage 
him  in  correspondence.  Among  these  were  Amyrald,  or 
Amyraut,  a  French  Protestant  minister,  and  professor  of  the^^ 
obgy  ftt  Saumur,  whose  sentiments  on  some  doctrinal  points 
were  nearly  allied, to  those  of  Baxter,  and  ZoUicoffer  of  Switz- 
criaad,  who  seems,  from  his  letter,  to  have  visited  England,  and 
to  have  been  well  acquainted  with  his  writings.  He  was  afraid, 
however,  to  answer  their  letters. 

^  The  vigilant  eye  of  malice  that  some  had  upon  me,  made 
OS  understand  that,  though  no  law  of  the  land  was  against 
h'tenu'y  persons'  correspondencies  beyond  the  seas,  nor  had 
lay  divines  been  hindered  from  it,  yet,  it  was  likely  to  have 
prored  my  ruin,  if  I  had  but  been  known  to  answer  one  of  their 
btters,  though  the  matter  had  been  ever  so  mUch  beyond  ex- 
ciption.     So  that  I  neither  answered  this  nor  any  other,  save 

.  aaly  by  word  of  mouth  to  the  messenger,  and  that  but  in  small 
part  Our  silencing  and  ejection,  they  would  quickly  know 
kjrpther  means,  and  how  much  the  judgment  of  the  English 
biihopQ  did  diffipr  from  theirs  about  the  labours  and  persons  of 
loeh  as  we. 

^  About  this  time,  I  thought  meet  to  debate  the  case  with 
lome  learned  and  moderate  ejected  ministers  of  London,  about 
communicating  sometimes  at  the  parish  churches  in  the  sacra- 
ment; for  they  that  came  to  common  prayer,  came  not  yet  to 
the  saerament.  They  desired  me  to  bring  in  my  judgment  and 
reasons  in  writing,  which  being  debated,  they  were  all  of  my 
Rund  in  the  main,  that  it  is  lawful  and  a  duty  where  greater 
accidents  preponderate  not.  But  they  all  concurred  unani- 
mously in  this,  that  if  we  did  communicate  at  all  in  the  parish 
churches,  the  sufferings  of  the  Independents,  and  those  Presby- 
terians that  could  not  communicate  there,  would  certainly  be 
^  much  increased ;  which  now  were  somewhat  moderated  by 
aur  concurrence  with  them.  I  thought  the  case  very  hard  on  both 
'ides;  that  we,  who  were  so* much  censured  by  them  for  going 
^mewhat  further  than  they,  must  yet  omit  that  which  else 
aiust  be  our  duty,  merely  to  abate  their  sufferings  who  censure 
^:  but  I  resolved  to  forbear  with  them  awhile,  rather  than  any 

*  Idfe,  ptrt  ii.  p.  444. 


252  THE  UFB  AND  TlBfBS 

Christian  should  suffer  by  occasion  of  an  action  of  minei  aeeing 
God  will  have  mercy^  and  not  sacrifice ;  and  no  duty  is  a  duty  at 
all  times." 

He  thus  concludes  his  memorials  of  the  year  1665.  The 
reader  will  be  struck,  as  the  writer  of  the  present  work  is,  that 
the  year,  in  which  he  writes  this  page,  1828,  the  prayer  of 
Baxter  has  been  answered  respecting  the  Corporation  Act;  and 
that  for  the  first  time  during  one  hundred  and  sixty-three  yean, 
it  can  be  said  that  the  Protestant  Dissenters  of  England  are  in 
possession  of  common  rights  and  privileges  with  their  feUow 
subjects  of  the  established  church.  After  such  a  delay  in  the 
discharge  of  justice,  let  no  man  be  sanguine  in  his  expectadons 
of  speedy  change.  After  the  repeal  of  the  Corporation  and  Test 
Acts,  under  all  the  circumstances  in  which  it  has  been  accom- 
plished, let  no  man  despair. 

^^  And  now,  after  the  breaches  on  the  churches,  the  ejec- 
tion of  the  ministers,  and  impenitency  under  all,  wars  and 
plague  and  danger  of  famine  began  ^t  once  on  us.  War 
with  the  Hollanders,  which  yet  continueth;  and  the  dryest 
winter,  spring,  and  summer,  that  ever  man  alive  knew,  or  our 
forefathers  mention  of  late  ages :  so  that  the  grounds  were 
burnt  like  the  highways,  where  the  cattle  should  have  fed.  The 
meadow  grounds  where  I  lived,  bare  but  four  loads  of  hay, 
which  before  bare  forty ;  the  plague  hath  seized  on  the  famousest 
and  most  excellent  city  of  Christendom,  and  at  this  time  nearly 
8,300  die  of  all  diseases  in  a  week.  It  hath  scattered  and  con- 
sumed the  inhabitants ;  multitudes  being  dead  and  fled.  The 
calamities  and  cries  of  the  diseased  and  impoverished,  are  not  to 
be  conceived  by  those  that  are  absent  from  them.  Every  man  is 
a  terror  to  his  neighbour  and  himself :  and  God,  for  our  sins,  is 
a  terror  to  us  all.  O  !  how  is  London,  the  place  which  God 
hath  honoured  with  his  Gospel  above  all  places  of  the  earth, 
laid  low  in  horrors,  and  wasted  almost  to  desolation  by  the 
wrath  of  that  God,  whom  England  hath  contemned  !  A  God- 
hating  generation  are  consumed  in  their  sins,  and  the  righteous 
are  also  taken  away  as  from  greater  evils  yet  to  come.  Yet, 
under  all  these  desolations,  the  wicked  are  hardened,  and  cast 
all  on  the  fanatics ;  the  true  dividing  fanatics  and  sectaries 
are  not  yet  humbled  for  former  miscarriages,  but  cast  all  on  the 
prelates  and  imposers ;  and  the  ignorant  vulgar  are  stupid,  and 
know  not  what  use  to  make  of  any  thing  they  feel.  But  thou- 
sands of  the  sober,  prudent,  faithful  servants  of  the  Lord  are 


OV  EICHikRI)  BAXTER.  253 

mourning  in  secret,  and  waiting  for  his  salvation ;  in  humility 
and  hope  they  are  staying  themselves  on  God,  and  expecting  what 
he  will  do  with  them.  From  London  the  plague  is  spread  through 
many  counties,  especially  next  London^  where  few  places,  espe- 
cially corporations,  are  free :  which  makes  me  oft  groan^  and 
wi$h  that  London^  and  aU  the  corporations  of  England^  would 
review  the  Corporation  Acty  and  their  otvn  acts,  and  speedily 
repent* 

^  Leaving  most  of  my  family  at  Acton,  compassed  about  with 

the  pfaigue,  at  the  writing  of  this,  through  the  mercy  of  my  dear 

God,  and  Father  in  Christ,  1  am  hitherto  in  safety  and  comfort 

in  the  house  of  my  dearly  beloved  and  honoured  friend,  Mr. 

Richard  Hampden,  of  Hampden,  in  Buckinghamshire,  the  true 

hdr  of  his  fSunous  father's  sincerity,  piety,  and  devotedness  to 

God;  whose  person' and  family  the  Lord  preserve;    honour 

them  that  honour  him,  and  be  their  everlasting  rest  and  por* 

I     tioa/'* 

•  Life,  part  ii.  p.  448. 


2S4  TfiB  LtFB  AVD  tlkM 


CHAPTER  IX. 


1665—1670. 


IliePlafrue  of  Londoih— Preftchiop  of  some  of  tbe  Nonconfomilstl-^'riie  tfm 
Mito  Act— The  Fire  of  LoDdon^Beneroleooe  of  Athurrt  aid  Goteft— TIm 
Fire  advantaf  out  to  the  Preaching  of  the  Silenced  MiDittcr*— CotttaiiM 
Clergy— More  Talk  about  Liberty  of  Conseience— The  LatitadlDariaoi^ 
Fall  of  Clareodou— The  Duke  of  Buckingham— Sir  Orlando  Bridgnlia-* 
Preaching  of  tbe  Nonconformists  connived  at — Fresh  Diftcuisionf  aboot  t 
Comprehension — Dr.  Creighton — Ministers  imprisoned — Address  lo  tk 
King— Nonconformists  attacked  from  the  Press— Baxter's  Character  of 
Judge  Hale— Dr.  Rives — Baxter  sent  to  Prison— Advised  to  apply  for  s 
Habeas  Corpus — Demands  it  from  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas— Bebavkwr 
of  the  Judges — Discharged — Removes  to  Totteridge — His  Works  doring 
this  period — Correspondence  with  Owen. 

In  the  end  of  the  preceding  chapter,  we  left  Baxter  at  Hamp- 
den, moralising  on  the  desolation  of  London,  during  the  raging 
of  the  plague.  Of  that  fearful  calamity,  and  also  of  the  fire, 
which  followed  soon  after,  he  has  left  some  additional  notices, 
as  well  as  of  the  influence  of  these  events  on  the  trials  or  en- 
largement of  the  Nonconformists. 

'^  The  number  that  died  in  London,  he  informs  us^  beside  all 
the  rest  of  the  land,  was  about  a  hundred  thousand,  reckoning 
the  Quakers,  and  others,  that  were  never  put  in  the  bilk  of 
mortality. 

^^  The  richer  sort  removing  out  of  the  city,  the  greatest  blow 
fell  on  the  poor.  At  first  so  few  of  the  more  religious  sort  were 
taken  away  that,  according  to  the  mode  of  too  many  such,  they 
began  to  be  puffed  up,  and  boast  of  the  great  difference  which 
Ood  did  make ;  but  quickly  after  they  all  fell  alike.  Yet  not 
many  pious  ministers  were  taken  away.  I  remember  only  three, 
who  were  all  of  my  acquaintance. 

^^  It  is  scarcely  possible  for  people  who  live  in  a  time  of  health 
and  security,  to  apprehend  the  dreadful  nature  of  that  pestilenoe. 
How  fearful  people  were  thirty  or  forty,  if  not  a  hundred  miles 


OT  BICHARD  BAXTBft.  SS5 

from  London,  of  atir  thing  they  bought  from  mercers*  or  drapei^* 
shops,  or  of  goods  that  were  brought  to  them ;  or  of  any  person 
who  came  to  their  houses  !  How  they  would  shut  their  doors 
against  their  fi-iends ;  and  if  a  man  passed  orer  the  fields,  how 
one  would  avoid  another  as  we  did  in  the  time  of  the  wars; 
how  every  man  was  a  terror  to  another  !  ?  Oh,  how  sinfully  un- 
thankful are  we  for  our  quiet  societies,  habitations,  and  h^th  ! 

^^  Not  far  from  the  place  where  I  sojourned,  at  Mrs.  Fleet- 
wood's, three  ministers  of  extraordinary  worth  were  together  in 
one  house,  Mr.  Clarkson,  Mr.  Samuel  Cradock,  and  Mr.  Terry, 
nen  of  singular  judgment,  piety,  and  moderation.  The  plague 
ttune  into  the  house  where  they  were,  and  one  person  dying  of 
it,  caused  many,  that  they  knew  not  of,  earnestly  to  pray  for 
their  deliverance ;  and  it  pleased  Ood  that  no  other  person  died. 

**One  great  benefit  the  plague  brought  to  the  city,  it  oc- 
casioned the  silenced  ministers  more  openly  and  laboriously 
to  preach  the  Gospel,  to  the  exceeding  comfort  and  profit  of  the 
people ;  insomuch,  that  to  this  day  the  freedom  of  preaching, 
which  this  occasioned,  can  not  by  the  daily  guards  of  soldiers 
nor  l)y  the  imprisonment  of  multitudes  be  restrained.  The 
ministers  that  were  silenced  for  Nonconformity,  had  ever  since 
1662  done  their  Work  very  privately  and  to  a  few;  not  so  much 
through  their  titnorousness,  as  their  loathness  to  offend  the  khig, 
and  in  hope  that  their  forbearance  might  procure  them  some 
liberty,  and  through  some  timorousness  of  the  people  that 
would  hear  them.  When  the  plague  grew  hot,  most  of  the 
conformable  ministers  fled,  and  left  their  flocks  in  the  time  of 
their  extremity ;  whereupon  divers  Nonconformists,  pitying  the 
d}ring  and  distressed  people,  who  had  none  to  call  the  impeni- 
tent to  repentance,  or  to  help  men  to  prepare  for  another  world, 

'  Amonff  the  places  which  the  plague  visited  at  a  distaoce,  was  the  Tillage 
of  Loagbborough,  in  the  county  of  Leicester ;  it  there  entered  the  honse  of 
tbc  Rev.  Samuel  Shaw,  the  ejected  minister  of  Long  Whatton.  He  burled 
two  of  his  children,  two  friends,  and  a  servant,  who  bad  died  of  the  distemper. 
Both  his  wife  and  himself  were  aUacked,  but  mercifully  escaped.  His  house 
was  shut  up  for  three  months,  none  being  permitted  to  enter  it ;  so  that  he 
luid  to  attend  the  sick  himself,  and  afterwards  to  bury  them  in  his  own  garden. 
It  was  in  those  circumstances  he  produced  that  beautiful  and  impressive  little 
▼alume,  <  The  Welcome  to  the  Plague.'  It  was  originally  a  sermon,  preached 
fa  his  own  family,  and  affords  an  admirable  illustration  of  the  power  and 
Ucttednest  of  true  religion.  If  the  reader  has  not  seen  this  little  work,,  or 
another  of  Shaw's,  <  Imroauuel ;  or,  a  Discovery  of  True  Religion/  I  beg  to 
rtcomaneiid  them  to  his  attention,  as  among  the  finest  specimens  of  the  Non- 
eoDformist  school  of  theology.  The  author  died  in  1696.— See  the  Aftaiatr  ^rv- 
JU§i  U  ImaumueL 


256  THE  f.IFB  ANJ>  TIMB8 

or  to  comfort  them  in  their  terrors,  when  about  ten  thousand 
died  in  a  week,  resolved  that  no  obedience  to  the  laws  of  mor- 
tal men  whatsoever,  could  justify  them  in  neglecting  men*a  souls 
and  bodies  in  such  extremities.  They,  therefore,  resolved  to 
stay  with  the  people,  and  to  go  into  the  forsaken  pulpits,  though 
prohibited,  and  to  preach  to  the  poor  people  before  they  died; 
also  to  visit  the  sick  and  get  what  relief  they  could  for  the  poor, 
especially  those  that  were  shut  up. 

"  Those  who  set  upon  this  work  were,  Mr.  Thomas  Vincent, 
late  minister  in  Milk-street,^  with  some  strangers  that  came 
thither  after  they  were  silenced  j  as  Mr.  Chester,  Mr.  Janeway, 
Mr.  Turner,  Mr.  Grimes,  Mr.  Franklin,  and  some  others.  Often 
those  heard  them  one  day,  who  were  sick  the  next,  and  quickly 
dead.  The  face  of  death  did  so  awaken  both  the  preachers  and 
the  hearers,  that  preachers  exceeded  themselves  in  lively,  fervent 
preaching,  and  the  people  crowded  constantly  to  hear  them. 
AI)  was  done  with  great  seriousness,  so  that  through  the 
blessing  of  God,  abundance  were  converted  from  their  careless- 
ness, impenitency,  and  youthful  lusts  and  vanities;  and  religion 
took  such  a  hold  on  many  hearts,  as  could  never  afterwards  be 
loosed.' 

"  Whilst  God  was  consuming  the  people  by  these  judgments, 
and  the  Nonconformists  were  labouring  to  save  men's  souls,  the 
parliament,  which  sat  at  Oxford,  whither  the  king  removed 
from  the  danger  of  the  plague,  was  busy  with  an  act  of  con- 

<i  Vincent  published,  in  1G67,  a  work,  entitled  *  God's  Terrible  Voice  in  tlit 
City  by  Pla^e  and  Fire/  founded  on  these  two  awful  calamities,  both  of 
which  he  had  witnessed.  He  remained  in  the  city,  preachings  with  great  fervour 
and  effect  during^  the  whole  time  of  the  plaji^e.  It  came  into  the  house  in 
which  he  resided,  and  took  off  three  persons,  but  he  escaped  alive.  The  name 
of  such  a  man,  and  of  those  who  acted  with  him,  deserve  to  be  preserved  in 
an  imperishable  record.    He  died  at  Hoxton,  in  1671. — CSotomy,  ii.  32. 

'  <  De  Foe's  Journal  of  the  Plague  Year,'  though  written  as  a  Bctiou,  but  yet 
no  fiction,  gives  the  best  account  of  this  tremendous  calamity  which  we  have. 
It  is  only  to  be  regretted  that  what  is  fact  and  what  is  fiction,  are  so  ^mingled 
together  that  it  is  impossible  to  separate  them.  While  the  description  is  not 
more  terrible  than  the  reality,  and  many  of  the  narratives  are  probably  de- 
scriptive of  real  occurrences,  the  book  cannot  be  used  as  authority.  Tbcfe 
are  some  affecting  notices  of  it  in  the  *  Diary  of  Pepys  ;'  and  several  letters 
are  given  by  Ellis,  in  the  fourth  volume  of  his  second  series  of  *  Original 
Letters,  illustrative  of  English  History,*  relative  to  it.  They  are  by  the  Rev. 
Stephen  Bing  and  Dr.  Tillotson,  aud  addressed  to  Dr.  Sancroft,  then  dean  of 
St.  Paul's.  It  appears  from  them  that  the  Bishop  of  London  threatened  those 
of  his  clergy  who  had  deserted  their  flocks,  in  consequence  of  the  plague, 
that  if  they  did  not  return  to  their  charges  speedily,  he  would  put  others  in 
their  places. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  257 

to  make  the  silenced  ministers'case  incomparably  harder 
dum  it  was  before^  by  patting  upon  them  a  certain  oath,  which 
if  Cbey  refiised,  they  must  not  come,  except  on  the  road,  within 
five  miles  of  any  city^  or  of  any  corporation,  or  any  place  that 
seodeth  burgesses  to  the  parliament;  or  of  any  place  where* 
ever  they  had  been  ministers,  or  had  preached  since  the  Act  of 
Oblivion.  So  little  did  the  5ense  of  God's  terrible  judgments,  or 
of  the  necessities  of  many  hundred  thousand  ignorant  souls,  or 
the  groans  of  the  poor  people  for  the  teaching  which  they  had 
loet,  or  the  fear  of  the  great  and  final  reckoning,  affect  the 
hearta  of  the  prelatists,  or  stop  them  in  their  way.  The 
cUef  promoters  of  this  among  the  clergy  were  said  to  be  the 
Ardibbhop  of  Canterbury,  and  Dr.  Seth  Ward,  the  bishop 
of  Salisbiuy.  One  of  the  great^t  adversaries  of  it  in  the 
Lords'  House,  was  the  Earl  of  Southampton,  lord  treasurer  of 
BDgland,  a  man  who  had  ever  adhered  to  the  king,  but  under- 
stood the  interest  of  his  country,  and  of  humanity.  It  is,  with* 
oat  contradiction,  reported  that  he  said  no  honest  man  would 
take  that  oath."  The  Lord  Chancellor  Hyde,  also,  and  the  rest 
of  the  leaders  of  that  mind  and  way,  promoted  it,  and  easily 
procured  it  to  pass  the  houses,  notwithstanding  all  that  was 
said  against  it. 

'*  By  this  act,'  the  case  of  the  ministers  was  made  so  hard, 
that  many  thought  themselves  obliged  to  break  it,  not  only  by 
the  necessity  of  their  office,  but  by  a  natural  impossibility  of 
keeping  it,  unless  they  should  murder  themselves  and  their 
famUies.'' ' 

The  oath  imposed  on  them  by  the  act  was  as  follows : 

^  I,  A.  B.,  do  swear  that  it  is  not  lawful,  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 
pursuance  of  such  commission :  and  that  I  will  not,  at  any 
time,  endeavour  any  alteration  of  the  government,  either  in 
church  or  state/' ^ 

We  are  at  a  loss  which  most  to  be  astonished  at— -the  impiety, 

•  Bamet  tells  us,  Soutbamptou  spoke  vehemently  against  the  bill,  and  said 
**  be  could  take  no  such  oath  hiniselt' ;  for  how  firm  soever  he  had  always 
been  to  the  church,  as  thio^^s  were  managed,  he  did  not  kuow  but  he  himself 
mlf^t  see  cause  to  endeavour  au  alteration." — Own  Times,  vol.  i.  p.  329. 
Soathampton  was  a  very  able  man,  exemplary  in  private  life^  and  uf  invinci* 
ble  intepity  in  bis  public  conduct.    He  died  in  1667. 

*  Ufe»  part  Hi.  pp.  1—8.  ""  Ibid,  p;  4. 

VOL.  !•  S 


SM  m  Li»fi  Aim  ttictt 

dit  follyi  or  tfift  cruelty,  of  the  men  who  oould  ItnpoM  lUi  Mlh* 
They  could  not  suppose  that  rellgioue  men  would  geuerilly  tilM 
It  I  they  must  therefore  have  contemplated  the  inflielioll  of  the 
meet  gritvoui  wrongs  on  some  of  the  best  fHends  of  tte 
country.  It  was  carried  through  the  House  of  Lords  ehlafly  by 
the  influence  of  the  archbishop  and  the  lord  chancellor,  h 
die  House  of  Commons,  an  unsuoeessAil  atMnpt  was  made  Si 
insert  the  word  ^  legally"  before ''  commissioned  |"  bat  the  bitt 
passed  without  a  division,  the  lawyers  declaring  that  the  ward 
^  legally"  must  be  understood.  Some  Nonconformist  toiato* 
ters  took  the  oath  on  this  construction  s  but  the  far  giaaM 
number  refused.  Bven  if  they  could  hate  borne  the  sohttiis  m* 
seriion  of  the  principles  of  passive^obedienoe  in  ail  posslMs 
eases,  their  Consciences  revolted  from  a  pledge  to  endaavMf  no 
kind  of  alteration  in  church  or  state  i  an  engagement^  la  hi 
extended  sense,  irreconcilable  with  their  religious  principlos^  and 
with  the  civil  duties  of  Bnglishmem  Yet,  to  quit  Uia  tOWM 
Where  they  had  long  been  connected,  and  where  akmo  thoy  had 
friends  and  disciples,  for  a  residence  in  country  Villages,  was  Stt 
exclusion  from  the  ordinary  means  of  subsistence^  TbnOfaurdl 
of  England  had,  doubtless,  her  provocations ;  but  she  asads 
retaliation  much  more  than  commensurate  to  the  iigury*  No 
severity  comparable  to  this  cold-blooded  persecution  had  been 
inflicted  by  the  late  powers,  even  in  the  ferment  and  fury  of  i 
civil  war.* 

Baxter  submitted  the  consideration  of  the  oath  to  his  kind 
friend,  Serjeant  Fountain,  with  a  series  of  queries,  to  which  thst 
learned  person  replied  at  considerable  leiigth*  The  anawtis, 
however,  could  by  no  means  satisfy  Baxter  that  it  WaS  lawfiil 
to  take  the  oath  the  reasons  for  which  he  assigns  with  his  osud 
minuteness. 

"  Hie  act  which  imposed  this  oath,"  he  says,  ^^  openly  aacusil 
the  nonconformable  ministers,  or  some  of  them,  of  seditMMM 
doctrine,  and  such  heinouf  crimes,  wherefore  when  it  first  ceHS 
out,  I  thought  that  at  such  an  accusation  no  innocent  .persem 
should  be  silent ;  especially  when  Papists,  strangers,  and  poste- 
rity, may  think  that  a  recorded  statute  is  a  sufficient  history  to 
prove  us  guilty ;  and  the  concernments  of  the  Qospel,  and  Otar 
callings,  and  men's  souls,  are  herein  touched.  I  therefore  drew 
up  a  profession  of  our  judgment  about  the  case  of  loyalty,  and 
obedience  to  kings  and  governors  3  and  the  reasons  why  we  rs- 

«  HalUm'i  ConiUCutiooal  History,  vol.  ii.  py  474f 


OF  ftlCHAltD  lAXTBIU  250 

fttol  tin  oilb.  But  reading  it  to  Dr.  Seaman,  and  some  others 
wiser  than  myself,  they  advised  me  to  cast  it  by,  and  to  bear  all 
io  aUeiit  patience;  because  it  was  not  possible  to  do  it  so  fully 
and  tittoerdy  but  that  the  malice  of  our  adversaries  would 
make  an  iU  use  of  it,  and  turn  it  all  against  ourselves :  and  the 
wise  statesmen  laughed  at  me  for  thinking  that  reason  would  be 
tiqiardcd  by  such  men  as  we  liad  to  do  with,  and  would  not 
esasparate  them  the  more/'^ 

Sheldon  determined  to  execute  the  act  as  strictly  as  possi- 
bly and  therefore,  on  the  7th  of  July,  1665,  orders  were  issued 
to  the  several  bishops  in  the  province  of  Canterbury,  requiring 
among  other  things,  a  return  of  the  names  of  all  the  ejected  mi- 
nbtera,  with  their  place  of  abode,  and  manner  of  life.  The 
retatM  of  the  several  bishops  are  said  to  be  still  preserved  in 
Ae  Lambeth  library.' 

^  Afker  this,  the  ministers  finding  the  pressure  of  this  act  so 
hea:vy,  and  the  loss  likely  to  be  so  great  to  cities  and  corpora^ 
tions,  some  of  them  studied  how  to  take  the  oath  lawfully.  Dr« 
Batea  being  much  in  favour  with  the  Lord  Keeper  Bridgman,' 
eonanked  with  him,  who  promised  to  be  at  the  next  sessions, 
and  there,  on  the  bench,  to  declare  openly  that,  by  endeavauTf  to 
change  the  church  government,  was  meant  unlawful  endeavour 
which  satisfying  him,  he  thereby  satisfied  others,  who,  to  avoid 
the  imputation  of  seditious  doctrine,  were  willing  to  go  as  far 
as  they  durst ;  and  so  twenty  ministers  came  in  at  the  sessions, 
and  took  the  oath.''  ^ 

Dr.  Bates'  reasons  for  taking  the  oath  may  be  seen  in  the 
letter  which  he  addressed  to  Baxter  on  the  occaaion ;  ^  but  the 
reaaoning  of  Baxter  seems  fully  to  justify  his  declining  to  do  so^ 
The  oath  was  a  wicked  device,  to  ensnare  and  injure  the  minis- 
ten  ;  and  those  of  them  who  took  it,  even  with  the  Lord  Keeper 
Bridgman's  explanation,  that  only  seditious  endeavours  were 

y  life,  part  iii.  p.  13.  *  Calamy,  vol.  i.  p.  313. 

*  Sir  Orlando  Bridg^man  was  a  son  of  the  Bishop  of  Chester.  Soon  after  tlii 
Ktstofrntion,  he  was  made  lord  chief  baroo  of  the  Exchequer,  and,  a  few 
moothf  .after,  was  removed  to  the  Common  Pleas,  in  which  he  presided  with 
l^reat  dig^Qr.*  He  possessed  sufRcient  integrity  for  the  hi|^h  office  of  lord 
keeper,  but  not  sufficient  firmness  for  the  difficulties  which  belonged  to  it.  He 
IS  said,  however,  to  have  lost  the  office  for  refusing  to  affi»  the  seal  to  tlie 
kisf's  uDCooatitutional  declaratiou  for  liberty  of  conscience.  He  wished,  as  will 
afterwards  be  seen,  the  comprchensioo  of  the  Dissenters  io  the  church,  but 
was  opposed  to  the  toleration  of  Popery. 

k  life,  pan  iii.  P*  13.  «  Ibid.  p.  U. 

S    2 


260  THE  LIFB  AND  TIMES 

meant,  seem  not  to  have  added  to  their  reputation  among  tbe 
people. 

'^  The  plague  which  began  at  Acton,  July  29,  1665,  having 
ceased  on  the  first  of  the  following  March,  I  returned  homCi 
and  found  the  church-yard  lilce  a  ploughed  field,  with,  grare^ 
and  many  of  my  neighbours  dead ;  but  my  house,  near  the  church- 
yard, uninfected,  and  that  part  of  my  family  which  I  left  diere 
all  safe,  through  the  great  mercy  of  God,  my  merciful  protector. 
*'  On  the  second  of  September,  1666,  after  midnight,  London 
was  set  on  fire ;  next  day  the  Exchange  was  burnt,  and,  in  three 
days,  almost  all  the  city  within  the  walls,  and  much  withoutdiefli. 
The  season  had  been  exceeding  dry  before,  and  the  wind  ia 
the   east  when  the  fire  began.    The  people  having,  none  to 
conduct  them  aright,  could  do  nothing  to  resist  it,  but  stand 
and  see  their  houses  bum  without  remedy,  the  engines  being 
presently  out  of  order,  and  useless.    The  streets  were  crowded 
with  people  and  carts,  to  carry  away  what  goods  they  could  get 
out;   they  that  were  most  active,  and  befiriended  by  thor 
wealth,  got  carts  and  saved  much,  and  the  rest  lost  abnoet  aH 
The  loss  in  houses  and  goods  is  scarcely  to  be  valued^  and  amoqg 
the  rest,  the  loss  of  books  was  an  exceeding  great  deuimentio 
the  interests  of  piety  and  learning.    Mostly  all  the  bookseilen 
in  St.  Paul's  Church-yard  brought  their  books  into  vaults  under 
St.  Paul's  church,  where  it  was  thought  almost  impossible  that 
fire  should  come.    But  the  church  itself  taking  fire,  the  ex- 
ceeding weight  of  the  stones  falling  down,  did  break  into  the 
vault,  and  let  in  the  fire,  and  they  could  not  come  near  to  save 
the  books.    The  library  of  Sion  college  was  burned,  and  most 
of  the  libraries  of  ministers,  conformable  and  nonconfonnable, 
in  the  city ;  with  the  libraries  of  many  Nonconformists  of  the 
country,  which  had  lately  been  brought  up  to  the  city.     1  saw 
the  half- burnt  leaves  of  books  near  my  dwelling  at  Acton,  six 
miles  from  London;    but  others   found  them  near  Windsor, 
twenty  miles  distant. 

'^  At  last  the  seamen  taught  them  to  blow  up  some  of  the 
houses  with  gunpowder,  which  stopped  the  fire,  though  in  some 
places  it  stopped  as  wonderfully  as  it  had  proceeded,  without 
any  known  cause.  It  stopped  at  Holbom-bridge,  and  near  St. 
Dunstan's  church,  in  Fleet-street ;  at  St.  Sepulchre's  church, 
when  the  church  was  burnt;  at  Christ*s  church,  when  it 
was  burnt;  and  near  Aldersgate  and  Cripplegate,  and  other 


OF  ftlCHAU)  BAXnR.  261 

places  at  the  city  wall.  In  Austin-Friars,  the  Dutch  church 
•topped  It,  and  escaped ;  in  Bishopsgate-street,  and  Leadenhall- 
ttreet,  and  Fenchurch-street,  in  the  midst  of  the  streets  it  stop- 
ped short  of  the  Tower :  and  all  beyond  the  river,  escaped. 

^  Thus  was  the  best,  aitd  one  of  the  fairest  cities  in  the  world 
tnraed  into  ashes  and  ruins  in  three  days'  space,  with  many 
scores  of  churches,  and  the  wealth  and  necessaries  of  the  inhabi- 
tants. It  was  a  sight  which  might  have  given  any  man  a  lively 
sense  of  the  vanity  of  this  world,  and  of  all  its  wealth  and  glory, 
and  of  the  ftiture  conflagration,  to  see  the  flames  mount  towards 
heaven,  and  proceed  so  furiously  without  restraint ;  to  see  the 
streets  filled  with  people  so  astonished  that  many  had  scarcely 
'sense  left  them  to  lament  their  own  calamity ;  to  see  the  fields 
^filled  with  heaps  of  goods,  costly  furniture,  and  household  stuiF, 
wliile  sumptuous  buildings,  warehouses,  and  furnished  shops  and 
libraries,  &c.,  were  all  on  flames,  and  none  durist  come  near  to 
seeure  any  thing ;  to  see  the  king  and  nobles  ride  about  the 
streets,  beholding  all  thes6  desolations,  and  none  could  afiford 
the  least  relief;  to  see  the  air,  as  far  as  could  be  beheld,  so  filled 
>Bith  the  smoke,  that  the  sun  shined  through  it  with  a  colour 
like  blood;  yea,  even  when  it  was  setting  in  the  west,  it  so 
appeared  to  them  that  dwelt  on  the  west  side  of  the  city. 
But  the  dolefullest  sight  of  all  was  afterwards,  to  see  what  a 
ruinous,  confused  place  the  city  was,  by  chimneys  and  steeples 
cmly  standing  in  the  midst  of  cellars  and  heaps  of  rubbish ;  so 
that  it  was  hard  to  know  where  the  streets  had  been;  and  dan- 
gerous, for  a  long  time,  to  pass  through  the  ruins,  because  of 
vaults,  and  fire  in  them.  No  man  that  seeth  not  such  a  thing 
can  have  a  right  apprehension  of  the  dreadfulness  of  it."^ 

Baxter  seems  to  have  been  fully  convinced  that  the  fire  was 
caused  by  the  emissaries  of  Popery.  In  this  belief  he  was  not 
alone  ;  and  many  circumstances  afforded  some  ground  at  the 
time  for  entertaining  it.*  It  is  highly  probable,  however,  not- 
withstanding the  testimony  of  '^  London's  tall  pillar,"  that  it 
was  a  groundless  prejudice,  excited  by  hatred  of  the  Catho- 
lics, and  the  apprehensions  of  danger  from  them  with  which 

*  Life,  parti,  pp.  98 — 100.  Pepys  has  preserved  some  interesting  roenio- 
rials  of  this  second  dire  calamity  which  befell  the  city  of  London  within  two 
years.  Calamy,  then  drooping,  was  driven  through  the  ruins,  after  the  fire 
bad  been  extinguished,  and  it  is  said  was  so  affected  by  the  sight,  that  he 
went  home  and  never  left  his  house  again  till  he  died,  which  was  shortly  after. 
mmmCalamy,  vol.  ii.  p.  7. 

•  See  *  State  TriaU/  vol.  vi.;  Burnet,  i  pp.  336--341 ;  Hallam,  vol.  ii.  512. 


"262  THB  LIFB  AND  TIMB8 

multitudes  were  then  haunted.  Among  the  indifidiials  who 
difttuiguished  themselves  by  their  exertions  to  relieve  the  dis- 
tresses occasioned  by  this  frightful  calamity^  were  Mr.  Henry 
Ashurst  and  Mr.  Gouge.  Baxter  bears  the  following  honoiniUa 
testimony  to  their  benevolent  exertions. 

'^  The  most  famous  person  in  the  city,  who  purposely  addict- 
ed himself  to  works  of  mercy,  was  my  very  dear  friend  lib* 
Henry  Ashurst,  a  draper,  a  man  of  the  primitive  sort  of  Chris- 
tians for  humility,  love,  blamelessness,  meekness,  doing  good  to 
all  as  he  was  able,  especially  needy,  silenced  ministers^  to  whonii 
in  Lancashire  alone,  he  allowed  one  hundred  pounds  per  annum; 
and  in  London  was  most  famous  for  their  succour  and  for  doing 
hurt  to  none.     His  care  was  now  to  solicit  the  rich  abroad^  tof 
the  relief  of  the  poor,  honest  Londoners.    Mr.  Thomas  Gm^ 
the  silenced  minister  of  Sepulchre's  parish,  son  to  Dr.  M^Uiaa 
Gouge,  was  such  another  man,  who  made  works  of  charity  a  great 
part  of  the  business  of  his  life :  he  was  made  the  treasurer  of  a 
fund  collected  for  this  purpose.    Once  a  fortnight  they  called  a 
great  number  of  the  needy  together  to  receive  their  alms.    I 
went  once  with  Mr.  Ashurst  to  his  meeting  to  give  them  an  ex» 
hortation  and  counsel,  as  he  gave  them  alms,  and  saw  more 
^ause  than  I  was  sensible  of  before,  to  be  thankful  to  God^  that 
I  never  much  needed  relief  from  others. 

^  It  was  not  the  least  observable  thing  in  the  time  of  the  fire, 
and  after  it,  considering  the  late  wars,  the  multitude  of  dis- 
banded soldiers,  and  the  great  grief  and  discontent  of  the  Lon- 
doners for  the  silencing  and  banishing  of  their  pastorsii  that 
there  were  heard  no  passionate  words  of  di&content,  or  dis- 
honour against  their  governors ;  even  when  their  enemies  luu) 
so  often  accused  them  of  seditious  inclinations,  and  when  ex- 
tremity might  possibly  have  made  them  desperate. 

'^  Some  good,  however,  rose  out  of  all  these  evils :  the  churches 
being  burnt,  and  the  parish  ministers  gone,  for  want  of  placet 
and  maintenance,  the  Nonconformists  were  now  more  resohed 
than  ever  to  preach  till  they  were  imprisoned.  Dr.  Manton 
had  his  rooms  full  in  Covent  Garden  ;  'Mr.  Thomas  Vincen^ 
Mr.  Thomas  Doolittle,  Dr.  Samuel  Annesly,  Mr.  Wadsworth, 
Mr.  Janeway  at  Rotherhithe,  Mr.  Chester,  Mr.  Franklin,  Mr. 
Turner,  Mr.  Grimes,  Mr.  Nathaniel  Vincent,  Dr.  Jacomb  in  the 
Countess  of  Exeter's  house,  and  Mr.  Thomas  Watson,  &c.,  all 
kept  their  meetings  very  openly,  and  prepared  large  roomi, 
and  some  of  them  plain  chapels,  wilh  pulpits^  seats^  and 


Of  BicHAftD  baxtir;  .1MB 

fiUmeit  fiilp  tht  reception  of  bb  many  as  eoald  oome*  .'The 
peoide'a  ncceauty  was  now  unquestionable.  They  had  none 
other  to  hear,  save  in  a  few  churches  that  would  hold  no  con^ 
siderable  part  of  them ;  so  that  to  forbid  them  to  hear  the  Nonp 
conformists,  was  all  one  as  to  forbid  them  all  public  worship; 
to  forbid  them  to  seek  heaven  when  they  had  lost  almost  all  thut 
they  had  on  earth ;  to  lake  from  them  their  spiritual  comforts, 
after  all  their  outward  comforts  were  gone.  They  thought  xhk 
a  species  of  cruelty  so  barbarous,  as  to  be  unbeseeming  any  man 
who  vrould  not  own  himself  to  be  a  devil.  But  all  this  little 
moved  the  ruling  prelates,  saving  that  shame  restrained  them 
horn  imprisoning  the  preachers  so  hotly  and  forwardly  as  befomi 
The  Independents  also  set  up  their  meetings  more  openly  than 
.fornserly*  Mn  GriiRths,  Mr.  Brooks,  Mr.  Caryl,  Mr*  Barkei^ 
Dr.  Owen,  Mr.  Philip  Nye,  and  Dr.  Thomas  Goodwin,  who  were 
their  leaders,  came  to  the  city.  So  that  many  of  the  eitiiens 
went  to  those  meetings  callMl  private,  more  than  went  to  th« 
pubUe  parish  churches. 

^  At  the  same  time  it  also  happily  fell  out  that  the  parisii 
churches  which  were  left  standing  had  the  best  and  ablest  of 
the  Conformists  in  them ;  especially  Dr.  StiUingfleet,  Dr.  Tdlotp 
son,  Mr*  White,  Dr.  Outram,  Dr.  Patrick,  Mr.  Oi0brd,  Drw 
Whitcbcot,  Dr.  Horton,  Mr.  Nest,  &c.  So  that  the  moderate 
«lasa  of  the  citizens  heard  either  sort  in  public  and  private  in^ 
differently ;  whilst  those  on  the  one  extreme  reproached  all  men's 
preaching  save  their  own,  as  being  seditious  conventicles;  and 
those  on  the  other  extreme  would  hear  none  that  did  conform ; 
or  if  any  heard  them,  they  would  not  join  in  the  common  prayr 
era  or  the  sacraments.'^' 

Baxter's  account  of  these  Conformists  is  creditable  to  hit 
candour,  and  shows  his  willingness  to  do  justice  to  men  of  all 
descriptions.  The  individuals  whom  he  mentions  were  doubti* 
less  men  highly  respectable  both  for  character  and  talents;  hut 
they  were  the  principal  means  of  introducing  into  the  pulpits 
of  the  established  church,  that  cold,  inaccurate,  and  imperfoet 
mode  of  preadhing  the  Gospel  which  characterised  even  the 
respectable  part  of  the  clergy  for  more  than  a  century.  In  tlie 
writings  of  Tillotson,  StiUingfleet,  and  men  like  them,  the  leading 
doctrines,  such  as  the  Trinity,  the  atonement  of  Christ,  the  woriL 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  &c.,  are  clearly  stated ;  with  much  important ' 
argument  on  the  truth  of  Christianity,  and  the  duty  of  all  to 

'  Ufe,  part  W.  pp.  17—19.  * 


-^964  .TAB  LIFB  AND  TIlfBS 

» 

teoeive  and  obey  it*  But  in  vain  do  wel  ook  to  thdr  discomes, 
mth  those  of  their  successors, ^for  correct  and  striking  mm  of 
the  grace  of  the  Gospel,  or  of  justification  by  futh  alone ;  and 
much  less  do  we  find  warm  and  pungent  appeals  to  the  con- 
science and  the  heart.  They  were  afraid  of  being  thoiif;fat 
puritanical,  and  enthusiastic.  They  studied  to  reconcile  the 
world  to  the  Gospel,  by  modifying  its  statements,  and  endeavour* 
ing  to  meet,  by  cautious  approaches,  the  enmity  of  the  human 
heart  to  Christ  and  godliness.  The  effect  of  this  style  of 
preaching  has  been  exceedingly  injurious. 

^'  About  this  time,  the  talk  of  liberty  of  conscience  was  re- 
newed :  whereupon  many  wrote  for  it,  especially  Mr.  John 
Humfries,  and  Sir  Charles  Wolsley ;  and  many  wrote  against  it, 
as^r.  Perinchef,  and  others,  mostly  without  names.  The  Con- 
formists were  now  grown  so  hardened,  as  not  only  to  do  all 
themselves  that  was  required  of  them,  but  also  to  think  them- 
selves sufficient  for  the  whole  ministerial  work  through  the  land; 
and  not  only  to  consent  to  the  silencing  of  their  brethren,  but 
also  to  oppose  their  restitution,  and  write  most  vehemently 
against  it,  and  against  any  toleration  of  them.  So  little  ds 
men  know,  when  they  once  enter  into  an  evil  way,  where  they 
shall  stop.  Not  that  it  was  so  with  all,  but  with  too  many, 
especially  with  most  of  the  young  men,  that  were  of  pregnant 
wits,  and  ambitious  minds,  and  set  themselves  to  seek  prefer^ 
ment. 

^'  On  this  account,  a  great  number  of  those  who  were  called 
Latitudinarians  began  to  change  their  temper,  and  to  contract 
some  malignity  against  those  that  were  much  more  rdigiooB 
than  themselves.  At  first  they  were  only  Cambridge  Armimani^ 
and  some  of  them  not  so  much ;  and  were  much  fornew  and 
free  philosophy,  lUid  especially  for  De  Cartes,  and  not  at  all  for 
any  thing  ceremonious.  Being  not  so  strict  in  their  theology 
or  way  of  piety  as  some  others,  they  thought  that  confor* 
mity  was  too  small  a  matter  to  keep  them  out  of  the.  minis- 
try. But  afterwards,  many  of  them  grew  into  such  a  distaste 
of  the  weakness  of  many  serious  Christians,  who  would  have 
some  harsh  phrases  in  prayer,  preaching,  and  discourse,  that 
thence  they  seemed  to  be  out  of  love  with  their  very  doctrine, 
and  their  manner  of  worshipping  God."^ 

V  Life,  part  lit  pp.  19, 20.  The  Latitudinariaos  spoken  of  by  Baiter,  wen 
such  men  as  More.WortbingtoD^Whitcbcot^  Cudwortb.Wilkins,  mMtly  of  Cam- 


OF  BICBARD  BAXTER.  S68 

After  noticing  the  burning  of  London^  the  loss  and  disgrace 
aattahied  by  the  country  from  the  Dutch^  who  sailed  dp  the 
TlHuneB  in  triumph,  Baxter  says  :— 

^  The  parliament  at  last  laid  all  upon  the  Lord  Chancellor 
Hyde ;  and  the  king  was  content  it  should  be  so.  Whereupon 
nany  speeches  were  made  against ^him,  and  an  impeachment  or 
diaige  brought  in  against  him,  and  vehemently  urged.  Among 
other  things,  it  was  alleged  that  he  counselled  the  king  to  rule 
by  an  army,  which  many  thought,  bad  as  he  was,  he  was  the 
chief  means  of  hindering.  To  be  short,  when  they  had  first 
iCNigfat  his  life,  at  last  it  waft  concluded  that  his  banishment 
dMMild  satisfy  for  all ;  and  so  he  was,  by  an  act  of  parliament, 
baniahed  during  his  life.  The  sale  of  Dunkirk  to  the  French, 
and  a  great  comely  house  which  he  had  newly  built,  increased 
idle  dupleasure  that  was  against  him :  but  there  were  greater 
canMB  which  I  must  not  name. 

^  It  was  a  notable  providence  that  this  man,  who  had  been 
tlie  great  instrument  of  state,  and  had  dealt  so  cruelly  with  the 
Nonconformists,  should  thus,  by  his  own  friends,  be  cast  out  and 
banished,  while  those  that  he  had  persecuted  were  the  roost 
moderate  in  his  cause,  and  many  of  them  for  him.  It  was  a  great 
case  that  befell  good  people  throughout  the  land  by  his  dejec- 
tion. For  his  way  had  been  to  decoy  men  into  conspiracies,  or 
to  pretend  plots,  upon  the  rumour  of  which  the  innocent  people 
of  many  counties  were  laid  in  prison ;  so  that  no  man  knew 
when  he  was  safe.  Since  then  the  laws  have  been  made  more 
and  more  severe,  yet  a  man  knoweth  a  little  better  what  to  ex- 
pect, when  it  is  by  a  law  that  he  is  to  be  tried.  It  is  also 
notable  that  he,  who  did  so  much  to  make  the  Oxford  law  for 
banishing  ministers  from  corporations  who  took  not  that  oath. 


brid^ey  who  joined  with  the  others  of  whom  we  have  already  spoken,  in  intro* 
docing  a  very  inefficient  mode  of  preaching^  into  the  established  church.  They 
cndcavoored  to  examine  all  the  principles  of  morality  and  religion  on  philoso* 
pbical  principles,  and  to  maintain  them  by  the  reason  of  things.  They  declared 
against  superstition  on  the  one  hand,  and  enthusiasm  on  the  other.  They 
were  attached  to  the  constitution  and  forms  of  the  church  ;  but  moderate  in 
their  opposition  to  those  who  dissented  from  it.  They  were  mostly  Arminiant 
of  the  Dutch  school,  but  admitted  of  a  considerable  latitude  of  sentiment, 
both  in  philosophy  and  theology.  On  this  account,  they  obtained  the  name 
which  Baxter  assigns  to  them.  They  were,  in  fact,  low  churchmen  of  Armi* 
Blan  principles;  moderate  in  piety,  in  sentiment,  and  in  zeal.  Some  of  them,  it 
appears,  gradually  became  (to  use  a  phrase  well  understood  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  island)  **  fierce  for  moderation."  See  *  Burnet's  Own  limes/  voL  i. 
^274. 


tW  THB  Lira  AND  TIMBt 

dotb^  in  hia  letter  from  France^  since  his  baniahment,  aay,  ttiat 
he  never  waa  in  favour  aince  the  parliament  sat  at  Oxford> 

^^  Before  this,  the  Duke  of  Buckingham  being  at  the  head  of 
Clarendon's  adversaries,  had  been  overtopped  by  him,  and  waa 
fain  to  hide  himself,  till  the  Dutch  put  ua  in  fear.  He  then 
aurrendered  himself,  and  went  prisoner  to- the  Tower ;  but  irith 
auch  acclamations  of  the  people,  as  waa  a  great  diaoonragement 
to  the  chancellor ;  the  duke  accordingly  was  quickly  set  it 
liberty*  Whereupon,  as  the  chancellor  had  made  hiinaelf  the 
bead  of  the  prelatical  party,  who  were  for  aetting  up  them* 
aelvea  by  force,  and  suffering  none  that  were  against  them ) 
ao  Buckingham  would  now  be  the  head  of  all  those  parties  that 
were  for  liberty  of  conscience.  The  man  waa  of  no  religion^  bat 
notoriously  and  professedly  lustful ;  and  yet  of  greater  wit  and 
parts,  and  sounder  principles,  as  to  the  interests  of  humanity  and 
the  common  good,  than  most  lords  in  the  court.  WherefiBre  ha 
countenanced  fanatics  and  sectaries,  among  others,  mthont  any 
great  suspicion,  because  he  was  known  to  be  so  far  from  theal 
himself.  He  married  the  daughter  and  only  child  of  Lord 
Fairfax,  late  general  of  the  parliament's  army,  and  became  Us 
heir  hereby,  yet  was  he  far  enough  from  his  mind ;  though  still 
defender  of  the  privileges  of  humanity.^ 

^  **  Tbe  ettrangement  of  the  king^'s  favour  is  snfflcieDt  to  account  Ibr 
Clarendon's  loss  of  power ;  but  bis  entire  ruin  was  rather  accomptlabea  hf  a 
strange  coalition  of  enemies,  which  his  virtues,  or  his  errors  and  infirmitisii 
had  brought  into  union.  The  Cavaliers  hated  him  on  account  of  the  act  of 
indemnity,  and  the  Presbyterians  for  that  of  uniformity.  Yet  the  latter  were 
not  in  general  so  eager  in  bis  prosecution  as  the  others.  A  distingaishad 
characteristic  of  Clarendon,  had  been  his  firmness,  called,  indeed^  1^  ■Kist» 
pride  and  obstiuacy,  which  no  circumbtances,  no  perils,  seemed  likely  to  bend. 
But  bis  spirit  sunk  all  at  once  with  his  fortune.  Clinging  too  long  to  ofllce^ 
and  cheatiiag  himself,  against  all  probability,  with  a  hope  of  his  mastar't  kind* 
iiess,  when  he  had  lost  his  confidence,  he  abandoned  that  dignified  philoaopby 
which  enncbles  a  voluntary  retirement,  that  stern  courage  which  innocence  ought 
to  inspire ;  and  hearkening  to  th^  king's  treacherous  counsels,  fled  beJbfi 
bis  anemias  into  a  foreign  country." — Hailam,  vol.  ii.  pp.  494 — 503.  EUls  hn 
given  a  letter  from  Charles  to  the  Duke  of  Ormond,in  which  he  assigns  as  the 
reasou  fur  depriving  Clarendon  of  the  seals,  '*  that  his  behaviour  and  hnnoor 
had  grown  so  unsupportable  to  himself,  and  to  all  the  world  else,  that  be 
could  not  longer  endure  it^— Ort^'no/  Letters,  second  series,  vol.  iv.pp. 
3S— 40.  Clarendon  deserved  all  that  befell  him  ;  but  the  conduct  of  his  fnyal 
inaster  to  him  was  base  and  ungrateful. 

'  All  who  are  conversaut  with  the  times  of  Charles  II.,  are  familiar  wiUi  the 
character  of  Villiers,  duke  of  Buckingham.  Gay,  witty,  and  profligate,  ha 
was  a  fit  servant  of  such  a  master.  He  was  the  alchemist  and  the  philosopher, 
the  fiddler  and  the  poet,  the  mimic  and  the  statesman.  In  the  last  capad^^ 
9axtrr  seeim  to  have  had  a  better  opinion  of  his  principles  than  he  waa  en- 
titled to. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR;  Wf 

^  When  the  chancellor  was  banished.  Sir  Orlando  firidgman 
was  made  lord  keeper :  a  man  who,  by  his  becoming  modenir 
tioQ  to  the  Nonconformists,  though  a  zealous  patron  of  prelacy, 
got  himself  a  good  name  for  a  time.  At  first,  whilst  the  Duke  of 
Buckingham  kept  up  the  cry  for  liberty  of  conscience,  he  seemed 
to  comply  with  that  design,  to  the  great  displeasure  of  the  ruling 
jiielatea.  But  when  he  saw  that  the  game  would  not  go  on,  he 
turned  as  zealous  the  other  way,  and  wholly  served  the  prelati* 
eal  interest;  yet  was  he  not  much  valued  by  either  side,  but 
taken  for  an  uncertain,  timorous  man*  High  places,  great  busi- 
neaa  and  difficulties,  do  so  try  men's  abilities  and  their  morals^ 
duit  many,  who  in  a  low  or  middle  station  acquired  and  kept 
.«p  R  grefU  name,  do  quickly  lose  it,  and  grow  despised  and  le* 
piORohed  persons,  when  exaltation  and  trial  have  made  then 
known  ;  besides  that,  as  in  prosperous  times  the  chief  state 
ministers  are  pnused,  so  in  evil  and  suffering  times  they  bear 
the  Mame  of  what  is  amiss* 

^  When  the  Duke  of  Buckingham  came  first  into  this  high 
Ivroar,  he  was  looked  on  as  the  chief  minister  of  state,  instead 
nf  the  chancellor,  and  showed  himself  openly  for  toleration,  or 
liberty  for  all  parties,  in  matters  of  God's  worship*  Others  also 
then  seemed  to  look  that  vray,  thinking  that  the  kiqg  was 
for  it*  Whereupon  those  who  were  most  against  it  grew  into 
seeming  discontent*  The  bishop  of  Winchester,  Morley,  was 
put  out  of  his  place,  as  dean  of  the  chapel  royal,  and  Bishop 
Crofts,  of  Hereford,  who  seemed  then  to  be  for  moderatioUi 
was  put  into  it.  But  it  was  not  long  till  Crofts  was  either 
discouraged,  or,  as  some  said,  upon  the  death  of  a  daughter, 
for  grief  left  both  it  and  the  court ;  ^  the  Bishop  of  Oxford 
was  brought  into  his  place,  and  Dr.  Crew,  the  son  of  that 
wise  and  pious  man  the  Lord  Crew,  was  made  clerk  of  the 
closet*^ 

''At  the  same  time,  the  ministers  of  London,  who  had  ven* 

^  Boroet  says,  "  Crofts  was  a  warm,  devout  man,  but  of  no  discretion  in  bis 
eonduct ;  so  be  lost  i^uod  quickly.  He  used  much  freedom  with  the  kin^; 
but  it  was  in  the  wroug  place,  not  in  private,  but  in  the  pulpit."— Omth  Ttmu, 
vol.  i.  pp.  379. 

^  Crew,  who  was  afterwards  raised  to  the  Mshoprick  of  Durham,  was  vain, 
MBbitSout,  unsteady,  and  insincere;  more  compliant  with  all  the  measures 
of  court,  than  any  of  his  brethren.  He  was  re^^rded,  Granger  says,  as  tbt 
grand  inquisitor  in  the  reign  of  James  II. ;  in  whose  fate  he  very  nearly 
ftbared,  as,  at  the  revolution,  he  was  excepted  from  the  act  of  indemnity ;  but 
be  afterwards  obtained  a  pardon  through  the  influence  chiefly  of  Dr.  Balet.-^ 
jBirdkV  Z4^«  •/ TV/lotfan,  pp.  137, 138. 


268  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMBS 

tured  to  keep  open  meetings  in  their  houses^  and  preached  to 
great  numbers  contrary  to  the  law,  were,  by  the  king's  (avouTi 
connived  at :   so  that  the  people  went  openly  to  hear  them 
without  fear.    Some  imputed  this  to  the  king's  own  inclination 
to  liberty  of  conscience ;  some  to  the  Duke  of  Buckingham's 
prevalency ;  and  some  to  the  Papists'  influence,  who  were  for 
liberty  of  conscience  for  their  own  interest.    But  others  thougiit 
that  the  Papists  were  really  against  liberty  of  conscience^  and 
did   rather  desire  that  the  utmost  severiUes  might  riiin  the 
Puritans,  and  cause  discontents  and  divisions  among  ourselves, 
till  we  had  broken  one  another  all  into  pieces,  and  turned  all 
into  such  confusion  as  might  advantage  them  to  play  a  nuMre 
successful  game  than  ever  toleration  was  likely  to  be.    What- 
ever was  the  secret  cause,  it  is  evident  that  the  great  visible 
cause,  was  the  burning  of  London,  and  the  want  of  churdiM 
for  the  people  to  meet :    it  being,  at  the  first,  a  thing  too 
gross,  to  forbid  an  undone  people  all  public  worship,  with  too 
great  rigour ;  and  if  they  had  been  so  forbidden,  poverty  had 
left  so  little  to  lose  as  would  have  made  them  desperately  go 
on.    Therefore  some  thought  all  this  was  to  make  necessity 
seem  ^favour. 

''  Whatever  was  the  cause  of  the  connivance,  it  is  certain  that 
the  country  ministers  were  so  much  encouraged  by  the  boldness 
and  liberty  of  those  in  London,  that  they  did  the  like  in  most 
parts  of  England,  and  crowds  of  the  most  religiously^inclined 
people  were  their  hearers.  iSome  few  got,  in  the  way  of  travel- 
ling, into  pulpits  where  they  were  not  known,  and  the  next  day 
went  away  to  another  place.  This,  especially  with  the  great 
discontents  of  the  people,  for  their  manifold  payments,  and  of 
cities  and  corporations  for  the  great  decay  of  trade,  and  break- 
ing and  impoverishing  of  many  thousands,  by  the  burning  of  the 
city ;  together  with  the  lamentable  weakness  and  badness  of 
great  numbers  of  the  ministers,  that  were  put  into  the  Noncon- 
formists' places,  did  turn  the  hearts  of  most  of  the  common 
people  in  all  parts  against  the  bishops  and  their  ways,  and  in- 
clined them  to  the  Nonconformists,  though  fear  restrained  men 
from  speaking  what  they  thought,  especially  the  richer  sort, 

"In  January,  1668,  I  received  a  letter  from  Dr.  Manton, 
that  Sir  John  Dabor  told  him  it  was  the  lord  keeper's  desire  to 
speak  with  him  and  me,  about  a  comprehension  and  toleration. 
On  coming  to  London,  Sir  John  Babor  told  me,  that  the  lord 
keeper  spake  to  him  to  bring  us  to  him  for  the  aforesaid  end^ 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  269 

as  lie  had  enrtain  proposals  to  offer  us ;  that  many  great  eour* 
tiers  were  our  friends  in  the  business,  but  that,  to  speak  plainly^ 
if  we  would  carry  it,  we  must  make  use  of  such  as  were  for  a 
toleration  of  the  Papists  also.  He  demanded  how  we  would 
answer  the  common  question,  What  will  satisfy  you  ?  I  an^ 
swered  him  that  other  men's  judgments  and  actions,  about  the 
toleration  of  the  Papists,  we  had  nothing  to  do  with  at  this 
time ;  for  it  was  no  work  for  us  to  meddle  in.  But  to  this 
question,  we  were  not  so  ignorant  whom  we  had  to  do  with,  as 
to  expect  full  satisfaction  of  our  desires  as  to  church  affairs. 
The  answer  must.be  suited  to  the  sense  of  his  question :  and 
if  we  knew  their  ends,  what  degree  of  satisfaction  they  were 
minded  to  grant,  we  would  tell  them  what  means  are  necessary 
to  attain  them.  There  are  d^rees  of  satisfaction,  as  to  the 
number  of  persons  to  be  satisfied ;  and  there  are  divers  degrees 
of  satisfying  the  same  persons.  If  they  will  take  in  all  orthodox, 
peaceable,  worthy  ministers,  the  terms  must  be  larger.  If  they 
win  take  in  but  the  greater  part,  somewhat  less  and  harder 
terms  may  do  it.  If  but  a  few,  yet  less  may  serve :  for  we 
are  not  so  vain  as  to  pretend  that  all  Nonconformists  are,  in 
every  particular,  of  one  mind. 

^  When  we  came  to  the  lord  keeper^  we  resolved  to  tell  him 
that  Sir  John  Babor  told  us  his  lordship  desired  to  speak 
with  us,  lest  it  should  be  after  said,  that  we  intended,  or  were 
the  movers  of  it ;  or  lest  it  had  been  Sir  John  Babor's  forward- 
ness that  had  been  the  cause.  He  told  us  why  he  sent  for  us : 
that  it  was  to  think  of  a  way  of  our  restoration ;  to  which  end 
he  had  some  proposals  to  offer  us,  which  were  for  a  comprehen- 
sion for  the  Presbyterians,  and  an  indulgence  for  the  Indepen- 
dents and  the  rest.  We  asked  him  whether  it  was  his  lordship's 
pleasure  that  we  should  offer  him  our  opinion  of  the  means,  or 
only  receive  what  he  offered  to  us.  He  told  us,  that  he  had 
somewhat  to  offer  us,  but  we  might  also  offer  our  own  to  him. 
I  told  him,  that  I  did  think  we  could  offer  such  terms,  which,, 
wliile  no  way  injurious  to  the  welfare  of  any,  might  take 
in  both  Presbyterians  and  Independents,  and  alt  sound  Chris- 
tians, into  the  established  ministry.  He  answered,  that  was  a 
thing  he  would  not  have  ;  but  only  a  toleration  for  the  rest  \ 
which  being  none  of  our  business  to  debate,  we  desired  him  to 
consult  such  persons  about  it  as  were  concerned  in  it ;  and  so  it 
was  agreed  that  we  should  meddle  with  the  comprehension  only. 
A  few  days  after  he  accordingly  sent  us  his  proposals* 


1170  TfiS  tin  ANl>  TtlfBS 

I 

*^  When  we  saw  the  proposals,  we  perceived  that  the  bnsiness  of 
the  lord  keeper,  and  his  way,  would  make  it*  unfit  for  us  to  de- 
bate such  cases  with  himself;  and  therefore  we  wrote  to  him, 
requesting  that  he  would  nominate  two  learned,  peaceable  dhrioei 
to  treat  with  us,  till  we  had  agreed  on  the  fittest  terms;  and 
that  Dr*  Bates  might  be  added  to  us.  He  nominated  Dr. 
Wilkins,  who,  we  then  found,  was  the  author  of  the  propotab, 
and  of  the  whole  business,*"  and  his  chaplain,  Mr.  Burton.* 
When  we  met,  we  tendered  them  some  proposals  of  our  owOi 
and  some  alterations  which  we  desired  in  their  propoeala }  for 
they  presently  rejected  ours,  and  would  hear  no  more  of  them } 
so  that  we  were  fain  to  treat  upon  theirs  alone.''® 

According  to  the  heads  of  agreement  which  had  been  entered 
into  between  the  parties  in  private,  a  bill  was  prepared  for  par- 
liament by  Lord  Chief  Justice  Hale ;  but  Bishop  Wilkins,  an 
honest  and  open-hearted  man,  having  disclosed  the  affair  to 
Bishop  Ward,  in  hope  of  his  assistance,  he  alarmed  the  bishops; 
who,  instead  of  promoting  the  design,  concerted  measures  to 
defeat  it.  As  soon  as  parliament  met,  it  was  mentioned  that 
there  were  rumours  out  of  doors  that  a  bill  was  to  be  proposed' 
for  comprehension  and  indulgence;  on  which  a  rescdutjon  was 
passed,  that  no  man  should  bring  such  a  bill  into  the  House.' 
To  crush  the  Nonconformists  more  effectually,  Archbishc^  Shel- 

">  Bishop  Wilkins  was  one  oflhe  best  members  of  the  episcopacy  during  hif 
time.  His  character  as  a  philosopher  is  well  known  ;  his  moderation  as  a 
churchman  appears  from  his  conduct  in  theafBairof  the  comprehensioiiywliicli 
failed  from  no  want  of  firmness  and  principle  in  bim,  but  from  the  ▼ioklica  of 
the  hi{ph-church  party. 

»  Dr.  Hezekiah  Burton  was  chaplain  to  the  lord  keeper,  and  a  person  af 
^reat  respectability.  Beside  the  persons  eo^ged  in  this  affair  mendoncd  bj 
Baatcfi  it  appears  that  Tillotson  and  Stillingflect  were  also  conoeraed  In  itr- 
JBirch*s  Uft  of  TiUotson,  p.  42. 

*  Life,  part  iii.  pp.  20  -  24.  Ilallam  says,  *'  The  design  was  to  act  on  the 
principle  of  the  declaration  of  1660,  so  that  Presbyterian  ordination  tbonld 
pass  mi  nmb,  Tillotson  and  Stillingfieet  were  concerned  in  it.  The  kia;  vat 
at  this  time  exasperated  a^inst  the  bishops  for  their  support  of  Clarendoiu" 
^  ConttUutionai  Hist.  vol.  ii.  p.  506. 

V  **  Sir  Thomas  Littleton  spoke  in  favour  of  the  comprehension,  as  did 
Seymour  and  Waller;  all  of  them  enemies  of  Clarendon,  and  probably  con- 
nected with  the  Buckingham  faction :  but  the  church  party  was  much  loo 
strong^  for  them.  Pepys  says  the  Commons  were  furious  a^inst  the  project: 
it  was  said,  that  whoever  pniposed  new  laws  about  relipon,  must  do  it  witl|  a 
rope  about  bis  neck.— January  1 0, 1668.  This  is  the  first  instance  of  a  triumph 
obuined  by  the  church  over  the  crown,  in  the  House  of  Commons.  Ralph 
observes  upon  it,  '  it  is  not  for  nought  that  the  words  Church  and  Sute  are 
so  often  coupled  toother,  and  that  the  first  has  so  insolently  usurped  the  pre- 
cedency of  Xhfi  last.'  ^''-^JJallem,  vol.  ii.  p,  506* 


OF  fticBAiiy  baxtir:  S7t 

iM  WMM  ft  rfretilar  letter  to  the  bishops  of  his  provitiee  to  send 
him  a,pinieul«r  accDunt  of  the  conventicles  in  their  several 
dioceseti  and  of  the  numbers  that  frequented  them ;  and  whether 
they  thought  they  might  be  easily  suppressed  by  the  magistrate.^ 
When  he  obtained  this  information,  he  went  to  the  king  and  got 
a  proefaunation  to  put  the  laws  in  execution  against  the  Noncon-^ 
fcrmisti,  and  particularly  against  the  preachers^  according  to  the 
statttte  whkh  fiM'bade  their  living  in  corporate  towns/ 

Thk  treaty  not  only  shared  the  fate  of  all  former  treaties  of 
the  same  kind,  but  eventually  increased  the  sufferings  of  the  Non-> 
eoofbrmisti*  It  amused  and  occupied  attention  for  a  time,  and 
then  oame  to  nothing.  The  papers  given  in  showed  how  much 
the  Nonconformists  were  disposed  to  yield  for  the  sake  of  peace  | 
but  they  were  perpetually  doomed  to  be  first  tantalized  and  then 
disappointed.  The  bishops,  who  ought  to  have  been  minister^ 
of  peace  and  reconciliation,  were  generally  the  means  of  retard- 
ix^  or  preventing  them.  ' 

•  ^  How  joyfully,''  says  Baxter,  ^'  would  1400,  at  least,  of  the 
nonconfbrmable  ministers  of  England  have  yielded  to  these 
termi  if  they  could  have  got  them  1  JBut,  alas !  all  this  labour 
was  in  vain;  for  the  active  prelates  and  prelatists  so  far  prevailed, 
that  as  soon  as  ever  the  parliament  met,  they  prevented  all  talk 
or  motion  of  such  a  thing ;  and  the  lord  keeper,  that  had  called 
OS,  and  set  us  on  work,  himself  turned  that  way,  and  talked  after 
as  if  he  understood  us  not. 

^  Jn  April,  1668,  Dr.  Creighton,  dean  of  Wells,  the  most  fa** 
motts  loquacious^  ready-tongued  preacher  of  the  court,  who  was 
used  to  preach  Calrin  to  hell,  and  the  Calvinists  to  the  gallows, 
and  by  his  scornful  revilings  and  jests  to  set  the  court  on  a  laugh* 
ter,  was  suddenly,  in  the  pulpit,  without  any  sickness,  surprised 
with  astonishment,  worse  than  Dr.  South,  the  Oxford  orator,  had 
been  before  him.  When  he  had  repeated  a  sentence  over  and 
over,  he  was  so  confounded  that  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,  being  not  only  a 

«  It  is  said  tbere  were  private  iDstructions  given  to  some  of  the  clergy,  *'  to 
make  the  conventicles  as  few  and  inconsiderable  as  might  be  ; "  with  which 
they  were  requested  to  answer  the  question,  **  Whether  they  thought  they 
might  be  easily  suppressed  by  the  assistance  of  the  civil  magistrate  ?  "-"The 
C&mfmrmuVs  Plea  for  NoncortformisU,  part  i.  p.  40. 

'  Neal,  vol.  iv.  pp.  385,  386.  Keal  gives  a  full  detail  of  the  nature  of  the 
terms  proposed  in  this  treaty,  to  which  the  reader  may  easily  refer,  if  be  wishes 
to  enter  more  minutely  into  the  subjecti 


272  TUK  UFB  AND  TIMX8 

fluent  extempore  speaker,  but  one  that  was  never  known  to  want 
words,  especially  to  express  his  satirical  or  bloody  thoughts* 

^  lo  July,  Mr.  Tavemer,  late  minister  of  Uxbridge,  was 
sentenced  to  Newgate,  for  teaching  a  few  children  at  Brentfindi 
but  paying  his  fine  prevented  it.  Mr.  Button,  of  Brentford, 
a  most  humble,  worthy,  godly  man,  who  never  had  been  in 
orders,  or  a  preacher,  but  had  been  canon  of  Christ's  chorehi 
in  Oxford,  and  orator  to  the  University,  was  sent  to  gaol  finr 
teaching  two  knight's  sons  in  his  house,  not  having  taken  the 
Oxford  oath.  Many  of  his  neighbours,  of  Brentford,  were  sent 
to  the  same  prison  for  worshipping  Ood  in  private  together, 
where  they  all  lay  many  months.  I  name  these  because  thcj 
were  my  neighbours,  but  many  counties  had  the  like  nsage : 
yea.  Bishop  Crofts,  that  had  pretended  great  moderation^  sent 
Mr.  Woodward,  a  worthy,  silenced  minister,  of  Herefordshire^ 
to  gaol  for  six  months.  Some  were  imprisoned  upon  the  OxSati 
Act,  and  some  on  the  Act  against  Conventicles. 

**  In  September,  Colonel  Phillips,  a  courtier  of  the  bed* 
chamber,  and  my  next  neighbour,  who  spake  to  me  fiur,  eom- 
plained  to  the  king  of  me,  for  preaching  to  great  numbers  ;  bot 
the  king  put  it  by,  and  nothing  was  done  at  that  time. 

"  About  this  time.  Dr.  Manton,  being  nearest  the  court,  and 
of  great  name  among  the  Presbyterians,  and  being  heard  hf 
many  of  great  quality,*  was  told  by  Sir  John  Babor  that  the 
king  was  much  inclined  to  favour  the  Nonconformists,  that  an 
address  now  would  be  acceptable,  and  that  the  address  most  be 
a  thankful  acknowledgment  of  the  clemency  of  his  majestjr's 
government,  and  the  liberty  which  we  thereby  enjoy,  &c.  Ac- 
cordingly, they  drew  up  an  address  of  thanksgiring,  and  I  wss 
invited  to  join  in  the  presenting  of  it,  but  not  in  the  peniung^ 
for  I  had  marred  their  matter  oft  enough :  but  I  was  both  wk 

■  Dr.  Mftnton  was  a  person  of  very  excellent  character  and  talents  at  a  od* 
sister ;  and  seems  to  have  enjoyed  a  considerable  portion  of  popularity.  Hi 
had  a  good  deal  of  intercourse  with  the  icings,  anti  could  numbier  amon^  Ui 
hearers  many  of  the  nobility.  If  we  nbay  attach  any  importance  to  Clam* 
don's  joke,  and  a  good  plump  portrait,  we  should  reji^ard  Manton  as  a  remark* 
ably  pleasant,  good-tempered,  easy  man.  Such  probably  he  was ;  but  be  was 
far  from  being  a  timid,  or  a  time-serving,  courtier.  On  the  contraiy,  he  was 
a  man  of  invincible  integrity  and  principle,  combined  with  great  prudence^ 
which  were  put  to  the  test  ou  various  occasions  in  his  life.  He  was  a  veiy  vo« 
luminous  preacher,  as  some  of  his  published  works  prove.  Lord  Bolingbroke 
appears  to  have  been,  in  early  life,  one  of  his  hearers,  who  says,  "  He  taught 
my  youth  to  yawn,  and  prepared  roe  to  be  a  high  churchman,  that  1  might 
never  bear  him  read  or  read  him  more.'*  See  his  life,  prefixed  to  his  lermoiii 
on  the  119th  Psalm ;  Granger's  Biog,  Hist,  i  and  Palmer's  Noncoo.  Men. 


OP  RICHARD  BAXTER.  273 

and  unwiUhig,  hawig  been  often  enough  employed  in  vain.  I 
tokT'tbem,  howiever,  only  of  ray  sickness ;  so  Dr.  Manton^  Dr. 
Bates,  Dr.  Jacomb,  and  Mr.  Ennis,  presented  it."^ 

The  address  of  the  ministers  was  most  graciously  received; 
and  Charles  on  this,  as  on  many  other  occasions,  played  the 
hypocrite  very  successfully.^ 

'  ^  But  after  all  this,''  says  Baxter,  ^  we  were  as  before.  The 
trik  of  liber^  did  but  occasion  the  writing  many  bitter  pamphlets 
against  toleration.  Among  others,  they  gathered  out  of  mine 
and  other  men's  books  all  that  we  had  there  said  against  liberty 
Imt  Popery,-  and  for  Quakers  railing  against  the  ministers  in 
open  congregations,  which  they  applied  as  against  a  toleration 
of  ooraehes ;  for  the  bare  name  of  toleration  did  seem  in  the 
people's  ears  to  serve  their  turn  by  signifying  the  same  thing. 
Became' we  had  said  that  men  should  not  be  tolerated  to  preach 
against  Jesus  Christ  and  the  Scriptures,  they  would  thence  justify 
themselves  for  not  tolerating  us  to  preach  for  Jesus  Christ, 
uless  we  would  be  deliberate  liars,  and  use  all  their  inventions. 
Thoaesame  men,  who,  when  commissioned  with  us  to  make  such 
alterations  in-  the  liturgy  as  were  necessary  to  satisfy  tender 
consciences,  did  maintain  that  no  alteration  was  necessary  to 
ntbfy  them,  and  did  moreover,  contrary  to  all  our  importunity, 
make  so  many  new  burdens  of  their  own  to  be  anew  imposed 
on  us^  had  now  little  to  say  but  that  they  must  be  obeyed^ 
because  they  were  imposed."' 

We  cannot  but  sympathise  with  the  Nonconformists  in  the 
treatment  they  experienced;  and  yet  those  of  them  who  had  con- 
tended for  a  limited  toleration,  were  scarcely  entitled  to  complain 
when  they  found  their  own  weapons  turned  against  themselves. 
The  parties  who  did  so,  however,  had  no  great  ground  for 
boasting,  for  the  doctrine  of  toleration  they  neither  understood 
nor  acted  on,  except  while  they  were  themselves  tolerated. 
Among  those  who  distinguished  themselves  in  writing  against 
the  ministers,  were.  Dr.  Patrick  in  his  ^  Friendly  Debate  between 
a  Conformist  and  a  Nonconformist,'  which  was  answered  by 
several  writers ;   and    Samuel   Parker,  whose  '  Ecclesiastical 

*  Life,  part  iiL  p.  36. 

*  Dr.  MaDton^  in  a  letter  to  Baxter,  pves  bim  an  account  of  the  reception 
which  they  experienced  from  his  majesty,  and  of  the  reference  which  Cbarles 
■uule  to  his  preaching  at  Acton  ;  the  popularity  of  which  seems  not  to  have 
bsen  acceptable  to  the  higher  powers.— >Zr(/V|  part  iiL  p.  37. 

s  Uh,  part  iii.  pp.  38^  39. 

YOL.  U  T 


874  tM  LifB  AVI)  Tlllll 

Polity*  tAlled  fbrth  A%  Might  of  Owen's  dbpIeanM^  and  tlift 
pttngttidy  of  Manreri  wtt«  But  the  controvenial  affiun  of  ibft 
period,  we  must  defer  to  a  ^ubtequent  part  of  thii  w6fk|  iiid 
fituiii  to  Baxter's  narrative. 

^'  Wbil#  I  li^^  at  Acton,  as  long  as  the  act  against  ^oaMOm 
cles  was  in  force,  though  I  preached  to  my  fiunily,  Aw  of  Ilia 
town  eame  to  hear  me)  partly  because  ibey  thought  h  wmdd 
imdanger  me,  and  partly  for  fear  of  sufiering  themitfMi^  IM 
twpecially  because  they  were  an  ignorant  poor  peopb^  and  had 
no  appetite  for  such  things.  When  the  act  exptredi  thaea  ciBM 
so  many,  that  I  wanted  room )  and  when  once  they  had  ^MSi 
and  heaird^  they  afterwards  came  constantly )  insomnh^  that  ia 
a  little  time,  there  was  a  great  number  of  them,  wh6.  aaemW 
.Tery  seriously  affected  with  the  things  they  heardy  and  almest 
all  the  town  and  parish,  besides  abundance  from  Brentford  atti 
the  neighbouring  parishes,  eame ;  and  I  know  not  of  three  in  thi 
parish  that  were  adversaries  to  us  or  our  endeavours^  or  wish^ 
us  ill.*' r 

It  was  while  residing  at  Aoton^  that  Baxter  first  baeame  ao« 
quainted  With  Sir  Matthew  Hale,  then  lord  chief  baron  of  ills 
fixchequeri  and  one  of  the  most  eminent  men  for  integrity  and 
worth  in  his  profession,  as  well  as  for  pure  and  enlightoned  viowi 
as  a  Christian,  whom  this  country  has  been  honoured  to  prodiier. 
As  Baxter  has  drawn  his  character  at  large  With  considerable 
power,  the  reader,  I  am  sure,  uill  be  glad  to  have  it  placed  befait 
him. 

^*  He  was  a  man  of  no  quick  utterance,  but  spake  with  great 
reason^  He  was  most  precisely  just  |  insomuch  that,  I  bdiofCj^ 
•he  would  have  lost  all  he  had  in  the  world  rather  than  do  IM 
unjust  act.  Patient  in  hearing  the  most  tedious  speech  whifih 
any  man  )iad  to  make  for  himself.  The  pillar  of  justiGe»  ti^ 
refuge  of  the  subject  who  feared  oppression,  and  otie  of  the 
greatest  honours  of  his  majesty's  government }  for,  with  eoaie 
other  upright  judges,  he  upheld  the  honour  of  the  English  Ba» 
tion,  that  it  fell  not  into  the  reproach  of  arbitrarinessi  crudtyi 
and  utter  confosion.  £rery  man  that  had  a  just  oause^  was 
almost  past  fear,  if  he  could  but  bring  it  to  the  court  or  assiie 
where  he  was  judge;  for  the  other  judges  seldom  contradicted 
him.  He  was  the  great  instrument  for  rebuilding  London  s  for 
when  an  act  was  made  for  deciding  all  controversies  that 

1  Lift,  part  iii.  p.  4& 


W  AtCHAU)  flAtniu  275 

Hndcrad  ic,  he  wm  the  erniatant  judge,  who,  for  nothings  fol* 
iMred  the  worit,  and,  by  his  prudence  and  justice,  removed  a 
Uhdtitmii  of  great  impediments. 

•  ^  Hit  great  advantage  for  innocency  was,  that  he  was  no 
lever  of  riches  or  of  grandeur.  His  garb  was  too  plain }  he 
studiously  avoided  all  unnecessary  familiarity  with  great  persons, 
nd  an  that  manner  of  living  which  signiiieth  wealth  and  great* 
Dtab  He  kept  no  greater  a  family  than  myself.  I  lived  in  a 
OMll  houie^  which,  for  a  pleasant  back  opening,  he  had  a  mind 
fiOf^bM  eaused  a  stranger,  that  he  might  not  be  suspected  to 
hestMe  mm^  to  know  of  me  whether  I  were  willing  to  part  with 
il^'betee  he  would  meddle  urith  it.  In  that  house  he  lived 
cUnteatedly,  without  any  pomp,  aod  without  oostly  or  trouble  • 
some  retinue  or  visitors ;  but  not  without  charity  to  the  poor* 
BotHUlindcd  the  study  of  physics  ahd  madiematics  still,  as  his 
||Mat  ddight,  -  He  hath  himself  written  four  volumes  in  folio, 
tfaito  of  which  I  have  read,  against  atheism,  Sadduceism,  and 
infidelity,  to  prove  first  the  Deity,  and  then  the  immortality 
of  aaan'a  soul,  and  then  the  truth  of  Christianity,  and  the  Holy 
Scripture,  answering  the  infidel's  objections  against  Scripture* 
It  ia  strong  and  masculine,  only  too  tedious  for .  impatient 
mdort*  He  sdd,  he  wrote  it  only  at  vacant  hours  in  his  cir^ 
cuits,  to  regulate  his  meditations,  finding  that  while  he  wrote 
down  what  he  thought  on,  his  thoughts  were  the  easier  kept 
dote  to  Work,  and  kept  In  a  method.  But  I  could  not  persuade 
him  to  publish  them. 

^Tbe  conference  which  I  had  frequently  with  him,  mostly 
sbout  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  other  philosophical  and 
foondation  points,  was  so  edifying,  that  his  very  questions  and 
objections  did  help  me  to  more  light  than  other  men's  solutions. 
Ilioee  who  take  none  for  religious,  who  frequent  not  private 
nMtings,  8iQ^  took  him  for  an  excellently  righteous,  moral 
man  :  but  I,  who  heard  and  read  his  serious  expressions  of  the 
concernments* of  eternity,  and  saw  his  love  to  all  good  men, 
and  the  blamelessness  of  his  life,  thought  better  of  his  piety  than 
my  own.  When  the  people  crowded  in  and  out  of  my  house  to 
hear,  he  openly  showed  me  so  great  respect  before  them  at  the 
door,  and  never  spake  a  word  against  it,  as  was  no  small  en- 
eooragement  to  the  comm6n  people  to  go  on;  though  the  other 
•ort  muttered,  that  a  judge  should  seem  so  far  to  countenance 
that  which  they  took  to  be  against  the  law.  He  was  a  great 
lamenter  of  the  extremities  of  the  times,  and  of  the  violence 

t2 


276  TUS  UFB  AND  TIMBS 

and  foolishness  of  the  predominant  clergy;  and  a  great  denrer  of 
such  abatements  as  might  restore  us  all  to.serviceableness  and 
unity.  He  had  got  but  a  very  small  estate,  though  he  had  long 
the  greatest  practice,  because  he  would  take  but  little  money, 
and  undertake  no  more  business  than  he  could  well  dispatch. 
'.  He  often  offered  to  the  lord  chancellor  to  resign  his  plae^ 
when  he  was  blamed  for  doing  that  which  he  supposed  was 
justice.  He  had  been  the  learned  Selden's  intimate  friend^  and 
one  of  his  executors;  and  because  the  Hobbians,and  other 
infidels  would  have  persuaded  the  world  that  Selden  was  of  tbdr 
mind,'  I  desired  him  to  tell  me  the  truth  therein.  He  assured  me 
that  Selden  was  an  earnest  professor  of  the  Christian  fiuth,  and 
so  angry  an  adversary  to  Hobbes,  that  he  hath  rated  him  out  of 
the  room."  • 

Such  is  Baxter's  account  of  this  distinguished  man,  whose  moral 
worth  threw  a  glory  over  his  high  professional  attiunmenti,  and 
rendered  him  an  eminent  blessing  to  his  country..  Unfortn* 
nately,  few  of  the  clergy  were  like  this  ornament  of  the  law, 
either  in  religious  character,  or  in  peaceable  disposition.  Veiy 
different,  for  example,  was  the  clergyman  of  the  parish  ia 
which  Judge  Hale  and  Baxter  resided.  The  conduct  of  thb 
individual  brought  Baxter  into  such  trouble,  that  I  must  leavs 
him  to  describe  both  his  character  and  his  behaviour. 

■  I  am  at  a  loss  to  understand  on  what  grounds  the  class  of  persons  to  wbon 
Baxter  refers^  could  claim  Selden  as  one  of  them.  I  suspect  the  iosiooatioa 
roust  have  originated  with  the  high-church  party,  to  whose  claims  Selden  WM 
.  certainly  no  friend.  His  attack  on  the  divine  right  of  tithes^  the  jniMMoltes 
not  the  <foc<rtne  of  which  he  retracted,  gave  great  offence  to  the  church.  His 
Erastianism,  in  regard  to  church  government,  made  him  unacceptable  to  the 
Presbyterians;  while  his  jokes,  at  the  expense  of  the  Westminster  Aaiemfalyi 
of  which  he  was  a  lay  roember,'probably  rendered  his  serious  piety  a  Utile 
doubtful.  Nothing  in  his  writings,  however,  can  induce  any  one  to  tnppase 
that  Selden  was  either  infidel  or  sceptical  in  his  notions  of  religion ;  but  moie 
firmness  uf  character  than  he  appears  to  have  possessed,  would  have  gfcatly 
increased  the  lustre  of  his  eminent  talents  and  profound  learning. 

•  Life,  part  iii.  pp.  47}  48.  Bishop  Burnet  published  an  interestiag  little 
Tolume,  *The  Life  and  Death  of  Sir  Matthew  Hjile,'  which  confirms  all  tlMl 
Baxter  has  said  of  his  illustrious  friend.  Burnet  was  not  himself  acqnaioied 
with  Hale,  but  does  great  justice  to  his  character.  He  mentions,  that  "-ht 
held  great  conversation  with  Mr.  Baxter,  who  was  his  neighbour  at  Acton ;  on 
whom  he  looked  as  a  person  of  great  devotion  and  piety,  and  of  a  very  subtile 
and  quick  apprehension.  Their  conversation  lay  most  in  mataphysical  and 
Abstracted  ideas  and  schemes."— p.  45.  Burnet  concludes  his  memuira  of  the 
judge  by  saying,  '*  He  was  One  of  the  greatest  patterns  this  age  haa  aliMid» 
whether  in  his  private  deportment  as  a  Christian,  or  in  his  public  employQCttH 
either  at  the  bar,  or  on  the  bench."— p.  128.  A  lecond  edition  of  this  life  WM 
nocompamed  with  notes  by  Baxter. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  277 

^  Th6  parson  of  this  parish  was  Dr.  Ryves,  dean  of  Windsor 
ad  of  Wolverhampton,  parson  of  Hasely  and  of  Acton,  chap- 
hm  in  ordinary  to  the  king,  &c.  His  curate  was  a  weak  young 
vmn,  who  spent  most  of  his  time  in  the  ale-houses,  and  read  a 
few  dry  sentences  to  the  people  once  a  day.  Yet,  because  he 
preached  true  doctrine,  and  I  had  no  better  to  hear,  I  constantly 
beard  htm  when  he  preached,  and  went  to  the  beginning  of  the 
eominon  prayer.  As  my  house  faced  the  church  door,  and 
was  within  hearing  of  it,  those  that  heard  me  before,  went  with 
me  to  the  church ;  scarcely  three,  that  I  know  of,  in  the  parish 
fefiising.  When  I  preached,  after  the  public  exercise,  they  went 
out  of  the  church  into  my  house.  It  pleased  the  doctor  and 
parato,  that  I  came  to  church  and  brought  others  with  me,  but 
he  was  not  able  to  bear  the  sight  of  people  crowding  into  my 
house,  though  they  heard  him  also;  so  that  though  he  spake  me 
fidr,  and  we  K?ed  in  seeming  love  and  peace  while  he  was  there, 
jet  he  could  not  long  endure  it.  When  I  had  brought  the  people 
to  church  to  hear  him,  he  would  fall  upon  them  with  ground* 
ksa  reproaches;  as  if  he  had  done  it  purposely  to  drive  them 
amy,  and  yet  he  thought  that  my  preaching  to  them,  because  it 
was  in  a  house,  did  all  the  mischief;  though  he  never  accused 
W  of  any  thing  that  I  spake,  for  I  preached  nothing  but  Chris- 
tianity and  submission  to  our  superiors,  faith,  repentance,  hope. 
We,  humility,  self-denial,  meekness,  patience,  and  obedience. 

^He  was  the  more  offended,  because  I  came  not  to  the  sacra- 
Bent  with  him ;  though  I  communicated  in  the  other  parish 
dnrches  in  London  and  elsewhere.  I  was  loth  to  offend  him, 
\fj  giving  him  the  reason ;  which  was,  that  he  was  commonly 
iqmted  a  swearer,  a  curser,  a  railer,  &c.  In  those  tender  times, 
k  would  have  been  so  great  an  offence  to  the  Congregational 
Ivethren,  if  I  had  communicated  with  him,  and  perhaps  have 
kutened  their  sufferings  who  durst  not  do  the  same,  that  I 
thought  it  would  do  more  harm  than  good."*' 

It  is  a  pity  Baxter  did  not  put  his  refusal  to  communicate 
tiih  8uch  a  man,  on  a  better  footing  than  merely  that  of  giving 
ofrnce  to  his  brethren.^    An  individual  acting  in  a  manner 

^  Life,  pArt  iii.  pp.  46, 47. 

'  tlie  account  which  Ba3(ter  gives  of  the  conduct  of  Dean  Ryves  corresponds 
accamely  with  the  opinion  which  we  should  have  formed  of  him  from  some 
of  kic  writiof^.  He  was  a  violent  royalist ;  and  as  he  had  suflfered  for  his 
pteiplca  during  the  civil  wars,  he  prohahly  thought  himself  justified  in  re- 
friHrt«g  on  the  Nonconformists.  His  <  Mercorius  Rusticus,  or  the  Coun- 
try%  Complaint  of  the  barbarous  outrages  committed  by  the  Sectaries  of 


97B  TRB  Lin  AND  TIMBS 

BO  openly  profane,  ought  not  to  have  been  countenanced  as  a  re- 


ligious teacher  by  any  Christian.  It  is,  indeed,  diffieolt  to 
ceive  how  Baxter  could  reconcile  himself  even  to  hear  soch  a 
man,  and,  by  his  example,  to  influence  others  to  do  the  aame  | 
when  we  reflect  on  his  strong  views  of  the  mischief  and  ainfid* 
ness  of  countenancing  ungodly  ministers.  His  love  of  pcaoCi 
and  desire  to  prevent  schism  in  the  established  churchy  wen  the 
impelling  motives,  which,  in  this  instance,  certainly  carried  Ui 
too  far. 

^^At  Wolverhampton,  in  Staffordshire,  Vhere  Rjnrea 
dean,  were  abundance  of  Papists  and  violent  formaliilii 
Amongst  whom  was  one  Brasgirdle,  an  apothecary^  who^ia 
conference  with  Mr.  Reynolds  (an  able  preacher  therQ  aBeneai 
and  turned  out),  by  his  bitter  words  tempted  him  into  ao  nmek 
indiscretion  as  to  say,  that  the  Nonconformists  were  not  ao  eoDr 
temptible  for  number  and  quality  as  he  made  themi  that  moit 
of  the  people  were  of  their  mind ;  that  Cromwell,  though  an 
usurper,  had  kept  up  England  against  the  Dutch ;  and  'that 
he  marvelled  he  would  be  so  hot  against  private  meetings^  whoi 
at  Acton  the  dean  suffered  them  at  the  next  door.  Having 
this  advantage,  Brasgirdle  writeth  all  this,  greatly  aggravated, 
to  the  dean.  The  dean  hastens  away  with  it  to  the  king,  as  if 
it  were  the  discovery  of  treason.  Mr.  Reynolds  is  questioned, 
but  the  justices  of  the  county  to  whom  it  was  referredf  upon 
hearing  of  the  business,  found  mere  imprudence  heightened  to  a 
crime,  and  so  released  him.  But  before  this  could  be  done,  the 
king,  exasperated  by  the  name  of  Cromwell,  and  other  unad* 
vised  words,  as  the  dean  told  me,  bid  him  go  to  the  Bishop  of 
London  from  him,  and  bid  him  see  to  the  suppression  of  my 
meeting,  which  was  represented  to  him  as  much  greater  than  il 
was.  Whereupon,  two  justices  were  chosen  for  their  turn  to  do 
it.  One  Ross,  of  Brentford,  a  Scotsman,  and  one  Phillips,  a 
steward  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury."  <^ 

In  consequence  of  this  complaint,  a  warrant  was  grapted  to 

this  late  flourishing^  KiDf^dom,'  contains  some  curious  accounts  of  the  bittlii| 
sieges,  and  combats,  between  the  king's  and  the  parliament's  forces,  to  ffcs 
year  164G.  He  represents  the  treatment  of  the  royal  party  to  bare  bcea,  in 
many  instances,  intolerably  severe,  which  was  probably  the  case.  His  so- 
coiint  of  the  treatment  of  the  sectaries,  is,  I  apprehend,  a  good  deal  aggraTat- 
ed.  The  'Querela  Cantabrigieusis/  which  is  commonly  ascribed  tohiiB,U 
also  ascribed  to  Dr.  John  Barwick. — See  *  Life  of  Barwick^ '  pp,  32,  33.  Dr. 
Ryves  died  in  1677,  in  the  Slstyear  of  his  age. 
«  life,  part  iU.  p.  48. 


99  IICHAEB  BAXTH.  Uf9 

Mag  BuHer  before  the  juttioes  at  Bmitferd.  After  maiittain^ 
l^g  a  eoDBideraUe  conflict  with  them,  in  which  they  treated  him 
very  mdecoroiiBly,  he  was,  by  their  mittimus,  sent  to  Clerkenwal| 
priiony  for  holding  a  conventicle,  not  having  taken  the  Oxford 
oath,  and  refosiog  it  when  tendered  to  him. 

^  Tliey  woidd  have  given  me  leave  to  stay  till  Monday^  be* 
fare  I  went  to  gaol,  if  I  would  have  promised  them  not  to 
preach  the  next  Lord's  day,  which  I  refiised.  This  was  made  a 
hdnous  crime  against  me  at  the  court,  and  it  was  also  said  that 
h  eoold  not  be  out  of  conscience  that  I  preached,  else  why  did 
Bol  my  conscience  put  me  on  it  so  long  before  ?  Whereas  I  had 
wmm  preaehed  to  my  own  family,  and  never  once  invited  any 
one  to  bear  me,  or  forbade  any;  so  that  the  di&rence  was 
made  by  the  people,  and  not  by  me«  If  they  came  more  at 
last  than  at  first,  before  they  had  heard  me,  thai  signifie4 
BO  change  in  me.  But  thus  must  we  be  judged  of,  where  wa 
en  absent,  and  our  adversaries  present  j  and  there  ^re  many  to 
speak  against  us  what  they  please,  and  we  are  banished  frpm 
eitiee  and  corporations,  and  cannot  speak  for  ourselves* 

^  Hie  whole  town  of  Acton  were  greatly  exasperated  agalnel 
te  dean,  when  I  was  going  to  prison }  so  much  so,  that  ever 
after  they  abhorred  him  as  a  selfish  persecutor.  Nor  could  be 
have  devised  to  do  more  to  hinder  the  success  of  his  seldom 
preaching  there ;  but  it  was  his  own  choicey*-'  Let  them  bate 
BI0,  ao  they  fear  me.' 

• .  ^^  Thus  I  finally  left  that  place,  being  grieved  most  that  Batan 
had  prevailed  to  stop  the  poor  people  in  such  hopefiil  begin* 
ninge  of  a  common  reformation,  and  that  I  was  to  be  deprived 
of  the  exceeding  gratefiil  neighbourhood  of  the  Lord  Chief 
Baron  Hale,  who  could  scarce  refrain  tears  when  he  heard  of 
the  first  warrant  for  my  appearance. 

^  As  I  went  to  prison,  I  called  on  Serjeant  Fountain,  my 
special  friend,  to  take  his  advice ;  for  I  would  not  be  so  itguf 
rioiis  to  Judge  Hale.  He  perused  my  mittimus,  and,  in  short, 
advised  me  to  seek  for  a  habeas  corpus,  but  not  in  the  usual 
eomt  (the  King's  Bench),  for  reasons  kndwn  to  all  that  knew 
the  judges  |  nor  yet  in  the  Exchequer,  lest  his  kindness  to  me 
should  he  an  injury  to  Judge  Hale,  and  so  to  the  kingdom  |  but 
at  the  Common  Pleas,  which  he  said  might  grant  it,  though  it 
is  not  usual. 

^^  My  greatest  doubt  was,  whether  the  king  would  not  take  it 
111,  that  I  mther  sought  to  the  law  than  unto  him  ]  or  if  I  sought 


280  TUB  UFK  AND  tlMBS 

any  release  rather  than  continue  in  prison.  My  impriMnment 
was  at  present  no  great  suffering  to  me,  for  I  had  an  honest, 
jailor,  who  showed  me  all  the  kindness  he  could.  I  had  a 
large  room,  and  the  liberty  of  walking  in  a  fair  garden.  Mj 
wife  was  never  so  cheerful  a  companion  to  me  as  in  prison,  and 
was  very  much  against  my  seeking  to  be  released.  She  had 
brought  so  many  necessaries,  that  we  kept  house  as  contentedly 
and  comfortably  as  at  home,  though  in  a  narrower  room^.and 
had  the  sight  of  more  of  my  friends  in  a  day,  than  I  bad  at 
home  in  half  a  year.  I  knew  also  that  if  I  got  out  against 
their  will,  my  sufferings  would  be  never  the  nearer  to. an  end 
But  yet,  on  the  other  side,  it  was  in  the  extreme  heat  of  simi- 
mer,  when  London  was  wont  to  have  epidemical  diseases.  The 
hope  of  my  dying  in  prison,  I  have  reason  to  think  was  one 
great  inducement  to  some  of  the  instruments  to  move  to  what 
they  did.  My  chamber  being  over  the  gate,  which  was  knocked 
and  opened  with  noise  of  prisoners,  just  under  me  almost  eveiy 
night,  I  had  little  hope  of  sleeping  but  by  day,  which,  would 
have  been  likely  to  have  quickly  broken  my  strength,  which  was 
lo"  little  that  I  did  but  live.  The  number  of  visitors  daily,  pirt 
me  out  of  hope  of  studying,  or  of  doing  any  thing  bnt  enter* 
tain  them.  I  had  neither  leave  at  any  time  to  go  out  of  dooiiy 
much  less  to  church  on  the  Lord's  days,  nor  on  that  day  to  have 
any  come  to  me,  or  to  preach  to  any  but  my  family. . 

^'  Upon  all  these  considerations  the  advice  of  some  was,  that  I 
should  petition  the  king.  To  this  I  was  averse ;  .and  my  coun- 
sellor, Serjeant  Fountain,  advised  me  not  to  seek  to  it^  nor  yet 
to  refuse  their  favour  if  they  offered  it,  but  to  be  wholly  .passive 
as  to  the  court,  and  to  seek  my  freedom  by  law,  because  of  my 
great  weakness  and  the  probzibility  of  future  peril  to  my  life: 
and  this  counsel  I  followed.  ■ 

^^  The  Earl  of  Orrery,  I  heard,  did  earnestly  and  specially  speak 
to  the  king,  how  much  my  imprisonment  was  to  his  disservice. 
The  Earl  of  Manchester  could  do  little  but  by  Lord  Arlingtoni 
who,  with  the  Duke  of  Buckingham,  seemed  much  concerned  ni 
it ;  but  the  Earl  of  Lauderdale,  who  would  have  been  most  fot* 
ward,  had  he  known  the  king's  mind  to  be  otherwise,  said  no- 
thing. So  all  my  great  friends  did  me  not  the  least  service,  but 
made  a  talk  of  it,  with  no  fruit  at  all.  The  moderate,  honest 
part  of  the  episcopal  clergy  were  much  offended,  and  said  I  was 
chosen  out  designedly  to  make  them  all  odious  to  the  people. 
But  Sir  John  Babor,  often  visiting  me,  assured  me  that  he  had 


OF  UCBAKD  BAX1BR*  281 

ipoken  to  the  king  about  it,  but  that,  after  all  had  done  their 
Iwi^  he  was  not  willing  to  be  seen  to  relax  the  law  and  dis« 
sourage  justices  in  executing  it,  &c. ;  but  that  his  majesty  woidd 
not  be  offended  if  I  sought  my  remedy  at  law,  which  most 
thoi^ht  would  come  to  nothing, 

^  While  I  was'  thus  unresolved  which  way  to  take>  Sir  John 
Babor  desiring  a  narrative  of  my  case,  I  gave  him  one,  which 
he  showed  to  Lord  Arlington.  The  lord  chief  baron,  about  the 
nme  time,  at  the  table  at  Serjeant's  Inn,  before  the  rest  of  the 
judges,  gave  such  a  character  of  me,  without  fear  of  any  man's 
displeasure,  as  is  not  fit  for  me  to  own  or  recite.  He  was  so 
omidi  reverenced  by  the  rest,  who  were  every  one  strangers  to 
me,  aave  by  hearsay,  that  I  believe  it  much  settled  these  resolo- 
tiona.  The  Lord  Chief  Jusdce  Vaughan  was  no  friend  to  Non- 
Donformity,  or  Puritans ;  but  he  had  been  one  of  Selden's 
nwcntors,  and  so  Judge  Hale's  old  acquaintance.  Judge  Tyrell 
ITM  a  well-afiiected,  sober  man,  and  Serjeant  Fountain's  brother- 
iih-law  by  marriage,  and  sometime  his  fellow-commissioner  for 
keeping  the  great  seal  and  chancery.  Judge  Archer  was  one 
that  jprivately  favoured  religious  people  :  and  Judge  Wild,  though 
greatly  for  the  prelates'  way,  was  noted  for  a  righteous  man. 
Ilieee  vrere  the  four  judges  of  the  court. 

^  My  habeas  corpus  being  demanded  at  the  Common  Pleas^ 
aras  granted,  and  a  day  appointed  for  my  appearance.  When  I 
came,  the  judges,  I  believe,  having  not  before  studied  the  Oxford 
set,  when  Judge  Wild  had  first  said  I  hope  you  will  not  trouble 
this  court  with  such  causes,  asiked  whether  the  king's  counsel 
had  been  acquainted  with  the  case,  and  seen  the  order  of  the 
court ;  which  being  denied,  I  was  remanded  back  to  prison,  and 
a  new  day  set.  They  suffiered  me  not  to  stand  at  the  bar,  but 
called  me  up  to  the  table,  which  was  an  unusual  respect ;  and 
they  sent  me  not  to  the  Fleet,  as  is  usual,  but  to  the  same  prison, 
which  was  a  greater  favour. 

^' When  I  appeared  next,  the  lord  chief  justice,  coming  towards 
Westminster  Hall,  went  into  Whitehall  by  the  way,  which 
caused  much  talk  among  the  people.  When  he  came.  Judge 
Vinid  began,  and  having  showed  that  he  was  no  friend  to  con* 
vcnticles,  opened  the  act,  and  then  opened  many  defaults  in  the 
mittimus,  for  which  he  pronounced  it  invalid  ;  but,  in  civility  to 
the  justices,  said,  that  the  act  was  so  penned,  that  it  was  a 
very  hard  thing  to  draw  up  a  mittimus  by  it ;  which  was  no  com- 
pliment to  the  parliament.    Judge  Archer  next  spake  largely 


t82  THB  UVB  AND  TtMIS 

«gmintt  tbe  mittimus,  without  any  word  of  dispta^^eineiit  to'Am 
main  cause,  and  so  did  Judge  Tyrell  after  him.  Judg«  Vaiighatt 
concluded  in  the  same  manner,  but  with  these  two  siniivbuicics 
above  the  resf .  He  made  it  an  error  in  the  mittimus,  that  the 
witnesses  were  not  named,  seeing  that  the  Oxford  act  fpnof  llii 
justices  so  great  a  power  if  the  witnesses  be  unknownf  any  Inno- 
cent person  may  be  laid  in  prison,  and  shall  never  knoiw  wbiWji 
or  against  whom,  to  seek  remedy,  which  was  a  matter  of  gnat 
moment. 

^  When  he  had  done  with  the  cause,  he  made  a  speech  to  the 
people,  aiid  told  them  that  by  their  appearance,  he  pefeeifad 
ihat  this  was  an  affair  of  as  great  expectation  as  had  been  birfbie 
4hem.  It  being  usual  with  the  people  to  carry  away  things  bf 
halves,  and  as  their  misreports  might  mislead  othere,  he  them 
fore  acquainted  them,  that  though  he  understood  that  Mr* 
Baxter  was  a  man  of  great  learning  and  of  a  good  lifi%  yet  be 
having  this  singularity,  that  he  was  a  conventicler,  and  aa  tha 
law  was  against  conventicles,  it  was  only  upon  the  error  of  dtf 
warrant  that  he  was  released*  That  the  judgee  wire  eeoea* 
tomed,  in  their  charges  at  assises,  to  inquire  after  .eonveBtiela% 
which  are  against  the  law ;  so  that,  if  they  that  made  the  nto* 
timus,  had  but  known  how  to  make  it,  they  CQuld  not  hasr 
delivered  him,  nor  can  do  it  for  him,  or  any  that  shall  so  trans- 
gress the  law. 

^  This  was  supposed  to  be  that  which  was  resolved  en  at 
Whitehall,  by  the  way.  But  he  had  never  heard  what  I  had  to 
aay  in  the  main  cause,  to  prove  myself  no  transgressor  of  tbe 
law;  nor  did  he  at  all  tell  them  how  to  know  what  a  omwh 
tide  is,  which  the  common  law  is  so  much  against* 

^'  Being  discharged  from  my  imprisonment,  my  sufferings  be^ 
gan ;  for  I  had  there  better  health  than  I  had  for  a  long  tnna 
before  or  after.  I  had  now  more  exasperated  tbe  authors  of  asy 
imprisonment.  I  was  not  at  all  acquitted  as  to  the  main  censer 
They  might  amend  their  mittimus,  and  lay  me  up  again.  I 
knew  no  way  how  to  bring  my  main  cause,  whether  they  had 
power  to  put  the  Oxford  oath  on  me  to  a  legal  trial,  and  my 
counsellors  advised  me  not  to  do  it,  much  less  to  question  the 
judges  for  false  imprisonment,  lest  I  were  borne  down  by  power. 
I  had  now  a  house  of  great  rent  on  my  hands,  which  I  must  not 
come  to,  and  had  no  other  house  to  dwell  in.  I  knew  not 
what  to  do  with  all  my  goods  and  family.  I  must  go  out  of 
Middlesex  {  I  must  not  come  within  five  miles  of  a  city,  eorpo* 


.pf  1ICBAR0  BAXniU  M 

mtfoPy  Ami.  Where  to  find  9iich  a  place,  ^d  therein  A  honae,  apd 
how  to  remove  my  goods  thither,  and  what  to  do  with  my  house 
till  my  time  expired,  were  more  trouble  than  my  quiet  prison  by 
hr,  and  the  consequents  yet  worse. 

^  Gratitude  commandeth  me  to  tell  the  world  who  were  my 
beoefiMstors  in  my  imprisonment,  and  calumny  as  much  obligelh 
ae^  because  it  is  said  among  some  that  I  was  enriched  Iqr  ib 
Serjeant  Fountain's  general  counsel  ruled  me.  Mr.  Wallop  and 
Mr.  Offley  lent  me  their  counsel,  and  would  take  nothing.  Of 
four  seijeanta  that  pleaded  my  cause,  two  of  them,  Serjeant 
WuuUuun,  afterwaids  baron  of  the  Exchequer,  and  Se^eant 
Sisa»  would  take  nothing.  Sir  John  Bernard,  a  person  I  never 
saw  but  once,  sent  me  no  less  than  twenty  pieces  |  the  Comi» 
tesa  of  Bxeter,  ten  pounds ;  and  Alderman  ^fiard,  five«  I  re* 
ceived  no  more,  but  I  confess  more  was  offered  me,  vrtiiel| 
I  reftisedi  and  more  would  have  been  given,  but  that  tlwyknew 
I  needod  it  not ;  and  this  much  defrayed  my  law  and  prisoa 
sbaijgeef 
,  ^  When  the  same  justices  saw  that  I  was  thus  discharged, 
they  were  not  satisfied  to  have  driven  me  from  Acton,  but  they 
made  r  new  mittimus  by  counsel,  as  for  the  same  supposed  faulty 
naming  the  fourth  of  June  as  the  day  on  which  I  preached;,  and 
yet  not  naming  any  witness,  though  the  act  against  comrentielee 
was  expired  long  before.  This  mittimus  they  put  into  an  officer's 
handsy  in  London,  to  bring  me,  not  to  Clerkenwell,  but  among 
the  thieves  and  murderers,  to  the  common  jail  at  Newgate,  which 
wai>  since  the  fire  which  burnt  down  all  the  better  rooms,  the 
most  noisome  place  that  I  have  heard  of,  of  any  prison  in  the 
land,  except  the  Tower  dungeon. 

^  The  next  habitation  which  God's  providence  chose  for  me, 
was  atTotteridge,  near  Barnet*  where,  for  a  year,  I  was  fain  with 
part  of  my  family  separated  from  the  rest,  to  take  a  few  mean 
rooms,  which  were  so  extremely  smoky,  and  tlie  place  withal  so 
cold,  that  I  spent  the  winter  in  great  pain ;  one  quarter  of  a 
year  by  a  sore  sciatica,  and  seldom  free  from  much  anguish."* 

Between  the  years  1665  and  1670,  Baxter  laboured  diligently 
on  some  of  his  most  important  works.  It  was  during  this 
period  he  produced  his  ^  Reasons  of  the  Christian  Religion,'  and 
his  '  Directions  to  weak  Christians  how  to  grow  in  Grace.'  He 
finished,  though  he  did  not  then  print,  his  ^  Christian  Directory.' 
He  enlarged  his  sermon  before  the  king  into  a  quarto  volume^ 

•  Ldfe^  part  Uh  pp.  50*^. 


SM  TBB  Lin  ANB  TllfBS 

on  the  ^  life  of  Faith ;'  beside  some  minor  pieces^  stieh  as  his 
^  Cufe  of  Church  Divisions/  He  wrote  also  '  his  Apology  for 
the  Nonconformists/  and  a  great  part  of  his  ^MethoduSy' 
though  it  was  not  published  till  some  time  afterwards. 

During  this  period  also,  he  had  a  long  discussion  in  person^ 
and  in  writing,  with  Dr.  Owen,  about  the  terms  of  agreem«it 
among  Christians  of  all  parties.     It  was  not  productive  of  any 
practical  effect  at  the  time ;  and  the  blame  of  its  failure  Bax- 
ter lays  upon  Owen.    The  correspondence  he  has  pablished^ 
from  which  it  is  not  difficult  to  account  for  the  failure,  without 
Attaching  blame  to  either  party.    The  views  of  these  two  diatin- 
guished  individuals  differed,  not,  indeed,  in  any  essential  pointy 
bot  on  various  subordinate  matters  affecting  systematic  union  and 
co-operation.  They  differed  also  in  their  dispositions  and  antici- 
pations.   Owen  was  calm,  dignified,  and  firm,  but  respectlbl  and 
courteous.    Baxter  was  sharp  and  cutting  in  his  reprooft,  san- 
guine in  his  expectations  of  success ;  and,  confident  of  his  own 
guileless  simplicity,  disposed  to  push  matters  further  than  the 
circumstances  of  the  times  admitted.    Though  not  superior  in 
the  substantial  attainments  of  the  Christian  character^  the  de- 
portment of  Owen  was  bland  and  conciliating,  compared  with 
that  of  Baxter.    Hence,  Owen  frequently  made  friends  of  ene- 
mies, while  Baxter  often  made  enemies  of  friends.    The  one  ex- 
pected to  unite  all  hearts,  by  attacking  all  understandings  ;  the 
other  trusted  more  to  the  gradual  operation  of  Christian  feeling^ 
by  which  alone  he  believed  that  extended  unity  would  finally  br 
effected.    The  issue  has  proved  that,  in  this  case,  Owen  had 
made  the  wiser  calculation. 


OF  RICHABD  BAXTSR.  S8S 


CHAPTER   X. 
1670-1676. 


CoBvcotiick  Act  renewed— Lord  Lauderdale— Fears  of  tbe  Bishopt  about  the 
foereaia  of  Popery— Bishop  Ward— Grove— Serjeant  FouuUdn— Jud|^ 
VmglMUi— Tbe  King  connives  at  the  Toleration  of  the  Nonoonfbrmists— > 
Sbttti  up  tlie  Exchequer— The  Dispensing  Declaration— License  applied 
for  OB  Bttxtar^s  behalf- Pinner's  Hall  Lecture— Baxter  Preaches  at  dlf- 
.  IvBBlplaeei— Tbe  King's  Declaration  voted  illef^ai  by  Pteiiamenfr— The 
Test  Act— Baxter  desired  by  the  Earl  of  Orrery  to  draw  up  new  Terms  of 
Agreement— Healing  Measure  proposed  in  the  House  of  Commons,  which 
&i]a— Conduct  of  some  of  the  Conformists— Baxter's  Afflictions — Preaches 
at  St.  James's  Market*House— Licenses  recalled — Baxter  employs  an  As« 
sistant— Apprehended  by  a  Warrant— Escapes  being  Imprisoned— Another 
Scheme  of  Comprehension— Informers— City  Magistrates— Parliament  faUt 
en  Lauderdale  and  others— The  Bishops'  Test  Act— Baxter's  Goods  dis- 
trained—Various Ministerial  Labours  and  Suiferings— Controversy  with 
Penn— Baxter's  Danger— His  Writings  during  this  period. 

In  the  year  1670^  the  act  against  conventicles  was  renewed, 
and  made  more  severe  than  ever,  several  new  clauses  being 
inserted,  which  Baxter  believed  to  have  a  particular  reference 
to  his  own  case*  It  was  declared,  for  instance,  contrary  to  all 
justice,  that  the  faults  of  the  mittimus  should  not  vitiate  it,  and 
that  all  doubtful  clauses  should  be  interpreted  in  the  sense  most 
unfavourable  to  conventicles.  It  seemed  as  if  the  intention  of 
the  court  had  been  to  extirpate  the  Nonconformists  root  and 
branch ;  for  the  act  was  enforced  with  the  utmost  rigour  against 
the  most  respectable  persons  among  them.'  The  meetings  in 
London  were  continually  disturbed  by  bands  of  soldiers.     Dr. 

'  Sheldon  again  addressed  tbe  bishops  of  the  pronnoe  of  Canterbury^ 
urging  them  to  promote,  by  every  means  in  their  power,  '*  so  blessed  a  work 
as  tbe  preventing  and  suppressing  of  conventicles,"  which  tbe  king  and  par- 
liament, **  out  of  their  pious  care  for  the  welfisre  of  tbe  church  and  king* 
dom/'  had  endeavoured  to  accomplish  in  the  late  act.— Qi/amy*i  Abtidg* 
memt,  i.  328—331.  Harris  also,  in  his  <  Life  of  Charles  II.,'  has  given 
tbe  letter  entire,  vol,  ii.  pp.  106, 107.  Bishop  Wilkins  opposed  the  above  act 
in  the  House  of  Loids,  notwithstanding  tbe  king's  request  that  be  would  at 
kut  be  f  iteflU 


mr  rm  ufB  Aim  tnoi 

Manton^  though  his  friends  were  numerous  and  powerful,  was 
sent  six  months  to  the  Gate-house  prison  for  preaching  in  his 
own  house,  in  the  parish  of  which  he  had  formerly  been  minister. 

While  Baxter  remained  quiet  at  Totteridge^  he  was  sent  for 
to  Barnet^  by  the  Earl  of  Lauderdale^who  was  then  proceeding 
to  Scotland  with  a  project  of  making  some  alterations  in  the 
state  of  ecclesiastical  affairs  in  that  country.  By  the  lung's 
permission,  he  consulted  Baxter,  and  offered  him,  if  he  would 
go  to  Scotland,  a  church,  or  a  bishoprick,  or  the  management 
of  some  of  the  colleges.  Baxter  was  not  to  be  taken  in  auch  K 
trap,  for  such  in  all  probability  it  was ;  as  Lauderdale  no  aoonfr 
went  into  Scotland,  than  he  became  one  of  the  greatest  pens- 
Gutors  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  In  answer  to  his  feqnesU 
and  offers,  Baxter,  on  the  24th  of  June,  1670,  wrote  hin  Uie 
following  admirable  letter,  which  illustrates  his  eharaotet  as  a 
minister,  his  courtesy  as  a  gentleman,  and  supplies  some  parti- 
eulars  respecting  his  family. 

^  My  Lord, 

''  Being  deeply  sensible  of  your  lordship's  favours,  and  ei- 
pecially  for  your  liberal  offers  for  my  eutertainment  in  Scotland, 
I  humbly  return  you  my  very  hearty  thanks ;  but  the  foUomag 
considerations  forbid  me  to  entertain  any  hopes,  or  furthtf 
thoughts  of  such  a  removal ; 

^^  ^rhe  experience  of  my  great  weakness  and  decay  of  streAgtIly 
and  particularly  of  this  last  winter's  pain,  and  how  much  wwse 
I  am  in  winter  than  in  summer,  fully  persuade  me  that  I 
should  live  but  a  little  while  in  Scotland,  and  that  in  a  dissbled^ 
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  Ooa  and 
his  church  more  in  the  world — a  Latin  Methodus  Theologis. 
Indeed  I  can  hardly  hope  to  live  so  long,  as  it  requires  yet 
nearly  a  year's  labour  more.  Now,  if  I  should  spend  that  half 
year,  or  year,  which  should  finish  this  work,  in  travel,  and  the 
trouble  of  such  a  removal,  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 
honours,  if  ever  I  remove. 

^^  If  I  were  there,  all  that  I  could  hope  for,  were  liberty  to 
preach  the  Gospel  of  salvation,  and  especially  in  some  univerdty 
among  young  scholars.  But  I  hear  that  you  have  enough 
already  for  this  work,  who  are  likely  to  do  it  better  thaa  I  .can* 


Of  BICttAftD  BAXTM.  S8f 

'  ^  I  havo  a  familyi-and  in  it  a  mother-in-law  of  eighty  yeani 
df  age,  of  honourable  extract  and  great  worth,  whom  I  miut 
Dot  n^i^ti  and  who  cannot  travel.  To  such  an  one  at  I5  it 
ie  10  great  a  busineas  to  remove  a  family,  with  all  our  goods 
luid  booka  §0  far,  that  it  deterreth  me  from  thinking  of  it, 
Mpadially  having  paid  to  dear  for  removals  these  eight  years  as 
I  hava  done  1  and  being  but  yesterday  settled  in  a  house  which 
I  have  newly  taken,  and  that  with  great  trouble  and  loss  of 
lime*  Ami  if  I  should  find  Scotland  disagree  with  me,  which  I 
fiiUy  conclude  it  would,  I  must  remove  all  back  again. 

^  All  these  things  concur  to  deprive  me  of  the  benefit  of  your 
lofdship's  favour.  But,  my  lord,  there  are  other  parts  of  it, 
wbioh  I  am  not  altogether  hopeless  of  receiving.  When  I  am 
eoQunanded  ^  to  pray  for  kings  and  all  in  authority,'  I  am  al- 
lowad  the  ambition  of  this  preferment,  which  is  all  that  ever  I 
RSpirad  after,  *  to  live  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life,  in  all  godliness 
aild  honesty/  Dm  ntmif  fMbitavii  anima  mea  uUer  osores  padi^ 

^  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  mighl  huve  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 
coBQtry,  are  still  filled  with  clamours  against  me.  When  a 
preacher  wanteth  preferment,  his  way  is  to  preach  or  write  a 
book  agunst  the  Nonconformists,  and  me  by  name ;  so  that 
the  meHitrua  of  the  press,  and  the  pulpits  of  some,  are 
bloody  invectives  against  myself,  as  if  my  peace  were  inconsis- 
tent with  the  kingdom's  happiness.  Never  did  my  eyes  read 
Sttflb  impudent  untruths,  ia  matter  of  fact,  as  such  writings 
eontainf  They  cry  out  for  answers  and  reasons  of  my  non-* 
cooibnnity,  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  but  be  heard  speak 
for  myself  before  I  be  judged  by  them,  and  such  things  believed 
(for,  to  contemn  the  judgment  of  my  rulers,  is  to  dishonour  them), 
I  would  request  that  1  might  be  allowed  to  live  quietly  to  follow 
my  private  studies,  and  might  once  again  have  the  use  of  my 
books,  which  1  have  not  seen  these  ten  years.  I  pay  for  a 
room  for  their  standing  in  at  Kidderminster,  where  they  are 
eaten  by  worms  and  rats ;  having  no  sufficient  security  for 
my  quiet  abode  in  any  place  to  encourage  me  to  send  for  them. 
I  would  also  ask  that  I  might  have  the  liberty  every  beggar 


288  THB  LIFB  AND  TIMBS 

hath,  to  travel  from  town  to  town.  I  mean  but  to  Londoiiy  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  mm  cons^ 
crated  j»er  sacramentum  oriSnis),  I  would  request  the  faioiir  of 
a  better  prison,  where  I  may  but  walk  and  write.  Tlieae  IshooU 
take  as  very  great  favours,  and  acknowledge  your  lordship  my 
benefactor  if  you  procure  them :  for  I  will  not  so  much  injure 
you  as  to  desire,  or  my  reason  as  to  expect,  any  greater  matten; 
no,  not  the  benefit  of  the  law. 

^'  I  think  I  broke  no  law,  in  any  of  the  preachings  of  wfaidi 
I  am  accused.  I  most  confidently  think,  that  no  law  imposeth 
on  me  the  Oxford  oath,  any  more  than  on  any  conformabk 
minister ;  and  I  am  past  doubting  the  present  mittimus  for  my 
imprisonment  is  quite  i^thout  law.  But  if  the  justices  thnik 
otherwise  now,  or  at  any  time,  I  know  no  remedy.  I  hate  a 
license  to  preach  publicly  in  London  diocese,  under  the  arch- 
bishop's own  hand  and  seal,  which  is  yet  valid  for  oocanODil 
sermons,  though  not  for  lectures  or  cures ;  but  I  dare  sot  nie 
it,  because  it  is  in  the  bishop's  power  to  recall  it.  Would  but 
the  bishop,  who,  one  should  think,  would  not  be  against  tfce 
preaching  of  the  Gospel,  not  recall  my  license,  I  could  preadi 
occasional  sermons,  which  would  absolve  my  conscience  firom 
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  Ist,  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  where  there  is  a  notorious  necessity.  I  humbly  crave  your 
lordship's  pardon  for  the  tediousness  of  this  letter ;  and  again 
return  you  my  very  great  thanks  for  your  great  favours,  add  re- 
main," &c.» 

This  touching  letter  was  followed  by  another  to  the  same 
nobleman,  in  which  Baxter  offers  some  observations  on  the  di- 
vided state  of  the  country,  and  makes  a  proposal,  that  mode- 
rate  divines  should  be  appointed  to  meet  and  debate  matters, 
in  order  to  some  plan  of  concord,  which  might  afterwards 
receive  his  majesty's  approbation.  It  is  surprising,  after  all  that 
had  occurred,  he  should  have  had  any  faith  in  the  utility  or 
success  of  such  a  scheme.  -  It  does  not  appear,  however,  that 
any  attention  vtras  paid  to  it ;  but  after  Lauderdale  had  gone  to 

(  Lifei  put  iU.  pp.  7b,  76. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  ^89 

Seodandj  Sir  Robert  Murray,  a  confidential  friend  of  his  lord- 
ships sent  Baxter  a  frame  or  body  of  discipline  for  the  church 
of  Scotland,  on  which  he  desired  his  animadversions.  It  ap- 
pears to  have  been  a  modified  system  of  episcopacy,  which  it 
was  the  great  object  of  the  court  then  to  force  upon  the  people 
of  Scotland.  Resistance  to  it  brought  on  that  country  the 
most  horrible  persecution  a  Protestant  people  was  ever  exposed 
to  from  its  own  Protestant  government ;  and  has  made  the 
ABine  and  form  of  episcopacy  an  execration  in  Scotland  to  the 
present  time.  Baxter's  remarks  extended  not  to  the  principles 
of  the  system^  but  to  details,  into  which  it  is  quite  unnecessary 
to  enter. 

The  Earl  of  Lauderdale,  with  whom  this  correspondence  was 
held,  was  a  very  extraordinary  character.  He  had  originally 
been  a  decided  Covenanter ;  and,  indeed,  remuned  a  professed 
F^byterian  to  the  last.  He  was  actuated  by  mean  and  arbi- 
trary principles,  fawning  to  those  above  him,  but  imperious 
and  laolent  to  all  below.  A  man  of  learning,  being  well  ac- 
qmdnted  with  Latin,  Greek,  and  Hebrew ;  and  possessed  of  a 
strong  but  blundering  mind.  Devoted  to  the  interests  of  Charles 
II.,  though  he  continued  to  hate  even  the  memory  of  his  royal 
fadier.  In  Scotland  he  acted  like  a  demon ;  and  by  the  fury  of 
hb  behaviour,  increased  the  severity  of  his  administration,  which 
had  more  of  the  cruelty  of  the  inquisition,  than  the  legality  of 
justice.'  Yet  this  man  would  talk  about  religion,  and  was 
spoken  to  and  of  as  a  religious  character,  by  Bishop  Burnet, 
Baxter,  and  other  religious  men  of  the  day.  1  shall  have  occa- 
uon  to  refer  to  the  intimacy  between  Lauderdale  and  Baxter,  in 
another  part  of  this  work. 

^  In  the  latter  end  of  this  year,  the  bishops  and  their  agents 
gave  out  their  fears  of  Popery,  and  greatly  lamented  that  the 
Duchess  of  York  was  turned  Papist.'  They  thereupon  professed 
a  strong  desire  that  some  of  the  Presbyterians,  as  they  called 
even  the  episcopal  Nonconformists,  might,  by  some  abatement 

'  Burnet's  <  Own  Times/  vol.  i.  pp.  142—144. 

f  The  Duchess  of  York,  daughter  of  Clarendon,  embraced  the  same  creed 
IS  her  husband,  and,  as  be  tells  us,  without  knowledge  of  bis  sentiments,  but 
cme  year  before  her  death,  in  1670.  She  left  a  paper  at  her  decease,  containing; 
tbs  reasons  for  her  change.  See  it  in  Keooet,  p.  320.  It  is  plain  that  she,  as 
well  as  the  duke,  had  been  influenced  by  the  Romanizing  tendency  of  some 
Anglican  divines.— 'f/a/tom,  vol.  ii.  p.  515.  So  much  for  the  effects  of  the 
writings  of  Hooker  and  Ueylin,  and  of  the  conduct  of  Morley  and  Sheldon. 

VOL,   U  U 


290  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMJiS 

of  the  new  oaths  and  subscriptions,  have  better  invitatkm  to 
conform  in  other  things.  Bishop  Morley,  Bishop  Ward,  and 
Bishop  Dolben,^  spake  ordinarily  their  desires  of  it ;  but  after 
long  talk,  nothing  was  done,  which  made  men  variously  inter- 
pret their  pretensions.  Some  thought  that  they  were  real  in 
their  desires,  and  that  the  hinderance  was  from  the  court;  while 
others  said  they  would  never  have  been  the  grand  causes  of  our 
present  situation,  if  it  had  been  against  their  wills  ;  that  if 
they  had  been  truly  willing  for  any  healing,  they  would  hsTe 
shown  it  by  more  than  their  discourses ;  and  that  all  this  wai 
but  that  the  odium  might  be  diverted  from  themselves.  I  hope 
they  are  not  so  bad  as  this  censure  doth  suppose.  But  it  ii 
strange  that  those  same  men,  who  so  easily  led  the  parliament 
to  what  was  done,  when  they  had  given  the  king  thanks  for  lus 
declaration  about  ecclesiastical  affairs,  could  do  nothing  to  bring 
it  to  moderate  abatements,  and  the  healing  of  our  breadikes,  \t 
they  had  been  truly  willing. 

^^  In  the  year  1671 5  the  diocese  of  Salisbury  was  more  fiercely 
driven  on  to  conformity,  by  Dr.  Seth  Ward,  than  any  place  els^ 
or  than  all  the  bishops  in  England  did  in  theini.^  Many  hundreds 

^  Afterwards  archbishop  of  York. 

>  Dr.  Seth  Ward,  who  acted  in  this  Tiolent  manner,  was  one  of  those  eccle- 
siastical turn-coati  who,  during  a  succession  of  changes,  always  appear  to 
consult  their  worldly  interests.  Jn  the  time  of  the  Commonwealth  he  took 
the  eof^f^ement  to  He  true  to  the  gOTemment  as  then  established.  He 
wrote  against  the  oovenant,  and  took  the  place  of -GreaTes,  as  professoir  of  as- 
tronomy in  the  University  of  Oxford,  who  was  ejected  for  refusing  it.  At  the 
Restoration  he  paid  court  to  the  royal  party,  by  supporting  all  its  measures. 
Fven  Anthony  Wood  calls  him  a  *'  politician,"  and  speaks  of  him  at  **  wfaid* 
ing  himself  into  favour  by  his-  smooth  language  and  behaviour."— jtfC&as.  0tr. 
Bliss,  vol.  iv.  p.  248.  Yet  Ward  was,  in  other  respects,  a  respectable  man.  He 
was  a  profound  mathematician,  and  an  able  speaker ;  but  he  was  a  peneen- 
tor.  Dr.  Pope,  the  author  of  his  life,  endeavours  to  apologise  for  his  conduct, 
hot  Tery  unsatisfactorily :  he  admits  that  he  endeavoured  to  snpppess  eoa* 
voiticles  ;  that  his  measures  produced  a  petition  against  him  from  the  prin* 
cipal  manufacturers  in  the  towns  of  his  diocese,  alleging  that  their  trade  bad 
been  ruined  by  him.  In  answer  to  all  which  he  says,  "  he  was  no  Tiolent 
roan  as  these  petitioners  represented  him ;  but  if  at  any  time  he  was  more 
active  than  ordinary  against  the  dissenters,  it  was  by  express  command  from 
the  court — sometimes  by  letters,  and  sometimes  given  in  charges  faj  the 
judges  of  the  assizes ;  which  councils  altered  frequently — now  in  favour  of  the 
dissenters,  and  then  again  in  opposition.  It  is  true  he  was  for  the  act 
against  conventicles,  and  laboured  much  to  get  it  to  pass,  not  without  the 
order  and  direction  of  the  greatest  authority,  both  civil  and  ecdeaiaitical; 
not  out  of  enmity  to  the  dissenters'  persons,  as  they  unjustly  suggested,  bnl 
of  love  to  the  repose  and  the  welfare  of  the  government.  For  he  believed,  if 
tlie  growth  of  them  were  not  timely  suppressed,  it  would  ckhcr  cause  a  ae- 


OP  RICHARD   BAXTER.  291 

were  prosecuted  by  him  with  great  industry ;  and  among  others, 
that  learned,  humble,  holy  gentleman,  Mr.  lliomas  Grove,  an 
ancient  parliament  man,  of  as  great  sincerity  and  integrity  as 
almost  any  man  1  ever  knew.  He  stood  it  out  awhile  in  a  law- 
suit,  but  was  overthrown,  and  fain  to  forsafie  his  country,  as 
many  hundreds  more  are  likely  to  do.  His  name  remindeth 
me  to  record  my  benefactor.  A  brother's  son  of  his,  Mr.  Ro- 
bert Grove,  was  one  of  the  Bishop  of  London's  chaplains,  and 
the  only  man  that  licensed  my  writings  for  the  press,  supposing 
them  not  to  be  against  law ;  in  which  case  I  could  not  expect 
it  Beside  him,  1  could  get  no  licenser  to  do  it.^  And  as 
being  silenced,  writing  was  the  far  greatest  part  of  my  service  to 
God  for  his  church,  and  without  the  press  my  writings  would 
have  been  in  vain,  I  acknowledge  that  I  owe  much  to  this 
man,  and  one  Mr.  Cook^  the  archbishop's  chaplain,  that  I  lived 
not  ttiore  in  vain. 

*'  While  I  am  acknowledging  my  benefactors,  I  add  that  this 
year  died  Serjeant  John  Fountain,  the  only  person  from  whom 
I  received  an  annual  sum  of  money;  which  though  through  God's 
mercy  I  needed  not^  yet  I  could  not  in  civility  refuse :  he  gave  me 
ten  pounds  per  annum,  from  the  time  of  my  being  silenced  till 
his  death.  1  was  a  stranger  to  him  before,  the  king's  return ;  save 
that  when  he  was  judge,  before  he  was  one  of  the  keepers  of  the 
great  seal,  he  did  our  country  great  service  against  vice.  He 
was  a  man  of  quick  and  sound  understanding,  and  upright,  im- 
partial life;  of  too  much  testiness  in  his  weakness,  but  of  a  most 
believing,  serious  fervency  towards  God,  and  open,  zealous  own- 
ing of  true  piety  and  holiness,  without  regarding  the  little  parti- 
alities of  sects,  as  most  men  that  ever  I  came  near  in  sickness. 
When  he  lay  sick,  which  was  almost  a  year,  he  delivered  to  the 
judges  and  lawyers  that  sent  to  visit  him  such  answers  as  these, 
'  I  thank  your  lord  or  master  for  his  kindness ;  present  nay  ser- 
vice to  him,  and  tell  him,  it  is  a  great  work  to  die  well ;  hb 
time  is  near,  all  worldly  glory  must  come  down  ;  intreat  him  to 
keep  his  integrity,  overcome  temptations,  and  please  God,  and 

ceuity  for  a  staDdiun^  army  to  preserve  the  peace,  or  a  general  toleratioD, 
wfiich  would  end  in  Popery." — p.  68.  Pope  further  informs  us,  that  so  effec- 
toally  did  the  bishop  play  his  part,  that  there  was  scarcely  a  conventicle  left  in 
tlie  diocese  of  Salisbury,  except  on  the  skirts  of  Wilts,  where  thece  was  not  a 
settled  militia.    Yet  Ward  was  uo  persecutor  I 

^  Mr.  Grove,  who  acted  this  friendly  part  to  Baxter,  was  afterwards  raised 
to  the  episcopal  bench  as  bishop  of  Chichester.  Thb  took  place  in  169],  and 
his  death  iu  l6%,'-'Mhen»  Ox,  vol.  iv.  p.  33/* 

u2 


292  THB  LIFE  AND  TllfSS 

prepare  to  die/  He  deeply  bewailed  the  great  sins  6f  the  times^ 
and  the  prognostics  of  dreadful  things  wtiich  he  thought  we 
were  iu  danger  of;  and  though  in  the  wars  he  suffered  im- 
prisonment for  the  king's  cause,  towards  the  end  he  abandoned 
that  party,  and  greatly  feared  an  inundation  of  poverty^  enemies, 
Popery,  and  infidelity.^ 

"During  the  mayoralty  of  Sir  Samuel  Stirling,  many  jury- 
men in  London  were  fine4  and  imprisoned  by  the  recorder,  for 
not  finding  certain  Quakers  guilty  of  violating  the  act  against 
conventicles.  They  appealed,  and  sought  remedy.'^  The  judges 
remained  about  a  year  in  suspense ;  and  then,  by  the  Lord  Chief 
Justice  Vaughan,  delivered  their  resolution  against  the  recorder, 
for  the  subject's  freedom  from  such  sort  of  fines.  When  he 
had,  in  a  speech  of  two  or  three  hours  long,  spoke  vehemendy 
to  that  purpose,  never  thing,  since  the  king's  return,  was  re- 
ceived with  greater  joy  and  applause  by  the  people ;  so  that 
the  judges  were  still  taken  for  the  pillars  of  law  and  liberty.' 

^^  The  parliament  having  made  the  laws  against  NoDconfonn- 
ists'  preaching,  and  private  religious  meetings,  so  grinding  and 
terrible,  the  king,  who  consented  to  those  laws,  became  the  sole 
patron  of  the  Nonconformists'  liberties ;  not  by  any  abatements 
of  law,  but  by  his  own  connivance  as  to  the  execution;  the 
magistrates,  for  the  most  part,  doing  what  they  perceived  to  be 
his  will.  So  that  Sir  Richard  Ford,  all  the  time  of  his  mayoralty, 
though  supposed  one  of  their  greatest  and  most  knowing  adver- 
saries, never  disturbed  them.  The  ministers,  in  several  parties, 
were  oft  encouraged  to  make  their  addresses  to  the  king,  only 
to  acknowledge  his  clemency,  by  which  they  held  their  liberties, 

1  Fountain,  of  whom  Baxter  makes  snch  honourable  mention,  was  son  of 
William  Fountain,  of  Seabroke,  in  Bucks ;  and  educated  at  Christ-chnrcb, 
Oxford.  He  adopted  the  cause  of  the  parliament,  in  whose  army  he  had  the 
command  of  a  regiment.  He  was  made  a  serjeant-at-law  by  Cromwell,  and 
in  1659  one  of  the  commissioners  of  the  ^reat  seal.  At  the  Restoration  be 
was  made  a  serjeant  by  the  king^—i^ood's  Fasti,  vol.  i.  p.  497.  Edit.  Bliss. 

"  Baxter  refers  here  to  the  celebrated  trial  of  Penn  and  Mead,  before  the 
recorder  of  London,  who  has  thus,  with  the  lord  mayor,  Stirling,  obtained 
an  infamous  notoriety.  The  trial  rendered  immense  service  to  the  cause  of 
liberty. 

"  Sir  John  Vaughan,  lord  chief  justice  of  the  Common  Pleas,  ivho  acquitted 
himself  so  nobly  on  this  occasion,  was  a  man  of  excellent  parts  and  good 
learning.  He  was  the  intimate  friend  of  Selden,  and  a  man  of  the  same  prin* 
ciples  and  independence.  His  son  published  his  Reports,  among  which  is  the 
case  above  referred  to.  Baxter  has  noticed  his  treatment  of  his  own  case  in 
the  preceding  chapter,  iu  which  he  appears  to  have  acted  with  a  good  deal 
of  tact. 


Of  RICBARD  BAXTER.  298 

and  to  profSess  their  loyalty.  Sir  John  Bahor  introdacd  Dn 
Manton,  Mr.  Ennis,  a  Scots  Nonconformist,  Mr«  Whittaker, 
Dr.  Annesly,  Mr.  Watson,  and  Mr.  Vincent,  &c.  The  king 
told  them,  that  though  such  acts  were  made,  he  was  agdust 
persecution,  and  hoped  ere  long  to  stand  on  his  own  legs,  and 
then  they  should  see  how  much  he  was  against  it.  By  this 
means,  many  scores  of  nonconformable  ministers  in  London 
kept  up  preaching  in  private  houses.  Some  fifty,  some  a 
hundred,  many  three  hundred,  and  many  one  thousand  or  two 
thousand  at  a  meeting;  by  which,  for  the  present,  the  city's 
necesmties  were  much  supplied,  for  very  few  of  the  burnt 
churches  were  yet  built  up  again.  Yet  this  never  moved  the 
bishops  to  relent,  or  give  any  favour  to  the  preaching  of  Non- 
conformists ;  and  though  the  best  of  the  Conformists,  for  the 
most,  were  got  up  to  London,  alas  !  they  were  but  few  :  and 
the  most  of  the  religious  people  were  more  and  more  alienated 
from  the  prelates  and  their  churches.® 

^  Those  who  from  the  beginning  saw  plainly  what  was  doing, 
lamented  all  this.  They  thought  it  was  not  without  great  cun- 
ning, that  seeing  only  a  parliament  was  formerly  trusted 
with  the  people's  liberties,  and  could  raise  a  war  against  him 
(interest  ruling  the  world),  it  was  contrived  that  this  parliament 
should  make  the  severest  laws  agdnst  the  Nonconformists,  to 
grind  them  to  dust,  and  that  the  king  should  allay  the  execu- 
tion at  his  pleasure,  and  become  their  protector  against  parlia- 
ments; and  that  they  who  would  not  consent  to  this  should  suffer. 
Indeed,  the  ministers  themselves  seemed  to  make  little  doubt  of 
this ;  but  they  thought,  that  if  Papists  must  have  liberty,  it  was 
as  good  for  them  also  to  take  theirs  as  to  be  shut  out ;  that  it 
was  not  lawful  for  them  to  refuse  their  present  freedom,  though 
they  were  sure  that  evil  was  designed  in  granting  it ;  and  that 
before  men's  designs  could  come  to  ripeness,  God  might,  in 
many  ways,  frustrate  them.  All  attempts,  however,  to  get  any 
comprehension,  as  it  was  then  called,  any  abatement  of  the 

•  The  conduct  of  the  court  towards  the  dissenters  at  this  time,  can  only  be 
explained  by  a  knowledf^e  of  the  secret  treaty  with  France ;  the  object  of 
which,  on  Charles's  part,  was  to  be  rendered  independent  of  parUament ;  the 
object  of  France  was  the  re- establishment  of  Popery  in  England.  Though 
the  relaxation  of  the  persecution  of  the  dissenters  is  said  to  have  proceeded 
from  the  advice  of  Shaftesbury,  who  had  no  concern  in  the  original  secret 
treaty  with  France,  it  was  completely  in  the  spirit  of  that  compact,  and  roust 
have  been  acceptable  to  the  king.— ^a/tom,  ii.  525. 


294  TU£  UF£  AND  TIMB8 

• 

rigour  of  the  laws,  or  legal  libe  rty  and  union,  were  most  effee- 
tually  made  void,  p 

**  In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1671-2|  the  king  caused  hit 
Exchequer  to  be  shut ;  so  that  whereas  a  multitude  of  merchants 
and  others  had  put  their  money  into  the  bankers*  hands,  and 
the  bankers  lent  it  to  the  king,  and  the  king  gave  orders  to  pay 
out  no  more  of  it  for  a  year,  the  murmur  and  complunt  in  the 
city  were  very  great,  that  their  estates  should  be,  as  they  called 
it,  so  surprised.  This  was  the  more  complained  of,  because  it 
it  was  supposed  to  be  in  order  to  assist  the  French  iu  a  war 
against  the  Dutch ;  they  therefore  took  a  year  to  be  equal  to 
perpetuity,  and  the  stop  to  be  a  loss  of  all,  seeing  wars  com- 
monly increase  necessities,  but  do  not  supply  them.  Amopg 
pthersi  all  the  money  and  estate  that  I  had  in  the  world,  of  my 
own,  was  there,  except  ten  pounds  per  annum,  which  I  enjoyed 
for  eleven  or  twelve  years.  Indeed,  it  was  not  my  own,  which 
I  will  mention  to  counsel  those  that  would  do  good,  to  do  it 
speedily,  and  with  all  their  might.  1  had  got  in  all  niy  life,  the 
net  sum  of  one  thousand  pounds.  Having  no  child,  I  devoted 
almost  all  of  it  to  a  charitable  use,  a  free-school ;  I  used  my 
best  and  ablest  friends  for  seven  years,  with  all  the  skill  and 
industry  I  could,  to  help  me  to  some  purchase  of  house  or  land 
to  lay  it  out  on,  that  it  might  be  accordingly  settled.  But 
though  there  were  never  more  sellers,  I  could  never,  by  all  these 
friends,  hear  of  any  that  reason  could  encourage  a  man  to  lay 
it  out  on,  as  secure,  and  a  tolerable  bargain ;  so  that  I  told  them, 
I  did  perceive  the  devil's  resistance  of  it,  and  did  verily  suspect 
that  he  would  prevail,  and  i  should  never  settle,  but  it  would  be 
lost*  So  hard  is  it  to  do  any  good,  when  a  man  is  fully  resolved. 
Divers  such  observations,  verily  confirm  me,  that  there  are 
devils  that  keep  up  a  war  against  goodness  in  the  world/*  ^ 

The  shutting  up  of  the  Exchequer,  by  which  many  were  to- 
tally ruined,  was  one  of  the  most  infamous  transactions  of  an 
infamous  reign.  The  Earl  of  Shaftesbury  was  considered  at 
the  time  the  principal  adviser  of  the  measure ;  but  he.  took  care 
previously  to  withdraw  his  own  money  from  the  hands  of  his 
banker,  and  to  advise  some  of  his  friends  to  do  the  same.  The 
real  author  of  the  measure,  it  is  now  known,  was  Lord  CliiFord.' 

P  LifCj  part  iii.  pp.  86—88.  «  Ibid,  part  iii.  p.  89. 

'  Shaftesbury  defends  himself  against  the  charg^e  of  having  advised  the  meft- 
sure,  or  approvlDg  of  it,  in  a  letter  to  Locke>  which  Lord  King  has  publisbed^ 


OF  RICHAIID  BAXTER.  295 

The  fttoppage,  as  Baxter  says,  was  intended  to  last  only  for  a 
year ;  but  it  does  not  appear  that  he  ever  recovered  the  money. 
He  bore  the  loss,  however,  very  patiently,  and  records  the 
disaster  rather  to  instruct  others  how  to  use  their  property, 
than  to  mourn  over  it  himself.  The  difficulty  he  experi- 
enced in  disposing  of  his  thousand  pounds,  which  he  ascribes 
to  the  devirs  resistance,  is  a  curious  illustration  of  the  pecu- 
liarity of  his  own  mind.  He  appears  always  to  have  found 
great  difficulty  in  satisfying  himself,  where  there  was  the  least 
room  for  doubt  or  objection.  Doubts  presented  themselves  to 
him,  which  would  scarcely  have  occurred  to  any  other  man. 
He  possessed  great  decision  of  character,  yet  often  strangely 
manifested  a  want  of  decision  of  mind.  It  is  to  be  regretted,  if 
this  was  owing  to  satanic  influence,  that  he  should  have  allowed 
the  devil  to  have  such  advantage  over  him. 

We  come  now  to  a  very  important  event  in  the  history  of 
these  times ;  the  king's  declaration,  dispensing  with  the  penal 
laws  against  the  Nonconformists,  lliis  document  was  issued 
on  the  15th  of  March,  1672,  and  declares  ^*  that  his  majesty, 
by  virtue  of  his  supreme  power  in  matters  eeelesiasHcal^  sus- 
pends all  penal  laws  thereabout,  and  that  he  will  grant  a  con- 
fenient  number  of  public  meeting-places  to  men  of  all  sorts 
tbat  conform  not.  Provided  the  persons  are  approved  by  him; 
that  they  only  meet  in  places  sanctioned  by  him,  with  open 
doors,  and  do  not  preach  seditiously,  nor  against  the  church  of 
England."  • 

The  evident  design  of  this  transaction,  projected  by  Shaftes- 
bury, was  to  secure  liberty,  not  to  the  Nonconformists,  but  to 
the  Roman  Catholics;  consequently,  the  views  of  the  Lon- 
don ministers,  as  might  be  expected,  were  not  harmonious  as 
to  the  use  which  should  be  itiade  of  this  just,  but  illegal  pri- 
vilege. 

It  k  plain  enoagliy  from  that  letter,  however,  that  be  bad  taken  eare  tbat 
bis  oim  interests  should  not  be  affected  by  the  mei^are.  It  was  yrcfttiy  the 
conmenoeinent  of  the  national  debt,  and  prodooed  at  the  time  oniTersal 
dltnay. 

•  The  Lord  Keeper  Bridgmao  resided  the  ^eat  seal  because  be  would 
not  attach  it  to  this  act,  and  Shaftesbury,  the  author  of  the  measure,  suceeed- 
ed  to  his  place.  Locke  was  at  this  time  appointed  secretary  to  Shaftesbury, 
far  tiie  presentation  of  benefices.  It  is  probable,  therefore,  that  Shaftesbury's 
^^■i^B  were  not  intended  in  hostility  to  the  dissenters. — Lard  Kint(^8  lA/e  of 
IjKkef  p.  33.  Locke's  letter  to  a  person  of  quality  states  very  clearly  the 
pait  wbicb  Shaftesbury  took  in  this  Beatvre,  and  the  reasons  whlc^  hi» 
flaeoced  him* 


296  THB  LIFE  AND  T1MB9 

'*  When  it  came  out,"  says  Baxter,  **  the  London  noneoiiforBi- 
able  ministers  were  invited  to  return  his  majesty  their. thanks* 
At  their  meeting,  Dr.  Seaman  and  Mr.  Jenkins,  who  had  beea 
till  then  most  distant  from  the  court,  were  for  a  thanksgiTing, 
in  such  high  applauding  terms  as  Dr.  Manton,  and  almoat  all  the 
rest,  dissented  from.  Some  were  for  avoiding  terms  of  appro* 
"bation,  lest  the  parliament  should  fall  upon  them ;  and  aomCy 
because  they  would  far  rather  have  had  any  tolerable  state  of 
unity  with  the  public  ministry  than  a  toleration ;  supposing, 
that  the  toleration  was  not  chiefly  for  their  sakes,  but  for  the 
Papists,  and  that  they  should  hold  it  no  longer  than  that  inte« 
rest  required  it ;  which  is  inconsistent  with  the  interest  of  the 
Protestant  religion,  and  the  church  of  England  :  and  that  they 
had  no  security  for  it,  but  it  might  be  taken  from  them  at  any 
time. 

^^  They  thought  that  it  tended  to  continue  our  divisions,  and  to 
weaken  the  Protestant  ministry  and  church ;  and  that  while  the 
body  of  the  Protestant  people  were  in  all  places  divided,  one 
part  was  still  ready  to  be  used  against  the  other,  and  many  sins 
and  calamities  kept  up.  They  thought  the  present  generatioa 
of  Nonconformists  was  likely  to  be  soon  worn  out,  and  the  pub- 
lic assemblies  to  be  lamentably  disadvantaged  by  young,  raw, 
unqualified  ministers,  that  were  likely  to  be  introduced ;  they 
concluded,  therefore,  on  a  cautious  and  moderate  thanksgiving 
for  the  king's  clemency,  and  their  own  liberty ;  and  when  they 
could  not  come  to  agreement  about  the  form  of  it.  Lord  Arling- 
ton introduced  them  to  a  verbal,  extemporate  thanksgiving ;  and 
so  their  difference  was  ended  as  to  that.  ^ 

^^The  question,  whether  toleration  of  us  in  our  different  assem- 
blies, or  such  an  abatement  of  impositions  as  would  restore 
some  ministers  to  the  public  assemblies  by  law,  were  more 

^  I  apprehend  Baxter  has  here  fallen  into  some  mistake.  It  is  not  lUceljr 
the  ministers  would  have  been  received  to  deliver  an  extempore  addrttt. 
Besides,  if  they  could  not  a^ee  among  themselves  what  to  say  in  writiii^» 
who  would  have  undertaken  to  speak  for  them  ?  An  address  drawn  up  by 
Owen,  though  he  seldom  appears  in  Baxter's  accounts  of  the  London  minis* 
ters,  was  adopted  on  this  occasion. — JIfemoirs  of  Owen^  pp.  272,  273.  2d  Edit. 
It  was  at  this  time,  if  we  may  believe  Burnet,  that  the  court  ordered  fifty 
pounds  a  year  to  be  paid  to  most  of  the  Nonconformist  ministers  in  London, 
and  a  hundred  to  the  chief  of  them.  Baxter,  he  says,  sent  back  his  pension, 
and  would  not  touch  it ;  but  most  of  the  others  took  it.  Burnet  gives  this  oa 
StUUngfleet's  authority,  and  represenU  it  as  hush  money.  It  is  very  strange^ 
if  this  was  done>  that  Baxter  should  not  have  mentioned  lU'^Bumeft  Own 
TUtsiy  Tol.  ii.  p,  16.  Calamy  remarks  on  this  passage,  io  *  His  Owa  Lif(^' 
irol.  ii.  p.  468. 


PF  RtCHAAOt  BAXnR»  297 

desiraUei  wai  a  great  controversy  then  among  the  Noncon- 
kanntBj  and  greater  it  had  been,  but  that  the  hopes  of  abate- 
ment^ called  then  a  comprehension,  were  so  low  as  made  them 
the  IcM  concerned  in  the  agitation  of  it.  But  whenever  there 
was  a  new  session  ai  parliament,  which  put  them  in  some  little 
hope  of  abatement,  the  controversy  began  to  revive  according 
to  the  measure  of  those  hopes.  The  Independents  and  all  the 
lectaries,  and  some  few  Presbyterians,  especially  in  London,  who 
liad  large  congregations,  and  liberty  and  encouragement,  were 
rather  for  a  toleration.  The  rest  of  the  Presbyterians,  and  the 
episcopal  Nonconformists,  were  for  abatement  and  comprehen-* 
non/'  * 

The  several  parties  were  influenced  by  their  respective  prin« 
dples  of  church  government  and  civil  establishments.    All  par- 
ties, however,  were  glad  to  obtain  what  they  could,  and  to  use 
the  temporary  freedom  which  was  allowed,  though  in  a  very 
wicoDstitutional  manner,  for  the  promotion  of  the  interests  of 
religion*    The  attachment  to  Popery  on  the  part  of  the  reign- 
ing powers,  threatened  great  danger  to  the  country ;  but  I  very 
moch  doubt,  whether  if  this  had  not  created  much  anxiety  to 
the  church  party,  the  Nonconformists  would  not  have  been  en- 
tirely crushed.     From  the  conflicting  interests  of  party,  the 
cause  of  the  dissenters  in  this  country  has  often  been  permitted 
to  gain  ground,  till  their  body  has  arrived  at  such  a  measure  of 
strength  as  even  now  constitutes  its  best  security. 

In  the  month  of  October  of  this  year,  Baxter  fell  into  a  dan- 
gerous fit  of  sickness,  which,  he  says,  God,  in  his  wonted 
mercy,  did,  in  time,  so  far  remove  as  to  restore  him  to  some  ca- 
pacity of  service*—*^  I  had  till  now  forborne,  for  several  reasons, 
to  seek  a  license  for  preaching  from  the  king,  upon  the  tolera- 
tion ;  but  when  all  others  had  taken  theirs,  and  were  settled  in 
London  and  other  places,  as  they  could  get  opportunity,  I  de- 
layed no  longer,  but  sent  to  seek  one,  on  condition  1  might  have 
it  without  the  title  of  Independent,  Presbyterian,  or  any  other 
party,  but  only  as  a  Nonconformist.  Before  1  sent.  Sir  Thomas 
Player,  chamberlain  of  London,  had  procured  it  me  so,  without 
my  knowledge  or  endeavour.  I  had  sought  none  so  long,  because 
I  was  unwilling  to  be,  or  seem,  any  cause  of  that  way  of  liberty, 
if  a  better  might  have  been  had,  and  therefore  would  not  med- 
dle in  it.  I  lived  ten  miles  from  London,  and  thought  it  not  just 
to  come  and  set  up  a  congregation  there  till  the  ministers  had 

•  Life,  part  iii.  pp.  99, 100. 


998  trm  tin  anb  ttiifet 

fully  settled  thein^  who  had  borne  the  burden  in  the  times  of 
the  raging  plague,  and  Are,  and  other  calamitiet,  leet  I  ahottld 
draw  away  any  of  their  auditors^  and  hinder  their  maintenanee. 
No  one  that  erer  I  heard  of  till  mine  could  get  a  lioense^  mdeat 
he  would  be  entitled  in  it^  a  Presbyterian^  Independent  Aoa* 
baptist,  or  of  some  sect. 

^  The  19th  of  November,'^  my  baptism  day,  was  the  first  day, 
after  ten  years'  silence,  that  I  preached  in  a  tolerated,  puUic 
assembly,  though  not  yet  tolerated  in  any  consecrated  church, 
but  only  against  law,  in  my  own  house.  Some  merchants  set 
up  a  'Fuesday's  lecture  in  London,  to  be  kept  by  six  minis- 
ters, at  Pinner's  Hall,  allowing  them  twenty  shillings  a  piece 
each  sermon,  of  whom  they  chose  me  to  be  one.  But  when  1 
bad  preached  there  only  four  sermons,  I  found  the  Independents 
so  quarrelsome  with  what  I  said,  that  ail  the  city  did  ring  of 
their  backbitings  and  false  ac<!Usations ;  r  eo  that^  had  I  but 
preached  for  unity,  and  against  division,  or  unnecessary  with* 
drawing  from  each  other,  or  against  unwarrantable  narrowing  of 
Christ's  church,  it  was  said,  abroad,  that  I  preached  against  the 
Independents.  Especially  if  I  did  but  say  that  man's  will  had  a 
natural  liberty,  though  a  moral  thraldom  to  vice ;  that  men 
might  have  Christ  and  life,  if  they  were  truly  willing;  and  tfiat 
men  have  power  to  do  better  than  they  do ;  it  was  cried  abroad, 
among  all  the  party,  that  I  preached  up  Arminianism,  and 
free  will,  and  man's  power ;  and,  O !  what  an  odious  crime  was 
this ! » 

'^  On  January  the  24th,  1672-3,  I  began  a  Tuesday  leetura 
at  Mn  Turner's  church,  in  New  Street,  near  Fetter  Luie,  with 
great  convenience,  aud  God's  encouraging  blessing ;  but  1 


'  Here  is  another  discrepanqr  of  date  from  what  is  given  in  tbe  *  BmpiktmA 
Register/  and  reCerred  to  in  the  first  page  of  this  volume.  According  to  tfais, 
he  was  uot  baptised  either  on  the  sLtth  or  the  sixteenth ;  hut  it  is  pretty  erf* 
dent  be  was  born  on  the  twelfth  of  November,  according  to  hit  own- 

y  For  some  reason  or  other,  Baxter  and  the  Independents  steoL never  Sft 
agreed.  There  were  probably  faults  on  both  sides ;  though,  1  apprehend,  the 
principal  causes  were,  the  rashness  and  imprudence  with  which  he  carrifld 
things  to  the  pulpit,  aud  allowing  himself  to  be  influenced  by  miscfaievou  and 
often  trifling  reports. 

*  The  Tuesday  rooming  lecture  now  set  up,  continues  to  the  present  time, 
and  is  regularly  preached  at  New  Broad-street  Meeting-house.  It  is  not  to  the 
credit  of  the  dissenters,  that  somts  of  their  most  respectable  ministers  were  long 
left  to  deliver  that  lecture  to  almost  empty  benches.  The  lectareiv,  amchto 
their  honour,  though  I  believe  they  derive  no  pecuniary  benefit  from  their  !•• 
hours,  continue  them,  as  there  is  some  property  for  the  good  of  others  entrusted 
to  their  distribution. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  299 

took  a  peuny  of  money  for  it  from  any  one.*  On  the  Lord's 
days  I  had  no  congregation  to  preach  to,  but  occasionally  to  any 
that  desired  me,  being  unwilling  to  set  up  a  church  and  become 
the  pastor  of  any,  or  take  maintenance  in  this  distracted  and 
unsettled  way^  unless  further  changes  should  manifest  it  to  be 
my  duty ;  nor  did  I  ever  give  the  sacrament  to  any  one  person^ 
but  to  my  flock  at  Kidderminster.  I  saw  it  oifended  the  Con- 
formists, and  had  many  other  present  inconveniences,  while  we 
had  any  hope  of  restoration  and  concord  from  the  parliament. 

^^  The  parliament  met  again  in  February,  and  voted  down  the 
king's  declaration  as  illegal.  The  king  promised  them  that 
it  should  not  be  brought  into  precedent ;  and  thereupon  they 
consulted  of  a  bill  for  the  ease  of  Nonconformists,  or  dissenters, 
&Iany  of  them  highly  professed  their  resolution  to  carry  it  on  ; 
but  when  they  had  granted  the  tax,  they  turned  it  off,  and  left 
it  undone^  destroj-ing  our  shelter  of  the  king's  declaration ;  and 
so  leaving  us  to  the  storm  of  all  their  severe  laws,  which  some 
country  justices  rigorously  executed,  though  the  most  forbore.^ 

^  On  February  the  20th,  I  took  a  house  in  Bloomsbury,  in 
London,  and  removed  thither  after  Easter,  with  my  family ;  God 
having  mercifully  given  me  three  years  of  great  peace,  among 
quiet  neighbours,  at  Totteridge,  and  much  more  health  or  ease 
than  1  expected,  and  some  opportunity  to  serve  him. 

^^  The  parliament  grew  into  great  jealousies  of  the  preva« 
lency  of  Popery.  There  was  an  army  raised  which  lay  upon 
Blackheath,  encamped,  as  for  service  against  the  Dutch  :  in 
which  so  many  of  the  commanders  were  Papists,  as  made  men 
fear  the  design  was  worse.     They  feared  not  to  talk  openly,  that 

*  Tht  place  ia  which  BajLter  officiated  io  Fetter  Lane,  is  that  betweeo 
Neril's  Court  and  New  Street,  oow  occupied  by  the  Moravians.  It  appears  to 
have  evistedy  tbou^  perhaps  in  a  different  form,  before  the  fire  of  Loudon. 
Turner,  who  was  the  first  minister,  wsis  a  very  active  man  during^  the  plag^ue. 
He  wat  ejected  from  Sunbury,  in  Middlesex,  aud  continued  to  preach  in  Fet- 
ter Lane  till  towards  the  end  of  the  reign  of  Charles  II.,  when  he  removed  to 
Leather  Lane.  Baxter  carried  ou  the  Friday  morniug  lecture  till  the  24th  of 
Aoj^st,  1682.  The  church  which  then  met  in  it  was  under  the  care  of  Mr. 
Lobby  whose  predecessors  had  been  Dr.  Thomas  Goodwin  and  Thankful  Owen. 
It  has  been  preserved  by  an  unbroken  line  of  Evaogelical  pastors  to  the  present 
time,  in  which  it  enjoys  the  ministry  of  my  venerable  friend  the  Rev. 
George  Burder,  and  his  worthy  co-pastor  the  Rev.  Caleb  Morris.— See 
<  Wilton's  Disftentiog  Churches,'  vol.  iii.  p.  420.    * 

^  It  was  suspected  that  the  women  about  the  king  interposed,  and  induced 
him  to  withdraw  his  declaration.  Upon  this,  Shaftesbury  turned  short  round, 
provoked  at  the  king's  want  of  steadiness,  and,  especially,  at  his  giving  up  the 
point  about  issuing  writs  iu  the  recess  of  parliameut.«/fa//am|  vol.  ii.  p.  530. 


f 

SOO  THE  UPB  AND  TIMB8 

the  Papists,  having  no  hope  of  getting  the  parliament  to  set  up 
their  religion  by  law,  did  design  to  take  down  parliaments,  and 
reduce  the  government  to  the  French  model,  and  religion  to  thor 
state,  by  a  standing  army.  These  thoughts  put  them  into  dismal 
expectations,  and  many  wished  that  the  army,  at  any  rate,  might 
be  disbanded.  The  Duke  of  York  being  general,  the  parliament 
made  an  act  that  no  man  should  be  in  any  office  of  trust  who 
would  not  take  the  oaths  of  supremacy  and  allegiance ;  recehre 
the  sacrament  according  to  the  order  of  the  church  of  England; 
and  renounce  transubstantiation.  Some  that  were  known,  sold 
or  laid  down  their  places  :  the  Duke  of  York  and  the  new  lord 
treasurer,  Clifford,  laid  down  all.  It  was  said  that  they  did  it 
on  supposition  that  the  act  left  the  king  empowered  to  renew 
their  commissions  when  they  had  laid  them  down :  but  the  lord 
chancellor  told  the  king  that  it  was  not  so ;  and  so  they  were 
put  out  by  themselves.  This  settled  men  in  the  fiill  belief 
that  the  Duke  of  York  and  Lord  Clifford  were  Papists,  The 
Londoners  had  special  hatred  against  the  duke,  ever  sinee  the 
burning  of  London,  commonly  saying,  that  divers  were  takea 
casting  fire-balls,  and  brought  to  his  guards  of  soldiers  to  be  se- 
cured,  whom  he  let  go,  and  both  secured  and  concealed  them."* 

It  was  in  these  circumstances  that  the  celebrated  Test  Act 
was  passed.  The  church  party,  according  to  Burnet,  showed  a 
noble  zeal  for  their  religion  ;  and  the  dissenters  got  great  repu* 
tation  for  their  silent  deportment.  Tlie  design  of  the  measure 
is  very  obvious;  but  the  impropriety  of  doing  evil  that  good  might 
come,  is  strikingly  illustrated  by  it.  To  get  rid  of  the  Duke  of 
York,  and  a  Popish  party,  who  might  have  been  thrown  out  by 
other  means,  the  prostitution  of  a  sacred  ordinance  of  religion  was 
resorted  to,  by  which  a  gross  enormity  came  to  be  perpetuated  in 
the  country  for  more  than  a  century  and  a  half.  'Die  disinte- 
restedness of  the  dissenters  in  submitting  to  let  this  bill  pass 
quietly,  is  more  worthy  of  commendation  than  is  their  wisdom ; 
while  theinjustice  and  ingratitude  of  the  party  which  then  praised 
them,  do  it  infinite  discredit  It  is  highly  satisfactory  to  the  en« 
lightened  men  of  all  parties  that  this  abomination  is  now  no  more. 

lliough  the  preamble  of  the  act,  and  the  whole  history  of 
the  transaction,  show  that  the  main  object  was  a  safeguard 
against  Popery,  it  is  probable  that  a  majority  of  botli  houses 
liked  it  the  better  for  this  secondary  effect  of  shutting  out  the 
Presbyterians  still  more  than  had  been  done  by  previous  statutes 

«  Life,  part  ili.  p.  106. 


^OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  801 

of  this  reign-.  There  took  place,  however,  a  remarlcable  coalition 
between  the  two  parties;  for  many  who  had  always  acted  as  high 
churchmen  and  cavaliers,  sensible,  at  last,  of  the  policy  of  their 
common  adversaries,  renounced  a  good  deal  of  the  intolerance 
and  bigotry  that  had  characterised  the  present  parliament.  The 
dissenters,  with  much  disinterestedness,  gave  their  support  to 
the  Test  act :  in  return,  a  bill  was  brought  in,  and,  after  some 
debate,  passed  to  the  Lords,  repealing,  in  a  considerable  degree, 
the  persecuting  laws  against  their  worship.  The  Upper  House, 
perhaps  insidiously,  returned  it  with  amendments  more  favour- 
able to  the  dissenters,  and  insisted  upon  them,  after  a  conference. 
A  sudden  prorogation  put  an  end  to  this  bill,  which  was  as 
unacceptable  to  the  court  as  it  was  to  the  zealots  of  the  church 
of  England.^ 

^  On*  the  20th  of  October,  the  parliament  met  again,  and 
suddenly  voted  an  address  to  the  king,  about  the  Duke  of  York's 
marriage  with  the  Duke  of  Modena's  daughter,  an  Italian  Papist, 
akin  to  the  pope,  and  to  desire  that  it  might  be  stopped,  she 
being  not  yet  come  over.    As  soon  as  they  had  done  that,  the 
lung,  by  the  chancellor,  prorogued  them  till  Monday  following, 
because  it  was  not  usual  for  a  parliament  to  grant  money  twice 
in  a  session.    On  Monday,  when  they  met,  the  king  desired 
q>eedy  aid  of  money  against  the  Dutch ;  and  the  lord  chan- 
cellor set  forth  the  reasons  and  the  unreasonableness  of  the 
Dutch.     But  the  parliament  still  stuck  to  their  former  resent- 
ment of  the  Duke  of  York's  marriage,  and  renewed  their  mes- 
sage to  the  king  against  it,  who  answered  them  that  it  was  de- 
bated at  the  open  council,  and  resolved  that  it  was  too  late  to 
stop  it.     On  Friday,  October  31,  the  parliament  went  so  high 
as  to  pass  a  vote  that  no  more  money  should  be  given  till  the 
eighteen  months  of  the  last  tax  were  expired,  unless  the  Dutch 
proved  obstinate,  and  unless  we  were  secured  against  the  dan- 
ger of  Popery,  and  Popish  counsellors,  and  their  grievances 
were  redressed.     It  voted  also  to  ask  of  his  majesty  a  day  of 
humiliation,  because  of  the   growth  of  Popery.    It  intended 
solemnly  to  keep  the  Gunpowder  Plot,  and  appointed  Dr.  Stil-r 
lingfleet  to  preach  before  it,  who  was  then  mostly  engaged  in 

*  HaUaiii,  vol.  ii.  pp.  532,  533.  Some  of  the  ablest  discussions  respecting 
the  Test  act,  and  the  circumstances  in  which  it  was  passed,  took  place  in  the 
debates  on  the  passings  of  the  Repeal  bill,  in  the  year  1828.  Lord  Holland's 
speech,  on  introducing  the  bill  in  the  House  of  Lords,  is  a  masterly  specimen  of 
historical  accuracy  and  parliamentary  eloquence.  In  the  'Test  Act  Reporter,' 
all  the  debates  are  accurately  recorded. 


S09  TnS  LfPB  AND  TIMES 

writing  againut  Popery :  but  on  the  day  before,  being  Novem^ 
ber  4th,  the  king,  to  their  great  discontent,  prorogued  the  par* 
liament  to  the  7th  of  January. 

^  On  that  day,  the  parliament  met  again,  and  voted  that  their 
first  work  should  be  to  prevent  Popery,  redress  grievances,  and 
be  secured  against  the  instruments  or  counsellors  of  these 
evils.  They  shortly  after  voted  the  Dukes  of  Buckingham  and 
Lauderdale  unfit  for  trust  about  the  king,  and  desired  their 
removal.  When  they  came  to  the  Lord  Arlington,  and  would 
have  treated  him  in  the  same  manner,  without  an  impeachment 
it  was  carried  against  that  attempt;  and  because  the  members 
who  iavoured  the  Nonconformists  were  against  the  rest,  and 
helped  oflf  Lord  Arlington,  the  rest  were  greatly  exasperated 
against  them,  and  reported  that  they  did  it  because  he  had  fur^ 
thered  the  Nonconformists'  licenses  for  tolerated  preaching. 

**  The  3d  of  February  was  a  public  fast  against  Popery,  the 
first  which  I  remember,  beside  the  anniversary  fasts,  whidi  had 
ever  been  since  this  parliament  was  called,  which  had  now  sat 
longer  than  that  called  the  Long  Parliament.  The  preacher^ 
Dr.  Cradock  and  Dr.  Whitchcot,  meddled  but  little  with  that 
business,  and  did  not  please  them  as  Dr.  Stillingfleet  had  done; 
who  greatly  animated  them  and  all  the  nation  against  Popery, 
by  his  open  and  diligent  endeavours  for  the  Protestant  cause. 

*'  During  this  session,  the  Earl  of  Orrery**  desired  me  to  draw 
him  up,  in  brief,  the  terms  and  means  which  I  thought  would 
satisfy  the  Nonconformists,  so  far  as  to  unite  us  all  against 
Popery ;  professing  that  he  met  with  many  great  men  that  were 
much  for  it,  and  particularly  the  new  lord  treasurer,  Sirlliomas 
Osborn,  afterwards  created  Lord  Danby,*  and  Dr.  Morley,  bishop 
of  Winchester,  who  vehemently  professed  his  desires  of  it.  Dr. 
Fulwood,  and  also  divers  others,  had  been  with  me  to  the  like 
purpose,  testifying  the  said  bishop's  resolution  herein.  I  wished 
them  all  to  tell  him  from  me,  that  he  had  done  so  much  to  the 

'  Formerly  Lord  Brogbill,  UDder  which  title  he  is  generally  spoken  of  bf 
Baxter,  aud  other  writers  of  that  period.  He  was  a  very  distinguished  mao, 
and  probably  sincerely  desirous  on  this  occasion  to  promote  the  good  of  the 
couutryi  and  the  benefit  of  the  Nonconformists,  to  whom  he  was  a  stcydj 
friend. 

*  Danby  succeeded  Cliflford^  on  the  fall  of  the  cabal  ministry.  He  was  not 
a  Papist  like  bis  predecessor;  but  was  a  corrupt  man,  capable  of  resorting  to 
measures,  to  please  the  court,  which  were  most  injurious  to  the  constltutba 
and  interests  of  hiscouutry.  It  was  through  his  instrumentality,  boweveft  that 
the  marriage  of  the  Princess  Mary  with  the  Prince  of  Orange  was  effected|  to 
which  circumstance  we  ultimately  owe  thfi  Revolution. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  308 

ooQtrwy,  and  never  any  thing  this  way,  since  his  professions  of 

that  sort,  thattill  his  real  endeavours  convinced  men,  it  would 

not  be  believed  that  he  was  serious.    But  when  1  had  given  the 

Bmrl  ci  Orrery  my  papers,  he  returned  them  me  with  Bishop 

IMorlejr's  strictures,  or  animadversions,  as  by  his  words  and  the 

Hsmd-writing  I  had  reasons  to  be  confident;  by  which  he  made 

nie  aee  fully  that  all  his  professions  for  abatement  and  concord 

iwere  deceitiul  snares,  and  that  he  intended  no  such  thing.'* ' 

Again,  our  worthy  and  indefatigable  friend  of  peace  took  up  hie 
pen,  and  detoted  no  small  attention  to  this  new  scheme  of  union* 
S-Iis  proposals.  Bishop  Morley's  strictures,  and  his  reply,  are 
Si^'^^o  R^  1*1^9  ^^  his  own  narrative ; '  but  it  would  be  useless 
%4»  tronble  the  reader  with  any  part  of  the  documents,  sinco 
trbe  whole  ended,  as  all  other  schemes  of  the  same  kind  had 
^one,  in  disappointment. 

^  A  little  after,  some  great  men  of  the  House  of  Commons 
dfcw  np  a  bill,  as  tending  to  our  healing,  to  take  off  our  oaths, 
sobscrf ptions,  and  declarations,  except  the  oath  of  supremacy, 
and  allegiance,  and  subscriptions  to  the  doctrine  of  the  church 
of  England,  according  to  the  13th  of  Elizabeth.    But  showing 
it  to  the  sud  Bishop  of  Winchester,  he  caused  them  to  forbear, 
and  broke  it ;  and  instead  of  it  he  furthered  an  act,  to  take  off 
(miy  0$ieni  and  eomentf  and  the  renunciation  of  the  govern- 
ment; which  would  have  been  but  a  cunning  snare  to  make 
us  more  remediless,  and  do  no  good;  seeing  that  the  same 
things,  with  the  repeated  clauses,  would  be   still,   by  other 
continued  obligations  required,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  canon  for 
subscription,  art.  ii.,  and  in  the  Oxford  act,  for  the  oath  and  for 
confining  refusers.     It  is  credibly  averred,  that  when  most  of 
the  other  bishops  were  against  this  ensnaring  show  of  abate- 
ment, he  told  them  in  the  house  that  had  it  been  but  to  abate  us 
a  eenemony,  he  would  not  have  spoken  in  it :  but  he  knew  that 
we  were  bound  to  the  same  things  still,  by  other  clauses  or 
obligations,  if  these  were  repealed. 

^  On  February  24th,  all  these  things  were  suddenly  ended, 
the  king  early  and  unexpectedly  proroguing  the  parliament 
till  November :  whereby  the  minds  of  both  houses  were  much 
troubled,  and  multitudes  greatly  exasperated  and  alienated 
from  the  court:  of  whom  many  now  saw  that  the  leading 
bishops  had  been  the  great  causes  of  our  distractions;  but 

'  Life>  psrt  iU.  pp.  102-109.  s  lliitl.  pp.  113—140. 


sot  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMSS 

otheiB  hating  the  Nonconformists  more,  were  ttill  as  liot  for 
prelacy  and  violence  as  ever* 

^^  All  this  while,  the  aspiring  sort  of  Conformists,  who  looked 
for  preferment,  and  the  chaplains  who  lived  in  fuluessi  and 
other  malignant  factious  clergymen,  did  write  and  preach  to 
stir  up  king,  parliament,  and  others,  to  violence  and  crodty 
against  the  liberty  and  blood  of  the  Nonconformists,  who  lived 
quietly  by  them  in  labour  and  poverty,  and  meddled  not  with 
them*  Some  railed  at  them  as  the  most  intolerable  villauis  in 
4he  world,  especially  Sam.  Parker,  who  was  jocularly  confuted  and 
detected  by  Mr.  Marvel,  a  parliament  man.  On6  Hickering-' 
hill,  and  others,  came  near  him  in  their  malignity ;  and  Pkipists 
taking  the  advantage,  set  in  and  did  the  like.  One  wrote  a 
*  Sober  Inquiry'  of  the  reasons  why  the  nonconfonnable  minis* 
ters  were  still  so  valued  by  the  people,  which  was  their  grievous 
vexation,  and  pretended  many  causes ;  I  know  not  whether 
more  malignantly  or  foolishly,  which  none  could  believe  bvt 
strangers,  and  those  that  were  blinded  by  faction,  malignity^  or 
false  reports.^ 

**  The  Lord's-day  before  the  parliament  was  dissolved,  one  of 
these  prelatists  preached  to  them,  to  persuade  them  that  we  are 
obstinate,  and  not  to  be  tolerated  or  eased  by  any  means  bat 
vengeance,  urging  them  to  set  fire  to  the  faggot,  and  teach  us 
by  scourges  or  scorpions,  and  open  our  eyes  with  gall.  Yet 
none  of  these  will  procure  us  leave  to  publish,  or  offer  to  autho- 
rity the  reasons  of  our  nonconformity.  But  this  is  not  the 
first  proof  that  a  carnal,  worldly,  proud,  ungodly  clergy,  who 
never  were  serious  in  their  own  professed  belief,  nor  felt  the 
power  of  what  they  preach,  have  been,  in  most  ages  of  the 
church,  its  greatest  plague,  and  the  greatest  hinderers  of  holi- 
ness and  concord,  by  making  their  formalities  and  cere.monies 
the  test  of  holiness,  and  their  worldly  interest  and  domina- 
tion the  only  cement  of  concord.  Oh  how  much  hath  Satan 
done  against  Christ's  kingdom  in  the  world,  by  setting  up  pas- 
tors and  rulers  over  the  churches,  to  fight  against  Christ  in  his 
own  name  and  livery,  and  to  destroy  piety  and  peace,  by  a  pre- 
tence of  promoting  them ! 

^^  At  this  time,  April,  1674,  God  so  much   increased  my 
languishing,  and  laid  me  so  low,  by  an  incessant  inflation  of  my 

k  See  an  accouDt  of  the  controversy  here  referred  to,  and  of  the  bebanour 
of  Parker  and  Marvel,  iii  *  Memoirs  of  Owen/  pp.  268-273« 


or  BICHARD  BAXTER.  SOS 

beady  and  translation  of  my  great  flatulency  tbither  to  the  nenrea 
anfl  members,  increasing  for  ten  or  twelve  weeks  to  greater 
punsi  that  I  had  reason  to  think  that  my  time  on  earth 
would  not  be  long.  And,  oh !  how  good  hath  the  will  of  Grod 
profed  hitherto  to  me :  and  will  it  not  be  best  at  last  ?  Expe- 
rience cauaeth  me  say  to  his  praise,  '  Great  peace  have  they 
that  love  his  law,  and  nothing  shall  offend  them ;  and  though 
my  flesh  and  heart  do  fail,  God  is  the  rock  of  my  heart,  and  my 
portion  for  ever/ 

^  Taking  it  to  be  my  duty  to  preach  while  toleration  conU-^ 
naed,  I  removed  the  last  spring  to  London,  where  my  diseases 
incieaaing  fimr  about  half  a  year,  constrained  me  to  cease  my 
Friday's  lecture,^  and  an  afternoon's  sermon  on  the  Lord's  day 
io  my  own  house,  to  my  grief;  and  to  preach  only  one  sermon 
a  week  at  St.  James's  market-house,  where  some  had  hired  an 
inoonvenienc  place.  But  I  had  great  encouragement  to  labour 
there,  because  of  the  notorious  necessity  of  the  people :  for  it  was 
noted  as  the  habitation  of  the  most  ignorant,  atheistical,  and 
popish,  about  London ;  while  the  greatness  of  the  parish  of  St. 
Martin,  made  it^  impossible  for  the  tenth,  perhaps  the  twen-^ 
tieth  person  in  the  parish,  to  hear  in  the  parish  church ;  and 
the  next  parishes,  St.  Giles  and  Clement  Danes,  were  almost  in 
(be  like  case. 

**  On  July  5,  1674,  at  our  meeting  over  St.  James's  market-* 
house,  God  vouchsafed  us  a  great  deliverance.  A  main  beam, 
weakened  before  by  the  weight  of  the  people,  so  cracked,  that 
three  times  they  ran  in  terror  out  of  the  room,  thinking  it  was 
fidling,  but  remembering  the  like  at  St.  Dunstan's  in  the  West, 
1  reproved  their  fear  as  causeless.  But  the  next  day,  taking  up 
the  bo^ds,  we  found  that  two  rends  were  so  great,  that  it  was  a 
wonder  of  Providence  that  the  floor  had  not  fallen,  and  the  roof 
with  it,  to  the  destruction  of  multitudes.  The  Lord  make  us 
thankful !  ^ 

^'  It  pleased  God  to  give  me  marvellous  encouragement  in  my 

^  I  suppose  he  renewed  it  a^io,  and  continued  it,  though  perhaps  with  fre« 
queot  interruptions,  till  1682,  when  he  finally  gave  it  up. 

J  On  this  occasion  Mrs.  Eiaxter  discovered  grtat  presence  of  mind.  After 
tiic  first  crack  was  heard,  she  went  immediately  down  suirs,  and  accosting; 
the  first  person  she  met,  asked  what  was  his  profession.  He  said,  a  carpenter. 
^  Can  you  suddenly  put  a  prop  under  the  middle  of  this  beam  ?"  said  she. 
The  man  dwelt  close  by,  had  a  great  prop  ready,  suddenly  put  it  under,  while 
the  congregation  above  knew  nothing  of  it,  but  had  its  fears  increased  by  the 
man's  knocking. — Memoirs  o/JUrs^  BaxUr^  p.  61. 

VOJU  U  X 


306  THB  UFX  AND  TIMBS 

preaching  at  St.  James's.  The  crack  having  frig^iteiaed  tmf 
most  of  the  richer  sort,  especially  the  women ;  most  of  die.  coih 
gregation  were  yomig  men  of  the  most  capable  age,  who  heard 
with  very  great  attention,  and  many  that  bad  not  ooaie  tp 
chmrch  for  years,  received  so  much,  and  manifested  so  great  a 
change  (some  Papists,  and  divers  others,  returning  public  thaoles 
to  God  fi>r  their  conversion),  as  made  ^1  my  charge  and  tronbie 
easy  to  me*  Among  all  the  popish,  rude,  and  ignorant  oailtH 
tude  who  were  inhabitants  of  those  parts,  we  had  scarce  any  thajf 
opened  their  mouths  against  us,  and  that  did  not  speak  well  of 
the  preaching  of  the  word  among  them ;  though,  when  I  fiiat 
went  thither,  the  most  knowing  inhabitants  assured  om  thai 
some  of  the  same  persons  wished  my  death.  Among  the  nder 
sort,  a  common  reformation  was  notified  in  the  place^  in  their 
conversation  as  well  as  in  their  judgments. 

'^  But  Satan,  the  enemy  of  God  and  souls,  did  quickly  vse 
divers  means  to  hinder  me :  by  persecution,  by  the  chairgct  of 
the  work,  and  by  the  troublesome  clamours  of  some  that  were 
too  much  inclined  to  separation.  First,  a  fellow,  that  ttade 
a  trade  of  being  an  informer,  accused  me  to  Sir  William  PMt 
teney,  a  justice  near,  upon  the  act  against  conventiclea.  Sir 
William  dealt  so  wisely  and  fairly  in  the  business,  as  frustrated 
the  informer's  first  attempts,  who  offered  his  oath  against  roe ; 
and  before  he  could  make  a  second  attempt,  Mr.  David  Lloyd, 
the  Earl  of  St.  Alban's  bailiff,  and  other  inhabitants,  so  searched 
after  the  quality  of  the  informer,  and  prosecuted  him  to  aecute 
the  parish  from  the  charge  of  his  children,  as  made  him  flee^  md 
appear  no  more.  I,  who  had  been  tlie  first  silenced,  and  the  fint 
sent  to  gaol  upon  the  Oxford  act  of  confinement,  was  the  first 
prosecuted  upon  the  act  of  conventicles,  after  the  parliament's 
condemning  the  king's  declaration,  and  licenses  to  preach* 

^^  Shortly  after  this,  the  storm  grew  much  greater.  The  mi* 
nisters  of  state  had  new  consultations.  The  Duke  of  Lander^ 
dale,  the  Lord  Treasurer,  the  Earl  of  Danby,  the  Lord  Keeper, 
Sir  Heneage  Finch ,^  Bishop  Morley,  and  Bishop  Ward,  &c.,  were 

^  Sir  Heneage  Ftoch  was  one  of  Uie  leading^  ncmbers  of  tho  parilsMiBl 
which  restored  Charles  II.,  by  whom  he  was  made  solicitor-feoefal  Imow- 
diately  after.  He  became  attorney*fl^neral  in  1670,  and  lord-ke^er  o#  Iks 
grttit  seal  in  1673 ;  was  raised  to  the  chancellorship  in  1675,  and  cwstsd 
Eari  of  Nottinipham  in  1681.  His  lordship  was  properly  the  founder  of  the 
noble  family  of  Winchilsea.  He  possessed  good  learning,  considerable  elo* 
qnence,  and  was,  on  the  whole,  a  respectable  public  cbaracter«  He  himfilf 
refused  to  put  the  great  seal  to  I^ni  Paaby'i  pardon* 


or  ftlCRARD  BAxmu  S07 

lie  men  whom  the  world  talked  of  as  the  dden  of  die  business. 
[lie  first  thing  that  appeared,  was,  his  majesty  calling  the  bishops 
ip  to  London  to  give  him  advice  what  was  to  be  done  for  the 
ecoriog  of  reli^on.  The  bishops,  after  divers  meetings  and 
telajRi,  the  said  duke  and  lord  treasurer  being  appointed 
D  meet  with  them,  at  last  advised  the  king  to  recall  his  li- 
duei,  and  put  the  laws  in  execution,  which  was  done  by  a  pro- 
lemation,  declaring  the  licenses  long  since  void,  and  requiring 
lie  cxecation  of  the  laws  against  Papists  (who  were  most  largely 
Mntioned)  and  conventicles.  No  sooner  was  this  proclamation 
Mriilithed,  but  special  informers  were  set  at  work,  to  ascertain 
lie  execution,  and  I  must  here  also  be  the  first  to  be- accused.''^ 

It  appears  that  Baxter,  partly  to  avoid  the  penalties  for  not 
aomplying  with  the  act  of  uniformity,  and  partly  for  his  own 
!die^  employed  an  assistant,  who  read  a  portion  of  the  church 
lervice  for  turn  on  the  Lord's  day.  This  partial  conformity  occa» 
noned  many  fidse  reports  respecting  his  sentiments,  which  gave 
Imn  great  trouble,  while  it  failed  to  commend  him  to  the  staunch 
mpporters  of  ecclesiastical  order. 

^  The  Separatists  gave  out  presently  that  I  had  conformed,  and 
upenly  declared  my  assent  and  consent,  &c.;  and  so  confidently 
lid  they  affirm  it,  that  almost  all  the  city  believed  it.  The 
pielatiBts  again  took  the  report  from  them,  with  their  own  will« 
ingness  that  so  it  should  be,  and  reported  the  same  thing.  In 
me  q>iBcopal  city,  they  gave  thanks  in  public  that  I  had  conr* 
formed;  in  many  counties  their  news  was,  that  I  most  certainly 
wnformed,  and  was,  thereupon,  to  have  a  bishoprick;  which  if  I 
ihonld,  I  had  done  foolishly  in  losing  thirteen  years  lordship 
ind  profit,  and  then  taken  it  when  I  was  dying.  This  was  di-> 
relged  by  the  C<mformists,  to  fortify  their  party  in  the  conceits 
jf  their  innocency,  and  by  the  Separatists,  in  spleen  and  quarrel- 
lome  aeal ;  but  confident  lying  was  too  common  with  both.  And 
feitf  the  next  day,  or  the  next  day  save  one,  letters  fled  abroad^ 
Ml  the  contrary,  that  I  was  sent  to  gaol  for  not  conforming. 

^  While  1  was  thus  murmured  at  by  backbiters,  sectaries  and 
prelatists,  when  tlie  king's  licenses  were  recalled,  I  was  the  first 
that  was  apprehended  by  warrant,  and  brought  before  the  justices 
la  a  conventicler.  One  Keeling,"'  an  ignorant  fellow,  had  got^ 
I  warrant,  as  bailiff  and  informer,  to  search  after  conventiclers^ 

Life,  part  Hi.  pp.  140—153. 
■  Burnet  ^ves  a  luDg^  account  of  Keeling,  with  his  conduct  as  a  contriver 
if  pkti,  and  an  informer.— Vol.  ii.  pp.  369-»390. 

x2 


dOS  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMB& 

Papists  and  Protestants,  which  he  prosecuted  with  gre«t 
mosity  and  violence.     Having  then  left  St.  James's,  the  kise 
of  the  house  being  out,  1  preached  only  on  Thursdays,  at  Mr« 
Turner's.     By  the  act,  it  was  required  I  should  be  judged  by 
a  justice  of  the  city  or  division  where  I  preach ;  but  be  lEs- 
trained  on  by  warrant  from  a  justice  of  the  division  or  etiaatj 
where  I  live.    So  that  the  preaching  place  being  in  tbe  dtf, 
only  a  city  justice  might  judge  me.    Keeling  went  to  many  of 
the  city  justices,  but  none  of  them  would  grant  him  a  wamBt 
against  me ;  he  therefore  went  to  the  justices  of  tiie  ooonty, 
who  lived  near  me,  and  one.  Sir  John  Medlicot,  and  Mr.  Be»- 
net,  brother  to  Lord  Arlington,  ignorant  of  the  law  herrio,  give 
their  warrant  to  apprehend  ipe,  and  bring  me  before  them,  or 
some  other  of  his  majesty's  justices.    The  constable,  or  is* 
former,  gave  me  leave  to  choose  what  justices  I  would  go  to. 
I  accordingly  went  with  them  to  seek  divers  of  the  best  jnstieei^ 
but  could  find  none  of  them  at  home,  and  so  spent  that  day, 
in  a  state  of  pain  and  great  weakness,  being  carried  up  and 
down  in  vain.     But  I  used  the  informer  kindly,  and  spake  thit 
to  him  which  his  conscience,  though  a  very  ignorant  fellow,  did 
not  well  digest.    The  next  day,  I  went  with  the  constable  and 
him,  to  Sir  William  Pulteney,  who  made  him  show  his  warranty 
which  was  signed  by  Henry  Montague,  son  to  the  late  worthy 
Earl  of  Manchester,  as  bailiff  of  Westminster,  enabling  him  to 
search,  after  mass-priests  and  conventiclers.    Sir  William  show- 
ed him  and  all  the  company,  from  the  act,  that  none  but  a  citf 
justice  had  power  to  judge  me  for  a  sermon  preached  in  the 
city,  and  so  the  informer  was  defeated.     As  I  went  out  of 
the  house,  I  met  the  Countess  of  Warwick  and  Lady  Lacy 
Montague,  sister  to  the  said  Mr.  Henry  Montague,  and  told 
them  of  the  case  and  warrant,  who  assured  me,  that  he  whose 
hand  was  at  it,  knew  nothing  of  it ;  and  some  of  them  sent  to 
him,  and  Keeling's  warrant  was  called  in  within  two  or  three  daysi 
It  proved  that  one  Mr.  Barwell,  sub-bailiff  of  Westminster,  was 
he  that  set  Keeling  on  work,  gave  him  his  warrant ;  and  told  him 
how  good  a  service  it  was  to  the  church,  and  what  he  might 
gain  by  [it.     Barwell  sharply  chid  Keeling  for  not  doing  hit 
work  with  me  more  skilfully.      Lord  Arlington  most  sharply 
chid  his  brother  for  granting  his  warrant ;   and  within  a  few 
days,  Mr.  Barwell,  riding  the  circuit,  was  cast  by  his  horse,  and 
died  in  the  very  fall.     Sir  John  Medlicot  and  his  brother,  a  few 
weeks  after,  lay  both  dead  in  bis  house  together.  Shortly  after 


or  EICUARD  BAXTRB#  309 

Keeling  eame  several  times  to  have  spoken  with  me^  to  ask  my 
forgiveness ;  and  not  meeting  with  me,  went  to  my  friends  in 
the  dty^  with  the  same  words :  though  a  little  before,  he  had 
boaited,  how  many  hundred  pounds  he  should  have  of  the  city 
justiees  for  refusing  him  justice.  At  last  he  found  me  within^ 
woold  have  fallen  down  on  his  knees  to  me,  and  asked  me 
eunestly  to  forgive  him.  I  asked  him  what  had  changed  his 
mind  j  he  told  me  that  his  conscience  had  no  peace  from  the 
hour  that  he  troubled  me,  and  that  it  increased  his  disquiet, 
that  no  justice  would  hear,  nor  one  constable  of  forty  execute 
Ae  vranrant,  and  all  the  people  cried  out  against  him ;  but  that 
which  aet  it  home,  was  Mr.  Barwell's  death,  for  of  Sir  John  Med- 
licoC's  he  knew  not.  I  exhorted  the  man  to  universal  repent- 
anee,  and  reformation  of  life.  He  told  me  he  would  never  meddle 
in  toch  businesses,  or  trouble  any  man  more,  and  promised  to  live 
better  Umself  than  he  had  done. 

^Ae  the  next  session  of  parliament  approached.  Bishop 
Morlejr  set  upon  the  same  course  again,  and  Bishop  Ward,  as 
hit  aeeond  and  chief  co-agent,  joined  with  him ;  so  that  they  were 
fiuned  to  be  the  two  bishops  that  were  for  comprehension  and 
ooneord :  none  so  forward  as  they.  At  last,  Dr.  Bates  brought 
me  a  message  from  Dr.  Tillotson,  dean  of  Canterbury,  that  he 
and  Dr.  Stillingfleet  desired  a  meeting  with  Dr.  Manton,  Dr. 
Bates,  Mr.  Pool,  and  me,  to  treat  of  an  act  of  comprehension 
and  union ;  and  that  they  were  encouraged  to  it  by  some  lords, 
both  spiritual  and  temporal.  We  met  to  consider  whether  such 
an  attempt  was  safe  and  prudent,  or  whether  it  was  offered  by 
some  bishops  as  a  snare  to  us.  I  told  them  my  opinion,  that 
experience  could  not  suffer  my  charity  to  believe  better  of  some 
of  them ;  but  as  they  knew  Dr.  Stillingfleet  and  Dr.  Tillotson 
to  be  the  likeliest  men  to  have  a  hand  in  an  agreement,  if  such 
a  thing  should  be  attempted ;  they  would  therefore  make  them- 
selves masters  of  it  to  defeat  it,  and  no  better  issue  could  be 
expected  from  them.  Yet  these  two  doctors  were  men  of  so 
much  learning,  honesty,  and  interest,  that  I  took  it  as  our  duty 
to  accept  the  offer,  and  to  try  with  them  how  far  we  could 
agree,  and. whether  they  would  promise  us  secrecy,  unless  it 
eame  to  maturity,  when  it  might  be  further  notified  by  consent. 
I  thought  that  we  might  hope  for  success  with  these  two  men  ; 
and,  in  time,  it  might  be  some  advantage  to  our  desired  unity, 
that  our  t^rms  were  such  as  they  consented  to.''  ^ 

»  Life,  part  Ui.  pp.  154*157. 


It  IS  Irksome  to  record  these  constantly  recmring  mkanm  of 
comprehension  and  union,  from  which  nothing  whatefcr 
suited,  milotson  suid  Stillingfleet  appear  to  have  he&k 
while  neither  Morley  nor  Ward  was  so ;  and  thus,  after 
meetings  and  discussions,  Baxter,  who  had  taken  the  tRmbfaof 
drawing  up  a  **  Healing  Act,'^  and  sereral  petitions  or 
to  the  king,  which  were  never  used,  was  left  only  with  tin 
fort  of  reflecting  that  he  had  conscientiously  sought  that 
which  others  either  wanted  the  will  or  the  power  to  prcMnota. 

*'  While  the  said  two  bishops  were  fraudulently  seenung  to  Mt 
us  in  this  treaty,  their  cause  required  them  outwardly  to  pietaid 
that  they  would  not  have  me  troubled ;  but  I  was  still  die  fint 
that  was  hunted  after  and  persecuted.  For  even  while  I  waa  in 
this  treaty,  the  informers  of  the  city,  set  on  work  by  the  Inabopa^ 
were  watching  my  preaching,  and  contriving  to  load  me  with- 
divers  convictions  and  fines  at  once,  lliey  found  an  aldeman- 
justice,  even  in  the  ward  where  I  preached,  fit  for  their  dengn, 
one  Sir  Thomas  Davis,  who  understood  not  the  law,  but  was 
ready  to  serve  the  prelates  in  their  own  way.  To  him,  cmth  was 
made  against  me,  and  the  place  where  I  preached,  for  two  aer^ 
mons,  which  came  to  threescore  pounds  fine  to  me,  and  fbw- 
score  to  the  owner  of  the  place  where  we  assembled ;  but  I  only 
was  sought  after  and  prosecuted. 

^  The  execution  of  these  laws,  which  were  to  ruin  us  for 
preaching,  was  so  much  against  the  hearts  of  the  citizens,  that 
scarcely  any  could  be  found  to  execute  them.  Though  the  cor- 
poration oath  and  declaration  had  new  moulded  the  city,  and  all 
the  corporations  of  the  land,  except  a  few,  such  aa  Taunton, 
which  were  entirely  dissolved  by  it,  the  aldermen  were;,  £or 
the  most  part,  utterly  averse  to  such  employment;  ao  that, 
whenever  an  informer  came  to  them,  though  they  forfeited  a 
hundred  pounds  every  time  they  refused  to  execute  their  office, 
some  shifted  out  of  the  way,  and  some  plainly  denied  and  re- 
pulsed the  accusers,  and  one  was  sued  for  it.  Alderman  Forth 
got  an  informer  bound  to  his  behaviour,  for  breaking  in  upon 
him  in  his  chamber,  against  his  will.  Two  fellows,  called  Stroud 
and  Marshall,  became  the  general  informers  in  the  city.  In  ail 
London,  notwithstanding  that  the  third  parts  of  those  great 
fines  might  be  given  the  informers,  very  few  could  be  found  to 
do  it :  and  those  two  were  presently  fallen  upon  by  their  credi- 
tors on  purpose.  Marshall  was  laid  in  the  Compter  for  debl^ 
where  he  remained  for  a  considerable  time  ;  but  Stroud,  keeping 


OF  EJCBAftD  BAXTBB*  311 

%  eifiMkhcme,  was  not  so  deep  in  debt,  and  was  baiied.  Had 
)a  ttnuiger  of  anothei;  land  come  into  London,  and  seen  five  or 
six  poor,  ignorant,  sorry  fellows,  unworthy  to  have  been  inferior 
aervwits  to  an  ordinary  gentleman,  hunting  and  insulting  even 
the  ancient  aldermen,  and  the  lord  mayor  himself,  and  all  tha 
icfeiend,  faithful  ministers  that  were  ejected ;  while  eigbty*mne 
chmnehea  were  destroyed  by  the  fire ;  and,  in  many  parishes,  the 
diurches  yet  standing,  could  not  hold  a  sixth  or  tenth  part  of 
die  people,  yet  those  that  preached  for  nothing  were  prosecuted 
to  utter  ruin,  with  such  unwearied  eagerness,  sure  he  would 
ha«e  wondered  what  these  prelates  and  prosecutors  were«  It  may 
'  eoimnce  us  that  the  designation  Sm^jSaXm  (false  accusers),  given  in 
Scripture  to  some,  is  not  unmeet,  when  men  pretending  to  be  the 
iiltiers  of  the  church,  dare  turn  loose  half-a-dozen  paltry,  silly 
fdlows,  that  know  not  what  they  do,  to  be  to  so  many  thousand 
•ober  men,  as  wolves  among  the  sheep,  to  the  distraction  of 
ioeh  a  city,  and  the  disturbance  of  so  many  thousands  for  wot « 
shipping  God.  How  lively  doth  this  tell  us,  that  Satan,  the 
prince  of  the  aerial  powers,  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobe* 
dience ;  and  that  his  kingdom  on  earth  is  kin  to  hell,  as  Christ's 
kingdom  is  to  heaven  1 

^  When  I  understood  that  the  design  was  to  ruin  me,  by  heap«« 
ing  up  convictions,  before  I  was  heard  to  speak  for  myself,  E 
went  to  Sir  Thomas  Davis,  and  told  him,  that  I  undertook  to 
prove  I  broke  not  the  law,  and  desired  him  that  he  would  pass 
no  judgment  till  I  had  spoken  for  myself  before  my  accusers; 
Bat  I  found  him  so  ignorant  of  the  law,  as  to  be  fully  persuaded 
that  if  the  informers  did  but  swear  in  general  that  I  kept  an  un-J 
lavrftil  meeting  on  pretence  of  a  religious  exercise  in  other 
manner  than  according  to  the  liturgy  and  practice  of  the  church 
of  England,  he  was  bound  to  take  this  general  oath  for  proof, 
and  to  record  a  judgment ;  so  that  the  accusers  were  indeed  the 
judges,  and  not  he,    I  told  him  that  any  lawyer  would  soon  tell 
him  the  contrary,  and  that  lie  was  judge  whether  by  particular 
proof  they  made  good  their  general  accusation,  as  in  case  a 
man  be  accused  of  felony  or  treason,  it  is  not  enough  that  men 
swear  that  he  is  a  felon  or  traitor,  they  roust  name  what  the 
act  was,  and  prove  him  guilty.     Though  I  was  at  charge  in 
feeing  counsellors  to  convince  him  and  others,  yet  I  could  not 
persuade  him  out  of  his  mistake.     I  told  him  that  if  this  were 
so,  any  two  such  fellows  might  defame  and  bring  to  fines  and 
punishment  himself  and  all  the  magistrates  and  parliament  men 


512  THX  LIFE  AND  TIlifJKf 

themselves^  and  all  that  meet  in  the  parish  churches,  and  they 
iKOuld  have  no  remedy.  At  last,  he  told  me  that  he  would  cooMilt 
vrith  other  aldermen  at  the  sessions,  and  they  would  go  one  way. 
When  the  sessions  came,  I  went  to  (xuildhall,  and  again  denied 
that  I  might  be  heard  before  I  was  judged;  but  though  the  other 
aldermen,  save  two  or  three,  were  against  such  doingSf  I  could 
not  prevail  with  him ;  but  professing  great  kindness,  he  thai  bid 
all  on  Sir  John  Howell,  the  recorder,  saying  that  it  waa  hb 
judgment,  and  he  must  follow  his  advice.  I  requested  him,  and 
Sir  Thomas  Allan,  to  desire  the  recorder  that  I  might  be  heaid 
before  I  was  judged,  and  as  it  must  pass  by  his  judgment, 
that  he  would  hear  me  speak ;  but  I  could  not  procure  it^  as  the 
Mcorder  would  not  speak  with  me.  When  I  saw  their  tcsobh 
tion,  I  told  Sir  Thomas  Davis,  if  I  might  not  be  heard,  I  would 
record  to  posterity  the  injustice  of  his  judgment.  But  I  per* 
ceived  that  he  bad  already  made  the  record,  though  he  had  not 
yet  given  it  in  to  the  sessions.  At  last,  upon  consultation  with 
his  leaders,  he  granted  me  a  hearing,  and  three  of  the  infonneit 
that  had  sworn  against  me  met  me  at  his  house."  ® 

At  this  meeting,  Baxter  was  charged  by  the  informers  with 
preaching  in  an  unconsecrated  place,  with  being  a  NonconfiMr- 
mist,  and  with  not  using  the  common  prayer.  These  accusations 
he  met  in  such  a  way  as  confounded  the  informers  andperplesced 
the  alderman,  who  accordingly  suspended  his  warrant  to  distrain. 

^^  In  the  mean  time,  the  parliament  met  on  the  13th  of  April, 
1675,  and  fell  first  on  the  Duke  of  Lauderdale,  renewing  their 
desire  to  the  king,  to  remove  him  from  all  public  employment  and 
trust.  His  chief  accusing  witness  was  Burnet,  late  public  professor 
of  theology  at  Glasgow,  who  said  that  he  asked  him  whether  the 
Scotish  army  would  come  into  England,  when  Lauderdale  replied, 
that  if  the  dissenting  Scots  should  rise,  an  Irish  army  should 
cut  their  throats,  &c.  But  because  Burnet  had  lately  magnified 
the  said  duke,  in  an  epistle  before  a  published  book»  many 
thought  his  testimony  how  to  be  more  unsavoury  and  revenge- 
fiil ;  every  one  judging  as  he  was  affected,  p    But  the  king  sent 

*  lAftf  part  iii.  pp.  165,  166. 

V  Baxter  refers  here  to  Bishop  Burnet's  *  Vindication  of  the  Autboritj  and 
Constitution  of  the  Church  of  Scotland/  12mo,  1673,  which  is  dedicated  ta 
the  duke,  who  was  then  the  kinj^'s  commissioner  for  Scotland.  Burnet  liiai- 
self,  was  at  the  time  professor  of  theolojpy  in  the  Unirersity  of  Glas|^w«  The 
dedication  is  abundantly  fulsome  and  adulatory.  The  duke's  **  paCrocinj/' 
the  author  very  earnestly  implores.  The  style  of  this  document  It  not  much 
hi  harmony  with  the  character  which  Burnet  afterwards  gave  of  Iht  Mofy 


OF  BICHAIU9  BAmnt.  313 

tfiem  mMwer,  that  the  words  were  spoken  before  his  late  act  of 
pfdoD,  which,  if  he  should  violate,  it  might  cause  jealousies  in 
hia  subjects,  that  he  might  do  so  also  by  the  act  of  indemnity* 

^Tbeir  next  assault  was  against  the  lord,  treasurer,  the  Earl 
of  Dnby,  who  found  more  friends  in  the  House  of  Commons, 
vUdi  at  last  acquitted  him.  But  the  great  work  was  in  the 
Hoose  of  Lords,  where  an  act  was  brought  in  to  impose  such  an 
oath  on  lords,  commons,  and  magistrates,  as  was  imposed  by 
the  Oxford  act  of  confinement  on  ministers,  and  like  the  corpo- 
lation  oath  3  of  which  more  anon.  It  was  now  supposed  that 
the  bringing  of  the  parliament  under  this  oath  and  test,  was 
the  great  w6rk  which  the  house  had 'to  perform.  The  sum  of 
it  was,  that  none  commissioned  by  the  king  may  be  by  arms 
tesisted,  and  that  none  must  endeavour  any  alteration  of 
tiie  government  of  church  or  state.  Many  lords  spake  vehe* 
itly  against  it,  as  destructive  to  the  privileges  of  their  house, 
should  vote  freely,  and  not  be  pre-obliged  by  an  oath 
to  the  prelates.  The  Lord  Treasurer,  the  Lord  Ke^r,  with 
Bishop  Morley,  and  Bishop  Ward,  were  the  great  speakers  for 
it;  and  the  Earl  of  Shaftesbury,  Lord  HoUis,  Lord  Halifax, 
the  Duke  of  Buckingham,  the  Earl  of  Salisbury,  the  chidT 
qieakers  against  it ;  they  that  were  for  it  being  the  major  part, 
many  of  the  rest  entered  their  protestation  against  it. 

^The  protesting  lords  having  many  days  striven  against  the 
test,  and  being  outvoted,  attempted  to  join  to  it  an  oath  for 
honesty  and  conscience,  in  these  words :  ^  I  do  swear,  that  I 
will  never  by  threats,  injunctions,  promises,  or  invitations,  by  or 
from  any  person  whatsoever,  nor  from  the  hopes  or  prospects  of 
any  gift,  place,  office,  or  trust  whatever,  give  my  vote,  other 
dian  according  to  my  opinion  and  conscience,  as  I  shall  be  truly 
and  really  persuaded  upon  the  debate  of  any  business  in  parlia- 
ment.* But  the  bishops  on  their  side  did  cry  it  down,  and  cast 
it  out. 

*^  The  debating  of  this  test,  did  more  weaken  the  interest 

ftc^-Htf/.  vol.  i.  pp.  142 — 144.  I  suspect  the  bishop  himself  did  not  rej^rd 
this  publication  as  among^  the  wisest  things  he  ever  did.  In  his  *  Own  Timet/ 
however,  he  explains  the  circumstances  in  which  he'  appeared  against  the 
ifaike,  and  defends  himself  a^inst  the  char^  of  Ingratitude  or  revenge.— 
vol.  i*  pp.  123— 12*^.  Bishop  Burnet  acknowledged  to  Calamy  that  **  if  he  had 
any  acquaintance  with  serious,  vital  religion,  it  was  owing  to  bis  reading^ 
Baatitr's  practical  works  in  his  younger  days.  These  works  he  greatly  ex* 
toUedy  saying  many  handsome  things  of  Baxter  and  his  writings ;  but  ex« 
pwiscd  his  dislike  of  the  Biultitude  of  his  di8tinctioii8.*'««Cafoiiijf'#  Own  Ltft, 
¥oLi«p.46a» 


914  THX  Wn  AND  TlliXS 

and  reputation  of  the  bishops  with  the  nobles,  thaft  any  Haag 
that  ever  befell  them  after  the  king  came  in :  so  mueh  dolh  wh 
quiet  orer-doing  tend  to  undoing.  The  Lords,  that  would  not 
have  heard  a  Nonconformist  say  half  so  much,  when  it  came 
to  be  their  own  case,  did  long  and  vehemently  plead  against 
that  oath  and  declaration  being  imposed  upon  them,  wUeh 
they,  with  the  Commons,  had  before  imposed  upon  otbent 
They  exercised  so  much  liberty,  for  many  days  together,  in  op* 
posing  the  bishops,  and  by  free  and  bold  speeches  against  thdr 
test,  as  greatly  turned  to  the  bishops'  disparagement.  The 
JBarl  of  Shaftesbury,  the  Duke  of  Buckingham,  the  £vl  «f 
Bristol,^  the  Marquis  of  Winchester,  the  Earl  of  SaHabnry, 
Lord  HoUis,  Lord  Halifax,  and  the  Lord  of  Aylesbnry,  die- 
tinguished  themselves  in  the  debate;  wbicb  set  the  tonguea  of 
men  at  so  much  liberty,  that  the  common  talk  was  against  the 
bishops.  It  was  said  there  were  so  few  among  the  bishopa,  ahle 
to  speak  to  purpose.  Bishop  Morley,  of  Winchester,  and  Bishop 
Ward,  of  Salisbury,  being  their  chief  speakers,  that  they  greir 
very  low,  even  as  to  the  reputation  of  their  parts. 

'*  At  last,  though  the  test  was  carried  by  the  majority,  those 
who  were  against  it,  prevailed  to  make  so  great  an  alteration  of 
it  as  made  it  quite  another  thing,  and  turned  it  to  the  greatest 
disadvantage  of  the  bishops,  and  the  greatest  accommodaticHi  of 
the  cause  of  the  Nonconformists,  of  any  thing  that  this  parKa- 
ment  ever  did,  for  they  reduced  it  to  these  words  of  a  declare* 
tion  and  an  oath. 

'^  ^  I,  A.  B.,  do  declare  that  it  is  not  lawful,  on  any  pretenoe 
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  ao^ 
cording  to  law,  in  time  of  rebellion  and  war,  in  acting  in  pur<« 
suance  of  such  commission.' 


4  Bristol  was  a  Roman  Catholic,  but  appears  to  have  opposed  this  bHI 
much  the  same  grounds  with  the  Protestant  dissenters.  He  >considertd  that 
it  endangered  the  constitution  and  interests  of  the  country. — JRapm,  vol.  ii. 
p.  670. 

'  The  declaration  ori^nally  proposed,  was  as  follows: — **  I,  A.  B.,  dodiw 
clare,  that  it  is  not  lawful,  upon  any  pretence  whatever,  to  take  up  anus 
against  the  king  ;  and  that  I  do  abhor  that  traitorous  fiosition  of  taking  amt 
by  bis  authority,  against  his  person,  or  against  those  who  are  eomralstioiitd 
1^  bim,  in  pursuance  of  such  commission ;  and  1  do  swear  that  i  will  not,  al 
any  time,  endeavour  the  alteration  of  the  government,  either  in  church  off 
state— So  help  me  God,' *^Loeke"s  fVorks^  vol.  x.  p.  213.  The  modifying 
clauses  finally  introduced,  did  not  alter  the  spirit  or  principle  of  the  mtmswe, 
but  rendered  the  oath  ambiguous^  and  thus  so  far  extracted  its  poison. 


of  RICHARD  BAXTRR4  SIS 

^ '  I^  A«  B^  do  swear  that  I  will  not  endeavour  an  akcratioit 
ef  the  Ph^testant  religion  now  established  by  law  in  the  chureh 
of  England ;  nor  will  I  endeavour  any  alteration  in  the  gopcm- 
nent  of  this  kingdom  in  church  or  state,  as  it  is  by  law  esta- 
Wished.' ''> 

Baxter  mentions  that  the  Nonconformists  would  hasve  takes 
this  declaration  and  oath,  had  they  been  offered  them,  instead 
af  the  Oxford  oath,  the  subscription  for  conformity,  and  the 
oorpoiation  and  vestry  declarations.  Bat  the  argumeats,  bjr 
which  he  endeavoured  to  prove  the  lawfulness  of  taking  then, 
thoqgfa  they  were  doubtless  satisfisiptory  to  his  own'  aund,  savour 
more  of  the  subtlety  of  the  schoolmen,  than  of  Christian  sim- 
plicity.. By  the  same  mode  of  reasoning,  it  would  be  easy  to 
show  the  lawfiibiess  of  the  most  unjust  and  absurd  proceedings, 
or  at  submission  to  the  grossest  outrages  on  the  rights  and 
liberties  of  men*^ 

**  While  this  discussion  was  carrying  on  in  the  House  oC 
Lords,  and  five  hundred  pounds  voted  to  be  the  penalty  of  the 
refiosers  of  the  test,  before  it  could  come  to  the  Commons,  a  dif- 
ference lock  place  between  the  Lords  and  Commons  about  theb 
privilege  This  was  occasioned  by  two  suits  that  were  brought 
before  the  Lords,  in  which  two  members  of  the  Commona 
were  parties,  which  led  the  Commons  to  send  to  the  Tower  Sir 
John  Fagg,  one  of  their  members,  for  appearing  at  the  Lords* 
bar  without  their  consent,  and  four  counsellors.  Sir  John 
Churchill,  Serjeant  Pemberton,  Serjeant  Pecke,  and  another,  for 
pleading  there.  This  the  Lords  voted  illegal,  and  that  they 
diould  be  released.  Sir  John  Robinson,  lieutenant  of  the  Tower, 
obeyed  the  Commons ;  for  which  the  Lords  voted  him  to  be  a 
delinquent ;  and  so  far  went  they  in  daily  voting  at  each  other, 
that  the  king  was  fun  to  prorogue  the  parliament,  from  June 

•  Life,  pftrt  Hi  pp.  167, 168. 

aiieldon  ftt  this  time  discovered  bis  wonted  actirity  in  buntini;  out  tepe* 
rmtists  from  the  church  of  Eng^laud.  Calamy  has  preserved  another  circular 
letter  from  him,  addressed  to  the  bishops  of  the  province  of  Canterbury,  en- 
joining them  to  make  returns  of  the  number  of  persons  in  their  dioceses,  of 
aU  Popish  recosants,  and  **  what  number  of  other  dissenters  wera  in  aadi 
parish,  of  what  sect  soever,  which  either  obstinately  refuse,  or  wboliy  absent 
themselves  from  the  commuDion  of  the  church  of  Eog^land,  at  such  times  as 
they  are  by  law  required." — Calamy^s  Ahridgment^  vol.  i.  p.  345. 

*  A  full  and  admirable  account  of  the  memorable  debate  on  this  bill  in  tlie 
House  of  Lords,  is  g^vea  by  Locke>  in  his  letter  to  a  person  of  quality;  in 
whichf  availing  himself  of  the  iutimacy  he  enjoyed  with  Lord  Shaftesbury,  ha 
opens  the  sacret  spriaf^s  of  several  of  the  measures  then  proposed^— X«0cAe't 
mrhi^  YoL  X.  pp.  240—246,  edit.  1812. 


Sid  TBS  XJR  AND  Tllin 

fhe  9th  fill  October  the  13th;  there  appearing  no  hope  of  reoofi- 
eiKng  them,  v^ich  rejoiced  many  that  they  roee  withoat  ckring 
iiirther  •harm/'  ^ 

The  debate  on  this  celebrated  bill,  commonly  called  ^  the 
Bishops'  Test/'  on  account  of  their  united  zeal  for  its  aeeom- 
idishment,  lasted  five  days,  before  it  was  committed  to  a  com- 
mittee of  the  whole  house.  It  was  afterwards  debated  rixteen 
or  seventeen  whole  days ;  the  house  sometimes  sitting  from 
morning  till  midnight.  After  it  passed  the  committee  in  the 
manner  described  by  Baxter,  the  grand  contest  arose  betiveeii 
the  two  houses  about  their  privileges,  in  consequence  of  wfaieh 
the  king  was  obliged  to  prorogue  the  parliament,  so  that  the 
bill  was  never  reported  to  the  house  by  the  committee.  Its 
defeat  was  generally  ascribed  chiefly  to  Lord  Shaftesbury^  who 
was  at  the  head  of  the  country  party,  and  who  was,  in  private, 
greatly  assisted  by  John  Locke.^  In  this  manner  did  Phm- 
dence  defeat  that  unjust  attempt  to  injure  the  rights  and  liber* 
ties  of  the  people  of  England. 

^^  Keeling,  the  informer,  being  commonly  detested  fbr 
prosecuting  me,  was  cast  into  gaol  for  debt,  and  wrote 
to  me  to  endeavour  his  deliverance,  which  I  did.  A  while 
before,  another  of  the  chief  informers  of  the  city  and  my 
accuser,  Marshall,  died  in  the  Compter,  where  his  creditors 
laid  him,  to  keep  him  from  doing  more  harm;  yet  did 
not  the  bishops  change  or  cease.  Two  more  informers 
were  set  on  work,  who  first  assaulted  Mr.  Case's  meeting, 
and  next  got  in  as  hearers  into  Mr.  Read's  meeting,  where 
I  was  preaching.  When  they  would  have  gone  out  to  fetch 
justices,  for  they  were  known,  the  doors  were  locked  to 
keep  them  in  till  I  had  done ;  and  one  of  them,  supposed  to 
be  sent  from  Fulham,  stayed  weeping.  Yet  went  they  straight 
to  the  justices,  and  the  week  following  heard  me  agun,  as 
informers,  at  my  lectures ;  but  I  heard  nothing  more  of  their 
accusation, 

*^  Sir  Thomas  Davis,  notwithstanding  all  his  warnings  and 
confessions,  sent  his  warrants  to  a  justice  of  the  division  where 
I  dwelt,  to  distrain  on  me,  upon  two  judgments,  for  fifty  pounds, 
for  preaching  my  lecture  in  New-street.^  Some  Conformists  are 

«  Life»  part  Hi.  p.  171.  *  Lord  King's  <  Life  of  Locke/  p.  37. 

r  When  the  warranti  were  issued  by  Sir  Thomas  Davis,  Baxter  says,  "  My 
wife  did,  without  anj  repining^,  eucourag^e  me  to  undergo  the  loss,  and  did 
herself  take  the  trouble  of  removing  and  hiding  my  library  awhile  (many 
soorss  of  books  being  so  loit),  and  after,  to  give  it  away,  bondjlie^  some  to 


or  RICBABJ>  BAxniu  S17 

paid  to  the  Value  of  twenty  pounds  a  sermon  for  their  preaehiog, 
and  I  inost  pay  twenty  pounds,  and  forty  pounds,  a  sermon,  for 
preaching  for  nothing,  O,  what  pastors  hath  the  church  of 
England,  who  tlunk  it  worth  their  unwearied  hbonrs,  and  all 
the  odium  wluch  they  contract  from  the  people,  to  keep  such  as 
I  am  from  preaching  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and  to  undo  us  for  it 
as  fur  as  they  are  able ;  though  these  many  years  they  do  notf 
for  they  cannot  accuse  me  for  one  word  Uiat  ever  I  preached, 
nor  one  action  else  that  I  have  done ;  while  the  greatest  of  tho 
Inihops  preach  not  three  a  year  themselves ! 

^  The  dangerous  crack  over  the  market-house,  at  St.  James's, 
pm  many  upon  desiring  that  I  had  a  larger  and  safer  place  for 
meeting;  and  though  my  own  dulness,  andgreat  backwardness  to 
tnmblesome  business,  made  me  very  averse  to  so  great  an  under^^ 
taking,  judging  that  it  being  in  the  face  of  the  court,  it  would 
never  be  endured,  yet  the  great  and  incessant  importunity  of 
many,  out  of  a  fervent  desire  of  the  good  of  souls,  did  constrain 
me  to  undertake  it.  When  it  was  almost  finished,  in  Oxenden* 
street,  Mr.  Henry  Coventry,  one  of  his  majesty's  principal  secre* 
taries,  who  had  a  house  joining  to  it,  and  viras  a  member  of 
parfiament,  spake  twice  against  it  in  the  parliament,  but  no  one 
seconded  him/'  * 

For  the  building  of  this  place  he  received  considerable  sub* 
scriptions  from  a  number  of  respectable  and  wealthy  persons. 
Among  the  most  distinguished  of  these  were,  Lady  Armine,  Sir 
John  Maynard,  Sir  James  Langham ;  the  Countesses  of  Clare, 
Tyrconnel,  and  Warwick,  the  Ladies  Clinton,  Hollis,  Richards^ 
and  Fitzjames ;  Mr.  Hambden  ;  Alderman  Ashurst,  &c. 

By  the  zeal  and  influence  of  his  wife,  another  place  was  built 
in  Bloomsbury  for  Mr.  Read,  in  which  Baxter  engaged  to  help 
him  occasionally :  but  he  was  still  doomed  to  be  harassed  and 
hunted  by  his  persecutors.  The  following  is  a  painful  statement 
of  what  he  endured ;  while  it  supplies  an  interesting  illustration 
of  the  kindness  of  Providence  which  he  experienced,  as  well  as 
of  the  happy  state  of  his  mind  ; 

'*  I  was  so  long  wearied  with  keeping  my  doors  shut  against 
them  that  came  to  distrain  on  my  goods  for  preaching,  that  I 
was  fain  to  go  from  my  house,  and  to  sell  all  my  goods,  and  to 

New  England,  and  the  most  at  home,  to  avoid  distrainiof  on  tbem/'-^^r* 
mmn  •/Mrs.  Baxter^  p.  70.  It  appears  that  he  lent  valuable  prcieiitt  of  books 
to  Harvard  College. 
•  LifCj  part  lit.  pp.  171 


316  THB  Un  AKD  TIMM 

Ude  my  Ubrary  fint,  and  afterwards  to  tell  it$  ao  that  tf  boob 
had  been  my  treasure  (and  I  valued  little  more  on  earth),  I  had 
now  been  without  a  treasure.  For  about  twelve  years,  1  was 
driven  a  hundred  miles  from  them ;  and  when  I  had  paid  dear  ftr 
the  carriage,  after  two  or  three  years,  I  was  forced  to  aell  theoL 
The  prelates,  to  hinder  me  from  preaching,  deprived  me  also  of 
these  private  comforts ;  but  God  saw  that  they  vrere  my  snare. 
We  brought  nothing  into  this  vrorld,  and  we  must  carry  nothing 
out.    The  loss  is  very  tolerable. 

^^  I  was  the  more  willing  to  part  with  goods,  books,  and  aD, 
that  I  might  have  nothing  to  be  distrained,  and  so  go  on  to 
preach ;  and  accordingly  removing  my  dwelling  to  the  new 
chi^l  which  I  had  built,  I  purposed  to  venture  to  preach  in  it, 
there  being  forty  thousand  persons  in  the  parish,  as  b  rappoaed, 
more  than  can  hear  in  the  parish  church,  who  have  no  place  to 
go  to  for  Ood's  public  worship;  so  that  I  set  not  up  church 
against  church,  Init  preached  to  those  that  must  else  have  had 
none.  When  I  had  preached  there  but  once,  a  resolution  waa 
taken  to  surprise  me  the  next  day,  and  send  me  for  six  months 
to  the  common  gaol,  upon  the  act  for  the  Oxford  oath.  Nol 
knowing  this,  it  being  the  hottest  part  of  the  year,  I  agreed  to 
go  for  a  few  weeks  into  the  country,  twenty  miles  off;  but  the 
night  before  I  should  go,  I  felt  so  ill,  that  I  was  fain  to  send  to 
disappoint  both  the  coach  and  my  intended  companion,  Mr« 
Sylvester,  When  I  was  thus  fully  resolved  to  stay,  it  pleased 
God,  after  the  ordinary  coach  hour,  that  three  men,  from  three 
parts  of  the  city,  met  at  my  house,  accidentally,  just  at  the  same 
time,  ahnost  to  a  minute ;  of  whom,  if  any  one  had  not  been 
there,  I  had  not  gone ;  viz.,  the  coachman  again  to  urge  me, 
Mr.  Sylvester,  whom  1  had  put  off,  and  Dr.  Cox,  who  oompdled 
me,  and  told  me  he  would,  else,  carry  me  into  the  eoach.  It 
proved  a  special,  merciful  providence  of  God;  for,  after  one 
of  languishing  and  pain,  1  had  nine  weeks'  greater  ease  than 
I  expected  in  this  world,  and  greater  comfort  in  my  woiic.  For 
my  good  friend,  Richard  Beresford,  esq.,  clerk  of  the  Exeheqaer, 
whose  importunity  drew  me  to  his  house,  spared  no  cost^  labour, 
or  kindness,  for  my  health  or  service.''  * 

The  extraordinary  variety  of  Baxter's  diseases,  the  ename- 
ration  of  which  follows  this  passage,  would  be  any  thing  but 
entertainment  to  the  reader:  suflSce  it  to  say,  that  he  was,  for 
many  years,  a  living  wonder  to  himself,  and  to  those  who  were 

*  Llfei  part  iii.  p.  17^* 


Of  HIGIURD  BAXTIR.  819 

aoqounfeed  with  his  condition.  It  is  amazing  how  he  eould 
exist,  and  atiU  more  wonderful  how  he  was  capable  of  the  un- 
cettiq;  labour  in  public  or  in  writing,  in  which  he  was  engaged. 
ThoQgh  "  in  deaths  oft/'  he  prosecuted,  with  unremitting  and 
growing  ardour,  the  service  of  his  Master,  and  the  salration  of 
hii  fellow-creatures. 

^  B^ng  driven  from  home,  and  having  an  old  license  yet  iu 
fora^  by  the  countenance  of  that,  and  the  great  industry  of  Mr* 
Beresibrd,  I  had  leave  and  invitation  for  ten  Lord's  days,  to 
preach  in  the  parish  churches  round  about.  The  first  parish  that 
I  preached  in,  after  thirteen  years'  ejection  and  prohibition,  was 
Rickmersworth,  after  that  at  Sarrat,  at  King's  Langley,  at 
Cbeibam,  at  Chalford,  at  Amersham,  and  that  often  twice  a 
day.  Tliose  heard,  who  had  not  come  to  church  for  seven  years ; 
ladtfro  or  three  thousand  heard,  where  scarcely  an  hundred  were 
woDt  to  come,  and  with  so  much  attention  and  willingness  as 
gave  me  very  great  hopes  that  I  never  spake  to  them  in  vain  | 
thot  soul  and  body  had  these  special  mercies,  * 

"  But  the  censures  of  men  pursued  me  as  before  :  the  envious 
•ort  of  the  prelatists  accused  me,  as  if  I  had  intruded  into  the 
parish  churches  too  boldly,  and  without  authority.  The  quar* 
relsome  Sectaries,  or  Separatists,  did,  in  London,  speak  against 
me,  for  drawing  people  to  the  parish  churches  and  the  liturgy^ 
and  many  gave  out  that  I  did  conform.  All  my  days,  no* 
^iug  hath  been  charged  on  me  as  crimes,  so  much  as  my  cost- 
liest and  greatest  duties.  But  the  pleasing  of  God,  and  saving 
^uls,  will  pay  for  all. 

^^The  country  about  Rickmersworth,  abounding  with  Quakers, 
because  W.  Penn,  their  captain,  dwelleth  there,  I  was  desirous 
^hat  the  poor  people  should  once  hear  what  was  to  be  said  for 
^heir  recovery,  which  coming  to  Mr.  Penn's  ears,  he  was  for* 
^ard  to  a  meeting,  where  we  continued  speaking  to  two  rooms 
'ull  of  people,  fasting,  from  ten  o'clock  till  five.**  One  lord, 
^Wo  knights,  and  four  conformable  ministers,  beside  others,  being 
present;  some  all  the  time,  some  part.    The  success  gave  me 

^  No  account  of  this  meeting  has  been  printed,  as  far  as  is  known  to  me ;  but 
Part  oi  the  oorrespoodeuce  between  Penn  and  Baxter  remains.  From  the  let* 
^rs  oi  Penn  it  appears  that  Baxter  proposed  the  meetinjf,  to  which  Penn  ae» 
Ceded.  A  second  meetiug  appears  to  have  been  demandedi  but  does  not  seem 
to  have  taken  place.  Peon's  language  to  Baxter,  in  two  of  his  letters,  i«  vciy 
abusive.  He  tells  him,  "  I  perceive  the  scurvy  of  the  mind  is  thy  distemperj 
and  I  fear  it  is  incurable.  1  had  rather  be  Socrates  at  the  day  of  judgment, 
than  Richard  Baxter/'.   la  the  lait  Itttsr,  however,  he  speaks  in  a  much  mora 


820  THS  LIFB  AKD  TIlfBS 

cmiise  to  believe  that  it  was  not  labour  lost :  an  acoomit  of  Ae 
conference  may  be  published  ere  long,  if  there  be  cause.* 

^  While  this  was  my  employment  in  the  country^  my  frioidi 
at  home  had  got  one  Mr.  Seddon^  a  Nonconformist,  of  Deilijfi- 
shire,  lately  come  to  the  city  as  a  traveller,  to  preach  the  seeool 
sermon  in  my  j(ew-built  chapel ;  he  was  told,  and  overtoUy  dl 
the  danger,  and  desired  not  to  come  if  he  feared  it.  I  had  kit 
word,  that  if  he  would  but  step  into  my  house  through  a  door, 
he  was  in  no  danger,  they  not  having  power  to  break  open  sBf 
but  the  meeting  house.  While  he  was  preaching,  three  juitieeii 
supposed  of  Secretary  Coventry's  sending,  came  to  the  door  to 
seize  the  preacher.  They  thought  it  had  been  I,  and  had 
prepared  a  warrant  upon  the  Oxford  act,  to  send  me  (or  as 
months  to  the  common  gaol.  The  good  man,  and  two  wok, 
honest  persons,  entrusted  to  have  directed  him,  left  the  hove 
where  they  were  safe,  and  thinking  to  pass  away,  came  to  the 
justices  and  soldiers  at  the  door,  and  there  stood  by  them  till 
some  one  said,  *  This  is  the  preacher ;'  and  so  they  took  tisit 
blotted  my  name  out  of  the  warrant  and  put  in  his  ;  thoogh 
admost  every  word  fitted  to  my  case  was  folse  of  his.  To  the 
Gate-house  he  was  carried,  where  be  continued  almost  three 
months  of  the  six :  and  being  earnestly  desirous  of  deliveranoei 
I  was  put  to  charges  to  accomplish  it,  and  at  last,  having 
righteous  judges,  and  the  warrant  being  found  faulty,  he  had 
an  habeas  corpuSy  and  was  freed  upon  bonds  to  appear  again 
the  next  term."  ^ 

Baxter  was  now  placed  in  great  jeopardy.  His  prosecutors 
were  exasperated  against  him,  and  determined,  if  possible,  to 
succeed  in  the  next  warrant,  which  they  only  waited  an  oppor- 
tunity to  get  against  him.  Several  of  the  justices,  however, 
who  had  been  his  greatest  enemies,  died.  At  the  same  time,  be 
lost  his  kind  and  excellent  friend,  Judge  Hale,  to  whom  he  had 
often  been  indebted,  and  of  whose  death  he  speaks  in  a  very 
affecting  manner.  Before  proceeding  to  notice  his  next  trialSf 
I  shall  just  mention  the  books  which  he  wrote  during  the  period 
which  this  chapter  embraces. 

courteous  style ;  aod  acknowledg^es  the  great  civility  he  had  experienced  froia 
Baxter  at  the  roeetiug.  The  correspondence  is  curious,  as  showing,  ia  one 
nvay^  that  Penn  was  both  a  man  of  talents  and  a  gentleman  ;  and,  in  another, 
that,  when  excited  by  his  religious  views,  he  was  rabid  and  vulgar.  Baxter 
could  be  severe,  but  it  was  the  severity  of  ao  ardent  and  ingenuous  miodi 
Ibe  severity  of  Penn  is  sheer  ribaldry.— ^axffr's  MSS, 
«  Ufe,  partiii.  174.  ^  Ibid.  p.  174^  175^ 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  S2l 

He  paUbhed,  in  1671>  his  Defence  of  the  Principles  of  Love 
—His  Answer  to  Exceptions  against  it— The  Divine  Appoint- 
meat  of  the  Lord's  Day — ^The  Duty  of  Heavenly  Meditation— 
Hidiness  the  Design  of  Christianity — ^The  Difference  between 
die  Power  of  Magistrates  and  Church  Pastors — ^Vindication  of 
God's  Goodness — Second  Admonition  to  Mr.  Bagshayv.  In 
1672}  appeared  More  Reasons  for  the  Christian  Religion — 
Dteertion  of  the  Ministry  Rebuked — Certainty  of  Christianity 
irithout  Popery — A  Third  Answer  to  Bagshaw.  In  1673 
nd  I674j  he  published  his  Christian  Directory,  on  which  he 
had  .been  employed  for  some  years.  In  these  two  years,  he 
•bo  published  his  Full  and  Easy  Satisfaction,  and  his  Poor 
Man's  Family  Book,  tn  1675,  he  produced  his  Catholic  The- 
oliigy^^a  folio  volume,  which  was  followed  by  several  other 
pieees  in  the  course  of  that  and  the  following  year,  which 
I  need  not  now  enumerate.  Looking  at  the  number  and 
variety  of  these  works,  this  must  have  been  one  of  the  busiest 
periods  in  his  life  as  a  writer.  He  preached  less ;  but  during 
Ui  affictive  retirement,  he  laboured  incessantly  with  his  pen. 
Hie  mere  oversight  of  the  press  of  so  many  works,  would  have 
been  employment  enough  for  an  ordinary  man.  But  Baxter 
■mat  not -be  measured  by  this  standard.  He  lived  but  to  labour; 
«id  labour  was  his  life. 


VOL.  I. 


8SS  THS  L1f£  ANl>  TIMBI 


CHAPTER  XL 
1676— 168U 


Baxter  retumes  preacbing:  in  the  parish  of  St.  Martin-— Koncoiif^malMft 
ag;ain  persecuted— Dr.  Jane — ^Dr.  Mason— Baxter  preacbei  in  SfralkNK 
itreet— Compton,  Bishop  of  London— Lamplui^h,  Bishop  of  £telar-44loyil> 
Bishop  of  Worcester— Various  slanders  af^inst  Bajcter— Death  of  Dr.MwlW 
— Pinner's*HaU  Lecture-^Popiih  Plot— Earl  of  Danby— Baater'a  intcrfih^ 
reace  on  behalf  of  banished  Scotsmen — H unitarians— the  haag  Parilameni 
of  Charles  11.  dlssolfed- Transactions  of  the  New  Pariianent— Bill  of  Ba«» 
elusion— Meal-Tub  Plot— BaateVs  ReEections  on  the  Timee— Writinci- 
Death  of  Friends^^udge  Hale— Stubbs— Corbet— Gouge— Ashnnt-^Bas* 
ter*s  Step-mother-^Mrs.  Baxter. 

In  the  latter  years  of  Baxter's  life,  the  information  whtch  he  hii 
furnished  respecting  himself,  is  much  less  particular,  than  whai^ 
he  has  supplied  respecting  the  earlier  and  more  bustling  perioA. 
of  it.  As  he  advanced  in  age,  he  appears  to  have  lived  more 
retired ;  and  either  from  choice,  or  from  necessity,  took  a  le8» 
active  part  in  public  affairs.  His  ill  state  of  health  rendered 
retirement  absolutely  necessary,  and  his  experience  of  ths 
uselessness  of  contending  against  the  disposition  of  the  govern—' 
ment,  and  the  bigotry  of  the  church,  probably  reconciled 
to  wait  and  pray  for  better  times,  which  happily  he  lived  to 
The  gleanings  of  his  last  days,  however,  we  must  endeavour* 
carefully  to  gather  up.     He  thus  resumes  his  narrative : 

"  Wheu  I  had  been  kept  a  whole  year  from  preaching  in  the 
chapel  which  I  built,  I  began  in  another,  in  a  tempestuous  time^ 
on  account  of  the  necessity  of  the  parish  of  St.  Martin ;  where 
about  60,000  souls  had  no  church  to  go  to,  nor  any  public 
worship  of  God  !  How  long.  Lord ! 

'<  About  February  and  March,  1676,  it  pleased  the  king  im- 
portunately to  command  and  urge  the  judges,  and  London  jus* 
tice8,to  put  the  laws  against  Nonconformists  in  .execution  ;  but 
the  nation  was  backward  to  it.    In  London  they  were  often  and 
long  commanded  to  it  3  till,  at  last^  Sir  Joseph  SbeldoUj  the 


OF  RICHAID  BAXniU  823 

AfdilMiop  of  Canterbury's  near  relation^  being  lord  mayor,  on 
April  80th,  the  execution  began.  They  were  required  especially 
to  send  all  the  ministers  to  the  common  jails  for  six  months,  on 
the  Oxford  act,  for  not  taking  the  oath,  and  dwelling  within 
five  miles.  This  day,  Mr.  Joseph  Read  was  sent  to  jail,  being 
taken  out  of  the  pulpit,  preaching  in  a  chapel  in  Bloomsbury, 
in  the  parish  of  St.  Giles.  He  did  so  much  good  to  the  poor 
^orant  people  who  had  no  other  teacher,  that  Satan  owed  him 
a  MaliciouB  disturbance.  He  had  built  the  chapel  in  his  own 
house  (with  the  help  of  friends),  in  compassion  to  those  people^ 
wiio^  as  they  crowded  to  hear  him,  so  did  they  follow  him  to 
the  justiees,  and  to  the  jail,  to  ^ow  their  affection.  It  being 
the  plaee  where  I  had  been  used  often  to  preach,  I  suppose  was 
iomewhat  the  more  maliced.  The  very  day  before,  I  had  new 
sctret  hints  of  men's  desires  of  reconciliation  and  peace,  and 
motions  to  offer  some  proposals  towards  them,  as  if  the  bishops 
were  at  last  grown  peaceable.  To  which,  as  ever  before,  I 
yielded^  and  did  my  part,  though  long  experience  made  me  sus- 
pect that  some  mischief  was  near,  and  some  suffering  presently 
to  be  expected  from  them. 

^  Mr.  Jane,  the  Bishop  of  London's  chaplain,*  preaching  to 
Ibe  lord  mayor  and  aldermen,  in  the  month  of  June,  turned  his 
<Mioii  against  Calvin-  and  me.  My  charge  was,  that  I  had 
sent  as  bad  men  to  heaven  as  some  that  be  in  hell ;  because,  in 
ny  book  called  the  '  Saint's  Rest,'  I  had  said,  that  I  thought  of 

*  Dr.  Janey  of  whom  Baxter  givt%  this  account,  was  one  of  the  highest  of 
the  bifb  charchnen  of  his  day.  His  father  was  a  member  of  the  Long  Par- 
liaaeot ;  oae  of  the  most  decided  frieods  of  the  kiojc ;  aud  author  of  the 
CnctvaxXorsf,  the  *  Ima^  unhroken/  in  answer  to  Milton's  EtKotwox^nity 
Ui€  *  Image  Broken.'  The  sou  was  educated  at  Westminster  and  Oxford,  and 
Bo  doobC  expected  to  rise  high  in  the  church,  for  his  father's  services.  He  does 
Bot  appear,  however,  to  have  advanced  beyond  the  deanery  of  Gloucester, 
vhich  he  held  with  the  precentorship  of  the  church  of  Exeter.  He  had 
^^  principal  ahave  in  drawiof:  up  the  famous  decree  passed  by  the  University 
^  CbLford,  on  the  21st  of  July,  1683,  condemning  the  |X)litical  princi- 
ples and  writings  of  Locke,  Baxter,  Owen,  and  others  of  their  description. 
^^  the  !Mth  of  that  month,  it  was  presented  to  Charles  II.,  in  the  presence  of 
^he  Duke  of  Yoik,  by  Dr.  Jane  and  Dr.  Huntingdon,  but  had  the  honour  to 
^  harnt  by  the  common  hangman,  by  order  of  the  House  of  Lords,  in  1710. 
Notwithstanding  the  principles  avowed  in  this  document,  Dr.  Jane  was  one  of 
'^^Hir  sent  to  the  Prince  of  Orange,  when  on  his  march  to  London,  with  an 
^^erof  the  University  plate,  to  his  highness,  who  declined  it;  but  Jane 
bought  his  services  then  so  important,  that  he  took  the  opportunity  of  soli- 
^^tiog  for  himself  the  see  of  Exeter.  This  could  not  be  obtained  :  in  conse- 
HUence  of  which  he  remained  secretly  disaffected  to  King  William,  during 
^U  reign.    Jane  died  in  MIG.—Birch^s  Life  of  TiUoUon,  pp.  173,  174. 

y  2 


324  THE   LIFB  AND  TIMES 

heaven  with  the  more  pleasure,  because  I  should  there  meet 
with  Peter,  Paul,  Austin,  Chrysostom,  Jerome,  Wicliff,  I^ither, 
Zuinglius,  Calvin,  Beza,  fiullinger,  Zanchy,  Parseus,  Piscator, 
Hooper,  Bradford,  Latimer,  Glover,  Sanders,  Philpot,  RejmoMi,. 
Whittaker,  Cartwright,  Brightman,  Bayne,  Bradshaw,  BoltoOy 
Ball,  Hildersham,  Pemble,  Twisse,  Ames,  Preston,  Sibbsi 
Brooke,  Pym,  Hampden.  Wliich  of.  these  the  man  knew  to  be 
in  hell,  I  cannot  conjecture :  it  is  likely  those  who  differed  firom 
him  in  judgment;  but  till  he  prove  his  revelation,  I  shall  not. 
believe  him. 

^^  This  makes  me  remember  how,  this  last  year,  one  Dr. 
Mason,  a  great  preacher  against  Puritans,'  preached  against  me 
publicly  in  London ;  saying,  that  when  a  justice  was  aendiQg 
me  to  prison,  and  offered  to  let  me  stay  till  Monday,  if  I 
would  promise  not  to  preach  on  Sunday,  I  answered,  ^  1 ,9Ml 
nof,' equivocating;  meaning,  I  shall  not jpromwe,  when  he  thought 
I  meant,  I  shall  not  preach,    O,  these,  say  the  malignants,  are 

your  holy  men  !    and  was  such  a falsehood  fit  for  a  . 

pulpit  ?  Yet  such  men  never  spake  one  word  to  my  face  in  their . 
lives  !  The  whole  truth  is  this  ;  Ross  and  Phillips,  being  ap- 
pointed to  send  me  to  prison,  for  preaching  at  Brentford,  shot 
the  chamber  doors,  and  would  neither  show  nor  tell  me  who 
was  my  accuser  or  witness,  or  let  any  one  living  be  present  bat 
themselves.  It  being  Saturday,  I  requested  to  stay  at  home  to  set 
my  house  in  order  till  Monday.  Ross  asked  me,  whether  I  would 
promise  not  to  preach  on  Sunday  ?  I  answered,  ^  No  ;  I  shall 
not :'  the  man  not  understanding  me,  said,  '  Well,  you  promise 
not  to  preach.'  I  replied,  *  No,  Sir,  I  tell  you  ;  I  will  not  pro- 
mise any  such  thing :  if  you  hinder  me,  I  cannot  help  it,  bat  I 
will  not  otherwise  forbear.'  Never  did  I  think  of  equivocatimi. 
This  waB  my  present  answer,  and  I  went  straight  to  prison  upon 
it ;  yet  did  this  Ross  send  this  false  story  behind  my  back,  and 
among  courtiers  and  prelatists  it  passed  for  current,  and  was 
worthy  Dr.  Mason's  pulpit  impudency.  Such  were  the  men 
that  we  were  persecuted  by,  and  had  to  do  with.  Dr.  Mason  . 
died  quickly  after. 

"  Being  denied  forcibly  the  use  of  the  chapel  which  I  had 
built,  I  was  obliged  to  let  it  stand  empty,  and  pay  thirty  pounds 

'  The  person  of  whom   Baxter  ^ives  this   account   was,   I  apprebeod). 
Charles  Mason,  who  was  made  rector  of  St.  Mary  Woolchurcb,  in  160l»  * 
prebendary  of  St.  J'aul's  in    1663,  and  collated  to  the  rectory  of  St  ?fX^ 
Le  Poor,  in  1669.    He  was  author  of  two  or  three  serraoni,  of  which  1  knuV  - 
Bothio|^.    He  died  ia  1677. 


op  AICHARD   BAXTER.  '  825 

• 

annom  for  the  ground-rent  myself,  and  glad  to  preach  for 

'Nothing,  near  it,  at  a  chapel  bfiilt  by  another  for  gain,  in  Swallow- 

•^•■^tt^f  It  was  among  the  same  poor  people  who  had  no  preach- 

^^Sf  ^®  parish  having  sixty  thousand  souls  in  it  more  than  the 

^l^nrch  could  hold.     When  1  had  preached  there  awhile,  the 

•^•■esaid  Justice  Parry,  with  one  Sabbes,  signed  a  warrant  to 

•^l^prehend  me,  and  on  the  9th  of  November,  six  constables,  four 

*^^adle8,  and  many  messengers,  were  set  at  the  chapel  doors  to 

^"^ccute  it.   I  forbore  that  day,  and  afterwards  told  the  Duke  of 

■-•auderdale  of  it,  and  asked  him  what  it  was  that  occasioned 

^^icir  wrath  against   me.     He   desired   me  to  go  and  speak 

'^th  the  Bishop  of  London.^     I  did  so,  and  he  spake  fairly, 

^d  with  peaceable  words ;  but   presently,  he   having  spoken 

bIso  with   some   others,  it  was  contrived   that  a  noise  was 

raised,   against    the  bishop  at  court,   that  he    was   treating 

of  a  peace  with  the  Presbyterians.    But  after  awhile,  I  went  to 

him  again,  and  told  him  it  was  supposed  that  Justice  Parry  was 

either  set  at  work  by  him,  or  at  least  a  word  from  him  would 

take  him  oiF;  I  desired  the  bishop,  therefore,  to  speak  to  him,  or 

provide  that  the  constables  might  be  removed  from  my.  chapel 

doors,  and  their  warrant  called  in.     I  offered  also  to  resign 

my  chapel  in  Oxendon-street  to  a  Conformist,  if  so  be  he  would 

procure  my  continued  liberty  in  Swallow-street,  for  the  sake  of 

the  poor  multitudes  that  had  no  church  to  go  to.     He  did  as 

good  as  promise  me,  telling  me  that  he  did  not  doubt  to  do  it, 

and  so  I  departed,  expecting  quietness  the  next  Lord's  day ; 

but  instead  of  that,  the  constable's  warrant  was  continued, 

though  some  of  them  begged  to  be  excused  ;  and  against  their 

will  they  continued  guarding  the  door  for  above  four-and -twenty 

f  There  has  been  a  Scots  church  in  Swallow-street  for  a  g^'eat  manj 
yean:  bat  1  believe  neither  the  present  building^,  nor  the  congregation, 
arose  from  the  labours  of  Baxter.  The  Enj^lish  Presbyterian  cong^rec^atiou 
formed  by  Baxter's  preaching,  was  dissolved  about  the  beginning  of  last 
century,— ff^lson* 8  Diss.  Churches,  vol.  iv.  pp.  44 — 46. 

^  Compton  was  raised  to  the  see  of  Loudon,  on  the  death  of  Hiuch- 
man.  He  bad  formerly  been  a  soldier,  and  did  not  take  orders  till  he  wa<% 
past  thirty.  He  was  not  a  man  of  learning,  or  of  much  talent.  According 
to  Buroet,  he  was  humble  and  modest;  but  weak,  wilful,  and  strangely  wed- 
ded to  a  party.  Yet  he  applied  himself  diligently  to  the  business  of  the  dio- 
cese, and  was  considered  decidedly  opposed  to  Popery. — Own  Times,  vol.  ii. 
p.  144.  He  did  not  entirely  forget  his  martial  character  after  he  wore  lawn 
sleeves;  for,  on  the  landing  of  the  Prince  of  Orange,  he  carried  off  the  Priu* 
cess  Anne  to  Nottingham,  and  marched  into  that  town  at  the  head  of  a  fine 
troop  of  gentlemen  and  their  attendants,  as  a  guard  for  her  highness. 


326  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMBS 

Lord^s  days  after.    So  I  came  near  the  bishop  no  more  when  I 
had  tried  what  their  kindnesses  and  promises  signify. 

^^  It  pleased  God  about  this  time  to  take  away  that  excellent^ 
fiuthful  minister^  Mr.  Thomas  Wadsworth,  of  Southwark.    Just 
when  I  was  thus  kept  out  at  Swallow-street,  his  flock  invited 
me  to  fill  his  place,  where,  though  I  refused  to  be  their  pastor,  I 
preached  many  mopths  in  peace,  there  being  no  juatice  willing 
to  disturb  us.    This  was  in  1677*    When  Dr.  William  Lbyd 
became  pastor  of  St.  Martin's  in  the  Fields,  upon  Lamplugh's 
preferment,*  I  was  encouraged  by  Dr.  Tillotson,  to  offer  m; 
chapel  in  Oxendon-street^  for  public  worship^  which  he  ac 
cepted,  to  my  great  satisfaction;  and  now  there  is  ccHiatan' 
preaching  there;  be  it  by  Conformists  or  Nonconfonnists, 
rejoice  that  Christ  is  preached  to  the  people  in  that  pariihiK 
whom  ten  or  twenty  such  chapels  cannot  hold."^ 

This  account  of  the  transaction  was  some  time  afterwards  pul 
licly  and  shamelessly  contradicted.    Baxter,  in  the  memoir  of  hi 
wife,  had  stated  that  ^^  Dr.  Lloyd  and  his  parishioners  had  ac 
cepted  the  chapel  for  public  worship  on  the  offer  of  himself  an< 
his  wife.""^    The  author  of  ^  The  Complete  History  of  England,' 
after  Calamy's  ^  Abridgment  of  Baxter  *  was  published,  states 
'^  that  this  part  of  the  relation,  as  to  the  offer  of  a  chapel,  i 
known  to  be  false ;"  thus  giving  the  lie  direct  to  Baxter's 
declaration.     Lloyd,  however,  then  bishop  of  Worcester,  bein 
applied  to  for  an  explanation  of  the  circumstance,  stated  ^^ 
Mr.  Baxter  being  disturbed  in  his  meeting  in  Oxendon-street  b; 
the  king's  drums,  which  Mr.  Secretary  Coventry  caused  to 


*  Dr.  Lampluffh,  formerly  rector  of  St.  Martin's,  was  raised  to  the  liiiho| 
rick  of  Exeter,  in  1<676;  aud  after  the  ReTolution,  was  made  archbishop 
York.  Judging  from  an  anecdote  of  him  told  by  Baxter,  '  Life,'  part  ii' 
pp.  178, 179,  he  must  have  been  both  a  high  and  a  fierce  roan.  While 
of  St.  Martin's,  he  met  old  Mr.  Sanger,  a  Nonconformist,  at  the  bouse  oi  oi 
of  his  parishioners,  who  was  sick,  aud  accosted  him,  '<  Sir,  what  busing 
have  you  here  ?"  **  To  visit  and  pray  with  my  sick  friend,  who  tent  for  me.^  ^s^" 
was  the  answer.  The  doctor  then  fiercely  laid  hold  of  his  breast,  and  thm^^^sst 
him  to  the  door,  saying,  '<  Get  out  of  the  room,  Sir ;"  to  the  great  dismay  of 

the  sick  woman,  who  had  shortly  before  buried  her  husband. 

>*  After  the  cliapel  in  Oxendon-street,  built  by  Baxter,  had  been  a  cbapd 
ease  to  the  parish  of  St.  Martin  for  more  than  a  century,  it  fell  again  ii 
the  hands  of  the  dissenters.    The  lease  of  it  was  taken,  in  1807,  by 
Scots  secession  clmrch,  ttien  under  the  ministry  of  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Jerme  ^    ^l, 
who  has  been  succeeded  by  my  respected  friend,  the  Rev.  William  Broadfc 
its  present  minister. — ff^U$on*s  Diss.  Churches,  vol.  iv.  p.  56. 

»  Life,  part  iii.  pp.  176—179. 

"  Breviate  of  the  Life  of  Mrs.  Baxter,  4to,  p.  57. 


OP  BICBARD  BAXTBR.  327 

Qod^r  the  windows,  made  an  offer  of  letting  it  to  the 
^^riih  of  St.  Martin  for  a  tabernacle,  at  the  rent  of  forty  pounds 
^  jear;  and  that  hiB  lordship  hearing  itj  said  be  liked  it  well.  That 
••"aerefore  Mr.  Baxter  came  to  him,  and  proposed  the  same 
^ing.  He  then  acquainted  the  vestry  with  it,  which  took  it 
%pon  those  terms/' °  Thus  the  veracity  and  disinterestedness  of 
3axter  were  satisfactorily  vindicated.  Lloyd,  who  became  sue- 
^caaively  bishop  of  St.  Asaph  and  Worcester,  was  one  of  the 
M^  informed  men  of  his  profession,  and,  on  the  whole,  more 
noderate  in  his  principles  than  most  of  them. 

'*  About  March,  1677;  fell  out  a  trifling  business^  which  I  will 
nention,  lest  the  fable  pass  for  truth  when  I  am  dead.  At  a 
soffee-house,  in  Fuller's  Rents,  where  many  Papists  and  Pro- 
:eatants  used  to  meet  together,  one  Mr.Dyet,son  to  old  Sir  Richard 
Dyety  chief  justice  in  the  north,  and  brother  to  a  deceased,  dear 
Mend  of  mine,  the  wife  of  my  old,  dear  friend.  Colonel  Silvanua 
Fiiylor,^  one  that  professed  himself  no  Papist,  but  was  their  fa- 
nailiar,  said  openly  that  I  had  killed  a  man  with  my  own  hand  ; 
dial  it  was  a  tinker,  at  my  door,  who,  because  he  beat  his  kettle 
ind  disturbed  me  in  my  studies,  I  went  down  and  pistoled  him. 
One  Mr.  Peters  occasioned  this  wrath,  by  oft  challenging,  in 
w^in,  the  Papists  to  dispute  with  me;  or  answer  my  books 
•gainst  them.  Mr.  Peters  told  Mr.  Dyet  that  this  was  so 
ahameless  a  slander,  that  he  should  answer  for  it.  Mr.  Dyet 
told  him  that  a  hundred  witnesses  would  testify  it  was  true,  and 
that  I  was  tried  for  my  life  at  Worcester  for  it.  To  be  short, 
lllr.  Peters  ceased  not  till  he  brought  Dyet  to  my  chamber  to 
confess  his  fault,  and  ask  my  forgiveness.  With  him,  came  one 
Mr.  Tasbrook,  an  eminent,  sober,  prudent  Papist ;  I  told  him 
that  these  usages  to  such  as  I,  and  far  worse,  were  so  ordinary^ 
and  I  had  long  suffered  so  much  more  than  words,  that  it  must 
be  no  difficulty  to  me  to  forgive  them  to  any  man ;  but  espe- 
cially to  one  whose  relations  had  been  my  dearest  friends ;  and 
that  he  was  one  of  the  first  gentlemen  who  ever  showed  so  much 
ingenuity  as  to  confess  and  ask  forgiveness.    He  told  me,  he 

«  Cslaniy't  Abridgment,  vol.  i.  p.  348. 

*  Colonel  Taylor  was  an  officer  in  the  parliamentary  army»  and  served  some 
years  under  Colonel  Massey.  He  was  an  active  man  in  the  county  of  Here- 
IbrL  He  appears,  however^  to  have  obtained  favour  after  the  Kestoration, 
and  was  appointed  keeper  of  the  king's  stores  at  Harwich ,  where  he  died  iu 
1678.  He  was  a  great  antiquary ;  a  distiuguisbed  amateur  in  music,  having 
poblisbcd  '  Court  Ayres  or  Pavios,'  *  Almaine's  Corants  and  Sarabands ;'  and 
a  good  mathematician  and  linguist. — Jthen,  Oxoiu  vol.  iii.  p.  1175}  Aukreff^ 
voL  ill.  p.  555« 


328  THE    LTFE   AND  T1MB8 

'\ivould  hereafter  confess  and  unsay  it,  and  vindicate  me  u  openly 
as  he  had  wronged  me :  I  told  him,  to  excuse  him,  that  perhaps 
he  had  that  story  from  his  late  pastor  at  St.  Giles',  Dr.  Boreman, 
who  had  printed  that  such  a  thing  was  reported ;  but  I  never 
heard  before  the  particulars  of  the  fable.  Shortly  after,  at  the 
same  coflfee-house,  Mr.  Dyet  openly  confessed  his  fault.'' p 

'^  In  November,  1 677>  died  Dr.  Thomas  Manton,  to  the  great 
loss  of  London,  being  an  able,  judicious,  faithful  man,  and  one 
that  lamented  the  intemperance  of  many  self-conceited  ministers 
and  people,  who,  on  pretence  of  vindicating  free«grace  and 
Providence,  and  of  opposing  Arminianism,  greatly  corrupted 'the 
Christian  doctrine,  and  schismatically  impugned  Christian  kife 
and  concord,  hereticating  and  making  odious  all  who  spake  not 
as  erroneously  as  themselves.  Many  of  the  Independents,  in- 
dining  to  half  Antinomianism,  suggested  suspicions  against  Dr, 
Manton,  Dr.  Bates,  Mr.  Howe,  myself,  and  such  others,  as 
if  we  were  half  Arminians.  On  which  occasion,  I  preached  tivo 
sermons  on  the  words  of  Jude, '  They  speak  evil  of  what  they 
understand  not.'  "  ^ 

These  discourses,  which  were  preached  at  the  merchants' 
Tuesday  morning  lecture,  at  Pinner's  Hall,  were  never,  I  believe, 
printed.  Baxter  had  rashly  carried  some  idle  reports  into  the 
pulpit,  and  thus  occasioned  a  considerable  flame  l^oth  among  the 
lecturers  and  the  people.  The  preachers  consisted  of  four  Pres- 
byterians and  two  Independents.  I  believe  the  whole  matter 
was,  the  Independents  were  more  thorough  systematic  Calvinists 
than  the  Presbyterians,  though  there  was  no  difference  of  im- 
portance between  them.  They  finally  separated  in  1695,  in 
consequence  of  the  mischievous  dispute  about  Dr.  Crisp's  sen- 
timents.^ 

"  About  October,  1678,  fell  out  the  murder  of  Sir  Edmund 
Burry  Godfrey,  which  made  a  very  great  change  in  Englaiid. 
One  Dr.  Titus  Oates  had  discovered  a  plot  of  the  Papists,  of 
which  he  wrote  out  the  particulars  very  largely,  telling  how  they 
fired  the  city,  and  were  contriving  to  bring  the  kingdom  to  Po- 
pery, and  in  order  thereto  to  kill  the  king.     He  named  the  lords, 

'Life,  part  iii.  p.  179.  I  have  not  quoted  the  tail- piece  of  this  fooUih 
ttory.  It  is  very  odd  to  find  such  a  man  as  Baxter  accused  twice  of  killiof 
persons.  Dr.  Boreman's  story,  to  which  he  aUudes,  is  the  affair  of  Major 
Jennings,  of  which  we  have  ^ven  an  account,  with  its  refutation,  in  pp.  69 
—71.  They  must  hav^  been  greatly  at  n  loss  for  scandal,  when  it  wm  foanS 
necessary  to  accuse  Baxter  of  niurdeft 

4  Life,  part  iii.  p.  182.  '  Neal's  Purit.  vol.  v.  p.  414. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  329 

SemiS^f  pritttSy  and  others,  who  were  the  chief  contrivers,  and 
said  that  he  himself  had  delivered  to  several  of  the  lords  their 
Gominissions  z  that  Lord  Bellasis  was  to  be  general.  Lord  Petre 
lieutenant-general.  Lord  Stafford  major-general,  Lord  Powis  lord 
chancellor,  and  Lord  Arundel,  of  Warder,  (the  chief,)  to  be  lord' 
treasuren  He  told  who  were  to  be  the  archbishops,  bishops, 
&C.,  and  at  what  meetings,  and  by  whom,  and  when  all  was  con* 
trived,  and  who  were  designed  to  kill  the  king.  He  first  opened 
all  this  to  Dr.  Tongue,"  and  both  of  them  opened  it  to  the  king 
and  oouncih  He  mentioned  a  multitude  of  letters,  which  he 
liiinself  had  canied  or  seen,  or  heard  read,  that  contained  all 
these  contrivances.  But  because  his  father  and  he  had  once  been 
Anabaptists,  and  when  the  bishops  prevailed,  had  turned  to  be 
conformable  ministers,  and,  afterward,  the  son  turned  Papist^ 
and  confessed  that  he  long  had  gone  on  with  them  under  many 
oaths  of  secrecy,^  many  thought  that  a  man  of  so  little  conscience 
was  not  to  be  believed.  His  confessions  however  were  received 
by  some  justices  of  the  peace.  None  was  more  fonVard  in  the 
search  than  Sir  Edmund  Burry  Godfrey,  an  able,  honest,  and 
diligent  justice.  While  he  was  following  this  work,  he  was 
suddenly  missing,  and  could  not  be  heard  of.  Three  or  four 
days  after,  he  was  found  killed  near  Mary-le-bonne  Park.  It 
was  plainly  found  that  he  was  murdered.^  The  parliament 
took  the  alarm  upon  it,  Oates  was  now  believed ;  and,  indeed, 
all  his  large  confessions,  in  every  part,  agreed  to  admiration. 
Hereupon  the  king  proclaimed  pardon  and  reward  to  any  one 
that  Would  confess,  or  discover  the  murder.  One  Mr.  Bedlow, 
that  had  fled  to  Bristol,  began,  and  confessed  that  he  knew  of  it, 

*  Dr.  Israel  Tongue  was  one  of  the  city  divines,  whose  head  was  full  of  all 
sorts  of  fancies  about  Romish  plots  and  conspiracies.  According  to  Wood, 
**  be  understood  chronology  well,  and  spent  much  time  and  money  in  the  art 
of  alchemy.  He  was  a  person  cynical  and  hirsute,  shiftless  in  the  world,  yet 
absolutely  free  from  covetousness.^ — Jthen.  Oxon,  vol.  iii.  p.  1260.  Jt  seems 
more  probable  that  he  was  imposed  on  by  Oates,  than  that  he  was  a  party  to 
a  scheme  of  deception. — Burnet j  vol.  i.  pp.  424,  425. 

*  From  Crosby's  <  History  of  the  Baptists,'  it  appears  that  this  account  of 
Oatet  is  substantially  correct.  He  was  a  Baptist  in  his  youth,  and,  after 
mulling  the  round  of  religious  professions,  was,  in  the  latter  part  of  his 
life,  received  among  them  again,  after  a  separation  of  thirty  years.  In  a 
aliort  time,  however,  the  church  with  which  he  connected  himself  was  obliged 
to  exclude  him.  He  seems  to  have  been  a  consummate  hypocrite  and  villain. 
— 'DnM^,  vol.  iii.  pp.  IfiG,  182. 

"The  death  of  Sir  Edmund  Burry  Godfrey  is  a  subject  involved  in  great 
obscurity.  Burnet  gives  a  very  minute  account  of  his  disappearance,  and  of 
the  state  in  which  his  body  was  found,  but  throws  no  light  on  the  manner 
ill  which  be  came  by  his  death. 


890  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMBt 

and  who  did  it,  and  named  some  of  the  mdnj  the  plaott  wi^ 
time ;  it  was  at  the  queen's  house,  called  Soroeraet  Hmuc^  hf^ 
Fitzgerald  and  Kelly,  two  Papist  priests,  and  four  otberm  fierr]^ 
the  porter.  Green,  Pranse,  and  Hill,    llie  priests  fled ;  Fhmie^ 
Berry,  Green,  and  Hill,  were  taken.    Pranse  Brst  confessed  alji^ 
luid  discovered  the  rest  aforesaid,  more  than  Bedlow  knew  of^ 
and  all  the  circumstances^  and  how  he  was  carried  away,  and  by"- 
whom ;  and  also  how  the  plot  was  laid  to  kill  the  king.    ThuMi 
Oates'  testimony,  seconded  by  Sir  Edmund's  murder,  and  Bed-^ 
low's  and  Pranse's  testimonies,  came  to  be  generally  believed^ 
Ireland,  a  Jesuit,  and  two  more,  were  condemnedj  as  designing 
kill  the  king.    Hill,  Berry,  and  Green,  were  condemned  for 
murder  of  Godfrey,  and  executed ;  but  Pranse  was,  by  a  Papist 
first  terrified  into  a  denial  again  of  the  plot  to  kill  the  king^  and. 
took  on  him  to  be  distracted,  but  quickly  recanted  of  this,  aiicl 
had  no  quiet  till  he  told  how  he  was  afflicted,  and  renewed  all 
his  testimony  and  confession.' 

^^  Coleman,  the  Duchess  of  York's  secretary,  and  one  of  the 
Prists'  great  plotters  and  disputers,  being  surprised,  though 
he  made  away  all  his  later  papers,  was  hanged  by  the  former 
ones  that  were  remaining,  and  by  Oates's  testimony  j^  but  the 
parliament  kept  off  all  aspersions  from  the  duke :  the  hopes  of 
some,  and  the  fears  of  others  of  his  succession  prevailed  with 
many. 

^^  At  last,  the  lord  treasurer.  Sir  Thomas  Osborne,  made  Bad 
of  Danby,  came  upon  the  stage,  having  been  before  the  object 
of  the  parliament's  and  people's  jealousy  and  hard  thoughts. 
He  being  afraid  that  somewhat  would  be  done  against  bin, 
knowing  that  Mr.  Montague,  his  kinsman,  late  ambassador  in 
France,  had  some  letters  of  his  in  his  keeping,  which  he  thought 
might  endanger  him,  got  an  order  from  the  king  to  seise  on  all 
Mr.  Montague's  letters  5  who  suspecting  some  such  usage,  had 

.  *  The  character  of  Oates  was  such  that  no  dependence  could  be  pUead 
upon  his  testimony.  He  appears  to  have  been  a  finished  scoundrely  who  vat 
afterwards  sent  to  the  piUory  for  perjury  in  this  affair,  thouf^h  he  scent  to 
have  risen  a  little  in  credit  after  the  Revolution.  There  is  reason  to  beUere 
niuch  of  this  plot  was  contrived  entirely  by  him,  thou|^h  some  circumttsaott 
l^ave  a  colour  of  truth  to  his  statements.  Baxter's  account  shows  the  degree 
of  credit  which  it  then  generally  obtained.  They  who  would  examine  the 
subject  fully  must  examine  the  histories  of  the  period. 

y  There  is  little  doubt  but  that  Oates  perjured  himself,  though  it  it  equaUjr 
certain  that  Coleman  was  a  great  knave,  and  had  acted  often  in  the  most  un- 
principled manner.  He  served  masters  who  made  no  scruple  of  sacrififiiig 
their  servants,  after  they  had  accomplished  their  own  ends  by  them^p— Any 
net,  vol.  ii.  pp.  214—216. 


OV  RICHARD  BAXTBRf  83 1 

Wmfid  away  the  chief  letters ;  and  telling  the  parliament 

ivfceie  they  were,  they  sent  and  fetched  them.    On  the  reading 

^f  them  they  were  so  irritated  against  the  lord  treasurer,  thaC 

^hejr  impeached  him  in  the  Lords'  House  of  high  (reason.    But 

Aot  long  after,  the  king  dissolved  the  long  parliament,  which  he 

*^^^  kept  up  about  seventeen  or  eighteen  years.' 

^  About  thirty  Scotchmen,  of  which  three  were  preachers, 

^^^re  by  their  council  sentenced  to  be  not  only  banished,  but 

^C]^]d  as    slaves,   to   the  American   plantations.      They  were 

brought  by  ship  to  London,  where  divers  citizens  offered  to  pay 

^lleir  ransom.    The  king  was  petitioned  for  them;  and  I  went 

^te  the  Duke  of  Lauderdale,  but  none  of  us  could  prevail  for  one 

^an.  At  last  the  ship-master  was  told,  that  by  a  statute  it  was 

H  capital  crime  to  transport  any  of  the  king's  subjects  out  of 

Biogland,  where  they  now  were,  without  their  consent,  and  so 

lie  set  them  on  shore,  and  they  all  escaped  for  nothing.*  A  great 

number  of  Hungarian  ministers  had  before  been  sold  for  galley 

slaves,  by  the  emperor's  agents,  but  were  released  by  the  Dutch 

admiral's  request,  and  some  of  them  largely  relieved  by  collec- 

tiona  in  London.*' 

"  The  belt  account  which  I  have  met  with  of  the  Earl  of  Daohy't  adminis- 
tratioOy  aDd  of  the  circumBtances  relating  to  his  fall,  is  Hallam'B.  That  able 
writer^  thoogfa  he  does  not  approve  of  Danby's  principles  and  conduct,  neverthe- 
less idndicates  bim  from  charges,  which  much  more  belong  to  his  royal  master 
than  to  him.  Danby  escaped  from  the  charge  of  impeachment,  and  took  out 
a  pardon  from  the  king.  To.  this  the  two  Houses  would  not  submit.  After 
a  great  deal  of  altercation  between  the  king  and  parliament,  he  was  com- 
mitted to  the  Tower,  where  be  remained  till  1684,  when  be  was  released  on 
bail.    He  was  created  Duke  of  Leeds  in  1694. 

*  The  persons  here  referred  to  by  Baxter  were  banished  from  Scotland,  for 
the  high  crime  of  attending  conventicles  contrary  to  law.  Severe  as  the  suf- 
feriogt  of  the  Nonconformists  in  England  were  at  this  period,  they  were  no- 
thing compared  with  what  was  endured  by  the  poor  Presbyterians  of  Scotland. 
The  Highland  Watch,  as  it  was  called,  was  let  loose  upon  the  country :  its 
inbabitants  were  spoiled  of  their  goods,  cast  into  prisons,  banished,  and  sold 
as  slaves ;  and  multitudes  of  them  shot  in  cold  blood,  and  otherwise  but- 
cberedy  aometimes  with,  and  sometimes  without,  form  of  law.  Woodrow't 
'  Hiitory  of  the  Sufferings  of  the  Church  of  Scoland,'  contains  recitals  of  the 
most  horrible  deeds  ever  perpetrated  in  a  civilized  country. 

^  The  Hungarian  ministers  referred  to  by  Baxter,  were  driven  out  of  their 
oountiy,  or  sold  for  slaves,  by  the  Emperor  of  Austria.  The  contest  which 
produccud  this  result  was  rather  for  civil  than  for  religious  privileges,  though 
the  Protestants  of  Hungary  were  treated  with  the  utmost  barbarity,  chiefly  on 
account  of  their  religion.  Their  churches  were  seized,  their  estates  and 
booses  sequestered,  their  persons  imprisoned,  and  dragged  to  public  execu- 
tion. Two  hundred  of  their  ministers  were,  at  one  time,  in  the  Spanish  gal« 
leys,  coupled  with  Turks,  Moors,  and  malefactors.  It  was  for  the  relief 
of  such  sufferers  that  British  benevolence  was  excited.— Z>ff  Foe's  Life  and 
TleMfyTol.  !•  p.  9U 


833  THB   LIFE  AND  TIMB8 

**  The  long  and  grievous  parliament,  which  silenced  about  two 
thousand  ministers,  and  did  many  works  of  such  nature^  being 
dissolved  on  the  25th  day  of  January,  16/8,  a  new  one  was 
chosen^  and  met  on  the  (ith  day  of  March,  following.  The 
king  refusing  their  chosen  speaker,  Mr.  Seymore,  raised  in  them 
a  great  displeasure  against  the  lord  treasurer,  thinking  him  the 
cause ;  but  after  some  days  they  chose  Serjeant  Gregory.  The 
Duke  of  York  removed,  a  little  before,  out  of  England  by  the 
king's  command ;  who  yet  stands  to  maintain  his  succestton. 
The  parliament  first  impeached  the  aforesaid  Papist  lords  for 
the  plot  or  conspiracy,  the  Lord  Bellasis,  Lord  Arundel^  Lord 
Powis,  Lord  Stafford,  and  Lord  Petre,  and  after  them  the 
Lord  Treasurer. 

^*  Upon  Easter  day  the  king  dissolved  his  privy  council^  and 
settled  it  anew,  consisting  of  thirty  men^  most  of  the  old  ooesi 
the  Earl  of  Shaftesbury  being  president,  to  the  great  joy  of  the 
people  then,  though  after  all  was  changed.  On  the  27th  day  of 
April,  1679)  though  it  was  the  Lord's  day,  the  parliament  sa^ 
excited  by  the  confession  of  Stubbs,  that  the  firing  plot  went  oo, 
and  the  French  were  to  invade  us,  and  the  Protestants  to  be 
murdered  by  the  28th  day  of  June.  They  voted,  that  the 
Duke  of  York's  declaring  himself  a  Papist,  was  the  cause  of  all 
our  dangers  by  these  plots,  and  sent  to  the  Lords  to  concur  in 
the  same  vote.  But  the  king,  that  week,  by  himself  and  the 
chancellor,  acquainted  them  that  he  should  consent  to  any  thing 
reasonable  to  secure  the  Protestant  religion,  not  alienating  the 
crown  from  the  line  of  succession ;  and  particularly  that  he  would 
consent,  that  till  the  successor  should  take  the  test,  he  should 
exercise  no  acts  of  government,  but  the  parliament  in  being 
should  continue,  or  if  none  then  were,  that  which  last  was  should 
be  in  power,  and  exercise  all  the  government  in  the  name  of  the 
king.  This  offer  took  much  with  many,  but  most  said  that  it 
signified  nothing.  For  Papists  easily  obtain  dispensations  to 
take  any  tests  or  oaths;  and  Queen  Mary's  case  showed  how 
parliament  will  serve  the  prince's  will. 

"  On  the  Lord's  day,  May  1  Ith,  1679,  the  Commons  sat  ex- 
traordinarily, and  agreed  in  two  votes,  first,  that  the  Duke  of 
York  was  incapable  of  succeeding  to  the  imperial  crown  of  Eng- 
land; secondly,  that  they  would  stand  by  the  king  and  the 
Protestant  religion  with  their  lives  and  fortunes ;  and  if  the  king 
came  to  a  violent  death,  which  God  forbid,  tliey  would  be 
revenged  on  the  Papists.    The  parliament  was  shortly  after- 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTER^  383 

wards  duaolved  while  it  insisted   on  the  trial  of  the  lord 
treasurer.^ 

Tlie  bill  of  exclusion  afterwards  passed  the  House  of  Com- ' 
iBcms,  and  was  carried  to  the  House  of  Lords,  where  it  was  lost 
on  the  second  reading,  by  a  majority  of  thirty,  of  whom  four- 
teen were  bishops.  This  fact  clearly  shows  the  leaning  of  many 
of  the  dignitaries  of  the  church  to  the  arbitrary  and  Popish 
principles  which  were  well  known  to  characterise  the  Duke  of 
York.  In  the  same  session  of  parliament,  which  passed  the  ex- 
dnaion  bill,  another  business  occupied  their  attention,  which 
also  brought  to  light  the  unprincipled  conduct  to  which  the 
court  could  resort.  By  an  act  of  the  25  th  of  Elizabeth,  it  was 
provided  that  those  who  did  not  conform  to  the  church,  should 
abjure  the  kingdom  upon  pain  of  death ;  and  for  some  de- 
grees of  nonconformity,  they  were  adjudged  to  die,  without  the 
favour  of  banishment.  Both  Houses  passed  a  bill  to  repeal  this 
aet.  It  went  heavily  indeed  in  the  Lords,  for  many  of  the 
Mshops,  though  they  were  not  for  putting  the  law  in  execution, 
thought  the  terror  of  it  was  of  some  use,  and  that  the  repeal  of 
it  would  make  the  party  more  insolent.  On  the  day  of  the  pro- 
rogation, when  the  bill  should  have  been  presented  to  the  king^ 
the  clerk  of  the  crown,  by  the  king's  own  particular  order,  with- 
drew it.  He  could  not  publicly  refuse  it,  but  he  would  not 
pass  it;  and  therefore  resorted  to  this  infamous  method  to  de- 
stroy it.  On  the  morning  of  the  prorogation,  however,  as  if  the 
Commons  anticipated  something,  they  passed  two  resolutions : — 
That  the  laws  made  against  recusants,  ought  not  to  be  executed 
against  any  but  those  of  the  church  of  Rome ;  and  that  in 
the  cqpinion  of  the  House,  the  laws  against  dissenters  ought  not 
to  be  executed.  This  was  thought  a  great  invasion  of  the  rights 
of  the  other  branches  of  the  legislature ;  and  as  it  was  under- 
stood to  be  the  wish  of  the  House  that  courts  and  juries  should 
regulate  their  proceedings  by  this  resolution,  it  gave  great 
offence ;  so  that  instead  of  operating  as  kindness  to  the  Non- 
conformists, it  raised  a  fresh  storm  against  them  all  over  the 
nation;*^ 

"  There  came  from  among  the  Papists  more  and  more  converts, 
that  detected  the  plot  against  religion  and  the  king.  After 
Gates,  Bedlow,  Everard,  Dugdale,  and  Pranse,  came  Jervison,  a 
gentleman  of  Gray's  Inn,  Smith,  a  priest,  and  others;  but 
nothing  stopped   them   more  than  a*  plot  designed  to  have 

•  Ufe,  psrt  ui.  pp.183— 186.  «  Burnet,  vol.  ii.  pp.  300, 301. 


384  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMS8 

turned  all  the  odium  on  the  Presbyterians  and  the  nrotettaut 
adversaries  of  Popery.  They  hired  one  Dangerfield,  to  mmarngt 
the  matter;  but  by  the  industry  of  Colonel  Mansel^  iHio  ww  to 
have  been  first  accused,  and  Sir  William  Waller,  the  plot  tMH 
fiilly  detected ;  and  Dangerfield  confessed  all,  and  eontinueth  a 
steadfast  convert  and  Protestant  to  this  day.* 

^But  my  unfitness,  and  the  torrent  of  late  matter  here, 
stop  me  from  proceeding  to  insert  the  history  of  this  age.  It  ii 
done,  and  likely  to  be  done  so  copiously  by  others,  that  these 
shreds  will  be  of  small  signification.  Every  year  of  late  hadi 
afforded  matter  for  a  volume  of  lamentations.  But  that  poi^ 
terity  may  not  be  deluded  by  credulity,  I  shall  truly  tell  then^ 
that  lying  most  impudently  in  print  against  the  most  notorioai 
evidence  of  truth,  in  the  vending  of  cruel  malice  against  men  ef 
conscience,  and  the  fear  of  God,  is  become  so  ordinary  a  trade^ 
that  it  is  likely  with  men  of  experience,  to  pass  ere  long  far  t 
good  conclusion,  dictum  vel  scriptum  est  h  maUgfdif  ergo  /UU 
nan  est.  Many  of  the  malignant  clergy  and  taity,  cspeeiMtf 
L'Estrange,  *The  Observator,''  and  such  others,  do  with  io  grett 
confidence  publbh  the  most  notorious  falsehoods,  that  I  nrait 
confess  it  hath  greatly  depressed  my  esteem  of  moat  histocfi 
and  of  human  nature.  If  other  historians  be  like  some  of  these 
times,  their  assertions,  whenever  they  speak  of  such  as  they  dis* 
taste,  ought  to  be  read  like  Hebrew,  backward ;  and  are  so  tu 
from  signifying  truth,  that  many  for  one  are  downright  lies«  It 


•  The  above  paragraph  rerers  to  the  iofamous  Meal -tab  plot,  u  it  was  taJM^ 
from  the  pretended  scheme  beiiif^  fouud  In  a  small  book  concealed  ia  a  mtthttiL 
The  object  of  this  »ham  plot,  which  caused  ^reat  trouble  to  tome  of  tba  Nna- 
couformists,  was  to  throw  the  whole  blame  of  the  Popish  plot  on  the  ditscntin. 
It  was  by  the  good  providence  of  God  completely  defeated.  PangerfleW,  il 
whom  Baxter,  by  a  Strang  mistake,  ipeaks  as  a  food  Protestant,  was  aa  ia^ 
famous  liar.  He  was  tried  for  his  conduct,  in  King  James's  rei^,  seBteacadli 
be  whipped  at  the  cart's  tail,  from  New^te  to  Tyburn  i  and  while  undaqpolaf 
the  punishment,  was  struck  on  the  head  by  a  student,  which  canted  kll 
death,  and  for  which  the  fellow  wa^  justly  hanged.— ihirfi«r'«  Oma  f\mm, 
vol.  iii.  p.  29. 

'  *  The  Observator,'  was  a  political  pamphlet  of  three  or  four  sheets,  which 
L*Estraujre  published  weekly.  Having  lived  during  all  the  troabiee  of  tM 
country,  and  possessing  an  exhaustless  copia  verbarum,  which  he  poured  teth 
without  any  restraint,  he  was  one  of  the  most  efficient  instruments  ot  a  coi^ 
rupt  court  which  then  existed.  His  great  object  was  to  defame  the  bmb  of 
principle,  whether  out  of,  or  in,  the  church  ;  and  especially  to  prodnce  a  be^ 
lief  among  the  clergy,  that  their  ruin  was  intended.  He  never  fUled  to  caa* 
suit  his  own  interests,  and  obtained  considerable  sums  for  the  service  whidi 
he  did.  Henry  Care  was  one  of  the  ablest  of  L'£strange's  opponents,  and 
his  'Weekly  Packet  from  Rome,'  was  intended  as  a  set- off  against  *Thc  Ob* 
strvatofy'  and  other  productions  of  the  same  stamp* 


OP   RICtiAftD   BAXtM,  dSS 

in  no  wonder  perjury  hath  grown  so  common^  when  the  most 
impadent  lying  hath  so  prepared  the  way/'  « 

Sneh  were  the  sombre  reflections  with  which  Baxter  con- 
eludei  his  brief  notices  of  this  period  of  his  history.  It  is  not 
nirprising  that  he  was  deeply  pained^  or  that  he  cherished  the 
moat  gloomy  forebodings  respecting  his  country.  Religion  was 
in  a  very  perilous  and  oppressed  condition.  Tlie  best  men  had 
been  driven  out  of  the  church,  and  their  places  too  generally 
inpplied  by  persons  who  cared  little  for  the  terms  on  which  they 
enteredy  provided  they  could  secure  the  emoluments.  The  doc- 
trines of  the  Gospel  were  no  longer  heard  in  the  vast  majority 
of  the  pulpits ;  and  even  the  more  respectable  clergy  preached 
in  a  cold  and  inefficient  manner.  The  Nonconformists  were 
continually  harassed  and  persecuted ;  many  of  them  had  died, 
or  left  the  country,  while  few  were  rising  up  to  fill  their 
placet,  or  share  in  their  tribulations,  llie  immoralities  and 
profligacy  of  the  court,  were  shocking  to  every  sober  and  well- 
eonsdtuted  mind.  Its  principles  and  policy  were  every  day 
more  apparently  at  variance  with  the  constitution,  freedom^  and 
proeperity  of  the  country.  Under  the  influence  of  France,  to 
which  Charles  had  basely  sold  his  country  to  support  his  mis* 
tresses,  the  dissenters  were  oppressed  or  eased,  persecuted  or 
protected,  as  the  interests  of  Popery,  and  the  caprices  of  despot- 
ism  or  licentiousness,  might  dictate.  When  they  suffered  se- 
verely, they  had  not  the  consolation  to  think,  that  it  was  for 
their  own  attachment  to  truth  and  principle  they  suffered. 
They  were  afiSicted,  oppressed,  or  deprived  of  their  privileges, 
by  parliament,  chiefly  that  Roman  Catholics  might  be  punished. 
When  they  were  relieved  by  the  king,  it  was  not  that  he  cared 
for  them,  or  had  become  concerned  for  their  wrongs,  but  that 
he  might  promote  the  interests  of  a  party,  which,  while  it  pre- 
tended to  kiss  them  as  fellow  sufferers,  was  preparing  to  stab 
them  as  soon  as  it  had  the  power.  In  such  circumstances,  vaiki 
was  the  help  of  man ;  appeals  to  justice  or  to  mercy  were  alike 
unavailing.  Prayer  and  patience  were  the  only  refuge ;  and  to 
these  the  Nonconformists  betook  themselves,  not  without  hope 
in  Him,  ^'  who  has  engaged  to  hear  the  prayer  of  the  destitute, 
and  not  to  despise  their  prayer." 

That  Baxter,  *^  though  cast  down,  was  not  destroyed "  in 
spirit,  appears  from  the  number  of  books  which  he  published 
during  Uiis  period,  and  which  seem  to  have  chiefly  occupied  his 

f  Life,  part  iii.  p.  187. 


336  THB  LIFB  AND  TIMB8 

time.  These  related  mostly,  though  not  exclusivelyy  to  tibe 
Popish  and  Nonconformist  controversies.  He  publbhed  Sdcefe 
Arguments  against  Popery ;  His  Sermon  in  the  Morning  Es— > 
ercises,  on  the  same  subject;  his  Roman  Tradition  Examined ^ 
his  Naked  Popery;  Which  is  the  True  Head  of  the  Church i^ 
— ^and,  On  Universal  Roman  Church  Supremacy.  All  thes^ 
works  were  on  that  subject  which  then  so  deeply  engaged  tb^ 
minds  of  men. 

On  the  other  topic,  he  brought  out  in  1676,  The  Judgment  of 
the  Nonconformists ;  a  thick  quarto  volume,  containing  several 
tracts ;  The  Nonconformist's  Plea  for  Peace ;  the  Second  and 
Third  Parts  of  the  Plea;  the  Defence  of  it;  the  True  and  only 
way  of  Concord;  his  Church  History  of  Bishops;  his  Answerco 
Dr.  Stillingfleet;  his  Treatise  of  Episcopacy;  his  Apology  for  the 
Nonconformists'  Ministry ;  his  Dissent  from  Dr.  Sherlock ;  hit . 
Search  for  the  English  Schismatic ;  and,  his  Second  True  Defence 
of  the  Mere  Nonconformists.  All  these,  beside  his  Latin  Metho- 
dus,  and  various  other  pieces  of  a  miscellaneous  nature^  were  the 
production  of  four  or  five  years  only;  and  those,  years  of  sorroifi 
affliction,  and  persecution.  They  evince  the  unsubdued  ardour 
of  Baxter's  mind,  and  what  importance  he  attached  to  the  prin- 
ciples for  which  he  and  his  brethren  were  called  to  contend  and 
to  suffer.  When  it  is  considered  that  he  had  only  to  affix  his 
name  to  a  document  containing  little  that  in  itself  he  objected 
to,  but  implying  his  sanction  of  some  wrong  principles,  with  his 
approbation  of  unchristian  exactions;  by  doing  which  he  would 
not  merely  have  escaped  from  reproach  and  suffering,  but 
have  risen  to  worldly  honour  and  distinction  ;  his  conduct  and 
consistency  entitle  him  to  an  honourable  place  among  those, 
who  have  counted  it  a  privilege,  not  only  to  believe,  but  also  to 
suffer  for  the  sake  of  Christ.  Compared  with  this  honour^  how 
poor  are  all  the  distinctions,  which  wealth  and  rank  can  bestowl 
None  of  the  lords,  spiritual  and  temporal,  of  his  day,  will  be 
known  over  so  great  a  portion  of  the  world,  or  remembered  so 
long,  as  Richard  Baxter. 

During  this  period,  he  lost  many  of  his  most  valued  friendS| 
for  several  of  whom  he  preached  and  published  funeral  sermons. 
Of  some  of  these  excellent  individuals,  it  may  be  proper  to  give 
a  short  account. 

His  excellent  and  attached  friend.  Sir  Matthew  Hale,  whose 
character  has  already  been  given  at  length,  took  his  departure, 
after  a  long  and  severe  illness,  on  Christmas  day^  167(>«    H^ 


OF   RICHARD  BAXTBR*  33? 

went  into  the  churchyard,  and  chose  his  grave,  a  few  days 
before  his  death.  As  a  token  of  his  love  for  Baxter,  he  left  him 
forty  shillings  in  his  will ;  with  which,  says  Baxter,  *^l  purchased 
the  largest  Cambridge  Bible,  and  put  his  picture  before  it, 
u  a  monument  to  my  house.  But  waiting  for  my  own  death, 
I  gave  it  Sir  William  Ellis,  who  laid  out  about  ten  pounds 
to  put  it  into  a  more  curious  cover,  and  keep  it  for  a  monu- 
loeot  in  hb  honour.''  ^ 

The  Rev.  Henry  Stubbs  was  bom  at  Upton,  on  an  estate 
that  was  ^ven  to  his  grandfather  by  King  James  I.,  with  whom 
he  came  from  Scotland.    After  a  private  education  in  country 
schools,  he  was  sent  to  Wadham  College,  Oxford,  where  he  staid 
till  be  took  his  degrees.     He  first  was  minister  of  St.  Philip's, 
Bristol,  and  afterward  of  Chew-Magna.   In  1654,  he  was  of  the 
dty  of  Wells,  and  assistant  to  the  commissioners,  appointed  by 
the  parliament  to*  eject  ignorant  and  scandalous  ministers.   The 
Act  of  Uniformity  found  him  in  Dursley ;  though  he  was  not  in- 
ciimbent  there,  but  assistant  to  Mr.  Joseph  Woodward,  who 
died  of  a  consumption  before  Bartholomew  day.    After  he  was 
silenced,  he  preached  from  place  to  place,  with  unwearied  dili- 
gence and  great  success. 

On  his  arrival  ^n  London,  he  preached  nearly  every  day; 
and  some  days  twice.  More  than  once  he  fell  down  in  the  pulpit 
in  a  fit ;  but  recovering,  went  on  again ;  till  at  last  he  was  quite 
disabled  by  fever  and  dysentery.  What  much  emboldened 
him  was,  that  he  had  often  gone  into  the  pulpit  ill,  and  come 
out  of  it  better.  This  holy  and  peaceable  man,  who  lived, 
Baxter  says,  "  like  an  incarnate  angel,"  was  a  minister  of  the 
Gospel  about  fifty  years ;  and  dying  in  London,  July  7th,  1678, 
aged  73,  was  interred  in  the  new  burying- place,  Bunhill- 
fields.  Being  of  a  charitable  disposition,  he  devoted  the  tenth 
part  of  his  income  to  pious  uses,  with  which  was  purchased 
four  pounds  per  annum  for  Dursley  and  Horsley,  for  teaching 
poor  children,  and  buying  them  books.  He  also  gave  200/.  to 
Bristol,  and  a  like  sum  to  London,  to  be  annually  laid  out  for 
the  good  of  the  poor,  to  buy  them  Bibles,  and  to  assist  poor 
ministers'  widows  in  their  necessities.' 

^Lif^IMirtii.p.  181. 

*  Calamy,  vol.  ii.  p.  318—320.  It  would  ^e  very  frratifyinj:  to  know  what 
has  become  of  these  lea^ocies  ;  whether  they  are  applied  for  the  henefit  of  the 
|K>or,  either  in  Uristul  ur  London. 

VOL«   !•  Z 


S38  THB  UFB  AND  TIMES 

Baxter  preached  his  funeral  sermoiiy  from  Acts  xx.  !24;  ii 
the  course  of  which  he  speaks  very  strongly  of  the  emineBt 
spirituality  and  devotedness  of  this  excellent  man.  ^  He  wti 
the  freest/'  he  says,  ^*  of  most  that  ever  I  knew,  from  that  deceit 
of  the  serpent,  mentioned  in  2  Cor.  xi.  3,  who  corruptedi  men 
by  drawing  them  from  the  simplicity  which  is  in  Christ.  Ks 
breath,  his  life,  his  preaching,  his  prayers,  his  conference^  hii 
conversation,  were  Christian  simplicity  and  sincerity*  Not  si 
the  world  calleth  simplicity,  folly ;  but  as  it  is  contrary  to  hy- 
pocrisy, to  a  counterfeit  zeal,  to  mere  affectation,  to  a  dividU 
heart.  He  knew  not  how  to  dissemble  or  wear  a  mwk ;  Ui 
face,  his  mouth,  his  whole  conversation,  laid  bare  his  hesit 
While  he  passed  by  all  quarrels,  few  quarrelled  with  him ;  sod 
he  had  the  happiness  to  take  up  head,  heart,  and  time,  with 
only  great,  sure,  and  necessary  things.'^  ^ 

The  Rev.  John  Corbet  was  bom  and  brought  itp  fai  the  eitj 
of  Gloucester,  and  a  student  in  Magdalen  Hall,  Qxon.  He 
began  his  ministry  in  his  native  city  of  Gloucester,  and  fivsd 
for  some  years,  under  Dr.  Godfrey  Goodman,  a  Popish  bishop 
of  the  Protestant  church.  Here  he  continued  in  the  time  of 
the  civil  wars,  of  which  he  was  an  observant  but  moomfiil 
spectator.  His  account  of  the  siege  of  Gloucester,  gives  a  good 
view  of  the  rise  and  springs  of  the  war,  in  a  narrow  compass.' 
He  afterward  removed  to  Chichester,  and  thence  to  Branisbot, 

k  Workfi  vol.  xviii.,  p.  71. 

1  The  little  iwork  referred  to  is,  <  An  Historical  Relation  of  the  Milituj  Go- 
vernment of  Gloucester,  from  the  Beginning  of  the  Civil  War  to  the  Removd 
of  Colonel  Massie,  1645.'  He  wrote  alto  a  '  Vindication  of  the  Maf^lstralrs 
of  Gloucester,  from  the  Calumnies  of  Robert  Bacon ;  1647,'  ClanodoB  ku 
given  a  long  account  of  the  siege  of  Gloucester,  which  is  honourable  to  tbe 
courage  and  perseverance  of  the  besieged.  His  representation  of  the  ambti- 
sadors  of  the  people,  and  their  reply  to  the  king's  summonses,  is  verj  gnpliic, 
bat  veiy  ludicrous.  "  Within  less  than  tbe  time  prescribed,  together  witli  tbt 
trumpeter,  returned  two  citizens  from  the  town,  with  lean,  pale,  sharp,  tad 
bad  visages ;  indeed,  faces  so  strange  and  unusual,  and  in  such  a  garb  and 
posture,  that  at  once  made  the  most  severe  countenances  merry,  and  tbs 
moot  cheerful  hearts  sad ;  for  it  was  impossible  such  ambaMadors  could  briif 
less  than  a  defiance.  The  men,  without  any  circumstances  of  dittiy  or  good 
manners,  in  a  pert,  shrill,  undismayed  accent,  said,  '  They  bad  brought  ss 
answer  from  the  godly  city  of  Gloucester  to  the  king ;'  and  were  so  mdf 
to  give  insolent  and  seditious  answers  to  any  question,  as  if  their  businen 
were  chiefly  to  provoke  the  king  to  violate  his  own  safe  conduct."— iSKif*  #/ 
ike  ReheL  vol.  ii.  p.  315.  Their  answer,  notwithstanding  this  caricature,  «bs 
hrm  and  respectful ;  and  CharleS|  after  exerting  his  utmost  streiig4i  vai 
at  last  obliged  to  raise  the  siege. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXtBR.  839 

ifin;  of  inor6  (han  200/.  a  year,  from  which  he  was  ejected 
1662.  He  lived  privately  in  and  about  London,  till  the 
ig't  indulgence,  in  1671^  when  a  part  of  his  old  flock  invited 
1  to  Chichester,  where  he  continued  his  labours  with  great 
idnity  and  success. 

jbd  a£Bicted  him  many  years  with  the  stone,  but  while  the  pidti 
t  tolerable  to  nature,  he  endured  it,  and  continued  to  preach,tili 
hia  a  fortnight  of  his  being  brought  up  to  London  to  be  cut  | 
before  that  could  be  done,  he  left  this  for  a  better  life,  De« 
iber  26th,  1680."^   His  funeral  sermon  was  preached  by  Bax- 
who  represents  him,  as  a  man  of  great  clearness  and  sound- 
I  in  religion,  and  blamelessness  of  conversation.    '^  He  was  of 
preat  moderation  and  love  of  peace,  that  he  hated  all  that  was 
inst  it,  and  would  have  done  any  thing  for  concord  in  the 
rch,  except  sinning  against  Qod,  and  hasarding  his  salva*^ 
u    He  was  for  catholic  union  and  communion  of  saints, 
1  for  going  no  further  from  any  church  or  Christians  than 
f  force  us,  or  than  they  go  from  Christ.     He  was  for  loving 
1  doing  good  to  all,  and  living  peaceably  with  all,  as  far  as  waa 
lit  power.     Something  in  Episcopacy,  Presbytery,  and  Inde- 
kdeney,  he  liked,  and  some  things  he  disliked  in  all.    He  Was 
B  to  his  conscience,  and  valued  not  the  interest  of  a  party  or 
tion.     If  all  the  Nonconformists  in  England  had  refused,  he 
tdd  have  conformed  alone,  if  the  terms  had  been  reduced  to 
at  he  thought  lawful.     He  managed  his  ministry  with  faith- 
oess  and  prudence.     He  had  no  worldly  designs  to  carry  on^ 
;  Was  eminent  in  self-denial.     He  was  not  apt  to  speak 
unst  those  by  whom  he  suffered,  nor  was  he  ever  pleased 
Ji  ripping  up  their  faults.     He  was  very  careful  to  preserve 
I  reputation  of  his  brethren,  and  rejoiced  in  the  success  of 
At  labours^  as  well  as  of  his  own ;  and  a  most  careful  avoider 
all  divisions,  contentions,  or  offences.    He  was  very  free  in 
cnowledging  by  whom  he  profited  ;  and  preferring  others  be- 
«  himself.    He  was  much  employed  in  the  study  of  his  own 
art ;  as  is  evident  from  the  little  thing  of  his  that  is  published, 
lied, '  Notes  of  Himself,'  &c.     He  had  good  assurance  of  his 
m  sincerity  j  and  yet  was  not  altogether  without  his  mixture 
fears.     He  had  the  comfort  of  sensible  growth  in  grace : 
easily  perceived  a  notable  increase  in  his  faith  and  holiness, 
avenliness,  humility,  and  contempt  of  the  world,  especially 
his  latter   years,  and  under  his  affliction,  as  the  fruit  of 


m 


Calamy,  vol.  ii.  pp.  332—336. 

z2 


349  THB  UFB  AND  TJMBS 

God's  correcting  rod ;  and  died  at  last  in  great  aeranty  and 
peace."'' 

Of  another  roan  of  the  same  school  and  character^  Baxter 
has  left  the  following  memorial : — "  The  Rev.  Thomas  Goyge 
was  a  wonder  of  industry  in  works  of  benevolence.     It  wonW 
make  a  volume  to  recite  at  large  the  charity  he  used  to  lu> . 
poor  parishioners  at  St,  Sepulchre's,   before  he  was  ejected 
and  silenced  for  nonconformity.    His  conjunction  with  Alde^ 
man  Ashurst  and  some  others,  in  a  weekly  meeting,  to  take 
account  of  the  honest,  poor  families  in  the  city  that  were  in 
great  want,  he  being  the  treasurer  and  visitor ;  his  volontarj 
catechising  the  Christchurch  boys  when  he  might  not  preach; 
the  many  thousand  Bibles  printed  in  Welsh,  that  he  dispersed  ia 
Wales ;  *  The  Practice  of  Piety ;'  *  The  Whole  Duty  of  Man;' 
^  My  Call,'  and  many  thousand  of  his  own  writings  given  fredy 
all  over  the  principality ;  his  setting  up  about  three  or  four 
hundred  schools  in  it,  to  teach  children  to  read,  and  the  cate- 
chism ;  his  industry,  to  beg  money  for  all  this,  besides  most  of 
his  own  estate  laid  out  on  it ; '  his  travels  over  Wales  once  or 
twice  a  year,  to  visit  his  schools,  and  oversee  the  execution.  This 
was  true  Episcopacy  in  a  silenced   minister,  who  went  con* 
stantly  to  the  parish  churches,  and  was  authorised  by  an  old 
university  license  to  preach  occasionally;    yet  for  so  doing 
he  was  excommunicated  even  in  Wales,  white  doing  all  this 
good.     He  served  God  thus  to  a  healthful  age,  seventy-four  or 
seventy-six.     I  never  saw  him  sad,  but  always  cheerful.     About 
a  fortnight  before  he  died,  he  told  me  that  sometimes  in  the 
night,  some  small  trouble  came  to  his  heart,  he  knew  not  what: 
and  without  sickness,  or  pain,  or  fear  of  death,  they  heard  him 
in  his  sleep  give  a  groan,  and  he  was  dead.     Oh,  how  holy  and 
blessed  a  life,  and  how  easy  a  death  !"® 

Henry  Ashurst,  esq.,  was  one  of  the  most  valued  friends  of 

"  Funeral  Sermon.  Workr,  voL  xviii.  pp.  185—192.  The  sermon  ift 
founded  on  2  Cor.  xii.  1—9,  and  is  oneof  the  most  beautiful  of  Baxter*!  dis- 
courses. It  is  full  of  striking  thoughts  and  pathos.  Corbet  was  a  maa  alto- 
gether to  Baxter's  taste,  and  of  his  own  mode  of  thinkinfi^. 

^  Life,  part  iii.  pp.  190, 191.  A  full  account  of  this  exceUent  many  who 
seems  to  have  been  quite  an  apostle  of  benevolence,  is  g^ven  in  Clark's 
<  Lives.'  Archbishop  Tillotson,  then  dean  of  Canterbury,  preached  his  fu- 
neral sermon,  in  which  he  speaks  in  the  highest  terms  of  his  jftety,  philaa- 
thropy,  and  moderation. 


OP  RICHARD   BAXTER.  341 

Bnter^  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  distinguished  lay  Nonconform- 
ists of  that  period.     He  was  the  third  son  of  Henry  Ashurst, 
of  Ashurst,  in  Lancashire^  by  Casandra,  daughter  of  John 
Bndshaw,  of  Bradshaw,  in  tfie  same  county.     His  father  was  a 
man  of  great  wisdom  and  piety,  and  very  zealous  for  the  re- 
fenned  religion  in  a  county  where  Popery  greatly  abounded. 
Henry  came  to  town  when  he  was  only  fifteen  years  of  age, 
where  he  was  bound  apprentice  to  a  man  void  of  religion,  by 
vhom'  he  was  rather  severely  treated.    During  his  apprentice- 
sh*p^  however,  he  became  decidedly  religious,  spent  most  of  his 
spare  time  in  devotion,  and  of  his  spare  money  in  procuring 
religious  books.  He  commenced  business  as  a  draper,  with  5002., 
in  partnership  with  a  Mr.  Row,  who  left  him  the  whole  business 
ID  about  three  years.     By  his  wife,  he  had  a  fortune  of  about 
iSOOL    From  this  commencement,  with  diligence  and  economy, 
le  acquired  a  very  ample  fortune.     His  generosity  and  zeal 
)D  relieve  distress  during  the  plague  and  fire  of  London,  and  to 
lie  distressed  Nonconformist  ministers,  were  very  great,  as 
MS  been  already  noticed ;  but  they  were  not  limited  to  this 
mmtry. 

So  great  was  his  desire  of  doing  good,  that  not  only  England, 
Scotland,  and  Ireland,  experienced  the  benefit  of  it,  but  America 
ibo.  His  active  services  for  the  interests  of  New  England,  both 
luring  the  Commonwealth,  and  after  the  Restoration,  have  been 
elsewhere  narrated.  For  nineteen  years  after  the  settlement  of 
he  affairs  of  the  New  England  Society,  when  he  was  made  trea- 
lurer,  he  had,  along  with  the  Honourable  Robert  Boyle,  the  chief 
nanagement  of  the  whole  business.  Through  their  instrumen-* 
ality,  Elliot  was  enabled  to  carry  on  his  evangelical  labours 
imong  the  poor  Indians^  and  to  translate  the  Scriptures  into 
heir  language.  Mr.  Ashurst  left  in  his  will  a  hundred  pounds 
x>  Harvard  College,  and  fifty  to  the  society.  He  was  univer- 
Ally  beloved  and  respected  for  active  benevolence,  and  un- 
vearied  zeal  in  doing  good.  Among  the  Nonconformists, 
le  acted  as  a  father  and  a  counsellor,  while  his  purse  was  ever 
ipen  to  relieve  their  wants,  ahd  his  house  for  a  refuge  to  them 
vhen  persecuted  and  oppressed.  He  paid  the  fine,  rather  than 
lerve  the  office  of  alderman,  avoiding  as  much  as  possible 
ill  connexion  with  public  affairs.  "  He  was,"  says  Baxter, 
^  my  most  entire  friend,  and  commonly  taken  for  the  most 
!xemplary  saint  of  public  notice  in  the  city.  So  sound  in 
udgment,  of  such  admirable  meekness,  patience^  and  universal 


342  THK  LIFB   AND  TIMB8 

charity,  that  we  knew  not  where  to  find  hit  equal.  After  much 
•ufFering  and  patience,  he  died  with  great  quietness  of  mind,  and 
hath  left  behind  him  the  perfume  of  a  most  honoured  name, 
and  the  memorials  of  a  most  exemplary  life,  to  be  imitated  by 
all  his  deseendants/'P 

Baxter  preached  his  funeral  sermon,  in  which  he  expatiates 
largely  on  his  character  and  many  virtues,  from  a  very  appro- 
priate passage,  John  xii.  26.  He  entitles  it  ^Faithful  Souls  shall 
be  with  Christ,'  and  dedicates  it  in  a  most  affectionate  addren  to 
his  widow ;  to  his  son  Henry,  who,  as  well  as  his  father,  was  the 
devoted  friend  of  Baxter,  and  a  lover  pf  all  good  men  ]  and  to 
all  his  brothers  and  sisters.  ^ 

**  Near  the  same  time,"  he  says,  ^'  died  my  bther's  second 
wife,  Mary,  the  daughter  of  Sir  Thomas  Hunks,  and  sister  to 
Sir  Fulke  Hunks,  the  king's  governor  of  Shrewsbury,  in  the  wan. 
Her  mother,  the  old  Lady  Hunks,  died  at  my  father's  house,  be- 
tween eighty  and  one  hundred  years  old ;  and  my  mother-in- 
law  died  of  a  cancer,  at  ninety ^six,  in  perfect  understanding; 
having  lived,  from  her  yduth,  in  the  greatest  mortification,  an- 
^terity  to  her  body,  and  constancy  of  prayer  and  all  devotion,  of 
any  one  that  ever  I  knew.     She  lived  in  the  hatred  of  aO  sin, 
strictness  of  imiversal  obedience,  and,  for  thirty  years,  longing 
to  be  with  Christ ;  in  constant,  acquired  infirmity  of  body,  got  by 
avoiding  all  exercise,  and  long,  secret  prayer,  in  the  coldest  sea- 
sons, and  such-like.     Being  of  a  constitution  naturally  strong, 
she  was  afraid  of  recovering  whenever  she  was  ill.  For  some  days 
before  her  death  she  was  so  taken  with  the  ninety-first  P^m, 
that  she  would  get  those  who  came  near  her  to  read  it  to  her 
over  and  over ;  which  Psalm,  also,  was  a  great  means  of  com- 
fort to  old  Beza,  even  against  his  death."' ' 

But  the  greatest  loss  which  Baxter  sustained  was  that  of  his 
wife,  which  took  place,  after  a  short  but  painful  illness,  on  the 
14th  of  June,  1681.  She  was  buried  on  the  17th  of  the  same 
month,  in  Christchurch,  then  still  in  ruins,  in  her  own  mo- 
ther's tomb.  "  The  grave,"  he  says,  "  was  the  highest,  next 
the  old  altar,  or  table,  in  the  chancel,  on  which  her  daughter  had 
caused  a  very  fair,  rich,  large  marble-stone  to  be  laid,  about 
twenty  years  ago,  on  which  I  caused  to  be  written  her  titles,  and 
some  Latin  verses,  and  these  English  ones : 

»  Life,  part  Ui.  p.  189.       %  Works,  xviii.  p.  12U     >  USt,  part  Ui«  p.  189. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTRR.  843 

*  Tlios  mmt  My  flesh  to  silent  dust  descend. 
Thy  mirth  and  worldly  pleasure  thus  will  end  ; 
Then,  happy,  holy  souls ! — but  wo  to  those 
Who  heaven  forgot,  and  earthly  pleasures  chose. 
Hear,  now,  this  preaching  grave :— without  delayi 
Believe,  repent,  and  work  while  it  is  day.' 

But  Christ's  church  on  earth  is  liable  to  those  changes  of  which 
the  Jerusalem  above  is  in  no  danger.  In  the  doleful  flames 
of  London,  1666,  the  fall  of  the  church  broke  the  marble  all  to 
pieces ;  so  that  it  proved  no  lasting  n\pnument.  I  hope  this 
paper  monument,  erected  by  one  who  is  following  even  at  the 
door,  in  some  passion  indeed  of  love  and  grief,  but  in  sincerity  of 
truth,  will  be  more  publicly  useful  and  durable  than  that  marblo 
stone  was.''  * 

Howe  preached  the  funeral  sermon,  and  dedicated  it  to  her 
husband.  The  text  is,  2  Cor.  v.  8 ;  and  the  discourse  is  worthy 
of  the  talents  and  piety  of  the  author ;  but  it  contains  little 
about  Mrs.  Baxter.  He  appears  to  have  known  something  of 
her  before  her  marriage,  when  she  displayed  ^'  a  strangely-vivid 
and  great  wit,  with  very  sober  conversation.''  ^  He  commends 
the  greatness  of  her  mind,  and  her  disinterestedness  in  choosing 
Baxter  for  a  husband,  as  well  as  her  amiable  conduct  after  she 
became  his  wife. 

Of  this  excellent  woman,  so  remarkably  fitted  to  be  the  wife 
of  such  a  man  as  Richard  Baxter,  we  have  already  spoken  at 
some  length.  The  attachment,  as  may  be  guessed  at  from  allu* 
sions  occurring  in  certain  parts  of  his  Breviate  of  her  Life,  com« 
menced  on  her  part,  and  had  almost  killed  her  in  consequence 
of  her  effort  to  conceal  it.  Throughout,  it  seems  to  have  been 
exceedingly  ardent;  and  her  husband  often  hints  that  she 
had  expected  more  from  him  than  she  found.  He  also  tells 
us,  however,  that  she  confessed  she  expected  more  sourness 
and  bitterness  than  she  experienced.  She  was  active,  benevo« 
lent,  and  intelligent ;  devoted  to  the  service  of  Christ ;  and  dis« 
posed,  in  every  possible  way,  to  aid  her  husband  in  his  unwearied 
labours.  He  has  said  little  about  her  in  the  account  of  his  own 
life,  owing  to  having  given  a  full  account  of  her  in  a  separate 
biography.  In  that  little  work  he  has  drawn  her  portrait  at  full 
length,  detailing,  with  his  usual  minuteness  and  fidelity,  both  her 

•  Mrs.  Baxter's  Life,  p.  9^.  Mrs.  Baxter's  mother  died  in  1661.  He 
preached  a  funeral  sermon  for  her  at  St.  Mary  Mai^alene,  Milk-street,  where 
he  then  occasionally  officiated.  She  appears  to  have  been  an  excellent^  de- 
voted Christian. — fVorkSi  xviii.  1 — 56. 

^  Howe's  Funeral  Sermon  for  Mrs.  Baxter,  pp*40j  41. 


344  THE   I.IFE   AND  TIMB8 

faults  and  virtues. '  A  few  ])assages  from  this  work;  will  illus-' 
trate  her  personal  character  and  piety. 

'^  As  to  religion,  we  were  so  perfectly  of  one  mind,  that  I 
know  not  that  she  differed  from  me  in  any  one  point,  or  cir* 
cumstance,  except  in  the  prudential  management  of  what  we^ 
were  agreed  in.      She  was  for  universal  love  of  all  true  Chm^ 
tians,  and  against  appropriating  the  church  to  a  party;  and. 
against  censoriousness  and  partiality  in  religion.     She  was  firar 
acknowledging  ail  that  was  of  God  in  Conformists  and  Noncoo^^ 
formists ;  but  she  had  much  more  reverence  for  the  elder  Con—- 
ibrmists  tlian  for  most  of  the  young  ones,  who  ventured  upon. 
things  which  dissenters  had  so  much  to  say  against,  witholit 
weighing  or  understanding  the  reasons  on  both  sides ;  merely 
following  others  for  worldly  ends,  without  a  tender  fear  of  sin- 
ning.    If  any  young  men  of  her  own  friends  were  inclined  merely 
to  swim  with  the  stream,  without  due  trial  of  the  case,  it  greatly 
displeased  her,  and  she  thought  hardly  of  them. 

'^  The  nature  of  true  religion,  holiness,  obedience,  and  all  duty 
to  God  and  man,  was  printed,  in  her  conceptions,  in  so  distinct 
and  clear  a  character,  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  con- 
stancy of  devotion  and  a  blameless  innocency ;  and  in  this  re- 
spect she  was  the  meetest  helper  that  I  could  have  had- in  the 
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  endeavouring  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  (which  my  weak,  pained  state  of  body  indisposed  me  to 
do).  If  I  forgot  any  week  to  catechise  my  servants,  and  famili- 
arly instruct  them  personally,  beside  my  ordinary  family  duties, 
she  viras  troubled  at  my  remissness.  And  whereas  of  late  years 
my  decay  of  spirits,  and  diseased  heaviness  and  pain,  made  me 
much  more  seldom  and  cold  in  profitable  conference  and  dis- 
course 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  troubled  at  it,  as  a  wrong  to  herself  and  others. 
Yet  her  judgment  agreed  with  mine,  that  too  much  and 
often  table  talk  of  the  best  things,  doth  but  tend  to  dull  the 


OF  RICHJOID  BAXTSB.  345 

anmoD  hearers,  and  harden  them  under  it, as  a  customary  thing; 
nd  that  too  much  good  talk  may  bring  it  into  contempt,  or  make 

ineffectual/' "" 

Hie  death  of  such  a  woman,  in  the  prime  of  life  (for  she  was 
ttle  n^ore  than  forty  when  she  died),  was  an  irreparable  loss  to 
iaxten  She  had  tenderly  nursed  him  for  many  years,  and  now, 
ith  increased  age  and  infirmity,  he  was  left  to  sorrow  over  her 
jmb,  though  not  without  hope.  The  decision  of  her  character, 
be  fenrency  of  her  piety,  the  activity  and  disinterestedness 
f  her  Christian  benevolence,  left  no  doubt  remaining  that  her 
pirit  rested  with  God,  where  it  has  long  since  been  joined  by 
bat  of  her  much-loved  companion  and  husband* 

*  Life  of  Mrs,  Baxter,  pp.  76—80. 


346  THB  Lin  AMD  TIMM 


CHAPTER     XII. 


1681—1687. 


The  continued  Suffering's  of  Baxter— Apprehended  and  bit  Goods  dittraioed 
— Could  obtain  no  Redress— General  Sufferin|rs  of  %hp  Dissenters — ^Mayofi 
Legacy — Baxter  again  apprehended  and  bound  to  his  good  bebaTiour— 
Trial  of  Rosewell  fur  High  Treason — Baxter  brought  before  the  Justices, 
and  again  bound  over — His  concluding  Reflections  on  the  State  of  his  own 
Times — Death  of  Charles  II. — Fox*s  notice  of  the  Treatment  of  the  Dissen- 
ters, and  of  the  Trial  of  Baxter — Apprehended  on  a  Charge  of  Sedition- 
Brought  to  Trial — Indictment — Extraordinary  Behaviour  of  Jefferies  to 
Baxter  and  his  Counsel — Found  Guilty — Endeavours  to  procure  a  Neir 
Trial,  or  a  mitigated  Sentence — His  Letter  to  the  Bishop  of  London- 
Fined  and  imprisoned — Remarks  on  the  Trial — Conduct  of  L'Estrang^- 
Sherlock — Behaviour  while  in  Prison— The  Fine  remitted — Released  from 
Prison— Assists  Sylvester  in  the  Ministiy. 

While  friend  after  friend  was  consigned  to  the  tomb^  and 
Baxter  was  left  alone  to  endure  what  he  justly  describes  as  a 
living  death,  in  the  constant  and  increasing  sufferings  of  his  dis- 
eased and  emaciated  body,  his  enemies  would  allow  him  no 
rest.  Bonds  and  imprisonment  still  awaited  him.  With  an 
account  of  a  series  of  these  vexations  and  trials,  this  chapter 
is  chiefly  occupied.  The  reader  will  probably  find  it  diffi- 
cult to  determine  whether  he  ought  more  to  feel  indignant  at 
the  treatment  which  an  aged,  infirm,  and  most  respectable  mi- 
nister of  Christ  endured,  from  a  professedly  Christian  govern- 
ment, or  admiration  of  the  principles  and  temper  by  which  it 
was  sustained.  The  first  of  the  iniquitous  proceedings  is  thus 
described  by  himself.  The  latter  part  of  the  statement  must 
touch  the  heart  of  every  feeling  individual. 

He  had  retired  into  the  country,  from  July,  1682,  to  the  14th 
of  August  following,  when  he  returned  in  grea,t  weakness.  *^  I 
was  able,"  he  says,  "  to  preach  only  twice ;  of  which  the  last 
was  my  usual  lecture^  in  New-street^  and  which  fell  out  to  be 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR*  '  847 

the  84th  of  Aognst,  just  that  day  twenty  years  that  I^  and  near 
€wo  thousandj  more,  had  been  by  law  forbidden  to  preach.  I 
^wras  sensible  of  God's  wonderful  mercy  that  had  kept  so  many 
€)f  us  twenty  years,  in  so  much  liberty  and  peace,  while  so  many 
severe  laws  were  in  force  against  us,  and  so  great  a  number 
i¥ere  round  about  us,  who  wanted  neither  malice  nor  power  to 
afflict  us.  I  took,  that  day,  my  leave  of  the  pulpit  and  publio 
ivork  in  a  thankful  congregation :  and  it  was  like,  indeed,  to  bo 
my  last. 

^  But  after  this,  when  I  had  ceased  preaching,  and  was 
newly  risen  from  extremity  of  pain,  1  was  suddenly  surprised 
hy  a  poor,  violent  informer,  and  many  constables  and  officers, 
who  rushed  in,  apprehended  me,  and  served  on  me  one  warrant 
to  seize  my  person  for  coming  within  five  miles  of  a  corpora- 
tion, and  five  more  warrants  to  distrain  for  a  hundred  and 
ninety  pounds  for  five  sermons.  They  cast  my  servants  into  fears, 
and  were  about  to  take  all  my  books  and  goods,  when  I  con- 
tentedly went  with  them  towards  the  justice  to  be  sent  to  jail, 
and  left  my  house  to  their  will.  But  Dr.  Thomas  Cox  meeting 
me,  forced  me  in  again  to  my  couch  and  bed,  and  went  to  five 
josUoes,  and  took  his  oath,  without  my  knowledge,  that  I  could 
not  go  to  prison  without  danger  of  death.  On  that  the  jus^ 
tices  delayed  a  day,  till  they  could  speak  vrith  the  king,  and 
told  him  what  the  doctor  had  sworn :  so  the  king  consented 
that,  for  the  present,  imprisonment  should  be  forborne,  that  I 
might  die  at  home.^  But  they  executed  all  their  warrants  on 
my  books  and  goods,  even  the  bed  that  I  lay  sick  on,  and  sold 
them  all.  Some  friends  paid  them  as  much  money  as  they 
were  prized  at,  which  I  repaid,  and  was  fain  to  send  them 
away.  The  warrant  against  my  person  was  signed  by  Mr« 
Ptirry  and  Mr.  Phillips;  the  five  warrants  against  my  goods,  by 
Sir  James  Smith  and  Sir  James  Butler.  I  had  never  the  least 
notice  of  any  accusation,  or  who  were  the  accusers  or  witnesses, 
much  less  did  I  receive  any  summons  to  appear  or  answer  for 
myself,  or  ever  saw  the  justices  or  accusers.  The  justice  that 
signed  the  warrants  for  execution,  said,  that  the  two  Hiltons 
solicited  him  for  them,  and  one  Buck  led  the  constables  who 
distrained. 

"  But  though  I  sent  the  justice  the  written  deeds,  which 
proved  that  the  goods  were  none  of  mine,  nor  ever  were ;  and 

*  The  ViBg  saidj  "  Zei  him  die  in  his  bed,** — jBaxter*s  PcnUcul  Confe«svmS) 
p.  39, 


348  THE  LIFB  AND  TIMBS 

sent  two  witnesses  whose  hands  were  to  those  comreyanoeSi  and 
offered  their  oaths  of  it ;  and  also  proved  that  the  books  I  had 
many  years  ago  alienated  to  my  kinsman,  this  signified  nothii^ 
to  them,  they  seized  and  sold  all  nevertheless ;  and  both  pa* 
tience  and  prudence  forbade  us  to  try  the  title  at  law,  when 
we  knew  what  charges  had  lately  been  given  to  justices  and 
juries,  and  how  others  had  been  used.  If  they  had  taken  only 
my  cloak,  they  should  have  had  my  coat  also ;  and  if  theyhad 
smitten  me  on  one  cheek,  I  would  have  turned  the  other :  for  I 
knew  the  case  was  such,  that  he  that  will  not  put  up  with  one 
blow,  one  wrong,  or  slander,  shall  suffer  two  ;  yea,  many  more. 
*'  But  when  they  had  taken  and  sold  all,  and  I  had  borrowed 
some  bedding  and  necessaries  of  the  buyer,  I  was  never  the 
quieter ;  for  they  threatened  to  come  upon  me  again,  and  take 
all  as  mine,  whosesoever  it  was,  which'  they  found  in  my  posses- 
sion. So  that  I  had  no  remedy,  but  utterly  to  forsake  my  house 
and  goods  and  all,  and  take  secret  lodgings  at  a  distance,  in  a 
stranger's  house ;  but  having  a  long  lease  of  my  own  houses 
which  binds  me  to  pay  a  greater  rent  than  now  it  is  worth, 
wherever  I  go,  I  must  pay  that  rent. 

^^  The  separation  from  my  books  would  have  been  a  greater  part 
of  my  small  affliction,  but  that  I  found  I  was  near  the  end  both 
of  that  work  and  that  life  which  needetfa  books,  and  so  I  easily 
let  go  all.  Naked  came  I  into  the  world,  and  naked  must  I  go 
out;  but  I  never  wanted  less  what  man  can  give,  than  when  men 
had  taken  all  away.  My  old  friends,  and  strangers,  were  so 
liberal,  that  I  was  fain  to  restrain  their  bounty.  Their  kindness 
was  a  surer  and  larger  revenue  to  me  than  my  own.  But  God 
was  pleased  quickly  to  put  me  past  all  fear  of  men,  and  all 
desire  of  avoiding  suffering  from  them  by  concealment;  by 
laying  on  me  more  himself  than  man  can  do.  Then  imprison- 
menti  with  tolerable  health,  would  have  seemed  a  palace  to  me; 
and  had  they  put  me  to  death  for  such  a  duty  as  they  persecute 
me  for,  it  would  have  been  a  joyful  end  of  my  calamity :  but  day 
and  night  I  groan  and  languish  under  God's  just  afflicting  hand. 
The  pain  which  before  only  tried  my  reins,  and  tore  my  bowels, 
now  also  fell  upon  my  bladder,  and  scarce  any  part,  or  hour, 
is  free.  As  waves  follow  waves  in  the  tempestuous  seas,  so  one 
pain  followeth  another  in  this  sinful,  miserable  flesh.  I  die 
daily,  and  yet  remain  alive.  God,-  in  his  great  mercy,  knowing 
my  dulness  in  health  and  ease,  doth  make  it  much  easier  to  re- 
pent  and  hate  my  sin,  loat\\e  m^'^eX?,  co\vXfcm\\\!cv^Nt^\\^^«sA«3iw 


OP  RICBARD  BAXTBR.  349 

nit  to  the  sentence  of  death  with  willingness,  than  otherwise  it 
IVM  ever  likely  to  have  been.  O,  how  little  is  it  that  wrathful 
enemies  can  do  against  us,  in  comparison  of  what  our  sin  and 
Kbe  justice  of  God  can  do  !  and,  O,  how  little  is  it  that  the  best 
md  kindest  of  friends  can  do  for  a  pained  body,  or  a  guilty,  sin- 
Eld  soul,  in  comparison  of  one  gracious  look  or  word  from  Ood  1 
Wo  be  CO  him  that  hath  no  better  help  than  man :  and  blessed 
is  he  whose  help  and  hope  are  in  the  Lord ! ''  ^r 

While  we  execrate  the  tyranny  which  doomed  this  righteous 
nuui  to  so  much  undeserved  suffering,  every  Christian  must  un- 
Engnedly  bless  God  for  the  illustration  of  the  principles  and 
power  of  religion,  which  Baxter  was  enabled  to  afford  in  such 
trpng  circumstances.  Those  who  think  of  him  only  as  a 
sectarian,  or  a  wrangling  controversialist,  must  now  regard 
him  with  admiration,  exercising  the  faith  and  patience  of  the 
saints ;  braving  danger,  enduring  pain,  despising  life,  and  re- 
joicing in  the  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.  In  his  case,  tribulation, 
indeed,  wrought  patience,  and  patience  experience,  and  experi- 
ence hope,  which  made  him  not  ashamed. 

Notwithstanding  the  resolutions  of  the  House  of  Commons, 
mentioned  in  the  former  chapter,  the  dissenters  continued  to  be 
exceedingly  molested  in  every  part  of  the  country.  Orders  and 
directions  were  issued  from  the  king  and  the  Council  Board,  to 
suppress  all  conventicles ;  which  were  zealously  obeyed  by  the 
justices  of  Hicks'  Hall,  in  Southwark,  and  by  some  of  the  city 
justices.  The  dissenters  were  tried  by  mercenary  judges,  before 
packed  juries,  on  Irish  evidence.  Their  meetings  were  o^ten  inter- 
rapted  and  broken  up,  and  their  ministers  imprisoned  and  fined.' 
Distress  and  dismay  were  every  where  experienced,  and  no  end 
seemed  approaching  of  the  sufferings  which  they  were  doomed  to 
endure.  The  employment  of  informers^  the  invention  of  plots,  and 
the  variety  of  schemes  adopted  to  entrap  and  ensnare  men,  pro- 
duced almost  universal  mistrust  and  suspicion.  It  was  dangerous 
to  give  utterance  to  the  expression  of  fear,  or  hope,  and  far  more, 
to  indulge  in  the  language  of  complaint  or  censure.  Every  advan- 
tage was  taken,  and  every  dishonourable  method  resorted  to,  to 
ensnare  the  innocent,  and  to  crush  the  influential.  God,  alone, 
could  deliver  his  people  and  the  country  from  the  woes  which 
already  distressed,  and  the  greater  woes  which  promised  to 
follow. 

With  the  statement  of  Baxter's  case,  in  reference  to  his  late 

rJJfe,  part  W.  pp.  191,  192.  ■  Calamy,  vo\.\.  v?*  ^^>^Vi . 


350  THE  LXFB  AND  TllfXt 

treatment,  had  he  been  allowed  to  present  it  in  eonrt,  it  ii  iiH 
necessary  to  occupy  these  pages.  It  is  a  satisfactory  defence  of 
himself,  even  as  the  law  then  stood ;  and  his  own  view  of  it  wai 
supported  by  the  opinion  of  eminent  counsel.  But  what  signi* 
iies  law,  when  they  who  occupy  the  seat  of  judgment^  are  de* 
termined  to  oppress,  and  act  unjustly.  As  an  evidence  of  tbii) 
take  the  following  example  :  ^'  About  this  time,  one  Mr.  Robert 
Mayot,*  of  Oxford,  a  very  godly  man,  that  devoted  all  his  ettata 
to  charitable  uses,  a  Conformist,  whom  I  never  saw,  died^  and, 
beside  many  greater  gifts  to  Abingdon,  &e.,  gave,  by  his  last  w31| 
600/.,  to  be  by  me  distributed  to  sixty  poor,  ejected  minitteni 
adding,  that  he  did  it  not  because  they  were  NonconfonnittSi 
but  because  many  such  were,  poor  and  pious.  But  the  liing^s 
attorney,  Sir  Robert  Sawyer,^  sued  for  it  in  Chancery^  and  the 
Lord  Keeper  North  ^  gave  it  all  to  the  king ;  which  made  many 
resolve  to  leave  nothing  to  charitable  uses  after  their  death,  bat 
do  what  they  did  while  they  lived."  ^ 

Providence  mercifully  interposed  to  defeat  this  unrigfateooi 
measure.  The  money  was  paid  into  Chancery  by  order  of  tbt 
court,  to  be  applied  to  the  maintenance  of  a  chaplain  for  Chelsea 
College.  It  was  there  kept  safely  till  after  the  Revolution, 
when  the  commissioners  of  the  great  seal  restored  it  to  Baxter, 
to  be  applied  according  to  the  will  of  the  testator ;  which  was 
done  accordingly.*     It  is  remarkable  in  how  many  instances  God 

*  Mr.  Mayot  was  a  beneficed  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  Eng^Iand.  Hit 
will  was  made  in  1676.  He  died  in  1683.  His  leg^acy  is  a  striking^  proof  of  the 
estimation  in  which  Baxter  was  held,  not  only  among  the  Nonconformistti 
but  among  the  respectable  part  of  the  Church. 

^  Sawyer,  the  attorney-general,  was  a  dull,  hot  man  ;  and  forwanl  to  serre 
all  the  designs  of  the  court. — Burnet,  ii.  353. 

<:  Roger  North,  the  biogmpher  of  this  noble  family,  has  given  a  paiticokr 
account  of  the  Lord  Keeper  Guildford;  from  which  it  would  seem  that  he  was 
a  man  of  parts  and  learning,  though  he  did  not  appear  to  great  advantage  in  tbt 
court  of  Chancery.  He  was  considered  to  be  too  much  inclined  to  faronr  the 
court,  though  he  seems  to  have  been  often  sick  of  its  measures.  Bomtt 
speaks  of  him  as  a  crafty  and  designing  man ;  guilty  of  great  mal-adminis« 
tration  of  justice  ;  and  who  died  despised  and  ill-thought  of  by  the  whole  na- 
tion.— Oum  Times,  vol.  ili.  pp.  67,  68. 

*  Life,  part  iii.  p.  198. 

«  Calamy,  vol.  ii.  p.  361.  Some  account  of  this  affair  is  given  in  Vernon's 
'  Reports  ;'  in  which  Baxter  is  unjustly  represented  as  swearing  that  he  was  a 
Conformist.  Whereas  he  only  swears  to  his  answer  given  in  tu  the  attorney- 
general's  bill  of  complaint.  That  answer  merely  alleges  Baxter's  moderation 
in  the  matters  of  controversy  with  the  Church,  and  his  joining,  from  lime  to 
time,  in  the  worship  of  the  Church,  which  it  is  well  known  he  often  did.  Bax- 
ter's answer,  with  some  appropriate  TemtuWs  ock  Vernon,  by  Calamy,  Is  given  in 
the  coDtiaimtUiii  of  his  *  Account  of  l\x«  E\tc\«^lA.m\«^ftt%;  x^Vxu  Y^«^^nar->^(!a« 


or  RICHARD  BAXTIR.  351 

• 

tliwarts  the  designs  of  the  wicked,  and  accomplishes  the  object 
which  his  seirants  have  contemplated  with  a  view  to  his  glory* 
A  wicked  and  unjust  policy  may  succeed  for  a  time ;  but  it  gene« 
rally  defeats  its  own  purpose,  and  furnishes  the  means  by  which 
its  designs  are  entirely  frustrated.  We  are  thus  supplied  with 
continued  marks  of  the  footsteps  of  a  Divine  Providence  in  the 
ivorld ;  so  that,  long  before  the  final  consummation,  men  may 
idraw  the  conclusion,  that  there  is  an  essential  difference  between 
the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  and  ^'  that  verily  there  is  a  Ood 
who  judgeth  in  the  earth/' ' 

^  In  16S4,  while  I  lay  in  pain  and  languishing,  the  justices  of 
rthe  sessions  sent  warrants  to  apprehend  me,  about  a  thousand 
more  being  in  catalogue  to  be  all  bound  to  their  good  behaviour. 
I  thought  they  would  send  me  six  months  to  prison  for  not  taking 
tiie  Oxford  oath,  and  dwelling  in  London,  and  so  I  refused  to 
open  my  chamber  door  to  them,  their  warrant  not  being  to 
break  it  open :  but  they  set  six  officers  at  my  study  door,  who 
watched  all  night,  and  kept  me  from  my  be4  and  food,  so  that 
the  next  day  I  yielded  to  them,  who  carried  me,  scarce  able  to 
stand,  to  the  sessions,  and  bound  me  in  four  hundred  pounds 
bond  to  my  good  behaviour.  I  desired  to  know  what  my  crime 
was,  and  who  were  my  accusers ;  but  they  told  me  it  was  for  no 
fault,  but  to  secure  the  government  in  evil  times,  and  that  they 
had  a  list  of  many  suspected  persons  that  they  must  do  the  like 
with,  as  well  as  me.  I  desired  to  know  for  what  I  was  num« 
bered  with  the  suspected,  and  by  whose  accusation ;  but  they 
gave  me  good  words,  and  would  not  tell  me.  1  told  them  1 
had  rather  they  would  send  me  to  jail  than  put  fne  to  wrong 
others,  by  being  bound  with  me  in  bonds  that  I  was  likely  to 
break  to-morrow;  for  if  there  did  but  five  persons  come  in 
when  I  was  praying,  they  would  take  it  for  a  breach  of  good 
behaviour.  They  told  me  not  if  they  came  on  other  business 
unexpectedly,  and  not  to  a  set  meeting,  nor  yet  if  we  did  no-> 

'  Tbere  is  another  curious  case  of  a  will,  which  is  connected  with  Baxter. 
Sir  John  Gayer,  who  died  a  good  while  after  him,  left  5000/.,  *'  to  poor  mi* 
Blsten,  who  were  of  the  pious  and  charitable  principles  of  the  late  Rer. 
Bichaid  Baxter."  His  peculiar  manner  of  deyisiug  the  legacy  gave  rise  to 
doabu,  as  to  whether  the  money  should  be  distributed  among  Churchmen  or 
IHtsetiters.  The  executrix  and  the  trustees  differed  between  themselves.  But 
•fler  a  considerable  delay  the  question  was  brought  into  the  court  of  Chan* 
eery,  when  the  master  of  the  rolls,  Sir  Joseph  JekyI,  in  a  very  handsome 
manner,  decided  in  favour  of  the  Dissenters. — Calamy*$  Own  lAfe^  vol.  ii. 
pp.  476—478. 


352  THB  LIFE  AND  TIIISS 

thing  contrary  to  law  and  the  practice  of  the  church*  I  told 
them  our  innocency  was  not  now  any  aecurity  to  us.  ,  If  two 
beggar  women  did  but  stand  in  the  street,  and  swear  that  I 
spake  contrary  to  the  law,  though  they  heard  me  not,  my  bonds 
and  liberty  were  at  their  will ;  for  I  myself^  lying  on  my  bed, 
heard  Mr.  J.  R.  preach  in  a  chapel,  on  the  other  side  of.  my 
chamber,  and  yet  one  Sibil  Dash,  and  Elizabeth  Cappell,  two 
miserable,  poor  women  who  made  a  trade  of  it,  swore  to  the 
justices  that  it  was  another  that  preached,  and  they  had  thus 
sworn  against  very  many  worthy  persons,  in  Hackney,  and  else- 
where, on  which  their  goods  were  seized  for  great  mulcts*  or 
fines.  To  all  this  I  had  no  answer,  but  that  I  must  give  bond, 
when  they  kn^w  that  I  was  not  likely  to  break  the  behaviour, 
unless  by  lying  in  bed  in  pain/*  ^  ' 

.  The  trial  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Rosewell,  at  this  time,  created 
a  great  sensation  in  the  country.  He  was  minister  of  Rothcr- 
hithe,  and  was  imprisoned  in  the  Gate-house,  in  Westmin^er, 
by  a  warrant  from  Sir  George  Jefferies,  for  high  treason.  A 
bill  was  found  against  him  at  the  quarter  sessions  at  Kingston, 
in  Surrey ;  upon  which  he  was  arraigned  on  October  the  23th, 
and  tried  November  the  18th  following,  at  the  King*s  Bench 
by  a  Surrey  jury,  before  Chief  Justice  Jefferies  and  three 
other  judges  of  that  court,  Withins,  Holloway,  and  Walcot. 
The  high  treason,  as  laid  in  the  indictment  and  sworn  to  by  the 
witnesses,  was,  that  in  a  sermon  which  he  preached  on  Septem- 
ber the  I4th,  he  said  these  words: — *That  the  people,'  mean- 
ing the  subjects  of  our  sovereign  lord  the  king,  ^  made  a  flock- 
ing to  the  said'  sovereign  lord  the  king,  ^  upon  pretence  of 
healing  the  king's  evil,  which  he,'  meaning  our  said  sovereign 
lord  (he  king,  ^ could  not  do;  but  that  we,'  meaning  himself 
and  other  traitorous  persons,  subjects  of  our  said  lord  the  king, 
'  are  they  to  whom  they,'  meaning  the  subjects  of  our  said 
lord  the  king,  ^  ought  to  flock,  because  we,'  meaning  himself 
and  the  said  other  traitorous  persons,  'are  priests  and  pro- 
phets, that,  by  our  prayers,  can  heal  the  dolors  and  griefii  of 
the  people.  We,'  meaning  the  subjects  of  our  said  sovereign 
lord  the  king,  '  have  had  two  wicked  kings,'  meaning  the 
most  serene  Charles  the  First,  late  king  of  England,  and  our 
said  sovereign  lord  the  king  that  now  is, '  whom  we  can  resem- 
ble to  no  other  person  but  to  the  most  wicked  Jeroboam/ 

t  Life,  part  iii.  p.  198,  199. 


OT  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  353 

And  '  that  if  they/  meaning  the  wd  evil-dUposed  persons » 
then  and  there^  sO)  as  aforesaid^  with  him^  unlawfully  assembled 
and  gathered  together,  would  stand  to  their  principles,  ^  he/ 
meaning  himself,  ^  did  not  fear  but  they/  meaning  himself-  and 
the  said  evil-disposed  persons,  ^  would  overcome  their  ene- 
miesy'  meaning  our  said  sovereign  lord  the  king  and  his  sub- 
jeetSy  ^  as  in  former  times,  with  rams'  horns,  broken  platters, 
and  a  stone  in  a  sling/    The  witnesses  were  three  women, 
who  swore  to  the  words  as  they  stand,  without  the  inuendos* 
The  trial  lasted  about  seven  hours.     Roswell  made  a  full  and 
Inminous  defence  of  himself,  very  modestly,   and  yet  stre- 
nuously^   vindicating    his    innocence,    to   the    satisfaction  of 
those  who  were  present,   and  so  as  to  gain  the   applause  of 
many  gentlemen  of  the  long  robe.    The  jury,  however,  after 
they  had  been  out  about  half  an  hour,  brought  him  in  guilty. 
The  women  who  were  the  witnesses  were  infamous  persons, 
laden  with  the  guilt  of  many  perjuries,  which  might  easily  have 
been  proved  against  them  before  the  trial,  could  justice  have  been 
obtained ;  but  they  were  screened  by  the  recorder,  who  was  the 
person  that  laid  the  whole  scheme,  and  patched  up  the  indict- 
ment, in  terms  suited  to  his  known  abilities.   But  such  of  them 
as  could  be  met  with  were  afterwards  convicted  of  perjury ; 
and  Smith,  the  chief  witness,  was  pilloried  before  the  Exchange. 
Sir  John  Talbot,  who  was  present^  represented  to  the  King 
the  state  of  the  case  as  it  appeared  on  the  trial,  who  ordered 
Jefferies  to  find  some  evasion.     Whereupon  he  assigned  him 
counsel  afterwards  (o  plead  to  the  insufficiency  of  the  indict- 
ment, in  arrest  of  judgment,  and  the  king  gave  him  his  pardon, 
'  after  which  he  was  discharged.  ^ 

The  issue  of  Roswell's  trial,  though  a  kind  of  triumph,  led  to 
no  mitigation  of  the  treatment  of  others.  Baxter  still  continued 
to  lie  under  bond,  and  even  that  did  not  satisfy  his  persecutors. 
"On  the  11th  of  December,  1684/'  he  says,  "  I  was  forced,  in 
all  my  pain  and  weakness,  to  be  carried  to  the  sessions- house, 
or  else  my  bonds  of  four  hundred  pounds  would  have  been 
judged  forfeit.  The  more  moderate  justices,  who  promised  my 
discharge,  would  none  of  them  be  there,  but  left  the  work  to 
Sir  William  Smith  and  the  rest ;  who  openly  declared  that  they 
had  nothing  against  me,  and  took  me  for  innocent;  but  that  I  must 
continue  bound  lest  others  should  expect  to  be  discharged  also; 
which  I  openly  refused.   My  sureties,  however,  would  be  bound) 

r  Calamy.  vol.  i.  pp.  363—365. 
VOL.  1.  A  A 


354  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMM 

against  .my  declared  will,  lest  I  should  die  in  jail,  and  lo  I  vami 
continue.  Yet  they  discharged  others  as  soon  as  I  was  gone, 
I  was  told  that  they  did  all  by  instructions  from  — — —  and 
that  the  main  end  was  to  restrain  me  froih  writing ;  wliich  now 
should  I  do  with  the  greatest  caution,  they  will  pick  out  aonie* 
thing  that  a  jury  may  take  for  a  breach  of  my  bonds. 

^^  January  17th,  I  was  forced  again  to  be  carried  to  the  ses- 
sions, and  after  divers  good  words,  which  put  me  in  expectation 
of  freedom,  when  I  was  gone,  one  Justice  Deerbam  said,  that 
it  was  likely  these  persons  solicited  for  my  freedom  that  they 
might  hear  me  in  conventicles^  On  that  they  bound  me  again 
in  a  four  hundred  pound  bond  for  above  a  quarter  of  a  year$ 
and  so  it  is  like  it  will  be  till  I  die,  or  worse  ;  though  no  one 
ever  accused  me  for  any  conventicle  or  preaching  since  they 
took  all  my  books  and  goods  about  two  years  ago,  and  I  for  the 
most  part  keep  my  bed. 

^' Mr.  Jenkins  died  in  Newgate  this  week,  January  19thy 
1684-5,  as  Mr.  Bampfield,  Mr.  Raphson,  and  others,  died  lately 
before  him.  The  prison  where  so  many  are,  suffocateth  the 
spirits  of  aged  ministers ;  but  blessed  be  God,  that  gave  them  so 
long  time  to  preach  before,  at  cheaper  rates.  One  Richard 
Baxter,  a  Sabbatarian  Anabaptist,  was  sent  to  jail  for  refusing 
the  oath  of  allegiance,  and  it  went  current  that  it  was  I.  As 
to  the  present  state  of  England, — the  plots ;  the  execution  of  men 
high  and  low ;  the  public  counsels  and  designs ;  the  qualities  and 
practice  of  judges  and  bishops ;  the  sessions  and  justices ;  the 
quality  of  the  clergy,  and  the  universities  and  patrons;  the  church 
government  by  lay  civilians ;  the  usage  of  ministers  and  private 
meetings  for  preaching  or  prayer ;  the  expectations  of  what  is 
next  to  be  done,  &c. : — the  reader  must  expect  none  of  this  sort 
of  history  from  me.  No  doubt  there  will  be  many  volumes  of 
it  transmitted  by  others  to  posterity ;  who  may  do  it  more  &lly 
than  I  can  now  do."^ 

Thus  Baxter  concludes  the  interesting  memorials  which  lie 
has  left  of  his  own  age  and  life.  The  darkness  was  now  in- 
creased till  it  had  spread  universal  gloom  and  despondency. 
Private  meetings  were  occasionally  held  to  consider  whether  any 
hope  remained,  or  what  could  be  done  to  prevent  the  entire  ruin 
of  the  religion  and  liberties  of  the  country.  But  though  these 
were  managed  with  the  greatest  possible  caution^  and  the  parties 

>»  Life,  part  iii.  pp.  m,  200. 


OP  RICHARD  baxtbr.  35S 

genctally  proceeded  no  farther  than  to  mourn  over  the  pastj 
and  dwell  in  gloomy  forebodings  over  the  prospect  of  the  future, 
the  consequences  to  some  of  them  were  most  disastrous.  Plots 
mnd  conspiracies  were  hatched  to  ensnare  the  innocent  and  ter- 
rify the  timid*  The  death,  or  rather  murder,  of  Lord  William 
Russell^  the  Earl  of  Essex,  and  Algernon  Sydney,  to  which 
Baxter  probably  alludes,  seemed  like  putting  the  extinguisher  on 
the  last  hopes '  of  freedom,  and  preparing  the  country  for  the 
most  abiolute  despotism.  The  corporation  of  London  was  de* 
prhred  of  its  charter,  and  other  towns  shared  in  its  fate.  Enor- 
mous and  ruinous  fines  were  levied.  The  judges  prostituted 
dieir  authority  and  influence  to  promote  the  corrupt  designs  of 
the  court*  Juries  were  browbeaten,  and  frightened  into  verdicts 
which  ¥rere  neither  according  to  law  nor  justice*  The  clergy  in 
general^  were  either  timid  and  truckling,  or  destitute  of  sufficient 
influence  to  resist  the  rapid  advances  which  were  making  towards 
Rome.  The  Nonconformists,  oppressed  and  dispirited,  finding 
complaint  unavailing,  and  redress  hopeless,  surrendered  them- 
selves to  suffering,  till,  if  it  were  the  will  of  God,  deliverance 
should  be  afforded  them.  The  reign  of  Charles,  as  it  approached 
its  termination,  only  increased  in  gloom  and  oppression,  while 
the  prospect  of  his  successor  filled  all  men's  hearts  with  dismay 
and  terror.  It  was  indeed  a  period  of  ^^  trouble  and  darkness, 
and  dimness  of  anguish." 

In  these  circumstances,  Charles  II.  was  called,  unexpectedly,  to 
give  in  his  account,  on  the  6th  of  February,  1684-5.  His  charac- 
ter is  familiar  to  every  reader  of  English  history ;  most  of  whom 
will  agree,  that  he  was  one  of  the  greatest  curses  to  the  nation 
that  ever  occupied  the  throne.  His  father  and  brother  had  some 
redeeming  qualities  in  their  character,  while  their  fate  will 
always  render  them  objects  of  pity.  The  former  was  a  good 
husband  and  father  ;  the  latter  sacrificed  his  throne  to  his  su- 
perstition. But  Charles  the  Second  had  neither  the  personal 
virtues  of  the  one,  nor  the  superstitious  regard  to  religion  of  the 
other*  He  was  as  worthless  as  a  man  as  he  was  unprincipled 
as  a  sovereign.  He  was  gay,  affable,  and  witty ;  but  he  was 
heartless,  profane,  and  licentious  :  equally  regardless  of  his  own 
honour,  as  of  his  country*^  good.  What  had  happened  to  his 
fifither,  and  all  he  had  suffered  during  his  own  exile,  seem  to 
have  produced  no  salutary  influence  on  his  principles  or  dispo- 
sitions* Every  thing  was  made  subservient  to  the  love  and  en- 
joyment of  pleasure.    His  ambition  was  directed  solely  against 

A  a2 


356  THB  LIFB  AND  TIMES 

his  own  subjects ;  and  his  desire  of  power  was  unmixed  with 
the  love  of  glory.  His  court  was  little  better  than  a  brothel. 
He  sacrificed  the  morals,  the  honour,  and  the  happiness,  of  his 
country,  to  his  mistresses  and  his  licentious  courtiers.  Sach  a 
man's  pretension  to  religion,  in  any  form,  is  offensive  to  de- 
cency and  common  sense.  He  was  an  infidel  while  he  lived  in 
pleasure ;  and  only  the  fear  of  death  drove  him  to  that  sptem 
of  iniquity  which  pretends  to  provide  a  healing  balsam,  but  which 
is  only  a  poisonous  opiate  to  the  soul  of  a  dying  profligate.  The 
mind  turns  away  with  sickness  and  horror  from  such  a  death* 
bed  scene  as  that  of  Charles  II.  * 

The  prospects  of  the  poor  Nonconformists  on  the  ascensioa 
of  James  to  the  vacant  throne,  were  far  from  flattering.  His 
well-known  attachment  and  devotedness  to  Popery,  promised 
nothing  but  ruin  to  what  remained  of  the  religion  and  libertyof 
the  country ;  while  the  decided  part  which  the  NoneonformistB 
had  taken  in  every  measure  which  tended  to  limit  his  power,  or 
to  exclude  him  from  the  throne,  marked  them  out  to  be  the  ob- 
jects of  his  implacable  hatred  and  revenge.  Pretexts  would 
not  be  wanting,  and  he  was  already  furnished  with  instruments 
prepared  to  carry  forward  and  execute  any  oppressive  and  cruel 
measure.  Here  I  cannot  deny  myself  the  pleasure  of  introducing 
the  account  given  by  Mr.  Fox,  of  the  conduct  of  the  court 
towards  the  dissenters ;  his  character  of  Jefferie^,  and  his  re- 
marks on  the  character  and  trial  of  Baxtei*.  It  does  great  credit 
to  the  discernment  a,nd  candour  of  that  eminent  man. 

"  Partly  from  similar  motives,  and  partly  to  gratify  the  na- 
tural vindictiveness  of  his  temper,  James  persevered  in  a  most 
cruel  persecution  of  the  Protestant  dissenters,  upon  the  roost 
frivolous  pretences.    The  courts  of  justice,  as  in  Charles's  days, 

*  There  are  two  accounts  of  the  death-bed  of  Charles ;  the  one  by  Protea- 
tants,  the  other  by  Roman  Catholics.  The  former  may  be  caUed  bit  Protet* 
tant  death,  when  be  was  attended  by  the  bishops,  who  spoke  to. him  as  the 
JLrord's  anointed,  and  requested  his  blessing.  Bishop  Ken  absolved  him  from 
his  sins  in  the  presence  of  his  uiistreits  and  his  illeg^itimate  ofTspring.  The 
Catholic  death  is  described  by  Father  Hudleston,  who  attended  and  officiated 
in  the  last  ceremonies  of  the  church.  From  this  it  is  very  certain  that  Cbarlct 
died  a  Roman  Catholic ;  which  in  fact  he  had  been  before  the  restoratioOy 
whatever  he  had  pretended  to  be  to  the  Nuuconfurmists  and  the  Church  of 
England.  Both  the  Popish  and  the  Protestant  death  of  Charles  are  recorded 
by  Burnet,  ii.  pp.  456^460.  £Uis,  in  the  first  series  of  his  letters  on  English 
history,  has  given  an  account  of  the  Protestant  death  of  the  i(.iug,  by  the 
chaplain  to  the  Bishop  of  Ely,  who  was  then  in  the  room.  Vol.  ill.  p.  ;S33.  la 
the  second  series  he  has  givea  Hudlestoo's  accouat  of  the  Popish  death  t  Vol* 
iT.  pp.  76|  80. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  357 

were  instruments  equally  ready,  either  for  seconding  the  policy, 
or  for  gratifying  the  bad  passions,  of  the  monarch ;  and  Jef- 
ferieSy  whom  the  late  king  had  appointed  chief  justice  of  Eng- 
land a  little  before  Sidney's  trial,  was  a  man  entirely  agreeable 
to  the  temper,  and  suitable  to  the  purposes,  of  the  present  go* 
vemment.    He  was  thought  not  to  be  very  learned  in  his  pro- 
fession $  but  what  might  be  wanting  in  knowledge,  he  made  up 
in  positiveness;  and,  indeed,  whatever  might  be  the  difficulties 
in  questions  between  one  subject  and  another,  the  fashionable 
doctrine  which  prevailed  at  that  time,  of  supporting  the  king's 
prerogative  in  its  full  extent,  and  without  restriction  or  limita- 
tion,  rendered,  to  such  as  espoused  it,  all  that  branch  of  law 
ivhich  is  called  constitutional,  extremely  easy  and  simple.    He 
was  as  submissive  and  mean  to  those  above  him,  as  he  was 
liaughty  and  insolent  to  those  who  were  in  any  degree  in  his 
power  ;  and  if,  in  his  own  conduct,  he  did  not  exhibit  a  very 
nice  r^;ard  for  morality,  or  even  for  decency,  he  never  failed  to 
animadvert  upon,  and  to  punbh,  the  most  slight  deviation  in 
iiChers,  with  the  utmost  severity,  especially  if  they  were  persons 
whom  he  suspected  to  be  no  favourites  of  the  court. 

^  Before  this  magistrate  was  brought  for  trial,  by  a  jury  suffi- 
.ciently  prepossessed  in  favour  of  tory  politics,  the  Reverend 
Richard  Baxter,  a  dissenting  minister,  a  pious  and  learned  man, 
of  exemplary  character,  always  remarkable  for  his  attachment 
to  monarchy,  and  for  leaning  to  moderate  measures  in  the  dif- 
ferences between  the  church  and  those  of  his  persuasion.  The 
pretence  of  this  prosecution  was  a  supposed  reference  of  some 
oassages  in  one  of  his  works  to  the  bishops  of  the  church  of 
England ;  a  reference  which  was  certainly  not  intended  by  him, 
and  which  could  not  have  been  made  out  to  any  jury  that  had 
be^n  less  prejudiced  or  under  any  other  direction  than  that  of 
Jefferies.  The  real  motive  was  the  desire  of  punishing  an  eminent 
dissenting  teacher,  whose  reputation  was  high  among  his  sect, 
iind  who  was  supposed  to  favour  the  political  opinions  of  the 
whigs."* 

Thus  far  Mr.  Fox.  That  Baxter  was  not  a  whig  was  well 
known  at  court;  and  that  his  sentiments  as  a  dissenter  were 
considered  to  be  very  moderate,  can  as  little  be  doubted.  The 
design  unquestionably  was  to  strike  terror  into  all  the  Noncon- 
formists, by  severely  punishing  one  of  their  leading  ministers, 
who  might  be  regarded,  in  point  of  sentiment,  as  less  obnoxious 
than  most  of  his  brethren.  If  Baxter  must  be  thus  treated,  who 

^  Fox'i  *•  History  of  the  Reiga  of  James  11.^  pp.  101— lOa. 


35&  TUB  LIFE  AND  TIMSft 

can  be  safe ;  if  a  harmless,  uncontroversial  paraphrase  on  the 
Scriptures  be  construed  into  a  libel,  it  must  be  impoesible 
either  to  state  our  sentiments  or  defend  them,  without  bringing 
down  upon  us  the  heavy  arm  of  the  law.  These  mnal  have 
been  the  views  of  the  court,  and  the  reasonings  of  the  disaenten 
respecting  this  affair.  The  malignant  designs  of  the  one,  how- 
ever, and  the  fears  of  the  other,  were  finally  disappointed* 

As  the  trial  of  Baxter,  for  the  sentiments  expressed  in  his 
'  Paraphrase  on  the  New  Testament,'  *  is  among  the  most  oxtnip- 
ordinary  circumstances  of  his  life,  and  one  of  the  moat  cariooB 
specimens  of  the  style  in  which  justice  was  administered  by  the 
monster  who  then  presided  over  the  justice  of  his  eoantry,  ll 
is  much  to  be  regretted  that  we  have  not  an  account  of  it,  etthtt 
by  Baxter  himself,  or  more  correctly  reported  by  those  who 
were  present.  No  printed  report  of  the  trial  exists,  except 
what  is  contained  in  Calamy's  abridgment  of  Baxter's  life.  The 
report  in  the  ^  State  Trials'  is  merely  a  copy  of  that.  Among  the 
Baxter  MSS.  in  Redcross  Street  Library,  however,  there  is  a 
letter  from  a  person  who  was  present  at  the  trial,  which  was  sent 
to  Sylvester,  with  a  view  to  its  being  used  by  hhn.  FVom  tfan 
document,  and  Calamy  together,  I  have  endeavoured  to  give  a 
fuller  account,  though  it  is  still  imperfect,  than  has  hitherto  been 
laid  before  the  public,  of  this  remarkable  affair. 

That  he  was  designed  for  jail  before  the  death  of  Charles, 
was  intimated  by  the  Duke  of  York  ;  so,  to  secure  him  till  they 
could  find  matter  of  accusation  against  him,  he  was  bonnd  to 
his  good  behaviour.  They  declared,  at  the  same  time,  that  they 
considered  him  innocent,  but  did  this  for  security,  and  till  they 
were  prepared."* 

On  the  28th  of  February,  Baxter  was  committed  to  tiie 
King's-Bench  prison,  by  warrant  of  Lord  Chief  Justice  Jefieries, 
for  his  *  Paraphrase  on  the  New  Testament,'  which  had  been 
printed  a  little  before;  and  which  was  described  as  a  scandaloes 
and  seditious  book  against  the  government.  On  his  commit* 
ment  by  the  chief  justice's  warrant,  he  applied  for  a  AoleM 
corpus^  and  having  obtained  it,  he  absconded  into  the  country  to 
avoid  imprisonment,-  till  the  term  approached.  He  was  indnced 
to  do  this  from  the  constant  pain  he  endured,  and  an  apprehen* 
sion  that  he  could  not  bear  the  confinement  of  a  prison. 

On  the  6th  of  May,  which  was  the  first  day  of  the  term, 

'  A  particular  accouot  of  the  '  Paraphrase  oa  the  New  Testament^*  will  k^ 
found  in  the  second  part  of  this  woric*  * 

"  Penitent  CQDfeMions>  p^  4(^  .       .  - 


•or   RICHAUD   BAXT£R.  359 

Jw  appeared  in  Westminster  Hall,  and  an  information  was  then 
ardened  to  he  drawn  up  against  him.  On  the  14th  of  May,  he 
pleaded  not  guilty,  to  the  information.  On  the  18th  of  the 
same  month,  being  much  indisposed,  it  was  moved  that  he  might 
have  further  time  given  him  before  his  trial,  but  this  was  denied 
hioL  He  moved  for  it  by  his  counsel ;  but  JefFeries  cried  out,  in  a 
passion,  ^  I  will  not  give  him  a  minute's  time  more,  to  save  hit 
life.  We  have  had  to  do,'  said  he, '  with  other  sorts  of  persona^ 
bnt  now  we  have  a  saint  to  deal  with ;_  and  I  know  how  to  deal 
with  aunts  as  well  as  sinners.  Yonder,'  said  he,  ^  stands  Oates 
in  the  pillory '  (as  he  actually  did  at  that  very  time  in  the  New 
Rdace  Yard), '  and  he  says  he  suffers  for  the  truth,  and  so  says 
Baxter ;  bnt  if  Baxter  did  but  stand  on  the  other  side  of  the 
piUoiy  with  him,  I  would  say,  two  of  the  greatest  rogues  and 
rascals  in  the  kingdom  stood  there.'  ® 

The  foiloi^nng  is  a  copy  of  the  indictment,  which,  from  its 
singular  nature,  I  have  preferred  giving  in  its  original  state  to 
a  translation.  Even  the  mere  English  reader  will  have  little 
di£Bcu]ty  in  understanding  its  scope,  and  the  substance  of  its 
meaning,  as  it  is  so  much  interlarded  with  quotations  from  the 
Paraphrase :— • 

^  Quod  Richardus  Baxter,  nuper  de,  &c.,  Clericus  existena 
person*  seditiosa  et  factiosa,  pravae  mentis,  impiae,  inquietse^ 
turbulent'  disposition'  et  conversation',  ac  machinans,  practi-* 
eana  et  intendens,  quantum  in  ipso  fuit,  non  solem  pacem  et 
oomomnem  tranquillitat'dict'  Dom'  Regis  infra,  hoc  regnum 
Angl'  inquietare,  molestare  et  perturbare,  ac  seditionem,  dis« 
eord'  et  malevolent'  int'  ligeos  et  fideles  subdit'  diet'  Dom'  Regis 
movere,  p'curare  et  excitare,  verum  etiam  sinceram,  piam, 
heatam,  et  pacificam  Protestan'  Religion'  infra  hoc  regn'  Angl* 
usital:',  ac  Prelat',  Episcopos,  aliosq  ;  Clericos  in  Ecclesia  An* 
glicana  legibus  hujus  regni  Angl'  stabilit',  ac  Novum  Testamentu' 
Dom'  Salvator'  nostri  Jesu  Christ!  in  contempt'  et  vilipend'  in- 
ducere  et  inutile  reddere;  quodq;  p'd',R.  B.  ad  nequissimas, 
nefandissimas  et  diabolicas  intention'  suas,  pred'  perimplend' 
perficiend'  et  ad  effect'  redigend'  14  die  Febr',  anno  regni  diet 
Dom'  Jacobi  Secundi,  &c.  primo,  vi  et  armis,  &c.  apud,  &e. 
fidso  illlcite,  injuste,  nequit',  factiose,  seditiose  et  irreligiose  fecit, 
eoroposuit,  scripsit,  impressit  et  publicavit,  et  fieri,  componi^ 

^  Colonel  Dang^erfiekl  bad  been  tried  before  JefTeries,  ami  condemned  to  be 
Y^iipped  tbat  mornings  at  Westminster  Hall,  for  tbe  Meal-Tub  plot;  so  tbat 
JeflMes  was  quite  in  a  whipping  humour. 


380  THB  L1F£  AND  TIIIBS 

Bcribi^  imprimi  et  publican  causavit,  qaendam  falraoi^  teAtiotiiliii 
libellosum,  factiosum  et  irreligiosum  libnim^  intitulat*  A  Panh 
phrase  on  the  Testament,  with  Notes  doctrinal  and  fradied: 
In  quo  quidem,  falso,  seditioso,  libellosoj  factioso  et  imligioto 
libro  int'  al'  content'  fuer'  has  falsae,  factiosae  nialitio6«  aeanda- 
losae,  et  seditiosse  sententiae  de  eisdem  Prelat'  Epiacopity  aliisq; 
Clericis  Ecclesiae  hujus  regn'  in  his  Anglican'  verbis  sequen', 
videl't,  Note,  Are  not  these  Preachers  and  PrehdeB*  (Epte 
aliosq ;  Clericos,  prsed'  Ecclesise  hujus  regn'  Angl'  innuend')  then 
the  least  and  basest  that  preach  and  tread  down  Christian  km 
of  all  that  dissent  from  any  of  their  presuwptionSy  andsopreaek 
down  not  the  least,  but  the  great  commands  £c  ult'  idem  At- 
torn' diet  Dom'  Regis  nunc  general'  pro  eodem  Dom'  Rege  dat 
Cur'  hie  intelligi  et  informari,  quod  in  al'  loco  in  p'd*  fidad^ 
acandaloso,  seditioso  et  irreligioso  libroj  int'  al'  content*  fiwf^ 
hae  al'  falsse,  libellosae,  scandalosae,  seditioaae  et  irreligiosae  aententf 
sequent'  de  Clericis  Ecclesiae  hujus  regn',  videl't.  Note,  //  ti 
folhf  to  doubt  whether  there  be  Devils,  while  Devils  tueonwlf 
tivehere  amongst  us  (Clericos  pred'  hujus  regni  Angl'  innuendo); 
What  else  but  Devils,  sure,  could  make  ceremonious  kgpocrUes 
(Clericos  pred'  innuendo)  consult  with  Politic  Royalists  Qigeoi 
et  fidel'  subdit'  diet'  Dom'  Regis  hujus  regni  Angl'  innuendo)  to 
destroy  the  Son  of  God  for  saving  men's  health  and  Hives  by 
miracle  ?  Quaere,  Whether,  if  this  withered  hand  had  been 
their  own,  they  tvould  have  plotted  to  kill  him,  that  would  have 
cured  them  by  a  miracle,  as  a  Sabbath-Breaker  ?  And  whether 
their  successors  (Prelat',  Episcopos,  Aliosq;  Clericos  Ecclesis 
hujus  regni  Angl'  qui  deineeps  fuerint  innuendo)  would  silence 
and  imprison  godly  ministers  (seipsum  R.  B.  et  al'  factiosaa  et 
seditias  as  p'son'  infra  hoc  regn'  Angl'  contra  leges  hujus  regni 
ac  Liturg'  Ecclesiae  infra  hoc  reg'  stabilit'  p'dican'  innuendo) 
if  they  could  cure  tliem  of  all  their  sicknesses,  and  help  them  to 
preferment,  and  give  them  money  to  feed  their  lusts  ?  Et  alt' 
idem  Attorn'  diet  Dom*  Regis  nunc  general'  pro  eodem  Dom' 
rege  dat  Cur'  hie  intelligi  et  inform ari,  quod  in  al'  loco  in  pred' 
falso,  libelloso,  scandaloso  et  irreligioso  libro  inter  al'  content' 
filer'  hae  al  falsae,  libellosae,  scandalosffi,  seditiosae  et  irreli^ostt 
Anglican'  sentent'  sequen'  de  et  concernen'  Ep'is  p'd'  et 
Ministris  Justitiae  hujus  regn'  Angl',  videft,  Note,  Men  that 
preach  in  Christ's  name  (seipsum  R.  B.  et  al'  factiosas  et  sedi- 
tiosas  p'son'  infra  hoc  regn'  Angl'  contra  leges  hujus  regn' 
Angl'  et  Liturg'  Ecclesiae  hujus  regn'  per  legem  stabilit'  pred' 


OF  aiCHARB  BAXTER*  S6l 

Bumen^)  thefrfmre  osre  not  to  be  sUeneedy  though  faulty j  \f  theif 
(prcd  maJae  dispo'  it  factiosas  et  sediUosas  person'  pred'  iterum 
imnendo)  do  more  good  than  harm;  dreadful,  then,  is  the  case 
^them  (Bpiacopos  et  Ministros  Justidas  infra  hoc  regn'  Angl' 
mmieadD)  that  silence  Christ's  faithful  ministers  (seipsuin  R.B* 
el al'  seditioBas  et  factiosas  person'  pred'  innuendo).    Et  ulteriua 
idem  Attorn'  diet'  Dom'  Regis  nunc  general'  pro  eodem  Dom' 
Rage  dat  Cur'  hie  intelligi  et  informari^  quod  ad  excitand'  popul' 
Imjiii  regn'  Angl'  in  illicit'  Conventicul  convenire  et  defamand' 
Jwtit*  hujus  regn'  impuniendo  illicit'  Conventicul'^  in  al'  loco  in 
fnd*  falso,   scandaloso,  seditioso,  et  irreligioso  libro,  nit'  al' 
eontent'  fuer'  has  al'  falsae,  scandalosse,  libellosae,  seditiosae  et 
irrdigioafle  Anglican' sentent' sequen',  videl't,  (I)  Note,  It  was 
weB  that  they  considered  what  might  be  stdd  against  them, 
wkiek  now  mast  Christians  do  not  in  their  disputes.     (2)  These 
Persecutors  J  and  the  Romans ,  had  some  charity  and  considera* 
Hm^  in  that  they  were  restrained  by  the  fear  of  thepeople,  and 
dU  fiat  accuse  and  fine  them  as  for  Routs,  Riots,  and  Seditions, 
(S)  They  that  deny  necessary  premises  are  not  to  be  disputed 
witk.    Etulterius  idem  Attorn'  diet'  Dom'  Regis  nunc  general' 
pro  eodem  Dom'  Rege'  dat  Cur'  hie  intelligi  et  informari  quod 
in  al'  loco  in  pred'  falso,  scandaloso,  seditioso  et  irreligioso  libro, 
intal'  content'  fiier'  hae  al'  falsae,  libellosae,  scandalosae,  seditiosae 
et  irreligiosae  Anglican'  Sententiae  sequent'  de  et  concemen'  Epis- 
eopis  et  al'  Clericis  hujus  regn'  Angl',  videl't,  (3)  Let  not  those 
proud  hypocrites  (Episcopos  et  al'  Clericos  Ecclesiae  hujus  regn' 
Angl'  innuendo)  deceive  you  (subdit'  dicti  Dom'  Regis  hujus 
regn'  Angl  innuendo)  who  by  their  long  Liturgies  and  Cere^ 
monies,  (Liturg'  et  Ceremon'  Ecclesiae  hujus  regn'  Angl'  innu- 
endo^)  and  claim  of  Superiority,  do  but  cloak  their  WorldH- 
nssSj  Pride,  and  Oppression,  and  are  religious  to  their  greater 
Damnation.    Et  ulterius  idem  Attorn'  dicti  Dom  Regis  nunc 
general'  pro  eodem  Dom'  Rege  dat  Cur'  hie  intelligi  et  informari, 
qood  in  al'  loco  in  pred'  falso,  scandaloso,  seditioso  et  irreligi- 
oso libro  iht'al'  content'  fuer'  hap  al'  falsae,  libellosae,  scandalosae^ 
seditiosae,  et  religiosse,  Sentent'  Anglican'  sequent'  de  et  con* 
eemen'  Clericis  hujus    regn'   Angl',    (2)    Note,  Priests   now 
are  many  (Clericos  Ecclesiae  hujus  regn'  Angl'  innuendo)  but 
Labourers  few;  what  men  are  they  that  have  and  do  silence  the 
fait^uUest  labourers  (seipsum  R.  B.  et  al'  facti'  as  et  sedit'  as 
p'  son'  pred'  innuendo)  suspecting  that  they  are  not  for  their 
Interest  ?  (interesse  Clericor'  Ecclesiae  hujus  regn'  Angl'  innu- 
endo).   Et  ulterius  idem  Attorn'  dicti'  Dom*  Regis  nunc  geue« 


362  THB  LIPK  AND  TIMS» 

ral'  pro  eodem  Dom'  Rege  dat  Cur'  hie  intelligi  et  infiBnaaii^ 

quod  in  al'  ioco  in  pred'  falso  acandaloeo^  seditioso  et  irreligioio 

libro,  inter  al'  content'  Aienint  hee  al'  falss,  libelloas  tcaiidak— , 

seditiosK  et  irreligiosse  sentent'  sequen'  de  et  concemen'  Cidieii 

Jiujps  regn'  Angl',  videl't,   (3)  Note,  Ckrisfs  MuMen  mti 

CM'8  ordinancea  to  save  Men,  tmd  the  DevU's  Ctergjf  (Clerion 

Ecclesiee  hujus  regn'  Angl'  innuendo)  U8e  them  for  Smarm,  Mm^ 

tUef, and  Murder.  (2)  7A€y(Clerico8Eecle8iashiyiit  regit' Ao^ 

innuendo)  wiU  not  let  tt^e people  be  Neuters  between  God  mni  Of 

Deviifbutforce  them  (subdit  hujus  regn'  Angl'  innuendo)  ioteimr 

forming  Persecutors.  Et  ulterius  idem  Attorn'  dicti'  Dom'  Begm 

nunc  general'  pro  eodem  Dom'  Rege  dat  Car'  hie  intelligi  et  infiBr* 

mari,  quod  in  al'  loco  in  praed'  falso,  scandaloso,  seditioso  et 

irreligioso  libro,  int'  al'  content'  fuerunt  hm  alise  falsce,  libclli—^ 

scandalosae,  seditiosae  et  irreligiosae  sententis  Anglicanae  aequen' 

de  et  concernen'  legibus  hujus  regn'  Angl'  contra  illidt'  Coa» 

venticul',  et  ad  excitand'  popul'  convenire  in  illicit'  Conventieal'i 

videl't,  (2)  Note,  To  be  Dissenters  and  DiqnUmUa, 

errors  and  tyrannical  impositions,  tg^on  conscience  (leges  et 

tut'  hujus  regn'  Angl'  contra  person'  factios'  et  Lituig'  Bed* 

hujus  regn'  Angl'  adversar'  Anglice),  against  Dissentere  (edit* 

et  provis'  innuendo) ,  is  no  Fault,  but  a  great  Duty.    In  magnani 

Dei  omnipotent'  displicent'  in  contempt'  leg'  hujus  regn'  Angl* 

manifest'  in  malum  et  pernitiosissim  exemplum  omniu'  al'  in  tali 

casu  delinquen'  ac  contra  pacem  dicti  Dom'  Regis  nunc,  coron' 

et  dignitat'  suas,  &c.     Unde  idem  Attorn'  dicti  Dom'  Regis  mmq 

general  pro  eodem  Dom'  Rege  pet'  advisament'  Cur'  hie  in  pro* 

miss'  ct  debit'  legis  process'  versus  ipsum  prefat  R«  B»  in  hao 

parte  fieri  ad  respond'  dicto  Dom'  Regi  de  et  in  premi88,&c»"  . 

On  May  the  30th,  in  the  aftemoon,*^  Baxter  was  brought  to 
trial,  before  the  lord  chief  justice,  at  Guildhall.  Sir  Henry 
Ashurst,  who  would  not  forsake  his  own  and  his  father's  friend^ 
stood  by  him  all  the  while.  Baxter  came  first  into  court,  and^ 
with  all  the  marks  of  sincerity  and  composure,  waited  for  tba 
coming  of  the  lord  chief  justice,  who  appeared  quickly  afteri 
with  great  indignation  in  his  face. 

^'  When  I  saw,"  says  an  eye-witness,  '^  the  meek  man  stand 
before  the  flaming  eyes  and  fierce  looks  of  this  bigot,  I  thought 
of  Paul  standing  before  Nero.    The  barbarous  usage  which  hi 

• 

«  Hargreaves'  State  Trials,  vol.  x.  App.  p.  (37).  The  Editor  eaprcMSS  his 
regret  that  no  account  of  this  trial  exists,  except  what  is  given  hy  Cstainj. 
He  snys,  "  It  shovia  the  temper  of  the  chief  juitice,  and  the  cruel  usage  of  the 
JniSDner.**  •         ' 


.op  RICHARD   BAXTBIl*  SOS 

feceived  drew  plenty  of  tears  from  my  eyes,  as  well  as  from 
.otben  of  the  auditors  and  spectators :  yet  I  couh  1  not  but 
^nile  aometimes,  when  I  saw  my  lord  imitate  our  modern  pulpit 
drollery^  which  some  one  saith  any  man  engaged  in  such  a  de- 
lugn  would  not  lose  for  a  world.  He  drove  on  furiously,  like 
Haanibal  over  the  Alps,  with  fire  and  vinegar,  pouring  all  the 
contempt  and  scorn  upon  Baxter,  as  if  he  had  been  a  link-boy 
or  knave ;  which  made  the  people  who  could  not  come  near 
enough  to  hear  the  indictment  or  Mr.  Baxter's  plea,  cry  out^ 
*  Surely,  this  Baxter  had  burned  the  city  or  the  temple  of  Del^ 
phos/  But  others  said,  it  was  not  the  custom,  now-a-days,  to 
TOeeive  ill,  except  for  doing  well ;  and  therefore  this  must 
needs  be  some  good  man  that  my  lord  so  rails  at.''  p 

Jefferies  no  sooner  sat  down  than  a  short  cause  was  called 
and  tried ;  after  which  the  clerk  began  to  read  the  title  of  an** 
other  cause.  '  You  blockhead,  you,'  said  Jefferies,  '  the  next 
cause  is  between  Richard  Baxter  and  the  king :'  upon  which 
Baxter's  cause  was  called. 

On  the  jury  being  sworn,  Baxter  objected  to  them,  as  incom- 
petent to  his  trial,  owing  to  its  peculiar  nature.  The  jurymen 
being  tradesmen,  and  not  scholars,  he  alleged  they  were  inca« 
pable  of  pronouncing  whether  his  ^Paraphrase'  was,  or  was 
not,  according  to  the  original  text.  He  therefore  prayed  that 
he  might  have  a  jury  of  learned  men,  though  the  one-half  of 
them  should  be  Papists.  This  objection,  as  might  have  been 
expected,  was  overruled  by  the  eourt.*i 

The  passages  contained  in  the  indictment,  were,  it  is  under- 
stood, picked  out  by  Sir  Roger  L'Estrange  and  some  of  his 
associates:  and  a  certain  noted  clergyman,  who  is  supposed 
to  have  been  Dr.  Sherlock,  put  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies 
some  accusations  out  of  Rom.  xiii.,  &c.  as  against  the  king, 
which  might  have  affected  his  life ;  but  no  use  was  made  of 
them.  The  great  charge  was,  that,  in  these  several  passages, 
he  reflecteid  on  the  prelates  of  the  church  of  England,  and  so 
was  guilty  of  sedition.' 

9  Baxter  MSS.  i  Ibid. 

•  *  As  the  'Ptraphrase*  Ss  not  in  every  body's  bands,  I  have  extracted  the  pas« 
sages  and  notes  referred  to  in  the  indictment,  and  placed  them  together,  that 
the  readers  may  have  fairly  and  fully  before  them  the  grounds  on  which  the 
cbarne  of  sedition  was  preferred.  Some  of  the  phraseology  is  pointed  and 
severe,  characteristic  of  Baxter's  style,  but  all  josUy  called  for  by  the  treat- 
laent  which  be  and  others  had  experienced.  i 

'  Matt.  V.  19.  '*  if  any  shall  presume  to  break  the  least  of  these  commands^ 
Wcaon  it  is  a  little  one,  and  teach  men  so  to  do,  ne  shaU  be  TUified  as  he  tiH* 
fied  God's  law,  and  not  thought  fit  for  a  place  in  the  kingdom  of  the  MeMM  { 


864  THE  LIFB  AND  TIM88 

Tke  king'i  counsel  opened  the  information  at  large,  with  iU 
aggravations.  Mr.  Pollexfen,  Mr.  Wallop,  Mr.  Williams,  Blr. 
Rotherhani,  Mr.  Atwood,  and  Mr.  Phipps,  were  Baxter**  ooQa- 
•el,  and  had  been  fee'd  by  Sir  Henry  Ashurst. 

Pollexfen  then  rose  and  addressed  the  court  and  the  jury. 
He  stated  that  he  was  counsel  for  the  prisoner,  and  felt  that  he 


bat  be  ftball  be  tbere  neatest  that  it  most  exact  in  Mmg  and  t§mekmg  aU  tht 
law  of  God." 

NHe,-^"  Are  not  those  preachers  and  prelates,  then,  the  ieiui  and  baiwt, 
that  preach  and  tread  down  Chriitian  love  of  all  that  dissent  from  aoy  of  thdr 
presumptions,  and  so  preach  down,  not  the  least,  but  the  greai  eonmaad." 

Mark  iii.  6.  <<  It  is  folly  to  doubt  whether  there  be  deviU,  while  detib 
Incarnate  dwell  among^  us.  What  else  but  devils,  sure,  could  eaimaeaiNf 
hypocrites  consult  with  politic  royalists  to  destroy  the  Son  of  God»  for  savlaf 
men's  health  and  lives  by  miracle  ?  Query:  Whether  this  wither^  lumdbai 
been  their  own,  they  would  have  plotted  to  kill  him  that  would  bare  caiti 
them  by  miracle,  as  a  sabbath-breaker  ?  And  whether  their  succ«ason  wodd 
silence  and  imprison  goodly  ministers,  if  they  could  cure  them  of  all  thdr 
sicknesses,  help  them  to  preferment,  and  ipve  them  money  to  feed  their  loili?* 

Mark  ix,  39.  Noie.—^'  Men  that  preach  in'Christ's  name,  therefbrey  an  aol 
to  be  silenced,  thouf^h  faulty :  if  they  do  more  pood  than  hana»  dreadftdi 
then,  is  the  case  of  them  that  silence  Christ's  faithful  ministers.'* 

Mark  xi.  31.  Note,--**  It  was  well  that  they  considered  what  migbt  be  said 
•gainst  them,  which  now  most  Christians  do  not  in  their  disputee.  Tbcii 
persecutors,  and  the  Romans,  had  some  charity  and  consideratiooy  in  tfatf 
they  were  restrained  by  the  fear  of  '  the  people,  and  did  not  accuse  and  fini 
them,  as  for  routs,  riots,  and  seditions.'  " 

Mark  xii.  38—40.  Note, — **  Let  not  these  proud  hypocrites  deceive  you,  who, 
by  their  long  liturgies  and  ceremonies,  and  claim  of  superiority,  do  but  doak 
their  worldliness,  pride,  and  oppression,  and  are  religious  to  their  greater 
damnation." 

Luke  X.  2.  iVo^tf.— "Priests  now  are  many,  but  labourers  are  few.  Whit 
men  are  they  that  hate  and  silence  the  faithfuUest  labourers,  suspecting  thi< 
they  are  not  for  their  interest  ?" 

John  xi.  57.  Note."'"  I.Christ's  ministers  are  God's  ordinances  to  save  nca, 
and  the  devil's  clergy  use  them  for  snares,  mischief,  and  murder.  2.  They 
will  not  let  the  people  be  neuters  between  God  and  the  devil,  but  force  then 
to  be  informing  persecutors.'- 

Acts  XV.  2.  Note. — "  1.  To  be  dissenters  and  disputants  against  errors  and 
tyrannical  impositions  upon  conscience  is  no  fault,  but  a  great  duty.  2.  Itii 
but  a  groundless  fiction  of  some  that  tell  us  that  this  was  an  appeal  to  Jem* 
talem,  because  it  was  the  metropolis  of  Syria  and  Antioch,  as  if  the  metropo- 
litan church  power  had  been  then  settled  ;  when,  long  after,  when  it  wasd^ 
vised,  indeed,  Antioch  was  above  Jerusalem  ;  and  it  is  as  vain  a  fictioii  thai 
this  was  an  appeal  to  a  general  council,  as  if  the  apostles  and  elders  at  Jeru- 
salem had  beeu  a  general  council,  when  none  of  the  bishops  of  the  gta* 
tile  churches  were  there,  or  called  thither.  It  is  notorious  that  it  was  an  ap- 
peal to  the  apostles,  taking  in  the  elders,  as  those  that  had  the  most  ccrtaia 
notice  of  Christ's  mind,  having  conversed  with  him,  and  being  intrusted  te 
teach  all  nations  whatever  he  commanded  them,  and  had  the  greatest  men* 
sure  of  the  Spirit ;  and  also,  being  Jews  themselves,  were  such  as  the  Juda- 
iaiog  Christians  had  no  reason  to  suspect  or  reject"— jBiixfer'f  New  TetUmed 
inU)cit. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  365 

had  a  veiy  unusual  plea  to  manage.  He  had  been  obliged,  he 
aaid^  by  the  nature  of  the  cause,  to  consult  all  our  learned  com- 
mentators, many  of  whom,  learned,  pious,  and  belonging  to 
the  church  of  England,  too,  concurred  with  Mr.  Baxter  in  his 
paraphrase  of  those  passages  of  Scripture  which  were  objected 
to  in  the  indictment,  and  by  whose  help  he  would  be  enabled 
to  nianage  his  client's  cause.  '^  I  shall  begin,''  said  he,  **  with 
Dr.  Hammond ;  and,  gentlemen,  though  Mr.  Baxter  made  an 
objection  against  you,  as  not  fit  judges  of  Greek,  which  has 
been  overruled,*  I  hope  you  understand  English,  common  sense, 
and  can  read."  To  which  the  foreman  of  the  jury  made  a  pro* 
fonnd  bow,  and  said,  ^^  Yes,  sir." 

On. this  his  lordship  burst  upon  Pollexfen,  like  a  fury,  and 
told  hfan  he  should  not  sit  there  to  hear  him  preach.  ^'  No, 
my  lord,"  said  Pollexfen,  '^  I  am  counsel  for  Mr.  Baxter,  and 
rfudl  ofler  nothing  but  what  is  ad  rem."  ^^  Why,  this  is  not," 
said  Jefferies,  '^  that  you  cant  to  the  jury  beforehand."  ^'  I  beg 
your  lordship's  pardon,"  said  the  counsel,  ^^  and  shall  then  .pro- 
ceed to  business."  **  Come,  then,"  said  Jefferies,  ^^  what  do 
yon  say  to  this  count:  read  it,  clerk  :"  referring  to  the  paraphrase 
on  Mark  xii.  38—40.  '^  Is  he  not,  now,  an  old  knave,  to  inter- . 
pret  thb  as  belonging  to  liturgies  ?"  ^'  So  do  others,"  replied 
Pollexfen,  '^  of  the  church  of  England,  who  would  be  loth  so  to 
wrong  the  cause  of  liturgies  as  to  make  them  a  novel  invention, 
or  not  to  t>e  able  to  date  them  as  early  as  the  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees." "  No,  no,  Mr.  Pollexfen,"  said  the  judge :  "  they  were 
long-winded,  extempore  prayers,  such  as  they  used  to  say  when 
they  appropriated  God  to  themselves  :  ^  Lord,  we  are  thy  peo- 
ple, thy  peculiar  people,  thy  dear  people.' "  And  then  he  snorted^ 
and  squeaked  through  his  nose,  and  clenched  his  hands,  and 
lifted  up  his  eyes,  mimicking  their  manner,  and  running  on 
furiously,  as  he  said  they  used  to  pray.  But  old  Pollexfen  gave 
him  a  bite  now  and  then,  though  he  could  hardly  get  in  a  word* 
**  Why,  my  lord/'  said  he,  ^^  some  will  think  it  is  hard  measure 
to  stop  these  men's  mouths,  and  not  let  them  speak  through  their 
noses."  "  Pollexfen,"  said  Jefferies,  "  1  know  you  well ;  I  will 
set  a  mark  upon  you :  you  are  the  patron  of  the  faction.  This 
is  an  old  rogue,  who  has  poisoned  the  world  with  his  Kidder- 
minster doctrine.  Don't  we  know  how  he  preached  formerly, 
'  Curse  ye  Meroz ;  curse  them  bitterly  that  come  not  to  the 
help  of  the  Lord,  to  the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty.' 
He  encouraged  all  the  women  aud  maids  to  bring  their  bodkins 


888  THB  LIFB  AND  TIMES 

and  thimblei  to  carry  on  their  war  agunst  the  Idng  of  mr 
blessed  memory.  An  old  schismatical  knave,  a  hypocriticil 
villain  1" 

'^  I  beseech  your  lordship/'  said  Pollexfien,  ^  suffer  me  a 
word,  for  my  client.  It  is  well  known  to  all  intelligent  mea  of 
age  in  this  nation,  that  these  things  do  not  apply  to  the  ebane- 
ter  of  Mr.  Baxter,  who  wished  as  well  to  the  king  and  roytl 
family  as  Mr.  Love,  who  lost  his  head  for  endeavouring  to  hnng 
in  the  son  long  before  he  was  restored.  And,  my  lord,  l^lr« 
Baxter's  lojral  and  peaceable  spirit.  King  Charles  wonld  have 
rewarded  with  a  bishoprick^  when  he  came  in^  if  he  wonld 
have  conformed." 

^f  Aye,  aye,"  said  the  judge,  ^^  we  know  that;  but  what  ailed 
the  old  blockhead,  the  unthankful  villain,  that  he  would  nH 
conform  ?  Was  he  wiser  or  better  than  other  men  ?  He  baA 
been,  ever  since,  the  spring  of  the  faction.  I  am  sure  he  hath 
poisoned  the  world  witli  his  linsey-woolsey  doctrine."  Here  lui 
rage  increased  to  an  amazing  degree.  He  called  Baxter  a  eon* 
ceited,  stubborn,  fanatical  dog.  ^^  Hang  him,"  said  he;  ^^thb 
one  old  fellow  hath  cast  more  reproach  upon  the  constitutioo 
and  discipline  of  our  church  than  will  be  wiped  off  this  hun- 
dred years ;  but  I'll  handle  him  for  it :  for,  by  G  ,  he  de- 
serves to  be  whipped  through  the  city." 

"  My  lord,"  said  Pollexfen,  ^'  I  am  sure  these  things  are  not 
ad  rem.  Some  persons  think,  my  lord,  it  is  very  hard  these 
men  should  be  forced  against  their  consciences  from  the  churcli* 
But  that  is  not  my  business,  my  lord.  I  am  not  to  justify  their 
nonconformity,  or  give  here  the  reasons  of  their  scruples  to  ac« 
cept  beneficial  places,  but  rather  to  suffer  any  thing.  I  know 
not,  my  lord,  what  reasons  sway  other  men's  consciences ;  ny 
business  is  to  plead  for  my  client,  and  to  answer  the  charge  of 
dangerous  sedition,  which  is  alleged  to  be  contained  in  hii 
*  Paraphrase  of  the  New  Testament.' ' 

■  Baxter  MSS.  Pullexfeo,  who  acted  as  first  counsel  in  the  trial  of  BaxtcTi 
is  not  mentioned  at  aU  in  Calamy's  account  of  the  trial.  The  whole  that  I 
have  ^ven  ahuve  is  contaiocd  in  ihe  manuscript  account  furnished  by  a  p«^ 
sou  who  was  present.  As  far  as  it  proceeds  in  the  remainder  of  the  narrative 
it  agprees  with  Calamy.  Pollexfen  was  descended  from  a  |^ood  family  la 
DeTonshire,  and  rose  to  the  highest  ranlc  in  his  profession.  He  was  coudmI 
for  the  Earl  of  Danby,  in  1679,  was  employed  by  the  Corpoimtion  of  Las* 
doD,  in  the  affair  of  their  charter,  and  was  oDe  of  the  counsel  retained  for  the 
bishops.  He  was  knighted  after  the  Revolution,  and  made  chief  justice  of  the 
Common  Pleas.  He  died  in  i692r^Nobi9*9  Continuatwn  of  Granger^  voL  L 
p.l70« 


OF  RICHARB  BAXTRR.  367' 

Mr.  Wallop  said,  that  he  conceived,  the  matter  depending 
beug  a  point  of  doctrine,  it  ought  to  be  referred  to  the  bishop 
hit  ordinary ;  but  if  not,  he  humbly  conceived  the  doctrine  was 
innocent  and  justifiable,  setting  aside  the  inuendos,  for  which 
there  was  no  colour,  there  being  no  antecedent  to  refer  them  to 
fu  e.  BO  hishop  or  clergy  of  the  church  of  England  named) ; 
ht  aaid  Ae  book  accused,  i.  e.  the  *  Comment  on  the  New  Tes- 
tunent,'  contained  many  eternal  truths  :  but  they  who  drew  the 
iafermation  were  the  libellers,  in  applying  to  the  prelates  of  the 
church  of  England,  those  severe  things  which  were  written 
canceming  some  prelates  who  deserved  the  characters  which  he 
gave.  ^*  My  lord,"  said  he,  ^^  I  humbly  conceive  the  bishops  Mr. 
Baxter  speaks  of,  as  your  lordship,  if  you  have  read  church  his- 
tory, must  confess,  were  the  plagues  of  the  church  and  of  the 
warkL" 

^  Mr.  Wallop,'^  said  the  lord  chief  justice,  *'  I  observe  you 
are  in  all  these  dirty  causes :  and  were  it  not  for  you  gentlemen 
of  the  long  robe,  who  should  have  more  wit  and  honesty  than 
to  support  and  hold  up  these  factious  knaves  by  the  chin,  we 
should  not  be  at  the  pass  we  are."  '^My  lord,"  replied  Wallop, 
^I  humbly  conceive  that  the  passages  accused  are  natural  de- 
ductions from  the  text."  '^  You  humbly  conceive,"  said  Jeffieries, 
^and  I  humbly  conceive.  Swear  him,  swear  him."  **My  lord," 
said  he,  "under  favour,  I  am  counsel  for  the  defendant,  and  if  I 
understand  either  Latin  or  English,  the  information  now  brought 
against  Mr.  Baxter  upon  such  a  slight  ground,  is  a  greater  re- 
flecUon  upon  the  church  of  England,  than  any  thing  contained 
in  the  book  he  is  accused  for."  "  Sometimes  you  humbly  con- 
ceive, and  sometimes  you  are  very  positive,"  said  Jefferies }  "  you 
talk  of  your  skill  in  church  history,  and  of  your  understanding 
Latin  and  English;  I  think  I  understand  something  of  them  as 
well  as  you ;  but,  in  short,  must  tell  you,  that  if  you  do  not  un- 
derstand your  duty  better,  I  shall  teach  it  you."  Upon  which 
Mr.  Wallop  sat  down. 

Mr.  Rotherham  urged,  ^^  that  if  Mr.  Baxter's  book  had  sharp 
reflections  upon  the  church  of  Rome  by  name,  but  spake  well  of 
the  prelates  of  the  church  of  England,  it  was  to  be  presumed, 
that  tlie  sharp  reflections  were  intended  only  against  the  pre- 
lates of  the  church  of  Rome."  The  lord  chief  justice  said, 
**  Baxter  was  an  enemy  to  the  name  and  thing,  the  office  and 
persons,  of  bishops."  Rotherham  added^  ^^  that  Baxter  frequently 


368  THB  LIFB  AND   TIMVS 

attended  divine  service,  went  to  the  sacrament,  and  persuaded 
others  to  do  so  too,  as  was  certainly  and  publicly  known ;  and 
had,  in  the  very  book  so  charged,  spoken  very  moderately  and 
honourably  of  the  bishops  of  the  church  of  fingland." 

Baxter  added,  "  My  lord,  I  have  been  so  moderate  with 
respect  to  the  church  of  England,  that  I  have  incurred  the  ccn« 
sure  of  mapy  of  the  dissenters  upon  that  account.'^  ^  Baiter 
for  bishops !"  exclaimed  Jeiferies,  *^  that  is  a  merry  conceit  in- 
deed :  turn  to  it,  turn  to  it.''  Upon  this,  Rotherham  turned  to 
a  place  where  it  is  said,  ^^  that  great  respect  is  due  to  thoK 
truly  called  to  be  bishops  among  us;"  or  to  that  purpose: 
'^  Aye,''  said  Jefferies,  '^  this  is  your  Presbyterian  eant ;  tnly 
called  to  be  bishops :  that  is  himself,  and  such  rascals,  caDed 
to  be  bishops  of  Kidderminster,  and  other  such  places.  Bishop 
set  apart  by  such  factious,  snivelling  Presbyterians  as  himadf: 
a  Kidderminster  bishop  he  means.  According  to  the  saying  of 
a  late  learned  author^— And  every  parish  shall  maintain  a  tithe 
pig  metropolitan." 

Baxter  beginning  to  speak  again,  Jefferies  reviled  him; 
'^  Richard,  Richard,  dost  thou  think  we'll  hear  thee  pcinoa  the 
court  ?  Richard,  thou  art  an  old  fellow,  an  old  knave ;  thofl 
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  trade  forty  years  ago,  it 
had  been  happy.  Thou  p'retendest  to  be  a  preacher  of  the 
Gospel  of  peace,  and  thou  hast  one  foot  in  the  grave :  it  is  time 
for  thee  to  begin  to  think  what  account  thou  intendest  to  give. 
But  leave  thee  to  thyself,  and  1  see  thou'lt  go  on  as  thou  hast 
begun  ;  but,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I'll  look  after  thee.  I  kuow 
thou  hast  a  mighty  party,  and  I  see  a  great  many  of  the  bro- 
therhood in  corners,  waiting  to  see  what  will  become  of  their 
mighty  Don,  and  a  Doctor  of  the  party  (looking  to  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,;»peak  up.  What  doth  he  say  ?  I  am  not  afraid  of  yoOi 
for  all  the  snivelling  calves  you  have  got  about  you  i"  alluding 
to  some  persons  who  were  in  tears  about  Mr.  Baxter.  **  Your 
lordship  need  not,''  said  the  holy  man  ;  ^^  for  I'll  not  hurt  yoa. 
But  these  things  will  surely  be  understood  one  day ;  what  foob 
one  sort  of  Protestants  are  made,  to  persecute  the  other."  And 
lifting  up  his  eyes  to  heaven,  said,  ^^  I  am  not  concerned  to  an« 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  869 

•uch  Btaff  J  but  am  ready  to  produce  my  writings  for  the 
mfiitatioti  of  all  this;  and  my  life  and  conversation  are  known 
» mny  in  this  nation.''  ^ 

Mr.  Rotherham  sitting  down,  Mr.  Atwood  began  to  show, 
ml  not  one  of  the  passages  mentioned  in  the  information 
i^t  to  be  strained  to  the  sense  which  was  put  upon  them  by 
le  inuendos;  they  being  more  natural  when  taken  in  a  milder 
nae  :  nor  could  any  one  of  them  be  applied  to  the  prelates  of 
le  church  of  England,  without  a  very  forced  construction.  To 
ram  this,  he  would  have  read  some  of  the  text :  but  Jef- 
aries  cried  out,  '^  You  shan't  draw  me  into  a  conventicle  with 
por  amiotations,  nor  your  snivelling  parson,  neither."  *^  My 
ffdy"  said  Mr.  Atwood,  ^^  that  I  may  use  the  best  authority, 
emiit  me  to  repeat  your  lordship's  own  words  in  that  case." 
No^  you  shan't,"  said  he  :  ^^you  need  not  speak,  for  you  are  an 
Bthor  already ;  though  you  speak  and  write  impertinently." 
twood  replied,  '^  I  can't  help  that,  my  lord,  if  my  talent  be  no 
Btter,  but  it  is  my  duty 'to  do  my  best  for  my  client." 

Jefleries  then  went  on  inveighing  against  what  Atwood 
id  published ;  and  Atwood  justified  it  as  in  defence  of  the 
iiglish  constitution,  declaring  that  he  never  disowned  any 
ling  diat  he  had  written.  Jefferies,  several  time;s,  ordered  him 
I  rit  down;  but  he  still  went  on.  '^  My  lord,"  said  he,  ^'  I  have 
tatter  of  law  to  urge  for  my  client."  He  then  proceeded  to  cite 
sveral  cases  wherein  it  had  been  adjudged  that  words  ought  to 
e  taken  in  the  milder  sense,  and  not  to  be  strained  by  inuendos. 
iVell,'  sud  Jefferies,  when  he  had  done,  *  you  have  had  your 

Mr.  Williams  and  Mr.  Phipps  said  nothing,  for  they  saw 
was  to  no  purpose.  At  last,  Baxter  himself  said,  '^My 
ird,  I  think  I  can  clearly  answer  all  that  is  laid  to  my  charge, 
id  I  shall  do  it  briefly.  The  sum  is  contained  in  these  few 
^lers,  to  which  I  shall  add  a  little  by  testimony."  But  he 
onld  not  hear  a  word.  At  length,  the  chief  justice  summed  up 
le  matter  in  a  long  and  fulsome  harangue.  '^  It  was  notoriously 
^^ywn,''  he  said,  ^^  there  had  been  a  design  to  ruin  the  king  and 
le  nation.  The  old  game  had  been  renewed ;  and  this  person 
id  been  the  main  incendiary.  He  is  as  modest  now  as  can  be  ; 
Dt  time  was,  when  no  man  was  so  ready  at,  ^  Bind  your  kings 
I  chains,  and  your  nobles  in  fetters  of  iron ; '  and '  To  your  tents, 
^  Israel.'    Gentlemen,  for  God's  sake,  don't  let  us  be  gulled 

*  Baxter's  MSS. 
VOL.  I«  B  B 


$70  THfi   Lt»B  ATib  ftMltf 

twice  \n  lUi  Age."  And  when  he  concluded,  h«  teld  the  jtlry^ 
**  that  if  .they  in  their  consciences  believed  he  meant  the  bMiopi 
and  clergy  of  the  church  of  England,  in  the  passages  whitlh  the 
information  referred  to,  and  he  could  mean  nothing  eke ;  they 
must  find  him  guilty.  If  not,  they  must  find  him  not  gtlilty*** 
When  he  had  done,  Baxter  said  to  him,  **  Does  your  lont- 
ship  think  any  jury  will  pretend  to  pass  a  Terdict  upon  me  upon 
such  a  trial?"  *'  I'll  warrant  you,  Mr.  Baxter,''  said  he }  ^don'C 
you  trouble  yourself  about  that." 

The  jury  immediately  laid  their  heads  together  at  the  bar, 
and  found  him  guilty.  As  he  was  going  frotn  the .  bar^ 
Baxter  told  the  lord  chief  justice,  who  had  so  loaded  him  with 
reproaches,  and  still  continued  them,  that  a  predecessor  of  hllf 
had  had  other  thoughts  of  him  ;  upon  which  he  replied,  ^thal 
there  was  not  an  honest  man  in  England  but  what  took  him  for 
a  great  ktiave."  Baxter  had  subpoenaed  sereral  clergymen,  who 
appeared  in  court,  but  were  of  no  use  to  him,  .throng  the 
violence  of  the  chief  justice.  The  trial  being  over,  Sir  Henry 
Ashurst  led  him  through  the  crowd,  and  conveyed  him  away  in 
his  coach«^ 

Between  the  time  of  his  trial,  and  of  his  being  brought  up  fbr 
sentence,  Baxter  employed  what  influence  he  possessed,  td  pro- 
cure a  more  favourable  result  than  he  had  reason  to  expect  fit>n 
the  temper  of  Jefferies.  He  addressed  himself  to  a  nobleman  of 
influence  at  court,  whose  name  does  not  appear,  and  also  to  the 
Bishop  of  London,  entreating  them  to  interpose  on  his  behalf* 
His  letter  to  the  bishop,  is  Worthy  of  being  inserted  entire.  It 
gives  a  calm  and  correct  view  of  his  case,  shows  his  attachment 
to  the  church,  the  labour  he  had  bestowed  to  promote  its 
interests ;  and  entreats  that  he  might  yet  be  heard  before  a  more 
impartial  and  competent  tribunal. 

^  Sir  Henry  Ashurst,  who  acted  in  this  trnljr  Christian  aiid  aoble  naaMr  to 
Baxter,  feeing  his  couAsel»  standings  hy  him  at  bis  trial,  and  coDYcgriBf  bi« 
home  in  his  uwn  carria^,  was  the  son  of  one  of  his  oldest  and  best  friend 
and  la  all  respects  worthy  of  the  ikiiiily  Whos«  btHioura  he  suslatticd  and  it* 
creased.  He  married  Lady  Diana>  lh«  Afth  daughter  of  WiUiam  I»td  Pugali 
by  whom  he  had  several  children.  She  died  in  August,  170/^  when  a  funenl 
sermon  was  preached. on  the  occasion  by  the  Rev.  Richard  Mayo.  Sir  Ileiiiy 
was  the  intimate  frirad  and  correspondent  i}f  the  Rev.  Philip  tfcnry.  tk 
ipublished  a  short  life  of  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  H«ywood,  tire  ejected  mialfter  if 
Ormslciric,  which  shows  that  he  was  not  ashamed  of  his  connexion  with  tiMt 
despised  race  of  confessors.  Sir  Henry  died  at  his  seat  at  Wateratoke,  Dcir 
Coventry,  on  the  ISth  t>f  Apriij  17iO-Il.^$ee  the  Lives  t»f  MRp  aad  MlAbeir 
Henry,  by  Mr.  Williams. 


O?  RICHAED  BAXTER.  871 

^  Being  by  q)i8Copa]  ordination  vowed  to  the  sacred  min** 
rjy  and  bound  not  to  desert  it,  when  by  painful  diseases  and  de- 
ify I  wuted  for  my  change,  I  durst  not  spend  my  last  days  in 
tsMaa,  and  knew  not  how  better  to  serve  the  church  than  by 
Icing  a  ^  Ptoiphrase  on  the  New  Testament/  purposely  fitted 
the  use  of  the  most  ignorant,  and  the  reconciling  of  doctrinal 
Incnces  about  texts' variously  expounded.  Far  was  it  from 
f  design  to  reproach  the  church,  or  draw  men  from  it,  having 
eiein  pleaded  for  diocesans  as  successors  of  the  apostles  over 
iny  churches;  though  I  confute  the  overthrowing  opinion 
liich  setteth  them  over  but  one  church,  denying  the  parishes 
be  churches.  But  some  persons  offended,  it  is  like,  at  some 
her  passages  in  the  book,  have  thought  fit  to  say  that  I  scan- 
dised  the  church  of  England ;  and  an  information  being  ex- 
faited  in  the.  King's  Bench,  at  a  trial  before  a  common  jury, 
I  my  owning  the  book,  they  forthwith  found  me  guilty  with- 
it  hearing  my  defence,  and  I  have  cause  to  expect  a  severe 
dgment,  the  beginning  of  the  next  term.  All  this  is  on  a 
large  that  my  unquestionable  words  were  meant  by  me  to  scan- 
dise  the  church,  which  I  utterly  deny.  If  God  will  have  me 
id  a  painful,  weary  life,  by  such  a  suffering,  I  hope  I  shall 
liah  my  course  with  joy ;  but  my  conscience  commandeth  mc 
» value  the  churches  strength  and  honour  before  my  life,  and  I 
ight  not  to  be  silent  under  the  scandal  of  suffering  as  an  enemy 
•  it«  Nor  would  I  have  my  sufferings  increase  men's  prejudice 
punst  it«  I  have  lived  in  its  communion,  and  conformed  to  as 
uch  as  the  Act  of  Uniformity  obliged  one  in  my  condition  ;  I 
ive  drawn  multitudes  into  the  church,  and  written  to  justify  the 
lurch  and  ministry  against  separation,  when  the  Paraphrase 
aa  in  the  press  :  and  my  displeasing  writings  (whose  eagerness 
id  faults  I  justify  not)  have  been  my  earnest  pleadings  for  the 
ealiog  of  a  divided  people,  and  the  strengthening  of  the  church 
f  love  and  concord  on  possible  terms.  1  owe  satisfaction  to  you 
lat  are  my  diocesan,  and  therefore  presume  to  send  you  a  copy 
r  the  infonnadon  against  me,  and  my  answer  to  the  particular 
misations;  humbly  entreating  you  to  spare  so  much  time  from 
Nir  weighty  business  as  to  peruse  them,  or  to  refer  them  to  be 
emsed  for  your  satisfaction.  I  would  fain  send  with  them  one 
leety  (in  vindication  of  my  accused  life  and  loyalty,  and  of  posi- 
ve  proofs  that  I  meant  not  to  accuse  the  church  of  England, 
dd  of  the  danger  of  exposing  the  clergy  to  charges  of  thouglits 

fi  b2 


372  THB  LIFB  AND  TIBOtSt 

and  meanings  as  prejudice  shall  conjecture,)  but  for  fear  of  db* 
pleasing  you  by  length.  For  expositions  of  Scripture  to  be  that 
tried  by  such  juries,  as  often  as  they  are  but  called  seditiousi  b 
not  the  old  way  of  managing  church  differences;  and  of  what 
consequence  you  will  easily  judge.  If  your  lordship  be  satisfied 
that  I  am  no  enemy  to  the  church,  and  that  my  punishment  «nll 
not  l}e  for  its  interest,  I  hope  you  will  vouchsafe  to  present  mj 
petition  to  his  majesty,  that  my  appeal  to  the  chnrch  may.siMh 
pend  the  sentence  till  my  diocesan,  or  whom  his  majesty  shall 
appoint,  may  hear  me,  and  report  their  sense  of  the  cause.  Bf 
which  your  lordship  will,  I  doubt  not,  many  ways  serve  the  wdlr 
fare  of  the  church,  as  well  as 

*^  Oblige' your  languishing 

*«  Humble  Servant."* 

It  does  not  appear  that  these  applications,  or  any  other 
influence  employed,  was  of  much  avail.  It  will  not  be  thought 
that  he  received  a  mitigated  sentence,  though  perhaps  this  was 
the  case. 

On  the  29th  of  June,  he  had  judgment  given  against  hini« 
He  was  fined  five  hundred  marks,  condemned  to  lie  in  prisoa 
till  he  paid  it,  and  bound  to  his  good  behaviour  for  seven  yeaiSt 
It  is  said  that  Jefferies  proposed  a  corporal  punishment,  namely, 
whipping  through  the  city ;  but  his  brethren  would  not  accede 
to  it.  In  consequence  of  which,  the  fine  and  imprisonment  were 
agreed  to.^ 

Thus  ended  this  strange,  comic  tragedy;  for  such  it  moit 
have  appeared  to  be,  even  to  the  parties  most  deeply  interested 
in  the  result.  Had  Jefferies  intended  to  bring  all  law  and  justice 
into  contempt,  or  to  render  judicial  proceedings  the  object  ofdis* 
gust  throughout  the  kingdom,  he  could  not  have  adopted  a  more 
effectual  method  than  the  conduct  he  pursued  at  Baxter's  trial, 
llie  apology  which  has  sometimes  been  offered  for  this  uojuit 
judge,  that  his  cruelties  were  perpetrated  to  please  his  royal 
master,  will  not,  I  am  afraid,  stand  the  test  of  a  rigid  examioa- 
tion.  That  James  was  cold,  and  cruel  too,  cannot  be  doubted; 
but  the  conduct  of  Jefferies  on  this  and  similar  occasions,  seem 
evidently  to  have  arisen  from  his  own  nature,  which  was  savage^ 
vulgar,  and  unrelenting.  He  was  a  fit  instrument  for  doing  the 
work  of  a  despotic  government;  but  he  was  also  admirably 
qualified  for  rendering  that  government  an  object  of  universal 
s  Baxter*!  MSS.  r  Ibid. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  S78 

Mticd  and  loathing.  Nothing,  probably,  contributed  more  ef- 
ectnaUy  to  the  downfall  of  James's  authority,  and  the  utter  ex- 
inetion  of  his  influence  in  the  country,  than  the  brutal  outrages 
f  this  man.  lliey  may  be  sud  to  have  commenced  with  his 
mtment  of  Baxter^  and  to  have  terminated  with  his  western 
anpaign*  His  track  was  marked  with  blood  and  murder,  which 
t  last  brought  down  the  vengeance  of  Heaven  on  his  infatuated 
nqployers,  and  led  to  the  final  deliverance  of  his  oppressed  and 
ngnred  country. 

On  the  legal  merits  of  Baxter's  trial,  there  can  now  be  but 
ne  opinion.  It  is  highly  probable,  as  has  been  already  re- 
oaiked,  that  he  was  singled  out  to  be  the  first  victim,  and  with 
k  view  of  striking  terror  into  all  his  brethren.  His  services  to  the 
tench,  by  his  writings  in  her  defence,  and  by  the  division  which 
le  mainly  contributed  to  keep  up  among  the  dissenters,  were 
my  considerable.  If  such  a  man,  therefore,  must  be  severely 
nmished,  and  that  for  one  of  the  least  offensive  of  his  publica- 
aonsy  what  might  others  expect?  The  notes  fastened  on,  cer- 
minly  contain  no  sedition.  They  do  not  even  name  the  bishops, 
ht  constitution,  or  the  services  of  the  church  of  England.  It  was 
iKTcfore  entirely  by  inuendOy  or  insinuation,  as  the  counsel  all- 
eged, that  his  words  were  construed  to  be  an  attack  on  the  pre- 
Itfcsand  liturgy  of  the  church.  As  he  was  a  believer  in  bishops, 
md  no  enemy  to  a  liturgy,  he  could  only  refer  to  unsuitable 
lersons  holding  the  office,  or  to  the  abuse  of  the  forms  of  the 
sfaurch.  To  constitute  allusions  to  such  things  in  a  commen- 
ary  on  the  Scriptures,  high  legal  offences,  endangering  the 
iberty  or  lives  of  the  subjects,  shows  either  that  the  court  was  at 
I  Ums  for  grounds  of  prosecution,  or  that  even  at  this  early  period 
if  James's  reign,  a  deep-laid  plot  had  been  formed  to  ruin  the 
iiasenters,  and,  with  them,  the  liberties  of  England. 

At  the  end  of  the  second  edition  of  the  Paraphrase,  he  left 
ihe  following  note  to  be  inserted  :  "  Reader, — It's  like  you  have 
heard  how  I  was,  for  this  book,  by  the  instigation  of  Sir  Roger 
L'Sstrange  and  some  of  the  clergy,  imprisoned  nearly  two  years, 
by  Sir  George  Jefferies,  Sir  Francis  Wilkins,  and  the  rest  of  the 
judges  of  the  King's  Bench,  after  their  preparatory  restraints, 
md  attendance  under  the  most  reproachful  words,  as  if  I  had 
been  the  most  odious  person  living,  and  not  suffered  at  all  to 
qieak  for  myself.  Had  not  the  king  taken  off  my  fine,  I  had 
continued  in  prison  till  death.  Because  many  desire  to  know 
what  all  this  was  for,  I  have  here  written  the  eight  accusations 


374  THB  LIFE  AND  TIMB8 

wKich  (after  the  great  clergy  search  of  my  book)  were  brought 
in  as  seditious.  I  have  altered  never  a  word  accined^  that  joa 
may  know  the  worst.  What  I  said  of  the  murderers  of  Chriat^  and 
the  hypocrite  Pharisees  and  their  sins,  the  judge  sud  I  meant 
of  the  ^hurch  of  England,  though  I  have  written  for  it^  nnd 
still  communicate  with  it."  Then  follow  the  patoagea  of  SeiifH 
ture,  which  have  been  given  in  a  preceding  note.  ^Thcac^"  ha 
adds,  '^were  all,  by  one  that  knoweth  his  own  name;  put  into 
their  hands,  with  some  accusations  out  of  Rom.  xiii.^  aa  tgainiC 
my  life ;  but  their  discretion  forbade  them  to  use  or  name  them." 

The  conduct  of  L'Estrange,  in  promoting  the  proteeotioD  of 
Baxter,  is  only  in  harmony  with  other  parts  of  his  ehamcter/ 
He  was  one  of  the  most  unprincipled,  mercenary  scribbleta  of  te. 
age  to  which  he  belonged ;  a  man  who  stuck  at  nothing  wUek 
the  interests  of  arbitrary  power  and  high-church  politica  xequired. 
To  such  a  man,  Richard  Baxter  afforded  delicious  food :  he 
often  before  attacked  him  by  his  pen;  he  now  employed  a 
formidable  and  dangerous  weapon,  the  attorney-general  anA 
Lord  Chief  Justice  Jefferies. 

The  conduct  of  the  clergyman  referred  to,  understood  to  be 
Dr.  Sherlock,  who  suggested  a  charge  of  treason,  founded  oa 
the  annotations  on  tlie  13th  chapter  of  the  Romans,  h  more 
difficult  to  be  accounted  for.  There  was  not  sufficient  grooad 
for  the  charge,  otherwise  it  would  doubtless  have  been  adopted. 
But  what  could  instigate  Sherlock  to  such  a  proceeding,  affect- 
ing the  life  of  a  venerable  servant  of  Christ,  must  be  left  to  the 
disclosures  of  another  day.     We  would  hope  Baxter  may  haie 

*  Echard  relates  a  curious  anecdote  of  Baxter  and  L'Estran^e.  '*  When  Dr. 
Sharp,  afterwards  archbishop  of  York,  was  rector  of  St.  Giles-lii-the-FMdt, 
L'Estranf^e,  Baxter,  and  the  notorious  Miles  Pranse,  who  was  oonvicicd  tf 
perjury  in  the  affair  of  Sir  Edmund  Godfrey,  all  approached  the  conmooioa 
table,  on  a  sacrament  day ;  L'Estrange  at  one  end,  Pranse  at  the  othery  anl 
Baxter  in  the  middle.  Baxter  and  Prance,  from  their  situation,  rectlTed  be- 
fore L'Estrange,  who,  when  it  came  to  bis  turn,  taking  the  bread  in  hit  haadi 
asked  the  doctor  if  he  knew  who  that  man  was,  pointings  to  Pranse.  To  which 
the  doctor  answering  in  the  negative,  L'Estran^  replied,  <  That  is  MUci 
Pranse ;  and  I  here  challenge  him,  and  solemnly  declare,  before  €kid  and  Ifaif 
congregation,  that  what  that  roan  hath  sworn  or  published  coacemiiig  meit 
totally  and  absolutely  false ;  and  may  this  sacrament  be  ny  damnatioo  if  all 
this  declaration  be  not  true/  Pranse  was  silent;  Mr.  Baxter  took  sjiecisl 
notice  of  it;  and  Dr.  Sharp  declared  he  would  have  refused  Pnune  the 
aacrament,  had  the  challenge  been  made  In  time." — Eckarft  Omttk  AC 
What  a  scene  this  was  for  a  communion  table  !  1  am  surprised  it  did  not 
forever  disgust  Baxter  at  occasional  couformity,  and  teach  him  the  importance 
of  knowing  something  about  the  persons  with  whom  he  held  reilgiottt  ftiknr- 
ship  in  this  sacred  ordiaance* 


htfm  undfr  lome  mistake^  au4  that  Sherlook  was  not  guilty  of 
#ueh  bise  and  atrocious  conduct. 

Baxter  baing  unable  to  pay  the  fine,  and  aware  that,  though 
ba  didf  he  might  soon  be  prosecuted  again,  on  some  equally 
mjoat  pretencai  went  to  prison.  Here  he  was  visited  by  his 
friands^  and  even  by  some  of  the  respectable  clergy  of  the 
fburcb,  who  sympathised  with  his  sufferings,  and  deplored  the 
]i|jaatiee  be  received.  He  continued  in  this  imprismiment 
paariy  two  years ;  during  which  he  enjoyed  more  quietness  than 
ha  had  done  for  many  years  before. 

Aa  imprisonment  of  two  years  would  have  been  found  very 
tffiog  and  irksome  to  most  men.  To  Baxter,  however,  it  does 
npt  appear  to  have  proved  so  painful,  though  he  had  now  lost 
bia  beloved  wife,  who  had  frequently  before  been  his  companion 
in  solitude  and  suffering.  His  friends  do  not  appear  to  have 
Qlflected  or  forgotten  him.  The  following  extract  of  a  letter 
ftiQ^i  the  well-known  Matthew  Henry,  presents  a  pleasing  view 
of  tlie  manner  in  which  he  endured  bonds  and  afSictions  for 
Christ's  sake.  It  is  addressed  to  his  father,  and  dated  tha 
17tb  of  November,  1685,  when  Baxter  had  been  several  months 
qmfiffad*  Mr*  Williams  justly  remarks,  *^  It  is  one  of  those 
pictures  of  days  which  are  past,  which,  if  rightly  viewed,  may 
produce  lasting  and  beneficial  effects  ;  emotions  of  sacred  sor- 
fOW  (or  the  iniquity  of  persecution ;  and  animating  praise,  that 
tha  demon  in  these  happy  days  of  tranquillity,  is  restrained 
though  npt  destroyed.'^ 

^'  I  went  into  Sputhwark,  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 
bouse  near  the  prison,  attended  on  by  his  own  man  and  maid* 
My  good  friend,  Mr.  S[amuel]  L[awrence],  went  with  me.  He 
is  in  as  good  health  as  one  can  expect ;  and,  methinks,  looks 
blotter,  and  speaks  heartier,  than  when  I  saw  him  last.  The 
toktn  you  aent,  he  would  by  no  means  be  persuaded  to  accept^ 
aad  was  almost  angry  when  I  pressed  it,  from  one  outed  as 
well  as  himself.  He  said  he  did  not  use  to  receive ;  and  I  un« 
derstand  since,  his  need  is  not  great. 

.^  We  sat  with  him  about  an  hour.  I  was  very  glad  to  find 
fbat  he  so  much  approved  of  my  present  circumstances.  He 
said  be  knew  not  why  young  men  might  not  improve  as  well,  as- 
by  travelling  abroad.  He  inquired  for  his  Shropshire  friends, 
and  observed,  that  of  those  gentlemen  who  were  with  hiq;  at 


376  THB  LIFK  AND  TUCBS 

Wem,  he  hears  of  none  whose  sons  tread  in  their  h&itnf  stqps 
but  Colonel  Hunt's.  He  inquired  about  Mr.  Macworth's,  tad 
Mr.  LIoyd*s  (of  Aston)  children.  He  gave  us  some  good  coansd 
to  prepare  for  trials ;  and  said  the  best  preparation  for  them  wi% 
a  life  of  faith,  and  a  constant  course  of  self-denial.  He  iban(^ 
it  harder  constantly  to  deny  temptations  to  sensual  lusts  and 
pleasures^  than  to  resist  one  single  temptation  to  deny  Chrkt 
for  fear  of  suffering :  the  former  requiring  such  constant  watdw 
fulness;  however,  after  the  former,  the  latter  will  be  the  eamr. 
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 
purpose.  He  said  he  thought  dying  by  sickness  usually  much 
more  painful  and  dreadful,  than  dying  a  violent  death  ;  espeei- 
ally  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  his  release,  a  private  offer  appears  to  have  been 
made  through  Lord  Powis,  that  the  king  would  grant  it  as  mat- 
ter of  favour.^  A  person  of  the  name  of  Williams,  at  the  end 
of  1686,  offered  to  assist  him,  through  that  nobleman,  in  pro- 
curing his  liberty.  Baxter  appears  to  have  had  some  suspicion, 
either  of  the  man,  or  of  his  design ;  whose  object  at  last  Bf- 
peared  to  be  to  get  money,  as  he  afterwards  made  a  demand  of 
38/.  for  his  trouble.  Baxter  resisted  this  demand,  and  applied 
to  Lord  Powis  to  know  what  influence  he  had  in  procuring  his 
release.  His  lordship  declared  solemnly,  as  in  the  presence  of 
God,  he  had  had  no  influence  whatever,  and  deserved  no  reward.* 
Lord  Powis,  however,  appears  to  have  been  the  person  who 
managed  this  affair,  and  obtained  Baxter's  deliverance  from 
prison,  though  not  his  release  from  the  bond  of  his  good  be- 
haviour. It  is  probable  that  Baxter  owed  the  favour  he  expe- 
rienced to  the  change  in  the  disposition  of  the  court  towards  the 
dissenters  generally  at  this  time,  owing  to  the  difficulties  expe- 
rienced from  the  opposition  to  Popery  on  the  part  of  the  church, 
and  the  hope  that  by  courting  the  dissenters^  their  fears  might 
be  quieted,  and  the  object  more  easily  secured. 

*  For  this  letter  I  am  inrlebted  to  the  'Memoirs  of  the  Rev.  Matthew  Henry/ 
p.  22,  by  my  respected  friend  Mr.  Williams,  of  Shrewsbury.  Both  in  this,  and 
in  his  enlar^  <  Life  of  Philip  Henry/  he  has  conferred  ^reat  oblif^tions  on 
all  the  lovers  of  truly  Christian  and  evangelical  biography.  Both  works  art 
replete  with  matter  calculated  to  produce  the  most  salutary  iufluence  on  all 
classes  of  our  reli^ous  community. 

^  Penitent  Confession,  p.  40.  •  Baiter's  MSS, 


OF  RlCRAftD  BArrsB.  877 

Ob  tht  84di  of  November,  1686,  Sir  Samuel  Astrey  sent 
kb  warrBDt  to  the  keeper  of  the  Kmg's  Bench  prison,  to  dis« 
ehttge  lum«  He  gave  sureties,  however,  for  his  good  behaviour. 
Us  auyesty  dechmng  for  his  satisfaction,  that  it  should  not 
bo  interpreted  a  breach  of  good  behaviour  for  him  to  reside  in 
Lottdon,  which  was  not  consistent  with  the  Oxford  act.  After 
this  release,  he  continued  to  live  some  time  within  the  rules  of  the 
Beodi;  till,  on  the  28th  of  February,  1687,  he  removed  to  his 
boBse  in  the  Charter-house-yard;  and  again,  as  far  as  his  health 
Bnonld  permit,  assisted  Mr.  Sylvester  in  his  public  labours.*^ 

'  Calamy^  toK  i«  p.  375* 


37^  .TUB  LIVB  AMD  THOf 


CHAPTER    XIII. 


1687— 1691. 


Baxter's  Reriew  of  his  own  Life  and  Opinions,  and  Account  of  hU  iuk'^ 
tured  Sentiments  and  Feelings— Remarks  on  that  Review— The  Public' 
Events  of  his  last  Years->The  Revolution— The  Act  of  Toleration— Baxter^^ 
sense  of  the  Articles  required  to  be  subscribed  by  this  Act — Agmmmktof 
the  Presbyterian  and  Independent  Ministers  of  London— Last  Years  oi 
Baxter— Preaches  for  Sylvester— His  Writinf^s— Visited  by  Dr.  Calamy^ 
Account  of  his  last  Sickness  and  Death,  by  Bates  and  Sylvester— Galnmni- 
ous  Report  respecting  the  State  of  his  Miud— Vindicated  by  Sylvesto^^ 
Buried  in  Christ-church— His  Will— William  Baxtei^Funeral  SenDonsbj 
Sylvester  and  Bates — Sketch  of  his  Character  by  the  latter — Condndin^ 
Observations  on  the  Characteristic  Piety  of  Baxter. 

I 

Having  brought  down  the  narrative  of  this  venerable  man'i 
life  and  times  nearly  to  the  close  of  his  active  career,  I  appre- 
hend this  is  the  proper  place  to  introduce  his  own  review  of  the 
progpress  of  his  mind  and  character.  He  who  was  so  attentive 
to  others,  and  who  drew  the  character  of  many,  was  not  indif- 
ferent about  himself,  and  exercised  a  much  more  rigid  scrutiny 
into  his  own  principles  and  conduct  than  he  ever  employed  on 
those  of  his  fellow  men.  He  strongly  recommended  self-es- 
amination  and  self- judgment;  it  will  now  appear  how  consci- 
entiously he  practised  them.  The  virtue  of  candour  he  ever 
enforced,  with  all  the  energy  and  eloquence  of  which  he  was 
master ;  and  in  the  development,  which  he  furnishes  of  the 
state  of  his  own  mind,  and  of  his  most  secret  thoughts,  he 
shows  how  he  was  trained  to  practise  it. 

In  his  case,  we  have  an  advantage  which  is  not  frequently 
enjoyed  in  writing  the  lives  of  distinguished  individuals.  We 
are  furnished  with  his  own  views  at  length,  not  merely  of  his 
life  and  labours,  but  of  the  gradual  and  successive  changes  of 
his  mind.    Had  this  been  the  production  of  a  weak,  self-con- 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  379 

^eited  man,  or  of  one  little  accustomed  to  trace  the  workingaof 
ia  intellectual  and  moral  principles,  it  would  have  been  worth' 
cry  little ;  but  being  the  work  of  a  man  of  deep  pietyi  mi- 
jgned  humility,  and  of  the  most  discriminating  powers  of 
And ;  of  one  who  studied  himself,  as  well  as  others,  with  the 
rofeundest  attention,  and  who  was  more  ready  to  disclose  his 
i^n  fiulures  and  imperfections,  than  to  speak  of  his  own  virtues, 

is  exceedingly  valuable.  As  he  has  left  it  with  the  ezpiCM 
kwof  enabling  posterity  to  form  a  correct  idea  of  himsdf }  of 

nan  who  was  warmly  applauded  by  one  party,  and  not  lesa 
isKgned  by  another,  it  would  be  altogether  wrong  to  withhold 
t^  or  to  give  it  in  any  other  words  than  his  own.  It  was  writ* 
a  towards  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  and  comprises  an  extent 
m  review  of  his  experience,  opinions,  and  writings.  I  omit 
oly  what  I  conceive  to  be  extraneous  or  now  unnecessary,  and 
serve  his  opinion  of  his  writings,  with  a  few  other  passages, 
w  the  second  part  of  this  work.  If  the  reader  make  a  little 
Uowance  for  a  slight  appearance  of  egotism  and  garrulity,  he 
ill  probably  find  this  among  the  most  instructive  parts  of  the 
fe  of  Baxter.     It  is  the  summary  of  his  matured  views,  after 

long  and  busy  career,  in  which  he  had  seen  much  both  of  the 
virid  and  of  the  church. 

^  Because  it  is  soul  experience  which  those  who  urge  me  to 
us  kind  of  writing  expect,  that  I  should,  especially,  oommu** 
icate  to  others ;  and  I  have  said  little  of  God's  dealings  with 
ly  soul  since  the  time  of  my  younger  years,  I  shall  only  give 
lie  reader  so  much  satisfaction  as  to  acquaint  him  truly  what 
hange  God  hath  made  upon  my  mind  and  heart  since  those 
nriper  times,  and  wherein  I  now  differ  in  judgment  and  dispo* 
icion  from  myself.  For  any  more  particular  account  of  heart 
ccnrrences,  and  God's  operations  on  me,  I  think  it  somewhat 
nssvoury  to  recite  them,  seeing  God's  dealings  are  much  the 
sme  with  all  his  servants  in  the  main,  and  points  wherein  he 
arieth,  are  usually  so  small,  that  I  think  such  not  fit  to  be  re- 
eated.  Nor  have  I  any  thing  extraordinary  to  glory  in,  which 
I  not  common  to  the  rest  of  my  brethren,  who  have  the  same 
pirit,  and  are  servants  of  the  same  Lord.  The  true  reasons 
fbj  I  do  adventure  so  far  upon  the  censure  of  the  world  as  to 
ell  them  wherein  the  case  is  altered  with  me,  is,  that  I  may  take 
ff  young  inexperienced  Christians  from  over  confidence  in  their 
nt  apprehensions,  or  overvaluing  their  first  degrees  of  grace, 
r  too  much  applauding  and  following  uniumished,  inesperi- 


SSO  THB  LIFE  ANB  T1MB8 

enced  men;  and  that  they  may  be  directed  what  nund  and 
ooune  of  life  to  prefer,  by  the  judgment  of  one  that  hath  tried 
both  before  them. 

^  The  temper  of  my  mind  hath  somewhat  altered  with  tte 
temper  of  my  body.  When  I  was  young  I  was  more  Tigoroa^ 
affectionate,  and  fervent,  in  preaching,  conference,  and  prayer, 
than,  ordinarily,  I  can  be  now.  My  style  was  more  extempo- 
rate  and  lax,  but,  by  the  advantage  of  warmth,  and  a  ruj 
familiar  moving  voice  and  utterance,  my  preaching  then  did 
more  affect  the  auditory,  than  it  did  many  of  the  last  years  be- 
fore I  gave  over  preaching.  But  what  I  delivered  then  wai 
much  more  raw,  and  had  more  passages  that  would  not  bear  the 
trial  of  accurate  judgments;  and  my  discourses  had  both  lev 
substance  and  less  judgment  than  of  late. 

^  My  understanding  was  then  quicker,  and  could  more  easQy 
manage  any  thing  that  was  newly  presented  to  it  upon  a  sudden; 
but  it  is  since  better  furnished,  and  acquainted  with  the  ways  of 
truth  and  error,  and  with  a  multitude  of  particular  mistakes  of 
the  world,  which  then  I  was  the  more  in  danger  of,  'because  I 
had  only  the  faculty  of  knowing  them,  but  did  not  actually 
know  them.  I  was  then  like  a  man  of  a  quick  understanding^ 
that  was  to  travel  a  way  which  he  never  went  before,  or  to  cast 
up  an  account  which  he  never  laboured  in  before,  or  to  play  on 
an  instrument  of  music  which  he  never  saw  before.  I  am  now 
like  one  of  somewhat  a  slower  understanding,  who  is  travelling 
a  way  which  he  hath  often  gone,  and  is  casting  up  an  account 
which  he  hath  ready  at  hand,  and  that  is  playing  on  an  instro* 
ment  which  he  hath  frequently  used :  so  that  I  can  very  confi- 
dently say  my  judgment  is  much  sounder  and  firmer  now  than  it 
Mfas  then :  for  though  I  am  now  as  competent  a  judge  of  the 
actings  of  my  own  understanding  as  then,  I  can  judge  better 
of  the  effects.  When  I  peruse  the  writings  which  I  wrote  in 
my  younger  years,  I  can  find  the  footsteps  of  my  unfurnished 
mind,  and  of  my  emptiness  and  insufficiency  :  so  that  the  man 
that  followed  my  judgment  then,  was  likelier  to  have  been  mis* 
led  bv  me  than  he  that  should  follow  it  now. 

^  In  my  younger  years,  my  trouble  for  sin  was  most  about  my 
actual  failings ;  but  now  i  am  much  more  troubled  for  inward 
defects  and  omissions,  for  want  of  the  vital  duties  or  graces 
of  the  soul.  My  daily  trouble  is  so  much  for  my  ignorance  of 
God,  weakness  of  belief,  want  of  greater  love  to  God,  strange- 
ness to  him  and  to  the  life  to  come,  and  for  want  of  a  greater 


OF  AlCHARD  BAXTER.  S81 

viffillgiiMi  to  die,  and  more  longing  to  be  with  God  in  heaven^ 
Ami  I  take  not  tome  immoralities^  though  very  great,  to  be  in 
tbemsehres  so  great  and  odious  sins,  if  they  could  be  found 
lepaimte  from  these.  Had  I  all  the  riches  of  the  world,  how 
{iadly  should  I  give  them  for  a  fuller  knowledge,  belief,  and  love, 
of  God  and  everlasting  glory !  These  wants  are  the  greatest 
burden  of  my  life,  which  oft  maketh  my  life  itself  a  burden.  I 
cannot  find  any  hope  of  reaching  so  high  in  these  enjoyments^ 
while  I  am  in  the  flesh,  as  I  once  hoped  before  this  time  to  have 
attained ;  which  maketh  me  the  wearier  of  this  sinful  world, 
that  is  honoured  with  so  little  of  the  knowledge  of  God. 
•  ^  Heretofore,  I  placed  much  of  my  religion  in  tenderness  of 
heart,  grieving  for  sin,  and  penitential  tears  ;  and  less  of  it  in 
the  love  of  God,  in  studying  his  goodness,  and  engaging  in  his 
joyftil  praises,  than  now  I  do.  Then  I  was  little  sensible  of  the 
greatness  and  excellency  of  love  and  praise,  though  I  coldly 
qpake  the  same  words  as  now  I  do.  I  am  less  troubled  for  want 
of  grief  and  tears  (though  I  value  humility,  and  refuse  not  need- 
fkl  humiliation),  but  my  conscience  now  looketh  at  love  and 
delight  in  God,  and  praising  him,  as  the  t6p  of  all  my  religious 
duties  ;  for  which  it  is  that  I  value  and  use  the  rest. 

^  My  judgment  is  much  more  for  frequent  and  serious  medita- 
tion on  the  heavenly  blessedness  than  it  was  in  my  younger  days. 
I  then  thought  that  a  sermon  on  the  attributes  of  God,  and  the 
joys  of  heaven,  was  not  the  most  excellent ;  and  was  wont  to 
say^  '  Every  body  knoweth  that  God  is  great  and  good,  and  that 
heaven  is  a  blessed  place  ;  I  had  rather  hear  how  I  may  attain 
it.'  Nothing  pleased  me  so  well  as  the  doctrine  of  regeneration 
and  the  marks  of  sincerity,  because  these  things  were  suitable 
to  me  in  that  state ;  but  now  I  had  rather  read,  hear,  meditate, 
o«i  God  and  heaven,  than  on  any  other  subject.  ,  I  perceive  that 
it  is  the  object  which  altereth  and  elevateth  the  mind ;  which 
will  resemble  that  which  it  most  frequently  feedeth  on.  It 
is  not  only  useful  to  our  comfort  to  be  much  in  heaven  in  be- 
lieving thoughts ;  it  must  animate  all  our  other  duties,  and  fortify 
us  against  every  temptation  and  sin.  The  love  of  the  end  is  the 
poise  or  spring  which  setteth  every  wheel  a-going,  and  must  put 
m  on  to  all  the  means  ;  for  a  man  is  no  more  a  Christian  indeed 
than  he  is  heavenly. 

^  Formerly  I  knew  much  less  than  now,  and  yet  was  not  half 
so  much  acquainted  with  my  ignorance :  I  had  a  great  delight 
in  the  daily^  new  discoveries  which  I  madcj  and  of  the  light  which 


389  THB  UFB  AND  TIMBS 

•hined  in  iipon  me,  like  a  man  that  cometh  into  a  ocuntiy  vfatke 
he  never  was  before ;  but  I  little  knew  either  how  imperfectly  I 
understood  those  very  points  whose  discovery  so  much  delighted 
me,  or  how  much  might  ,be  said  against  them,  or  how  many 
things  I  was  yet  a  stranger  to:  I  now  find  &r  greater  daikncsi 
in  all  things,  and  perceive  how  very  little  we  know  in  compaii- 
son  of  that  of  which  we  are  ignorant.  I  have,  therrfoN^  fiv 
meaner  thoughts  of  my  own  understanding,  though  I  most 
needs  know  that  it  is  better  furnished  than  it  was  then* 

^  I  now  see  more  good  and 'more  evil  than  heretofore  I  didi 
I  see  that  good  men  are  not  so  good  as  I  once  thought  they  were, 
but  have  more  imperfections;  and  that  nearer  apjproach  and 
fuller  trial  do  make  the  best  appefu-  more  weak  and  faulty  than 
their  admirers  at  a  distance  think.  I  find  that  few  are  ao  bad 
as  either  malicious  enemies  or  censorious,  separating  profetson 
do  imagine*  In  some,  indeed,  I  find  that  human  nature  is  cor^ 
rupted  into  a  greater  likeness  to  devils  tlian  I  once  thought  any 
on  earth  had  been ;  but  even  in  the  wicked,  usually,  there  ii 
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 ;  and  have  much  more  charity  for  many 
who  by  the  want  of  gifts  do  make  an  obscurer  profession.  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  personi, 
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  discern,  a  truly 
godly  and  sanctified  life  ;  only  ttieir  prayers  and  duties  were,  by 
accident,  kept  secret  from  other  men's  observation.  Yet  he  that 
upon  this  pretence  would  confound  the  godly  and  the  ungodly, 
may  as  well  go  about  to  lay  heaven  and  hell  together. 

^^  I  am  not  so  narrow  in  my  special  love  as  heretofore :  beiif 
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 
think  it  not  lawful  to  put  that  man  off  with  bare  church  com- 
munion, and  such  common  love  which  I  must  allow  the  wicked, 
who  professeth  himself  a  true  Christian,  by  such  a  profession  as 
I  canuot  disprove.  I  am  not  so  narrow  in  my  principles  of 
church  conununiou  as  once  I  was*   J  more  plainly  perceive  the 


Of  RicnAftD  lAxna.  I9S 

JMlbtMt  lifcWfiflU  the  ehurich  as  oongregaiei  or  thtble^  anS  !•• 
fflgcMmte,  or  mvBticiU.  I  can  now  distingiiish  between  sincerity 
Aftd  pffufeMion ;  that  a  credible  profession  is  proof  suiBcient  of 
a  man's  title  to  church  admission ;  and  that  the  profession  is 
credible  infinro  eeelerim,  which  is  not  disproved.  I  am  not  for 
narroifring  the  church  more  than  Christ  himself  alloweth  -tu| 
nor  for  robbing  him  of  any  of  his  flock.  I  am  more  sensible  how 
ttmeh  it  is  the  will  of  Christ,  that  every  man  be  the  choceer 
or  refuser  of  his  own  felicity,  and  that  it  lieth  most  on  his 
own  hands  whether  he  will  have  communion  with  the  church 
or  not^  ahd  that  if  he  be  an  hypocrite,  it  is  himself  that  will 
bear  the  loss« 

^  Yftt  I  am  more  apprehensive  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,  and  to  force  all  the  unmeet,  against  their  wills,  to 
church  communion :  though  the  ignorant  and  erroneous  may 
sometimes  be  forced  to  hear  instruction.  What  a  great  dia* 
honour  to  Christ  it  is,  when  the  church  is  as  vicious  as  Pagan 
and  Mahometan  assemblies,  and  differs  from  them  only  in  cene* 
mony  and  name ! 

^  I  am  much  more  sensible  how  prone  many  young  professora 
are  to  spiritual  pride,  and  self-conceitedness,  and  unrulinessi 
and  division,  and  so  to  prove  the  grief  of  their  teachers,  and  fire* 
brands  in  the  church  ;  and  how  much  of  a  minister's  work  lioth 
in  preventing  this,  and  humbling  and  confirming  such  young 
inexperienced  professors,  and  keeping  them  in  order  in  their 
progress  in  religion.  Yet  I  am  more  sensible  of  Uie  sin  and 
mischief  of  using  meq  cruelly  in  matters  of  religion,  and  of 
pretending  men's  good  and  the  order  of  the  church,  for  acts  of 
inhumanity  or  uncharitableness.  Such  know  not  their  own  infir^ 
mity,  ncA*  yet  the  nature  of  pastoral  government,  which  ought 
to  be  paternal  and  by  love  ;  nor  do  they  know  the  way  to  wia 
a  soul,  or  to  maintain  the  cliurch's  peace. 

'^My  soul  is  much  more  afflicted  with  the  thoughts  of  this 
mis^able  Worid,  and  more  drawn  out  in  desire  of  its  conversion^ 
than  heretofore.  I  was  wont  to  look  but  little  fiirtlier  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  understand  the  case  of  the 
worid^  and  the  method  of  the  Lord's  prayer ;  there  is  nothing 
in  the  world  that  lieth  so  heavy  upon  my  hearty  as  the  thought 


884  THB  Lins  AND  TIMB8 

of  the  miaerable  nations  of  the  earth.  It  is  the  mostaatMusUng 
part  of  all  God's  providence  to  me,  that  he  so  far  foiaakcth 
almost  all  the  world,  and  confineth  his  special  favour  to  so  few; 
that  so  small  a  part  of  the  world  hath  the  profession  of  Chm> 
tianity,  in  comparison  of  heathens,  Mahometans,  and  other  infi- 
dels ;  that  among  professed  Christians  there  are  so  few  that  an 
saved  from  gross  delusions,  and  have  any  competent  know- 
ledge ;  and  that  among  those  there  are  so  few  that  are  aeriondj 
religious,  and  who  truly  set  their  hearts  on  heaven.  I  cannot  be 
affected  so  much  with  the  calamities  of  my  own  relations  or  the 
land  of  my  nativity,  as  with  the  case  of  the  heathen,  MahomeUOi 
and  ignorant  nations  of  the  earth.  No  part  of  my  prayers  an 
so  deeply  serious  as  that  for  the  conversion  of  the  infidel  and 
ungodly  world,  that  God's  name  may  be  sanctified^  and  his  king- 
dom 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  cf 
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  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 
labour  for  the  winning  of  such  miserable  souls ;  which  maketh 
me  greatly  honour  Mr.  John  Elliot,  the  apostle  of  the  Indians  in 
New  England,  and  whoever  else  have  laboured  in  such  work. 

^^  I  am  more  deeply  afflicted  for  the  disagreements  of  Chris- 
tians 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  divided  churches :  and  therefore  I 
am  more  deeply  sensible  of  the  sinfulness  of  those  prelates  and 
pastors  of  churches  who  are  the  principal  cause  of  these 
divisions.  Oh  !  how  many  millions  of  souls  are  kept  by  them 
in  ignorance  and  ungodline^,  and  deluded  by  faction,  as  if  it 
were  true  religion  !  How  is  the  conversion  of  infidels  hindered 
by  them,  and  Christ  and  religion  heinously  dishonoured  !  Tlie 
contentions  between  the  Greek  church  and  the  Roman,  the 
Papists  and  the  Protestants,  the  Lutherans  and  the  CalvinistSi 
have  wofully  hindered  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

^  I  am  farther  than  ever  I  was  from  expecting  great  matters 
of  unity,  splendour,  or  prosperity,  to  the  church  on  earthy  or 


OP   RICHARD   BAXTfiK.  385 

It  ftaints  should  dream  of  a  kingdom  of  this  world,  or  flatter 
tmselves  with  the  hope  of  a  golden  age^  or  of  reiguing  over  the 
pKlly»  till  there  be  a  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  whereia 
cUeth  righteousness.  On  the  contrary,  I  am  more  apprchen- 
e  that  suffering  must  be  the  church's  most  ordinary  lot; 
i  true  Christians  must  be  self-denying  cross-bearers,  even 
lere  there  are  none  but  formal,  nominal  Christiana  to  be  the 
Mt-makers :  for  though,  ordinarily,  God  would  have  vicissi- 
iea  of  summer  and  winter,  day  and  night,  that  the  church 
ly  grow  externally  in  the  summer  of  prosperity,  and  inten- 
dy  and  radically  in  the  winter  of  adversity ;  yet,  usually^ 
dr  night  is  longer  than  their  day,  and  that  day  itself  hath  ita 
nrms  and  tempests. 

**  I  do  not  lay  so  great  a  stress  upon  the  external  modes  and 
noB  of  worship,  as  many  young  professors  do,  I  have  sua* 
cted  myself,  as  perhaps  the  reader  may  do,  that  this  is  from  a 
oUng  and  declining  of  my  former  zeal,  though  the  truth  is,  I 
▼er  much  complied  with  men  of  that  mind ;  but  I  find  that 
4gineut  and  charity  are  the  causes  of  it,  as  far  as  I  am  able 

discover.  I  cannot  be  so  narrow  in  my  principles  of  church 
tfnmunion  as  many  are,  that  arc  so  much  for  a  liturgy,  or 

much  against  it ;  so  much  for  ceremonies,  or  so  much 
lainst  them,  that  they  can  hold  communion  with  no  church 
at  is  not  of  their  mind  and  way. 

'^  If  I  were  among  the  Greeks,  the  Lutherans,  the  Indepen- 
^nts,  yea,  the  Anabaptists,  owning  no  heresy,  nor  setting  them- 
Ives  against  charity  and  peace,  I  would  sometimes  hold  occa* 
mal  communion  with  them  as  Christians ;  if  they  would  give 
e  leave,  without  forcing  me  to  any  sinful  subscription  or  action, 
lOugh  my  most  usual  communion  should  be  with  that  society 
hich  I  thought  most  agreeable  to  the  word  of  God  if  I  were 
ee  to  choose.  I  cannot  be  of  their  opinion,  that  think  God 
ill  not  accept  him  that  prayeth  by  the  Common  Prayer-book  ; 
id  that  such  forms  are  a  self-invented  worship,  which  God  re^ 
cteth ;  nor  yet  can  I  be  of  their  mind  that  say  the  like  of 
^tempore  prayers. 

^  I  am  much  less  regardful  of  the  approbation  of  man,  and  set 
luch  lighter  by  contempt  or  applause,  than  I  did  long  ago.  I 
n  oft  suspicious  that  this  is  not  only  from  the  increase  of  self-* 
?nial  and  humility,  but  partly  from  my  being  glutted  and  sur- 
ited  with  human  applause.  All  worldly  things  appear  most 
un  and  unsacibfactory  when  we  have  tried  them  most:  but 

VOL.  !•  c  c 


386  TBB  LIFE  AND  TIMS8 

though  I  feel  that  this  hath  some  hand  in  the  eflFiect,  yet,  as  to 
as  I  can  perceive,  the  knowledge  of  man's  nothingness,  and  God  i 
transcendent  gpreatness,  with  whom  it  is  that  I  have  moat  to  doy 
and  the  sense  of  the  brevity  of  human  things,  and  the  neameai 
of  eternity^  are  the  principal  causes  of  this  eflfect ;  which  some 
have  imputed  to  self-conceitedness  and  morosenesa. 

'*  ]  am  more  and  more  pleased  with  a  solitary  life,  and  though 
in  a  way  of  self-denial,  I  could  submit  to  the  roost  public  Kfe  to 
the  service  of  God,  when  he  requireth  it,  and  would  not  be  vh 
profitable,  that  I  might  be  private,  yet  I  must  confess  it  is  mock 
more  pleasing  to  myself  to  be  retired  from  the  worid^  and  t» 
have  very  little  to  do  with  men,  and  to  converse  with  God  and 
conscience  and  good  books. 

*^  Though  I  was  never  much  tempted  to  the  sin  of  covetoiuneM} 
yet  my  fear  of  dying  was  wont  to  tell  me  that  I  was  not  i«S« 
cienUy  loosened  from  the  world :  but  I  find  that  it  is  compaia- 
tively  very  easy  to  me  to  be  loose  from  this  world,  but  hard  to 
live  by  faith  above.  To  despise  earth,  is  easy  to  me  j  but  not  lo 
easy  to  be  acquainted  and  conversant  with  heaven*  I  hate  ink 
thing  in^this  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  apprehensive  than  long  ago  of  the  odkios* 
ness  and  danger  of  the  sin  of  pride.  Scarcely  any  sin  appeaiedi 
more  odious  to  me,  having  daily  more  acquaintance  with  the 
lamentable  naughtiness  and  frailty  of  man,  and  of  the  miscUeft 
of  that  sin ;  and  especially  in  matters  spiritual  and  ecclesiastictL 
I  think  so  far  as  any  man  is  proud,  he  is  kin  to  the  devil,  and  ot* 
terly  a  stranger  to  God  and  to  himself.  It  is  a  wonder  that  it 
should  be  a  possible  sin  to  men  that  still  carry  about  with  then^ 
in  soul  and  body,  such  hutnblhig  matter  to  remedy  as  we  all  do. 

^  I  am  much  more  sensible  than  heretofore,  of  the  breadth,  and 
length,  and  depth,  of  the  radical,  universal,  odious  sin  of  selfish* 
jiess,  and  therefore  have  written  so  much  against  it ;  and  of  the 
excellency  and  necessity  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 ;  acknowledging  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. 


or  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  387 

**  niODgh  Hiy  works  were  never  such  as  could  be  any  tempUa 
Ml  to  me  to  dream  of  obliging  Ood  by  proper  merit  in  com-^ 
itative  justice,  yet  one  of  the  most  ready,  constant,  undoubted 
ideneea  of  my  uprightness  and  interest  in  his  corensnt,  isy  the 
tiacioosness  of  my  living  devoted  to  him.  I  the  more  easily 
Here  the  pardon  of  my  failings  throi^h  my  Redeemer,  wUle 
know  that  I  serve  no  other  master^  and  that  I  know  no  other 
4,  or  trade,  ot  business,  but  that  I  am  employed  in  his  work^ 
id  make  it  the  object  of  my  life  to  live  to  him  in  the  worlds 
iHritlistanditig  my  infirmities.  This  bent  and  business  of  my 
e,  whh  my  kmgiiig  desires  after  perfection,  in  the  knowledge 
id  love  (rf  God,  and  in  a  holy  and  heavenly  mind,  are  the  two 
fetidlng,  constant,  discernible  evidences  which  most  put  me  out 
'  doubt  of.  my  sincerity.  I  find  that  constant  action  and  duty 
Vvriiat  keep  the  first  always  in  sight;  and  constant  wants 
id  weaknesses,  and  coming  short  of  my  desires,  do  make  these 
irires  the  more  troublesome,  and  so  the  more  easily  still  per- 

^  Though  my  habitual  judgment,  resolution,  and  scope  of  life, 
I  still  the  same,  yet  I  find  a  great  mutability  as  to  the  actual 
iprehensions  and  degrees  of  grace ;  and  consequently  find  that 
I  ftratable  a  thing  as  the  mind  of  man,  would  never  keep  itself 
Ood  were  not  its  keeper.  When  I  have  been  seriously  musing 
Mm  the  reatsons  of  Christianity,  with  the  concurrent  evidences 
ethodically  placed  in  their  just  advantages  before  my  eyes,  I 
B  so  clear  in  my  belief  of  the  Christian  verities,  that  Satan  hath 
tie  room  for  a  temptation ;  but  sometimes  when  he  hath  on  a 
idden  set  some  temptation  before  me,  when  the  foresaid  evi- 
mees  have  been  out  of  the  way^  or  less  upon  my  thoughts,  he 
iCh^  by  such  surprises,  amazed  me,  and  weakened  my  faith  m 
e  present  act.  So  also  as  to  the  love  of  Ood,  and  trusting  in 
n^  sometimes  when  the  motives  are  clearly  apprehended,  the 
ity  is  more  easy  and  delightful ;  and  at  other  times  I  am  merely 
issive  and  dull,  if  not  guilty  of  actual  despondency  and  distrust. 
^lYras  much  of  the  alterations  of  my  soul  since  my  youi^er 
lars,  I  thought  best  to  give  the  reader,  instead  of  all  those  ex" 
*riences  and  actual  motions  and  affections,  which  I  suppose 
m  rather  to  have  expected  an  account  of.  And  having  tran- 
ribed  thus  much  of  a  life  which  Ood  hath  read,  and  conscience 
ith  read,  and  must  further  read,  I  humbly  lament  it,  and  beg 
irdon  of  it,  as  sinful,  and  too  unequal  and  unprofitable^  I  warn 

cc2 


388  TUB  JLIFB  AND  TIMES 

the  reader  to  amend  that  in  his  own,  which  he  findeth  to  have 
been  amiss  in  mine;  confessing,  also, that  much  hatli  been  amiss 
which  I  have  not  here  particularly  mentioned,  and  that  I  ban 
not  lived  according  to  the  abundant  mercies  of  the  Lord.    Bat 
what  I  have  recorded  hath  been  especially  to  perform  my  vonvi 
and  declare  his  praise  to  all  generations,  who  hath  filled  up  mj 
'  days  with  his  invaluable  favours,  and  bound  me  to  blett  hii 
name  for  ever.     I  have  done  it  also  to  prevent  the  defectiie 
performance  of  this  task  by  some  overvaluing  brethren,  who  I 
know  intended  it,  and  were  unfitter  to  do  it  than  myself ;  and 
for  such  reasons  as  Junius,  Seultetus,  Thuanua,  and  many  otben^ 
have  done  the  like  before  me.  The  principal  of  which  are  theie 
three:   1.  As  travellers  and  seamen  use  to  do  after  great  ad- 
ventures and  deliverances,  I  hereby  satisfy  my  conscience,  in 
praising  the  blessed  Author  of  all  those  undeserved  mercki 
which  have  filled  up  my  life.  '2.  Foreseeing,  by  tiie  attempts  of 
Bishop  Morley,  what  Prelatists  and  Papists  are  likely  to  say  of 
me,  when  they  have  none  to  contradict  them,  and  how  pos- 
sible it  is  that  those  who  never  knew  me  may  believe  thcnii 
though  thay  have  lost  their  hopes  with  all  the  rest,  I  take  it  to 
be  my  duty  to  be  so  faithful  to  that  stock  of  reputation  which 
God  hath  entrusted  me  with,  as  to  defend  it  at  the  rate  of 
opening  the  truth.     Such  as  have  made  the  world  believe  thst 
Luther  consulted  with  the  devil,  that  Calvin  was  a  stigmatised 
sodomite,  that  Beza  turned  Papist,  &c.,  to  blast  their  labours,  I 
know  are  very  likely  to  say  any  thing  respecting  me,  which  their 
interest  or  malice  tell  them  will  any  way  advantage  their  cause, 
to  make  my  writings  unprofitable  when  I  am  dead.     3.  That 
young  Christians  may  be  warned  by  the  mistakes  and  failiogs 
of  my  unriper  times,  to  learn  in  patience,  live  in  watchfulnesi, 
and  not  be  fierce  and  proudly  confident  in  their  first  coocep* 
tions ;  to  reverence  ripe,  experienced  age,  and  to  beware  of 
taking  such  for  their  chief  guides,  as  have  nothing  but  imma- 
ture and  inexperienced  judgments,  with  fervent  affections  and 
free  and  confident  expressions ;  but  to  learn  of  them  that  have 
with  holiness,  study,  time,  and  trial,  looked  about  them,  as  well 
on  one  side  as  on  the  other,  and  attained  to  clearness  and  im* 
partiality  in  their  judgments. 

^^  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,  because  materially 


or  RICHARD  RArrBR.  389 

they  leeiited  small,  have  had  the  less  resistance^  and  yet  on  the 
review3  do  trouble  me  more  than  if  they  had  been  greater,  done 
in  ignorance.  It  can  be  no  small  sin  formally,  which  is  committed 
against  knowledge  and  conscience  and  deliberation,  whatever 
excuse  it  have.  To  have  sinned  while  I  preached  and  wrote 
agiiinst  sin,  and  had  such  abundant  and  great  obligations  from 
God,  and  made  so  many  promises  against  it,  dotli  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  upon 
myself,  were  it  not  forbidden.  When  God  forgiveth  me,  I 
eannot  forgive  myself;  especially  for  my  rash  words  or  deeds, 
by  which  I  have  seemed  injurious  and  less  tender  and  kind  than. 
I  sboiild  have  been  to  my  near  and  dear  relations,  whose  love 
abundantly  obliged  me.  When  such  are  dead,  though  we  never 
differed  in  point  of  interest,  or  any  other  matter,  every  sour  or 
cross,  provoking  word  which  I  gave  them,  maketh  me  almost 
irreconcilable  to  myself,  and  tells  me  how  repentance  brought 
some  of  old  to  pray  to  the  dead  whom  they  had  wronged,  to 
forgive  them,  in  the  hurry  of  their  passion. 

"That  which  I  named  before,  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  fundamentals. 
When  I  perceive  people  or  ministers  to  think  they  know  what 
indeed  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  instead  of  an  acute  understanding  and  seven  years'  study, 
I  have  no  zeal  to  make  them  of  my  opinion,  but  an  impatience 
of  continuing  discourse  with  them  on  such  subjects,  and  am  apt 
to  be  silent  or  to  turn  to  something  else ;  which,  though  there 
be  some  reason  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  tliat  people  should  quickly  understand  all  in  a  few  words  ; 
and  if  they  cannot,  to  despair  of  them,  and  leave  them  to  them- 
selves. 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  times  warning  do  no 
good  to  them,  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  warn- 
ing to  others  to  take  heed,  as  they  call  on  myself  for  repentance 
and  watchfulness.    O  Lord  !  for  the  merits,  and  sacrifice,  and 


390  TUB  LIFB  AMD  TIUMM 

interceesion  of  Chriat,  be  merciful  to  me^  a  sinnerj  waA  fbrgifs 
my  known  and  unknown  sins  T'* 

Thus  fiar  Baxter^s  review  of  his  own  experience  and  qnnioiiii 
<^If  ever  a  human  being  was  made  transparent  by  ita  own  sim- 
plioity  and  integrity,  we  may  be  justified  in  saying  it  was  Bi- 
chard  Baxter.  In  this  lengthened  and  rigid  descriptipn  of 
himself,  he  may  be  regarded  as  furnishing  us  with  that  windoir 
in  the  breast,  for  which  the  philosopher  so  ardently,  but  vainlji 
sighed,  and  by  which  he  has  enabled  us  to  see  all  its  movemsati 
and  hidden  springs.  Making  every  allowance  for  the  deceitfiil- 
ness  of  the  human  heart,  and  that  partiality  to  ourselves,  whidi 
constitutes  one  of  the  leading  evils  of  our  nature,  no  reasonable 
doubt  can  be  entertained  that  Baxter  has  given  a  very  fair  sod 
full  view  of  his  principles  and  character.  It  is  evident  that  bit 
judgment  of  himself  leaned  to  the  severe  rather  than  to  Chs 
lax  side ;  and  that  while  he  properly  wished  to  be  acqoitbri 
before  men  of  evils  and  crimes  of  which  he  had  not  been  guilty, 
and  the  admission  of  which  would  have  fixed  reproach  on  the 
Gospel,  he  was  chiefly  desirous  that  no  over  estimate  tbonid 
be  formed  of  his  attainments  as  a  Christian. 

His  solemn  warnings  to  the  young  and  inexperieneed, 
against  being  led  away  by  novelties,  and  by  rash,  inexperienced 
teachers,  are  not  to  be  regarded  as  the  doting  of  an  old 
man,  peevish  from  his  own  waning  popularity,  or  from  being 
overshadowed  by  the  splendid  attractions  of  others.  He  bsd 
had  much  experience  among  the  professors  of  religion,  aw 
many  of  whom  he  had  been  compelled  to  mourn.  His  instnK* 
tions  are  as  applicable  now  as  ever,  when  so  many  are  injured 
by  want  of  sobriety  of  mind,  and  are  ready  to  be  tossed  about 
by  every  wind  of  doctrine  ;  when  Christianity  has  come  to  be 
regarded  as  a  new  discovery,  which  nobody  has  understood  tiS 
lately,  and  the  Bible  considered  as  a  book  of  enigmas,  csps- 
ble  of  the  wildest  solutions,  and  the  most  fanciful  combini" 
tions.  To  follow  truth,  wherever  it  may  lead,  is  the  dntf 
of  all  Christians ;  to  have  the  fortitude  to  stop  where  its  en» 
dence  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  submitting  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  is  pusillani* 

c  Life,  part  i.  pp.  124—138. 


OF  mCHAAD  BAXTER.  391 

BUN18.  Both  ought  to  be  avoided  by  erery  rightly  constituted 
mind*  No  man  of  his  age  engaged  in  it  to  so  great  an  extent 
as  Baxter,  and  yet  no  man  spoke  more  against  it«  In  both  he 
was  sincere.  He  loved  not  controversy  for  its  own  sake ;  but 
he  was  frequently  impelled  by  regard  to  truth,  or  that  which  he 
considered  as  truth,  to  engage  in  what  was  most  unpleasant  to 
his  Christian  feelings.  He  sometimes  erred  in  his  judgment  in 
these  matters,  but  never  was  influenced  by  imworthy  motives,  or 
guilty  of  disingenuous  conduct.  He  loved  peace,  and  he  loved 
his  friends ;  but  he  loved  truth  more. 

It  is  instructive  to  observe  the  deep  humility  of  his  mind,  and 
the  tenderness  of  his  conscience.  As  he  approached  the  world 
of  glory,  and  appeared  to  others  to  be  eminently  fitted  for  its 
enjoyments,  the  contemplation  of  its  light  and  splendour  only 
made  his  own  darkness  and  pollution  more  apparent  to  himself. 
The  increasing  clearness  of  his  perceptions  had  not  oidy  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  unmeetness  for  its 
pure  and  perfect  felicity.  He  rejoiced,  but  he  also  trembled  ; 
he  exulted  in  hope,  but  he  also  feared  as  a  sinner.  While  the 
Divine  Character  attracted  him  by  its  infinite  love  and  compas* 
sion,  it  awed  him  by  the  majesty  of  its  holiness,  and  its  peerless 
gkiry. 

-  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 
proofii  of  the  ripeness  of  his  own  soul  for  that  blessedness  for 
which  he  so  earnestly  panted.  The  expansion  of  his  love  to 
God,  increased  his  love  to  men  ;  led  him  to  bear  with  their  in* 
firmities,  to  mourn  over  their  evils,  and  to  pity  their  miseries. 
As  he  approached  nearer  to  heaven,  he  seemed  to  breathe  more 
of  its  spirit,  and  to  carry  its  very  atmosphere,  an  atmosphere  of 
holy  love,  about  him.  He  felt  he  had  little  more  to  do  on  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  prepare  for  the  mansions  of  his  Father's  house,  in 
which  he  is  now  occupying  a  distinguished  place. 

The  public  transactions  of  the  nation,  during  the  last  years 
of  Baxter's  life,  were  of  the  highest  interest,  but  it  does  not 


392  /THB  ]JF£   AND  TIMBS 

appear,  from  any  thing  I  can  discover,  that  he  took  much  part 
in  them.  During  the  whole  of  the  reign  of  James,  with  occa» 
sioual  intermissions,  the  dissenters  continued  to  be  oppressed 
and  persecuted.  The  declaration  for  general  liberty  of  ooa- 
science,  which  was  issued  by  the  king,  in  April  1687,  waa  not 
intended  to  benefit  them,  but  to  promote  the  interests  of  Popery. 
Still  it  was  a  mercy  to  conscientious  men,  to  enjoy  an  interval 
of  repose  from  suffering.  The  dissenters  accepted  the  boon, 
though  they  hated  the  principle  on  which  it  was  conferred. 
Addresses  to  the  court  were  expected  from  them,  and  some 
were  accordingly  presented ;  but  in  these  Baxter,  and  severs! 
of  his  brethren,  refused  to  join;  though  he  availed  himself  of 
the  privilege,  which  was  justly,  though  unconstitutionally  be- 
stowed.' 

What  his  ^ews  were  of  the  Revolution,  I  am  unable  to  state. 
No  man  would  more  heartily  rejoice  in  the  deliverance  of  hii 
country,  and  the  overthrow  of  Popery,  than  Baxter :  though  it  ii 
not  improbable  that  his  conscientiousness,  and  his  peculiar  prin- 
ciples on  the  subject  of  legitimate  monarchy,  might  cause  some 
doubt  in  his  mind  respecting  the  right  of  William  and  Mary  to 
the  throne  of  England.  This,  however,  is  merely  conjecture. 
The  dissenting  ministers  of  London,  to  the  number  of  ninety, 
soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  Prince  of  Orange  in  London,  waited 
on  him,  to  congratulate  him  on  his  success,  and  to  assure  him  of 
their  hearty  concurrence  in  his  enterprise.  I  suppose  Baxter 
was  not  of  the  number,  his  age  and  infirmities  rendering  him 
unequal  to  such  a  service,  though  he  had  fully  approved  of  iL 

In  that  ever -memorable  event,  no  class  of  persons  had  greater 
reason  to  rejoice  than  the  I'rotestant  dissenters.  On  the  part  of 
William,  there  was  the  disposition  as  well  as  the  interest  to  pro* 
tect  and  encourage  them.  A  thorough  Protestant  himself,  and 
bred  in  a  country  of  religious  freedom,  he  was  the  natural  friend 
of  all  true  Protestants,  while  he  was  superior  to  those  namnr 
prejudices  which  an  exclusive  system  is  apt  to  create  and  to 
foster.  Had  his  own  views  and  wishes  been  realised,  he  would 
have  put  an  end  to  the  most  invidious  of  the  distinctions 
between  churchmen  and  dissenters,  and  would  not  have  left  it 
to  the  present  parliament  of  George  IV.,  to  perform  an  act  of 
tardy  justice  to  a  large  body  of  men  who  have  always  deserved 
well  of  their  countrv. 

All  the  efforts  of  William,  and  of  the  few  enlightened  men  by 

'  Calamy,  vol.  i.  p*  377. 


OP  EICHAai>  BAXTER.  393 

m  be  was  surrounded,  failed  to  induce  the  houses  of  parlia* 
C  to  repeal  the  Test  act,  or  to  adopt  measures  for  compre* 
ling  the  Nonconformists  within  the  pale  of  the  established 
«b.  An  act  of  toleration,  however,  was  passed,  by  which 
dissenters,  on  taking  the  oaths  to  government,  and  subscribe 
thirty-five  and  a  half  of  the  thirty^nine  articles,  should  be 
ed  under  the  full  protection  of  the  law.  This,  though  an 
srfect  measure,  was  an  unspeakable  blessing  to  men  who  had 
;  been  oppressed  and  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake.  It 
the  last  public  measure,  also,  in  regard  to  which  Baxter 
Murs  to  have  taken  some  active  part.  To  relieve  his  own 
dy  and  to  assist  his  brethren  in  coming  to  such  conclusions 
night  at  once  satisfy  their  consciences,  and  enable  them  to 
I  themselves  of  the  benefit  of  this  act,  he  drew  up  a  paper 
Gaining  his  sense  of  the  articles  which  he  was  called  to  sub- 
9e»  The  substance  of  this  paper  deserves  to  be  communi* 
dy  as  it  shows  what  were  the  sentiments  of  Baxter  on  some 
ortant  points,  towards  the  close  of  his  life,  the  construction 
sh  he  put  on  some  doubtful  expressions  in  the  articles,  and 
principle  on  which  he  thought  it  lawful  to  subscribe  ac- 
ting to  the  act  of  parliament,  that  he  might  enjoy  the  benefit 
tolerated  ministry. 

lie  last  clause  of  the  second  article,  originally  contained 
■xpression  in  Latin,  which,  though  left  out  in  the  English^ 
Biixter  to  demur  about  the  sense.  It  stated  that  Christ  died 
e  a  sacrifice  for  all  (omnibus)  the  actual  sins  of  men.  This, 
npposed,  was  not  meant  to  include  final  impenitence,  but  all 
i  of  sin  which  had  been  forsaken.  Christ's  descent  into  hell, 
he  third  article,  he  explained  of  the  state  of  separate  souls. 
It  Christ,  on  his  resurrection,  '^  took  again  his  body  with  flesh 
bones,  and  all  things  appertaining  toihe  perfection  of  man's 
ire,  and  therewith  ascended  into  heaven,"  he  understood  as 
tifjring  that  Christ  sitteth  in  heaven, with  the  same  body^ 
ifiedf  rendered  spiritual,  and  incorruptible,  which  on  earth 
consisted  of  flesh  and  bones.  In  the  strict  interpretation  of 
artiele,  the  words  would  be  contradictory  to  1  Cor.  xv.  50^ 
i  ^  flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God ;"  it 
lid  also  give  us  a  degrading  idea  of  his  body,  as  inferior  to 
It  his  people  will  possess,  who  are  to  rise  incorruptible  and 
nortal.  He  agreed  to  the  sixth  article,  as  ^'  containing  all 
iga  necessary  to  salvation^  if  the  ministry,  sacraments^  and 


394  THB  LIVB  AND  TDCBS 

church  commDnioiii  came  under  thU  description ;  and  i^  iftder 
the  title  of  *'  canonical  books/'  were  included  the  Epistlei  to  the 
Hebrews,  the  2d  of  Peter,  and  the  2d  and  3d  of  John,  Jude^ 
and  the  Revelation.    He  entered  his  protest  againat  the  dame 
in  the  seventh  article,  '^  That  the  civil  precepts  of  the  law  gives 
from  God  by  Moses,  ought  not  of  necessity  to  be  received  in  anj 
commonwealth,''  unless  it  referred  only  to  the  particular  ciiil 
laws  peculiar  to  the  Jewish  commonwealth,  and  not  to  thoie 
moral  laws  included  in  the  Mosaic  dispensation ;  which  are  of 
universal  obligation,  and  common  to  all  Christian  nations.    He 
assented  to  the  eighth  article  on  the  Uiree  creeds^  provided  bi 
was  not  understood  to  admit  two  Gods,  by  subscribing  the  daiM 
in  the  Nicene  creed,  '*  God  of  God,  very  God  of  very  God;"  or 
to  assent  to  the  damnatory  clause  of  the  Athanaman  creed.  He 
explained  the  infection  of  nature  remaining  even  in  the  regene* 
rate,  according  to  the  ninth  article,  to  be  so,  not  in  predomiaint 
force  or  unpardoned,  but  in  a  modified  and  subdued  d^gitet 
The  language  of  the  tenth  article,  that  ^^  we  have  no  power  to 
do  good  works,"  he  softened  into  an  acknowledgment  that 
^^our  natural   powers  or  faculties  are  not  sufficient  withont 
grace."   That  the  eleventh  article  might  not  be  construed  si 
giving  countenance  to  a  disregard  of  righteousness  of  life,  be 
enters  at  large  into  it.     He  was  anxious  to  be  understood  as 
expressing,  by  the  twelfth  article,  that  ^'  good  works  do  spring 
out  necessarily  of  a  true  and  lively  faith,"  an  hypothetical  ne* 
cessity,  consistent  with  freedom ;  and  he  expounded  the  lait 
clause,  ^^  that  by  them,"  t.  e.  good  works,  ^'  a  lively  faith  may 
be  as  evidently  expressed,  as  a  tree  discerned  by  the  fruit,"  to 
mean  a  truth  of  evidence,  not  an  equal  degree.     His  explana-' 
tion  of  the  thirteenth  article,  **  Of  works  before  juKtificatioBf" 
seems  to  set  it  aside,  by  asserting  the  existence  of  commoo  grM^ 
preparatory  to  special  grace;  and  to  contradict  it,  by  referring 
to  the  texts,  which  declare,  that  ^^  to  him  that  hath  by  improve- 
ment shall  be  given,  and,  in  every  nation  he  that  feareth  God 
and  worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted  of  him ;"  and  by  obsenr- 
ing,  that  believing  in  the  being  of  God,  and  that  he  is  the 
rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  him,  is,  ^'  better  than 
nothing,  and  than  mere  sin."  He  supposed  that  the  phrase, 
'*  voluntary  works,"  in  the  fourteenth  article,  or  work  of  super* 
erogation,  was  not  designed  to  stigmatise,  as  arrogant  and  inn 
^ious,  voluntary  canons.  Impositions,  oaths,  and  church  offices* 


OF  RICHABB  BAXTBK.  S95 

TliA  rixteenth  article,  ^  Of  sin  after  bapdstn,^  he  mippoees  to 
ftflir  only  to  the  unpardoned  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  a 
total  departure  from  common  grace,  and  some  degree  of  habit 
■ad  aet  of  some  special  grace ;  but  that  it  does  not  determine 
the  controversy  concerning  a  total  and  final  falling  away  from 
mch  an  unconfirmed  grace  as  would  otherwise  save. 

On  the  eighteenth  article,  ^^Of  obtaining  eternal  salvation 
only  by  the  name  of  Christ,^'  he  observes,  that  God  judgeth  men 
by  no  other  law  than  that  which  they  were  under  2  that  the 
Jewish  peculiarity  did  not  repeal  the  gracious  law  made  to 
fallen  mankind  in  Adam  and  Noah :  that  God  had  more  people 
of  old  than  the  Jews  and  proselytes.    On  these  principles  he 
fiwneetves  that  the  article  could  not  mean  to  denounce  a  curse 
on  all  who  thought  that  the  spirit  and  grace  of  Christ  extended 
Ifeyond  the  knowledge  of  his  name,  and  who  hoped  that  some 
who  never  heard  it  would  be  saved.     If  it  were  intended   to 
apply  to  such,   he  declares  that  he  would  not  curse  them) 
adding,  all  were  not  accursed  who  hoped  well  of  Socrates,  Anto<^ 
rnius,  Severus,  Cicero,  Epictetus,  Plutarch,  and  such  characters. 
He  appeals  to  the  case  of  the  Jews  of  old,  as  having  more  im- 
perfeet  notions  of  the  character  of  Christ,  than  the  apostles  be- 
fore his  resurrection ;  and  to  the  erroneous  sentiments  of  even 
the  apostles  themselves  before  that  event,  who  did  not,  till  after« 
wards,  believe  in  the  death  of  Christ  for  our  sins,  in  his  rising 
again,  in  his  ascension  and  intercession.     ^'  Though  faith,''  he 
considered,  ^^  in  these  facts  not  to  be  essential  to  Christianity ,'' 
lie  declares,  ^  If  I  durst  curse  all  the  world,  who  now  believe  no 
more  than  the  ancient  Jews  and  the  apostles  then  did,  yet  I  durst 
not  curse  all  Christians  that  hope  better  of  them,    l^e  twenty- 
third  article,  ^^  of  ministering  in  the  congregation,*'  he  inter* 
prets  so  as  to  make  it  comprehensive  of  the  holy  orders  of  the 
Nonconformist.    The  article  itself  describes  and  judges  those  to 
he  lawfully  called  to  preach  and  administer  the  sacraments, 
^  who  are  chosen  and  called  to  this  work  by  men  who  have  public 
authority  given  them  in  the  congregation,  to  call  and  send  mi- 
nisters into  the  Lord's  vineyard/'     He  declares  he  understood 
public  authority  to  mean  '^  authority  given  by  Christ  in  his 
•Scripture  institution,  and  by  those  whom  Christ  authorises  under 
him."     This  was  a  latitude  of  interpretation  beyond  the  inten- 
tion of  the  compilers,  who  certainly  had  in  view  the  exclu- 
sive authority  of  bishops.    On  the  twenty-fifth  article,  of  ^^  The 
Sacraments,"  in  which  they  are  represented,  "  not  as  badges  and 


396  TH£  LIFJS  AND  TIMES 

tokens  only  of  the  Christian  profession^''  he  explains  lumself  as 
holding  them  to  be  ^^  certain  sure  witnesses  and  e£Rectual  ugns 
of  grace  and  of  God*s  goodwill :''  that  they  signify  what  God 
offers,  invesit  the  true  believing  receiver  in  the  right  of  pardon^ 
adoption,  and  salvation;  and  are  morally  operative/'  On 
the  twenty-sixth  article, ''  Of  the  unworthiness  of  ministtts, 
which  hinders  not  the  effect  of  sacraments,"  he  saya^  ''  That 
though  the  ignorance  and  wickedness  of  the  minister  do  not 
make  void  the  sacraments,  yet  the  prayers,  preaching,  and  ex* 
ample  of  able  and  godly  men,  are  usually  more  effectual,  since 
'  God  heareth  not  sinners,'  as  the  blind  man  argued :  *  but  if 
any  be  a  worshipper  of  him,  and  dotli  his  will,  him  he  heareth;' 
and  to  the  wicked  God  saith, '  What  hast  thou  to  do  to  take  my 
covenant  into  thy  mouth  ?'  "  He  observes  also,  on  this  artick, 
^^  That  to  prefer  a  bad  man  before  a  better,  was  sin ;  and  that  it 
was  dangerous  to  encourage  in  daily  sin  those,  who,  though  des- 
titute of  the  essential  qualifications,  usurped  the  sacred  office  of 
bishops  or  pastors." 

Baxter  concludes  his  sense  of  the  subscribed  articles,  bjr 
saying,  ^Mf  I  have  hit  on  the  true  meaning,  I  subscribe  my 
assent;  and  I  thank  God  that  this  national  church  hath  doe- 
trine  so  sound.  I  pity  those  who  write,  preach,  or  practise 
contrary  to  the  articles  which  they  subscribe ;  and  that  accuse 
those  who  refuse  to  subscribe  them,  take  those  for  sinners  who 
take  not  them  for  pastors,  alleging  that  their  wickedness  nuUeth 
not  their  sacramental  administrations."  ' 

When  he  subscribed,  he  produced  this  explanation  of  the 
thirty-five  articles  and  a  half,  that  his  views  in  doing  so  might 
not  be  misunderstood.  Eighty  of  the  dissenting  ministers  in  Loo- 
don  concurred  with  him  in  his  explanations  and  objections;  and 
thus  satisfied  themselves  that  they  had  done  what  was  rigfau 
It  was  probably  the  best  thing  which  the  government  could  do 
at  the  time,  so  that  the  dissenters  were  glad  to  accept  of  it 
But  such  a  subscription  was  found  to  be  a  poor  protection, 
either  to  church  or  state,  and  has  long  since  been  entirely  done 
away.  Baxter's  objections  to  many  of  the  clauses  in  the  sub- 
scribed articles,  discover  both  his  conscientiousness,  and,  on 
some  points,  the  peculiarity  of  his  sentiments.  The  number  who 
united  with  him  in  this  paper,  shows  the  extent  to  which  his 
views  were  then  held  among  the  dissenters,  as  well  as  the  great 
influence  which  he  had  among  his  brethren. 

V  Calamy's  <  Abridg^ineut/  vol.  i.  pp.  469-^76. 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  39? 

The  affair  of  the  agreement  of  the  London  Presbyterian 
and  Independent  minUters,  must  have  interested  Baxter  niuehy 
though  he  does  not  appear  to  have 'taken  any  active  part  in  it. 
Union  was  on  object  always  so  dear  to  his  heart,  that  every 
scheme  for  promoting  it  would  meet  with  his  cordial  concur- 
leucet  M  l<^ng  as  he  was  capable  of  thinking  or  speaking.  The 
articles  were  published  in  1692^  but  they  had  all  been  agreed  to 
before  Baxter's  death.  Howe  was  the  leading  manager  of  the 
agreement,  the  object  of  which  was  rather  to  discountenance 
ttdew  contentions  about  matters  of  ecclesiastical  discipline 
among  the  dissenters,  than  to  form  a  corporate  body,  or  to  con- 
vey the  idea  of  entire  agreement  on  doctrinal  points.  The 
style  of  these  articles  shoMrs,  I  think,  that  Baxter's  judgment 
and  feelings  had  been  consulted.^  From  the  date  of  this  agree- 
ment, Presbyterianism  may  be  said  to  have  existed  but  in  name 
in  England. 

If  we  have  followed  Baxter  through  a  long  life  of  painful  trials, 
and  contention  for  peace  and  liberty,  it  is  delightful  that  its 
closing  scenes  should  be  tranquil  and  cheering.  <  He  lived  not 
only  till  the  dawn  of  a  brighter  day,  but  after  it  had  considerably 
-advanced.  The  church,  it  is  true,  had  not  comprehended  the 
Nonconformists,  or  relaxed  the  rigidity  of  her  terms.  On  the 
contrary,  after  she  had  completely  secured  her  own  chartered 
rights  and  privileges,  and  had  little  to  fear  from  the  common 
enemy,  she  began  to  look  on  the  dissenters  with  more  sternness 
and  severity  than  before  the  Revolution.  But  though  she  had 
the  power  and  the  disposition  to  frown  and  to  threaten,  the 
ability  to  injure  was  lost.  The  security  and  repose  of  the  go- 
vernment, required  that  all  parties  should  be  protected ;  Baxter 
and  his  brethren,  therefore,  were  left  to  pursue  their  labours, 
whether  of  the  pulpit  or  the  press,  without  molestation.  No 
longer  hunted  by  spies  and  informers,  traduced  by  malicious  and 
interested  enemies,  dragged  before  packed  juries  and  unprin- 
cipled judges,  to  be  condemned  to  ruinous  fines,  or  still  more  in- 
jurious imprisonments  and  confiscation,  they  were  enabled,  with 
comfort  and  joy,  to  ^'  make  full  proof  of  their  ministry."  If 
they  no  longer  worshipped  in  splendid  and  consecrated  edifices, 
or  enjoyed  the  emoluments  of  the  state  as  the  rewards  of  their 
ministry,  in  their  quiet,  sequestered  meetings,  sustained  by  the 
voluntary  benevolence  of  their  flocks,  they  were  honoured  to  turn 

^  Calamy's  *  Abridgment,'  vol.  i.  fp.  476— ^b3. 


398  TAB  LIFE  AND  TlMBt 

many  sinners  to  righteousness,  and  to  fit  many  a  saint  (br  the  in- 
heritance  above.  In  this  delightful  work  were  the  few  icmun* 
ing  years  of  Baxter  chiefly  employed. 

From  the  time  of  his  release  from  imprisonment,  he  lived  is 
Charter-house  Square,  near  the  meeting-house  then  occopM 
by  his  friend  Sylvester.  He  preaehed  gratuitously  far  hitt  m 
the  Lord  Vday  mornings,  and  every  alternate  Thursday  mornings 
as  long  as  his  strength  permitted. 

"  When  he  had  continued  about  four  yeaw  and  H  half  with 
me,"  says  Sylvester,  **  he  waa  then  disabled  from  going  forth 
any  more  to  his  ministerial  work  ;  so  that  what  be  did  lA  the 
residue  of  his  life  was  in  his  own  hired  house,  where  he  opened  hii 
doors  morning  and  evening,  every  day,  to  all  that  wvnld  ^aam 
to  join  tn  family  worship  with  him ;  to  ^hom  he  read  the  hdy 
Scriptures,  from  whence  *  he  preached  the  kingdom  of  Ood^  and 
taught  those  things  which  concern  the  Liord  Jesus  Christ,  with 
all  confidence,  no  man  forbidding  him,*  even  as  one  gteat«f  than 
himself  had  done  before  him.  But  at  last,  his  growing  dis- 
tempers and  infirmities  took  him  off  from  this  also,  eonfiniiig 
him  first  to  his  chamber .  and  then  to  his  bed.  There,  though' 
pain  and  sickness  wasted  his  body,  his  soul  abode- 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  etemtl 
welfare.'** 

The  latter  years  of  his  life,  though  fiill  of  bodily  suffering 
and  sorrow,  and  less  occupied  with  the  public  service  of  God,' 
were  not  years  of  idleness.  Between  the  year  1682  and  hnf 
death,  he  wrote  many,  and  some  of  the  most  useful,  of  hjs  works. 
Without  giving  a  minute  detail  of  single  sermons  and  tracts,  it 
is  enough  to  mention,  that,  during  this  period,  he  Wrote  his 

*  True  History  of  Councils,  enlarged  and  defended ;  *  his  *  Treatises 
on  the  Immortality  of  the  Soul,  and  the  Nature  of  Spirits;'  hb 

*  Compassionate  Counsel  to  Young  Men,'  and  his  '  Family  Cate- 
chism ; '  his  *  Dying  Thoughts;  *  his  '  Dangerous  Schismatic  de* 
tected;'  his  'Catholic  Communion  defended;'  his  'Paraphrase 
on  the  New  Testament;'  his  'English  Nonconformity;'  hir 
Treatises  on  '  Knowledge  and  Love  Compared,  and  Cain  and 
Abel  Malignity; '  several  pieces  on  the  Antinomian  and  Millena- 
rian  Controversies,  &c.  &c.   The  very  last  productions  of  his  pen 

'  Sylf  ester's  '  Funeral  Sermon,'  p.  18. 


or  RICHARD  BAXTER*  399 

rimr,  that,  if  his  eyes  had  waxed  dim,  and  his  natttral  force  had 
abated,  the  vigour  and  ardour  of  his  mind  bad  scarcely,  if  at  all, 
been  impaired* 

Dr.  Calamy,  who  visited  him  during  the  last  year  of  his  life, 
tells  OS,  **  He  talked  in  the  pulpit  with  great  freedom  about 
another  world,  like  one  that  had  been  there,  and  was  come  as  a 
sort  of  an  express  firom  thence,  to  make  a  report  concerning  it.- 
He  delifered  himself  in  public  as  well  as  in  private,  with  great 
imcity  and  freedom,  and  his  thoughts  had  a  peculiar  edge/'^ 

Dr.  Bates  has  furnished  the  most  minute  and  most  interesting 
account  of  the  last  trying  scene  of  Baxter's  pilgrimage.  His 
flmend  sermon  for  him  is  one  of  the  best  specimens  of  the 
pleaching  of  that  truly*  excellent  man.  He  had  closely  studied 
the  character  of  his  friend,  to  whom  he  appears  to  have  beeir 
most  tenderiy  attached,  and  on  whom  he  has  pronounced  an 
euloigium,  not  more  deserved  by  his  character,  than  it  is  beau* 
tifnl  in  itself.  At  present,  I  shall  restrict  myself  entirely  to  his 
aeeoont  of  Baxter's  sickness  and  death. 

^  He  continued  to  preach  so  long,  notwithstanding  his  wasted^ 
languishing  body^  that  the  last  time  he  almost  died  in  the  puN 
pit*  It  would  doubtless  have  been  his  joy  to  have  been  trans- 
figured 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  affectation.  This  excellent  saint  was  the  same  in  his 
life  and  death ;  his  last  hours  were  spent  in  preparing  others 
and  himself  to  appear  before  Ood.  He  said  to  his  friends  that 
visited  him, '  You  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  prepare  for 
death.  Have  a  care  of  this  vain,  deceitful  world,  arid  the  lusts 
of  the  flesh ;  be  sure  you  choose  God  for  your  portion,  heaven 
for  your  home,  Qod's  glory  for  jrour  end,  his  word  for  your  rule, 
and  then  you  need  never  fear  but  we  shidl  meet  with-  comfort. 

^  Never  vras  penitent  sinner  more  humble,  never  was  a  sincere 
believer  more  calm  and  comfortable.  He  acknowledged  him^ 
self  to  be  the  vilest  dunghill  worm  ftwas  his  usual  expression) 
that  ever  went  to  heaven.  He  admired  the  divine  condescension 
to  us,  c^ten  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  upon  record  in 

i  Cslamy't  own  Life,  vol.  L  pp.  IMO,  22h 


400  THE   LIFE   AND  TIMES 

the  Gospel  as  an  effectual  prayer.  He  said,  God  may  justly 
condemn  me  for  the  best  duty  1  ever  did ;  all  my  hopes  are 
from  tlie  free  mercy  of  God  in  Christ,  which  he  often  prayed 
for. 

*'  After  a  slumber,  he  ivaked,  and  said^  ^  I  shall  rest  from  my 
labour.'  A  minister  then  present,  said, '  And  your  works  will 
follow  you.'  To  whom  he  replied,  *  No  works ;  I  will  leare  oat 
works,  if  God  will  grant  me  the  other.'  When  a  friend  vru 
comforting  him  with  the  remembrance  of  the  good  many  bad 
received  by  his  preaching  and  writings,  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  dek- 
ness  was  eminent*  When  extremity  of  pain  constnuned  him 
earnestly  to  pray  to  God  for  his  release  by  death,  he  would  chedi 
himself:  *  It  is  not  fit  for  me  to  prescribe— when  thou  wilt, 
what  thou  wilt,  how  thou  wilt.' 

^^  Being  in  great  anguish,  he  said, '  O  !  how  unsearchable  are 
his  ways,  and  his  paths  ])ast  finding  out;  the  reachea  of  bit 
providence  we  cannot  fathom  1'  And  to  his  friends,  ^  Do  not 
think  the  worse  of  religion  for  what  you  see  me  suffer.' 

^' Being  often  asked  by  his  friends,  how  it  was  with  his  inward 
man,  he  replied,  ^  I  bless  God  I  have  a  well-grounded  assurance 
of  my  eternal  happiness,  and  great  peace  and  comfort  within.' 
But.it  was  his  trouble  he  could  not  triumphantly  express  it,  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  believing  apprehensions  of  the  invisible  state^ 
he  replied,  ^  What  else,  think  you,  Christianity  serves  for  ?'  He 
said,  the  consideration  of  the  Deity  in  his  glory  and  greatness^ 
was  too  high  for  our  thought ;  but  the  consideration  of  the  Son 
of  God  in  our  nature,  and  of  the  saints  in  heaven^  whom  he 
knew  and  loved,  did  much  sweeten  and  familiarise  heaven  to 
him.  The  description  of  it,  in  Heb.  xii.  22,  was  most  com- 
fortable to  him ;  ^  that  he  was  going  to  the  innumerable  com- 
pany 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  things  than  the  blood  of 
Abel.'    That  scripture,  he  said^  deserved  a  thousand  thousand 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER*'  401' 

thoughts.  Oh  !  how  comfortable  is  that  promise ;  ^  Eye  hath  not 
seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of  roan 
to  conceive,  the  things  God  hath  laid  up  for  those  who  love  him/ 
At  another  time,  he  said,  that  he  found  great  comfort  and  sweet- 
ness in  repeating  the  words  of  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  was  sorry 
some  good  people  were  prejudiced  against  the  use  of  it,  for  there 
were  all  necessary  petitions  for  soul  and  body  contained  in  it. 
At  other, times,  he  gave  excellent  counsel  to  young  ministers 
that  visited  him;  earnestly  prayed  to  God  to  bless  their 
labours,  and  make  them  very  successful  in  converting  many 
souls  to  Christ ;  expressed  great  joy  in  the  hopes  that  God 
would  do  a  great  deal  of  good  by  them ;  and  that  they  were  of 
moderate^  peaceful  spirits. 

^  He  often  prayed  that  God  would  be  merciful  to  thil  misera-. 
ble^  distracted  world,  and  that  he  would  preserve  his  church 
and  interest  in  it.  He  advised  his  friends  to  beware  of  self- 
conceit,  as  a  sin  that  was  likely  to  ruin  this  nation;  and 
said^  '  I  have  written  a  book  against  it,  which  I  am  afraid  has 
done  little  good.'  Being  asked,  whether  he  had  altered  his 
mind  in  controversial  points,  he  said.  Those  that  please,  may 
know  my  mind  in  my  writings ;  and  that  what  he  had  done, 
was  not  for  his  own  reputation,  but  for  the  glory  of  God. 

*'  I  went  to  him,  with  a  very  worthy  friend,  Mr.  Mather,  of 
New  Elngland,  the  day  before  he  died ;  and  speaking  some 
comforting  words  to  him,  he  replied,  *  I  have  pain ;  there  is  no 
arguing  against  sense,  but  1  have  peace,  I  have  peace.'  1  told 
him.  You  are  now  approaching  to  your  long-desired  home ;  he 
answered,  *  I  believe,  I  believe/  He  said  to  Mr.  Mather,  *I  bless 
God  that  you  have  accomplished  your  business;  the  Lord  prolong 
your  life/  He  expressed  great  willingness  to  die ;  and  during 
bis  sickness,  when  the  question  was  asked,  ^  How  he  did  ?'  his 
reply  was, '  Almost  well.'  His  joy  was  most  remarkable,  when, 
in  his  own  apprehensions,  death  was  nearest ;  and  his  spiritual 
joy  was  at  length  consummated  in  eternal  joy/'  ^ 

"  On  Monday,"  says  Sylvester,  ^*  about  five  in  the  evening, 
death  sent  his  harbinger  to  summon  him  away.  A  great  trem- 
bling 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 

k  Bates'  Works,  pp.  820,  821. 

>  Thf  bodily  i ulferinj^ft  of  i^^xler  must  have  b^en  Inteusely  great  ia  the 
VOL.  1.  JD  JD 


40i{  THB  UFB  AND  TIMBft 

■ 

constant  attendant  in  his  weakness^  Mrs.  Bushel,  his  house- 
keeper, whether  he  knew  her  or  not,  requesting  some  sign  of  it 
if  he  did ;  he  softly  cried, '  Death,  death  V  He  now  felt  the  be- 
nefit of  his  former  preparations  for  the  trying  time.  The 
last  words  that  he  spake  to  me,  on  being  informed  1  was  come 
to  see  him,  were, '  Oh  1  thank  him,  I  thank  him/  and  tuniiag 
his  eye  to  me,  he  said,  ^  The  Lord  teach  you  how  to  die/  "^ 

'^  As  to  himself,  even  to  the  last,  I  never  could  perceive  hii 
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  de- 
sired by  him.  As  to  the  influence  thereof  upon  hb  spiritj  in 
order  to  the  sensible  refreshments  of  it,  he  clearly  saw  whst 
ground  he  had  to  rejoice  in  God ;  he  doubted  not  of  his  fight 
to  heaven.  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  tnuH 
sports  of  spirit,  when  sensible  of  their  approaching  death ;  wheoi 
though  he  thought  he  knew  as  much  as  they,  and  bad  as  ra- 
tional satisfaction  as  they  could  have  that  his  soul  was  safi^  ho 
could  never  feel  their  sensible  consolations.  I  asked  him,  whe- 
ther much  of  this  was  not  to  be  resolved  into  bodily  constitu- 
tion, he  told  me  that  he  thought  it  might  be  so. 

'^He  expired,  on  Tuesday  morning,  about  four  o'clock, 
December  8,  1691.  Though  he  expected  and  desired  his  dis- 
solution to  have  been  on  the  Lord's-day  before,  which,  with 
joy  to  me,  he  called  a  hitjih  day,  because  of  his  desired  change 
then  expected  by  him/'" 

A  wicked  and  groundless  report  appears  to  have  been  cir- 
culated shortly  after  his  death,  that  his  mind  had  been  greatly 
troubled  with  sceptical  doubts  before  he  died.  It  was  brought 
to  Sylvester  on  such  authority  that  he  found  it  necessary  to  give 
it  a  formal  refutation.  After  quoting  a  letter  from  Worcester- 
shire, referring  to  it,  he  thus  replies  to  it : 

litter  part  of  his  life.  It  appears  from  his  owd  narrative,  that  he  caniidertd 
the  stone  one  ipreat  cause  of  the  acute  pains  which  he  eiperieuced.  In  ptrt 
iii  p.  179,  is  g;iven  a  loug  and  sing^ular  account  of  himself,  in  reference  to  ihih 
At  the  conclusion,  he  says,  **  Whether  it  be  schyrus,  or  stone,  which  I  doubt 
not  of,  I  leave  them  to  tell  who  shall  dissect  my  corpse.''  He  appears  to  havt 
formed  a  correct  opinion  uf  his  own  case ;  for  though  we  have  no  account  of 
any  post-moriem  examination  of  his  body,  a  stone  extracted  from  him  is  stiU 
preserved  in  the  British  Museum.  It  is  very  lar^,  of  a  bluish  colour,  sa^ 
resembling  in  shape  the  kidney  itself. 

•  FiuMial  ScrmoBi  p,  1$,  •  FVtftM  to  Bailer's  LIfef 


Of  RIOHAAD  BAXTSE.  408 

^  AMAmfmcmiur  says  Sylvester ;  <<  What  will  degenerate 
ID  stick  at !  We  know  nothing  here  that  conld,  in  the  least, 
iidster  to  such  a  report  as  this.  I  that  was  with  him  all  along, 
tro  ever  heard  him  triumphing  in  his  heavenly  expectation, 
d  ever  speaking  like  one  that  could  never  have  thought  it 
xtfa  ■  man's  while  to  be,  were  it  not  for  the  great  interest 
nI  ends  of  godliness.  He  told  me  that  he  doubted  not,  but 
at  it  would  be  best  for  him.  when  he  had  left  this  life  and  was 
UMlated  to  the  heavenly  regions. 

**  He  owned  what  he  had  written,  with  reference  to  the  things 
Ood,  to  the  very  last.  He  advised  those  that  came  near  him 
MiiiUy  to  mind  their  souls'  concerns.    The  shortness  of  time, 

•  instancy  of  eternity,  the  worth  of  souls,  the  greatness  of 
Bd^  the  riches  of  the  grace  of  Christ,  the  excellency  and 
iport  of  an  heavenly  mind  and  life,  and  the  great  usefulness 

*  the  word  and  means  of  grace  pursuant  to  eternal  purposes, 
■er  lay  pressingly  upon  his  own  heart,  and  extorted  from 
V  very  useful  directions  and  encouragements  to  all  that  came 
MV  liim,  even  to  the  last ;  insomuch  that  if  a  polemical  or 
lamtical  point,  or  any  speculation  in  philosophy  or  divinity, 
id  been  but  offered  to  him  for  his  resolution,  after  the  clearest 
kI  briefest  representation  of  his  mind,  which  the  proposer's  sa- 
ifiwtion  called  for,  he  presently  and  most  delightfully  fell  into 
mversation  about  what  related  to  our  Christian  hope  and 
ork."*> 


Baxter  was  buried  in  Christ-church,  where  the  ashes  of  hifl 
iCs  and  her  mother  had.  been  deposited.  His  funeral  was 
ilended  by  a  great  number  of  persons  of  different  ranks,  espe- 
ally  of  ministers.  Conformists  as  well  as  Nonconformists,  p 
lio  were  eager  to  testify  their  respect  for  one  of  whom  \t 
dght  have  been  said  with  equal  truth,  as  of  the  intrepid  re- 
vmer  of  the  North,  '^  There  lies  the  man  who  never  feared  the 
ice  of  man." 

His  last  trill  is  dated  July  7,  1689.  The  beginning  of  M 
Bwrves  to  be  quoted. 

^  I,  Richard  Baxter,  of  London,  clerk,  an  unworthy  servant 
F  Jesus  Christ,  drawing  to  the  end  of  this  transitory  life, 
Bviog,  through  God's  great  mercy,  the  free  use  of  my  under** 

•  PrefiMe  to  Baxter's  Life. 

t  Pr.  Earl  informed  Mr.  Palmer  that  be  Wat  one  of  the  spectators,  and  that 
IS  train  d  coaches  reached  from  Merchant  Taylors'  Hall,  from  whence  M 
iipsc  wu  carried,  to  the  place  of  buriaL— iVMcwN.  Mmm*  vol^  \SL  p«  400« 

DD2 


404  THB   LIFE  AND  TIMES 

standing,  do  make  this  my  last  will  and  testament,  revoking  all 
other  wills  formerly  made  by  me.  My  spirit  I  commit,  frith 
trust  and  hope  of  the  heavenly  felicity,  into  the  hands  of  Jesus 
my  glorified  Redeemer  and  Intercessor ;  and,  by  his  mediation, 
into  the  hands  of  God  my  reconciled  Father,  the  infinite  eter- 
nal  Spirit,  light,  life,  and  love,  most  great  and  wise,  and  good, 
the  God  of  nature,  grace,  and  glory ;  of  whom  and  through 
whom  and  to  whom  are  all  things ;  my  absolute  Owner,  Ruler, 
Benefactor,  whose  1  am,  and  whom  I,  though  imperfecdy, 
serve,  seek,  and  trust ;  to  whom  be  glory  for  ever,  amen*  To 
him  I  render  most  humble  thanks,  that  he  hath  filled  up  my 
life  with  abundant  mercy,  and  pardoned  my  sin  by  the  merits  of 
Christ,  and  vouchsafed  by  his  Spirit  to  renew  me  and  seal  tne 
as  his  own,  and  to  moderate  and  bless  to  me  my  long  suflFerings 
in  the  flesh,  and  at  last  to  sweeten  them  by  his  own  interest  and 
comforting  approbation,  who  taketh  the  cause  of  love  and  con- 
cord as  his  own,"  &c. 

He  ordered  his  books  to  be  distributed  among  poor  scho^ 
lar8.4  All  that  remained  of  his  estate,  after  a  few  legadet 
to  his  kindred,  he  disposed  of  for  the  benefit  of  the  souls  and 
bodies  of  the  poor ;  and  he  left  Sir  Henry  Ashurst,  Rowland 
Hunt,  of  Boraton,  esq.,  Mr.  Thomas  Hunt,  merchant,  Edward 
Harley,  Esq.,  Mr.  Thomas  Cook,  merchant,  Mr.  Thomas  Trench, 
merchant,  and  Mr.  Robert  Bird,  gentleman,  his  executors.' 

His  principal  heir  was  his  nephew,  William  Baxter,  a  person 
of  considerable  attainments  as  a  scholar,  and  an  antiquary. 
He  was  born  in  Shropshire,  in  1650.  His  early  education,  it 
would  seem,  was  neglected ;  which  can  be  accounted  for  only 
on  the  ground  that  there  was  something  in  his  situation  or 
disposition  that  prevented  his  uncle  from  affording  him  that 
assistance,  which  he  would  doubtless  have  given.  From  some 
letters  between  him  and  Mrs.  Baxter,  still  preserved,  however,  it 
appears  that  a  measure  of  aid  was  afforded  him.  He  surmounted 
the  difficulties  of  his  early  circumstances,  and  made  very  consi- 
derable classical  attainments.  He  kept  an  academy  for  soni6 
years  at  Tottenham  Cross,  Middlesex,  which  he  gave  up  on 
being  chosen  master  of  Mercers'- school,  London,  where  he  con- 
tinued for  twenty  years,  and  resigned  a  short  time  before  his 
death,  which  took  place  in  1723.     He  published  several  works, 

«  These  were  distributed  by  Mr.  Sylvester.    Among  the  Baxter  MSS.  art 
t«oeipts  addressed  td  him  from  various  individuals  who  received  them. 
'  CaUuD/s  *  Abridgment,'  vol.  i.  p.  404. 


OP  RICHARD  BAXTER.  405 

which  brought  him  considerable  fame  as  a  scholar ;  among 
others — a  Critical  Edition  of  Anacreon — and  one  of  Horace — a 
Dictionary  of  British  Antiquities — and  a  Glossary  of  Roman 
Antiquities.  This  last  was  a  posthumous  publication.  It  ap* 
peared  in  1726,  with  the  title  of  ^Reliquiae  Baxterianae,*  &c. 
Prefixed  to  it  is  a  fragment  of  a  Latin  life  of  himself,  in  which 
he  gives  a  short  character  of  his  uncle  ;  which  I  have  inserted 
for  the  amusement  of  the  learned  reader,  in  the  note  below.' 

Funeral  sermons  were  preached  for  Baxter,  by  his  excellent 
friend^  and  companion  in  labour,  Sylvester;  and  also  by  Dr. 
Bates ;  both  of  which  have  been  published.  The  former  was 
preached  in  Charter- house-yard,  to  what  might  be  considered 
in  part  Baxter's  own  congregation.  It  is  entitled  ^Elisha's  Cry 
after  Eiisha's  God,'  and  is  founded  on  2  Kings  ii.  14.  The  latter 
was  preached,  by  Bates,  at  Baxter's  own  desire,  at  the  funeral, 
though  it  is  not  said  in  what  place.  The  text  is  Luke  xxiii.  46* 
'^  And  when  Jesus  had  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  he  said.  Father, 
into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit."  The  dedication  of  this 
discourse  to  Sir  Henry  Ashurst,  is  a  piece  of  beautiful  composi- 
tion, expressive  of  the  respect  entertained  for  that  excellent 
individual,  and  commemorative  of  the  ardent  attachment  which 
subsisted  between  him  andt  he  deceased  minister  of  Christ. 
He  mentions  that,  to  the  work  on  the  Saint's  Rest,  Sir  Henry 
had  been  indebted  for  his  first  religious  impressions.  He  speaks 
of  the  love  of  Baxter,  being  ^^  directing,  counselling,  and  excit- 
ing," and  that  of  Ashurst,  "observant,  grateful, and  beneficent." 
It  was  no  small  enlogium  on  such  a  man  that  Baxter  said,  on  his 
death-bed,  **  he  had  been  the  best  friend  he  ever  had." 

Baxter's  person,  according  to  Sylvester,  was  tall  and  slen- 
der ;  and  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  stooped  very  much. 

^  Biog^raphia  Britannica,  vol.  ii.  p.  33.  Edit.  Kippis.  "  Hie  v\r  siquis  alius 
crat  et  in  vita  Celebris  et  superstite  faroa  dccessit.  Siquidem  ingenio  erat 
•cerrimo,  doctrina  haudquaquam  mediocri,  extemporaneadicendi  facultati  in* 
credibili,  zelo  plauu  apostolico  (quern  tainen  scurrs  nostrurum  temporum 
ceuUum  dicuDt)  morum  etiam  simplicitate  nimis  Britanuics,  conteroptuque 
rerum  humanarum  inco<;nito  suo  ssculo  hie  tantus  vir  ab  incuQabilis  proba 
edocatufl  in  domo,  et  purissimis  institutus  exemplis,  non  ferme  provincialium 
sni  temporis  sacerdotum  inscitiam  at  que  impuros  mores  (quod  vel  ipse  in 
•chedis  reliquit)  spon:e  quadam  iudolis  sua  ad  Calvinittnos,  puritatis  eo  tern* 
pore  damnatosj  deflexit,  ctsi  ab  Episcopo  tunc  temporis  BrannogenienH  in  sa- 
Gtrdotem  Anglicanum  locutus.  Id  matrimoDio  hie  habuit  Margai-itam  mino- 
rem  natu  fillam  ioclyti  viri  probati  Charltouii  de  Castello  dicto  Appeleio  in 
Comariis.  Verum  me  iiistituto  hcrede,  importis  deccssiU*'— /^/t^uur  BaX' 
teriofue,  Pref,  Autoris  fiia. 


4^06  THB  LTFB  AND  TIMBS 

His  countenance  was  composed  and  grave^  somewhat  ineliaiiig 
to  smile.  He  had  a  piercing  eye,  a  very  articulate  speceh,  wmi 
his  deportment  was  rather  plain  than  complimentary.  He  hid 
a  great  command  over  his  thoughts,  and  had  that  happy  fi^ 
culty,  according  to  the  character  which  was  given  of  him  by  i 
learned  man  dissenting  from  him,  that  ^^  he  could  say  what  he 
would,  and  he  could  prove  what  he  said."' 

^*  He  was  a  man  of  clear,  deep,  fixed,  thought ;  of  copiooi 
and  well-digested  reading:  of  ready,  free,  and  very  proper  elocu- 
tion, and  aptly  expressive  of  his  own  thoughts  and  sentimenti* 
He  was  most  intent  upon  the  weightiest  and  most  asefiil  parti 
of  learning,  yet  a  great  lover  of  all  kin^s  and  degrees  thereof. 
He  could,  in  preaching,  writing,  conference,  accommodate  him- 
self to  all  capacities,  and  answer  his  obligations  to  the  wise  and 
unwise.  He  had  a  moving  va9o<,  and  useful  acrimony  in  hit 
words;  neither  did  his  expressions  want  that  emphatical  accent^ 
which  the  matter  did  require.  When  he  spake  of  weighty  sod 
concerns,  you  might  find  his  very  spirit  drenched  therein.  He 
was  pleasingly  conversible,  save  in  his  studying  hours,  wherein 
he  could  not  bear  with  trivial  disturbances.  He  was  sparingly 
facetious ;  but  never  light  or  frothy.  His  heart  was  warm  ;  his 
life  was  blameless,  exemplary,  and  uniform.  He  was  unmove^ 
able  where  convinced  of  his  duty ;  yet  affable  and  condescending 
where  there  was  a  likelihood  of  doing  good.  His  personal  ab- 
stinence, severities,  and  labours,  were  exceeding  great.  He 
kept  his  body  under,  and  always  feared  pampering  his  flesh  too 
much.  He  diligently,  and  with  great  pleasure,  minded  his 
Master's  work  within  doors,  and  without,  whilst  he  was  able. 
His  charity  was  very  great  in  proportion  to  his  abilities.  His 
purse  was  ever  open  to  the  poor ;  where  the  case  required  it,  he 
never  thought  great  sums  too  much.  He  suited  what  he  gave 
to  the  necessities  and  character  of  those  he  gave  to :  and  hii 
charity  was  not  confined  to  parties  or  opinions."  ^ 

As  Dr.  Bates'  sermon  comprises  some  notices  of  Baxter's 
life,  which  have  been  anticipated  and  more  fully  given  already, 
I  shall  only  therefore  extract  a  few  passages,  in  which  he  de- 
scribes some  of  the  leading  features  and  qualities  of  his  friend. 

**  1  am  sensible,"  he  says,  ^'  that  in  speaking  of  him  1  shall 
be  under  a  double  disadvantage :  for  those  who  perfectly  knew 

*  'Funeral  Sermon/ by  Sylvester,  pp.  16,  17.  «  l^ld.  p.  14. 


*     OV  BICHARD  BAXTBA.  4(f/ 

Urn  will  be  apt  to  think  my  account  of  him  to  be  abort  and  de« 
feeli?e^  an  imperfect  shadow  of  his  resplendent  virtues ;  others, 
who  were  unacquainted  with  his  extraordinary  worth,  will,  from 
ignorance  or  envy,  be  inclined  to  think  his  just  praises  to  be 
luidue  and  excessive.  Indeed,  if  love  could  make  me  eloquent, 
I  ahoukl  use  all  the  most  lively  and  graceful  colours  of  language, 
to  adorn  his  memory ;  but  this  consideration  relieves  nie  in  the 
eonedousness  of  my  disability,  that  a  plain  narrative  of  what 
Mr«  Baxter  was  and  did,  will  be  a  most  noble  eulogy  ;  and  that 
hit  aubstantial  piety  no  more  needs  artificial  oratory  to  set  it  off, 
than  refined  gold  wants  paint  to  add  lustre  and  value  to  it. 

^  His  prayers  were  an  effusion  of  the  most  lively,  melting 
ttpretsions,  of  his  intimate,  ardent  affections  to  God  :  from  the 
abundance  of  the  heart,  his  lips  spake.  His  soul  took  wing  for 
liaiiTen,  and  wrapt  up  the  souls  of  others  with  him.  Never  did 
I  tee  or  hear  a  holy  minister  address  himself  to  God  with  more 
ravetence  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  di- 
vine merey. 

«<  tn  his  sermons  there  was  a  rare  union  of  arguments  and 
motivefl,  to  convince  the  mind  and  gain  the  heart :  all  the  foun- 
tains of  reason  and  persuasion  were  open  to  his  discerning  eye. 
There  was  no  resisting  the  force  of  his  discourses,  without  de- 
njFing  reason  and  divine  revelation.  He  had  a  marvellous  felicity 
and  copiousness  in  speaking.  There  was  a  noble  negligence  in 
his  style ;  for  his  great  mind  could  not  stoop  to  the  affected 
doquence  of  words.  He  despised  flashy  oratory ;  but  his  ex- 
pressions were  clear  and  powerful,  so  convincing  the  under- 
standing, so  entering  into  the  soul,  so  engaging  the  affections, 
that  those  were  as  deaf  as  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  obdurate  in  their  frozen  tombs. 

^  He  that  was  so  solicitous  for  the  salvation  of  others,  was 
not  negligent  of  his  own ;  but,  as  regular  love  requires,  his  first 
care  was  to  prepare  himsfslf  for  heaven.  In  him,  the  virtues  of 
the  contemplative  and  active  life  were  eminently  united.  His 
time  was  spent  in  communion  with  God,  and  in  charity  to  men  : 
he  lived  above  the  sensible  world,  and,  in  solitude  and  silence, 
conversed  with  God.  The  frequent  and  serious  meditation  of 
eternal  things,  was  the  powerful  means  to  make  his  heart  holy 


1408  THB  LIFB  AND  TIMBt 

and  heavenly,  and  from  thence  his  conversation;  His'Ufeirtt 
a  practical  sermon,  a  drawing  example :  there  wast  -an  air  of 
humility  and  sanctity  in  his  mortified  countenance ;  his  de- 
portment was  becoming  a  stranger  upon  earth  and  a  citizeii  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  was  a  rare  union  of  sublime  knowledge, 
and  other  spiritual  excellencies,  with  the  lowest  opinion  of  him* 
self.  He  wrote  to  one,  that  sent  to  him  a  letter  full  of  expres- 
sions of  honour  and  esteem,  ^  You  admire  one  you  do  not  know-; 
knowledge  will  cure  your  error.  The  more  we  know  God,  the 
more  reason  we  see  to  admire  him ;  but  our  knowledge  of  the 
creature  discovers  its  imperfections,  and  lessens  our  esteem.'  To 
the  same  person,  expressing  his  veneration  of  him  for  his  excel- 
lent gifts  and  graces,  he  replied  with  heat, '  I  have  the  remainder 
of  pride  in  me ;  how  dare  you  blow  up  the  sparks  of  it  ? '  He 
desired  some  ministers,  his  chosen  friends,  to  meet  at  his  house, 
and  spend  a  day  in  prayer,  for  his  direction  in  a  matter  of  mo- 
ment :  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  St.  Austin  both  in  hb 
penitential  confessions  and  retractions.  In  conjunction  with 
humility,  he  had  great  candour  for  others.  He  could  willingly 
bear  with  persons  of  differing  sentiments  ;  he  would  not  prosti- 
tute his  own  judgment,  nor  ravish  another's.  He  did  not  over- 
esteem  himself,  nor  undervalue  others.  He  would  give  liberal 
encomiums  of  many  conforming  divines.  He  was  severe  to 
himself,  but  candid  in  excusing  the  faults  of  others ;  whereas 
the  busy  inquirer  and  censurer  of  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.  The  offer  of  a  bishop- 
rick  was  no  temptation  to  him ;  for  his  exalted  soul  despised  the 
pleasures  and  profits  which  others  so  earnestly  desire;  he  valued 
not  an  empty  title  upon  his  tomb. 

**  His  patience  was  truly  Christian.  God  does  often  try  his 
children  by  afflictions  to  exercise  their  graces,  to  occasion  their 
inctoryi  and  to  entitle  them  to  a  triumphant  felicity.    This 


or  UeSAmB  BAXTBK«  111 

7  nrfiiisofarisitisalliedtoimridlywiadmiiilieetr^ 
tiislyluieirit  not.  TV>  him,  conscience  and  the  law  of  God,  wen 
the  nde  of  dnty,  not  utility,  or  the  hope  of  success.  There  was 
no  peesibility  of  influencing  him  by  the  promise  of  reward,  or 
the  fear  of  disappointment.  Consequences  seldom  entered  into 
hia  calculations.  He  would  not  be  deterred  from  preaching  a 
sermon^  from  writing  a  book,  or  making  a  speech,  if  duty  seemed 
to  require,  by  all  the  entreaties  of  his  brethren,  or  the  threat*- 
cningi  of  his  enemies.  The  fisvour  and  the  f^wn  of  God  he 
alone  r^arded,  and  by  their  irresistible  influence  he  was  earned 
fisarlessly  onward  to  eternity. 

Hie  nicety  of  many  of  his  distinctions,  and  the  scrupulosity 
of  his  conscience,  arose,  not  merely  from  the  metaphysical  cha- 
racter of  his  mind,  but  from  its  high  spirituality.  His  conscience, 
like  the  sensitive  plant,  shrunk  from  every  touch  that  was  calcu- 
lated, however  remotely,  to  affect  it.  On  this  account,  he  could 
not  subscribe  what  he  did  not  understand ;  he  could  not  profess 
to  believe  where  he  had  not  sufficient  evidence ;  he  could  not 
promise  to  obey  if  he  did  not  intend  to  perform,  or  if  he  ques- 
tioned the  right  to  command.  He  was  not  a  quibbling  sophist 
who  delighted  to  perplex  and  entangle,  but  a  Christian  casuist, 
alive  to  the  authority  of  God,  and  concerned  only  to  know  and 
to  do  his  will. 

In  the  high-toned  character  of  Baxter's  religion,  we  are  fur- 
nished with  an  illustrious  instance  of  the  efficacious  grace  of 
God.  It  was  this  which  made  him  all  that  he  was,  and  effected 
by  him  all  that  he  did.  No  man  would  have  been  more  disposed 
than  himself  to  magnify  its  richness,  its  freeness,  and  its  power. 
Whatever  mistakes  may  be  supposed  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  ac- 
ceptance, but  by  producing  conformity  of  character  to  God,  and 
meetness  for  the  enjoyment  of  heaven ;  this  he  cultivated  and 
experienced  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. 

In  studying  the  character  of  Richard  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- 


410  ^«B  Un  AND  TIMU 

from  enpli^ng  my  unskilful  pencil.  Besides^  nrach  jfct  »• 
mains  to  be  said  of  Baxter  and  his  writings,  before*  he  ean  be 
considered  as  fully  and  fairly  before  the  reader,  Resenringi 
therefore,  any  general  view  of  him  which  I  may  be  able  to  gite, 
for  the  conclusion  of  the  second  part,  I  will  at  present  notiee 
only  what  I  conceive  to  have  been  one  grand  leading  feature  of 
his  character. 

In  describing  this,  I  have  no  better  or  more  appropriate  tera 
which  I  can  employ  than  the  word  unearthly;  and  even  that 
does  not  give  a  full  view  of  all  that  was  absent  from,  and  all  that 
belonged  to,  his  character  as  a  Christian,  a  minister,  and  a 
divine.  Among  his  contemporaries  there  were  men  of  equal 
talents,  of  more  amiable  dispositions,  and  of  greater  learning. 
But  there  was  no  man  in  whom  there  appears  to  have  been  so 
little  of  earth,  and  so  much  of  heaven ;  so  small  a  portion  of  the 
alloy  of  humanity,  and  so  large  a  portion  of  all  that  is  celestiaL 
He  felt  scarcely  any  of  the  attraction  of  this  world,  but  felt  &aA 
manifested  the  most  powerful  affinity  for  the  world  to  come. 

The  strength  and  operation  of  this  principle,  appeared  in  ill 
the  workings  of  his  mind,  and  in  every  part  of  his  personal 
conduct  as  a  Christian.     It  was  manifested  in  the  intetiaie  ardour 
of  his  zeal ;  and  the  burning  fervour  of  his  preaching.     It  wai 
displayed  in  his  triumph  over  the  weakness  and  infirmities  rf 
hts  diseased  body }  in  his  superiority  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  service  of  Christ  and  the  good  of  men  were  concerned. 
Influenced  by  this  principle,  he  threw  himself  into  the  arroyj 
to  check  what  he  considered  its  wild  career.     He  reproved 
Cromwell ;  he  expostulated  with  Charles ;  and  dared  the  frown 
of  both.    The  same  motive  induced  him  to  abstain  from  mar- 
riage, while  his  work  required  all  his  attention.    To  him  a 
bishoprick  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  unappalled  before  the  baf 
of  Jefieries,  listening  with  composure  to  his  ribaldry,  and  would 
have  gone  to  the  gibbet  or  the  stake  without  a  murmur  or 
complaint. 

His  very  imprudences  seem  to  have  arisen  from  the  excess 
in  which,  compared  with  others,  this  principle  existed  in  binu 
He  seems  scarcely  to  have  understood  the  meaning  of  the  word 


or  uesAmB  bax'huu  '  111 

7  and  in  80  far  IS  it  it  allied  to  woridly  wtsdom,  he  etr* 
trialylmeirit  not.  TV>  him,  conscienee  and  the  law  of  God,  wen 
the  nde  of  duty,  not  utility,  or  the  hope  of  success.  There  was 
BO  possibility  of  influencing  him  by  the  promise  of  reward,  or 
the  fear  of  disappointment.  Consequences  seldom  entered  into 
hia  caleulatbns.  He  would  not  be  deterred  from  preaching  a 
sermon,  from  writing  a  book,  or  making  a  speech,  if  duty  seemed 
to  require,  by  all  the  entreaties  of  his  brethren,  or  the  threat*- 
enings  of  his  enemies.  The  fsvout  and  the  frown  of  God  be 
alone  regarded,  and  by  their  irresistible  influence  he  was  earried 
fearlessly  onward  to  eternity. 

The  nicety  of  many  of  his  cUstinctions,  and  the  scrupulosity 
of  his  conscience,  arose,  not  merely  from  the  metaphysical  cha- 
racter of  his  mind,  but  from  its  high  spirituality.  His  conscience, 
like  the  sensitive  plant,  shrunk  from  every  touch  that  was  calcu- 
lated, however  remotely,  to  aifect  it.  On  this  account,  he  could 
not  subscribe  what  he  did  not  understand ;  he  could  not  profess 
to  believe  where  he  had  not  sufficient  evidence ;  he  could  not 
promise  to  obey  if  he  did  not  intend  to  perform,  or  if  he  ques- 
tioned the  right  to  command.  He  was  not  a  quibbling  sophist 
who  delighted  to  perplex  and  entangle,  but  a  Christian  casuist, 
slife  to  the  authority  of  God,  and  concerned  only  to  know  and 
to  do  his  will. 

In  the  high-toned  character  of  Baxter's  religion,  we  are  fur- 
nished with  an  illustrious  instance  of  the  efficacious  grace  of 
God.  It  was  this  which  made  him  all  that  he  was,  and  effected 
by  him  all  that  he  did.  No  man  would  have  been  more  disposed 
than  himself  to  magnify  its  richness,  its  freeness,  and  its  power. 
Whatever  mistakes  may  be  supposed  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 
Uessed  him  not  only  in  bestowing  pardon,  and  inducing  its  ac- 
ceptance, but  by  producing  conformity  of  character  to  God,  and 
meetness  for  the  enjoyment  of  heaven ;  this  he  cultivated  and 
experienced  in  an  eminent  degree.  During  more  than  half  a 
century,  he  adorned,  by  every  Christian  virtue,  the  doctrine  of 
(>od,  his  Saviour,  and  died  cherishing  the  deepest  humility  and 
^If-abasement,  yet  rejoicing  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God. 

In  studying  the  character  of  Richard  Baxter,  then,  while  I 
Wonld  do  honour  to  the  man,  and  justice  to  his  talents ;  while 
I  would  speak  in  the  strongest  terms  of  his  genius  and  his  elo- 


419 


TH8  UF8  4ND  TIBOet  i>F  UCHASD  BAXTIE. 


quench ;  while  I  would  venerate  htm  as  the  leader  «f  the  noble 
army  of  Nonconformist  confessors,  whose  laboors  and  snfieriiigi 
have  secured  for  them  a  deathless  renown,  I  would  above  aU 
contemplate  him  as  the  Man  of  God,  strong  in  faith,  rich  in  the 
fruits  of  love,  and  adorned  with  the  beauties  of  holinera.  In 
these  respects  he  had  probably  few  equals,  and  no  superiorly 
even  in  an  age  when  eminent  characters  were  not  rare,  fiot 
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  luch 
men  as  Richard  Baxtbr  1 


THE  END  OF  PART  FIRST. 


PART  II. 


THE  LIFE  AND   WRITINGS 


OF 


RICHARD    BAXTER. 


1.* 

I 


THB 

LIFE  AND  WRITINGS 

RICHARD    BAXTER. 


CHAPTER  I. 

WORKS  ON  THB  EVIDBNCBS  OF  BBLIGION, 

jBlradiictofy  ObMnratkmt  on  tbe  TbcQlocictl  UteFBtora  of  the  ptriod— 
AtnMgtokmkt  of  this  Ptrt  of  the  Work— laportaoiM  <^  tht  Evideoceft  of 
Raligkm— <  Unrcasooableotst  of  Infidelity '—Dedication  to  BroKbill'-In-i 
tended  as  a  Reply  to  Clement  Writer— Nature  and  Plan  of  the  Worle— 
*  Reasons  of  tbe  Christian  Relipon  '^View  of  tbt  Work— <  More  Reasons 
for  the  Christian  Reli^on  '—Intended  as  a  Reply  to  Lord  Herbert—^  On 
tbe  Immortality  of  tbe  Soul  '—Notice  of  Hrst  Attack  in  English  on  this 
Doctrine— Gianni— Dr.  Henry  More— Baxter's  Notions  of  tbe  Soul's  Im* 
materiality—'  Certainty  of  tbe  World  of  Spirits '—Singular  Nature  ot  this 
Book— Remarks  on  Witchcraft  and  Apparidous — Baxter,  tbe  First  Orifi- 
nai  Writer  in  Euglish  on  tbe  Evidences  of  Revelation— Momay-^ratiua 
—Bishop  Fothcrby — Stillingfleet— Concludini^  Obsemratioas. 

Having  completed  the  regular  memoir  of  Baxter's  public  and 
private  life,  we  now  proceed  to  what  may  be  regarded  as  the 
second  part  of  thk  work,  an  historical  and  critical  account  of 
his  very  numerous  writings.  These  occupied  the  principal  part 
of  his  time  for  many  years,  and  by  these  he  will  continue,  though 
dead,  to  profit  the  church  of  God  for  ages  to  come.  I  have 
previously  avoided  almost  every  thing  respecting  his  works,  but 
tbe  enumeration  of  them  in  the  respective  periods  in  which  they 
appeared.  To  have  noticed  them  in  connexion  with  his  life 
and  times,  would  either  have  been  destructive  of  the  continuity 
of  tbe  narrative,  or  to  avoid  this,  the  account  must  have  been  so 
brief  and  general,  as  greatly  to  destroy  its  interest*.  I  have» 
therefore,  reserved  the  consideration  of  his  writings  till  the 
doM  of  hb  life^  that  I  might  give  them  an  entirely  di^Uuct  d»« 


416  THB   LIFE   AND   WHITINGS 

The  remark  which  is  commonly  made  respecting  authors, 
that  they  are  chiefly  to  be  known  by  their  writings,  is  only  to  a 
limited  extent  applicable  to  Baxter.  The  former  part  of  thb 
work  shows,  that  independently  of  his  writings,  he  would  have 
been  known  to  posterity  as  one  of  the  most  considerable  men 
of  his  times,  in  the  class  to  which  he  belonged.  He  took  an 
active  part  in  all  those  transactions  that  distinguished  the  reli- 
gious body  with  which  he  was  connected,  and  whose  affairs  often 
involve^d  the  politics  and  interests,  of  the  nation  at  large.  His 
influence  among  his  brethren  throughout  the  country,  thei  respect 
in  which  he  was  held  by  the  government,  his  popularity  as  a 
preacher,  and  the  sufferings  which  he  ensured,  all  prove  that  his 
title  to  celebrity  does  ndt  exclusively  rest  on  his  published  works. 
He  was  not  a  mere  recluse  student,  or  a  professional  writer  3  but 
an  active,  laborious,  and  public-spirited  man. 

Still,  the  writings  of  Baxter,  which  formed  so  important  a  por-i 
tion  of  those  labours  in  which  he  so  long  engaged,  were  regarded 
by  himself  as  among  the  chief  means  of  his  usefulness,  and  furnish 
us  with  such  a  comprehensive  view  of  his  mind,  that  they  are 
justly  entitled,  in  a  life  of  him,  to  the  most  ample  consideration. 
By  their  means,  too,  his  usefulness  has  been  extended  and  per- 
petuated beyond  the  period  of  his  own  existence,  and  far  beyond 
the  immediate  sphere  of  his  personal  labours. 

Baxter  lived  at  a  time  when  the  literature  of  Great  Britain  was 
influenced  in  an  extraordinary  degree  by  the  peculiar  circum- 
stances of  a  civil  and  ecclesiastical  nature,  which  then  occurred; 
after  it  had  made  considerable  progress  in  some  departments, 
but  before  it  had  acquired  that  fixed  character,  and  definite 
form,  which  it  assumed  in  the  course  of  the  following  century. 
For  along  period  after  the  Reformation,  the  chief  subject  which 
occupied  the  attention  of  the  theological  writers  of  England  was 
the  Popish  controversy.  They  judged  it  then  necessary  to  act 
both  offensively  and  defensively  towards  the  church  of  Rome;  to 
maintain  the  grounds  on  which  the  reformed  church  -separated 
fVom  that  corrupt  system  ;  and  to  show  that  its  doctrine,  cere- 
lkionie8,and  genius,  were  all  at  variance  with  Christianity.  English 
divinity  was  then  also  a  new  thing;  hence  it  became  of  more  im- 
portance to  supply  a  wholesome  pabulum,  than  to  expend  much 
labour  in  dressing  it ;  to  furnish  the  converts  from  Rome  with 
food  of  such  a  quality  as  would  most  effectually  preserve  them 
from  longing  after  the  delicacies  of  the  imperial  strunapet^ 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER,  417 

Out  of  the  controversy,  respecting  the  principles  of  the  Re- 
fonnatioDy  arose  the^  puritanical  and  the  nonconformist  debates. 
Bfany;,  from  the  beginning,  were  not  content  to  stop  at  Canter- 
bury ;  they  conceived  that  the  principles  of  the  Reformation  re- 
quired them  to  proceed  further;  they  wished  to  divest  them- 
■elves  of  every  rag  and  relic  which  had  belonged  to  the  mother 
of  abominations ;  and  sought  to  save  their  souls,  not  merely  by  a 
qpeedy,  but  by  a  far^distant  flight  from  her.  Hence  the  ques- 
tioiis  about  imposition,  ecclesiastical  authority,  church  govem- 
meii^  forms  and  vestments.  The  influence  of  the  court,  which 
was  never  reformed,  except  in  name,  and  the  timid  and  worldly 
policy  of  church  rulers,  were  constantiy  opposed  to  too  wide 
a  separation  from  Rome. 

From  thisptate  of  things  sprang  the  nonconformist  separation 
from  the  Anglican  church,  and  the  numerous  discussions  which 
occupied  so  large  a  portion  of  our  theological  literature  down  to 
the  times  of  Baxter.  No  period  of  rest  and  liberty  had  really 
been  enjoyed.  The  public  mind  had  come  to  no  setded  con- 
dosions  on  many  important  points.  Debates  on  matters  appa- 
rendy  trifling,  were  often  fiercely  maintained,  because  they 
implied  a  diversity  of  opinion  on  other  things  of  far  more  im- 
portance than  themselves. 

Where  much  oppression  was  exercised  on  the  one  hand,  and 
much  suffering  endured  on  the  other ;  in  the  one  case  a  con- 
stant struggle  to  maintain  authority,  and  in  the  other  to  secure 
existence ;  it  would  lie  vain  to  expect  the  refinements  and  delica- 
cies of  literature.  Biblical  science,  profound  and  elegant  theolo- 
gical disquisition,  the  exercises  of  taste  and  fancy,  in  reference  to 
religion,  could  not  flourish  in  such  circumstances.  Among  the 
Puritans  and  Nonconformists,  especially,  these  things  are  not  to 
be  looked  for.  They  were  men  bom  to  suffering  and  to  combat. 
Accustomed  to  the  din  of  war  from  their  infancy,  they .  insen- 
sibly acquired  its  language,  and  something  of  its  spirit.  Their 
polemics  were  a  part  of  their  existence ;  their  sufferings  some- 
times chastened,  but  more  frequently  roused  their  spirits.  Hence 
they  studied  not  so  much  the  polish  of  the  weapon  as  its  temper ; 
and  were  more  careful  to  maintain  their  sentiments,  than  fas- 
tidious in  the  mode  of  expressing  thera. 

Tlieir  writings  were,  from  these  circumstances,  in  a  great  mea- 
sure, limited  to  two  departments, practical  and  controversial;  the 
former  including  all  that  was  felt  to  be  necessary  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  Christian  life  in  times  of  peculiar  distress  and  peril; 
the  latter,  all  that  was  deemed  necessary  in  selC-defeuci^  ot  nvcl- 

VOL.  I.  B  B 


419  THS  LIFB  AND  WAITINGS 

dicadon,  or  for  the  promotion  of  thoae  ^irinoiples,  on  aceotmt 
of  which  they  were  exposed  to  great  tribulation.  In  both  these 
departments  they  almost  exhaust  the  subjects  which  they  discim. 
They  brought  forward  both  argument  and  consolation  in  masses. 
They  had  neither  time  nor  disposition  to  prune  or  abridge.  It 
was  often  necessary  to  meet  the  adversary  vnth  the  weapon 
which  could  be  immediately  seized,  or  roost  efiectively  employed] 
and  as  the  appetite  for  instruction  was  voracious,  the  supply 
was  required  to  be  abundant,  rather  than  of  the  finest  quality. 

'^  The  agitated  state  of  surrounding  drcurostanoes  gsfe  them 
continual  proof  of  the  instability  of  all  things  temporal*;  and 
inculcated  on  them  the  necessity  of  seeking  a  happiness  wluefa 
might  be  independent  of  external  things.  They  thus  practically 
learned  the  vanity  and  nothingness  of  life,  except  in  Its  relation 
to  eternity;  and  they  declared  to  their  fellow-creatures  the 
mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  Ood,  with  the  tone  of  men  who 
knew  that  the  lightest  word  which  they  spoke  outweighed  in  the 
balance  of  reason,  as  well  as  of  the  sanctuary,  the  value  of 
all  earth's  plans;  and  politics,  and  interests,  lliey  were  upon 
high  and  firm  ground.  They  stood  in  the  midst  of  that  teoH 
pestuous  ocean,  secure  on  the  rock  of  ages ;  and  as  they  Qt* 
tered  to  those  around  them  their  invitations  or  remonstrances, 
or  consolations,  they  thought  not  of  the  tastes,  but  of  the 
necessities  of  men, — they  thought  only  of  the  differenee  between 
being  lost  and  being  saved,  and  they  cried  aloud,  and  spared 
not. 

*^  There  is  no  doubt  a  great  variety  of  thought,  and  feeling, 
and  expression,  to  be  met  with  in  the  theological  writers  of  that 
elass;  but  deep  and  solemn  seriousness  is  the  common  cha- 
racter of  them  all.  They  seem  to  have  felt  much.  Religion 
was  not  allowed  to  remain  as  an  unused  theory  in  their  beads ; 
they  were  forced  to  live  on  it  as  their  food>  and  to  have  recourse 
to  it  as  their  only  strength  and  comforts  Hence  their  thoughts 
are  never  given  as  abstract  views :  they  are  always  deeply  im- 
pregnated with  sentiment.  Their  style  reminds  us  of  the  light 
which  streams  through  the  stained  and  storied  windows  of  an 
ancient  cathedral.  It  is  not  light  merely,  but  light  modified  by 
the  rich  hues,  and  the  quaint  forms,  and  the  various  incidents 
of  the  pictured  medium  through  which  it  passes :  so  these  vene- 
rable worthies  do  not  merely  give  us  truth,  but  truth  in  its  his« 
torical  application  to  the  various  struggles,  and  difficulties,  and 
dejections,  of  their  strangely-chequered  lives«''  * 

•  Erikios's « Jmrod^okiiy  Ibmy  to  Bstttr**  Mat'i  Rett^'  pp.  f, «. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  419 

'  TBoe  beatitiful  sentences  accurately  characterise  the  writings 
of  the  Poritans  and  Nonconformists  in  general^  while  they 
justly  explain  the  causes  of  those  peculiarities  by  which  they 
are  distinguished. 

FVom  the  time  of  the  civil  wars,  another  circumstance  affected 
the  character  of  our  theological  writing.  The  restraints  on  the 
press,  and  consequently  on  the  minds  of  men,  being  then  taken 
away,  every  man  who  began  to  breathe  the  air  of  freedom,  and 
who  deemed  himself  capable  of  putting  his  thoughts  together, 
judged  that  he  had  a  call  to  do  so.  There  was  no  longer  any 
fear  of  the  Star  Ch&mber  or  High  Commission.  A  nation  of 
writers  was  bom  in  a  day.  Sects  increased,  controversies  mul- 
tiplied, the  press  teemed  with  an  innumerable  progeny 

**  Hourly  conceiTed, 
And  hoarly  born ;" 

whose  nature  partook  of  the  quality  of  the  circumstanced 
which  gave  them  birth.  They  were  crude,  ill-formed,  and  mis- 
shaped ;  and  capable,  for  the  most  part,  of  only  an  ephemeral 
existence.  *'  Then,"  as  Milton  says, ''  was  the  time  in  special,  to 
write  and  speak  what  might  help  to  the  further  discussing  of 
matters  in  agitation.  The  temple  of  Janus,  with  his  controver-* 
aial  faces,  might  not  insignificantly  be  regarded  as  set  open; 
All  the  winds  of  doctrine  were  let  loose  to  play  upon  the  earth ; 
but  truth  vf^  prepared  to  grapple  with  falsehood,  and  sustained 
uo  injury  in  a  free  and  open  encounter."^ 

Of  the  infinite  and  motley  generation  of  writers  thus  pro^ 
duced,  but  a  small  number  of  master  spirits  could  be  expected 
to  survive  that  oblivion  to  which  the  great  body  was  inevitably 
doomed ;  and  even  these  could  not  escape  injury  from  the  bad 
qualities  of  those  circumstances  by  which  they  were  constantly 
surrounded.  Only  a  few  men,  of  any  age,  are  destined  for  im- 
mortality on  earth ;  the  far  greater  number  must  always  be  for- 
gotten. Spencer,  Shakspeare,  Bacon,  Milton,  and  a  few  others, 
are  the  men  of  their  respective  periods,  to  whom  alone  almost 
the  world  of  intellect  looks  back  with  admiration,  as  giving  cha- 
racter and  importance  to  the  times  in  which  they  lived. 

Hooker,  and  Hall,  Taylor,  Barrow,  and  Chillingworth,  Owen, 
Baxter,  and  Howe,  occupy  a  similar  place  among  the  religious 
writers  of  their  respective  times.  The  great  majority  of  their 
contemporaries  have  already  ceased  to  exist  as  authors;  and 
even  a  more  select  class  are  slowly  floating  to  an  oblivion  which 
^  Areopss«tics,  ProM  Worki,  p.  394.  £dl(.  1097. 

bb2 


420  TBB  UR  AKB  WBlTtNGS 

certainly  awaits  them.  The  principal  prodncdcma  of:  .the 
above^  and  perhaps  of  a  few  more  writers,  relate  to  matters  of 
universal  and  perpetual  interest,  which  render  it  improbable  AmX 
they  will  ever  be  left  behind  by  the  stream  of  time.  Tlidr 
principles  are  founded  in  immutable  truth,  while  the  ttroigth 
of  their  intellectual  powers,  or  the  brilliancy  of  their  imaginar 
tions,  are  not  likely  to  be  surpassed  by  any  of  the  future  raee 
of  mortals. 

But  even  they  were  infected  or  influenced  by  the  circmn- 
stances  to  which  we  have  adverted.  None  of  them  are  fisnltleis. 
If  they  are  distinguished  for  their  splendid  qualities,  they  are 
also  strongly  marked  by  deformities  and  vices.  They  wrote 
too  much,  and  therefore  must  often  have  written  carelessly. 
They  entered  deeply  into  the  controversies  of  the  times,  and 
hence  caught  something  of  their  tone  and  spirit.  They  knew 
not  when  to  stop,  or  to  consider  their  subject  done.  They 
choke  their  pages  with  learned  quotations,  and  load  them  with 
marginal  stuffings,  which  often  savour  more  of  conceit  and 
pedantry  than  tend  to  the  reader's  edification.  They  studied 
impression  rather  than  beauty,  and  often  astonish  us  by  the 
rugged  grandeur  of  their  conceptions,  rather  than  please  by  the 
feKcity  of  their  language,  or  the  harmony  of  their  periods. 

These  remarks  apply  most  fully  and  particularly  to  Baxter, 
as  a  writer.  He  possesses  all  the  good  and  high  qualities  which 
have  been  ascribed  to  the  choice  spirits  with  whom  he  ranked. 
He  was  inferior  to  none  of  them  in  fertility  of  mind,  loftiness 
of  genius,  or  versatility  of  talent.  He  wrote  more  than  any  oi 
his  brethren ;  and  more^^  of  what  he  did  write,  continues  to  be 
read  and  admired.  But  if  he  partook  of  their  excellencies,  he 
also  shared  largely  in  their  faults ;  the  former  belonged  pro- 
perly to  the  man,  the  latter  to  his  circumstances. 

Baxter  wrote  both  voluminously  and  on  almost  every  topic  of 
religion.  His  works  form  a  system  and  library  of  themselves. 
Instead,  therefore,  of  reviewing  them  in  the  chronological  order 
of  their  publication,  I  have  divided  them  into  classes,  to  each  of 
which  I  have  devoted  a  chapter.  Following  the  best  arrange- 
ment I  could  adopt,  under  the  several  heads  of — Works  on  the 
Evidences  of  Religion — On  the  Doctrines  of  Religion—On 
Conversion — On  Christian  Experience— On  Christian  Ethics-* 
On  Catholic  Communion — On  Nonconformity — On  Popery— 
On  Antinomianism — On  the  Baptist,  Quaker,  and  Millenna- 
rian  Controversies— Historical  and  Political  Works— Devotion- 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  421 

d^  Bxporitory,  and  Poetical  Works;  some  account  will  be 
found  of  every  thing  which  Baxter  published. 

By  pursuing  this  course,  a  more  accurate  view  may  be  obtain- 
ed of  his  genius  and  labours  as  a  virriter;  while  the  reader 
may  make  his  own  selection  of  topics,  on  which  to  consult  the 
opiiiions  of  this  eminent  man.  In  general,  I  have  not  deemed  it 
necessary  to  present  an  analysis  of  his  works.  This  would  have 
been  impracticable  vrithin  the  bounds  of  my  undertaking,  and 
perhaps  uninteresting  to  the  reader.  I  have,  however,  always 
represented  their  nature  and  design ;  the  circumstances  in  which 
they  were  produced,  and  any  known  effects  or  consequences 
which  arose  from  them.  In  this  examinaUon  of  his  writings,  va- 
rioas  occurrences,  omitted  in  the  regular  narrative  of  his  life, 
will  be  found,  and  notices  of  many  of  his  contemporaries,  both 
friends  and  opponents,  will  be  given.  The  remainder  of  this 
chapter  will,  therefore^  be  devoted  to  the  works  on  the  Evi- 
dences of  Religion. 

The  evidences  of  religion  do  not  always  occupy  that  place  in 
die  attention  of  men,  which  their  great  importance  merits.  The 
truth  of  revelation  is  so  much  taken  for  granted  among  Chris- 
tians, that  few,  comparatively,  give  themselves  the  trouble  of  ex- 
amining into  the  grounds  of  their  faith.  But  the  mind  of  Baxter 
was  so  constituted  that  it  could  not  be  satisfied  without  the  most 
rigid  examination  of  that  subject,  which  was  of  all  others  the 
most  important  to  him.  He  was  early  affected  with  doubts 
and  difficulties,  to  remove  which,  he  instituted  the  most  rigid 
inquiry  into  the  truth  of  religion.  He  made  it  his  business  to  sift 
and  weigh  every  argument,  and  to  give  to  the  various  kinds  and 
degrees  of  evidence,  only  that  weight  in  the  scale  which  intrin- 
sically belonged  to  them.  On  this  subject,  the  following  pas-* 
sage  from  his  own  life  is  entitled  to  attention. 

^  Among  truths  certain  in  themselves,  all  are  not  equally 
certain  unto  me ;  and  even  of  the  mysteries  of  the  Gospel,  I 
ihust  needs  say  with  Mr.  Richard  Hooker,  in  his  ^Ecdes.  Polit.,' 
*  that  whatever  men  may  pretend,  the  subjective  certainty  can- 
not go  beyond  the  objective  evidence;  for  it  is  caused  thereby, 
as  the  print  on  the  wax  is  caused  by  that  on  the  seal/  I  do 
more  of  late,  therefore,  than  ever,  discern  a  necessity  of  a  me- 
thodical procedure  in  maintaining  the  doctrine  of  Christianity, 
and  of  beginning  at  natural  verities,  as  presupposed  fundament- 
aUy  to  supernatural ;  though  God  may,  when  he  pleases,  reveal 


422  TAB  Ltn  AND  WRITINGS 

all  at  once^  and  even  natural  truths  by  supematnral 
It  is  a  marvellous  great  help  to  my  faith,  to  find  it  built  <m 
so  sure  foundations,  and  so  consonant  to  the  law  of  nature^  I 
am  not  so  foolish  as  to  pretend  my  certainty  to  be  greater  thii 
it  is,  merely  because  it  is  a  dishonour  to  be  less  certain;  nor 
will  I  by  shame  be  kept  from  confessing  the  infinfnitieSy  wUch 
those  have  as  much  as  I,  who  h)'pocritically  reproach  ma  with 
them. 

^'  My  certainty  that  I  am  a  man,  is  before  my  certainty  tint 
there  is  a  God ;  for  qtAod  /acU  notum,  est  magis  noium.  My 
certainty  that  diere  is  a  God,  is  greater  than  my  certainty  that 
he  requireth  love  and  holiness  of  his  creature ;  my  certafatty  of 
this  is  greater  than  my  certainty  of  the  life  of  rewsxd  and  pun- 
ishment  hereafter ;  my  certainty  of  that  is  greater  than  my  cer- 
tainty of  the  endless  duration  of  it,  and  of  the  immortality  of 
-individuate  souls  |  my  certainty  of  the  Deity  is  greater  than  my 
certainty  of  the  Christian  faith ;  my  certainty  of  the  Christitti 
faith,  in  its  essentials,  is  greater  than  my  certainty  of  the  per- 
fection and  infallibility  of  all  the  holy  Scriptures;  my  certain^  of 
that  is  greater  than  my  certainty  of  the  meaning  of  many  par« 
ticular  texts,  and  so  of  the  truth  of  many  particular  doctrines, 
or  of  the  canonicalness  of  some  certain  books.  So  that  as  you  see 
by  what  gradations  my  understanding  doth  proceed,  so  also  that 
Riy  certainty  differeth  as  the  evidences  differ.  And  they  that 
will  begin  fdl  their  certainty  with  that  of  the  truth  of  the  Scrip- 
ture, as  the  princ^num  cognoscendiy  may.  meet  me  at  the  same 
end ;  but  they  m^st  give  me  leave  to  undertake  to  prove  to  a 
heathen  or  infidel,  the  being  of  a  God,  and  the  necessity  of  holi- 
ness, and  the  certainty  of  a  reward  or  punishment,  even  while 
•yet  he  denieth  the  truth  of  Scripture,  and  in  order  to  his  believ- 
ing it  to  be  true."*^ 

Whatever  may  be  thought  of  the  necessity  of  pursuing  the 
above  plan,  in  the  discussion  of  the  evidences  of  Christianity, 
there  is  much  justice  in  the  train  of  Baxter's  argument.  Tlie 
man  who  looked  so  narrowly  and  cautiously  for  proof  of  every 
thing  that  he  believed,  was  undoubtedly  well  qualified  to  write 
on  the  subject  of  evidence,  for  the  benefit  of  others. 

In  directing  our  attention  to  the  writings  of  Baxter  on  the 
evidences  of  religion,  the  first  work  which  presents  itself,  both  in 
the  order  of  time  and  that  of  nature,  is  his  ^  Unreasonableness  of 


'OF  RICHARD  BAXTU«  423 

Iiifiddsty.'^  This  work  is  dedicated  to  Lord  Broghill,  then  LoM 
Praeident  of  the  Council  of  State  for  the  affairs  of  Scotland. 
Baxter^  we  have  already  seen,  was  well  acquunted  with  Mm ; 
he  q>eal(s  of  him  in  this  dedication,  very  respectfully,  as  a  re- 
ligions man,  while  he  gives  him,  as  was  his  custom,  some  rery 
wholesome  admonition.  In  this  respect  Baxter's  dedications 
aie  wicvthy  of  imitation.  They  are  polite  and  courteous,  bat 
never  flattering  or  adulatory.  He  knew  how  to  point  a  compli- 
ment, but  never  forgot,  in  addressing  others,  what  was  due  to 
his  own  character,  as  a  n&an  of  God.  Therjs  b  much  beauty  as 
well  as  fidelity  in  the  address  to  Liord  Broghili,  who  made  a  con- 
siderable figure  in  the  political  world  for  many  years.  The 
.occasion  of  writing  and  publishing  this  book,  which  appeared, 
•in  1655,  he  tells  us,  was  his  forming  ^^a  troublesome  acquaint- 
ance with  Clement  Writer,  of  Worcester,*  an  ancient  man,  who 
had  limg  seemed  a  forward  professor  of  religiousness,  and  of  a 
good  conversation,  but  had  been  perverted  to  he  knew  not  what. 
A  Seeker  he  professed  to  be,  but  was  either  a  juggling  Pkpist^ 
or  an  infidel ;  more  probably  the  latter.  He  had  vmtten  a 
scornful  book  against  the  ministry,  called  ^  Jus  Divinum  Presby- 
terii,'  and  afterwards,  two  more  against  tiie  Scriptures  and  me. 
His  assertion  to  me  was,  that  no  man  is  bound  to  believe  in 
Christ,  who  doth  not  see  confirming  miracles  with  his  own  eyes.'^' 

It  is  very  instructive  to  find  the  grand  argument  against 
Christianity,  of  which  David  Hume  supposed  himself  to  be  the 
inventor,  anticipated  by  a  fanatical  Seeker  of  the  times  of  the 
Commonwealth.  Mr.  Hume's  favourite  dogma  was,  that  a 
miracle  is  incapable  of  such  proof  from  human  testimony,  as 
to  entitle  it  to  belief.  Clement  Writer's  idea  seems  to  haiee 
been,  ^^  that  whatever  reality  might  have  belonged  to  the  miracles 
of  Christ,  they  cannot  be  proved  so  as  to  oblige  us.''  Campbell 
successfully  demolished  the  ablest  and  most  acute  sceptic  of 
modern  times ;  Baxter  was  no  less  successful  in  overturning  his 
adversary.* 

He  intended  it  also  as  a  supplement  to  the  second  part  of  his 

*  Works,  Tol.  %x. 

«  A  curious  account  of  Clemeot  Writer  is  given  by  Edwards  in  his  '  Gaif- 
grena.'  In  his  usual  style  of  invective^  he  calls  him  "  an  arch  heretic— a 
fearful  apostate — an  old  wolf— and  a  subtile  man.'*  He  represents  him  as  a 
inateriallst  and  mortalist — a  denier  of  the  divinity  of  the  Scriptures,  and  of  the 
lif  kts  of  the  ministry,  unless  possessed  of  apostolic  powers.— Part  i.  p.  27.    > 

'  Life,  parti,  p.  116. 
.    <  Af  apiece  of  beautiful  argument,  there  is,  perhaps,  no  book  in  the  En- 
glish language  better  entitled  to  the  reader's  attentiooj  than  <  The  Ttt9i\»M%  oyi 


424  TBS  UFB  AVD  WftlTINGS 

^Saint's  Rest,'  which  treats  of  the  proofs  of  the  trath  and  eer* 
tain  futurity  of  our  rest,  and  attempts  to  show  that  the  Scrip* 
tures  which  promise  it,  are  the  perfect,  in&lliUe  word  of  God. 
Although  the  propriety  of  referring  to  the  truth  of  the  £vine 
testimony  as  the  foundation  of  hope  in  the  rest  of  God  canaot 
be  called  in  question,  the  necessity  of  devoting  the  fourth  put 
of  a  devotional  treatise  to  an  inquiry  into  the  truth  of  rdi^on, 
is  very  questionable.  This  was  objected  to  at  the  time,  as  ap* 
pears  from  his  preface  to  this  part  of  the  latter  editions,  of  his 
^  Rest.'  He  did  not  alter  the  book,  however ;  but  the  objections 
appear  to  have  led  him  to  discuss  the  subject  in  this  sepaiate 
treatise. 

^  The  Unreasonableness  of  Infidelity,'  is  divided  into  four  parts. 
In  the  first,  he  considers  the  Spirit's  extrinsic  witness  to  Chris* 
tianity,  with  the  question  proposed  to  him  by  Clement  Writer, 
whether  the  miraculous  works  of  Christ  and  his  disdpks  do 
oblige  those  to  believe  who  nc^ver  saw  them  ?  In  the  second,  he 
considers  the  Spirit's  internal  witness  to  the  truth  of  Christianity. 
In  the  third,  he  furnishes  a  demonstration  that  the  Spirit  and 
works  of  Christ  were  the  finger  of  God,  to  prevent  what  be  con- 
sidered to  be  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Gho^t ;  and  in  the  last,  he 
endeavours  to  show  that  the  arrogancy  of  reason  and  the  jMride 
of  ignorance,  are  the  great  causes  of  men's  infidelity  and 
quarrelling  with  the  Word  of  God. 

Such  is  the  outline  of  the  plan  pursued  in  this  very  valuable 
treatise.  It  evidently  embraces,  with  one  exception,  which  I 
shall  afterwards  notice,  the  great  leading  arguments  on  which 
Christianity  is  founded,  and  by  which  it  may  be  morally  demon- 
strated to  have  come  from  God.  He  naturally  and  properly 
commences  with  the  external, '  r  what  he  calls  the  extrinsic  tes- 
timony of  the  Spirit,  which  he  considers  to  be  the  miraculous 
works  performed  by  Christ  and  his  apostles.  These,  from  their 
magnitude,  from  their  number  and  variety,  from  the  circum- 
stances in  which  they  were  performed,  and  from  the  overwhelm- 
ing conviction  they  produced  at  the  time,  satisfactorily  prove 
that  the  Christian  revelation  is  from  heaven  and  not  from  men. 
The  following  appears  to  me  to  place  the  argument  from  miracles 
in  a  very  forcible  point  of  view. 

^'  If  any  shall  seal  the  doctrine  that  he  bringeth  in  the  name 
of  God,  with  the  testimony  of  such  numerous,  evident,  undeni- 

Mirtclet/  bjr  Dr.  Campbell.  As  a  mere  iotellectual  exercise,  it  wiU  richly 
repair  a  careful  examinatioQ. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR*  425 

bfe  mindet,  it  is  the  highest  proof  of  the  truth  of  his  doctrine, 
lat  ieth  and  blood  can  expect.  And  if  God  do  not  give  ns 
ofident  hdp  to  discover  a  folsehood  in  the  testimony,  we  must 
dee  it  for  his  voice  and  truth.  For  if  (Sod  shall  let  men  or 
«vib  use  the  highest  mark  of  a  divine  testimony  to  confirm  a 
m,  while  they  pretend  it  to  be  divine,  and  do  not  control  this, 
te  lesfeth  men  utterly  remediless.  For  we  cannot  go  up  into 
to  see  what  hand  these  things  are  wrought  by.  We  are 
they  cannot  be  done  without  divine  permission  andcom- 
niwuin;  we  are  sure  that  God  is  the  true,  just,  merciful 
3ovenior  of  the  world;  and  as  sure  as  it  belongeth  to  a  Rector 
D  pronnilgate,  as  well  as  enact  his  own  laws,  they  cannot 
iblige  OS,  till  promulgated,  that  is,  sufficiently  revealed.  And 
f  he  shall  suffer  any  to  say,  ^  God  sent  me  to  you  on  this 
■Mseage,  and  to  back  this  affirmation  with  such  a  stream  of 
nimcles  through  a  whole  age  by  many  thousand  hands,  and 
ihall  not  any  way  contradict  them,  nor  give  us  sufficient  help 
bo  discover  the  delusion,  then  it  must  needs  be  taken  for  God's 
Dwn  act,  seeing  by  office  he  is  our  Rector ;  or  else  that  God  hath 
^twea  up  the  world  to  the  dispose  and  government  of  the  devil. 
Nosr,  let  any  man  of  right  reason  judge  whether  it  be  possible 
diat  the  just  and  merciful  God,  being  naturally  our  governor  as 
we  are  his  creatures,  should  give  permission  or  commission  to 
the  devil  to  deceive  the  world  in  his  name,  by  changing  and 
working  against  the  very  course  of  nature,  and  by  means  that  no 
man  can  possibly  try;  and  so,  leave  his  creature  remedilessly  to 
be  misled  and  perish/' 

The  theological  scholar  will  scarcely  require  to  be  informed  that 
in  this  passage  the  substance  of  the  argument  of  Farmer's  cele- 
brated treatise  on  miracles,  is  comprised.  The  object  of  that  able 
and  unanswerable  work  is  to  show,  that  miracles  prove  the 
truth  of  the  doctrine,  not  the  doctrine  the  reality  of  the  miracles; 
and  that  in  every  case  in  which  they  have  been  really  performed, 
they  have  been  wrought  by  a  divine  agency,  and  in  proof  of  a 
message  or  testimony  sent  from  God.  I  am  far  from  thinking 
that  Baxter  has  maintained  his  argument  with  the  same  clear- 
ness, and  consistency  as  Farmer :  but  making  allowance  for  the 
manner  in  which  he  was  accustomed  to  treat  every  subject,  it  is 
precisely  of  the  same  nature,  and  managed  with  distinguished 
ability. 
Baxter  concedes  to  Satan  a  power  which  Farmer  denies  to 

^  Works,  vol.  XX.  p.  333. 


;436  XHS  uwE  and  weitings 

bitn*— lliat  of  operating  on  human  o'eatures  in  a  fupernatinil 
manner.  In  this  very  book,  he  telb  numerous  ^iparitkm  anl 
ghost  stories ;  but  they  are  not  introduced  to  prove  that  Satan 
has. the  power  of  wor^ng  miracles ;  but  to  show  from  the  oppo- 
site nature  of  Christ's  works  and  his,  that  they  could  not  proceed 
from  the  same  quarter.  It  seems  to  me  very  evident,  thfla^^ 
Baxter  did  not  pursue  it,  that  the  argument  in  the  passage  es* 
tracted  above,  goes  all  the  length  of  Fanner. 

The  view  which  he  took  of  miracles  as  the  grand  testimony 
of  the  Spirit  to  the  truth,  led  him  to  consider  the  nature  of  thst 
channel  through  which  this  species  of  evidence  has  been  braDght 
down  to  us.  Here  he  takes  up  the  historical  testimony,  or  the 
universal  and  unbroken  traditbn,  not  of  the  church,  but  of  aD 
kinds  of  moral  and  historic  evidence,  that  the  Scriptures  m  ov 
hands  are  the  writings  of  the  persons  whose  names  they  bear, 
and  that  the  facts  which  they  record  have  been  recognised  or 
admitted  from  the  very  beginning.  The  argument  in  this  and  the 
preceding  part  is  maintained  with  great  power,  and  scarcely  mfe- 
.  rior,in  clearness  and  cogency,  to  the  masterly  reasoning  of  lUey. 

It  is  singular  that,  in  treating  the  external  evidence^  b 
takes  no  notice  of  the  subject  of  prophecy.  He  assigns  no 
reason  for  this  omission ;  and  therefore  I  apprehend  he  merely 
regarded  it  as  unnecessary  to  the  strength  of  his  argument,  sod 
would  not  allow  himself  to  be  diverted  from  its  regular  prose- 
cution by  the  introduction  of  another  topic,  which  would  haie 
required  very  extended  consideration,  and  perhaps  have  dii- 
tracted  both  his  own  mind  and  that  of  his  readers.  And  ai 
Writer  had  not  adverted  to  the  difficulties  connected  with  pro- 
phecy, but  to  those  belonging  to  miracles,  he  did  not  feel  calkd 
to  enter  on  that  subject. 

In  the  second  treatise  in  the  volume,  he  examines  very  parti- 
cularly the  Spirit's  internal  testimony  to  the  truth  of  the  Gospel 
By  this  intrinsic  evidence  he  does  not  mean,  the  proofs  vi^faich 
the  Scriptures  themselves  furnish  of  their  divine  origin ;  what 
Owen  calls  their  ^^  self-evidencing  power ;"  but  *^  Christ's  witneas 
within  us,"  which  he  regards  as  '^  the  believer's  special  advantage 
against  the  temptations  to  infidelity."  It  is  founded  on  ^'  He  that 
believeth  hath  the  witness  in  himself,"*  (IJohn  v.  10,)  a  text 
which  has  been  variously  expounded,  and  which  Baxter  thinb 

'  In  this  important  passage  I  believe  that  the  apostle  uses  the  word  test!- 
aony,  /laprvpw,  by  a  common  figure  of  speech,  for  the  thinp  testified.  Tbisi 
as  appears  from  the  followiDg^  Yerse«  is  the  fact,  thft  believers  have  eternal  life 


OP  RrOHARD  BAXTBR.  4711 

lignito  that  those  enlightened  and  holy  impressions  formed  on 
die  eonl  by  the  Spirit,  become  in  us  a  standing  testimony  or 
^ntatm  tot  the  truth  within  us,  as  the  word  and  miracles  of 
Ghikt  are  without  us.  ^'  For  none  but  the  sacred  Redeemer  of 
Ik  fvorid,  approved  by  the  Father,  and  working  by  hb  Spirit, 
emdd  do  such  works  as  are  done  on  the  souls  of  all  that  are 
rlndj  MUietified/'  This  is,  in  fact,  an  argument  derived  from  the 
power  and  adaptation  of  Christianity,  considered  as  a  moral 
tmatAy.  It  is  rather  the  evidence  of  experiment  than  an  inters 
od  mtness.  For,  after  all  that  can  be  said  on  the  subject  of 
the  inward  witness,  it  resolves  itself  entirely  into  the  consci* 
mtrnmB  of  the  individual  that  he  has  truly  received  the  divine 
Attiniony,  and  that  the  feelings  he  experiences,  and  the  outward 
eonduct  which  he  pursues,  are  the  result  of  God's  word  ope^ 
jtfiiig  upon  him.  This  experience  is  often  peculiarly  satisfiso^ 
4orj  to  the  Christian  himself,  though  it  will  go  but  little  way  in 
jDonvincing  unbelievers.  On  this  view  of  the  subject,  Baxter 
tqra  oiany  admirable  things.  His  illustration  of  the  apostle's 
triiunphant  challenge,  Rom.  riii.  35—^9,  is  exceedingly  beau« 
lifiil  and  appropriate. 

It  may  appear  very  singular  that  he  should  take  up  the 
^  Blasphemy  of  the  Holy  Ghost,'  at  such  length  as  he  does  in 
Uua  treatise :  but  he  was  naturally  led  to  it  by  the  particular 
view  which  he  takes  of  the  miracles  of  Christ ;  his  grand  oh-* 
jeet  being  to  show  that  they  were  works  which  could  not  have 
been  performed  by  the  devil ;  and  that  they  are,  therefore,  de^ 
monstrative  of  a  divine  mission,  which  whosoever  rejects  or 
calumniates  must  perish.  On  the  nature  of  the  particular  sin  of 
which  he  treats,  he  perhaps  dwells  at  too  great  length  for  his 
purpose ;  but  he  has  a  great  deal  on  the  topic  itself  which  is 
valuable  and  interesting.  The  following  passage,  in  which  he 
aoins  up  his  own  views  of  the  subject,  is  worthy  of  the  reader's 
attention.^ 

^This  much  is  out  of  doubt  with  me,  that  this  sin  lieth  in  the 

IbroQirh  tiie  Sod  of  God  : — **  He  who  believeth  this  testimony — has  that  which 
ObrUtTt  nDdertakinp  ig  designed  to  bestow,  viz.  eternal  life — in  himself;  it  ii 
not  an  object  of  future  hope,  but  of  present  eojoymcut/'  ver.  12.  This  inter* 
pretation  is  supported  by  the  whole  context,  and  removes  every  difficulty  from 
the  passage. 

■t  Though  Sn  possession  of  Baxter's  work  when  I  published  my  '  Dis* 
coonca  on  the  Blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit,'  I  had  forgotten  that  he 
wrote  on  the  subject.  Had  1  thought  to  have  consulted  him,  I  would  have 
■vailed  myself  of  some  of  his  idesis.  For  though  1  do  not  agree  with  him 
ia  aumj  of  his  remarki  and  reasonings,  varioui  thioga  which  he  iuggcsti  are 


428  THS  LIFE  AND  WBITIlfOS 

rejecting  of  the  objective  testimony  of  the  Spirit  extraordinariljr 
then  attesting  Christ's  doctrine,  as  being  the  highest  and  brt 
dbiective  remedy  of  unbelief.  The  three  persons  in  the  Uesssl . 
trinity  have  each  one  their  several  ivays  of  recovering  maninrf 
for  the  remission  of  his  sin,  and  there  are  several  ways  of  shnniig 
against  each  of  them,  as  men  sin  against  these  dispensadonsi 
When  we  had  sinned  against  the  Creator  and  his  perfect  laiTi 
he  gave  us  his  Son  to  be  our  Redeemer.  There  was  his  proper 
work  for  our  pardon,  together  with  the  acceptance  of  the  pries 
of  redemption  and  the  giving  us  into  the  hands  of  his  Smi  m 
his  redeemed  ones.  The  Son  made  satisfaction  to  justicey  and 
sent  forth  to  the  world  a  conditional  pardon  under  his  hand  and 
seal^  with  his  word  and  Spirit  to  persuade  them  to  accept  it 
This  is  his  work  antecedent  to  our  believing.  The  Spirit  endit- 
eth  and  sealeth  this  written,  delivered  pardon,  by  mighty  worin^ 
and  importuneth  the  hearts  of  sinners  to  accept  it.  If  it  bs 
accepted.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  do  actually  pardon 
If  it  be  not  accepted  merely  as  sent  by  the  word  of  the  Son, 
sin  against  the  Son  by  unbelief.  If  it  be  not  accepted  or  bdefcd 
as  sealed  and  urged  by  the  Spirit  (yea,  or  if  sealed  extrinricallj 
only),  then  it  is  the  sin  against  the  Spirit,  supposing  that  seal  be 
discerned  and  considered  of,  and  yet  resolvedly  rejected.  So  that 
here  are  three,  the  last  remedying  means  rejected  at  once.  When 
man  was  fallen,  the  Father  provideth  a  sacrifice  for  his  sin,  and 
but  one  sacrifice ;  the  Son  tendereth  to  us  a  remedying  covenant^ 
and  but  one  such  covenant.  The  Spirit  of  Christ,  especially  in 
his  extraordinary  works,  is  the  convincing,  attesting  seal,  to  ' 
draw  men  to  believe,  and  there  is  but  one  such  Spirit  and  seil. 
He  that  sinned  against  the  law  of  works,  hath  all  these  remedies 
in  their  several  orders.  But  if  you  refuse  this  one  sacrifice,  thae 
remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sin;  if  you  refuse  this  one 
remedying  covenant,  there  is  no  other  covenant  after  it  to  be 
expected ;  and  if  you  refuse  this  sealing  and  sanctifying  Spiiit, 
which  would  draw  you  into  the  covenant,  there  is  no  other 
Spirit  or  seal  to  be  expected.  This  much  is  out  of  doubt;  and 
therefore,  he  that  finally  continueth  to  refuse  this  sacrifieSi 
covenant,  and  seal  of  the  Spirit,  shall  perish  for  ever.'*' 

The  last  part  of  the  work  on  infidelity,  strikes  at  the  grand 

worthy  of  attention  ;  and  the  reader  who  chooses  to  compare  the  doctrioe  of 
the  Diicourses  with  the  passage  quoted  in  the  text,  will  find  that  we  a^ree  vtrf 
nearly  in  our  conclusion,  as  to  the  character  of  the  offence^  and  what  consti- 
tutes its  irremissible  nature. 
^  Works,  XX.  251^— This  part  of  the  worlc  on  infidelity,  tIi.  <  The  Treate 


OF  RICBARD  BAXTBR.  429 

il  of  the  evil :  the  pride  of  man's  intellect  or  reason,  and  the 
itmaey  of  his  ignorance.  It  belongs  to  the  heart  rather  than 
die  understanding.  This  was  the  case  in  the  days  of  our 
fd  and  his  apostles ;  it  was  the  case  in  the  days  of  Baxter ; 
1  it  is  exemplified  in  a  still  greater  degree  now  than  for* 
rij.  There  is  less  argumentative  or  speculative  infidelity ; 
t  im>bably  much  more  sullen,  determined,  and  high-minded 
potttion  to  the  word  of  God,  than  at  any  former  period  of  the 
ffkfs  history.  The  light  is  greater,  and  hence  the  resistance 
that  light  must,  to  be  successful,  be  the  more  resolute. 

To  supply  what  Baxter  deemed  the  deficiencies  of  the  work 
!  hRve  now  considered,  he  published  in  1667,  ^The  Reasons  of 
ft  Christian  Religion.^  This  is  a  quarto  volume,  of  six  hundred 
gtMf  on  which  the  author  must  have  bestowed  a  large  portion 
attention.  There  are  two  dedications  prefixed  to  it,  one  ad- 
ened  to  the  Christian  reader,  with  another  to  the  ^^  hypocrite 
ftder.''  It  is  worthy  of  observation,  that  he  assigns,  as  one 
Mon  for  the  writing  of  this  work,  his  desire  to  promote  the 
soBversion  of  idolaters  and  infidels  to  God  and  to  the  Chris- 
n  faith.''  At  a  period  when  few  were  directing  their  thoughts 
the  state  of  the  heathen  world,  it  appears  from  various  parts 
the  writings  of  Baxter,  that  his  mind  was  deeply  occupied 
th  it.  As  we  have  already  seen,  beside  being  the  firiend  of 
^le,  he  was  the  correspondent  of  Elliot,  and  the  ardent  ad- 
irer  of  his  zeal  and  his  success.  He  expresses  in  one  of  these 
dieations,  the  great  pain  he  felt  at  the  ^^  doleful  thought  that 
tt  parts  of  the  world  were  still  heathens  and  Mahometans ; 
id  that  Christian  princes  and  preachers  did  no  more  for 
eir  recovery."  ^'  The  opening  of  the  true  method  for  such  a 
nk/'  he  says,  ^'  is  the  highest  part  of  my  design." 
How  far  his  work  is  adapted  to  this  end,  is  a  different  ques- 
m.  It  is  divided  into  two  parts :  '  Of  Natural  Religion,  or 
xlliness;'  and  'Of  Christianity  and  Supernatural  Religion.' 
the  first  part,  he  considers  what  man  is  in  himself,  a  creature 
sense  and  reason,  '^  a  living  wight,  having  an  active  power, 
i  understanding  to  guide  it,  and  a  will  to  command  it." 
liat  he  is  in  relation  to  things  beneath  him,  to  his  fellow-crea- 
res  around  him,  and  to  the  great  First  Cause  above  him. 

IIm  Sid  s^Dtl  the  Holy  Gbott,'  appeared  id  GermaD,  tome  time  after  its 
bllcatioD  Id  Eoglish.— ITo/cAa  Bib.  TkeoL  Set.  ton.  L  p.  254. 
■  Works 9  Tob.  xx.  and  xxi. 


490  TH«  LIF&  AND  WttlTIltGS 

This  leads  him  to  consider  what  this  Cause  is  itf  itaelf-^Chid} 
and  what  he  is  in  relation  to  his  creatures,  especially  man ;  ia 
which  he  treats  of  him  as  our  Owner,  Govemory  Benefador} 
and  of  man's  obligations  to  God,  as  his  End  or  chief  Good.  He 
then  discusses  the  nature  of  man's  present  condition,  the  evi- 
dences of  a  future  state  of  retribution ;  and  the  natural  light 
we  have  of  God's  mercy,  and  of  the  means  of  recovery* 

From  this  brief  sketch  of  the  plan  pursued  in  this  part  of  the 
treatise,  the  reader  will  perceive  that  it  is  in  fact  a.diasertatloo  cm 
natural  religioq ;  or,  an  attempt  to  ascertain  how  far  men  may  be- 
come acquainted  with  God,  with  their  own  duties,  and  with  a  fiir 
ture  state,  independent  of  revelation.  The  argument  is  oondueted 
with  very  considerable  ability  and  regularity,  and  ^splays  a 
great  deal  of  thought,  and,  like  all  the  other  works  of  Baxter, 
a  great  fiind  of  reading.     On  the  nature  and  uses  of  natonl 
religion,  considerable  diversity  of  opinion  prevuls.    It  seem 
generally  to  have  been  overlooked,  that  man  has  never  beca 
left  entirely  to  the  guidance  of  his  own  unaissisted  reason  in  tbe 
affair  of  religion.     From  the  beginning,  there  was  a  revelitioa 
of  the  character  of  God,  beyond  that  which  belonged  to  tbe 
mere  works  of  God.  In  paradise  God  conversed  with  Adam,  aad 
gave  him  information  above  what  his  unassisted  faculties  might 
have  derived  from  the  external  manifestations  of  divide  power 
and  goodness.    These  original  communications  were  never  en- 
tirely lost ;    and  hence,   though  the  invisible  things   of  God 
may  be  understood  from  the  things  which  he  has  made^  so  that 
men  are  left  without  excuse,  the  responsibility  of  the  creature 
must  be  considered  as  greatly  increased  by  the  superadded  re- 
velation, though  it  has  been  in  many  instances  thoughtlessly  or 
wantonly  lost.  Baxter's  ^Reasons,'  may  be  regarded  as  prepariag 
the  way  for  the  unanswerable  work  of  Halyburton,  'Natnrti 
Reason  insufficient;  and  Revealed,  necessary  to  Man's  Happi- 
ness in  his  present  state.'     A  book  far  more  satisfactory  then 
any  other  which  has  yet  been  published  on  this  part  of  the 
deistical  controversy.  ° 

rhe  second  part  of  Baxter's  work  is  devoted  to  a  regulsr 
examination  of  the  evidences  of  Christianity  considered  as  a  re- 
velation from  God,  and  is  altogether  a  very  able  performance. 

*  Hal^burton's  work  was  published  in  4to,  in  1714,  after  the  death  of  the 
autbuFy  which  took  place  in  1712.  He  was  professor  of  divinity  in  the  Uoi* 
versity  of  St.  Andrew  ;  and  was  uo  less  distinguished  for  bis  sound  and  irdtit 
piety,  than  by  his  masculine  understanding  and  his  extensive  leamiof  • 


OP  RICHARD  fiAXTSR.  431' 

Contrary  to  the  plan  of  some  works  on  the  evidences  of  revela- 
tion, which  leave  out  every  thing  concerning  the  matter  or  sub- 
ject of  the  revelation  itself;  Baxter  makes  a  full  statement  of 
the  nature  and  properties  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  of  its 
'^  ooogniities ;"  or,  in  other  words,  its  suitableness  to  our  natu- 
ral notions  of  God,  and  its  adaptation  to  our  own  characters 
and  wants.  He  then  proceeds  to  discuss  the  ^'  witness  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  or^  the  demonstrative  evidence  of  his  verity  and  au- 
thority/* This  he  arranges  in  four  parts :  Prophecy,  or  an- 
tecedent testimony  to  his  Messiahship — His  personal  character, 
as  he  ia  the  image  of  God  in  his  person,  life,  and  doctrine — His 
miracles  and  those  of  his  disciples— And  the  constant  evidence 
of  his  power  and  character  in  the  salvation  of  men.  Beside 
theee,  there  are  many  collateral  topics  examined,  and  a  multi- 
tude of  difficulties,  supposed  to  belong  to  the  Christian  faith,  met 
and  resolved. 

It  18  not  practicable,  within  the  limits  to  which  I  am  under  the 
neceesityof  restricting  myself,  to  convey  a  full  idea  of  the  valuable 
reaaoningt  of  this  work ;  but  even  the  imperfect  outiine  now 
giTen,  may  show  that  it  is  well  entitied  to  the  reader's  attention. 
Some  of  the  peculiarities  of  Baxter's  style  and  manner  of  treat- 
ing sobjects,  exist  in  it)  but  it  is  Aill  of  the  indications  of  his 
genius,  originality,  and  powerful  intellect.  His  piety  also  richly 
imbues  the  whole.  It  contains  a  prayer,  which,  were  it  not  too 
bng  to  be  quoted  here,  I  would  introduce  at  large,  as  one  of 
the  sublimest  pieces  of  devotion  in  the  English  language.  I 
do  not  know  whether  most  to  admire  the  holy  ardour  which  it 
breathes,  the  power  by  which  it  is  sustained,  or  the  felicitous 
language  in  which  it  is  expressed.  The  concluding  paragraph 
I  will  venture  to  give,  entreating  the  reader  to  examine  the 
whole.    Addressing  the  divine  Spirit,  he  says ; 

*^  As  thou  art  the  agent  and  advocate  of  Jesus  my  Lord,  O 
plead  his  cause  effectually  in  my  soul  against  the  suggestions  of 
Satan  ^  and  my  unbelief ;  and  finish  his  healing,  saving  work, 
and  let  not  the  flesh  or  world  prevail.  Be  in  me  the  resident 
^tness  of  my  Lord,  the  author  of  my  prayers,  the  spirit  of 
adoption,  the  seal  of  God,  and  the  earnest  of  mine  inheritance. 
Let  not  my  nights  be  so  long  and  my  days  so  short,  nor  sin 
eclipse  those  beams  which  have  often  illuminated  my  soul. 
Without  thee,  books  are  senseless  scrawls,  studies  are  dreams, 
learning  is  a  glow-worm,  and  wit  is  but  wantonness,  imper«- 
tinence^  and  folly.    Transcribe  those  sacred  precepVA  owm^j 


432  THB  UVE  AND  WRITINGS 

heart,  which  by  thy  dictates  and  inspiratiaiiB  are  recorded  in 
thy  holy  word.  I  refuse  not  thy  help  for  tears  and  groans ;  bat 
O  shed  abroad  that  love  upon  my  heart,  which  may  keep  it  in 
a  continual  life  of  love.  Teach  me  the  work  which  I  mnit 
do  in  heaven ;  refresh  my  soul  with  the  delights  of  holinesi, 
and  the  joys  which  arise  from  the  believing  hopes  of  the  ever- 
lasting joys.  Exercise  my  heart  and  tongue  in  the  holy  praisei 
of  my  Lord.  Strengthen  me  in  sufferings ;  and  conqiier  the 
terrors  of  death  and  hell.  Make  me  the  more  heavenly,  by  bow 
much  the  faster  I  am  hastening  to  heaven ;  and  let  my  but 
thoughts,  words,  and  works  on  earth,  be  likest  to  those  wluch 
shall  be  my  first  in  the  state  of  glorious  immortality ;  where 
the  kingdom  is  delivered  up  to  the  Father,  and  God  iRdll  &r 
ever  be  All,  and  in  all;  of  whom,  and  through  whom^  and  to 
whom,  are  all  things,  to  whom  be  glory  for  everw— Amen/' 

In  along  appendix  to  the  preceding  work, he  discusses  thedoc- 
trine  of  the  soul's  immortality,  and  immateriality;  and  in  16729 
he  published  a  small  duodecimo  volume,  entitled,  ^  More  Res- 
sons  for  the  Christian  Religion,  and  no  Reason  against  it;'* 
designed  as  a  second  appendix  to  his  work  on  the  Evidences. 
Part  of  this  little  treatise  is  intended  as  an  answer  to  an  un- 
known letter-writer,  who  charged  the  holy  Scriptures  with  con- 
tradictions ;  and  the  chief  part  consists  of  animadversions  on 
Lord  Herbert's  work  *  De  Veritate,'  which  had  not  met  with 
any  answer  previously  in  this  country.  Herbert  was  the  esrliest 
formal  deistical  writer  produced  by  England,  whose  laboois 
have  attracted  any  attention.  The  first  edition  of  his  work 
^  De  Veritate'  appeared  at  Paris  in  1624.  It  was  republished  in 
London,  along  with  his  treatise  ^  De  Causis  Erronim,'  and  his 
'  Religio  Laici,'  in  1633.  His  work  'De  Religione  Gentilium,' 
which  Baxter  does  not  appear  to  have  seen,  was  printed  at 
Amsterdam,  in  1663.  Herbert's  great  object  seems ',to  hsTe 
been,  to  overthrow  revelation,  and  substitute  what;  he  called 
natural  religion,  or  deism,  in  its  place. 

Baxter  addresses  this  little  work,  in  a  letter  written  with 
great  delicacy,  to  Sir  Henry  Herbert,  influenced,  he  says,  ^bv 
his  personal,  ancient  obligations  to  him  ;  by  his  approved  wis- 
dom and  moderation,  in  the  ways  of  charity  and  peace,  in  these 
trying  times ;  and  by  his  relation  to  the  noble  author  on  whose 
writings  he  animadverts.    As  it  is  your  honour,'^  he  says,  ^to 

*  Works^  Yol.  xxi. 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  433 

m 

be  the  brother  of  so  learned  and  ingenious  a  lord,  and  the  bro- 
ther of  so  excellently  holy,  as  well  as  learned  and  ingenious  a 
peraon,  Mr.  George  Herbert ;  so  it  obligeth  me  the  more  to 
give  you  an  account  of  this  animadversion." 

He  complains  of  "  the  sad  case  of  many  of  his  acquaintance, 
and  of  the  increase  of  infidelity  of  late,  especially  among  de- 
bauched, sensual  gallants,"  whose  increase  was  chiefly  to  be 
Mcribed  to  the  profligacy  of  the  reigning  monarch,  and  the 
dissoluteness  of  the  court.  Baxter  points  out  the  true  source 
of  Herbert's  infidelity ;  and,  indeed,  of  all  the  infidelity  of  the 
Christian  world — the  moral  state  of  the  heart.  ^^  Had  so  great 
a  wit,''  he  says,  *^  had  but  the  internal  conditions  due  to  such 
an  intellectual  apprehension,  as  his  and  your  holy  and  excellent 
brother  had,  no  doubt  but  our  supeniatural  revelations  and 
verities  would  have  appeared  evident  to  him,  and  possessed  his 
soul  with  as  sweet  a  gust,  and  fervent,  ascendant,  holy  love,  as 
breatheth  in  G.  Herbert's  poems ;  and  would  have  made  them 
as  clear  to  him  in  their  kind,  as  some  of  his  notituB  communes^ 
Hie  truth  is,  as  he  was  too  low  for  us,  who  number  not  our 
divine  revelations  with  the  verisinUliay  but  with  the  certain 
verities ;  so  he  was  too  high  for  the  atheistical  sensualists  of 
his  age.'' 

Baxter  treats  his  lordship  with  great  respect  and  candour ; 
but  remarks  very  freely  on  his  fallacies,  inconsistencies,  and  the 
imperfections  of  the  scheme  which  he  would  substitute  in  the 
place  of  God's  revelation.  Leland  makes  honourable  mention 
of  Baxter,  as  the  first  of  our  English  writers  who  replied  to 
Lord  Herbert.  It  is  not  to  be  considered,  however,  a  full  an- 
swer. Baxter  was  followed  by  Locke,  who,  both  in  his  *  Trea- 
tise on  the  Human  Understanding/  and  in  his  work  on  the 
*  Reasonableness  of  Christianity,'  meets  the  Baron  of  Cherbury. 
Whitby  also  wrote  a  very  excellent  tract  on  *The  Verity  and 
Usefulness  of  the  Christian  Revelation,'  in  which  his  lordship's 
system  is  considered.  But  the  grand  and  conclusive  reply  to 
the  father  of  our  English  Deists,  is,  the  work  of  Professor  Haly- 
burton,  referred  to  in  a  former  page.  It  has  alleged  every  thing 
necessary  to  be  said  on  this  subject. 

In  1682,  Baxter  published,  in  a  small  12mo  volume,  two 
treatises,  ^  Of  the  Immortality  of  Man's  Soul,  and  of  the  Nature 
of  it,  and  of  other  Spirits.'  The  first  is  in  the  form  of  a  letter, 
addressed  to  an  unknown  doubter^  whose  epistle  he  prefixes  i 

VOL.  I.  F  F 


434  THB   TJFB  AND  WRITINGS 


9 


the  other  \%  a  reply  to  Dr.  Henry  More's  animadTersions  ad- 
dressed to  Baxter  in  a  private  letter,  and  afterwards  pubKshed 
by  him  in  the  second  edition  of  Joseph  Glanvil's  ^  Sadducteorai 
Triumphatus ;  or.  History  of  Apparitions/  In  the  prefKe  to 
these  discourses,  he  refers  to  his  former  works,  the  '  Reasons  of 
the  Christian  Religion,'  and  the  ^Unreasonableness  of  Infidelity,' 
and  thus  connects  them  together.  The  appendix  t6  his  ^  Rea- 
sons of  the  Christian  Religion,'  is,  in  fact,  a  laboured  ^^  defenee 
of  the  soul's  immortality  against  the  Somatists  and  Epicoreans 
and  other  pseudo-philosophers ;''  of  which  this  small  treatise  iS| 
therefore,  but  a  continuation.  His  great  object  is  to  prove  the 
immateriality  and  immortality  of  the  soul;  not  by  the  testi* 
mony  of  revelation ;  but  by  the  light  of  nature  and  metaphyd-* 
cal  arguments.  For  this  kind  of  discussion  Baxter  was  peeo«* 
liarly  fitted  by  his  natural  acuteness,  and  the  metaphysical 
character  of  his  mind«  He  could  ^^  distinguish  things  thtt 
differ''  more  readily  than  most  men  of  his  own  or  any  other 
age  ;  and  the  reader,  who  attentively  examines  these  treatises^ 
will  find  that  most  of  the  arguments  usually  derived  from  reason, 
and  from  the  acknowledged  properties  of  mind  and  matter^  ar 
adduced  by  him. 

The  doctrine  of  the  immateriality  and  immortality  of  the  soul, 
was  first  attacked  in  English,  as  far  as  I  know,  in  a  pamphlet, 
published  at  Amsterdam,  in  1643,  and  re-published,  enlarged, 
at  London,  in  1655.  ^  Man's  Mortallitie,  wherein  'tis  proved, 
both  theologically  and  philosophically,  that  whole  man  (as  a 
rational  creature)  is  a  compound  wholly  mortal,  contrary  to 
that  common  distinction  of  soul  and  body :  and  that  the  pre- 
sent going  of  the  soul  into  Heaven  or  Hell  is  a  meer  fiction: 
and  that  at  the  resurrection  is  the  beginning  of  our  immor- 
tality, and  then,  actual  condemnation  and  salvation,  and  not 
before,'  &c.  The  author  signs  himself  "  R.  O."  Who  or  whit 
he  was.  Archdeacon  Blackburn  says,  cannot  now  be  traced.  I 
believe  he  was  Richard  Overton,  one  of  the  fierce  republicans  of 
the  Commonwealth.  The  production  is  not  destitute  of  talent 
but  is  altogether  sceptical  in  its  nature  and  tendency.  It  wii 
answered  in  an  anonymous  pamphlet,  ^The  Prerogative  of 
Man ;  or,  his  soul's  immortality  and  high  perfection  defended, 
and  explained  against  the  rash  and  rude  conceptions  of  a  late 
writer,  who  hath  inconsiderately  ventured  to  impugn  it.'  4to, 
1645.  Blackburn,  who  could  not  give  the  title  of  this  pam- 
phlety  sneers*  at  the  author  of  it,  and  represents  it  as  very  feeble* 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  435 

I  think  differently;  it  is  well  written,  and  destitute  neither  of 
learning  nor  argument.  Baxter's  small  treatises  on  this  subject 
were  written  many  years  after  these  productions,  so  that  he  had 
probably  forgotten  them,  if  indeed  he  ever  saw  them  among  tho 
ephemera  of  the  Commonwealth. 

The  book  of  Glanvil,  published  by  More,  is  a  very  singular 
production^  and  in  many  points  resembles  Baxter's  book  on  ap- 
paritionis  and  witches,  noticed  at  the  end  of  this  chapter.  The 
fittt  part  treats  of  the  possibility  of  witches ;  the  second,  of  their 
ical  existence.  It  is  full  of  scriptural  and  philosophical  argu«^ 
flttntft  according  to  the  views  of  the  author,  and  abounds  with 
ghoat  stories  of  all  descriptions.  Many  of  these  are  very  strik- 
ing, and  authenticated  by  the  names  of  the  parties.  The  book 
originated  in  an  occurrence  at  the  house  of  John  Mumpeson  of 
Tedworth ;  whieh  was,  for  some  time,  disturbed  by  the  beating 
of  an  invisible  drum  every  night  This  happened  in  1663, 
Olanvil  published  in  1666  some  philosophical  considerations, 
touching  the  being  of  witches  and  witchcraft ;  which  laid  the 
foundation  of  a  great  deal  of  discussion,  that  lasted  till  hit 
death.  As  an  apology  for  Baxter,  it  should  be  mentioned,  that 
Glativil  was  a  clergyman,  a  chaplain  in  ordinary  to  his  Majesty, 
and  one  of  the  first  and  most  useful  members  of  the  Royal  So- 
ciety. Anthony  Wood  says,  ^^  that  he  was  a  person  of  more 
than  ordinary  parts  :  of  a  quick,  warm,  spruce,  and  gay  fancy  ; 
and  more  lucky,  at  least  in  his  own  judgment,  in  his  first  hints 
and  thoughts  of  things,  than  in  his  after  notions,  examined  and 
digested  by  longer  and  more  mature  deliberation.^  Baxter 
was  acquainted  with  Glaiivil,  though  after  the  Restoration  they 
pursued  very  different  courses.  He  speaks  of  him,  in  his  ^De-< 
fence  of  the  Mere  Nonconformists,'  with  considerable  respect^ 
though  he  disapproved  of  part  of  his  conduct.  Among  the 
Baxter  MSS.  there  are  several  letters  from  Glanvil  to  Baxter, 
full  of  the  warmest  expressions  of  affection  and  admiration. 
In  one  of  them,  he  begs  Baxter's  acceptance  of  the  publication 
referred  to ;  in  another  he  acknowledges  the  honour  done  him 
by  Baxter,  in  sending  him  his  manuscript  answer  to  the  Bishop 
of  Worcester,  l^ere  is  also  a  long  letter,  full  of  curious  learn-< 
ing,  in  defence  of  the  pre-existence  of  souls  ;  a  doctrine  which 
Glanvil  believed,  and  to  which  he  would  gladly  have  made  Bax- 
ter a  convert.  He  appears  to  have  been  an  amiable,  philoso- 
phical enthusiast. 

'  Atben,  Oxop.  vol.  it.  p.  496. 

>f2        . 


436  THB   L1FB   AND   WRITINGS 

Dr.  Henry  More  possessed  great  personal  excellence,  bnt  had 
a  very  peculiar  conformation  of  mind.  Deeply  read  in  the 
philosophy  of  Plato,  the  mysteries  of  the  Cabalists,  and  m, 
profound  admirer  of  the  Cartesian  philosophy;  he  became 
the  most  learned  mystic  of  his  own,  or  perhaps  of  any  other 
time ;  and  one  of  the  deepest  students  of  the  apocalyptic  vmoiM 
and  prophecies.  He  was  learned,  but  credulous;,  pious,  but 
superstitious ;  philosophical,  and  yet  the  sport  oT  vulgar  fanciesy 
and  popular  errors.  His  writings  on  philosophical,  theologicaly 
and  mystical  subjects,  are  numerous,  and  were  extensivdy 
read  at  the  time ;  though  now  regarded  rather,  as  objects  of 
curiosity,  than  sought  after  on  account  of  their  utility.  Between 
More  and  Baxter  there  appears  to  have  been  some  personal  in- 
timacy, and  in  several  respects  they  were  congenial  spirits.  In 
the  second  edition  of  Glanvil's  ^Sadducismus  Triumpbatiis,' 
published  by  More,  he  inserted  a  private  letter  from  Baxter, 
with  some  animadversions  on  it,  which  led  to  what  Baxter  calb 
his  '^  placid  collation.''  According  to  More's  account,  Baxter 
was  a  ^'  Psychopyrist,  that  is,  a  philosopher,  who  holds  all  ere* 
ated  spirits  to  be  a  kind  of  more  pure  and  subtile  fire.''  Bai« 
ter  complains  that  he  held  no  such  notion,  but  that  his  language 
thus  interpreted  had  been  entirely  misunderstood.  The  follow- 
ing remarkable  passage  conveys  an  obscure  idea  of  his  specu- 
lations on  this  nice  and  difficult  subject,  and  of  the  nature  of 
the  difference  between  him  and  More. 

"Do  you  think,"  he  asks,  "that  the  soul  carrieth  a  bodyost 
of  the  body  inseparable  with  it,  or  only  that  it  receiveth  a  new 
body  when  it  passeth  out  of  the  old  ?  If  the  latter,  is  there 
any  instant  of  time  between  the  dispossession  of  the  old,  and 
the  possession  of  the  new  ?  If  any,  then  the  soul  is  some  time 
without  a  body ;  and  how  can  you  tell  how  long  ?  If  noti 
what  body  is  it  that  you  can  imagine  so  ready  to  receive  it 
without  any  interposition  ?  I  have  not  been  without  temptation 
to  over  inquisitive  thoughts  about  these  matters ;  and  I  nefer 
had  so  much  ado  to  overcome  any  such  temptation,  as  that  to 
the  opinion  of  Averrhoes,  that,  as  extinguished  candles  go  all  into 
one  illuminated  air,  so  separated  souls  go  all  into  one  common 
anima  mundiy  and  lose  their  individuation,  and  that  maitm 
receptiva  individuat ;  and  then,  indeed,  your  notion  would  be 
probable,  for  the  amma  mundi  mundum  semper  ammat,  and  so 
my  separated  soul  should  be  still  embodied  in  the  world,  and 
should  have  its  part  in  the  world's  animation ;  but  botk  Scrip* 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  437 

tore  and  apparitions  assure  us  of  the  ihdividuatioii  of  spirits 

and  separate  souls. 

*^  I  confess  to  vou  that  I  have  often  told  the  Sadducees  and 

infideb  that  urge  seeming  impossibilities  against  the  resurrec- 

tiOBy  and  the  activity  of  separate  souls  for  want  of  organs,  that 

they  are  not  sure  that  the  soul  taketh  not  with  it,  at  its  depar- 

tore  hence,  some  seminal  material  spirits,  etherial  and  airy;  and 

so  that  this  spirituous  or  igneous  body  which  it  carrieth  hence, 

is  a  semen  to  the  body  which  it  shall  have  at  the  resurrection  : 

no  man  knoweth  the  contrary^  and  no  man  knoweth  that  it  is 
•o.'M 

The  Christian  reader  will  probably  think  that  there  is  not 
moeh  edification  to  be  obtained  from  these  speculations.  The 
immateriality  and  immortality  of  the  soul,  are  clearly  taught 
in  the  sacred  Scriptures,  whose  testimony,  on  these  and  many 
other  subjects,  is  far  more  satisfactory  than  all  the  a  priori^ 
or  metaphysical  reasonings  of  the  acutest  minds.  Baxter  him- 
self appears  to  have  felt  this,  as  he  says,  towards  the  conclusion 
of  his  first  treatise:  ^'  But  all  that  I  have  said  to  you,  is  but  the 
teoBiparif  in  comparison  of  the  assurance  which  you  may  have 
by  the  full  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  where  the  state,  the  doom, 
the  rewards,  and  punishments  of  souls,  are  asserted/' 

The  last  work  in  this  department  is  intimately  connected 
with  the  preceding,  though  the  strangest  of  all  Baxter's  produc- 
tions. ^  The  Certainty  of  the  World  of  Spirits  fully  evinced  by 
nnquestionable  Histories  of  Apparitions  and  Witchcrafts,  Ope- 
rations, Voices,  &c.  Proving  the  Immortality  of  Souls,  the 
Malice  and  Misery  of  Devils  and  the  Damned,  and  the  Blessed- 
ness of  the  Justified.  Written  for  the  Conviction  of  Sadducees 
and  Infidels.' '  This  treatise  appeared  in  a  12mo  volume,  in  the 
year  1691,  only  a  few  months  before  the  author's  death.  The 
subject,  however,  had  long  occupied  his  attention ;  for  his 
^  Saint's  Rest,'  written  forty  years  before,  contains  some  things 
of  the  same  nature.  And,  indeed,  several  of  his  works  contain 
discussions  of  this  kind.  It  is  necessary,  however,  to  hear  the 
author's  own  account  of  the  origin  and  design  of  this  publi- 
cation. 

4  On  the  Nature  of  Spirits,  pp.  8,9. 

'  This  Biogular  book  was  trauslated  into  German,  and  published  at  Nurero- 
bsif  9  in  1731.  Several  of  the  stories  coutaiued  in  it  came  from  Germany,  so 
tiMil  they  would  get  back  to  their  native  country,  probably  with  some  im- 
jpffovemeats. 


438  TUB   LIFB  AND   WRITINGS 

'^  As  to  the  original  of  this  collection,  it  had  its  rise  from  my 
own,  and  other  men's  need.  When  God  first  awakened  me  to 
think,  with  preparing  seriousness,  of  my  condition  after  death,  I 
had  not  any  observed  doubts  of  the  reality  of  spirits,  or  the  im* 
mortality  of  the  soul,  or  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel ;  but  all  nqf 
doubts  were  about  my  own  renovation  and  title  to  that  blessed 
life.  But  when  God  had  given  me  peace  of  conscience,  Sataa 
assaulted  me  with  those  worse  temptations;  yet,  througli  God's 
grace,  they  never  prevailed  against  my  fdth;  nor  did  he  efer 
raise  in  me  the  least  doubt  of  the  being  and  perfections  of  God; 
nor  of  my  duty  to  love,  honour,  obey,  and  trust  him  ;  for  I  still 
saw  that  to  be  an  Atheist  was  to  be  mad. 

^  But  I  found  that  my  faith  of  supernatural  revelalioD  muit 
be  more  than  believing  man,   and  that  if  it  had  not  a  finn 
foundation  and  rooting,  even  sure  evidence  of  verity,  surely  ap- 
prehended, it  was  not  like  to  do  those  great  works  that  fiuth 
had  to  do,  to  overcome  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devi!, 
and  to  make  my  death  to  be  safe  and  comfortable.     Therefore, 
I  found  that  all  confirming  helps  were  useful;  and  among  thoie 
of  the  lower  sort,  apparitions,  and  other  sensible  manifestatiooi 
of  the  certain  existence  of  spirits  of  themselves  invisible,  vrere  s 
means  that  might  do  much  with  such  as  are  prone  to  judge  by 
sense.     The  uses  hereof,  I  mention  before  the  book,  that  the 
reader  may  know  that  I  write  it  for  practice,  and  not  to  plesse 
men  with  the  strangeness  and  novelty  of  useless  stories. 

**  It  is  no  small  number  of  writers  on  such  subjects  that  I  have 
read,  for  near  threescore  years  time  from  the  first  occasion ; 
and  finding  that  almost  all  the  Atheists,  Sadducees,  and  infidels, 
did  seem  to  profess,  that  were  they  but  sure  of  the  reality  of  the 
apparitions  and  operations  of  spirits,  it  would  cure  them;  I 
thought  tins  the  most  suitable  help  for  them  that  have  sinned 
themselves  into  an  incapacity  of  more  rational  and  excellent 
arguments.  And  I  have  long  feared,  lest  secret  unobserved 
defectiveness  in  their  belief  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul, 
and  the  truth  of  the  Scripture,  is  the  great  cause  of  all 
men's  other  defects.  There  lieth  usually  the  unsoundness  of 
worldly  hypocrites,  where  it  is  prevaiUng  ;  and  thence  is  the 
weakness  of  grace  in  the  best,  though  it  prevail  not  against 
their  sincerity.  By  which  motives  i  did,  though  it  displeased 
some,  make  it  the  second  part  of  my  book,  called,  ^  The  Saint's 
Rest;'  and,  afterwards,  provoked  by  Clement  Writer,  1  did 
it  much  more  fully  in  a  book  called  ^The  Unreasonable- 
ness of  Infidelity.'      After  that,  provoked  by  the  copy  of 


or   filCUARD   BAXTER*  439 

a  paper  dispersed  in  Oxford,  said  to  be  Dr.  Walker's,  ques- 
tioning the  certainty  of  our  religion,  and  seeing  no  answer  to 
it  come  from  the  university  men,  1  wrote  yet  more  methodically 
of  all,  in  a  book  called  ^  The  Reasons  of  the  Christian  Religion/ 
I  after  added  a  small  discourse,  called  *  More  Reasons  for  it,' 
provoked  by  one  that  called  himself  Herbert,  in  which  also 
I  answered  tlie  Lord  Herbert  De  Veritaie.  Since  then,  a 
.nameless  Sadducee  hath  drawn  me  to  publish  an  answer  to  him ; 
and  in  my  ^Life  of  Faith,'  and  other  books,  I  have  handled  the 
jiaoie  subject.  All  which  I  tell  the  reader,  that  he  may  see  why  I 
have  taken  this  subject  as  so  necessary,  why  1  am  ending  my 
life  with  the  publication  of  'these  historical  letters  and  collec- 
tions, which  I  dare  say  have  such  evidence,  as  will  leave  every 
Saddacee  that  readeth  them,  either  convinced  or  utterly  without 
excuse/'* 

To  enter  on  any  investigation  of  the  truth  of  the  extraordinary 
stories  of  witchcraft,  apparitions,  and  prodigies,  contained  in  this 
book,  would  be  foreign  from  the  design  of  these  memoirs.  It  is 
difficult  to  account  for  many  of  the  narratives,  as  they  were  fur- 
nished by  persons  of  respectability,  on  whose  veracity,  therefore, 
every  dependence  may  be  placed.^  Many  things  can  be  explained 
by  the  supposition,  that  the  parties  were  under  the  influence  of 
diseased  imaginations,  and  really  believed  that  they  saw  the  things 
of  which  they  speak.  In  other  cases  gross  imposition  was  with- 
out doubt  practised ;  and  a  stricter  scrutiny  would  have  de^ 
■tected  the  imposture  and  knavery  of  the  parties.  Some  of  the 
prodigies  may  be  accounted  for  from  the  operation  of  natural 
eauses,  many  of  which  have  now  become  familiar  to  us,  and 
others  that  are  still  occult  may  yet  be  discovered.  Much  must 
be  attributed  to  the  credulity  of  the  age.  Hence  it  is  the  less  sur^ 
prising  that  Baxter  was  the  subject  of  it,  when  we  find  such  men 
labouring  under  it  as  Judge  Hale,  More,  Robert  Boyle,  and  many 
other  eminent  individuals.  It  is  not  long  since  the  statute 
book  of  the  country  was  freed  from  laws,  the  operation  of  wliich', 
with  die  superstition  of  all  classes,  brought  many  an  innocent 
individual  to  a  horrible  death.^ 

•  Preface. 

*  Without  referring  to  the  foreig^ncrt,  whose  accounts  are  introduced  by 
Baxter  in  this  voluuie,  there  are  narratives  furnished  by  many  persons  of 
craineuce  in  our  own  country.  Lord  Broghill,  the  Duke  of  Lauderdale,  the 
Rer.  TboB.  Emlyn,  of  Dublin,  and  Dr.  Dan.  Williams. 

■  Honourable  mention  ought  to  be  made  of  John  Webster,  practitioner 
In  pbysicy  who^iu  1677»  when  the  doctrine  of  witchcraft  was  very  generally 


440  TUB  UFB  AND  WRITINGS 

I  am  afraid  that  Baxter's  object  in  compiling  and  authentic . 
eating  these  stories,  the  conviction  of  the  Sadduceea^  hat  not 
been  accomplished  by  them.  It  will  commonly  be  found,  I  ap- 
prehend^ that  if  men  do  not  believe  Moses  and  the  prophet% 
neither  will  they  believe  on  the  authority  of  ^'witdies,  hobgoblinsy 
or  chimeras  dire/'  It  is  not  from  want  of  evidence  that  they 
do  not  believe^  but  from  dislike  to  religion,  which  predispoiei 
•them  to  reject  or  to  trifle  with  all  evidence  that  the  natare  of 
the  subject  admits  or  requires. 

Various  causes  may  be  assigned  for  the  superstitions  fed* 
ings,  and  the  dread  of  supernatural  beings,  which  generally 
belong  to  an  unenlightened  state  of  society.  There  seems  nsr 
turally  to  exist  in  man,  not  only  ^  a  longing  after  iminortalily/' 
but  also  a  kind  of  dread  of  that  world  of  spirits  to  which  s 
part  of  his  nature  is  allied.  With  this  is  combined  a  ftatmg 
desire  to  know  what  belongs  to  that  state,  and  its  mysteriow 
transactions.  Certain  passages  of  Scripture,  misnnderstoodi 
have  tended  to  nourish  the  idea,  that,  as  in  early  times, 

<'  Descending  spirits  have  cdnvers'd  with  mtn. 
And  told  the  secrets  of  the  world  unlcnown^" 

such  things  may  happen  again.  The  Romish  doctrine  of  pur- 
gatory, with  the  legends  of  the  saints,  have  been  fruitful  souroa 
of  superstition,  and  have  supplied  a  large  portion  of  the  materisi 
which  has  been  wrought  into  the  innumerable  fictions  that  still 
continue  afloat,  and  even  yet  too  frequently  constitute  the  tcr* 
ror  of  the  nursery  and  the  cottage.  The  appearance  and  ail- 
vance  of  light,  however,  invariably  operate  on  these  supersti- 
tious fancies,  like  the  fabled  influence  of  the  cock  crowing  or 
appearance  of  the  morning,  on  the  spirits  of  the  deep.  They 
cannot  stir,  or  walk  abroad,  under  the  light  of  heaven. 

I  cannot  take  leave  of  this  portion  of  the  writings  of  Baxter, 
without  remarking,  what  I  believe  has  not  been  attended  to, 
that  he  is  the  first  original  writer  on  the  evidences  of  re- 
vealed religion  in  the  English  language.     Before  Herbert's  time 


believedy  and  most  zealously  contended  fur,  published  '  The  Dispbijfiif  of 
supposed  Witchcraft/  in  a  folio  volume,  full  of  curious  learning;  iu  which  ht 
combats  the  erroneous  opiuions  which  then  prevailed,  and  had  been  advo* 
cated  by  such  men  as  Glanvil  and  Casaubon.  Baxter  published  his  work  Umg 
after  this  of  Webster  appeared ;  it  is  rather  surprising  that  he  either  knew  it 
liot>  or  if  be  was  acquainted  with  it,  that  he  took  no  notice  of  it. 


OP  RICHARD   BAXTRR.  441 

the  deislicRl  controversy  had  not  appeared  in  this  country, 
and  Baxter  was  the  first  to  grapple  with  his  lordship's  argn- 
OMnt.  In  1604,  a  translation  of  a  work  by  an  illustrious  French, 
Pipoieatant,  appeared  with  the  following  title,  ^  A  Work  con- 
ccmiiig^the  trueness  of  Christian  Religion,  written  in  French 
ifpunst  Atheists,  Epicures,  Payniros,  Jews,  Mahometists,  and 
otter  infidels,  by  Philip  Momay,  Lord  of  Plessie  Marlie. 
Be(;:iui  to  be  translated  by  Sir  Philip  Sydney,  and  at  his  request 
finkhed  by  Artliur  Golding,  4to.'  This  is  a  work  of  very 
eonaderable  merit.  Of  the  treatise  of  Grotius  ^  De  Veritate,' 
wUeh  had  also  been  translated  before,  it  is  superfluous  to  speak; 
its  merits  are  well  known,  and  duly  estimated. 

Had  the  '  Atheomastix '  of  Bishop  Fotherby,  published  in 
1622^  been  completed,  it  would  have  enjoyed  the  {Precedence  in 
thia  department  which  now  properly  belongs  to  Baxter*  That 
learned  writer  proposed  to  treat  of  four  subjects :«— ^  That  there 
ia  a  God— That  there  is  but  one  God — That  Jehovah,  our  God, 
k  that  one  God — ^And,  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  the  word 
of  God.''  His  publication,  however,  embraces  only  the  first 
two  topics.  These  are  discussed  with  considerable  ability, 
and  with  a  vast  profusion  of  learning,  which  excite  regret  that 
the  Ushop  was  not  spared  to  grapple  with  infidelity,  after  so 
ably  demolishing  Atheism. 

Stillingfleet's  '  Origines  Sacrse,'  first  appeared  in  1663,  where 
the  subject  is  treated  with  great  learning  and  ability,  and  very 
daborately.  This  distinguished  performance  is  entitled  to 
great  praise.  It  contains  a  large  portion  of  recondite  learning; 
proaecutes  the  subject  with  great  strength  of  argument ;  and 
exhibits  ^  the  grounds  of  the  Christian  faith,  as  to  the  truth 
and  divine  authority  of  the  Scriptures,"  in  a  manner  that  can 
scarcely  fail  to  produce  conviction  in  the  minds  of  honest 
incjuirers.  The  works  of  Baxter  on  the  evidences  of  religion, 
are  neither  so  learned  nor  so  systematically  arranged,  but  they 
are  more  adapted  to  popular  and  general  usefulness  than  is  the 
production  of  Stillingfleet.  They  are  written  with  more  point, 
and  contain  a  greater  mixture  of  those  views  of  Christianity 
which  are  necessary  to  be  received  as  the  great  object  of  its 
teatimony,  and  without  which  the  discussion  of  its  evidence  is 
Kttle  calculated  to  profit.  Neither  Baxter  nor  Stillingfleet 
appears  to  have  borrowed  from  the  other;  and  each  is  excellent 
in  his  own  way. 

Since  that  time,  a  multitude  of  works  on  every  btaxidci  ol  ^^ 


442  THE  LIFE  AND  WEITINGS 

Christian  eridence  has  been  published.  The  diversified  forms 
in  which  revelation  has  been  attacked^  have  only  occanooed  s 
corresponding  diversity  of  defence.  If  infidelity  has  racked 
its  ingenuity  to  undermine  or  overthrow  the  citadel  of  God, 
talent  npt  less  powerful,  and  genius  equally  splendid,  have  beea 
employed  in  successfully  resisting  the  attempt.  In  argumenti 
infidels  have  long  since  been  driven  from  the  field.  They  have 
been  stripped  of  their  armour ;  their  sophistry  and  guile  hare 
been  exposed;  their  malice  detected,  and  their  wit  turned 
against  themselves.  If  on  the  one  side  can  be  ranked  s 
Hume  and  a  Gibbon,  a  Voltaire  and  a  Paine ;  on  the  other 
can  be  placed,  Campbell,  and  Hales,  Lardner,  Watson,  Paley, 
and  Gregory,  with  a  numerous  host  beside ;  in  learning  and 
talents  equal  to  any  of  the  adversaries  of  the  £uth,  and  in  monil 
worth  and  weight  of  character  not  to  be  mentioned  in  oonnex- 
ion  with  ^ch  men.  If  their  invaluable  writings  have  in  some 
measure  superseded  those  of  Baxter,  it  is  not  because  tbej 
contain  stronger  arguments,  or  more  ingeniious  reasonings,  but 
because  they  are  better  adapted  to  the  peculiar  forms  whieh 
infidelity  has  more  recently  assumed.  While  grateful  for  their 
labours,  it  is  proper  we  should  remember,  that  their  predeeet- 
sors  did  worthily  in  their  time.  They  in  fact  cleared  the  groundi 
and  laid  the  foundation  of  that  noble  structure  which  more 
modern  architects  have  succeeded  in  rearing.^ 

*  The  latest  work  In  this  department  t>f  literature,  ^hich  I  hare  seen,  Ii 
«  The  Divine  Origin  of  Christianity,  deduced  from  some  of  those  Brldeacfi 
which  are  not  founded  on  the  Authority  of  Scripture.'  By  John  Sbeppsidi 
2  Tols.  12mo.  1829.  The  author  of  this  work  is  well  known  to  the  public  bf 
his  beautiful  little  work  on  private  devotion  :  the  present,  is  of  an  entirely 
4lflfertnt  cliaracter ;  but  does  no  less  credit  to  his  talents,  his  leaminfySB^ 
hit  acuteness.  He  is  quite  a  Baxter  for  his  scrupulosity  in  wei^his^  odbi* 
lancing^  proofs;  and  much  more  judicious  in  his  manner  ,q(  utgiiag  then* 
The  work  is  in  some  dau^r  of  repelling  superficial  readers ;  bo^h  the  arrange 
ment  and  the  learninf^  of  it  require  more  study  than  they  Who 'Wish  to  sr- 
rive  at  the  knowled^  of  all  science  and  art  by  the  shortest  road,  are  gcM* 
raUy  disposed  to  give  to  any  subject.  But  the  lover  of  close  argument,  tsd 
satisfactory  information,  will  be  amply  repaid  by  the  studious  examiuatioD  of 
these  volumes. 


OP  RICHARD  BAXTBRtt  44S 


CHAPTER    IL 


DOCTRINAL  WORKS.     , 

falroduelory  Obwf  vatlon »— * Apborismg  of  Justification'*^ Ammsdftrtioiit  ott 
Ibe  AplMwifms  by  Bor^ess,  Warren,  Wallis,  Cartwri^ht,  aiid  LawMMi-*- 

'  Other  Antigoniito-^  Apology '-*J>folingttt,  Crandoa,  E>rti  *Cftnf€MtDf 
cif  Failh'---<  Perserermnce '•-*  lUndal -- Barkm--^epheni~«  Savlof  Fkitii' 
— 'Dissertations  on  Justification'— ^ On  Justifyinf  Righteousnesa' — Ctmr 

,  tiovwvy  with  Tully— <  Originai  Sin '— <  Universal  Redemption '-^<  Catholic 
Tbeoiogy*— ^  Metbodus  Theologis'— '  End  of  Doctrinal  Controversies '-^ 
General  View  of  Baxter's  Doctrinal  Sentiments — Strictures  on  his  Manner 
of  conducting  Controversy— Conclusion. 

Thb  doctrinal  works  of  Baxter^  which  naturally  follow  his 
writings  on  the  evidences  of  religion,  with  the  controversies 
in  which  they  involved  him^  occupied  a  large  portion  of  his  ac- 
tive and  useful  life.  It  will  be  expected,  therefore,  that  a  full  ao-^ 
count  of  this  class  of  his  writings,  and  of  his  peculiar  theological 
sentiments,  should  be  given  in  this  chapter.  Though  I  have  not 
sliniqk  from  labour,  in  endeavouring  to  accomplish  the  task 
which  I  have  voluntarily  undertaken,  I  frankly  confess  that  this 
put  of  it  has  been  more  difficult  than  any  other ;  and  I  fear 
It  may  not  afford  the  reader  all  the  satisfaction  he  anticipates 
or  desires.  The  immense  extent  of  Baxter's  writing  on  dis- 
putable subjects ;  the  peculiar  character  of  his  mind— -subtle, 
acute,  and  versatile^  in  an  extraordinary  degree  j  the  manner  in 
which  he  was  assailed  by  the  men  of  all  parties  and  of  all  creeds, 
which  led  to  a  great  diversity  of  defence  and  attack  on  his  part| 
his  favourite  scheme  of  union  and  reconciliation  —  involving 
a  variety  of  concessions,  and  tempting  him  to  avail  himself  of 
many  refined  and  untangible  distinctions,  are  some  of  the 
eauses  and  sources  of  those  difficulties  which  belong  to  the  at- 
tempt to  ascertain  his  precise  sentiments,  and  correctly  to 
present  the  design  of  his  voluminous  productions. 


444  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

Whatever  view  may  be  taken  of  his  opinions  on  various  sub- 
ordinate subjects,  it  is  certain  that  on  all  matters  of  essenttsi 
and  vital  importance  in  the  evangelical  system,  he  hdd  those 
truths  which   are   most   surely   believed   among  all   genuine 
Christians.    He  had,  indeed,  his  own  mode  of  explaining  certain 
points,  which  a  man  who  thought  so  much  and  so  independoitly 
must  have  had.     He  was  not  formed  to  be  an  implicit  bdiever 
in  human  creeds,  or  to  follow  in  the  steps  of  any  uninspired 
master.    On  the  other  hand,  he  had  no  ambition  to  be  the 
founder  of  a  new  school  of  theology ;  for,  though  his  name  hsi 
been  prefixed  to  a  class,  that  class  has  never  constituted  a  se- 
parate party,  but,  in  as  far  as  it  has  existed,  has  been  fbmd 
among  persons  of  various  parties:  few  even  of  whom  wouU 
probably  have  been  acknowledged  by  Baxter  himself  as  alto- 
gether of  his  mind,  and  still  fewer  of  them,  perhaps^  would  hue 
acknowledged  him  as  their  apostle. 

The  time  has  been  when  it  would  have  been  dangerous  to 
the  reputed  orthodoxy  of  an  individual  who  should  have  pro- 
fessed great  respect  for  the  doctrinal  views  of  Baxter.  Htgh 
Arminians  on  the  one  hand,  and  high  Calvinists  on  the  other, 
agreed  to  revile  him.  Baxterianism  was  a  term  of  reproach, 
readily  applied  to  many  who  were  sounder  in  the  faith  tbiB 
some  of  those  who  arrogated  to  themselves  the  exclusive  ap- 
pellation of  orthodox.  That  time,  however,  has  passed  away. 
The  character  of  Baxter  has  outlived  all  the  reproaches  fulmi- 
nated against  it,  and  we  may  now,  without  fear  of  dishonour, 
state  his  opinions,  analyse  his  doctrines,  and  defend  or  advocate 
his  cause  where  we  believe  it  to  be  just.  It  is  my  business  to  giie 
a  faithful  statement  of  matter  of  fact,  ^^  neither  to  extenuate^ 
nor  set  down  aught  in  malice,''  respecting  our  author;  with 
whom  I  sometimes  agree,  and  sometimes  differ,  on  the  topics 
discussed  in  this  chapter. 

In  1649,  Baxter  began  his  career  of  authorship  by  a  small 
publication,  entitled  ^^  Aphorisms  of  Justification."  This  work 
deserves  attention,  not  so  much  on  its  own  account,  for  he  ac« 
knowledges  it  was  written  '^  in  his  immature  youth,  and  the 
crudity  of  his  new  conceptions,"*^  as  because  it  contains  the 
germs  of  his  leading  sentiments,  and  was  the  occasion  of  the 

*  The  copy  of  the  Aphorisms  used  by  me  is  one  of  the  second  edition^  which 
was  pretended  to  be  printed  at  the  Ha^^ue,  1655,  but  in  reality  was  printed 
surreptitiously  by  a  Cambridg^e  boukseUer.  This  copy  contains  many  mar* 
Sittal  notes,  and  alterations  of  the  text,  in  the  band-writings  of  Mr.  Baxter.  Of 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  445 

peater  part  of  the  doctrinal  controversies  in  which  he  engaged* 
Hie  professed  object  of  it  is,  to  explain  the  nature  of  justifi- 
mtton,  the  covenants,  satisfaction,  righteousness,  faith,  works, 
be.  This  he  attempts  in  a  series  of  eighty  theses,  or  prOposi- 
CioiiSy  with  their  respective  explanations.  That  he  did  not 
neoeed  to  his  own  satisfaction,  he  freely  acknowledges;  and 
that  it  was  still  less  satisfactory  to  others,  appears  from  the  num- 
BTOiu  animadversions  and  defences  which  it  occasioned.  He 
blames  himself  for  deficiency  and  incautiousness,  and  for  med- 
dling imprudently  with  Dr.  Owen.  ^^  It  was  overmuch  valued," 
be  aay9,  **  by  some,  and  overmuch  blamed  by  others ;  both 
Bontrary  to  my  own  esteem  of  it.  It  cost  me  more  than  any 
odier  book  tliat  I  have  written ;  not  only  by  men*s  offence,  but 
Btpecially  by  putting  ine  on  long  and  tedious  writings.  But  it 
waa  a  great  help  to  my  understanding,  for  the  animadverters 
were  of  several  minds,  and  what  one  approved  another  confuted^ 
being  further  from  each  other  than  any  of  them  were  firom  me.'' 

Among  those  who  furnished  him  with  strictures,  some  in  ma- 
DQbcript^  and  some  in  print,  were  Mr.  Anthony  Burgess,  to  whom, 
■nd  Richard  Vines,  it  was  dedicated.  Mr.  John  Warren  ;  Dr. 
John  Wallis,  one  of  the  scribes  to  the  Westminster  Assembly, 
and  .well  known  for  his  mathematical  talents ;  Mr.  Christopher 
Cartwright,  of  York,  a  Presbyterian  minister  of  considerable 
learning;  and  Mr.  George  Lawson,  of  whom  Baxter  gives  rather 
a  long  description.  But  I  must  give  his  own  account  of  these 
individuals,  as  it  contains  some  things  worthy  of  being  recorded. 

''The  first  that  I  craved  animadversions  from  was  Mr.  Bur-* 
gnSf  and  with  much  ado,  extorted  only  two  or  three  letters 
against  justification  by  works,  as  he  called  it ;  which,  with  my 
answers,  were  afterwards  published ;  when  he  had  proceeded  to 
print  against  me  what  he  would  not  give  me  in  writing. 

*'  The  next  and  full  animadversions  which  I  received,  were 
firom  Mr.  John  Warren,  an  honest,  acute,  ingenious  man,  to 
whom  I  answered  in  freer  expressions  than  others,  because  he 
was  my  junior  and  familiar  friend;  being  a  school-boy  at 
Bridgnorth  when  I'was  preacher  there,  and  his  father  was 
my  neighbour.  Next  to  his,  1  had  animadversions  from  Dr.  John 
Wallis,  very  judicious  and  moderate,  to  which  I  began  to  write 


tbe  expression  quoted  abore  is  part.    Many  of  these  notes  and  altera* 
discover  the  progress  of  the  writer's  mind,  and  the  amiable  candour  by 

which  H  was  distinipiished.    At  the  head  of  one  the iis«  be  sa^S|  «<  There  U 

amhtaif  in  this  lection  worth  reading." 


446  THB   LIFB  AND  WRITINOS 

a  reply,  but  broke  it  off  in  tihe  middle,  because  he  little  difEered 
from  me. 

'^  The  next  I  had,  was  from  Mr.  Christopher  Cartwright,  of 
York,  who  defended  the  king  against  the  Marquis  of  Woivester. 
He  was  a  man  of  good  reading,  as  to  our  later  divines,  and  wn 
very  well  versed  in  the  common  road ;  a  very  good  HebriciaB, 
and  a  very  honest,  worthy  person.  His  animadversions  were 
most  against  my  distinction  of  righteousness  into  legal  and 
evangelical,  according  to  the  two  covenants.  His  answer  wm 
full  of  citations  out  of  Amesius,  Whittaker,  Davenant|  &e.  I 
wrote  him  a  full  reply ;  and  he  wrote  me  a  rejoinder ;  to  wUcb, 
my  time  not  allowing  me  to  write  a  full  confutation^  I  took  «p 
all  the  points  of  difference  between  him  and  me,  and  handled' 
them  briefly,  confirming  my  reasons  for  the  ease  of  the  readff 
and  myself. 

^'  The  next  animadverter  was  Mr.  George  Lawson,  die 
ablest  man  of  them  all,  or  of  almost  aiiy  I  know  in  England > 
especially  by  the  advantage  of  his  age,  and  very  hard  stadia, 
and  methodical  head,  but  above  all,  by  his  great  skill  in  poll* 
tics,  wherein  he  is  most  exact,  which  contributeth  not  a  little 
to  the  understanding  of  divinity.  He  was  himself  near  the 
Arminians,  differing  from  them  only  in  the  point  of  perseverance 
as  to  the  confirmed,  and  some  little  mattei-s  more ;  and  though 
he  went  further  than  I  did  from  the  Antinomians,  yet  being  con- 
versant with  men  of  another  mind,  to  redeem  himself  from  their 
offence,  he  set  himself  against  some  passages  of  mine,  which othen 
marvelled  that  he,  of  all  men,  should  oppose ;  especially  about 
the  object  of  faith  and  justification.  He  afterwards  published 
an  excellent  sum  of  divinity,  called  Theopolitica  ;  in  which  be 
insisteth  on  these  two  points,  to  make  good  what  he  had  said 
in  his  MS.  against  me. 

'*  He  hath  written,  also,  animadversions  on  Hobbes,  and  a 
piece  on  ecclesiastical  and  civil  policy,  according  to  the  method 
of  politics;  an  excellent  book,  were  it  not  that  he  seemeth  to  jus- 
tify the  king's  death,  and  meddles  too  boldly  with  the  political 
controversies  of  the  times,  though  he  was  a  Conformist*  I  have 
also  seen  some  ingenious  manuscripts  of  his  for  the  taking  of 
the  engagement  to  be  true  to  the  Commonwealth,  as  established 
without  a  king  and  house  of  lords,  his  opinions  being  much  for 
submitting  to  the  present  possessor,  though  a  usurper]  but  I 
thought  those  papers  easily  answerable.  His  animadversions  on 
my  papers  were  large,  in  which  he  frequently  took  occasion  lo 


OP   RICHARD   BAXTKR«  '  447 

•  •  • 

m  copious  and  distinGt^  in  laying  down  his  own  judgment,  which 
deased  me  very  well.  I  returned  him  a  full  answer,  and  re- 
aeived  from  him  a  large  reply ;  instead  of  a  r^oinder  to  which, 
1  tmnmed  up  our  differences,  and  spoke  to  them  briefly  and  dis- 
inctly,  and  not  verbatim  to  the  words  of  his  book.  1  must 
lumkfully  acknowledge  that  I  learned  more  from  Mr.  Lawson 
lum  from  any  divine  that  gave  me  animadversions,  or  that  ever 
I  eonversed  with.  For,  two  or  three  passages  in  my  first  reply 
»  him,  he  convinced  me,  were  mistakes ;  and  I  found  up  and 
Itfwn  in  him  those  hints  of  truths  which  had  a  great  deal  of 
light  in  them,  and  were  very  apt  for  good  improvement,  espe- 
aially  hit  instigating  me  to  the  study  of  politics,  in  which  he 
Biiicb  lamented  the  ignorance  of  'divines,  did  prove  a  singular 
benefit  to  me.  I  confess  it  owing  to  my  own  uncapableness  that 
[  have  received  no  more  good  from  others.  But  yet  I  must  be 
ID  grateful  as  to  confess  that  my  understanding  hath  niade  a 
better  improvement  of  Grotius  'DeSatisfactione  Christi,'  and  of 
Mr.  Lawson's  manuscripts,  than  of  any  thing  else  that  ever  I  read. 
They  convinced  me  how  uitfit  we  are  to  write  about  Christ's 
government,  laws,  and  judgment,  while  we  understand  not  ther 
true  ndture  of  government  and  laws  in  general ;  and  that  he 
that  is  ignorant  of  politics,  and  of  the  law  of  nature,  will  be 
ignorant  and  erroneous  in  divinity  and  the  sacred  Scriptures.*'  ^ 

Thus  did  Baxter,  at  a  very  early  period  of  his  life,  launch  into 
the  ocean  of  controversy,  on  some  of  the  most  interesting  sub- 
jects that  can  engage  the  human  mind.  The  manner  in 
which  he  began  to  treat  them  was  little  favourable  to  arriving  at 
correct  and  satisfactory  conclusions ;  but  the  persons  whom  he 
engaged  to  discuss  them  with  him,  were  all  men  of  respectable 
powers  in  theological  argument,  from  whose  letters  or  publi 
cations  he  derived  considerable  profit. 

To  give  a  concise  and  accurate  opinion  of  these  Aphorisms,  is 
no  easy  task.  This  difficulty  arises  from  the  great  number  of 
separate  propositions,  which  are  neither  always  consistent  with 
truth  nor  with  one  another.  As  a  book,  it  abounds  in  moral  and 
metaphysical  distinctions,  and  yet  its  definitions  are  frequently 
both  inaccurate  and  obscure.  It  contains  a  large  portion  of 
truth,  mixed  and  interwoven  with  no  small  portion  of  error. 
When  he  thus  expresses  himself  about  our  participation  of 
Christ's  righteousness,  every  true  Christian  is  prepared  to  go 
along  with  him :  "  That  God,  the  Father,  doth  accept  the 

'  Lif«^  part  i.  pp.  107^  108. 


448  TUB  LIFE  AND  WRITINGS 

sufferings  and  mediation  of  his  Son,  as  a  full  saUsfaclaoa  to  hit 
violated  law,  and  as  a  valuable  consideration,  upon  which  he 
will  wholly  forgive  and  acquit  the  offenders  themselves,  reem 
them  again  into  favour,  and  give  them  the  addition  also*  of  t 
more  excellent  happiness,  so  they  will  but  receive  his  Soq 
upon  the   terms  expressed  in   the  Gospel/'     But  when  he 
comes  to  explain  '^  the  terms  of  the  Gospel,''  and  the  manner  is 
which  men  submit  to  them,  we  meet  with  much  that  is  incai- 
tious.    To  a  good  deal  of  the  objectionable  language  of  his 
theses,  he  indeed  gives  a  harmless  interpretation  in  the  aoeoo* 
panying  explanation,  or  in  some  subsequent  proposition  renders 
it  entirely  nugatory.    But  still  there  remains  much  wfaieh  is^ 
calculated  to  mislead.     He  speaks  about  the  Gospel  being  ^t 
new  law,  the  conditions  of  which  are  easier  than  those  of  the 
old ;"  of  *^  faith  as  the  righteousness  of  a  Christian."     He  de- 
fines this  faith  as  '^  the  condition  of  the  new  covenant,"  and 
includes  in  it  the  whole  of  religion.     He  represents  the  death 
of  Christ  as  not  '^  affecting  any  sins  against  the  Gospel;" 
speaks  of  ^*  works"  as  ^*  part  of  the  condition  on  which  Christ's 
righteousness  becomes   ours,"  and  maintains   that  ^we  ue 
justified  by  sincere  obedience."    To  this  language,  no  man  who 
understands  aright  the  gratuitous  justification  which  is  through 
faith  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  will  ever  subscribe. 

These  were  some  of  the  expressions  or  sentiments  wfaieh 
involved  Baxter  in  most  of  the  doctrinal  altercations  thtt 
occupied  so  large  a  portion  of  his  future  life,  and  on  account  of 
which  his  name  has  been  placed  at  the  head  of  a  peculiar  creed. 
While  he  explained,  modified,  and  retracted,  many  things  in  this 
first,  and  perhaps  most  objectionable  of  his  works,  he  adhered 
to  the  substance  of  its  sentiments  to  the  last.^ 

Along  with  those  sentiments,  which  most  persons  of  evange- 
lical views  agree  to  be  incorrect,  he  has  introduced  some  others 

y  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  incorrect  lang^uaf^  of  Baxter,  on  soneof  tlM 
above  topics,  is  by  no  means  peculiar  to  him.  Even  Dr.  Doddrid|^,  wboie 
evangelical  sentiments  are  so  well  known,  is  very  injudicious  sometimes  ia  his 
definitions.  Thus,  in  his  lectures,  where  we  should  suppose  great  accuiacy 
would  be  studied,  be  says,  *' Christ  has  made  satisfaction  (or  the  tins  vi tii 
those  who  repent  of  their  sins,  and  return  to  God  in  the  way  o/sineere  tkmigh 
vmptrftct  obedience"  p.  418.  <*  Faith  in  Christ  is  a  very  exteoiive  prindpfte, 
and  includes,  in  its  nature^  and  inseparable  effects,  the  whole  of  moral  wartm,*' 
p.  424.  2d  Edit.  This  mode  of  speaking  of  the  way  of  acceptance,  is  as  objee- 
tionable  as  any  thing  I  have  met  with  <n  Baxter.  In  other  placet,  bowevtr, 
both  Baxter  and  Doddridge  show  that  they  were  more  contiste&t  with  tbt 
truth,  though  not  consistent  with  themselves. 


OF  m CHARD   BAXTER.  449 

on  which  various  opinions  have  been  entertained.  He  denies 
die  distinction,  or  rather  the  use  that  has  been  made  of  it, 
between  the  active  and  passive  righteousness  of  Christ;  the 
latter  as  the  Christian's  title  to  forgiveness,  and  the  former  to 
Kfe.  He  contends,  if  I  understand  him  aright,  that  the  suffer* 
inga  of  the  Redeemer  include  the  whole  of  his  earthly  under- 
taking,  terminated  by  his  death,  and  that  these  furnish  at  once 
the  ground  of  acceptance,  and  the  channel  of  heavenly  and 
eternal  life.    On  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  death,  threatened 

00  account  of  the  Adamic  transgression,  also,  he  held  views  not 
generally  entertained :  "  That  man  should  live  here  for  a  season 
a  dying  life,  separated  from  God,  devoid  of  his  image,  subject 
to  bodily  curses  and  calamities,  dead  in  law,  and  at  last  his  soul 
and  body  be  separated ;  his  body  turning  to  dust  from  whence 
it  came,  and  his  soul  enduring  everlasting  sorrow,  yet  nothing 
lo  great,  as  those  that  are  threatened  in  the  new  covenant.'^ 
Ilieae  things,  however,  he  mentions  in  the  preface,  that  he 
does  not  very  confidently  insist  on. ' 

In  the  appendix  to  this  small  work,  he  makes  an  acknow- 
ledgment which  explains  the  reason  of  the  perplexities  that 
occur  in  this  and  some  other  of  his  controversial  writings. 
^  To  tell  the  truth,  while  I  busily  read  what  other  men 
said  in  these  controversies,  my  mind  was  so  prepossessed 
with  their  notions,  that  I  could  not  possibly  see  the  truth  in  its 
own  native  and  naked  evidence,  and  when  I  entered  into  public 
disputations  concerning  it,  though  I  was  truly  willing  to  know 
the  truth,  my  mind  was  so  forestalled  with  borrowed  notions, 
that  I  chiefly  studied  how  to  make  good  the  opinions  which  1 

■  The  extent  of  the  Adamic  curse  has  occasioned  a  f^ood  deal  of  discussion. 
The  majority,  1  believe,  of  Calvinistic  writers  contend  that  it  includes  deaths 
temporal)  spiritual,  and  eternal. — Vide  Calvini  Inti.  lib.  ii.  c.3.  ffestminster 
Cnifn  chap.  vi.  Dr.  Doddridge  objects  to  this  view  of  it,  without  intimating 
what  bis  own  was. — Lectures,  pp.  4 15,416.  2d  Edit.  Bishop  Law  maintained 
that  it  meant  an  entire  destructiouy  rather  than  a  perpetual  punishmeut^an 
annihilation  of  the  soul,  and  a  resolution  of  the  body  into  its  original  dust. 
ne^ry  of  Relig.  pp.  339—^51.  7th  Edit.  I  suppose  Bishop  BulT  was  of  the 
lane  opinion  with  Law.— See  Life,  by  Nelson,  pp.  89,  197,  198,  225.  Joseph 
Hsilct  alto  seems  to  have  been  nearly  of  this  opinion. — Notes  and  Observa^ 
Omu,  vol.  i.  pp.  313-^26.  Mr.  Archibald  M<Leaii,  of  Edinburgh,  in  his 
tniet  on  original  sin,  endeavours  to  establish  that  the  curse  extended  no  fur- 
ther than  to  natural  death,  or  the  dissolution  of  soul  and  body.  That  a  resurrec- 
tiso  was  not  provided  by  the  Adamic  constitution,  and  belongs  entirely  to  the 
ndemption  of  Christ,  seems  to  be  plainly  intimated  in  the  New  Testament. — 

1  Cor.  XV.  21^23  ;  Rom.  v.  12—21.  Dr.  Watts  had  some  views  of  this  sub- 
ject peculiar  to  himself. — See  his  Rum  and  Recovery,  pp.  324—347.  Dr. 
Ridgley  also  had  au  bypotbesis  of  his  own<— See  Body  o/JHvimty,  p.  U. 

VOL.    U  G  G 


450  TBS  LIFB  AKD  WAITINGS 

had  received,  and  ran  fiEuther  from  the  truth.  Yea^  when  I 
read  the  truth  in  Dr.  Preston's  and  other  men's  writings,  I  did 
not  consider  and  understand  it ;  and  when  1  heard  it  from  then 
whom  I  opposed  in  wrangling  disputations,  or  read  it  in  booki 
of  controversy,  I  discerned  it  least  of  all.  Till  at  last,  being  in 
my  sickness  cast  far  from  home,  where  I  had  no  book  tut  mf 
Bible,  I  eei  to  study  the  truth  from  thmee,  mid  $o,it  tki 
bleesinff  of  Ood,  cSecovered  more  in  one  week,  than  I  had  ^bme 
before  in  seventeen  yeare^  reading,  hearing,  and  wremgfmg!* 
This  is  a  most  important  testimony.  It  shows  us  that  we  muK 
look  for  Baxter's  doctrinal  views  to  his  praetical  rather  than  to 
his  controversial  writings.  It  is  much  easier  to  applaud  the  fins 
sentiment  of  Chillingworth,  that  ^^  the  Bible,— »the  Bible  alone  ii 
the  religion  of  Protestants,"  than  it  is  fully  to  adopt  it,  and  to 
bring  all  our  sentiments  and  thoughts  under  subjection  to  it.  Yet 
it  is  infinitely  pleasanter  and  more  satisfactory  to  appeal  at  onoe 
to  ^^  the  law  and  the  testimony,"  than  to  be  bandied  from 
author  to  author,  or  doomed  to  explore  and  reconcile  the  endkii 
contradictions  and  jarrings  of  human  authority.* 

At  the  end  of  his  work  on  Infant  Baptism,  published  ia 
1650,  the  year  after  his  Aphorisms,  Baxter  requested  the  aoi* 
madversions  of  his  brethren  on  them,  and  was  soon  furnished 
with  their  remarks  to  the  full  extent  of  his  desires.  Beside 
those  already  referred  to  as  noticing  this  book,  IVlr.  Blake,  of 
Tamworth,  made  some  exceptions  to  it  in  a  work  on  the 
Covenants,  which  was  published  soon  after.  Kendall,  in  hit 
defence  of  the  doctrine  of  perseverance  against  John  GoodwiDf 
added  an  appendix  of  animadversions  on  Baxter..  William 
Eyre,  of  Salisbury,  attacked  him  in  a  book  on  JustificatioOi 
ushered  into  the  world  with  a  preface  by  Dr.  Owen.  But  tht 
most  extended  work  in  reply  to  him  was  by  John  CrandoOi 
minister  at  Fawley,  in  Hampshire,  under  the  affected  title  of 
*^  Baxter's  Aphorisms  exorized  and  anthorized,"  a  huge  quarto 
of  700  pages,  with  a  prefatory  letter  by  Caryl. 

Baxter,  nothing  daunted  by  the  appearance  and  front  of  90 
many  adversaries,  produced,  in  1654,  what  he  calls  his  'Apo- 
logy,' containing  his  *  reasons  of  dissent  from  Mr.  Blake's  ex- 

•  Pur  an  account  of  the  part  which  Owen  took  in  this  controTerty,  ••• 
'Memoirs  of  Owen/  pp.  119—132.  Beside  the  perMius  mentioned  in  tbt 
text,  who  wrote  against  the  Aphorismf;,  and  of  whom  Mr.  Ba&tcr  himself 
takei  notice,  John  Tomhes,  the  Baptist,  wrote '  AnimadversloDct  Quvdui 
in  Apborismos^  RicharUi  Baxter,  de  JustlficaiioBe/  165d. 


Of  RICHARD  BAXTER.  451 

ceptions ; '  '  The  Reduction  of  a  Digressor/  in  reply  to  Ken* 
<Ian ;  an  ^  Admonition  to  Mr.  William  Eyre ; '  and  ^  Crandon 
Anatomized;  or^  a  Nosegay  of  the  choicest  Flowers  in  that 
Garden  presented  to  Joseph  Caryl/  Not  satisfied  with  repelling 
lua  antagonists  in  this  volume,  he  goes  out  of  the  way  to  produce 
a'Confiitation  of  a  Dissertation  for  the  Justification  of  Infidels/ 
by  Lndiomaeus  Colvinus,  alias  Ludovicus  Molinaeus^  professor 
of  hbtory,  in  Oxford. 

The  following  notices  of  several  of  these  opponents  are  fur« 
niahed. by  Baxter,  and  will  perhaps  amuse  the  reader. 

^^  As  for  Ludiomseus  Colvinus,  it  is  Ludovicus  Molinaeus,  a 
doctor  of  physic,  son  to  Peter  Molinaeus,  and  public  pro- 
fessor of  history  in  Oxford.  He  wrote  a  small  Latin  treatise 
agidnat  his  own  brother,  Cyrus  Molinaeus,  to  prove  that  justifi- 
cation is  before  faith,  I  thought  I  might  be  bold  to  confute 
him  who  chose  the  truth  and  his  own  brother  to  oppose.  An- 
other small  assault  the  same  author  made  against  me  (instead  of 
a  reply),  for  approving  of  Cameron's  and  Amiraldus's  way  about 
universal  redemption  and  grace,  to  which  I  answered  in  the 
preface  to  the  book ;  but  these  things  were  so  far  from  alienating 
the  esteem  and  affection  of  the  doctor,  that  he  is  now  at  this 
day,  one  of  those  friends  who  are  injurious  to  the  honour  of 
their  own  understandings,  by  overvaluing  me ;  and  would  fain 
have  spent  his  time  in  translating  some  of  my  books  into  the 
French  tongue. 

^^  Mr.  Crandon  was  a  man  that  had  run  from  Arminianism, 
into  the  extreme  of  half-antinomianism ;  and  having  an  ex- 
cessive zeal  for  his  opinions  (which  seem  to  be  honoured  by  the 
extolling  of  free  grace),  and  withal  being  an  utter  stranger  to 
me,  he  got  a  deep  conceit  that  I  was  a  Papist,  and  in  that  per- 
suasion, wrote  a  large  book  against  my  Aphorisms,  which  moved 
laughter  in  many,  and  pity^  in  others,  and  troubled  his  friends, 
as  having  disadvantaged  their  cause.  As  soon  as  the  book  came 
abroad,  the  news  of  the  author's  death  came  with  it,  who  died 
a  fortnight  after  its  birth.  I  had  beforehand  got  all,  save  the 
beginning  and  end  out  of  the  press,  and  wrote  so  much  for  an 
answer  as  I  thought  it  worthy,  before  the  publication  of  it. 

^  Mr,  Eyre  was  a  preacher  in  Salisbury,  of  Mr.  Crandon *s 
opinion,  who  having  preached  there  for  justification  before 
faith,  that  is,  the  justification  of  elect  infidels,  was  publicly 
confuted  by  Mr.  Warren,  and  Mr.  Woodbridge,  a  very  judicious 
minister  of  Newbury,  who  had  lived  in  New  England.     Mr. 

G  g2 


452  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

Wobdbridge  printed  his  sermon,  which  very  perepicoowly 
opened  the  doctrine  of  justification,  after  the  method  that  I 
had  done.  Mr.  Eyre,  being  offended  with  me  as  a  partner,. 
gave  me  some  part  of  his  opposition,  to  whom  I  returned  aa 
answer  in  the  end ;  and  a  few  words  to  Mr.  Caryl,  who  licensed 
and  approved  Mr.  Crandon's  book,  for  the  Antinominiaos  weie 
commonly  Independents.  No  one  of  all  the  parties  replied  to 
this  book,  save  only  Mr.  Blake,  to  some  part  of  that  which 
touched  him."^ 

The  Apology  containing  so  many  parts,  is* a  thick  quarto, 
full  of  that  subtle  and  acute  reasoning  for  which  its  author  was 
eminently  distinguished,  llie  main  point  in  the  controversy, 
the  subject  of  justification,  is  often  lost  sight  of  in  the  strife  of 
words,  and  the  multifarious  discussions  perpetually  occurring. 
He  generally  treats  his  adversaries  respectfully,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Crandon,  who  had  assailed  him  with  intolerable  inso«' 
lence  and  abuse.  He  prefixed  to  the  volume,  an  admirable 
dedication  to  his  old  friend  and  companion  in  the  army,  ^  the 
Honourable  Commissary^General  Whalley.''  As  it  is  not  my 
intention  to  dwell  in  detail  on  the  contents  of  this  volume,  I 
shall  extract  a  passage  from  the  dedication,  where  the  author 
defends  his  engaging  in  controversy  by  an  ingenious  reference  to 
the  wars  in  which  Whalley  and  himself  had  reluctantly  engaged, 
and  concludes  with  a  beautiful  address  to  the  veteran  soldier. 

^^  The  work  of  these  papers  has  been,  to  my  mind,  somewhat 
like  those  sad  employments  wherein  I  attended  you :  of  them- 
selves, grievous  and  ungrateful ;  exasperating  others,  and  not 
pleasing  ourselves.  The  remembrance  of  those  years  is  so  little 
delightful  to  me,  that  I  look  back  upon  them  as  the  saddest  part 
of  my  life  ;  so  the  review  of  this  apology  is  but  the  renewing  of 
my  trouble ;  to  think  of  our  common  frailty  and  darkness,  and 
what  reverend  and  much-valued  brethren  I  contradict ;  but, 
especially,  the  fear  lest  men  should  make  this  collision  an  occa- 
sion of  derision,  and,  by  receiving  the  sparks  into  combustible 
affections,  should  turn  that  to  a  conflagration,  which  I  intended 
but  for  an  illumination.  If  you  say,  I  should  then  have  let  it  alone, 
the  same  answer  must  serve  as,  in  the  former  case,  we  were 
wont  to  use.  Some  say,  that  I,  who  pretend  so  much  for  peace, 
should  not  write  of  controversies.  For  myself,  it  is  not  much 
matter;  but  must  God's  truth  stand  as  a  butt  for  every  man  to 
shoot  at  ?     Must  there  be  such  liberty  of  opposing  it,  and  none 

^  Life,  parti,  pp^  110^  111, 


OP  RICHARD   BAXTER.  453 

nf  defending  7  One  party  cannot  have  peace  without  the  other's 
cboaent.  To  be  buffeted  and  assaulted,  and  commanded  to 
ddiTer  up  the  truth  of  God,  and  called  unpeaceable,  if  I  defend 
it  and  resist,  this  is  such  equity  as  we  were  wont  to  find.  In  a 
wordy  both  works  were  ungrateful  to  me,  and  are  so  in  the  re- 
mw;  but  in  both,  as  Providence  and  men's  onset  imposed  a 
necesttty,  and  drove  me  to  that  strait,  that  I  must  defend  or  do 
worae^  so  did  the  same  Providence  clear  my  way,  and  draw 
on,  and  sweeten  unusual  troubles  with  unusual  mercies,  and 
all  in  testimonies  of  grace,  that  as  I  had  great  mixtures  of 
comfort  with  sorrow  in  the  performance,  so  have  I  in  the  re- 
Tiew  ;  and  as  I  had  more  eminent  deliverances,  and  other  mer- 
desi  in  those  years  and  ways  of  blood  and  dolor,  than  in  most 
of  my  life  besides,  so  have  I  had  more  encouraging  light  since  I 
was  engaged  in  those  controversies.  For  I  speak  not  of  these 
few  papers  only,  but  of  many  more  of  the  like  nature  that  have 
taken  up  my  time ;  and  as  I  still  retained  a  hope  that  the  end 
of  all  our  calamities,  and  strange  disposings  of  Providence, 
would  be  soifiewhat  better  than  was  threatened  of  late,  so  ex- 
perience hath  taught  me  to  think  that  the  issue  of  my  moat 
ungrateful  labours  shall  not  be  in  vain ;  but  that  Providence 
which  extracted  them,  hath  some  use  to  make  of  them  better 
than  I  am  yet  aware  of;  if  not  in  this  age,  yet  in  times  to  come. 
The  best  is,  we  now  draw  no  blood  :  and  honest  hearts  will  not 
feel  themselves  wounded  with  that  blow  which  is  only  given  to 
their  errors.  However,  God  must  be  served  when  he  calls  for 
it,  though  by  the  harshest  and  most  unpleasing  work.  Only, 
the  Lord  teach  us  to  watch  carefully  over  our  deceitful  hearts, 
lest  we  should  serve  ourselves  while  we  think  and  say  we  are 
serving  him ;  and  lest  we  should  militate  for  our  own  honour 
and  interest,  when  we  pretend  to  do  it  for  his  truth  and  glory  ! 
"  I  hope,  sir,  tlie  diversity  of  opinions  in  these  days  will  not 
diminish  your  estimation  of  Christianity,  nor  make  you  suspect 
that  all  is  doubtful,  because  so  much  is  doubted  of.  Though 
the  tempter  seems  to  be  playing  such  a  game  in  the  world,  God 
will  go  beyond  him,  and  turn  that  to  illustration  and  confirma- 
tion which  he  intended  for  confusion  and  extirpation  of  the 
truth.  You  know  it  is  no  news  to  hear  of  men,  ignorant,  proud, 
and  licentious,  of  what  religion  soever  they  be  :  this  trinity  is 
the  creator  of  heresies.  As  for  the  sober  and  godly,  it  is  but  in 
lesser  things  that  they  disagree ;  and  mostly  about  words  and 
methods,  more  than  matter,  though  the  smallest  things  of  God 


454  THB  LTFB  AND  WHITINGS 

are  not  contemptible.  He  that  wonders  to  see  wise  nken  difo, 
doth  but  wonder  that  they  are  yet  imperfect^  and  know  but  h 
part  I  that  is,  that  they  are  yet  mortal  sinners,  and  not  glorified 
on  earth  1  Such  wonderers  know  not  what  man  is,  and  are  too 
great  strangers  to  themselves.  If  they  turn  these  diflferencci  to 
the  prejudice  of  God's  truth  or  dishonour  of  godliness,  they  sbow 
themselves  yet  more  unreasonable  than  those  who  blame  the  srn^ 
that  men  are  purblind ;  and,  indeed,  were  pride  and  passion  laUl 
aside  in  our  disputes,  if  men  could  gently  suffer  contradiedon, 
and  heartily  love  and  correspond  with  those  that  in  lower  mat* 
ters  do  gainsay  them,  I  see  not  but  such  friendly  debates  niglit 
edify. 

^'  For  yourself,  sir,  as  you  were  a  friend  to  sound  doctrine,  to 
unity,  and  to  piety,  and  to  the  preachers,  defenders,  and  prae* 
tiseii  thereof,  while  I  conversed  with  you^  and,  as  fame  informeth 
us,  have  continued  such,  so  I  hope  that  Qod,  who  hath  ao  long 
preserved  you,  will  preserve  you  to  the  end ;  and  he  that  hath 
been  your  shield  in  corporal  dangers  will  be  so  in  spiritual. 

'^  Your  great  warfare  is  not  yet  accomplished  f  the  worms  of 
corruption  that  breed  in  us  will  live,  in  some  measure,  till  we  die 
ourselves.  Your  conquest  of  yourself  is  yet  imperfect.  To  fight 
with  yourself  you  will  find  the  hardest,  but  most  necessary  con- 
flict that  ever  yet  you  were  engaged  in ;  and  to  overcome  your- 
self, the  most  honourable  and  gainful  victory.  Think  not  that 
your  greatest  trials  are  all  over.  Prosperity  hath  its  peculiar 
temptations,  by  which  it  hath  foiled  many  that  stood  unshaken 
in  the  storms  of  adversity.  The  tempter,  who  hath  had  you  on 
the  waves,  will  now  assault  you  in  the  calm ,  and  hath  his  last 
game  to  play  on  the  mountain,  till  nature  cause  you  to  descend. 
Stand  this  charge,  and  you  win  the  day/'  ^ 

Whalley,  to  whom  these  faithful  admonitions  were  addressed, 
was  one  of  the  most  active  of  the  republican  officers  in  the  par- 
liamentary army.  He  was  one  of  the  king's  judges,  and  took 
a  leading  part  in  procuring  the  resignation  of  Richard  Crom- 
well. He  left  Bngland  with  his  son-in-law,  Gough,  for  Ame- 
rica, a  few  days  before  the  Restoration.  Landing  at  Boston  thejr 
waited  on  Governor  Endicott,  and  told  him  who  they  were.  They 
then  took  up  their  residence  in  that  neighbourhood,  till  a  hue  and 
cry  followed  them  from  Barbadoes.  Then  they  removed  to  New- 
haven,  where  they  owed  their  preservation  to  John  Davenport, 
the  minister  of  the  place ;  who  had  the  courage  to  preach  to  the 

^  Dedication. 


Oy  RICHARD  BAXTER.  435 

fk^tj  when  their  parsiiera  arrived,  from  baiah  xri,  3,  4. 
Though  large  rewards  were  offered  for  thenrii  and  Davenport 
threateocdy  as  it  was  known  he  had  harboured  themi  they  were 
still  cmicealed.  Their  hiding  place  was  a  cave  on  the  top  of  a 
rock^  a  few  miles  from  the  town.  Here  they  lurked  two  or 
three  years,  when  they  moved  to  Hadley,  where  they  were 
cotioealed  by  Rossd,  the  minister,  fifteen  or  sixteen  years. 
Dqring  their  lesidence  in  this  place,  a  singular  opportunity  was 
afforded  one  of  the  fugitives  to  render  momentous  assistance 
to  his  preservers.  During  a  long  war  between  the  English 
eetders  and  the  Indian  chief  of  Pokanoket,  the  Indians  sur* 
prised  Hadley  in  the  time  of  public  worship.  The  men  of 
the  towui  thongh  in  the  habit  of  taking  arms  with  them  when 
they  attended  divine  service,  were  panic*8truck  and  confiMwded  | 
Rnd,  in  all  probability,  not  a  soul  of  them  would  have  been 
eaved,  had  not  an  old  and  venerable  man,  whose  dress  was  dif« 
iierent  from  the  inhabitants,  and  whom  no  one  had  seen  before^ 
eoddenly  iqppeared  among  them.  He  rallied  them,  put  himself 
Rt  their  head,  gave  his  orders  like  one  accustomed  to  battle^, 
led  them  on,  routed  the  enemy,  and,  when  the  victory  was  com<- 
plete,  was  no  longer  to  be  found*  This  deliverer,  whom  the 
people  believed  to  be  an  angel,  was  General  Gough !  Wballey 
died  at  Hadley  in  1688,  and  Gough  some  time  after*  The  history 
is  not  without  interest ;  and  the  reader  will  not  suppose  it  is 
made  to  do  honour  to  the  regicides,  when  he  is  informed  that 
the  statement  is  taken  from  the  Quarterly  Review.<^  Con« 
sidering  the  opinion  entertained  of  Whalley  by  Baxter,  and 
the  latter  part  of  bis  history,  there  is  reason  to  regard  him  as 
another  of  those  men  who,  ^'  in  evil  times,"  devoted  themselves 
to  the  interests  of  their  country,  and  whose  principles  and  cha^ 
racter  (though  every  part  of  their  conduct  is  not  to  be  vindi* 
cated)  have  long  been  most  infamously  misrepresented. 

To  return  to  Baxter*  Finding  that  his  Apology  had  not  an- 
swered the  end  for  which  it  was  made — the  satisfaction  of  his 
opponents — in  1653  he  published  his  'Confession  of  Faith| 
especially  concerning  the  interest  of  repentanee,  and  sincere 
obedience  to  Christ,  in  our  justification  and  salvation.*  4to«  The 
object  of  the  confession,  he  tells  us  in  his  own  life,  was  '^  to  save 
any  more  misunderstanding  of  his  Aphorisms,  and  to  declare 

<^  *  Quarterly  Review '  for  November,  1809.  vol.ii.  p.  32.    The  story  \%  told 
by  Holmes  in  his  '  Aoaals  of  America.'  ■    < 


456  THE  UFK  AND  WAITINGS 

his  suspension  of  them  till  he  should  reprint  them  ;*'  wUdi  he 
never  did.  '^  In  my  Confession/'  he  says,  '^  I  opened  the  whdi 
doctrine  of  Antinomianism,  and  brought  the  testimonies  cf 
abundance  of  our  divines,  who  gave  as  much  to  other  worki, 
beside  faith,  in  justification,  as  I  did/' 

lliis  remark  places  before  us  one  peculiarity  in  Baxtei^i 
system.  He  regarded  faith  not  merely  as  the  Jtne  qtui  imni 
of  a  sinner's  justification,  but  as  what  was  imputed  for  right- 
eousness ;  and  included  in  this  faith  what  he  considered  tinoeie 
obedience  to  Christ  as  a  Lord  or  Lawgiver.  Yet  he  had  his 
own  way  of  explaining  this  phraseology  consistently  with  his 
strong  and  repeated  declaration  that  '*  faith  itself  doth  not 
merit  our  pardon  or  justification,  nor  justify  us  as  a  work,  nor 
as  foith  ;*'  that  ^^  no  works  of  the  regenerate,  internal  or  exter- 
nal, are  to  join  with  Christ's  sufferings  and  merits,  as  any  part 
of  satisfaction  to  God's  justice  for  our  sins ;  no,  not  the  leart 
part  for  the  least  sin  ;'*  and  that  '^  neither  faith,  love,  repentance 
nor  any  works  of  ours,  are  true,  efficient  causes  of  our  remission 
or  justification,  either  principal  or  instrumental."  He  declares 
in  the  most  solemn  manner,  ^^  I  do  heartily  approve  of  the 
shorter  catechism  of  the  Assembly,  and  of  all  therein  contained: 
and  I  take  it  for  the  best  catechism  I  ever  yet  saw.''  *^  I  have 
perused,"  he  says,  ^^all  the  articles  of  the  Synod  of  Dort,  and 
unfeignedly  honour  them,  as  containing  sound  and  moderate 
doctrine ;  and  there  is  nothing  that  I  have  observed  in  it  all, 
that  my  judgment  doth  contradict,  if  I  be  allowed  these  fiew 
expositions."  These  expositions  do  not  affect  any  of  the  lead- 
ing points.  He  says :  ^^  In  the  very  article  of  perseverance^ 
which  some  are  pleased  to  quarrel  with  me  about,  I  subscribe  to 
the  Synod ;"  ^^  yea,"  he  adds,  ^^  in  the  article  of  the  extent  of 
redemption,  wherein  I  am  most  suspected  and  accused,  1  do 
subscribe  to  the  Synod  of  Dort,  without  any  exceptiouj  UmiUh 
/tow,  or  ea^osiiiofif  of  any  wordy  as  doubtful  and  obscure." 

As  every  man  ought  to  be  allowed  to  be  the  expositor  of 
his  own  sentiments,  let  no  man  after  this,  question  or  deny 
the  Calvinism  of  Richard  Baxter.  He  was  as  much  a  Calvinist 
as  thousands  who  then,  or  who  now,  bear  the  name  without 
suspicion.  He  indeed  used  language  liable  to  be  misunderstood, 
as  do  all  who  are  disposed  to  be  too  refined  or  metaphysical  oo 
moral  subjects.  His  very  efforts  at  precision  in  the  use  of  words 
and  phrases, involved  him  in  controversy,  which,  by  a  more  gene- 
ral mode  of  speaking,  he  would  have  avoided.  He  was  open  and 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  457 

hoMtt;  what  other  men  swallowed  in  a  mass^  he  divided,  ana- 
lytcdy  and  explained^  often  to  a  troublesome  extent.  Yet  his  very 
tcmpolosity  in  holding  and  explaining  his  sentiments,  compels  us 
to  respect  him :  while  his  supreme  regard  for  the  honour  of  God, 
the  holiness  of  his  government,  and  the  claims  of  his  law,  en- 
titka  him  to  our  highest  approbation.  The  man  who  could 
write  the  following  passage,  cannot  be  regarded  as  holding 
flitlier  narrow  or  obscure  views  of  the  divine  moral  govern- 
ment;  or  of  the  system  of  redemption  which  that  moral  go* 
Temmcnt  embraces  and  develops. 

^Ab  in  the  moon  with  the  stars  unto  the  expanded  firma- 
ment; as  are  the  well-ordered  cities  with  their  ornaments  and 
fintifications  to  the  woods  and  wilderness,  such  is  the  church  to 
the  rest  of  the  world,  llie  felicity  of  the  church  is  in  the  love 
of  God,  and  its  blessed  influence,  whose  face  is  that  sun  which 
doth  enlighten  and  enliven  it.  If  earth  and  sin  bad  not  caused 
a  separation  and  eclipse,  the  world  and  the  church  would  have 
been  the  same,  and  this  church  would  have  enjoyed  an  uninter- 
mpted  day-light.  It  is  the  earth  that  moveth  and  tumeth  from 
this  sun,  and  not  the  sun's  receding  from  the  earth,  that  brings 
our  nighu  It  is  not  God,  but  man,  that  lost  his  goodness ;  nor 
is  it  necessary  to  our  reparation,  that  a  change  be  made  on  him, 
but  on  us.  Christ  came  not  into  the  world  to  make  God  better, 
but  to  make  us  better ;  nor  did  he  die  to  make  him  more  dis- 
posed to  do  good,  but  to  dispose  us  to  receive  it.  His  purpose 
was  not  actually  to  change  the  mind  of  God,  nor  to  incline  him 
to  have  mercy  who  before  was  disinclined,  but  to  make  the 
pardon  of  man's  sin  a  thing  convenient  for  the  righteous  and 
holy  Governor  of  the  world  to  bestow,  without  any  impeach- 
ment  of  the  honour  of  his  wisdom,  holiness,  or  justice ;  yea,  to 
the  more  eminent  glorifying  of  them  all. 

*^Two  things  are  requisite  to  make  man  amiable  in  the  eyes  of 

God,  and  a  fit  object  for  the  Most  Holy  to  take  pleasure  in  :  one 

is,  his  suitableness  to  the  holiness  of  God's  nature ;  the  other  re- 

specteth  his  governing  justice.  We  must,  in  this  life,  see  God  in 

the  glass  of  the  creature,  and  especially  in  man  that  bearetli  his 

image.  Were  we  holy,  he  would  love  us  as  a  holy  God  i  and  were 

we  innocent,  he  would  encourage  us  as  a  righteous  and  bounteous 

Governor.      But  as  there  is  no  particular  governing  justice, 

without  that  universal  natural  justice  which  it  pre-supposeth  and 

floweth  from,  so  can  there  be  no  such  thing  as  innocency  in  us 

as  subjects,  which  floweth  not  from  a  holiness  of  our  natures 


458  THE   UFB  AND   wniTiMGS 

as  men.  We  must  be  good,  before  we  can  five  u'  the  good; 
In  both  these  respects,  man  was  amiable  in  the  C3ret  of  hb 
Maker,  till  sin  depraved  him,  and  deprived  him  of  both.  To 
both  these  must  the  Saviour  again  restore  him  :  and  this  is  the 
work  that  he  cam^  into  the  world  to  do,  even  to  seek  and  to  savt 
that  which  was  doubly  lost,  and  to  destroy  that  twofold  work  of 
the  devil,  who  hath  drawn  us  to  be  both  unholy  an  J  guilty. 

^^  As  in  the  fall,  the  natural  real  evil  was  antecedent  to  the 
relative  guilt ;  so  is  it  in  the  good  conferred  in  the  reparatioik 
We  must,  in  order  of  nature,  be  first  turned  by  repentance  unlo 
God,  through  faith  in  the  Redeemer,  imd  thni  receive  the  re- 
mission of  our  sins.  As  it  was  man  himself  that  was  the  sulgeet 
of  that  twofold  unrighteousness,  so  it  is  man  himself  that  matf 
be  restored  to  that  twofold  righteousness  wMch  he  lost,  that  is, 
sanctity,  and  not-guiltiness.  Christ  came  not  to  possess  God 
with  any  false  opinion  of  us,  nor  is  he  such  a  physician  as  to 
perform  but  a  supposed  or  reputative  cure  t  he  came  not  to 
persuade  his  Father  to  judge  us  to  be  well,  because  He  is  well ; 
or  to  leave  us  uncured,  and  to  persuade  God  that  we  are  cored* 
It  is  we  that  were  guilty  and  unholy ;  it  is  we  that  must  be  jus- 
tified or  condemned,  and  therefore  it  is  we  that  must  be  restoifd 
unto  righteousness.  If  Christ  only  were  righteous,  Christ  only 
would  be  reputed  and  judged  righteous,  and  Christ  only  would 
be  happy.  The  Judge  of  the  world  will  not  justify  the  un- 
righteous, merely  because  another  is  righteous,  nor  can  the 
holy  Odd  take  complacency  in  an  unholy  sinner,  because 
another  is  holy.  Never  did  the  blessed  Son  of  God  intend,  in 
his  dying  or  merits,  to  change  the  holy  nature  of  his  Father, 
and  to  cause  him  to  love  that  which  is  not  lovelv,  or  to  reconcile 
him  to  that  which  he  abhorreth,  as  he  is  God,  We  must  bear 
his  own  image,  and  be  holy  as  he  is  holy,  before  he  can  approfe 
Us,  or  love  us  in  complacency.  This  is  the  work  of  our  blessed 
Redeemer,  to  make  man  fit  for  God's  approbation  and  delight 
Though  we  are  the  subjects,  he  is  the  cause.  He  regenerateth 
us,  that  he  may  pardon  us ;  and  he  pardoneth  us  that  he  may 
further  sanctify  us,  and  make  us  fit  for  our  Master's  use.  He 
will  not  remove  our  guilt  till  we  return,  nor  will  he  accept  our 
actual  services  till  our  guilt  be  removed.  By  supernatural  ope- 
rations must  both  be  accomplished  :  a  regress  from  such  a  pri- 
vation as  was  our  unholiness,  requireth  a  supernatural  work  upon 
us,  and  a  deliverance  from  such  guilt  and  deserved*  punishment, 
requireth  a  supernatural  operation  for  us.  The  one  Christ  ^ect- 


OF  AIGHARD   BAXTEIU  459 

edi  in  Hi  by  his  sanctifying  Spirit,  through  the  instrumentality 
of  bis  word,  as  informing  and  exciting ;  the  other  he  effecteth 
by  Iiis  own  (and  his  Father's)  will,  through  the  instrumentality 
of  his  Gospel  grant,  by  way  of  donation,  making  an  universal 
eonditional  deed  of  gift  of  himself,  and  remission  and  right  to 
glory,  to  all  tiiat  return  by  repentance  and  faith.  His  Uood  is 
the  meritoriiius  cause  of  both,  but  not  of  both  on  the  same 
account  ;<  for  directly  it  was  guilt  only  that  made  his  blood 
Doceatary  for  our  recovery.  Had  there  been  nothing  to  do  but 
ranew  us  by  repentance  and  sanctification,  this  might  have  been 
dona  without  any  bloodshed,  by  the  work  of  the  word  and  Spirit. 
God  at  first  gave  man  his  image  freely,  and  did  not  sell  it 
tar  a  price  of  blood ;  nor  doth  he  so  delight  in  blood,  as  to 
desire  it,  or  accept  it  for  itself,  but  for  the  ends  which  it  must^ 
ae  a  convenient  means,  attain.  Those  ends  are  the  demonstra^ 
fioa  proximately  of  his  governing  justice,  in  the  vindication  of 
tbe  honour  of  his  law  and  rule,  and  for  the  wrong  of  others : 
altimately  and  principally,  it  is  the  demonstraUon  of  his  natural 
da-hating  holiness,  and  his  unspeakable  love  to  the  sons  of  men, 
but  specially  to  his  elect.  In  this  sense  was  Christ  a  sacrifice 
and  ransom,  and  may  be  truly  said  to  have  satisfied  for  our  sine. 
Ha  was  not  a  sinner,  nor  so  esteemed,  nor  could  possibly  take 
iqion  himself  the  numerical  guilt,  which  lay  on  us,  nor  yet  a  guilt 
<tf  the  same  sort,  as  having  not  the  same  sort  of  foundation  or 
efficient;  ours  arising  from  the  merit  of  our  sin  and  the 
eommination  of  the  law ;  his  being  rather  occasioned  than 
merited  by  our  sin,  and  occasioned  by  the  laws  threatening  of 
ue.  He  had  neither  sin  of  his  own,  nor  merit  of  wrath  from 
such  sin,  nor  did  the  law  oblige  him  to  suffer  for  our  sins ;  but 
he  obliged  himself  to  suffer  for  our  sins,  though  not  as  in 
our  persons  strictly,  yet  in  our  stead  in  the  person  of  a  Me^ 

Thb  extract  is  not  less  worthy  of  attention  for  the  beauty 
and  felicity  of  some  of  its  language,  than  for  the  accuracy  of  the 
thoughts  and  sentiments  it  contains.  Beiiig  divested  of  every 
thing  controversial,  it  presents  before  us,  in  a  plain,  inartificial 
manner,  the  writer's  views  of  the  damage  man  sustained  at 
the  fall,  and  of  the  nature  of  the  salvation  provided  in  the 
Ooepel.  As  conveying  the  real  opinions  of  Baxter,  it  is  worth 
ten  thousand  pages  of  his  controversial  writing;  it  demolishes 
the  whole  system  of  Antinomianism. 

*  *  Confeition  of  Faitfa/  Prsfsce. 


460  THK   LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

Some  passages,  on  the  subject  of  perseverance,  in  his  trealiM 
on  *  The  Right  Method  of  Peace  of  Conscience/  having  bees 
misunderstood,  he  left  them  out  of  a  second  impression  of  that 
book ;  but,  to  prevent  any  misunderstanding  that  might  sriie 
from  this,  he  published  a  quarto  pamphlet,  in  1657f  entitled 
*  Richard  Baxter's  Account  of  his  Present  Thoughts  conceraiiig 
the  Controversies  about  the  Perseverance  of  the  Saints/    It 
contains,  chiefly,  a  statement  of  the  great  variety  of  opinioiii 
which  prevail,   according  to  Baxter,  about  the  last  of  Ae 
five  points.    He  enumerates  twelve  several  modes  of  hoMing 
this  doctrine,  and  gives  his  own  views  in  the  shape  of  ob- 
jection to,  or  approbation   of,   each  of  these    modes*    Hus 
method  of  stating  his  sentiments  is  sufficiently  tiresome  and 
unsatisfactory.     He   professes  not  to  have   attained  to  cer- 
tainty in  understanding  this  point,  with  .all  the  Scriptures  thit 
concern  it,  better  than  Augustine,  and  the  common  judgment  of 
the  church  for  so  many  ages ;  and,  therefore^  he  dares  not  Wf 
that  he  has  attained  to  certainty  that  all  the  justified  shall  per- 
severe.     On  the  other  hand,  he  is  not  disposed  to  maintain 
the  opposite  opinion  ;  but  he  endeavours  ta  show  that  the  cer- 
tainty of  the  final  perseverance  of  all  who  have  been  justified  is 
not  so  necessary  to  comfort,  much  less  to  salvation,  as  many 
suppose.     What  his  own  opinions,  stripped  of  all  controversial 
and  metaphysical  distinctions,  were,  seem  plainly  expressed  in 
the  following  passage  :  *^  Therefore,  notwithstanding  all  the  ob- 
jections that  are  against  it,  and  the  ill  use  that  will  be  made  of 
it  by  many,  and  the  accidental  troubles  into  which  it  may  cast 
some  believers,  it  seems  to  me  that  the  doctrine  of  perseverance 
is  grounded  on  the  Scriptures,  and  therefore  is  to  be  maintained, 
not  only  as  extending  to  all  the  elect,  against  the  Lutherans  and 
Arminians,  but  also  as  extending  to  all  the  truly  sanctified, 
against  Augustine,  and  the  Jansenians,  and  other  Dominican!; 
though  we  must  rank  it  but  among  truths  of  its  own  order,  and 
not  lay  the  church's  peace  or  communion  upon  it." 

This  statement  will,  I  apprehend,  satisfy  the  most  fastidious 
reader  of  the  substantial  orthodoxy  of  Baxter  on  this  point. 
Had  he  said  less  about  the  opinions  of  others,  in  his  controver- 
sial writings,  and  given  us  his  own  in  fewer  words  than  he  com- 
monly employs,  I  apprehend  he  would  have  been  found  a  more 
consistent  and  thorough  Calvinist  than  has  generally  been  sup- 
posed. The  grand  controversy  on  the  subject  of  perseverancei 
about  the  period  when  Baxter  wrote  his  pamphlet^  was  carried 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  461 

on  between  Dr.  Owen  and  John  Goodwin.  Kendal  replied  to 
Goodwin  in  defence  of  Owen,  and  by  the  way  offered  some 
remarks  on  Baxter's  sentiments  respecting  justification  and 
perseverance. 

^  Dr.  Kendal,*'  says  Baxter,  ^^  was  a  little  quick-spirited  man^ 
of  great  ostentation,  and  a  considerable  orator  and  scholar.  He 
was  driven  on  further  by  others  than  his  own  inclination  would 
have  led  him.  He  thought  to  get  an  advantage  for  his  reputa- 
tioD,  by  a  triumph  over  John  Goodwin  and  me :  for  those  who 
■et  him  to  work,  would  needs  have  him  conjoin  us  both  together, 
to  intimate  that  I  was  an  Arminian.  While  I  was  replying  to 
hb  first  assault,  he  wrote  a  second ;  and  when  I  had  begun  a 
reply  to  that,  meeting  me  at  London,  he  was  so  earnest  to  take 
vp  the  controversy,  engaging  Mr.  Vines  to  persuade  me  that 
Kahop  Usher  might  determine  it,  and  I  was  so  willing  to  be 
eased  of  such  work,  that  I  quickly  yielded  to  Usher's  arbitration. 
He  owned  my  judgment  about  universal  redemption,  persever- 
aace,  &c« ;  but  directed  us  to  write  against  each  other  no  more. 
And  so  my  second  reply  was  suppressed."* 

Baxter's '  Confession  of  Faith,'  proving  little  more  satisfactory 
than  his  'Apology,'  and  various  animadversions 'having  been 
made  on  it,  he  published  in  1658  his  '  Four  Disputations  of 
Justification,'  4to.  pp.  423,  with  a  view  to  meet  some  of  the 
exceptions  of  his  **  learned  and  reverend  brethren."  The  chief 
of  those  whom  he  notices,  was  Mr.  Blake,^  who  died  sometime 
before  Baxter's  work  appeared  ;  Mr.  Anthony  Burgess,'  whom 
he  had  drawn  by  correspondence  into  a  discussion  with  him  on 
the  nature  of  faith  and  of  imputed  righteousness ;  Mr.  John 
Warner,^  against  whose  '^  confident  but  dark  assaults"  hedefends 

•  Life,  part  L  p.  110. 

'  The  work  of  Blake,  to  which  Baxter  rerers,  is  a '  Postscript,'  addressed  to 
Baxter,  at  the  end  of  his  book  *  The  Covenant  Sealed,'  which  was  published 
in  1655.  It  is  written  in  a  very  kind  and  ^ntlemanly  manner  ;  thoug^h  it  ex« 
poaet,  lomewhat  stronf^ly,  several  of  Baxter's  mistakes  and  unprofitable  dis* 
tinctiuns. 

t  llie  work  of  Burgess,  on  which  Baxter  animadverts,  is  *  The  True  Doc- 
trine of  Justification  asserted,'  4to.  1654.  The  author  was  a  man  of  consi- 
ilcrable  talents  and  learning.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Westminster  Assem- 
Hy,  and  the  author  of  several  considerable  works.  He  was  ejected  from 
Sattoi.  Coldfield,  in  Warwickshire. 

^  Warner's  book,  to  which  Baxter  replies,  is  the  following,  '  Diatriba 
Fidei  Justificantis,  &c.'  or  a  Discourse  of  the  object  and  office  of  faith 
M  Justifying,  distinct  from  other  objects  and  acts  aud  offices  of  the  same 
faith  at  sanctifying.  8vo.  1657.  It  is  a  scholastic  and  metaphysical  work  of 
MNDe  ability.    The  views  of  the  author  on  the  subject  of  which  he  treats  are 


462  TNB   LIFB  AND  WHITINGS 

hiin«elf ;  and  Mc  John  Tonfibes,  with  whom  he  fought  the 
femous  battle  of  Bewdley J  All  these  writera  receivfl  tluit  met- 
sure  of  attention  which  he  deemed  due  to  their  respective 
merits ;  and  though  he  treats  some  of  them  rather  sharply,  hs 
spoke  of  them  all  with  great  kindness  and  respect.  The  dis- 
cussion is  carried  on  in  a  very  elaborate  and  seholasde  stjlet 
The  diflferences  between  himself  and  his  brethren  often  mm  on 
mere  verbal  quibbles ;  though  in  a  few  instances  the  distinctiobi 
for  which  Baxter  contended^  are  of  some  importance  to  a  cktf 
statement  of  the  important  doctrine  under  consideration* 

In  consequence  of  some  remarks  on  the  subject  of  hath,  iu  his 
<  Saint's  Rest,'  at  the  end  of  Serjeant  Shepherd's  woik  oa 
^  Sincerity  and  Hypocrisy/  Baxter  is  animadverted  on,  and  his 
views  of  that  subject  controverted.  This  led  him  to  publish,  in 
1658,  a  'Treatise  on  Saving  Faith,'  in  which  his  object  iste 
show  that  he  had  been  misunderstood,  and  that  he  had  always 
maintained  that  '^  saving  faith  is  not  only  gradually,  but  apedfi- 
cally  distinct  from  all  common  faith."  Some  sentiments  in  the 
work  to  which  he  replies,  are  of  a  very  dangerous  nature,  and 
precisely  similar  to  opinions  which  have  been  promulgated  with 
great  confidence  in  our  own  times :  such  as,  that  saving  &ith 
**  is  built  not  on  the  revealed  testimony  of  God,  but  upon  his 
immediate  revelation  and  testimony :"  by  which  it  is  resolved 
into  impulse  and  feeling,  or  mere  inward  persuasion,  instead  of 
resting  on  the  broad  ground  of  God's  own  declaration  in  his 
word.  Also  that  ^^  regenerate  men  believe  that  Christ  hath 
already  satisfied  for  their  sins,  so  as  the  debt  is  paid,  and  they 
freed ;  that  he  hath  reconciled  the  Father  to  them  ;  that  their 
sins  are  pardoned,  or  tliey  justified;  that  they  are  the  sous  of 
God  here,  and  shall  be  the  sons  of  God  hereafter."  Baxter 
combats  these  mistaken  views  with  great  success,  although  some 
of  his  own  positions  are  not  defensible.  It  is  truly  marvellous 
that  the  subject  of  faith,  which  the  Scriptures  treat  with  so 
much  simplicity,  should  have  led  to  such  interminable  and  dis- 
tracting debates.     If  saving  faith  be  something  else  than  the 

both  sound  and  weU  stated.  They  are  much  more  satisfactory  than  what 
Baxter  would  have  substituted  in  their  place,  and  contain  notbin;  of  coafl- 
dence  or  dark  assaults  that  1  can  see.  The  author  was  bred  at  Oxford,  bii* 
became  pastor  of  the  church  of  Christ  at  ChristVcburchy  Hampshiiw*  whtfft 
he  was  when  this  treatise  was  written. 

*  The  book  of  Toml>es,  to  which  Baxter  replies,  is  the  Latin  nnimadvcr- 
sions  on  his  Aphorisms,  referred  to  in  the  note  to  a  former  psfe.  Anthony 
Wood  says,  **  They  were  published  by  the  said  Baxter,  without  tbe  author*! 
knowMg^f  10  1659/*— illheH.  Oxoa^voVAm,  \.\mCn 


op  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  4SS 

bdief  of  what  Ood  has  revealed  respecting  the  character  and 
work  of  hia  Son,  then  is  the  whole  affair  of  salvation  an  inexpli* 
caUe  riddle,  which  every  man  may  interpret  as  best  suits  his 
fimcy  or  his  disposition. 

Serjeant  Shepherd  was  not  the  author  of  the  observations 
which  called  forth  the  reply  of  Baxter.  His  *^  learned,  consent- 
ing adversary,"  as  he  calls  him,  was  Dr.  lliomas  Barlow,  then 
provost  of  Queen's  College,  Oxford,  and  afterwards  bishop  of 
Lineoln.  He  was  an  able  man — a  decided  Calvinist  in  his 
sentiments— -evidently  leaning  rather  to  tlie  ultra  than  to  the 
moderate  side  of  the  doctrine. 

Shepherd,  to  whose  work  his  anonymous  remarks  were  ap- 
pended, was  made  serjeant-at-law  and  one  of  the  Welsh  judges, 
by  Cromwell.  He  was  a  considerable  man  as  a  lawyer,  but,  as 
was  no  uncommon  case  at  the  period,  he  distinguished  himself 
alio  as  a  divine.  He  wrote  on  law  and  theology*  The  discus- 
sion on  both  sides  was  maintained  very  courteously.  Bax-' 
ter  contends  there  was  no  real  difference  between  them ;  and 
subscribes  the  prefatory  letter  addressed  to  him,  ^^  A  great  es- 
teemer of  your  piety  and  many  labours.*' 

Though  published  many  years  after  this,  yet  as  a  part  of  the 
volume  was  written  about  this  period  of  Baxter's  life,  and  relates 
to  the  discussions  in  which  his  Aphorisms  engaged  him,  it  may 
here  be  most  convenient  to  notice  his  ^  Treatise  of  Justifying 
Righteousness,'  in  two  books.  It  appeared  in  8vo  in  1676,  and 
was  occasioned  by  Dr.  Tuliy's  attack  on  him  in  his  ^  Justificatio 
Pautma'  Beside  his  answer  to  TuUy,  it  contains  Cartwright's 
Exceptions  to  his  Apology,  which  had  been  sent  him  at  the 
time,  but  lost  by  Baxter.  Having  recovered  the  Exceptions,  he 
published  them  at  length,  with  his  own  answer  in  full.  There 
is  also,  an  Answer  to  Dr.  TuUy's  angry  letter. 

The  first  dissertation  in  this  volume,  on  the  imputation  of 
Christ's  righteousness,  was  written  in  1672,  but  it  was  not 
printed  till  1675.  Baxter  explains  the  sense  in  which  he  conceives 
the  doctrine  to  be  understood  by  sound  Protestants,  and  vindi- 
cates his  own  views  against  some  objections  of  Dr.  TuUy.  He 
professes  his  own  belief  in  the  definition  of  the  subject  given 
\u  the  several  Protestant  confessions,  though  he  explains  some 
of  the  phra^co  employed  by  them  in  his  own  way. 

Christopher  Cartwright,  whose  Exceptions  are  contained  in 
this  volume,  was  a  highly  respectable  minister  of  York ;  and  is 


464  THE   LIF£  AND  WRITINGS 

still  advantageously  known  as  the  author  of  some  learned,  nb* 
binical  works.  He  animadverted  on  Baxter's  Aphorisms,  par- 
ticularly on  his  distinction  of  legal  and  evangelical  righteottsneai. 
Baxter  replied  to  this  in  writing.  Cartwright  furnished  die 
exceptions  now  published,  which  Baxter  accompanies  with  a 
short  answer. 

The  reference  to  Dr.  Tully  induces  me  to  introduce  at  pe- 
sent,  also,  another  small  doctrinal  performance — ^TwoDisptits- 
tions  of  Original  Sin,'  pp.  245,  12mo.  It  appeared  in  1675 
at  **  the  request  of  Dr.  Tully,"  but  the  first  part  of  it  had  been 
written  long  before.  This  was  one  of  those  subjects  of  discossioii 
which  the  ministers  about  Kidderminster  were  accustomed  to 
agitate  at  those  presbyterial  meetings  in  which  Baxter  alwa]fa 
acted  as  moderator. 

It  appears  that  Baxter  had  been  suspected  by  some  of  enter- 
taining erroneous  views  on  this  important  subject ;  by  one  ch«, 
being  considered  as  believing  too  little,  and  by  another,  too 
much.  To  vindicate  himself  from  all  injurious  imputations, 
therefore,  he  published  these  dissertations. 

Dr.  Thomas  Tully,  Baxter's  opponent  on  several  occasion^ 
was  a  respectable  clergyman  of  Calvinistic  sentiments.     In  the 
time  of  the  G)mmonwealth  he  had  been  principal  of  Edmund 
Hall,  Oxford.     He  was,  after  the  Restoration,  made  a  royal 
chaplain,  and  beside  other  things,  appointed  to  the  deanery  of 
Ripon,   in   Yorkshire.     In  his  treatise  above  referred  to,  he 
defends  Paul's  doctrine  of  justification  without  works  agunst 
some  things  in  Bull's  *  Hartnonia  Apostolica  *  ^  and  Baxter's 
Aphorisms.      Baxter  animadverted  on  Tully  in  several  of  his 
pieces.      Tully  answered   the   whole   in  a    *  Letter   to  Mr. 
Richard  Baxter,'  occasioned  by  several  injurious  reflections  of 
his  upon  a  treatise,  entitled,  *  Jttstificatio  PavUna^*  &c.    This 
called  forth  Baxter's   answer   to  Dr.  Tully's  angry  letter.— 
Making  the  usual  allowance  for  Baxter's  refinements,  I  do  not 
observe  any  sentiment  on  the  subject  of  original  sin  materially 
different  from  what  is  usually  held  by  Calvinistic  writers.     He 
was  a  firm  believer  in  the  original  depravity  of  human  nature; 
and  that  the  only  cure  of  that  depravity  is  furnished  by  the 
redemption  of  Christ,  and  the  Holy  Spirit.  ^ 

^  An  interesting  account  of  the  controversy  between  Bull  and  TuUy  •«'  ™* 
lubject  of  justification,  will  be  found  in  Nehon'g  *  Life  of  Bull,'  pp.  212—244. 
TuUy  had  the  best  of  the  ar^ment  without  doubt,  thouf^h  Nelson  ascrUMS 
the  victory  to  Bull.    Dr.  fully  died  in  1675. 

» AmoDc;  the  Baiter  MSS,  iu  the  Redcross-itreet  library,  is  a  lone  l^tt*'  •^ 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  465 

I  must,  on  the  same  principle^  here  also  introduce  Baxter's 
book  on  ^  Universal  Redemption/  though  it  was  not  published 
till  after  his  death.  The  editor,  Mr.  Joseph  Read^  informs 
Qt,  in  the  preface,  that  he  transcribed  it  while  living  in  Mr. 
Baxter's  family  at  Kidderminster,  in  1657;  and  that  '^  the 
ministers  of  Worcestershire,  who  usually  attended  on  his 
Thursday  lecture,  and  heard  these  disputations  at  their 
monthly  meeting,  were  generally  desirous  to  have  them  print- 
ed." This  work  is  an  elaborate  discussion  of  one  of  the  main 
points  on  which  Baxter  is  considered  to  have  departed  from 
the  Calvinistic  scheme.  His  mind  had  been  directed  to  it  at 
a  Tery  early  period ;  for  at  the  end  of  his  Aphorisms,  pub- 
lished in  1649,  he  gives  notice  of  something  which  ^'he  had 
written  on -universal  redemption,"  and  which  he  only  kept  back 
for  a  time  in  consequence  of  his  '^  continual  sickness,''  and  in 
the  expectation  that  it  might  be  rendered  unnecessary  by  some 
production  of  another  pen. 

The  next  of  his  doctrinal  works  which  requires  attention,  is 
his  '  Catholic  Theology — plain,  pure,  peaceable  :  for  paci- 
fication of  the  dogmatical  word-warriors ;  who,  by  contending 
about  things  unrevealed,  or  not  understood,  and  by  putting 
Terbal  diflferences  for  real,  and  their  arbitrary  notions  for  ne- 
cessary sacred  truths,  deceived  and  deceiving  by  ambiguous, 
unexplained  words,  have  long  been  the  shame  of  the  Christian 
religion,  a  scandal  and  hardening  to  unbelievers,  the  incen- 
diaries, dividers,  and  distracters  of  the  church ;  the  occasion  of 
state  discords  and  wars ;  the  corrupters  of  the  Christian  faith, 
and  the  subverters  of  their  own  souls,  and  those  of  their  fol- 
lowers :  calling  them  to  a  blind  zeal  and  wrathful  warfare  against 
true  piety,  love,  and  peace,  and  teaching  them  to  censure, 
backbite,  slander,  and  prate  against  each  other,  for  things 
which  they  never  understood.  In  three  books.  I.  Pacifying 
Principles  about  God's  decrees,  foreknowledge,  providence, 
operations,  redemption,  grace,  man's  power,  free  will,  justifica- 
tion, merits,  certainty  of  salvation,  perseverance,  &c.  II.  A 
Pacifying  Praxis,  or  dialogue  about  the  five  articles,  justi- 

drestecl  to  Baxter,  and  occasioned  by  this  Treatise.  It  was  printed  in  tbe 
*  Monthly  Repository/  vol.  xix.  pp.577,  726 ;  and  by  the  editors  is  ascribed  tu 
Gilbert  Clerke,  who  was  a  Unitarian  of  some  celebrity.  He  was  tbe  author 
of  several  Socioian  tracts,  and  engaged  in  a  controversy  about  the  doctrine  of 
the  Nicene  Creed  with  Bishop  BuU.  A  short  account  of  him  is  given  in  Bull's 
life  by  Nelson,  pp.  502— 512. 

VOL.  I.  H  H 


466  THB   LIFE  AND   WRITINGS 

fication,  &c.,  proving  that  men  here  contend  alroo&t  only  about 
ambiguous  words  and  unrevealed  things.  III.  Pacifying  Dispu- 
tations against  some  real  errors  which  hinder  reconciliation! 
viz.,  about  physical  predetermination,  original  sin,  the  extent  of 
redemption,  sufficient  grace,  imputation  of  righteousness^  &e. 
Written  chiefly  for  posterity,  when  sad  experience  hath  taught 
men  to  hate  theological  wars,  and  to  love,  and  seek,  and  call 
for  peace/ 

I  have  quoted  at  large  the  extended  and  curious  title  of  this 
folio  volume,  which  appeared  In  1675,  because  it  aSbrds  a  spe- 
cimen of  Baxter's  style  of  conducting  discussion,  and  aerveSf 
in  a  great  measure,  for  an  analysis  of  the  work.  In  the  prefacei 
he  gives  a  brief  history  of  his  own  mind,  of  some  of  the  contro- 
versies in  which  he  had  been  engaged,  and  of  his  design  in  this 
publication  in  particular. 

*'  My  mind  being  these  many  years  immersed  in  studies  of 
this  nature,  and  having  also  long  wearied  myself  in  aearcfaiiig 
what  fathers  and  schoolmen  have  said  of  such  things  before  us, 
and  my  genius  abhorring  confusion  and  equivocals,  1  came^  by 
many  years'  longer  study  to  perceive,  that  most  of  the  doctrinal 
controversies  among  Protestants,  are  far  more  about  e<(uivoeal 
words  than  matter ;  and  it  wounded  my  soul  to  perceive  what 
work,  both  tyrannical,  and  unskilful  disputing  clergymen  liad 
made  thes^  thirteen  hundred  years  in  the  world  1  Experience, 
since  the  year  1G43,  till  this  year  1675,  hath  loudly  called  me 
to  repent  of  my  own  prejudices,  sidings,  and  censurings  of 
causes  and  persons  not  understood,  and  of  all  the  miscarriages 
of  my  ministry  and  life,  which  have  been  thereby  caused ;  and 
to  make  it  my  chief  work  to  call  men  that  are  within  my  hearing 
to  more  peaceable  thoughts,  affections,  and  practices.  And  my 
endeavours  have  not  been  in  vain,  in  that  the  ministers  of  the 
county  where  I  lived,  were  very  many  of  such  a  peaceable 
temper,  and  a  great  number  more  through  the  land,  by  God's 
■grace,  (rather  than  any  endeavours  of  mine,)  are  so  minded. 
-But  the  sons  of  the  cowl  were  exasperated  the  more  against  me^ 
and  accounted  him  to  be  against  every  man,  that  called  all  men 
to  love  and  peace,  and  was  for  no  man  as  in  a  contrary  way. 

^^And  now,  looking  daily  in  this  posture,  when  God  calleth  me 
hence;  summoned  bv  an  incurable  disease  to  hasten  all  that 
ever  I  will  do  in  this  world ;  being  incapable  of  prevailing  with 
the  present  church  disturbers,  I  do  apply  myself  to  posterityi 
leaving  them  the  sad  warning  of  their  ancestors'  iliatractioDfl^ 


OF   RICHARD    BAXTER.  467 

as  a  pillar  of  salt,  and  acquainting  them  what  I  have  found  to 
be  the  cause  of  our  calamities,  and  therein  they  will  find  the 
cure  themselves.""* 

This  work  he  fully  expected  would  expose  him  to  trouble 
and  opposition  from  various  quarters ;  but  to  his  great  astonish- 
ment, it  met  with  no  adversary  during  his  life.  He  expected 
it  would  be  the  subject  of  controversy  after  his  death;  but  in  this 
respect  also  his  anticipations  have  not  been  fulfilled.  It  still, 
I  believe,  remains  without  answer.  It  would  be  too  much  to 
infer  from  this,  that  all  the  positions  maintained  in  it  are  gene- 
rally admitted,  or  that  no  persons  are  disposed  to  dispute  any  of 
the  ^ews  of  its  author.  The  size  and  character  of  the  work  have, 
I  believe,  deterred  many  persons  from  examining  it  with  much 
care.  A  folio  volume  of  700  pages,  replete  with  metaphysical  dis- 
tpctions,  on  every  disputed  point,  in  the  most  difficult  doctrines 
of  theology,  has  few  charms  for  the  general  reader,  and  is  even 
a  formidable  subject  for  the  inquisitive,  theological  scholar  to 
digest. 

None  of  Baxter's  works  in  English  affords  more  striking  illus- 
tration than  this,  of  the  amazing  subtlety  of  his  mind,  as  well 
as  of  the  vastness  of  his  reading,  and  his  indefatigable  applica- 
tion. The  innumerable  distinctions  of  the  schoolmen,  the  de- 
bates among  the  Roman  Catholic  parties,  and  the  contentions 
among  Protestants,  on  all  the  subjects  of  which  he  treats, 
were  perfectly  familiar  to  him.  The  discussion,  on  his  part,  is 
carried  on  with  so  much  ease,  that  though  deeply  serious,  he 
seems  as  if  he  were  playing  with  the  difficulties  which  have 
perplexed  and  confounded  others.     Instead  of  finding 

*'  No  end,  in  waud'riog  mazes  lost," 

he  threads  the  labyrinths  with  prodigious  adroitness,  and 
finds  an  out-gate  where  others  had  found  only  a  pit  or  an 
insurmountable  barrier.  The  depths  in  which  many  have 
been  engulfed,  seem  but  as  the  element  in  which  he  sports 
without  danger  and  without  fear.  With  the  most  peaceable 
intentions,  he  carries  war  into  every  camp,  and  makes  havoc 
of  every  foe ;  never  being  at  a  loss  for  a  weapon,  and  never 
dismayed  by  the  front  or  menace  of  an  antagonist.  Desir- 
ous of  putting  an  end  to  contention,  he  furnished  fresh  and 
enlarged  means  for  carrying  it  on,  in  the  very  abundance  of 
the  material  of  war,  with  which  he  supplied  his  adversaries, 
and  the  imceremouious  manner  in  which  he  treated  themt 

»  Prefsce. 
HH  2 


468  THE  LIFE   AND  WRITIKGS 

Amidst  the  dryness  of  metaphysical  disquisition,  however,  and 
the  keenness  of  theological  debate,  some  fine  passages  occur 
illustrative  of  the  comprehensiveness  of  his  views,  and  the 
ardour  of  his  devotion.  Deep  piety  is  the  prominent  fea- 
ture of  all  Baxter's  works ;  and  it  never,  perhaps,  appears  to 
more  advantage,  than  when  he  is  engaged  in  those  debates, 
which  were  powerfully  calculated  to  excite  his  own  passions  and 
those  of  others.  It  was  the  oil  that  smoothed  the  troubled 
waters  in  which  he  passed  his  life,  and  which  was  always  upper- 
most whatever  was  passing  beneath. 

If  the  preceding  volume  appears  to  the  reader  a  surprising 
effort  of  talent  and  industry,  he  will  be  still  more  astonished 
with  the  next  work  of  Baxter  in  this  department.  I  refer  to 
his  Latin  work,  the  only  one  which  he  wrote  in  that  language, 
*METHODUsTHEOLoGiiECHRJSTrANJE,'&c.  It  appeared  in  1681, 
and  consists  of  more  than  90U  large  folio  pages :  enough  to 
make  about  four  volumes  of  the  size  of  the  new  edition  of  his 
works.  Of  this  immense  undertaking  he  gives  the  following 
account : 

"  Having  long  been  purposing  to  draw  up  a  method  of  theo- 
logy, I  now  began  it.  I  never  yet  saw  a  scheme  or  method  of 
physics  or  theology,  which  gave  any  satisfaction  to  my  reason ; 
though  many  have  attempted  to  exercise  more  accurateness  in 
distribution,  than  all  others  that  went  before  them ;  especially 
Dudley  Fenner,  Tzegedine,  Sohnius,  Gomarus,  Amesius,  Tre- 
leatius,  WoUebius,  &c.,  and  our  present  busy  boaster.  Dr.  Ni* 
cholas  Gibbon,  in  his  scheme.  I  could  never  yet  see  any  whose 
confusion,  or  great  defects,  I  could  not  easily  discover ;  but  not 
so  easilv  amend.  I  had  been  twenty- six  years  convinced  that 
I  dichotomizing  will  not  do  it,  but  that  the  divine  trinity  in  unity 
(  hath  expressed  itself  in  the  whole  frame  of  nature  and  morality. 
I  had  long  been  thinking  of  a  true  method,  and  making  some 
small  attempts,  but  found  myself  insufficient  for  it ;  and  so  con- 
tinued only  thinking  of  it  and  studying  it  all  these  years. 
Campanella,  I  saw,  had  made  the  fairest  attempt  in  the  princi- 
ples of  nature,  and  Commenius  after  him ;  but  yet,  as  I  belie\'e, 
he  quite  missed  it  in  his  first  operative  principles  of  heat  and 
cold ;  mistaking  the  nature  of  cold  and  darkness.  So  he  run 
his  three  principles,  which  he  calleth  primalities,  into  many  sub- 
sequent notions,  which  were  not  provable  or  coherent*  Having 
long  read  his  physics^  metaphysics,  ^  De  Sensu  Eerum/  and 


OF   RICHARD  BAXTER.  469 

^AiheUmus  Triumphatusj  I  found  him  mention  theology,  which 
put  me  in  hope  that  he  had  tliere  also  made  some  attempts;  but  I 
could  never  hear  of  any  one  that  had  seen  any  such  book  of  his. 
At  last,  Mr.  George  Lawson's  *  Theopoliiica'  came  out,  which  re- 
duced theology  to  a  method  more  political  and  right,  in  the  main, 
than  any  I  had  seen  before  him ;  but  he  had  not  hit  on  the  true 
method  of  the  Vestigia  Trinitatis.  But  the  very  necessity  of  ex- 
plaining the  three  articles  of  baptism,  and  the  three  summaries 
of  religion,  the  creed,  Lord's-prayer,  and  decalogue,  hath  led 
all  the  common  catechisms,  that  go  that  way,  into  a  truer  me- 
thod, than  any  of  our  exactest  dichotomizers  have  hit  on ;  not 
excepting  Treleatius,  Sohnius,  or  Amesius,  which  are  the  best. 

"  The  nature  of  things  convinced  me  that  as  physics  are  pre- 
supposed in  ethics,  and  that  morality  is  but  the  ordering  of  the 
rational  nature  and  its  actions ;  so  that  part  of  physics  and 
metaphysics,  which  opens  the  nature  of  man  and  of  God, 
who  are  the  parties  contracting,  and  the  great  subjects  of  theo- 
logy and  morality,  is  more  nearly  pertinent  to  a  method  of 
theology,  and  should  have  a  larger  place  in  it  than  is  commonly 
thought  of  and  given  to  it.  Yet  I  know  how  uncouth  it  would 
seem,  to  put  so  much  of  these  doctrines  into  a  body  of  di- 
vinity ;  but  the  three  first  chapters  of  Genesis  assured  me  that 
it  was  the  Scripture  method.  When  I  had  drawn  up  one 
scheme  of  the  creation,  and  sent  it  the  Lord  Chief  Baron  Hale, 
because  of  our  often  communications  on  such  subjects ;  and 
being  now  banished  from  his  neighbourhood  and  the  country 
where  he  lived,  he  received  it  with  so  great  approbation,  and 
importuned  me  so  by  letters  to  go  on  with  that  work,  and 
not  to  fear  being  too  much  on  philosophy,  as  added  some- 
what to  my  inclinations  and  resolutions.  Through  the  great 
mercy  of  God,  in  my  retirement  at  Totteridge,  in  a  troublesome, 
smoky,  suffocating  room,  in  the  midst  of  daily  pains  of  the 
sciatica,  and  many  worse,  I  set  upon  and  finished  ail  the 
schemes,  and  half  the  elucidations,  in  the  end  of  the  year  1669 
and  the  beginning  of  16/0;  which  cost  me  harder  studies  than 
any  thing  that  ever  I  had  before  attempted.*'  ° 

In  a  subsequent  part  of  his  '  Life  *  he  speaks  of  the  expense 
which  this  work  put  him  to,  and  of  his  disappointment  in  regard  to 
its  sale.  "The  times  were  so  bad  for  selling  books,  that  I  was  fain 
to  be  myself  at  the  charge  of  printing  my  ^Methodus  Theologiae,' 
Some  friends  contributed  about  eighty  pounds  towards  it;  it 

■  Life^  part  iii.  pp.  ^9^  70. 


47(^  TMB   LIFB   AND  WRITINGS 

cost  me  one  way  or  other  about  five  hundred  pounds ;  about  two 
hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  which  I  received  from  those  Noncon- 
formists that  bought  them.  The  contrary  party  set  themselves 
to  hinder  the  sale  of  it,  because  it  was  mine,  though  else  the 
doctrine  of  it,  being  half  philosophical,  and  half  conciliatory, 
would  have  pleased  the  learned  part  of  them.  Bat  most  lay  it  by 
as  too  hard  for  them,  or  as  over  scholastical  and  exact.  I  wrote 
It  and  my  English  ^  Christian  Directory,'  to  make  up  one  com- 
plete body  of  theology  ;  the  Latin  one  the  theory,  and  the 
English  one  the  practical  part.  And  the  latter  is  commonly 
accepted  because  less  difficult."  ® 

This  immense  work,  which  occupied  Baxter's  mind  so  much 
during  so  many  years,  is  divided  into  three  parts.  In  the  first 
he  treats  of  the  nature  of  things,  in  the  second  of  the  holy 
Scriptures,  and  in  the  third  of  the  whole  administration  and 
practice  of  religion ;  in  other  words,  the  theory  of  natural  re- 
ligion, revealed  religion,  and  the  practical  nature  and  design  of 
religion.  Or,  taking  another  view  of  his  plan,  he  treats  of 
the  kingdom  of  nature  ;  the  kingdom  of  grace,  under  the  Mosaic 
economy ;  the  kingdom  of  grace  under  the  Gospel ;  and  the 
kingdom  of  glory.  He  discusses,  with  great  minuteness  and  at 
great  length,  the  being  and  attributes  of  God ;  the  constitution 
of  the  universe  ;  the  character  and  condition  of  man  both  before 
and  after  the  fall ;  the  moral  administration  of  God  under  the 
law ;  the  mediatorial  or  evangelical  system  in  all  its  branches, 
including  the  person  and  work  of  Christ,  the  doctrines,  ordi- 
nances, and  precepts,  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  future  state  of  re- 
wards and  punishments.  To  give  even  a  faint  outline  of  the 
innumerable  discussions  and  definitions  contained  in  the  woFk, 
is  impossible ;  what  precedes  will  afford  however  some  idea  of  it 

He  seems  to  have  been  partial  to  tracing  a  kind  of  trinity  in 
unity  in  all  things.  A  trinity  of  persons  in  the  Godhead,  the 
Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Spirit ;  a  trinity  of  principles  in 
man,  which  he  calls  power,  intellect,  and  will ;  corresponding 
imperfectly  with  three  principles  in  the  nature  of  God — life,  * 
intellect,  and  will.  He  finds  three  kingdoms,  or  dispensations, 
nature,  grace,  and  glory ;  in  nature  he  finds  three  principles, 
light,  heat,  and  motion  ;  in  the  economy  of  grace  he  finds  the 
Father  governing,  the  Son  saving,  the  Holy  Spirit  sanctifying; 
and  God  accomplishing  all  his  designs  of  mercy  in  us  by  three 
principles,  faith^  hope,  and  love. 

•  Life,  part  111.  p.  190. 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  471 

Jn  the  representation  and  working  of  this  trinitarian  scheme 
of' philosophy,  metaphysics,  and  morals,  Baxter  has  displayed 
eoDsiderable  ingenuity  and  vast  labour.  Many  of  his  schemes 
or  tables  are  formed  with  great  care,  and  present  some  happy 
owl  useful  arrangements  and  combinations.  There  is  much, 
however,  of  what  is  fanciful  and  hypothetical  in  his  system,  and, 
taken  as  a  whole,  it  is  more  calculated  to  amuse  as  a  curious 
•peculation  or  effort  of  genius,  than  to  answer  any  important 
practical  purpose.  The  work  shows  that  the  author  is  entitled  to 
rank  high  among  the  metaphysico-theological  writers  of  the 
period.  I  am,  therefore,  surprised  that  Mr.  Morell  has  entirely 
omitted  him  in  his  very  useful. work  on  ^The  Elements  of  the 
History  of  Philosophy  and  Science.'  Whatever  may  be  thought 
of  his  opinions,  Baxter,  in  point  of  genius,  as  a  metaphysician,  ii 
not  unworthy  of  a  place  on  the  same  roll  with  Cudworth,  and 
Leibnitz,  and  Clarke  ;  and  is  unquestionably  superior  to  Bram- 
bftU  and  Tenison,  Wilkins,  Cumberland,  and  More. 

As  Baxter  wrote  occasionally  some  Latin  verse,  as  well  as 
Bnglish  poetry,  I  shall  close  the  account  of  this  proof  of  his  stu- 
pendous industry  by  quoting  the  lines  with  which  he  concludes  it. 

'*  Munde  dolose  vale  :  mihi  vera  palestra  fuisti : 

Perficitur  cursus :  certa  corona  maoet. 
Vita  fug^ax  cessat :  PraBstant  steroa  caducis  : 

Mens  superos  visit:  pulvere  pulvis  erit. 
Excipe  Cbriste  tnum  :  tibi  vixi:  errata  remitte: 

Spe  tibi  comniissuni  perfice  Christe  tuum. 
Tu  mortis  mors :  viue  tu  vita  perennis  : 

Gloria  nostra  tua  est  f^loria,  lumen,  amor. 
Non  luca,  non  ccetus,  non  hioc  sperata  videntur. 

Optimus,  Omnividens,  Maximus  iila  videt."  p 

V  I  have  observed,  since  writing  the  preceding  account  of  the  '  Methodus,' 
in  ft  cfttalo^e  of  his  works,  published  at  the  end  of  bis  own  edition  of  hik 
'Cooniels  to  Young  Men,'iu  1682,  a  ibort  analysis  of  this  poodarous  work, 
evidently  written  by  himself.  **lt  consists,"  he  says,  *<  of  seventy-threa 
tables,  or  methodical  schemes,  pretendiug  to  a  juster  methodizing  of  Christian 
wiilles,  acconliug  to  the  matter  and  Scripture,  than  is  yet  extant ;  furnishing 
■len  with  necessary  distinctions  on  every  subject;  showing  that  trinity  in 
unity  is  imprinted  on  the  whole  creation,  and  trichotumising  is  the  just  distri- 
bution in  naturals  and  morals.  The  first  part  of  the  kingdom  of  nature;  the 
•econd  of  the  kingdom  of  i^race  before  Christ's  incarnation  ;  the  third  of  the 
kingdom  of  grace  and  the  Spirit,  since  the  incarnation  ;  the  fourth  of  the 
kingdom  of  glory.  All  in  one  political  method,  in  the  efficience,  constitutipn, 
and  administration,  namely,  legislation,  judgment,  and  execution.  The  lirst 
part  mostly  philosophical,  \vith  a  full  scheme  of  philosophy  or  ontology.  The 
doetrine  de  anima  mo«t  largely ;  with  above  two  huudred  select  disputatious ; 
prolix  oues  on  the  trinity,  predetermination,  the  faculties  of  the  soul,  original 
tin,  and  a  multitude  of  controversies  briefly  decided."  Had  Baxter  lived  in 
ihe  days  of  the  schoolmen^  he  would  have  been  the  Thomas  Aquinas,  or  Dupi 
ScotuSy  of  the  period. 


472  THB  LIFE  AND  WRITINGS 

The  last  work  of  Baxter  in  this  department,  which  it  is  ne- 
cessary to  notice,  was  published  only  a  short  time  before  hit 
death,  and  bears  a  most  appropriate  title  for  the  condurion  of 
our  account  of  his  doctrinal  views :  ^  An  End  of  Doctrinal 
Controversies,  which  have  lately  troubled  the  Churches,  by  re* 
conciling  Explication  without  much  Disputing.'  1691.  8vo. 

In  his  preface  he  gives  a  most  characteristic  account  of  his 
reasons  for  engaging  so  much  in  controversy,  and  of  bis  object 
in  this  book  in  particular.  '^  Wars,"  he  says,  '^are  most  dreaded 
and  hated  by  the  country  where  they  are ;  but  not  so  much  by 
the  soldiers,  who  by  them  seek  their  prey  and  glory,  as  by  the 
suffering  inhabitants  that  lose  thereby  their  property  and  peace, 
who  yet  are  forced,  or  drawn  to  be  siders,  lest  they  suffer  for 
neutrality. 

^^  Religious  (irreligious)  wars  are  of  no  less  dismal  conse- 
quence, being  about  God  himself,  his  will,  and  word ;  and  that 
which  more  nearly  toucheth  our  souls  and  everlasting  state, 
than  our  houses  and  worldly  welfare  do.  Yet  because  men 
are  more  sensible  of  their  corporal  than  their  spiritual  concem, 
these  dogmatical  wars  are  far  less  feared,  and  too  commmdy 
made  the  study  and  delight,  not  only  of  the  military  clergy,  but 
also  of  the  seduced  and  sequacious  laity :  though  those  who 
have  the  wisdom  from  above,  which  is  pure  and  peaceable,  con- 
dole the  churches  calamity  hereby ;  knowing  that  envy  and 
strife,  the  earthly,  sensual,  and  devilish  wisdom,  cause  confusion 
and  every  evil  work.  It  is  a  heinous  aggravation,  that  the 
militants,  being  men  consecrated  to  love  and  peace,  pro&nely 
father  their  mischiefs  upon  God,  and  do  all  as  for  religion  and 
the  church.  Having  these  four-and-forty  years,  at  least,  been 
deeply  sensible  of  this  sin,  danger,  and  misery  of  Christians,  I 
have  preached  much  and  written  more  against  it ;  to  confute 
those  extremes  which  cause  divisions,  and  to  reconcile  those 
that  think  they  differ  where  they  do  not ;  sometimes,  also,  using 
importunate  petitions  and  pleas  for  peace,  to  those  that  have 
power  to  give  it  or  promote  it,  and  that  use  either  word  or 
sword  against  it.  And  with  the  sons  of  peace  it  hath  not  been 
in  vain ;  but  with  those  that  are  engaged  in  faction  and  mali- 
cious strife,  I  am  proclaimed  to  be  the  militant  enemy  of  con- 
cord, for  persuading  them  to  concord  ;  and  writing  many  books 
for  peace  and  love,  is  taken  for  writing  them  against  these. 
Controversies  I  have  written  of  but  only  to  end  them,  and  not  to 
make  them;  and  who  can  reconcile  them  that  never  mentioneth 
them,  or  arbitrate  in  a  cause  unheard  and  not  opened  ? 


OP  RICHABB  BAXTER.  473 

'  '^  Bat,  readers,  I  must  tell  you  that  my  title,  ^  An  End  of  Doc- 
trinal Controversies/  is  not  intended  as  prognostic,  but  as  di- 
dactical and  directive.  I  am  far  from  expecting  an  end  of  con- 
troversies, while  consecrated  ignorance  is  by.  worldly  interest, 
fiurtion,  and  malice,  mixed  with  pride  sublimated  to  an  envious 
seal ;  and  hath  set  up  a  trade  of  slandering  all  those  that  are 
true  peacemakers,  not  concurring  with  them  to  destroy  it,  on 
pretence  of  defending,  by  their  unpeaceable,  pernicious  terms. 
He  that  will  now  be  taken  for  a  peacemaker,  must  be  content 
to  be  so  called  by  a  few,  even  by  the  sect  that  he  chooseth  to 
please,  and  be  contrarily  judged  of  by  all  the  rest.  And  this 
satisfieth  some,  because  their  faction  seemeth  better  than 
others,  be  they  ever  so  few ;  and  others  because  their  faction  is 
great,  or  rich,  or  uppermost,  how  noxious  and  unpeaceable 
soever."  * 

The  conclusion  of  the  preface  is  worthy  of  the  writer,  and  in 
his  best  style.  ^'The  glorious  light  will  soon  end  all  our  con- 
troversies, and  reconcile  those  who  by  unfeigned  faith  and  love 
are  united  in  the  Prince  of  Peace,  or  Head,  by  love  dwelling  in 
God  and  God  in  them.  But  false-hearted,  malignant,  carnal 
worldlings',  that  live  in  the  fire  of  wrath  and  strife,  will  find,  so 
dying,  the  woful  maturity  of  their  enmity  to  holy  unity,  love, 
and  peace  ;  and  that  the  causeless  shutting  the  true  servants  of 
Christ  out  of  their  churches,  which  should  be  the  porch  of 
heaven,  is  the  way  to  be  themselves  shut  out  of  the  heavenly 
Jerusalem.  If  those  that  have  long  reproached  me  as  unfit  to  be 
in  their  church,  and  said  Ex  nno  disce  omneSy  with  their  leader, 
find  any  unsound  or  unprofitable  doctrine  here,  I  shall  take  it 
for  a  great  favour  to  be  confuted,  even  for  the  good  of  others 
excluded  with  me,  when  I  am  dead." 

This  work  does  not  contain  much  that  is  new  or  original.  It 
consists  of  twenty-five  chapters  on  most  of  the  topics  on  which 
he  had  treated  often  and  largely  before;  particularly  on  the 
points  embraced  in  the  Arminian  and  Calvinistic  controversy. 
The  divine  decrees,  election  and  reprobation ;  natural  power  and 
free-will,  original  sin,  universal  grace,  and  redemption ;  justifi- 
cation and  faith  ;  good  works,  merit,  assurance,  perseverance, 
&c.,  all  come  under  his  review;  and  on  these  and  their  collateral 
subjects  he  may  be  considered  as  delivering  his  last  thoughts. 

Having  come  literally  to  the  end  of  Baxter's  doctrinal  writ- 

4  Prefaoe. 


474  TUB   LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

ings,  this  is  perhaps  the  most  appropriate  place  for  stating  what 
appears  to  have  been  his  sentiments  on  the  great  leading  point! 
which  have  long  been  controverted  among  Christians.  The 
task  is  far  from  being  an  easy  one,  and  I  doubt  whether  I  shtll 
be  able  satisfactorily  to  perform  it.  Its*  difficulty  arises  from  the 
multitude  of  Baxter's  controversial  writings,  from  the  innumer^ 
able  distinctions  with  which  they  are  filled,  and  from  the  estended 
and  diversified  explanations  that  he  gives  of  every  term  sad 
phrase  which  he  employs.  His  conscientiousness^  his  fear  of 
being  misunderstood,  his  anxiety  to  render  every  thing  detr 
and  unambiguous,  his  wish  to  reconcile  opposite  aud  con6ictiag 
sentiments,  and  to  humble  the  pride  of  contentious  parties,  hf 
pointing  out  the  errors  to  which  their  respective  s3rBtems  wera 
liable ;  all  tend  to  confound  and  to  bewilder  the  reader  of  hb 
controversial  works,  and  to  involve  his  real  sentiments  in  con- 
siderable obscurity.  Possessed  of  a  mind  uncommonly  pene- 
trating, he  yet  seems  not  to  have  had  the  faculty  of  compressing 
within  narrow  limits,  his  own  views,  or  the  accounts  he  was 
disposed  to  give  of  the  views  of  others.  When  we  expect  hs 
is  about  to  state  in  a  few  words  the  sum  of  his  belief,  he  fiiesoff 
as  it  were  at  a  tangent  in  pursuit  of  some  adversary  whom  he 
has  started,  or  proceeds  to  obviate  some  false  construction 
which  has  been  put,  or  which  may  be  put  on  what  he  is  going 
to  say.  He  either  never  returns  to  the  subject,  or  when  he 
does  return,  it  is  but  to  make  another  flight  from  it,  and  to 
leave  us  as  before. 

All  this  arose,  not  from  any  indisposition  to  be  explicit ;  for 
no  man  was  more  disposed  to  give  a  full  and  candid  exposition 
of  all  he  thought,  and  felt,  and  did  ;  but  from  the  peculiar 
character  of  his  mind.  When,  for  instance,  he  proposes  to 
give  an  account  of  faith,  election,  grace,  perseverance,  instead 
of  giving  a  clear  definition  of  the  terms,  and  showing  how 
their  various  senses  mav  be  accounted  for  from  conventional 
usage,  consistently  with  the  original  and  primary  idea,  he 
proceeds  at  once  to  discuss  the  various  meanings  of  such 
words  as  they  are  commonly  used,  the  ambiguities  which  belong 
to  them,  and  the  uncertainty  of  their  signification,  till  we  advert 
to  the  circumstances  in  which  they  occur.  Hence,  instead  of 
saying  at  once  how  he  used  such  terms  in  his  own  writings,  he 
tells  us  of  many  kinds  of  faith,  various  acts  of  grace,  and 
different  species  of  election,  perseverance,  &c.  He  is  perpetually 
distinguishing  things  into  physical  and  moral,  real  and  nominal. 


OP   RICHARD   BAXTER.  475 

nmterial  and  formal.  However  important  these  distinctions 
mfty  they  often  render  his  writings  tiresome  to  the  reader,  and 
hb  reasonings  more  frequently  perplexing  than  satisfactory. 

Baxter  is  generally  understood  to  have  pursued  a  middle 
course  between  Calvinism  and  Arminianism.  That  he  tried  to 
hold  and  to  adjust  the  balance  between  the  two  parties,  and  that 
he  was  most  anxious  to  reconcile  them,  are  very  certain.  But  it 
■eeina  scarcely  less  evident,  that  he  was  much  more  a  Calvinist 
than  he  was  an  Arminian.  His  declared  approbation  of  the 
Assembly's  Confession,  and  of  the  Synod  of  Dort's  decisions,  with 
trifling  exceptions,  are,  I  think,  decisive  on  this  point :  while  the 
general  train  of  his  writing,  when  he  loses  sight  of  controversy, 
is  much  more  allied  to  the  system  of  the  Genevese  Reformer, 
than  to  that  of  the  Dutch  Remonstrants. 

While  this  seems  to  me  very  apparent,  it  must  be  acknow- 
ledged, that  if  certain  views,  which  have  often  been  given  of 
Calvinism,  are  necessary  to  constitute  a  Calvinist,  Richard  Bax- 
ter was  no  believer  in  that  creed.  But  an  individual  may  hold 
the  great  leading  outline  of  a  particular  system,  without  being 
expected  to  defend  every  dogma  or  iota  in  the  writings  of  its 
Ibunder.  If  this  be  implied  in  the  profession  of  adherence  to  a 
common  name,  I  doubt  whether  there  is  a  Calvinist  or  an  Armi- 
nian in  the  world. 

Baxter,  if  I  may  collect  his  sentiments  from  a  general 
knowledge  of  his  writings,  rather  than  from  particular  passages 
and  statements,  held  that  there  is  a  portion  of  common  grace 
bestowed  on  all,  which,  if  rightly  improved,  would  lead  to  most 
important  and  salutary  results;  that  resistance  to  this  con* 
stitutes  a  leading  part  of  man's  guilt :  yet  that  this  grace,  from 
the  indisposition  of  man,  is  not  productive  of  saving  effects,  un- 
less there  is  added  to  it  a  portion  of  special  grace,  which  never 
fails  to  accomplish  its  design— -the  salvation  of  the  individual 
on  whom  it  is  bestowed. 

"As  there  is  a  common  grace,"  he  says,  *^ actually  extended 
to  mankind,  (that  is,  common  mercies  contrary  to  their  merit,) 
so  there  is  such  a  thing  as  sufficient  grace,  in  suo  generCy  which 
is  not  effectual.  By  svfficient  grace  here,  I  mean  such,  without 
which  man's  will  cannot j  and  with  which  it  can  perform,  the 
commanded  act  toward  which  it  is  moved,  when  yet  it  doth 
not  perform  it.'  In  answer  to  the  question,  "  Whether  any  men 
in  the  world  have  grace  sufficient  to  repent  and  believe  savingly 

'  IBud  of  Controversies,  p.  163. 


476  TH£  LTF£  AND  WRITINGS 

who  do  not?''  he  says,  after  telling  us  that  he  knows  cothing 
about  the  matter,  ^^  but  that  if  we  may  conjecture  upon  proba- 
bilities, it  8eemeth  most  likely,  that  there  is  such  a  sufficient 
grace,  or  power,  to  repent  and  believe  savingly  in  some  that  use 
it  not,  but  perish."     This  seems  to  me  very  inexplicable. 

He  believed  in  election,  but  not  that  reprobation  is  its  coun- 
terpart, as  it  is  too  commonly  represented.  In  the  following 
passage  he  seems  to  express  this  sentiment  very  fairly:  '^  By  all 
this  it  appeareth  that  election  and  reprobation  go  not  paripof' 
sUy  or  are  not  equally  ascribed  to  God ;  for  in  electiony  God  it 
the  cause  of  the  means  of  salvation  by  his  grace,  and  of  all  that 
truly  tendeth  to  procure  it.  But  on  the  other  side,  God  is  no 
cause  of  any  sin  which  is  the  means  and  merit  of  damnation ; 
nor  the  cause  of  damnation,  but  on  the  supposition  of  man's  an. 
So  that  sin  is  foreseen  in  the  person  decreed  to  damnation,  but 
not  caused,  seeing  the  decree  must  be  denominated  from  the 
effect  and  object.  But  in  election,  God  decreeth  to  give  us  hb' 
grace,  and  be  the  chief  cause  of  all  our  holiness ;  and  doth  not 
elect  us  to  salvation  on  foresight  that  we  will  do  his  will,  or  be 
sanctified  by  ourselves  without  him."  ■ 

He  was  accused  as  holding  some  very  erroneous  and  danger- 
OU8  notions,  respecting  the  work  of   Christ.     It  was  chiefly 
in  reference  to  the  Antinomian  controversy,  that  these  charges 
were  brought.      But  Dr.  Stillingfleet,*  in   his    work    on  the 
'  Satisfaction  of  Christ,'  fully  vindicates  him    from   all  those 
charges  which  insinuated  that  his  sentiments  were  allied  to  So- 
cinianism.     After  quoting  various  passages  from  Baxter's  writ- 
ings, which  had  been  found  fault  with,  and  showing  the  sense 
which  they  must  bear  to  be  consistent  with  his  sentiments  else- 
where clearly  expressed,  Stillingfleet  justly  remarks  on  him: 
"  Some   liberty   must   be   allowed   to   metaphysical  heads  to 
show  their  skill  in  distinctions,  above  other  men ;  and  some* 
times  when  there  is  no  cause  for  them.     But  we  must  not  pre- 
sently charge  men  with  heresy,  for  new-invented  distinctions; 
wherein  they  may  be  allowed  to  please  themselves,  so  they  do 
not  cumber  the  faith  with  them  ;  nor  be  too  sharp  upon  their 
brethren  for  not  apprehending  the  use  of  them."^     So  far  were 
matters  carried  on  this  su Inject,  by  some  of  the  keen  supporters 
of  the  high  Calvinistic  view  of  the  satisfaction  of  Christ,  that 
after  his  death,  some  friend  published,  *  A  Plea  for  the  late  Mr. 
Baxter,  and  those  that  speak  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ  as  he 

■  £od  of  ConCroYerdieii  p.  44.  *  Part  ii.  p.  159. 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTER.  477 

does,  in  answer  to  Mr.  Lobb's  insinuated  charge  against  them, 
in  his  late  appeal  to  the  Bishop  of  Worcester  [Stillingfleet] 
and  Dr.  Edwards/     London,  1702. 

On  the  subject  of  redemption,  it  is  evident  that  he  believed  it 
to  be,  in  a  certain  sense,  general  or  universal ;  that  Christ  so  died 
for  all  men,  as  to  secure  for  them  a  certain  portion  of  benefit. 
This  view  of  his  death  he  regarded  as  the  ground  of  the  general 
invitations  of  the  Gospel,  and  of  God's  treatment  of  those  who 
reject  it.  It  is  clear,  however,  that  he  also  believed  in  what 
may  be  called  a  decretive  speciality  of  the  death  of  Christ. 
**  When  we  speak  of  Christ's  death,"  he  says,  "  as  a  sacrifice 
for  the  sins  of  all  the  world,  we  mean  no  more  but  that  esse 
eogmto  et  volitOy  the  undertaking  was  so  far  for  all,  as  that  all 
should  have  the  conditional  promise,  or  gift  of  life,  by  the  merits 
of  it."  ■  On  the  other  point  he  thus  expresses  himself :  "  He 
whose  sufferings  were  primarily  satis/action  for  sin,  were  se- 
condarily meritorious  of  the  means  to  bring  men  to  the  intended 
end ;  that  is,  of  the  word  and  Spirit,  by  which  Christ  causeth 
sinners  to  believe :  so  that  faith  is  a  fruit  of  the  death  of  Christ 
in  a  remote  or  secondary  sense."  *  *^  Christ  died  for  all,  but 
not  for  all  alike  or  equally ;  that  is,  he  intended  good  to  all, 
but  not  an  equal  good,  with  an  equal  intention."  ^ 

The  following  statement  of  his  sentiments  on  the  subject  of 
justifying  faith,  though  it  employs  a  redundancy  of  language, 
will  not  be  objected  to  by  many :  "  Justifying  faith  is  not  the 
reception  of  the  knowledge  or  sense  of  our  former  justification, 
nor  the  belief  that  our  sins  were  before  actually  pardoned,  or 
that  they  are  so ;  but  it  is  the  true  belief  of  the  Gospel,  and 
the  sincere  acceptance  of  Christ  as  he  is  offered  therein.  That 
is,  of  Christ  as  Christ — as  the  Son  of  God,  that  hath  given  him- 
self a  sacrifice  for  sin,  and  offereth  himself  to  me  to  be  my  Sa- 
viour from  the  guilt  and  power  of  siu,  and  eternal  damnation ; 
and  to  give  me  eternal  glory,  and  to  be  my  Teacher,  and  my 
King  in  ruling  me,  in  order  thereto.  Men  are  not  called  to  be- 
lieve that  they  are  justified,  but  to  believe  for  justification."  * 

■  Catholic  Theology,  part  iii.  p.  (y7,  *  Ibid.  p.  69. 

7  End  of  CoDtrov.  p.  160.  Baxter  was  as  much  a  Calvinist  on  the  subject 
of  the  extent  of  the  atonement,  as  the  late  Rev.  Andrew  Fuller ;  and  may  be 
regarded  as  distinguished  from  the  other  Calvinists  of  his  time,  as  Fuller  was 
distinguished  from  Abraham  Booth.  Of  the  controversy  between  Owen  and 
Baxter,  respecting  the  death  of  Christ,  an  account  will  be  found  in  the  Me- 
moirs of  Owen.  The  works  of  Booth  and  Fuller,  on  the  same  subject,  arc 
worth  consulting. 

*  Confesnon  of  Faith,  p.  166. 


478  TUB  LIFE   AND    WRITINGS 

His  views  on  the  subject  of  the  perseverance  of  the  saints, 
have  been  noticed  and  stated  already.  While  it  appears  that 
he  would  not  have  expressed  himself  so  confidently  on  this  sub- 
ject as  on  some  others,  and  did  not  rank  it  among  truths  of  the 
first  importance,  he  held  substantially  the  Caivinistic  view  of  it 

On  the  freedom  of  the  will,  he  has  generally  been  considered 
as  holding  what  may  be  called  liberal  views,  inclining  more  to 
liberty  than  to  necessity.  But  I  apprehend  this  was  more  in 
appearance  than  reality.  In  the  following  passages  from  hb 
*  Catholic  Theology/  he  expresses  sentiments  in  the  fullest  w> 
cordance  with  the  strictest  views  of  Caivinistic  theology  on  thn 
subject.  They  may  be  considered  as  giving  the  substance  of 
his  opinions  on  the  whole  controversy;  so  that  I  shall  not 
trouble  the  reader  with  any  more  extracts. 

*^  As  all  being  is  originally  from  God,  so  there  is  a  continued 
divine  causation  of  creatures,  without  which  they  would  all 
cease,  or  be  annihilated ;  which  some  call  a  continued  creatioUi 
and  some  an  emanation,  and  some  a  continued  action,  or  ope- 
ration, ad  rerum  esse.  It  is  an  intolerable  error  to  hold,  that 
God  hath  made  the  world,  or  any  part  of  it,  self-sufficient,  or 
independent  of  himself,  as  to  being,  action,  or  perfection.  We 
grant,  therefore,  that  all  the  world  is  so  far  united  to  God,  as 
to  depend  on  his  continued  causality ;  and  that  the  beams  do 
not  more  depend  on  the  sun,  or  light,  heat,  and  motion,  on  the 
sun  ;  or  the  branches,  fruit,  and  leaves,  more  depend  on  the 
tree,  than  the  creation  on  God.  But  yet  these  are  uot  parts 
of  God,  as  the  fruit  and  leaves  are  of  the  tree,  and  as  the 
beams  are  of  the  sun ;  but  they  are  creatures,  because  God's 
emanation  or  causation  is  creation,  causing  the  whole  being  of 
the  eflfect."* 

^Mt  is  confessed  that  there  is  no  substance  beside  himself 
which  God  is  not  the  maker  of;  nor  any  action  of  which  he  is 
not  the  first  Cause.  God  may  well  be  called  the  perfect  first 
Cause  of  human  actions,  in  that  he  giveth  man  all  his  natural 
faculties,  and  a  power  to  act  or  not  act  at  this  time,  or  to 
choose  this  or  that,  and  as  the  fountain  of  nature,  and  life,  and 
motion,  doth  afford  his  influx  necessary  to  this  free  agency.  So 
that  whenever  any  act  is  done,  as  an  act  in  generiy  God  is  the 
first  Cause  of  it ;  for  it  is  done  by  the  power  which  he  giveth 
and  continueth,  and  by  his  vital  influx,  and  there  is  no  power 
used  to  produce  it  which  is  not  given  by  God.''*' 

*  Catholic  Theology,  part  ill.  p.  113.  ^  Ibid,  part  L  p.  29« 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  479 

^'  I  conclude  with  this  repeated  profession,  that  I  am  fully 
aatisfiedy  that  all  the  rest  of  the  controversies,  about  grace  and 
natnre,  predestination  and  redemption,  as  they  stand  between 
the  Synod  of  Dort  and  the  Arminians,  are  of  no  greater  mo-* 
ment  than  I  have  often  expressed  in  this  book ;  and  that  the 
true  life  of  all  the  remaining  difficulties  is,  in  this  controversy 
between  the  defenders  of  necessary  predestination,  and  those  of 
free-will;  that  is,  not  what  free* will  sinners  have  left,  but 
whether  ever  in  angels  or  innocent  man,  there  was  such  a  thing 
18  a  will,  that  can,  or  ever  did,  determine  itself  to  a  volition  or 
nolition  in  specie  fnoralij  without  the  predetermining,  efficient^ 
neoeasitating  premonition  of  God  as  the  first  Cause/' ^ 

I  apprehend  that  I  have  now  pursued  the  doctrinal  senti- 
menta  of  Baxter  far  enough  for  the  satisfaction  or  gratification 
of  the  reader.  While  I  consider  him  to  have  held  sound  and 
aeriptural  sentiments  on  all  important  subjects,  I  am  very  far 
from  thinking  that  he  always  expressed  himself  correctly  when 
discussing  them.  On  the  contrary,  his  language  is  frequently  am-* 
Uguous  or  obscure  3  in  many  instances  it  is  calculated  to  obstruct 
the  inquirer,  or  occasion  him  great  perplexity ;  and  not  seldom, 
it  is  so  grossly  incorrect,  as  to  require  to  be  most  liberally  con- 
strued in  connexion  with  his  wel]-known  general  sentiments,  to 
avoid  charging  him  with  opinions  subversive  of  the  grace  and 
glory  of  the  Gospel. 

I  am  fully  aware  that  many  passages  might  be  selected  from 
his  controversial  writings,  of  a  very  different  tenor  from  those 
which  I  have  quoted ;  and  that  it  might  be  easy  to  prove  Bax- 
ter a  heretic,  or  at  least  guilty  of  gross  self-contradiction,  by 
detaching  many  of  his  statements  from  the  connexion  in  which 
they  occur,  lliis,  however,  would  be  a  species  of  injustice, 
wliich,  though  common  enough  among  controversialists,  ought 
to  be  discountenanced  by  every  lover  of  truth.  Baxter  experi- 
enced much  of  this  treatment  while  he  lived ;  and  it  followed 
his  writings  long  after  their  author's  death.  The  most  perfect 
specimen  of  this  with  which  I  am  acquainted,  and  which  may 
be  reverted  to  as  a  storehouse  of  the  inconsistencies  of  Baxter, 
is  a  quarto  volume  with  the  following  title :  '  Baxterianism 
Barefaced ;  drawn  from  a  literal  Transcript  of  Mr.  Baxter's, 
and  the  Judgment  of  others  in  the  most  radical  Doctrines  of 

«  CsthoHc  Theok)^,  part  i.  p.  Ud. 


480  THE  LIFE  AND  WRITINGS 

Faith,  compared  with  those  of  the  Orthodox,  both  Conformist 
and  Nonconformist/  &c.  By  Thomaa  Edwards,  esq.  1699.* 
This  Nimrod  among  heresy  hunters,  endeavours  to  crucify  Baxter 
between  the  Quakers  and  the  Roman  Catholics,  exhibiting  the 
doctrines  of  these  two  parties  in  every  page,  in  parallel  coiumns, 
and  Baxter  between  them.  Thus  endeavouring  to  produce  an 
impression  that  he  was  allied  in  sentiment  to  the  Popish  doctrine 
of  the  merit  of  good  works  on  the  one  hand,  and  to  the  mti- 
taken  views  of  the  Quakers,  on  the  subject  of  divine  infltieiiGe, 
on  the  other.  Curious  coincidences  do  occur ;  but  who  thit 
knows  any  thing  of  the  real  sentiments  of  Baxter^  can  have  the 
least  idea  that  his  doctrinal  system  bears  any  resemblance  to 
either  of  those  parties  ? 

To  form  a  correct  judgment  of  Baxter's  sentiments,  we  must 
consult  his  practical  and  devotional  writings.  We  must  attend 
him^  not  when  sitting  in  the  critic's  chair,  or  occupying  the  con- 
troversial arena,  but  when  dealing  with  sinners,  or  conversing  as 
a  sinner  himself,  with  God.  His  eloquent  and  fervid  addresses 
to  men,  and  his  no  less  eloquent  and  burning  addresses  to  the 
throne  of  the  Most  High,  present  such  a.  view  of  his  real  sen- 
timents, as  cannot  be  mistaken.  In  these  compositions,  he  is 
thinking  of  no  difficulties  in  his  theological  system,  or  in  the 
theological  systems  of  others ;  he  is  only  intent  on  presenting, 
in  the  most  simple  and  impressive  forms,  the  great  doctrines 
of  the  fall  and  corruption  of  our  nature,  the  fulness  and  freeness 
of  divine  grace,  and  the  necessity  of  faith  and  repentance.  Tie 
love  of  God,  as  manifested  to  apostate  transgressors,  in  the 
gift  and  sacrifice  of  his  own  Son,  is  then  the  entire  theme  of  his 
discourse,  as  it  was  the  only  ground  of  his  own  hope.     Nothing 

**  I  kDow  nothing  of  this  Edwards,  except  from  his  book.  He  seems  to  have 
been  one  of  the  high  Calviidsts  of  the  time,  who  entered  very  deeply  into  the 
Crispian  controversy.  He  tried  his  poetical,  as  well  as  his  polemical,  powen 
on  Baxter.  It  was  the  fashion  to  write  epitaphs  for  this  excellent  man ;  and 
the  following;  is  the  doggerel  slander  of  Thomas  Edwards,  esq.  :— 

"  Baxter,  farewell !  Hen jffy eld's*  epitome, 

Rome's  Vatican  and  conclave  fell  in  thee ; 

St.  Omer*s,  mourn  !  for  thy  disciples  will 

By  this  find  lesser  grist  come  to  thy  mill. 

To  say  no  more,  write  on  this  tomb,  Here  lies 

The  mirror  of  self  inconsistencies  : 

Or  rather  thus,  Papal  conformity 

Hid  under  Reformation  here  doth  lie." — p.  223. 

«  ThU  be  interpreta,  <<  Rome's  Faith  j"  UtenOly,  "  Old  Faith." 


OV  RICHARD  BAXTER.  481 

of  conditional  jastification,  of  terms  and  qualifications,  of  the 
merit  of  works,  or  the  limitations  of  the  divine  call,  is  then 
to  be  found.  All  is  represented  as  a  scheme  of  sovereign 
mercy,  reigning  through  righteousness,  and  dispensed  with  in- 
finite generosity  by  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord. 

All  his  own  experience  was  that  of  a  man  who  felt  himself 
to  be  a  chief  sinner,  saved  solely  by  the  mercy  of  God.  This 
appears  in  the  deep  humility  of  his  soul,  in  his  fervent  gratitude, 
in  his  holy  life,  and  in  his  happy,  though  humble,  state  of  mind^ 
in  the  prospect  of  death.  There  was  nothing  of  metaphysics 
in  the  influence  of  Baxter's  religion,  however  much  of  it. be- 
longed to  the  manner  of  stating  his  sentiments.  His  views 
of  the  corruption  of  human  nature,  and  of  the  responsibility 
of  man,  led  him  to  dwell  much  on  these  topics,  and  to  urge 
them  powerfully  on  all  sinners.  To  salvation  as  the  cure  of 
sin,  he  attached  as  much  importance  as  to  salvation  considered 
as  deliverance  from  its  punishment.  Hence  he  cultivated  this 
corative  process  in  himself,  and  recommended  its  cultivation  to 
others.  He  could  find  happiness  only  in  likeness  to  God,  which 
constituted,  therefore,  his  constant  desire,  as  it  was  the  object  of 
his  most  earnest  recommendation. 

While  satisfied  that  among  Baxter's  sentiments^  no  important 
or  vital  error  will  be  found,  yet  in  the  style  and  method  in  which 
he  too  generally  advocated  or  defended  them,  there  is  much  to 
censure.  The  wrangling  and  disputatious  manner  in  which  he 
presented  many  of  his  views,  was  calculated  to  gender  an  un- 
sanctified  state  of  mind  in  persons  who  either  abetted  or  opposed 
his  sentiments.  His  scholastic  and  metaphysical  style  of  ar- 
guing is  unbefitting  the  simplicity  of  the  Gospel,  and  cannot  fail 
to  injure  it  wherever  such  is  employed.  It  not  only  savours  too 
much  of  the  spirit  of  the  schools,  and  the  philosophy  of  this 
world ;  but  places  the  truths  of  revelation  on  a  level  with  the 
rudiments  of  human  science. 

I  am  not  sure  whether  certain  effects  which  began  early  in 
the  last  century  to  appear  among  the  Presbyterian  part  of  the 
Nonconformists,  may  not  be  traced  in  some  degree  to  the  spe- 
culative and  argumentative  writings  of  Baxter.  His  influence 
over  this  class  of  his  brethren,  was  evidently  very  great.  He 
contributed  more  than  any  other  man  to  mitigate  the  harsh 
and  forbidding  aspect  which  the  Presbyterians  presented  dur- 
ing the  civil  wars  and  the  commonwealth.  This  was  well,  but 
he  ditl  not  stop  here.    He  was  inimical  to  all  the  existing 

VOL.  I.  I  I 


482  THS  UFB  AND  WRlTlVfiS 

« 

systems  of  doctrine  and  discipline  then  eentended  for^  or  ever  be- 
fore known  in  the  world ;  while  he  did  not  present  any  precisely 
defined  system  as  his  own.  He  opposed  Calvinism;  he  opposed 
Arminianism ;  he  would  not  allow  himself  to  be  considered  an 
Episcopalian,  in  the  ordinary  acceptation  of  the  word;  he  de- 
nied that  he  was  a  Presbyterian^  and  scorned  to  be  thought  an 
Independent.  He  held  something  in  common  with  them  all,  and 
yet  he  was  somewhat  different  from  all.  He  contended  for  a 
system  more  general,  and  more  liberal  than  was  then  approved; 
arid,  as  we  have  stated,  wished  to  place  a  variety  of  theological 
truths  on  grounds  belonging  rather  to  philosophy  or  meta- 
physics, than  to  revelation. 

On  himself,  this  species  of  latitudinarianism  produced  little 
injurious  effect,  but  I  fear  it  had  a  baneful  influence  on 
others.  The  rejection  of  all  human  authority  and  influence 
in  religion,  requires  to  be  balanced  by  a  very  strong  sense  of 
the  divine  authority,  to  prevent  its  generating  a  state  of 
mind  more  characterised  by  pride  of  intellect,  and  indepen- 
dence of  spirit,  than  by  the  humility  and  diffidence  which  are 
essential  features  in  the  Christian  character.  It  is  a  singular 
fact,  that  the  Presbyterians,  though  at  first  more  rigid  in  their 
doctrinal  views,  and  more  exclusive  in  their  spirit  and  system  of 
church  government,  than  the  Independents,  became  before  the 
death  of  Baxter  the  more  liberal  party.  High  views  began  to 
be  ascribed  by  them  to  their  now  moderate  brethren  ;  and,  to 
avoid  the  charge  of  Antinomianism,  which  Baxter  was  too 
ready  to  prefer  against  such  as  differed  from  some  of  his  views, 
the  Presbyterians  seem  gradually  to  have  sunk  into  a  state  of  low 
moderate  orthodoxy,  in  which  there  was  little  of  the  warmth 
or  vitality  of  evangelical  religion. 

In  further  illustration  of  the  influence  now  adverted  to,  it 
must  be  remarked,  that  the  first  stage  in  that  process  of  dete- 
rioration which  took  place  among  the  Presbyterian  dissenters, 
was  generally  characterised  by  the  term  Baxterianism  :  a  word 
to  which  it  is  diflicult  to  attach  a  definite  meaning.  It  denotes 
no  separate  sect  or  party,  but  rather  a  system  of  opinions 
on  doctrinal  points,  verging  towards  Arminianism,  and  which 
ultimately  passed  to  Arianism  and  Socinianism.  Even  dur- 
ing Baxter's  own  life,  while  the  Presbyterians  taxed  the  In^- 
pendents  with  Antiiiomianism,  the  latter  retorted  the  charge 
of  Socinianism,  or  at  least  of  a  tendency  towards  it  in  some 
of  the  opinions  maintained  both  by  Baxter  and  others  of  tha( 


Of  mOBAail  BAXTBB*  46S 

pirly.  To  whatever  eauae  it  it  to  be  attribuledj  it  ia  a  melan- 
Aoiy  hctf  that  the  declension  which  began  even  at  this  early 
pariod  in  the  Presbyterian  body,  went  on  slowly  but  surely,  till 
from  the  most  fervid  orthodoxy^  it  finally  arrived  at  the  frigid 
aone  of  Unitarianism. 

1  wish  not  to  be  understood  as  stating,  that  Baxter  either  held 
any  opinions  of  this  description,  or  was  conscious  of  a  tendt- 
caey  in  his  sentiments  towards  such  a  fearful  consummation  ; 
bat,  that  there  was  an  injurious  tendency  in  his  manner  of  dis- 
enaaing  certain  important  subjects.  It  was  subtle,  and  full  of 
logomachy ;  it  tended  to  unsettle,  rather  than  to  fix  and  deter- 
minis  I  it  gendered  strife,  rather  than  godly  edifying.  It  is  not 
peesible  to  study  such  books,  as  his  ^  Methodus,^  and  his  ^  Ca- 
tbcdic  Theology,'  without  experiencing,  that  we  are  brought  into 
a  differait  region  from  apostolic  Christianity :  a  region  of  fierce 
debate  and  altercation  about  words,  and  names,  and  opinions } 
in  which  all  that  can  be  said  for  error  is  largely  dwelt  upon, 
as  well  as  what  can  be  said  for  truth.  The  ambiguities  of  lan« 
gaage,  the  diversities  of  sects,  the  uncertainties  of  human  per- 
o^tion  and  argument,  are  urged,  till  the  force  of  revealed  truth 
is  considerably  weakened,  and  confidence  in  our  own  judgment 
of  Its  meaning  greatly  impaired.  Erroneous  language  is  main^ 
tained  to  be  capable  of  sound  meaning,  and  the  most  scriptural 
]dirases'to  be  susceptible  of  unscriptural  interpretation,  till  truth 
and  error  almost  change  places,  and  the  mind  is  bewildered, 
confounded,  and  paralysed. 

Into  this  mode  of  discussing  such  subjects,  was  this  most  ex« 
cellent  man  led,  partly  by  the  natural  constitution  of  his  mind, 
friiich  has  often  been  adverted  to ;  partly  by  his  ardent  de- 
sire of  putting  an  end  to  the  divisions  of  the  Christian  world, 
and  producing  universal  concord  and  harmony.  He  failed  where 
snccess  was  impossible,  however  plausible  might  have  been  the 
means  which  he  employed.  He  understood  the  causes  of  differ- 
ence and  contention  better  than  their  remedies ;  hence  the  mea- 
sures which  he  used,  frequently  aggravated  instead  of  curing  the 
disease.  His  controversial  writings,  it  is  said,  'Svere  never  answer- 
ed." To  answer  them  was  impracticable.  They  were  entrenched 
withm  such  lines  of  words,  such  barriers  of  technicalities,  and 
such  interminable  series  of  distinctions,  that  any  approach  to  the 
main  subject  was  rendered  utterly  hopeless.  Baxter  was  clad  in  an 
impenetrable  coat  of  mail  of  his  own  framing,  which  not  only 
entirely  protected  its  wearer,  but  presented  innumerable  points, 

Ii2 


484  THB  Lin  AND  WRITIlfGII 

that  rendered  grappling  with  him  exceedingly  dangerous  to  the 
assailant.  Conscious  of  his  own  integrity  and  safety,  and  not 
unconscious  of  his  giant  strength,  he  hurled  fearless  defiance  at 
all  adversaries,  and  quietly  waited  the  onset. 

Meanwhile  that  cause  which  he  had  so  much  at  heart,  lost 
rather  than  gained,  from  these  means  of  promodng  it.  Error 
was  not  overthrown  or  dislodged;  the  chief  difficulties  attaching 
to  certain  truths,  remained  where  they  had  ever  been  ;  for  the 
obscurity  hanging  over  the  divine  purposes  and  administra- 
tion, continued  as  profound  as  ever.  In  all  this  we  are  taught 
the  imbecility  of  man^  and  how  little  he  is  capable  of  achieving,' 
even  with  the  best  intentions,  without  the  special  blessing  of 
God.  Man's  apparent  intelligence  and  wisdom  have  often  been 
considered  as  of  vast  importance  to  the  interests  of  truth  and 
of  heaven ;  but  have  nearly  as  often  as  they  have  been  thns' 
regarded,  occasioned  disappointment  and  regret.  It  is  dnis 
God  enforces  his  own  injunction ;  *^  Let  not  the  wise  man  glory 
in  his  wisdom ;  but  let  Him  that  glorieth,  glory  in  the  Lord.*^ 

While  a  portion  of  evil,  probably  resulted  from  Baxter's  mode 
of  conducting  controversy,  and  no  great  light  was  thrown  hj 
him  on  some  of  the  dark  and  difficult  subjects  which  he  so 
keenly  discussed,  I  have  no  doubt  he  contributed  cousideraUy 
to  produce  a  more  moderate  spirit  towards  each  other,  between 
Calvinists  and  Arminians,  than  had  long  prevailed.  Though  he 
satisfied  neither  party,  he  must  have  convinced  both,  that  grest 
difficulties  exist  on  the  subjects  in  debate,  if  pursued  beyond  a 
certain  length;  that  allowance  ought  to  be  made  by  each,  for  the 
weakness  or  prejudices  of  the  other ;  and  that  genuine  religion  * 
is  compatible  with  some  diversity  of  opinion  respecting  one  or 
all  of  the  five  points.  In  as  far  as  such  an  effect  has  arisen  from 
his  doctrinal  writings,  the  church  of  Christ  has  derived  benefit 
from  them.  If  my  opinion  may  be  expressed  at  the  end  of 
this  long  chapter  in  a  single  sentence,  I  would  say^  Bsxter 
was  probably  such  an  Arminian  as  Richard  Watson ;  and  ss 
much  a  Calvinist  as  the  late  Dr.  Edward  Williams. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  485 


CHAPTER    III. 


WORKS  ON   CONVERSION. 

fntrodoctory  Remarki— ^  Treatise  of  Coovertion  '— >'  Call  to  the  Uncoil* 
▼eried '— *  Now  or  Nerer '— '  Directions  for  a  Sound  Conversion '— <  Direc- 
tiont  to  the  Converted '— <  Character  of  a  Sound  Christian '— <  Mischiefs  of 
Setf-ignorance '-^The  Countess  of  Balcarras— Controversy  with   Bishop 

*  Motky^"*  A  Saint  or  a  Brute'— Various  smaller  Treatises— Concludinf^ 

.  Obaerrations. 

Thb  class  of  books  to  which  this  chapter  is  devoted,  must  ever 
rank  high,  perhaps  I  should  say  highest,  among  the  works  of 
Baxter.    As  they  treat  of  the  most  important  subject  which  can 
occupy  the  attention  of  mankind  in  its  degenerate  state;  so 
they  discuss  that  subject  with  a  power  which  is  probably  un- 
equalled in  human  writings.  While  Baxter's  talents  were  adequate 
to  any  subject  to  which  they  might  be  directed,  the  conversion 
of  men  was  the  grand  object  to  which  he  devoted  them,  in  the 
fullest  extent  in  which  they  could  be  exercised.    Other  things 
he  might  resort  to  as  recreation,  or  submit  to  as  duty ;  this 
employment  constituted  his  sacred  delight.    His  whole  soul 
was  here  eminently  at  home ;  he  revels  and  luxuriates  in  it, 
exulting  in  the  privilege  of  calling  sinners  to  repentance,  and 
thus  promoting  the  glory  of  his  Lord  and  Master. 
-   In  this  department  of  writing,  I  am  not  aware  that  he  had 
properly  any  predecessor  in  the  English  language.    Among  the 
works  both  of  the  episcopal  and  puritan  divines,  many  excel- 
lent discourses  on  most  branches  of  Christian  faith  and  duty 
had  previously  appeared.    The  Puritans  excelled  especially  in 
the  expository  and  didactic  departments  of  instruction ;  while 
many  Conformists  produced  very  able  treatises  on  the  several 
branches  of  theological  and  moral  truth.    But  by  no  one  nor  all 
of  them  was  produced  such  a  mass  of  pungent  and  powerful  ad- 
dresses to  the  consciences  of  ignorant,  ungodly,  and  thoughtless 


486  THB  uvs  Aim  WftflniiAs 

men,  as  by  Baxter.  Conversion  in  all  its  important  aspects, 
and  unutterably  important  claims,  had  not  before  been  dis- 
cussed, at  least  in  our  language ;  nor  had  any  man  previously 
employed  so  boundless  a  range  of  topics,  in  conjunction  with 
such  an  energetic  and  awakening  style  of  addressing  sinners. 

To  excel  in  this  mode  of  preaching)  requires  talents  and  pro- 
perties of  no  ordinary  kind.  There  must  be  a  combination  of 
scriptural  knowledge  and  ardent  piety,  with  a  correctness  of 
thin*king,  as  well  as  a  fervency  of  imagination  and  manner, 
which  are  rarely  found  in  one  individual.  Incorrect  notions  of 
the  boundless  grace  and  mercy  of  the  Gospel,  led  some  of  Bax- 
ter's predecessors  in  the  awakening  style  of  preaching,  to  deal  out 
the  unmitigated  thunders  of  the  Law.  These^  however,  will  rdf 
in  the  ears  of  sinners  in  vain,  unless  mellowed  with  the  meek 
and  persuasive  allurements  of  the  Gospel.  Baxter  knew  how  to 
connect  them,  so  as  to  alarm  and  convince,  without  driving  to 
despair.  Taylor  could  describe  the  loathsomeness  and  guilt  of 
the  sinner,  and  the  certainty  as  well  as  awfulness  of  his  danger, 
with  an  exhaustleSs  and  withering  power  of  illustration.  Hi 
could  inculcate  penance  and  mortification  with  great  fbrct  of 
argument.  But  his  manner  partook  more  of  monkish  severity^ 
— of  the  gloom  and  austerity  of  the  cloister— than  of  the  faith- 
fulness and  tenderness  of  Jesus  and  his  apostles.  Baxter's  seve* 
rity  never  partakes  of  the  nature  of  misanthropy.  He  never 
seems  to  take  pleasure  in  wounding.  He  employs  the  knife 
with  an  unsparing  hand ;  but  that  hand  always  appears  to  be 
guided  by  a  tender,  sympathising  heart.  He  denounces  sin 
in  language  of  tremendous  energy,  and  exposes  its  hideoiM 
nature  by  the  light  of  the  flames  of  hell  itself;  but  it  is  to  uigr 
the  sinner  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  to  lay  hold  on 
the  hope  set  before  him.  He  never  appears  as  the  minister  of 
divine  vengeance,  come  to  execute  wrath,  and  to  make  men 
miserable  before  the  time  ;  but  as  an  angel  of  mercy,  brandish- 
ing a  flaming  sword  to  drive  men  to  the  tree  of  .life. 

In  the  writings  of  Owen  and  Howe,  and  the  preachers  of  the 
same  school,  doctrinal  discussion,  and  elaborate  ai^nment  itt 
support  and  illustration  of  Gospel  truths,  are  more  prominent 
than  their  addresses  to  sinners.  This,  perhaps,  may  be  ae» 
counted  for,  by  the  different  circumstances  of  the  people  whoa 
they  addressed.  Their  congregations  consisted  chiefly  of  a  se» 
lect  company  of  believers,  or  of  those  who  made  a,  credible  pro* 
fession  of  the  Gospel.    Hence  their  discourses  were  chiefly  em* 


OF  tf fmiRB  IUJLTBII4  487 

plowed  id  instriictiiig  and  bilildin^  ap.  Baxter^a  hearers  in 
Kidderminster,  where  most  of  his  works  of  this  class  were  pro- 
duced^ were  of  a  difibrent  description ;  a  large  mass  of  ignorant, 
wicked  persons,  chieflj  in  the  lower  walks  of  life.  When  he 
entered  on  his  labours  among  them^  there  was  scarcely  a  res- 
tige  of  religion  in  the  place.  He  studied  the  best  methods  of 
gaining  their  attention^  and  of  rousing  them  to  repentance  and 
reformation.  How  admirably  he  Succeeded  is  evident,  both 
frotn  the  discourses  which  he  produced^  and  the  effects  which 
resulted  from  them.  The  character  of  his  early  preaching  re* 
nained,  as  is  generally  the  case,  to  the  last.  The  Christian 
minister  who  has  this  kind  of  work  to  do  (and  what  Christian 
minister  has  it  not  to  do  more  or  less?)  would  therefore  do 
well,  to  study  this  portion  of  Baxter's  writings. 

To  excel  in  this  kirid  of  preachings  he  was  eminently  qualified. 
He  possessed  an  untiring  capability  of  application ;  an  tmeom^ 
moh  degree  of  acuteness  and  nicety  of  discernment ;  a  profound 
knowledge  of  the  depths  of  iniquity  belonging  to  the  human 
heart ;  a  fearless  fidelity  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty ;  a  constant 
•ense  of  the  divine  presence  on  his  mind,  along  with  an  im* 
peSsion,  which  seems  never  to  have  left  him^  that  death  was 
jnst  at  hand* 

*'  He  preach 'd,  as  never  sure  to  preach  again^ 
Aod  as  a  dying  mau  to  dying  men  !"* 

He  was  gifted  with  exhaustless  powers  of  expression,  and  an 
exuberance  of  imagination  which  supplied  unfailing  stores  of 
language  and  illustration.  He  had  also  a  soft,  flexible,  melo- 
dious voice ;  a  tenderness,  pathos,  and  solemnity  of  manner, 
which  clothed  all  he  said  with  dignity  and  love. 

With  such  qualifications,  presenting  themselves  even  on  the 
very  surface  of  those  discourses  by  which  his  popularity  is  still 
maintained,  it  is  not  surprising  that,  like  some  distinguished 
men  in  other  professions,  he  carried  those  labours  in  which  he 
had  no  prototype,  to  a  perfection  which  has  never  been  excelled. 
It  might  be  easy  to  produce  specimens,  both  from  Baxter's 
time  and  since,  of  greater  profundity  of  thought,  and  greater 
originality  of  conception;  of  more  refinement  of  language, — 
though  his  language  is  often  peculiarly  happy ;  of  more  accu- 
racy of  argument  and  statement ;  of  detached  passages  more 

«  Baxter's  *  t>oetical  Fragmentii/  p.  SQ. 


488  THB  UFB  AND  WRITINGt 

tremendous  or  more  touching,  than  any  occurring  in  Baxtei^s* 
writings  on  Conversion :  but  we  have  nothing  that  wiH  admit 
of  comparison  with  them  as  a  whole-— nothing  so  pdntedr-eo 
awful — and  yet  so  full  of  tenderness  and  compassion. 

It  is  to  this  preaching  we  must  chiefly  look  as  the  means  of 
those  amazing  effects  which,  under  divine  influence,  were  pro- 
duced at  Kidderminster,  while  Baxter  laboured  there.  We. hate 
no  account  of  any  remarkable  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,-— of  any 
thing  corresponding  with  what  is  called,  in  America,  a  revival,— 
during  the  period  of  Baxter's  residence  in  that  town.  But  the 
effects  produced  by  his  ministry  are  perfectly  intelligible  to 
all  who  look  at  the  means  employed,  and  attend  to  the  pro- 
mised blessing  of  God  in  connexion  with  them.  Baxter  was 
a  man  of  faith,  and  prayer ;  he  was  also  a  man  of  unwearied 
labour.  He  preached  in  season,  and  out  of  season.  He  was 
an  instrument  fit  for  the  work,  and  diligently, employed  all 
the  means  which  God  had  put  in  his  power.  While  he  did  so^ 
he  found,  what  every  faithfiil  labourer  will  also  find,  that  he  did 
not  labour  for  nought,  or  spend  his  strength  in  vain. 

These  general  observations  will  supersede  the  necessity  of 
repeating  the  same  things,  on  noticing  the  successive  publiclis- 
tions  relative  to  Conversion,  which  he  produced  5  and  to  which 
we  shall  now  proceed. 

The  first  work  of  this  class  is  a  ^Treatise  of  Conversion; 
preached  and  now  published  for  the  use  of  those  that  are  stran* 
gers  to  a  true  conversion,  especially  the  grossly  ignorant  and 
ungodly/  1657.4to.'  "  It  was  the  substance,"  he  says,  '^  of  some 
plain  sermons  on  conversion,  which  Mr.  Baldwin,  who  lived  in 
my  house,  and  learned  the  short-hand  character  in  which  I  wrote 
my  pulpit  notes,  had  transcribed.  Though  I  had  no  leisure  for 
this  or  other  writings,  to  take  much  care  of  the  style,  or  to  add 
any  ornaments,  or  citations  of  authors,  I  thought  it  might  better 
pass  as  it  was  than  not  at  all ;  and  that  if  the  author  missed  the 
applause  of  the  learned,  the  book  might  yet  be  profitable  to  the 
ignorant,  as  it  proved,  through  the  great  mercy  of  God/'s 

He  dedicates  the  volume^  in  a  most  affectionate  and  faithful 
manner,  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  borough  and  foreign  of  Kid- 
derminster.   A  few  sentences  of  this  address  deserve  to  be 

'  Works,  vol.  vii.  f  Life,  part  L  p.  114. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXCTR,  489 

quoted^  as  they  explain  the  nature  of  the  work^  and  illustrate 
die  qririt  of  the  man. 

^  As  it  was  the  unfeigned  love  of  your  souls  that  hath  hither« 
to  moved  me  much  to  print  what  I  have  done,  that  you  might 
have  the  help  of  those  truths  which  God  hath  acquainted  me 
with,  when  I  am  dead  and  gone,  so  is  it  the  same  affection 
that  hath  persuaded  me  here  to  send  you  this  familiar  discourse. 
It  IS  the  same  that  you  heard  preached ;  and  the  reasons  that 
moved  me  to  preach  it,  do  move  me  now  to  publish  it ;  that 
if  any  of  yon  have  forgot  it,  it  may  be  brought  to  your  remem- 
brance ;  or  if  it  worked  not  upon  you  in  the  hearing,  yet,  in  the 
deliberate  perusal  it  may  work.    I  bless  the  Lord  that  there  are 
so-  many  among  you  that  know,  by  experience,  the  nature  of 
ccmversiony  which  is  the  cause  of  my  abundant  affection  towards 
youy  above  any  other  people  that  I  know.    But  I  see  that  there 
is  no  place  or  people  on  earth  that  will  answer  our  desires,  or 
firee  ns  from  those  troubles  that  constantly  attend  our  earthly 
state.     I  have  exceeding  cause  to  rejoice  in  very  many  of  you ; 
but  in  many,  also,  I  have  cause  of  sorrow.     Long  have  I  tra* 
vailedy  (as  Paul  speaks.  Gal.  iv.  19,)  as  in  birth,  till  Christ 
be  formed  in  you.     For  this  have  1  studied,  and  prayed,  and 
preached ;  for  this  have  I  dealt  with  you  in  private  exhortation ; 
for  this  have  I  sent  you  all  such  books  as  I  conceived  suitable 
to  your  needs,  and  yet,  to  the  grief  of  my  soul,  I  must  speak  it, 
the  lives  of  many  of  you  declare  that  this  great  work  is  yet 
undone.     I  believe  God,  and  therefore  1  know  that  you  must 
every  soul  of  you  be  converted,  or  condemned  to  everlasting 
punishment.    And,  knowing  this,  I  have  told  it  you  over  and 
over  again.    I  have  showed  you  the  proof  and  reasons  of  it,  and 
the  certain  misery  of  an  unconverted  state ;  I  have  earnestly 
besought  you  and  begged  of  you  to  return,  and  if  I  had  tears 
at  command,  I  should  have  mixed  all  these  exhortations  with 
my  tears ;  and  if  I  had  but  time  and  strength,  (as  I  have  not,)  I 
should,  have  made  bold  to  have  come  once  more  to  you,  and  sit 
with  yott  in  your  houses,  and  entreated  you  on  the  behalf  of  your 
souls,  even  twenty  times  for  once  that  I  have  entreated  you. 
The  God  that  sent  me  to  you  knows  that  my  soul  is  grieved  for 
your  blindness,  and  stubbornness,  and  wickedness,  and  misery, 
more  than  for  all  the  losses  and  crosses  in  the  world ;  and  that 
my  heart's  desire*  and  prayer  for  you  to  God,  is  that  you  may 
yet  be  converted  and  saved.''  ^ 

^  Works,  Tol«  tIL  PrdlMe,  pp.  ill.  iv. 


490  THE  ura  AKD  wfttrrtiGs 

A  tdiin  who  ftpeaks  iti  this  earnest  and  aflhetionale  loiii^  em- 
not  fail  to  be  heard.  The  people  must  have  been  iinpresiel 
with  his  sincerity  |  his  love  gilined  their  confidence;  and  htlphdn 
and  striking  appeals  thus  found  access  to  their  conscienees  aad 
hearts. 

The  treatise  iutlf  is  founded  on  Matt^  xviii.  8^  ^'Bxeept  ye  be 
conrerted,  and  become  as  little  ehildren^  ye  shall  not  enter  iMo 
the  kingdom  of  heaven/'  In  a  series  of  chapters^  he  etphniil 
the  nature  of  conversion  ;  proves  that  none  but  those  who  ate 
converted  can  be  saved ;  illustrates  the  misery  of  the  nnoonverl^ 
ed)  and  the  benefits  of  conversion ;  and  discusses  at  Itdgdi 
twenty  hinderdnees  td  conversion* 

It  is  easy  to  conceive  of  a  mot'e  logical  arrangement  than 
What  is  here  described  and  followed.  Buceplions  might  ate 
be  taken  to  some  of  Baxter's  definitions  and  distinctions,  though 
they  do  not  affect  any  thing  of  importance;  There  will  also  be 
perceived  ah  occasional  redundancy  atld  repetition  in  some  of 
his  thoughts  |  for  which  there  is  always  an  apology  ill  preieh^ 
ing:  yet  it  is  altogether  a  very  admirable  treatise.  He  thai 
beautifully  apologises  for  the  plainness  and  eamestMiis  of  his 
hianner : 

^^I'he  commonness  and  the  greathess  of  dien's  necessity) 
commanded  me  to  do  any  thing  that  I  could  for  their  relief^  dhd 
to  bring  forth  some  water  to  cast  upon  this  fire,  though  I  hid 
not  at  hand  a  silver  Vessel  to  carry  it  in,  nor  thought  it  tM 
most  fit.  The  plainest  words  {ire  the  most  profitable  orHtOry  itt 
the  weightiest  matters.  Fineness'  is  for  ornament,  and  delieaey 
for  delight ;  but  they  answer  not  necessity,  though  sometitnei 
they  may  modestly  attend  that  whieh  answers  it.  Yea^  wheli 
they  are  conjunct,  it  is  hard  for  the  necessitous  heflrer  or  reader 
to  observe  the  matter  of  ornament  and  delit*aey^  and  libt  to  hk 
carried  from  the  matter  of  necessity ;  and  to  hear  or  read  A 
neat,  concise,  sententious  discourse,  and  not  to  be  hurt  by  it) 
for  it  usually  hindereth  the  due  Operation  of  thl>  matter^ 
keeps  it  from  the  heart,  stops  it  in  the  fancy,  and  makes  it 
seem  as  light  as  the  style.  We  use  not  to  stand  upon  compli- 
ment, when  we  run  to  quench  a  common  fire,  nor  to  liall 
men  out  to  it  by  an  eloquent  speech.  If  we  see  ^  man  fall 
into  fire  or  water,  we  stand  not  upon  mannerliness  in  pluckinj^ 
him  out,  but  lay  hands  upon  him  as  we  can  without  delay/' | 

>  Yfatks,  TOl.  4U,  Preface^  p.  ii< 


69  ikicnkKb  ttAkMai  4dl 

Comliioii  as  ^rMchihg  ii  amon^  i\»,  the  fttjrk  beHt  lidApted 
lb  die  jpulpft,  Abd  to  the  gireat  subjects  which  are  thete  dis« 
MMd,  toy  I  fearj  very  imperfbctiy  understbod.  In  sothe  ih^ 
Atancee  the  langu^e  of  the  preacher  is  c6rrect«  chaste,  clas'^ 
aical }  but  the  discussion  i^  flat>  cold,  and  unimptessive.  Th^ 
tfUth  is  Aeithel  eoheealed  hor  nlisrepresehted  t  but  there  is  ail 
entire  absefiee  of  *'  thoughts  that  breathe  and  wdrds  thM 
burn/'  In  other  eases,  the  pulpit  is  degraded  by  Yulgarity  add 
edditjT)  or  etery  kind  of  low  buffoonery,  lliis  is  done  fb^ 
the  aroWed  purpose  of  gaining  attention,  and  rendering  truth 
Camiliar,  Such  persons  would  seetn  to  forget  that  it  is  practical" 
ble  to  be  plaid,  without  becoming  low ;  to  strike  and  secure  hU 
tention,  without  becoming  harlequins  and  buffoons.  Who  eVer 
heard  of  men  being  converted  by  apes  and  itiountebatlks  F  In  a 
third  class,  finery  and  ornament  are  mistaken  for  eloquence )  and 
the  Ooepel  is  supposed  to  be  preached  with  power^  When  it  ift 
little  better  than  buried  under  the  rubbish  of  words  aild  massefc 
of  gorgeous  or  tawdry  flgure«^ 

All  these  and  many  otheir  vices  which  aecompany  preachings 
afiM  ftom  preaehera  being  Occupied  With  something  else  than 
their  subject  and  the  eternal  good  of  their  audience.  If  th# 
ftoind  is  but  sufficiently  impressed  with  these,  there  will  be 
no  dispoeition  to  cultivate  either  the  lUdieH)us  or  the  fine^  thi 
lofty  or  the  low,  in  setting  forth  the  words  of  eternal  lifci  Sitn^ 
plidty  with  earnestness  is  the  only  style  of  speaking  which 
becomes  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel.  The  one  will  enable  the 
preacher  to  convey  truth  to  the  understanding,  the  other  will 
give  him  the  command  of  the  heart.  Impi'Cssed  himself,  he 
will  impress  others,  and  what  he  himself  clearly  understands,  he 
will  make  intelligible  to  his  audience^  These  were  the  thihga 
which  Baxter  studied;  and  they  constituted  the  power  and 
charm  of  his  eloquence.  Thousands  hung  upon  his  lips  when  he 
preached  j  not  to  be  dazzled  or  amused,  but  to  be  convinced  of 
their  danger,  or  led  to  the  remedy*  His  popularity  arose  chiefly 
from  his  impassioned  earnestness  and  solemnity.  His  hearers 
had  no  opportunity  to  be  thinking  of  the  man,  or  of  any  thing 
about  him  |  while  he  spoke,  their  thoughts  Were  fixed  on  them- 
selves, or  on  Christ;  and  when  they  left  him,  they  were  compelled 
to  think  and  to  speak,  not  of  Richard  Baxter,  but  of  the  awful 
or  delightful  subject  which  he  had  brought  before  them. 

His  ^  Treatise  on  Conversion/  was  followed  shortly  after  by 


492  THB-UFB  AND  WAITINGS 

the  moet  widely-circulated  of  all  his  puUtcationtr  |A  Call  to 
the  Unconverted  to  turn  and  live,  from  the  Living  GkxL'  ^  Hie 
preface  to  this  treatise  is  dated  Dec.  10,  1657*  The-  fomer 
treatise  had  appeared  in  June,  of  the  same  year.  .Of  a  woi)l  so 
well  known  as  the  ^  Call  to  the  Unconverted,'  it  is  scarody  .ne* 
cessary  for  me  to  speak.  It  is  worthy,  however,  of  historieal 
record,  that  he  was  induced  to  undertake  these  works  on  Con- 
version, by  Archbishop  Usher.  That  eminent  man,  no  doubt, 
perceived  what  constituted  the/brM  of  Baxter,  and,  therefiNC, 
suggested  an  employment  so  well  suited  to  his  powers.  Hue 
following  passage  of  his  preface  to  the  ^  Call '  contains  .this .cir- 
cumstance, and  gives  some  account  of  the  order  in  which  he 
intended  to  pursue  his  task. 

f*  In  the  short  acquaintance  I  had  with  that  reverend,  learned 
servant  of  Christ,  Bishop  Usher,  he  was  oft,  from  first  to  Isst, 
importuning  me  to  write  a  Directory  for  the  several  ranks  of  pro- 
fessed Christians,  which  might  distinctly  give  each  one  their 
portion ;  beginning  with  the  unconverted,  and  then  proeeeding 
to  the  babes  in  Christ,  and  then  to  the  strong ;  and  mixiog 
some  special  helps  against  the  several  sins  that  they  are  addicted 
to.  By  the  suddenness  of  his  motion  at  our  first  congress,  I 
perceived  it  was  in  his  mind  before ;  and  I  told  him,  both  that 
it  was  abundantly  done  by  many  already,  and  that  his  unac- 
quaincedness  with  my  weakness  might  make  him  think  me 
fitter  for  it  than  I  was.  But  this  did  not  satisfy  him,  he  still 
made  it  his  request.  I  confess  I  was  not  moved  by  his  reasons, 
nor  did  I  apprehend  any  great  need  of  doing  more  than  is  done 
in  that  way ;  nor  that  I  was  likely  to  do  more.  And,  therefore, 
I  parted  from  him  without  the  least  purpose  to  answer  his  de- 
sire. But  since  his  death  his  words  often  came  into  my  mind; 
and  the  great  reverence  whicli  I  bore  to  him,  did  the .  more 
incline  me  to  think  with  some  complacency  of  his  motion. 
Having  of  late  intended  to  write  a  ^  Family  Directory,'  I  began 
to  apprehend  how  congruously  the  forementioned  work  shouM 
lead  the  way;  and  the  several  conditions  of  men's  souls  be 
spoken  of,  before  we  come  to  the  several  relations.  Hereupon 
1  resolved,  by  God's  assistance,  to  proceed  in  the  order  follow- 
ing. First,  to  speak  to  the  impenitent,  unconverted  sinners, 
who  are  not  yet  so  much  as  purposing  to  turn ;  or  at  least 
are  not  setting  about  the  work.     With  these,  I  thought,  i 

^  Works,  vol.  vii. 


OF  atCHARD  BAXTER.  *  49S 

wakening  penuasive  was  a  more  necessary  means  than  mere 
directions ;  for  directions  suppose  men  willing  to  obey  them.  But 
the  persons  that  we  have  first  to  deal  with,  are  wilful  and 
adeep  in  sin,  and  as  men  that  are  past  feeling,  having  given 
themselves  over  to  sin  with  greediness.  My  next  work  must  be 
for  those  that  have  some  purposes  to  turn,  and  are  about  the 
work,  to  direct  them  for  a  thorough  and  a  true  conversion,  that 
they  miscarry  not  in  the  birth.  The  third  part  must  be 
diieetions  for  the  younger  and  weaker  sort  of  Christians,  that 
they  may  be  established,  built  up,  and  persevere.  The  foutth 
part,  directions  for  lapsed  and  backsliding  Christians,  for  their 
pafe  recovery.  Beside  these,  there  is  intended  some  short  per- 
suasions against  some  special  errors  of  the  times,  and  against 
■ome  common  killing  sins.  As  for  directions  to  doubting  troubled 
eonaciences,  that  is  done  already;  and  the  strong  I  shall  not 
write  directions  for,  because  they  are  so  much  taught  of  God 
already.  And  then  the  last  part  is  intended  more  especially 
fiir  feunilies,  as  such,  directing  the  several  relations  in  their 
duties.''! 

The  '  Call'  appears  to  be  the  substance  of  a  sermon  which 
he  had  previously  preached  from  Ezekiel  xxxiii.  11.  He  pre- 
fixes to  it  a  prefatory  address  to  ^^  all  unsanctified  persons  who 
shall  read  the  book,  especially  his  hearers  in  the  parish  of  Kid- 
derminster ;"  which  is  itself  a  powerfully-awakening  sermon ; 
fall  of  the  most  faithful  statements  and  expostulations.  The 
results  in  the  conversion  of  men,  arising  from  this  book,  have 
been  greater  probably  than  have  arisen  from  any  other  mere 
human  performance.  His  own  account  of  the  effects  produced 
by  it,  which  had  come  to  his  knowledge  long  before  his  death, 
must  be  given  in  his  own  language.  And  as  it  has  passed 
through  editions  almost  innumerable  since,  the  good  effected  by 
it  is  beyond  all  calculation. 

**  God  hath  blessed  it  with  unexpected  success  beyond  all  the 
rest  that  I  have  written,  except  the  ^  Saint's  Rest.'  In  a  little 
more  than  a  year,  there  were  about  twenty  thousand  of  them 
printed  by  my  own  consent,  and  about  ten  thousand  since,  be- 
sides many  thousands  by  stolen  impression,  which  poor  men 
stole  for  lucre'  sake.  Through  God's  mercy,  I  have  had  informa- 
tion of  almost  whole  households  converted  by  this  small  book, 
which  I  set  so  light  by ;  and,  as  if  all  this  in  England,  Scotland, 

1  Works,  vol.  vii.  pp.  331, 332. 


104  TUB  Lin  AVD  WB1T1V68 

and  Ireland^  were  not  mercy  enough  to  me^  God,  lunet  I  nai 
ailencedy  hath  sent  it  over  on  his  message  to  many  bejfoiid  the 
seas.  For  when  Mr.  Elliot  had  printed  all  the  Bible  ip  the 
Indians'  language,  he  next  translated  this  my  *  Call  to  the 
Unconverted,'  as  he  wrote  to  us  here  :  and  though  it  was  here 
thought  prudent  to  begin  with  the  *  Practice  of  Piety,\beeattse  of 
the  envy  and  distaste  of  the  times  against  me,  he  had  finished 
it  before  that  advice  came  to  him.  Yet  God  would  make 
some  further  use  of  it,  for  Mr.  Stoop,  the  pastor  of  the  BVeadi 
church  in  London,  being  driven  hence  by  the  dtspleaaor^  <rf 
superiors,  was  pleased  to  translate  it  into  elegant  French^  and 
print  it  in  a  very  curious  letter;  and  I  hope  it  will  not  be mipro* 
fitable  there,  nor  in  Germany,  where  it  is  printed  in  Dutoh/'^ 

Dr.  Bates  tells  us,  in  his  funeral  sermon  for  Baxter,  thai  sia 
brothers  were  at  one  time  converted  by  this  book.  It  haaiMn 
translated  into  Welsh  and  Gaelic,  and  most  of  the  European  huH 
guages)  and  Cotton  Mather,  in  his  life,  mentions  an  Indiaa 
Prince  who  was  so  affected  with  it,  that  he  kept  reading  it  with 
tears  till  he  died. 

llie  nature  of  this  subject  naturally  leads  me  to  connect 
with  the  '  Call,'  the  next  tract  of  this  class,  which  we  shall 
notice,  though  it  did  not  immediately  follow,^ Now  or  Nkvkr;'* 
a  discourse  founded  on  Ecclesiastes  ix.  10 ;  and  in  which  '^  the 
holy,  serious,  diligent  believer  is  justified,  encouraged,  excited, 
and  directed ;  and  the  opposers  and  neglecters  convinced  by  the 
light  of  Scripture  and  reason."  These  tracts  are  so  similar  in 
character,  style,  and  design,  that  I  know  not  where  the  pre* 
ference  is  due  in  point  of  excellence.  They  are  both  character-* 
ised  by  one, strongly- marked  feature-r-iNTKNss  barnbstnbss— » 
the  earnestness  of  the  author's  deep  convictions  of  the  awfullj^ 
perilous  condition  of  unconverted  men.  This  was  the  result  of  the 
clear  and  powerful  perceptions  which  he  had  of  the  present  guilt 
and  wretchedness,  and  the  future  loss  and  ruin  of  such  persons. 
It  is  not  the  working  up  of  mental  excitement  till  it  becomes 
passion ;  nor  is  it  a  laboured  effort  of  human  eloquence,  which 
we  admire  in  these  treatises.  Baxter  was  thinking  of  every  thing 
rather  than  of  the  clothing  of  his  thoughts,  his  words,  or  figures. 
He  was  thinking  of  the  character  and  desert  of  a  sinner,  and 
intent  only  on  arresting  him  before  it  might  be  too  late.  His 
object  was  to  gain  his  attention,  to  convince  his  understanding, 

"  Life,  part  i.  p.  115«  ■  Works,  vol.  vii. 


OF  RIC0AED  BM^TBB.  40$ 

and  to  impress  his  heart.  For  this  purpose  he  desoribesi  his 
reasons,  he  expostulatesi  he  threatens,  be  implores.  He  avails 
himself  of  every  topic  calculated  to  alarm  or  to  allure.  The 
chi^racter  of  God — the  responsibility  pf  man-r-the  uncertainty  of 
time— 4he  misery  of  hellr— the  glory  of  heaven — are  all  brought 
forward  and  urged  with  an  irresistible  force  of  language,  and  in 
the  tenderest  appeals  to  the  conscience  and  the  heart. 

Baxter's '  Call'  stands  advantageously  contrasted  with  a  trear 
tise  of  a  similar  title,  Law's  *  Serious  Call  to  a  devout  and  holy 
life/  I  am  far  from  thjnking  lightly  of  this  work.  U  contains 
much  important  truth,  and  much  serious  and  valuable  admonit- 
tion ;  but  it  wants  what  Baxter's  treatises  eminently  possess,  the 
simplicity  of  evangelical  doctrine.  Law  was  more  of  the  school 
of  .Behmen  than  of  Paul.  He  obscures  and  mystifies  what  1}ax-9- 
ter  represents  in  the  simplest  manner.  Law's  '  Ca)l '  is  like 
the  Egyptian  taskmasters,  who  compelled  the  Israelites  to  make 
bricks  without  straw;  it  is  an  attempt  to  make  men  devout  and 
holy  without  supplying  sufficiently  the  means,  by  which  alone, 
with  divine  influence,  the  effects  can  be  produced.  Baxter  seeks 
to  influence  the  mind  and  character  entirely  by  those  represen-p 
tations  of  evangelical  truth,  which  must  lie  at  the  foundation  of 
all  comfortable  and  acceptable  religion.  The  work  of  this 
celebrated  mystic  naturally  tends  to  a  species  of  self-righteous 
Pharisaism  ;  the  work  of  the  Nonconformist,  to  make  an  hum« 
ble,  holy,  and  happy  Christian. 

The  work  of  Baxter  I  cannot  help  thinking  preferable  to  a 
similar  prpduction  of  one  of  his  own  brethren,  Joseph  Alleine's 
'Alarm  3'  to  which  indeed  Baxter  writes  a  long  preface,  where 
he  unites  with  the  author  in  sounding  the  alarm  to  the  uncon* 
verted.  Alleine's  tract  is  written  in  a  style  of  almost  unmiti-? 
gated  severity.  There  is  a  forbidding  sternness  in  it.  Full 
of  ^*  the  terrors  of  the  Lord,"  it  is  calculated  to  frighten  rather 
than  to  persuade.  Some  of  the  topics  also  are  not  hap- 
pily chosen,  or  discretely  urged ;  yet  it  is  a  powerful  appeal, 
and  on  some  minds  may  be  fitted  to  prepare  the  way  for  the 
consideration  of  the  '^  mercies  of  the  Lord."  Baxter's '  Call '  is 
adapted  for  more  general  usefulness.  It  breathes  a  softer  and 
kindlier  spirit,  while  it  is  no  less  pointed  and  faithful  than  the 
production  of  his  friend  and  brother. 

The  next  work,  according  to  Baxter's  own  arrangement, 
which  appeared^  with  ^  preface  dated  May  29|  16$8|  is  his 


496  TBB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

*  Directions  and  Persuasions  to  a  sound  Conversion*  for  prmn- 
tion  of  that  Deceit  and  Damnation  of  Souls,  and  of  thow 
Scandals,  Heresies,  and  desperate  Apostasies,  that  are  the  con- 
sequents of  a  Counterfeit  and  Superficial  Change/  ®  ^^  Having  " 
he  says,  ^^  in  my  '  Call  to  the  Unconverted,'  endeavoured  to 
awaken  careless  souls,  and  persuade  the  obstinate  to  turn  and 
live,  I  have  here  spoken  to  them  that  seem  to  be  about  the 
work,  and  given  them  some  directions  and  persuasions  to  prevent 
their  perishing  in  the  birth,  and  so  to  prevent  that  hypocrisy, 
which  else  they  are  like  to  be  formed  into ;  and  the  deceit  of 
their  hearts,  the  error  of  their  lives,  and  the  misery  at  their 
death,  which  are  likely  to  follow.    That  they  live  not  as  those 
that  flatter  God  with  their  mouths,  and  ^  lie  unto  him  with  their 
tongues,  because  their  heart  is  not  right  with  him,  neither  are 
they  steadfast  in  his  covenant/     Lest,  denying  deep  entertain* 
ment  and  rooting  to  the  seed  of  life,  or  choking  it  by  the 
radicated,  predominant  love  and  cares  of  the  world,  they  wither 
when   the  heat  of  persecution  shall   bfeak   forth :    and  lest, 
building  on  the  sands,  they  fall  when  the  winds  and  storms  arise, 
and  their  fall  be  great :   and  so  ^  they  go  out  from  us,  that  they 
may  be  made  manifest  that  they  were  not  of  us ;  for  if  they 
had  been  of  us  they  would  no  doubt  have  continued  with  us/  "  ' 
This  work,  through  some  mismanagement  on  the  pairt  of  the 
bookseller,  was  at  first  published  at  too  high  a  price,  and,  in 
consequence,  had  a  less  extensive  circulation   than  some  of 
Baxter's  other  books.     It  is  well  calculated  to  undeceive  those 
who  take  it  for  granted  that  they  have  been  the  subjects  of  i 
divine  change,  when  no  such  change  has  been  effected.    While 
great  alarm  is  experienced,  it  is  not  so  well  fitted  to  be  usefiil, 
as  after  the  alarm  has  subsided,  and  the  conscience  begins  to 
be  satisfied,  though  the  great   change   has  not  taken  place. 
Baxter's    directions    for    conversion    are    frequently    so    ex- 
pressed, as  if  men  could  accomplish  the  change  themselves ;  or 
as  if  they  would  do  certain  things  with  a  view  to  their  being 
converted.     For  instance,  he  says,  "  If  you  would  be  truly  con- 
verted, be  sure  that  you  make  an  absolute  resignation  of  your* 
selves,  and  all  that  you  have,  to  God/'     Now,  it  is  as  plain  as 
possible  that  only  a  converted  person  will  make  such  a  surren- 
der as  this.    The  same  remark  will  apply  to  many  other  of  his 
directions.     No  man,  however,  had  a  stronger  conviction  than 
he,  that  conversion  is  peculiarly  the  work  of  God.     His  vie^ 

•  Works,  vol.  viii,    -  »  IbW.  Preface,  p.  r. 


OF   RICUARB   BAXTER.  497 

of  its  nature  and  consequences^  as  well  as  his  general  senti- 
ments, afford  the  most  satisfactory  evidence,  that  this  must 
have  been  the  case.  But  he  did  not  always  sufficiently  discri- 
minate what  belongs  to  God,  from  what  falls  within  the  province 
4>f  man  in  the  affairs  of  religion.  He  did  not  distinguish  be- 
tween our  using  all  suitable  means  to  convert  men,  and  calling 
upon  men  to  do  certain  things  to  convert  themselves.  Almost 
every  thing  he  said,  considered  as  an  appeal  to  the  understand- 
ings and  the  consciences  of  sinners,  is  strictly  correct  as  means 
which  God  has  appointed  his  servants  to  employ  for  the  conver- 
»ion  of  the  world  ^  but  when  put  in  the  form  of  requesting 
sinners  to  perform  certain  acts  with  a  view  to  God's  converting 
them,  the  nature  and  tendency  of  the  address  are  considerably 
altered^  This  gives  to  some  of  Baxter's  preaching  the  aspect 
of  a  self-righteous  system,  in  which  the  work  of  salvation 
is  divided  between  God  and  man.  But  nothing  could  be 
iurther  from  his  design.  He  meant,  in  fact,  nothing  more 
than  is  intended  by  those  solemn  appeals  in  which  the  prophets 
and  apostles  call  upon  men  to  repent,  to  turn,  to  be  con- 
verted, to  make  to  them  new  hearts  and  right  spirits,  that  they 
may  live  and  not  die.  This  language  is  the  voice  of  God  to 
the  sinner,  sleeping  in  security,  and  dead  in  his  sins }  it  is  the 
moral  means  suited  to  the  understanding,  and  appointed  to  in- 
duce consideration  and  repentance,  which  the  divine  Spirit 
brings  to  bear  on  the  heart,  while  the  heart  receives  the  impres- 
sion from  which  salvation  and  eternal  life  arise. 

Next  to  this  in  order^  though  following  after  a  considerable 
interval,  is  his  ^  Directions  to  the  Converted  for  their  Establish- 
ment, Growth,  and  Perseverance/ *i  It  was  preached  in  a  lecture 
at  Kidderminster  in  1658,  but  was  not  published  by  Baxter  till 
1668.  The  dedication  is  an  affecting  address  to  his  "  Dearly 
Beloved,  the  Church  at  Kidderminster."  In  this  letter  he  ex- 
presses great  respect  for  them,  and  unabated  confidence  and  af- 
fection. "  The  things  which  I  especially  loved  in  you,"  he  says, 
'^I  will  freely  praise,  which  were  a  special  measure  of  humility, 
a  plain  simplicity  in  religion,  a  freedom  from  common  errors, 
a  readiness  to  receive  the  truth,  a  catholic  temper,  without  ad- 
dictedness  to  any  sect ;  a  freedom*  from  schism  and  separating 
ways,  and  a  unity  and  unanimity  in  religion;  a  hatred  and 
disowning  of  the   usurpations,   perturbations,   and   rebellions 

*  WorkSy  vol.  viii, 
VOL.  I.  K  K 


498  TUB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

against  the  civil  government,  and  an  open  bearing  of  your  t«* 
timony  in  all  these  cases ;  together  with  seriousness  in  rdigioOi 
and  sober,  righteous,  charitable,  and  godly  conversadon.  But 
yet,  mth  all  this,  which  is  truly  amiable,  I  know  you  have  your 
frailties  and  imperfections.  The  weaker  sort  of  Christians,  either 
in  knowledge  or  in  holiness,  to  say  nothing  of  the  unsound, 
are  the  greater  number  in  the  best  congregation  that  I  ever 
yet  knew.  And  what  may  be  your  case  these  eight  years,  since 
I  have  been  separated  from  your  presence,  I  cannot  tell^  though, 
through  the  mercy  of  God,  I  hear  not  of  your  declining.  It  is 
our  sin  which  hath  parted  us  asunder,  let  us  lay  the  blame  upon 
ourselves.  I  have  now  done  expecting  my  ancient  comforts  in 
labouring  among  you  any  more.  For  these  six  years  time,  in 
which  I  thought  my  great  experience  had  made  me  more  capa* 
ble  of  serving  my  Master  better  than  before,  his  wbdom  and 
justice  have  caused  me  to  spend  in  grievous  silence.  And  now 
my  decays  and  disability  of  body  are  so  much  increased,  that  if 
I  had  leave,  I  have  not  strength,  nor  can  ever  reasonably  expect 
it ;  therefore,  once  more  I  am  glad  to  speak  to  you  as  I  may, 
and  shall  be  thankful,  if  authority  will  permit  these  instructions 
to  come  to  your  view,  that  the  weak  may  have  some  more 
•counsel  and  assistance.  And  if  any  shall  miscarry,  and  disgrace 
religion,  there  may  remain  on  record  one  more  testimony, 
what  doctrine  it  was  that  you  were  taught.  The  Lord  be  your 
teacher  and  your  strength,  and  save  you  from  yourselves,  and 
from  this  present  evil  world,  and  preserve  you  to  his  heavenly 
kingdom  through  Jesus  Christ."  ' 

He  assigns  another  reason  for  its  publication,  beside  that  of 
its  being  the  third  part  of  his  intended  plan. 

'^  The  last  sermon  which  I  preached  publicly,  was  at  Black* 
friars,  on  this  text,  Col.  ii.  6,  7  ;  and  presently  after  there  came 
forth  a  book  called  *  Farewell  Sermons,*  among  which  this  of 
mine  was  one.  Who  did  it,  or  to  what  end,  I  know  not,  nor 
doth  it  concern  me  to  inquire.  But  I  took  it  as  an  injury,  both 
as  it  was  done  without  my  knowledge,  and  against  my  will,  and 
to  the  offence  of  my  superiors ;  and  because  it  was  taken  by  the 
notary  so  imperfectly,  that  much  of  it  was  nonsense :  especially 
when  some  foreigners  that  lived  in  Poland,  Hungary,  and  Hel- 
vetia, were  earnest  to  buy  this  with  the  rest  of  my  writings,  I 
perceived  how  far  the  injury  was  likely  to  go,  both  against  me  and 
many  others  of  my  brethren.   Therefore,  finding  since  among  the 

»  Worksj  vol.  vUi.  p.  ^b. 


OF   RICHARD  BAXTER.  499 

relies  of  my  scattered  papers^  this  imperfect  piece,  which  I  hod 
before  written  on  that  text,  I  was  desirous  to  publish  it,  as  for 
the  benefit  of  weak  Christians,  so  to  right  myself,  and  to  cashier 
that  farewell  sermon."  * 

The  second  part  of  this  treatise  came  out  the  following  year, 
under  the  title  of  '  The  Character  of  a  sound,  confirmed  Chris-* 
tian  ;  as  also  of  a  weak  Christian,  and  of  a  seeming  Christian.'^ 
The  preface  to  this  is  addressed  to  his  friend,  Henry  Ashurst, 
Esq.5  and  is  dated  from  '^  his  lodgings  in  New  Prison^  June  H, 
1669/'    In  reference  to  this  work,  he  says^  in  his  Life  : 

^  The  great  weaknesses,  passions,  and  injudiciousness,  of 
many  religious  persons,  and  their  ill  effects  ^  and  especially  per- 
ceiring  that  the  temptations  of  the  times,  yea,  the  very  re* 
proofs  of  the  Conformists  did  but  increase  these  things  among 
the  separating  party,  caused  me  to  offer  a  book  to  be  licensed) 
called,  '  Directions  to  weak  Christians,  how  to  grow  in  Grace/ 
with  a  second  part,  being  '  Sixty  Characters  of  a  sound  Chris- 
tian, with  as  many  of  the  weak  Christian,  and  the  Hypocrite  '; 
which  I  the  rather  writ  to  imprint  on  men's  minds  a  right  ap- 
prehension of  Christianity,  and  to  be  as  a  confession  of  our 
judgment  in  this  malignant  age,  when  some  Conformists  would 
make  the  world  believe  that  it  is  some  monstrous  thing,  com- 
posed of  folly  and  sedition,  which  the  Nonconformists  mean  by 
a  Christian  and  a  godly  man.  This  book  came  forth  when  I 
was  in  prison,  having  been  long  before  refused  by  Mr.  Grigg."* 

Of  the  reasons  of  this  refusal  by  the  bishop's  chaplain,  hie 
gives  the  following  account  in  another  place.  '^This  short 
treatise  I  offered  to  Mc.  Thomas  Grigg,  the  Bishop  of  London's 
chaplain,  to  be  licensed  for  the  press ;  a  man  who  had  but  latley 
conformed,  and  who  possessed  special  respect  to  me ;  but  he 
utterly  refused  it,  pretending  that  it  savoured  of  discontent, 
and  would  be  interpreted  as  against  the  bishops  and  the  times. 
The  matter  was,  that  in  several  passages  I  spoke  of  the  prospe- 
rity of  the  wicked,  and  the  adversity  of  the  godly;  described 
hypocrites  by  their  enmity  to  the  godly,  and  their  forsaking  the 
truth  for  fear  of  suffering ;  and  described  the  godly  by  their 
undergoing  the  enmity  of  the  wicked  world,  and  being  steadfast, 
whatever  it  shall  cost  them.  All  this  was  interpreted  as  against 
the  Church  or  Prelatists.  I  asked  them  whether  they  would 
not  license  that  of  mine,  which  they  would  do  of  another  man's, 
against  whom   they  had  no  displeasure;    and   he   told  me^ 

f  Works,  vol.  viu.  p,  258.        «  Ibid.  toI.  yiii.       «  Life,  part  iii.  p.  61, 

kk2 


500  TRB   LIFE  AND   WRITINGS 

no;  because  the  words  would  receive  their  interpretatian 
with  the  mind  of  the  author.  He  asked  me  whether  I  did 
not  myself  think  that  Nonconformists  would  interpret  it  as 
against  the  times.  1  answered  him,  yes ;  I  thought  they 
would  :  and  so  they  do  all  those  passages  of  Scripture,  which 
apeak  of  persecution,  and  the  su£ferings  of  the  godly;  but 
I  hoped  Bibles  should  be  licensed  for  all  that.  I  asked  bim 
whether  that  was  the  rule  which  they  went  by,  that  they 
would  license  nothing  of  mine,  which  they  thought  any  readers 
would  interpret  as  against  the  bishops  or  their  party.  And 
when  he  told  me  plainly,  that  it  was  their  rule  or  resolution,  I 
took  it  for  my  final  answer,  and  purposed  never  to  oiS^r  him 
more :  for  I  despaired  of  writing  that  which  men  would  not 
interpret  according  to  their  own  condition  and  opinion ;  espe- 
cially against  those  whose  crimes  are  notorious  before  the 
world.  This  made  me  think  what  a  troublesome  thing  is  guilt, 
which,  as  Seneca  saith,  is  like  a  sore,  which  is  pained  not  (miy 
with  a  little  touch,  but  sometimes  upon  a  conceit  that  it  b 
touched.  It*maketh  a  man  think  that  every  briar  is  a  seijeant 
to  arrest  him ;  or«  with  Cain,  that  every  one  who  seeth  him 
will  kill  him.  A  Cainite's  heart  and  life,  have  usually  the 
attendance  of  a  Cainite's  conscience.  I  did  but  try  the  licenser 
with  this  small,  inconsiderable  script,  that  I  might  know  what 
to  expect  for  my  more  valued  writings }  I  then  told  him  that  I 
had  troubled  the  world  with  so  much  already,  and  said  enough 
for  one  man's  part,  that  I  could  not  think  it  very  necessary  to 
say  any  more  to  them ;  and  therefore  I  should  accept  of  his 
discharge.  But  fain  they  would  have  had  my  controversial 
writings,  about  universal  redemption,  predetermination,  &c.,  in 
which  my  judgment  is  more  pleasing  to  them ;  but  I  was  un- 
willing to  publish  them  alone,  while  the  practical  writings  are 
refused.  I  give  God  thanks  that  I  once  saw  times  of  greater 
liberty,  though  under  an  usurper ;  or  else,  as  far  as  I  can  discern, 
scarce  any  of  my  books  had  ever  seen  the  light."  * 

Having  followed  the  order  and  connexion  pointed  out  by 
Baxter  himself,  in  his  works  relating  to  conversion  and  the  un- 
converted, we  must  now  depart  from  systematic  arrangement  to 
notice  several  important  pieces  which  still  belong  to  the  same 
class  of  writing.  I  siiall  follow  the  order  of  time  in  which  they 
appeared :    ^  The  Mischiefs  of  self-ignorance,  and  the  Benefits 

'  Life,  part  i.  p.  123. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  '  SOI 

of  self- acquaintance,  opened  in  divers  Sermons  at  St.  Dunstan's, 
West/  1661.  4to7  This  volume  is  dedicated  to  Anne,  Countess 
of  Balcarras.  Then  follows  an  address  to  the  people  of  Kid- 
derminster, giving  an  account  of  the  reasons  why  he  was  not 
allowed  to  preach  in  the  diocese  of  Worcester,  and  which  led 
to  a  controversy  between  him  and  Bishop  Morley. 

The  subject  of  which  he  discourses,  is  one  of  great  import- 
anccj  and  lies  at  the  foundation  of  all  proper  knowledge  and 
experience  of  the  power  of  religion.  It  is  founded  on  1  Cor. 
nil.  5,  **  Know  ye  not  your  own  selves  ?  '*  This  treatise  is  pro- 
bably less  known  to  the  reading  public,  than  many  of  the 
practical  works  of  Baxter,  not  because  it  is  less  valuable,  but 
because  it  has  not  been  regularly  supplied  in  separate  and  sue* 
oessive  editions.  Its  excellence  consists  not  in  doctrinally 
imfolding  the  economy  of  grace,  or  in  directly  pressing  upon  the 
reader  the  necessity  of  repentance  towards  God,  or  faith  towards 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  in  tracing  out  the  involutions  of  that 
most  intricate  economy  of  thought  and  feeling,  judgment  and 
action,  moral  liking  and  moral  antipathy,  which  exists  entire, 
and  works  apart  in  the  bosom  of  every  individual :  and  in  this 
way  it  is  powerfully  subservient  to  repentance  and  faith,  by  dis- 
turbing the  apathy,  and  combating  the  ignorant  indifference, 
which  so  fatally  shut  them  out  from  men's  consciences  and 
hearts.  Its  general  scheme  of  thought  is  instructively  arranged ; 
and  although  its  topics  are  numerous,  they  are  not  diffusely 
treated ;  while  under  each  of  them,  there  is  a  rich  variety  of 
illustrative  matter,  judiciously  selected,  and  very  aptly  intro- 
duced. It  is  idle  to  say  more  of  the  manner  of  the  writing,  than 
that  it  is  the  manner  of  Richard  Baxter ;  showing  the  writer  in 
every  page,  but  clear,  concise,  and  simple,  beyond  several  of  his 
other  pieces ;  while  it  is  second  to  none  of  them  in  persuasive 
eloquence  and  impressive  fervour,  clothing  thoughts  which  are 
not  familiar,  in  very  conspicuous  language,  and  adapting  itself, 
with  uncommon  felicity,  to  the  inexperienced  and  the  undis- 
ciplined. The  whole  style  and  spirit  of  the  work  are  exactly 
suited  to  the  nature  of  the  subject;  and  we  think  it  well 
entitled  to  a  place  among  the  few  books  which  the  parent  selects 
for  his  child,  or  the  pastoi:  for  the  young  of  his  flock,  or  the 
guardian  for  his  pupil,  as  a  means  of  awakening  religious  in- 
quiry, and  forming  habits  of  early  reflection*' 

T  Works,  vol.  xvi, 

*  A  good  editioQ  of  this  work  has  rtccntly  beta  published  by  CoIUasy  of 


502  TUB  LIVB  AND   WRlTUfCS 

Of  the  Countess  of  Balcarras,  to  whom  this  work  is  dedicated 
and  her  husband^  of  whose  piety  the  author  speaks  in  terms  of 
warm  commendation,  the  following  account  will  intereet  the 
reader : 

*^  She  was  daughter  to  the  late  Earl  of  Seaforth  in  Scotlaodi 
towards  the  Highlands,  and  was  married  to  the  Earl  of  Bal- 
carrasi  a  covenanter,  but  an  enemy  to  Cromwell's  perfidiousness, 
and  true  to  the  person  and  authority  of  the  king*  With  the  Earl 
of  Glencame,  he  kept  up  the  last  war  for  the  king  against 
Cromwell ;  and  his  lady,  through  deaniess  of  affection,  marched 
with  him,  and  lay  out  of  doors  with  him  on  the  mountains.  At 
last,  Cromwell  drove  them  out  of  Scotland,  and  they  went 
together  beyond  sea  to  the  king,  whom  they  long  followed* 
He  was  taken  for  the  head  of  the  Presbyterians  with  the  king ; 
but,  by  evil  instruments,  he  fell  out  with  the  lord  chancellor,  who, 
prevailing  against  him  upon  some  advantage,  he  was  for  a  time 
forbidden  the  Court ;  the  grief  whereof,  added  to  the  distempers 
he  had  contracted  by  his  warfare  on  the  cold  and  hungry  moun- 
tains, cast  him  into  a  consumption,  of  which  he  died.  He  was 
a  lord  of  excellent  learning,  judgment^  and  honesty;  none 
being  praised  equally  with  him  for  learning  and  understanding 
in  all  Scotland. 

^^  When  the  Earl  of  Lauderdale  (his  near  kinsman  and  great 
friend)  was  prisoner  in  Portsmouth  and  Windsor  Castle,  he  fell 
into  acquaintance  with  my  books,  and  so  valued  them,  that 
he  read  them  all,  and  took  notes  of  them,  and  earnestly  com- 
mended them  to  the  Earl  of  Balcarras,  then  with  the  king. 
The  Earl  met,  at  the  first  sight,  with  some  passages  where 
he  thought  I  spake  too  favourably  of  the  Papists,  and  differed 
from  many  other  Protestants ;  so  he  cast  them  by,  and  sent  the 
reason  of  his  distaste  to  the  Earl  of  Lauderdale,  who  pressed 
him  but  to  read  one  of  the  books  over;  which  he  did,  and  then 
read  them  all,  (as  I  have  seen  many  of  them  marked  with  his 
hand,)  and  was  drawn  to  overvalue  them  more  than  the  Earl  of 
Lauderdale.  Hereupon  his  lady  reading  them  also,  and  being 
a  woman  of  very  strong  love  and  friendship,  with  extraordinary 
entireness  swallowed  up  in  her  husband's  love,  she,  for  the 
books'  sake,  and  her  husband's  sake%  became  a  most  affectionate 
fViend  to  me  before  she  ever  saw  me.     While  she  was  in  France, 

Glasgow,  among  the  '  Select  Christian  Authors/  with  an  admirable  introduc- 
tion by  my  excellent  friend  the  Rev.  David  Young,  of  Pertb^  from  which  thf 
^ecodinf  peNtg raph  has  bf€n  taken* 


or  RICHARD  BAXTRR*  508 

bdog  zealous  for  the  king's  restoration,  (in  whose  cause  her 
iMisband  had  pawned  and  ruined  his  estate,)  by  the  Earl  of 
Lauderdale's  direction,  she,  with  Sir  Robert  Murray,  got  divers 
letters  from  the  pastors  and  others  there  to  bear  witness  of  the 
king's  sincerity  in  the  Protestant  religion ;  among  which  there 
was  one  to  me  from  Mr.  Graches.     Her  great  wisdom,  modesty^ 
piety,  and  sincerity,  made  her  accounted  the  saint  at  court- 
When  she  came  over  with  the  king,  her  extraordinary  respect 
obliged  me  to  be  so  often  with  her,  as  gave  me  acquaintance 
with  her  eminency  in  all  the  foresaid  virtues.     She  was  of 
•olid  understanding  for  her  sex;  of  prudence,  much  more 
than  ordinary;  of  great  integrity  and  constancy  in  her  reli- 
gion; a  great  hater  of  hypocrisy;  and  faithful  to  Christ  in  an 
Qfifaithful  world.     She  was  somewhat  over  affectionate  to  her 
friends,  which  hath  cost  her  a  great  deal  of  sorrow  in  the  loss  of 
her  husband,  and  since  of  other  special  friends ;  and  may  cost 
her  more,  when  the  rest  forsake  her,  as  many  in  prosperity 
do  to  those  that  will  not  forsake  their  fidelity  to  Christ.     Her 
ddest  son,  the  young  Earl  of  Balcarras,  a  very  hopeful  youth, 
died  of  a  strange  disease ;  two  stones  being  found  in  hb  heart, 
of  which  one  was  very  great.    Being  my  constant  auditor,  and 
orer-respectful  friend,  I  had  occasion  for  the  just  praises  and 
acknowledgments  which  I  have  given  her ;  which  the  occasion- 
ing of  these  books  hath  caused  me  to  mention.''* 

The  death  of  Lord  Balcarras  took  place  on  the  30th  of  August, 
1659.  His  eldest  son,  referred  to  above,  died  in  1662.^  In 
the  margin  of  the  passage  of  Baxter's  life,  which  I  have  ex- 
tracted, Lady  Balcarras  is  stated  to  have  been  afterwards 
married  to  the  Earl  of  Argyle.  Whether  this  note  is  Baxter's 
or  Sylvester's,  I  am  unable  to  say,  nor  can  I  vouch  for  its  accu- 
imcy.  She  must  in  that  case  have  been  second  wife  to  the 
unfortunate  Argyle,  who  lost  his  life,  as  his  father  also  had  done, 
on  a  charge  of  high  treason,  at  the  Market  Cross  of  Edinburgh, 
on  the  30th  of  June,  1685. 

In  his  letter  to  die  inhabitants  of  Kidderminster,  prefixed  to  this 
volume,  Baxter  gives  a  short  account  of  the  Savoy  Conference, 
and  hints  that  something  he  had  said  there,  with  which  Dr. 
Morley,the  bishop  of  Winchester,  was  exceedingly  offended,  was 
the  cause  of  the  bishop's  refusing  to  allow  him  to  preach  again  at 
Kidderminster,  or  anywhere  in  his  diocese.  *^  At  the  conclusion 
of  this  conference,"  he  says,  ^^  those  of  the  other  part  formed  an 

»  Life,  part  i.  p.  121.  ^  '  Burke's  Peenge,'  p.  43. 


504  THS  LIFE  AND  WRITINGS 

argument,  whose  major  proposition  was  to  this  sense :  *  What- 
soever book  enjoineth  nothing  but  what  is  of  itself  lawful,  and 
by  lawful  authority^  enjoineth  nothing  that  is  sinful/  We  denied 
this  proposition,  and  at  last  gave  divers  reasons  of  our  denial; 
among  which,  one  was,  ^  It  may  be  unlawful  by  accident,  and, 
therefore,  sinful/  You  know  my  crime,  it  is  my  concurring 
with  learned,  reverend  brethren,  to  give  this  reason  of  cor 
denial  of  a  proposition ;  yet  they  are  not  forbidden  to  preach, 
only  I." 

The  bishop  took  fire  at  this  statement  with  one  or  two  other 
allusions  to  himself,  and  published  shortly  after  ^  A  Letter  to  a* 
Friend,  in  vindication  of  himself  from  Mr.  Baxter's  calumny/ 
In  this  letter,  his  lordship  denies  that  Baxter  ever  had  a  right  to 
be  minister  of  Kidderminster ;  accuses  him  of  having  robbed  and 
injured  the  lawful  vicar ;  represents  him  to  the  people  of  Kid* 
derminster  as  a  very  improper  person  to  hare  the  charge  ot 
them,  and  accuses  him  of  holding  various  ^^  maxims  of  treason, 
sedition,  and  rebellion,  and  as  guilty  of  certain  mis-statements.'' 
In  proof  of  this  he  introduces  the  testimony  of  Dr.  Gunning  and 
Dr.  Pearson ;  and  concludes  by  making  an  appeal,  '^  whether  a 
man  of  ^this  judgment  and  of  these  affections  ought  to  be  per* 
mitted  to  preach  ? " 

"  When  the  bishop's  invective  was  read,"  Baxter  says, "  many 
men  were  of  many  minds  about  the  answering  of  it :  those  at 
a  distance  all  cried  out  upon  me  to  answer;  those  at  hand 
did  all  dissuade  me,  and  told  me  that  it  would  be  imprisonment 
at  least  to  me,  if  I  did  it  with  the  greatest  truth  and  mildness 
possible.  Both  gentlemen  and  all  the  city  ministers  told  me, 
that  it  would  not  do  half  so  much  good  as  my  suffering 
would  do  hurt ;  that  none  believed  it  but  the  engaged  party ; 
that  to  others  an  answer  was  not  necessary,  and  would  be 
unprofitable,  for  they  would  never  read  it.  I  thought  that 
the  judgment  of  men  that  were  upon  the  place,  and  knew  how 
things  went,  was  most  to  be  regarded.  But  yet  I  wrote  a 
full  answer  to  his  book,  except  about  the  words  in  my  *  Holy 
Commonwealth,  Vhich  were  not  to  bespoken  to,  and  kept  it  by 
me,  that  I  might  use  it  as  there  was  occasion.  At  that  time, 
Mr.  Joseph  Glanvil  sent  me  the  offer  of  his  service,  to  write  in 
my  defence,  but  I  dissuaded  him  from  bringing  himself  into 
suffering,  and  making  himself  unserviceable,  for  so  low  an  end : 
only  I  gave  him,  and  no  man  else,  my  own  answer  to  peruse, 
which  he  returned  with  his  approbation  of  it. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  '505 

'^  Biit  Mr.  Edward  Bagshaw  (son  to  Mr.  Bagshaw,  the  lawj^er, 
Ihat  wrote  *  Mr.  Bolton's  Life ')  without  my  knowledge  wrote  a 
book  hi  answer  to  the  bishop's.  I  could  have  wished  he  had  let 
it  alone ;  for  the  man  hath  no  great  disputing  faculty,  but  only 
a  florid,  epistolary  style,  and  was  wholly  a  stranger  to  me  and  to 
the  matters  of  fact,  and,  therefore,  could  say  nothing  to  them : 
but  only  being  of  a  bold  and  Roman  spirit,  he  thought  that  no 
suffering  should  deter  a  man  from  the  smallest  duty,  or  cause 
him  to  silence  any  useful  truth.  And  I  had  formerly  seen  a 
Latin  discourse  of  his  against  monarchy,  which  no  whit  pleased 
me,  being  a  weak  argumentation  for  a  bad  cause."^ 

Glanvirs  letters,  offering  to  write  in  Baxter's  defence  against 
Dr.  Morley,  still  remain.  They  are  full  of  commendation  of 
Baxter's  character,  and  of  the  success  with  which  he  had  met 
the  bishop's  charges.  *^  Mcthinks,"  he  says,  "  'tis  a  great  pity 
but  the  world  should  be  disabused,  and  that  your  right  reverend 
libdler  should  be  made  ashamed,  of  his  misreports  and  slander* 
ons  falsifications."  He  advises  Baxter,  by  all  means  to  publish, 
BS^  till  his  defence  appeared,  ^^  the  reverend  father's  lies  will  be 
taken  for  irrcproveable  truths."  ^  This  language  is  abundantly 
plain  from  a  son  of  the  church  towards  one  of  her  reverend  pre- 
lates ;  and  it  is  certainly  more  illustrative  of  his  attachment  to 
Baxter,  than  of  his  respect  for  the  episcopal  hierarchy. 

Though  Baxter  suppresse'd  his  answer  to  the  bishop's  letter, 
he  took  notice  of  it  in  the  epistolary  preface  to  his  '  True  and 
Only  Way  of  Concord/  published  in  1680,  which  he  addressed 
to  Bishops  Morley  and  Gunning,  whom  he  considered  the  chief 
instruments  in  defeating  the  design  of  the  Savoy  Conference. 
In  some  other  of  his  controversial  pieces,  Baxter  also  alludes  to 
the  bishop's  conduct. 

That  the  bishop  felt  an  impression  had  been  made  against 
him  by  Baxter's  publications,  is  very  evident ;  for  at  the  distance 
of  twenty  years  from  the  original  discussion,  when  in  the  eighty- 
fifkh  year  of  his  age,  he  published  a  quarto  volume  of  more  than 
five  hundred  pages,  ^  The  Bishop  of  Winchester's  Vindication  of 
himself  from  divers  false,  scandalous,  and  injurious  Reflections, 
made  upon  him  by  Mr.  Richard  Baxter  in  several  of  his  writ- 
ings/ 16S3.  In  this  large  volume,  the  bishop  reprints  the 
*  Letter  to  a  Friend,'  already  noticed,  and  then  in  his  Vindica- 
tion, proceeds  to  support  his  charges  against  Baxter,  the  pro- 
priety of  his  conduct  in  silencing  him^  and  of  his  own  behaviour 
•  Life,  part  ii.  p.  378.  *  BaxVm  MSS. 


506  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

at  the  Savoy  Conference.  The  whole  is  mixed  up  mth  the 
bishop's  political  and  high-church  sentiments,  n^ich  were  m 
little  in  accordance  with  the  principles  of  the  British  oonstitntiooy 
as  with  the  spirit  of  the  New  Testament.  Baxter  wrote  no  formal 
answer  to  this  work ;  but  in  reference  to  it,  he  says :  ''  Btshop 
Morley  was  accounted  one  of  the  most  eminent  of  the  clergTi 
for  parts  and  orthodoxy.  One  book  against  me,  called  Ui 
Letter,  is  most  shameless  for  untruths  in  public  matters  of  &et 
His  last  and  greatest  is  to  prove  against  me,  that  the  parliament 
hath  no  part  in  legislative  power,  nor  the  whole  kingdom  any 
right  of  self-defence  against  any  commissioned  by  the  king  od 
any  pretence  whatsoever.  This  accuser  is  an  eminent  member 
of  the  best  church  in  the  world.  Is  this  bundle  of  gross  untruth 
a  proof  that  he  is  one  of  the  best  men  in  the  world  ?  He  ssitk 
that  ^  the  good  that  I  wrote  was  for  mischievous  ends.'  Bat 
what  should  move  a  man,  in  pain  and  expectation  of  speedf 
death,  to  write  above  six  score  books,  great  and  small,  that  ait 
contrary  to  the  bent  of  his  own  heart  ?  And,  for  that  which  he 
would  mischievously  overthrow  to  spend  his  life  iigainst  hit 
own  affections  ?"* 

Having  finished  this  digression  on  the  controversy  with 
Bishop  Morley,  we  return  to  the  class  of  books  whtch  is  the 
proper  subject  of  this  chapter. 

The  next  work  which  flowed  from  the  pen  of  our  untiring 
writer,  in  this  class,  bears  a  very  singular  and  perhaps  objection- 
able title,  ^  A  Saint  or  a  Brutb.  The  certain  necessity  and 
excellency  of  holiness,  so  plainly  proved,  and  urgently  applied, 
as  by  the  blessing  of  God  may  convince  and  save  the  mis^nble^ 
impenitent,  ungodly  sensualists,  if  they  will  not  let  tbm  .,  A 
hinder  them  from  a  sober  and  serious  reading/  1662.  4to.' 

*>  '  Penitent  Confession/  p.  65.  The  controTersy  between  Moriqr  tid 
Baxter  appears  to  have  been  taken  up  very  hotly  by  several  persons  on  bocli 
sides.  It  occasioned — Hypocrisy  Unveiled,  in  a  Letter  to  Mr.  Baxter,  1653— 
A  Letter  to  a  Person  of  Honour,  containing  some  Animadversions  on  tiie 
Bishop  of  Worcester's  Letter  to  Mr.  Baxter,  1662 — A  Second  Letter  on  tbf 
same  subject,  1662 — A  Letter,  with  some  Aninuuiversions  -on  the  Aninad- 
verter,  on  the  Bishop  of  Worcester's  Letter,  by  J.  C,  M.  D.  1662— D.  t» 
Defeated ;  or,  a  Reply  to  a  late  scurrilous  Pamphlet  against  the  Blsbop 
«>f  Worcester's  Letter,  1662 — Reflections  upon  the  Animadversioos  upon  tfat 
Bishop  of  Worcester's  Letter,  by  H.  G.  1662— Vindication  of  the  Buhcf  of 
Worcester's  Letter  touching  Mr.  Baxter,  from  the  Animadversioos  of  !)•£• 
1662.      Behold  how  great  a  fire  a  little  matter  kindleth! 

'  Worksy  vol.  X. 


OF  RICnARD  BAXTER*  507 

'Fkom'  the  dedication  to  his  flock  at  Kidderminster,  and  hi« 
Iste  hearen  in  London,  I  cannot  avoid  quoting  a  paragraph  or 
twO|  beautifnliy  written : 

^^  Once  more,  through  the  great  mercy  of  Qod,  1  have  liberty 
lo  send  you  a  preacher  for  your  private  families,  which  may 
•peak  to  you  when  I  cannot,  and  when  1  lie  silent  in  the  dust. 
I  take  it  for  no  small  mercy,  that  I  have  been  so  much  employed 
tbottt  the  great  and  necessary  things,  in  despite  of  all  the 
flMdice  of  Satan,  who  would  have  entangled  me,  and  taken  up 
my  time  in  personal  vindications  and  barren  controversies. 

''  I  was  also,  when  I  first  intended  writing,  under  another  temp* 
tation :  being  of  their  mind  who  thought  that  nothing  should 
be  made  public  but  what  a  man  had  first  laid  out  liis  most  choice 
art  upon,  I  thought  to  have  acquainted  the  world  with  nothing 
but  what  was  the  work  of  time  and  diligence)  but  my  con* 
•eience  soon  told  me  that  there  was  too  much  of  pride  and 
selfishness  in  this,  and  that  humility  and  self-denial  required  me 
to  lay  by  the  affectation  of  that  style,  and  spare  that  industry 
Hrhich  tended  but  to  advance  my  name  with  men,  when  it 
biudered  the  main  work,  and  crossed  my  end.     Providence, 
drawing  forth  some  popular  unpolished  discourses,  and  giving 
them  success  beyond  my  expectation,  did  thereby  rebuke  my 
■elfish  thoughts,  and  satisfy  me  that  the  truths  of  God  do 
perform  their  work  more  by  their  divine  authority,  and  proper 
evidence,  and  material  excellency^  than  by  any  ornaments  of 
fleshly  wisdom.    And,  as  Seneca  saith,  though  I  will  not  despise 
an  eloq  tent  physician,  yet  will  I  not  think  myself  much  the 
happier  for  his  adding  eloquence  to  his  healing  art.    Being  en*^ 
cour'*.''ed,  then,  by  reason  and  experience,  I  venture  these  po* 
pi.       >ermons  into  the  world,  and  especially  for  the  use  of  you, 
my  late  auditors,  that  heard  them.     I  bless  God  that  when 
more  worthy  labourers  are  fain  to  weep  over  their  obstinate,  un* 
profitable,  unthankful  people,  and  some  are  driven  away  by 
tiieir  injuries,  and  put  to  shake  off  the  dust  of  their  feet  agmnst 
them;  I  am  rather  forced  to  weep  over  my  own  unthankful 
heart,  that  did  not  sufficiently  value  the  mercy  of  a  faithful 
flock,  who  parted  with  me  rather  as  the  Ephesians  with  Paul, 
and  who   have  lived   according  to   the  plain  and  necessary 
doctrine  which  they  had  received.     Among  whom.  Papists,  who  . 
persuade  men  that  our  doctrine  tendeth  to  divisions,  can  find  no 
divisions  or  sects ;  who  have  constantly  disowned  both  the  am- 
bitious usurpations  which  have  shaken  the  kiugdoiii)  ^xvdi  ^<& 


508  THB  JLIPB  AND  WIHTIKGS 

factions,  censoriousuess,  and  civil  violence  in  the  churehf  which 
pride  hath  generated  and  nourished  in  this  trying  age.  Amaqg 
whom,  I  have  enjoyed  so  very  large  a  proportion  of  mercy,  io 
the  liberty  of  so  long  an  exercise  of  my  ministry,  with  so  nni- 
versal  advantage  and  success,  that  I  must  be  disingennoosly 
unthankful  if  I  should  murmur  and  repine  at  the  prewnt 
restraining  hand  of  God.  But  I  must  say  with  David;  ^If 
I  shall  find  favour  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  he  will  briof 
me  again,  and  show  me  the  ark  and  habitation/  There,  or 
elsewhere,  use  me  in  his  service.  But  if  he  say,  *  I  have  na 
delight  in  thee;  behold,  here  am  I,  let  him  do  to  me  at  it 
seemeth  good  unto  him.'  "' 

It  was  not  the  pleasure  of  God  that  Baxter  should  resume  Ui 
labours  in  the  place  which  occupied  so  much  of  his  heart  and 
of  his  thoughts.  Painful  as  he  felt  this  trial  to  be,  he  learned 
to  submit  to  it  in  quietness  and  patience,  and  no  doubt  fomd 
that  it  was  among  the  things  which  worked  together  for  bii 
good. 

The  most  objectionable  part  of  this  work  is  its  tide,  whidi 
presents  a  more  offensive  aspect  to  the  reader  than  is  derirabie^ 
or  than  the  nature  of  the  subject  warrants.  The  great  object  of 
it  is  to  convince  men  '^  that  holiness  is  the  most  pleasant  way; 
that  the  godly  choose  the  better  part,  and  that  the  ungodly  sen- 
sualists live  as  brutes,  while  they  unreasonably  refuse  to  lire  at 
saints."  The  treatise  is  founded  on  Luke  xi.  41,  42,  and,  like 
many  other  of  his  practical  writings,  is  the  substance  of  the  dis- 
courses which  he  delivered  from  the  pulpit.  Part  of  it  relates 
to  the  deistical  controversy,  and  is  recommended  by  himself  to 
be  read  in  connexion  with  the  second  part  of  his  ^  Saint's  Rest,' 
and  the  '  Treatise  against  Infidelity.'  Many  of  his  statements  aie 
strong  and  pointed,  and  though  the  argument  is  maintained  in  avery 
discursive  manner,  it  is  prosecuted  with  his  characteristic  ability. 

The  other  and  smaller  performances  in  this  class  I  sbaD 
group  together;  as  none  of  them  require  a  distinct  notice, 
llie  titles  in  general,  sufficiently  explain  their  nature  and  de* 
sign.  They  were  all  the  substance  of  sermons  preached  in 
different  places,  though  published  rather  in  the  form  of  tracts, 
or  treatises,  than  sermons. 

^  Making  Light  of  Christ  and  Salvation,'  preached  at  St 
Lawrence  Jewry,  London.^    *  The  One  Thing  Necessary;  oTj 

'  Works,  vol.  X.  pp.  3-*-5.  ^  ibid.  vol.  xtL 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTER*  509 

Christ's  Justification  of  Mary's  Choice.'    1684.^    'Cain  and 
Abel  Malignity;  or,  Enmity  to  serious  Godliness^  lamented, 
described,  detected/  &c.  1689.*^    This  treatise  is  partly  de- 
aipied  to  expose  the  evil  of  enmity  to  serious  godliness,  as  the 
root  of  all  persecution.  Preface  to  Alleine's 'Alarm.'  'A  Sermon 
of  Judgment/  preached  at  St.  Paul's,  before  the  lord  mayor  and 
aldermen  of  London,  Dec.  17,  1654.*  'Redemption  of  Time.'"* 
Baxter  mentions   some   circumstances   respecting   two    of 
these  sermons,  which  illustrate  his  popularity  as  a  preacher, 
and  are  therefore  worth  the  recording.     ^^  When  I  returned 
home,  I  was  solicited  by  letters  to  print  many  of  the  sermons 
which  I  had  preached  in  London ;  and  in  some  of  them  I  gra- 
tified their  desires.  One  sermon  which  I  published,  was  against 
men's  making  light  of  Christ,  upon  Matt.  xxii.  5.   This  sermon 
was  preached  at  St.  Lawrence  Jewry,  where  Mr.  Vines  was  pas- 
tor ;  where,  though  I  sent  the  day  before  to  secure  room  for  the 
Lord  Broghill  and  the  Earl  of  Suffolk,  with  whom  I  was  to  go 
in  the  coach ;  yet  when  I  came,  the  crowd  had  so  little  respect 
to  persons,  that  they  were  fain  to  go  home  again,  because  they 
would  not  come  within  hearing.    The  old  Earl  of  Warwick, 
who  stood  in  the  lobby,  brought  me   home  again;  and  Mr. 
Vines  himself  was  fain  to  get  up  into  the  pulpit  and  sit  behind 
me,  and  I  stood  between  his  legs ;  which  I  mention,  that  the 
reader  may  understand  that  verse  in  my  poem  concerning  him, 
which  is  printed,  where  I  say  that, 

*  At  once  one  pulpit  held  ui  both.' 

^  Another  of  those  sermons  which  I  published,  was  a  sermon 
of  judgment,  which  I  enlarged  into  a  small  treatise.  This  was 
preached  at  St.  Paul's  at  the  desire  of  Sir  Christopher  Pack, 
then  lord  mayor,  to  the  greatest  auditory  that  ever  I  saw.''*^ 

It  is  impossible  to  survey  the  class  of  writings  which  we 

have  thus  briefly  brought  under  review,  without  admiring  the 

goodness  and  wisdom  of  God,  in  raising  up  a  man  capable  of 

pr9ducing  them.      With   all  the  imperfections  belonging  to 

them  as  human  performances,  written  often  in  haste,  and  amidst 

the  distractions  of  a  period  of  great  affliction  and  agitation, 

where  shall  we  find,  in  the  wide  range  of  human  literature,  so  large 

a  portion  of  powerful  and  heart-stirring  appeal  ?    They  comprise 

deeply  interesting  and  comprehensive  views  of  the  guilt  and 

>  Works,  vol.  X.  ^  Ibid.  ^  Ibid.  *  Ibid* 

"  Life,  part  i.  pp.  Ill,  112. 


510  THB  LIP£  AKD  WRITIK68 

misery  of  man,  and  the  (livine  provision  of  mercy  through  8 
Saviour;  of  the  awful  punishment  which  awaits  the  wicked,  and 
of  the  immortal  blessedness  provided  for  the  righteous,  lliese 
topics  are  interwoven,  in  general,  with  great  address^  with  everjr 
thing  that  is  tender  in  entreaty,  solemn  in  warning,  and  faithfU 
in  reproof  and  expostulation.  Baxter  appeals  not  to  the  pas- 
sions only,  but  to  the  judgment.  His  aim  is  to  convince  the 
anderstanding,  as  well  as  to  subdue  the  heart.  He  calculated 
on  no  impressions  being  lasting  or  useful,  but  those  which  weie 
produced  by  enlightened  views  of  truth  and  error,  holiness  and 
sin,  time  and  eternity.  He  dealt  not  in  noisy  and  vapid  dedi- 
mation ;  but  in  sound  and  persuasive  argument.  He  felt  tiie 
goodness  of  his  cause,  and  the  weight  of  the  reasons  which  he 
could  adduce  in  its  support,  and  with  a  giant's  strength^  and  tn 
angel's  earnestness,  he  urged  the  subject  home  on  every  niaa'i 
bosom  and  business. 

It  will  probably  be  remarked,  that  in  these  discourses  there 
is  a  larger  portion  of  the  Law  than  of  the  Gospel  5  and  that  thejr 
are  more  calculated  to  operate  on  the  fears  than  on  the  hopes 
of  men.  While  1  admit  this  to  be  true,  I  doubt  whether  it 
ought  to  be  regarded  as  a  fault,  llie  object  of  the  author  is  to 
awaken  and  convince ;  he  therefore  went,  what  he  considered  to 
be,  the  straightforward  road  to  it.  He  did  not  conceal  the  pro- 
mises of  the  Gospel,  but  they  did  not  constitute  the  chief  topics 
of  his  preaching  to  men  whom  he  wished  to  rouse.  Judging 
by  the  success  attending  his  labours,  which  arose,  there  is 
reason  to  believe,  from  the  great  plainness  and  fidelity  with 
which  he  warned  men,  instead  of  censuring,  it  would  be  well  to 
imitate  the  style  of  his  preaching. 

He  was  never  afraid  of  carrying  the  warmth  and  enei^  of  his 
appeals  too  far.  He  often  complains  of  his  own  coldness,  hot 
never  of  the  excess  of  his  zeal.  The  charge  of  fanaticism  gsre 
him  no  concern.  Knowing  the  terrors  of  the  Lord,  he  cued 
nothing  for  the  displeasure  or  the  frown  of  men,  but  made  it 
his  grand  concern  to  be  found  faithful.  To  win  souls  was  his 
object ;  the  gaining  of  them  wad  his  reward.  Nor  did  he  lose 
his  aim.  If  few  men  have  laboured  harder,  or  under  greater 
bodily  suffering,  or  more  severe  reproach,  few,  indeed,  hive 
enjoyed  a  richer  reward.  In  the  many  fruits  of  his  labours,  hi 
could  exult  even  while  on  earth  ^  they  now  constitute  his  crowi 
of  rejoicing  in  heaven. 


/ 


OV  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  511 


CHAPTER    IV. 


WORKS   ON   CHRISTIAN  EXPSRIBNCB, 

iBtroductory  Remarki--'  Rigbt  Method  for  fettled  Peace  of  Conscience  '-^ 
ColoDcl  Bridget—'  The  Crucifyio;  of  the  Worid '—Thomas  Foley,  Esq.— 
«  Treatite  on  Self-Denial '— <  Obedient  Patience '— <  Life  of  Faith '— '  Know- 
led^  and  Lore  compared ' — Sir  Henry  and  L4uly  Diana  Ashurst— '  God'i 
Goodneu  Vindicated'— Various  Discourses— <  Cure  of  Melancholy '—Bax- 
ter^t  Experience  among  Persons  thus  afflicted— Conclusion. 

Ir  the  works  noticed  in  the  preceding  chapter,  show  how  ad- 
mirably qualified  Baxter  was  for  dealing  with  the  unconverted, 
and  how  powerfully  and  successfully  he  d  rected  his  energies  to 
benefit  thein«  the  present  chapter  will  bring  before  the  reader, 
a  class  of  books  which  equally  illustrates  his  capacity  for  in«- 
structing  and  edifying  Christians,  and  shows  that  this  branch 
of  the  Christian  ministry  was  cultivated  by  him  no  less  than 
the  former. 

When  a  sinner  has  been  converted  from  the  error  of  his  ways, 
only  the  first  step  hsts  been  taken  towards  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
His  knowledge  probably  extends  but  to  the  merest  elements  of 
religion  ;  or  to  those  first  truths,  which  as  they  are  the  simplest, 
so  are  they  the  most  powerfully  calculated  to  interest  the  under- 
standing, and  engage  the  affections.  His  perceptions  of  the 
extent  of  his  wretchedness  and  danger,  and  of  the  divine  suitable- 
ness of  Heaven*s  plan  of  recovery,  comprehend,  perhaps,  all  that 
is  true,  and  yet  embrace  but  a  narrow  range.  As  he  becomes 
fiuniliar  with  these,  he  perceives  their  connexion  with  other 
subjects,  more  difficult  and  complex.  His  mind  requires  fresh 
excitement  to  counteract  its  natural  bias,  to  prevent  its  return  to 
former  pursuits  and  habits,  and  to  carry  it  on  in  the  new  course 
into  which  it  has  been  led. 

But  new  discoveries  of  truth,  and  of  the  way  of  righteousness, 
are  not  the  only  discoveries  which  a  man  comes  to  make  in  the 


512  THB  LIFE  AND  WRITINGS 

progress  of  Christianity.  He  makes  discoveries  of  the  deprafitj 
and  deceitfulness  of  his  heart,  for  which  he  was  not  at  first,  per- 
haps, at  all  prepared ;  which  astound  and  perplex  him,  lead 
him  to  question  his  own  sincerity,  the  reality  of  the  change 
which  he  supposes  had  taken  place  in  his  mind  ;  and  thus  bring 
him  into  deep  distressi  His  conscience  is  wounded,  his  spirit* 
are  depressed,  and  his  confidence  in  the  adaptation  of  the  Goi- 
pel  remedy,  or  in  his  right  to  use  it,  is  very  considerably  abated. 

Much  skill  is  required  in  the  treatment  of  persons  in  thb 
state.  Severity  or  tenderness,  when  unduly  or  improperly  ex- 
ercised, may  be  almost  equally  injurious.  The  one  may  create 
despondency  and  desperation ;  the  other  may  soothe  and  quiets 
wound  without  healing  it.  In  some  cases  it  is  necessary  to  apply 
a  sedative,  in  others  a  stimulus.  The  sensibility  of  some  b 
quicker  than  their  understandings ;  the  judgment  of  such  most 
be  informed.  In  other  cases  the  mind  is  sufficiently  enlightened, 
but  the  conscience  is  not  properly  under  its  guidance;  the  moral 
faculties  of  such  must  be  the  chief  object  of  attention.  Some 
instructors,  like  quacks  in  medicine,  have  a  spiritual  panacea  ior 
every  case.  This  they  apply  without  judgment  or  discrimini* 
tion,  healing  some,  and  killing  others;  but  in  both  the  pro- 
fessions, while  the  cures  are  magnified  and  blazoned,  we  hear  as 
little  as  possible  of  the  deaths  which  are  inflicted. 

Christianity  is  perfectly  adapted  to  all  the  diversified  forms 
of  evil  which  can  or  do  occur  among  men.  If  it  were  not, 
it  would  not  be  what  the  Scriptures  represent  it — the  fruit  of 
Jehovah's  highest  wisdom,  the  profoundest  display  of  his  good- 
ness to  creatures ;  and  therefore  worthy  of  the  reception  of 
every  human  being  to  whom  it  is  addressed.  Hence  the  great 
business  of  the  Christian  ministry,  in  relation  to  believers,  is, 
to  unfold  the  various  parts  of  this  infinitely  wise  and  beneficent 
scheme ;  to  obviate  the  difficulties  arising  from  their  imperfect 
acquaintance  with  it ;  to  illustrate  the  relative  connexiou  and 
harmony  of  its  various  principles,  and  the  holy  tendency  and 
design  of  all  its  provisions  and  enactments. 

By  many  ill-informed  persons,  who  make  a  profession  of 
religion,  a  kind  of  nausea  is  felt,  when  the -subject  of  Chris- 
tian experience  is  mentioned.  It  is  instantly  regarded  as 
the  cant  of  a  party,  or  as  something  akin  to  fanaticism.  At  all 
events  it  is  set  down  as  what  belongs  only  to  the  weaker  portion 
of  the  religious  community,  or  is  charitably  ascribed  to  an  over- 
sensitive conscience^  or  the  undue  cultivation  of  a  spirituality 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  513- 

wluch  b  not  adapted  to  present  circumstances.  The  subject  is 
therefore  discarded,  as  unworthy  of  attention  from  men  of 
mcnre  enlarged  and  cultivated  minds* 

It  is  readily  granted  that  the  subject  has  been  abused ;  that 
a  phraseology  has  been  employed  in  treating  it  both  disgusting 
md  absurd;  that  it  has  bieen  substituted  in  the  place  of  the 
Ugher  morals  of  religion,  and  treated  as  if  it  were  compatible 
with  outward  carelessness  and  even  gross  misconduct*  Still  it 
would  be  as  foolish  to  deny  the  existence  of  what  is  commonly 
called  Christian  experience,  as  to  deny  that  individuals  who 
an  under  a  process  of  cure  or  healing,  have  any  consciousness 
of  the  effects  which  are  produced  by  the  medicines  that  are 
prescribed  to  them.  If  the  Gospel  is  destined  and  fitted  to 
aet  as  a  remedy,  there  must  be  a  sensible  experience  to  cor- 
mpcmd  with  it.  There  must  be  a  consciousness  of  the  effects 
if  the  truth  has  exerted  a  searching  power  on  the  con- 
acience,  a  healing  influence  on  the  heart,  and  a  transforming 
operation  on  the  whole  character.  If  it  has  infused  a  new 
principle  of  life  into  the  soul,  giving  a  new  tone  and  direction 
to  its  thoughts  and  pursuits,  and  surrounding  it  by  a  healthier 
and  holier  atmosphere  than  it  ever  before  breathed,  there  must 
be  some  knowledge  of  all  this.  As  the  process  of  divine  influence 
advances  or  retrogrades ;  as  it  experiences  checks  from  within, 
or  counteractions  from  without ;  as  there  is  a  vigorous  and  per- 
severing co-operation  on  our  part  with  God's  revealed  purposes 
and  plans,  or  a  state  of  inactivity  or  positive  resistance,  so  will 
the  work  of  salvation  be  advancing  or  receding.  Now  all  this 
makes  up  what  we  understand  by  religious  experience,  or  the 
Christian  life,  to  cultivate  which  both  the  ministry  and  writings 
of  Baxter  were  devoted. 

The  first  work  on  this  subject  which  he  published  is,  his 
^  Right  Method  for  Settled  Peace  of  Conscience  and  Spiritual 
Comfort.'  <"  1653.  12mo.  This  was  the  fourth  of  Baxter's 
publications,  and  was  occasioned,  chiefly,  by  the  lady  of  Colonel 
John  Bridges,  for  whose  benefit,  in  the  first  instance,  it  was  com- 
posed and  printed.  He  accordingly  dedicates  it  to  Colonel  and 
Mrs.  Bridges,  and  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Foley,  all  of  whom  were  persons 
in  opulent  circumstances,  who  belonged  to  his  congregation  at 
Kidderminster.  **  Though  one  only,"  he  says,  **  had  the  origi- 
nal interest  in  these  papers,  I  now  direct  them  to  you  all^  as  not 

•  Works,  Tol,  ix. 
VOL.  U  hL 


i\4  THE  LIFE  AND  WRITINGS 

knowing  how,  in  this,  to  separate  you.  You  dwdl  together  it 
iny  estimation  and  affection :  one  of  you  a  member  of  the 
church  which  I  must  teach,  and,  legally,  the  patron  of  its  ramii-: 
tefnance  and  minister;  the  other,  a  special  branch  of  that  fiunOy, 
to  which  I  was  first  indebted  in  this  county.  You  lately  jdncd 
in  presenting  to  the  parliament  the  petition  of  this  county  lor 
the  Gospel  and  a  faithful  ministry.  When  I  only  told  yoa  of 
my  intention  of  sending  some  poor  scholars  to  the  University, 
you  freely  and  jointly  offered  your  considerable  annual  allowanee 
thereto,  and  that  for  the  continuance  of  my  life,  or  their  necet^ 
sities  there.  I  will  tell  the  world  of  this,  whether  yoa  will  or 
not;  not  for  your  applause,  but  for  their  imitation,  and  the  shame 
of  many  who  will  not  be  drawn  to  do  the  like."  v 

Colonel  Bridges,  then  patron  of  the  parish  of  Kidderminster, 
was  the  long  and  tried  friend  of  Baxter,  and  one  who  made  a 
considerable  figure  during  the  Commonwealth.  He  had  the 
command  of  a  regiment  in  Ireland  immediately  before  the 
Restoration,  and,  by  a  dexterous  manc^uvre,  got  possession  of 
Dublin  Castle,  without  bloodshed ;  of  which  he  published  a 
short  narrative.  ^^  Had  it  not  been  for  that  action,"  says  Bax- 
ter, ^^  it  is  probable  that  Ireland  would  have  been  the  refuge  and 
rendezvous  for  the  disbanded  or  fugitive  army,  and  that  there 
they  would  not  only  have  maintained  the  war,  but  have  em- 
bodied against  England,  and  come  over  again,  with  resolutions 
heightened  by  their  warnings.  The  reward  that  Colonel  Bridget 
had  for  this  service  was  the  peaceful  testimony  of  his  conscience, 
and  a  narrow  escape  from  being  utterly  ruined;  being  sued  insn 
action  of  fourscore  thousand  pound  ;  as  one  that,  after  Ed^ill 
fight,  had  taken  the  king's  goods,  which  was  proved  false,  and 
he,  being  cleared  by  the  court,  did  quickly  after  die  of  a  fever, 
at  Chester,  and  go  to  a  more  peaceable  and  desirable  world."  ^ 

^  Mrs.  Bridges,''  Baxter  informs  us, ^^  was  often  weeping  out  her 
doubts  to  him,  about  her  long  and  great  uncertainty  of  her  true* 
sanctification  and  salvation.  He  told  her  that  a  few  hasty  words 
were  not  direction  enough  for  the  satisfactory  resolving  of  lo 
great  a  case  ;  and  that  he  would,  therefore,  lay  her  down  a  few 
of  those  necessary  directions,  which  she  should  read  and  study, 
and  get  well  imprinted  on  her  mind."  When  he  had  begun  it, 
he  fgqnd  he  could  not  make  it  so  brief  as  he  had  ^pected,  and 
judging  that  it  might  be  useful  to  others  as  well  as  to  the  lady 
who  occasioned  it,  he  enlarged  it,  to  meet  other  cases  beside  hers.' 

r  Epistle  Dedicatory,  Works,  vol.  ix.      i  Life,  part  i.  p.  106.      '  Ibid.  p.  109. 


i 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  SlSl 

'  The  fmall  tract,  originally  designed  to  be  but  ^'one  sheet  of 
paper/'  thus  swelled  out  into  a  little  volume,  containing  "Thirty- 
two  Directions  "  for  the  attainment  or  the  preservation  of  the 
important  blessings-peace  of  mind.  The  Puritans  and  Non- 
conformists may  be  said  to  have  excelled  in  the  class  of  books 
to  which  this  work  belongs.  Sibbs's  ^  Bruised  Reed,  and  Soul's 
CSonfliet ; '  Symond's  ^  Deserted  Soul's  Case  and  Cure  5 '  the 
works  of  Preston,  Perkins,  Ball,  and  Culverwell,  on  similar  to- 
picsy  were  all  prior  to  this  of  Baxter's  ;  but  cannot  be  regarded 
as  superseding  it.  It  is  better  written  than  most  of  its  prede-, 
cessors  of  the  same  class,  and  is,  on  the  whole,  well  calculated 
to  answer  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  intended.  The  direc- 
tions arey  indeed,  sufficieutly  numerous,  and  some  of  them  quite 
as  much  calculated  to  entangle  and  perplex  as  to  assist.  Ho 
fiiund,  he  informs  us,  respecting  it, 

^  This  book  pleased  Dr.  Hammond  well,  and  many  rational 
persons,  and  some  of  those  for  whom  it  was  written ;  but  tho 
women  and  weaker  sort,  I  found,  could  not  so  well  improve  clear 
reason  as  they  can  a  few  comfortable,  warm,  and  pretty  sen-^ 
fences.  It  is  style,  and  not  reason,  which  doth  most  with  them^ 
Some  of  the  divines  were  angry  with  it,  for  a  passage  or  two 
about  perseverance;  because  I  had  said  that  many  men  are  cer- 
tain of  their  present  sanctification^  who  are  not  certain  of  their 
perseverance  and  salvation,  meaning  all  the  godly  that  are  as- 
sured of  their  sanctification,  and  yet  do  not  hold  the  certainty 
of  perseverance.  But  a  great  storm  of  jealousy  and  censure  was^ 
by  this,  and  some  such  words,  raised  against  me  by  many  good 
men^  who  lay  more  on  their  opinions  and  party  than  they  ought ; 
therefore,  as  some  would  have  had  me  to  retract  it,  and  others 
to  leave  it  out  of  the  next  impression,  I  did  the  latter." ' 

From  a  Dedication  to  the  Poor  in  Spirit,  which  is  prefixed 
to  this  work,  I  extract  an  admirably  descriptive  passage  of  the 
Antinomians  of  that  period.  It  is  equally  applicable  still. 
''One  thing  more,  I  confess,  did  much  prevail  with  me  to  make 
these  papers  public,  and  that  is,  the  Antinomians'  common^ 
confident  obtrusion  of  their  anti-evangelical  doctrines  and  me- 
thods for  comforting  troubled  souls.  They  are  the  most  noto- 
rious mountebanks  in  this  art,  the  highest  pretenders,  and  most 
unhappy  performers,  that  most  of  the  reformed  churches  ever 
knew.  And  none,  usually,  are  more  ready  to  receive  their  doc-v 
trine9  than  such  weak  women  or  unskilful  people,  that,  being  in 

•Lif€,psrti.  pp,lQ9,  no. 
L  L  2 


516  THB  LIFS  AMD  WRiriNGS 

trouble,  are  like  a  sick  man  in  great  pain,  who  is  glad  to  bear 
what  all  can  say,  and  to  make  trial  of  ev^  thing  by  wlddi 
he  hath  any  hope  of  ease.  Then  there  is  so  much  ojnnm  ia 
these  mountebanks'  nepenthes,  or  antidote  of  rest;  so  many 
principles  of  carnal  security  and  presumption,  which  tend  to  the 
present  ease  of  the  patient,  whatever  follows,  that  it  is  no  wonder 
if  some  well-meaning  Christians  do  quickly  swallow  the  Wt, 
and  proclaim  the  rare  effects  of  this  medicament,  and  the  ad* 
mirable  skill  of  this  unskilful  sect,  to  the  ensnaring  of  otheii, 
especially  that  are  in  the  like  distress/'^ 

In  1658,  he  published  '  The  Crucifying  of  the  World  by  die 
Cross  of  Christ,'  ^  a  treatise  in  quarto,  the  substance  of  wfaidi 
had  originally  been  delivered  as  an  assize' sermon^  which  was 
preached  at  Worcester,  when  Thomas  Foley,  esq.,  was  high 
sheriff  of  the  county.    To  that  gentleman  it  is  accorffingly 
dedicated.    He  was  a  man  of  distinguished  piety  and  beneviK 
lence,  and  the  devoted  friend  of  Baxter.    From  very  moderate 
circumstances,  his  father,  Richard  Foley,  and  he,  rose,  by  meav 
of  iron  works  in  the  county  of  Worcester,  to  the  possession  of 
an  estate  of  five  thousand  pounds  per  annum — an  immense  sum 
in  those  days.     He  necessarily  acquired  the  patronage  of  seve- 
ral livings  on  his  extensive  property,  to  which  he  invariably  pre- 
sented worthy  and  useful  ministers.     Kidderminster  fell  into 
his  hands  after  Baxter  had  left  it,  having  been  purchased  from 
Colonel  Bridges,  and  to  which  he  would  gladly  have  present- 
ed Baxter,  had  he  been  capable  of  accepting  it.    Baxter's  ^De- 
dication'  is    commendatory,    but  faithful.     It   is    worthy  of 
the  grateful  friend,  but  not  less  of  the  conscientious  servant  of 
Christ.     Richard  Foley,  the  founder  of  the  family,  and  the  early 
patron  of  Baxter,  died  in  1657.     He  endowed  a  school  at 
Stourbridge,  with  five  hundred  pounds  per  annum.     His  greit 
grandson  was  raised  to  the  peerage  by  Queen  Anne,  in  IJHy^J 
the  title  of  Baron  Foley  of  Kidderminster,  from  whom  the  pre- 
sent noble   family  of  that  name  has  descended.""     After  the 
dedication  is  a  long  preface  ^  To  the  Nobility,  Gentry,  and  all 
that  have  the  riches  of  this  World/  in  which  Baxter  addresses 
them  with  great  fidelity  respecting  their  easily-besetting  sins, 
warns  them  of  the  danger  of  trusting  in  their  external  advantages, 
and  endeavours  to  excite  them  to  the  performance  of  good  works.' 

*  Works,  vol.  ix.  p.  61.     "  Works,  vol.  U.      ^  Burke's  <  Peerage.'  art  Fokjr. 
'  AmoD;  bis  other  recommendations  U  ooe  to  landlords,  **  to  cnpgt  tbc^ 


OP  RICHABD  BAXISR*  517 

'  The  diflcourse  itself,  which  is  founded  on  Gal,  vi.  14,  lirings 
$Skft  gnmd  subject  of  Christianity,  with  its  inseparable,  practical 
asflnenee,  powerfully  before  the  reader.  While  it  preserves  the 
•^k  of  address  throughout,  it  is  much  more  of  a  treatise  than 
a  sermon,  having  been  greatly  enlarged,  in  every  part,  after 
ies  delivery.  He  first  discusses,  negatively,  what  it  is  not,  and 
then,  positively,  what  it  is  to  have  the  world  crucified  to  us, 
and  to  be  crucified  to  the  world.  He  next  shows  how  this  is 
efteled  by  the  cross  of  Christ.  He  then  assigns  various 
teasoos,  to  show  that  this  is  so,  and  why  it  must  be  so.  In 
ecmefaisicm,  he  applies  the  first  part  of  the  doctrine  of  the  text, 
hf  showing  that^  for  the  reasons  assigned,  believers  must  glory 
m  the  cross  of  Christ,  abhorring  the  glorying  of  worldly  men. 

While  the  doctrine  of  salvation,  tlurough  the  sacrifice  of 
Christ,  is  clearly  enough  stated  in  the  discourse,  it  is  not  the 
prominent  or  leading  topic  of  it  In  this  respect,  it  diflen 
widdy  from  the  celebrated  sermon  of  Maclaurin,  on  the  same 
text  and  subject.  In  that  beautifiil  production,  the  work  of  the 
Redeemer  on  the  cross,  is  set  forth  as  the  highest  manifesta* 
tioa  of  the  love  and  wisdom  of  God,  with  a  power  of  illua* 
tration  and  a  felicity  of  expression  which  have  never  been  ex- 
ceeded.  In  the  discourse  of  Baxter,  the  effects  of  this  doctrine 
in  withdrawing  men  from  the  love  and  enjoyment  of  the  worid, 
and  in  fixing  the  heart  on  the  sublimer  and  holier  enjoyments 
of  religion,  are  the  grand  topics ;  and  they  are  treated  with  the 
hand  of  a  roaster.  All  the  emp^  glare  and  noisome  pollution 
of  the  world  were  known  to  Baxter.  Into  the  dark  chambers  of 
the  human  heart  he  pours  the  light  of  day,  exhibiting  all  its 
guiltiness  and  pollution,  and  exposing  the  inadequacy  of  all 
that  the  world  can  supply  to  satisfy  its  ''  immortal  longings." 

How  admirably  does  he  expose  the  vain  show  of  man's 
Irastling  life !  ''  It  is  but  like  children's  games,  where  all  is 
doae  in  jest,  and  which  wise  men  account  not  worthy  their 
observance.  It  is  but  like  the  acting  of  a  comedy,  where  great 
persons  and  actions  are  personated  and  counterfeited;  and  a 
pompous  stir  there  is  for  a  while,  to  please  the  foolish  spec- 
tators, that  themselves  may  be  pleased  by  their  applause,  and 
then  they  come  down,  and  the  sport  is  ended,  and  they  are  as 

ttnaiits  in  their  leases  to  learn  a  catechism,  and  read  the  Scriptures,  and  be 
Mice  a  year  accountable  to  their  minister  for  their  profiting."  His  recommen* 
4stioni  about  the  distribution  of  religious  books  and  tractS|  and  visiting  the 
foorand  the  sick  were  more  likely  to  be  sttendtd  to« 


Hid  TMlft  LIFB  XKb  WfttTtHGS 

« 

they  were.  It  is  but  like  a  puppet  pltiy,  whefe  there  if  gif^ 
<loings  to  little  purpose ;  or  like  the  busy  gadding  fit  tht  Ube^ 
Yious  ants,  to  gather  together  a  little  sticks  and  strawy  wUd 
the  spurn  of  man's  foot  will  soon  disperse." 

With  what  beauty  does  he  describe  the  emptineii  of  Ae 
world ;  and  with  what  earnestness  does  he  expostulate  with  UNi 
-on  the  folly  of  preferring  it  to  the  better  enjoymenls  of  Gbdl 
•**What!  shall  we  prefer  a  molehill  before  a  kingdom}  A 
shadow  before  the  substance?  An  hour  before  eternity?  Ni^ 
thing  before  all  things  ?  Vanity  and  vexation  before  felicity ), 
-^TJie  cross  of  Christ  hath  set  up  such  a  sun  as  quite  darkenelli 
the  light  of  worldly  glor)\  Though  earth  were  somethiligi  if 
there  were  no  better  to  be  had^  it  is  nothing  when  hccieft 
«tandeth  by." 

'  I  know  none  of  the  writings  of  Baxter  which  contains  pamg^ 
'of  greater  power,  or  more  impressive  eloquence^  than  this.  The 
'solemnity  of  the  circumstances  in  which  the  discourse  was  ddf- 
'vered,  appears  to  have  affected  him,  and  increased  even  Ui 
n&ccustomed  earnestness.  I  cannot  make  many  quotatioii%  bst 
Met  the  reader  imagine,  if  he  <:an^  the  effect  of  the  follofriflg 
•passage,  addressed  to  the  court : 

"  Honourable,  worshipful,  and  all  well-beloved,  it  is  aweighty 
'employment  that  occasioneth  your  meeting  here  to*day«    The 
estates  and  lives  of  men  are  in  your  hands.     But  it  is  anothtr 
kind  of  judgment  which  you  are  all  hastening  towards:  wh«i 
judges  and  juries,  the   accusers  and  accused,  must  all  appesr 
upon  equal  terms,  for  the  final  decision  of  a  far  greater  cauK. 
The  case  that  is  then  and  there  to  be  determined,  is  not  whether 
you  shall  have  lands  or  no  lands,  life  or  no  life  (in  our  natunl 
sense) ;  but  whether  you  shall  have  heaven  or  hell,  salvation  or 
'  damnation,  an  endless  life  of  glory  with  God  and  the  Redeemer, 
and  the  angels  of  heaven,  or  an  endless  life  of  torment  with 
devils  and  ungodly  men.     As  sure  as  you  now  sit  on  those  seats, 
you  shall  shortly  all  appear  before  the  Judge  of  all  the  world, 
and  there  receive  an  irreversible  sentence,  to  an  unchangeable 
'  state  of  happiness  or  misery.     This  is  the  great  businees  that 
should  presently  call  up  your  most  serious  thoughts,  and  set  all 
'  the  powers  of  your  souls  on  work  for  the  most  effectual  prepa- 
ration 5  that  if  you  are  men,  you  may  quit  yourselves  like  men, 
for  the  preventing  of  that  dreadful  doom  which  unprepared  sods 
I  must  there  expect.     ITie  greatest  of  your  secular  affairs  are  biit 
dreams  and  toys  to  this.  Were  you  at  every  assijte  to  detennine 


OF  miCHARD  BAXTBlt.  819 

of  m>  lower  valu6  than  the  crowns  and  king:d6m8  of  the 
inoiMkrchs  of  the  eiEtrth,  it  were  but  as  children's  games  to  this* 
if  mny  man  of  you  believe  not  this,  he  is  worse  than  the  devil 
tiiat  tempteth  him  to  unbelief;  and  let  him  know  that  unbelief 
la  no  prevention,  nor  will  put  off  the  day,  or  hinder  his  appeal 

;  but  ascertain  his  condemnation  at  that  appearance. 
^  He  that  knows  the  law  and  the  fact,  may  know  before  your 

(,  what  will  become  of  every  prisoner^  if  the  proceeding^ 
be  all*  just,  as  in  our  case  they  will  certainly  be«    Christ  Will 
Judge  according  to  his  laws ;  know  therefore  whom  the  law  edn-^ 
-demiMh  or  justifieth,  and  you  may  know  whom  Christ  will 
*totidemn  or  justify.    And  seeing  all  this  is  so,  doth  it  not 
%soiieem  us  all  to  make  a  speedy  trial  of  ourselves  in  preparation 
to  thin  final  trial  ?  I  shall  for  your  own  sakes  therefore,  take  the 
•fctddnese,  as  the  officer  of  Christ,  to  eummon  Vou  to  iqppear 
iH^ta  yourselves,  and  keep  an  assize  this  day  in  your  own  souls, 
tAd  answer  at  the  bar  of  conscience,  to  what  shall  be  charged 
iqMli  you.     Fear  not  the  trial ;  for  it  is  not  conclusive,  final,  or 
H  peremptory  irreversible  sentence  that  must  now  pass.    Yet 
llight  it-  not }  for  it  is  a  necessary  preparative  to  that  which  is 
9xai  and  irrevetsible.  Consequentially,  it  may  prove  a  justifying 
•iKCUsation,  an  absolving  condemnation,  aiid  if  you  proceed  to 
vxecntion,  a  saving,-  quickening  death,  which  I  am  now  per^ 
auading  you  to  undergo.     The  whole  world  is  divided  into  two 
'Wfts  of  men  :  one  that  love  God  above  all,  and  live  (ot  him  ; 
and  the  other  that  love  the  flesh  and  world  above  all,  and  Hve 
to  them.    One  that  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his 
ffigfateousness ;    another  that  seek  first  the  things  of  this  life. 
One  that  mind  and  savour  the  things  of  the  flesh  and  of  mail ; 
tiMB  other  that  mind  and  savour  most  the  things  of  the  Spirit  and 
•f  God.    One  that  account  all  things  dung  and  dross  that  they 
rmay  win  Christ ;  another  that  make  light  of  Christ  in  com- 
parison of  their  business,  and  riches,  and  pleasures  in  the  world. 
•One  that  live  by  sight  and  sense  upon  present  things,  anotlier 
that  live  by  faith  upon  things  invisible.     One  that  have  their 
conversation  in  heaven,   and  live   as   strangers   upon  earth; 
another  that  mind  earthly  things,  and  are  strangers  to  heaven. 
'One  that  have  in  resolution  forsaken  all  for  Christ,  and  the 
'hopes  of  a  treasure  in  heaven ;  another  that  resolve  to  keep 
•abmcwhat  here,  though  they  venture  and  forsake  the  heavenly 
reward,  and  will  go  away  sorrowful  that  they  cannot  have  both. 
One  that  being  born  of  the  flesh  is  but  flesh ;  the  ottier  that 


520  TUB  LIFJfr  AND  WRITINGS 

being  bora  of  the  Spirit  is  spiriU  One  that  life  as  withoiit  God 
in  the  world ;  the  other  that  live  as  without  the  seducing  worid 
in  God,  an4  in  and  by  the  subservient  world  to  God»  One  that 
have  ordinances  and  means  of  grace,  as  if  they  had  none;  the 
other  that  have  houses,  lands,  wives,  as  if  they  had  none.  One 
that  believe  as  if  they  believed  not,  and  love  God  as  if  they  bwed 
him  not,  and  pray  as  if  they  prayed  not,  as  if  the  finnt  of  these 
were  but  a  shadow :  the  other  that  weep,  as  if  they  wept  noC^ 
for  worldly  things,  and  rejoice  as  if  they  rejoiced  not»  One 
that  have  Christ  as  not  possessing  him,  and  use  him  and  Ui 
name  as  but  abusing  them ;  the  other  that  buy  as  if  they  pes* 
aessed  not,  and  use  the  world  as  not  abusing  it.  One  that  draw 
near  to  God  with  their  lips,  when  their  hearts  are  far  firom  him; 
the  other  that  corporally  converse  with  the  worid,  when  their 
hearts  are  far  from  it*  One  that  serve  God  who  is  a  Spirit 
with  caroal  service,  and  not  in  spirit  and  truth;  the  other  thtf 
use  the  world  itself  spiritually,  and  not  in  a  carnal  workUy  man- 
ner* In  a  word,  one  sort  are  children  of  this  world  ; .  the  other 
are  the  children  of  the  world  to  come,  and  heirs  of  the  heavenfy 
kingdom.  One  sort  have  their  portion  in  this  life  ;  and  the  other 
have  God  for  their  portion.  One  sort  have  their  good  things  la 
this  life-time,  and  their  reward  here ;  the  other  have  their  evil 
things  in  this  life,  and  live  in  hope  of  the  everlasting  reward/'' 

The  next  work  that  occurs  in  this  class,  is  his  ^  Treatise 
on  Self-Denial,'  which  was  first  published  in  1659.  ^  Bei^^ 
greatly  apprehensive/'  he  says,  ^^of  the  commonness  and 
danger  of  the  sin  of  selfishness,  as  the  sum  and  root  of  all 
positive  evil,  I  preached  many  sermons  against  it,  and^  at  the 
request  of  some  friends,  I  published  them  in  this  treatise,  which 
found  better  acceptance  than  most  of  my  other  books,  but  yet 
prevented  not  the  ruin  of  church  and  state,  and  millions  of  souls, 
by  that  sin/' » 

To  understand  the  allusion  in  this  sentence,  the  reader  most 
remember  that  the  work  was  published  shortly  before  the  Re- 
storation. Prefixed  to  it,  is  a  long  letter  addressed  to  Colonel 
James  Berry,  one  of  the  council  of  state/'  Of  Berry,  we  have 
had  occasion  to  speak  in  a  former  part  of  this  work.  He  was 
one  of  the  earliest  friends  of  Baxter,  in  whose  religious  cha- 
racter he  had  placed  great  confidence ;  but,  of  whom,  he  after* 
.  wards  greatly  altered  his  opinion.    Whedier  he  was  justified 

f  Works,  vol.  ix.  pp.  431—433.  "  Life,  part  i.  p.  1 17. 


OP  RICHARD  RAXTBR*  '521 

{A.dtarbgf  Bn.  opinkm  of  Berr]r»  belongs  not  to  oar  present 
Mdbjeet ;  bat  in  this  letter  there  is  some  admirable  admonition 
oa  the  danger  of  worldly  greatness^  by  which  Baxter  was  afraid 
the  colonel  had  been  injured. 

* '  *  Self  is  the  strongest  and  most  dangerous  enemy  that  ever 
ymoi  fbiqiht  against.  It  is  a  whole  army  united ;  and  the  more 
•dngerous,  because  so  near.  Many  that  have  fought  as  valiantly 
ud  snocttsfttUy  against  other  enemies  as  you,  have,  at  last, 
baea  conquered  and  undone  by  self.  Conquer  it  you  catmot, 
'Without  a  conflict ;  and  the  conflict  must  endure  as  long  as  you 
fife.  Combating  is  not  pleasing  to  the  enemy ;  and,  there- 
tee^  as  long  as  self  is  the  enemy,  and  self-pleasing  is  natural  to 
cormpted  man  (that  should  be  wholly  addicted  to  please  the 
IiOid)y  self-denial  will  prove  a  difficult  task ;  and  if  somewhat 
ill  the  advice  that  would  engage  you  deeper  in  the  conflict 
should  seem  bitter  or  ungrateful,  I  should  not  wonder.  And  let 
me  freely  tell  you,  that  your  prosperity  and  advancement  will 
nake  the  work  so  exceecUngly  difficult,  tfiat,  since  you  have  been 
a  aiajor-general  and  a  lord,  and  now  a  counsellor  of  state,  you 
have  stood  in  a  more  slippery,  perilous  place,  and  have  need  of 
vmeb  more  grace  and  vigilancy  than  when  you  were  but  Bax- 
ter's friend. 

^  I  sleep  inost  sweetly  when  I  have  travelled  in  the  cold. 
Fkost  and  snow  are  friends  to  the  seed,  though  they  are  enemies 
to  the  flower.  Adversity,  indeed,  is  contrary  to  glory ;  but  it 
befriendeth  grace.  Plutarch  tells  us,  that,  when  Caesar  passed 
if  a  smoky,  nasty  village  at  the  foot  of  the  Alps,  some  of  his 
eommanders  merrily  asked  htm  whether  there  was  such  a  stir 
for  commands,  and  dignities,  and  honours,  among  those  cottages, 
as  there  was  at  Rome.  The  answer  is  easy.  Do  you  not  think 
that  an  Anthony,  a  Mark,  a  Jerome,  or  such  other  of  the  ancient, 
retired  Christians,  were  wiser  and  happier  men  than,  a  Nero 
•or  a  Caligula ;  yea,  or  a  Julius  Caesar  ?  Is  it  a  desirable  thing 
to  be  a  lord,  or  ruler,  before  we  turn  to  common  earth ;  and,  as 
Marius,  that  was  made  emperor  one  day,  reigned  the  next, 
andjwas  slain  by  a  soldier  the  next ;  so  to  be  worshipped  to-day, 
and  laid  in  the  dust,  if  not  in  hell,  to-morrow  ?  It  was  the  say- 
ing of  the  Emperor  Severus,  'Omnia  fui,  sed  nihil  expedit;' 
and  of  King  David, '  I  have  seen  an  end  of  all  perfection.*  O, 
vahie  these  things  but  as  they  deserve  !  Speak  impartially ;  are 
not  those  that  are  striving  to  get  up  the  ladder,  foolish  and 
ridiculous^  when  those  that  are  at  the  top  have  attained  but 


'532  THB  Lin  AKII  WAlTfHGS 

danger^ trouble,  and  enry;  md  didse  thai  fidl  tiDwa'art  M!^ 
counted  miserable  ? 

*  '           Sed  pulU  acoDita  bibimtar 
Fictilibuf ••  "• 

RefiBrring  to  dieir  early  intimacj,  he  mentioos^  %itfi  giati- 
tude,  that  Berry  had  been  the  instnimeht  of  introdaciii^  hki  i 
the  ministry.  *^  You  brought  me  into  the  ministry.  I  an 
fident  you  know  to  what  ends,  and  with  what  intentionsi  I 
desired  it.  I  was  then  very  ignorant,  young,  and  raw  |  thoagh 
my  weakness  be  yet  such  as  I  must  lament,  I  must  aay,  tm  the 
praise  of  the  great  Shepherd  of  the  flock,  that  he  hath,  mutt 
then,  offered  me  precious  opportunities,  miich  aasiataiiee^  aal 
as  much  encouragement  as  to  any  man  that  I  l^now  alive  Yea 
know  my  education  and  initial  weakness  were  such  as,  foM 
me  to  glory  in  the  flesh :  but  I  will  not  rob  God  of  his  glory  Is 
avoid  the. appearance  of  ostentation,  lest  I  be  proud  of  aeemi^g 
not  to  be  proud.  I  doubt  not  but  many  thousand  aoids  will 
thank  you  when  they  have  read,  that  you  were  the  man  that  W 
me  into  the  ministry  :  and  shall  I  entertain  a  suspicion  that  yoa 
will  ever  hearken  to  those  men  that  would  rob  you  of  the  rsv 
ward  of  many  such  works,  and  engage  you  against  the  King  of 
Saints?" »» 

He  concludes  his  letter  with  inimitable  beauty :  '^  But  I  have 
been  too. tedious.  I  beseech  you  interpret  not  any  of  theK 
words  as  intended  for  accusation  or  unjust  suspicipn  of  yonrselt 
God  forbid  you  should  ever  fall  from  that  integrity  that  I 
persaaded  you  once  had.  6ut  my  eye  is  on  the  times 
grief,  and  on  my  ancient,  dearest  friend  with  love  :  and,  in  sa 
age  of  iniquity  and  temptation,  my  conscience  and  the  wodd 
shall  never  say  that  I  was  unfaithful  to  my  friend,  and  foriMre 
to  tell  him  of  the  common  dangers."  ^ 

The  treatise  is  of  considerable  extent,  occupying  the  greater 
part  of  one  of  the  volumes  of  the  new  edition  of  his  works. 
He  divides  it  into  seventy-three  chapters,  embracing  a  vast 
.range  of  topics,  more  or  less  connected  with  his  main  sub- 
ject. He  discusses  almost  every  thing  tliat  may  engage  or 
ensnare  the  mind;  in  regard  to  which,  therefore,  Chrisdans 
must  be  on  their  guard.  The  inveterate  and  extensive  powtir 
•  of  the  principle  of  selfishness,  with  its  diversified  modes  of 
operation,  has  never  perhaps  been  more  strikingly  exhibite4 
than  in  this  treatise.     Sblf  is  truly  and  correctly  described  us 

•Works,  vol.  xi. p.  16k        >»  IbicK  pp. 4»,  e4r       MbULpp.8S,K. 


or  RICHARD.  BAXTER.  $SS 

tin  gitat  idA  which  all  unsahctified  men  worship.  It  ia  that 
for  which  the  rich  and  the  ambitious  struggle;  for  which  the 
merchant  compasseth  sea  and  land;  for  which  the  soldier 
fights,  the  tradesman  deals,  the  ploughman  labours,  the  tra- 
Teller  goes  forrh.  It  is  the  ruling  principle  in  the  world,  and 
the  source  of  al(  funbition,  contention,  and  love  of  pre-eminence, 
in  the  church. 

In  dissecting  knd  illustrating  its  nature,  Baxter  is  not  always 
strictly  accurate ;  1>ut  he  is  sufficiently  so  for  all  the  purposes 
of  popular  and  practical  writing.  Many  things  to  which  he 
Rdverts,  belong,  perhaps,  as  properly  to  some  of  the  other  evil 
principles  of  our  nature  as  to  the  love  of  self.  It  is,  however, 
one  of  the  great  roots  of  that  many-branching  tree,  which  bears 
no  fruit  that  is  good  or  profitable.  What  Bernard,  as  quoted  by 
Baxter,  says  of*  pride  or  ambition,  may,  with  great  propriety,  be 
applied  to  this  :  ^^  Subtile  malum  secretum  virus,  pestis  occulta, 
doli  artifexy  mater  hypocrisis,  livoris  parens,  vitiorUm  origo, 
tinea  sanctitatis,  excaecatrix  cordium,  ex  remediis  morbos  ere- 
ans,  ex  medictna  languorem  generans.''  Such  a  root  of  evil, 
the  Gospel,  aided  by  the  omnipotence  of  divine  influence,  alone 
can  extirpate,  from  the  heart  of  man. 

In  'this  able  treatise,  there  are  various  indications  that  the 
'spirit  of  the  author  was,  at  the  time,  discomposed  and  fretted. 
'Ma^y* things  in  the  state  of  the  times  displeased  him:  the 
conduct  of  the  ruling  powers,  the  multiplication  of  sects,  th^ 
'swarming  of  errors,  the  want  of  uniformity  among  professors 
of  the  Gospel,  and,  of  that  subordination  which  Baxter  believed 
to'be  necessary  to  a  healthy  state  of  religion,  with  the  personal 
treatment  which  he  sometimes  experienced,  all  tended  to  grieve 
and  vex  him,  and  give  a  strong  colouring  to  some  of  his  repre^ 
sentations.    These,  however,  are  but  trifling  blemishes,  and  af- 
fect but  in  a  very  small  degree  the  valuable  practical  instruction 
\vith  which  the  work  abounds. 

At  the  end  of  the  treatise,  there  is  a  singular  poetical  dialogue 
lietween  the  flesh  and  the  Spirit,  intended  to  illustrate  some  of 
'the  hetitimienls  previously  stated  in  prose.  It  is,  in  fact,  an 
animated  debate  between  the  two  opposing  principles  in  man*« 
'nature,  containing  more  poetry  in  the  thought  than  in  the  rhjrme, 
'Vhe  following  passage,  in  which  the  Spirit  expostulates  with  the 
'flesh  6n  its  reluctance  to  death,  contains  a  variety  of  very  beaa- 
tiftil  and  poetical  illustrations  of  death  and  the  resarreolion; 
and  if  the  reader  can  ini^e  some  allowance  for  a  little  home- 


S24  THS  LIVE  AND  WBimrM 


and  an  occasional  want  of  hannony,  he  ynH  he  jkmi 
with  the  thoughts :— - 

"  So  nature  breaks  and  casti  away  the  tbcll^ 
Where  the  now  beauteous  siosinf4iiid  did  dwell* 
Thus  roses  drop  their  sweet  leaves  underfoot ; 
But  the  Spring  shows  that  life  was  in  tlie  root. 
Soulsare  the  rooU  of  bodies;  Christ  the  head 
Is  root  of  both^  and  will  revive  the  dead* 
Our  sun  still  sbinetb^  when  with  us  'tb  aisht ; 
When  he  returns  we  shall  shine  in  hislifbc 
Souls  that  behold,  and  praise  God  with  the  josty 
Mourn  not  because  their  bodies  are  but  dmi* 
Graves  are  but  beds,  where  flesh  tiU  aiominf  alaepsi 
Or  chests  where  God  awhile  our  i^arments  keeps* 
Our  folly  thinks  be  spoils  them  in  the  keeping  ; 
Which  canseth  our  excessive  lears  and  wecplnf  t 
But  God»  that  doth  our  rising  day  foietet» 
Pities  not  rotting  flesh  so  much  as  we. 
The  birth  of  nature  was  deformed  by  sin  | 
The  birth  of  ^race  did  our  repair bq|^; 
The  birth  of  ^loiy  at  the  resurrection 
Finisheth  all^  and  brin|^  both  to  perfection. 
Why  should  not  fruit,  when  it  is  mellow,  lUl? 
Why  should  we  linger  here  when  God  doth  call?"^ 

As  the  virtue  of  patience  is  nearly  allied  to  self-denial,  I WKJ 
introduce  Baxter's  treatise  on  that  subject  in  this  place,  since 
it  is  now  part  of  the  same  volume  with  the  discourse  on  Self* 
Denial,  though  it  was  published  many  years  afterward*  It  ii 
entitled  ^^  Obedient  Patience.  Its  nature  in  general,  and  its 
exercise  in  twenty  particular  cases ;  with  helps  to  obtain  and 
use  it,  and  to  repress  impatience.''  It  appeared  in  1682*  Baxter 
was  then  the  subject  of  severe  afflictions  and  trials,  and  wii 
thus  called  to  the  special  exercise  of  the  Christian  grace  which 
he  recommends  to  others.  The  preface  both  explains  hia  viewi 
of  the  doleful  state  of  the  times,  and  his  reasons  for  writing  this 
little  work: 

^^  I  here  offer  to  others  the  same  which  I  have  prepared  finr 
myself,  and  find  necessary  for  my  daily  use*  All  men  most 
savour  that  which  they  find  most  suitable  to  them*  When  I 
was  youngs  and  lay  under  the  sad  suspicions  of  my  own  heart, 
and  the  doubts  of  my  sound  conversion  and  justification,  I  wasfsr 
morepleased  with  a  sermon  that  opened  the  nature  of  saving  grace, 
and  helped  me  against  such  doubts,  than  with  a  sermon  of  afflictioo 
and  its  use;  yea,though  I  beganto  be  afflicted*  Butnow,thisisthe 
,subjectof  my  daily  necessary  thoughts :  man's  implacable  ennutj 

^  Works  I  voL  zL  p.  378. 


M  BICBARD  BAXTBft.  SSS* 

ttem  somewhat  necessary ;  but  Qod's  more  immediate 
MwrectioDs  on  my  body,  incomparably  more*  And  while  every 
day  abnost  fills  my  ears  with  the  sad  complunts  of  weak,  me- 
buidiolyy  afflicted,  impoverished,  sick,  pained,  or  otherwise- 
distressed  persons ;  and  the  weekly  news-books  tell  us  of  foreign 
warty  persecutions,  mins^  implacable  contentions,  malignant  com* 
Unations  against  the  church,  pursuing  conscience  and  obedience 
to  God  with  diabolical  rage  to  drive  them  out  of  the  world ;  and 
of  the  successes  of  bloodthirsty  men,  and  the  deluge  of  atheism^ 
idolatry,  Sadduceism,  infidelity,  Mahometanism,  hypocrisy, 
senmality,  ambition,  worldliness,  lying,  perjury,  malignity,  and 
gross  ignorance,  which  have  even  drowned  the  earth :  while  there 
is  little  but  doleful  tidings,  complaints,  and  fears  from  kingdoms, 
churches,  cities,  families ;  and  Qod,  in  judgment,  permitteth 
mankind  to  be  worse  than  serpents,  toads,  or  wolves,  if  not  than 
devik,  to  one  another ;  and  while  wit  and  learning,  reverend 
cmNT  and  hypocrisy,  are  every  day  as  hotly  at  work  as  any 
amitb  in  his  flaming  forge,  to  blow  the  coals  of  bloody  malice  ; 
and  haUng  and  destroying  others,  even  those  whom  they  pretend 
to  love  as  themselves,  seem  to  multitudes  the  most  honourable 
and  necessary  work,  and  the  killing  of  love  and  of  souls  and 
bodies,  is  taken  for  meritorious  of  everlasting  happiness.  I  say, 
while  all  this  is  so  in  the  world,  and  while  all  flesh  must  look 
Ibr  pain,  sickness,  and  death ;  and  all  men  are  yet  worse  to 
themselves,  and  greater  burdens  than  all  their  enemies  are,  I 
cannot  think  a  treatise  of  patience  needless  or  unseasonable/'* 
Under  the  twenty  particular  cases  which  call  for  the  special 
exercise  of  patience,  he  includes  bodily  affliction,  the  prospect 
of  death,  loss  of  property,  or  actual  want;  the  sickness  and 
death  of  friends;  the  unfaithfulness  of  friends;  persecution;  loss 
of  reputation ;  the  unrighteousness  of  rulers ;  treachery  and 
abuse  of  servants  and  others ;  temptations  of  Satan ;  trouble  of 
eonscience ;  the  loss  of  the  means  of  grace,  &c.  &c.  All  these 
triak,  at  one  time  or  another,  Baxter  had  endured  himself,  and 
was  thus  qualified  to  sympathise  with  and  instruct  those  who 
might  be  suffering  from  them.  Most  of  his  suggestions  are 
calculated  either  to  soothe  or  to  reconcile  the  mind  in  the  time 
of  sorrow.  He  is  faithful,  yet  kind ;  firm,  but  tender.  He  could 
say,  with  the  apostle,  ^^  God  hath  comforted  us  in  all  our  tribu- 
lati(Mis,  that  we  may  be  able  to  comfort  them  who  are  in  any 
trouble,  by  the  comfort  wherewith  we  ourselves  are  comforted 

•  Worki,  voL  xi.  pp.383|  384« 


SX  THB  LIFB  AND  WRItlMS 

of  Qod }  for,  as  the  BufTerings  of  Christ  have  abomidad  1o  m^. 
80  our  consolation  also  hath  abounded  by  Christ.^'     • 

In  I66O5  he  published  the  <  Life  of  Faith^  as  it  is  the  m- 
denoe  of  things  unseen/  the  substance  of  a  sermon  which  bir 
preached  before  the  king  on  the  22d  of  July/  But  as  he  after- 
wards, in  1670,  republished  this  work,  enlarged  into  a  4to 
volume,  it  will  be  proper  to  notice  it  in  this  form.  It  eoBtabs 
the  original  sermon  enlarged ;  instructions  for  confimnngr  be** 
lievers  in  the  Christian  faith ;  and  directions  how  ta  Vm  hf 
faith,  or  how  to  exercise  it  on  all  occasions.  In  the  diieomi 
itself,  he  discovers  much  good  taste  in  making  no  peMmal  alia* 
sions  to  the  king  himself.  Baxter  could  not  flatter,  but  be  codd 
be  courteous.  A  personal  address  to  his  majesty,  had  be  at* 
tempted  it,  could  scarcely  have  failed  to  be  offensive  |  he  there* 
fore  entirely  avoids  it,  and  delivers  only  truths  which  were 
calculated  for  the  peasant  as  much  as  for  royalty.  As  a  temKm* 
on  such  an  occasion,  it  contains  too  much  theology,  and  in  aH: 
probability  must  have  been  very  tiresome  to  Charles.  But  if 
Barrow  could  occupy  three  hours,  Baxter  was  quite  capable  of 
securing  attention  for  as  long  a  period,  though  1  dare  say  hit 
discourse  did  not  occupy  half  that  time  in  its  delivery.  Towards 
the  conclusion,  he  thus  addresses  his  audience : 

"Princes  and  nobles  live  not  alwavs;  vou  are  not  the  rulers 
of  the  unmoveabie  kingdom  ;  but,  of  a  boat  that  is  in  a  hasty 
stream,  or  a  ship  under  sail  that  will  speed  both  pilot  and  pas« 
sengers  to  the  shore  !  '  Dixi,  estis  Dii :  ut  moriemini  ut  homines/ 
It  was  not  the  least  or  worst  of  kings  that  said,  ^  1  am  a  strangcf 
upon  earth  3'  ^  Vermis  sum,  non  homo  :'  You  are  the  greater 
worms,  and  we  the  little  ones ;  but  we  must  all  say  with  Job^ 
*The  grave  is  our  house,  and  we  must  make  our  beds  in  darkness: 
corruption  is  our  father,  and  the  worm  our  mother  and  our  sister.' 
The  inexorable  leveller  is  ready  at  vour  backs  to  convince  vou 
by  irresistible  argument,  that  dust  you  are,  and  to  dust  you  shall 
return.  Heaven  should  be  as  desirable  and  hell  as  terrible  to' 
you  as  to  others.  No  man  will  fear  you  after  death ;  mueh 
less  will  Christ  be  afraid  to  judge  you.  As  the  kingdoms  and 
glory  of  the  world  were  contemned  by  him  in  the  hour  of  his 
temptation ;  so  are  they  inconsiderable  to  procure  his  appro- 
bation. IVust  not  therefore  to  uncertain  riches ;  value  then 
but  as  they  will  prove  at  last.    As  you  stand  on  higher  ground 


or  aiCBAED  BiJITBB«  5S7 

than  others,  it  is  meet  that  you  should  see  further.  The  greater 
^re  your  advantages,  the  wiser  and  better  you  should  be  ;  and 
tberefore  should  better  perceive  the  difference  between  things 
temporal  and  eternal.  It  is  always  dark  where  glow-worms 
%\unity  and  where  a  rotten  post  doth  seem  a  fire.^S 

la  a  very  delicate  manner  he  present^  his  suit  on  behalf  of 
bis  brethren  and  himself;  hard  must  have  been  the  heart  which 
would  turn  from  such  a  petitioner,  and  refuse  such  a  prayer.. 
U  1  should  have  become  on  the  behalf  of  Christ  a  petitioner 
to  you  for  protection  and  encouragement  to  the  heirs  of  the  in^ 
▼is^ble  world ;  for  them  that  preach,  and  them  that  live  in  this 
life  of  faith.  Not  for  the  honours  and  riches  of  the  world ;  but 
fqr  leave  and  countenance  to  work  in  the  vineyard,  and  peace- 
ably to  travel  through  the  world  as  strangers,  and  live  in  the 
communion  of  saints,  as  they  believe.  But,  though  it  be  for  the 
beloved  of  the  Lord,  the  apple  of  his  eye,  the  people  that  are 
sure  to  prevail  and  reign  with  Christ  for  ever ;  whose  prayers 
can  do  more  for  the  greatest  princes  than  you  can  do  for  them, 
whose  joy  is  hastened  by  that  which  is  intended  for  their  sor- 
row ;  I  shall  now  lay  by  any  further  suit  on  their  behalf." > 

Baxter  had  less  of  the  common  vice  of  preachers  of  his 
age,  the  foolish  introduction  of  Greek  and  Latin  in  their 
sermons,  than  most  of  them.  There  is  one  singular  passage 
in  this  discourse  that  may  be  regarded  as  an  exception  from 
his  general  style,  and  for  which  the  auditors  to  whom  he  was 
preaching  may  be  considered  as  an  apology,  llie  reference  to 
the  character  of  the  age,  is  delicate  and  happy.  *'  It  has  lately 
been  a  controversy,  whether  this  be  not  the  golden  age.  That  it 
is  *  atas  ferrea,'  we  have  felt ;  our  demonstrations  are  unde- 
niable, lliat  it  is  '  aetas  aurata,'  we  have  sufficient  proof :  and 
while  gold  is  the  god  that  rules  the  most,  we  will  not  deny  it  to. 
be  *  aetas  aurea'  in  the  poet's  sense  : 

*  Aurea  dudc  vere  suot  sccuU  :  plurimus  auro 
Veuit  bonos  auro  coDciliatur  amor.' 

This  prevalency  of  things  seen  against  things  unseen,  is  the 
idolatry  of  the  world  ;  the  subversion  of  nature  ;  the  perversion 
of  our  faculties  and  actions  :  making  the  soul  a  drudge  to  flesh, 
and  God  to  be  used  as  a  servant  to  the  world.  It  destroyeth 
piety,  justice,  and  charity:  it  turneth  'jus/  by  perversion,  into 
^  vis,'  or,  by  reversion,  into  'sui.'  No  wonder,  then,  if  it  be  the 
rain  of  societies,  when 

f  Works,  vol.  jiii.  pp.  51,  52.  ^  Ibid.  p.  W» 


528  THB  LIFE  ANB  WRITINGS 

*  Gent  sine  jitstitiAy  sine  remige  naTif  in  itadt.* 

It  can  possess  even  Demosthenes  with  a  squinancy^  if  there  be 
but  an  Harpalus  to  bring  him  the  infection.  It  can  make  t 
judicature  to  be  as  Plutarch  called  that  of  Rome,  empSif  yM^\ 
*  impiorum  regionem ;'  contrary  to  Cicero's  descriptioii  of  Siil- 
pitius,  who  was  'magis  justitise  quam  juris  consnltusy  et  ad 
facilitatem  aequitatemque  omnia  contulit;  nee  maluit  litioBi 
actiones  constituere,  quam  controversias  tollere.'  **  ^ 

The  ^  Sermon  on  Faith '  occupies  about  fifty  pages ;  but  tiie 
treatise  which  grew  out  of  it,  and  which  may  be  considered*  as  a 
kind  of  appendix^  extends  beyond  five  hundred  pages :  so  prolilic 
and  expansive  was  the  mind  of  Baxter^  when  it  had  room  ttid 
verge  enough  for  the  exercise  of  its  power.  The  work  coouitB 
of  two  parts  :  instructions  for  confirming  believers  in  the  Chris- 
tian faith ;  and  directions  how  to  exercise  it  on  all  occasions.  It 
contains  what  every  thing  of  Baxter's  on  practical  religion  doei| 
much  that  is  excellent ;  but  it  is  more  tedious  than  some  other 
of  his  treatises,  and  contains  more  repetition  than  was  usual 
with  him.  In  treating  on  the  confirmation  of  the  faith,  he  in- 
troduces many  of  the  same  topics  which  are  to  be  found  in  his 
work,  *The  Reasons  of  the  Christian  Religion/  He  had  ob- 
served that  that  treatise  was  neglected  by  the  common  class  of 
readers,  as  not  sufficiently  adapted  to  their  understandings; 
he  therefore  brings  forward  the  evidences  of  religion  again, 
though  in  a  more  popular  form. 

His  directions  for  the  exercise  of  faith,  are  not  only  nu- 
merous and  minute,  but  very  similar  to  many  of  his  rules  or 
principles  in  his '  Christian  Directory,'  though  the  latter  work 
was  published  after  the  ^  Treatise  on  Faith/  llie  recurrence 
of  the  same  sentiments,  and  the  repetition  of  the  same  topics, 
were  unavoidable  in  so  voluminous  a  writer  as  Baxter;  nor 
ought  this  to  be  regretted,  as  he  had  different  objects  in  laew 
m  his  several  works,  which  could  not  perhaps  have  been  effectu- 
ally attained  by  any  other  way.  He  ought,  however,  to  have 
reduced  some  of  his  discussions  within  narrower  limits. 

The  ^  Life  of  Faith '  is  dedicated  to  Richard  Hampden,  esq^ 
the  friend  of  Baxter,  the  son  of  the  illustrious  patriot,  and  the 
heir  of  his  virtues.  Baxter  speaks  with  much  respect  of  the 
piety  of  this  gentleman,  and  his  wife.  Lady  Letitia,  and  in* 
timates  his  fervent,  gratitude  for  the  manifold  expressions  of 
their  love.  He  also  intimates  his  earnest  desire  for  the  good  of 
their  ^'  hopeful  children."    Alas !  the  eldest  of  these  childreni 

^  YToiki)  N\)U  uju  \^s  44, 45. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  529 

John  Hampden,  distinguished  no  less  than  his  grandfather,  for 
talents  and  public  spirit,  and  far  more  distinguished  for  learning, 
eame  at  last  to  a  Tery  melancholy  end.  Dr.  Calamy,  in  his 
*  Own  Life,'  tells  a  most  affecting  story  of  the  progress  of  his 
mind,  and  of  the  dismal  termination  of  his  existence.^ 

These  olijections  to  this  publication  Baxter  anticipated,  and 
meets  them  in  his  preface  more  snappishly  than  is  quite  desir- 
able, either  on  his  own  account  or  that  of  the  reader.  The  con- 
chision  of  it  contains  what  is  true,  but  what  might  have  been 
more  mildly  stated. 

^  If  it  offend  you  that  the  directions  are  many  of  them  difficult, 
and  that  the  style  requireth  a  slow  considerate  reader,  I  answer, 
the  nature  of  the  subject  requireth  it,  and  without  voluminous 
tedknisness,  it  cannot  be  avoided.  Blame,  therefore,  your  un- 
prepared, ignorant  minds ;  and  that  you  are  yet  dull  of  hearing, 
and  thus  make  things  hard  to  be  uttered  to  your  understand- 
ing :  because  you  have  still  need  of  milk,  and  cannot  digest 
strong  meat,  but  must  again  be  taught  the  principles  of  the 
oracles  of  God.  Think  not .  to  get  knowledge  without  hard 
study  and  patient  learning ;  by  hearing  nothing  but  what  you 
know  already,  or  can  understand  by  one  hasty  reading  over, 
lest  you  discover  a  conjunction  of  slothfiilness  with  an  ignorant 
and  unhumbled  mind.  Or  at  least,  if  you  must  learn  at  so  cheap 
a  rate,  or  else  stick  still  in  your  milk  and  your  beginnings,  be 
not  offended  if  others  outgo  you,  and  think  knowledge  worthy 
of  much  greater  diligence ;  and  if,  leaving  the  principles,  we  go 
on  towards  perfection,  as  long  as  we  take  them  along  with  us, 
and  make  them  the  life  of  all  that  followeth,  while  we  seem  to 
leave  them :  and  this  we  will  do  if  God  permit.'^ 

The  last  considerable  work  in  this  class  was  published  towards 
the  close  of  his  life.  The  title,  which  1  shall  give  at  large,  as  it 
is  rather  singular,  contains  a  very  full  view  of  the  subject  of 
which  it  treats,  as  well  as  of  the  apparent  feelings  of  the  author 
at  the  time.  '  Knowledge  and  Love  Compared;  in  two  parts. 
L  Of  fiedsely-pretended  knowledge.  II.  Of  true  saving  know- 
ledge and  love.  1.  Against  hasty  judging  and  false  conceits  of 
knowledge;  and  for  necessary  suspension.  2.  The  excellency  of 
divine  love,  and  the  happiness  of  being  known  and  loved  of  God. 
Written  as  greatly  needful  to  the  safety  and  peace  of  every 
Christian,  and  of  the  church :  the  only  certain  way  to  escape 

1  Vol.  i.  pp.  388<i»39i. 
VOL.  I.  MM 


330  TUB  LIFE  AND  WRIltNGS 

false  religions,  heresies,  sects,  and  malignant  prejudieeii  por^ 
^ecutions,  and  sinful  wars.  All  caused  by  falsely-pretended 
knowledge,  and  hasty  judging  by  proud,  ignorant  men,  who 
know  not  their  ignorance.  By  Richard  Baxter,  who,  by  Ood's 
blessing  on  long  and  hard  studies,  hath  learned  to  know  that  be. 
knoweth  but  little,  to  suspend  his  judgment  of  uncert«ntiet|  and 
to  take  great,  necessary,  certain  things  for  the  food  of  Iub  fiutk- 
and  comforts,  and  the  measure  of  his  church  communion/'  ^ 

If  a  title-page  could  effect  any  thing,  the  above  title  mmt 
have  effected  a  great  deal :  yet  this  is  one  of  the  small  number 
of  Baxter's  practical  writings,  which  1  do  not  think  much  calcu- 
lated for  usefulness.  It  was  written  at  several  intervals  before, 
but  was  published  within  two  years  of  his  death,  when  bettda 
his  memory,  which  he  acknowledges,  it  is  probable  some 
other  of  his  faculties,  had  begun  to  fail.  Not  that  it  dis- 
plays imbecility;  some  part  of  it  being  written  with  great 
vigour ;  but  it  evinces  a  diminished  perception  of  what  was  cal- 
culated to  do  good.  By  far  the  largest  portion  of  the  volume  ii 
a  laboured  effort  to  show  the  uncertainties  of  knowledge,  ndtb. 
a  view  to  prove  how  ignorant  man  is,  and  to  diminish  confi* 
dence  in  his  own  judgment.  The  tendency  of  this  argumentf 
pursued  to  the  length  that  Baxter  carries  it,  I  regard  as  exceed- 
ingly injurious,  it  is  calculated  to  destroy  due  respect,  both  for 
the  means  of  knowledge  wliich  God  has  provided  for  us,  and  the 
faculties  he  has  given  to  us.  It  is  more  fitted  to  gender  scepticism, 
and  bewilder  the  mind,  than  to  induce  humility.  I  am  well 
aware  the  author  would  have  deprecated  this  effect,  and  that  be 
was  very  far  from  being  conscious  that  he  was  doing  any  thing  to 
cause  it.  This  does  not,  however,  alter  the  character  of  hii 
book,  in  fact,  Baxter  had  so  occupied  himself  with  the  end- 
less and  unsatisfying  discussions  of  scholastic  and  metaphysical 
writers,  that  he  had  much  difficulty  in  satisfying  himself  ou 
many  subjects,  and  greatly  injured  his  own  faculty  of  judging. 
In  the  following  passage  of  this  very  treatise,  he  lays  before  the 
reader  a  view  of  his  acquisitions  in  this  kind  of  learning.  It  it 
\^uable  as  part  of  his  history. 

^"  I  have  looked  over  Hutten,  Vives,  Erasmus,  Scaliger,  Sal- 
m.  uus,  Casaubon,  and  many  other  critical  grammarians,  and 
all  Jruter's  critical  volumes.     I  have  read  almost  all  the  physic 
and  metaphysics  I  could  hear  of :  I  have  wasted  much  of  m 
time  among  loads  of  historians,  chronologers,  and  antiquarie 

.  ^  Works,  vol.  »v. 


OF  BIOHAAD  BAXTHRi  SSI 

14ci^iiw  noae  of  thsir  leiUniDg:  all  truth  is  useAiL  Mathe- 
lBftti«y  whioh  I  hAve  liiMt  of|  I  find  a  pretty  manlike  sport.  But 
if  I  had  ilo  other  kind  of  knowledge  than  these^  what  Ivere  my 
■ndtistanding  Worth  I  what  a  dreaming  dotard  should  I  bd  J 
Yea,  had  I  also  all  the  codes  and  patideots^  all  Ciijaeius^  Wesen- 
'tebhiiiti  and  their  tribfe,  at  my  fingers'  ends^  and  all  other  voliimes 
/of  eiYil^  nationali  and  canoti  laws,  with  the  rest  in  the  £ncyclo»* 
pildiai  what  a  puppet-play  wbUld  my  life  be,  if  I  had  no  more  1 

^^  I  have  higher  thoughts  of  the  schoolmen  than  Erasmus  and 
mat  other  grltmmarians  bad)  I  much  value  the  method  and  so* 
briety  of  Aquinas^  the  subtlety  of  Scotus  and  Ockam,  the  plain- 
Mtfs  of  Durandus^  the  solidity  of  Arinlinensis|  the  proflindity  of 
iBradwafdbei  the  excellent  acuteness  of  many  of  their  followers ; 
of  Aureolus,  Capreolus^  BatmeS,  Alvareai  Zumel|  &c«  |  of  Mayro, 
JjychetttSi  Trombeta^  Faber,  Meurissei  Rada^  &c.|  of  Ruiz, 
PeftmajtUsi  Suarez,  Vasquez,  &c» ;  of  Hurtado,  of  Albertinus,  of 
Lud.  k  Dola^  and  many  others.  But  how  loth  should  I  be  to 
take^  such  sauce  for  my  food,  and  such  recreations  for  my 
bositiess  1  The  jingling  of  too  much  and  false  philosophy 
hmong  tbemi  often  drowns  the  noise  of  Aaron's  bells^  I  feel 
jnyself  much  better  in  ^  Herbert's  Temple,'  or  in  a  heavenly 
tseatise  of  faith  and  love  >  and  though  I  do  not,  with  Dr.  Colet, 
jcUstaste  Augustine  above  the  plainer  Fathers^  yet  I  am  more 
taken  with  hi^  Confessions  than  with  his  grammatical  and  scho- 
liitic  treatises^  And  though  I  know  no  man  whose  genius  more 
fMiorreth  confusion^  instead  of  necessary  distinction  and  method; 
yet  I  loathe  impertinent,  useless  art,  and  pretended  precepts  and 
distincTtions,  which  have  not  a  foundation  in  the  matter/'  ^ 

We  cannot  help  regretting  that  such  a  man  as  Baxter  had 
not  better  employed  his  time  than  in  devouring  such  masses  of 
firavolous  and  unsatisfying  stuff  as  these  writers  cont^n.  His 
mind  required  that  its  metaphysical  propensities  should  be 
counteracted  and  restrained,  instead  of  encouraged  and  stimu- 
lated, as  it  must  have  been  by  such  a  course  of  reading.  He 
professes,  it  is  true,  to  despise  the  subtleties  of  the  schools,  and 
to  be  better  pleased  with  ^  Herbert's  Temple,'  or  ^  Augustine's 
Confessions,'  than  with  logical  and  scholastic  debates  and  dis- 
tinctions* This,  I  have  no  doubt,  was  the  case ;  and  yet  he 
deals  in  this  kind  of  writing  more  than  any  man  of  his  age.  He 
adverts  to  this  objection  against  himself  in  the  book,  and  en* 
4ta¥Oiir8j  though  unsatisfactorily,  to  answer  it. 

>  Works,  voir  xv.  p*.  1^,  16. 

'  mm2 


532  THB  LIFE  AND  WRimiOS 

^^  When  you  have  written  all  this  against  pretended  knoir^ 
ledge,  who  is  more  guilty  than  yourself?  Who  ao  oppicswdi 
his  reader  with  distinctions  ?  Are  all  your  large  writings  en- 
dent  certainties ;  even  those  controversies  in  which  you  haie  so 
many  adversaries  ?''    To  this  he  answers^ 

"I.  It  is  one  thing  to  assert  uncertaindes,  and  another  fSaSag 
to  anatomize,  and  distinctly  and  methodically  explain,  to  eertim 
truth.  In.all  my  large  writings,  if  you  find  that  I  call  any  tfakf 
certain  which  is  uncertain ;  that  is,  which  I  give  not  ascertainiif 
evidence  of,  acquaint  me  with  the  particulars,  and  I  shall  letnd 
them. 

^  2.  I  never  persuaded  any  man  to  write  or  say  no  more  thn 
all  men  certainly  know  already;  no,  not  all  learned  divnies;  for 
then  how  should  we  receive  edification  ?  Subjective  certaintf 
is  as  various  as  men's  interests,  where  no  two  are  of  a  nae ;  and 
objective  certainty  must  be  tried  by  evidence,  and  not  by  other 
men's  consenting  to  it/'  ^ 

The  second  part  of  the  work,  on  the  excellency  of  love  and 
its  superiority  to  knowledge,  is  more  in  Baxter's  best  atyle  el 
practical  writing.  He  had  then  got  through  his  uncertainties,  and 
was  treating  on  the  nature  and  power  of  love,  the  first  and  great 
principle  of  religion.  No  man  understood  this  subject  better, 
and  few  could  treat  it  so  well.  He  shows,  most  successfully, 
that  knowledge  is  but  the  means  to  a  higher  end ;  and  this  end 
is  the  production  of  love  to  God,  and  to  those  who  bear  Ui 
image.  The  constant  and  vigorous  exercise  of  this  love  ought 
to  be  the  highest  aim,  as  it  is  the  perfection  of  the  Christian. 

To  this  work  is  prefixed  a  very  beautiful  dedication  to  his  ex- 
cellent friend,  Sir  Henry  Ashurst,  and  ^'  the  Lady  Diana,  his 
wife."  *^  Your  name,"  he  says,  ^^  is  not  prefixed  to  this  Treatise, 
either  as  accusing  you  of  the  sin  herein  detected,  or  as  praiiiog 
you  for  those  virtues  which  good  men  are  more  pleased  to  pos- 
sess and  exercise,  than  to  have  proclaimed,  though  they  be  as 
light  that  is  hardly  hid :  but  it  is  to  vent  and  exercise  that  gra- 
titude, which  loveth  not  the  concealment  of  such  friendship  and 
kindness  as  you  and  your  lady  eminently,  and  your  relatives  and 
hers,  the  children  of  the  Lord  Paget,  have  long  obliged  me  by; 
and  it  is  to  posterity  that  I  record  your  kindness,  more  than  for 
thi^  age,  to  which  it  hath  publicly  notified  itself,  during  loj 
public  accusations,  reproaches,  sentences,  imprisonments,  and 
before  and  since  :  who  knoweth  you  that  knoweth  not  hereof? 

*  WockS)  voU  XT.  p.  172. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR,  5SS 

And  it  18  to  renew  the  record  of  that  lore  and  honour  ivhich  I 
o#ed  to  your  deceased  father  formerly^  though  too  slenderly 
recorded,  to  be  the  heir  and  imitator  of  whose  faith,  piety, 
charity,  patience,  humility,  meekness,  impartiality,  sincerity,  and 
perseverance,  is  as  great  an  honour  and  blessing  as  I  can  wish 
you^  next  to  the  conformity  to  our  highest  Pattern.  And  though 
he  was  averse  to  worldly  pomp  and  grandeur,  and  desired  that 
Us  children  should  not  affect  it,  yet  God,  that  will  honour  those 
that  honour  him,  hath  advanced  his  children,  I  believe,  partly 
for  his  sake ;  but  I  entreat  you  all  (and  some  other  of  my  friends 
whom  God  hath  raised  as  a  blessing  to  their  pious  and  charitable 
parents  and  themselves)  to  watch  carefully,  lest  the  deceitful 
woAd  and  flesh  do  turn  such  blessings  into  golden  fetters ;  and 
to  be  sure  to  use  them,  as  they  would  find,  at  last,  on  their 
accounU"'' 

Having  noticed  the  principal  works  of  Baxter  in  this  de« 
partment,  it  remains  to  introduce  a  few  of  his  tracts,  which 
belong  to  the  same  class.  Among  these  must  be  noticed 
^ God's  Goodness  Vindicated;  for  the  help  of  such,  especi- 
ally in  melancholy,  as  are  tempted  to  deny  it,  and  think  him 
to  be  cruel,  because  of  the  present  and  future  misery  of 
mankind;  with  respect  to  the  doctrine  of  reprobation  and 
damnation/^*  This  was  published  in  1674,  at  the  particular 
request  of  his  friend  Mr.  Corbet,  with  a  view  to  satisfy  a  good 
man  who  had  fallen  into  deep  melancholy  by  dwelling  too  much 
on  the  numbers  who  will  be  damned,  and  the  difficulty  of  re- 
conciling it  with  the  divine  goodness.  G)rbet  prefixed  an 
epistle  to  it.P 

The  subject  is  one  of  a  deeply  mysterious  nature,  scarcely 
admitting  of  being  fully  understood  in  our  present  circum- 
stances.  Our  faculties  are  in  themselves  limited ;  we  are  fur- 
nished only  irith  partial  information  respecting  the  dirine  ad- 
ninbtration,  and  its  ultimate  objects  and  designs ;  and  we  are 
aa  yet  far  from  the  end  of  the  whole  moral  economy  of  God, 
To  pronounce  dogmatically,  therefore,  on  certain  points  which 
are  but  dimly  seen,  would  be  wrong;  and  to  allow  our  minds 
to  be^distracted  respecting  what  we  do  know  by  the  things  of 
which  we  are  ignorant,  must  be  no  less  improper. 

^  It  is  a  grossly  deluding  and  subverting  way  of  reasoning,* 
says  Baxter,  ^^  to   begin  at  dark  and  doubtful  consequents, 

■  Works,  vol.  XV.  p.  8.  •  lb\d.  vo\.  n\\\. 

r  Life,  part  in.  p.%5. 


iSt  THs  Lin  iMm  wtmnfis 

thence  to  argue  agnnst  certain,  clear,  flindanMital  prindphi^ 
As  if  from  some  doubti  abont  the  position  and  mo^oa  of  the 
stars,  or  of  the  nature  of  lights  heat^  and  motion,  men  should 
argue  that  there  is  no  sun,  or  moon,  or  stars  at  all;  or  as  ifj  Aom 
the  many  difficulties  in  anatomy  about  the  eiroulfition  of  the 
blood;  the  oleum  nervosum,  the  lymph  and  its  vessda,  the 
passages  and  the  succus  of  the  pancreas  and  gall ;  the  transeo* 
lation  through  the  intestines  into  the  venie  lactss,  the  ohjbf- 
glandules,  and  suqh^like ;  one  should  arise  to  a  conohision  that 
there  is  no  blood,  no  chyle,  no  veins,  no  glandules,  no  head^  no- 
body.    Or,  from  the  controversy,  whether  the  heart  be  a  Bsers 
muscle,  without  any  proper  parenchymae,  one  should  grow  ta. 
conclude  that  there  is  no  heart.   So  such  persons,  firom  pdnts 
beyond  man's  roach,  about  God's  decrees,  and  intentions,  and 
the  mysteries  of  Providence,  conclude  or  doubt  against  Ood's 
goodness,  that  is,  whether,  indeed,  there  be  a  God."  ** 
-:  If  it  were  practicable  to  persuade  men  to  reason  on  these  ob- 
vious principles,  how  large  a  portion  of  embarrassment,  and  horn 
many  stumbling-blocks  would  be  removed  1  Baxter  does  not  fel« 
low  up  his  principles  with  all  the  masterly  power  and  cIostaeH 
of  argument  which  distinguish  the  Analogy  of  Butler ;  but  th» 
germ  of  Butler's  immortal  work  may  be  said  to  be  contained  ia 
the  above  passage.     There  are  doubtless  difficulties  in  revels* 
tion,  as  there  are  difficulties  in  every  scheme  of  divine  Providence 
which  man  can  adopt ;  but  there  is  no  proper  resting  plaee 
between  the  rejection  of  the  Gospel,  on  the  score  of  its  not 
harmonizing  with  our  notions  of  the  goodness  of  God,  and 
absolute  atheism.     He  who  rejects  Christianity  on  this  grounc^ 
must,  to  be  consistent,  doubt  whether  the  Supreme  Being  takes 
any  interest  in  the  affairs  of  his  creatures  ;  and  this  ia  all  ooe 
with  blotting  Him  out  from  his  own  universe. 

Under  this  head  I  may  also  rank  all  Baxter's  sermons  preach«« 
ed  on  particular  occasions,  and  which  do  not  require  minute 
consideration.  They  may  be  placed  either  here,  or  under  the 
bead  of  his  writings  on  Conversion,  as  they  are  of  a  mixed 
character.  The  following  are  among  these,  ^  The  Vain  Religion 
of  the  Formal  Hypocrite,  and  the  Mischief  of  an  Unbridled 
Tongue,  described  in  several  Sermons,  preached  at  the  Abbey  in 
Westminster,  before  manv  Members  of  the  Honourable  House 
of  Commons,  1660.'  *The  Fool's  Prosperity  the  Occasion  of 
bis  Destruction,  a  Sermon,  preached  at  Covent  Garden.'  'A 
Sermon  on  Repentance,  preached  before  the  House  of  Com- 

<^  Y^oik^^^^U  xili.  V..51S. 


f-n 


op  iirCHARl>  BAXTBB.  535 

Itoooa,  on  the  30th  of  April,  1660.'  '  One  on  Right  Rejoicing, 
freaehed  in  St.  Pftul's  before  the  Lord  Mayor  and  Aldermen^ 
after  his  Majesty's  return,  May  10, 1660/  '  What  Light  must 
Shine  in  Our  Works/  ^  True  Christianity,  or  Christ's  Absolute 
Dominion,  and  Man's  necessary  Self-Resignation  and  Subjec-* 
don/  *  Two  Assise  Sermons/  His  *  Farewell  Sermon,'  intended 
for  his  flock  at  Kidderminster.  All  these  discourses  are  now 
printed  together  in  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  volumes 
of  his  works. 

•  ^TTle  Cure  of  Melancholy  by  Faith  and  Physic,*  a  sermon  in- 
tended for  the  morning  exercises,  but  which  was  never  delhrer- 
cd,  is  a  curious  specimen  of  Baxter's  preaching ;  abounding 
In  medical  recipes  as  well  as  in  grave  religious* advice.  He 
in  quite  right,  however,  in  maintaining  that  physic  is  necessary^ 
as  well  as  faith,  to  cure  melancholy. 

Baxter  appears  to  have  had  great  experience  in  dealing  with 
melMieholy  persons.  The  following  passage  in  his  Life  relates 
to  the  subject  of  this  discourse,  and  for  its  practical  instruction 
deBenres  to  be  quoted.  '*  I  was  troubled  this  year  (1671)/'  he 
■ays^  ^  with  multitudes  of  melancholy  persons,  from  several  parts 
of  the-  land,  some  of  high  quality,  some  of  low,  some  very  ex- 
qoisftely  learned,  some  unlearned ;  as  I  had  been  above  twenty 
years  before.  I  know  not  how  it  came  to  pass,  but  if  men  fel! 
melancholy,  I  must  hear  from  them  or  see  them,  more  than  any 
physician  I  know,  I  mention  it  for  these  three  uses,  to  the 
reader,  as  out  of  all  their  cases  I  have  gathered :  1 .  That  we 
must  very  much  take  heed  lest  we  ascribe  melancholy  phan- 
tasms and  passions  to  God's  Spirit :  for  they  are  strange  appre- 
hensions that  melancholy  can  cause.  2.  I  would  warn  all  young 
persons  to  live  modestly,  and  keep  at  a  sufficient  distance  from 
objects  that  tempt  them  to  carnal  lust.  Above  all,  I  warn  young 
students  and  apprentices  to  avoid  the  beginning  of  this  sin,  as 
they  little  think  what  one  spark  may  kindle.  3.  1  advise  all 
men  to  take  heed  of  placing  religion  too  much  in  fears,  and 
tears,  and  scruples  ;  or  in  any  other  kind  of  sorrow,  but  such 
ai  tendeth  to  raise  us  to  a  high  estimation  of  Christ,  to  the 
magnifying  of  his  grace,  to  a  sweeter  taste  of  the  love  of  God^ 
and  to  the  firmer  resolution  against  sin  :  that  tears  and  grief  be 
not  commended  inordinately  for  themselves,  or  as  clear  signs  of 
a  converted  persons  We  ought  to  call  men  more  to  look  after 
duty  than  after  signs  as  such.  Set  self-love  to  work,  and  spare 
not ;  so  will  you  call  them  much  more  to  the  love  ojf  God.  Let 


S36  THS  LIFB  ANB  WftlTINOi 

them  know  that  this  love  is  their  best  sign,  but  that  it  oofjbx  te 
be  exercised  for  a  higher  reason,  than  as  a  sign  of  our  own  hopes; 
for  that  motive  alone  will  not  produce  true  love  to  God.  As  the 
Antinomians  too  much  exclude  humiliation  and  signs  of  giaoe^ 
so  many  of  late  have  made  their  religion  too  much  to  consist  ia 
the  seeking  of  these  signs  out  of  their  proper  time  and  plaefe^ 
without  referring  them  to  that  obedience^  love,  and  joy,  in  wUeh 
true  religion  doth  principally  consist.'' ' 

Tlese  very  judicious  observations  show  that  Baxter  was  not 
only  a  most  careful  observer  of  the  phenomena  of  human  natmc, 
with  which  he  was  so  largely  conversant,  but  that  in  dcaliog 
with  men  he  was  guided  by  the  soundest  principles  of  philosophy 
and  religion.  He  justly  considered  many  of  the  mental  or 
spiritual  diseases  respecting  which  he  was  consulted,  to  arise 
from  a  diseased  state  of  the  animal  frame,  and  that  the  assist- 
ance of  the  physician  and  the  laboratory  was  required  as  wd 
as  the  divine.  He  prescribed  for  the  body  as  well  as  ibr^ths 
soul,  though  not  always  in  either  case  with  eflPect. 

His  views  of  the  proper  method  of  obtaining  Christian  oomfor^ 
and  arriving  at  full  satbfaction  respecting  a  personal  interest  ia 
the  salvation  of  Christ,  were  sound  and  highly  important.  He 
did  not  consider  these  enjoyments,  desirable  as  they  are,  as  whst 
ought  to  be  directly  sought,  or  pursued  for  themselves.  He 
regarded  them  as  effects  or  results  rather  than  objects  of  direct 
pursuit.  Neither  health  nor  happiness  will  generally  be  secur- 
ed by  seeking  them  for  their  own  sake ;  and  will  seldom  fail  to 
be  enjoyed  if  sought  for  in  a  proper  manner.  This  is  no  less  tme 
respecting  the  health  and  happiness  of  the  soul;  men  can  never 
attain  them  by  their  being  made  the  grand  or  exclusive  objects 
of  attention. 

Baxter  produced  the  right  kind  of  Christian  experience,  by 
presenting  continually  before  the  mind  a  great  object  of  attrac- 
tion, whose  holy  influence  could  not  fail  to  accomplish  the  most 
delightful  and  salutary  effects,  if  steadily  contemplated.  To 
produce  love  to  God,  which  is  the  grand  design  of  all  true 
religion,  and  the  spring  of  all  purifying  joy,  he  spoke  of  His  lofe 
in  all  its  fulness,  and  freeness,  and  splendour.   He  aimed  at  pro- 

'  Life,  part  iii.  pp.  85,  86.  AmoDp  the  Baxter  MSS.  preserved  in  the  Red- 
cross-street  library,  are  Dunierous  letters  addressed  to  him  by  persons  in  dii- 
tress  of  miod,  and  copies  of  letters  sent  by  him  in  reply.  Both  while  be  wis 
at  Kidderminster,  and  after  his  removal  from  it,  especially  about  the  time  of 
bis  preparing  the  above  discourse,  he  seems  to  have  had  a  f^reat  deal  to  do  in 
this  way. 


OV  UCBAft0  BAXTMR.  587 

dudng  an  orcrwhelming  sense  of  gratitnde  and  obligation,  by 
thus  exhibiting  tiie  infinite  riches  of  the  divine  generosity.  He 
knew  that  this  would  necessarily  take  the  mind  off  from  itself, 
and  engage  the  exercise  of  all  its  faculties  on  an  object  at 
onee  worthy  of  their  most  actire  and  enlarged  exercise,  and 
capeUe  of  affinrding  the  purest  and  sublimest  satisfaction.  He 
knew  that  the  principle  of  love  to  God,  being  once  sufficiently 
niiised,  would  exert  itself  in  doing  all  the  will  of  God,  and  in  that 
very  exertion  happiness  would  be  experienced.  The  signs  and 
evidences  of  the  Christian  character  would  multiply  and  abound, 
and  thus  those  doubts  and  perplexities  would  be  removed  that 
haunt  the  soul  which  is  directed  chiefly  to  itself,  for  reasons  of 
comfort  and  confidence  before  God. 

His  own  experience  is  a  happy  illustration  of  the  beneficial 
tendency  of  these  idews,  and  of  the  conduct  which  he  pursued 
towards  others.    From  Jiis  habit  of  body,  and  peculiarities  of 
mindy  it  might  be  supposed  that  he  would  himself  be  the  sub- 
ject of  much  morbid  feeling.    But  this  was  not  the  case.    He 
teUa  US  that  he  never  was  the  subject  of  melancholy,  or  that 
species  of  mental  depression  arising  from  doubts  and  fears 
rsqiecting  the  enjoyment  of  the  divine  favour,  after  he  was  pro- 
perly enlightened  by  the  GospeL     He  had  penetrating  views  of 
mn,  deep  and  solemn  impressions  of  death  and  eternity ;  but 
they  were  all  founded  on  his  clear  perceptions  of  the  character 
of  God,  and  the  declarations  of  his  word ;  and  were  always  con- 
nected with  the  enjoyment  of  calm  satisfaction  and  holy  tran- 
quillity of  mind.    He  feared  always, but  he  also  loved;   he 
trembled,  but  he  also  rejoiced.    Religion  was  his  life ;  its  dis- 
coveries both  elevated  and  purified  his  mind ;  and  in  the  dis- 
charge of  its  duties  he  found  full  employment  for  all  his  active 
and  energetic  powers.   In  the  time  of  suffering,  he  fled  to  it  for 
relief  and  repose ;  and  he  never  fled  in  vmn.  It  was  to  him  a  con- 
stant, as  he  ever  found  it  a  welcome  and  a  sure,  refuge.   When 
in  any  measure  free  from  personal  and  outward  suffering,  and 
capable  of  labour,  his  work  left  him  no  time  for  melancholy 
musings,  or  harassing  fears  respecting  his  personal  safety.     It 
was  his  meat  and  his  drink  to  do  the  will  of  God,  and  in  doing 
that  will  he  found  a  continual  feast.    Let  Christianity  be  but 
thus  treated,  and  it  will  never  fiul  to  produce  the  same  practical 
efiects^  and  to  afford  the  same  heavenly  joy. 


5S8  rmt  J.int  and  wntrmcs 


CHAPTER  V. 


T¥ORKS   ON   CHRISTIAN  ETHICS. 

Introductory  Obserrations^Sygtematic  Theology-*The  Fathen— Scboolma 
—Casuiits— Reformers— -Calvin'i  Institutions^Works  of  Perkini  Arcln 
bishop  Usher'g  System— Lcigh^g  Body  of  Diviuity— Baxter's  '  Cbristiia 
Directory '— Inteudcd  as  the  Second  P^rt  of  his  *  Methodus  '—His  own 
Acconnt  of  it — Remarks  on  the  Arrangement — Opposed  to  the  Politics  of 
Hooker— Progress  of  the  Doctrine  of  Passive  Obedience  In  BaglaBd— 
Character  of  the  '  Directory '— Compared  with  the  '  Duetor  Dabttentimi^ 

.  of  Tayk>r— *  The  Reformed  Pastor'—^  Reasons  fbr  Ministerial  PlalsMa' 
^«  Poor  Man's  FamUy  Book '— «  The  Cataehising  of  F^mlti«»'-^  IV 
Mother's  Catechism'— <  Sheeta  for  the  Poor  and  the  Affliolea  *•«-<  DifftdiaM 
to  Justices  of  the  Peace '^<  How  to  do  Good  ta  Many' — '  Q»uMtk  to 
Young  Men '— '  The  Divine  Appointment  of  the  Locd't  Pay  '*-^Cimclndinf 
Remarks. 


If  obedience  to  the  will  of  God  be  the  end  and  design  of  all  re* 
ligion,  it  ought  to  occupy  a  chief  part  of  our  attention  in  ewtff 
discussion  of  its  nature.  However  difficult  it  mav  be  to  teach  mett 
some  of  the  doctrines  of  religion,  the  most  formidable  difflcultiet 
really  belong  to  its  practice.  This  arises  not  from  the  obscurity 
which  attaches  to  what  God  requires,  but  from  the  backward- 
ness of  man  to  comply  with  the  requisition.  His  natural  in- 
clinations are  all  enlisted  on  the  side  of  disobedience,  or,  at 
least,  of  aversion  to  a  full  conformity  of  disposition  to  the  mind 
of  God.  Hence  if  the  vestige  of  a  doubt  rests  on  any  divine  pre* 
cept,  or  inhibition,  to  which  it  may  be  felt  inconvenient  or  on- 
desirable  to  render  positive  compliance,  advantage  is  sure  to 
be  taken  of  that  doubt.  Every  subterfuge  or  excuse  which 
ingenuity  can  devise,  will  be  resorted  to  in  order  to  quiet  con- 
science, or  to  justify  to  others  the  conduct  which  is  pursued. 

The  opportunities  and  means  of  practising  this  species  of 
evasion  are  very  considerable.  The  unavoidable  imperfectioB 
and  ambiguity  of  human  language,  of  which  even  a  divine 
revelation  in  that  language   is   not  altogether  divested;   the 


'  Of  mie VAraf  basctiiu  5S9- . 

iMCfiry  cscqitloiit  belonging  to  mtny  of  the  general  law* 
of  Gody  with  the  great  variety  of  circumstances  into  which  men 
are  throu-n,  presenting  temptations  to  avail  themselves  of  sup- 
posed exceptions  in  their  favour;  these,  together  with  the  deceit- 
fiilness  of  the  human  heart,  are  among  the  things  which  create 
difficulty  to  the  Christian  moralist,  and  have  furnished  abundant 
employment  to  the  casuistical  divine. 

Were  it  not  for  the  mistake  which  extensively  prevails  among 
mankind,  that  their  interests  ancl  those  of  the  law  of  Ood  are 
not  the  same,  the  difficulty  of  communicating  instruction  on 
religion  would  not  be  very  formidable,  lliis  fatal  error,  how- 
ever^  ia  mixed  up  with  all  our  natural  reasonings,  and  gives 
a  wrong  direction  or  bias  to  our  every  thought  and  feeling. 
The  Creator  of  the  universe  is  regarded  with  jealousy  and  sus- 
picioQ  by  his  own  creature.  The  principles  of  his  moral  ad* 
ministration  are  supposed  to  concern  rather  his  own  glory, 
than  the  happiness  of  the  universe.  His  laws  are  pronounced 
alike  arbitrary  and  severe,  if  not  positively  unjust.  If  the  rea- 
son eS  some  of  them  is  hot  fully  stated,  that  concealment  is 
regarded  as  a  sufficient  apology  for  neglect  or  noncompliance ; 
where  the  reason  is  stated,  it  is  not  always  approved ;  being 
perhaps  regarded  aa  proceeding  from  arbitrary  power,  rather 
than  arising  from  justice  and  goodness. 

Where  such  a  state  of  mind  prevails,  it  is  at  once  obvious  that 
we  have  to  do,  not  with  the  understanding  so  much  as  with  the 
dispoeition.  The  darkness  of  the  mind  is  not  mere  intellectual 
ignorance ;  which  an  adequate  process  of  instruction  could  re- 
movov  The  understanding  is  indeed  dark,  but  it  arises  from 
^ao  alienation  of  the  life  from  God."  There  is  ignorance,  it  is 
true,  but  it  consists  in  what  the  Scriptures  emphatically  call 
^  blindness  of  heart."  Hence  the  influence  which  Christ  him- 
self aacribee  to  inclination  in  the  reception  of  the  will  of  God : 
^<  If  any  man  be  inclined  to  do  the  will  of  God,  he  shall  know 
of  the  doctrine  whether  it  be  of  God ;"  and  hence  arises  the 
absolute  necessity  of  that  divine  teaching  which  the  Scriptures 
invariably  represent  as  lying  at  the  foundation  of  all  enlighten- 
ed and  acceptable  obedienee  to  the  Most  High. 

The  inspired  writers,  accordingly,  never  confine  their  instruc- 
tions to  the  understanding,  or  regard  the  reception  and  in« 
fluence  of  Christianity  as  if  they  merely  resulted  from  an  intel- 
lectual process.  They  do  not  record  their  doctrines  in  creeds,  or 
deliver  their  precepts  in  formal  summaries.    They  communieate 


540  THE  Lin  AKD  WftimffM 

both  chiefly  in  the  form  of  addreates  to  the  Gonscienee  and  to 
the  hearty  or  in  reasonings  which,  while  they  are  powerfblly  cil* 
culated  to  enlighten  and  convince  the  understanding,  are  no  Im 
fitted  to  engage  the  wannest  feelings  of  the  soul  in  fimmr  of 
obedience  to  Him,  whose  highest  moral  glory  is  summed  up  in 
the  attribute  of  lovb. 

This  plan  has  not  been  followed  by  the  generality  of  wiiten 
on  systematic  theology,  llie  theory  and  practice  of  rdipoa 
have  been  unwisely  separated  from  each  other  to  the  injury  sf 
both.  Thus,  what  may  be  regarded  as  speculative  has  beoi 
deprived  of  its  most  powerful  recommendation;  and  wfaatii 
practical,  has  been  'divested  of  its  living  principle.  Tlie  one 
is  presented  as  soul  without  body,  the  other  as  body  withont 
spirit.  In  the  former,  religion  is  generalised  into  abstract  pria- 
ciples ;  in  the  latter,  it  is  shrivelled  into  outward  fonn%  and 
reduced  to  a  joyless  submission. 

It  cannot  be  denied,  however,  that  there  are  some  advanti^ 
connected  with  the  separate  discussion  of  these  subjectai,  when 
properly  conducted.  This  more  especially  belonga  to  the  fnm 
than  to  the  pulpit.  In  the  latter,  they  ought  never  to  be  dis- 
joined. It  is  not  the  place  for  abstract,  philosophical  disqui- 
sition ;  but  for  the  evangelical  enforcement  of  the  truths  and 
duties  of  Christianity.  It  is  easier  to  guard  against  misappre- 
hensions in  a  written  work  than  in  oral  discourse :  many 
things  can  be  conveniently  and  appropriately  discussed  in  book^ 
which  would  be  altogether  unsuitable  as  topics  for  puUTc 
preaching. 

It  would  be  vain  to  look  for  much  of  systematic  theology  in 
the  fathers  or  early  writers  of  the  Christian  church.  Tliey 
lived  too  near  the  period  of  the  Apostles,  to  feel  the  necessity 
or  importance  of  this  kind  of  writing.  Nor  were  their  circum- 
stances at  all  favourable  to  it.  Most  of  them  were  incapable  of 
any  thing  very  profound ;  the  body  of  the  people  were  of  tlie 
same  description  ;  and  both  teachers  and  taught  were  so  much 
conversant  with  a  state  of  suffering,  as  to  have  scarcely  either 
time  or  inclination  for  any  thing  but  what  bore  immediately  on 
the  practice  or  the  consolations  of  the  Gospel.  Origen  and  Cyril 
of  Jerusalem  were  the  first  among  the  Greeks  who  did  any  thing 
in  this  way.  The  former,  in  his  work,  vepl  afx»y>— or  Four  Books 
concerning  Principles,  while  he  gives  some  information,  astounds 
us  with  allegories  and  absurdities ;  the  latter,  in  his  ^  Cate- 
chetical Discourses/  which  were  written  in  his  youth,  conveys 


or  EICHABD  BAXTBK.  541 

aome  vaefal  instruction  in  a  less  objectionable  manner.  Augus- 
tine, in  his  ^  Enchiridion,  or  Treatise  on  Fiudi,  Hope,  and 
Charity/  presents  a  kind  of  system,  while,  in  some  of  his  other 
writings,  he  discusses  many  of  those  questions,  which,  at  a 
Ibture  period,  were  reduced  into  more  r^;ular  form,  and  occa- 
«med  interminable  disputes. 

It  was  in  the  middle  ages,  that  Scholastic  Theology,  combined 
into  tegular  system  the  principles  and  duties  of  religion ;  but  un- 
fartm»tely  it  presented  the  subject  in  a  shape,  not  only  opposed 
to  aound  philosophy,  and  repugnant  to  all  correct  taste ;  but  was 
calculated  to  do  the  most  serious  injury  to  religion.  The  works 
of  Abelard,  Lombard,  Aquinas,  and  the  other  angelical,  or  sera- 
phic, doctors  of  the  dark  ages,  afford  proofs  of  no  inconsiderable 
talent,  eqiecially  in  dialectics ;  but  unfortunately  it  was  em- 
ployed rather  to  bewilder  the  mind  than  to  aid  the  discovery  of 
trutlu  The  metaphysics  of  Plato,  the  logic  of  Aristotle,  and 
tiie  corrupt  theology  of  the  church  of  Rome,  were  amalgamated 
into  one  crude  incoherent  mass  of  unintelligible  dogmas,  which 
was  honoured  with  the  titie  of  the  orthodox  faith;  and 
the  slightest  departure  from  which  was  deemed  a  pernicious 
heresy.' 

The  Romish  Casuists  may  be  considered  as  succeeding  the 
acholastic  writers,  and  distinct  from  them.  They  occupied 
themselves  not  so  much  with  the  metaphysics  of  doctrine  as 
with  the  metaphysics  of  practice.  Conscience  was  professedly 
the  chief  object  of  their  ajttention  ;  and  the  canon  law,  with  the 
opinions  of  the  fatiiers^  and  the  decrees  of  councils  and  popes, 
was  the  rule  by  which  they  directed  it.  Auricular  confession 
naturally  gendered  this  description  of  writers.  It  laid  open  the 
interior  of  man  to  his  fellow  man  to  an  improper  extent ;  it 
created  a  prurient  curiosity,  and  often  called  forth  the  utmost 
effort  of  human  ingenuity  in  solving  real  or  pretended  difficulties ; 
in  finding  consolation  for  the  wounded  conscience,  or  apologies 
fin:  the  hardened  sinner.  To  assist  the  junior  priesthood  in 
trafficking  advantageously  with  the  eternal  interests  of  men,  and 
to  render  them  skilful  in  all  manner  of  derices  for  keeping  the 
conscience  under  subjection  to  papal  authority,  were  the  great 
objects  of  the  Romish  Casuists.  Their  workr  are  storehouses  of 
logical  subtleties,  and  magazines  of  moral  combustibles  sufficient 
to  distract  and  destroy  the  universe.  Such  are  the  writings  of 
Sanchez,  Suarez,  Escobar,  and  others  of  the  same  schooU 

•  Scs  MoreU's  <  Elemtats/  Ac.  p.  295. 


542  THx  un  AMD  wmituros 

This  style  of  writing  in  the  department  of  ey&teiBfttie  mi 
catuistic  theology  among  the  Romaniste^  gave  place  to  a  tiiii|d* 
and  more  practical  mode  of  treating  Mush  subjeets^  dnderthe 
denomination  of  the  ^^  Common  Places"  and  theological  oeoDieli 
of  the  reformers.  Disgusted  with  the  metaphysical  abeuriBchi 
and  logomachy  of  the  schoolmen^  Melancthon,  Luther^  and 
others^  produced  compendiums,  or  brief  systemsi  of  religion,  in 
which,  arranged  under  various  heads,  the  principal  artides  cf 
Christian  faith  and  duty  were  plainly  stated*  llie  ConfessioM 
of  the  reformed  churches  necessarily  assumed  a  systematic  fisnii 
and  expositions,  or  commentaries  on  them,  brought  (he  doetrinei 
and  duties  of  religion  in  regular  digests  before  the  people  of  evei/ 
country  in  which  they  were  adopted.  In  most  of  these  pn>^ 
ductions,  while  both  occupy  one  book,  the  credemla  and  the 
agenda,  are  always  treated  distinctly* 

In  Systematic  Theology,  the  Institutions  of  Calvin^  though  not 
the  first  in  the  order  of  time,  carried  off  the  palm  from  all  ils 
predecessors,  and  has  not  yet  been  surpassed  by  any  compe- 
titor. Diversity  of  opinion  may  exist  respecting  some  of  the 
positions  of  the  Genevese  reformer,  and  even  among  thoee  wIm 
hold  his  general  views  of  Christian  doctrine,  there  may  not  be 
an  entire  concurrence  in  every  sentiment  or  expression  |  tmt 
while  profound  piety,  masculine  energy  of  mind,  acuteness  and 
strength  of  argument,  perspicuity  of  statement,  and  purity  of 
language,  continue  to  be  respected  among  men,  the  '  Christiaa 
Institutes '  of  John  Calvin  will  secure  for  their  author  immor* 
tal  honour. 

Our  own  Reformers  did  not  contribute  much  in  this  depart* 
ment,  but  many  of  the  continental  works  were  translated  aod 
introduced  into  this  country  soon  after  their  original  publica* 
tion.  This  was  the  case  with  the  leading  works  of  Lvther, 
Melancthon,  Calvin,  and  the  other  distinguished  men  who 
adorned  the  revival  of  religion  and  literature  in  Europe.  Their 
writings  spread  with  the  rapidity  of  light  itself,  and  produced 
all  its  cheering  effects ;  dispersing  darkness,  correcting  errorSf 
and  diffusing  gladness  and  joy.  Their  disciples  not  only  em? 
braced  their  principles,  but  their  spirit;  and  wherever  they 
were  found,  reflected  and  multiplied  the  benefits  which  they 
received. 

William  Perkins  is,  properly,  the  first  original  writer  in  out 
langu^e  on  the  theory  and  practice  of  religion,  io  a  regular 
systematic  form.     ^  The.  Golden  Chain^  or  jthe  Description 


'  OF  RIGBAAO  BAXTBR.     *  548 

of  Theology ;  oontaining  the  Order  of  the  Causes  of  Salva* 
tion  and  Damnation,'  was  written  by  him  in  Latin,  but  ap- 
peared in  English,  translated  by  another.  It  was  followed  by 
hia  '  Exposition  of  the  Creed,  and  of  the  Lord's  Prayer ;'  and 
by  his  *  Three  Books  of  Cases  of  Conscience/  Perkins  was  a 
thorough  predestinarian ;  and  in  the  works  above  enumerated, 
though  published  at  dififerent  times,  he  has  furnished  a  toler- 
ably complete  body  of  divinity,  on  Calvinistic  principles.  He 
was  a  man  of  highly  respectable  talents  and  great  piety,  and 
writes  in  a  style  superior  to  most  of  his  contemporaries. 

What  is  called  Archbishop  Usher's  '  Body  of  Divinity,'  was 
published  Mdthout  hia  knowledge  or  consent,  in  1645,  by  Mr* 
Downham,  and  is  a  collection  from  the  writings  of  others^ 
rather  than  Usher's  own.^  Tlie  only  other  work  of  this  de- 
scription deserving  of  notice,  which  appeared  in  English,  prior 
to  the  works  of  Baxter,  is  the  '  Body  of  Divinity,'  by  Edward 
Leigh,  which  was  published  in  1662.  ^fhe  author  is  known  as 
having  furnished  several  useful  publications.  His  Hebrew  and 
Greek  lexicons  show  that  he  was  a  respectable  scholar;  and 
hia  Annotations  on  the  New  Testament,  though  not  elaborate, 
show  that  he  was  a  man  of  sound  judgment.  The  system  of 
divinity  is  tolerably  well  arranged,  and  discovers  very  consider- 
able knowledge  oJF  the  Scriptures ;  but  it  is  broken  down  into 
so  many  divisions  and  subdivisions,  that  it  appears  too  much  of 
a  dry  tabular  representation  of  religion. 

The  work  of  Baxter,  of  which  I  am  about  to  give  some 
account,  the  reader  will  observe,  is  but  the  half  of  his  system  of 
theology.  The  other  half  is  contained  in  his  ^Methodus,' 
which  is  properly  placed  under  the  head  of  his  doctrinal  works. 
The  reason  for  publishing  the  one  in  Latin  and  the  other  ia 
English,  is  not  very  obvious  or  satisfactory ;  but  it  so  pleased 
the  author.  I  have  been  more  part  icular  in  my  introductory 
observations  on  the  present  volume,  because  it  is  not  only  the 
largest  of  all  Baxter's  works,  but  because  I  purposely  avoided 
saying  any  thing  on  tlie  points  adverted  to,  when  treating  of 
the  <  Methodus.'    llie  following  is  the  title  :— 

*A  Christian  Directory;  or  a  Sum  of  Practical  Theology, 
and  Cases  of  Conscience  :  directing  Christians  how  to  use  their 
Knowledge  and  Faitli ;  how  to  Improve  all  Helps  and  Means, 

*  PArr**  <  Life  of  Usher/  p.  62. 


S44  TUB  Un  AKD  WftlTINOf 

and  to  perform  all  Duties;  how  to  overcome  Temptatioiii,  and 
to  escape  or  mortify  every  Sin/*  It  appeared  in  a  large  foliO|iB 
1673,  berides  occupying  one  of  the  Tolnmes  in  the  folio  editioa 
of  his  'Practical  Works/  published  in  1707.  In  ad<fitioa  to 
what  is  said  of  this  book,  in  connexion  with  the  ^  Metbodni|' 
he  says  of  it — ^^  As  Amesius's  ^  Cases  of  Conscience'*  are  to  Ui 
'Medulla,'  the  second  and  practical  part  of  theology,  so  ii 
this  to  a  '  Methodus  Tleologie,'  which  I  hare  not  yet  pid>- 
lished.T  It  was  written  in  1664  and  1665,  except  the  ecded- 
astical  cases  of  conscience,  and  a  few  sheets  since  added.  And 
since  the  writing  of  it,  some  invitations  drew  me  to  publish  my 
'  Reasons  of  the  Christian  Religion,'  my  '  Life  of  Faith,'  and 
'  Directions  for  Weak  Christians ;'  by  wluch  the  work  of  the 
two  first  chapters  is  more  fully  done."  * 

''  I  must  do  myself  the  right  to  notify  to  the  reader,  thst 
this  treatise  was  written  when  I  was,  for  not  subscribing,  fiir- 
bidden  by  the  law  to  preach ;  and  when  I  had  been  long  sepa- 
rated far  from  my  library,  and  from  all  books,  saving  an  incon- 
siderable parcel  which  wandered  with  me  where  I  went.  By 
which  means  this  book  hath  two  defects.  It  hath  no  cases  of 
conscience  but  what  my  bare  memory  brought  to  hand ;  snd 
cases  are  so  innumerable  that  it  is  far  harder,  methinks,  to 
remember  them  than  to  answer  them ;  whereby  it  came  to  pass, 
that  some  of  the  ecclesiastical  cases  are  put  out  of  their  proper 
place,  because  I  could  not  seasonably  remember  them :  for  I 
had  no  one  casuist  but  Amesius  with  me.  After  about  twelve 
years'  separation,  having  received  my  library,  I  find  that  the 
very  sight  of  Sayrus,  Fragoso,  Roderiquez,  Tolet,  &c.,  miglit 
have  helped  my  memory  to  a  greater  number.  *    But  periiaps 


•  Works,  vols,  ii.,  iii.,  iv.,  v.,  vi.   The  Directory  was 
by  John  Nicholai,  and  published  at  Frankfort,  in  1693, 4to.—Wakfaii  Bik« 
Tbeol.  Sel.,  torn.  u.  p.  1 106. 

•  The  work  of  Amesius,  referred  to  by  Ba&ter,  is  a  beautiful  and  aceaitH 
BnchiridUm*  It  is  entitled,  <  De  Contcientia,  et  ejus  jure,  vei  caaibat  libfi 
Quinque.'  My  edition  was  printed  at  Amsterdani  in  1654.  Within  the  eoa* 
pass  of  a  small  12mo  volume  is  comprised  a  larg^er  portion  of  practical  and 
•criptural  instruction  than  in  almost  any  book  that  I  know.  He  is  in  gencnl 
remarkably  accurate  in  his  definitions,  and  had  a  power  of  oompreasioa  ot- 
terly  unknown  to  Baxter. 

J  The  *  Methodus '  was  not  published  tiU  the  year  1681. 
■  Works,  vol.  ii.  Advertisement,  p.  i. 

•  It  is  a  happy  thing  that  Baxter  was  absent  from  bis  books  while  enpigsd 
on  this  work ;  for  had  he  been  able  to  refer  .to  the  Romish  casuists,  he  woold 
have  been  in  danger  of  spoiling  his  own  performance.  It  it  Urge  enough,  and 


OP   RICHARD   BAXTER.  545 

these  will  be  enough  for  those  that  I  intend  them  for.  And  from 
the  same  cause,  the  margin  i.s  unfurnished  of  such  citations 
as  are  accounted  an  ornament,  and  in  some  cases  are  very 
useful.  Tlie  scraps  inserted  out  of  my  few  trivial  books  at 
hand,  being  so  mean,  that  I  am  well  content  (except  about 
monarchy,  part  iv.)  that  the  reader  pass  them  by  as  not  wortiiy 
of  his  notice. 

'^  Jt  is  likely  that  the  absence  of  books,  will  appear  to  the 
reader's  loss  in  the  materials  of  the  treatise ;  but  I  shall  have  this 
advantage  by  it,  that  he  will  not  accuse  me  as  a  plagiary.  And 
It  may  be  some  little  advantage  to  him,  that  he  hath  no  tran- 
Bcript  of  any  man's  books  which  he  had  before ;  but  the  product 
of  some  experience,  with  a  naked,  unbiassed  perception  of  the 
matter  or  things  themselves. 

*'  Long  have  our  divines  been  wishing  for  some  fuller  casuisti- 
cal tractate ;  Perkins  began  well ;  Bishop  Sanderson  hath  done 
excellently,  ^  Dejuramenio  ;'  Amesius  hath  exceeded  ail,  though 
briefly;  Mr.  David  Dickson  hath  put  more  of  our  English  cases 
about  the  state  of  sanctiiication,  into  Latin,  than  ever  was  done 
before  him ;  Bishop  Jeremy  Taylor  hath  in  two  folios  but 
begun  the  copious  performance  of  the  work.  And  still  men  are 
calling  for  more,  which  I  have  attempted  ;  hoping  that  others 
will  come  after  and  do  better  than  we  all.^ 

'^  It  is  long  ago  since  many  foreign  divines  subscribed  a  request^ 
that  the  English  would  give  them  in  Latin  a  sum  of  our  prac-* 

minute  enough,  as  it  is;  had  it  contained  the  stuff  which  these  writers  would 
have  suffered,  it  would  have  heeu  rendered  useless,  aod  perhaps  unftt  for 
perusal. 

^  Jeremy  Taylor  has  accounted  very  justly  and  ioiceuiously  for  the  scarcity 
of  casuistical  bookj  among  the  reformed  churches  in  the  preface  to  his  *  Due-* 
tor  Dubitaotium.*  He  says,  <'  they  were  like  the  children  of  Israel  in  the  days 
of  Saul  and  Jonathan,  forced  to  go' down  to  the  forge«  of  the  Philistines  to 
sharpen  every  man  his  sliare  and  his  coulter,  his  axe  and  his  mattock.  Wa 
had  swords  aud  shares  of  our  own,  enough  for  defence,  and  more  than  enough 
lor  disputation ;  but  iu  this  more  necessary  part,  in  the  conduct  of  consciences, 
we  did  receive  our  answers  from  abroad,  till  we  found  that  our  old  needs  were 
tomctimes  very  ill  supplied,  aud  new  necessities  did  every  day  arise."—- 
ff^whSf  vol.  xi.  p.  34G.  His  observations  on  the  character  and  tendency  of 
the  Roman  casuists,  are  exceedingly  just  and  important.  "  We  have  found," 
he  says,  '*  the  merchants  to  be  deceivers,  and  the  wares  too  often  falsified.'* 
The  work  of  Dickson,  referred  toby  Baxter,  is  the  *  Therapeutica  Sacra,  etc., 
or  the  Method  of  Healing  the  Diseases  of  Conscience,  &c.'  it  was  published 
in  Latiu  in  165G,  and  iu  English  in  1695.  The  author  was  a  Scottish  minister, 
professor  of  divinity  successively  iu  the  Universities  of  Glasf^ow  and  Edin- 
burgh. He  was  a  highly  respectable  man  both  in  talents  and  learning,  and 
the  author  of  several  valuable  expository  works.    He  died  in  1662. 

VOL.   I.  N  N 


S46  THX  Lin   AND  WJtITIMGS 

tical  theology,  which  Mr.  Dury  sent  over ;  and  twdve  gmt 
divines  of  ours  wrote  to  Bishop  Usher,  as  Dr.  Bernard  teUs  m 
in  his  Life,  to  draw  them  up  a  form  or  method.  But  it  wm 
never  done  among  them  all.  And  it  is  said  that  Bishop  Dov» 
name,  at  last  undertaking  it,  died  hi  the  attempt.  Had  tUi 
been  done,  it  is  like  my  labour  might  have  been  spared.  B«t 
being  undone,  I  have  thus  made  this  essay.  But  I  have  been  ne* 
eessitated  to  leave  out  much  about  conversion,  mortifieatioo, 
self-denial,  self-acquaintance,  faith,  justification^  judgraeiti 
glory,  &c.,  because  I  had  written  of  them  all  before."* 

The  reader  will  probably  be  amused,  as  1  have  been,  with  thi 
following  defence  of  himself  for  writing  many  and  large  books* 
^  As  to  the  numbers  and  length  of  my  writings,  it  is  my  amt 
labour  that  maketh  them  so,  and  my  own  great  trouble,  dm 
the  world  cannot  be  sufficiently  instructed  and  edified  in  fewer 
words.  But,  would  not  all  your  sermons  set  together  be  at 
long  ?  And  why  is  not  much  and  long  preaching  blamable,  if 
long  writings  be  ?  Are  not  the  works  of  Augnstine,  and 
Ghrysostom,  much  longer  ?  Who  yet  hath  reproached  Aquinai 
or  Suarez,  Calvin  or  Zanchy,  &c.  for  the  number  and  greatncM 
of  the  volumes  they  have  written?  Why  do  you  contradict 
yourselves  by  affecting  great  libraries?  When  did  I  ever 
persuade  any  one  of  you,  to  buy  or  read  any  book  of  mine  } 
What  harm  will  thev  do  to  those  that  let  them  alone  ?  Or  what 
harm  can  it  do  you  for  other  men  to  read  them  ?  Let  them  be 
to  you  as  if  they  had  never  been  written ;  and  it  will  be  nothing 
to  you  how  many  they  are.  And  if  all  others  take  not  yon  for 
their  tutors  to  choose  for  them  what  books  they  must  read,  that 
is  not  my  doing  but  their  own.  If  they  err  in  taking  them- 
selves to  be  fitter  judges  than  you  what  tendeth  moat  to  their 
own  edification,  why  do  you  not  teach  them  better  ?  Either 
It  is  God's  truth  or  error  which  I  write.  If  error,  why  doth  do 
one  of  you  show  so  much  charity  as  by  word  br  writing  to  iiH 
struct  me  better,  nor  evince  it  to  my  face,  but  do  all  to  others 
by  backbiting  ?  If  truth,  what  harm  will  it  do  ?  If  men  had  not 
leisure  to  read  our  writings,  the  booksellers  would  silence  us, 
and  save  you  the  labour;  for  none  would  print  them.  But 
who  can  please  all  men  ?  Whilst  a  few  of  you  cry  out  of  too 
much,  what  if  twenty  or  a  hundred  for  one  be  yet  for  more  ? 
How  shall  I  know  whether,  you  or  they  be  the  wiser  and  the 
better  men?'' ^ 

«  Works,  vol.  ii.  pp.  7^9.  *  Aid.  pjp.  10, 11. 


OF  mtCHAttD  BAXTER.  547 

Thte  Is  cynical  enodgh,  but  retj  characteristic.  Tfie  wortk 
i«  arranged  by  the  author  under  four  heads :  Christian  Bthics, « 
or  private  Duties }  Christian  Economics,  or  Family  Duties ; 
Chfistiali  Ecclesiastics,  or  Church  Duties ;  and  Christian  Poli^ 
tics,  or  Duties  to  Rulers  and  Neighbours.  This  plan  is  not  so 
complete  or  systematic  as  might  have  been  expected  from  a  man 
who  studied  order  so  much  as  Baxter  did,  and  who  attached  so 
nfoch  importance  to  it.  The  arrangement  of  a  moral  system 
seems  accurately  marked  by  the  apostle  Paul  in  the  three  ex- 
pressive words  which  he  employs:  (Titus  ii.  12.)  "  Godliness, 
righteousness,  and  sobriety.''  All  the  duties  which  belong  to 
flian  are  included  under  the  head  of  what  he  owes  to  Qod,  what 
is  due  to  himself,  and  what  belongs  to  others.  This  arrange^ 
metit  has  usually  been  adopted  by  the  modern  writers  on  moral 
solijects.  Baxter  would  seem  to  omit  the  first  of  these  heads 
^together;  and  his  three  last  departments  belong  all  to  one 
division — ^the  duties  which  we  awe  to  others.  But  it  must  be 
said  for  him,  that  he  had  anticipated  himself  greatly  in  some  of 
his  former  writings,  by  which  the  regularity  of  his  plan  was  in* 
jured ;  and  under  the  head  of  private  duties,  he  includes  much 
(bi  what  man  owes  to  Ood,  as  well  as  of  what  is  due  to  his 
own  interests. 

}h  other  respects  the  plan  is  at  once  most  comprehensive  and 
pvrticular,  embracing,  beyond  any  other  book  with  which  I  am 
acquainted,  the  largest  portion  of  practical  casuistry  and  in- 
struction. It  discovers  the  amazing  extent  and  minuteness  of 
the  author's  acquaintance  with  the  Scriptures,  and  with  all  the 
principles  of  human  nature.  Nothing  seems  to  have  escaped 
his  observation,  or  appeared  too  difficult  to  deter  him  from,  at 
lestot,  attempting  its  solution.  That  he  should^have  always  suc- 
ceeded^ is  too  much  to  expect.  The  undertaking  was  too  vast 
even  for  the  mind  of  Baxter,  and  his  manner  of  conducting  it 
sometimes  discovers  weakness  ;  while,  on  the  whole,  the  work 
is  a  powerful  illustration  of  the  strength  of  his  mind,  and  the 
fertility  of  his  genius. 

What  is  called  moral  philosophy  in  modern  times,  is  any  thing 
but  the  philosophy  of  morals.  Our  modern  philosophers  have 
supposed  they  should  be  better  employed  in  discussing  mental  ope- 
rations and  the  phenomena  of  human  nature,  than  the  principles 
of  obedience  to  the  will  of  God.  And  indeed  where  dirine  reve^ 
latton  is  either  left  out  of  the  discussion,  or  ptoced  below  what  is 
called  natural  religion,  it  is  better  that  they  should  amuse  them- 

M  K  2 


548  THE  LIFE  AND  WaiTINGS 

selves  with  other  subjects  than  with  the  duties  which  mftuowes 
to  the  Creator.  Baxter's  work  is  full  of  genuine  philosophy. 
Man's  responsibility  is  the  basis  of  his  system;  the  revelation  of 
Heaven  its  regulating  law ;  his  own  happiness  the  inseparable 
concomitant  of  the  obedience  thus  produced^  having  the  £vioe 
glory  for  its  ultimate  end. 

No  part  of  the  work  is  less  satisfactory  than  that  which  treati 
on  politics.  This  is  one  of  the  subjects  Baxter  least  under- 
stood, and  on  which,  -therefore,  he  never  wrote  consistently.  It 
is  very  entertaining  to  find  him  waging  war  with  Hooker^  whose 
principles  he  considered  too  popular  and  democratic.  Who 
would  expect  to  find  the  author  of  the  ^  Ecclesiastical  Polity'  a 
whig,  and  Richard  Baxter  the  Nonconformist  a  tory  ?  Yet  so  it 
is ;  the  one,  inconsistently  with  his  leading  principles  on  church 
government,  maintains  that  the  people  are  the  proper  source  , 
of  all  power  or  authority ;  the  other  disputes  this,  no  less  in- 
consistently with  some  of  his  sentiments,  and  with  the  conduct 
which  in  regard  to  such  matters  he  had  pursued* 

Hooker  maintains,  with  great  ability^  the  doctrine  which  he 
lays  down  in  the  following  passage : 

*^  That  which  we  spake  of  the  power  of  government,  must 
here  be  applied  to  the  power  of  making  laws  whereby  to  govern; 
which  power  God  hath  over  all,  and  by  the  natural  law, 
whereto  he  hath  made  all  subject,  the  lawful  power  of  making 
laws  to  command  whole  politic  societies  of  men,  belongeth  so 
properly  to  the  same  entire  societies,  that  for  any  prince  or  po- 
tentate, of  what  kind  soever  upon  earth,  to  exercise  the  same  of 
himself,  and  not  either  by  express  commission  immediately  and 
personally  received  from  God,  or  else  by  authority  derived  at 
first  from  their  consent,  upon  whose  persons  they  impose  laws, 
it  is  no  better  than  mere  tyranny.  Laws  they  are  not,  there- 
fore, which  public  approbation  hath  not  made  so."  ^ 

The  reasoning  by  which  Hooker  sustains  this  enlightened 
constitutional  doctrine,  it  is  unnecessary  that  I  should  quote. 
Baxter  never  appears  weaker  than  in  his  attempt  to  overthrow 
it ;  he  thus  introduce^  his  answer,  which  is  a  fair  sample  of  all 
the  rest  of  his  argument.  The  passage  shows  his  respect  for 
Hooker,  and  his  want  of  confidence  in  himself  on  this  subject, 
while  it  avows  a  principle  subversive  of  the  most  valuable  rights 
Ivhich  we  enjoy. 

<<  Because  the  authority  of  this  famous  divine  is,  with  his  party, 

•  Worki,  voL  Yi.  p.  27. 


OP  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  549 

•o  great,  I  shall  adventure  to  say  something,  lest  his  words  do 
the  more  harm ;  but  not  by  confident  opposition,  but  humble 
proposal  and  submission  of  my  judgment  to  superior  and  wiser 
men,  as,  being  conscious  of  my  own  inferiority  and  infirmity,  I 
take  all  this  to  be  an  assertion  nowhere  by  him  proved,  and  by 
me  elsewhere  disproved  fully.  Laws  are  the  effects  and  signs  of 
the  ruler's  will  and  instruments  of  government.  Legislation  is 
the  first  part  of  government ;  and  if  the  whole  body  are  naturally 
governors,  the  *Pars  imperans'  and  ^Pars  subdita'  are  con- 
founded. If  the  most  absolute  monarch  can  make  no  laws,  then 
'disobeying  them  were  no  fault.  It  is  enough  that  their  power 
be  derived  from  God  immediately,  though  the  persons  be  chosen 
by  men.  ITieir  authority  is  not  derived  from  the  people's  con- 
aent,  but  from  God,  by  their  consent,  as  a  bare  condition,  *  sine 
<pia  non/  What  if  a  community  say  all  to  their  elected  king, 
*  We  take  not  ourselves  to  have  any  governing  power  to  give 
or  use,  but  we  only  choose  .you  or  your  family  to  that  office 
which  God  hath  instituted,  who,  in  that  institution,  giveth  you 
the  power  upon  our  choice :  *  can  any  man  prove  that  such  a 
kii^  hath  no  power  but  as  a  tyrant,  because  the  people  disclaim 
the  giving  of  the  power,  when,  indeed,  they  do  their  duty  ? 
Remember  tiTat,  in  all  this,  we  speak  .not  of  the  government  of 
this  or  that  particular  kingdom ;  but  of  kingdoms  and  other 
commonwealths  indefinitely." ' 

This  passage  contains  the  essence  of  the  doctrine  of  passive 
obedience  as  distinctly  as  was  ever  contended  for  by  the  highest 
churchman  of  the  day.  It  obviously  confounds  the  divine  ap- 
pointment of  government,  with  a  particular  form  of  government, 
or  with  the  principles  of  the  governing  party.  It  is  monstrous 
to  contend  that  the  right  to  govern,  or  the  authority  to  execute 
laws,  is  not  derived  from  the  people,  but  from  God.  Such  a  prin- 
ciple is  the  basis  of  all  arbitrary  governments,  and  was  the  root 
of  all  the  evils  which  so  long  affected  the  country,  and  led  to 
the  repeated  subversion  of  those  who  considered  themselves  the 
only  legitimate  possessors  of  the  right  to  govern.  The  doctrine 
contended  for  is  not  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible ;  and  the  main- 
tenance of  it  is  a  singular  proof  of  weakness  and  inconsistency 
in  a  man  who  took  such  a  lead  as  Baxter,  in  a  body  whose  very 
existence  implies  the  principle  against  which  he  disputes,  and 
whose  exertions  have  done  more  to  establish  that  principle  in 
Great  Britain  than  all  other  things  together. 

The  ^  Christian  Directory'  was  published  at  a  time  when  dis- 

'  Works,  voL  vL  p^37,2Q. 


6iO  T0B  Un  4NP  WmiTIVGS 

putet  on  the  subject  of  passive  obedienpe  and  iioii*rMist«Dee 
began  to  be  busily  agitated.  Baxter,  though  a  Nonconforaiiit 
in  fact,  was  a  Churchman  rather  than  a  Dissenter  in  prindplSi 
His  jud^Aent  was  in  this  way  entangled,  and  hb  consistency 
frequently  destroyed.  Hallam,  with  his  usual  candour  and  dis- 
crimination, accounts  for  the  principles  and  writings  of  some 
of  the  clergy  on  this  subject.  As  the  passage  explains,  tbongh 
it  does  not  justify,  the  part  which  Baxter  took,  as  well  as  gitci 
a  most  correct  view  of  the  nature  and  progress  of  the  lUscus- 
sion,  I  shall  give  it  at  large. 

^'  It  is  not  my  intention  to  censure,  in  any  strong  sense  of  the 
word,  the  Anglican  clergy,  at  this  time,  fpr  their  assertioq  of  ab- 
solute non-resistance,  so  far  as  it  was  done  without  calumny  nd 
insolepc  towards  those  of  another  way  of  thinking,  and  withottt 
Sfslf-interested  adulation  of  the  ruling  power.  Their  error  was 
very  dangeroi^s,  and  had  nearly  proved  destructive  of  the  whole 
constitution ;  but  it  was  one  which  had  come  down  with  bigii 
recommendation,  and  of  which  they  could  only,  perhaps,  be 
undeceived,  as  men  are  best  undeceived  of  most  orora,  by  ex* 
perience,  that  it  might  hurt  themselves.  It  was  the  tenet  of 
their  homilies,  their  canons,  their  most  distinguished  divines  and 
casuists.  It  had  the  apparent  sanction  of  the  l^slature  in  a 
statute  of  the  present  reign.  Many  excellent  men,  as  was 
shown  after  the  Revolution,  who  had  never  made  use  of  this 
doctrine  as  an  engine  of  faction  or  private  interest,  could  not 
disentangle  their  minds  from  the  arguments  or  the  authori^  on 
which  it  rested.  But  by  too  great  a  number  it  was  eageriy 
brought  forward  to  serve  the  purposes  of  aibitrary  power,  or  at 
best  to  fix  the  wavering  Protestantism  of  the  court,  by  preces- 
sions of  unimpeachable  loyalty.  To  this  motive,  in  fact,  we 
may  trace  a  good  deal  of  the  vehemence  with  which  the  non- 
resisting  principle  had  been  originally  advanced  by  the  church 
of  England  under  the  Tudors,  and  was  continually  urged 
under  the  Stuarts.  If  we  look  at  the  tracts  and  sermons 
published  by  both  parties  after  the  Restoration,  it  will  ap- 
pear manifest  that  the  Romish  and  Anglican  churches  bade^ 
as  it  were,  against  each  other  for  the  favour  of  the  two 
royal  brothers.  The  one  appealed*  to  its  acknowledged  prin- 
ciples, while  it  denounced  the  pretensions  of  the  holy  see  to 
release  subjects  from  their  allegiance,  and  the  bold  theories  of 
popular  government,  which  Mariana  and  some  other  Jesuits  had 
promulgated.  The  others  retaliated  on  the  first  movers  of  the 
Reformation,  and  exigaliaX^di  wx  x3^^  vmE^ation  of  Lady  Jane 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  531 

Grey,  not  to  say,  Elizabeth,  and  the  republicanism  of  Knox  or 
Calvin. 

'^  From  the  era  of  the  exclusion  bill,  especially  to  the  death 
of  Charles  II.,  a  number  of  books  were  published  in  favour  of  an 
indefeasible  hereditary  right  of  the  crown,  and  of  absolute  non- 
reidstance.  These  were,  however,  of  two  very  different  classes. 
The  authors  of  the  first,  who  were  perhaps  the  more  numerous, 
did  not  deny  the  legal  limitations  of  monarchy.  They  admitted 
that  no  one  was  bound  to  concur  in  the  execution  of  unlawful 
commands.  Hence,  the  obedience  they  deemed  indispensable, 
was  denominated  passive ;  an  epithet,  which,  in  modern  usage, 
is  little  more  than  redundant,  but  at  that  time  made  a  sensible 
distiuction.  If  all  men  should  confine  themselves  to  this  line  f 
duty,  and  merely  refuse  to  become  the  instruments  of  such  un-^ 
lawful  commands,  it  was  evident  that  no  tyranny  could  be  car-- 
ried  into  effect.  If  some  should  be  wicked  enough  to  co-operate 
against  the  liberties  of  their  country,  it  would  still  be  the 
bounden  obligation  of  Christians  to  submit.  Of  this,  which 
may  be  reckoned  the  moderate  party,  the  most  eminent  were 
Hickes,  in  a  treatise  called  '  Jovian,'  and  Sherlock,  in  his  Case 
of  Resbtance  to  the  Supreme  Powers.  To  this,  also,  must  have 
belonged  Archbishop  Sancroft,  and  the  great  body  of  non- 
juring  clergy,  who  had  refused  to  read  the  declaration  of  in- 
dulgence under  James  II.,  and  whose  conduct  in  that  respect 
would  be  utterly  absurd,  except  on  the  supposition  that  there 
existed  some  lawful  boundaries  of  the  royal  authority."  ^ 

But  I  must  return  to  the  general  character  of  the  Chris- 
tian Directory.  It  is  as  a  book  of  casuistry,  rather  than  in  any 
other  point  of  view,  that  it  must  be  contemplated.  It  is  filled 
with  a  multitude  of  directions  for  the  regulation  of  conduct, 
and  with  innumerable  cases  of  conscience,  which  the  author 
endeavours  to  solve.  For  this  kind  of  work,  Baxter  was 
pre-eminently  qualified,  both  by  the  constitution  of  his  own 
mind,  and  by  his  extensive  experience.  What  he  was  as  a 
metaphysician,  has  been  frequently  adverted  to.  He  was  trained 
to  casuistry  by  the  writings  of  the  scholastic  divines,  to  which 
he  had  devoted  so  much  attention,  and  of  whose  discussions  he 
was  a  profound  admirer. 

In  addition  to  this,  Baxter,  from  various  causes,  had  for  many 
years  been  oonsulted  in  doubtful  and  difficult  cases,  probably  by 
a  greater  number  of  persons  than  any  other  man  of  his  age. 

t  HallaiD,  voL  li.  pp.  624*^27 « 


552  THB  LIP£  AND  WRITINGS 

It  was  an  age,  too,  it  should  be  remembered^  in  vrhkh  thst 
kind  of  spiritual  consultation  and  prescription,  was  earned  to 
a  great  extent.  We  are  told  by  Bishop  Heber,  in  his  Lifie  of 
Jeremy  Taylor,  that  during  the  time  that  the  celebrated  Dr^ 
Owen  was  dean  of  Christ-church,  a  regular  office  for  titt 
satisfaction  of  doubtful  consciences  was  held  in  Oj^ord,  to 
which  the  students  at  last  ludicrously  gave  the  name  of  *  Scnple 
shop/  ^  His  Lordship  should  not  have  forgotten  to  mentioii|ii 
connexion  with  this,  that  after  the  Restoration,  there  was  sa 
office  established  in  London  for  the  sale  of  dispensations  to 
churchmen  to  eat  flesh  in  the  time  of  Lent* 

Casuistry,  in  fact,  belonged  to  all  the  parties  of  the  timob 
The'Ductor  Dubitantium'  shows  how  it  was  understood  arid 
practised  by  churchmen ;  as  the  ^  Christian  Directory'  illiistntiBi 
the  same  thing  in  relation  to  the  NonconformistSk  Whether 
the  palm  in  this  species  of  writing  ought  to  belong  to  T^fkir  0r 
to  Baxter,  I  am  not  casuist  enough  myself  to  take  upon  me  to 
determine.  Taylor  had  more  learning  and  a  greater  hixartinos 
of  imagination  than  Baxter ;  but  the  latter  was  more  than  Ui 
equal  in  acuteness,  in  the  power  of  distinguishing^  in  Ini 
knowledge  of  the  human  heart,  and  in  the  correct  estimation  of 
scriptural  principle  and  practice.  Taylor  deals  more  with 
general  principles ;  Baxter  with  particular  cases.  The  former  is 
frequently  extremely  happy  in  his  illustrations ;  the  latter  in  hit 
expositions  of  the  deceitfulness  of  the  human  heart,  and  the 
secret  workings  of  error  and  sin.  Both  may  be  consulted  oc- 
casionally with  profit  and  advantage  j  but  if  resorted  to  as 
oracles,  they  will  frequently  be  found  as  unsatisfactory  as  the 
responses  of  the  Delphic  tripod. 

The  grand  objection  to  the  work  of  Baxter  is,  that  it  attempts 
too  much.  It  substitutes  minute  instructions  instead  of  the 
general  principles  and  precepts  of  the  word  of  God.  It  leaves  toe 
little  for  the  spontaneity  of  the  Christian  mind,  and  perpl< 
and  bewilders  by  a  useless  multiplication  of  questions  and 
He  discusses,  for  instance,  thirty  tongue  sins,  and  twenty  qocs- 
tions  for  the  conviction  of  drunkards.  He  proposes  eighteea 
necessary  qualifications  of  lawful  recreation ;  describes  eighteea 
sorts  that  are  sinful ;  and  proposes  twelve  convincing  questioaa 
to  those  who  plead  for  such  pastimes.  He  answers  thirty-six 
questions  about  contracts :  twenty  about  buying  and  selling 
sixteen  representing  theft ;  and  (me  hundred  and  sevaUif-fntr 
about  matters  eCc\es\^i\eal  I 


OF  mCHARD  BAXTBB.  ^53 

Among  other  subjects^  he  considers,  whether  a  mental  promise 
doth  oblige ;  whether  money  may  be  given  to  a  bishop,  patron, 
&c.,  by  way  of  gratitude ;  whether  we  may  use  many  words 
in  buying  and  selling;  whether  we  may  buy  as  cheap  as  we 
can ;  and  whether  a  landlord  may  raise  his  r^nts  ?  He  inquires 
whether  love  of  sleep  may  be  a  mortal  sin ;  and  gives  directions 
against  sinful  dreams.  He  discusses  whether  we  may  follow  the 
fitthions;  and  whether  deformity  may  be  hid  by  painting  or  ap- 
parel ;  whether  a  minister  may  kneel  down  in  the  pulpit  and 
.use  his  private  prayers  when  he  is  in  the  assembly. 

I  am  far  from  thinking  that  such  questions,  and  many  others 
on  which  Baxter  bestowed  great  labour,  are  absolutely  indif- 
ferent, but  the  attempt  to  meet  the  infinite  variety  of  puzzles 
which  may  be  presented  in  morals  and  manners,  by  writing 
books,  is  the  vainest  in  which  man  can  engage.  Many  of 
Baxter's  answers  are  quite  unsatisfactory ;  they  either  leave  the 
question  where  it  was,  express  a  vain  wish  that  some  things 
were  different,  or  actually  create  doubts  and  perplexities 
where  none  existed  before.  They  tend  to  generate  disease 
as  well  as  to  cure  it.  On  sensitive  and  scrupulous .  minds, 
they  are  in  danger  of  operating  injuriously,  by  feeding  and 
atrengthening  morbid  feelings ;  while,  to  minds  of  a  stronger 
texture,  which  may  be  disposed  to  practise  evasion,  they 
answer  little  purpose,  or  suggest  means  of  self-defence  and 
jostification. 

While  I  thus  freely  express  myself  respecting  the  imperfec- 
tions or  faults  of  this  extensive  work,  I  entertain  a  strong 
opinion  of  the  large  mass  of  valuable  practical  instruction 
which  it  contains.  One  feature  pervades  it — Baxter  never  errs 
in  the  way  of  pleading  for  evil,  or  apologizing  for  its  appear- 
ance. If  he  errs,  it  is  on  the  side  of  rigidity,  and  not  of  laxity. 
Wherever  there  is  a  doubt,  he  holds  that  the  law  of  God,  ^nd 
not  the  creature,  should  have  the  benefit  of  that  doubt.  He 
never  teaches  men  how  near  they  may  approach  to  evil  without 
danger ;  but  invariably  inculcates  the  necessity  of  keeping  at 
the  greatest  distance  from  it.  Many  of  the  books  of  Romish 
casuistry,  seem  to  have  been  constructed  for  the  purpose  of  jus- 
tifying men  in  the  commission  of  sin.  They  are  little  better 
than  traps  and  snares,  whose  end  is  death.  Even  Taylor 
could  go  the  length  of  admitting,  that  private  evil  may  in  some 
eases  be  done  by  public  men,  for  the  public  necessity «  ¥^>3X 
though  varioui  of  Baxter*^  rules  may  easWy  be  e^^x^ai^^Wvi^ 


Hi  Tm  U9B  AM)  trftfrmfis 

BQl  olMenred  any  cast  io  which  be  altempls  to  fdaad  ior  fvl  or 
excuse  iu 

On  the  whole^  the  best  directory  for  concience  it  mi  ca* 
Kghtened  acquaintance  with  the  Scriptures,  and  the  possession  tf 
a  spiritual  state  of  mind.  Where  these  exist,  difficulties  it^ 
specting  conduct  will  not  be  found  in  any  great  degree,  or  ks 
cMf  long  continuance.  God  has  engaged,  to  make  the  path  if 
duty  plain  to  him  who  desires  to  be  found  in  it,  and  suck  viH 
always  experience  the  divine  faithfulness  and  goodness.  -  II  i| 
impossible  to  construct  nicer  balances  than  those  of  the  saBcUhi 
ary ;  or  to  form  better  weights  and  measures  for  tbsm,  thsn 
those  which  God  himself  has  provided.  When  truth  must  bs 
dealt  out  in  drams  and  scruples,  or  the  state  of  the  consciaBSS 
i^ertained  by  a  theological  barometer,  the  healtli  of  the  soul 
must  be  in  a  very  crazy  or  feeble  condition,  llie  cure  in  siieh 
a  case  must  be  found,  not  in  a  ^^  scruple  shop,'*  er  in  a  disfiear 
sation  office,  but  in  a  resolute  and  persevering  applicatioo  to  ths 
great  Physician,  and  the  proper  use  of  his  heavenly  renediss. 
Where  these  foil,  or  are  neglected,  neither  a  Ductor  DubitaiH 
tium  nor  a  Christian  Directory  vrill  render  essential  service.^ 

I  purposely  began  this  chapter  on  Christian  ethics,  with 
Baxter's  ^  Directory/  because,  though  not  the  first  of  his  works 
on  the  great  duties  of  man,  as  it  embraces  the  whole  range  it 
was  properly  entitled  to  priority  of  consideration.  The  woik  to 
which  I  am  now  about  to  advert,  is  less  in  bulk,  but  greater  in 
value,  and  has  rendered  the  highest  services  to  the  cause  of 
Christianity.     I  refer  to  his 

'GiLDAs  Salvianus:  The  Reformed  Pastor ;  showing  lbs 
nature  of  the  pastoral  work ;  especially  in  private  instruetioB 
and  catechising :  with  an  open  confession  of  our  too  open  sins. 
Prepared  for  a  day  of  humiliation,  kept  at  Worcester,  Dec.  4tli, 
1655,  by  the  ministers  of  that  county  who  subscribed  the  agree- 
ment for  catechising,  and  personal  instruction,  at  their  entranos 
upon  that  work.' j  The  title  which  1  have  here  quoted,  presents 
at  once  to  the  reader,  the  nature  and  design  of  this  important 
treatise.    Baxter  was  eminently  qualified  to  write  on  the  nature 

*  An  '  Abridgment  of  the  Christian  Directory/  in  two  volumes  8vo,  wa» 
published  in  1804,  by  Dr.  Adam  Clarke.  The  only  mode  of  abridging  sucb  a 
book,  is  reducing  iti  bulk,  by  leaving  out  large  portions  of  it.  Baxter.  I  ap- 
prehend, would  not  have  smiled  at  the  various  attempts  which  have  beta 
made  to  contract  his  dimeusions. 

1  Works,  Tol.  XV* 


OF  RlCUiU  B4KWt  W 

|b4  4Miga  pf  the  niiii#MeriaI  office.  He  bad  now  Qocvpied  it 
fer  #  Mifficieiit  wimber  of  yean,  to  enable  him  to  speak  from  his 
MIBi  experience.  But  independently  of  this,  the  manner  in  which 
h^  bad  discharged  tlie  duties  of  the  office  at  Kiddef  minster,  and 
tbe  extraordinary  success  with  which  it  had  pleased  God  to 
bless  his  labours,  pointed  him  out  to  his  brethren  as  the  proper 
pp|«pn  to  deliver  to  them,  not  an  ea:  cathedra  oration,  or  a  formal 
poi|do  adclero9,  but  a  pious,  earnest,  and  solemn  homily  on  the 
pfi^rous  duties  and  responsibilities  of  the  pastoral  function. 

The  manner  in  which  he  fulfilled  his  duties  in  the  church,  of 
which  the  Holy  Ghost  had  made  him  overseer,  we  have  already 
i^ea  in  his  own  beautiful  account  of  the  causes  and  means  of 
l|i«  suopess.  The  volpme  now  before  us  unfolds  the  principles 
bf  which  he  was  actuated  in  the  discharge  of  his  ministry, 
md  the  means  by  which  he  endeavoured  to  male  full  proof  of 
H*  He  was  himself,  allowing  for  human  imperfections,  the  pastof 
wbiph  be  despribes,  the  minister  whose  poftrait  he  sketches  ] 

I  **  Wboie  own  example  strengtbeni  all  his  lawi, 
I      And  it  bimielf  the  f^reat  sublime  he  draws."  ^ 

It  is  therefove  no  fanciful  sketch,  or  beau  ide^  of  a  character, 
unattainable  by  mortals,  but  the  representation  of  a  living  reality. 
fbiM  gives  it  a  force  and  recomm^qdatiop  wh^ch  it  would 
4lo(  otherwise  have;  and  is  calculated  to  meet  one  of  the 
ftrongest  objections  which  naturally  occur  to  the  mind  of  every 
attentive  reader.  He  is  disposed  at  once  to  ask  the  question, 
C^n  these  things  be}  Can  such  ardour,  such  spiritual  de- 
?otedness,  suf:h  untiring  labour,  such  unwearied  patience,  so 
mifch  wisdom,  discrimination,  faithfulness,  and  meekness,  be  at- 
lained  ?  If  all  these  are  required  to  the  due  fulfilment  of  the 
jpastor's  weighty  charge,  who  is  sufficient  for  these  things  ?  The 
effect  of  such  considerations  on  some  minds,  has  been  most  de- 
pressing  and  discouraging,  inducing  doubts  as  to  whether  they 
have  really  been  called  to  the  work  of  tlie  ministry,  or  ought  not 
to  abandon  it. 

Richard  Baxter,  though  possessed  of  vast  natural  energy  and 
enterprise,  was  after  all  but  a  man  of  like  passions  with  others. 
•He  was  sickly,  and  feeble  in  body,  and  had  his  own  peculiarities 
of  mind;  but  the  grace  of  Christ  wrought  mightily  in  him,  and 
rendered  him  capable  of  great  things.  What  he  effected  wits 
.more  by  the  force  of  principle,  and  by  the  diligent  and  persever- 
wg  use  of  diviuely-appointed  means,  than  by  his  extraordinary 


556  TH«  LfFB  AND  WRITiNOS 

natural  talents.  '^He  studied  to  show  himself  a  woikman  im- 
proved of  God."  He  gave  himself  to  reading,  to  meditatioiiy 
and  prayer;  and  was  wholly  in  these  things.  Tliis  coQtiiiiMd 
and  unreserved  devotedness  is  the  grand  feature  in  Baxter's 
ministerial  character,  and  that  which  accounts  for  much  that  he 
accomplished  at  Kidderminster. 

To  describe  minutely  such  a  work  as  the  ^  Reformed  Pastor/ 
cannot  be  necessary ;  and  no  description  could  do  full  justice 
to  its  merits.  Gil  das  and  Salvianus,  whose  names  are  placed 
first  on  his  title-page,  were  two  writers  of  the  fifth  and  siith 
centuries,  distinguished  for  their  bold  and  faithful  wamingi. 
Baxter  says,  ^^  I  pretend  not  to  the  sapience  of  GildaSy  nor  to 
the  sanctity  of  Salvian,  as  to  the  degree ;  but  by  their  namci 
I  offer  an  excuse  for  plain  dealing,  if  it  was  used  in  a  moeh 
greater  measure  by  men  so  wise  and  holy  as  these,  why  should 
it,  in  a  lower  measure,  be  disallowed  in  anotlier  ?  At  least,  fram 
hence  I  have  this  encouragment,  that  the  plain  dealing  of 
Gildas  and  Salvian  being  so  much  approved  by  us  now  they  are 
dead,  how  much  soever  they  might  be  despised  or  hated  while 
they  were  living,  by  them  whom  they  did  reprove,  at  the  worst  I 
may  expect  some  such  success  in  times  to  come."'^ 

His  expectation  has  been  more  than  fulfilled ;  scarcely  any  of 
his  books  having  been  more  extensively  read,  or  more  generally 
useful  than  this.  Prefixed  to  it  is  an  address,  of  considerable 
length,  to  his  reverend  and  dearly  beloved  brethren,  the  fiuthfiil 
ministers  of  Christ,  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland;  full  of  tender- 
ness and  simple  fidelity.  There  is  n^xt  a  short  address  to  the 
lay  reader,  in  which  he  speaks  of  an  intention  to  write  a  second 
part  of  the  work,  treating  more  fully  of  the  duties  of  the  people, 
and  their  relations  to  their  pastors ;  but  which,  I  believe,  he 
never  executed.  The  discourse  itself  is  appropriately  founded  on 
Acts  XX.  28.  He  first  opens  or  expounds  the  meaning  of  the  text, 
and  then  enters  fully  into  his  great  subject ;  which  he  divides 
into  seven  chapters.  In  these  he  enters  into  a  full  detail  of  all 
that  is  included  in  the  oversight  of  the  flock,  the  duties  necessary 
to  be  performed,  the  manner  in  which  they  must  be  discharged, 
the  actuating  motives  productive  of  obedience,  the  sins  of  the 
ministry,  the  encouragements  provided  for  the  faithful,  and  the 
threatenings  addressed  to  the  ignorant,  indolent,  or  ungodly. 

On  a  few  leading  points  Baxter  lays  great  stress,  and  where 
they  are  attended  to,  much  benefit  will  invariably  accrue. 
Awakening  preaching,  holy  example,  diligent  inspection,  with 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTRtttf  957 

satechising^  and  the  faithful  administration  of  discipline.  On 
tbeae  points  he  dwells  and  enlarges,  and  they  were  all  strikingly 
iDuatrated  in  his  own  example.  There  was  a  cutting  edge  in 
hm  preaching,  which  could  scarcely  be  withstood.  His  own 
ebaracter  added  all  the  force  of  example  to  his  expostulations, 
reproofs,  and  injunctions.  He  was  constantly  among  the  people; 
acquainted  with  the  old  and  the  young;  familiar  with  their 
duracters  and  circumstances;  and  prepared  to  take  advantage 
sf  every  occurrence  which  might  promote  their  eternal  welfare. 
His  discipline  followed  up  his  warnings  and  denunciations;  and 
fearless  of  any  consequences,  he  administered  it  with  all  iide- 
Bty  and  impartiality. 

Such  a  plan  and  mode  of  acting  could  not  fail  to  produce,  and 
thi^  did  produce,  surprising  and  lasting  effects.    There  is  an 
adaptation  in  them  to  promote  the  great  ends  which 

rist  has  in  view  in  the  institution  of  the  Christian  ministry. 
Something  must  no  doubt  depend  on  natural  as  well  as  moral 
qualifications^  and  on  advantageous  or  disadvantageous  circum- 
tUuices.  But  where  there  is  an  ordinary  measure  of  fitness  for 
the  work,  if  such  measures  as  these  are  diligently  and  persever- 
ingly  prosecuted,  the  effect  will  most  amply  repay  the  labour. 
Christian  zeal,  fidelity,  and  tenderness,  can  never  be  employed 
in  vain. 

There  is  one  effect  which  such  a  system  as  Baxter  recom-> 
mends  is  calculated  to  produce,  and  must  therefore  be  watched 
with  great  attention.  It  has  a  direct  tendency  to  produce  pro- 
fiession  and  hypocrisy,  if  the  love  of  the  truth  itself  does  not  take 
possession  of  the  soul.  Baxter,  though  he  could  not  be  satisfied 
with  the  mere  adoption  of  the  form  of  religion,  yet  laid  con- 
ttderable  stress  on  it ;  and  felt  as  if  he  had  gained  a  step, 
when  men  were  induced  to  comply  with  certain  external  or- 
dinances, though  they  were  not  converted.  The  observance 
of  the  Sabbath,  of  family  worship,  of  the  Lord*s-supper,  are  all 
highly  important  in  themselves ;  yet  men  may  be  persuaded  to 
do  all  these  things,  who  are  strangers  to  the  life  and  power  of 
godliness.  When  religion  comes  to  be  generally  respected  in  a 
place,  or  when  it  is  powerfully  recommended  by  certain  adven- 
titious circumstances,  many  will  assume  the  profession,  and  mis- 
take outward  conformity  for  inward  and  genuine  piety. 

The  system  of  Baxter  could  also  be  more  fully  acted  upon, 
while  he  was  minister  of  the  parish  of  Kidderminster,  as  circum- 
atances  then  were,  than  it  could  afterwards  have  been,  had  he  rer 
mained  in  the  established  church }  or  than  be  could  have  ado^t^d 


SS9  TUB  Lin  A19D  WRfTINGS 

aA  the  niiniflter  of  a  separate  congregation,  had  he  taken  itdli 
dharge.  While  in  Kidderminster,  he  enjoyed  ail  the  adtautagti 
both  of  the  church  and  dissent.  He  was  the  mmister  of  a  volnotirf 
congregation^  and  of  a  separated  Christian  society,  meeting  in  Ihi 
parochial  edifice,  and  supported  by  the  funds  of  the  estdihrih' 
inent«  He  had  all  the  consequence  and  influence  of  a  eleigy* 
man,  with  all  the  privileges  and  independence  of  b  difltentio| 
minister.  No  clergyman  dare  now  act  in  the  same  mnnCP 
with  Baxter ;  and  no  dissenting  minister  can  do  aH  that  be  Hit 
much  more,  however^  might  perhaps  be  done  by  botli,  dian  U 
generally  attempted.  He  concludes  his  book  ^th  the  foHowiiqt 
very  beautiful  appeal  to  his  brethren,  and  reference  Uf  thegriii 
Author  of  all  good  for  his  blessing. 

*^  I  hare  done  my  advice,  and  leave  you  to  the  ptwcMi 
Though  the  proud  may  receive  it  with  scorn,  and  the  selfish  mi 
slofhfol  with  some  distaste  and  indignation,  I  donbt  not  butGdd 
will  use  it,  in  despite  of  the  oppositions  of  sin  and  Satan,  to  M 
awakening  of  many  of  his  servants  to  their  duty,  and  proaMttfOf 
the  work  of  a  right  reformation :  and  that  his  nmch  grtalir 
blessing  shall  accompany  the  present  undertaking  for  the  wttmg 
of  many  a  soul,  the  peace  of  you  that  undertake  and  perform  ity 
the  exciting  of  his  servants  through  the  nation  to  second  ytn^ 
and  to  increase  purity  and  the  unity  of  his  churches.  ** ' 

A  very  good  abridgment  of  *  ^Fhe  Reformed  Pastor*  was  este- 
^trted  many  years  ago  by  the  late  Rev.  Samuel  Palmer,  of  Hack-* 
ney;  the  circulation  of  it  has  been  very  extensive.  A  nnieh 
improved  revision  and  abridgment  of  the  work,  by  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Brown,  of  Edinburgh,  with  an  admirable  introductory  essay  by 
the  Rev.  Daniel  Wilson,  has  been  recently  published  by  Collins, 
of  Glasgow.  Both  the  abridgment  and  the  essay  are  in  all  re« 
spects  worthy  of  Baxter,  and  deserving  of  the  widest  diffusion. 

When  he  published  the  treatise,  he  expressed  his  confidence 
that  the  divine  blessing  would  attend  it.  Long  before  he  died, 
he  said,  with  great  satisfaction  respecting  the  book,  but  with 
great  sorrow  in  reference  to  the  times,  "  I  have  very  great 
cause  to  be  thankful  to  God  for  the  success  of  that  book,  as 
hoping  many  thousand  souls  are  the  better  for  it,  in  that  it  pre- 
vailed with  many  ministers  to  set  upon  that  work  which  I  there 
exhort  them  to  :  even  from  beyond  the  seas,  I  have  had  letters 
of  request,  to  direct  them  how  they  might  bring  on  that  work 
according  as  that  book  had  convinced  them  that  it  was  their 
duty.    If  God  would  but  reform  the  ministryi  and  set  them  on 


0W  RIOHAKD  BAXTBB*:  M9. 

tiMlir  dmieil  f ealoQsIy  and  faithfolly,  the  people  woidd  certainly 
be  reformed :  all  charcbes  either  rise  or  fall,  as  the  ministrjr 
doth  rise  or  fall ;  not  in  riches  and  worldly  grandeurj  but  in 
knoiwledge^  aseal,  «k1  ability  for  the  work.  But  since  bishopa 
were  restored,  this  book  is  useless,  and  that  work  not  meddled 
With/'- 

I  shall  conclude  my  account  of  this  invaluable  book,  by  te« 
^pKSting  the  attention  of  my  brethren  in  the  ministry,  who  may 
happen  to  glance  at  these  pages,  to  the  following  testimony  of 
Jh.  Doddridge  :  '  The  Reformed  Pastor'  is  a  most  extraordinary 
perfontiance,  and  should  be  read  by  every  young  minister  before 
he  tidccs  fl  people  under  his  stated  ^wtt ;  and,  I  think,  the  prae* 
fical  parted  it  reviewed  every  three  or  four  years.  For  nothing 
Wdiild  have  a  greater  tendency  to  awaken  the  spirit  of  a  minis-' 
ter  to  dial  Bcal  in  his  work,  for  want  of  which,  many  good  men 
aira  but  shadows  of  what,  by  the  blessing  of  Ged  th^  might  be> 
if  the  maxims  and  measures  laid  down  in  this  incomparable  trea^ 
tise  were  strenuously  pursued.'''' 

With  'The  Reformed  Pastor'  may  be  connected,  with  greitt 
fNPopriety,  one  of  Baxter's  tracts,  though  it  was  published  in  1676^ 
'  Reasons  for  Ministers  using  the  greatest  plainness  and  serious^ 
oess  possible  in  all  their  applications  to  their  people/®  It 
Occupies  only  a  few  pages;  but  is  full  of  the  most  solemn  and 
serious  statements,  appealing  at  once  to  ministers  and  people4 
To  the  former  to  induce  fidelity,  and  to  the  latter  to  encourage 
to  its  exercise. 


The  mind  of  Baxter  could  embrace  the  most  sublime  and  ^ 
Inost  abstruse  subjects ;  it  could  also  descend  and  accommodate 
Hself  to  the  simplest  and  rudest  elements  of  knowledge.  Like 
Watts,^  he  could  reason  with  philosophers,  and  become  the 
instructor  of  children.  Families  were  the  object  of  his  great  at- 
tention and  solicitude  while  he  ministered  atKidderminster ;  and 
the  poorest  as  well  as  the  richest  enjoyed  his  labours.  In  no 
capacity  does  he  appear  to  more  advantage  than  as  the  author 
of '  The  Poor  Man's  Family  Book.'  p  This  is,  in  fact,  acompen-' 
dium  of  divinity  and  religion,  communicated  in  a  familiar  con- 
feienee  between  a  teacher  and  a  hearer,  extending  over  eight 
days,  and  comprehending  a  form  of  exhortation  to  the  sick ; 

"Lif«, parti,  p.  115. 

*  Doddrid^e'i  *  Lectures  on  Preaching  and  the  Vutoni  CastC' 

•  Workig  roLxr,       •  *  Wifkft|  To\%  liu 


560  THB  LIPB  AND  WB1TIN6S 

two  catechisms ;  a  profession  of  Christianity ;  fonns  of  prtjer 
for  various  occasions,  and  psalms  and  hymns  for  the  lord's  day. 
He  states  the  design  of  the  book ;  and  appeals  so  affectingly  to 
the  rich,  to  assist  him  in  circulating  it  among  the  poor,  that  1 
cannot  do  better  than  allow  him  to  speak  for  himself. 

^^  lliis  book  was  intended  for  the  use  of  poor  families,  which  bate 
neither  money  to  buy  many  books,  nor  time  to  read  them :  I  much 
desired,  therefore,  to  have  made  it  shorter ;  but  I  could  not  do 
it  without  leaving  out  that  which  I  think  they  cannot  well  spue. 
That  which  is  spoken  accurately,  and  in  few  words,  the  ignorant 
understand  not:   and  that  which  is  large,  they  have  neither 
money,  leisure,  nor  memory,  to  make  their  own.     Being  un- 
avoidably in  this  strait,  the  first  remedy  lieth  in  your  hands ;  I 
humbly  propose  it  to  you,  for  the  souls  of  men,  and  the  comfort 
of  your  own,  and  the  common  good  on  the  behalf  of  Christ  the 
Saviour  of  your  souls  and  theirs,  that  you  will  bestow  one  book 
(either  this  or  some  fitter)  upon  as  many  poor  families  as  yoa 
well  can.     If  every  landlord  would  give  one  to  every  poor  tenant 
that  he  hath,  once  in  his  life,  out  of  one  year's  rent,  it  would  be 
no  great  charge  in  comparison  of  the  benefit  which  may  be  hoped 
for,  and  in  comparison  of  what  prodigality  consumeth.    The 
price  of  one  ordinary  dish  of  meat  will  buy  a  book :  and  to 
abate,  for  every  tenant,  but  one  dish  in  your  lives,  is  no  great 
self-denial.     If  you,  indeed,  lay  out  all  that  you  have  better,  I 
have  done.     If  not,  grudge  not  this  little  to  the  poor  and  to 
yourselves  :  it  will  be  more  comfortable  to  your  review,  when 
the  reckoning  cometh,  than  that  which  is  spent  on  pomp  and 
ceremony,  and  superfluities,  and  fleshly  pleasures.    And  if  land* 
lords  (whose  power  with  their  tenants  is  usually  great)  would 
also  require  them  seriously  to  read  it,  (at  least  on  the  Lord's 
day,)  it  may  further  the  success.     And  1  hope  rich  citizens,  and 
ladies  and  rich  women,  who  cannot  themselves  go  to  talk  to  poor 
fiimiiies,  will  send  them  such  a  messenger  as  this,  or  some  fitter 
book  to  instruct  them,  seeing  no  preacher  can  be  got  at  so  cheap 
a  rate.     The  Father  of  spirits,  and  the  Redeemer  of  souls,  per- 
suade and  assist  us  all  to  work  while  it  is  day,  and  serve  his 
love  and  grace  for  our  own,  and  other  men's  salvation." p 

The  whole  work  is  conducted  in  the  form  of  a  dialogue,  which 
is  maintained  with  great  vigour  by  the  various  inter locutors. 
The  style  is  familiar  and  easy,  but  not  vulgar.  While  every 
sentiment  is  made  as  intelligible  as  possible  to  the  poor,  there  is 

9  Works,  voL  six.  pt  295« 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER*  561 

naeh  to  please,  and  scarcely  any  thing  to  offend  a  person  of  the 
most  delicate  taste.  Baxter  could  distinguish^ which  is  not  always 
done^  between  plainness  and  hoioe  dealing,  and  what  is  low  and 
vnlgar.  He  made  it  his  object  to  elevate  the  minds  of  the  poor^ 
without  degrading  the  ministry,  or  injuring  the  pure  and  sublime 
doctrines  of  the  cross.  In  this  book  we  have  of  course  no  learned 
quotations,  but  few  of  his  nice  distinctions^  and  none  of  his  tech- 
nical words  and  phrases.  It  is  pure  good  English  writing.  The 
prayer  at  the  end  of  the  book,  of  a  dying  believer,  is  exquisitely 
beautifuL  It  may  be  poured  out  in  a  cottage ;  it  might  be 
littered  in  a  palace.  It  is  the  breathing  of  heaven,  and  the 
earnest  of  its  enjoyment. 

This  little  work  met  with  great  acceptance  when  it  was  first 
published.  It  appears  to  have  been  given  away  in  great  num- 
bers by  the  author  himself,  as  well  as  by  benevolent  individuals 
who  approved  of  this  method  of  promoting  religion.  The  ef- 
fects produced  by  such  means  are  rarely  known  in  this  world. 
The  extent  to  which  the  poor  and  the  afflicted  are  relieved  by 
books  and  tracts,  will  only  be  ascertained  when  the  world,  the 
scene  of  their  dispersion,  has  passed  away.  The  following 
anecdote  of  the  origin  of  the  dissenting  congregation  at  Da- 
ventry  will  perhaps  interest  the  reader^  in  connexion  with  the 
*  Poor  Man's  Family  Book :  * 

Nonconformity  took  early  root  in  this  parish.  After  the 
Bartholomew  Act,  in  1662,  secret  meetings  for  worship  were 
frequently  held  late  at  night,  and  conducted  only  occasionally 
by  ministers,  at  a  house  in  the  hamlet  of  Drayton,  in  which  was 
a  back-door  opening  into  the  fields,  to  facilitate  retreat  in  case 
of  detection— ^no  unnecessary  precaution  in  those  days  of  per- 
secution. 

The  immediate  rise  of  the  present  congregation  is  thus  re- 
lated by  Dr.  Ashworth,  as  communicated  to  him  about  the  year 
1747,  by  Mr.  Thomas  Porter,  one  of  the  memben,  then  upwards 
of  eighty  years  of  age :  *^  An  aged  minister,  who  lived  some 
considerable  distance  beyond  Daventry,  in  his  way  to  London, 
lay  at  the  Swan  Inn  (formerly  the  principal  inn)  in  this  town, 
where  he  was  taken  ill.  and  confined  for  a  week  or  longer.  Mr. 
Lindsay,  who  kept  the  house,  and  all  his  family,  behaved  to  him 
with  much  kindness  5  and  it  appears  to  have  been  a  remarkably 
regular  house,  llie  minister,  on  the  evening  before  he  departed, 
desired  the  family  to  come  into  his  room,  where  he  particularly 

VOL.  I.  00 


562  THB  LIVE   AND  WHITINGS 

thanked  Mr.  Lindsay,  and  each  pf  his  family,  for  their  civility  t0 
him,  and  expressed  much  satisfaction  in  the  good  order  of  the 
house;  hut,  said  he,  something  leads  me  to  think  that  there  is  not 
the  fear  of  God  in  this  house.  It  grieves  me  to  see  such  honesty, 
civility,  economy,  and  decency,  and  yet  religion  is  wanting, 
which  is  the  one  thing  needful.  On  this,  he  entered  into  a  close 
conversation  with  them  on  the  nature  and  importance  of  real 
and  inward  religion,  which  he  closed  with  telling  them-,  he  had 
with  him  a  little  book,  lately  printed,  which  he  would  give  theoit 
and  wished  them  to  read  it  carefully.  On  which  he  gave  thesi 
Baxter's  *  Poor  Man's  Family  Book.*  This  fixes  the  date  to 
]  672,  or  later,  the  year  in  which  that  book  was  printed.  It  is 
not  certain  who  the  minister  iVas,  or  that  Mr.  Lindsay  ever  saw 
him  again,  or  knew  his  name ;  but  it  was  suspected  that  it  was 
Baxter  himself.  Mr.  Lindsay  read  the  book  with  pleasure,  sent 
for  others  of  Mr.  Baxter's  books,  and  he  and  some  of  his  children 
became  excellent  characters.  Upon  this  he  grew  weary  of  the 
inn,  and  being  in  plentiful  circumstances,  retired  to  a  house  in 
the  middle  of  the  High  Street,  which  had  a  small  close  behind 
it ;  at  the  extremity  of  which,  upon  the  back  lane  (opposite 
the  inlands),  there  stood  some  outbuildings,  which  he  converted 
into  a  meeting-hovise.  ITiis  was  probably  after  the  Revolution. 
He  always  intended,  and  often  promised,  to  settle  it  in  form ; 
but,  dying  suddenly,  it  never  was  done."  ^ 

Encouraged  by  the  reception  and  success  of  his  Poor  Man's 
Book,  Baxter  published,  ii;  1682,  what  he  considered  a  second 
part  of  it,  *  The  Catechising  of  Families,'  in  which  he  proposes 
to  instruct  householders  liow  to  teach  their  households ;  and  also 
to  afford  assistance  to  schoolmasters  and  teachers  of  vouth: 
"  expounding,"  he  says,  ''  First,  The  law  of  nature;  Secondly, 
The  evidence  of  the  Gospel ;  Thirdly,  The  Creed;  Fourthly,  The 
Lord's  Prayer:  Fifthly,  The  Commandments;  Sixthly,  Tlie 
Ministry;  Seventhly,  Baptism;  Eighthly,  The  Lord's  Supper. 
It  is  suited  to  those  that  are  past  the  common  little  catechism ; 
and  I  think  these  two  family  books  to  be  of  the  greatest  common 
use  of  any  that  1  have  published.  If  households  would  but 
do  their  parts  in  reading  good  books  to  their  households,  it 
might  be  a  great  supply  where  the  ministry  is  defective  :  and  no 

<i  Baker's  '  NortbampUmsbire^!  quote«l  in  the  ^  Eclectic  Review '  for  Sep- 
tember, 1828. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  563 

ministry  will  serve  sufficiently  without  men's  own  endeavours  for 
themselves  and  families'' ' 

In  his  estimate  of  this  and  his  former  work,  he  was  by  no 
means  mistaken.  They  are  both  admirably  adapted  for  useful* 
ness  among  the  class  of  persons  for  which  they  were  chiefly 
designed.  They  contain  a  large  portion  of  theological  instruc- 
tion^  conveyed  with  much  simplicity,  and  often  in  a  very 
impressive  manner.  In  informing  the  understanding,  Baxter 
never  loses  sight  of  the  heart«-  He  is  constantly  preparing  or 
directing  some  arrow,  whichj  by  the  blessing  of  God,  may  he 
lodged  in  some  breast,  thus  causing  conviction  of  sin,  and  leading 
to  the  righteousness  which  is  by  faith.  •  Both  the  Family  Book 
and  the  Catechism  are  fitted  for  other  families  beside  the  poor. 
Here  is  little  to  offend  any  class  of  society,  and  much  that 
might  instruct  and  profit  the  young,  even  in  the  highest  walks 
of  life. 

Baxter  was  the  author  of  another  catechism  still.  It  appeared 
after  his  death;  being  edited  by  Sylvester  in  1701,  with  the 
humble  title  of  ^*  The  Mother's  Catechism ;  or  a  familiar  way 
of  catechising  children  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  themselves, 
and  the  Holy  Scriptures."  *  Though  it  is  called  a  catechism,  it 
is  rather  a  familiar  didogue  between  a  mother  and  a  child,  be- 
ginning with  the  first  principles  or  elements  of  knowledge,  and 
proceeding  to  some  of  its  more  advanced  stages.  A  considerable 
part  of  it,  is  very  good,  but  is  beyond  the  capacity  of  a  very 
young  child,  for  which  it  was  principally  intended  as  a  pre- 
paration for  the  next  catechism.  It  shows,  however,  that 
Baxter  could  cease  to  be  metaphysical,  and  that  he  could  ac- 
commodate himself  to  the  simplest  understanding  when  he  set 
himself  to  that  kind  of  work.  It  is  only  to  be  regretted  that 
he  sometimes  forgot  "  men  are  but  children  of  a  larger  growth," 
and  consequently  adopted  a  style  of  instructing  them  too  arti- 
ficial, and  more  calculated  to  show  the  powers  of  the  teacher^ 
than  to  promote  the  benefit  of  the  taught. 

With  these  publications,  intended  chiefly  for  the  good  of  the 
poor,  may  with  propriety  be  connected  the  sheets  or  tracts  which 
he  published  for  their  benefit,  though  they  have  now  entirely 
disappeared.  He  printed  and  circulated,  in  the  year  1665,  two 
sheets  for  the  instruction  of  poor  families,  and  one  of  instructi<m 
for  the  sick  in  the  time  of  the  plague.  It  is  very  evident,  both 
firom  what  he  wrote,  and  from  the  practice  which  he  pursued, 
r  Life,  p«rl  iii.  p.  191.  •  Works,  vol.  xvui. 

oo2 


564.  THB  LIPE   AND   WRITINGS 

that  he  was  a  great  advocate  for  the  circulation  of  religiotts- 
tracts.  He  spent  a  considerable  portion  of  the  profits  of  his  own 
works  in  this  way.  The  following  account  of  these  tracts  will 
show  how  little  there  is  of  novelty  in  modern  plans  of  usefulness.' 

*'  When  the  grievous  plague  began  at  London,  I  printed  a  half 
sheet  to  stick  on  a  wall^  for  the  use  of  the  igtiorant  and  on-' 
godly,  who  were  sick,  or  in  danger  of  the  sickness ;  for  the 
godly  I  thought  had  less  need,  and  would  read  those  larger  books' 
which  are  plentiful  among  us.  And  I  the  rather  did  it  becanse- 
many  well-minded  people  who  are  about  the  sick,  that  are  ig- 
norant and  unprepared,  and  know  not  what  to  say  to  them,  may 
not  only  read  so  short  a  paper  to  them,  but  see  there  in  what' 
method  such  persons  are  to  be  dealt  with,  in  such  a  case  of 
extremity,  that  they  may  themselves  enlarge  as  they  see  cause. 

^'  At  that  time,  Mr.  Nathaniel  Lane  wrote  to  me  to  intreat  me 
to  write  one  sheet  or  two  for  the  use  of  poor  families,  which  wiU 
not  buy  or  read  any  bigger  books.  Though  I  knew  that  brevity 
would  unavoidably  cause  me  to  leave  out  much  necessary  matter, 
or  else  to  write  in  a  style  so  concise  and  close  as  will  be  little 
moving  to  any  but  close  judicious  readers,  yet  I  yielded  to  his 
persuasions,  and  thought  it  might  be  better  than  nothing,  and 
might  be  read  by  many  that  would  read  no  larger,  and  so  I  wrote 
two  sheets  for  poor  families :  the  first  containing  the  method 
and  motives  for  the  conversion  of  the  ungodly ;  the  second  con- 
taining the  description  or  character  of  a  true  Christian,  or  the 
necessary  parts  of  Christian  duty,  for  the  direction  of  beginners 
in  a  godly  life.  These  three  last  sheets  were  printed  by  the 
favour  of  the  archbishop's  chaplain,  when  the  Bishop  of  London's 
chaplain  had  put  me  out  of  hope  of  printing  any  more."  ^ 

From  catechising  children,  we  must  follow  Baxter,  in  this 
department  of  his  ministry,  to  other  classes  of  persons.  He 
published  a  sheet  in  1657,  of  ^Directions  to  Justices  of  the 
Peace,  especially  in  Corporations,  for  the  Discharge  of  their 
Duty  to  God.' "  lliis  tract  will  not  be  supposed  of  the  same 
nature  with  a  legal  directory.  In  fact,  it  does  not  meddle  with 
the  law  at  all,  but  contains  some  very  good  general  rules,  cal- 
culated to  assist  in  the  administration  of  justice,  or  to  suggest 
to  the  persons  occupying  this  place  important  means  of  doing 
good.  It  was  written  at  the  request  of  Mr.  William  Mount- 
ford,  bailiff  of  Kidderminster,  "  who  requested  me,"  he  says, 

•  Life,  part  i.  pp.  121,  122.  •  Works,  vol.  xr.  * 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.   '  56$ 

^  to  write  him  down  a  few  brief  instructions  for  the  due  execu- 
tion  of  his  office  of  magistracy ;  which  having  done,  consider- 
ing how  many  mayors,  and  bailiffs,  and  country  justices,  needed 
it  as  well  as  he,  I  printed  it  upon  an  open  sheet,  to  stick  upon 
a  wall/'*  The  tract  shows  the  different  state  of  things  which 
must  then  have  obtained  in  the  country  from  any  with  which 
we  are  acquainted  now.  Baxter  assumes  that  the  justices  begin 
with  hearing  the  word  of  God,  and  fasting  and  prayer ;  and 
that  they  are  resolved  to  do  the  will  of  God.  Would  that  such 
were  the  condition  of  society  at  present,  that  we  might  take  it  for 
granted  religious  principles  influenced  generally  the  magistracy 
of  the  land !  He  found  it  necessary  even  then,  however,  to  re- 
commend the  discouragement  or  suppression  of  unnecessary 
ale-houses,  the  punishment  of  drunkards  and  swearers,  &c.  As 
a  tract,  these  directions  might  still  be  circulated^  perhaps,  to 
8ome  advantage. 

Another  class  of  persons  engaged  the  attention  of  the  inde- 
fatigable servant  of  Christ — the  merchants  and  citizens  of 
London.  He  published,  in  1682,  *  How  to  do  Good  to  Many; 
or,  the  Public  Good  the  Christian's  Life  :  with  Directions  and 
Motives  to  it/  ^  In  a  dedication  to  the  *  Truly  Christian  Mer- 
chants and  Citizens  of  London,'  he  refers  to  the  circumstances 
in  which  this  sermon,  or  rather  treatise,  was  prepared,  and  ad- 
dresses them  with  great  affection. 

"  What  doctrine  it  was  that  I  last  prepared  for  you,  I 
thought  meet  to  desire  the  press  thus  to  tell  you:  not  to  vin- 
dicate myself,  nor  to  characterize  them  who  think  that  it 
deserves  six  months'  imprisonment,  but  to  be  in  your  hands  a 
provocation  and  direction  for  that  great  work  of  a  Christian 
life,  which  sincerely  done,  will  prepare  you  for  that  safety,  joy, 
and  glory,  which  London,  England,  or  earth,  will  not  afford, 
and  which  men  or  devils  cannot  take  from  you :  when,  through 
the  meritorious  righteousness  of  Christ,  your  holy  love  and  good 
works  to  him,  in  his  brethren,  shall  make  you  the  joyful  objects 
of  that  sentence,  '  Come,  ye  blessed,  inherit  the  kingdom,'  &c. 
This  is  the  life  that  needeth  not  to  be  repented  of,  as  spent  in  vain. 
Dear  friends,  in  this  farewell  I  return  you  my  most  hearty  thanks 
for  your  extraordinary  love  and  kindness  to  myself,much  more  for 
your  love  to  Christ,  and  to  his  servants,  who  have  more  needed 

'  Life,  part  i.  p.  117.    I  apprehend  our  Tract  Society  has  not  yet  thoughl 
of  adapting  its  single  sheets  to  this  class  of  persons. 
y  Works,  vol.  xvii. 


566  THS  LIFA  AND  WRITINGS 

your  relief,  God  is  not  unjust  to  forget  your  work  and  labour  cf 
love.  You  have  visited  those  that  others  imprisoned^  and  fed  thoM 
that  others  brouglit  into  want ;  and  when  some  ceased  not  to 
preach  for  our  afi)iction,  it  quenched  not  your  impartial  charity. 
It  has  been  an  unspeakable  mercy  unto  me,  almost  all  my  dajn 
(when  I  received  nothing  from  them),  to  have  known  so  great 
a  number  as  1  have  done,  of  serious,  humble,  holy,  charitable 
Christians,  in  whom  I  saw  that  Christ  hath  an  elect,  peculiar 
people,  quite  different  from  the  brutish,  proud,  hypocritical 
malignant,  unbelieving  world.  O  how  swe^t  hath  the  fami* 
iiaiity  of  such  been  to  mc  whom  the  ignorant  world  hath 
hated!  Most  of  them  are  gone  to  Christ:  I  am  following. 
We  leave  you  here  to  longer  trial.  It  is  like  you  have  a  bitter 
cup  to  drink,  but  be  faitliful  to  the  death,  and  Christ  will  give 
you  the  crown  of  life.  The  word  of  God  is  not  bound,  and 
the  Jerusalem  above  is  free,  where  is  the  general  assembly  of 
the  first-born,  an  innumerable  company  of  angels,  the  spirits 
of  the  just  made  perfect,  with  Christ  their  glorified  head.  Tht 
Lord  guide,  bless,  and  preserve  you."* 

The  great  object  of  the  discourse  is  to  point  out  a  variety  of 
methods  of  doing  good,  which  may  be  adopted  by  persons  of 
affluence.  It  is  full  of  sound  practical  wisdom,  and  shows  that 
Baxter's  mind  could,  even  under  all  the  depressing  circum- 
stances of  the  country,  take  an  enlarged  and  enlightened  view 
of  that  benevolence  which  ought  to  be  a  leading  feature  in  the 
chanicter  of  every  Christian.  The  publication  of  books  aod 
tracts,  the  printing  and  circulation  of  the  Scriptures,  the  send- 
ing forth  of  missionaries,  were  among  the  plans  of  useful- 
ness which  he  proposed.  The  following  short  paragraph  will 
show  tliat  the  germs  of  Bible,  missionary,  and  tract  societies 
were  all  in  the  mind  of  this  most  energetic  and  enlightened 
man. 

^^  Is  it  not  possible,  at  least,  to  help  the  poor  ignorant  Arme- 
niansj  Greeks,  Muscovites,  and  other  Christians,  who  have  no 
printing  among  them,  nor  much  preaching  and  knowledge;  and, 
for  want  of  printing,  have  very  few  Bibles,  even  for  their  churches 
or  ministers  ?  Could  nothing  be  done  to  get  some  Bibles,  cate- 
chisms, and  practical  books,  printed  in  their  own  tongues,  and 
given  among  them  ?  I  know  there  is  difficulty  in  the  way  ;  but 
money,  and  willingness,  and  diligence,  might  do  something. 

'  Works,  vol.  xvii.  pp.  289,  2^0. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR*  567 

Might  not  something  be  done  in  other  plantations  as  well  as  in 
New  England^  towards  the  conversion  of  the  natives  there  ? 
Might  not  some  skilful,  zealous  preachers  be  sent  thither,  who 
would  promote  serious  piety  among  those  of  the  English  that 
have  too  little  of  it,  and  might  invite  the  Americans  to  learn 
the  Gospel,  and  teach  our  planters  how  to  behave  themselves 
christianly  towards  them,  to  win  them  to  Christ."* 

A  third  class  of  persons  occupied  his  attention,  and  engaged 
his  exertions.  He  published,  in  the  same  year  with  the  pre* 
ceding,  '  Compassionate  Counsel  to  all  Young  Men  ;  especially 
London  Apprentices ;  Students  of  Divinity,  Physic,  and  Law ; 
and  the  Sons  of  Magistrates  and  Rich  Men.'  ^  This  little  work 
is  distinguished  by  the  great  affection  and  faithfulness  which  are 
combined  in  its  pages.  It  contains  the  most  affectionate  coun- 
sels and  warnings  to  youth,  in  whom  he  was  so  deeply  interested. 
Hia  success  in  Kidderminster,  and  his  experience  afterwards,  led 
him  to  this  work.^ 

*^  In  the  place,"  he  says,  "  where  God  most  blessed .  my  la- 
bours, at  Kidderminster,  in  Worcestershire,  my  first  and  great- 
est success  was  upon  the  youth ;  and,  which  was  a  marvellous 
way  of  divine  mercy,  when  God  had  touched  the  hearts  of  young 
men  and  girls  with  a  love  of  goodness,  and  delightful  obedience 
to  the  truth,  the  parents  and  grandfathers,  who  had  grown  old 
in  an  ignorant,  worldly  state,  did  many  of  them  fall  into  a  liking 
and  love  of  piety,  induced  by  the  love  of  their  children,  whom 
they  perceived  to  be  made  by  ic  much  wiser,  and  better,  and 
more  dutiful  to  them.  God,  by  his  unexpected,  disposing 
providence,  having  now  for  twenty  years  placed  mc  in  and  near 
London,  where,  in  a  variety  of  places  and  conditions  (some- 
times under  restraint  by  men,  and  sometimes  at  more  liberty), 
I  have  preached  but  as  to  strangers,  in  other  men's  pulpits, 
as  I  could,  and  not  to  any  special  flock  of  mine;  I  have 
been  less  capable  of  judging  of  my  success ;  but,  by  much  ex« 
perience,  I  have  been  made  more  sensible  of  the  necessity  of 
warning  and  instructing  youth  than  I  was  before.  The  sad 
reports  of  fame  have  taught  it  to  me ;  the  sad  complaints  of 
mournful  parents  have  taught  it  me ;  the  sad  observation  of  the 
wilful  impenitence  of  some  of  my  acquaintance  tells  it  me  ;  the 
many  scores,  if  not  hundreds,  of  bills  that  have  been  publicly  put 

•  WTorks,  vol.  xvii.  p.  330.  ^  Ibid.  vol.  xv. 

<  He  tells  us  in  his  Life,  that  Sir  Robert  Atkias  contributed  to  the  expense 
of  printing  it ;  and  that  he  gave  away  in  the  city  and  country  fifteen  hundred 
co*pies>  beside  what  were  sold  by  the  booksellers. — Part  iii.  p.  190. 


S68  THB   LIVE  AND  WRITINGS 

up  to  me  to  pray  for  wicked  and  obstinate  children,  have  told 
it  me;  and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  the  penitent  confeMioM, 
lamentations,  and  restitutions  of  many  converts,  have  more  pir^ 
ticularly  acquainted  me  with  their  case ;  which  moved  me,  on 
my  Thursday's  lecture,  awhile  to  design,  the  first  of  every 
month,  to  spealc  to  youth,  and  those  that  educate  them."  ^ 

The  last  work  which  comes  properly  under  the  present  head 
is,  *  The  Divine  Appointment  of  the  Lord's  Day  Proved,  as  a 
Separated  Day  for  Holy  Worship ;  especially  in  the  Church 
Assemblies ;  and,  consequeutiv,  the  cessation  of  the  Seventh-i 
Day  Sabbath/  8vo.  1671.* 

The  subject  discussed  in  this  volume  is  one  of  vital  import- 
ance to  the  interests  of  morality,  and  of  practical  religion.  The 
manner  in  which  the  Sabbath  is  observed  may  justly  be  coiH> 
sidered  as  the  pulse  or  index  of  religion,  which  shows  whether  it 
is  in  a  healthy  or  diseased  state,  either  in  communities  or  indi- 
viduals. It  will  be  found  to  consist  with  general  experience 
that,  as  the  duties  and  privileges  of  this  sacred  day  are  con- 
scientiously or  carelessly  regarded,  true  religion  will  prosper  or 
decline.  On  these  accounts,  not  only  theological,  but  moral 
writers,  have  considered  the  subject  of  the  Sabbath  one  of  the 
very  first  importance,  in  treatises  embracing  the  duties  of 
religion. 

A  considerable  diversity  of  opinion,  however,  has  prevailed 
respecting  the  grounds  on  which  the  entire  consecration  of  the 
first  day  of  the  week  to  holy  purposes  properly  rests.  Little  is 
directly  said  on  this  subject  in  the  New  Testament,  much  there- 
fore depends  on  inferential  reasoning.  The  references  to  the 
subject  in  the  early  Christian  writers,  are  far  from  satisfactory. 
It  appears  clearly  enough,  that  Christians  met  on  that  day  for 
public  worship ;  but  not  so  clearly  that  they  consecrated  the 
whole  day  to  God.  Few,  if  any  of  the  Reformers,  British  or 
Continental,  held  the  divine  obligation  of  the  first  day  of  the 
week.  Calvin  and  Cranmer,  Luther  and  Meiancthon,  all  agreed 
in  regarding  it  as  the  appointment  or  free  choice  of  the  church, 
rather  than  the  positive  appointment  of  God.'  The  English 
Puritans  at  an  early  period  endeavoured  to  place  its  obligation 

*  Works,  vol.  XV.  pp.  299,  300.  •  Ibid.  vol.  xlii. 

'  The  reader  may  consult,  uu  this  subject,  the  '  Au<pistan  ConressicA,' 
sect.  16, '  Helvetian  Confession,'  cap.  24, '  Calvin.  Institut/  lib.  ii.  cap.  8.  sect. 
34.  The  vyorks  of  Frith,  Tiudal,  Barnes,  and  Cranaier,  show  that  the  Ed; lish 
Reformers  were  of  the  same  optoioa— that  the  Sabbath  was  a  Miciajf  ap- 
poiuted  bj  the  church. 


OF   RICHARD  BAXTER.  569 

on  the  high  ground  of  divine  appointment ;  and  from  that  period 
to  the  present  time,  a  controversy  on  the  subject  has  been  more 
or  less  continually  agitated. 

While  the  first  day  of  the  week  was  thus  matter  of  debate, 
another  question  was  introduced  by  some,  whether  the  obliga- 
tion of  the  seventh  day  had  really  ceased  ;  and  that  it  had  not, 
a  few  persons  contended  with  considerable  zeal,  and  some  show 
of  argument.  This  view  of  the  subject  appears  to  have  arisen 
chiefly  from  two  causes :  many  of  the  opposers  of  infant  baptism, 
having  been  led  to  maintain  that  all  positive  institutions  of  re- 
ligion, must  have  for  their  foundation  a  positive  divine  command ; 
and  finding  such  a  command  to  observe  the  seventh,  but  no  such 
command  respecting  the  first  day  of  the  week,  to  be  consistent, 
they  gave  up  the  Christian  Sabbath,  as  they  had  given  up  infant 
baptism.  I  believe  the  Sabbatarians,  as  they  have  since  been 
called,  have  generally  been  Baptists.  But  this  was  not  the  only 
source  of  the  sentiment  now  adverted  to.  Many  of  the  Puritans, 
in  discussing  the  subject  of  the  Lord's  Day,  resting  the  strength 
of  their  argument  on  the  moral  obligation  of  the  fourth  com- 
mandment, contended  in  fact  for  the  observance  of  the  first  day 
of  the  week  on  the  principles  of  Judaism.  This  drove  some 
men,  such  as  Milton,  to  maintain  that  the  Sabbath  had  entirely 
ceased. 

Froni  the  operation  of  these  and  other  causes,  there  had  been 
a  great  deal  of  controversy  respecting  the  Sabbath,  before  Bax- 
ter wrote  this  treatise.  His  object  in  it  is  twofold  ;  to  correct 
those  who  regarded  the  Lord's  Day  as  a  kind  of  Jewish  sabbath  ; 
and  to  confute  those  again  who  either  maintained  the  abrogation 
of  a  day  of  sacred  rest  altogether,  or  contended  for  the  continued 
obligation  of  the  Jewish  sabbath.  He  had  therefore  to  meet 
the  high-church  men,  who  looked  on  the  Sabbath  merely  as  a 
holiday ;  such  as  White,  Heylin,  and  Ironside ;  and  those  of  the 
Puritans  who  confounded  it  with  the  Mosaic  system,  such  as 
Bound,  Cawdry,  and  Palmer ;  with  those  who  were  for  setting 
aside  the  first  day  of  the  week  entirely. 

I  consider  this  one  of  the  most  judicious  of  Baxter's  works. 
It  judiciously  combines  controversial  and  practical  discussion, 
both  of  which  are  managed  with  great  fairness,  and  display 
great  accuracy  of  scriptural  knowledge.  Tlie  ground  he  takes 
is  stated  in  the  following  series  of  propositions,  which  he  after- 
wards proceeds  to  establish  and  illustrate. 

The  first  proposition  is,  'That  Christ  commissioned  his 
apoeties  as  his  principal  chiurcb  ministers^  to  teach  the  churches 


570  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

all  his  doctrine,  and  deliver  them  all  his  commands  and  orden, 
and  so  to  settle  and  guide  the  first  churches/  The  seeoai 
proposition  is^  ^That  Christ  promised  his  Spirit  accordiogljr 
to  his  apostles,  to  enable  them  to  do  what  he  had  commissioned 
them  to  do,  by  leading  them  into  all  truth,  and  bringing  his 
words  and  deeds  to  their  remembrance,  and  by  guiding  them  ss 
his  church's  guides/  The  third  proposition  is,  ^  lliat  Chri&t 
performed  this  promise,  and  gave  his  Spirit  accordingly  to  hii 
apostles,  to  enable  them  to  do  all  their  commissioned  woiL 
The  fourth  proposition  is,  ^  That  the  apostles  did  actually  septr 
rate  or  appoint  the  first  day  of  the  week  for  holy  worship,  espe* 
cialiy  in  church  assemblies/  The  fifth  proposition  is,  ^  That 
this  act  of  theirs  was  done  by  the  guidance  or  inspiration  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  was  given  then).' 

*^  When  I  have  distinctly  proved  these  five  things,  no  soberji 
understanding  Christian  can  expect  that  I  should  do  any  mon^ 
towards  the  proof  of  the  question  in  hand,  whether  the  first 
day  of  the  week  be  separated  by  God's  institution  for  holy 
worship,  cspecialiy  in  church  assemblies.*'  ^ 

I  am  fully  satisfied,  that  the  ground  here  taken  is  the  only 
scriptural  and  satisfactory  ground  of  the  divine  obligation  cl 
this  sacred  day.  It  places  it  correctly  on  the  footing  of  a  New- 
Testament  ordinance ;  while  it  does  not  deprive  it  of  all  that 
support  from  the  analogy  of  the  original  appointment  of  a  day  of 
rest,  and  of  the  Mosaical  institution,  which  it  may  properly  have. 
Unless  we  reason  from  the  recorded  example  of  the  apostles  aad 
primitive  Christians,  and  regard  that  exampla  as  not  less  bind- 
ing than  apostolic  precept,  we  shall  find  very  little  authority 
for  most  of  rhe  ordinances  of  Christianity. 

"  I  much  pity  and  wonder,"  says  Baxter,  ^^  at  those  godly  men 
who  are  so  much  for  stretching  the  words  of  Scripture  to  a  sense 
that  other  men  cannot  find  in  them ;  as  that  in  the  word  graven 
images^  in  the  second  commandment,  they  can  find  all  set  forms 
of  prayer,  all  composed  studied  sermons,  and  all  things  about 
worship  of  man's  invention,  to  be  images  or  idolatry;  and  yet 
they  cannot  find  the  abrogation  of  the  Jewish  Sabbath  in  the 
express  words  of  Col.  ii.  16,  nor  the  other  texts  which  1  have 
cited;  nor  can  they  find  the  institution  of  the  Lord's  Day  in  all 
the  texts  and  evidences  produced  for  it."  ^ 

'  Works,  vol.  xiii.  p.  371.  There  is  only  another  writer  of  the  same  period 
with  Baxter  known  to  roe,  who  takes  the  saiue  view  of  the  subject,  and  al- 
most the  same  errouiid — *  Warren's  Jew's  Sabbath  Antiquated,  and  the  Lord*f 
Day  Instituted  by  Diviu6  Authority.'  1659.  4to.    It  it  a  rery  able  treatise. 

^  ibid.  p.  367. 


OF  E|C9A^  B4^TEH#  ^71 

In  the  eoune  of  thU  treatise,  Baxter  gives  a  singular*  acoount 
af  the  way  in  which  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath  was  attended 
to  in  his  early  days.  It  is  an  admirable  illustration  of  the  Book 
of  Sports,  the  production  of  the  far-famed  wisdom  of  James  I., 
md  sanctioned  by  his  son  Charles. 

''  I  cannot  forget,"  he  says,  "  that  in  my  youth,  in  those  late 
times,  when  we  lost  the  labours  of  some  of  our  conformable 
godly  teachers  for  not  reading  publicly  the  book  of  sports  and 
dancing  on  the  Lord's  Day,  one  of  my  father's  own  tenants  was 
the  town  piper,  hired  by  the  year  (for  many  years  together],  and 
the  place  of  the  dancing  assembly  was  not  an  hundred  yards 
from  our  doon  We  could  not,  on  the  Lord's  Day,  either  read 
ft  chapter,  or  pray,  or  sing  a  psalm,  or  catechise  or  instruct  a 
aervant,  but  with  the  noise  of  the  pipe  and  tabor,  and  the  shout- 
ings in  the  street  continually  in  our  ^ars.  Even  among  a 
tractiible  people  we  were  the  cpmmon  scorn  of  all  the  rabble 
in  the  streets,  and  called  puritans,  precisians,  and  hypocrites, 
because  we  rather  choose  to  read  the  Scriptures,  than  to  do  as 
they  did  ;  though  there  was  no  savour  of  nonconformity  in  our 
family.  And  when  the  people  by  the  book  were  allowed  to  play 
and  dance  out  of  public  service  time,  they  could  so  hardly  break 
off  their  sports,  that  many  a  time  the  readei*  was  fain  to  stay 
till  the  piper  and  players  would  give  over.  Sometimes  the 
morris-dancers  would  come  into  the  church  in  all  their  linen, 
and  scarfs,  and  antic-dresses,  with  morris-bells  jingling  at  their 
ItgB ;  and  as  soon  as  common  prayer  was  read,  did  haste  out 
presently  to  their  play  again."** 

Greatly  as.  the  Sabbath  is  still  neglected  or  profaned  among 
us,  it  ought  to  afford  sincere  satisfaction  that  such  scenes  as  the 
above  could  not  now  be  transacted  in  any  part  of  England.  Much 
however,  still  remains  to  be  done  before  the  divine  obligation 
of  the  Lord's  Day  will  be  generally  acknowledged  and  respected 
in  this  Christian  country.  Had  the  views  of  the  reformers  on 
this  subject  been  more  correct,  greater  progress  would  doubtless 
have  been  made,  as  their  sentiments  would  have  had  an  influ- 
ence on  some  of  the  legal  enactments  of  the  country*  Little 
can  now  be  done,  except  by  the  operation  of  Christian  principle 
and  example  on  the  public  habits  and  manners  of  the  people. 
As. genuine  Christians  increase,  and  their  power  comes  to  be 
more  exerted,  many  evils,  and  among  these  the  profanation  of 
the  Sabbath,  will  be  gradually  abated,  and  ultimately  abolished. 

^  Works,  vol.  xiii.  p.  444. 


S72  THB  UFB  AND  WRITINGS 

We  have  now  gone  over  the  various  ethical  writings  of 
Baxter.  How  extensively  he  entered  into  this  department,  and 
how  ably  he  treated  it,  must  be  apparent  even  from  this  im- 
perfect review.  No  class  of  persons,  no  description  of  dutr, 
escaped  the  vigilance  of  his  attention.  Unfettered  by  any  pe- 
culiarities of  his  theological  system,  he  made  it  his  business  to 
stir  up  all  men  to  a  sense  of  their  duty  to  Grod  and  others. 
Whatever  the  Law -maker  enjoined,  he  considered  himself  bound 
to  enforce,  regardless  of  all  the  excuses  which  men  plead,  and 
the  apologies  which  they  offer  for  any  act  of  disobedience. 
He  never  thought  of  allowing  moral  impotence,  that  is,  indis* 
position  to  do  the  will  of  God,  as  a  reason  for  noncompltaoee. 
On  the  contrary,  he  made  use  of  this  very  indisposition  as  a 
reason  why  men  should  repent,  and  seek  for  strength  where 
alone  it  is  to  be  found.  If  evangelical  motives  do  not  alwap 
occupy  a  conspicuous  place  in  this  class  of  his  writings,  it  it 
not  because  he  wished  to  keep  them  out  of  view,  but  because 
he  either  took  it  for  granted  that  they  were  understood,  or 
considered  it  important  to  give  prominence  to  certain  other 
topics,  which  preachers  of  the  Gospel  are  sometimes  in  dauger 
of  overlooking.  Take  his  writings  of  this  class  as  a  whole,  they 
are  exceedingly  valuable,  and  furnish  a  most  complete  answer 
to  all  who  would  charge  those  who  preach  the  truth,  as  it  b  in 
Jesus,  with  indifference,  or  inattention  to  the  claims  of  morality. 
No  man  contended  more  strenuously  than  Baxter  for  the  preach- 
ing of  Jesus,  as  a  Saviour ;  and  no  man  more  zealously  preached 
him  as  Christ,  the  Lord. 


or  RICHARD  BAXTER*  573 


CHAPTER  VI. 


WORKS  ON   CATHOLIC   COMMUNION. 

Usitj  of  the  Early  Chrutiant— Caotet  of  Separaiion— Means  of  Re-Union— 
Seatinenti  of  Hall  on  this  Subject— Baxter*  the  OrigiDator*  in  Modem 
Times,  of  the  true  Principle  of  Catholic  Communion — His  various  La- 
boars  to  promote  it — *  Christian  Concord  * — Church  Communion  at  Kid* 
dcnninster— *  Agreement  of  Ministers  in  Worcestershire ' — *  Disputationi 
of  Right  to  the  SacramenU  '—  Sir  William  Morice— '  Confirmation  and 
Rcttaoration' — 'Disputations  on  Church  Government'  —  Dedicated  to 
Richard  Cromwell — '  Judgment  concemiog  Mr.  Durj  '—Some  Account 
of  Durjr — '  Universal  Concord  '—Baxter's  Efforts  in  promoting  Union  re- 
tarded by  the  Restoration—'  Catholic  Unity'— 'True  Catholic  and  Catho- 
lic Church—'  Cure  of  €liurch  Divisions ' — Controversy  with  Bagshaw— 
'  Defence  of  the  Principles  of  Love ' — *  Second  Admonition  to  Bag- 
shaw'—  'Church  tuld  of  Bagshaw's  Scandal' — Further  Account  of 
Bagshaw — '  True  and  only  Way  of  Concord ' — '  Catholic  Communion 
Defended/  in  Five  Parts— '  Judgment  of  Sir  Matthew  Hale'—'  Baxter's, 
Sense  of  the  Subscribed  Articles'—'  Church  Concord '—' Of  National 
Churches ' — '  Moral  Prognostication ' — Summary  View  of  Baxter's  Senti- 
ments on  Catholic  Communion  and  Church  Government. 

Whbn  the  kingdom  of  heaven  was  first  set  up  among  men^ 
there  was  only  one  name  hy  which  its  subjects  were  designated^ 
but  one  authority  to  which  they  all  bowed,  and  one  fellou'ship 
to  which  they  all  belonged.  A  primitive  Christian  could  have 
formed  no  idea  of  the  character  of  a  person,  or  the  kind  of 
treatment  to  which  he  was  entitled,  whom  he  was  called  to  re- 
cognise as  a  believer,  but  with  whom  he  must  not  have  com- 
munion in  the  most  sacred  ordinance  of  the  Gospel.  There 
were  differences  of  opinion  and  practice  then  as  well  as  now, 
but  such  a  thing  as  I  have  adverted  to  could  neither  have 
been  understood  nor  practised.  Had  Christianity  been  left 
to  maintain  and  extend  itself  in  the  world  by  its  own  un- 
aided power,  and  its  own  scriptural  means,  it  is  probable 
that  this  state  of  things  would  have  continued.  But  when 
it  was  thought  necessary  to  define  it  more  accurately  than 


574  THE  UFB  AND  WRITINGS 

than  God  himself  had  done ;  to  require  men  to  submit  to 
human  expositions  of  the  faith^  rather  than  to  the  faith  itself; 
and  to  employ  coercive  measures  to  preserve  and  enforce  uni- 
formity of  opinion  and  practice^  the  glorious  unity  of  the 
church  of  Christ  was  invaded  and  destroydd  by  the  very  means 
devised  to  preserve  it. 

The  wretched  state  of  division  which  still  subsists  in  the 
Christian  church,  is  chiefly  owing  to  the  continuance  of  these 
causes.  Terms  of  communion,  entirely  of  huftian  framing,  con- 
tinue to  enclose  and  hedge  up  the  several  parties  into  vrhidi 
the  Christian  world  is  divided,  ahd  to  keep  them  separate  from 
one  another.  God  is  not  sufficiently  trusted  to  tiake  care  of  his 
own  cause,  and  to  preserve  his  kingdom  from  ruin.  Man  must 
devise  his  schemes  of  preservation  and  enlargement^  must  inter- 
pose the  use  of  his  power  and  the  dictum  of  his  authority  to 
maintain  unity  and  peace.  In  the  mean  time,  all  is  weakness 
alienation,  and  anarchy. 

It  can  scarcely  be  doubted,  that  if  Christians  acted  more  ac- 
cording to  their  own  feelings,  and  less  under  the  influence  of 
authority,  custom,  or  interest,  a  different  state  of  things  would 
soon  appear.  Did  they  consult  the  Scriptures  hibre,  and  human 
opinion  less ;  were  it  their  sole  object  to  ascertain  facts  and 
principles  as  the  groundwork  of  their  own  obedience,  instead 
of  looking  for  the  confirmation  of  hypotheses,  or  for  arguments 
to  justify  received  systems ;  and  did  they,  in  connexion  with 
this  conduct,  determine  to  hold  fellowship  with  all  whom  they 
could  regard  as  holding  the  same  Head,  substantial  unity  in  the 
church  of  Christ  would  soon  be  again  restored.  But  if  men 
will  give  up  nothing  that  they  have  been  taught  by  tradition  or 
authority  to  receive ;  if  a  difference  of  opinion  on  some  of  the 
five  points  is  deemed  incompatible  with  the  acknowledgment  of 
the  Christian  character  ;  if  the  ministry  of  a  servant  of  Christ  ii 
considered  invalid,  unless  he  has  received  it  from  episcopal  or 
presbyterian  hands ;  if  Christian  communion  is  made  dependent 
on  submission  to  a  particular  form  of  baptism,  or  a  parti- 
cular mode  of  observing  the  Lord's  supper;  if  all  churches 
must  be  regarded  as  sectarian  and  scliismatical  which  are  not 
established  by  human  laws ;  then,  while  these  things  are  thot 
viewed  and  maintained,  it  would  be  absurd  to  look  for  love  and 
union  among  the  followers  of  Christ. 

"  If  we  consult   the  Scriptures,"  says  an  eloquent  writer, 
^  we  shall  be  at  no  loss  to  perceive  that  the  unity  of  ths 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  575 

chnrch  is  not  merely  a  doctrine  most  clearly  revealed,  but 
that  its  practical  exemplification  is  one  of  the  principal  designs 
of  the  Christian  dispensation.  We  are  expressly  told  that  our 
Saviour  purposed  by  his  death,  to  '  gather  together  in  one  the 
ehildren  of  God  that  were  scattered  abroad/  and  for  the  accom- 
plishment of  this  design,  he  interceded  during  his  last  moments, 
in  language  which  instructs  us  to  consider  it  as  the  grand 
Bwans  of  the  conversion  of  tlie  world.  His  prophetic  antici- 
pations were  not  disappointed ;  for  while  a  visible  unanimity  pre- 
vailed amongst  his  followers,  his  cause  everywhere  triumphed ; 
Ae  concentrated  zeal,  the  ardent  co-operation  of  a  comparative 
fcwy  impelled  by  one  spirit  and  directed  to  one  object,  were 
nore  than  a  match  for  hostile  myriads.  No  sooner  was  the 
Mod  of  unity  broken  by  the  prevalence  of  intestine  quarrels 
and  dissentions,  than  the  interests  of  truth  languished,  until 
Mahometanism  in  the  east,  and  Popery  in  the  west,  com- 
pleted the  work  of  deterioration,  which  the  loss  of  primitive 
aimplicity  and  love,  combined  with  the  spirit  of  intolerance, 
fint  commenced. 

**  If  the  religion  of  Christ  ever  resumes  her  ancient  lustre, 
i&d  we  are  assured  by  the  highest  authority  she  will,  it  must  be 
hy  retracing  our  steps,  by  reverting  to  the  original  principles  on 
which,  considered  as  a  social  institution,  it  was  founded.  We 
must  go  back  to  the  simplicity  of  the  first  ages — we  must  learn 
to  quit  a  subtle  and  disputatious  theology  for  a  religion  of  love, 
emanating  from  a  few  divinely  energetic  principles  which  per- 
vade almost  every  page  of  inspiration,  and  demand  nothing  for 
their  cordial  reception  and  belief,  besides  an  humble  and  con- 
trite heart.  Reserving  to  ourselves  the  utmost  freedom  of 
thought  in  the  interpretation  of  the  sacred  oracles,  and  pushing 
our  inquiries,  as  far  as  our  opportunities  admit,  into  every 
department  of  revealed  truth,  we  shall  not  dream  of  obtruding 
precarious  conclusions  on  others  as  articles  of  faith,  but  shall 
receive,  with  open  arms,  all  who  appear  to  love  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  sincerity,  and  find  a  sufficient  bond  of  union,  a  suffi- 
cient scope  for  all  our  sympathies  in  the  doctrine  of  the  cross. 
If  the  Saviour  appears  to  be  loved,  obeyed,  and  adored ;  if  his 
blood  is  sprinkled  on  the  conscience,  and  his  Spirit  resides  in 
tiie  heart,  why  should  we  be  dissatisfied  ?  We,  who  profess  to 
be  actuated  by  no  other  motive,  to  live  to  no  other  purpose,' 
than  the  promotion  of  his  interest,''^ 

1  HaU'i  *  Reply  to  Kioshoro/  p.  250-^252.    The  work  of  the  Rev.  Robert 


576  TUB   LIFE  AND  WRITlNGfl 

Concurring  most  cordially  in  the  justice  and  importance 
of  the  sentiments  thus  admirably  expressed,  it  is  with  greit 
pleasure  I  bring  before  the  reader  the  opinions  of  Baxter, 
on  the  subject  of  Catholic  communion.  Here  he  was  greatly 
in  advance  of  the  age  to  which  he  belonged :  for  it  will 
be  found  that  his  views  did  not  altogether  accord  with  those 
of  any  party  during  his  own  time ;  although  there  were  a  few 
persons  who  then  held  similar  opinions.  Rigid  Episcopa- 
lians, Presbyterians,  Independents,  and  Baptists,  all  objected  to 
some  of  his  principles  of  religious  fellowship,  and  to  the  great 
object  of  his  efforts ;  yet  a  few  of  all  these  classes  agreed  with 
him  on  the  main  subject.  That  subject  will  probably  be  found 
to  confer  on  Baxter,  one  of  his  most  distinguished  honours;  thst 
he  was  among  the  first  of  our  countrymen,  who  advocated  the 
broad  and  important  principle,  that  the  only  term  of  com- 
munion in  the  Christian  church  ought  to  be  a  profession  of  the 
faith  of  Christ,  worthy  of  credit ;  tliat  we  are  bound  to  recdie 
all  whom  God  has  received ;  to  exclude  those  only  whom  he 
appears  not  to  have  approved ;  and  that  though  there  be  con- 
siderable diversity  of  opinion,  and  even  of  practice,  among  soch 
as  expect  to  meet  in  heaven  at  last,  they  ought  to  acknowledge 
one  another  as  Christians  on  earth,  and  to  hold  fellowship  in 
all  things  in  which  they  are  agreed,  and  can  walk  together. 

To  produce  this  visible  union  among  all  true  Christians  was 
the  great  object  to  which  Baxter  may  be  said  to  have  devoted 
his  life.  Most  of  his  controversies  arose  out  of  his  solicitude  to 
accomplish  this  most  desirable  consummation ;  and  he  never 
failed  more  to  his  own  mortification,  than  when  he  lost  his 
labour  on  this  object,  or  stirred  up  further  strife.  He  studied 
it  profoundly,  he  entered  into  the  prosecution  of  it  with  the 

Hall,  A.M.  from  which  the  above  quutation  is  made,  as  do  his  other  publicatiooi 
in  this  controversy,  well  deserves  to  be  consulted  ;  for  tboug^h  they  all  chiefly 
refer  to  the  subject  of  Baptism,  his  general  principles  admit  of  a  much  more 
extended  application.  Tlie  volume  uf  Dr.  Mason,  formerly  of  New  York,oa 
the  same  subject,  is  also  worthy  of  perusal.  It  is  singular,  that  while  PreU)y- 
terians,  Baptists,  and  Independents,  have  thus  been  g;radually  approximating 
to  each  other,  and  are  likely  to  amalgamate  finally  into  one  IkxIv,  Episcopacy 
does  not  appear  to  have  advanced  one  step,  or,  in  the  slightest  degree,  tu  hive 
loncred  its  tone  or  its  pretensions.  It  is  as  lufty  and  unyielding  at  the  pre- 
sent moment  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  Baxter.  'J'he  ultimate  effect  of  this  oo 
itself,  and  the  other  communities,  it  is  not  for  me  to  predict ;  but  should  a 
general  and  cordial  union  of  the  other  denominations  eventually  take  place, 
and  Episcopacy  still  refuse  to  acknowledge  them  as  brethren,  the  questioo, 
who  are  the  schismatics,  will  no  longer  be  of  difficult  solution,  and  the  issue 
of  the  coDte«t  will  soon  be  decided. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  57!^ 

Utmost  ardour  J  and  from  the  first  moment  of  his  public  life  to 
the  last  he  never  lost  sight  of  it. 

The  religious  disorders  and  dissensions  in  the  kingdom  during 
die  time  of  the  civil  wars,  greatly  affected  him.  In  the  army  he 
spent  several  years  of  his  ministry,  endeavouring  to  subdue  the 
qpirit  of  division  which  he  there  witnessed.  When  he'  settled 
a  second  time  at  Kidderminster,  he  exerted  himself  to  reconcile 
and  harmonize  all  parties  in  the  place ;  and  succeeded.  He  cor- 
responded privately  with  Grataker,  Vines,  Bishop  Brownrig, 
Owen,  Hammond,  and  other  eminent  men,  on  the  terms  and 
means  of  union.  He  then  made  some  attempts  with  the  minis- 
ters of  his  Immediate  neighbourhood,  and  at  last  extended  the 
attempt  to  the  county  of  Worcester  at  large ;  and  was  success- 
fill  beyond  his  expectations.  He  aimed  at  nothing  iess  than 
uniting,  without  requiring  a  compromise  of  principle,  Episco- 
paUans  and  Presbyterians,  Independents  and  Baptists,  in  one 
eonunon  fellowship,  throughout  the  kingdom.  To  accomplish 
this  object,  he  generalized  the  principles  of  communion,  pla- 
cing them  on  the  simple  ground  of  the  sincere  profession  of 
onr  common  Christianity ;  he  inculcated  strongly  the  doctrines 
of  Christian  liberty  and  forbearance ;  and  endeavoured  to  lessen 
the  confidence  of  the  several  parties  in  the  divine  right  of  their 
respective  systems.  He  diligently  sought  out  the  things  in  which 
all  Christians  agree,  and  dwelt  on  their  importance;  he  painted 
in  the  brightest  colours  the  comparatively  trivial  nature  of  the 
things  in  which  they  differ ;  and  represented  in  the  strongest 
terms,  the  guilt,  the  folly,  and  the  danger  of  maintaining  divi- 
sive courses,  or  of  living  in  alienation  from  Christian  brethren. 

The  first  work  which  he  published  on  this  highly  interesting 
and  important  subject  is  one,  in  the  authorship  of  which  he 
had  only  a  part,  though  that  was  a  principal  one,  'Christian 
Concord;  or,  the  Agreement  of  the  Associated  Pastors  and 
Churches  of  Worcestershire :  with  Richard  Baxter's  Explica- 
tion and  Defence  of  it,  and  his  Exhortation  to  Unity.'  1653. 4 to. 
It  contains  the  propositions  and  rules  adopted  by  the  associated 
ministers,  the  profession  of  faith  in  which  they  agreed,  and 
Baxter's  explanations  of  some  passages  in  th*e  propositions 
and  confession  chiefly  intended  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  peo- 
ple of  Kidderminster. 

This  agreement  resulted  from  a  voluntary  association  of 
the  ministers  of  the  county  of  Worcester,  formed  chiefly  by 
the  exertions  of  Baxter,  and  among  whom  he  acted  as  a  sort  of 

VOL.  I.  P  P 


578  THB  UFB  AKD  WRITIli«8 

moderator^  or  president,  during  most  of  the  time  which  ht 
spent  at  Kidderminster.  The  object  of  it  was  to  promote  mi- 
nisterial intercourse  and  improvement ;  to  assist  each  other  in 
promoting  the  interests  of  religion  and  morality^  and  in  main- 
taining discipline  and  order  in  their  respective  congregations. 
It  was  not  strictly  Episcopal,  Presbyterian,  or  Independeat. 
It  was  not  Episcopal;  for  it  acknowledged  no  superiority, 
among  the  ministers.  It  was  not  Presbyterian,  for  it  disclaimed 
the  exercise  of  authority  on  the  part  of  the  associated  minis* 
ters,  and  acknowledged  the  right  of  the  people  ''to  try  and 
discern''  the  proceedings  of  the  ministers.  It  was  not  Inde- 
pendent, because  it  recognised  the  right  of  ministers  to  act 
separately  from  the  people,  acknowledged  the  common  parochial 
boundaries,  and  the  magistrates'  aid  in  certain  cases.  Yet  docs 
the  whole  constitution  of  this  associated  body,  and  its  rules  fiir 
the  regulation  of  particular  churches,  correspond  more  with  the 
voluntary  character  of  Congregational  churches  than  with  any 
other  system.  This  remark  will  apply  generally  to  Baxter's 
sentimc.ts  on  the  subject  of  church-government  and  commu- 
nion. He  objected  to  being  considered  an  Independent,  as  he 
objected  to  all  party  distinctions ;  but  his  writings  and  condoct 
were  more  in  support  of.  modified  Independency  than  of  any 
other  system. 

In  confirmation  and  illustration  of  this  point,  I  shall  here 
give,  from  himself,  an  account  of  the  system  he  pursued  while 
at  Kidderminster,  though  written  long  after  he  had  left  it.  It 
presents  before  us  the  whole  apparatus  which  he  employed,  and 
explains  his  general  views  of  church-fellowship  and  ecclesias- 
tical discipline.  It  shows  that  Baxter  was  the  minister  of  a 
voluntary  congregation,  and  pastor  of  a  separate  church,  whose 
discipline  was  neither  aided  nor  restrained  by  the  civil  powen, 
though  Baxter  was  supported  by  the  funds  which  belonged  to 
the  Establishment. 

''  When  I  undertook  a, parish  charge  myself,  I  kept  with  me 
two  ministers,  to  assist  me  at  one  parish  church  and  a  small 
chapel.  I  had  three  godly  justices  of  peace  in  the  pariah,  who^ 
to  countenance  our  discipline,  kept  their  monthly  meeting  at  the 
same  time  and  place.  I  had  four  ancient  godly  men  that  per- 
formed  the  office  of  deacons.  I  had  above  twenty  of  the  seniorsof 
the  laity,  who,  without  pretence  of  any  office,  met  with  us,  to  be 
witnesses  that  we  did  the  church  and  sinners  no  wrong,  and  U> 
awe  the  o£fenders  by  their  presence.    These  met  once  a  month 


OF  RICHARD  BikXTER.  579 

together.  We  had  almost  all  the  worthy  nuniaters  cf  the 
county  agreeing  and  associated  to  do  the  like  in  their  several 
parishes,  as  far  as  they  were  able,  that  unity  might  the  more 
convince  the  offenders.  We  had,  in  the  same  town,  the  next 
day  after  our  monthly  town  meeting,  an  assembly  of  a  dozen  or 
twenty  such  ministers,  to  edify  each  other,  and  that  those  might 
be  tried  by  them  and  before  them,  whether  we  could  persuade 
them  to  repentance,  who  would  not  be  prevailed  with  by  ourselves. 
And,  what  was  our  ease  incomparably  beyond  all  thb,  neither 
the  times  nor  our  judgment  allowing  us  to  use  discipline  upon 
any  but  such  as  consented  to  our  office  and  relation  to  them, 
we  told  them  that  we  had  all  agreed  only  to  exercise  so  much 
of  discipline,  as  Episcopal,  Presbyterian,  and  Independent, 
had  no  controversy  about  (some  of  the  Episcopal  joining  us) ; 
and  that  we  would  exercise  it  in  all  our  flocks,  but  we  could  be 
pastors  to  none  against  their  wills.  Whereupon,  of  about  three 
thousand  persons,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  or  more  of 
which  were  at  age  to  be  communicants,  all  refused  to  do  any 
more  than  hear  me  preach,  for  fear  of  discipline,  except  about 
six  hundred,  or  a  few  more.  These  six  hundred  were  the  most 
understanding,  religious  part  of  the  parish :  all  the  grossly 
ignorant,  and  the  common  swearers,  and  all  the  drunkards  and 
scandalous  persons,  were  among  the  refusers,  except  about  five 
or  six  young  men  that  had  got  such  a  love  to  tippling  that  they 
could  not  leave  it.  These  hid  their  sin  awhile,  but  could 
not  long:  yet  the  trouble  and  work  that  these  five  or  six 
men  made  us,  sometimes  by  drunkenness,  sometimes  by  fight- 
ing, sometimes  by  slandering  their  neighbours,  or  such-like, 
were  more  than  it  is  easy  for  an  unexperienced  person  to  believe. 
So  hard  was  it  to  bring  them  to  a  confession  of  their  sins,  or  to 
ask  their  forgiveness  whom  they  grossly  wronged,  that  when  we 
endeavoured,  with  all  our  skill,  to  convince  them,  and  used 
gentle  exhortation,  and  also  opened  to  them  the  terrors  of  the 
Lord ;  when  we  prayed  before  them  that  God  would  give  them 
repentance ;  when  their  own  parents  and  relations  joined  with 
us;  all  would  not  make  them  confess  their  sin,  but  we  were 
forced  to  cast  them  out  of  our  communion,  for  the  most  part 
of  them.  Among  all  the  rest,  there  were  some  that  some- 
times would  need  admonition  and  reconciliation  with  one  an- 
other, which  found  us  some  work.  But  if  we  had  been  troubled 
with  all  the  other  thousand  or  twelve  hundred  of  the  parish, 
and  so  with  all  the  other  swearers,  railers,  common  drunkards, 

pp2 


580  THB  LIFE  AND  WRITINGS 

some  infidels,  &c.,  what  work  should  we  have  had !  .80 
as  I  dare  confidently  say  that,  without  being  half  so  strict  al 
troublesome  as  the  ancient  canons  were^  we  could  not  fomUf 
have  done  more  in  the  work  of  discipline  than  govern 
parish.  Nor  could  we  have  done  so  much^  but  with  sadi 
sions  as  nothing  but  disability  would  have  quieted  our 
ences  under."  ^ 

This  extract  presents  a  very  clear  and  succinct  view  of  Al 
system  Baxter  acted  oiv  while  minister  of  Kiddenmnila^ 
and  it  may  be  regarded  as  embodying  the  principles  of  eooH 
munion  which  he  advocated  to  the  close  of  his  life.  Hii 
church,  it  is  evident,  was  a  voluntary  association,  distinct  tnm 
the  people  of  the  parish,  and  from  the  general  congregatioi. 
To  this  select  body  he  dispensed  the  ordinances  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  on  its  members  alone  he  exercised  the  discipline  sf 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  At  the  same  time,  he  was  regarded 
in  some  sense,  as  the  parochial  clergyman,  and  was  counls* 
nanced  in  various  ways  by  the  magistrates.  His  brethren  in  tiie 
ministry,  and  himself,  formed  also  a  voluntary  association  for 
mutual  counsel  and  aid  in  their  general  work ;  and  to  enfant, 
by  their  combined  influence,  such  measures  as,  individuallyy 
they  might  have  found  it  difficult  to  carry.  The  state  of  the 
times,  as  has  been  remarked  in  another  place,  enabled  Baxter 
and  his  brethren  to  pursue  a  line  of  conduct,  which,  either  ts 
ministers  of  a  regular  establishment,  or  as  dissenters  from  it, 
they  could  not  have  done. 

Of  the  publication  of  his  'Christian  Concord,'  he  says^ 
*'  When  we  set  on  foot  our  association  in  Worcestershire,^  I 
was  desired  to  print  our  agreement,  with  an  explication  of  the 
several  articles,  which  I  did  in  a  small  book,  in  which  I  haie 
given  the  reasons  why  the  Episcopal,  Presbyterians,  and  Inde* 
pendents,  might  and  should  unite,  on  such  terms,  without  any 
change  of  any  of  their  principles ;  but  I  confess  that  the  new 
Episcopal  party,  that  follow  Grotius  too  far,  and  deny  the  veiy 
being  of  all  the  ministers  and  churches  that  have  not  diocesan 
bishops,  are  not  capable  of  union  with  the  rest  upon  such  tenns. 
And  hereby  I  gave  notice  to  the  gentry  and  others  of  the  roy- 
alists in  England,  of  the  great  danger  they  were  in  of  changing 

■»  *  Treatise  of  Episcopacy/  pp.  1R5,  186. 

*  Iq  the  Appeudix  to  his  Life  there  is  inserted  a  lon^  paper  of  replj  to 
some  exceptions  af^aiiist  the  '  Worcestershire  A^rcctneot/  aod  *  Christitf 
Concord,*  writtcD  by  a  nameless  author,  and  sent  by  Dr.  Warmstrye.  Tht 
author  1  suppose  to  have  been  Warmstrye  himself. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR«  88 1 

ecclesiastical  cause,  by  following  new  leaders  that  were  for 
fiboCianisin.  But  this  admonition  did  greatly  offend  the  guilty^ 
mbo  toow  began  to  get  the  reins,  though  the  old  Episcopal 
SboCestants  confessed  it  all  to  be  true.  There  is  nothing  bring- 
fdi  greater  hatred  and  sufferings  on  a  man  than  to  foreknow 
the  imschief  that  men  in  power  are  doing  and  intend,  and  to 
JMrn  the  world  of  it :  for  while  they  are  resolutely  going  on 
iritli  it,  they  will  proclaim  him  a  slanderer  that  revealeth  it, 
jBid  ttse  him  accordingly;  and  never  be  ashamed  when  they  have 
done  it,  and  thereby  declare  all  which  he  foretold  to  be  true."  ™ 
•-■ 

:  \  He  published  in  1656,  '  The  Agreement  of  divers  Ministers 
,ift  the  county  of  Worcester,  and  some  adjacent  parts,  for 
wiechising  or  personal  instructing  all  in  their  several  parishes 
tfuit  will  consent  thereunto.'  12mo.  This  is  a  small  production 
«iitir^y  practical  in  its  nature,  containing  the  articles  of  their 
4^preement,  an  exhortation  to  the  people  to  submit  to  the  neces* 
fmry  work  of  catechising,  and  the  profession  of  faith  and  cate- 
tfhhni,  which  they  were  expected  to  make  and  learn.  In 
consequence  of  Baxter's  influence  and  example,  the  ministers 
who  signed  this  agreement,  and  many  others,  adopted  the  prac- 
ftiee  of  catechising  their  congregations,  which  it  was  the  chief 
object  of  the  Agreement  to  promote.  Speaking  on  this  subject^ 
in.reference  to  himself,  he  says, 

^*  Of  all  the  works  that  ever  I  attempted,  this  yielded  roe 
^most  comfort  in  the  practice  of  it.  All  men  thought  that  the 
people,  especially  the  ancienter  sort,  would  never  have  sub- 
mitted to  this  course,  and  so  that  it  would  have  come  to  no- 
thing :  but  God  gave  me  a  tractable,  willing  people,  and  gave  me 
also  interest  in  them  ;  and  when  I  had  begun,  and  my  people 
Iiad  given  a  good  example  to  other  parishes,  and  especially  the 
ministers  so  unanimously  concurring,  that  none  gainsayed  us, 
it  prevailed  with  the  parishes  about.  I  set  two  days  a  week 
•Rpart  for  this  employment ;  my  faithful,  unwearied  assistant  and 
myself,  took  fourteen  families  every  week ;  those  in  the  town 
came  ta  us  to  our  houses  ;  those  in  the  parish  my  assistant  went 
to,  to  their  houses,  besides  what  a  curate  did  at  a  chapelry. 
Krst  they  recited  the  catechism  to  us,  a  family  only  being  pre- 
sent at  a  time,  and  no  stranger  admitted:  after  that,  1  first 
helped  them  to  understand  it,  and  next  inquired  modestly  into 
the  state  of  their  souls,  and  lastly  endeavoured  to  set  all  home 
to  the  convincing,  awakening,  and  resolving,  of  their  hearts  a^- 

•^  Life,  port L  pp»  I12y  Its. 


582  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

cording  to  their  aereral  conditions ;  bestowing  about  an  how 
and  the  labour  of  a  sermon  with  erery  family.  I  found  kss 
effectual,  through  the  blessing  of  God,  that  few  went  awqr  widi* 
out  some  seeming  humiliation,  conviction,  and  purpose^  md 
promise  for  a  holy  life.  Except  half  a  dozen  or  thereaboott 
of  die  most  ignorant  and  senseless,  all  the  families  in  die  tosm 
came  to  me;  and  though  the  first  time,  they  came  with  fear  sal 
backwardness;  after  that,  they  longed  for  their  turn  to ceOK 
again.  So  that  I  hope  God  did  good  to  many  by  it :  and  yet 
this  was  not  all  the  comfort  I  had  in  it.'"  ® 

The  practice  referred  to  was  one  of  the  most  important 
means  of  Baxter's  usefulness  while  in  Kidderminater.  It 
brought  him  into  contact  with  every  family  and  individwd  in  fail 
parish,  which,  with  the  fidelity  of  his  addresses  to  them,  wai 
productive  of  the  most  salutary  results.  His  connexion  with  the 
Worcestershire  Union,  and  the  little  publication  of  whidi  nt 
have  just  spoken,  led  to  his  being  appointed  to  deliver  an  ad- 
dress to  his  ministerial  brethren,  which  afterwards  appeared  in 
the  shape  of  ^  The  Reformed  Pastor,'  one  of  the  moat  valnabk 
of  all  his  publications. 

His  next  work,  in  this  class,  is  a  considerable  quarto  volume, 
entitled,  ^  Certain  Disputations  of  Right  to  Sacraments,  and  the 
True  Nature  of  Visible  Christianity,  &c.'  1656,  The  nature 
and  object  of  this  book  I  shall  leave  himself  to  explain.  The 
following  passage  will  show  that  Baxter  held  sentiments  respect^ 
ing  the  purity  of  Christian  fellowship,  which  were  not  consisT- 
ent  with  the  practice  of  the  church  of  England. 

^^  Mr.  Blake  having  replied  to  some  things  in  my  Apology, 
especially  about  right  to  the  sacraments,  or  the  just  subjects  of 
baptism  and  the  Lord*s-supper,  i  wrote  five  disputations  on  thoie 
points,  proving  that  it  is  not  the  reality  of  a  dogmatical  or  justify- 
ing faith,  nor  yet  the  profession  of  bare  assent,  called  a  dogma- 
t  Kal  faith  by  many ;  but  only  the  profession  of  a  saving  faith, 
which  is  the  condition  of  men's  title  to  church  communion 
coram  ecclesia;  and  that  hypocrites  are  but  analogically  or 
equivocally  called  Christians,  believers,  and  saints,  &c.  with 
much  more  to  decide  the  most  troublesome  controversy  of 
that  time,  which  was  about  the  necessary  qualification  and  title 
of  church  members  and  communicants.  Many  men  have  been 
perplexed  about  that  point  and  that  book.  Some  think  it 
cometh  too  near  the  Indq^endents,  and  some^  that  it  is  too 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  588 

far  from  them ;  and  many  think   it  very  hard  that  a  credible 
profeMion  of  true  faith  and  repentance  should  be  made  the 
stated  qualification  :  because  they  think  it  incredible  that  all  the 
Jewish  members  were  such.    But  I  have  sifted  this  point  more 
exactly  and  diligently,  in  my  thoughts,  than  any  other  contro* 
versy  whatsoever;  and  fain  I  would  have  found  some  other  quali* 
fication  to  take  up  with :  Either  the  profession  of  some  lower 
faith  than  that  which  hath  the  promise  of  salvation.     Or,  at 
least  such  a  profession  of  saving  faith  as  needeth  not  to  be  credi- 
ble at  all.    But  the  evidence  of  truth  hath  forced  me  from  all 
other  ways,  and  suffered  me  to  re/st  no  where  but  here.  That  pro* 
fession  should  be  made  necessary  Vidthout  any  respect  at  all  to 
credibility,  and  consequently  to  the  verity  of  the  faith  professed^ 
is  incredible,  and  a  contradiction,  and  the  very  word  profes- 
sion  signifieth  more.    I  was  forced  to  observe  that  those  who 
in  charity  would  believe  another  profession  to  be  the  tide  to 
church  communion  do  greatly  cross  their  own  design  of  charity. 
While  they  would  not  be  bound  to  believe  men  to  be  what 
they  profess,  for  fear  of  excluding  many  whom  they  cannot  be* 
lieve,  they  do  leave  themselves  and  all  others  as  not  obliged  to 
love  any  church  member  as  such,  with  the  love  which  is  due  to  a 
true  Christian,  but  only  with  such  a  love  as  they  owe  to  the  mem« 
bers  of  the  devil ;  and  so  deny  them  the  kernel  of  charity,  by 
giving  the  shell  to  a  few  more  than  they  should  do.     Whereof, 
tqfon  my  deepest  search^  I  am  scUirfied  that  a  credible  profeM^ 
sion  of  true  Christianity  is  it  that  denominateth  the  adult  visible 
Christian."  V 

There  may  be  some  theoretical  difference  of  opinion  among 
Christians  about  what  is  included  in,  or  essential  to,  a  credible 
profession,  but,  generally  speaking,  religious  persons  commonly 
agree  in  their  opinion  of  those  who  are  entitled  to  be  regarded  as 
Christians.  Now  if  this  kind  of  profession  is  held  to  be  neces* 
sary  to  Christian  communion,  it  is  at  once  obvious  that  the  prin*- 
ciples  of  the  church  of  England  make  no  suitable  provision  for 
their  operation.  There  is  not  in  that  establishment  any  line  of  de** 
marcation  between  the  openly  profane  or  worldly,  and  the  people 
of  God.  The  evidence  of  the  possession  of  true  religion  is  not 
in  it,  the  condition  of  enjoying  even  the  most  sacred  ordinances. 
On  this  point  therefore,  Baxter  approached  nearer  to  the  Inde- 
petidents  than  he  seemed  willing  to  avow ;  and  his  practice 
while  at  Kidderminster  appears  to  have  corresponded  with  his 
theoretical  views  on  this  subject.  In  a  parish  consisting  of  seve* 

V  Life,  part  i.  pp.  113, 114. 


684  THB  LIFE  AND  WRITINGS 

ral  thousands^  with  a  regular  congregation  of  about  ei^iteen 
hundred  persons,  there  were  only  about  six  hundred  whom  ke 
regarded  as  church  members,  to  whom  he  administered  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  Gospel ;  and  such  was  his  regard  to  character^  that 
he  declared  there  were  not  a  dozen  of  those  persons  in  whose 
piety  he  had  not  great  confidence. 

llie  discussions  of  this  volume,  therefore,  are  of  great  ibh 
portance;  and,  on  the  several  points  of  which  it  treat^  dtt 
reader  who  is  desirous  of  knowing  Baxter's  senttmentSy  or  of 
forming  his  own,  may  consult  it  to  advantage.  The  fc^mriqg 
are  the  leading  topics :  '^  Whether  ministers  may  admit  peraoai 
into  the  church  of  Christ  by  baptism,  upon  the  bare,  verbsi 
profession  of  the  true  Christian,  saving  faith,  without  staying  fior^ 
or  requiring  any  further  evidences  of,  sincerity  ? ''  This  be  de- 
termines in  the  affirmative.  '^  Wliether  ministers  must  or  may 
baptize  the  children  of  those  that  profess  not  saving  faith^  npoa 
the  profession  of  any  other  faith  that  copies  short  of  it  ?  "  This 
he  resolves  in  the  negative.  '*  Whether  the  infants  of  noC«H 
riously  ungodly  baptized  parents  have  right  to  be  baptized? 
Whether  any  besides  regenerate  believers  and  their  seed  have  a 
right  to  the  sacraments,  given  them  by  God,  and  may  thereupon 
require  them  and  receive  them  ? "  Both  these  questions  he 
answers  negatively.  ^^  Whether  hypocrites,  and  other  unre- 
^enerate  persons,  be  called  church  members.  Christians,  be- 
lievers, saints,  adopted,  justified,  &c.;  univocally,  analogically, 
or  equivocally  ?  " 

Into  all  these  subjects  he  enters  very  fully,  but  in  his  cha- 
racteristic manner ;  dividing,  distinguishing,  and  explaining,  till 
he  leaves  it  sometimes  doubtful  how  he  is  to  be  understood, 
unless  we  advert  to  his  own  practice.  What  is  dubious  in  his 
theoretical  discussions,  may  thus  be  easily  explained.  Bax- 
ter did  not  regard  differences  of  opinion  on  various  doctrinal 
questions,  or  respecting  church  government  of  much  impor- 
tance, while  he  could  regard  the  parties  as  real  Christians,  and 
disposed  to  live  in  peace  with  others.  To  these  two  points  be 
considered  all  other  things  subordinate.  Christian  fellowship, 
with  him,  was  not  the  fellowshij)  of  Calvinists  or  Arminians,  of 
Episcopalians,  Presbyterians,  Independents,  or  Baptists  5  it  was 
the  fellowship  of  Christians,  holding  the  one  faith  and  hope  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  unity  of  spirit,  and  righteousness  of 
life.  This  is  the  onlv  Catholic  communion  which  is  worth 
contending  for ;  and  which,  it  cannot  be  doubted,  will,  in  due 
time,  absorb  all  other  party  distinctions  aud  disputes. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER^  585 

■ '  The  only  book  which  discusses  the  principles  of  this  work  of 
Baxt^s,  known  to  me,  is  the  ^Coena  quasi  Koine;  or^  the 
New  Closures  broken  down,  and  the  Lord's  Supper  laid  forth 
in  common  for  all  Church  Members  having  a  Dogmatical  Faith/ 
By  William  Morice,  esq.  of  Werrington.  1657*  4to.  It  is  not  a 
professed  answer  to  Baxter,  but  takes  up  the  ground  with  a  vast 
pfofiisapn  of  miscellaneous  learning.  The  author  was  quite  an 
Brastiaiiy  on  the  subject  of  church  government,  and  contended 
lor  principles  which  are  utterly  destructive  of  all  discipline,  ex* 
cept  as  administered  by  the  civil  magistrate.  He  was  knighted 
by  Charles  II.  at  his  Fanding,  and  occupied  the  important  post 
erf  Secretary  of  State  for  seven  years  after  the  Restoration.  The 
work  above-mentioned  is  a  great  curiosity  for  the  display  of 
daasical  reading  which  it  affords.  Every  page  is  stuck  full  of 
learned  quotation,  evincing  the  knowledge  of  the  author^  but 
aflbrding  small  evidence  of  his  judgment.  He  bestows  a  la- 
boured panegyric  on  Baxter,  which,  if  it  were  not  too  long,  I 
would  introduce,  both  as  an  illustration  of  the  character  of  the 
book,  and  of  the  admiration  in  which  Baxter  was  held  by  him* 
In  the  preface  to  the  second  edition  of  his  ^  Five  Disputa- 
tioiM,'  Baxter  refers  to  this  work  of  Mr.  Morice.  '^  When  I 
saw  this  book,''  he  says,  '^  made  up  of  so  much  reading,  and 
expressing  so  much  industry  and  learning,  I  much  rejoiced  that 
England  had  such  a  gentleman ;  and  I  look  on  the  book  as  a 
shaming  reprehension  of  the  idleness  and  ignorance  of  the 
multitude  of  the  gentry  who  spend  that  time  in  hawking,  and 
bunting,  and  complimenting,  which,  if  better  spent,  might  make 
them  a  blessing,  and  not  a  burden,  to  the  land.  But  out  of  that 
learned  volume,  I  am  not  able  to  find  any  clear  discovery  of 
what  the  author  means  by  a  dogmatical  faith."  Baxter  thinks 
that  Morice  did  not  differ  widely  from  himself;  and  Morice 
was  exceedingly  averse  to  being  considered  as  an  adversary  to 
Baxter.  The  principles  contended  for  by  the  two  writers  could 
not  fail  to  be  productive  of  very  different  results  in  practice. 
Baxter  could  only  approve  of  select  communion ;  Morice  main- 
tained open  and  promiscuous.^ 

4  Beside  tbe  main  questions  discussed  in  this  work  of  Baxter's,  there  is  a 
great  deal  of  wran^ling^  debate  ivith  Dr.  Owen  and  others  ;  particularly  at  tbe 
end,  where  be  assigns  reasons  for  making  no  answer  to  Mr.  Robertson,  or  a 
more  particular  reply  to  Mr.  Blake,  or  Dr.  Owen.  It  would  only  distract  tbe 
attention  of  tbe  reader  from  the  main  subject  of  the  chapter  to  refer  to 
these  personal  debates,  and  therefore  I  have  not  adverted  to  them  in  th« 
text. 


586  TttB  Lira  AND  WRITtNGS 

The  next  work  in  this  class  which  claims  our  attentiiNii  is 
*  Confirmation  and  Restauratidn  the  necessary,  means  of  Be* 
formation  and  Reconciliation/'    The  work,  with  this  TaAer 
singular  and  alliteral  title,  appeared  in   12mOy  in  1658.    Its 
connexion  with  Baxter's  Tiews  of  Catholic  communion  is  atones 
obvious  from  the  scope  of  the  book,  and  from  his  own  aeoomit 
of  it.    *^  Having  in  divers  writings/'  he  says,  ^  moved  for  the 
restitution  of  a  solemn  transition  of  all  that  pass  from  an  infiuil 
state  of  church-membership  into  the  number  of  the  adnlt^  and 
are  admitted  to  their  privileges ;  and  the  associated  ministers  ef 
this  county  having  made  it  an  article  of  their  agreement^  st 
last  came  forth  an  excellent  exercitation  on  confirmation,  written 
by  Mr.  Jonathan  Hanmer,  very  learnedly  and  piously  endeavuiir- 
ing  the  restoration  of  this  practice."     Being  very  glad  of  so 
good  a  work,  upon  an  invitation,  I  prefixed  an  epistle  before  it, 
which  hath  occasioned  this  following  disputation.     For  when 
the  book  was  read,  the  design  was  generally  approved,  as  iar  ai 
I  can  learn,  and  very  acceptable  to  good  men  of  aU  parties. 
But  many  of  them  called  to  me  to  try  whether  some  more 
Scripture  proofs  might  not  be  brought  for  it,  that  the  preceptive, 
as  well  as  the  mediate  necessity,  might  appear.     At  the  desire 
of  some  reverend,  godly  brethren,  I  hastily  drew  up  this,  which 
IS  here  offered  you,  partly  to  satisfy  them  in  the  point  of  Scrip- 
ture evidence,  but  principally  to  satisfy  my  own  earnest  desirei 
after  the  reformation  and  healing  of  the  churches,  to  which  I 
do  very  confidently  apprehend  this  excellent  work  to  have  a 
singular  tendency.     Here  is  a  medicine  so  effectual  to  heaf  our 
breaches,  and  set  our  disordered  societies  in  joint,  being  owned 
in  whole   by  the  Episcopal,  Presbyterian,  Congregational,  and 
Erastian,  and  in  half  by  the  Anabaptists.  Thus,  nothing  but  oar 
own  self. coneeitedness,perverseness, laziness,  or  wilful  enmity  to 
the  peace  of  the  churches,  is  able  to  deprive  us  of  a  blessed  success. 
But,  alas,  our  minds  are  the  subjects  of  disease,  and  are  so 
alienated,  exulccrated,  and  so  selfishly  partial  and  uncharitable, 
that  when  the  plaster  is  offered  us,  and  peace  brought  to  oar 
doors,  I  must  needs  expect  that  many  should  peevishly  cast  it 
away,  and  others  betray  it  by  a  lazy  commendation,  and  so  dis- 

'  Works,  vol.  xiv. 

■  The  book  of  Hanmer,  adverted  to  by  Baxter,  is  '  An  Exercitation  upoa 
ConfirtnatioD,  the  ancient  way  of  completing  Church  Mem  ben.*  1658.  Sro. 
The  author  was  minister  of  Bishop's  Tawton,  in  Devonshire,  from  which  be 
was  ejected  in  1662.  He  was  an  Bpiscopalian,  though  a  Nonconformist,  tn^ 
a  man  of  very  good  learning. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  587 

able  the  few  that  would  be  fiEuthfuI,  practical,  and  induBtrioua^ 
from  that  general  success  which  is  so  necessary  and  desirable/'^ 

The  title  of  this  work  might  lead  the  reader  to  suppose  that 
it  was  a  defence  of  the  episcopal  rite  of  confirmation,  whereas 
it  is,  in  fact,  nothing  more  than  a  laboured  effort  to  prove  that  all 
who  are  baptized  in  infancy  ought  to  make  a  personal  and 
public  profession  of  religion  when  they  come  to  the  years  of 
maturity ;  and  that  unless  this  profession  is  satisfactory  to  the 
minister  of  the  congregation  to  which  the  party  propose  to  be- 
long, they  ought  not  to  enjoy  the  Lord*s-supper,  or  be  consider* 
ed  members  of  the  church.  His  fifth  proposition  may  be  said 
to  embrace  the  whole  subject:  '^  As  a  personal  faith  is  the  con- 
dition before  God,  of  title  to  the  privileges  of  the  adult ;  so  the 
profession  of  this  faith  is  the  condition  of  his  right  before  the 
church;  and  without  this  profession,  he  is  not  to  be  taken  as  an 
adult  member,  nor  admitted  to  the  privileges  of  such."  ^ 

As  Episcopalians  consider  confirmation  an  ordinance  of  Chris- 
tianity, Baxter  endeavours  to  show  that  this  is  the  only  scriptural 
notion  of  confirmation.  He  docs  not  object  to  the  laying  on  of 
hands,  provided  the  persons  themselves  agreed  to  it,  or  thought 
it  necessary,  but  does  not  regard  it  as  essential.  And  so  far 
from  thinking  that  only  diocesan  bishops  have  a  right  to  con- 
firm,' he  shows,  that  it  belongs  to  all  ministers  or  pastors  of 
the  church,  and  that  in  fact  they  alone  can  properly  exercise  it, 
•8  they  alone  can  know  who  deserve  to  be  thus  treated.  As 
Piresbyterians  require  a  personal  profession,  and  Independents  a 

«  Works,  vol.  &iv.  pp.  403,  404.  -  Ibid.  p.  414. 

*  So  far  from  having^  great  respect  for  episcopal  confirmation,  he  tells  the 
following  story  of  bis  own  confirmation  ; — "  When  I  was  a  school-boy,  about 
ftlteen  years  of  age,  the  bishop  coming  into  the  county,  many  went  to  him  to 
be  confirmed ;  we  that  were  boys  ran  out  to  see  the  bishop  among  the  resty 
not  knowing  any  thing  of  the  meaning  of  the  business.  When  we  came 
thither  we  met  about  thirty  or  forty  in  all,  of  our  own  stature  and  temper,  that 
bad  come  to  be  hikfpedt  as  then  it  was  called.  The  bishop  examined  us» 
not  at  all  in  one  article  of  faith,  but  in  a  church-yard  ;  in  haste  we  were  set  in 
a  rank,  aud  he  passed  hastily  over  us,  laying  his  hands  on  our  heads,  and  say- 
ing a  few  words,  which  neither  f ,  nor  any  that  I  spoke  with,  understood,  so 
bsstily  were  they  uttered,  and  a  very  short  prayer  recited,  and  there  was  am 
end.  But  whether  we  were  Christiaus,  or  infidels,  or  knew  so  much  as  that 
there  was  a  God,  the  bishop  little  knew  nor  inquired.  And  yet  he  was 
esteemed  one  of  the  best  bishops  in  England.  And  though  the  canons  require 
that  the  curate  or  minister  send  a  certificate  that  the  children  have  learned 
the  catechism,  there  was  no  such  thing  done,  but  we  ran  of  our  own  accord  to 
see  the  bishop  only,  and  almost  all  the  rest  of  the  county  had  not  this  much  ; 
this  was  the  old  careless  practice  of  this  excellent  duty  pf  confirmatioiu"-* 
^orks,  vol.  xiv.  pp.  481,  482. 


588  THB  UFB  AND  WRITINGS 

ptill  more  particular  profession  of  personal  religioii  iH  order  to 
church  membership ;  he  endeavours  to  show  that  all  the  pardes, 
not  excluding  Baptists,  might  easily  harmonize  on  this  subgeet, 
and  that  thus  a  line  of  demarcation  between  the  world  would 
be  clearly  and  beneficially  established.  The  object  he  had 
in  view  is  certainly  of  great  importance,  but  until  the  parties 
whom  he  wished  to  unite  be  agreed  on  some  other  important 
points  than  those  which  his  discusuon  directly  embraces,  they 
are  not  likely  to  be  united  by  agreement  on  such  a  rite  or  serviee 
as  that  in  question.  It  may  be  the  effect  of  reibrmationy  but  k 
Bot  likely  to  be  the  cause  or  the  means  of  it^ 

Closely  connected  with  the  treatises  on  Right  to  Sacrament^ 
and  Confirmation,  is  the  next  work  of  Baxter  in  this  department^ 
^  Five  Dissertations  of  Church  Government  and  Worship.'  4t0f 
1659.  The  design  of  this,  as  of  all  Baxter's  works  in  thb  clasi, 
was  to  promote  union  and  reconciliation  among  all  parties. 
This  object,  however  desirable  in  itself,  has  not  yet  been  attuned 
in  the  Christian  church ;  nor  were  the  means  employed  bjr 
Baxter  always  most  wisely  adapted  to  promote  it,  though  most 
sincerely  intended  on  his  part.  '*  In  the  first  of  these  Disputa- 
tions," he  says,  "  I  proved  that  the  English  diocesan  prelacy 
is  intolerable,  which  none  hath  answered.  In  the  second,  I  have 
proved  the  validity  of  the  ordination  then  exercised  without 
diocesans  in  England,  which  no  man  hath  answered,  though 
many  have  urged  men  to  be  re -ordained.  In  the  third,  I  have 
proved  that  there  are  (fivers  sorts  of  episcopacy  lawful  and  de- 
sirable. In  the  fourth  and  fifth,  I  show  the  lawfulness  of  some 
ceremonies,  and  of  a  liturgy,  and  what  is  unlawful  here. 

"  This  book  being  published  when  bishops,  liturgy,  and  cere- 
monies, were  most  decried  and  opposed,  was  of  good  use  to 
declare  my  judgment  when  the  king  came  in ;  for  if  I  had  said 
as  much  then,  I  had  been  judged  but  a  temporizer.  But  as  it 
was  effectual  to  settle  many  in  a  moderation,  so  it  made  abun- 
dance of  Conformists  afterwards,  or  was  pretended  at  least  to 
give  them  satisfaction.  Though  it  never  meddled  with  the 
greatest  parts  of  conformity,  renouncing  vows,  assent  and  con- 
sent to  all  things  in  three  books,  &c. ;  and  though  it  unanswer- 
ably  confuted  our  prelacy  and  re-ordination,  and  consequently 

y  Thi«  book  Cal^roy  says  is  highly  commended  by  Dr.  Patrick,  the  bishop 
of  Ely,  iQ  bis  work,  iotitled  «  Aqua  Geoitalis.'— CiDfteWi  j^bridgmatt,  vol.  i. 
p.  il3. 


OF  miCHARD  BAXTJKB.  589 

the  renunciadon  of  the  vow  against  prelacy  ;  and  opposed  the 
erosB  in  baptism.  But,  sic  vitant  siuUi  vitiaj  as  my  Aphorisms 
made  some  Arminians ;  if  you  discover  an  error  to  an  injudi- 
eions  man,  he  reeleth  into  the  contrary  error,  and  it  is  hard  to 
stop  him  in  the  middle  verity/' ' 

This  statement,  by  himself,  of  the  subject  and  design  of  the 
irork,  is  su£Scient  to  explain  its  nature.  Could  Baxter  have  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  Episcopalians  to  give  up  all  that  is  pecu- 
liar in  Episcopacy  3  and  Presbyterians  all  that  is  peculiar  to 
F^byterianism;  and  Independents  all  that  is  distinctive  in 
Independency,  he  would  have  succeeded  in  producing  some 
agreement  in  a  simple  and  practical  system  of  church  order 
and  government.  This  consummation,  however,  is  yet  to  come. 
If  only  pious  persons  were  concerned  in  such  matters ;  if 
there  were  no  secular  obstacles  and  interests  in  the  way ;  if  the 
doctrine  of  authority,  and  the  influence  of  *this  world,  were 
withdrawn,  the  church  of  Christ  would  probably  soon  assume 
a  very  different  appearance  from  what  it  has  yet  done.  Bax- 
ter's grand  objection  to  many  of  those  things,  about  which 
men  then  differed,  was,  their  unqualified  and  uuscriptural 
enforcement.  He  puts  the  case  very  admirably,  and  with  some 
humour,  in  the  following  passage. 

'^  I  confess  it  is  lawful  for  me  to  wear  a  helmet  on  my  head 
in  preaching ;  but  it  were  not  well  if  you  would  institute  the 
wearing  of  a  helmet,  to  signify  our  spiritual  militia,  and  then 
resolve  that  all  shall  be  silenced  and  imprisoned  during  life  that 
will  not  wear  it.  It  is  lawful  for  me  to  use  spectacles,  or  to  go 
on  crutches ;  but  will  you  therefore  ordain  that  all  men  shall 
read  with  spectacles,  to  signify  our  want  of  spiritual  sight,  and 
that  no  man  shall  go  to  church  but  on  crutches,  to  signify  our 
disability  to  come  to  God  of  ourselves.  So,  in  circumstantials, 
it  is  lawful  for  me  to  wear  a  feather  in  my  hat,  and  a  hay- 
rope  for  a  girdle,  and  a  hair-cloth  for  a  cloak :  but  if  you 
should  ordain  that  if  any  man  serve  God  in  any  other  habit, 
he  shall  be  banished,  or  perpetually  imprisoned,  or  hanged ;  in 
my  opinion,  you  did  not  well :  especially,  if  you  add  that  he 
that  disobeyeth  you  must  also  incur  everlasting  damnation.  It 
is  in  itself  lawful  to  kneel  when  we  hear  the  Scriptures  read, 
or  when  we  sing  psalms ;  but  yet  it  is  not  lawful  to  drive  all 
from  hearing  and  singing,  and  lay  them  in  prison  that  do  it  not 
kneeling.    And  why  men  should  have  no  communion  in  the 

*  Life^  part  i.  pp.  117,118. 


5S0  THB  LIPB  AND  WEITIMOS 

Lord's-supper  that  receive  it  not  kneeling,  or  in  any  one  oom- 
manded  posture,  and  why  men  should  be  forbidden  to  preach 
the  Gospel  that  wear  not  a  linen  surplice,  I  cannot  imagine  any 
such  reason  as  will  hold  weight  at  the  bar  of  God."* 

This  work  is  dedicated  to  his  ^^  Highness,  Richard,  Lord  Pro- 
tector.'' A  few  sentences  from  this  document  will  show  the 
feelings  of  Baxter  towards  Richard  Cromwell,  and  what,  accord* 
ing  to  him,  were  the  feelings  of  the  country* 

*^  These  papers  are  ambitious  of  accompanying  those  against 
Popery  into  your  highness's  presence,  for  the  tender  of  their 
service,  and  that  upon  the  same  account.  The  controverms 
here  decided  are  those  that  have  had  a  hand  in  most  of  the 
great  transactions  that,  of  late  years,  have  here  passed,  and 
that  still  have  a  hand  in  the  differences  that  hinder  our  desired 
peace.  I  observe  that  the  nation,  generally,  rejoiceth  in  your 
peaceable  entrance  upon  the  government;  and  are  affected 
with  indignation  if  they  hear  but  any  rumours  that  troublesome 
persons  would  disturb  their  hopes.  And  many  are  persuaded 
that  you  have  been  strangely  kept  from  participating  in  any 
of  our  late  bloody  contentions,  that  God  might  make  you  the . 
healer  of  our  breaches,  and  employ  you  in  that  temple  work, 
which  David  himself  might  not  be  honoured  with,  though  it 
was  in  his  mind,  because  he  had  shed  blood  abundantly  and 
made  great  wars."  ^ 

While  this  passage  shows  the  good  feeling  towards  Richard 
Cromwell  by  which  Baxter  was  influenced,  and  that  he  could 
readily  submit  to  his  government,  it  also  shows,  in  connexion 
with  what  follows  of  the  dedication,  and  with  many  parts  of 
the  book,  his  anxiety  to  get  the  magistrate  to  interfere,  to  put 
an  end  to  religious  differences,  and  to  establish  something  like  a 
uniform  system.  His  leaning  to  this  kind  of  interference  ohea 
led  him  to  write  inconsistently  with  his  better  and  more  scrip- 
tural views.  He  would  have  been  content  with  a  very  mode- 
rate  system  of  state  administration ;  but  even  the  most  mode- 
rate, according  to  his  views,  would  have  produced  effects,  of 
which  he  would  have  been  the  first  to  complain.  Till  magis- 
trates are  left  to  manage  the  affairs  of  this  world,  and  the 
church  left  to  manage  its  own  affairs,  and  to  provide  for  its  own 
interests,  under  the  direction  of  Scripture  and  the  influence  of 
Christ's  authority  and  Spirit^  it  is  vain  to  expect  any  thing 
like  general  agreement  or  harmony  among  the  subjects  of  the 

•  Works,  \o\.  Tt\v.  v^.  Aa^,  \^\•  ^  Voivd,  ^v-  1»  2. 


OV  BIGBABO  BAXTBB.  59| 

kingdom*  The  interference  of  worldly  men  with  the 
obnrch  of  Chrbt  mu8t,  of  necessity,  be  injurious  to  it;  while 
the  parties  who  admit  this  interference  on  the  one  hand,  and 
thoee  who  decline  it  on  the  other,  are  placed  on  an  unequal 
footing,  and  contend  on  unequal  terms. 

Baxter  was  not  the  only  labourer  in  the  cause  of  peace  and 
of  catholic  communion.  One  other  individual  at  least  entered 
fiilly  and  cordially  into  his  views,  and  devoted  much  time  and 
labour  to  promote  them,  not  in  England  only,  but  throughout 
Pkrotestant  Europe.  The  following  Tract  of  Baxter's  is  con- 
nected with  his  exertions  in  this  cause :  '  The  Judgment  and 
Adviceof  the  AssociatedMinisters  of  Worcestershire,  concerning 
Mr.  John  Dury'sEndeavours  after  Ecclesiastical  Peace/ 1 658. 4to« 
The  account  given  by  the  author  of  this  small  publication,  is  as 
follows :-— '^  Mr.  John  Dury  having  spent  thirty  years  in  endea- 
TOUfs  to  reconcile  the  Lutherans  and  Calvinists,  was  now  going 
over  sea  again  in  that  work,  and  desired  the  judgment  of  our 
association,  how  it  should  be  successfully  expedited ;  which  at 
their  desire  I  drew  up  more  largely  in  Latin,  and  more  briefly  in 
English.  The  English  letter  he  printed,  as  my  letter  to  Mr. 
Dury  for  pacification.''^ 

Of  the  respectable  individual  who  spent  so  many  years  in  the 
interesting  work  of  reconciliation,  it  is  impracticable  to  give  any 
satisfactory  account.  He  appears  to  have  been  a  native  of  Scot- 
land, but  resided  many  'years  in  Germany.  In  the  year  1628, 
he  was  minister  to  the  English  Company  of  Merchants  at  EUb- 
ing,  in  Prussia,  and  was  then  led,  through  the  influence  of 
the  learned  and  excellent  Dr.  Godeman,  a  privy  counseller  to 
Gustavus  Adolphus  of  Sweden,  to  engage  along  with  him  in  an 
attempt  to  unite  the  Lutheran  and  Calvitiistic  churches.  They 
held  conferences  on  this  subject  with  the  Chancellor  Oxenstiem, 
who  encouraged  them  in  their  attempt.  Dury  petitioned  Gus- 
tavus to  lend  his  aid.  Sir  Thomas  Bi>e,  ambassador  from  Great 
Britain  to  Sweden  and  Poland,  was  consulted,  and  interested 
himself  in  the  affair ;  and  having  promised  to  engage  the  Eng- 
lish bishops  to  consider  the  subject,  Mr.  Dury  left  Elbing  in 
1630  for  England.  Sir  Thomas  Roe  recommended  the  business 
to  the  king,  who  referred  it  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  and 
the  Bishop  of  London,  requiring  them  to  hear  Dury's  proposals. 
They  heard  him  accordingly,  professed  to  be  friends  to  his  project, 
and  seemed  to  adopt  some  of  his  recommendalioti'^.    To  ^t^- 

*Li/c,  part  i.  p.  117. 


592  THB  LIFB  AMD  WMTIKOS 

pare  the  way  for  future  treaties,  it  was  proposed  that  themagii" 
trates  on  both  sides  should  prohibit  railing  disputes  in  the  ptdpit) 
should  put  down  all  party  names,  as  far  as  they  could,  and  nol 
suffer  any  debates  about  ceremonies  or  forms  of  public  wvnrdnp. 
The  good  man,  flattered  by  these  attentions,  prosecuted  fait 
enterprise  with  great  vigour.    He  returned  to  the  Continent, 
and  addressed  the  confederated  ambassadors  of  the  Protestant 
states,  assembled  at  Frankfort,  entreating  their  aid  and  coonte* 
nance.      They  promised  fair,  but  did  nothing.      He  Tnited 
Holland  on  his  errand  of  peace ;  and  in  1633  returned  to  Eng« 
land,  wher^  he  found  Laud  in  the  place  of  Abbot,  to  whom  he 
presented  his  letters  from  foreign  churches  and  dirines.     Land 
did  not  appear  to  oppose,  but  gave  no  hearty  encouragement 
He  met  with  more  active  assistance  from  Bishops  Hall  and 
Davenant,  and  Archbishop  Usher.    Again,  he  went  to  Germany, 
and  met  the  Protestant  ambassadors  itt  Frankfort  in  1634,  by 
whom  his  object  seemed  to  be  patronized.     He  returned  to 
England  the  following  year,  and  was  graciously  received  by  the 
king;  after  which,  he  went  back  to  Holland,  and  visited  the 
different  synods ;  and  proceeded  thence  to  Sweden,  in  which  ht 
laboured  and  travelled  a  great  deal.     Having  again  visited  Ger- 
many, he  went  to  Denmark ;  and  after  many  other  sojournings, 
returned  to  England  once  more  in  1641.     He  was  one  of  the 
extra  number  added  to  the  Westminster  Assembly,  whose  labours 
he  assisted,  being  rather  inclined  to  the  side  of  the  Independents. 
He  lived  till  after  the  Restoration,  but  failed  in  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  grand  object  so  dear  to  his  heart;  though  he  seems  to 
have  been  useful  in  softening  prejudices  which  he  could  not  alto- 
gether subdue.    In  some  respects,  he  appears  to  have  resembled 
Baxter  himself.     He  was  a  powerful  advocate  for  ecclesiasticA 
peace — a  man  of  schemes  and  projects— of  pure  intentions, 
but  of  more  zeal  than  judgment — who  thought  he  could  ac- 
complish a  great  deal  by  meetings  of  ecclesiastics,  and  deter- 
minations of  governments  in  matters  of  religion.     As  the  friend 
of  Baxter  and  Boyle,  Usher  and  Hall,  and  many  other  good 
men,  he  deserved  some  notice  in  this  place.     He  published  a 
variety  of  small  treatises,  most  of  which  related  to  his  main 
undertaking.* 

^  The  principal  part  of  the  above  account  of  Dury  is  taken  from  a  scarce 
tract  published  by  Hartlib,  the  friend  of  Milton,  entitled  •  A  Briefe  Relation 
of  that  which  hath  been  lately  attempted  to  procure  Ecclesiastical  Peace 
amuu^  Protestants/  London.  1(>41.  4to.  At  the  end  of  it  is  a  copy  of  the 
petition  presented  to  Gustavus  Adolpbus  by  Dury.^See  also  Brocket's 
0/the  Puritans  y  vo\.  ui.  ^.^ft^. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  593 

The  order  of  time  requires  that  I  should  notice  the  next  small 
treatise  of  Baxter,  in  this  place.  His '  Universal  Concord/  which 
waspuUished  in  12mO;  in  1658,  '*  Having  been  desired/'  hesays, 
'*  in  the  time  of  our  associations,  to  draw  up  those  terms  which 
all  Christian  churches  may  hold  communion  upon,  I  published 
them,  though  too  late  for  any  such  use  (till  God  give  men  better 
minds),  that  the  world  might  see  what  our  religion  and  our 
terms  of  communion  were ;  and  that,  if  after-ages  prove  more 
peaceable,  they  may  have  some  light  from  those  that  went  be- 
ibre  them.    It  consisteth  of  three  parts. 

'*  The  first  containeth  the  Christian  religion,  which  all  are 
positively  to  profess ;  that  is,  either  to  subscribe  the  Scriptures 
in  general,  and  the  ancient  creeds  in  particular,  or,  at  most,  the 
confession  or  articles  annexed :  e.  ^.,  I  do  believe  all  the  sacred^ 
canonical  Scripture,  which  all  Christian  churches  do  receive  ; 
and^  particularly,  I  believe  in  Qod  the  Father  Almighty,  &c« 
The  second  part,  instead  of  books  of  unnecessary  canons,  con- 
taineth seven  or  eight  points  of  practice  for  church  order,  which, 
to  it  be  practised,  it  is  no  great  matter  whether  it  be  subscribed 
or  not.  And  here  it  must  be  understood,  that  these  are  written 
for  times  of  liberty,  in  which  agreement,  rather  than  force,  doth 
procure  unity  and  communion.  The  third  part  containeth  the 
larger  description  of  the  office  of  the  ministry,  and,  consequently, 
of  all  the  ordinances  of  worship,  which  need  not  be  subscribed, 
but  none  should  preach  against  it,  nor  omit  the  practice,  except 
peace  require  that  the  point  of  infant  baptism  be  left  free. 

*'  This  small  book  is  called  by  the  name  of  Universal  Con- 
cord, which,  when  I  wrote,  I  thought  to  have  published  a  second 
part,  viz.,  a  large  volume,  containing  the  particular  terms  of 
con6ord  between  all  parties  capable  of  concord ;  but  the  change 
fif  the  times  hath  necessarily  changed  that  purpose/'  * 

Though  Baxter  did  not  publish  formally  a  second  part  of 
this  work,  every  thing  he  had  to  communicate  on  the  subject, 
must  have  been  presented  in  one  or  other  of  the  numerous  books 
which  he  subsequently  published  on  the  subject  of  communion, 
or  of  nonconformity.  It  is  really  not  matter  of  regret  that 
he  did  not  publish  more,  but  that  he  published  so  much  on  these 
topics,  as  the  very  quantity  which  he  wrote  may  be  said  to  have 
buried  his  sentiments,  and  materially  contributed  to  defeat  his 
own  purpose  and  anxious  desire.     Any  one  of  his  principal 

•Life,  paiti.  pp.  119, 120. 
VOL,  h  Q  Q 


594  TBS  Lira  AND  WRITINGS 

treatiflefl  might  have  exhausted  the  subject,  had  it  been  judi- 
ciously managed ;  but  it  is  now  vain  to  express  qur  regrets* 

The  works  we  have  noticed,  include  all  that  Baxter  pub- 
lished on  the  subject  of  catholic  communion,  previously  to  the 
Restoration.  In  his  own  Life,  a  variety  of  papers  and  letteii 
are  inserted,  relating  to  the  topic.  They  contain  his  propiH 
sals  to  several  parties,  or  to  eminent  individuals  among  thum^ 
adapted  to  the  peculiar  sentiments  and  circumstances  of  eachi 
He  did  not  always  succeed^  but  was  always  heard  respects 
fully,  and  seldom  failed  to  make  some  impression  in  favour  of 
peace.  From  the  progress  made  by  his  system  in  various  quar- 
ters, it  is  hard  to  say  what  might  have  been  the  final  result^  had 
the  political  state  of  the  country  not  undergone  a  complets 
change  by  the  overthrow  of  the  dynasty  of  the  Cromwells,  and 
the  return  of  Charles.  On  the  diocesan  Episcopalians,  Baxter 
had  found  the  greatest  difficulty  in  making  a  favourable  impres- 
sion,  even  while  the  fortunes  of  their  church  were  in  the  lowest 
state.  Their  principles  seemed  not  to  admit  of  union  and  co- 
operation with  others.  Many  of  tlie  Baptists  and  Independents 
he  found  it  difficult  to  convince  that  his  way  was  preferable  to 
theirs  |  but  still  his  success  among  them  was  enough  to  encou- 
rage him  to  go  on.  The  church  party,  however,  offered  hiia 
little  hope  before,  and,  after  the  Restoration,  none  at  all. 

That  event  did  not  terminate  the  labours  of  Baxter  to  promote 
Vnity,  but  for  awhile  they  were  necessarily  diverted  into  a  new 
channel.  The  comprehension  of  the  Nonconformists  in  the 
church,  by  the  modification  of  its  terms,  became  the  great  object 
of  his  zealous  endeavours  for  many  years.  What  he  did  to 
accomplish  it,  and  to  prevent  an  entire  and  permanent  seces- 
sion from  the  church,  with  the  causes  of  his  failure,  we  have 
elsewhere  recorded.  If  Baxter  had  not  had  to  struggle  with 
secular  power  and  interests,  but  only  to  maintain  the  conflict 
with  those  who  had  as  little  civil  connexion  with  the  state 
as  himself,  the  probability  is  that  some  such  system  as  be 
himself  acted  upon  in  Kidderminster,  would  have  been  very 
generally  adopted  over  England.  Without  professing  to  approve 
of  all  its  parts,  its  substance  is  so  radically  Christian,  and  its 
effects  were  so  excellent,  that  the  individual  who  could  not  have 
lived  in  such  a  communion,  must  have  had  a  very  obtuse  under- 
standing, or  an  unenviable  state  of  moral  feeling.  The  prevalence 
of  such  a  system,  would  have  converted  England  into  a  spiritual 


OP  EICHilRD  BAXTER*  695 

INmidia^  and  caused  its  most  barren  deserts  to  flourish  aa  the 
garden  of  the  Lord. 

The  mortification  which  such  a  man  as  Baxter  must  have 
csperienced  from  the  failure  and  ruin  of  all  his  labours  and 
hopes,  may  be  better  conceived  than  expressed.  Though  not 
easily  or  soon  discouraged,  he  found,  after  the  Restoration,  and 
cepecially  after  the  Bartholomew  ejection,  that  he  was  left  to 
eootend  with  men  of  a  totally  di£ferent  spirit  from  himself,*  men 
of  secular  views  and  feelings,  who  regarded  the  church  but  as  a 
tbeitfre  of  ambition,  or  in  subservience  to  their  earthly  interests. 
He  became  one  of  a  small  but  noble  band  of  sufferers,  who 
always  appear  to  advantage,  except  when  they  attempt  to  iden- 
tify themselves  with  a  body  so  entirely  worldfy  as  was  the 
•httreh  of  England  while  Charles  II.  was  its  head,  and  Sheldon 
the  chief  minister  of  its  spiritual  affairs. 

About  the  time  of  the  Restoration,  Baxter  brought  out  two 
amall  practical  works  on  hb  favourite  subject.  The  titles  might 
lead  us  to  suppose  that  he  had  a  special  reference  to  Popery  in 
tliem ;  but  this  is  not  the  case  any  further  than  he  regarded  it  as 
otte  of  the  sects,  and  that  the  most  dangerous  and  dogmatical^ 
which  divided  the  church.  The  first  of  these  is,  ^  The  true  Catho- 
lic, and  Catholic  Church  described ;  and  the  vanity  of  the  Pa^ts, 
and  all  Schismatics  that  confine  the  Catholic  Church  to  their  sect, 
discovered  and  shamed.'  1660.  12mo. — ^l^he second  is,  ^Catholic 
Unity,  or  the  only  way  to  bring  us  all  to  be  of  one  religion.* 
1660.  12mo.^  These  are  plain  practical  discourses,  the  sub- 
atance  of  which  had  been  preached  in  London  and  Worcester, 
containing  much  that  is  calculated  to  be  useful  to  Christians 
of  all  professions.     He  tells  us  that  their  object  is, 

*^  For  Catholicism  against  all  sectSy  to  show  the  sin,  and  folly, 
and  mischief,  of  all  sects  that  would  appropriate  the  church  to 
themselves,  and  trouble  the  world  with  the  question.  Which  of 
all  these  parties  is  the  church  ?  as  if  they  knew  not  that  the 
catliolic  church  is  that  whole  which  containeth  all  the  parts, 
though  some  are  more  pure,  and  some  less.  Especially,  it  is 
suited  against  the  Romish  claim,  which  damneth  all  Christians 
besides  themselves,  and  it  jdetecteth  and  confuteth  dividing  prin- 
ciples. For  I  apprehend  it  is  a  matter  of  great  necessity  to 
imprint  true  Catholicism  on  the  minds  of  Christians  |  it  beiug  a 
most  lamentable  thing  to  observe  how  few  Christians  in  the 

<  Wtfrks,  vd.  xrU 

aa2 


596  THB  LfPB  AND  WRITINGS 

world  there  be,  that  fall  not  into  one  sect  or  other,  and  wrong 
not  the  common  interest  of  Christianity  for  the  promoting  of 
the  interest  of  their  sect.  How  lamentably  love  is  thereby 
destroyed,  so  that  most  men  think  not  that  they  are  bound  to 
love  those  as  the  members  of  Christ,  who '  are  against  their 
party.  The  leaders  of  most  sects  do  not  stick  to  persecute 
those  that  differ  from  them,  and  think  the  blood  of  those  who 
hinder  their  opinions,  and  parties,  to  be  an  acceptable  sacrifice 
unto  God.  And  if  they  can  but  get  to  be  of  a  sect  which  thef 
think  the  holiest^  (as  the  Anabaptists  and  Separatists,)  or  which 
is  the  largest,  (as  the  Greeks  and  Papists,)  they  think,  then, 
that  they  are  sufficiently  warranted  to  deny  others  to  be  God's 
church,  or  at  least  to  deny  them  Christian  love  and  commonioD. 
^^  To  this  small  book  I  annexed  a  postscript  against  a  ridiculoiis 
pamphlet  of  one  Malpas,  an  old  scandalous  neighbour  minister, 
who  was  permitted  to  stay  in  by  the  Parliament,  (so  far  were 
they  from  T)eing  over-striqt  in  their  reformation  of  the  clergy,) 
and  now  is  a  considerable  man  among  them.^' ' 

A  long  interval  elapsed  before  any  thing  further  on  this 
subject  proceeded  from  Baxter's  prolific  pen.  At  length,  in  1669, 
he  published  in  octavo,  his  ^  Cure  for  Church  Divisions.'  "  1  first 
published,"  he  says,  "  some  old  notes,  written  eleven  or  twcl?e 
years  ago,  called  ^  Directions  for  Weak  Christians,'  and  annexed 
to  them  *  The  Character  of  a  Sound  Christian.'  For  both  which  I 
wrote  what  was  as  like  to  have  exasperated  the  impatient  as 
this  book  is,  and  yet  I  heard  of  no  complaints.  Afterwards  I 
wrote  this,  and  sent  it  to  the  licenser,  who,  upon  perusal,  refused 
to  license  it^  and  so  it  lay  by,  and  I  purposed  to  meddle  with  it 
no  more.  But  leaving  it  in  the  bookseller's  hands,  who  had 
offered  it  to  be  licensed,  after  a  long  time  he  got  it  done,  and 
thus  unexpectedly  it  revived. 

*'  The  reasons  of  my  writing  it  were  no  fewer  than  all  these  fol- 
lowing, which  I  now  submit  to  the  judgment  of  all  men  truly 
peaceable  and  impartial,  who  value  the  interests  of  Christianity, 
and  of  the  universal  church,  above  their  own.  To  make  my 
foregoing  *  Directions  to  Weak  Christians'  more  complete, 
having  directed  them  about  the  private  matters  of  their  souls,  1 
intended  this  as  another  part  to  direct  them,  in  order  to  the 
church's  peace.  Many  good  people  of  tender  consciences  and 
weak  judgments,  desiring  my  advice  about  communion  in  the 

<  Life,  part  i,  p.  113. 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTBR.  597 

poUic  assemblies,  I  foiind  it  meetest  to  publish  this  general 
advice  for*  all,  to  save  me  the  labour  of  speaking  to  particular 
persons,  and  to  serve  those  that  lived  farther  off.  I  saw 
tliDse  principles  growing  up  apace  in  this  time  of  provocation, 
which  will  certainly  increase  or  continue  our  divisions,  if  they 
continue  and  increase.  I  am  sure  that  our  wounds  are  made  by 
wounding  principles  of  doctrine,  and  it  must  be  healing  doctrines 
that  must  heal  us ;  and  I  know  that  we  cannot  be  healed  till 
doctrinal  principles  be  healed.  To  give  way  to  the  prevalency 
of  dividing  opinions,  is  to  give  up  our  hopes  of  future  unity  and 
peace ;  and  to  give  up  our  hopes  of  unity  and  peace,  is  to  de- 
spair of  all  true  reformation  and  happiness  of  the  church  on  earth. 
If  ever  the  church  be  reduced  to  that  concord,  strength,  and 
Ifeanty,  which  all  true  Christians  do  desire,  I  am  past  doubt 
that  it  must  be  by  such  principles  as  I  have  laid  down. 

**But  my  grand  reason  was,  that  I  might  serve  the  church  of 
Christ  in  the  reviving  and  preservation  of  Christian  love.  As 
it  was  an  extraordinary  measure  of  the  Spirit  which  Christ  made 
his  witness  in  the  gospel  church,  so  it  is  as  extraordinary  a 
measure  of  love  which  he  maketh  the  new  commandment  and 
the  mark  of  all  his  true  disciples.  Whether  afflicting  on  one 
elde  and  unmerciful  and  unjust  censures  on  the  other  side,  one 
driving  away,  and  the  other  flying  away,  be  either  a  sign  or 
means  of  love  ;  and  whether  taking  others  to  be  intolerable  in 
the  church,  and  unworthy  of  our  communion,  and  separating 
from  or  avoiding  the  worship  where  they  are  present,  be  likely 
to  kindle  love  or  kill  it,  let  any  man  judge  that  hath  himself  the 
exercise  of  reason  and  unfeigned  love. 

^Another  reason  why  I  set  upon  this  work  was,  because  I  saw 
few  others  would  -do  it.  If  it  must  be  done,  and  others  will  not, 
then  I  must  take  it  for  my  duty.  And,  indeed,  I  knew  but  few 
whom  I  was  willing  to  thrust  upon  it  so  forwardly  as  myself,  for 
fear  of  being  the  author  of  their  sufferings.  Many  may  be  abler, 
who  are  not  in  other  respects  so  fit.  Some  ministers  are  young 
"men,  and  likely  to  live  longer  to  serve  God  in  his  church,  and  their 
reputation  is  needful  to  their  success ;  if  they  be  vilified,  it  may 
hinder  their  labours.  And  experience  telleth  us,  that  the  divid- 
ing spirit  is  very  powerful  and  victorious  in  censorious  vilifying 
of  dissenters.  But  I  am  almost  miles  emeritus^  Bt  the  end  of  my 
,work,  and  can  reasonably  expect  to  do  but  little  more  in  the 
world^  and  therefore  have  not  tl>eir  impediment;   and  for  popu- 


598  TUB  LITE  AM]>  MrKITIlIGS 

lar  applause,  I  have  tried  its  ranity ;  I  have  had  ao  arach  eli^ 
till  I  am  brought  to  a  contempt  if  not  a  loathinfp  of  it. 

^^  Some  of  my  brethren  have  great  congregations  to  teachynUck 
are  so  ineUned  to  this  dividing  way,  that  they  cannot  bear  their 
information.  And  I  will  add  one  reason  more  of  the  publishiigi 
though  not  of  the  writing,  of  my  book.  When  it  bad  been  Umg 
cast  by,  I  found  in  the  *  Debater,'  and  ^  Ecclesiastical  PoliticisB,' 
that  the  Nonconformists  are  made  ridiculous  and  odious,  ai 
men  of  erroneous,  uncharitable,  and  ungovernable  principles  and 
spirits,  though  they  subscribe  to  all  the  doctrine  of  the  church  af 
England.  And  I  thought  that  the  publication  of  this  book, 
would  leave  a  testimony  to  the  generations  to  come^  by  which 
they  might  know  whether  we  were  truly  accused,  and  whether 
our  principles  were  not  as  much  for  love  and  peace  as  th»r% 
and  as  consistent  with  order  and  government."  ^ 

Such  are  the  chief  of  ttvetUy-'SeveH  reasons,  which  Batter 
assigns  for  writing  his  Cure.  Tliat  Cure  piescribea  nsfy  direc- 
tions to  the  people,  and  twenty^two  additional  ones  to  their 
pastors.  It  is  full  of  excellent  advice  and  admoniUon ;  but  is 
both  too  general  and  too  minute,  it  oiFended  both  parties,  u 
the  author  anticipated ;  for  he  speaks  too  much  as  a  dissenter 
for  churchmen,  and  too  much  as  a  churchman  for  dissenters. 
He  had  an  extensive  knowledge  of  the  evils  and  errors  aS  all 
parties,  on  which  he  dwelt  too  largely;  while  he  failed  in 
adapting  his  remedies  to  the  disease  of  which  he  so  bitterly  com- 
plains. ^ 

Baxter  met  with  an  opponent  of  this  work  in  a  person  whom 
he  little,  expected  to  encounter.  His  former  friend,  Edward 
Bagshaw,  published  a  reply  to  it  with  the  following  title  :  ^  An 
Antidote  against  Mr.  Baxter's  palliated  cure  of  church  divisions; 
or  an  account  of  several  weighty  and  just  exceptions  against 
that  book.'  1670.  4 to.  Bagshaw  was  the  son  of  an  attorney 
at  Broughton,  and  educated  for  the  ministry,  at  Christ- church, 
Oxford.  His  fine  talents,  and  extensive  learning,  qualified 
him  to  become  second  master  of  Westminster  school,  whea 

^  *  Defence  of  the  Principles  of  Love,*  pp.  42 — 64. 

^  AinoDg^  other  attacks  made  on  this  work,  was  the  followiof^: — "A 
Pair  of  Spectacles,  very  uaefull  and  needful!  for  all  those  that  read  Mr.  Bai- 
ter's Catholick  Charity,  in  his  book  called  *  The  Cure  of  Church  Divisions,' 
that  so  they  may  see  and  understand  the  better  what  they  read,  and  not  be  led 
away  with  error  instead  of  truth.  Written  by  a  Lover  of  Truth  and  Peace,  aad 
of  all  the  People  of  Peace."  1670.  AUk 


OF  RICHAAJ>  BAXTBR.  599 

Dr«  Boaby  wm  head  master.  He  occupied  the  parUh  of 
Ambroeden,  in  Oxfordshire,  till  the  Bartholomew  Act  turned 
him  out  of  the  church,  and  left  him  to  find  a  sphere  of  usefulnese 
with  the  means  of  living  among  the  Nonconformists.  Bagahaw 
appears  to  have  been  an  Independent  in  his  principles ;  and  was  - 
%  man  of  great  mental  ardour  and  decision  of  character,  which 
occauoned  his  being  represented  as  hot->headed,  turbulent,  and 
fimatical.  He  suffered  greatly  for  his  principles,  but  nobly 
refused  to  sacrifice  them  to  his  interests  or  amUtion. 

He  considered  Baxter's  ^  Cure  *  as  reflecting  deeply  on  the 
disaentera ;  as  calculated  to  aggravate  their  sufferings,  and  to 
justify  their  enemies  in  the  severity  they  were  inflicting  on 
them.  Though  nothing  was  farther  from  Baxter's  thoughts 
than  this,  Bagshaw  had  too  much  ground  for  alleging  the  in* 
jurious  tendeaoy  of  the  book,  on  which  he  animadverted.  He 
uses  great  freedom  and  plainness  of  speech  with  Baxter,  and 
endeavour  to  show  that  his  hard  words  and  biting  censures  had 
exasperated  the  evil,  instead  of  curing  it. 

Baxter  lost  no  time  in  replying,  which  he  did  in  his  ^  Defence 
of  the  Principles  of  Love,  which  are  necessary  to  the  unity 
md  concord  of  Christians,  and  are  delivered  in  a  book  called 
The  Cure  of  Church  Divisions,  By  Richard  Baxter,  one  of 
the  Mourners  for  a  Self*dividing  and  Self«afflicting  Land/ 
1671.  8vo. 

This  volume  is  divided  into  two  parts.  After  a  long  preface, 
comes  ^^  The  general  part,  or  Introduction  to  the  Defence  of 
the  Cure  of  Church  Divisions  :  being  a  narrative  of  those  late 
actions  which  have  occasioned  the  offence  of  men  on  boU)  ex- 
tremes }  with  the  true  reasons  of  them,  and  of  these  writings, 
which  some  count  unseasonable  $  with  the  true  stating  of  the 
case  of  that  separation,  which  the  opposed  treatise  meddleth 
with ;  and  an  answer  to  several  great  objections."  Then, 
oomes  the  second  part,  or  his  ^  Answer  to  the  untrue  and  un^ 
just  exceptions  of  the  Antidote.' 

Bagshaw  had  taken  forty-one  exceptions  to  Baxter's  ^Curej* 
who  accordingly  replies  to  them  seriatim.  He  addresses  Bag* 
shaw  as  his  dear  brother ;  but  makes  it  his  business  to  convict, 
him  ^^  not  of  ndstakes,'*  lest  the  reader  should  not  understand 
'^  whether  it  be  mistakes  of  reason  or  fact ;"  nor  will  ^^  he  call 
them  lieSf  because  it  is  a  provoking  word ;  therefore  untruths 
must  be  the  middle  term."  He  endeavours  to  show  that,  in  what 


600  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

he  himself  had  written,  he  had  been  solely  influenced  by  kk  de* 
sire  of  peace,  and  his  utter  aversion  to  all  needless  sqparatioBi; 
and  that  fiagshaw  had  done  injustice  both  to  his  principles  snd 
his  dispositions,  as  well  as  to  his  writings.  Speaking  of  hii 
*  Cure,'  and  of  Bagshaw's  Answer  to  it,  he  says, 

*^  When  my  ^  Cure  of  Church  Divisions '  came  out|  the  sober 
party  of  ministers  were  reconciled  to  it,  especially  the  aneienter 
sort,  and  those  that  had  seen  the  evils  of  separation  ;  but  some 
of  the  London  ministers,  who  had  kept  up  public  aasembUsii 
diought  it  should  have  been  less  sharp;  and  some  thoughti 
because  they  were  under  the  bishops'  severities,  that  it  wis 
unseasonable  :  for  the  truth  is,  most  men  judge  by  sense,  and 
take  that  to  be  good  or  bad  which  they  feel  to  do  them  good  or 
hurt  at  the  present.  And  because  the  people's  alienation  from 
the  prelates,  liturgy,  and  parish  churches,  did  seem  to  make 
against  the  prelates,  and  to  make  for  the  Nonconformists'  inte- 
rest, they  thought  it  not  prudent  to  gratify  the  prelates  so  fsr 
as  to  gainsay  it.  So  they  eonsidered  not  from  whence  dind* 
ing  principles  come,  to  what  they  tend,  what  a  disgrace  they  are 
to  our  cause  |  how  one  of  our  own  errors  will  hurt  and  disparage 
us  more  than  all  the  cruelty  of  our  adversaries,  or  that  sinfol 
means  is  seldom  blessed  to  do  good. 

**  When  the  book  came  out,  the  separating  party,  who  hsd 
received  before  an  odious  character  of  it,  did,  part  of  them,  read 
and  interpret  it  by  the  spectacles  and  commentary  of  their  pss- 
sions  and  fore-conceits :  and  the  most  of  them  would  not  read 
it  at  all ;  but  took  all  that  they  heard  for  granted.  The  hottest 
that  was  against  it,  was,  Mr.  Edward  Bagshaw,  a  young  man  who 
had  written  formerly  against  monarchy,  and  afterwards  virritten 
for  me  agiunst  Bishop  Morley ;  and  being  of  a  resolute  Roman 
spirit,  was  sent  first  to  the  Tower,  and  then  laid  in  a  horrid 
dungeon.  He  wrote  against  me  a  pamphlet  so  full  of  untruths 
and  spleen,  and  so  little  pertinent  to  the  cause,  that  I  never 
met  with  a  man  who  called  for  an  answer  to  it;  but  yet  the  ill 
principles  of  it  made  me  think  that  it  needed  an  answer,  which 
I  wrote.  But  I  found  that  party  grown  so  tender,  expecting 
little  but  to  be  applauded  for  their  godliness,  and  to  be  flattered, 
while  they  expected  that  others  should  be  most  sharply  dealt 
with;  and,  indeed,  to  be  so  utterly  impatient  of  that  language  in 
a  confutation  which  had  any  suitableness  to  the  desert  of  their 
writings,  that  I  purposed  to  give  over  all  controversial  writings 


OP  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  601 

wkh  tfieih^  or  any  other,  without  great  necessity ;  and  the  rather, 
beeause  my  own  style  is  apt  to  be  guilty  of  too  much  freedom 
and  sharpness  in  disputings/*  ^ 

In  answer  to  Baxter's  ^Defence  of  the  Principles  of  Love/ 
Bagshaw  published  ^A  Defence  of  the  Antidote/  1671*  4to. 
Tins  pamphlet  I  have  not  been  able  to  procure ;  but  the  object 
of  it  seems  to  have  been  to  retaliate  on  Baxter,  to  expose  some 
of  his  inconsistencies,  and  to  show  that  he  who  would  prevent  sin 
in  others,  must  beware  of  casting  stumbling-blocks  before  them^ 
This  produced  from  Baxter  ^  A  second  Admonition  to  Mr. 
Bagshaw,  written  to  call  him  to  repentance  for  many  false  doc- 
tripes^  crimes,  and  especially  fourscore  palpable  untruths  in  mat- 
tars  of  fact,  published  by  him  in  two  small  libels/  167I.  4to. 
The  controversy  was  now  become  warm  and  personal.  Baxter 
•aysy  ^  Mr.  Qagshaw  wrote  a  second  book  against  my  Defence^ 
fiill  of  untruths,  which  the  furious  temerarious  man  did  utter, 
out  of  the  rashness  of  his  mind,  which  made  him  so  little  heed 
what  he  had  read,  and  answered,  as  that  one  would  scarce  think 
he  bad  ever  read  my  book.  I  replied  to  him  in  an  Admonition^ 
telling  him  of  his  mistakes."  ^ 

Bagshaw  met  the  second  admonition  by  'A  Review ;  or  all  Mr. 
Baxter's  Calumnies  confuted ;'  to  which  Baxter  finally  rejoined 
in  '  The  Church  told  of  Mr.  Edward  Bagshaw's  Scandal,  and 
warned  of  the  dangerous  snares  of  Satan  now  laid  for  them 
in  his  love-killing  principles.*  1672.  Unfortunately,  both  the 
church  and  the  world  had  been  told  too  much  of  this  contro- 
versy already.  Hard  names  and  harsh  censures  are  freely  used 
by  both  parties,  in  a  way  which  reflects  no  credit  on  either  of 
them. .  In  referring  to  his  last  publication  on  this  controversy, 
Baxter  mentions  the  death  of  his  opponent,  and  expresses  the 
pain  which  he  then  felt.  ^^  Mr.  Bagshaw,  in  his  rash  and  ignorant 
zeal,  thinking  it  a  sin  to  hear  a  Conformist,  and  that  the  way  to 
deal  with  the  persecutors,  was,  to  draw  all  tlie  people  as  far  from 
them  as  he  could,  and  not  to  hold  any  communion  with  any 
that  did  conform,  having  printed  his  third  reviling  libel  against 
me,  called  for  my  third  reply.  But  being  printed  without 
license,  L'Estrange,  the  searcher,  surprised  part  of  it  in  the  press, 
there  being  lately  greater  penalties  laid  on  them  that  print  with- 
out license  than  ever  before.  And  about  the  day  that  it  came 
out,  Mr.  Bagshaw  died,  a  prisoner,  though  not  in  prison,  which 
made  it  grievous  to  me  to  think  that  I  mus(  seem  to  write 

k  Ldfe,  part  iii.  pp.  72,  73.  >  Ibid.  p.  85. 


003  TfUK  LUTB  ANP  WRITI|f€S 

against  the  dead.  While  we  wraogle  here  in  the  dailtf  vi 
are  dyiog  and  passing  to  the  world  that  will  decide  all  ow 
controversies.  And  the  safest  passage  thither  U  by  peaee^ 
able  holiness/''' 

I  cannot  take  lea^e  of  Bagshaw,  notwithstanding  Ihia  m- 
lovely  debate  with  Baxter,  without  giving  from  Baxter  hiiosdf 
a  little  more  of  his  history.    ^^  After  his  ejection  by  the  Act  of 
Uniformity,  he  went  over  into  Ireland  with  the  Garl  of  Ang)ei(|» 
whose  household  chaplain  he  was,  and  having  preached  there 
sometime,  and  returning  back,  was  apprehended  and  aent  pri- 
soner to  the  Tower;  where  he  continued  long,  till  bk  means  wsve 
all  spent ;  and  how  he  afterwarda  procured  breads  I  know  i^U 
When  he  had  been  prisoner  about  a  year,  it  seems  ho  beouN 
acquainted  with  Mr.  Davis,  who  was  also  a  prisoner  in  theTowsTt 
This  Mr.  Davis  having  been  very  serviceable  in  the  reatoratioa 
of  the  king,  and  having  laid  out  mueh  of  his  estate  for  his  sfr* 
vice,  tliought  he  might  be  the  bolder  with  his  tongue  and  pen; 
and  being  of  a  spirit  which  some  call  undaunted,  but  others 
furious  or  indiscreet  at  best,  did  give  an  unmannerly  liberty  to 
his  tongue,  to  accuse  the  court  of  such  crimes,  with  such  aggra* 
vations,  as  being  a  subject  1  think  it  not  meet  to  name.    At 
last,  he  talked  so  freely  in  the  Tower  also,  that  he  was  shipped 
away  prisoner  to  Tangier  in  Africa.     Mr.  Bagshaw,  being  6ur« 
prised  by  L'Estrange,  and  his  chaml>er  searched,  there  wss 
found  with  him  a  paper,  called  Mr.  Davis's  case.     Whereupon 
he  was  brought  out  to  speak  to  the  king,  who  examined  him  of 
whom  he  had  that  paper ;  but  he  refused  to  confess,  and  spake 
so  boldly  to  the  king,  as  much  offended  him :  whereupon  he  wss 
sent  back  to  the  Tower,  and  laid  in  a  deep,  dark,  dreadful  dun- 
geon.    When  he  had  lain  there  three  or  four  days  and  nights, 
without  candle,  fire,  bed,  or  straw,  he  fell  into  a  terrible  lit, 
which  the  physicians  thought  did  save  his  life ;  for  the  pain  was 
so  vehement,  that  it  kept  him  in  a  sweat,  which  cast  out  the 
infection  of  the  damp.     At  last,  by  the  solicitation  of  his  bro* 
ther,  who  was  a  Conformist,  and  dearly  loved  him,  he  was  taken 
up,  and  after  that  was  sent  away  to  Southsea  Castle,  an  un« 
wholesome  place  in  the  sea  by  Portsmouth;  where,  if  he  be  alive, 
he  remaineth  close  prisoner  to  this  day,  with  Vavasour  Powel,  a 
preacher  in  North  Wales,  and  others ;  speeding  worse  than  Mr. 
Crofton,  who  was  at  last  released."" 
The  suflferings  of  Bagshaw  did  not  terminate  here.    He 
-  Life,  part  ill.  p.  89.  »  Life,  part  U.  pp.  378,  379. 


OV  RICHARD  RAXTRR.  603 

VRS  ideased  from  thU  imprisonment,  which  appeara  to  have 
boen  very  long ;  but  after  returning  to  London,  according  to 
Wood,  **  be  fell  to  his  old  trade  of  conventicling  and  raising 
sedition^  for  which,  being  ever  and  anon  troubled,  he  had  at 
length  the  oaths  of  allegiance  and  supremacy  tendered  to  bim ; 
hut  he,  boggling  at  them  at  first,  and  afterwards  denying  to  take 
them,  was  committed  prisoner  to  Newgate,  where  he  continued 
twenty- two  weeks  before  his  death." ^  This  event  took  place 
on  the  2Sth  of  December,  167 1  •  He  was  buried  in  Bunhili-fields ; 
and,  as  a  proof  of  the  estimation  in  which  he  was  held,  his 
funeral  was  attended  by  nearly  a  thousand  Protestant  dissent** 
eis.  The  inscription  on  his  monument,  written  by  Dr.  Owen, 
expresses  the  high  opinion  which  he  entertained  of  his  faith, 
courage,  and  patience ;  and  the  unmerited  suflferings  which  lie 
had  endured  from  Uhe  reproaches  of  pretended /rUnds^*  as  well 
R8  the  persecutions  of  professed  adversaries.^^  I  liave  thought  it 
right  to  be  thus  particular  respecting  a  man  who  possessed  no 
ordinary  merit  as  a  scholar,  who  was  a  great  sufferer  for  con- 
acience'  sake,  and  who  ought  to  be  known  in  a  more  advan« 
tageous  character  than  as  the  controversial  opponent  of  Richard 
Baxter. « 

*  Athen.  Oxon.  vol.  ii.  p.  944.  p  Nodcod.  Mem.  vol.  iiL  p.  113. 

4  lo  that  singular  b6ok,  Walter  Pope's  *  Life  of  Bishop  Ward/  there  are 
some  curious  auecdotes  of  Ba^shaw.  When  Pope  was  proctor  of  tbe.Uui- 
▼ersity  of  Oxford»  <'  The  godly  party/'  as  he  calU  them,  **  resolved  to  abolish 
the  statute,  ei^Joiaiog  the  wearing  of  caps  and  hoods,  cryinf^  out  ajpaiust  them 
ai  relics  of  Popery,  aud  rags  of  the  scarlet  whore.  To  effect  this  tbeir  design, 
they  seut  an  envoy  to  roe,  to  engage  me  to  comply  with  them,  well  knowing, 
that  without  my  concurrence,  their  design  would  prove  abortive.  The  person 
whom  they  employed,  was  a  school-fellow  and  intimate  friend  of  mine,  who, 
although  the  son  of  a  royalist,  upon  some  disappointment,  especially  a  great 
ope  that  happened  to  him  at  Westminster,  by  the  means  of  Mr.  Busby,  of  which 
perhaps  more  hereafter.  1  say,  upon  this  and  other  misfortunes,  he  became 
a  Presbyterian  and  Commonwealth's  man  ;  if  this  addition  be  not  superfluous, 
be  was  a  man  of  learning,  and  knew  it,  and  very  hot  and  zealous  in  his  way. 
He,  1  say,  came  to  my  chamber,  and  told  me  his  message,  <  Well,'  said  I 
to  him,  '  what  have  you  to  say  against  caps  and  hoods  ?'  He  made  a  long 
(Uicourse,  which  I  heard  with  patience  ;  and  when  1  peiceived  he  was  silent, 
<  Ned,'  said  I  to  him, '  prithee  go  back  to  thy  chamber,  and  put  in  writing 
•II  that  thou  hast  said,  and  bring  it  to  me.'  *  And  what  will  you  do  with  it 
then  ?'  said  he,  *  I  will,'  I  replied,  '  blot  out  the  word?,  caps  and  hoods,  and 
in  their  places  insert  gowns  ;  will  not  your  arguments  be  every  whit  as  strong 
agaiust  them  as  against  formalities  ?'  '  1  confess  they  will,'  he  answered, 
*  but  we  are  not  come  thither  yet.'  J  replied,  *  I'd  make  it  my  endeavour 
to  keep  you  where  you  are,  and  so  we  parted.' 

Pope  gives  a  humorous  account  of  the  quarrel  between  Busby  and  Bag- 
thaw,  which  seems  to  have  been  as  hot  as  that  with  Baxter.  After  the  rupture, 
be  says,  **  He  turns  with  a  vengeance,  goes  over  to  the  GeatilaS|  and  that  h« 


6(H  THB  LfFB  AND  WRITINGS 

From  this  unpleasant  personal  controveny  with  Bagshaw^we 
proceed  to  notice  Baxter's  next  publication,  ^  Hie  Tme  and 
Only  Way  of  Concord  of  all  Christian  Churches ;  the  Deain- 
bteness  of  it,  and  the  Detection  of  false,  dividing  Terms.' 
1680.  8vo.  To  this  volume  is  prefixed  a  prefatory  letter  to 
Dr.  Morley,  bishop  of  Winchester,  and  Dr.  Gunning,  bishop 
of  Ely,  the  only  Episcopal  survivors  with  whom  he  had  mun- 
tained  the  chief  debates  at  the  Savoy  conference.  Hie  object 
of  this  preface,  and,  indeed,  of  the  work,  which  was  called 
forth  by  his  controversy  with  Dodwell,  is  to  state  and  defend 
the  moderate  proposals  for  peace  and  union  which- ^^ere  then 
made.  The  volume  is  divided  into  three  parts.  In  the  first, he 
assigns  reasons  for  the  desirableness  and  necessity  of  unity ;  in 
the  second,  he  discusses  the  terms  of  concord;  and,  in  the 
third,  he  treats  of  schism. 

There  are  many  very  excellent  things,  in  the  form  both  of 
principle  and  advice,  scattered  over  this  treatise  ;  but  there  is 

might  be  revenged  upon  Mr.  Busby,  sacrifices  to  Moloch,  wonhipt  and  adont 
the  worst  of  men,  even  the  judges  of  King  Charles  the  First.  But  Mr.  Basbf, 
who  ploughed  with  the  same  heifers,  had  too  much  compliance,  cuDDiDg,aiid 
money,  to  be  hurt  by  him.    Upon  this,  he  returns  to  his  student's  place  at 
Christ-church,  makes  me  a  visit,  and  rails  so  bitterly  against  Mr.  Busby, 
that  even  I  was  forced  to  take  his  part.    He  remained  at  Oxford,  propagating 
his  commonwealth  principlts;  and  when  he  was  censor,  which  office  in  other 
colleges  is  called  the  dean,  whose  business  it  is  to  moderate  at  disputatioos, 
and  give  the  scholars  questions,  he  gave  some  in  politics,  and  ordered  the 
respondents  to  maintain  them  against  monarchy  and  episcopacy.    l*here  be 
continued  till  the  king  was  restored ;  then  some  considerable  friends  of  his, 
whom  1  knew,  advised  him  to  go  into  the  country,  and  there  to  live  peaceably 
'  and  conformably  for  the  space  of  one  year,  at  the  end  of  which,  they  assured 
him  they  would  procure  him  some  considerable  preferment  in  the  church. 
Accordingly,  he  went  and  tried,  but  not  being  able  to  hold  out  so  long,  in  a 
short  time  he  repaired  to  LfOndon,  seven  times  more  embittered  against  eccle- 
siastical and  kingly  government  than  when  he  went  into  the  country.    And 
now  he  sides  luoth  and  nail  with  the  fanatics,  and  makes  a  great  figure 
amongst  them,  exceeding  most,  if  not  all  of  them,  in  natural  aud  acquired 
parts.     King  Charles  sent  for  him,  designing  to  work  some  good  upon  him, 
and  do  him  a  kindness  ;  but  he  found  him  so  obstinate  and  refractory,  that 
he  was  forced  to  leave  him  to  his  own  imaginations.     He  afterwards  married 
a  blind  woman,  who  fell  in  luve  with  him  for  his  preaching;  after  which, I 
met  hint  in  Covent  Garden,  and  accosted  him  freely.    After  the  usual  compli- 
ments passed,  '  Ned,'  said  I  to  him  jocularly,  '  I  hear  thou  hast  married  a 
blind  woman,  dost  thou  intend  to  beg  with  her  ?'    Upon  this'I  perceived  hit 
countenance  change,  and  he  returned  me  this  answer  :  <  What's  that  to  you; 
may  I  not  marry  whom   I  please  ?*    *  Nay,'  said  I,  *  if  you  are  pleased,  I 
have  no  reason  to  be  offended,'  and  so  we  parted,  and  I  never  saw  him  after; 
but    I  understood  since,  that  he  died  a  prisoner  in  a  house  near  Newgate, 
whither  he  was  committed  for  his  violent  opposition  to  the  government."— 
Lif%  of  Seih  fVard^  pp.  3«— 40, 


OF   RICHARD  BAXTER.  '605 

a  vast  deal  of  extraneous  matter,  which  so  clouds  and  oppresses 
the  argument,  that  much  of  its  strength  is  destroyed.      He 
defines  schism  to   be  *^  an  unlawful  separation  from    one  or 
many  churches;  or  making  parties  and  divisions  in  them.'*     He 
represents  it  as  ^^  usually  caused  by  unskilful,  proud,  church 
tyrants  and  dogmatists ;  or  by  erroneous,  proud,  self-conceited 
persons/'    The  necessary  means  of  unity  and  church  concord 
he  represents  as  these :  *^  That  every  catechised,  understanding 
person,  professing  repentance,  belief,  and  consent  to  the  bap- 
tismal covenant,  |md  the  children  of  such  dedicated  by  them  to 
Christ,  be  baptized.     And  the  baptized,  accounted  Christians, 
have  right  to   Christian  communion  till   their  profession  be 
validly  disproved  by  an  inconsistent  profession  or  conversation ; 
that  is,  by  some  doctrine  against  the  essence  of  Christianity,  or 
some  scandalous,  wilful  sin,  with  impenitence,  after  sufficient 
admonition.     That  no   man  be  excommunicated  that  is  not 
proved  thus  far  to  ^excommunicate  himself:  and  that  the  cate- 
chised or  examined  person  be  put  upon  no  other  profession  of 
belief,  consent,  and  practice,  as  interpreting  the  sacramental 
covenant,  but  of  the  articles  of  the  Creed,  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
and  Decalogue  xinderstood ;  and  the  general  belief  of,  consent 
to,  and  practice  of,  all  that  he  discerneth  to  be  the  Word  of 
God."'     He  recommends  that  "  the  magistrate  have  the  only 
public  judgment  whom  he  shall  countenance  and  maintain,  or 
tolerate,  and  whom  he  shall  punish,  or  not  tolerate  or  maintain ; 
and  that  he  never  be  the  executioner  of  the  clergy's  sentence, 
without  or  against  his  own  conscience  and  judgment."'     In 
connexion  with  this,  he  recommends  *^  the  Christian  magistrate 
to  make  three  sorts  of  laws ;  one  for  the  approved  and  main- 
tained churches  and  pastors ;  another  for  the  tolerated ;  and  a 
third  for  the  intolerable."  ^    On  the  subject  of  subscription,  his 
recommendation  is  as  follows :  "  That  the  approved  and  main- 
tained ministers  be  put  to  subscribe  their  belief  of,  consent  to, 
and  resolved  practice  or  obedience  of,  all  the  sacred  canonical 
Scriptures,  so  far  as  by  diligent  study  they  are  able  to  under- 
stand them ;  and,  more  particularly,  of  the  Christian  religion 
summarily  contained  in  the  sacramental  covenant,  and  in  the 
ancient  creeds  received  by  the   universal  church,  the  Lord's 
Prayer  and  the  Decalogue,  as  it  is  the  law  of  Christ,  and  ex- 
pounded by  him  in  the  Holy  Scriptures ;  and  that  they  will  be 
faithful  to  the  king  and  kingdom,  and,  as  ministers,  will  faith- 

'  Baxter's  *  Concord/  pp.  139, 140..  •  Part  iii.p.  140.  *  Ibid. 


606  THS  UFB  AV1>  WEITIMGS 

fully  guide  the  flocks  ip  holy  doctrine,  worship,  dtactpBiie,  iiii 
example  of  life,  labouring  to  promote  truth,  bolineie,  kft^ 
peace,  and  justice,  for  the  salvation  of  men's  souls,  the  edifiet* 
tion  of  the  church,  and  the  glorifying  and  pleasing  of  God  um 
Creator,  Redeemer,  and  Sanctifier.  And  that  the  said  main- 
tained  ministers  be  tried  by  the  regulating  laws  which  deler- 
mine  only  such  circumstance  as  in  genere  are  necessary  lo  h 
agreed  on  for  uniformity  and  common  harmony :  as  of  tiiM| 
place,  parish  bounds,  what  translation  ^f  Scripture  to  use,  wkH 
version  of  Psalms,  what  decent  habit,  &c.,  not  put  to  profctt 
approbation  of  all  these )  but  required  to  use  them,  and  tea* 
Bured  if  they  do  not."  " 

Such  is  the  substance  of  Baxter's  views  on  the  principal 
points.  Considering  what  his  sentiments  were  leapecting 
church  and  state,  they  must  be  regarded  as,  on  the  wiiole^ 
enlightened  and  liberal*  His  ideas  of  subscription  and  coch 
formity  were  by  no  means  rigid ;  and  had  only  auch  a  dcgtce 
of  liberty  been  allowed  by  the  church  of  England,  a  substantiil 
uniformity  would  have  been  secured,  and  the  best  part  of  hsr 
clergy  prevented  from  separating  from  her  communion.  Soeh 
a  degree  of  laxity  some  would  consider  very  dangerous  to  the 
church ;  but  they  should  remember  that  the  uniformity  required 
and  enforced  has  only  produced  outward  or  nominal  agreement, 
leaving  the  parties  still  widely  different  from  each  other,  and  in 
regard  to  the  principles  subscribed,  as  wide  as  the  utmost  la- 
titude of  freedom  could  have  produced. 

The  next  work  of  Baxter's  isconnected  with  along  controversy 
on  the  subject  of  this  chapter,  in  which  Dr.  Owen  and  some  of 
his  brethren  were  implicated.  It  appeared  in  several  separate 
pamphlets,  published  under  various  titles,  and  at  last  with  the 
following  general  title :  ^  Catholic  Communion  defended  against 
both  extremes ;  and  unnecessary  Division  confuted  by  Reasons 
against  both  the  active  and  passive  ways  of  Separation.' 4  to.  1684« 
This  work  is  divided  into  five  parts,  consisting  of  ^  The  dan* 
gerous  Schismatic  clearly  detected  and  fully  confuted ;'  in  which 
Dr.  Owen  and  Independency  are  the  chief  objects  of  animad* 
version.  The  second  part  is  ^  Against  schism,  and  a  book  re- 
ported to  be  Mr.  Raphson's,'  in  which  the  lawfulness  of  holding 
communion  with  the  parish  churches,  is  advocated  by  Baxter. 
The  third  is  a  *  Survey  of  the  unreasonable  defence  of  Dr.  Sdl* 

•  Ba&ter'f  *  Concord/  pp.  141,  142. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  607 

IiQgfleet  for  separation,  pretending  to  oppose  it ;'  in  which  Bax« 
ter  defends  himself  and  Mr.  Humphreys  against  the  charge  of 
ioconaistency,  preferred  by  Dr.  Sherlock  and  his  party.  They 
naintained  that  according  to  Baxter's  principles,  *^  if  it  be  lawful 
to  hear  and  communicate  with  the  church  once,  it  is  lawful  to 
do  it  constantly ;  and  that  if  it  be  lawful  to  communicate  with 
the  church  of  England,  it  is  unlawful  to  communicate  with  the 
Nonconformists.'^  The  fourth  and  fifth  parts  include  his  ^  Ca* 
tbolic  Communion  defended  and  doubly  defended,*  as  tliey  had 
before  been  published,  or  ^  Reaisons  of  the  Author's  censured 
Communion  with  the  Parish  Churches ;  and  Reasons  why  Dr» 
John  Owen's  Twelve  Arguments  chaise  not  Richard  Baxter's 
Judgment.'  Another  part  of  the  same  discussion  he  also  pub'-^ 
liabed  in  1684:  ^Catholic  Communion  once  more  defended  | 
or  whether  Parish  Churches  be  true  Christian  Churches." 

Hu  own  account  of  this  controversy  is  as  follows  :  '^  Seeing 
so  many  in  prison  for  this  error,  to  the  dishonour  of  God,  and 
ao  many  more  likely  to  be  ruined  by  it,  and  the  separating  party, 
hf  the  temptation  of  suffering,  had  so  far  prevailed  with  the. 
most  strict  and  zealous  Christians,  that  a  great  number  were  of 
their  mind;  and  the  nonconformable  ministers,  whose  judgment 
was  against  this  separation,  durst  not  publish  their  dislike  of  it, 
partly  because  of  sharp  and  bitter  censures  of  the  Separatists, 
and  partly  for  fear  of  losing  all  opportunity  of  teaching  them  ) 
and  some  that  had  no  hope  of  any  other  friends  or  maintenance, 
or  auditors,  thought  they  might  be  silent.  On  all  these  accounts, 
I  that  had  no  gathered  church,  nor  lived  on  the  contribution  of 
any  such,  and  was  going  out  of  the  world  in  pain  and  languor, 
did  think  that  I  was  fittest  to  bear  men's  censures,  and  to  take 
that  reproach  on  myself,  which  my  brethren  were  less  fit  to  bear, 
who  might  live  for  further  service.  So  at  the  importunity  of 
the  bookseller,  I  consented  to  publish  the  reasons  of  my  com* 
municating  in  the  parish  churches,  and  against  separation. 
Which,  when  it  was  coming  out,  a  manuscript  of  Dr.  Owen's,* 
who  was  lately  dead,  containing  twelve  arguments  against  such 
joining  with  the  liturgy  and  public  churches,  was  sent  me,  as 
that  which  had  satisfied  multitudes :  I  thought,  that  if  this  were 
mianswered,  my  labour  would  be  much  lost,  because  that  party 

*  Tbe  title  of  Owen'i  tract,  here  referred  to,  is  '  An  Answer  to  T\iro  Ques- 
tlon»»  with  Twelve  Arj^uments  against  any  Conformity  to  Worship,  not  of  Di- 
rine  Institution.'  It  appeam  to  have  been  writteti  by  Owen  ftr  tbe  use  of 
tome  friend,  and  by  him  to  have  been  printed. 


608  THB   LirB  AND  WRITINGS 

would  still  say,  Dr.  Owen's  twelve  ailments  confuted  all: 
whereupon,  I  hastily  answered  them,  but  found  after,  that  it  hid 
been  more  prudent  to  have  omitted  his  name.  For,  on  that 
account,  a  swarm  of  revilers  in  the  city  poured  out  their  keenest 
censures,  and  three  or  four  wrote  against  me,  whom  I  answered. 
I  will  not  name  the  men  that  are  known,  and  two  of  them  aie 
yet  unknown ;  but  they  went  on  several  principles,  some  charged 
all  communion  with  the  liturgy,  with  idolatry,  anti-Christiaiiity, 
perjury,  and  backsliding.  One  concealed  his  judgment^  and 
quarrelled  at  my  words.  Ahother  turned  my  treatise  of  Episco- 
pucy  against  me,  and  said  it  fully  proved  the  duty  of  separation. 
I  was  glad  that  I  was  hereby  called  to  explain  that  treatise, 
lest  it  should  do  hurt  to  mistakers  when  I  am  dead ;  and 
that  as  in  it  I  had  said  much  against  one  extreme,  I  might  leave 
my  testimony  against  the  other.  I  called  all  these  writings  to- 
gether, ^  A  Defence  of  Catholic  Communion/  And  that  I  might 
be  impartial,  1  adjoined  two  pieces  against  Dr.  Sherlock,  who  ran 
quite  into  the  contrary  extremes,  unchurching  all  Christians  as 
schismatics.  I  confess  I  wrote  so  sharply  against  him^  as  roust 
needs  be  liable  to  blame,  with  those  that  know  not  the  man,  and 
his  former  and  latter  virulent  and  ignorant  writings."  ^ 

This  is  tlie  most  entangled  of  all  the  controversies  in  which 
Baxter  engaged;  as  the  titles  of  the  same  pamphlets  vary  in  a 
way  that  makes  it  difficult  to  represent  them  correctly.  To 
follow  out  the  discussion,  or  to  give  a  succinct  account  of  it, 
would  be  useless  and  impracticable.  The  fact  is  simply  this: 
Baxter  was  completely  entangled  between  the  church  and 
the  Independents,  and  the  consistency  of  his  principles  and 
conduct  was  attacked  by  both  parties.  This  he  had  himself 
provoked  by  various  of  his  publications.  He  had,  therefore,  to 
defend  his  defences  of  the  church,  and  his  own  separation  from 
it;  and  to  vindicate  his  defences  of  nonconformity,  with  the  feet 
of  his  personal  and  stated  conformity.  His  arguments  often 
proved  too  much,  if  they  proved  any  thing,  and  hence  he 
became  involved  in  'difficulties  from  which,  with  all  his  acuteness 
and  subtlety,  it  was  impossible  to  extricate  himself.  It  was 
thus,  to  adopt  his  own  expressive  language, "  he  made  a  wedge  of 
his  bare  hand,  by  putting  it  into  the  cleft,  and  both  sides  closing 
upon  it  to  his  pain."  "  I  have  turned  both  parties,"  he  says, 
"  which  I  endeavoured  to  part  in  the  fray,  against  mpelf.  WTicn 
each  side  had  but  one  adversary,  I  had  two."' 

r  Life,  part  iii.  pp.  198,  199.  •  Cure  of  Church  Dir.  p.  HI. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  609 

I 

While  this  unprofitable  controversy  went  on,  Dr.  Owen,  who 
had  some  share  in  it,  or  rather  had  been  dragged  into  it,  took 
his  departure  for  a  better  world,  where  all  is  love  and  unity. 
In  an  appendix  to  his  *  Reasons  why  Owen's  Twelve  Arguments  * 
do  not  satisfy  him,  Baxter  speaks  of  his  character  and  talents  in 
the  most  honourable  terms,  and  supposes  that  if  Owen  had  been 
permitted  to  address  the  disputers  from  his  heavenly  rest,  it 
would  be  to  this  purpose  : — 

"  Though  all  believers  must  be  holy,  and  avoid  all  known 
wilful  sin,  they  must  not  avoid  one  another,  or  their  communion 
in  good,  because  of  adherent  faults  and  imperfections ;  for  Christ, 
who  is  most  holy,  receiveth  persons  and  worship  that  are  faulty, 
else  none  of  us  should  be  received.  There  is  greatest  goodness 
where  there  is  greatest  love  and  unity  of  spirit,  maintained  in 
the  bond  of  peace.  O  call  not  to  God  to  deny  you  mercy,  by 
being  unmerciful ;  nor  to  cast  you  all  out  by  casting  off  one 
another.  O  separate  not  from  all  Christ's  church  on  earth,  lest 
you  separate  from  him,  or  displease  him.  God  hath  bid  you 
pray,  but  not  told  you  whether  it  shall  be  oft  in  the  same  words, 
or  in  other;  with  a  book  or  without  a  book.  Make  not  super- 
stitiously  a  religion  by  pretending  that  God  hath  determined 
such  circumstances.  O  do  not  preach  and  write  down  love  and 
communion  of  saints,  on  pretence  that  your  little  modes  and 
ways  only  are  good,  and  theirs  idolatrous  or  intolerable ;  and  do 
not  slander  and  excommunicate  all,  or  almost  all,  Christ's  body, 
and  then  wrong  God  by  fathering  this  upon  him.  You  pray, 
*  Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  .is  done  in  heaven ; '  why, 
here  is  no  strife,  division,  disunion,  animosity,  sects,  or  factions, 
nor  separating  from,  or  excommunicating,  one  another.  Learn 
of  Christ,'  and  separate  from  none  further  than  they  separate 
from  him,  and  receive  all  that  he  receiveth.  While  you  blame 
canonical  dividers  and  unjust  excommunicators,  do  not  you 
renounce  communion  with  tenfold  more  than  they.  I  was,  in 
this,  of  too  narrow,  mistaken  principles ;  and,  in  the  time  of 
temptation  I  did  not  foresee  to  what  church  confusion  and 
desolation,  hatred  and  ruin,  the  dividing  practices  of  some 
did  tend ;  but  the  glorious  unity,  in  heavenly  perfection  of  love 
to  God  and  one  another,  bids  me  beseech  you  to  avoid  all  that 
is  against  it,  and  to  make  use  of  no  mistakes  of  mine  to  cherish 
any  such  offences,  or  to  oppose  the  motions  of  love,  unity,  and 
peace." 

VOL.  I.  u  R 


610  THB   LIY£  AND   WRITINGS 

Owen's  *  Twelve  Arguments/  which  Baxter  took  up  so  warmly^ 
even  after  his  death,  do  not  appear  to  have  been  intended  br 
the  press  hy  him.  They  were  handed  about  in  manuscript,  and 
printed  by  some  one  when  Owen  was  no  longer  capable  of  ex- 
plaining or  defending  himself.  The  defence  of  the  doctor  wii 
taken  up  very  warmly  by  some  of  his  friends.  One  writeri  b 
the  character  of  a  vindicator,  brought  out  two  pamphlets :  the 
former  entitled  *  A  Vindication  of  the  late  Dr.  Owen/  to  wWd 
Baxter  replies  in  his  ^  Catholic  Communion  Doubly  Defended.' 
To  this  the  writer  rejoined  in  his  ^  Vindiciae  Revindicate ; 
being  an  answer  to  Mr.  Baxter's  Book  ;  and  Mr.  Baxter's  no- 
tions of  the  Saint's  Repentance  and  Displeasure  in  Hei?eB 
considered.'  1684.  4to.  Tlie  titles  of  several  other  of  the 
pamphlets  written  in  defence  of  Owen,  I  have  given  in  the  note 
below.* 

^ 

About  this  same  time,  and  evidently  to  sid  him  in  the  same 
cause,  Baxter  published,  *  The  Judgment  of  Sir  Matthew  Hale:  ^ 
of  the  Nature  of  true  Religion,  the  Causes  of  its  ComiptioOy 
and  the  Church's  Calamity,  by  Men's  Additions  and  Violence, 
with  the  Desired  Cure.'  1684.  4to.  The  manuscript  of  the 
three  discourses  contained  in  this  publication,  had  been  given  by 
Judge  Hale  to  Baxter,  who,  after  entertaining  some  doubts  as 
to  the  propriety  of  publishing  them,  was  at  last,  by  the  advice  of 
his  friends,  induced  to  bring  them  out.  They  are  not  long,  and 
hence  do  not  enter  very  deeply  into  the  important  subjects  of 
which  they  treat ;  but  they  afford  a  fine  illustration  of  the  wis- 
dom and  moderation  of  their  author,  and  show  that,  were  all 
religious  men  like  Sir  Matthew  Hale,  there  would  be  no  oppres- 

*  '  A  Theological  Dialogue,  containing  the  Defence  and  Juitification  of  Dr. 
J.  Owen  from  Foity-two  Errors,  charged  upon  him  by  Mr.  Richard  Baxter,  ia 
a  certain  MS.  about  Communion  in  Liturgical  Worship.'  1684.  4to, — *  The 
Second  Part  of  the  Theological  Dialogue  ;  being  a  Reply  to  Mr.  Ricbaid 
Baxter.'  1684.  4to.  Both  the  above  are  ascribed  to  John  Faldo,— <  Bellar- 
minus  Junior  Euervatus  ;  or,  the  InsufTicieocy  of  Mr.  Richard  Baxter's  An- 
swer to  Dr.  Owen's  Twelve  Arguments  about  Divine  Worship  detected,'  Ac 
1684.  4to.  This  is  inscribed  to  Mr.  Stephen  Lobb.— *  The  Winding-Sheet  for 
Mr.  Baxter's  Dead,  &c. ;  with  Twelve  Queries  concerning  Separation,  whereia 
the  Reverend  and  Learned  Dr.  Owen  is  further  Vindicated.'  This  is  ascribed 
to  Mr.  Morgan  Lloyd,  of  Wrexham. — *  Vindication  of  Dr.  Owen,  by  a  Friendly 
Scrutiny  into  the  manner  of  Mr.  Baxter's  Opposition  to  Twelve  Arguments 
concerning  Worship  by  the  Liturgy.'  1684.  4to.  *  Insufficiency  of  Mr*  Bai* 
ter's  Answer  to  Dr.  Owen's  Twelve  Arguments,'  &c.    1684.  4to. 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER*  611 

Am  on  the  one  part,  or  unnecessary  quarrels  on  the  other ;  so 
that  peace  and  love  would  prevail. 

Baxter's  ^  sense  of  the  subscribed  articles  of  the  church  of 
En^and/  has  already,  in  the  last  chapter  of  the  first  part  of 
this  work,  been  fully  brought  before  the  reader.  I  have  also 
adverted  to  the  union  or  agreement  formed  jbetween  the  Pres- 
byterians and  Independents  in  1691 ;  and  to  the  satisfaction 
which  it  appears  to  have  afforded  Baxter.  Though  then  in 
the  last  stage  of  his  mortal  career,  he  published,  with  reference 
to  it,  'Church  Concord:  containing  a  dissuasive  from  unne- 
cessary divisions  and  separations ;  the  real  concord  of  the  mo- 
derate Independents  with  the  Presbyterians  instanced  in  ten 
aeeming  differences;  with  the  terms  necessary  for  concord 
among  all  true  churches  and  Christians.'  1691. 4to. 

Among  the  last  of  Baxter's  writings,  there  yet  remains  an- 
other treatise  which  belongs  to  the  subject  of  this  chapter. 
'Of  National  Churches  ;  their  description,  institution,  use,  pre- 
•ervation,  danger,  maladies,  and  cure.'  1691.  4to.  In  this 
pamphlet  he  endeavours  to  prove  that  national  churches  are 
of  Christ's  institution ;  but  when  he  comes  to  explain  him- 
aelf,  the  national  church  which  he  approves,  is  such  as  the 
world  has  never  yet  seen,  nor  is  likely  soon  to  see,  unless  more 
extraordinary  changes  take  place  than  have  yet  occurred  in  the 
histcMry  of  our  planet.  What  will  be  the  duty  of  Christians, 
when  kings  and  rulers,  with  their  subjects,  shall  in  general  be 
influenced  by  Christian  principles,'  and  under  the  direction  of 
scriptural  laws,  it  will  be  time  enough  to  discuss  when  these 
things  shall  take  place. 

Baxter  continued  to  look  forward  to  some  such  mighty  and 
glorious  change ;  which  induces  me  to  place  here,  though  not 
in  the  order  in  which  the  book  occurred,  his  *  Moral  Prognosti- 
cation :  First,  Wliat  shall  befall  the  Churches  on  Earth,  till  their 
Concord,  by  the  Restitution  of  their  Primitive  Purity,  Simplicity, 
and  Charity.  Secondly,  How  that  Restitution  is  likely  to  be 
made,  if  ever,  and  what  shall  befall  them  thenceforth  unto  the 
end,  in  that  golden  age  of  love.'  ^ 

This  tract  was  written  in  1661,  but  not  published  till  1680. 
Had  it  been  produced  immediately  before  his  death,  it  might 
have  been  regarded  as  insinuating  something  of  a  claim  to  pro-. 

*  WorkSy  voL  xv. 

rr2 


612  THB  LIFB  AND  WAITINGS 

phctic  foresight.  Baxter,  however,  professed  to  be  no  prophet; 
but  reasoning  on  certain  principles,  he  considerfed  hiouelf  jttrti- 
fied  in  anticipating  specific  results.  He  professes  great  confi- 
dence, that  God  would  in  due  time  raise  up  some  wise  and 
spiritual  king,  who  should  discern  the  best  method  of  promotiiig 
peace  and  union  among  all  parties,  and  who  should  be  emmendy 
instrumental  in  advancing  the  interests  of  religion  among  mn. 
It  is  not  for  us  to  say  what  will  be ;  but  jud^ng  from  the  put 
course  of  the  divine  proceedings,  and  the  genius  of  Christianityi 
it  is  not  likely  that  die  kings  of  the  earth  are  ever  destined  to  be 
the  great  means  of  promoting  and  establishing  the  spiritnal 
glory  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

Having  concluded  the  historical  account  of  the  numeroiB 
writings  of  our  author,  on  the  subject  of  catholic  communion,  it 
may  now  be  necessary  to  state  in  a  few  words,  what  his  senti- 
ments on  church  government  and  communion,  divested  of  all 
controversy,  really  were.  As  nearly  as  I  can  ascertain^  I  should 
judge  they  were  as  follows : 

He  held  the  necessity  of  muntaining  social  and  church  fdlow^ 
ship  with  all,  who,  in  the  judgment  of  charity,  ought  to  be  re- 
garded as  real  Christians;  but  disapproved  of  holding  com- 
munion with  those  who  ought  not  to  be  so  considered.  He  ap- 
proved of  a  civil  establishment  of  Christianity,  and  of  the  mainte- 
nance of  the  ministers  by  national  funds ;  but  it  was  only  such 
an  establishment  as  should  leave  the  ministers  unfettered  and 
unembarrassed  in  their  work ;  and  which  should  neither  too 
severely  enforce  the  payment  of  tithes,  nor  much  restrfun  any 
who  dissented  from  it.  He  was  opposed  to  tests  and  covenants 
of  human  framing,  unless  of  the  most  general  nature.  He  did 
not  object  to  a  moderate  kind  of  episcopacy,  which  amounted, 
in  fact,  rather  to  a  voluntary  submission  of  the  ministers 
of  a  district,  to  a  constant  but  limited  presidency^  on  the 
part  of  some  one  individual,  on  account  of  his  age  or  some 
superior  qualifications.  While  he  contended  for  ministerial 
authority,  he  recognised  the  rights  of  a  Christian  congrega- 
tion to  choose  its  own  pastor,  and  also  to  a  certain  share  in  the 
discipline  of  the  church.  He  did  not  object  to  a  liturgy,  but  to 
many  parts  of  that  used  in  the  church.  He  also  objected  to 
the  enforcement  of  it  on  any,  and  to  strict  adherence  to  it  on 
all  occasions.  In  short,  he  considered  a  Christian  church  to  be 
an  association  of  spiritual  persons  for  their  own  good  and  the 


OP  aiCHARD   BAXTER.  613 

good  of  others ;  which  ought  to  be  aided  and  countenanced  by 
the  civil  magistracy  professing  Christianity ;  but  which  should 
not  be  deprived  of  its  own  inherent  and  independent  right  to 
,  manage  its  own  affairs,  and  to  adapt  its  proceedings  to  its  pecu- 
liar case  and  circumstances.  Various. other  things  were  either 
contended  for  or  objected  to  by  him  ;  but  these  positions  may 
be  considered  as  enibracing  the  substance  of  the  sentiments  he 
advocated  in  his  numerous  writings  for  peace  and  love. 

It  is  not  my  business  to  point  out  the  defects  or  inconsis- 
tencies of  his  system  or  his  practice,  but  to  call  the  attention 
of  the  reader  to  what  it  really  was.  He  lived  during  a  period 
when  much  warmth  and  keenness  were  manifested  on  all  the 
points,  which  we  have  brought  under  review.  He  had  to 
feel,  or  rather  to  iight  his  way  on  every  point.  There  were 
few  to  assist  bim  in  the  peculiar  course  he  had  marked  out  for 
himself,  and,  therefore,  all  due  allowance  must  be  made  for  the 
mistakes  into  which  he  fell. 

With  all  his  faults  and  imperfections,  he  was  a  man  of  a  truly 
catholic  spirit,  who  laboured  hard  to  heal  the  wounds  that 
had  been  inflicted  on  the  church  by  various  means,  and  for 
which  there  seemed  to  be  no  cure.  He  acted  as  a  pioneer, 
preparing  the  way  for  clearer  statements  than  his  own,  and  for 
a  more  correct  system  than  has  yet  been  generally  adopted. 
His  catholic  principle  of  fellowship  with  all  genuine  Christians, 
is  better  understood  than  it  was ;  though  even  yet,  alas !  but 
partially  adopted  as  a  principle,  and  still  more  imperfectly 
exemplified  in  practice.  It  implies  not  indifference  to  truth, 
but  devoted  attachment  to  it.  It  involves  union  without  com- 
promise, and  co-operation  without  sacrifice  of  consistency.  It 
recognises  the  exclusive  claims  of  divine  authority  in  religion, 
and  the  unquestionable  rights  of  cpnscience ;  securing  for  each 
individual  the  power  of  acting  according  to  his  own  convictions, 
while  it  requires  him  to  concede  no  less  to  others.  It  will  ulti- 
mately effect  what  acts  of  uniformity  have  hitherto  failed  to 
produce,  and  which  will  never  be  brought  about  either  by  com- 
pulsory measures  of  state,  or  stormy  controversies  in  the  church. 
A  greater  portion  of  the  spirit  of  Christ,  and  a  brighter  mani- 
festation of  his  holy  image,  will  do  more  to  unite  all  his  disciples, 
than  the  most  perfect  theory  of  church  government  that  has 
yet  been  recommended,  or  forced  on  the  world.  When  this 
blessed  period  of  love  and  union  shall  arrive,  the  services  of 
Baxter  as  the  indefatigable  advocate  of  catholic  communion 
will  not  be  forgotten. 


614  THV  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 


CHAPTER   VH. 


WORKS   ON   NONCONFORMITY, 

lutroductory  Observations  on  the  History  of  Nonconformity—'  The  Noncon- 
formist Papers'— Never  answered—*  Sacrilegious  Desertion  uf  the  Ministry* 
— <The  Judgment  of  Nonconformists  of  the  Office  of  Reason  in  Matters  of 
Religion '— '  Of  the  Difference  between  Grace  and  Morality  ' — *  AbootThmgs 
J  uditferent  *—*  About  things  Sinful  *— *  What  Mere  Nonconformity  U  not  '— 
•Nonconformisfs  Plea  for  Peace*— Second  Part  of  Ditto— Defence  of  Ditto- 
Correspondence  with  TilloUon— <  Answer  to  Dr.  Stillingfleet'--^<  Second  De- 
fence of  the  Mere  Nonconformist' — *  Search  for  the  English  Schismatic'— 
« Treatise  of  Episcopacy'— *  Third  Defence  of  the  Cause  of  Peace  •— *  Apology 
for  the  Nonconformists'  Ministry' — <  English  Nonconformity' — Conclusiom 

The  distinction  which  I  have  made  between  the  works  of  Bax- 
ter on  Catholic  Communion  and  Church  Government,  and  those 
on  the  Nonconformist  controversy,  may  appear  to  some  merely 
a  refinement,  and  that  the  publications  thus  distinguished,  belong 
all  to  one  class.  Attention  to  the  nature  of  many  of  these  works, 
however,  will  show  that  this  is  not  correct,  The  subjects,  it  is 
true,  do  frequently  shade  into  each  other ;  but  they  are  sub- 
stantially distinct.  Many  of  the  publications  on  church  go- 
vernment might  have  been  written,  though  the  question  of  non- 
conformity had  never  been  agitated ;  while  that  question,  on 
the  other  hand,  involved  many  points,  which  are  altogether 
independent  of  particular  views  of  church  polity.  The  distinc- 
tion will,  at  all  events,  be  convenient,  as  it  enables  us  to  separate 
the  voluminous  writings  of  our  author  on  subjects  very  closely 
connected,  but  which,  if  treated  under  one  head,  would  have 
been  tiresome  both  to  the  writer  and  to  the  reader. 

Nonconformity  is  a  relative  term.  It  supposes  some  pre- 
viously existing  system  of  observances,  established  either  by 
political  authority,  or  general  consent ;  and  denotes  a  practical 
secession  on  grouwd^  eoxv^^Vs^d  ^  the  parties  to  require  and 


oy  RICHAA0  BAXTBH.  6 IS 

Jttttify  it.  Like  the  term  Protestantism,  it  is  general  and  com- 
prehensiire.  It  applies  to  various  grounds  of  secession  from  the 
national  religion^  and  includes  different  systems  of  ecclesiastical 
polity.  No  wise  man  would  choose  to  differ  from  those  around 
him,  in  reference  to  matters  either  civil  or  religious,  unless  in 
his  own  estimation  he  had  good  reasons  for  that  difference ; 
and  in  such  cases  it  is  the  obvious  dictate  of  duty. to  investigate 
the  questions  at  issue,  with  calmness  and  deliberation ;  that 
conviction  and  not  caprice^  principle  and  not  passion^  may 
regulate  the  inquiry,  and  form  the  decision*^ 

The  Nonconformist  controversy  is  a  very  unattractive  subject 
to  many  persons.  They  regard  it  as  a  debate  about  words,  and 
names,  and  questions,  which  gender  strife,  rather  than  godly 
edifying.  Assuming  either  that  there  is  no  authority  or  stand* 
ard  in  such  matters,  or  that  the  authority  of  certain  ecclesias* 
tical  superiors  ought  to  be'  submitted  to  without  murmuring  or 
disputing,  they  pronounce  their  disapprobation  on  all  discussions 
of  such  subjects,  and  on  the  parties  who  engage  in  them.  High 
churchmen  are  offended  that  the  doctrine  of  conformity  should 
be  called  in  question  at  all.  Tliose  who  profess  high  spiri- 
tuality, look  on  the  subject  as  unworthy  of  their  regard,  and 
as  only  fit  for  such  as  mind  the  carnal  things  of  the  kingdom 
of  God.  Dissenters,  as  well  as  others,  frequently  talk  of  it  as 
being  among  nonessential  matters,  and  scarcely  deseiVing  of  pro- 
found consideration,  and  while  they  luxuriate  in  the  privileges 
which  their  forefathers  purchased  for  them  at  so  dear  a  rate, 
almost  pity  and  condemn  the  measures  which  procured  them. 

Without  professing  that  the  highest  consideration  attaches  to 
the  Nonconformist  controversy,  or  approving  of  all  the  views 
or  conduct  of  the  early  Nonconformists,  I  can  by  no  means 
regard  the  subject  as  one  of  small  importance.  In  a  life  of 
Baxter,  it  is  necessarily  a  prominent  subject,  and  no  apology 
can  be  requisite  for  treating  it  fully  in  an  account  of  one  who 
was  the  most  moderate  of  all  the  Nonconformists,  while  he 
wrote  in  defence  of  his  brethren  and  their  cause,  more  than  they 
all.  But,  independently  of  its  connexion  with  Baxter,  the  sub- 
ject has  strong  claims  to  dispassionate  and  careful  examination. 

It  is  impossible  for  any  one  to  form  a  correct  view  of  English 
history  for  nearly  three  hundred  years,  without  an  acquaintance 
with  this  controversy,  and  with  the  characters  and  principles  of 

'  See  a  very  able  Sermon  on  Nonconform ity,  by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Fletcher, 


616  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITIMm 

the  men  who  engaged  in  it.  It  is  almost  co»eval  with  the 
English  Reformation;  and  the  great  questioiiB  then  started 
cannot  be  considered  as  yet  finally  determined.  The  Pttritans 
under  the  Tudors,  became  Nonconformists  under  the  Stiiait% 
and  Dissenters  under  the  family  of  Hanover.  They  have  beet 
men  of  the  same  principles  substantially  throughout.  In  main- 
taining the  rights  of  conscience^  they  have  contributed  man 
than  any  other  class  of  persons  to  set  limits  to  the  power  of  the 
crown,  to  define  the  rights  of  subjects,  and  to  secure  the  libentieB 
of  Britain.  They  have  wrested  a  rod  of  iron  from  the  hand  of 
despotism,  and  substituted  in  its  place  a  sceptre  of  ri^teMSoeH 
and  mercy.  They  have  converted  the  divine  right  of  Ungs 
into  the  principles  of  a  constitutional  government^  in  which 
the  privileges  of  the  subject  are  secured  by  the  same  charter 
which  guards  the  throne.  The  history  of  the  principles  of  sach 
a  body  ought  not,  therefore,  to  be  regarded  as  unimportant  by 
any  friends  of  British  freedom. 

The  Nonconformist  controversy  contributed  greatly  to  as* 
certain  the  distinct  provinces  of  divine  and  human  legislatioD; 
to  establish  the  paramount  and  exclusive  authority  of  God,  and 
of  the  revelation  of  his  will,  over  the  conscience  of  man ;  and 
to  define  the  undoubted  claims  of  civil  government  to  the 
obedience  of  its  subjects  in  all  matters  purely  civil.  It  is 
not  alleged  that  all,  or  even  the  majority  of  the  Noncon- 
formists, clearly  understood  the  doctrine  of  religious  liberty. 
But  they,  and  the  Puritans  who  preceded  them,  were  men  of 
conscience  themselves,  who  could  not  submit  to  human  dictatioo 
when  it  interfered  with  what  they  believed  God  required ;  so 
that,  though  they  did  not  perceive  the  full  bearings  of  their 
own  principles,  and  sometimes  acted  and  wrote  inconsistently 
with  them,  they  remonstrated,  resisted,  and  suffered,  when 
kings  and  bishops  commanded  them  to  fall  down  and  worship 
the  idols  which  they  had  set  up.  From  this  contest  and 
struggle  truth  derived  great  advantage.  The  untenable  and 
unrighteous  exactions  of  authority  were  exposed,  the  supreme 
authority  of  the  Scriptures  maintained,  and  the  rights  of  con- 
science at  last  established.  The  mist  and  darkness  which  had 
so  long  covered  one  of  the  first  and  greatest  principles  of 
legislation,  were  gradually  cleared  away,  and  in  due  rime  that 
principle  stood  forth  before  the  world,  as  no  longer  to  be  dis- 
puted— that  man  is  accountable  to  God  only,  for  all  that  he 
believes  as  truth,  for  all  that  he  offers  as  worship^  and  for  all 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  617 

that  he  practises  as  religion,    lliis  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible, 
the  dictate  of  enlightened  reason ;  and  lies  at  the  foundation  of 
all  correct  and  acceptable  obedience  to  God. 
«   To  the  same  controversy  we  are  indebted  for  the  origin 
of  the  correct  and  scriptural  sentiments  which  are  now  ex- 
tensively  entertained  respecting  the  unsecular  nature  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ.    The  intermixture  of  heavenly  and  earthly 
things  does  indeed  still   prevail,  and  its  pernicious  tendency 
18  yet  imperfectly  estimated  by  many ;  but  considerable  pro* 
gress  has  been  made  towards  the  full  discovery  of  the  entire 
spirituality  of  Messiah's  kingdom.     Its  independence  of  secular 
support  and  defence,  its  resources  both  of  propagation  and  main- 
tenance,  its  uncongeniality  with   the   principles,   spirit,   and 
practices  of  earth-born  men,  are  now  much  more  generally  ad- 
mitted than  they  once  were.     In  fact,  the  ablest  defenders  of 
ecclesiastico-civil  establishments,  have  now  entirely  abandoned 
the  doctrine  of  divine  right,  and  boldly  avow  that  they  are  no 
part  of  Christianity,  but  only  a  human  expedient  for  its  propa- 
gation.  Many  of  the  Nonconformists,  and  Baxter  in  particular, 
were  sticklers  for  an  establishment.  They  did  not  clearly  under- 
stand what  was  involved  in  their  own  principles ;  but  in  main-  ■ 
,taining  a  warfare  against  the  introduction  of  ungodly  men 
into  the  ministry,  and  the  neglect  of  ecclesiastical  discipline  ; 
and  in  contending  for  the  rights  of  the  church,  independently  of 
the  will  of  the  civil  magistrate,  they  prepared  the  way  fqr  better 
and  clearer  views  than  those  which  they  themselves  maintained. 
^    With  this  controversy  too,  there  was  often  incorporated  the 
defence  or  the  assertion  of  some  of  the  most  important  doc- 
trines of  the  Gospel.    'These  the  adversaries  of  the  Noncon- 
formists   in   general    very   imperfectly   understood^      Indeed, 
enmity  to  salvation  by  grace,  to  justification  by  faith,  election, 
perseverance,  with  their  collateral  truths,  was  often  at  the  root 
of  the  opposition  and  persecution  which  had  to  be  endured. 
There  were  doctrinal  Puritans  and  Nonconformists,  who  would 
not  have  scrupled  at  most  of  the  forms  of  the  church,  but  who 
regarded  its  leaders  as  among  the  most  deadly  enemies  to  those 
great  essential  truths  which  intimately  belong  to  the  salvation 
of  men. 

ITiere  have  been  High  Church  and  Low  Church,  which  are 
only  different  expressions  for  Puritan  and  Anti-Puritan,  Con- 
formist and  Nonconformist,  ever  since  the  Reformation.  In 
the  reign  of  Edward,  Cranmer  and  Ridley  headed  the  one  class. 


618  Till  Lira  AM  WfttTtttU 

Rogers  and  Hooper  the  other.  Thouith  ftll  ftHir  died  It  Ol 
stake  for  the  comniioti  faith,  the  two  last  had  attflhrM  mtuAj 
from  the  two  former,  on  account  of  thetr  oppoaitim  Id  tfMlil 
imposed  rites  and  ceremonies.  In  the  dajrs  of  Marj^  hslk 
parties  fled  into  foreign  countries  for  security.  Bat|  ftVea  wisa 
in  exile,  the  former  stiffly  adhered  to  the  ceremonies  which  thqr 
had  endeavoured  to  impose  when  at  home,  while  the  ktttfk 
availing  themselves  of  the  privilege  of  strangers^  as  Msolilttif 
refused  to  submit  to  them.  This  created  no  small  dlsseniina 
between  the  parties  while  abroad.  On  their  return,  after  dH 
advancement  of  Elizabeth  to  the  throne,  each  hoped  to  <Miy 
their  point.  Those  who  were  zealous  for  rites  atid  iM^ 
however,  gained  the  queen's  favour;  their  views  beitig  itiore ia 
unison  with  her  arbitrary  disposition,  and  her  love  of  pomp»  ia 
religious  as  well  as  ia  civil  matters.  But  although  the  cither  paT^ 
were  disappointed,  they  were  not  entirely  thrown  out.  As  thsie 
was  a  great  deficiency  of  properly  qualified  persons  to  occupy 
the  pulpits  and  principal  places  in  the  establishment,  many  eif 
those  who  vrere  known  to  be  opposed  to  some  of  its  ritual,  Wilt 
allowed  to  oiBciate  in  the  churches,  and  their  noncomplianci^ 
with  parts  of  the  rubric,  was  connived  at.  Some  of  them  wete 
also  raised  to  dignified  offices.  In  the  course  of  her  reigd, 
however,  the  bonds  were  gradually  drawn  tighter  and  tighter, 
and  very^  severe  sufferings  came  to  be  inflicted  on  a  body  of 
excellent  and  conscientious  men. 

What  is  staid  of  the  Israelites  in  Egypt,  may  be  said  with  jus^ 
tice  of  the  Puritans,-^the  more  they  were  afflicted,  the  mem 
they  multiplied  and  grew,  llie  severities  they  experienced  only 
,  increased  their  resolution  to  submit  to  no  human  impositions  ia 
religion,  to  resist  encroachments  on  conscience,  and  added  to 
their  influence  among  those  who  respected  men  suffering  for 
conscience'  sake.  Nothing  but  the  energy  and  vigilance  of 
Elizabeth's  government  prevented  very  serious  disturbances  ia 
the  countrv  from  these  causes.  Parliament  would  more  than 
once  have  given  relief,  but  was  prevented  from  doing  so,  bf 
the  archbishop,  and  his  influence  over  the  queen.  In  her  last 
days,  when  the  nation  was  beginning  to  worship  the  rishig 
sun,  some  abatement  took  place  ;  but  still  the  conflict  went  oa. 

A  vigorous  attempt  was  made  by  the  Puritans,  at  the  begin- 
ning of  James's  reign,  to  accomplish  a  further  reformation  of 
the  church,  and  to  secure  libertv  for  those  who  conscientiomlv 
scrupled  to  observe  some  of  its  rites,  though  they  wished  still  lo 


OF   RICHARD  BAXTSR.  619 

fcnudii  wtthin  its  pale.  James's  hatred  of  Presbyterianistn, 
which  he  transported  across  the  Tweed,  defeated  this  project. 
The  canons  formed  by  the  convocation,  under  his  direction, 
increased  instead  of  mitigating  the  evils  under  which  the  Puri- 
tans groaned  ;  and  during  the  whole  of  his  reign,  and  that  of 
his  unfortunate  son  and  successor,  matters  gradually  grew  worse 
and  worse,  till  they  linally  came  to  a  grand  crisis. 

The  pontificate  of  Laud  was  a  great  means  of  accelerating 
that  conflict,  in  which  he  lost  his  head.  ITic  conforming  Pu- 
ritans were  in  his  time  severely  dealt  with.  If  they  did  not 
bow  to  the  altar,  would  not  read  the  book  of  sports,  or  were 
guilty  of  the  crime  of  holding  lecturer,  or  of  preaching  twice  on 
the  Lord's-day,  it  was  enough  to  bring  them  before  the  high- 
commission  court,  and  subject  them  to  all  its  oppressive  and 
iniquitous  censures.  The  consequences  were,  that  multitudes 
of  the  ablest  ministers,  and  of  the  best  of  the  people,  left  their 
native  country,  and  fled  for  an  asylum  to  the  wilds  and  deserts  of 
America.  At  last,  oppression  brought  the  country  to  desperation, 
and  in  the  struggle  which  ensued,  both  the  church  and  the  mon- 
archy were  wrecked. 

There  was  religious  peace,  but  not  general  satisfaction,  dur* 
ing  the  Protectorate.  The  friends  of  the  fallen  church  were 
still  numerous ;  the  lovers  of  form  and  ceremony  in  religion 
were  not  few,  though  they  were  silent  and  sullen.  The  opponents 
of  the  hierarchy  were  divided  among  themselves ;  the  largest 
fragment,  the  Presbyterian,  opposed  themselves  to  all  the  secta- 
ries, were  enamoured  with  an  established  church,  and  not  as  a 
body  inimical  to  a  certain  species  of  episcopal  government. 

When  Charles  II.  was  restored,  the  episcopal  establishment, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  was  reinstated  in  all  its  rights  and  privi- 
leges ;  and  the  body  of  the  ministers  who  were  attached  to  a 
•impler,  and  what  they  regarded  a  more  scriptural  form  of 
religion,  were  driven  away.  The  vast  majority  of  these  persons 
did  not  decidedly  object  to  a  modified  episcopacy — to  a  litur- 
gical form  of  worship,  and  to  the  use  of  various  rites,  provided 
they  were  not  absolutely  imposed  on  their  consciences  as  mat- 
ters of  faith  and  scriptural  practice.  They  were  mostly  believers 
in  the  lawfulness  of  a  civil  establishment  of  Christianity,  and 
consequently  were  not  dissenters  from  the  church ;  they  only 
objected  to  certain  things  belonging  to,  or  imposed  by  it. 

These  observations,  with  the  history  of  the  events  of  Baxter's 
life,  in  the  former  part  of  this  work,  w\\\  eu^A^W  \.Vi^  \^^^&t  \.^ 


620  THfi  LIFE  ^ND  WBITING8 

.understand  the  nature  of  his  writings  on-  the  subject  of  Nob- 
conformity.  Their  great  objects  were^  to  state  the  evils  of 
which  he  and  his  friends  complained,  as  belonging  to  the  epis- 
copal system  established  in  this  country  ;  to  assign  the  grounds 
of  their  conscientious  objections  to  that  system;  to  explain 
what  alterations  would  satisfy  them,  and  the  reasonableness  of 
demanding  those  alterations ;  and  to  defend  himself  and  brethren 
from  many  charges  falsely  or  ignorantly  preferred  against  them. 
It  would  be  an  almost  endless,  and  certainly  a  useless  task,  to 
analyse  all  these  works,  or  minutely  to  enter  into  their  diversified 
contents ;  but  I  shall  endeavour  to  convey  to  the  reader  some 
idea  of  their  nature,  and  of  the  controversies  which  they  in- 
volved, or  of  which  they  formed,  a  part. 

The  first  of  these  works,  which  deserves  our  attention,  though 
not  entirely  Baxter*s  production,  nor  bearing  his  name,  is  the  col- 
lection of  papers  which  passed  between  the  commissioners  at 
the  Savoy,  in  1661.  Of  that  debate,  a  full  account  has  been 
given  in  the  former  part  of  this  work.  We  have  now  to  do 
only  with  the  publication,  and  with  the  part  which  Baxter  had 
in  it. 

It  appeared  in  1661,  with  the  following  title :  ^  An  account 
of  all  the  proceedings  of  the  commissioners  of  both  persuasions, 
appointed  by  his  sacred  majesty,  according  to  letters  patent  for 
the  review  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,'  &c.  4to. 

On  the  first  appearance  of  this  volume,  which  had  no  name 
attached  to  it,  it  was  at  once  imputed  to  Baxter,  though  he  was 
then  a  hundred  miles  oiF,  and  knew  nothing  at  all  about  it 
It  contained  only  some  of  the  documents,  and  these  very  inac- 
curately printed.  The  rest  followed  afterwards.  Baxter  sup- 
posed they  were  published  by  a  poor'  man,  whom  he  paid  for 
writing  a  copy  of  the  papers.  The  complete  collection  consists 
of  the  following  documents :  I.  Two  papers  of  proposals  con- 
cerning the  discipline  and  ceremonies  of  the  church  of  England, 
presented  to  King  Charles  II.  by  the  Presbyterian  ministers. 
2.  Their  petition  for  peace  to  the  bishops.  3.  llieir  reforma- 
tion of  the  liturgy.  4.  An  account  of  the  proceedings  of  the 
commissioners  on  both  sides  for  reviewing  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer;  with  the  king's  commission  prefixed.  5.  The  excep- 
tions of  the  Presbyterians  against  the  liturgy.  6.  The  papers 
which  passed  between  the  commissioners,  in  which  the  matter 
is  argued  pro  aud  con*    1 .  k  Xxxxfc  ^ioyj  qH  x3ci^  dv&^utation  at 


OF.  RitHARD  BAXTER.  621 

the  Savoy,  as  managed  by  the  episcopal  divines,  to  prove  that 
there  is  nothing  sinful  in  the  liturgy.  8.  An  account  of  the 
debate  and  petition  to  the  king,  by  the  Presbyterian  ministers 
who  were  appointed  commissioners.  9.  Archbishop  Usher's 
redaction  of  episcopacy  to  the  form  of  synodical  government, 
and  another  paper. ^x  Of  these  documents,  Baxter  was  the 
exclusive  author  of  Nos.  2  and  3,  besides  having  a  principal 
hand  in  most  of  the  others.  In  his  own  Life,  the  greater  num- 
ber of  these  documents  are  published,  with  a  very  full  account 
of  all  that  took  place  at  the  conference.  Those  who  would  be 
masters  of  the  Nonconformist  controversy,  must  study  these 
papers,  especially  keeping  in  eye  Usher's  model,  to  which  the 
moderate  Presbyterians  constantly  referred  as  that  which  would 
satisfy  them. 

"  Their  publication,''  says  Baxter,-"  had  various  effects;  it 
increased  the  burning  indignation  which  before  was  kindled 
against  me  on  one  side,  and  it  somewhat  mitigated  the  censures 
that  were  taken  up  against  me  on  the  other  side*  For  the 
ehief  of  the  Congregational  or  Independent  party,  took  it  ill 
that  we  took  not  them  with  us  in  our  treaty,  and  so  did  a  few 
of  the  Presbyterian  divines,  all  whom  we  so  far  passed  by  as 
not  to  invite  them  to  our  councils ;  partly  because  we  knew  that 
it  would  be  but  a  hinderance  to  us ;  partly  because  their  per- 
sons were  unacceptable ;  and  partly  because  it  might  have  de- 
layed the  work.  Most  of  the  Independents,  and  some  few  Pres- 
byterians, raised  it  as  a  common  censure  against  us,  that  if  we 
had  not  been  so  forward  to  meet  the  bishops  with  the  offers  of  so 
much  at  first,  and  to  enter  into  a  treaty  with  them  without  just 
cause,  we  had  all  had  better  terms,  and  that  standing  off  would 
have  done  more  good  :  so  that  though  my  person  and  intentions 
had  a  more  favourable  censure  from  them  than  some  others,  yet 
for  the  action,  I  was  commonly  censured  by  them,  as  one  that 
had  granted  them  too  much,  and  wronged  my  brethren  by 
entering  into  this  treaty,  out  of  too  earnest  a  desire  of  concord 
with  them.  Thus  were  men  on  both  extremes  offended  with 
me ;  and  I  found  what  enmity,  charity,  and  peace,  are  likely  to 
meet  with  in  the  world.  But  when  these  papers  were  printed, 
the  Independents  confessed  that  we  had  dealt  faithfully  and  sa- 
tisfactorily :    and  indifferent  men  said  that  reason  had  over- 

*  Theie  documents  were  all  printed  together  in  an  8 vo  volume,  in  1701. 
The  title  is — <  The  History  of  Nonconforpiiity,  as  it  was  argued  and  stated  by 
CommissioDers  on  both  sides,  in  1G()1.' 


THB  uw%  AND  trmiTiifa 

whelmed  the  cause  of  the  dioeeiaiiei  and  that  we  hadaAni 
them  so  much  as  left  them  utteriy  without  eoKUse.  Thi 
moderate  episcopal  men  said  the  same ;  but  the  cqgaged  IVs- 
latists  were  vehemently  displnsedy  that  these  papen  dmii 
thus  come  abroad."  * 

The  Episcopalians  threatened,  on  the  appeal  ancc  of  Iks 
papers,  to  answer  them ;  but  no  regular  or  fonnal  anawcr  citr 
appeared.  Roger  UEstrange  often  sneered  at  theos.  Aa  sea- 
nymous  writer,  suppoeed  to  be  Bishop  Womack,  nfernd  to 
one  of  the  papers ;  and  Sir  Hemy  Yelverloii,  in  aaotWr  aaouy* 
mous  pamphlet,  written  in  defence  of  Bishop  Moiiej,  alMsi 
to  them.  These,  howerer,  deserve  not  to  be  regarded  as  «h 
swers.  If  the  church  had  been  in  a  state  ot  saflieriiig  afiier  dN 
Savoy  conference,  replies  would  have  been  produced  in  ahoK 
dance ;  but  as  die  was  in  full  possession  of  power,  ikwaatbaoght 
the  wisest  course  to  reply  to  the  NonconfiinDiats  in  arts  ef 
parliament,  rather  than  in  pamphlets. 

The  times  did  not  admit  of  Baxtet  puUishiog  any  thing  after 
the  Savoy  conference,  on  the  subject  of  Nonconformity,  di 
1672,  when  he  brought  out  a  small  12mo  volume,  entitled  *Sa- 
crilegious  Desertion  of  the  Holy  Ministry  Rebuked,  and  To- 
lerated Preaching  of  the  Crospel  Vindicated*'  This  work  ap- 
peared anonymously,  and  was  intended  as  an  answer  to  a  book 
entitled  ^  Toleration  not  to  be  Abused,'  which  also  was  wichoot 
a  name,  but  is  ascribed  by  Bsxter  to  Dr.  Fullwood ;  who  appcsis 
to  have  grudged  the  temporary  liberty  which  his  brethren  tka 
enjoyed,  or  to  have  been  gteatly  afraid  of  the  abuse  of  liberCyi 
Baxter  argues  very  justly,  that  as  the  Nonconformists  had  been 
ordained  to  the  ministry,  if  Uiey  could  not  obtain  a  legii  right 
or  establishment,  it  was  their  duty  to  preach  when  they  west 
merely  tolerated,  and  that  desertion  of  the  work  would  be  bodi 
pusillanimous  and  sinful.  '^  Dr.  Fullwood,*'  he  tells  us,  *^  wroDr 
a  jocular,  deriding  answer  to  this  treatise ;  and  also  printed  sa 
assize  sermon  against  separating  from  the  parish  ministers^ 
Divers  called  on  me  to  reply  to  the  first;  but  I  told  them  I  had 
better  work  to  do  than  to  answer  every  script  against  me;  and 
while  I  demurred,  Dr.  Fullwood  sent  me  an  extraordinary  kmd 

•  Life,  pan  ii.  pp.  378,  380.  The  most  complete  collection  of  the  pepenb 
to  be  foond  io  Baxter's  own  Life,  as  none  had  copies  of  several  of  tbeoi  thiit 
published  but  himself  As  documents,  tl^ysfibrdimportsntiUuatralioasflhi 
principles  sod  temper  of  both  partiu. 


« 

OF  RICHARD  BAXTIR.  62S 

letter,  offering  to  do  his  best  to  the  Pariiament  for  our  union 
imd  restoration,  which  ended  my  thoughts  of  that ;  but  I  know 
not  anything  to  the  purpose  done."' 

At  the  end  of  this  little  work  there  is  a  chapter  containing  an 
humble  petition  to  the  Conformists,  in  which  Baxter  expostulates 
with  them  in  the  most  affectionate  and  solemn  mi^finer;  implor- 
ing them  not  to  take  offence,  because  their  brethren  who  se- 
ceded from  the  church,  could  not  entirely  agree  with  them ; 
dStclaiming  all  hostility,  and  only  entreating  for  himself  and 
others,  liberty  to  act  according  to  their  consciences,  in  doing 
what  they  regarded  as  the  will  of  God. 

An  answer  was  published  to  this  book,  somewhat  correspond- 
iiig  to  the  character  given  of  FuUwood's  performance,  entitled 
^Speculum  Baxterianum,  or  Baxter  against  Baxter;  being 
Beflections  on  a  Treatise,'  &c. ;  but  as  it  did  not  appear  till 
1680,  I  suppose  it  is  not  the  pamphlet  to  which  Baxter  here 
tefers.  It  consists  chiefly  of  quotations  from  the  numerous 
publicadons  of  Baxter,  in  which  he  appears,  or  is  made,  to  con* 
tradict  himself.  Nothing  could  be  easier  than  this.  '^Who 
the  author  of  the  '  Speculum '  is,''  says  Baxter,  *^  I  know  not, 
the  subject  calleth  me  to  no  particular  answer.  He  mistook 
the  question,  as  if  it  had  been  what  the  world  should  think  of 
me.  In  which  I  leave  them  to  their  liberty  without  much  con- 
tradiction." s 

III  1676,  he  printed  a  pamphlet  on  the  *  Judgment  of  Non« 
conformists,  concerning  the  part  or  office  of  reason  in  religion,' 
which,  he  says,  had  good  acceptance,  having  been  published 
with  the  consent  of  many  ministers.  Encouraged  by  this,  in 
the  same  year,  he  printed  together  four  treatises,  *  The  Judg- 
ment of  the  Nonconformists  about  the  difference  between  grace 
and  morality;'  ^ Their  Judgment  of  things  indifferent  com- 
manded by  authority ;'  ^  Their  Judgment  of  things  sinful  by  ac- 
cident;' and  ^What  Mere  Nonconformity  is  not.'  Some  of 
these  treatises  were  written  in  1668,  and  some  of  them  shortly 
after  ;  but  his  prudent  friends  persi^aded  him  to  lay  them  aside 
as  unsuitable  to  the  state  and  temper  of  the  times.  The  first 
of  them  is  intended  to  obviate  some  objections  raised  against 
the  Nonconformists,  as  if  they  differed  from  others,  not  merely 
on  the  subject  of  Conformity,  but  on  that  of  religion  generally, 

'  Life,  partiii.  p.  102.  f  Prdac« to th« < Third Deisnct of  Psact.* 


624  TH£  LIFE  AND  tlTRITINGS 

and  held  some  strange  notions  about  grace  and  morality.  The 
second  relates  to  the  question  which  was  started  at  the  Ssnj 
conference,  and  which  led  to  so  much  debating  afterwBidi: 
^  Whether  things  antecedently  lawful,  do  therefore  become  vh 
lawful,  because  commanded  by  lawful  authority/  This  it 
was  maintained  the  Nonconformists  affirmed,  but  which  Baxtn 
denies.  It  is  easy  to  perceive,  that  it  is  a  very  ensnaring  qoei- 
tion  viewed  abstractly,  and  that  much  must  depend  on  the 
use  which  the  parties  would  be  disposed  to  make  of  the  ansvicr, 
whether  in  the  affirmative  or  the  negative.  Tlie  third  treaOM^ 
*  Of  things  sinful  by  accident,'  arose  out  of  the  same  tonfcr- 
ence;  and  is  designed  to  show,  that  things  in  themseWa 
la^vful,  may  become  sinful  by  the  accidental  circumstances  to 
which  they  happen  sometimes  to  be  related.  For  exampki 
there  may  be  nothing  sinful  in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer; 
but  if  men  are  required  to  use  it  as  an  act  of  submismi 
to  hufnan  authority,  and  for  improper  reasons  assigned  bf 
it;  and  if  the  use  of  it  is  understood  to  be  an  acknow- 
ledgment of  that  authority,  or  of  the  justice  of  the  reasons 
which  it  assigns,  it  becomes  then  absolutely  unlawful  to  eroy 
man,  who  conscientiously  objects  to  the  authority  enjoining  it 
Much  of  the  Nonconformist  controversy  hangs  on  this  question; 
which,  would  not  seem  to  be  of  very  difficult  solution. 

The  last  treatise  on  what  *  Mere  Nonconformity  is  not,'  was 
designed  to  strip  the  question  of  many  of  those  adjuncts  which 
were  regarded  as  more  or  less  inseparable  from  it.  It  is  not 
difficult  to  define  mere  Nonconformity ;  but  very  difficult  to  say 
who  were  the  mere  Nonconformists  for  whom  Baxter  wrote. 
Those  who  left  the  church  of  England,  or  who  were  driven  from 
it,  were  influenced  in  their  conduct  by  a  vast  variety  of  con- 
siderations. Baxter  could  not  always  satisfy  others  by  the 
exposition  of  his  own  sentiments,  still  less  would  he  be  likely  to 
satisfy  them  in  his  account  of  the  sentiments  of  his  brethren. 
Some  objected  that  he  went  too  far ;  others,  that  he  did  not  go 
far  enough ;  so  that  what  mere  Nonconformity  is,  must  be  as- 
certained by  other  means  than  this  pamphlet. 

When  these  tre<itises  were  printed,  some  of  his  political 
friends  in  parliament  and  elsewhere,  were  against  their  publica- 
tion ;  conceiving  they  would  increase,  rather  than  mitigate  the 
suffi?rings  of  the  Nonconformists,  by  exasperating  the  church, 
and  offending  the  other  sects ;  he  therefore  suppressed  them, 


OV  RICHARD  RAXTBR.  625 

r  after  they  had  cost  him  twenty-three  pounds.^  They  afterwards 
appeared  along  with  the  second  part  of  his  '  Nonconformists' 
Ilea  for  Peace.' 

In  1679,  he  published  *  The  Nonconformists'  Plea  for  Peace ; 

' '  QTf  an  Account  of  their  Judgment,  in  certain  things  in  which 
they  are  misunderstood.'  8vo.  The  act  restraining  the  press 
being  expired,  he  says,  ^^  I  published  a  book  that  lay  by  me,  to 
open  the  case  of  Nonconformity,  which  greatly  offended  many 
Conformists ;  though  I  ventured  no  further,  but  to  name  the 

'  things  that  we  durst  not  conform  to.  Even  the  same  men  that 
had  long  called  out  to  us,  to  tell  them  what  we  desired ;  and 
who  .said  we  had  nothing  to  say,  could  not  bear  it.  The  bishop 
ef  ESy,  Dr.  Gunning,  told  me,  he  would  petition  authority  to 

*  eommand  us  to  give  the  reasons  of  our  nonconformity,  and  not 
thus  keep  up  schism,  a^d  give  no  reason  for  it.  The  bishop  of 
liondon.  Dr.  Compton,  told  me,  that  the  king  took  us  to  be  not 
sincere  for  not  giving  the  reasons  of  our  dissent.     I  told  them 

•  both,  it  was  a  strange  expectation  from  men  that  had  so  fully 
given  their  reasons  against  the  old  conformity  in  their  reply,  and 
confil  get  no  answer ;  and  when  their  own  laws  would  excom- 
mmiicate,  imprison,  and  ruin  us  for  doing  any  such  thing  as  they 
demanded.  But  I  would  beg  it  on  my  knees,  and  return  them 
moat  hearty  thanks,  if  they  would  but  procure  us  leave  to  do  it* 
Yet  when  it  was  but  half  done,  it  greatly  provoked  them ;  and 
they  wrote  and  said,  that  without  the  least  provocation  I  had 
assaulted  them ;  whereas,  I  only  named  what  we  stuck  at,  pro- 
fessing to  accuse  none  of  them ;  and  they  thought  seventeen 
years'  silencing,  persecuting,  imprisoning,  accusations  of  parlia- 
ment-men,  prelates,  priests,  and  people,  and  all  their  calls, 
(what  would  you  have  ?  why  do  you  not  tell  us  what  you 
stick  at?)  to  be  no  provocation.  Yea,  bishops  and  doctors 
had  long  told  great  men,  that  I  myself  had  said  it  was  only 
things  inconvenient,  and  not  things  sinful,  which  I  refused  to 
conform  to ;  whereas,  I  had  given  them  in  the  description  of 
eight  particular  things  in  the  old  conformity  which  I  undertook 
to  prove  sinful.  At  the  Savoy  we  began  with  one  of  them,  and 
in  the  petition  for  peace,  wc  offered  our  oaths,  that  we  would  re- 
fuse conformity  to  nothing  but  what  we  took  to  be  sin.  And 
now  when  1  told  them  what  the  sins  were,  O !  what  a  common 
storm  did  it  raise  among  them ;  when  heathens  would  have  fit 

Lii9,  partiii.  p.  85. 
Vot.  I.  SB 


626  TUB  UVK  AND  WRITUIGS 

men  speak  for  themselves  before  they  are  condemnedy  k  ii 
criminal  in  us  to  do  it  seventeen  years  ayfter/'  ^ 

Before  the  publication  of  this  volume,  the  NQnconfermkts 
had  been  assailed,  reproached,  and  challenged,  in  a  multitude 
of  books.  Baxter  tells  us  that  he  had  read  the  publications  of 
'^  Bishop  Morley,  Messrs.  Stileman,  FuHwDod^  Durel,  FowU^ 
Falkener,  Nanfen^  Boreman,  Parker,  Tompkins,  Ashton^  Hol- 
lingworth.  Good,  Hinkley,  L' Estrange,  Long,  the  ^Friendlf 
Debate,'  the  '  Counterminer,'  and  many  more/'  In  these  per* 
formances  they  were  accused  of  beuig  adversaries  of  pesce, 
lovers  of  contentions,  guilty,  of  schism,  sedition,  and  all  michaii- 
tableness.  The  '  Plea  for  Peace'  was  intended  to  meet  all  these 
charges,  and  to  lay  the  true  grounds  of  Nonconformity  befioie 
the  world.  It  is  therefore  both  a  defensive  and  an  offensive 
work.  He  argues  strenuously  against  conformity  on  the  ground 
of  the  matters  imposed,  particularly  on  the  ministers;  the  ab- 
sent, consent,  approbation,  and  canonical  subscription  reqnired 
from  them.  Re-ordination,  the  oath  requiring  them  never  to  sedi 
any  alteration  of  church  government,  and  many  other  thiog% 
furnish  him  with  arguments  in  support  of  his  NonconiiMinity, 
which  no  Conformist  had  ever  satisfactorily  met ;  and  wftich 
most  dissenters  believe  have  never  yet  been  answered.  There  is 
much  historical  matter  mixed  up  with  the  argum^t  of  this 
book,  tracing  the  progress  of  Nonconformity  from  the  banning, 
to  the  period  at  which  it  was  written. 

It  seems  from  his  own  account,  however,  as  if  he  had  been 
obliged  to  write  this  book,  in  consequence  of  the  conduct  of 
mistaken  friends,  as  much  as  the  provocation  of  avowed 
enemies.  "  Two  old  friends,"  he  says,  '^  whom  I  had  a  hand 
in  turning  from  anabaptistry  and  separation,  Mr.  Thomas 
Lamb  and  Mr.  William  Allen,  who  had  followed  John  Goodwin, 
and  became  pastors  of  an  Anabaptist  church;  though  but 
tradesmen,  fell  on  writing  against  separation,  more  strongly  than 
any  of  the  conformable  clergy.  In  consequence  of  their  old 
error,  they  now  ran  into  the  other  extreme,  especially  Mr.  Lamb. 
They  wrote  against  our  gathering  assemblies,  and  preaching 
when  we  were  silenced  ;  against  whose  mistakes  I  wrote  ^  The 
Nonconformists'  Plea  for  Peace.'"'' 

It  is  somewhat  amusing  to  find  Baxter  employing  himself  with 
all  his  energy,  to  make  Separatists  churchmen,  and  churchmeo 
separatists ;  and  then  finding  that  he  could  not  manage  them 
^  Life,  part  ixu  p.  187.  ^  ibid.  p.  180. 


Of  RICHARD  BAXTSm.  627 

upon  hit  own  principles.  Allen  and  Lamb,  and  his  wife  Barbara, 
appear  to  have  been  among  the  most  troublesome  and  volumi- 
nous of  his  correspondents.  Sylvester  has  swelled  out  his  folio 
volume  by  printing  some  of  the  letters  that  passed  between 
them.  He  might  have  added  many  more  of  the  same  descrip- 
tion. It  is  wonderful  Baxter,  great  as  his  patience  was,  should 
have  been  capable  of  reading  and  answering  the  letters  with 
vrfiich  they  plagued  him.  It  is  probable  that  he  at  last  wrote  this 
book,  if  possible,  to  get  rid  of  them.^ 

A  reply  to  this  work  was  published  by  a  clergyman  of  the 
name  of  Cheney,  under  the  affected  and  ridiculous  title  of  ^The 
Conforming-Nonconformist,  and  the  Nonconforming-Conform- 
ist.'  Whether  this  was  intended  to  describe  one  person  or  two, 
seems  doubtful ;  but  the  ambiguity  of  the  title  is  removed  by  the 
work,  which  is  a  weak  attempt  to  show  how  men  may  subscribe 
and  swear  without  believing  any  thing  in  the  sense  of  the  im« 
posers;  like  the  device  of  the  Roman  slave,  ^'  Jurari  linguft, 
mente  jurari  nihil/'  Cheney  ^^  was  afraid  some  one  would  write 
against  liaxter,  and  neither  convince  the  Nonconformists,  nor 
do  justice  to  Conformity ;"  and  therefore  he  wrote  a  book  which 
did  neither.  Cheney  and  Baxter  were  acquainted.  Baxter  con- 
•idered  him  an  honest,  weak  man,  who  had  attempted  what 
was  beyond  his  powers ;  but  seemed  intended  only  as  a  precursor 
of  some  mightier  wight  who  was  to  follow. 

The  second  part  of  ^  The  Nonconformists'  Plea  for  Peace,* 
ap|ieared  in  a  4to  volume  early  in  1680.  It  contains,  beside  the 
fbur  treatises  formerly  mentioned  as  printed  in  1676,  an  account 
of  the  principles  of  the  Nonconformists,  in  regard  to  civil  and 
ecclesiastical  authority  and  obedience;  and  a  vindication  of 
them  from  the  charges  of  rebellion,  killing  the  king,  and  creat- 
ing anarchy  in  the  nation,  and  schism  in  the  church.  It  is 
rather  a  strange  but  tedious  melange  of  politics  and  theology ; 
the  former  not  always  very  consistent  with  just  views  of  British 
constitutional  liberty.  Though  Baxter  should  have  held  what  may 
be  called  the  popular  view  of  the  constitution,  to  justify  his  own 
conduct,this  was  not  altogether  the  case ;  and  yetheexpresessfaim- 
self  in  this  performance  in  a  way  that  could  not  be  acceptable  to 

>  Lif«,  App.  No.  iii.  Baxter  M8S.  Tbete  persont,  after  having  been  Bap- 
tUts,  and  iBeinbers,  for  many  years,  of  John  Goodwin's  church,  afterwards 
btcame  high  Conformists.  Allen  appears  to  have  been  a  man  of  talents ;  lie 
wrote  several  pieces  on  doctrinal  and  practical  theology,  which  were  collected 
in  a  folio  voUitne,  pMblished  in  1S^07,  with  a  prtAce  by  the  Bishop  of  CUiches* 
ter,  and  a  sermon  on  the  death  of  tha  aafehor  by  Bishop  Kidder. 

ss  2 


'628  TBB  Un  AMD'WBmKm 

the  friends  of  arbitrary  power. '  In  this^  aa  in  tome  oilier  Aiapi 
he  endeavoured  to  steer  a  middle  course,  in  cooieqiienee  cf 
which,  he  gave  offence  to  both  parties,  vriihont  sneeeeAng  ia 
accomplishing  his  own  object.  In  avoiding  Seylla,^  he  Mi  inlD 
Charybdis,  the  invariable  fate  of  those  who  engage  in  partf  A- 
cussions,  and  vainly  imagine  that  a  selection  of  soine  tlnag^ 
which  are  held  by  both  sides,  and  the  rejection  of  othen,  is  dtt 
golden  medium  of  truth  and  peace. 

To  prevent  Cheney's  book  from*  doing  mischief,  tfaoogh  it 
was  not  deserving  of  attention  on  account  of  its  own  merits 
Baxter  published  ^  The  Defence  of  the  Nonconformists'  Plea  fiw 
Peace/  8vo.  1680.  No  employment  can  well  be  more  dnll  mi 
uninteresting  than  that  of  answering  a  man  who  »  incapahk^ 
from  want  of  sense,  or  want  of  honesty  d  stating  oonectly  the 
matter  in  dispute.  Cheney  may  have  been  very  honest  in  Us 
intentions ;  but  he  must  have  been  prodigiously  stapid;  as  a  gresi 
part  of  Baxter's  employment  in  answering  him  consists  in  cor- 
recting his  mis-statements  of  matter  of  fiict,  or  palpaUe  misre- 
presentations of  the  whole  question  at  isime  between  the  Qrarch 
and  the  Nonconformists. 

An  adversary  of  a  higher  order,  both  in  talents  and  in  die 
church,  shortly  afterwards  appeared  in  the  person  of  Dr.  Stilling^ 
fleet,  then  dean  of  St.  Paul's,  and  afterwards  bishop  of  Wor- 
cester. He  had  formerly  written  an  Jrentctfm,  to  reconcile  die 
contending  parties,  by  an  attempt  to  show  that  no  form  of 
church  government  is  to  be  found  in  the  New  Testament."*  On 
the  second  of  May,  1680,  he  preached  a  sermon  before  the  lord 
mayor,  which  he  afterwards  published  by  request,  with  the  tide 
of  the  '  Mischief  of  Separation.'  This  discourse  was  Uke  ths 
firing  of  a  signal  gun  at  the  commencement  of  a  genoal 
engagement.  Both  parties  had  been  preparing  for  battle  fer 
some  time.  The  Church  was  becoming  increasingly  indignant 
that  neither  time  nor  persecution  had  destroyed  the  secxden 
from  her  pale ;  while  the  Nonconformists,  vmm  out  with  long- 
continued  sufifering,  and  wearied  .with  restraining,  were  glad  of 

»  The  '  Irenicum'  was  first  published  in  1659,  when  the  cbnrch  was  in  • 
state  of  depression  and  suffering,  and  her  wounds  required  to  be  healed  hf 
the  salve  of  concession  and  moderation.  Stillingfleet  afterwards  repented  of 
writing  this  boolt.  "  There  are  many  thiqgs  in  it,"  he  says,  **  which,  if  be 
were  to  write  again,  he  would  not  say ;  some  which  show  his  youth,  sad 
want  of  due  consideration ;  others,  which  he  yielded  loo  far»  In  hqpasof  {lU* 
ing  the  disicuUng  pactlet  to  ths  chucch  of  llashuut**. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTRR.    .  629 

an  opportunity  to  give  vent  to  their  feelings  in  the  vindication  of 
their  cause. 

Stillingfleet's  sermon  imputes  most  unjustly  to  the  Noncon- 
formists all  the  blame  of  separation  from  the  church,  and  the 
mischiefs  which  had  arisen  from  it.  He  makes  no  proper  al- 
lowance for  their  conscientious  objections  to  the  exercise  of  an 
imposing  power,  and  to  the  unscriptural  nature  of  the  things 
imposed ;  for  the  harshness  and  severity  of  the  treatment  which 
they  had  experienced ;  or  for  the  exasperating  effects  of  their 
unmerited  sufferings.  He  was  no  longer  ^'  Rector  of  Sutton," 
but  the  ^*  Dean  of  St.  Paul's ;"  and  had  now  laid  aside  his 
^  weapon  salve  for  the  church's  wounds,''  to  employ  another 
weapon  to  irritate  and  increase  them.  It  is  too  generally  for- 
gotten on  the  side  of  the  church,  that  the  sin  of  separation 
may  belong  to  those  who  are  in,  as  much  as  to  those  who  are 
out;  by  the  former  imposing  a  yoke  which  neither  free  men  nor 
Christians  ought  to  be  called  to  wear ;  and,  therefore,  the  mis- 
ehieis,  how  many,  or  how  great  soever  they  may  be,  belong  not 
all  to  one  side. 

Of  the  Stillingfleet  controversy  I  have  given  a  particular  ac- 
count, in  the  *  Memoirs  of  Dr.  Owen ;'  to  which  I  must  refer 
the  reader  who  wishes  for  information  respecting  the  several 
parties  who  engaged  in  it.  I  shall  now  confine  myself,  in  a  great 
measure,  to  the  publications  of  Baxter,  who  laboured  more 
abundantly  than  all  the  others. 

The  Dean's  sermon  appears  to  have  produced  a  strong  im- 
pression on  Baxter's  mind.  Dr.  Hicks  mentions  that  a  friend 
of  his  calling  shortly  after  its  publication  on  Dr.  Cox,  ^  there 
found  Mr.  Baxter  vehemently  inveighing  against  it ;  which  led 
the  gentleman  to  ask  him,  why  he  was  so  severe  upon  that  sermon 
and  its  author,  and  took  no  notice  of  another,  then  newly  come 
out,  which  had  given  the  men  of  his  party  as  much  offence. 
What  sermon  is  that?  said  Baxter.  Dr.  Tillotson's  (the  dean 
of  Canterbury's)  court  sermon ;  in  which  he  tells  you  '*  that 
you  must  not  affront  the  established  religion,  nor  openly  draw 
m^n  off  from  the  profession  of  it"  ^'  Oh,"  replied  Mr.  Baxter, 
*^  he  gave  us  great  offence  indeed ;  but  he  hath  cried  peccaviy  and 

■  Dr.  Cox  was  the  husband  of  Mrs.  Mary  Cox,  for  whom  Baxter  preached 
a  funeral  sermon. — See  fforks,  vol.  xvii.  p.  91.  He  was  the  particular  friend 
of  Baxter,  as  appears  from  his  interferences  on  his  behalf  on  various  occa- 
sions. He  rose  to  the  head  of  hisprofession,  being  president  of  the  College  of 
Physicians  tiU  1683|  when  he  was  deprived  of  the  office  for  being  wbiggishly 
inclined. 


630  THB  Ure  AND  WftlTlNOS 

made  us  satiBfactton.    But  your  other  dean,  fa  m  proud,  hangfatj 
man,  and  will  retract  nothing." 

Dr.  Birch  doubts  the  fiwt  of  TUlotson's  ctying  peccam  to  the 
dissenters*  It  is  very  clear,  howcYer,  from  ddamy's  life  of 
Howe,  that  he  was  exceedingly  sorry  for  having  preached  and 
published  that  sermon ;  the  main  argument  of  which  is  sab- 
versive  of  Protestantism,  and  indeed  of  Christianity  itself.  Oa 
its  publication,  Baxter  drew  up  a  treatise  on  the  subject,  and 
Hent  it  in  manuscript  to  the  dean*  It  produced  die  fbllowhg 
letter  from  him  in  answer ;  which  illustrates  the  amiable  cha- 
racter of  Tillotson ;  shows  the  esteem  in  which  he  heM  Baxter, 
and  saved  the  latter  from  a  public  controversy  with  him*  It 
shows,  also,  the  probable  ground  on  which  Baxter  spoke  of  Til* 
lotson's  confession. 

"  Reverend  Sir,  ^»»«  *^,  l6S(k 

^*  I  received  your  letter,  and  the  papers  inclosed,  which 
having  perused,  1  do  tiow  return*  I  cannot  think  myself  to 
be  really  much  concerned  in  them,  because  they  grant  all  along 
that  the  obligation  of  duty  ceaseth^  where  there  is  no  probability 
of  success :  and  this  principle  is  the  true  ground  and  bottom  of 
my  assertioi).  So  that,  unless  upon  the  same  principle  oppo- 
site conclusions  can  be  built,  there  must  be  some  mistake  in  the 
reasoning  of  one  side.  But  whether  I  be  really  concerned  in  it 
or  not,  I  have  great  reason  to  think  that  it  will  generally  be  be- 
lieved that  this  discourse  is  particularly  designed  against  me, 
and  that  the  same  malice,  which  raised  so  groundless  a  clanrour 
against  my  late  sermon,  will  be  very  glad  to  find  me  strudc  at 
in  the  odious  company  of  Spinosa  and  Mr,  Hobbes,  as  of 
the  same  atheistical  principles  with  them  $  a  blow  which  I  least 
expected,  and  for  that  reason  should  be  very  much  surprised  to 
receive  from  your  hand.  I  would  be  glad  to  meet  with  that  kind* 
ncss  and  candour  which  I  have  ever  used  towards  others ;  bat 
if  that  may  not  be,  I  must  content  myself  with  the  conscience 
of  having  endeavoured  to  deserve  well  of  all  men,  and  of  the 
truth  itself.  1  am.  Sir,  with  great  sincerity,  as  I  have  ahvayi 
been, 

"  Your  affectionate  Friend  and  Servant, 

John  Tillotson."® 

The  first  thing  Baxter  published  in   this  controversv^  was 

»  Birch's  Life  of  Tifiotson,  p.  419. 


OF  miCHARJ>  BAXTSR.  631 

fab  '  Aniwer  to  Dr.  Edward  Stillingfleet's  Chargie  of  Sq>anH 
turn/  1680,  4to.  In  this  pamphlet  he  publishes  a  correspond* 
enoe  which  took  place  between  Stiliingfleet  and  himself,  occa* 
stoned  by  the  dean's  sermon.  He  inserts  some  queries  mdiicfa  he 
proposed  to  the  dean,  to  elicit  a  more  explicit  acooont  of  tho 
affrnsation ;  a  reply  to  the  letter  which  Stiliingfleet  wrote  him, 
declniii^  to  answer  diese  queriesr  and  an  answer  to  the  printed 
eemoD.  There  is  one  ptasage  in  this  reply  to  Stiliingfleet,  in 
idiich  Bascter  poses  him  with  the  doctrine  oi  his  farmer  worit' 
in  a  way  tiiat  he  must  have  found-  very  unpalatable.  It  is  an 
unanswerabk  reply  to  all  who  give  up  the  jut  divimmi,  and  yet 
found  a  charge  of  schism  or  separation  on  those  who  dissent 
from  thenu 

'^  I  remember,  your  Irenicum  learnedly  maintaineth,  that 
God  hath  instituted  no  one  form  of  church  government  as  ne- 
oessary.  And  if  so,  then  not  a  national  church  form.  And 
is  it  not  a  complete  church  if  it  be  without  a  form,  which  not 
God,  but  man,  is  the  author  of?  Then  God  made  or  insti- 
tuted no  such  thing  as  a  complete  churclu  Then  is  it  a  human 
creation  ?  Then  why  may  not  man  make  yet  many  forms,  and 
mukiply,  and  make,  and  unmake,  as  he  seeth  cause;  and 
sevctal  countries  have  several  forms  ?  And  forma  dot  nomtn  et 
eBBCs  And  if  God  made  not  any  complete  church,  we  should 
be  acquunted  who  they  be  that  had  power  to  make  a  first 
church  form ;  and  who  hath  the  power  ever  since ;  and  how 
it  is  proved,  and  how  it  cometh  to  be  any  great  matter  to  sepa- 
rate from  a  church  form  which  God  never  made ;  and  wbedier 
human  church  forms  be  not  essential  and  constitutive  causes  of 
the  churches.  Whether  every  commanded  oath,  subscription, 
declaration,  office,  or  ceremony,  be  an  essential  part  of  this 
church  form.  Whether  there  be  as  many  church  forms  and 
species,  as  there  be  orders,  liturgies,  and  ceremonies.  And 
vriiether  all  these  difierenees  in  the  same  kii^dom,  constitute  so 
many  schisms  and  separations." 

Stiliingfleet  took  up  Baxter  and  his  other  antagonists  in  his 
^  Unreasonableness  of  Separation;'  a  large  quarto  volume  pub« 
lished  in  1681.  In  this  work,  he  professes  to  give  an  historic^ 
account  of  the  separation  from  the  church  of  Edigland,  and  of 
the  various  pleas  advanced  in  support  of  that  separation  by  the 
several  parties,  with  such  answers  as  he  considered  satisfactory, 
or  which  exposed,  as  he  conceived,  the  inconsistency  of  his 
leading  opponents.    Stiliingfleet  was  a  man  of  profound  learn* 


683  THB  um  AND  winnrw 


ingi  aiid  dktiiigoidied  abilitiet.  He  qMued  fio  piiiii.'lB Hfr 
diaeumon  to  establish  his  nuun  pontioiiy*-t-that  tlie' 
had  very  unreasonably  separated  from .  the  chnnsk  of 
He  succeeds  chiefly  in  exposing  the  inconaisteiicy^of  aoBeef' 
their  arguments  with  their  other  principles  and  tome .  parts  rf 
their  conduct.  But,  in  this,  he  had  no  particular:  leaioa^ts. 
triumphy  as  his  own  consistency  was  very  far  fram  perfeeC;^ 
The  rector  of  Sutton,  who  wrote  the  Irenicum  udien  liie  chnch' 
of  England  was  but  a  sect  among  other  seels,  was  a  vsry.dif-' 
ferent  person  from  the  dean  of  St.  Paul's,  exposing,  dtt  nana- 
sonableness  of  separation  from  an  apostolic  chnrdi  in  all  ill 
glory.  The  one  publication  breathes  a  spirit  of  moderatioB^ 
and  uses  the  language  of  entreaty;  the  other  is  stei%  sfuCf 
and  uncompromising. 


While  Baxter  was  preparing  to  meet  Stillingfleet,  he 
assailed  by  several  other  adversaries,  in  reply  to  wbom-he  pnH 
duced,  ^  A  Third  Defence  of  the  Cause. of  Peao^  proviikg  the 
Need  of  Concord  and  the  Impossibility  of  it  on  the  Terms  of  lbs 
Present  Impositions.'  8vo.  1681.  litis  volume  contains,  fint: 
a  reply  to  John  Hinckley,  D.D.,  rector  of  Northfield,  Woroestet^ 
shire,  and  prebendary  of  Wolverhampton.  He  had  published, 
in  1680,  *  Fa9ciculu8  LUerarium;  or.  Letters  on  several  occa* 
sions,  betwixt  Mr.  Baxter  and  the  Author  of  the  Persuasive  to 
Conformity.'  This  volume  contains  four  letters  of  Hinckley's, 
and  four  from  Baxter  in  reply,  on  the  subject  of  Nonconformity, 
which  had  been  written  several  years  before.  It  is  to  the  last  of 
Hinckley's  letters  in  this  book,  that  Baxter  replies  in  his  ^  De* 
fence.'  The  controversy  between  them  is  a  very  sharp  one; 
there  is  a  large  portion  of  history  in  Baxter's  answer. 

The  second  thing  in  the  ^  Defence,'  is  an  answer  to  another 
silly  production  of  Cheney's,  'A  Fardel  of  Dotage  and  shame* 
less  Lies ;'  which  was  not  therefore  deserving  of  the  attention 
Baxter  bestowed  on  it. 

The  third  thing  in  the  >  Defence,'  is  <  Truth  Pleading  for 
Peace,  against  the  many  Falsehoods  of  an  unnamed  Impleaded 
who  pretendeth  to  answer  several  writings  of  Richard  Baxter.' 
This  nameless  impleader  was  Long,  of  Exeter,  the  sworn  foe  of 
Baxter.  ^  The  Nonconformists'  Plea  for  Peace  impleaded,'  is 
in  the  character  of  all  his  other  publications  against  Bax- 
ter and  his*  brethren,  and  was  accordingly  treated  by  him  as 
it  deserved*    There  is  also  a  short  note  on  a  book  against  the 


OF  SICHARD  BAXTBR*  633 

ditteDten,  by  a  penon  of  the  name  of  Varney ;  and  a  few  re* 
marks  on  the  ^  Speculum/  and  the  ^  CaAuist  Uncased/  of  Roger 
L'Efltrange.  '^  Mr.  yfistrange/'  he  says,  *^  quite  mistakes  the 
Nonconformist  quesUon,  as  the  Reflector  does;  as  if  hissing 
and  stinging  were  disputing.  He  seemeth  to  make  the  question 
to  be.  Whether  I  be  not  a  giddy,  mutable  fool  and  knave.  Let 
him  in  that  believe  what  pleases  himself.  Our  question  is, 
whether  silencing,  fining,  imprisoning  the  Nonconformists,  be 
the  way  of  peace,  and  of  the  desired  concord  of  Protestants  ? 
Yea,  if^ether  concord  be  possible  on  those  terms,  and  whether 
they  will  ever  end  our  divisions  V* 

In  reply  to  the  elaborate  performance  of  Stillingfleet,  Baxter 
published  *  A  Second  True  Defence  of  the  Mere  Nonconform- 
ists, against  the  untrue  accusations,  reasonings,  and  history  of 
Dr.  Edward  Stillingfleet.'  1681.  4to.  In  this  volume,  he  en- 
deavours to  prove  that  it  is  ^'  not  a  sin  but  a  duty  not  wilfully 
to  commit  the  many  sins  of  conformity ;  not  sacrilegiously  to 
abandon  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  or  the  public  worship  of 
God,  though  men  forbid  it,  and  call  it  schism.''  He  shows  suc- 
cessfully that  Stillingfleet,  in  his  controversy  with  the  Roman 
Catholics,  had  maintained  the  same  principles  which  he  now 
impugned  in  the  Nonconformists,  and  that  he  does  great  injus- 
tice to  the  latter  in  many  of  his  historical  statements.  One 
passage,  in  reference  to  himself,  deserves  to  be  extracted : 

^^  1  perceive  Dr.  Stillingfleet  marvelleth,  that  my  own  ex- 
pectations of  approaching  death  do  not  hinder  me  from  writing 
what  I  do  for  the  Nonconformists;  whereas,  the  truth  is,  had  not 
pain  and  weakness  kept  me  from  my  youth  as  in  the  continual 
prospect  of  the  grave  and  the  next  life,  I  had  never  been  like  to 
have  been  so  much  against  conformity,  and  the  present  disci- 
pline of  this  church  (that  is,  its  want  of  discipline),  as  I  have 
been.  For  the  world  might  have  more  flattered  me,  and  bi- 
assed my  judgment,  and  my  conscience  might  have  been  bolder 
and  less  fearful  of  sin.  And  though  I  love  not  to  displease,  I 
must  say  this  great  truth,  that  I  had  never  been  like  to  have 
lived  in  so  convincing,  sensible  experience  of  the  great  differ- 
ence of  the  main  body  of  the  Conformists,  from  most  of  the 
Nonconformists,  as  to  the  seriousness  of  their  Christian  faith, 
and  hope,  and  practice,  their  victory  over  the  flesh  and  the 
world;  I  mean  both  of  the  clergy  and  laity  of  mine  ac- 
quaintance. O !  how  great  a  difference  have  I  found  from  my 


•S4  THB  tin  Awn  WUTIlrtlS 

ymifi  to  this -dny.  Though  I  ^olibt  notlmli^fy  «HMy^^ 
jMMNive  eoBfonnable  rnmist^rs  (to  say  nothmig  t>f  the  inpMHi) 
have  been  and  are  worthy  pioin  men,  and  sneh  aa-  ^mvUmI 
pemiade  their  hearers  that  the  iVesidts  fitit  htpught  in  s|Miil 
prayer.  And  I  had  the  greal  blessing  of  my  «d«esiiQB  mr 
four  such,  in  three  or  fenr  neigfibenr  paiWieB/' 

Tlie  cMidom  of  this  confession  greatly  pitpuuaussiis  vt  la 
favour  of  the  writer^  and  is  ahmost  a  pledge  of  thefsonMftnsstf 
his  other  statements.  Stillii^lleet  had  made  many  penoMl  l^ 
flections  on  Baxter  in  his  book,  ftom  which  he  vHifUeafees  Uusstif 
very  successfully.  He  had  referred  to  die  ease  of  KMdu'sdMlBi^ 
which  leads  Baxter  to  give  an  interesting  account  of  his  condaet 
while  there  towards  the  episoopal  Confomists^  vAto  were  not 
then  legally  tolerated ;  he  not  only  did  not  interfero  wMi  Ihnm. 
or  soKdt  the  interfei>enGe  of  the  magistrites,  but  gave  them  il 
tiie  countenance  in  his  power.  The  attempts  which  ham 
frequently  been  made  to  show  that  the  Episcopalians  wsm 
persecuted  daring  the  CouwnonweiJth,  have  vnffermly  iiHfd 
It  was  not  the  rei^fiom9,  hut  the  poStkai  BpiaenpaEaiis  nha 
were  the  objects  of  Oromweirs  jealoasy ;  mid  tbnropposhion  ta 
his  government  was  the  sole  cause  of  any  interferance  wUdi^ 
they  ever  experienced. 

Stillingfleet  himself  did  not  answer  Baxter's  second  Defaies^ 
but  it  was  taken  up  by  some  others  who  were  exceedingly  aealam 
in  his  cause,  and  in  that  of  the  church ;  thongh  Bot  very  ja* 
dicious  in  the  measures  which  they  adopted.  Dr.  Shcriock 
published  anonymously,  first  a  thick  8vo  volume,  entitled, '  A 
Discourse  about  Church  Unity ;  being  a  Defence  «tf  Dr«  Slii- 
lingfleet's  Unreasonableness  of  Separation,  in  answer  to  seveiil 
late  Pamphlets,  but  principally  to  Dr.  Owen  and  Mr.  Basctsr.' 
1681.  And  in  the  following  year,  in  another  volume,  *  A  Ooo* 
tinuation  and  Vindication  of  the  Defence  of  Dr.  8dllii^;flesl| 
in  answer  to  Mr.  Baxter,  Mr.  Lob,  and  others/  He  boMly 
affirms  that  *'  Whoever  separates  himself  from  the  -chnrdi  ef 
England  cuts  himself  off  from  the  Catholic  church,  and  pots  hiah 
self  out  of  a  state  of  salvation.  Separation  from  the  chvdi  ef 
England  is  a  schism,  and  schism  is  as  damning  a  sin  asidolatiy, 
drunkenness,  or  adultety/'P  This  is  being  ^ery  plam,  but  it  b 
a  pitiful  bruiumjvhnen, 

Mr.  Long  also  appeared  as  the  second  of  Dr«  StiHifq;fleet,  ii 
'The  Unreasonableness  of  Separation,  the  Second  Part;  or, a 

*  V  ContlntiatloD,  p^  389* 


OP   RICHARD   BAXT£R«  635 

farther  Impartial  Account  of  the  History,  Nature,  and  Pleas, 
of  the  present  Separation  from  the  Church  of  England :  with 
Bpecfial  RemaTks  on  the  Life  and  Actions  of  Richard  Baxter/ 
1682.  Svo.  This  is,  perhaps,  the  vilest  and  most  malictons  of 
all  the  attacks  made  upon  Baxter.  In  reference  to  it,  he  says, 
^  Long,  of  Exeter,  wrote  so  fierce  a  book  to  prove  me,  out  of 
my  own  writings,  one  of  the  worst  men  living  on  earth,  that 
f  never  saw  any  thing  like  it.  And  being  overwhelmed  with 
work,  and  weakness,  and  pains ;  and  having  least  zeal  to  de- 
fend a  person  so  bad  as  I  know  myself  to  be,  I  never  answered 
him,  it  being  none  of  the  matters  in  controversy,  whether  I  be 
good  or  bad.    Qod  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner  1 "  ^ 

A  third  writer  who  appeared  with  his  name  in  this  con- 
troversy, was  Richard  Hooke,  D.  D.,  vicar  of  Halifax.  He 
published  the  ^  Nonconformist  Champion ;  his  Challenge  Ac- 
cepted ;  or,  an  Answer  to  Mr.  Baxter's  Petition  for  Peace : 
frith  Remarks  on  his  Holy  Commonwealth,  his  Sermon  to  the 
HoiBse  of  Commons,  his  Nonconformists'  Plea,  and  his  Answer 
to  Dr.  Stillingfleet*'  1682.  Svo.  There  is  a  vast  deal  of  vaunt- 
ing, and  vapouring  in  this  little  book ;  but  it  is  one  thing  to 
accept  of  a  challenge,  and  another  to  come  off  with  the  vic- 
tory. Baxter  did  not  take  up  Dr.  Hooke 's  glove,  which  probably 
mortified  him  in  no  small  degree.  Tlie  most  curious  of  the 
poblications  that  appeared  about  this  time  agunst  Baxter,  and 
certainly  the  wittiest  of  all  L'Estrange's  productions,  was  '  The 
Casuist  Uncased,  in  a  Dialogue  betwixt  Richard  and  Baxter, 
with  a  A'loderator  between  them  for  quietness'  sake.'  4  to.  It  is  a 
witty  pamphlet,  but  wickedly  intended;  yet  the  writings  of 
Baxter  furnished  ample  means  for  such  a  production,  and  it 
catmot  be  denied  that  Sir  Roger  makes  a  very  dexterous  use 
of  them.  The  dialogue  is  often  very  humorous ;  so  that  it  is 
impossible  not  to  smile  at  the  joke,  while  we  regret  tiie  object 
for  which  it  is  famished.  Baxter  took  it  all  very  coolly.  ^'  I 
have  never  had  the  schooling  of  L'Estrange,"  he  says,  "  and  so 
never  taught  him  to  understand  my  writings,  and  therefore  un- 
dertake not,  that  things  congruous  shall  not  seem  contradic- 
tions to  him."' 

In  connexion  with  this  same  controversy,  Baxter  pu'blished 
^  A  Search  for  the  English  Schismatic ;  by  the  case  and  cha- 
racter, 1.  Of  the  Diocesan  Canoneers  ;  2.  Of  the  present  Mere 
Nonconformists.    Not  as  an  accusation  of  the  former,  but  a 

^  Life,  part  iii.  p.  188.  '  Tliird  Dtttnce,  part  ii.  p.  151. 


THB  Un  AMD  WftlTUlM 

iieo6Mury,iigfatee  of  the  lotf far,  so  &r  as  Aqr  oe  wmigMif 
aocwed  and  penesuted  by  them/  4to.  168U  Of  iiie  4iiipi 
and  deugn  of  this  performance,  he  gives  the  foUowing  Meoaaftt 
^  Because  the  accusation  of  schism  is  it  that  makeCh  all  the 
noise  against  the  Nonconformists,  in  the  mouths  of  their  pei^ 
sectttors,  I  wrote  a  few  sheets,  caUed,  ^  A  Search  for  die  Ei^^kk 
Schismatic,'  comparing  the  principles  and  practioea  .of  .iiodi 
parties,  and  leaving  it  to  the  reader  to  judge  who  ia  the  seUi- 
matic;  showing  that  the.Prelatists  have,  in  their  canons^  fMS 
ftuto  excommunicated  all  the .  nobiUty,  gentry,  deigy,.  and 
people,  who  do  but  affirm,  that. there  is  any  thing  Mofid  in  their 
liturgy,  ceremonies,  or  church-govemmen^  even  the  kmert 
officer*  Their  laws  cast  us  out  of  the  ministry  faito  gaol% 
and  then  they  call  us  schismatics,  for  not  coming  ,to  their 
churches ;  yea,  though  we  come  to  them  constantly,  as.I  haie 
done,  if  we  will  not  give  over .  preaching  ourselves,  when  the 
parishes  I  lived  in  had,  one  fifty  thousand,  the  other  twenty  thou- 
sand souls  in  it,  more  than  could  come  within  the  chmch- 
doors.  This  book  also,  and  my  *  Prognostication,'  and,  iriiat  I 
valued  most,  my  'True  and  Only  Wayof  Univenal  Cooooid,' 
were  ruled  at,  but  never  answered  that  I  know  of."  * 

Having  finished  our  account  of  the  Stiliingfleet  controversy, 
we  must  now  advert  to  some  other  publications  of  Baxter  od 
Nonconformity  about  this  time.  The  most  important  is  his 
'Treatise  of  Episcopacy;  confuting  by  Scripture,  reascm,  and 
the  church's  testimony,  that  sort  of  diocesan  churches,,  prdacy, 
and  government,  which  casteth  out  the  primitive  church  specieSy 
episcopacy,  ministry,  and  discipline;  and  confoundeth  the  Qiris* 
tian  world  by  corruption,  usurpation,  schism,  and  persecution.' 
1681.  4to.  His  own  account  of  this  volume  presents  a  very  ac- 
curate view  of  its  nature  and  object.  ''  Upon  Mr.  Henry  Dodwell's 
provocation,  I  published  a  treatise  of  epicopacy,  that  had  lain 
long  by  me ;  which  fully  openeth  our  judgment  upon  the  dif- 
ference between  the  old  episcopacy  and  our  new  diocesans,  and 
answereth  almost  all  the  chief  writers  which  have  vmtten  for 
such  prelacy,  especially  Bishop  Downame,  Dr.  Hammond, 
Saravia,  Spalatensis,  &c.  I  think  I  may  freely  say  it  is  elabo- 
rate; and  had  it  not  done  somewhat  effectually  in  the  un- 
dertaken cause,  some  one  or  other  would  have  answered  it  fstt 
now.    It  makes  me  admire  that  my  '  Catholic  Theology,'  our 

•  Life,  psrt iiii  pp.  188, 189., 


toy  MCHABB  BAXItt.  637 

^Refomied  Uturgy/  my  ^  Second  Plea  for  Peace/  (that  I  say 
not  the  first  also,)  and  this  ^  TVeatise  of  Episcopacy/  could  never ' 
]m>cure  an  answer  from  any  of  these  fierce  accusing  men;  where- 
at the  subjects  of  these  four  books  are  the  controversies  of  the 
age^  and  which  are  by  these  men  so  much  insisted  on.  But  I 
have  since  found  some  explication  about  the  English  diocesans 
necessary ;  which  the  Separatists  forced  me  to  publish  by  mis- 
imderstanding  me."  ^ 

This  is  one  of  the  most  elaborate  and  valuable  of  Baxter's 
works  on  the  Nonconformist  controversy,  and  shows  how  very 
fully  he  entered  into  the  whole  subject.  It  is  divided  into 
two  parts,  in  which,  in  a  succession  of  chapters,  he  treats  at 
great  length  of  the  primitive  episcopacy,  ministry,  and  disci- 
pline, of  the  early  churches ;  the  origin  and  progress  of  dio- 
cesan churches  and  episcopacy,  and  the  corruption  that  crept 
into  them,  with  the  various  consequences  which  have  arisen 
from  these  ciianges.  There  is  a  large  portion  of  sound  learning 
and  accurate  reasoning  in  the  work,  so  that  it  is  not  surprising 
Baxter  felt  disappointed  at  no  attempt  being  made  to  answer 
it.  He  successfully  shows  that  *^  the  episcopal  churches  of 
the  Holy  Ghost's  institution,  in  the  New  Testament,  were  but 
single  congregations,  consisting  of  volunteers ;"  and  that  the 
bishops  recognised  by  the  apostles,  were  persons  who  had  merely 
the  spiritual  oversight  of  such  congregations.  Hence  he  contends, 
that  nothing  but  a  return  to  this  state  of  things,  will  ever  eifect- 
nally  cure  the  evils  of  the  church.  Whether  this  work  is  con- 
sidered as  a  piece  of  ecclesiastical  history,  or  in  connexion  with 
the  controversy  respecting  church  government,  it  deserves  to  be 
consulted,  and  will  contribute  more  to  satisfy  the  mind  than  all 
the  other  books  of  Baxter  together. 

~  His  next  publication  was,  ^  An  Apology  for  the  Nonconfor- 
mists' Ministry ;  containing  the  Reasons  of  their  Preaching,'  &c. 
4 to.  1681.  Tlie  greater  part  of  this  book  was  written  in  1668 
and  1669,  and  at  last  published  as  an  addition  to  the  Defence 
of  the  Nonconformists,  against  Dr.  Stil|ingfleet.  He  dedicates 
it  to  Compton,  bishop  of  London,  Barlow,  bishop  of  Lincoln, 
Crofts,  bishop  of  Hereford,  Rainbow,  bishop  of  Carlisle, 
Thomas,  bishop  of  St.  David's,  and  Lloyd,  bishop  of  Peter- 
borough, of  whom  he  speaks  as  good  men,  and  lovers  of  mode- 
ration.   In  the  work  itself,  he  meets  the  statements  and  mb- 

^  Life,  |>art  UL  p.  188. 


638  TUA  UFB  AND  WBITIMGS 

repreaentations  of  Bishop  Morley,  Dr.  Saywell,  Mr.  Dmd,  a 
nameless  Ecclesiastical  Politician  and  Debate  Maker^  tht 
Countertniuer,  Fowlis,  Good^  and  many  others,  lliere  are  soae 
very  touching  and  eloquent  passages  in  thb  work.  The  cob* 
eluding  address  to  the  bishops  is  very  powerful.  He  teUs  them 
plainly^  that  the  blame  of  most  of  the  sufferings  which  w«re  en* 
dured  by  himself  and  his  brethren,  properly  belonged  to  them. 
They  either  caused  or  occasioned  the  severe  enactmenta  whieh 
were  made  against  the  Nonconformists,  or  by  their  inflneoce 
might  have  prevented  them.  He  beseeches  them  to  consider  the 
awful  responsibility  of  preventing  the  preaching  of  the  Gotpelby 
so  many  faithful  men,  whose  places  were  so  inadequately  auppliodi 
and  warns  them  of  the  guilt  which  they  thus  contracted. 

"  I  am  not  so  foolish,"  he  says,  *^  as  not  to  know  that  all  this 
talk  is  grievous  to  you,  and  not  the  way  to  my  ease,  or  honour 
with  you,  nor  to  procure  favour  in  your  eyes.  But  if  in  such  a 
day,  and  in  such  a  case,  we  should  all  be  silent,  and  none  so 
much  as  call  you  to  repentance,  nor  plead  the  cause  of  an  in* 
jured  Saviour  and  deserted  souls,  we  should  partake  of  the  crimes 
which  we  are  lamenting;  and  not  only  Gildas  and  Salvianus,  and 
such- like,  but  all  the  prophets  and  apostles  would  condemn  us. 

'^  And  if  all  that  is  here  said  have  no  other  effect  than  to 
increase  your  indignation  and  our  sufferings  ;  judge,  O  posterity  I 
judge  all  disinterested  impartial  men,  between  these  reverend 
lords  and  us  ;  whether  the  petitions  here  presented  to  them,  be 
selfish,  or  unreasonable,  or  such  as  should  be  rejected  at  so  dear 
a  rate  as  our  lamentable  divisions  and  church  distractions  come 
to  1  Yea,  Christ,  whose  cause  and  interest  we  plead,  will  cer- 
tainly  and  shortly  judge;  before  whom  their  worldly  grandeur 
and  dignities  will  be  insignificant;  wrathful  reproaches  will  not 
prove  the  innocent  criminal,  nor  justify  them  that  condemn 
the  just,  or  that  will  not  understand  the  will  and  interest  of  their 
Lord.    Even  so,  come  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly  1     Amen/'  ° 

The  last  publication  in  this  department  which  remains  to  be 
noticed,  is  ^  The  English  Nonconformity,  as  under  King  Charles 
II.  and  King  James  If.;  truly  stated  and  argued.'  4 to.  This 
is  a  considerable  volume,    containing  sixty-two  chapters,  in 

"  Life,  part  iii.  pp.  235,  23(>.  It  was  about  this  time,  thouj^b  I  do  not 
kuow  that  it  was  io  answer  to  this  book,  that  a  pamphlet,  with  the  foUowiu^ 
titlt,  appeared, '  KiddermiDster-Stuff ;  or,  a  Remnant  of  Mr.  Baxter's  Frmadf< 
unravelled.'  4to.  1681.    1  have  not  seen  it. 


whickthe  whole  Nonconformist  controversy  is  arguedin  a  series 
of  dialogues  between  a  minister  and  a  lawyer.  As  it  was  pub- 
Ksbed  not  long  before  the  death  of  Baxter^  it  may  fairly  be 
considered  as  containing  his  last  sentiments  on  those  points 
wbieh  had  for  so  many  years  occupied  a  great  portion  of  his 
attention.  It  was  all  written  a  coosideraUe  time  before  tiie 
Ref?olution,  though  published  shortly  after  it,  and  while  the  final 
settlement  of  the  government  was  still  future.  No  one  of  the 
numerous  works  of  Baxter  furnishes  so  full,  clear,  and  satisfac- 
tory a  view  of  nonconformity  as  this  volume.  It  contains  le^ 
of  personal  reference  and  debate,  and  is  more  restricted  to  prin- 
cij^es,  than  any  of  the  others ;  so  that  those  who  wish  to  ascer- 
tain with  the  least  trouble  the  sentiments  of  Baxter,  will  consult 
this  work  to  advantage. ' 

Having  brought  our  account  of  Baxter's  works  on  Noncon* 
formity  to  a  termination,  it  may  be  proper  to  offer  a  few  con* 
eluding  observations.  To  many  it  will  appear  strange  and 
improper  that  he  should  have  employed  so  much  time  on  this 
subject.  They  will  be  ready  to  ask  with  surprise  and  indigna- 
^n,  To  what  purpose  was  this  waste  ?  Such  persons  overlook 
the  state  of  the  times,  and  the  peculiar  situation  of  Baxter.  The 
spirit  of  oppression  and  persecution  then  raged  in  the  most  vio- 
lent manner.  Many  of  the  persecutors  were  men  respectable  in 
point  of  moral  character,  and  a.  large  portion  professed  a  great 
regard  for  the  interests  of  religion.  Baxter  suffered  consider- 
ably himself,  but  he  felt  more  for  the  sufferings  of  his  brethren, 
than  on  his  own  account.  Many  of  them  had  been  driven  from 
situations  of  important,  usefulness,  separated  from  their  families, 
condemned  to  exile  and  imprisonment,  and  suffered  the  loss  of 
$dl  things.  It  would  have  been  unchristian  and  unmanly  to 
remain  silent  while  these  things  went  on,  if,  by  expostulation, 
fipology,  or  vindication^  any  impression  could  be  made. 

Baxter  might  be  considered  as  at  the  head  of  a  large 
portion  at  least  of  his  suffering  brethren ;  all  of  whom  re- 
spected his  character,  and  admired  his  [intrepidity.  He  was 
more  independent  in  his  circumstances  than  most  of  them.  Hp 
was  well  known  at  court,  and  had  considerable  influence  with 
some  of  the  nobility.     His  disinterestedness  was  beyond  sus- 

s  A  kiii|i  of  answer  was  published  to  this  work  in  a  pamphlet,  entitled, 
«  Reflectiont  on  Mr*  Baxter's  Last  Book,  called  English  Nonconformity^'  ftc 
4to.  1689. 


640  THX  Un  AND  WftlTIKOS 

picion^  and  he  was  uttek'ly  regardless  of  all  personal  conseqneiiea 
to  himself.  On  every  emergency  he  was  looked  up  to  for 
advice ;  and  in  time  of  danger^  his  wisdom  and  prowess  were 
trusted  to  lead  on  the  attack,  or  to  cover  a  retreat. 

If  he  erred  in  appearing  too  often^  and  sometimes  on  occa« 
sions  which  scarcely  required  him  to  expose  himself  or  his  canse, 
it  was  an  error  of  judgment  only.  It  was  the  excess  of  zeal  for 
the  good  of  others^  not  the  gratification  of  any  selfish  or  sordid 
passion.  He  was  often  singled  out  as  an  object  of  attad^  by 
petty  scribblers,  whose  motive  was  to  excite  attention  to  them* 
selves,  rather  than  a  desire  to  do  good,  or  the  hope  that  they 
would  make  an  impression  on  the  champion  of  Nonconformity* 
The  silent  disregard  of  such  a  man  was  more  provoking  than  his 
severest  animadversion.  To  the  notice  which  he  took  of  many 
of  them,  their  names  are  now  indebted  for  existence ;  they  aie 
known,  not  as  the  writers  of  any  thing  which  any  body  reads, 
but  as  the  adversaries  of  Richard  Baxter. 

In  the  state  of  the  country  from  the  time  of  the  Restoradon 
till  the  Revolution,  it  was  of  great  importance  that  the  Nonooo* 
formist  controversy  should  be  kept  alive.  It  tended  to  support 
the  spirits  of  the  sufferers,  to  preserve  the  flame  of  liberty  from 
being  altogether  smothered,  to  keep  in  check  those  arbitrary 
and  oppressive  measures  which  would  have  proved  as  ruinous  to 
the  constitution  of  the  country,  as  to  the  liberties  of  the  Non- 
conformists. Nothing  but  a  great  deal  of  writing,  and  writing 
with  force  and  severity,  could  have  answered  the  purpose.  It 
was  necessary  to  speak  of  persecution  and  oppression  by  their 
proper  names,  and  to  expose  them  in  their  own  colours.  As 
there  was  no  moderation  in  the  measures  by  which  the  con- 
sciences of  men  were  invaded,  and  their  dearest  rights  infringed, 
it  would  be  absurd  to  expect  nothing  but  calmness  and  modera- 
tion in  the  writings  of  those  who  suffered  and  resisted ;  yet  in 
general  the  Nonconformists  wrote  like  Christians;  and  in  meek- 
ness acquitted  themselves. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  641 


CHAPTER    VIII. 


WORKS   ON    POPERY. 

Introductory  ObMrvations--*  The  Safe  ReligiuD'— <  Windingf^Sheet  for  Popery* 
— 'Grotian  Reli^on'— Controversy  with  Peirce,  Womack,  Heylio,  and 
Bramhall-'  Key  for  Catholics'—'  Successive  Visibility  of  the  Church'— 
Controversy  with  Johnson— '  Fair  Warning '—*  Diflference  between  the 
Power  of  Church  Pastors  and  the  Roman  Kingdom'— *  Certainty  of 
Christianity  without  Popery '—*  Full  and  Easy  Satisfaction,  which  is  the 
True  Religion'— Dedicated  to  Lauderdale—'  Christ,  not  the  Pope,  the 
Head  of  the  Church'*-'  Roman  Tradition  Examined '—<  Naked  Popery* 
. — Controversy  with  Hutchinson— '  Which  is  the  True  Church '—•  Answer 
to  Dodwell '—' Dissent  from  Sherlock '—' Answer  to  Dodwell's  Letter 
calling  for  more  Answers' — <  Against  Revolt  to  a  Foreign  Jurisdiction' '-* 
*  Protestant  Religion  truly  stated'— Conclusion. 

» 

Thb  doctrities  and  the  friends  of  Popery  had  too  much  in^* 
fluence  in  England  during  the  life  of  Baxter^  not  to  engage  his 
attention  on  a  subject  which  had  employed  the  pens  of  the  ablest 
men  from  the  period  of  the  Reformation.  In  point  of  argument, 
everything  necessary  to  expose  the  absurd  and  wicked  pretensions 
of  the  see  of  Rome,  had  been  said  long  before  the  time  of 
Baxter.  But  the  interests  involved  in  the  Popish  controversy 
were  too  ^eat,  and  the  parties  engaged  in  supporting  them  too 
subtle,  to  allow  the  subject  to  sleep,  or  even  to  slumber.  The 
well-known  leanings  of  the  Stuart  family  to  a  system  more  fa- 
vourable than  any  other  to  their  besetting  sin, — the  love  of 
arbitrary  power ;  their  family  alliances  with  its  sworn  defenders, 
their  patronage  of  those  who  were  considered  favourable  to  the 
principles  or  the  spirit  of  Popery,  with  many  other  circum- 
stances,— kept  alive  the  hopes  of  the  Roman  Catholics  that  Eng- 
land, one  of  the  fairest  gems  in  the  tiara,  would  yet  be  brought 
back  to  its  allegiance,  and  be  numbered  among  the  jewels  of 
the  Papal  See. 

VOL.  I.  T  T 


642  THB  LIfB  ANB  WRITINGS 

Even  the  civil  wars  and  their  results  did  not  altogether  extin- 
guish these  hopes.  The  emissaries  of  Rome  were  active  through- 
out their  entire  duration,  and  were  considered  as  sometimes 
having  a  hand  in  the  events  which  took  place.  ^Fhough  Baxter 
certainly  was  credulous,  we  can  scarcely  conceive  that  he  had  no 
authority  for  asserting  what  he  often  did— that  Romish  priests 
assumed  the  guise  of  sectaries,  appeared  zealous  in  sowing  dissen- 
sions, and  propagating  wild  and  extravagant  opinions.  Hisnotions 
of  the  extent  to  which  this  prevailed,  were  probably  exaggerated; 
but  it  was  quite  to  the  purpose  of  the  Catholics  to  act  in  this 
manner :  as  the  more  furious  the  fanaticism  of  Protestants,  the 
more  would  the  necessity  for  an  infallible  head  appear,  and  the 
sooner  would  the  country  be  likely  to  become  Ured  of  its  apos- 
tacy.*  However  this  may  have  been,  Baxter  felt  it  to  be  his 
duty,  both  as  a  Christian  and  a  Protestant,  to  oppose  stre- 
nuously a  system  which  he  regarded  as  most  ungodly  in  its 
pretensions,  and  most  injurious  in  its  influence  to  the  inteiests 
of  liberty,  of  sound  morality^  and  of  religion*  To  take  thb 
ground,  and  to  appear  in  the  front  rank  of  the  advocates  of 
Protestantism,  and  of  the  adversaries  of  the  Romish  faith.  Were 
with  Baxter  one  act. 

He  accordingly  published,  in  1657, '  The  Safe  Religion,  or 
Three  Disputations  for  the  Reformed  Catholic  Religion  against 
Popery^'  in  which  he  endeavours  to  prove  that  Popery  is 
against  the  Holy  Scriptures,  against  the  unity  of  the  catholic 

■  The  opiniou  that  Catholic  priests  were  employed  at  dfsipttiMd  Pafftaofi 
or  sowers  uf  division,  is  not  peculiar  to  Baxter.  Sir  W.  BoswelU  in  a  letter 
to  Archbishop  Laud,  dated  from  the  Hag^ue,  in  the  year  1640,  iofomii  him 
that  above  sixty  Romish  cler^rymen  had  gone,  ii»ithin  two  years,  from  France, 
to  preach  the  Scotch  covenant  and  the  rules  of  that  kirk,  and  to  spread  the 
same  a)x)ut  the  northern  coasts  of  Eof^laod ;  and  that  their  g^oal  object  wal 
to  effect  the  ruin  of  English  Episcopacy. —  Usher*t  Life,  Appendix,  p.  27. 
Hramhall,  bishop  of  Derry,  in  1654,  assures  Archbishop  Usher  that,  in  the 
year  1646,  by  order  from  Rome,  above  a  hundred  of  the  Romish  clergy  weif 
sent  into  England,  consisting  of  English,  Scotch,  and  Irish,  who  bad  beca 
educated  in  Frauce,  Italy,  Germany,  and  Spain*  These,  be  says,  were 
mostly  soldiers  in  the  army  of  the  Parliament.  Even  in  1654,  he  aiBrms 
that  there  were  many  priests  at  Paris  preparing  to  be  sent  orrr^  who  held 
meetings  twice  a  week,  in  which  they  opposed  one  another,  tonie  pieteodiag 
to  be  for  Presbytery,  others  for  Independency,  and  others  fur  Anabaptisa. 
That  their  qualificatious  for  the  work  in  which  they  were  to  engage,  were 
judged  of  by  the  learned  superiors  of  some  of  the  convents ;  that  the  parties 
were  entered  in  the  registers  of  their  respective  orders,  but  with  different 
names,  which  they  were  to  use  and  change  as  circumstances  might  require; 
and  that  they  kept  Up  a  regular  correspondence  with  their  fraternities  abrowL 
—  (/»7»«r,  p.  611. 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  643 

churchy  the  consent  of  the  ancient  doctors,  the  plahiest  reason^ 
and  the  common  judgment  of  sense  itself.  The  object  of  the 
first  dissertation  is,  to  prove  that  the  religion  of  Protestants  ia 
safe ;  of  the  second,  that  Popery  is  unsafe  5  and  of  the  third, 
that  the  manner  in  which  Popery  is  sustained  in  argument  by  a 
claim  to  infallibility,  is  subversive  of  the  faith.  It  is  dedicated 
to  the  "  Literate  Romanists,"  and  is  on  the  whole  an  able  ex- 
jlosure  and  refutation  of  the  system  of  Popery,  to  which  I  am 
not  aware  that  any  ansvt^r  was  ever  made. 

As  that  viras  a  considerable  volume,  and  better  adapted  to  the 
learned  than  to  the  unlearned,  he  published  in  the  same  year, 
'  A  Winding-sheet  for  Popery,'  comprising,  within  a  few  pages, 
the  most  appropriate  arguments  against  the  whole  system.  This 
was  well  fitted  for  popular  reading  and  general  circuladon} 
which  also  remained  unanswered. 

His  next  wor)c,  though  small,  and  but  little  of  it  on  the  subject 
of  Popery,  forms  part  of  a  very  angry  controversy,  in  which  he 
because  involved,  with  several  persons  of  considerable  note.  In 
his  work  on  *  Universal  Concord,'  published  in  the  early  part  of 
1658^  he  had  thought  it  his  duty  to  warn  some  who  appeared  to 
be  prosecuting  the  design  of  Grotius  and  Cassander,  to  re- 
concile the  Protestant  churches  to  the  see  of  Rome^  on  certain 
abatiements  being  made  by  that  see  to  the  principles  or  preju- 
dices of  Protestants.  The  insinuation  that  Grotius  was  a  con- 
cealed Papist,  and  that  others  were  engaged  in  a  similar  plan, 
excited  very  strong  emotions  in  the  breasts  of  Dr.  Sanderson 
and  Dr.  Thomas  Peirce.  The  latter,  in  a  work  entitled  *  The 
Self-revenger  exemplified/  directed  against  Mr.  Barlee^  demand- 
ed from  Baxter  a  plainer  account  of  Grotius,  and  his  followers. 
This  Baxter  was  not  unwilling  to  give  him.  But  we  must  hear 
his  own  account  of  this  controversy. 

**  Peirce's  principal  business,*'  he  says,  "  was  to  defend 
Grotius.  In  answer  to  which  I  wrote  a  little  treatise,  called 
*The  Grotian  Religion  discovered/  in  which  I  cited  his  own 
words^  especially  out  of  his  *  Discussio  Apologetici  Rivetiani/ 
where  he  opcRcth  his  terms  of  reconciliation  with  Rome,  viz., 
that  it  be  acknowledged  the  mistress  churchy  and  the  Pope  havd 
his  supreme  government ;  not  arbitrary,  but  only  according  to 
the  canons.  To  which  end  he  defendeth  the  Council  of  Trent 
itself,  Pope  Pius's  oath,  and  all  the  councils  ;  which  is  no  othef 
than  the  French  sort  of  Popery.     I  had  not  theu  h^^xd.  ol  >Xx^ 

T  T  2 


644  THB    LIFE   AND  WRITINGS 

booik  written  in  France  called  ^  Grotius  Papizans/  nor  of  *  Sar- 
ravius's  Epistles/  in  which  he  witnesseth  it  from  his  own 
mouth.  But  the  very  words  which  I  eited^  contain  an  open 
profession  of  Popery. 

^'  In  a  preface  before  this  book,  I  vindicated  the  Synod  of 
Dort  from  the  abusive,  virulent  accusations  of  one  that  called 
himself  Tilenus,  junior.  Thereupon,  Peirce  wrote  a  much  more 
railing,  malicious  volume  than  the  former ;  the  liveliest  imprai 
of  Satan's  image,  malignity,  bloody  malice,  and  falsehood,  cth 
vered  in  handsome,  railing  rhetoric,  that  ever  I  have  seen  from 
any  that  called  himself  a  Protestant.  The  preface  was  an- 
swered just  in  the  same  manner,  by  one  who  styled  himself 
Philo-Tilenus.  Three  such  men  as  this  Tilenus,  junior^  Pcirc^ 
and  Gunning,  I  have  not  heard  of  besides  in  England :  of  the 
Jesuits'  opinion  in  doctrinals,  and  of  the  old  Dominican  com- 
plexity, yet  the  ablest  men  that  their  party  hath  in  all  the  land; 
of  great  diligence  in  study  and  reading ;  of  excellent  oratorv, 
especially  Tilenus,  junior,  and  Peirce  ;  and  of  temperate  lives. 
But  all  their  parts  are  so  sharpened  with  a  furious,  persecuUng 
^al  against  those  that  dislike  Arminianism,  high  prelacy,  or  frd 
conformity,  that  they  are  like  the  briars  and  thorns^  which  are 
not  to  be  touched,  but  by  a  fenced  hand'  They  breathe  out 
threatenings  against  God's  servants,  better  than  themselves, 
xuid  seem  unsatisfied  with  blood  and  ruin,  but  still  cry,  *  Give, 
give ;'  bidding  as  loud  defiance  -to  Christian  charity,  as  ever 
Arius,  or  any  heretic,  did  to  faith. 

**  This  book  of  mine,  of  the  Grotian  religion,  greatly  offended 
many  others,  but  none  of  them  could  speak  any  sense  against 
it ;  the  citations,  for  matter  of  fact,  being  unanswerable.  And 
it  was  only  the  matter  of  fact  which  I  undertook  to  prove,  viz., 
that  Grotius  professed  himself  a  moderate  Papist ;  but  for  his 
fault  in  so  doing,  1  little  meddled  with  it."  ^ 

Such  is  Baxter's  own  account  of  this  controversy,  which 
related  as  much  in  it)  progress  to  Arminianism,  as  to  Grotiui 
and  Popery.  The  religion  of  Grotius  must  have  been  of  a 
very  equivocal  kind,  for  as  many  sects  seem  to  have  contended 
for  him,  as  cities  about  the  birth  of  Homer.  The  fact  is,  ne 
mixed  too  much  in  the  political  world  not  to  be  seriously 
injured  by  it.  He  speculated  about  union,  and  falsely  imagined 
that  it  might  be  practicable  to  effect  some  agreement  between 
the  Catholics  and  Protestants,  on  principles  in  which  neither 

^LVt^t^^Qivti.  p.  113. 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  645 

party  would  ag;ree.  He  was  not  a  Papist  in  the  technical  sense 
of  the  term,  but  he  endeavoured  to  give  an  orthodox  interpre- 
tation to  some  of  the  doctrines  of  Popery,  and  objected  to  some 
of  the  charges  preferred  by  Protestants^  against  the  church  of 
Rome ;  which,  with  his  disposition  to  compromise,  led  the  Pro- 
testants to  look  at  him  with  great  jealousy.  ^ 

Baxter's  opinion  of  Grotius,  notwithstanding  these  views  of 
bis  sentiments,  which  were  probably  more  influenced  by  political 
than  religious  considerations,  stood  very  high.  He  was  in  every 
respect  a  distinguished  man — his  learning,  his  talents,  his  love 
of  liberty,  his  amiable  dispositions,  must  make  his  memory  dear 
to  all  who  are  capable  of  estimating  his  virtues  and  acquire- 
ments. 

Ulenus,  junior,  was  a  fictitious  name,  assumed  by  Bishop 
Womack,  in  his  attacks  upon  Calvinism  and  the  Puritans.* 
'  The  Examination  of  Tilenus  before  the  Triers,  in  order  to  his 
intended  settlement  in  the  office  of  a  public  Preacher  in  the  Com- 
monwealth of  Utopia,'  is  a  keen  sarcastic  pamphlet  which  ap- 
peared in  1658,«  intended  to  expose  the  conduct  of  the  Triers, 
and  the  sentiments  which  they  held.  It  describes  a  trial  of  this 
•aid  'nienus,  before  a  jury  consisting  of  Messrs.  Absolute,  Fa- 
tality, Pretention,  Fryable,  Damman,  Narrow-Grace,  oKas 
Stint-Grace,  Efficax,  Indefectible,  Confidence,  Dubious,  Mean- 
well,  Simulans,  Take-o-trust,   Know-little,   and  Impertinent. 

• 

«  Lord  Lauderdale  says,  in  one  of  bis  letters  to  Baxter,  **  I  have  read  your 
reply  to  Peirce,  in  which  you  fuUy  satisfy  me  that  Grotius  was  a  PapisL  I 
was  acquainted  with  Grotius  at  Paris.  He  was  theu  ambassador  for  Sweden, 
In  the  year  1637  ;  aud  though  I  was  then  very  youu^,  some  visits  passed  be- 
tween us.  My  discourse  with  him  was  only  on  humanity  ;  but  I  remember 
weU  he  was  then  esteemed  such  a  Papist  as  you  call  a  Cassaudrian,  and  so 
•  •••did  esteem  him,  who  was  a  priest— the  owuer  of  that  great  library  now 
printed  in  his  name.  AVitb  him  I  was  also  acquainted.  He  was  a  great  ad« 
mirer  of  Grotius,  aud  esteemed  among  his  principal  friends."— BatI^  MSSm 

^  Daniel  Tileuus  was  professor  of  divinity  at  Sedan,  and,  in  the  early  part 
of  bit  life,  a  Calviuist.  He  afterwards  adopted  the  sentiments  of  the  Remon* 
strantii,  and  took  part,  both  in  their  oppositiou  to  Calvinism,  and  in  their  suf- 
ferings on  account  of  it.  Amoug  other  things,  he  wrote  '  Canuues  Synodi 
Dardraceuae,  cum  notis  et  animadversiouibus/  &c.  A  tract  of  his  appeared 
ip  English,  under  the  )itle  of  *  The  Doctrine  of  the  Synods  of  Dort  and  Ales 
brought  to  the  Proof  uf  Practice,'  &c.  1629.  On  this  foundation  Wonipcli: 
appears  to  have  adopted  his  dc'si*rnatiou  of  Tilenus,  junior,  and  to  havec6B« 
gtructed  his  pamphlet,  *■  The  Rxamiiiation  of  Tilenus.'  Womack  was  a  very 
decided  Arminian,  and  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  writers  of  the  Dutch 
ecbool.     He  died  bishop  of  St.  David's,  in  1()S5^ 

•  This  pamphlet  is  republished  by  Mr.  Nichols  in  his  '  Calvinism  and  Ar» 
ninianism  Compared.' 


646  THB  LIFE  AND  WRITINGr 

The  leading  characters  of  the  day  are  siud  to  have  been  intro- 
duced under  these  fictitious  names;  Narrow-Grace  beingsuppoaed 
to  be  designed  for  Philip  Nye,  and  Dr.  Dubious  for  Richard 
Baxter.  There  is  a  good  deal  of  severe  humour^  as  might  be 
expected,  in  the  book,  besides  a  vast  portion  of  misrepresentation 
and  caricature. 

'  The  Grotian  Religion'  brought  forward  Womack  a  second 
time  in  his  '  Arcana  Doginatum  Anti-remonstrantium;  or,  the 
Calvinist's  Cabinet  unlocked,  in  an  apology  for  Tilenus^  against  a 
pretended  vindication  of  the  Synod  of  Dort,  at  the  provocatioQ 
of  Mr.  Richard  Baxter,  held  forth  in  the  Preface  to  his  Grotian 
Religion.'  1659.  8vo.  This  is  a  grand  attack  on  the  doctrines 
of  the  synod  of  Dort,  and  on  Baxter,  as  holding  substantially  those 
doctrines,  from  which  it  is  very  evident  that  the  author  never 
supposed  Baxter  would  be  suspected  of  Arminianism.  TIleniH 
is  one  of  the  stoutest  and  acutest  adversaries  with  whom  Baxter 
had  to  contend.  He  was  well  acquainted  with  the  whole  range 
of  the  Arminian  controversy,  and  had  examined  every  syllable 
of  Baxter's  writings ;  from  which  he  did  not  fail  .to  extract  pas- 
sages, the  explaining  or  reconciling  of  which  must  have  tried  even 
the  metaphysical  acuteness  of  Baxter.  It  does  not  appear  from 
any  thing  which  Baxter  wrote,  that  he  knew  Bishop  Womack 
to  be  the  author  of  these  performances. 

Peirce's  reply,  of  which  Baxter  speaks  so  severely,  was  *  The 
New  Discoverer  discovered;  by  way  of  Answer  to  Baxter's 
pretended  Discovery  of  the  Grotian  Religion,  with  the  several 
subjects  contained  therein.*  1658.  4 to.  The  quarrel  between 
them  was  kept  up  to  a  very  distant  period ;  and  the  personal 
feelings  of  Peirce  were  discovered  in  a  manner  not  the  most  cre- 
ditable to  himself.  Indeed,  the  high-church  Arminian  clergy 
generally  appear  to  have  been  greatly  annoyed  by  this  trifling 
tract  of  Baxter's.  An  expression  in  the  preface  where  he  refers 
to  Peter  Heylin's  mode  of  describing  the  Puritans,  led  to  a 
lengthened  correspondence  with  that  bigoted  and  intemperate 
polemic.  This  correspondence  Heylin  published  with  a  very 
characteristic  title :  '  The  Letter  Combat  managed  by  Peter 
Heylin,  D.D.,  with  Mr,  Baxter  of  Kidderminster,  Dr.  Bernard 
of  Gray's  Inn,  Mr.  Hickman  of  Mag,  Col.  Ox.  &c.'  16i9. 8?o. 
That  the  party  to  which  Baxter  was  opposed,  were  justly  re- 
garded by  him  as  leaning  to  Popery,  is  evident  from  a  single 
sentence  in  Heylin's  last  letter :  ^^  So  far,  I  assure  you,  I  am 
of  the  religion  of  Hugh  Grotias,  that  I  wish  as  heartily  as  be 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  647 

did^  that  the  breaches  in  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  were  well 
cloaed  up;  that  the  Puritans,  submitting  to  the  church  of 
England,  and  the  church  of  England  being  reconciled  with  the 
church  of  Rome,  we  might  unite  and  centre  in  those  sacred 
truths^  those  undeniable  principles  and  established  doctrines^ 
which  have  b^en  universally  received  in  the  church  of  Christy 
and  in  which  all  parties  do  agree.''  This  is  only  one  among 
many  proofs  of  the  strong  feeling  which  prevailed  among  the 
high-church  clergy  towards  the  church  of  Rome. ' 

Many  years  afterwards,  a  posthumous  work  was  published, 
•ntitled,  ^  Bishop  Bramhall's  Vindication  of  himself  and  the 
Episcopal  Clergy  from  the  Presbyterian  charge  of  Popery^  as  it 
is  managed  by  Mr.  Baxter  in  his  Treatise  of  the  Orotiau  Reli* 
gicHi/  1672.  12mo.  Bramhall  and  his  coadjutors  had  so  much 
of  the  Popery  of  Protestantism  about  them,  as  to  be  justly  liable 
to  the  charge  which  Baxter  and  others  preferred  against  themt 
Of  this  book,  Baxter  says : 

^  He  passeth  over  the  express  words  of  Grotius,  which  I  had 
dted,  which  undoubtedly  prove  what  I  said ;  yea,  though  I  had 
•ince  largely  Englished  them,  and  recited  them  in  the  second 
part  of  my  '  Key  for  Catholics,'  with  a  full  confirmation  of  my 
prooft*  And  he  feigneth  me  to  make  him  a  Orotian,  and  con- 
federate in  his  design ;  whereas  I  not  only  had  no  such  word, 
but  had  expressly  excepted  him  by  name,  as  imputing  no 
such  thing  to  him.  Before  the  book  was  a  long  preface  of  Mr. 
Parker's,  most  vehement  against  Dr.  Owen^  and  somewhat 
against  myself.  To  which  Andrew  Marvel,  a  parliament  man, 
burgess  for  Hull,  did  publish  an  answer  so  exceeding  jocu- 
lar, as  thereby  procured  abundance  of  readers,  and  pardon  to 
the  author.  Because  I  perceived  that  the  design  of  Bishop 
Bramhall's  book  was  for  the  uniting  of  Christendom  under  the 
old  patriarchs  of  the  Roman  imperial  church,  and  so  under  the 
Pope,  as  the  Western  Patriarch,  and  Princ^num  Umtatiij  I 
had  thought  the  design,  and  thb  publication,  looked  danger- 
ously, and  therefore  began  to  write  an  answer  to  it.  But  Mr. 
Simmons,  my  bookseller,  came  to  me,  and  told  me,  that  Roger 

*  *  A  Review  of  the  Certameo  Epistolare  betwixt  Dr.  Heylin  and  Mr.  Hick- 
man' was  published  in  a  small  volume  io  1659,  under  the  fictitious  name  of 
Tbeophilus  ChurchmaD.  It  is  called  by  the  writer  himself  tLJoco-seria  review 
of  the  counter-scuffle ;  the  object  of  which  is  chiefly  to  vindicate  the  English 
reformers  from  being  Arminians,  which  Heylin  had  wished  to  make  them. 
1%  ii  cleverly  written,  and  gives  some  hard  blows  to  Dr.  Heylin. 


648  THJB  LIFE  AND  WRITINGS 

L'Estrange,  the  overseer  of  the  printers,  had  sent  forhimiandtoU 
him,  that  he  heard  f  was  answering  Bishop  Bramhall,  and  swore 
to  him  most  vehemently,  that  if  I  did  it,  he  would  ruin  him  and 
me,  and  perhaps  my  life  should  be  brought  in  question.  I  per- 
ceived the  bookseller  durst  not  print  it ;  and  so  I  was  fain  to 
cast  it  by,  which  I  the  easier  did,  because  the  main  scope  (rfiH 
the  book  was  fully  answered  long  before,  in  the  foresaid  second 
part  of  my  *  Key  for  Catholics/  "  « 

We  must  now  return  from  thisGrotian  digression  to  the  con* 
troversy.  Baxter's  next  work  in  this  department,  is  the  *  Key 
for  Catholics/  1659.  4to.  The  object,  of  this  work  was  to  ex- 
pose the  juggling  of  the  Jesuits;  to  satisfy  those  who  were 
willing  to  understand,  whether  the  cause  of  the  Roman  or  the 
Reformed  churches  is  of  God  :  and  to  leave  the  reader  utterly 
inexcusable  who  should  afterwards  continue  a  Papist.  The 
first  part  of  it  contains  an  exposure  of  forty  frauds  or  decepUoni 
practised  by  the  Popish  party ;  the  second  part  is  an  attempt 
to  show  that  the  Catholic  church  is  not  a  political  body,  beaded 
by  an  earthly  sovereign  ;  and  that  such  a  unity  as  this  would 
imply,  is  not  to  be  desired.  Here  he  again  encounters  Grotius 
and  Peirce,  on  both  of  whom  he  makes  some  sharp  remarks. 
The  following  is  his  account  of  this  work  and  its  reception : 

^Mn  this  treatise,  proving  that  the  blood  of  the  king  is  not 
by  Papists  to  be  charged  upon  Protestants,  I  plainly  hazarded 
my  life  against  the  powers  that  then  were,  and  grievously  in- 
censed Sir  H.  Vane.  Yet  Mr.  J.  N.  was  so  tender  of  the  Papists' 
interest,  that  having  before  been  offended  with  me  for  a  petition 
against  Popery,  he  spake  against  it  on  the  bench :  and  his  displea- 
Mirc  being  increased  by  this  book,  he  took  occasion,  after  the  king 
came  in,  to  write  against  nie  for  those  very  passages  which  con- 
demned the  king-killers.  Because,  comparing  the  case  with  the 
doctrine  and  practice  of  the  Papists,  I  showed  that  the  Sectarians 
.ind  Croniwellians  had  of  the  two  a  more  plausible  pretence,  he 
confuted  these  pretences  of  theirs,  as  if  they  had  been  my  own; 
thereby  making  the  world  believe  that  I  wrote  for  the  king's 
cieath,  in  the  very  pages  where,  to  the  hazard  of  my  life,  I  wrote 
against  it;  while  he  himself  took  the  engagement  against  the 
king  and  the  House  of  Jjords,  was  a  justice  under  Oliver,  and 
more  than  this,  signed  orders  for  the  sequestering  of  others  of 
tlie  king's  party.  Bat  the  great  indignation  against  this  book  and 

t  Lile,  part  iii.  p.  102. 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBB.  649 

• 

the  former,  is,  that  they  were,  by  epistles,  directed  to  Richard 
Cromwell,  as  lord  protector,  which  I  did  only  to  provoke  him  that 
had  power,  to  use  it  well,  when  the  Parliament  had  sworn  fidelity 
to  him;  and  that  without  any  word  of  approbation  of  his  title." ^ 

The  next  work  by  Baxter  on  this  controversy,  the  *  Succes- 
sive Visibility  of  the  Church,*  1660,  12mo,  came  out  under  very 
peculiar  circumstances ;  for  an  account  of  which  I  again  avail 
myself  of  his  own  statement :  "  When  1  was  at  Kidderminster, 
in  1659,  one  Mr.  Langhorn,  a  furrier,  in  Walbrook,  sent  me  a 
sheet  of  paper,  subscribed  by  William  Johnson,  containing  aii 
argument  against  our  church,  for  want  of  perpetual  visibility ; 
or,  that  none  but  the  church  of  Rome,  and  those  in  communion 
vnth  it,  had  been  successively  visible ;  casting  all  on  his  op- 
ponent, to  provcTour  church's  constant  visibility.  He  that  sent 
this  paper  desired  me  to  answer  it,  as  for  some  friends  of  his 
who  were  unsatisfied.  I  sent  him  an  answer  the  next  day  after 
I  received  it.  To  this,  some  weeks  after,  I  received  a  reply. 
This  reply  cited-  many  fathers  and  councils,  and,  as  the  custom 
is,  brought  the  controversy  into  the  wood  of  church  history. 
To  this  I  drew  up  a  large  rejoinder,  and  sent  it  by  the  carrier. 
Though  I  was  not  rich  enough  to  keep  an  amanuensis,  and  had 
not  leisure  myself  to  transcribe  it;  yet,  as  it  well  happened,  I 
had  got  a  friend  to  write  me  a  copy  of  my  rejoinder  :  for  it  fell 
out  that  the  carrier  lost  the  copy  which  I  gave  him  to  carry  to 
London,  and  professed  that  he  never  knew  what  became  of  it. 
And  no  wonder,  when  I  after  learned  that  my  antagonist  lived 
within  five  or  six  miles  of  me,  whom  I  supposed  to  have  lived 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  off.  When  I  expected  an  answer, 
I  received,  a  month  after,  an  insulting  challenge  of  a  speedy 
answer,  and  this  seconded  with  another ;  all  calling  for  haste. 
I  suppose  he  thought  I  had  kept  no  copy ;  but  as  soon  as  I 
could  get  it  transcribed  I  sent  it  him  :  and  i  heard  no  more  of 
Mr.  Johnson  for  a  twelvemonth.  When  I  was  in  London,  I 
went  to  Mr.  Langhorn,  and  desired  him  to  procure  me  an 
answer  to  my  papers  from  Mr.  Johnson,  or  that  1  might  know 
that  I  should  have  none.     At  last,  he  told  me  that  Mr.  Johnson 

^  Life,  part  i.  p.  118.  Baxter  omitted  the  dedication  to  Richard  Cromwell, 
in  his  second  edition  of  the  '  Key/  and  substituted  in  its  place  one  to  the 
Duke  of  Lauderdale ;  not  perha|»s  the  happiest  choice  wliich  he  might  have 
made  of  a  patron.  He  declares,  in  the  dedication  to  Lauderdale,  that  he 
never  saw  the  face  of  Richard,  nor  ever  had  a  word  from  him  ;  and  that  his 
iole  motive  in  addressing  him  was  to  stir  him  up  to  do  good. 


650  THB  LIFS   AND  WRITINGS 

would  come  aiid  speak  with  ine  himself^  which  he  did^  and 
would  have  put  off  all  the  business  with  a  few  words,  but 
would  promise  me  no  answer.  At  last,  by  Mr*  TillotBon,^  1 
was  informed  that  his  true  name  was  Terret;  that  he  lived  in 
the  house  of  a  certain  nobleman,  near  our  parts ;  that,  being 
much  in  London,  he  was  there  the  chief  hector^  or  great 
disputer,  for  the  Papists;  and  that  he  was  the  chief  of  the  two 
men  who  had  held  and  printed  the  dispute  with  Dr.  Pearson 
and  Dr.  Gunning.  When  I  saw  what  advantage  be  had  got 
by  printing  that  dispute,  I  resolved  that  he  should  not  do  so  by . 
me,  and  so  I  printed  all  our  papers.  But  before  I  printed 
them,  I  urged  him  to  some  further  conference;  and  at  our 
next  meeting  I  told  him  how  necessary  it  was  that  we  should 
agree  first  on  the  meaning  of  our  terms.  So  I  wrote  down 
some  few,  as  church,  pope,  council,  bishop,* heresy,  schism, 
which  I  desired  him  to  explain  to  me  under  his -hand,  pro* 
mising  him  the  like  whenever  he  desired  it ;  which,  when  I  had 
got  from  him,  I  gave  him  some  animadversions  on  it,  showiif 
their  implications ;  to  which  he  answered,  and  to  that  I  re* 
plied.  When  he  came  no  more  to  me,  nor  gave  me  any 
answer,  I  printed  all  together ;'  which  made  him  think  it  neces- 
sary, at  last,  to  write  a  confutation ;  whereto  I  have  since  pub- 
lished a  full  rejoinder,  to  which  I  can  procure  no  answer.*'^ 

The  volume  accordingly  contains  the  first  papers  which 
passed  between  Johnson  and  Baxter ;  an  appendix,  in  which  he 
gives  an  account  to  Johnson,  how  far  heretics  are,  or  are  not,  in 
the  church ;  Johnson's  explanation  of  the  most  usual  terms  in 
the  controversy,  with  Baxter's  animadversions ;  a  paper  on  suc- 
cessive ordination ;  and  some  letters  which;  passed  between 
Baxter  and  Thomas  Smith,  a  Papist,  with  a  narrative  of  the 
success. 

This  Johnson  appears  to  have  perverted  from  the  truth 
Lady  Anne  Lindsey,  daughter  of  the  countess  of  Balcarraa, 
who  employed  Baxter  to  endeavour  to  reclaim  her.  He  tried 
it  accordingly,  but  without  effect.  She  made  her  escape  from 
her  mother,  and  went  to  France,  where  she  died  in  a  nunnery, 
a  few  years  afterwards.* 

In  1663,  a  pamphlet  appeared  with  Baxter's  name,  called 
*  Fair  Warning;  or  Twenty-five  Reasons  against  Toleration  and 

»  Afterwards  Archbishop  TiUotson.  ^  Life,  part  ii.  pp.  218,  219. 

»  Ibid.  pp.  219—228. 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  651 

Indulgence  of  Popery/  For  my  knowledge  of  this  tract  I  am 
indebted  to  the  invaluable  work  of  Hallam  on  the  British 
Constitution^  never  having  seen  any  copy  of  it  myself*  He 
saysy  it  is  a  pleasant  specimen  of  the  arffumentum  ab  pifemo. 
^  Seeing  there  is  but  one  safe  way  to  ssJvation,  do  you  think 
that  the  Protestant  way  is  that  way,  or  is  it  not  ?  If  it  be  not, 
why  do  you  live  in  it  ?  If  it  be,  how  can  you  find  in  your  heart 
to  give  your  subjects  liberty  to  go  another  way  ?  Can  you,  in 
your  conscience,  give  them  leave  to  go  on  in  thatucourse,  in  which 
in  your  conscience  you  think  you  could  not  be  saved  ?"  Hallam 
adds,  after  making  this  quotation,  ^^  Baxter  does  not  mention 
this  little  book  in  his  Life ;  nor  does  he  there  speak  violently 
about  the  toleration  of  Romanists/' " 

His  next  work  in  this  controversy  is,  ^The  Difference  between 
the  Power  of  Magistrates  and  Church  Pastors,  and  the  Roman 
Kingdom  and  Magistracy,  under  the  name  of  a  Church  and 
Church  Government  usurped  by  the  Pope,  or.  liberally  given  him 
by  Popish  Princes/  1671-  4to.  This  pamphlet  consists  of  two 
letters  addressed  to  Lewis  Moliusus,  M.  D.,  the  author  of  several 
books  on  the  Romish  controversy:'  and  wliich  had  drawn  Baxter's 
attention  to  the  subject.  His  account  of  this  book  is  curious. 

'^  Ludovicus  Molineus  was  so  vehemently  set  upon  the  crying 
down  of  the  papal  and  prelatical  government,  that  he  thought 
it  was  the  work  he  was  sent  into  the  world  for,  to  convince 
princes  that  all  government  was  in  themselves,  and  that  no  proper 
government,  but  only  persuasion,  belonged  to  the  churches.  To 
this  end  he  wrote  his  ^  Paraenesis  cqntra  iEdificatiores  Imperii 
in  Imperio,'  his  'Papa  Ultrajectinus,'  and  other  tractates; 
which  he  thrust  on  me,  to  make  me  of  his  mind.  At  last  he 
wrote  his  *  Jugulum  Causae,'  with  no  less  than  seventy  epistles 
before  it,  directed  to  princes,  and  men  of  interest,  among  whom 
he  was  pleased  to  put  one  to  me.  llie  good  man  meant  rightly 
in  the  main,  but  had  not  a  head  sufficiently  accurate  for  such  a 
controversy,  and  so  could  not  perceive  that  any  thing  could  be 
called  properly  government,  that  was  no  way  coactive  by  eor- 
poral  penalties.  To  turn  him  from  the  Erasiian  extreme,  and 
end  that  controversy  by  a  reconciliation,  I  published  an  hun- 
dred propositions  conciliatory,  and  of  the  difference  between  the 
magistrate's  power  and  the  pastor's.' 


"n 


He  published,  in  1672,  *  The  Certainty  of  Christianity  with- 
in HaUam's  Constitutioiial  HUt.,  vol.  ii,  p.  476.       »  Ufej  part  Ui.  ^  85, 


652  the'  lifr  and  writikgs 

out  Popery  J  or,  whether  the  Catholic-Protestant  or  the  Papiat 
have  the  surer  faith/  Svo.  This  pamphlet,  he  teils  us,  was 
designed  to  meet  the  repeated  challenges  of  the  Papists,  and 
to  direct  the  unskilful  how  to  defend  their  faith  against  them 
and  against  infidels  also.  To  both  descriptions  of  persons,  be 
informs  us  in  his  Life,  the  work  proved  useful.  The  connexion 
between  Popery  and  infidelity,  or  the  tendency  of  the  former  to 
produce  the  latter,  is  closer  than  many  persons  suppose.  To  be* 
lieve  too  much,  tnay  prove  as  dangerous  as  to  believe  too  little. 
Faith  without  evidence,  is  credulity  ;  a  state  of  nnind  not  more 
congenial  to  the  influence  of  genuine  religion,  than  unbelief  itself. 
A  system  which  wages  war  with  the  established  principles  of  moral 
evidence,  by  requiring  man  to  prostrate  his  understanding  to  the 
dictation  of  uninspired  authority,  and  to  act  in  opposition  to  tbe 
conviction  of  his  senses,  prepares  him  for  believing  any  thing, 
however  monstrous,  and  for  rejecting  any  thing,  however  evident 
and  true.  In  this  way,  Popery  lays  the  foundation  of  infidelity; 
and  enables  us  to  account  for  the  extraordinary  fact,  that  in 
the  countries  where  it  has  been  longest  and  most  firmly  es- 
tablished, the  greatest  numbers  of  unbelievers  have  been  found. 
The  abetters  of  the  system  have  been  fond  of  maintaining  that 
the  overthrow  of  Popery  must  be  the  ruin  of  Christianity;  whidi 
is  all  one  with  holding,  that  the  subversion  of  a  system  of  lying 
and  imposition,  must  necessarily  prove  the  ruin  of  tnith^and 
moral  honesty. 

*  Pull  and  Easv  Satisfaction,  which  is  the  True  and  Safe  Re- 
ligion,'  appeared  in  l()74,-8vo,  along  with  the  second  edition  of 
his  '  Key  for  Catholics/  It  is  a  dialogue  between  a  doubter,  a 
Papist,  and  a  reformed  Catholic  Christian  ;  and  consists  of  foar 
parts,  in  which  he  treats  of  the  nature  of  the  difference  between 
the  parties,  justifies  tbe  Protestant,  enumerates  charges  agains^ 
the  Roman  Catholic,  and  insists  particularly  on  the  wickedness 
and  absurditv  of  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation.  It  is  de- 
dicated  to  his  grace  the  Duke  of  Lauderdale,  his  majesty's 
commissioner,  and  principal  secretary  for  the  kingdom  of  Scot- 
land. Of  this  circumstance,  and  of  the  duke  himself,  he  fur- 
nishes us  with  the  following  account. 

"  In  the  preface  to  the  first  impression,  I  had  mentioned  with 
praise  the  Earl  of  Lauderdale,  as  then  prisoner  by  Cromwell  in 
Windsor  Castle,  from  whom  I  had  many  pious  and  learned 
letters,  and  \v\\o  \\av\  ?»o  vwvx^  \^\\.^i  w^\  ^V\.  \i\v  books,  that 
he  remembereA  lYiem  \^\X^i,  ^  VxiwaN^^gox^  x^x'mjw  \  ^\  ^k^ 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTER.  6fi3 

Had  I  now  left  out  that  mention  of  him,  it  would  have  seemed 
an  injurious  recantation  of  my  kindness ;  lUid  to  mention  him 
now  a  duke,  as  then  a  prisoner,  was  unmeet*  The  king  used 
him  as  his  special  counsellor  and  favourite.  The  parliament 
had  set  themselves  against  him.  He  still  professed  great  kind- 
ness to  me,  and  I  had  reason  to  believe  it  was  without  dis- 
.  sembling.  Because  he  was  accounted  by  all  to  be  rather  a  too 
rough  adversary,  than  a  flatterer  of  one  so  low  as  I ;  and  be- 
cause he  spake  the  same  for  me  behind  my  back,  that  he  did  to 
my  face.  I  had  then  a  new  piece  against  transubstantiation 
to  add  to  my  book,  and,  being  desirous  it  should  be  read,  I 
thought  best  to  join  it  with  the  other,  and  prefix  before  both  an 
qristle  to  the  duke ;  in  which  I  said  not  a  word  of  him  but  the 
^nth  :  and  I  did  it  the  rather,  that  his  name  might  cause  some 
great  ones  to  read,  at  least  that  epistle,  if  not  the  short  additional 
tractate,  in  which  I  thought  I  said  enough  to  open  the  shame 
of  Popery.  But  the  indignation  ,men  had  against  the  duke, 
made  some  blame  me,  as  keeping  up  the  reputation  of  one  whom 
multitudes  thought  very  ill  of;  whereas  I  named  none  of  his 
faults,  and  did  nothing  I  could  well  avoid,  for  the  aforesaid  rea- 
•one.  Long  after  this,  he  professed  his  kindness  to  me,  and  told 
me  I  should  never  want  while  he  was  able,  and  humbly  en- 
treated me  to  accept  twenty  guineas  from  him,  which  I  did/'® 
The  correspondence  with  Lauderdale,  to  which  Baxter  here 
refers,  still  exists,  and  is  certainly  very  honourable  to  the  cha- 
racter and  talents  of  Lauderdale.  His  attachment,  which  he 
expresses  in  the  warmest  terms,  to  Baxter,  appears  to  have  been 
very  sincere,  as  he  not  only  translated  passages  from  books  for 
the  use  of  Baxter,  while  he  was  a  prisoner,  and  otherwise 
evinced  hb  friendship  for  him,  but  when  his  fortunes  afterwards 
changed,  and  he  rose  to  eminence  in  the  state,  he  continued  to 
remember  and  befriend  him.  Yet  it  is  impossible  to  think  of 
the  character  of  Lauderdale  with  respect.  Like  many  other 
men,  he  shone  in  adversity,  but  was  corrupted  by  prosperity. 

In  the  ^  Morning  Exercises  against  Popery,'  preached  by  the 

•  lAfe,  p«rt  iii.  p.  180.  Baxter,  in  bis  dedication,  speaks  of  the  duke's  ex- 
tetniTe  acquaintance  with  bis  writings,  and  of  the  reliance  which  he  placed 
on  his  Judgment.  He  was  not  the  only  man  of  learning  who  treated  Lauder- 
dale in  this  manner.  S|>anheim  dedicates  to  him  and  Usher  the  third  part  of 
bis  *  Dubia  Evangelica/  and  speaks,  though  Lauderdale  was  then  very 
young,  of  bis  ''  Judicium  supra  »tatem  maturum,  verum  omnium  cognitiont 
siabacUiin  pectus." 


654  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITIKGS 

leading  Nonconformist  ministers  about  London,  in  the  yetr 
11675,  Baxter  delivered  a  discourse  on  *  Christ,  not  the  Ptope^ 
the  Universal  Head  of  the  Church/  These  sermons  were  defi- 
vered  in  Southwark  ;  and  when  it  is  mentioned  that  among  the 
preachers  were  such  men  as  Poole,  Jenkjus,  Vincent,  Cltrkson, 
Annesley,  and  Baxter,  the  ability  with  which  the  various  subjcds 
is  discussed  will  at  once  be  understood.  The  volume,  conttiii- 
ing  the  ^  Discourses  against  Pbpery,*  embraces  the  leading  poiiiti 
in  controversy  between  Catholics  and  Protestants,  and  abomA 
with  learning  and  information.  Considering  the  characierrf 
these  discourses,  and  the  state  of  the  times  when  they  wtie 
delivered,  they  afford  strong  proof  of  the  decision  and  bold- 
ness by  which  the  preachers  were  distinguished. 

In  the  same  year,  1675,  he  published  *  Select  Argmnenti 
against  Popery,'  which  I  have  not  seen,  and  cannot  Acrefiirt 
judge  whether  they  are  original,  or  only  a  selection,  in  the  ftinn 
of  a  tract,  of  some  of  his  reasonings  in  his  other  publicadom. 
I  suspect  they  are  the  latter. 

The  appearance  of  a  book,  called,  *  A  Rational  Discourse  of 

Transubstantiation,  in  a  Letter  to  a  Person  of  Honour  from  a 
Master  of  Arts  of  the  University  of  Cambridge,'  led  him  to 
produce,  in  1676,  *  Roman  Tradition  examined,  in  the  point  of 
Transubstantiation.'  4to.  The  author  of  the  work,  to  which 
this  is  an  answer,  was  understood  to  be  Mr.  W.  Hutchinson,  of 
Lincolnshire,  who  wrote  also  '  Catholic  Naked  Truth,  or  the 
Puritan  Convert  to  Apostolical  Christianity;'  in  answer  to 
which,  Baxter  wrote  his  ^  Naked  Popery ;  or,  the  Naked  False- 
hood of  a  book  called  the  Catholic  Naked  Truth  ;'p  whkh 
appeared  in  the  same  volume  with  his  Roman  Tradidon,  in 
1677.  Hutchinson  was  the  son  of  pious  Protestant  parents^ 
but  forsook  the  faith  in  which  he  had  been  nurtured.     In  one 

p  The  title  of  Hutcbiuson's,  cUiat  Berry's,  bouk,  which  led  to  the  cor^ 
responding  title  of  Baxter's  reply,  appears  to  have  been  sugg^ested  by  a  work 
of  Bishop  Croft's,  which  was  published  shortly' before  that 'time,  and  occa- 
sioned a  considerable  sensation — <  The  Naked  Truth  ;  or,  the  I'ma  Stati  of 
the  Primitive  Church.*  1675.  4to.  It  is  a  moderate  book,  intended  to  heal  the 
divisions  which  then  prevailed  in  the  kingdom,  and  to  recondle  the  Chnrch 
and  the  Nonconformists  to  each  other.  It  was  acceptable  to  the  latter,  but 
not  to  the  high-church  party.  Dr.  Turner  attacked  it  in  *  AnimadTerrioiu  <m 
Naked  Truth,'  which  led  to  a  defence  of  it  from  the  pen  of  Andrew  MarveH, 
under  the  title  of  *  Mr.  Smirke;  or,  the  Divine  in  Mode.*  •  LezTalionU; 
or,  the  Author  of  Naked  Tnith  stripped  Naked,'  was  the  production  of  Phib'p 
Fellj  one  of  the  fellows  of  Eton  College.    <  A  modest  Survey  of  Um  aioiteoi* 


OV  BICHARD  BAXTER.  655 

of  the  above  works,  he  defends  the  reasonableness  of  transub- 
•tantiation,  the  most  unreasonable  of  all  impositions ;  and  in  the 
other^  his  object  is  to  prove,  that  the  Conformists  were  men  of 
Ho  conscience  or  religion  ;  but  that  all  sincere  religion  was  with 
the  Papists  and  Puritans :  thus  endeavouring  to  flatter  the  latter, 
as  if  the  two  parties  were  equally  influenced  by  conscientious 
principles.  Baxter  effectually  exposed  both  his  productions; 
but  though  he  did  this,  and  afterwards  became  acquainted  with 
the  author,  he  never  could  get  him  to  reply. 

In  1679,  he  published  a  treatise,  which  may  be  regarded  as 
the  continuation  of  his  controversy  with  Johnson, '  Which  is 
the  True  Church,  the  whole  Christian  World  as  headed  by 
Christ,  or  the  Pope  and  his  subjects?'  4to.  This  he  consi- 
dered a  full  answer  to  his  antagonist,  who  wisely  allowed  the 
controversy  to  drop. 

Among  the  high-church  party,  whom  Baxter  considered  in- 
dioed  to  Popery,  were  Mr.  Henry  Dodwell  and  Dr.  Sherlock. 
With  the  former  he  had  entered  into  a  very  long  personal  cor- 
fttpondenoe ;  and  from  the  latter,  as  has  been  stated  in  another 
place,  he  received  very  shameful  treatment.  Dodwell  was  a 
learned  and  amiable  man,  who  held  principles  so  nearly  allied 
to  Popery  about  the  sacraments,  ministry,  and  several  other 
points  of  religion,  as  to  require  very  nice  discernment  to  per- 
ceive any  important  difference  between  him  and  moderate 
Roman  Catholics.  He  held  that  there  is  no  true  minlstrv, 
church,  sacraments,  or  covenant  right  to  pardon  and  salvation, 
bat  through  a  ministry  ordained  by  bishops,  in  regular  and  un- 
interrupted succession  from  the  apostles.  In  his  large  book, 
entitled  '  Separation  of  Churches  from  the  Episcopal  Govern- 
ment, as  practised  by  the  present  Nonconformists,  proved 
Schismatical,'  1679, 4to,  he  endeavours  to  establish  these  senti- 
ments, and  td  fix  the  guilt  of  schism,  and  hence,  on  his  principles, 
exclusion  from  salvation^  upon  the  Nonconformists,  and  by  im- 
plication on  the  reformed  churches.    He  was  greatly  indignant 

ridenble  Things  in  Naked  Truth,'  was  ascribed  to  Bishop  Burnet.  *  A  Second 
Part  of  Naked  Truth'  was  published  in  1681,  in  folio,  by  Edmund  Hickeriag- 
hill,of  Colchester,  a  sort  of  imitation  of  the  first.  A  third  and  fourth  parts  were 
written  by  other  pens.  These  led  to  *  The  Catholic  Naked  Truth '  of  Hutchin- 
son  ;  to  <  The  Naked  Popery  '  of  Baxter ;  and  to  <  Naked  Truth  needs  no 
Sbifk,'  by  William  Penn,  the  Quaker.  So  much  for  the  influeuce  of  a  title 
iA  producing  imitation  on  a  subject  to  which  all  parties  lay  claim,  and  which 
it  Is  to  easy  to  accommodate  to  the  purpose  of  all !  A  more  modest  title,  how- 
•vir,  Migbl  hmw  been  found  by  grave  btahopsj  aod  leti  greedily  imitated  by 
sokma  Qoakert  and  stem  Presby tefiasi. 


656  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

at  Baxter's  insinuations  of  his  Popish  leanings^  in  the  third  put 
of  his  book  on  ^  Universal  Concord/  where  Baxter  commenti 
severely  on  his  views  of  schism.  ^^  There  is  lately/'  he  njii 
^^  come  out  of  Ireland,  a  young  ordained  student  of  Trinitr 
College,  Dublin,  to  propagate  this  and  such-like  doctrines  is 
London.  To  which  end  he  hath  lately  written  a  lai^  aad 
wordy  volume,  as  if  it  were  only  against  the  Nonconfonnisti; 
which  being  new,  and  the  most  audacious  and  confident  at- 
tempt that  ever  I  knew  made  against  the  reformed  choidMs 
by  one  that  saith  himself  he  is  no  Papist,  and  being  the  moit 
elaborate  enforcement  of  the  Papists'  grand  argameo^  m 
which  of  late  they  build  their  cause,  I  think  it  needful  not  to 
pass  it  by."  ^ 

Dodwell's  offence  at  being  thus  classed  with  Papists,  induced 
Baxter,  at  last,  to  publish  a  correspondence  which  had  formerlj 
taken  place  between  them,  in*  An  Answer  to  Mr.  Dodwell,  confut- 
ing an  Universal  Human  Church  Supremacy,  Aristocratical  and 
Monarchical,  as  Church  Tyranny  and  Popery/  16S1.4to.  With 
this  he  conjoined,  *  An  Account  of  his  Dissent  from  Dr.  Sherlock, 
his  Doctrine,  Accusations,  and  Argumentation.'  With,  this  he 
also  unites  his  dissent  from  the  French,  from  Bishop  Gunning, 
and  his  chaplain.  Dr.  Saywell,  Mr.  Thomdike,  Bishop  Bram- 
hall.  Bishop  Sparrow,  &c. 

Dodwell  replied  to  Baxter's  *  Pretended  Confutation  of  hb 
former  work ;  with  Three  Letters  formerly  written  to  him,  by 
Mr.  Baxter,  in  1673,  concerning  the  Possibility  of  Discipline 
under  a  Diocesan  Government.'  1681.  To  which  Baxter  re- 
joined, in  his  *  Answer  to  Mr.  Dodwell's  Letter,  calling  for  more 
Answers.'  1682. 4to.  He  calls  Dodwell's  system,"  Leviathan; 
or.  Absolute  Destructive  Prelacy,  the  son  of  Abaddon^  ApollyoD, 
and  not  of  Jesus  Christ." 

To  enter  minutely  into  the  subject  of  these  volumes  now,  would 
answer  no  valuable  purpose.  It  is  partly  personal,  partly  re* 
lating  to  the  Nonconformist  controversy,  and  partly  to  those 

<  *  Universal  Coucord/  partiii.  p.  74.  Archbishop  Tillotson  said  of  Dod- 
ytell  and  Baxter,  **  that  they  were  much  alike  io  their  tempers  and  opinioQS 
io  one  respect,  though  they  were  widely  opposed  to  each  other  in  their  tenets; 
both  of  them  loved  to  abouud  in  iheir  own  sense;  could  by  no'  roeaus  bt 
brought  off  their  own  apprehensious  and  thoughts,  but  would  have  them  tube 
the  rule  and  standard  lor  ail  other  men." — liirch^s  Life  of  IVloison,  p.  401. 
The  Life  of  Dodwell,  by  Brokesby,  gives  some  account  of  his  controversy  with 
Baxter,  and  affords  a  singular  illustration  of  the  extent  to  which  a  man  may 
possess  leaniing  without  judgment,  and  piety  without  discernment.  He  bid 
the  literature  of  a  Scaliger  in  the  head  of  a  cbUd.  He  protested,  bowcvtr, 
li{;ainst  belns  cous\dQK«*\  ^  U'\«\x^v>^^'^v(^« 


OF   RICHAaB  BAXTER.  657 


I 


popish  views  which  were  held  by  the  class  of  persons  referred 
to.  There  is  no  proper  halting  place  between  high- church 
principles  and  those  of  Rome.  A* system  identifying  man's 
authority  with  God's,  laying  claim  to  apostolic  authority,  and 
connecting  God's  salvation  with  the  ministry  of  man,  modified 
in  whatever  way,  is  essentially  popish  and  anti-Christian  in  its 
chanlcter  and  claims.  The  parties  holding  it  may  be  more  or 
less  entitled  to  respect  as  men  of  learning  or  of  piety,  but 
resistance  of  their  doctrines  is  binding  on  all  who  value  the 
principles  of  our  common  Protestantism  and  our  common 
Christianity. ' 

Of  a  similar  nature  to  the  works  just  mentioned,  is  another 
production  of  our  indefatigable  Author,  ^  Against  Revolt  to  a 
Foreign  Jurisdiction,  which  would  be  to  England  its  Perjury, 
Church  ruin,  and  Slavery.'  1691.  8vo.  lliis  work,  though  much 
6f  it  had  been  written  long  before,  was  not  published,  as  ap- 
pears from  its  date,  till  near  the  end  of  his  life.  He  dedicates  it  to 
Ills  'reverend  and  desired  friend,'  Dr.  John  Tillotson,  then  dean 
of  St.  Paul's,  whom  he  earnestly  entreats  to  present  it  to  the  next 
convocation,  to  induce  it,  if  possible,  to  make  a  public  renun- 
ciation of  a  foreign  jurisdiction,  and  to  discountenance  the 
books  which  were  written  in  its  favour.  It  is  not  probable  that 
milotson  complied  with  this  request.  Some  of  the  historical 
information  contained  in  the  work,  of  the  attempts  which  had 
been  made,  at  various  times,  to  bring  England  under  the  juris- 
diction of  Rome,  is  curious,  and  clearly  shows  that  the  fears  and 
jealousies  of  Baxter  and  his  friends,  were  not  without  cause. 
It  may  be  considered  as  Baxter's  final  answer  to  Peirce,  Heylin, 
Bramhall,  Hammond,  Sparrow,  Parker,  Dodwell,  Thorndike^ 
Sherlock,  &c.,  and  furnishes  a  key  to  many  of  the  differences, 
both  civil  and  religious,  which  had  occurred  in  the  kingdom. 
There  is  one  chapter  where  he  gives  a  summary  view  of  the 
attempts  to  introduce,  at  least,  a  species  of  episcopal  Popery 
and  arbitrary  government  into  this  country,  from  the  time  of 
Elizabeth,  of  the  successful  resistance  it  experienced,  and  of  the 
final  result ;  which  I  should  have  been  glad  to  quote,  had  my 
limits  permitted.     It  begins  at  page  332. 

•The  Protestant  Religion  Truly  Stated  and  Justified,'  is  a 

'  Much  of  the  correspondence  between  Dodwell  and  Baxter  was  friendly, 
and  a  great  deal  still  remains  unpublished.  There  is  one  letter  from  Dodwell 
to  Baxter  still  preserved  among  the  MSS.  of  the  latter^  in  twenty  closely-writ- 
ten folio  pftges,  full  of  the  learuing  for  which  DodweU  was  distinguished. 

VOL.   I.  U  U 


658  THB   LIFB  AND  WBITIV68 

posthumous  publication,  which  appeared  shortly  aft^  hb  death, 
with  a  prefoce  by  Dr.  Williams  and  Mr.  Sylvester,  though  the 
work  had  been  given  to  the  printer  by  Baxter  himself  finishec^ 
before  they  saw  it.  This  may  be  regarded  as  Baxter's  l^acy 
on  the  subject  of  Popery.  It  is  a  small  12mo  Tolume;  but 
contains,  in  fifty- two  short  sections,  a  summary  of  the  wbok 
controversy,  in  answer  to  a  work  which  had  appeared  a  short 
time  before  his  death,  entitled  'The  Touchstone  of  the  Re- 
formed Gospel.'  At  the  conclusion  there  is  a  singular  pra|cri 
which  I  quote,  as  probably  the  last  Baxter  wrote  for  the  pnwii 
''From  the  serpent's  seed,  and  his  deceiving  aubtle  liei| 
from  Cain  and  his  successors,  and  the  malignant^  blood-thirsty 
enemies  of  Abel's  faithful  acceptable  worship;  from  such  a 
worldly-and-fieshly'sacred  generation  as  take  g^in  for  godlinei^ 
make  their  worldly  carnal  interest  the  standard  of  their  ie» 
ligion,  and  their  proud  domination  to  pass  for  the  kingdoqi  of 
Christ;  from  an  usurping  vice-Christ,  whoae  ambition  bjM> 
boundless,  as  to  extend  to  the  prophetical,  prieaUyj  and  kingly 
headship,  over  all  the  earth,  even  to  the  antipodes,  aqd  tp  tint 
which  is  proper  to  God  himself,  and  our  Redeemer  j  from  a 
leprous  sect,  which  condemneth  the  far  greatest  part  of  ail 
Christ's  church  on  earth,  and  separateth  from  them,  calling 
itself  the  whole  and  only  church;  from  that  church  which 
decreeth  destruction,  0  all  that  renounce  not  all  human  seate, 
by  believing  that  bread  is  not  bread,  nor  that  wine  is  wine,  but 
Christ's  very  flesh  and  blood,  who  now  hath  properly  no  flesh 
and  blood,  but  a  spiritual  body — that  decreeth  the  excom- 
munication, deposition,  and  damnation,  of  all  princes  who  will 
not  exterminate  all  such,  and  absolveth  their  subjects  from 
their  oaths  of  allegiance;  from  that  beast  whose  mark  is/tfr, 
perjury f  perMiousue^s,  and  persecution,  and  that  thinketh  it 
doeth  God  acceptable  service,  by  killing  his  servants,  or  tor- 
menting them ;  from  that  religion  which  feedeth  on  Christ's 
flesh,  by  sacrificing  those  that  he  calleth  his  flesh  and  bones; 
from  the  infernal  dragon,  the  father  of  lies,  malice,  and  murder, 
and  all  his  ministers  and  kingdom  of  darkness — ^Good  Lord 
make  haste  to  deliver  thy  flock,  confirm  their  faith,  hope,  pa- 
tience ;  and  their  jqyfui  desire  of  the  great,  true,  final,  glorieus 
deliverance.     Amen,  Amen,  Amen  !  " 

I  have  compressed  within  as  narrow  limits  as  possible  the 
account  of  Baxter's  writings  on  the  Popish  con^versy  j  yet  the 


O?   RICHAAD   BAXTBR.  659 

reader  will  perceive  even  from  this  imperfect  review,  how  deeply 
he  entered  into  the  subject.  He  left  no  one  point  in  the  exten- 
^sive  field  it  embraces  untouched;  and  has  supplied  among  his 
various  works  a  complete  library  on  Popery.  Much  extraneous 
matter  is  indeed  to  be  found,  and  many  topics  are  laboured  with 
tiresome  prolixity ;  but  this  would  not  be  felt  at  the  time  they 
were  written  so  much  as  now.  The  subject  was  then  deeply 
interesting ;  the  fates  of  religion  and  of  the  kingdom  trembled  on 
the  success  or  failure  of  the  opposition  to  the  Roman  faith ;  so 
that  all  who  felt  for  the  happiness  of  men,  and  the  liberty  of 
their  country,  would  read  with  avidity  whatever  was  written  in 
their  defence. 

It  required  no  small  measure  of  courage  to  occupy  a  promi- 
nent place  on  the  Protestant  side  of  this  controversy,  especially 
during  the  latter  years  of  Charles  II.  and  the  reign  of  James. 
The  prinqiples  of  the  court,  and  the  leanings  of  the  high-church 
clergy,  were  all  in  favour  of  Rome ;  so  that  every  man  who 
opposed  it»  was  marked  as  an  enemy,  and  would  certainly  have 
been  selected  as  a  victim  on  the  re-establishment  of  papal 
authority  m  England.     Such  a  foe  as  Baxter,  however,  was 
not  tD  be  deterred  by  the  apprehefiiion  of  future  dan|;er«    Hi, 
had  fully  counted  the  cost  when  he  entered  the  field ;  and  should, 
he  have  fallen  in  it  while  fighting  in  his  Master's  cause,  he 
would  have  regarded  it  as  a  distinguished  honour. 

The  writings  of  Baxter  alone,  show  how  unjust  is  the  reproach- 
that  has  sometimes  been   thrown  on   Protestiant  ditsentemi' 
that  when  the  interests  of  Protestantism  were  exposed  to  im-- 
minent  danger,  they  stood  aloof,  allowing  the  champions  of 
the  church  of  England  to  fight  all  its  battles.    The  leading 
Nonconformists  all  took  part  in  this  Controversy  with  Rome,  as 
fax  as  could  be  expected  from  men  in  their  circumstances.   Blit 
it  would  be  unreasonable  to  look  for  the  same  efforts  from* 
persons  deprived  of  their  means  of  livingi  often  separated  from, 
books,  destitute  of  the  means  of  procuring  them,  as  from  persohs . 
who  were  in  possession  of  the  dignified  leisure  and  profusion  of' 
assistance,  afforded  by  a  wealthy  establishment.   But  even  under : 
all  these  disadvantages,  none  of  the  dignified  clergy  wrote  so 
voluminously,  and  few  of  them  wrote  so  well  on  this  subject^  as 
Richard  Baxter. 


U  u  2 


660  TUB  L1F£  AND  WRITINGS 


CHAPTER  IX- 


WORKS  ON  ANTINOMIANISM. 

The  Nature  of  Antioomianism— lU  Appearance  at  the  Refonnatioii— Origi- 
nated in  Popery— Ori^n  in  England— The  SentimenU  of  Cri^— Baittf^ 
early  Hostility  to  it— The  chief  Subject  of  his  *  Confession  of  Faith*— Dr. 
Fowler  — Baxter's  'Holiness,  the  Desig:n  of  Christiani^'— '  Appeal  ts 
the  Light '— <  Treatise  of  Justifying  Righteousneu'— Publication  of  Criipl's 
Works— Controversy  which  ensued— Baxter's  *  Scripture  Gospel  Defended' 
—The  Influence  of  his  Writings  and  Preaching  on  AntinomSanisniF-Leid- 
ing  Errors  of  the  System. 

An  inspired  apostle,  speaking  of  the  law  of  God,  declares 
that  ^^  it  is  holy,  just,  and  good/'  It  is  a  manifestation  of  the 
moral  purity  of  the  divine  character,  a  statement  of  the  relations 
which  subsist  between  God  and  his  creatures,  with  a  view  of  the 
equitable  claims  to  homage  and  obedience  which  those  relations 
imply.  While  its  every  requirement  breathes  the .  perfect  be- 
nevolence of  its  Author,  the  whole  tends  to  promote  the  hap- 
piness of  those  who  obey  it. 

Antinomianism  is  enmity  to  this  law;  hatred  of  its  purity, op- 
position to  its  justice,  or  stispicion  of  its  benevolence.  In  this 
naked  form  of  the  matter,  it  is  scarcely  probable  that  there  is 
under  the  profession  of  religion,  a  single  Antinomian  in  the 
world.  The  sanity  of  that  individual  would  be  justly  question- 
able who  should  maintain  principles  so  incompatible  with  the 
common  sense  of  mankind,  and  obviously  subversive  of  the  moral 
order  of  the  universe. 

The  fact,  however,  is  undoubted,  that  many  persons  have 
adopted  views  of  the  religion  of  Christ  which  virtually  imply 
a  renunciation  of  regard  to  the  divine  law,  and  tend  to  the 
entire  subversion  of  its  authority.  If  in  their  own  practice 
there  is  not  a  violation  of  its  precepts,  they  are  careful  it  should 
be  understood  that  their  conduct  is  not  indebted  to  the  law  for 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  661 

regulation  or  purity^  and  that  they  deny  its  claims  to  any  au- 
thority over  them.  They  assert  the  freedom  of  believers  in 
Christy  from  the  canon  as  well  as  fr6m  the  curse  of  the  law ; 
and  that  if  they  do  what  is  required,  it  is  not  because  it  is  there 
enjoined^  or  because  there  is  any  longer  danger  of  its  penalty, 
but  because  grace  secures  provision  for  holiness^  and  makes  the 
believer  complete  in  Christ. 

These  views  are  alleged  to  be  essenUal  to  the  glory  of  the 
dospel,  to  exalt  the  grace  of  Christ,  and  to  be  essentially  ne- 
cessary to  Christian  peace  and  comfort.  Other  sentiments 
are  proscribed  as  legal,  or  anti-evangelical,  expressive  of  low 
views  of  the  Saviour,  indicative  of  a  state  of  bondage  and 
servility  of  spirit,  and  inconsistent  with  Christian  confidence 
and  liberty.  The  parties  are  thus  at  issue  on  first  prin- 
ciples. They  occupy  no  common  ground.  The  Scriptures 
are  in  vain  appealed  to,  a  large  portion  of  them  being  vir* 
tually  abrogated,  and  a  system  of  interpretation  adopted  set* 
ting  at  defiance  all  rules,  and  destructive  of  all  enlightened 
deductions. 

It  is  worthy  ^{  attention  that  sentiments  of  the  above  descrip-' 
tion  virere  associated  at  an  early  period  with  the  Protestant 
Reformation.  Agricola,  one  of  the  friends  and  coadjutors  of 
Lmther,  publicly  avowed  opinions  respecting  the  law,  which 
Luther  found  it  necessary  to  resist  and  expose.  He  perceived 
the  tendency  of  such  views,  not  only  to  bring  reproach  on  the 
principles  of  the  Reformation,  but  to  open  the  flood-gates  of 
impiety,  and  subvert  the  grace  of  Christ  itself;  which  his  vain^ 
unsteady,  and  ill- taught  associate,  pretended  greatly  to  honour. 
The  zeal  and  enlightened  efforts  of  Luther,  however,  though 
they  counteracted,  could  not  altogether  eradicate  the  evil  prin- 
ciples which  were  then  disseminated,  and  in  some  quarters 
carried  to  the  utmost  excess  of  riot  and  profligacy. 

To  account  for  this,  it  is  not  sufiicient  to  refer  to  the  de- 
pravity of  human  nature,  and  a  tendency  to  abuse  the  best 
things.  Reference  to  the  doctrines  of  the  papal  church',  and  to 
the  prodigious  revolution  that  took  place  in  the  minds  of  men, 
on  the  most  important  subjects,  when  the  light  of  truth  first 
burst  in  upon  them,  will  enable  us  to  solve  in  a  satisfactory 
manner  an  apparently  difficult  problem,  and  to  throw  the  dis- 
grace of  Antinomianism, — the  opprobrium  of  Protestantism^  on 
Popery  itself. 


1562  THS  LIFX  AND  WBITIKGS 

Under  that  horrid  system  of  delusion  and  unrighteoutaen, 
salvation  is  regarded  as  almost  exclusively  a  human,  transaction, 
in  which  the  Deity  has  a  remote  concern^  but  which  must  be,  ia 
a  great  measure,  effected  by  man  for  himself,  or  in  eo-<iperatiaB 
with  his  fellow  mortals.  The  docjtrines  of  the  ment  of  good 
•works,  of  the  efficacy  of  penance,  of  the  sacrifice  of  th«  nuMi 
offered  by  priestly* hands,  of  the  interceadon  of  sabita,  and  <if  the 
purification  of  purgatory,  all  tended  to  create  Ihe  idea  that  re- 
.demption  from  sin  and  from  wrath,  with  the  cure  of  all  the  evik 
.of  our  nature,' belongs  to  man  himself,  and  that  the  Almighty 
interferes  in  it  only  as  he  is  acted  upon  by  hia  creaturea.  Oa 
God's  part  no  room  is  left  for  the  exercise  of  grace ;  all  ia  ob* 
•tained  as  matter  of  rightful  claim,  or  extorted  by  a  syatem  of 
barter  and  importunity.  On  the  part  of  man,  while  the  ay  stem 
seems  to  bring  salvation  within  his  own  powers  it  really  de* 
prives  him  of  every  satisfactory  hope  of  obtaining  it.  It  either 
puffs  him  up  with  pride  and  self-conceit,  derived  from  erio* 
neous  notions  of  his  own  virtues,  or  depresses  him  with*  despair 
of  accomplishing  his  object  by  his  own  feeble  and  unaided 
efforts.  The  law  (but  the  law  degraded,  obscured,  and  per- 
verted) is  the  only  part  of  religion  recognised  by  Popery. 

The  German  Reformer  discovered  at  an  early  period  of  hb 
career  this  grand  flaw,  the  origo  maU,  of  the  whole  system,  or 
mystery  of  iniquity.  It  had  put  God  out  of  his  own  place  ia 
the  administration  of  the  world ;  had  seated  a  usurper  on  hb 
throne,  and  made  man  himself  that  usurper.  In  the  economy  of 
^ademption,  Luther  discovered  that  God,  and  not  the  creature,  ii 
Jhe  main  worker ;  that  grace,  not  equity,' is  the  great  principle  of 
the  divine  conduct  towards  fallen  creatures ;  that  by  the  deeds 
of  the  law,  no  flesh  can  be  justified  before  God :  and  hence,  that 
aalvation  by  faith,  not  by  works,  is  the  grand  subject  of  CSiris- 
tianity.  The  doctrine  of  gratuitous  justification,  he,  therefore^ 
contended  for  as  the  leading  truth  of  the  Gospel.  As  the 
ground  of  hope,  he  opposed  it  to  every  system  of  self-righteoes* 
ness,  to  all  supposed  conformity  to  God's  own  law,  and  to  every 
accommodation  of  that  law  to  human  imperfection.  He  regarded 
salvation  as  that  which  could  not  be  purchased  by  human  merit, 
or  secured  as  the  reward  of  any  service  or  suffering  of  man* 

So  much  importance  did  Luther  attach  to  this  doctrine,  that 
he  not  only  viewed  it  as  the  articulus  stantia  et  cadenlis  ee^ 
clesuB;  he  V\\inse\i  \ook^d.  ^t.  the  law  with  something  like 


OF  RIGHABD   BAXTBtt.  663 

atispicion  of  its  being  unfriendly  to  the  grace  of  Christ.  Jea- 
lousy for  the  honour  of  the  main  principle  of  his  system^  led 
him  frequently  to  employ  language  about  the  law,^  unguarded 
and  dangerous  in  its  tendency ;  and  to  speak  both  of  James 
and  his  epistle,  as  if  he  considered  them  inimical  to  his  senti-^ 
ments.  Notwithstanding  this,  the  general  views  of  Luther 
wera  too  enlightened  and  scriptural  to  consist  with  any  im«« 
portant  or  practical  error.  He  took  care  to  obviate  the  in«* 
ferences  men  might  draw  from  some  of  his  statements,  by  ex« 
planations,  or  caveats,  that  sufficiently  mark  the  limits  withiti 
which  they  must  be  understood. 

;  Considering  the  number  who  adopted  the  Protestant  doctrine 
of  justification  by  faith,  it  would  have  been  strange  had  they  all 
made  a  judicious  use  of  it.  Unfortunately,  ^ome  of  those  who 
received  it  with  it))parent  joy,  could  see  no  other  doctrine  in  the 
fiible.  Convinced  of  the  hopelessness  of  justification  by  the 
law;  delivered  from  its  bondage  andterror^  as  well  as  from 
the  bondage  of  the  superinduced  yoke  of  ceremonies,  under 
which  they  had  long  groaned ;  they  could  think  of  nothing 
but  of  grace,  liberty,  and  confidence.  From  a  system  which 
had  almost  excluded  God  from  any  connexion  with  man's  sal^^ 
▼ation,  they  passed  to  one  which  seemed  to  leave  nothing  for 
man  but  to  contemplate  and  admire.  Beholding  a  perfect 
righteousness  by  which  freedom  from  guilt  is  secured  to  the 
believer,  entirely  independent  of  himself,  they  forgot  that  there 
is  a  righteousness  of  a  personal  character  indispensable  to  the 
enjoyment  of  God,  which  cannot  be  performed  by  proxy^  or 
obtained  by  substitution.  From  hearing  only  the  voice  of 
m  task  master,  who  goaded  them  on  by  the  terror  of  punish- 
menty  they  contracted  a  dislike  to  the  very  language  of  pre- 
cept, and  experienced  a  feeling  of  horror  at  the  idea  of  punish* 
ment,  or  its  threatening.  From  considering  salvation  as  what 
must  1)e  accomplished  entirely  by  man  and  in  him,  they  adopted 
a  view  of  it  which  divests  it  of  all  connexion  with  his  personal 
character  and  feelings.  In  their  minds,  it  became  the  solution 
of  a  moral  problem,  rather  than  a  moral  cure ;  a  sentiment  to 
delight  the  understanding,  more  than  a  medicine  to  relieve  the 
heart. 

'  St^ch  appears  to  me  to  have  been  the  process  of  the  early 
Protestant  Antinomianism.  In  proportion  to  the  strength 
€»f  passion,  and  the  weakness  of  understanding,  belonging  to 
those  who  received  the  reformed  faith^  these  imperfect  and 


664  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

erroneous  views  were  found  to  prevail ;  till^  in  many  cases^  the 
worst  abominations  of  Popery  were  grafted  on  a  Protestant 
creed. 

To  the  operation  of  causes  somewhat  similar,  the  Antinomian- 
ism  of  modern  times  may  frequently  be  ascribed.  It  is  often  the 
revulsion  from  a  previous  state  of  self -righteousness  and  forma* 
lity  to  such  a  professed  admiration  of  grace,  as  makes  the  par^ 
either  seem  to  be  indifferent  to  the  obligations  and  claims  of  mo- 
rality, or  to  teach  what  tends  to  their  utter  subversion.  Dr.Crispi 
the  founder  of  English  Antinomianism,  is  an  illustration  of  this* 
He  was  originally  a  low  Arminian,  who  held  the  merit  of  good 
works,  and  looked  for  salvation  more  from  his  own  doings,  than 
from  the  work  and  grace  of  a  Redeemer.  Having  been  led  to  see 
the  evil  and  folly  of  these  sentiments,  and  being  a  man  of  a  weak 
and  confused  mind,  he  not  only  abandoned  the  errors  of  his  for- 
mer course,  but  at  once  passed  to  the  opposite  extreme  of  that 
course,  and  taught  the  grossest  errors  in  the  very  grossest  fomit 
Yet  the  man  was  neither  licentious  himself,  nor  disposed  to 
promote  licentiousness  in  others.  His  professed  object  was  to 
exalt  the  Saviour,  even  when  he  employed  language  most  de- 
grading to  his  character. 

What  can  be  more  injurious  to  all  right  conceptions  of  God's 
moral  administration,  and  of  what  is  due  to  the  adorable  Re- 
deemer, than  the  following  representation  ?  though  after  all  it  is 
nothing  more  than  a  mistaken  mode  of  representing  the  doctrine 
of  imputation.  Crisp  confounds  a  transfer  of  consequences  with 
a  commutation  of  persons,  and  is  thus  guilty  of  the  absurdity  of 
converting  Christ  into  a  sinner.  "  It  is  iniquity  itself,"  he  says, 
^^  as  well  as  the  punishment  of  iniquity,  that  the  Lord  laid  upon 
Christ ;  he  bare  the  sins  of  men,  as  well  as  he  was  wounded  for 
their  sins.  The  Lord  hath  laid  this  iniquity  on  him  ;  he  makes 
a  real  transaction ;  Christ  stands  as  very  a  sinner  in  God's  eyes 
as  the  reprobate,  though  not  as  the  actor  of  these  transgressions; 
yet  as  he  was  the  surety,  the  debt  became  as  really  his  as  it  was 
the  principals'  before  it  became  the  surety's." ' 

On  the  same  absurd  plan  he  reasons  respecting  God's  views 
of  the  sins  of  his  people  before  they  believe,  confounding  all 
our  notions  of  good  and  evil.  "  The  Lord  hath  no  more  to  lay 
to  the  charge  of  an  elect  person,  yet  in  the  height  of  iniquity, 
and  in  the  excess  of  riot,  and  committing  all  the  abominations 
tliat  can  be  committed — 1  say  even  then,  when  an  elect  person 

•  Works,  vol.  ii.  pp.  261,  263. 


OV  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  665 

nmsfmch  a  couree,  the  Lord  hath  no  more  to  lay  to  that  per- 
son's  cnarge,  than  God  hath  to  lay  to  the  charge  of  a  believer; 
nay^  God  hath  no  more  to  lay  to  the  charge  of  such  a  person, 
than  he  hath  to  lay  to  the  charge  of  a  saint  triumphant  in  glory/'^ 

By  the  same  effectual  process  he  gets  rid  of  all  their  sins 
after  they  do  believe.  '^  Give  me  a  believer  that  hath  set  his 
footing  truly  in  Christ;  and  he  blasphemes  Christ,  that  dares 
aerve  a  writ  of  damnation  upon  that  person.  Suppose  a  be- 
liever overtaken  in  a  gross  sin,  it  is  a  desperate  thing  in  any 
man  so  much  as  to  serve  a  writ  of  damnation  upon  this  believer ; 
it  is  absolutely  to  frustrate  and  make  void  the  Mediatorship  and 
Saviourship  of  Christ,  to  say  any  believer,  though  he  be  fallen 
by  infirmity,  is  in  the  estate  of  damnation.  And  I  say  unto 
thee  thyself,  whoever  thou  art,  thou  that  art  ready  to  charge 
damnation  upon  thyself,  when  thou  art  overtaken,  thou  dost  the 
greatest  injury  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  that  can  be,  for  in  it 
thou  directly  overthrowest  the  fulness  of  the  grace  of  Christ,  and 
the  fulness  of  the  satisfaction  of  Christ  to  the  Father/'H 

He  maintains  that  the  law  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  trans- 
gressions of  such  persons,  even  of  the  grossest  kind,  and  thus 
prepares  an  opiate  for  the  utmost  profligacy,  under  the  Christian 
name.  '^  Suppose  a  member  of  Christ,  a  freeman  of  Christ, 
should  happen  to  fall,  not  only  by  a  failing  or  slip,  but  also  by 
a  gross  failing,  a  heavy  failing,  nay,  a  scandalous  fedling  into 
sin ;  Christ  making  a  person  free,  doth  disannul,  frustrate,  and 
make  void,  every  curse  and  sentence  that  is  in  the  law,  against 
such  a  transgressor ;  that  this  member  of  Christ  is  no  more 
under  the  curse  when  he  hath  transgressed,  than  he  was  before 
he  transgressed.  This  I  say,  Christ  hath  conveyed  him  beyond 
the  reach  of  the  curse ;  it  concerns  him  no  more  than  if  he  had 
not  transgressed.  Therefore,  let  me  tell  you  in  a  word,  if  ye.be 
free  men  of  Christ,  you  may  esteem  all  the  curses  of  the  law^ 
as  no  more  concerning  you,  than  the  laws  of  England  do  con- 
cern Spain,  or  the  laws  of  Turkey  an  Englishman,  with  whom 
they  have  nothing  to  do.  I  do  not  say  the  law  is  absolutely 
abolished,  but  it  is  abolished  in  respect  of  the  curse  of  it ;  to 
every  person  that  is  a  freeman  of  Christ.  So,  though  such  a 
man  do  sin,  the  law  hath  no  more  to  say  to  him,  than  if  he 
had  not  sinned."  ' 

In  consistency  with  these  principles,  he  maintains  that  sane- 
tification,  though  connected  with  justification,  is  no  part  of  the 

<  Works,  vol.  iU  p.  272.         »  Ibid.  vol.  i.  p.  36.         <  Ibid.  p.  20—245. 


669  THB  LIB  AMD  .wirrimis 

Miever*8  way  to  heaven;  and  that  Inherent  qualificatioifk er  te 
aCate  of  the  character^  are  doabtful  eridenoeajof  the  CSuMiin's 
hope.  In  shorty  he  confounds  the  divine  eternal  pwpose  of 
meicy  with  its  actual  application ;  compassioQ  for  thie  sine  rf 
men,  with  complacency  in  the  sinner  himself  |  the  fennncistlDa 
•f  the  law  as  the  principle  of  justification^  with  ita  aboBtiM  ai 
an  eternal  rule  of  righteousness;  Christ  with  the  believei^  9td 
the  bclierer  with  Christ.  All  this  is  dona  with  a  gftu  shovsf 
piety,  and  high«-8ounding  pretensions  to  sKtrtardinary  eeelfsr 
ihe  honour  of  the  Saviour* 

.  His  writings  abound  with  the  ultraism  of  grace,  and  a  Inscioii 
aesi  in  speaking  about  it,  which  is  oftm  ludicrous  and  diqjat^ 
log.  Of  which  let  the  following  serve  as  a  specimen :  ^  QvM 
is  a  way  as  the  cellars  of  wine  are  unto  drunkards,  that  era 
never  better  than  when  they  are  at  their  cups;  and  thereiMreBa 
place  like  the  cellar,  where  is  fulness  Jot  wine,  always  to  ha 
.  tippling  and  drinking :  I  say,  Christ  is  such  a  way,  and  letaH 
not  be  oflfenrive  to  say  so^  for  the  church  qpeaks  io  the  ssaw 
language  (Canticles  ii.  4, 5),  *  He  brought  me  (aaith  she)  iato 
hia  wipe  cellar :  stay  me  with  flagons,  comfort  roe  with  qppis% 
far  I  am  sick  of  love/  Beloved,  Christ  hath  such  ▼ariety  of 
delicates  served  in  continually,  and  such  sweetness  in  tUs 
variety,  that  the  soul  is  no  longer  satisfied  than  it  is  with  Christ. 
Here  is  not  staying  with  cups,  much  less  with  half  cups,  bat 
staying  ^th  whole  flagons;  there  is  a  kind  of  inebriatii^ 
whereby  Christ  doth,  in  a  spiritual  sense,  make  the  believers  thst 
keep  him  company  spiritu^ly  drunk,  he  overcomes  them  with 
his  wine/'' 

IVuly,  the  whole  of  this  monstrous  representation  seems  more 
like  the  sportings  of  a  reveller  than  ^he  production  of  Chrb- 
tian  intelligence  and  sobriety.  I  have  entered  into  this  detsil, 
tp  enable  the  reader  to  understand  the  kind  of  Antinonrianisai 
against  which  Baxter  waged  determined  war.  Dr.  Crisp  died 
in  1643.  He  published  nothing  during  his  lifetime ;  but  shortly 
after  his  death  three  vohimes  of  sermons,  from  which  the 
above  extracts  are  taken,  were  published  by  some  of  his  ad- 
mirers.  He  appears  to  have  had  a  number  of  followers :  seve* 
ral  persons  in  the  ministry  also  imbibed  and  taught  his  senti* 
ments ;  and  the  excitement  of  the  civil  wars  matured  and  ea* 
panded  every  form  of  heresy  and  extravagance  which  luqp- 
pened  to  fall  or  be  thrown  on  the  fertile  soil  of  England. 

.    .  T  Vol.  i.  pp.  103, 104.    . 


.     Of  BICHARD  BAXTER.  667 

,  f'  In  iny  Confession/'  says  Baxter,  ''I  opened  the  whole  doc* 
trine  of  Antinomianism  which  I  opposed ;  and  I  brought  the 
testtmonies  of  abundance  of  our  divines,  who  gare  as  much  to 
other  acts,  besides  faith  in  justification,  as  !•  I  opened  the 
weakness  of  Dr.  Owen's  reasonings  for  justification  before 
frith)  in  his  former  answer  to  me.  To  which  he  wrote  an  an-> 
•fper^  annexing  it  to  his  confutation  of  Biddle  and  the  Craco« 
vian  catechism,  t6  intimate  that  I  belonged  to  that  party,  so 
that  I  thought  it  unfit  to  make  any  reply  to  it. 

*^  But  for  all  the  writings  and  wrath  of  men  which  were  pro«* 
v{>ked  against  me,  I  must  here  record  my  thanks  to  God  for  the 
access  of  my  controversial  writings  against  the  Antinomians* 
When  I  was  in  the  army,  it  was  the  predominant  infection. 
The  books  of  Dr.  Crisp,  Pftul  Hobson,  Saltmarsh,  Cradock, 
jand  abundance  such -like,  were  the  writings  most  applauded ; 
asd  he  was  tliought  no  spiritual  Christian,  but  a  legalist,  that 
•anroured  not  of  Antinomianism,  which  was  sugared  with  the 
title  of  free  grace.  Others  were  thought  to  preach  the  law^ 
and  not  to  preach  Christ :  and  I  confess  the  darkness  of  many 
preachers,  in  the  mysteries  of  the  Gospel,  and  our  common 
lieglect  of  studying  and  preaching  grace,  and  gratitude,  and 
love,  did  give  occasion  to  the  prevalency  of  this  sect,  which 
€bd,  no  doubt,  permitted  for  our  good  to  renew  our  apprehen- 
aion  of  those  evangelical  graces  and  duties  which  we  barelji 
acknowledged,  and  in  our  practice  almost  overlooked.  But  this 
aect  that  then  so  much  prevailed,  became  so  suddenly  almost  ex- 
tinct, that  now  they  little  appear,  and  make  no  noise  at  all,  nor 
have  done  these  many  years.  In  which  effect,  those  ungrateful 
controversial  writings  of  my  ovm  have  had  so  much  hand,  as 
obligeth.me  to  very  much  thankfulness  to  God."* 

I  have  already  noticed  Baxter's  ^Aphorisms,'  ^Apology,' 
and  'Confession  of  Faith,'  in  treating  of  his  doctrinal  writ* 
ings;  but  as  they  have  all,  especially  the  last,  connexion 
with  the  Antinomian  controversy,  it  is  necessary  to  advert 
to  some  of  them  again.  In  his  'Confession,'  he  goes  most 
fully  into  the  subject,  and  shows  that  he  had  studied  it  most 
profoundly.  His  reference  to  Owen,  in  the  passage  of  his 
Life  just  quoted,  is  painful,  as  are  all  his  references  to  that 
eminent  man.  Owen  was  not  always  correct  in  his  phraseology 
on  doctrinal  subjects;  but  it  is  quite  unnecessary  to  say  he  was 
neither  an  Antinomian,  nor  a  high  Calvinist  in  the  modem 

*  LUe,  part  i.  p.  3. 


TBI  un  AKD  wunvm 

aenie  of  that  expreMion.  Baxter  was  prejadioed  at  hk  mBUt, 
and  therefore  looked  at  all  his  writinga  with  jealouqr  and  &• 
like.  The  other  penons  to  whom  he  refers  were  ai  differaH 
classes.  Saltmarsh  was  a  mystic  and  a  fimatie^  who  sfMMtMl 
the  wildest  and  most  incoherent  rhapsodies."  Hdbson  was  a 
military  captain^  and  a  Baptist  preacher.  Cradock,  and  Vafanr 
Powell^  whom  idso  Baxter  elsewhere  representa  aa  an  AnliBa^ 
mian,  were  both,  I  believe^  very  excellent  and  laborioiia  preadh 
ers  in  Wales,  who  had  nothing  beyond  m  tinctnre  of  Ugh  CUk 
▼inism  in  their  sentiments. 

After  noticing  what  he  considered  the  tendency  ai  the  cfi* 
nions  he  opposes^  and  what  he  knew  of  thar  actual  cflbeti^ 
he  presents,  in  the  following  admirable  passage^  m  Tiew  ef  lb 
own  feelings  and  resolutions,  in  reference  to  the  conlwifcisy. 

^  These  reasons  having  excited  my  aeal  against  thb  sNt| 
above  many  others,  I  have  accordingly  judged  it  my  doty  m 
bend  myself  against  them  in  all  my  writings,  especially  whsa  I 
saw  how  greedily  multitades  of  poor  soak  did  take  the  bstti 
and  how  exceedingly  the  writings  and  preachings  of  SahmaMh 
and  many  of  his  fellows  did  take  with  them.  Upon  tkiS|  I 
perceive  the  men  that,  in  any  measure,  go  that  way,  are  engaged 
against  me ;  and  how  to  appease  them  I  know  not.  I  woidd 
as  willingly  know  the  truth  as  some  of  them,  if  I  could*  Saie 
I  am  I  have  as  much  reason.  My  soul  should  be  as  predoos  la 
me.  Christ  should  be  as  much  valued ;  grace  should  be  as 
much  magnified ;  self  should  be  as  much  denied.  I  am  as 
deeply  beholden  to  Christ  and  free  grace  as  most  poor  raincfs 
in  the  world:  and  should  I  vilify  or  wrong  the  form  anopi* 
nion,  or  I  know  not  what!  Every  man  that  is  drawn  from 
Christ  is  drawn  by  some  contrary  prevailing  interest.  What 
interest  should  draw  me  to  think  meanly  of  my  Saviour  or  his 
free  grace  ?  For  free  remission  alone,  without  any  conditioOy 
or  an  eternal  justification,  I  do  not  perceive  but  that  my  very 
carnal  part  would  fain  have  it  to  be  true.     I  have  flesh  as  wdl 

"  Of  Saltmarsb,  Crandon,  who  supported  his  principles,  and  attacked  Bax- 
ter, says,  **  1  have  been  told  by  some  of  his  godly  acqnainta&ce,  thai  A* 
man  had  a  natural  impotency,  or  craziness  in  his  brain.  And  the  whirlwind 
of  imaginations  wherewith  he  was  carried  to  a  hasty  taidng  up  of  opinioaSf 
and  no  less  hurling  away  of  them  again ;  the  much  of  the  top,  and  the  Kttk 
of  the  bottom,  of  wit ;  the  flashes  of  nimbleness,  a'nd  the  wantof  solidify  aad 
depth  in  his  writings ;  his  inconsistency  with  himself,  with  c»tben,  with  ths 
Scriptures ;  his  extreme  mutability,  and  wandering  from  tropic  to  tro|»c,  with* 
out  settledness  anywhere,  in  great  measure  prove  the  report  to  be  tnie."-* 
QroHdon  agamtt  Baxter's  Aphorumst  p.  138. 


OF  lUCHARD  BAXTER.  669 

at  they;  and  if  I  am  able  to  discern  the  pleadings  or  inclinations 
of  that  fleshy  it  runs  their  way,  in  contradiction  to  the  spirit. 
The  Lord  knows  I  have  as  little  reason  to  extol  my  own  righ- 
teousness, or  place  my  confidence  in  works  and  merits,  as 
oAer  men  have.  I  must  truly  say,  the  Lord  holdeth  my  sins 
much  more  before  mine  eyes,  than  my  good  works.  The  one 
are  mountains  to  me,  the  other  I  can  scarce  tell  whether  I  may 
owiij  in  propriety,  without  many  cautions  and  limitations.  I 
ha;?e  therefore  no  carnal  interests  of  my  own  that  I  can  possi- 
bly discover,  to  lead  me  against  the  way  of  these  men,  or  engage 
me  to  contend  against  them.  Yet  I  am  not  able  to  forbear. 
I  confess  I  am  an  irreconcilable  enemy  to  their  doctrines,  and 
so  let  them  take  me.  I  had  as  lief  tell  them  so  as  hide  it. 
The  more  I  pray  God  to  illuminate  me  in  these  things,  the 
more  I  am  animated  against  them.  The  more  I  search  after 
the  truth  in  my  studies,  the  more  I  dislike  them ;  the  more  I 
read  their  own  books,  the  more  do  I  see  the  vanity  of  their 
conceits :  but,  above  all,  when  I  do  but  open  the  Bible,  I  can 
seldom  meet  with  a  leaf  that  is  not  against  them.''  * 

The  most  valuable  part  of  the  Confession  is  the  statement  in 
parallel  columns,  of  the  doctrines  of  Antinomianism  and  of  Po- 
pery, in  the  two  extremes,  with  what  Baxter  regarded  as  the  truth 
placed  between  them.  It  is  drawn  up  with  great  care,  and  is 
only  necessary  to  be  perused  to  satisfy  the  reader  on  which  side 
the  truth  really  lies.  Not  that  I  approve  of  all  his  own  repre- 
sentations, they  are  generally  too  verbose,  often  too  technical^ 
and  sometimes  erroneous.  But,  on  the  whole,  they  contain  a 
valuable  statement  of  important  truth,  and  clearly  prove  that 
Baxter  was  not  only  orthodox,  but  strictly  evangelical.  He  is 
chiefly  objectionable  when  he  speaks  of  the  interest  of  repent- 
ance and  good  works  in  our  justification,  as  well  as  faith.  His 
phraseology  is  unscriptural,  and  calculated  to  mislead;  but 
when  he  comes  to  explain  it,  it  means  nothing  more  than  that 
men  cannot  come  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven  without  repent- 
ance and  obedience,  which  are  always  the  accompaniments  of 
genuine  faith. 

The  next  performance  of  Baxter,  that  has  reference  to  this 
controversy,  is  a  small  tract,  which  I  shall  introduce  to  the 
leader  by  the  following  extract  from  his  Life. 

^  Dr.  Edward  Fowler,  a  very  ingenious,  sober  Conformist, 

*  Confestioii,  pp»  3, 4, 


670  THE  J.IFB  AND  WRITINGS 

wrote  two  books,  one,  ^  An  Apology  for  the  LatitiidinarianH,*  as 
they  were  then  called ;  the  other  entitled,  ^  Holiness  the  Design 
of  Christianity/  in  which  he  sometimes  put  in  the  word  only 
which  gave  offence,  and  the  book  seemed  to  some  to  have  a  acan^ 
dalouR  design  to  obscure  the  glory  of  free  justification,  under  pre^ 
tence  of  extolling  holiness  as  the  only  design  of  man's  redemptioiu 
This  occasioned  a  few  sheets  of  mine  on  the  said  book  and 
question,  for  reconciliation,  and  clearing  up  of  the  point ;  whieii^ 
when  Mr.  Fowler  saw,  he  wrote  to  tell  me  that  he  was  of  mf 
judgment,  only  he  had  delivered  that  more  generally  Which 
I  opened  more  particularly ;  and  that  the  word  was  only  hypers 
bolically  spoken*,  as  I  had  said.  But  he  spake  feelingly  agaiml 
those  quarrelsome  men  that  are  readier  to  censure  than  to  mn 
derstand.  I  returned  him  some  advice,  to  take  heed  lestth^ 
weakness  and  censoriousness  should  make  him  too  angry  and 
impatient  with  religious  people,  as  the  prelates  are  |  and  so  to 
run  into  greater  sin  than  theirs,  by  favouring  a  looser  party 
because  they  are  less  censorious.  To  which  he  returned  tne  m^ 
ingenuous  and  hearty  thanks,  for  as  great  kindness  as  ever  wia 
^owed  him }  which  told  me  that  free  and  frietidly  counsel  Id 
wise  and  good  men  is  not  lost."  ^ 

The  treatise  of  Dr.  Fowler,  who  was  afterward  bishop  ci 
Gloucester,  is  on  an  important  subject,  and  it  is  managed,  on 
the  whole,  with  considerable  ability.  The  full  title  of  it  is,  ^  The 
Design  of  Christianity ;  or,  a  plain  demonstration  and  improve- 
ment of  this  proposition,  That  the  enduing  men  with  inward, 
real  righteousness,  or  true  holiness,  was  the  ultimate  end  of  our 
Saviour's  coming  into  the  world,  and  is  the  great  intendmenl 
of  the  blessed  Gospel.'  1671.  8vo. 

The  work  of  Fowler  had  no  intentional  reference  to  the  An* 
tinomian  controversy,  though  the  subject  belongs  to  the  very 
essence  of  it ;  and  the  treatise  contains  much  that  could  be 
turned  to  profitable  account  in  that  discussion.  Baxter's  tract 
was  not  designed  as  an  answer  to,  but  rather  as  a  corroborations 
of  Fowler's  book ;  and  to  point  out  its  bearing  in  this  cou*. 
troversy.  It  is  entitled,  ^  How  far  Holiness  is  the  Design  of 
Christianity;  where  the  nature  of  holiness  and  morality  is 
opened,  and  the  doctrine  of  justification,  imputation  of  sin,  ahd 
righteousness,  partly  cleared,  and  vindicated  from  abuse.  In» 
certain  propositions  returned  to  an  unknown  person,  referring 
to  Mr,  Fowler's  treatise  on  this  subject.'  1671.  4to.     There  is 

^  Life,  part  uL  p.  8i». 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTSR.  671 

^  Aothitig  in  the  body  of  the  pamphlet  which  requires  particular 
notice  I  but  the  conclusion  of  it  is  worthy  of  being  quoted. 

^^  Undoubtedly,  holiness  is  the  life  and  beauty  of  the  soul.  The 
qiirit  of  holiness  is  Christ's  agent  to  do  his  work  in  us,  and  our 
pledge,  and  earnest,  and  first  fruit  of  heaven ;  it  is  Christ's  work, 
and  subordinately  comes  to  cleanse  us  from  all  filthiness  of  flesh 
and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  Ood.  Christ,  the 
Spirit,  the  Word,  the  ministry,  mercies,  afflictions,  and  all 
things,  are  to  bring  home  our  hearts  to  God,  and  to  work  to^ 
gether  for  our  good,  by  making  us  partakers  of  his  holiness* 
Our  holiness  is  our  love  of  God,  who  is  most  holy ;  and  our 
knre  of  God,  and  reception  of  his  love,  are  our  heaven  and  ever- 
laating  happiness  |  where,  having  no  more  sin  to  be  forgiven^ 
but  being  presented  without  spot  or  wrinkle  to  God,  we  shall 
for  ever  both  magnify  the  Lamb  that  hath  redeemed  us  and 
washed  us  from  all  our  sins  in  his  blood,  and  made  us  kings  and 
priests  to  God ;  and  shall  also,  with  all  the  holy  society,  sing. 
Holy,  holy,  holy,  to  the  blessed  Jehovah,  who  is,  and  was,  and 
is  to  oome,  to  whom  all  the  heavenly  host  shall  give  thb  special 
part  of  praise  for  ever/'  ^ 

A  lermon  preached  by  Baxter  at  the  Rnner's  Hall  Tuesday 
morning  lecture,  contained  some  remarks  on  the  Antinomians, 
or  those  whom  he  considered  such,  which  gave  great  offence* 
This  was  rather  frequently  the  case  with  regard  to  him  while 
preaching  in  London.  His  dislike  to  the  Independents,  whom 
he  was  fond  of  representing  as  Antinomians,  led  him  to  use 
Ifingiuage  that  was  considered  to  convey  personal  reflections 
on  some  of  their  most  approved  ministers,  which,  as  might  have 
been  expected,  was  resented  by  their  friends.  The  consequence' 
of  this  kind  of  bickering  was  the  separation  of  the  two  parties 
in  that  joint  lecture.  In  the  foUomng  paragraph  of  his  Life, 
speaking  of  the  transactions  of  the  year  1674,  he  says : 

*^  Having  preached  at  Pinner's  Hall  for  love  and  peace,  divers 
false  reports  went  current  among  the  Separatists,  and  from  them 
to  other  Nonconformists,  that  I  preached  against  the  imputation 
of  Christ's  righteousness,  and  for  justification  by  our  own  rights 
eousness,  and  that  the  Papists  and  Protestants  differ  but  in 
words,  &c«  So  that  I  was  constrained  to  publish  the  truth  of 
the  case  in  a  sheet  of  paper,  called  ^  An  Appeal  to  the  Light,' 
which,  though  it  evinced  the  falsehoods  of  their  reports,  and  no 
one  man  did  ever  after  justify  them  that  ever  1  could  hear  of, 

•  *  Holiness,  the  Oesigi^  of  ClurisUuuty ,'  pp.  21 ,  22« 


672  THB  UFB    AND  WBITINGS 

yet  did  they  persevere  in  their  general  accusation,  and  I  had 
letters  from  several  counties  stating  that  the  London  accusers  had 
written  to  them,  that  1  had,  both  in  the  sermon  and  in  that  paper 
called  ^  An  Appeal  to  the  Light,'  done  more  to  strengthen 
Popery,  than  ever  was  done  by  any  Papists.  This  was  the  reward 
of  all  my  labours,  from  the  separating  Independents.''  ^ 

Whether  by  an  Independent  or  not,  I  cannot  tell,  but  tills 
appeal  of  Baxter's  was  answered  immediately  in  a  very  smart 
and  brief  pamphlet :  '  Animadversions  on  a  sheet  of  Mr« 
Baxter's,  entitled,  ^  An  Appeal  to  the  Light ;'  for  the  further 
Caution  of  his  Credulous  Readers/  Oxford*  1675.  4to.  The 
author  of  this  tract  shows  that  Baxter  had  roundly  charged 
persons  with  Antinomianism,  to  whom  it  did  not  belong;  and 
that  his  own  explanations  of  the  subject  of  justification,  were  by 
no  means  satisfactory.  Both  these  positions,  it  must  be  acknow- 
ledged, are  correct.  Many  of  those  of  whom  he  spoke,  were 
decided  Calvinists,  high  rather  than  moderate ;  but  who  were 
grossly  misrepresented  when  classed  among  Antinomians.  Soeh 
men  as  Owen,  Tully,  Bagshaw,  Bunyan,  ought  not  to  have  been 
ranked  with  Saltmarsh,  Hobson,  and  others  of  that  stamp. 
Baxter  often  injured  his  own  cause  by  his  injudicious  manner  of 
advocating  it.  Though  sometimes  he  states  the  doctrine  of  jus- 
tification very  well,  in  general  he  beclouds  it  with  his  distinctions 
and  definitions ;  so  that  no  one  who  understands  it  will  prefer 
his  explanations  of  this  doctrine  to  those  of  the  writers  whom  he 
opposes. 

In  the  collection  of  pieces  which  Baxter  published  in  1676j 
under  the  general  titie  of  *  A  Treatise  of  Justifying  Right- 
eousness,' to  which  reference  has  already  been  made  in  the 
chapter  on  his  doctrinal  works,  Antinomianism  is  the  chief 
object  of  his  attention.  The  first  book,  which  treats  of  im- 
puted righteousness,  and  the  reply  to  Dr.  Tully's  letter,  enter 
very  fully  into  the  history  and  merits  of  the  controversy.  To 
the  discussion  with  Tully,  or  the  debate  in  which  that  writer 
had  long  engaged  with  Bull,  it  is  unnecessary  further  to  advert 
in  this  place.  Those  who  wish  to  enter  largely  into  the  subject 
must  consult  Nelson's  *  Life  of  Bishop  Bull,'  where  it  is  stated 
with  great  fairness  and  candour.  In  Baxter's  treatise,  the 
chief  things  of  importance  are  his  historical  view  of  the  pro- 
gress of  tlie  Antinoinian  controversy,  with  the  account  of  his 
own  connexion  with  it ;  and  a  few  passages,  in  which  he  very 


OP   RICRARP   BAXTER.  673 

accurately  explains  the  nature  of  that  connexion  which  sub- 
sists between  Christ  and  his  people,  in  virtue  of  which  they 
enjoy  the  benefits  of  his  redemption.  In  some  of  these  para- 
graphs he  states  the  doctrine  of  imputation  in  such  a  way  as 
must  commend  itself  to  every  enlightened  mind,  and  so  as  com- 
pletely exposes  the  absurdity  of  imputed  sanctification.  With 
no  less  propriety  he  states  the  moral  or  analogical  sense,  in  which 
the  Scriptures  speak  of  Christ's  righteousness  as  the  property  of 
his  people.  Had  he  and  others  always  spoken  in  the  intel- 
ligible and  scriptural  manner,  on  this  important  subject,  which  is 
done  in  some  parts  of  this  volume,  how  much  good  might  have 
been  effected,  and  what  a  quantity  of  useless  debate  and  alterca- 
tion would  have  been  prevented !  The  unnatural  strain  and  con- 
struction which  have  been  put  on  the  language  of  Scripture, 
on  several  points  in  this  controversy,  have  created  great  con- 
fusion, and  have  been  attended  with  many  injurious  conse- 
quences. The  ignorance  and  weakness  of  some  occasion 
misconceptions  of  Scripture  phraseology,  which  the  technical 
lafiguage  and  wire-drawn  distinctions  of  men  of  superior  minds 
often  tend  to  increase  rather  than  to  remove. 

Almost  at  the  very  close  of  his  life,  and  after  he  judged  An- 
tinomianism  in  a  great  measure  to  have  been  destroyed,  Baxter 
was  roused  to  the  re-consider^tion  of  the  subject,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  re-publication  of  Dr.  Crisp's  works,  by  his  son, 
Samuel  Crisp.     To  this  edition  was  prefixed  a  document,  sub- 
scribed with   twelve  names   of  London  dissenting  ministers, 
among  whom  were  Messrs.  Howe,  Griffiths,  Cockain,  Chauncy, 
Alsop,  and  .Mather.     Considering  the  nature  of  Crisp's  sen- 
timents, and  the  outrageous  language  which  he  employs  in 
his  sermons,  it  is  deeply  to  be  regretted  that  such  men  had  any 
thing  to  do  with  the  publication.    They  do  not,  however,  re- 
commend or  approve  the  sentiments,  but  declare  their  belief 
that  the  discourses  as  published,  with  additions,  by  his  son^ 
really  were  Dr.  Crisp's. 

This  publication  very  nearly  occasioned  a  controversy  between 
Baxter  and  Howe,  who  was  one  of  the  subscribers  of  the  attesta- 
tion. Baxter  wak  exceedingly  displeased  that  the  doctrines  of 
Crisp  should  appear,  even  in  the  slightest  degree,  to  be  counte- 
nanced by  such  persons.  He  drew  up  a  paper,  therefore,  with 
some  warmth,  against  a  practice  which  he  thought  had  a  very 

VOL,  !•  XX. 


674  THE  LIFB  AN0  WRITINGS 

pernicious  tendency.  Mr.  Howe^  wai^ng  on  him,  praviikd 
with  him  to  stop  it  before  it  was  published  and  dispersed,  upon 
his  promising  to  prefix  a  declaration,  with  reference  to  ths 
names  before  Dr.  Crisp's  sermons,  (which  declaration,  alsciii 
should  have  several  names  to  it,)  to  a  book  of  Mr*  Flavel'i^ 
then  going  to  press,  entitled,  'A Blow  at  the  Rootj  or,  the 
Causes  and  Cure  of  Mental  Errors,'  This  was  ucemUnfjij 
done ;  yet  many  remained  dissatisfied.  * 

Though  this  prevented  a  personal  discussion  with  Howe,  it 
did  not  keep  Baxter  from  engaging  in  the  general  cootiavmif* 
In  the  preface  by  Samuel  Crisp,  the  editor,  Baxter  ccmsidered 
himself  attacked,  though  he  was  not  named,  and  therefore  felt 
that  he  was  called  once  more  to  contend  for  the  fiuth  deliraed 
to  the  saints.  He  was  thus  led  to  publish  ^  The  Scripture  Gospel 
Defended,  and  Christ,  Grace,  and  Free  Justification  Vindicatedi 
against  the  Libertines/  1690.  8vo.  This  work  is  divided  into 
two  books.  The  first  is,  ^A  Breviate  of  Fifty  Controversies 
about  Justification.'  The  second  is,  ^  A  Dialogue  between  sa 
Orthodox  Zealot  and  Reconciling  Monitor,  vmtten  on  the  Re- 
viving of  the  Errors,  and  the  Reprinting  and  Reception,  of  Dr« 
Crisp's  Writings,'  &c.  In  this  second  book,  he  describes  a 
hundred  of  their  errors.  He  then  endeavours  to  moderate 
men's  censure  of  their  persons:  and,  thirdly,  assigns  reasons 
for  not  replying  to  them  more  at  large. 

Baxter  saw  only  the  commencement  of  the  controversy  re- 
specting Crisp's  sentiments,  which  agitated  and  consumed  the 
dissenters  for  more  than  seven  years  after  he  had  gone  to  his 
rest.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  friend  Dr.  Williams,  who  took 
the  lead  in  the  discussion  in  support  of  the  doctrines  of  what 
may  be  called  moderate  Calvinism ;  and  who,  after  incredible 
exertion,  and  no  small  portion  of  suffering,  finally  succeeded  in 
clearing  the  ground  of  the  Antinomians :  scarcely  any  of  them 
being  left  among  the  reputed  dissenting  ministers  of  the  metro- 
polis at  the  beginning  of  the  last  century.  The  best  account 
of  this  controversy,  both  as  carried  on  in  the  church  and 
among  the  dissenters,  for  it  was  not  confined  to  one  party,  is 
given  by  Nelson,  in  his  ^  Life  of  Bishop  Bull,'  to  which  f  b^  to 

•  Calamy's  Own  Life,  vol.  i.  pp.  322,  323.  Tht  paper  prefixed  to  Flavd*! 
Treatise  is  subscribed  by  seveu  out  of  the  twelve  who  had  prefixed  their 
names  to  the  former  attestation.  Jn  this  paper  Ihey  entirely  disclaim  any  io- 
tention  to  approve  of  Crisp's  doctrine,  and  declare  they  were  merely  caUe4 
to  attest  the  sou's  iate^rity  as  the  publisher  of  hit  fatber*i  niaauscripti* 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  67S 

refer  the  reader  who  feels  interested  in  its  further  details.  I 
confine  myself  to  a  few  additional  observations  on  Baxter's 
connexion  with  it 

I  do  not  regard  his  controversial  writings,  as  having  ren- 
dered any  very  essential  service  in  this  discussion.  He  has,  in- 
deed, stated  himself  to  be  of  a  different  opinion ;  and  it  waa 
natural  he  should  think  so,  considering  how  much  he  wrote  oi| 
the  subject.  But  two  things  which  he  did  in  this  controversy 
greatly  impaired  his  influence.  He  placed  individuals  and  opi- 
nions under  the  charge  of  Antinomianism  that  ought  not  to 
have  been  thus  treated.  By  this  means  he  divided  the  true 
friends  of  that  very  cause  which  he  espoused,  and  created  addi- 
tional labour  to  himself;  besides  exciting  those  feelings  of  per- 
sonal irritation  of  which  he  so  frequently  complains. 

In  the  next  place,  his  own  system  of  doctrine,  in  which  he 
spoke  so  much  of  terms  and  conditions,  and  of  the  interest  of 
repentance  and  good  works  in  justification,  was  not  well  calcu-' 
lated  to  soften  down  the  prejudices  of  the  libertines  whom  ho 
opposed.  Many  of  them  had  good  views  of  the  freeness  of 
grace,  so  far  as  that  one  position  goes,  and  were  not  to  be 
satisfied  with  a  mode  of  treating  the  subject  more  objection- 
able than  even  the  stricter  Calvinism,  to  which  they  objected  as 
not  sufficiently  high  for  them.  If  they  mystified  justification 
and  imputation  in  one  way,  Baxter  did  it  in  another ;  so  that 
die  scriptural  scholar  will  probably  object  to  the  explanations 
of  both  parties ;  though  he  will  feel  convinced  that  Baxter's 
views,  when  stripped  of  the  'verbiage  with  which  they  are 
clothed,  were  much  nearer  the  truth  than  those  of  his  oppo- 
nents, and  much  less  calculated  to  injure  the  souls  of  men. 

But  though  his  controversial  writings  effected  little,  his  prac- 
tical works  and  preaching  effected  a  great  deal  in  this  con- 
troversy. In  these,  without  directly  entering  the  lists  with 
Antinomians,  and  probably  without  thinking  of  them,  he  as- 
sailed the  strong  holds  of  their  system,  and  demolished  them  to 
the  ground.  A  better  remedy  for  any  one  attached  to  their  mis* 
taken  views  could  not,  perhaps,  be  prescribed  than  a  course  of 
Baxterian  reading.  If  the  influence  of  Baxter's  spirit  should 
be  imbibed,  the  cure  would  be  certain. 

One  of  the  great  evils  of  the  system  consists  in  grossly  in- 
correct notions  of  the  nature  of  the  law  of  God."  From  these 
arise  imperfect  ideas  of  human  responsibility,  with  which  are 

xx2 


676  THB   LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

necessarily  connected  inadequate  impressions  of  guilt,  and  of  the 
evil  nature  of  sin.  On  all  these  subjects  Baxter's  views  woe 
most  enlightened ;  and  they  were  expressed  with  a  power  of  do- 
quence  scarcely  equalled  in  human  writings.  He  always  speaks 
of  the  law  of  God  like  a  man  who  well  understood  its  spiritaal 
character  and  its  unquestionable  claims.  He  pronounces  on  its 
authority,  not  as  a  matter  mbjudicey  or  which  admitted  of  dis- 
pute ;  but  which  had  its  evidence  in  itself,  and  its  answer  in  every 
man's  conscience.  Sin  was,  in  his  view,  not  a  thing  of  speculation, 
which  men  required  to  be  convinced  of  by  argument,  but  mat^ 
ter  of  fact,  not  to  be  denied  or  explained  away  by  the  sinner. 
He  arraigns  him  before  the  bar  of  God;  he  drags. him  to  Sind; 
be  pours  upon  his  ear  the  denunciation  of  offended  Heaven : 
leaving  him  no  plea  to  urge,  no  ground  to  stand  on,  without 
repairing  to  Calvary  and  the  cross. 

If  the  forte  of  some  preachers  and  writers  be  the  comforting 
of  the  broken-hearted,  and  that  of  others  the  building  up  of 
believers,  the  strength  of  Baxter  lay  in  convincing  men  of  sin. 
Man's  responsibility  for  the  powers  and  privileges  which  he 
enjoys,  is  urged  by  no  writer  with  such  fulness  and  force  as 
it  is  by  him.  He  had  the  deepest  sense  of  this  responsibility 
himself,  and  was  thus,  as  well  as  by  other  considerations,  in- 
duced to  place  it  in  the  most  powerful  manner  before  others. 
High  Calvinism,  or  Antinomianism,  absolutely  withers  and  de- 
stroys the  consciousness  of  responsibility.  It  confounds  moral 
with  natural  impotency,  forgetting  that  the  former  is  a  crime, 
the  latter  but  a  misfortune ;  and  thus  treats  the  man  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins,  as  if  he  were  already  in  his  grave.  It  pro- 
phesies smooth  things  to  the  sinner  going  on  in  his  transgres- 
sions, and  soothes  to  slumber  and  the  repose  of  death  the  souls 
of  such  as  are  at  ease  in  Zion.  It  assumes  that,  because  men 
can  neither  believe,  repent,  nor  pray  acceptably,  unless  aided 
by  the  grace  of  God,  it  is  useless  to  call  upon  them  to  do 
80.  It  maintains  that  the  Gospel  is  only  intended  for  elect 
sinners,  and  therefore  it  ought  to  be  preached  to  none  but  such. 
In  defiance,  therefore,  of  the  command  of  God,  it  refuses  to 
preach  the  glad  tidings  of  mercy  to  every  sinner.  In  opposition 
to  Scripture  and  to  every  rational  consideration,  it  contends  that 
it  is  not  man's  duty  to  believe  the  truth  of  God ;  justifying  the 
obvious  inference,  that  it  is  not  a  sin  to  reject  it.  In  short,  its 
whole  tendency  is  to  produce  an  impression  on  the  sinner's 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTER.  677 

mind,  that  if  he  18  not  saved,  it  is  not  his  fault,  but  God's ;  that 
if  he  is  condemned,  it  is  more  for  the  glory  of  the  divine  sove- 
reignty, than  as  the  punishment  of  his  guilt. 

I  am  not  acquainted  with  any  direct  process  of  argument  by 
which  such  persons  are  likely  to  be  cured.  Their  judgments  are 
commonly  as  weak,  as  their  understandings  are  perverted  and  ob- 
stinate. They  reason  in  a  circle,  which  it  is  a  vain  endeavour 
to  break.  They  dwell  on  the  figurative  language  of  Scripture, 
which  they  apply  in  the  most  literal  sense ;  refusing  to  be  subject 
to  any  laws  or  canons  of  interpretation.  In  such  cases,  the  best 
mode  of  proceeding  is,  perhaps,  that  which  Baxter  pursued  in  his 
general  preaching — to  treat  such  men  as  sinners  labouring  under 
the  influence  of  that  deceitful  depravity,  which  assumes  this 
with  a  thousand  other  forms,  for  the  destruction  of  its  subject. 
Baxter  contributed  greatly  to  introduce  this  awakening  and 
powerful  style  of  preaching;  and  thus  did  more  to  prevent  and 
counteract  Antinomianism,  than  by  all  his  controversial  writings. 

Another  fatal  error  of  this  system,  respects  the  great  design  of 
the  Gospel  itself.  That  this  should  be  mistaken,  considering 
the  clearness  of  the  discovery  to  us,  and  the  importance  of  our 
understanding  that  discovery,  may  appear  surprising ;  but  the 
fact  is  undoubted.  The  grand  object  of  the  Gospel  is  the  re- 
demption of  sinners.  That  redemption  necessarily  includes  all 
that  belongs  to  the  condition  of  the  lost  and  ruined  party.  It 
finds  man  guilty,  and  provides  for  him  pardon :  it  finds  him  de- 
praved, or  morally  diseased,  and  it  provides  a  cure.  It  is  de- 
signed to  comprehend  his  body,  soul,  and  spirit,  and  to  secure 
their  interests  for  ever.  The  blood  of  Christ,  the  great  sacri- 
fice for  sin,  is  made  the  basis  of  the  proclamation  of  Heaven's 
forgiveness  to  all  that  believe;  and  the  application  of  the  same 
blood  by  which  the  pardon  is  secured,  by  the  power  of  the 
divine  Spirit,  is  made  to  cleanse  the  soul  from  all  its  impurity. 
The  grand  loss  which  man  has  sustained  by  sin,  is  the  moral 
image  of  the  Creator.  His  nature  has  thus  been  robbed  of  its 
highest  glory,  and  deprived  of  its  chief  enjoyment.  Mere  for- 
giveness might  save  from  punishment,  but  could  not  render 
the  sinner  like  God,  or  capable  of  beholding  his  resplendent 
face  in  righteousness.  In  order  to  this,  the  divine  nature  must 
be  again  restored ;  God  must  once  more  breathe  into  his  nostrils 
the  breath  of  life,  and  form  him  again  .according  to  his  own 
likeness  in  knowledge  and  in  true  holiness. 

It  may  be  said,  therefore,  with  the  greatest  propriety,  that 


678  THB  ura  AND  wjuTiiras 

men  are  forgiven  that  they  maybe  aanetiSed}  they  are.  {iv* 
doned  that  they  may  be  renewed.  ^  HoUneaa^"  aays  Baatetp 
*'  doubtless  is  that  higher  blessing  which  ftffgiTeneia  teodeCh  tDgi 
as  a  means  to  the  end :  even  that  God  may  have  hk  own  agriiif 
which  was  lost,  and  man  may  again  be  nearer  and  liker  to  6od| 
litter  to  knowt  love,  and  honour  him,  and  be  hap|iy  tbaicint'* 
This  conformity  to  God,  is  the  end  of  the  dhine  predeatinatkNit' 
the  end  of  the  divine  election;'  the  grand  end  of  the  death  of 
Christ  ;^  the  object  of  all  the  iigimctiona  of  the  word  of  QcAf 
and  the  leading  design  of  all  the  disciidine  of  hb  Providencei^ 

Antinomianism,  so  far  from  regarding  the  moral  eme  of 
human  nature  as  the  great  object  and  design  of  the  Gospel^  doss 
not  take  it  in  at  all,  but  as  it  exists  in  Christ,  and  becomes  oor^s 
by  a  figure  of  speech.  It  regards  the  grace  and  the  pardon  as 
every  thing,  the  spiritual  design  or  effect  as  nothing.  Hence  its 
opposition  to  progressive^and  its  zeal  for  imputed  aanctifieation; 
the  former  is  intelligible  and  tangible,  but  the  latter  is  a  %• 
nent  of  the  imagination.  Hence  its  delight  in  expatiating  on 
the  eternity  of  the  ditdne  decrees,  which  it  does  not  understmd^ 
but  which  serve  to  amuse  and  to  deceive  ;  and  its  dislike  to  all 
the  sober  realities  of  God's  present  dealings  and  commands.  It 
exults  in  the  contemplation  of  a  Christ  who  is  a  kind  of  con- 
cretion of  all  the  moral  attributes  of  his  people,  to  the  over- 
looking of  that  Christ  who  is  the  Head  of  all  that  in  heaven 
and  on  earth  bear  his  likeness ;  and  while  unconscious  of  pos- 
sessing it.  It  boasts  in  the  doctrine  of  the  perseverance  of 
the  saints,  while  it  believes  in  no  saint  but  one,  that  is,  Jesus, 
and  neglects  to  persevere.  '^  The  dreamer  must  feel  that  sin  is 
a  substantial  ill,  in  which  himself  is  £ata)iy  implicated,  not  a 
mere  abstraction  to  be  discoursed  of;  he  must  learn  that  the 
righteous  God  deals  with  mankind  on  terms  perfectly  adapted 
to  the  intellectual  and  moral  conformation  of  human  nature,  of 
which  He  is  the  author ;  and  he  must  know  that  salvation  is  a 
deliverance  in  which  man  h  an  agent,  not  less  than  a  recipient."' 

The  whole  object  and  aim  of  Baxter's  preaching  and  prac- 
tical writings,  were  to  promote  holiness  as  the  grand  end  of  re-> 
ligion,  and  he  who  proposes  another  or  inferior  end  of  his  mi- 
nistry, aims  at  something  different  from  the  main  design  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ.    Baxter  sometimes  mistook  the  means  of 

'  Rom.  viii.  29.  «  Ephes.  i  4.  ^  Ibid.  v.  25—27. 

>  Heb.  xii.  10.  k  i  peter  i.  15, 16. 

}  *  Natursl  Hiilory  oT  Enthusisini/  p.  89. 


OP   KICHARD   BAXTER.  679 

accomplishing  his  object,  and  employed  measures  which  not  only 
failed  to  convince  his  opponents,  and  correct  the  evils  of  which 
he  complained,  but  actually  exasperated  them.  But  we  inva- 
riably perceive,  both  in  his  controversial  and  practical  writings^ 
the  subject  which  was  uppermost  in  his  thoughts  and  desires. 
His  definitions  are  sometimes  incorrect^  his  distinctions  are 
often  injudicious,  and  his  language  frequently  captious  and 
provoking ;  but  his  own  life  was  blameless  and  harmless,  his 
character  was  formed  on  the  ground  of  Gospel  holiness,  and  his 
great  and  increasing  anxiety  was,  to  produce  in  others  the  ^- 
joyment  of  the  same  salvation  which  he  had  himself  received,  and 
the  purifying  influence  of  its  glorious  hope«°^ 

"*  The  Ittte  Rev.  Andrew  Poller  was  one  of  fhe  ablest  antsgonlstt  of  Aatiao- 
BMNiiMilsai  in  modern  timee.  In  <  The  Gospel  worthy  of  nil  AccepUtiDli,' 
Mid  the  Defence  of  it,  and  a  poethumoue  treatise  on  Antmomianlf m  poblfehed 
in  hie  works,  beside  eeveral  other  of  his  pieces,  there  are  some  fidmirable 
▼lews  of  the  subject.  In  bis  Life,  by  Dr.  Ryland,  there  is  a  i^ood  deal  of 
inlerestini;  information  respectini^  the  state  and  profpress  of  Hi|^h  Calnnism 
durinf  the  last  century.  A  rery  able  and  important  review  of  Puller's  writinf^ 
OB  tMi»  nndy  indeed^  aU  the  subjects  which  engaged  his  pen,  is  giren  in 
Morris's  *  Memoirs  of  Fuller/  which  I  recommend  to  the  reader't  attenlton 
who  wishes  to  examine  this  topic  at  length. 


680  THE  UFB  AND   WRITINGS 


CHAPTER   X- 


WORKS    ON   BAPTISM,   QUAKERISM,   AND   MILLENARIANISM. 

lotroductory  Remarks — Cootroveray  with  Tombes — ^  Plain  Proof  of  fnfifflt 
Baptism ' — Answered  by  Tombes — *  More  Proofs  of  Infant  Church  Mem- 
bership'— Controversy  with  Dan  vers — 'Review  of  the  Slate  of  Cbristiaa 
Infants' — Controversy  with  the  Quakers— Early  Behaviour  of  the  Quakers 
^*  Worcestershire  Petition  to  Parliament'—*  Petition  Defended'— *  Qua- 
ker's Catechism  * — *  Single  Sheets '  relating  to  the  Quakers— Controversy 
with  Beverley  on  the  Millenium — ^Account  of  Beverley — *  The  Glorioui 
Kingdom  of  Christ  described  '—Answered  by  Beverley — Baxter's  '  Reply  '*" 
Conclusion. 

Considering  the  variety  of  subjects  which  form  strictly,  or  by 
implication,  the  divine  revelation  of  the  sacred  Scriptures,  and 
the  diversity  which  characterises  the  modes  of  thinking  and 
circumstances  of  men,  by  which  they  are  more  or  less  influenced 
in  forming  their  opinions  of  the  will  of  God,  it  is  not  surprising 
that  religious  controversies  have  in  every  age  of  tlie  Christian 
churcTi  been  very  numerous.  Sometimes  they  relate  to  matters 
of  great  importance,  and  then  require  to  be  viewed  with  that 
seriousness  and  care,  which  are  always  becoming  when  such 
subjects  are  discussed.  At  other  times  they  relate  to  subjects 
of  inferior  magnitude,  respecting  which  men  of  equal  integrity 
and  decision  of  Christian  character  mav  differ,  without  anv  im- 
peachment  of  their  principles  or  sincerity.  It  has  often  hap- 
pened, however,  that  these  inferior  points  have  been  discussed 
with  a  warmth  and  violence  altogether  unsuitable,  and  which 
have  tended  to  exasperate  and  to  wound,  instead  of  producing 
reconciliation  and  healing.  Asperity,  crimination,  and  provok- 
ing language,  have  been  the  bane  of  religious  controversy,  and 
have  excited  the  most  powerful  prejudices  against  it  on  the  part 
of  many  who  might  otherwise  have  been  greatly  benefited  by  a 
calm  and  enlightened  disoussion  of  subjects,  respecting  which 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  681 

t 

they  are  imperfectly  informed.  Truth,  however,  has  sometimes 
derived  advantage,  while  the  disputers  about  it  have  been  in* 
jured.  Light  has  been  extracted  by  the  friction  and  collision  of 
contending  bodies ;  and  after  the  noise  and  the  smoke  have 
passed  way,  the  conflict  has  appeared  to  be  not  altogether  in 
vain. 

The  period  during  which  Baxter  lived,  was  distinguished  for 
the  intense  earnestness  with  which  every  religious  subject,  great 
and  little,  was  investigated  and  debated.  While  the  great  in* 
terests  of  truth  and  godliness  were  not  neglected,  all  that  was 
minute  was  looked  at  with  microscopic  attention,  and  often 
magnified  beyond  its  due  dimensions  and  importance.  This 
may,  perhaps,  be  thought  applicable  to  the  subjects  to  which 
the  present  chapter  is  devoted ;  though  some  of  the  topics  will 
be  found  of  considerable  interest.  They  will,  at  least,  enable 
lis  to  form  a  more  adequate  estimate  of  the  times  of  Baxter^ 
atid  present  us  with  some  of  the  active  and  bustling  men  of 
the  period. 

The  controversy  respecting  the  subjects  and  mode  of  baptism, 
is  one  of  long  standing  in  the  church,  and  is  sUll,  seemingly,  as 
far  from  being  settled  as  ever.  It  is  not  my  object  at  present 
to  enter  into  the  nature  of  the  controversy,  or  to  pronounce  on 
which  side  the  strength  of  the  argument  lies,  but  to  give  a  view 
of  Baxter's  writings  and  efforts  in  relation  to  it.  His  chief  an* 
tagonist  in  this  debate,  was  John  Tombcs,  B.  D.,  minister  of 
Bewdley,  a  man  of  considerable  learning  and  talents,  and  one 
of  the  most  voluminous  writers  on  baptismal  controvexsy  which 
that  fruitful  subject  has  furnished.  Of  the  origin  of  the  war 
between  him  and  Baxter,  the  latter  has  left  the  following  ac- 
count :  "  Mr.  Tombes,  who  was  my  neighbour,  within  two 
miles,  denying  infant  baptism,  and  having  wrote  a  book  or  two 
against  it,  was  not  a  little  desirous  of  the  propagation  of  his 
opinion,  and  the  success  of  his  writings.  He  thought  that  I 
was  the  chief  hinderer,  though  I  never  meddled  with  the  point. 
Whereupon  he  came  constantly  to  my  weekly  lecture,  waiting 
for  an  opportunity  to  fall  upon  that  controversy  in  his  conference 
with  me  ;  but  I  studiously  avoided  it,  so  that  he  knew  not  how 
to  begin.  He  had  so  high  a  conceit  of  his  writings,  that  he 
thought  them  unanswerable,  and  that  none  could  deal  with  them 
in  that  way.  At  last,  somcliovv  he  urged  me  to  give  my  judg- 
ment of  them  ;  when  I  let  him  know  that  they  did  not  satisfy 
me  to  be  of  his  mind,  but  went  no  further  with  him.     Upon 


682  TH«  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

this  he  ferebore  coining  any  more  to  our  leeturt  |  bat  he  w^ 
avoidably  contrived  to  bring  me  into  the  contfovewy,  wfaidi  I 
shunned.  For  there  came  unto  me  five  or  six  of  his  chief  pio* 
selytes,  as  if  they  were  yet  unresolved,  and  desired  me  to  gbe 
them  in  writing  the  arguments  which  satisfied  me  for  faital 
baptism.  I  asked  them  whether  they  came  not  by  Mr.  Tomhof 
direction ;  and  they  confessed  that  they  did.  I  asked  fktm 
whether  they  had  read  the  books  of  Mr.  Cobbet,  Mr.  Maishili 
Mr.  Church,  Mr.  Blake,  for  infant  baptism ;  and  they  fold  ns^ 
no.  I  desired  them  to  read  what  is  written  already,  before  they 
called  for  more,  and  then  come  to  me,  and  tell  me  what  tfasy 
had  to  say  against  them.  But  this  they  would  by  no  means  do^ 
they  must  have  my  writings.  I  told  them,  that  now  they  plafady 
confessed  that  they  came  upon  a  design  to  promote  their  partf 
by  contentious  writings,  and  not  in  sincere  desire  to  be  a* 
formed  as  they  pretended.  To  be  short,  they  had  no  moie 
modesty  than  to  insist  on  their  demands,  and  to  tell  me,  thst  ff 
they  turned  against  infant  baptism,  and  I  denied  to  give  them 
my  arguments  in  writings  they  must  lay  it  upon  me.  I  asked 
them,  whether  they  would  continue  unresolved  till  Mr.  Tombes 
and  I  had  done  our  writings,  seeing  it  was  some  years  since  Mr. 
Blake  and  he  began,  and  had  not  ended  yet.  But  no  reason- 
ing served  the  turn  with  them,  they  still  called  for  my  written 
arguments.  When  I  saw  their  factious  design  and  immodesty, 
I  bade  them  tell  Mr.  Tombes,  that  he  should  neither  thus  com- 
mand me  to  lose  a  year's  time  in  my  weakness  in  quarrellii^ 
urith  him,  nor  should  have  his  end  in  insulting  over  me,  as  if  I 
fled  from  the  light  of  truth.  I  therefore  offered  him,  if  we  mart 
needs  contend,  that  we  might  do  it  the  shortest  and  most  satis- 
factory way,  by  spending  one  day  in  a  dispute  at  his  own  church, 
where  I  should  attend  him,  that  his  people  might  not  remam 
unsatisfied,  till  they  saw  which  of  us  would  have  the  last  word ; 
and  after  that  we  would  consider  of  writing. 

^^  So  Mr.  Tombes  and  I  agreed  to  meet  at  his  church  on  the 
first  day  of  January,  1649.  And  in  great  weakness  thither  I  came^ 
and  from  nine  of  the  clock  in  the  morning  till  five  at  night,  in 
a  crowded  congregation,  we  continued  our  dispute  ;  which  was 
all  spent  in  managing  one  argument,  from  infants'  right  to 
church-membership  to  their  right  to  baptism  5  of  which  he  often 
complained,  as  if  I  assaulted  him  in  a  new  way,  which  he  had 
not  considered  of  before.  But  this  was  not  the  first  time  that  I 
had  dealt  with  Anabaptists,  few  having  so  much  to  do  with  them 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTBR.  68S 

in  the  army  rb  I  had.  In  a  word,  this  dispute  satisfied  all  my  own 
people^  and  the  country  that  .came  in,  and  Mr.  Tombes'  own 
townsmen,  except  about  twenty  whom  he  had  perverted,  who 
gathered  into  his  church;  which  never  increased  to  above 
twenty-two,  that  I  could  learn."  ^ 

So  much  for  ^Baxter's  account  of  this  personal  rencounter* 
Wood,  who  was  no  friend  to  either  party,  says,  **  1^  verily  thought 
that  Tombes  was  put  upon  the  project  of  going  to  Bewdley 
purposely  to  tame  Baxter  and  his  party,  who  then  carried  all 
the  country  before  them.  They  preached  against  one  another'a 
doctrines,  and  published  books  against  each  other.  Tombes 
was  the  Coryphaeus  of  the  Anabaptists,  and  Baxter  of  the  Pres- 
byterians. Both  had  a  very  great  company  of  auditors,  who 
eame  many  miles  on  foot  round  about  to  admire  them.  Once, 
I  think  oftener,  they  disputed  £ace  to  face ;  and  their  followers 
were  like  two  armies :  and  at  last  it  came  to  pass,  that  they  fell 
together  by  the  ears,  whereby  hurt  was  done,  and  the  civil 
magistrate  had  much  ado  to  quiet  them.  All  scholars,  there 
and  present,  who  knew  the  way  of  disputing  and  managing 
arguments,  did  conclude  that  Tombes  got  the  better  of  Baxter 
bjr  far."  • 

The  verbal  dispute,  as  might  be  expected,  soon  assumed  a 
more  tangible  form,  and  appeared  in  print.  Baxter,  having  in 
the  dedication  to  the  first  edition  of  his  '  Saint's  Rest,'  referred 
to  his  dispute  at  Bewdley,  and  to  the  victory  which  he  con- 
ceived he  had  there  obtained,  Tombes  shortly  afterwards  pub- 
lished 'An  Antidote  against  the  Venom'  contained  in  this 
passage,  which  occasioned  Baxter  to  publish  his  principal  work 
on  this  subject:  'Plain  Scripture  Proof  of  Infants'  Church 
Membership  and  Baptism ;  being  the  arguments  prepared  for, 
and  partly  managed  in,  the  public  dispute  with  Mr.  Tombes,  at 
Bewdley,  on  the  first  day  of  January,  1649.  With  a  full  reply 
to  what  he  then  answered,  and  what  is  contained  in  his  sermon 
nnce  preached,  in  his  printed  books,  his  MS.  on  1  Cor.  vii.  14 1 
with  a  reply  to  his  valedictory  oration  at  Bewdley ;  and  a  Cor- 
rection for  his  Antidote.'  1650.  4 to. 

In  the  preface  to  this  treatise  he  gives  some  account  of  its 
*' conception  and  nativity,"  from  which  I  shall  present  an  extract 
or  two.  The  progress  of  his  mind  respecting  baptism,  which 
is  remarkably  similar  to  the  process  through  which  many  in- 
dividuak  have  gone  in  reference  to  the  same  subject,  is  thus 

•  life,  psrt  L|».  96.  •  AtbeiLOjum.  voLttLf*  IMS. 


684  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 


stated  by  him  :  *^  When  I  was  called  forth  to  the  sacred^  mud* 
sterial  work,  though  my  zeal  was  strong,  and  I  can  truly  say, 
that  a  fervent  desire  of  winning  souls  to  God  was  my  modfc^ 
yet  being  young,  and  of  small  experience,  and  no  great  reading 
being  then  a  stranger  to  almost  all  the  fathers,  and  most  of  the 
schoolmen,  I  was  a  novice  in  knowledge,  and  my  cooceptioni 
were  uncertain,  shallow,  and  crude.  In  some  mistakes  I  wai 
confident,  and  in  some  truths  1  was  very  doubtful  and  snspieuNMi 
Among  others,  by  that  time  I  had  baptized  but  two  children  il 
Bridgnorth,  I  began  to  have  some  doubt  of  the  lawfiiloMB  of 
infant  baptism,  whereupon,  I  silently  forbore  the  practice^  and 
set  myself,  as  I  was  able,  to  the  study  of  the  point.  One  pait 
of  my  temptation  was  the  doctrine  of  some  divines  who  laa 
too  far  in  the  other  extreme.  1  had  read  Dr.  Burgess^  and  sons 
years  after  Mr.  Bedford,  for  baptismal  regeneration  ;  and  heard 
it  in  the  common  prayer  that  God  would  bless  baptism  to  the 
infant's  regeneration,  which  I  thought  they  had  meant  of  a  reel 
and  not  a  relative  change.  I  soon  discerned  the  error  of  this 
doctrine,  when  I  found  in  Scripture  that  repentance  and  faith 
in  the  aged  were  ever  prerequisite,  and  that  no  word  of  God 
did  make  that  the  end  to  infants  which  was  prerequisite  hi 
others ;  that  signs  cannot,  by  moral  operation,  be  the  instru- 
ments of  a  real  change  on  infants,  but  only  of  a  relative  ;  and 
that  to  dream  of  a  physical  instrumentality,  was  worse  than 
popish,  and  to  do  thai  in  baptism  which  transubstantiation 
hath  done  in  the  Lord*s*8up])er,  even  to  tie  God  to  the  con- 
stant working  of  a  miracle. 

^^  Upon  my  first  serious  study,  I  presently  discerned  that 
though  infants  were  not  capable  of  what  is  before  expressed, 
nor  of  every  benefit  by  baptism,  as  are  the  aged,  yet  that  they 
were  capable  of  the  principal  ends ;  that  it  might  be  a  sign  to 
enter  them  church  members,  and  solemnize  their  dedication  to 
Christ,  and  engage  them  to  be  his  people,  and  to  take  him  for 
their  Lord  and  Saviour,  and  so  to  confer  on  them  remission  of 
sins,  and  what  Christ  by  the  covenant  promisetli  to  the  baptized* 

^^  Yet  did  I  remain  doubtful  some  time  after,  by  reason  the 
Scriptures  spoke  so  sparingly  of  infant  baptism,  arid  because  my 
apprehensions  of  those  things,  which  in  themselves  were  clear 
and  certain,  remained  crude  and  weak  till  time  had  helped  thein 
to  digest  and  ripen.  And  the  many  weak  arguments  which  I 
met  with  in  the  words  and  writings  of  some  divines,  to  which  I 
formed  most  of  the  same  answers  as  Mr.  T.  now  doth,  were  not 


OP  RICHARD  BAXTER.  685 

the  least  stambling-block  in  my  way.  I  resolved,  therefore, 
ailently  to  forbear  the  practice  while  I  further  studied  the  point. 
And  being  more  in  doubt  about  the  other  sacrament  than  this, 
I  durst  not  adventure  upon  a  full,  pastoral  charge,  but  to  preach 
only  as  a  lecturer  till  I  were  fully  resolved.  In  which  state  I 
continued  where  I  now  am,  till  I  was  removed  by  the  wars,  still 
thinking  and  speaking  very  favourably  of  mere  Anabaptists."  p 

He  then  proceeds  to  give  an  account  of  the  discussions  which 
tock  place  on  this  subject  while  he  was  in  Coventry ;  of  the  full 
examination  of  it  which  he  was  there  led  to  institute ;  and  of 
the  progress  of  his  controversy  with  Tombes,  as  already  stated. 
According  to  his  account,  he  was  instrumental  in  Mr.  Tombes' 
eoming  to  Bewdley ;  and  he  solemnly  avers,  that  throughout  the 
whole  affair  Tombes  was  the  aggressor.  He  indeed  told  a  dif- 
ferent tale ;  and  a  good  deal  of  angry  correspondence  took  place 
between  them.  To  determine  the  question,  who  was  the  first 
md  principal  aggressor,  is  now  unnecessary ;  and  the  detail  of  all 
the  circumstances  which  finally  led  to  Baxter's  publication,  would 
be  as  tedious  as  it  would  be  unprofitable.  The  volume  itself 
(Contains  a  considerable  portion  of  valuable  matter  relative  to 
the  controversy,  and  also  a  great  deal  that  is  irrelevant.  .  It 
abounds  with  numerous  and  subtle  distinctions,  for  which  most 
of  Baxter's  controversial  writings  are  distinguished.  It  presents 
a  great  deal  that  would  exceedingly  puzzle  an  adversary  to  an- 
swer, and  much  of  which  he  might  take  advantage.  One  of  his 
great  objects  is  to  settie  the  right  of  infants  to  be  church  mem- 
bers, which  he  considered  of  more  importance  than  their  bap- 
tism ;  but  it  is  difficult  to  arrive  at  a  satisfactory  idea  of  all  that 
he  intended  by  their  membership. 

Tombes  replied  in  his  ^  Precursor ;  or,  a  Forerunner  to  a  large 
Tiew  of  a  Dispute  concerning  Infant  Baptism.'  1652.  4to.  This 
large  work  he  produced  at  three  several  times,  making  in  all  two 
Tcry  thick,  closely- printed  quarto  volumes.  Its  general  tide 
18,  ^  Antipaedobaptism  ;  or,  no  plain  or  obscure  proof  of  Infanta' 
Baptism  or  Church-Membership,'  &c.  In  this  voluminous  pro* 
duction  he  replies  to  Baxter,  Marshall,  Geree,  Cobbet,  Blake, 
Church,  Stephens,  Homes,  Featley,  Hammond,  Baillie,  Brinslee, 
Sydenham,  Fuller,  Drew,  Lyfford,  Carter,  Rutherford,  Cragge, 
Cotton,  Stalham,  Hall,  and  others.  It  was  published  be- 
tween the  years   1652  and  1657;   and  affords  no  small  proof 

P  Preface,  pp.  2, 3, 


688  THB  UWM  AMD  wmtmiBs 

of  the  iodiittry  (rf  its  authoryu  well  at  of  hie  devoied  leel  htti 
cnue  which  he  had  espoused. 

Baxter's  work  passed  through  several  editionay  a  proof  ef  dii 
interest  then  taken  in  the  controversy ;  in  the  tUrd  of  wUchi 
he  notices  Tombes's  ^  Precursor/  and  several  oAer  pnUicadoM 
for  and  against  him.  His  own  account  of  the  work  sappiiss  sB 
the  additional  information  respecting  it  which  it  ia  miisiafy 
to  introduce.  ^'The  book,''  he  says,  ^God  blessed  with  un- 
expected  success  to  stop  abundance  from  turning  Anabqilisn^ 
and  reclaiming  many,  both  in  city  and  country,  and  some  ef 
the  oflBcers  of  the  Irish  and  English  forces,  and  gam  a  eon- 
siderable  cheek  to  their  proceedings.  Concerning  it,  I  shall 
only  tell  the  reader,  that  there  are  towards  the  latter  ptfl 
of  it,  many  enigmatical  reflections  upon  the  Anabaptists,  ftr 
their  horrid  scandals,  which  the  reader  that  lived  not  in  those 
times  will  hardly  understand }  but  the  cutting  off  die  Idq^ 
and  rebelling  against  him  and  the  parliament^  the  Baateni 
and  other  sects  that  sprung  out  of  them,  the  iuvaJing  ef 
Scotland,  and  the  approving  of  these,  were  the  erimes  tbcta 
intended ;  which  were  not  then  to  be  more  plainly  q>oken  el^ 
when  their  strength  and  fury  were  so  high.  Afker  the  writ- 
ing of  that  book,  I  wrote  a  postscript  against  the  doctrine 
of  Dr.  Burgess  and  Mr.  Thomas  Bedford,  which  I  supposed  to 
go  on  the  other  extreme ;  and  therein  I  answered  part  of  a 
treatise  of  Dr.  Samuel  Ward's,  which  Mr.  Bedford  published } 
which  proved  to  be  Mr.  Thomas  Oataker's,  whom  I  defended,, 
who  is  Dr.  Ward's  censor ;  but  I  knew  it  not  till  Mr.  Gataker 
afiber  told  me. 

^^  But,  after  these  writings,  I  was  greatly  in  doubt  whether  it  be 
not  certain  that  all  the  infonts  of  true  believers  are  justified  and 
saved,  if  they  die  before  actual  sin.  My  reason  was,  because  it 
is  the  same  justifying,  saving  covenant  of  grace  which  their 
parents  and  they  are  in,  and  as  real  faith  and  repentance  is  that 
condition  on  the  parents'  part  which  giveth  them  their  right  to 
actual  remission  and  adoption ;  so  to  be  the  children  of  such 
is  all  the  condition  which  is  required  in  infants,  in  order  to  the 
same  benefits ;  and  without  asserting  this,  the  advantage  of  die 
Anabaptists  is  greater  than  every  one  doth  imaginew  Bat  I 
never  thought  with  Dr.  Ward,  that  all  baptized  children  had 
this  benefit  and  qualitative  sanctification  also ;  nor  with  Dr. 
Burgess  and  Mr.  Bedford,  that  all  converted  at  age  had  inherent 


OF  RICHAEO  HAXTMB..  087 

■eminal  grace  in  baptism  certainly  given  them;  nor  with 
Bishop  Davenant,  that  all  justly  baptized  had  relative  grace  of 
justification  and  adoption,  but  only  that  all  the  infants  of  true 
believers,  who  have  right  to  the  covenant  and  baptism  in  foro 
emk,  as  well  as  in  faro  eeclesuBy  have  also  thereby  right  to 
the  pardon  of  original  sin,  and  to  adoption,  and  to  heaven, 
which  right  is  by  baptism  sealed  and  delivered  to  them.  This 
I  wrote  to  Mr.  Oatidcer,  who  returned  me  a  kind  and  candid 
answer,  but  such  as  did  not  remove  my  scruples;  and  this  occa- 
sioned him  to  print  Bishop  Davenant's  disputations  with  his 
answer.  The  opinion,  which  I  most  incline  to,  is  the  same 
which  the  Synod  of  Dort  expresseth,  and  that  which  I  conjec- 
ture Dr.  Davenant  meant,  or  I  am  sure  came  next  to."^ 

Tombes,  in  the  third  part  of  his  ^  Antipiedobaptism,'  pub- 
lished in  1659,  introduced  some  private  correspondence  between 
Baxter  and  himself,  which  faac}  taken  place  subsequently  to 
Baxter's  last  publication  on  infant  church-membership,  and 
baptism }  and  there  replied  at  length  to  some  of  his  senti- 
ments. Baxter,  after  a  lapse  of  nineteen  years,  published 
*  More  Proofs  of  Infant  Church-Membership,  and  consequently 
their  Rights  to  Baptism ;  or,  a  Second  Defence  of  our  Infant 
Rights  and  Mercies.'  1675.  8vo. 

This  volume  is  divided  into  three  parts,  which  contain,  he 
tells  us,  **  The  plain  proof  of  God's  statute  or  covenant  for 
Infants'  Church'^Membership  from  the  creation,  and  the  conti- 
nuance of  it  till  the  institution  of  baptism ;  with  the  defence  of 
that  proof  against  the  frivolous  exceptions  of  Mr.  Tombes.  A 
confbtation  of  Mr.  Tombes'  arguments.  A  confutation  of  the 
strange  forgeries  of  Mr.  Danvers  against  the  ambiguity  of  infant 
baptism,  and  of  his  many  calumnies  against  myself  and  writings. 
A  catalogue  of  fifty-six  new  commandments  and  doctrines, 
which  he  and  the  sectaries  who  join  with  him  in  those  calumnies 
own.  Animadversions  on  Mr.  Danvers*  reply  to  Mr.  Wells  ;" 
all  of  which  he  declares  to  be  ^^  extorted  by  their  unquiet 
importunity."' 

4  Life,  part  i.  p.  109. 

'  The  docirlne  of  the  Synod  of  Dort,  on  the  subject  referred  to  by  Baxter, 
b  as  foUowst— <<  Quando  quidem,  Ac.— That  is,  Seeing  that  we  are  to  Judge 
of  the  wUl  of  God  by  his  word,  which  testifies  that  the  children  of  believers 
are  holy ;  not,  indeed,  by  nature,  but  by  the  benefit  of  the  gracious  oorenant, 
in  which  they  are  comprehended  along  with  their  oarents;  pious  parents 
ought  not  to  doubt  of  the  election  and  lalration  of  their  children  whom 


688  THE   LIFE  AND  WRITINGS 

The  dispute  was  now  enlarged,  including  others  as  well  as 
Tombes.  Danvers  was  a  private  gentleman  of  small  fortune  wbo 
had  joined  the  Baptists  in  the  time  of  the  Commonwealth. 
He  was  then  governor  of  Stafford,  and  a  justice  of  the  peace* 
He  was  a  fifth-monarchist  in  some  of  his  principles,  though  he 
did  not  go  the  full  length  of  the  party  in  regard  to  practice* 
He  was  apprehended  as  one  of  them,  and  lodged  in  theTower, 
where  he  appears  to  have  remained  many  years,  as  he  only  (dn 
tained  his  release  in  167  !•  Having  been  at  some  private  meet- 
ings, where  measures  were  concerted  in  favour  of  the  Duke  of 
Monmouth,  he  was  obliged  to  flee  to  Holland  after  the  failure  of 
that  attempt,  where  he  died  shortly  afterwards.' 

His  work  in  this  controversy,  to  which  Baxter  refers,  is  one  of 
considerable  labour :  ^  A  Treatise  on  Baptism,  wherein  that  of 
Believers,  and  that  of  Infants,  is  examined  by  the  Scriptures, 
with  the  history  of  both,  out  of  Antiquity,'  &c.  As  an  historical 
work,  it  displays  very  considerable  research.  His  opponents 
accused  him  of  doing  injustice  to  the  fathers  and  ecclesiastical 
writers  of  the  primitive  church ;  and  both  parties  found  in  the 
ambiguity  and  uncertainty  of  these  authorities,  sufficient  em- 
ployment for  their  time  and  patience.  He  was  answered  by 
Blinmau  and  Wills,  as.  well  as  by  Baxter,  and  defended  himself 
in  three  distinct  treatises,  published  in  1675. 

In  the  same  year  in  which  Baxter's  last  work  was  published, 
he  produced  another  small  performance,  to  which  it  had  led — 
*  Richard  Baxter's  Review  of  the  State  of  Christian  Infants.' 
1676.  Svo.  In  this  pamphlet,  he  inquires  "whether  children 
should  be  entered  in  covenant  with  godly  baptism,  and  be  visi- 
ble members  of  his  church,  and  have  any  covenant  right  to  par- 
don and  salvation  ?"  This  publication  was  occasipned  by  Mr. 
£.  Hutchinson,  Mr.  Danvers,  and  Mr.  Tombes,  all  of  whom  had 
assailed  him.  ^ 

God  batb  called  in  infancy  out  of  this  life.*' — j^rt,  on  Predestination,  Sect.  17. 
Davenant  was  one  of  the  English  divines  deputed  by  King  James  to  attend  the 
Synod  of  Dort.  He  was  then  professor  of  divinity  in  the  University  of  Cam* 
bridge,  and  was  afterwards  made  bishop  of  Salisbury. 

•  Crosby's  Hist,  of  the  Baptists,  vol.  iii.  p.  V7» 

*  On  the  subject  of  infant  salvation,  which  has  been  a  source  of  great 
anxiety  and  distress  tu  many,  1  beg  to  refer  the  reader  to  the  following  work, 
which  is  far  more  satisfactory  than  an^r  thing  else  known  to  mc  an  this  deeply 
interesting  topic — *  An  Essay  on  the  Salvation  of  all  Dyinjf  in  lufaocy ;  in- 
cluding Hints  on  the  Adamic  and  Christian  Dispensations,*  by  the  Rev. 
Pavid  Russelli  of  Dundee.  12mo.  2d  Edit.  182d. 


OV   RICHARD   BAXTBft.  689 

It  is  deeply  to  be  regretted  that  this  controversy  should  have 
so  long  distracted  the  church  of  Christy  and  that  many  eminent 
men  have  devoted  so  large  a  portion  of  valuable  time  and 
strength  to  its  discussion.  On  no  one  point  of  Christian 
practice  has  so  much  been  written,  and  on  both  sides  to  so 
little  purpose,  as  the  parties  seem  nearly  as  far  from  agreement 
as  ever.  It  has  tended  greatly  to  injure  the  cause  of  religion 
among  the  Dissenters,  having  divided  their  affections  and  re- 
duced their  strength  in  almost  every  place.  Of  the  same  mind 
on  every  other  topic  of  importance,  it  is  lamentable  that  a  dif- 
ference of  opinion  respecting  one  ordinance,  and  that  of  a 
personal  nature,  affecting  each  individual  but  once  in  his  life^ 
should  cause  greater  strife  and  injury  than  ail  other  subjects  of 
difference  together.  The  doctrine  of  free  communion,  however, 
as  far  as  baptism  is  concerned,  promises  fair,  in  the  course  of 
time,  to  extinguish  a  controversy,  which  all  the  books  that  hav^ 
been  written  upon  it  have  entirely  failed  to  determine.  In 
this  result,  had  he  lived  to  witness  it,  none  would  have  rejoiced 
more  than  Baxter ;  as  he  was  more  zealous  in  contending  for  the 
communion  of  all  Christians,  than  for  infant  baptism,  notwith- 
standing his  warmth  in  maintaining  it. 

4 

'  The  Quakers,  as  a  distinct  sect,  made  their  first  appearance 
in  the  times  of  Baxter,  and  during  the  agitations  of  the  civil 
wars.  His  controversies  with  them  were  much  briefer  than 
those  in  which  he  engaged  with  the  Baptists,  but  were  suffi- 
ciently keen  while  they  lasted.  His  opinion  of  them  has  been 
already  given  in  the  first  part  of  this  work.  If  that  opinion  be 
regarded  as  severe,  it  should  be  remembered  tliat  the  body 
referred  to  has  undergone  a  great  change  for  the  better,  in  its 
spirit  and  mode  of  acting,  since  the  time  of  Baxter.  He  com- 
plains bitterly  of  the  treatment  that  he  experienced  from  them, 
which  must,  therefore,  be  regarded  as  an  apology  for  his  man- 
ner of  treating  them  in  return.  Speaking  of  them  many  years 
after  their  first  appearance,  he  says  : 

"The  Quakers,  in  their  shops,  when  I  go  along  London 
streets,  say,  *  Alas !  poor  man,  thou  art  yet  in  darkness.'  They 
have  oft  come  into  the  congregation,  when  I  had  liberty  to 
preach  Christ's  Gospel,  and  cried  out  against  me  as  a  deceiver 
of  the  people.  They  have  followed  me  home,  crying  out  in 
the  streets,  *  The  day  of  the  Lord  is  coming,  when  thou  shalt 

VOL,  I.  y  Y 


690  THB  LIFJB  AND  WRITINGS 

peri$h  as  e  deceiver/  They  have  stood  in  the  market-place, 
and  under  my  window,  year  after  year,  crying  out  to  the  people, 
^Take  heed  of  your  priests,  they  deceive  your  souls!'  and  if 
they  saw  any  one  wear  a  lace  or  neat  clothing,  they  cried  out  to 
me, '  These  are  the  fruit  of  thy  ministry/  If  they  spake  to 
me  with  the  greatest  ignorance  or  nonsense,  it  was  with  as  much 
fiiry  and  rage  as  if  a  bloody  heart  had  appeared  in  their  fiaces; 
so  that  though  I  never  hurt,  or  occasioned  the  hurt,  of  one  of 
them  that  I  know  of,  their  tremulent  countenances  told  me  what 
they  would  have  done  had  I  been  in  their  power.  This  was 
from  1656  to  1659/' « 

The  idea  of  danger  from  them,  intimated  in  this  passage,  W9S 
doubtless^n  entire  mistake.  Their  words  and  spirit  were  fre- 
quently violent  and  provoking;  but  their  conduct  was  inva- 
riably harmless.  Had  they  been  less  opposed,  and  treated  in  a 
more  Christian  manner,  they  would  have  attracted  less  att0i-> 
tion,  and  been  less  formidable  to  those  who  opposed  them- 
Considering  the  abuses  of  divine  ordinances  which  had  so  long 
and  so  extensively  prevfuled,  it  is  not  surprising  that  such  a 
system  as  Quakerism  should  have  arisen ;  and  it  may^  perhap»> 
have  answered  a  useful  purpose  in  calling  the  attention  of  mea 
professing  Christianity  to  the  great  design  of  ail  its  ordinances, 
and  to  which  they  ought  ever  to  be  regarded  as  subservient — 
the  promotion  of  spirituality  of  mind,  and  the  enjoyment  of 
communioi;  with  God. 

To  form  a  correct  idea  of  Baxter's  writings  on  this  subject, 
it  is  necessary  to  advert  to  his  fears  of  the  subversion  of  the 
Christian  ministry  in  the  nation  by  some  of  the  measures  of 
the  Rump  Parliament.  Exceedingly  alarmed  by  certain  reports 
which  he  had  heard,  he  exerted  his  influence,  which  spears  to 
have  been  very  powerful,  in  the  county  of  Worcester,  to  pro- 
mote an  appeal  to  Parliament.  The  effect  of  this  appeared  in 
^^  The  humble  petition  of  many  thousands,  gentlemen,  free- 
holders, and  others,  of  the  county  of  Worcester,  to  the  pariii- 
ment  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Ikigland,  in  behalf  of  the  able, 
£uthfu],  godly  ministry  of  this  nation."  This  petition  was 
drawn  up  by  Baxter,  and  presented  by  Colonel  Bridges  and  Mr» 
Thomas  Foley,  on  tlie  22d  of  December,  1652.  It  was  after- 
wards printed,  with  the  answer  of  the  speaker,  in  the  name  of 
the  House,  thanking  the  petitioners  for  their  zeal  and  good 

*  Works,  roL  xvL  p.  152. 


OF   EfCHARD    BAXTER.  691 

^ffecUous,  ftnd  promising  to  take  the  petition  into  consideration. 
It  expresses  the  fears  of  the  petitioners,  founded  on  various  cir- 
cumstances which  are  enumerated,  that  an  attempt  would  be 
ni^de  to  put  down  the  ministry  in  the  kingdom.  It  states  the 
Importance  of  the  ministry  both  to  the  temporal  and  the  spi- 
ritual good  of  the  country;  with  the  sin  and  danger  of  subverting 
{(•  It  therefore  prays  for  the  preservation  and  encouragement  of 
faittiful  ministers  ;  that  a  suitable  provision  might  be  made  for 
Ibem  1  that  attention  might  be  paid  to  the  dark  parts  of  Eng- 
land and  Wales ;  for  the  continued  preservation  of  the  univer- 
sities {^nd  schools  of  learning »  and  lastly,  that  measures  might 
be  taken  to  heal  the  religious  divisions  which  prevailed,  and  for 
the  establishment  of  a  better  system  of  church  government. 

This  petition  w^s  very  dffensive  to  those  who  viewed  with  an 
linfavonrable  eye  a  standing  ministry,  especii^Uy  as  supported  by 
the  state.  The  Quakers,  in  particulars  who  were  then  beginning 
to  attract  attention,  were  exceedingly  hostile  to  the  prayfir  pre^ 
qented  to  parliament ;  and  George  Fox  attacked  it  in  a  pam* 
phlet,  entitled,  '  The  Threefold  Estate  of  Antichrist.'  This 
brought  Baxter  into  the  field  with— < 

*  The  Worcestershire  Petition  to  the  Parliament  for  the 
Ministry  of  England,  Defended  by  a  Minister  of  Christ  in  that 
County,  in  answer  to  sixteen  queries,  printed  in  a  book  p^ledn 
A  Brief  Discovery  of  the  Threefold  Estate  of  Antichrist,'  ^o, 
J653.  4to.  Baxter  defends  his  petition  against  th^  queries  oon-« 
tained  in  this  performance,  and  retaliates  with  his  characteristio 
acuteness  in  some  counter  queries  at  the  end* 

That  the  parliament  then  sitting  seriously  meditated  the  abo- 
lition, either  of  the  ministry  or  of  tl^e  tithes,  is  improbable^  Bnli 
i|  petition  bad  be^n  presented  to  it  by  a  council  of  officers  held 
aC  Whitehall  on  the  1 2th  of  August,  l$d2>  which,  among  other 
^mga,  prayed  ^^  that  profane,  scandalous,  and  ignorant  minia*^ 
tern  might  be  ejected,  and  men  approved  for  godliness  and  gjfta 
encouraged  $  ^d  that  a  convenient  maintenance  might  be  pro* 
vidfid  for  them,  and  the  unequal,  troublesome,  and  eontentMMiQk 
Wi^y  of  tithes  be  taken  away.''  ^  This  petition  was  referred  to 
a  committee,  after  the  speaker  had,  in  the  name  of  the  House^ 
thanked  the  petitioners  for  their  zeal  in  the  public  cause.  The 
report  of  this  committee  has  been  already  given  in  page  139; 
from  which  it  appears,  that  nothing  further  was  recommended 
than  some  arrangements  respecting  the  payment  of  tithes.  It  was 

'  GoQdwia'i  Commonwealth,  vol.  iii.  p.  419. 

YY  2 


692  THB  LIFB   AND  WRITINGS 


probably  with  a  view  to  counteract  this  petition^  however,  that 
Baxter  drew  up  the  one  from  Worcestershire.  Tliat  there  wai 
just  ground  of  complaint  against  many  of  the  clergy,  is  evident 
enough  from  Baxter's  own  account  of  them;  and  had  the 
Rump  Parliament  enacted  some  measure  for  the  support  of  the 
clergy,  less  liable  to  objection  and  abuse  than  the  tithe  system, 
it  would  have  deserved  well  of  the  country,  and  saved  its  80c« 
cessors  the  labour  and  the  honour  which  yet  await  them.  It  is 
evident  that  an  attempt  was  made,  which  was  Jl)oth  wise  and 
moderate  in  itself,  and  would  no  doubt  have  been  improved,  till 
it  had  finally  abolished  an  extensive  and  inveterate  evil,  had  the 
powers  which  then  were  been  permanently  established. 

Speaking  of  the  petition  and  the  events  which  followed  it,  he 
says  in  his  own  Life,  *^  Tlie  sectaries  were  greatly  annoyed,  and 
one  wrote  a  vehement  invective  against  it ;  which  I  answered 
in  a  paper  called  ^  The  Defence  of  the  Worcestershire  Petition,* 
(which,  by  an  oversight,  is  maimed  by  the  want  of  the  accuser's 
queries,)  I  knew  not  what  kind  of  person  he  was  that  I  wrote 
against,  but  it  proved  to  be  a  Quaker;  they  being  just  now  rising, 
Btid  this  being  the  first  of  their  books,  as  far  as  I  can  remember, 
that  I  had  ever  seen. 

^^  Presently,  upon  this,  the  Quakers  began  to  make  a  great 
fitrr  among  us,  acting  the  part  of  men  in  raptures,  speaking  in 
the  manner  of  men  inspired,  and  every  where  railing  against 
tithes  and  ministers.  They  sent  many  papers  of  queries  to 
divers  ministers  about  us  ;  to  one  of  the  chief  of  which  I  wrote 
an  answer,  and  gave  them  as  many  more  questions  to  answer, 
entitling  it  ^  The  Quaker's  Catechism.'  These  pamphlets  being 
but  one  or  two  days'  work,  were  no  great  interruption  to  my 
)[>etter  labours,  and  as  they  were  of  small  worth,  so  also  of  small 
cost.  The  same  ministers  of  our  country,  that  are  now  silenced^ 
are  they  that  the  Quakers  most  vehemently  opposed,  meddling 
Kttle  with  the  rest.  The  marvellous  concurrence  of  instruments 
telleth  us,  that  one  principal  agent  doth  act  them  all.  I  have 
oft  asked  the  Quakers  lately^  Why  they  chose  the  same  ministen 
to  revile  whom  all  the  drunkards  and  sorcerers  rail  against? 
And  why  they  cried  out  in  our  assemblies,  Come  down,  thou 
deceiver,  thou  hireling,  thou  dog ;  and  now  never  meddle  with 
the  pastors  or  congregations  ?  They  answer,  that  these  men  sin  in 
the  open  light,  and  need  none  to  discover  them ;  that  die  Spirit 
hath  his  times  both  of  severity  and  of  lenity.  But  the  truth  is, 
they  knew  then  they  might  be  bold  without  any  fear  of  suffering 


OP    RICHARD   BAXTER.  693 


by  it :  and  now  it  is  time  for  them  to  save  their  skins^  they  suf* 
fer  enough  for  their  own  assemblies."  ^ 

The  following  is  the  pamphlet  to  which  he  refers  in  the 
above  paragraph:  'The. Quaker's  Catechism;  or,  the  Quakeni 
questioned,  their  questions  answered,  and  both  published 
for  the  sake  of  those  of  them  that  have  not  yet  sinned  unto 
death ;  and  of  those  ungrounded  novices  that  are  most  in  dan- 
ger of  their  seduction.'  1657*  4to,  In  an  introductory  ad« 
dress  to  the  reader,  he  explains  the  circumstances  which  origi«- 
nated  his  Catechism;  giving  an  account,  in  much  the  same 
terms  that  we  have  already  quoted,  of  the  manner  in  which 
the  Quakers  assailed  himself  and  his  brethren.  He  then  ad- 
dresses the  **  Separatists  and  Anabaptists  of  England,"  whom 
he  classes  with  the  Quakers,  accusing  them  of  originating  the 
^  wild  generation,"  which  is  the  more  immediate  object  of  his 
attack.  Then  follows  a  long  letter  to  a  young  friend,  who  was 
first  inclined  to  be  a  Baptist,  but  fell  in  with  the  Quakers,  and 
whom  he  had  endeavoured  to  reclaim.  Next  comes  a  paper,  or 
information  taken  on  oath  at  Bristol,  of  one  who  represents 
some  of  the  Quakers  as  disguised  Romish  priests :  then  fol- 
lows the  Catechism  itself;  in  which  the  controversy  is  treated 
in  a  very  desultory  manner.  Indeed,  the  doctrines  of  the 
Friends  had  scarcely  been  brought  to  a  consistent  form ;  it  would 
consequently  have  been  vain  to  expect  that  the  undisciplined 
troops,  composing  their  army,  should  either  attack  or  be  at- 
tacked in  regular  battle.  Baxter  having  been  treated  very  un- 
ceremoniously, ih  as  unceremonious  in  his  addresses  and  ques- 
tions to  "  the  miserable  creatures,"  whom  he  considered  to  be 
labouring  under  dreadful  delusion.  The  following  specimen 
of  his  questions  will  give  the  reader  a  fair  sample  of  his  mode 
of  interrogating  them.  The  subject  is—the  sufficiency  of  the 
light,  which  all  men  are  supposed  to  enjoy. 

**  Was  it  sufficient  before  Christ  preached  the  Gospel,  and 
sent  his  apostles  ?  or,  is  it  now  sufficient  to  all  that  never  heard 
the  Gospel  ?  If  so,  is  not  the  Gospel  a  vain  and  needless 
thing  7  or,  are  you  Christians  that  dare  so  affirm  ?  If  the  world 
have  sufficient  light,  what  need  they  your  teaching,  or  discourse, 
or  conviction?  If  all  have  sufficient  within  them,  what  need 
they  any  convicting  grace  ?  Why  did  Christ  send  Paul  to  open 
men's  eyes,  and  to  turn  them  from  darkness  to  light,  if  they 

f  Life,  part  i.  pp.  U5^  116. 


694  THE  Lira  AND  WRITINGS 

had  sufficient  light  before  ?  I  pray  you  do  not  dis<lain  to  tdl 
me,  when  you  have  rubbed  your  eyes,  if  all  men  haVe  sUffict^iit 
light  within  them,  why  you  got  up  into  the  judgment-seat,  and 
pronounced  me  so  oft  to  be  in  darkness,  and  to  be  Inrid  of  ths 
light,  and  to  have  none  of  the  Spirit.  If  till  have  it^  why  may 
not  I  have  it  ?" 

In  the  same  year  in  which  he  published  his  Catechism,  h0 
sent  out  a  series  of  monthly  tracts,  which  were  chic^Ay  intended 
to  counteract  the  principles  and  progress  of  Quakerism.  Hie 
first  appeared  in  August,  1657,  and  is  entitled,  ^  One  Sheet  kit 
the  Ministry  against  Malignants  of  all  sorts/  In  September, 
he  published  ^  One  Sheet  against  the  Quakers ;  *  and  in  the  fcil-» 
lowing  month,  ^  A  Second  Sheet  for  the  Ministry,  justifying  ottf 
Calling  against  Quakers,  Seekers,  and  Papists,  and  all  that  deny 
us  to  be  the  Ministers  of  Christ/ 

Into  these  tracts  it  is  unnecessary  to  enter  particularly,  » 
their  titles  sufficiently  explain  their  nature  and  design.  Tliqr 
furnish  additional  evidence  to  mUch  that  had  been  already  ad- 
duced of  the  ceaseless  vigilance  and  untiring  labour  of  Baxter; 
His  eye  was  every  where ;  his  hand  was  in  every  work.  AliTC 
to  all  the  dangers  and  temptations  then  abounding  in  the 
country,  he  employed,  with  the  utmost  promptness,  all  the 
means  which  he  could  devise  to  avert  the  evils,  or  to  warn  men 
against  them.  He  admonished  Cromwell,  he  addressed  the 
parliament,  and,  at  the  same  time,  expostulated  with  a  Seeker, 
questioned  a  Quaker,  and  catechised  a  child.  When  it  was  ne- 
cessary, he  produced  a  folio ;  when  less  might  answer  the  pur- 
pose, he  published  a  monthly  tract.  Well  might  he  give  the 
following  answer  to  the  reproaches  of  idleness  thrown  out 
against  the  ministry  : 

"  The  Quakers  say,  we  are  idle  drones,  that  labour  not,  and 
therefore  should  not  eat.  The  worst  I  wish  you  is,  that  you  had 
but  my  ease  instead  of  your  labour.  I  have  reason  to  take 
myself  for  the  least  of  saints,  and  yet  I  fear  not  to  tell  the  ac- 
cuser that  1  take  the  labour  of  most  tradesmen  in  the  town  to 
be  a  pleasure  to  the  body,  in  comparison  with  mine ;  though  for 
the  ends  and  the  pleasure  of  my  mind,  I  would  not  change  it 
with  the  greatest  prince.  Their  labour  preserveth  health,  and 
mine  cunsuineth  it;  they  work  in  ease,  and  I  in  continual  pain; 
they  have  hours  and  days  of  recreation,  I  have  scarce  time  to 
eat  and  drink.     Nobody  molesteth  them  for  their  labour,  but 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTSR«  695 

the  more  I  do,  the  more  hatred  and  trouble  I  draw  upon  me.  If 
a  Quaker  ask  ine  what  all  this  labour  is,  let  him  come  and  see^ 
or  do  as  I  do,  and  he  shall  know/' 

Baxter  was,  sometime  after  this,  attacked  in  a  huge  volume 
with  a  singular  title :  ^  The  Rustic's  Alarm  to  the  Rabbies ;  or^ 
the  Country  correcting  the  Universities  and  Clergy,  and  not  with- 
out Cause,  Contesting  for  the  Truth  against  the  Nursing  Mothers^ 
and  their  Children^  &c.  By  way  of  Intercourse  held  in  Special 
with  four  of  the  Clergies'  Chieftans,  John  Owen,  Thomas 
Danson,  John  Tombes,  and  Richard  Baxter;  which  four  Fcremm 
hold  the  Sense  and  Senseless  Faith  of  the  whole  Fry,  &c.  By 
Samuel  Fisher,  who  some  time  went  astray  among  the  many 
Shepherds,  .but  is  now  returned  to  the  great  Shepherd  and 
Overseer  of  the  Soul/  1660.  4 to.  pp.  600.  To  this  enormous 
volume  of  rant,  it  does  not  appear  that  any  of  the  persons  at* 
tacked,  made  a  reply.  Fisher  was  originally  in  the  churchy 
and  chaplain  to  Sir  Arthur  Haselrigg :  he  afterwards  became  a 
Baptist,  and  wrote  the  only  folio  volume  which  I  believe  has 
ever  been  written  on  that  side  of  the  question,  ^  Baby  Baptism^ 
mere  Babyism,'  in  which  he  animadverts  on  Baxter.  He  soon 
after  became  Quaker,  and  laboured  hard  to  destroy  the  things 
which  lie  had  formerly  built  up.  He  is  said  to  have  been  a  man 
of  piety  and  of  learning,  but  fickle  and  violent.  Nothing  but 
an  inspection  of  his  books  can  enable  any  one  to  form  an  idea 
of  the  extraordinary  style  in  which  he  wrote. 

At  a  subsequent  period  of  his  life,  Baxter  engaged  in  a  per- 
sonal controversy  on  the  principles  of  Quakerism,  with  William 
Penn,  but  it  led  to  no  publication  on  the  points  in  debate. 
The  discussion  has  been  referred  to  in  the  former  part  of  this 
virork.  By  that  time,  the  number  of  the  Friends  had  greatly  in- 
creased, their  principles  and  practice  had  assumed  a  more 
definite  form,  and  their  conduct,  in  regard  to  the  great  subject 
of  religious  liberty,  had  entitled  them  to  the  approbation  and 
esteem  of  all  the  friends  of  religion  and  freedom.  In  Penn  and 
Barclay  they  found  abler  and  more  successful  defenders  and 
advocates  than  Fox  or  Fisher,  who  required  to  be  met  with 
different  arguments,  and  in  a  better  style  and  spirit^  than  had 
been  employed  by  Baxter. 

In  the  last  year  of  his  life,  Baxter  was  led  to  engage  in  a  con- 
troversy with  the  Rev.  Thomas  Beverly,  on  the  subject  of  the 


696  THB   LJFB   ANI>   WRITINGS 

Millenium^  and  the  second  advent  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  This 
is  one  of  those  subjects  which  appears,  from  time  to  time,  to 
have  agitated  the  church  of  Christ,  from  the  ver}'  beginning. 
Even  in  the  days  of  the  apostles,  some  indulged  the  expectation 
that  the  coming  of  the  Lord  was  at  hand,  and,  under  the  in- 
fluence of  this  feeling,  appear  to  have  relaxed  in  their  attention 
to  the  ordinary  duties  of  life.'  In  the  subsequent  ages,  the 
doctrine  of  the  Millenium  was  a  favourite  speculation  with  many, 
though  very  various  and  discordant  sentiments  were  entertained 
respecting  it.  At  the  Reformation  it  had  its  patrons  among  those 
yvhose  imaginations  were  excited  by  the  extraordinary  events  of 
the  period,  to  expect  that  the  time  of  the  restitution  of  all  things 
was  near.  During  the  Commonwealth,  the  fifth-monarchy  men 
brought  this  subject  again  into  prominent  notice ;  but  the  ex- 
travagances of  some  of  them,  and  the  destruction  which  they 
brought  on  themselves,  sunk  it  into  contempt.  It  was  held,  • 
however,  by  some  most  respectable  and  learned  individuals,  both 
before  and  after  the  time  of  the  Commonwealth.  It  is  only 
necessary  to  mention,  in  proof  of  this,  the  names  of  Joseph 
Mede  and  Henry  More;  men  alike  distinguished  for  learning  and 
talents,  and  for  their  mild  and  conciliatory  dispositions. 

Among  the  most  strenuous  and  ardent  supporters  of  this 
doctrine,  was  Thomas  Beverly,  a  man  by  no  means  destitute  of 
good  sense,  scriptural  information,  and  ardent  zeal.  He  was 
pastor  of  a  dissenting  congregation,  which  assembled  in  Cutlers' 
Hall,  and  began  his  career  as  a  writer  on  the  prophecies,  about 
the  period  of  the  Revolution,  of  which  he  was  a  most  devoted 
friend  and  admirer.  In  a  work  published  in  1688,  dedicated  to 
the  Prince  of  Orange,  he  endeavours  to  show  that  the  Papacy 
could  not  last  above  nine  years,  and  that  the  Millenium  would 
commence  in  1697-  From  this  time  to  that  portentous  year, 
be  continued  to  send  forth  his  publications  on  the  subject  in 
great  numbers,  challenging  every  body  to  answer  them.  He 
lived  to  see  all  his  prophetical  calculations  fail ;  so  that  on  the 
year  in  which  they  should  have  commenced  their  fulfilment,  he 
resigned  his  pastoral  charge,  retired  into  the  country,  and 
shortly  after  sunk  into  obscurity.  Such  was  the  fate  of  a  man 
whose  talents,  ardour,  and  devotedncss,  had  they  been  better 
directed,  might  have  rendered  him  eminently  useful ;  but  whose 
misdirected  zeal  and  erroneous  calculations  issued  only  in  dis- 

»  2Thcss.ii.iii.5— 12. 


OF  RICUAAD   BAXTER.  697 

appointment  to  himself,  sorrow  to  his  friends^^and  triumph  to 
the  enemiei  of  religion.  ^ 

Beverly  was  the  friend  and  correspondent  of  Baxter.  He 
admired  his  talents,  respected  his  piety,  and  courted  his.  ac- 
quaintance. Knowing  the  candour  with  which  Baxter  listened 
to  every  plausible  representation  on  religious  subjects,  and  being 
convinced  that  if  he  could  but  engage  his  attention,  he  would 
openly  espouse  his  cause,  or  enter  the  lists  against  him;  either  of 
which  results  would  answer  his  purpose  by  calling  attention  to 
his  own  publications.  He  accordingly  presented  him  with  them 
88  they  appeared,  and  most  perseveringly  solicited  his  observa- 
tions upon  them.  Having  published  his  ^  Catechism  of  the  King- 
dom of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Thousand  Years ;  showing 
by  Scripture  that  the  great  articles  of  the  Redemption,  the 
ResurrecUon,  the  Mystery  of  the  Saints  not  dying  but  changed, 
the  Judgment,  the  Delivering  up  of  the  Kingdom  to  God,  all  in 
all,  cannpt  be  explained  at  full  dimensions  without  it  ;*  he  sent  it 
to  Baxter,  with  an  earnest  request  to  be  favoured  with  his  opi- 
nion of  it.  The  substance  of  Beverly's  doctrine  appears  to  be : 
that  Christ's  kingdom  begins  only  at  the  Millenium;  that 
the  commencement  of  the  Millenium  and  the  resurrection  of 
the  saints,  are  parallel  events ;  that  the  Millenium  is  the  day  of 
judgment  spoken  of  in  Scripture ;  that  during  it  the  saints  shall 
increase  and  multiply  upon  the  earth ;  that  the  wicked  shall 
also  be  upon  the  earth ;  and  that  a  grand  conflict  shall  take  place 
at  the  battle  of  Armageddon,  when  the  wicked  shall  be  de- 
stroyed. With  all  this  is  mixed  up  some  strange  speculations 
about  the  person  of  Christ. 

On  receiving  the  *  Millenary  Catechism,'  Baxter  addressed  a 
long  and  kind  letter  to  the  author,  proposing  a  series  of  (jues- 
tions  to  htm.  He  assures  him  they  were  written  not  in  a  spirit 
of  captiousness,  but  from  a  real  desire  of  information,  which  he 
considered  Beverly  well  qualified  to  supply.  As  these  questions 
are  not  unimportant  at  the  present  time,  I  shall  extract  a  few 
of  them. 

**  Doth  the  Revelation  mention  one  thousand  years  or  two  ? 
If  but  one^  doth  not  that  begin  upon  the  fall  of  Babylon  ?  Why 
say  you  that  Christ's  kingdom  beginneth  at  the  one  thousand 
years,  when  so  many  things  tell  us  of  his  kingdom  existent  long 
before  ?  Hath  he  not  governed  by  laws,  and  initial  execution, 
long  before  ?  yea,  the  kingdom  is  among  us  and  within  us.  Do 
•  Wilsoa's  Hist,  of  Diss.  Churches,  vol.  ii.  pp.  64^66. 


698  THB   Lift  AND  WRITINGS 

not  the  spirits  of  the  departed  just,  with  the  ^gels,  nomr  dm* 
stitute  the  general  assembly  above;  and  is  not  that  the  kingdom 
of  Christ,  and  doth  he  not  now  reign  over  all  ?  Shall  these 
blessed  souls  come  down  for  one  thousand  years,  and  dwell  either 
with  devils,  or  where  devils  now  dwell,  in  the  air  ?  If  they  come 
thither  with  Christ  at  judgment,  shall  they  dwell  there  so  long? 
and  is  it  no  worse  a  place  than  where  they  are  ?  Seeing  tte 
heavens  that  now  are  must  then  be  burnt,  is  not  the  air  the  lowtr 
part  of  the  heavens,  or  that  at  least,  and  shall  Christ  and  the 
new  Jerusalem  dwell  in  the  consuming  fire  ?  I  cannot  possibly 
find  what  time  you  allot  to  the  conflagration  of  heaven ;  whe- 
ther it  shall  continue  burning  all  the  one  thousand  years,  or  be 
quickly  dispatched  at  first ;  nor  yet  what  time  or  measure  yoil 
set  to  the  conflagration  of  the  earth.  Doth  it  burn  all  at  ouce, 
or  by  gradations,  as  Dr.  Cressener  thinks,  beginning  at  Rome, 
and  so  going  on  ?  or  is  it  all  the  one  thousand  years  proceeding 
to  its  dispatch  ?  If  so,  it  is  a  wonder  that  this  long  fire  eoiH 
sumeth  not  Gog  and  Magog,  and  if  the  inhabitants  fly  from  it, 
as  at  Etna,  whither  do  they  carry  their  goods,  and  where  wiU 
they  find  room,  both  saints  and  sinners  ?  Is  it  the  new  earth 
all  the  while  it  is  burning  ?  If  it  be  burnt  at  all  at  the  begin- 
ning, where  are  the  surviving  saints  all  the  while  ? 

*^  You  avoid  many  difficulties  by  holding  but  one  resurrection; 
but  what  then  becomes  of  the  bodies  of  all  the  wicked,  who  die 
during  the  one  thousand  years  ?  Do  soul  and  body  go  to  hell 
unburied,  or  do  only  their  souls  suffer,  and  their  bodies  never 
rise  ?  Is  there  one  conflagration  or  two  ?  The  Scriptures  speak 
but  of  one ;  and  then  what  becomes  of  your  new  earth  at  the 
end  of  the  one  thousand  years  ?  are  not  Gog  and  Magog  bunit 
at  last  ?  Is  your  beloved  city  on  eartii  in  one  place  ?  and  where? 
or  over  the  whole  earth  ?  Is  not  the  number  that  cover  the 
camp,  as  the  sand  of  the  sea,  with  Gog  and  Magog,  inconsistent 
with  the  description  of  the  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  right- 
eousness, and  with  the  times  of  restitution,  when  th^  groaning 
creation  shall  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corruption  into 
a  paradisiacal  state  ?"  ^ 

Such  is  a  specimen  of  the  questions  which  Baxter  proposed 
to  Beverly,  on  his  having  transmitted  to  him  a  copy  of  the  work 
which  he  had  published.  Could  I  have  quoted  them  all,  they 
would  have  shown  how  amply  Baxter,  even  at  this  advanced 
period  of  his  life,  entered  into  the  subject,  and  that  no  portion 

^  Letter  to  Beverly.— jffoxter  MSS. 


OF   RICHARD   BAXtEtt.  6^$ 

of  his  natural  acuteness  had  yet  filled  him.  It  does  hot  seem 
to  have  produced  much  effect  on  Beverly ;  and  therefore,  in 
the  course  of  the  year  1691,  appeared  a  4to  tract,  entitled 
*  The  Glorious  Kingdom  of  Christ  described  and  clearly  vin- 
dicated, &c.,  by  Richard  Baxter,  whose  comfort  is  only  the  hope 
of  that  kingdom/ 

In  this  work  he  enters  the  lists  with  the  Millenariatis  in  ^ 
tieral :  i^ith  those  who  boldly  asserted  the  future  restoration  and 
reign  of  the  Jews,  and  the  one  thousand  years'  rest  before  the  con- 
flagration; with  those  also  who  elcpected  a  reign  of  one  thousand 
years  after  the  conflagration ;  and  with  Beverly  in  particular,  in 
answer  to  his  challenges  and  censures,  of  which  he  appears  to 
have  been  very  liberal.  Baxter  endeavours  to  explain  the  pro- 
mise of  the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth  ;  and  contends  for 
the  everlasting  duration  of  Christ's  kingdom.  He  undertakes 
to  prove  that  the  doctrines  of  Beverly,  and  the  Millenarians,  are 
chimerical,  and  without  foundation  in  Scripture ;  that  the  view!^ 
commonly  entertained  on  these  subjects  are  in  accordance  with 
Idl  correct  interpretation  of  the  prophecies  of  the  Bible ;  that 
Christ's  kingdom  is  spiritual  in  its  nature,  properly  commenced 
at  his  resurrection,  and  will  continue  till  the  final  conflagratioUj 
when  it  will  be  perfected  for  ever  in  heaven. 

Prom  this  work,  it  appears  that  Baxter  did  not  believe  that  the 
ten  tribes  were  ever  so  entirely  lost  as  many  suppose,  and  that  part 
of  them  existed  in  the  time  of  Christ  and  the  Apostles ;  conse- 
quently that  the  recovery  of  such  a  body,  according  to  the  expec- 
tations of  many,  is  not  to  be  looked  for.  Nor  does  he  appear  to 
have  believed  in  any  national  conversion  of  the  Jewish  people, 
in  their  restoration  to  their  own  country,  in  their  instrumentality 
for  the  conversion  of  the  world,  or  in  their  future  superiority 
over  the  nations.  His  reasonings  on  all  these  topics,  cannot  be 
given.  I  do  not  agree  with  him  in  every  point,  but  I  have  no 
hesitation  in  saying,  that  though  less  known  than  many  of  his 
virorks,  it  is  one  of  the  acutest  and  best  written  of  his  numerous 
publications.  The  opinions  of  Beverly  were  not  new  when  he 
wrote ;  they  had  been  frequently  started  and  exploded  before. 
They  have  been  repeatedly  revived  since,  maintained  with  no  less 
confidence,  and  propagated  with  equal  zeal ;  and  in  future  ages 
will  probably  continue  to  experience  the  same  fate.  One  pas- 
sage of  Baxter's  tract,  relating  to  Beverly,  I  think  merits  to  be 
quoted : 
'^  Your  writings  make  it  plain,  that  you  are  a  good  inan^  €t 


700  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

deep  thoughts^  fallen  into  a  fond  esteem  of  your  neWj  imripe 
conceptions^  and  wrapt  up  thereby  into  a  diseased  conceitednesi. 
How  you  will  be  able  to  bear  it  when  Providence  and  experience 
have  confuted  you  in  1697^  I  know  not.  But  I  am  the  more 
bold  to  foretell  your  failing,  by  my  persuasion,  that  your  expo- 
sition of  the  Revelation,  is  a  mere  mistake  from  the  beginning 
almost  to  the  end. 

'^  Wonder  not  that  nobody  writeth  to  confute  yon.  For  men 
love  not  to  trouble  themselves  with  convincing  every  single  man 
of  his  errors.  The  reason  why  I  attempt  it  is,  because  by  the 
seduction  of  some  of  my  friends,  and  the  general  inclination  of 
the  Antinomian,  Anabaptist,  and  separating  party  to  this  con- 
ceit of  the  thousand  years'  kingdom,  I  understand  that  your 
opinion,  which  formerly  was  tolerable  as  confined  to  a  few  con- 
ceited good  men,  is  now  becoming  a  great  article  of  their  feith 
and  religion,  especially  since  I  see  that  in  all  your  professed  ex- 
traordinary humility,  you  brand  all  who  dissent  from  you  as 
semi-Sadducees  of  the  apostacy,  and  constantly  challenge  all 
pastors  and  doctors  to  answer  you  ;  and  maintain  (though  yoa 
conform)  that  God's  word  knoweth  not  a  clergy."  • 

Beverly  published  a  short  answer  to  Baxter,  as  full  of  con- 
fidence as  ever.  In  consequence  of  which,  Baxter  brought  out 
quickly  after,  another  pamphlet  in  ^  Reply  to  Mr.  Thomas 
Beverly's  Answer  to  my  Reasons  against  his  Doctrine  of  the 
Thousand  Years'  Middle  Kingdom,  and  of  the  Conversion  of  the 
Jews.'  Feb.  20,  1691.  4to.  This  tract  consists  of  only  twenty- 
one  pages,  and  must  have  been  among  the  last  things  of  a  con- 
troversial nature  wliich  Baxter  wrote,  as  appears  from  the  date 
on  the  title-page,  where  he  also  speaks  of  himself  ^^  as  passing 
to  that  world  where  we  shall  see  face  to  face."  Beverly  had  the 
last  word  in  ^  The  One  Thousand  Years'  Kingdom  of  Christ  in  its 
full  Scripture  State,  answering  Mr.  Baxter's  new  Treatise  in 
opposition  to  it.'   1691.  4to. 

Thus  ended  Baxter's  debate  with  Beverly  on  the  subject  of 
the  Millenium ;  and  here  must  terminate  our  account  of  the 

*  Pp.  ^5, 46.  It  is  a  very  curious  fact,  which  appears  to  have  struck 
Baxter,  as  he  rercrs  to  it  more  thau  oDce  iu  this  pamphlet,  that  the  abettors 
of  the  doctrine  of  the  MilleuUim,  ag^aiust  which  he  coiiteuded,  were  mostly  of 
two  classes— Conformists  and  High  Calvinists.  That  this  is  the  case  still,  ii 
known  to  all  who  are  acquainted  with  the  parties  who  have  agitated  this 
question  in  latter  years.  This  is  not  the  place  to  account  for  this  co-incidence, 
but  it  is  certainly  worthy  of  some  attention.  Beverly  was  a  Dissenting  Con« 
forroiat,  and  attached  to  the  high  side  of  the  Christian  controversy  in  wbidi 
be  took  part. 


OP  RICHARD  BAXTER.  701 

minor  controversies  in  which  he  was  engaged.  Employed  in 
such  affairs  during  the  greater  part  of  his  public  life,  he  seems 
to  have  become  so  accustomed  to  'the  warfare  and  language  of 
religious  controversy,  that  it  had  comparatively  little  influence 
on  his  temper.  He  could  pass  without  effort  from  debating 
Baptism  to  meditations  on  the  ^  Saint's  Rest ;'  and  from  disputes 
about  the  Millenium,  to  the  expression  of  his  '  Dying  Thoughts.' 
He  opposed  firmly  what  he  believed  to  be  error ;  but  though  he 
often  used  the  language  of  sharpness,  the  law  of  kindness  never 
ceased  to  reign  in  his  breast. 


702  THB  UFB  AfiJi  WRITINGS 


CHAPTER  XL 


POUTICAL  AND   miTOBICAI.  WORKS. 

latFoductory  Observations— <  Humble  Advice' — *  Holy  Commofiwealth'- 
^Q  and  Design  of  the  Work— Involved  the  Author  in  much  trouble— The 
Political  Principles  which  it  avows  —  Recalled  by  Baxter  —  Motives  Cor 
doings  so— <  Church  History  of  Bishops '—Attacked  by  Morrice— <  True 
History  of  Bishops  and  Councils  Defended '— <  Breviate  of  the  life  of  Mrs. 
Baxter ' — <  Penitent  Confession ' — Conduct  of  Long  towards  Baxter—'  Re- 
liquiae Baxteriane '-Character  of  this  Work— Imperfectly  Edited  by  Syl- 
vester— Calamy's  Account  of  it,  and  its  Reception — His  Abridgment  of  it 
—Controversy  to  which  it  led. 

It  is  difficult  to  define  what  ought^  in  particular  circumstances, 
to  be  the  conduct  of  a  Christian  minister  respecting  political 
affairs.  Neither  the  profession  of  Christianity,  nor  the  office  of 
the  ministry,  deprives  a  man  of  his  civil  privileges,  or  of  a 
right  to  exercise  them.  At  the  same  time,  "  all  things  which 
are  lawful  may  not  be  expedient.*'  Every  man,  and  especially 
every  minister  of  Christ,  is  bound  to  study  what  may  tend  most 
effectually  to  promote  the  grand  design  of  Christianity,  and  to 
abstain  as  much  as  possible,  both  from  giving  offence  to  the 
weak,  and  exciting  uimecessary  prejudices  against  him  on  tKe 
part  of  others.  It  is  easy  to  act  when  the  affairs  of  a  country 
are  moving  on  with  regularity  and  smoothness ;  but  when  ^'  the 
foundations  are  all  out  of  course,"  and  ^'  civil  dudgeon  "  runs 
high,  the  most  inoffensive  and  conscientious  persons  may  fre- 
quently be  exposed  to  great  difficulty.  Taking  part  in  their 
country's  affairs  will  expose  them  to  the  charge  of  meddling  and 
sedition;  while  entire  neutrality  may  probably  bring  upon 
them  the  no  less  injurious  insinuation  |of  selfish  indifference. 
To  these  difficulties  religious  people  were  greatly  exposed 
during  the  trying  period  of  England's  struggle  for  civil  and  re- 
ligious freedom. 

Baxter  was  not  a  man  formed  for  neutrality.     It  was  not  in 
his  nature  to  avoid  taking  part  with  the  weajk  and  righteous, 


OF  RICHARP   BAXTER.  703 

and  opposing  their  oppressors.  His  mind  entered  into  every 
subject  which  interested  his  countrymen^  and  regardless  of  con- 
sequences to  himself,  he  fearlessly  committed  both  his  actions 
and  his  opinions  to  the  public.  In  the  former  part  of  this  work, 
we  have  seen  how  he  joined  the  army  of  the  commonwealth,  with 
bis  reasons  for  so  doing.  He  was  a  lover  of  constitutional  mon- 
archy, but  an  enemy  of  despotism ;  and  regarding  the  govern- 
ment as  determined  to  crush  the  religion  and  liberties  of  his 
country,  he  felt  himself  bound  to  support  those  whom  he  viewed 
as  its  best  and  only  friends,  though  many  of  their  measures  he 
.  saw  reason  to  condemn  and  oppose. 

It  must  be  confessed,  however,  that  he  was  not  at  home  on 
political  matters.  They  were  uncongenial  to  his  heavenly  mind, 
and  to  all  his  habits  and  pursuits.  Compliance  with  the  wishes 
of  others,  the  promotion  of  what  he  considered  the  peace  and 
interests  of  religion  and  the  commonwealth,  or  the  defence  of 
himself  against  gross  misrepresentations,  were  the  motives  by 
which  he  appears  to  have  been  generally  actuated  in  all  bis 
writings  of  this  description*  Some  of  the  works  which  are 
now  to  come  before  us  contain  much  information  respecting  the 
period  they  relate  to,  and  are,  on  this  account^  still  important 
and  interesting. 

The  first  of  these  which  claims  our  attention,  *  The  Wor- 
cestershire Petition,'  with  Baxter's  defence  of  it,  may  be  re- 
garded as  the  earliest  of  his  political  performances ;  but  as 
sufficient  notice  of  them  has  been  taken  in  treating  of  the 
Quaker  controversy,  with  which  these  pamphlets  were  closely 
connected,  it  is  unnecessary  to  advert  to  tliem  again.  His 
next  work  in  this  department  was  not  published  by  himself. 
^Richard  Baxter's  Humble  Advice;  or,  the  Heads  of  those 
Things  which  were  offered  to  many  Honourable  Members  of  Par- 
liament by  Mr.  Richard  Baxter,  at  the  end  of  his  Sermon,  De- 
cember 24,  at  the  Ahbey  of  Westminster ;  with  some  Additionsj 
as  they  were  delivered  by  him  to  a  friend,  that  desired  them,  who 
thought  meet  to  make  them  public'  165S.  4to.  There  is  no- 
thing in  this  tract  worthy  of  particular  notice ;  it  contains  some 
instructions,  which  the  author  thought  calculated  to  promote 
reformation  and  peace. 

The  work  which,  of  all  others  written  by  Baxter,  created  the 
strongest  sensation  at  the  time,  and  occasioned  the  greatest 
trouble  to  him  afterwards,  was  his  ^  Holy  Commonwealth ;  or^ 


704  THE  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

Political  Aphorisms:  opening  the  true  principles  of  Govern- 
ment ;  for  the  healing  of  the  ndstakeSy  and  resolving  the  doubU, 
that  most  endanger  and  trouble  England  at  this  time ;  and 
directing  the  desires  of  sober  Christians  that  long  to  see  the 
Kingdoms  of  this  world  become  the  Kingdoms  of  the  Lord  and 
of  his  Christ/  1659.  8vo.  The  following  is  his  own  accoont 
of  the  origin  and  object  of  this  work,  with  the  treatment  which 
it  experienced. 

"  The  book  which  hath  furnished  my  enemies  with  matter  of 
reviling,  which  none  must  dare .  to  answer,  is  my  ^  Holy  Com- 
monwealth.' The  occasion  of  it  was  this  :  when  our  pretorian 
sectarian  bands  had  cut  all  bonds,  pulled  down  all  government, 
and  after  the  death  of  the  king  had  twelve  years  kept  out  hia 
son,  few  men  saw  any  probability  of  his  restitution,  and  every 
self-conceited  fellow  was  ready  to  offer  his  model  for  a  new  form 
of  government.  Mr.  Hobbes*  *  Lieviathan '  had  pleased  many.^ 
Mr.  Thomas  White,  the  great  Papist,  had  written  his  Politics  in 
English,  for  the  interest  of  the  Protector,  to  prove  that  subjects 
ought  to  submit  and  subject  themselves  to  such  a  change.* 
Mr.  James  Harrington  (they  say,  by  the  help  of  Mr.  H. 
NevilleO  had  written  a  book  in  folio  for  a  democracy,  called 
Oceana,^  seriously  describing  a  form  near  to  the  Venetian,  and 

*  Hobbes  produced  bis  *  Leviathan  ;  or,  4he  Matter,  Form,  and  Power  of 
a  Commonwealth,'  in  1651.  Few  books  have  occasioned  more  or  fiercer  coo- 
troversy  than  this  production  of  the  philosopher  of  Malmsbury.  J t  is  an  able, 
learned,  but  most  paradoxical  and  irreli^ous  performance.  Jts  principles 
would  justify  all  social  disorder  and  all  impiety.  But  the  scales  of  the  Levia- 
than are  very  bard  to  penetrate,  and  liave  injured  most  of  the  weapons  which 
have  been  tried  upon  it.  Lord  Clarendon  **  surv^ed  "  it,  and  Bishop  Bramball 
endeavoured  to  "  ca^cA  "  it ;  but  the  monster  still  lived,  exercising  the  io* 
grenuity  and  courage  of  many  a  successive  combatant.  The  most  formidable 
of  his  antagonists  were — Cumberland,  in  bis  work  '  De  Legibus  Nature,'  and 
Cudworth,  in  the  '  intellectual  System.' 

*  The  book  of  White  to  which  Baxter  here  refers  is,  *  The  Grounds  of  Obe- 
dience and  Government,'  which  appeared  in  16r)3.  The  author  was  a  Catholic 
priest,  possessing  considerable  talents  as  a  philosopher,  and  whose  writinj^, 
both  on  theological  and  philosophical  subjects,  were  numerous.  He  disputed 
some  of  the  dogmas  of  his  own  church,  and  used  to  wrangle  with  Hobbes, 
with  whom  be  was  intimate.  In  the  book  above  referred  to,  he  justifies  the 
resistance  offered  to  Charles  1.,  and  supported  the  government  of  Cromwell. 
He  died  in  1676,  in  the  seventy- fourth  year  uf  his  age. 

'  Henry  Neville,  according  tu  Wood,  was  an  ingenious  and  wel]*bred  gentle- 
man, and  a  good  but  conceited  poet. — Allien,  Oxon.  vol.  iii.p.  1119.  He  was 
an  active  member  of  a  political  club  to  which  Harrington  belouged. 

s  *  The  Commonwealth  of  Oceana,'  by  Harrington,  appeared  iu  1G56,  and 
was  another  of  those  theories  of  government,  which  were  gendered  during  the 
Coaimouwealtbi  aud  with  which  Baxter  appears  to  have  been  greaUy  disst* 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTKR.  .  705 

setting  the  people  upon  the  desires  of  a  change.  After  this,  Sir 
H.  Vane  and  his  party  were  about  their  sectarian  deniocratical 
iDodel,^  which  Stubbs  defended.  *  Rogers,^  Needham, *  and  Mr. 
Bagshaw,™  had  also  written  against  monarchy  before.  In  the 
end  of  an  epistle  before  my  book  on  ^  Crucifying  the  World,' 
I  had  spoken  a  few  words  against  this  innovation  and  opposition 
to  monarchy ;  and  haviiig  especially  touched  upon  ^  Oceana'  and 
'  Leviathan/  Mr.  Harrington  seemed  in  a  Bethlehem  rage ;  for 
by  way  of  &corn  he  printed  half  a  sheet  of  foolish  jests,  in  such 
words  as  idiots  or  drunkards  use,  railing  at  ministers  as  a  pack 

tia6ed.  It  was  written  !u  imitation  of  the  *  Atlantis'  of  Plato,  and  the 
'  Utopia'  of  Sir  Thomas  More  ;  and,  like  both  its  celebrated  prototypes,  de- 
■erves  to  be  viewed  only  as  a  political  romance*  It  is  constructed  ou  the  priu« 
ciples  of  pure  republicanism,  and  was  therefore  not  more  acceptable  lo  Crom- 
well thau  afterwards  to  Charles.  The  author  was  one  of  the  must  active, 
restless  spirits  of  the  Commonwealth, — Ingenious  and  visionary,  but  very 
harmless.  He  died  in  a  state  of  insanity,  having^  for  some  time  before  his 
death  imaj^ned  that  his  perspiration  was  turned  into  flies  aud  bees.  Tlie  cele- 
brated Tolaud  collected  his  works,  to  which  he  prefixed  a  Life.  The  '  Oceana ' 
if  worth  the  reading  for  its  ingenuity  aud  style. 

^  I  suppose  Baxter  refers  here  to  Vane's  *  Healing  Question,'  in  which  he 
endeavours  to  adjust  the  points  of  government  on  democratical  principles, 
combined  with  religion. 

*  Stubbs  wrote  an  '  Essay  in  Defence  of  the  Good  Old  Cause ;  or,  a  Dis- 
course concerning  the  use  and  extent  of  the  Power  of  the  Civil  Magistrate  in 
Spiritual  Affairs.'  165i).  The  preface  to  this  work  contains  a  defence  of 
Vane  ;  but  he  also  wrote  by  itself  <  A  Vindication  of  that  Prudent  aud  Ho- 
nourable Knight,  Sir  Henry  Vaue,  from  the  Lies  and  Calumnies  of  Mr.  Rich- 
ard Baxter,  in  a  Monitory  Letter  to  the  said  Mr.  B.*  1659.  This  is  the  book 
to  which  I  suppose  Baxter  alludes. 

^  John  Rogers,  the  Fifth -Monarchy  man,  wrote  <  Christian  Concertation 
with  Mr.  Prynne,  Mr.  Baxter,  and  Mr.  Harrington,  for  the  True  Cause  of  the 
Commonwealth.'  1659.  4to.  This  is  intended  as  an  answer  to  Prynue's  *  Ana- 
tomy of  the  Republic,'  &c. ;  and  to  Baxter's  *  Holy  Commonwealth,'  aud 
part  of  bis  '  Key  to  Catholics.'  Rogers  was  not  destitute  of  parts  and  learn* 
ing ;  but  he  was  one  of  the  most  enthusiastic  spirits  of  the  excited  age  in 
which  he  lived. 

'  Marcbmont  Needham  was  one  of  the  most  celebrated  political  adventurers 
of  the  times.  He  was  author  of  mauy  of  the  <  Mercuries,'  as  they  were 
called,  which  then  flew  about  in  all  directions,  and  took  all  sides  of  the  great 
political  questions  which  agitated  the  country.  He  is  said  to  have  been 
**  traiisceudently  gifted  in  opprobrious  and  treasonable  droll,"  which  he  did 
not  scruple  to  employ  on  all  occasions.  Perhaps  the  pamphlet  to  which  Bax- 
ter refers,  as  written  by  him,  is  his  <  Discourse  of  the  Excellency  of  a  Free 
State  above  a  Kingly  Government.'  1650. 

"  The  book  of  Bagshaw's  referred  to  is  a  Latin  treatise  *  De  Monarchia  Ab- 
BolutA  Politica,'  &c.  1659.  '*  The  arguments  in  this  discourse,"  says  Baxter, 
**  seem  to  be  such  |ioor,  injudicious,  slender  stuff,  that  it  was  one  occasion  of 
my  writing  twenty  arguments  against  Democracy,  which  1  put  into  the  book 
which  1  have  since  revoked^  *  The  Holy  Commonwealth.'— jS{ut«r'#  Second 
JdmomHan  to  Bagshaw^ 

VOL.  I.  Z  ^ 


706  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITINtiS 

of  fools  and  knaves ;  and  by  his  gibberish  derision  persuading 
men  that  we  deserve  no  other  answer  than  such  scorn  and  non- 
sense  as  beseemeth  fools.  With  most  insolent  pride  he  carried 
it,  as  if  neither  I  nor  any  ministers  understood  at  all  what  policy 
was,  but  prated  against  we  knew  not  what,  and  had  presumed 
to  speak  against  other  men's  art,  which  he  was  master  of,  and 
his  knowledge,  to  such  idiots  as  we,  incomprehensible.*^  This 
made  me  think  it  fit,  having  given  that  general  hint  agunst  his 
•  Oceana,'  to  give  a  more  particular  charge,  and  withal  to  give 
the  world  and  him  an  account  of  my  political  principles,  and 
to  show  what  I  held  as  well  as  what  I  denied ;  which  I  did 
in  that  book  called  ^  Holy  Commonwealth,'  as  contrary  to 
his  heathenish  commonwealth.  In  which  I  pleaded  the 
cause  of  monarchy  as  better  than  democracy  and  aristocracy; 
but  as  under  God  the  universal  monarch.  Here  Bishop 
Morley  hath  his  matter  of  charge  against  me,  of  which 
one  part  is  that  I  spake  against  unlimited  monarchy,  because 
God  himself  hath  limited  all  monarchs.  If  I  had  said  that 
laws  limit  monarchs,  I  might,  amongst  some  men,  be  thought 
a  traitor  and  inexcusable;  but  to  say  that  God  limited! 
monarchs,  I  thought  had  never  before  been  chargeable  with 
treason,  or  opposed  by  any  that  believed  that  there  is  a  God. 
If  they  are  indeed  unlimited  in  respect  of  God,  we  have  many 
Gods  or  no  God.  But  now  it  is  dangerous  to  meddle  with  these 
matters,  most  men  say.  Let  God  defend  himself. 

"  In  the  end  of  this  book  is  an  appendix  concerning  the  cause 
of  the  parliament's  first  war,  which  was  thus  occasioned:  Sir 
Francis  Nethersole,  a  religious  knight,  who  was  against  the 
lawfulness  of  the  war  on  both  sides,  sent  his  man  to  me  with 
letters  to  advise  me  to  tell  Cromwell  of  his  usurpation,  and  to 
counsel  him  to  call  in  the  king ;  of  which,  when  I  had  given  him 
satisfaction,  he  sent  him  again  witli  more  letters  and  books  to 
convince  me  of  the  unlawfulness  of  the  Parliament's  war,  and 
others  attempting  it  at  the  same  time,  and  the  confusion, 
which  the  army  had  brought  upon  us,  being  such  as  made  me 
very  much  disposed  to  think  ill  of  those  beginnings  which  had 
no  better  an  end,  I  thought  it  best  to  publish  my  detestation 

"  Baxter  could  scarcely  expect  any  other  treatment  than  he  here  describes 
from  such  men  as  Harriug;ton.  Politics  was  the  element  in  which  such  men 
lived  and  breathed — the  field  which  they  considered  their  own.  They  pc- 
g'arded  Baxter  as  leaving  his  proper  business  and  meddling  with  theirs,  wbfii 
he  wrote  on  government,  and  were  therefore  disposed  to  say  in  banter^  •*  Ne 
sutor  ultra  crepidam,"  instead  of  reasoning;  with  hinr. 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  707; 

and  lamentation  for  those  rebellious  proceedings  of  the  army  ; 
which  I  did  as  plainly  as  could  be  borne,  both  in  an  epistle  to 
them,  and  in  a  meditation  at  the  end,  I  withal  declared  the 
very  truth,  that  hereby  I  was  made  suspicious  and  doubtful  of. 
the  beginnings  or  first  cause,  but  yet  was  not  able  to  answer 
the  arguments  which  the  lawyers  of  the  Parliament  then  gave> 
and  which  had  formerly  inclined  me  to  that  side.  I  confessed 
that  if  men's  miscarriages  and  ill  accidents  would  warrant  me 
to  condemn  the  beginnings  which  were  for  another  cause,  then 
I  should  have  condemned  them ;  but  that  not  being  the  way,  I 
found  myself  yet  unable  to  answer  the  first  reasons,  and  there- 
fore laid  them  down  together,  desiring  the  help  of  others  to 
answer  them,  professing  my  own  suspicion,  and  my  daily  prayers 
to  God  for  just  satisfaction.  And  this  paper  is  it  that  containeth 
all  my  crimes."® 

Such  is  Baxter's  own  account  of  this  work  many  years  after  its 
publication.  Beside  the  preface  and  conclusion,  it  contains 
three  hundred  and  eighty  theses,  or  aphorisms,  each  of  which  is 
illostrated  at  more  or  less  length :  beginning  with,  ^^  There  are 
men  inhabiting  the  earth,"  and  ending  with  ^^  A  prudent  godly 
prince  is  so  rare,  that  the  people  who  enjoy  such,  ought  greatly 
to  love,  obey,  and  honour  him."  The  space  between  these  very 
evident  points  is  filled  up  with  a  multitude  of  discussions,  some 
more  and  others  less  interesting.  On  many  of  the  subjects  which 
he  discusses,  Baxter  had  enlightened  views*  He  was  the  friend  of 
civil  liberty,  and  an  enemy  to  despotism  and  arbitrary  power. 
On  both  these  subjects  he  occasionally  wrote  well.  He  seems 
also  to  have  understood  the  great  end  and  design  of  govern- 
ment to  be,  the  good  of  the  governed ;  and  describes  more  accu- 
rately than  might  have  been  expected,  the  nature  of  the  British 
constitution.  On  the  magistrates'  power  or  authority  in  matters 
of  religion,  he  was  at  fault,  and  writes  like  a  person  who  imper- 
fectly understood  the  subject.  He  would  never  have  been  a 
persecutor  himself,  but  he  saw  no  objection  that  men  should  be 
compelled  to  submit,  for  their  own  good,  in  what  he  regarded. 
as  lesser  matters.  This,  however,  is  very  dangerous  ground  to 
occupy. 

The  most  obnoxious  part  of  the  book,  at  the  time  which  fol- 
lowed its  publication,  is  the  conclusion,  where  he  defends  the 
doctrine  of  resistance  to  illegal  and  oppressive  governments,  and 
justifies  the  war  on  the  part  of  the  people  of  England  against 


\ 

\ 


«  Life,  parti,  pp.  118, 119. 

zz2 


708  THS    LTFK  AND  WRITINGS 

the  king.  The  following  passages  state  the  principal  groimds 
of  his  opinion,  in  which,  whatever  reproach  he  had  to  endure  at 
the  time,  every  friend  of  the  British  constitution  now  agrees 
with  him. 

"  The  laws  in  England  are  above  the  king :  because  they  are 
not  his  acts  alone,  but  the  acts  of  king  and  parliament  coo- 
junctly,  who  have  the  legislative,  that  is,  the  sovereign  power* 
This  is  confessed  by  the  king  in  the  answer  to  the  nineteen 
propositions.  The  king  was  to  execute  judgment  according  to 
these  laws,  by  his  judges  in  his  courts  of  justice:  and  his  par- 
'  liamcnt  was  his  highest  court,  where  his  personal  will  and  word 
were  not  sufficient  authority  to  suspend  or  cross  the  judgment 
of  the  court,  except  in  some  particular  cases  submitted  to  him* 
The  people's  rights  were  evidently  invaded :  ship-money  and 
other  impositions  were  without  law,  and  so  without  authority. 
The  new  oath  imposed  by  the  convocation  and  the  king,  the 
ejecting  and  punishing  ministers  for  not  reading  the  Book  of 
Sports  on  the  Lord*s-days,  for  not  bowing  towards  the  altar,  for 
preaching  lectures,  and  twice  on  the  Lord's-day;  with  many  the 
like,  were  without  law,  and  so  without  authority. 

"  The  parliament  did  remonstrate  to  the  kingdom,  the  danger 
of  the  subversion  of  its  religion  and  liberties,  and  of  the  common 
good  and  interest  of  the  people,  whose  trustees  they  were  :  and 
we  were  obliged  to  believe  them  both  as  the  most  competent 
witnesses  and  judges,  and  the  chosen  trustees  of  our  liberties. 
We  are  ourselves  incapable  of  a  full  discovery  of  such  dangers 
till  it  be  too  late  to  remedy  them  :  and  therefore  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  government  having  made  the  parliament  the  trustees 
of  our  liberties,  hath  made  them  our  eyes  by  which  we  must 
discern  our  dangers,  or  else  they  had  been  useless  to  us.  The 
former  proceedings  afforded  us  so  much  experience  as  made  the 
parliament's  remonstrance  credible.  We  saw  the  king  raise  forces 
against  the  parliament ;  having  forsalvcn  it,  and  first  sought  to 
seize  upon  its  members  in  a  way  which  he  confessed  a  breach 
of  its  privilege.  All  the  king's  counsellors  and  soldiers  were 
subjects,  and  legally  under  the  power  of  the  parliament.  It 
had  power  to  try  any  subject,  and  adjudge  them  to  punishment 
for  their  crimes.  The  offenders  whom  it  would  have  judged, 
iled  from  justice  to  the  king,  and  there  defended  themselves  by 
force. 

'^  When  the  parliament  commanded  us  to  obey  them,  and 
not  resist  them)  I  knew  not  how  to  resist  and  disobey  theiD| 


OF  BICHARD  BAXTER.  709 

without  violation  of  the  command  of  God,  ^'  Let  every  soul 
be  subject  to  the  higher  power/'  &c.  \  and  without  incurring 
the  danger  of  the  condemnation  there  threatened  to  resisters. 
I  think  none  doubts  but  that  command  obliged  Christians 
to  obey  the  senate  as  well  as  the  emperor.  When  it  was 
confessed  by  the  king  that  the  legislative  power  was  in  the 
three  estates  conjunct,  and  the  estate  was  mixed,  and  conse- 
quently that  the  parliament  had  a  part  in  the  sovereignty,  I 
thought  it  treason  to  resist  them,  as  the  enemy  did,  apparently, 
in  order  to  their  subversion ;  and  unlawful  to  disobey  their  just 
commands,  such  as  I  thought  these  were. 

'^  I  had  great  reason  to  believe  that  if  the  king  had  con- 
quered the  parliament,  the  nation  had  lost  all  security  of  their 
liberties,  and  been  at  his  mercy,  and  not  merely  under  his  go- 
▼emment ;  and  that  if  he  had  conquered  them  by  such  persons 
as  he  then  employed,  it  had  not  been  in  his  power  to  have 
preserved  the  commonwcath  if  he  would.  His  impious  and 
popish  armies  would  have  ruled  him,  and  used  him  as  other 
armies  have  done  those  that  trusted  them. 

"  I  knew  that  the  parliament  was  the  representative  body  of 
.the  people  of  the  commonwealth,  who  are  the  subject  of  the 
common  good ;  that  the  common  good  is  4;he  essential  end 
of  government,  and  therefore  that  it  cannot  be  a  just  war  that, 
by  their  king,  is  made  against  them,  except  in  certain  ex- 
cepted cases :  and  that  the  end  being  more  excellent  than  the 
means,  is  to  be  preserved  by  us,  and  by  no  means  to  stand  in 
competition  u-ith  the  end.  And,  therefore,  if  I  had  known  that 
the  parliament  had  been  the  beginners,  and  most  in  fault,  yet 
the  ruin  of  our  trustees  and  representatives,  and  so  of  all  the 
security  of  the  nation,  is  a  punishment  greater  than  any  fault 
of  theirs  against  a  king  can  deserve;  and  that  their  faults 
cannot  disoblige  me  from  defending  the  Commonwealth.  I 
owned  not  all  that  ever  they  did ;  but  I  took  it  to  be  my  duty 
to  look  to  the  main  end.  I  knew  that  the  king  had  all  his 
power  for  the  common  good,  and  therefore  that  no  cause  can 
warrant  him  to  mak^  the  commonwealth  the  party  which  he 
shall  exercise  hostility  against.  War  against  the  parliament, 
especially  by  such  an  army,  in  such  a  cause,  is  hostility 
against  them,  and  so  against  the  commonwealth.  All  this 
seemed  plain  to  me  :  and  especially  when  I  knew  how  things 
went  before,  and  who  were  the  agents,  and  how  they  were 
minded,  and  what  were  their  purposes  against  the  people."  p 

r  Holy  Commonwealth,  pp.  470, 472, 474, 477^478,4\&Q)\*^\« 


710  THB   UFB   AND  WRITlBfGS 

I  doubt  greatly  Urhether,  by  any  man  of  hia  own  or  o.  tht 
present  age,  a  clearer  exposition  could  be  given  of  the  jiistify« 
ing  causes  of  the  civil  war  than  these  extracts  furnish.  They 
afford  an  admirable  specimen  of  the  clear  view  which  BaaOer 
had  of  the  great  question  which  so  long  distracted  the  oountryi 
and  sufficiently  account  for  his  own  conduct  and  that  of  many 
others  in  these  painful  transactions.  While  many  eircumstaiieei 
compelled  him  to  review  the  past^  his  mind  never  underwent 
any  material  change  on  those  points.  In  the  following  passagei 
after  having  noticed  the  faults  which  had  been  committed  on 
both  sides,  and  some  reasons  of  regret  peculiar  to  himad^  be 
avows  his  deliberate  conviction  of  the  righteousness  of  the 
cause,  and  declares  what  would  be  his  future  conduct  under 
similar  circumstances. 

'^  I  shall  continue  with  self-suspicion  to  search^  and  be  glad 
of  any  information  that  may  convince  me  if  I  have  been  mis- 
taken ;  and  I  make  it  my  daily  earnest  prayer  to  God  that  he 
will  not  suffer  me  to  live  or  die  impenitently,  or  without  the  dis- 
covery of  my  sin,  if  I  have  sinned  in  this  matter.  Could  I  be 
convinced  of  it,  I  would  as  gladly  make  a  public  recantation 
as  I  would  eat  or  drink ;  and  I  think  I  can  say  that  1  am  truly 
willing  to  know  the  truth.  But  yet  I  cannot  see  that  I  was 
mistaken  in  the  main  cause,  or  dare  repent  of  it,  nor  forbear 
the  same,  if  it  were  to  do  again  in  the  same  state  of  things.  I 
should  do  all  I  could  to  prevent  such  a  war ;  but  if  it  could  not 
be  prevented,  I  must  take  the  same  side  as  then  I  did.  And  my 
judgment  tells  me  that  if  I  should  do  otherwise,  I  should  be 
guilty  of  treason  or  disloyalty  against  the  sovereign  power  of  the 
land,  of  perfidiousncss  to  the  commonwealth,  of  preferring  of- 
fending subjects  before  the  laws  and  justice,  the  will  of  the  king 
above  the  safety  of  the  commonwealth,  and  consequently 
above  his  own  welfare;  and  that  I  should  be  guilty  of  giv- 
ing up  the  land  to  blood,  or  to  much  worse,  under  pretence 
of  avoiding  blood  in  a  necessary  defence  of  all  that  is  dear 


to  us."  *i 


*  The  Holy  Commonwealth '  was  published  at  a  very  critical 
time,  just  as-  Richard  Cromwell  was  falling,  and  before  it  ap- 
peared whctiier  a  republic  or  the  old  monarchy  was  to  occupy  his 
place.  "  It  was  written,"  the  author  tells  us,  "  while  the  Ixird 
Protector,  prudently,  piously,  faithfully,  to  his  immortal  honour, 
did  exercise  the  government."  Unfortunately,  with  Richard  fell 
the  liberties  of  England  for  many  a  year;  and  the  powers  that 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  7U 

telne  to  be,  took  care  to  remember  the  alleged  sins  of  Baxtet 
pommitted  in  this  work.  It  was  often  quoted  against  him,  and 
its  sentiments  greatly  misrepresented.  Among  others,  it  was 
attacked  by  Thomas  Tomkins,  a  high-church  clergyman,  and 
a  decided  opposer  of  toleration  and  the  privileges  of  the  dissents 
era  after  the  Restoration,  in  his  ^  Rebel's  Plea  examined ;  or^ 
Mu  Baxter's  Judgment  concerning  the  late  War.'  1660.  4tOt 
Tomkins  was  the  nephew  of  an  old  acquaintance  of  Baxter,  a 
prebendary  at  Worcester,  where  he  was  a  schoolboy  when  Bax- 
ter lived  in  the  county.  After  writing  this  book  he  was  created 
tL  doctor,  and  made  chaplain  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
Baxter  says,  his  ^  Rebel's  Plea^  ^^  was  a  confutation  of  such 
passages  .in  his  ^  Holy  Commonwealth,'  as  he  least  understood^ 
and  could  make  most  odious."'  This  is  not  the  only  book 
which  Tomkins  wrote  against  the  Nonconformists.  He  was 
author  of  ^  The  Inconveniencies  of  Toleration ;  or  the  Modem 
Pleas  of  Toleration  considered;'  a  book  on  which  Baxter 
bestows  some  animadversions  in  his  '  Apology  for  the  Noncon-* 
formists'  Ministry.'  The  author  was  in  high  esteem  with  Shel- 
don, who  made  him  rector  of  Lambeth,  and  conferred  on  him 
other  preferments.  • 

Beside  this  direct  attack,  all  the  political  adversaries  of  Bax« 
ter,  such  as  Morley,^  L'Estrange,  Long,  and  others,  took  occa« 
sion  to  reproach  him  for  the  sentiments  of  this  book.  At  last^ 
m  company  with  some  of  the  writings  of  Owen,  Locke,  and 
other  friends  of  British  freedom,  it  was  consigned  to  the  fire  by 
a  decree  of  the  University  of  Oxford.  This  reflected  honour 
rather  than  disgrace  on  Baxter;  and  was  in  due  time,  as  has 
been  mentioned  elsewhere,  amply  avenged  on  the  time-serving 
body  which  thus  dishonoured  itself. 

Long  before  that  time,  however,  in  consequence  of  the 
incessant  attacks  made  upon   him,^  on  account  of  this  worky 

^  Life,  part  ii.  p.  374.  ■  Athcn.  Oxon.  vol.  iii.  p.  1047. 

*  fiishop  Morley  declares  that  it  was  on  account  of  the  sentiments  avowed 
in  the  *  Holy  Commonwealth '  he  refused  to  allow  Baxter  to  preach  in  his 
diocese  }  and  that  he  told  him  so  when  he  waited  on  him  to  ohtain  permis- 
sion to  resume  his  labours  at  Kidderminster  :  which  he  alleges  Baxter  con- 
cealed. This  does  no  credit  to  the  bishop  ;  and  only  shows  how  dangerous  it 
4hen  was  for  a  man  to  preach  the  Gospel,  or  be  a  friend  to  the  liberties  of  his 
country. — See  the  Bishop  of  fVinchestei'^s  f^mdication, 

"  Que  of  the  most  furious  attacks  made  on  Baxter,  in  which  the  '  Holy  Corn- 
monwealth '  is  referred  to,  was  by  a  person  of  the  name  of  Edward  Pettit^ 
M.A.,  in  a  work  entitled  '  Visions  of  Government/  published  in  1684.  Afte^ 
jnisrepresenting;  the  principles^  and  caluomiating  the  character,  of  Baxter,  he 


712  THS  L1FK  AND  WRITINGS 

1 

he  published  at  the  end  of  the  preface  to  his  ^  life  of  Faith,' 
printed  in  1670,  his  regret  for  having  published  the  book, 
and  recalls  it.  The  document  is  very  curious,  and  foiled  to 
answer  its  purpose.  The  scrota  manet  was  too  powerful 
for  Baxter's  declaration  of  non  scrotum.  *'  Let  the  reader 
know/'  he  says,  **  that  whereas  the  bookseller  hath  in  the 
catalogue  of  my  books^  named  my  '  Holy  Commonwealtlu  or 
Political  Aphorisms,'  I  do  hereby  recall  the  said  book^  and  pro- 
fess my  repentance  that  ever  I  published  it,  and  tliat  not  only 
for  some  bye-passages,  but  in  respect  of  the  secondary  piirt  of  the 
very  scope  ;  though  the  first  part  of  it,  which  is  the  defence  of 
God  and  reason,  I  recant  not.  But  this  revocation  I  make  with 
these  prorisoes :  that  I  reverse  not  all  the  matter  of  the  book, 
nor  all  that  more  than  one  have  accused,  as  e.  ff*  the  assertion 
that  all  human  powers  are  limited  by  Ood ;  and  if  I  may  not 
be  pardoned  for  not  defying  Deity  and  humanity,  I  shall  prefer 
that  ignominy  before  their  present  triumph  and  /laiiutj  who 
defy  them :  *  that  I  make  not  this  recantation  to  the  miHtaiy 

puts  into  tlie  mouth  of  Bradsbavr, — whom  be  infamously  represents  as  prc^ 
dent  of  hell,  bestowing  the*  crowuon  Baxter,  in  acoutei^t  between  him,  Hobbet, 
and  Neville,  fur  pre-eminence, — the  following  invectire  :  **  Jf  he,  whose  hiHk 
is  faction,  who&c  religion  is  rebellion,  whose  prayers  are  speUs,  whose  piety  it 
mapc,  whose  purity  is  the  gall  of  bitterness,  who  can  cant  and  recant  and 
cantnj^ain,  who  can  transform  himself  into  as  many  shapes  as  Lucifer,  (wbo 
Is  never  more  a  devil  thau  when  au  an^el  of  ligrht,  and  like  bim,  wbo,  proud 
of  bis  perfections,  first  rebelled  in  heaven,)  proud  of  bis  imo^nary  (races, 
pretends  to  rule  and  govern,  and  consequently  rebel  on  earth,  be  the  greatest 
politician,  then  make  room  for  Mr.  Baxter.    Let  bim  come  in  and  be  crowned 
with  wreaths  of  serpents,  and  chaplets  of  adders  ;  let  b)s  triuropbaot  cbariflt 
l»e  a  pulpit,  drawu  on  the  wheels  of  cannon  by  a  brace  of  wolves  in  sheep's 
clothing;  let  the  ancient  fathers  of  the  church,  whom,  out  of  ignorance,  be 
has  vilified  ;  the  reverend  and  learned  prelates,  whom,  out  of  pride  and  ma- 
lice, be  has  abused,  belied,  and  persecuted;  the  most  righteous  king,  whose 
rounler,  (I  speak  my  own  and  his  sense,)  contrary  to  the  light  of  all  religion, 
laws,  reason,  and  conscience,  he  has  justiSed,  then  denied,  tbeu  again  and 
again  and  again  justified  ;  let  them  all  he  bound  in  chains  to  attend  his  infer- 
nal triumph  to  his  '  Saint's  Everlasting  Rest ;'  then  make  room.  Scribes  and 
Pharisees,  hy|>ocrites,  Atheists,  and  politicians,  lor  the  greatest  rebel  oueartb, 
and  next  to  him  that  fell  from  heaven." — Of  the  author  of  this  malignant  pro- 
duction I  can  give  no  account.     Beside  his  '  Visions  of  Government,'  from 
which  this  extract  is  given,  I  have  two  other  hooks  of  bis,   '  The  Vision  uf 
Purgatory,'   ICiiO,   and  «  The  Visions  of  the  Reformation,'  1683.    They  all 
discover  marks  of  genius,   though  they  leave  it  difficult  to  divine  the  true 
character  of  their  author.  In  an  engraved  title  to  the  *  Visions  of  Goveniment,* 
Charles  II.  is  represented  trampling  on  a  monster  with  three  beads->tbc 
Grand  Turk,  the  Pope,  and  a  Presbyterian.    The  bead  of  the  Presbyteriaa  is 
evi«iently  iuteuded  for  Richard  Baxter  ! 

«  In  this  passage  Baxter  alludes  particularly  to  Bishop  Morley,  who  vindi- 
cated himself  from  the  charge  of  being  **  a  dcfier  of  Deity  and  humaully." 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  713 

fury  and  rebellioua  pride  and  tumult  against  which  I  wrote  it, 
nor  would  have  them  hence  take  any  encouragement  for  impe- 
nitence; that  though  I  dislike  the  Roman  clergy's  writing  so 
much  of  politics,  and  detest  ministers  meddling  in  state  matters, 
without  necessity  or  a  certain  call ;  yet  I  hold  it  not  simply  un- 
beseeming a  divine,  to  expound  the  fifth  commandment,  nor  to 
ahow  the  dependence  of  human  powers  on  the  divine,  nor  to 
instruct  subjects  to  obey  with  judgment  and  for  conscience'  sake : 
that  I  protest  against  the  judgment  of  posterity,  and  all  others 
that  were  not  of  the  same  time  and  place,  as  to  the  mental  cen- 
sure either  of  the  book  or  revocation,  as  being  ignorant  of  the 
true  reasons  of  them  both.  Which  things  provided,  I  hereby 
under  my  hand,  as  much  as  in  me  lieth,  reverse  the  book,  and 
desire  the  world  to  take  it  as  non  scriptumJ*  ^ 

The  reasons  which  influenced  him  to  take  this  singular  step, 
he  assigns  very  openly  and  candidly  in  the  following  passage  of 
his  Life :  ^^  Ever  since  the  king  came  in,  that  book  of  mine  was 
preached  against  before  the  king,  spoken  against  in  the  par- 
liament, and  wrote  against  by  such  as  desired  my  ruin.  Morley, 
bishop  of  Worcester,  and  many  after  him,  branded  it  with  trea- 
son, and  the  king  was  still  told  that  I  would  not  retract  it,  but 
was  still  of  the  same  mind,  ready  to  raise  another  war ;  and 
a  person  not  to  be  endured.  New  books  every  year  came  out 
against  it ;  and  even .  men  that  had  been  taken  for  sober  and 
religious,  when  they  had  a  mind  for  preferment,  and  to  be  taken 
notice  of  at  court  and  by  the  prelates,  did  fall  on  preaching  or 
writing  against  me,  and  especially  against  this  book,  as  the 
most  probable  means  to  accomplish  tiieir  ends.  When  I  had 
endured  this  ten  years,  and  found  no  stop,  but  that  still  they 
proceeded  to  make  me  odious  to  the  king  and  kingdom,  and 
seeking  my  utter  ruin  this  way,  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  remove 
this  stumbling-block  out  of  their  way,  and  without  recanting  any 
particular  doctrine  in  it,  to  revoke  the  book  and  disown  it,  de- 
siring the  reader  to  take  it  as  non  scriptum^  ^\\A  telling* him 

■ 

Had  the  bishop's  notions  of  the  divine  character  been  more  correct,  and  his 
poUUcal  theology  more  accordant  with  the  Bible,  he  would  have  been  less 
known  at  court,  and  would  not  have  gloried  iu  depriving  Richard  Baxter  of  a 
license  to  preach  the  Gospel. 

f  Bishop  Morley  makes  some  very  severe  strictures  on  this  recantation, 
at  well  as  on  the  *  Holy  Commonwealth '  itself.  He  considers,  with  some  jus. 
ticc,  that  the  recauiatiuu  is  very  equivocal,  and  affords  little  evidence  that 
Baxter  had  changed  his  mind.  To  a  man  of  his  high-rburch  principles  it  ne* 
ccfttarily  appeared  very  unsatisfactory. — See  the  Conclusion  of  his  f^lndicaium, 
pp.  1—15. 


714  THB   LIFE  AND  WB1T1M6S 

that  I  repented  of  the  writing  of  it.  And  so  I  did,  yet  teUing 
him  that  I  retracted  none  of  the  doctrine  of  the  first  party  whidi 
was  to  prove  the  monarchy  of  God  :  hut  for  the  sake  of  ths 
whole  second  part,  I  repented  that  I  wrote  it  s  for  I  was  re? 
solved,  at  least,  to  have  this  much  to  say  agunst  all  that  after 
wrote,  and  preached,  and  talked  against  it,  that  I  had  revdked 
that  book,  and  therefore  should  not  defend  it.  The  incessant 
bloody  malice  of  the  reproachers  made  me  heartily  wish,  oq 
two  or  three  accounts,  that  I  had  never  written  it ;  because  it 
was  done  just  at  the  fall  of  the  government,  and  was  buried  id 
our  ruins,  and  never  that  I  know  of  did  any  great  good ;  be* 
cause  I  find  it  best  for  ministers  to  meddle,  as  little  as  may  be^ 
with  matters  of  polity,  how  great  soever  their  provocations  may 
be  :  and  therefore  I  wish  that  I  had  never  written  on  any  sodi 
subject.  [I  repented  also  that  I  meddled  against  Vane  and  Har- 
rington, which  was  the  second  part  in  defence  of  monarchy, 
seeing  that  the  consequents  had  been  no  better,  and  that  my 
reward  had  been  to  be  silenced,  imprisoned,  turned  out  of  all^ 
and  reproached  implacably  and  incessantly  as  criminal,  and 
never  like  to  see  an  end  of  it.  He  that  had  wrote  for  so  little, 
and  so  great  displeasure,  might  be  tempted,  as  well  as  I,  to 
wish  that  he  had  sat  still,  and  let  God  and  man  alone,  with 
matters  of  civil  polity.  Though  I  was  not  convinced  of  many 
errors  in  that  book,  so  called  by  some  accusers,  yet  I  repented 
the  writing  of  it  as  an  infelicity,  and  as  that  which  did  no 
good,  but  hurt.*'  * 

Various  opinions  will  be  entertained  of  this  singular  mode  of 
recalling  a  printed  work ;  and  it  may  seem  improper,  in  the  face 
of  Baxter's  own  protest  against  the  judgment  of  posterity,  re* 
specting  both  the  book  and  its  revocation,  to  pronoimce  any 
opinion  on  the  matter.  But  all  such  protests  are  vain  ;  what  is 
published  is  public  property,  and  no  man  has  a  right,  after  pub* 
lishing  a  book,  to  protest  against  others  forming  or  expressing  ao 
opinion  of  it.  It  does  not  appear  that  Baxter  ever  changed  his 
mind  respecting  the  substance  of  the  sentiments  of  his  ^  Holy 
Commonwealth,'  but  he  regretted  their  publication,  as  he 
became  thereby  involved  in  disputes  which  were  foreign  from 
the  nature  of  his  principal  occupation,  and  exposed  himself  to 
reproach,  which,  as  a  minister  of  Christ,  he  would  rather  have 
avoided.  It  might,  perhaps,  have  been  better  had  the  book  not 
been  published,  but  that  being  done,  it  is  to  be  regretted  he 

■  Life,  part  uL  pp.  71, 72. 


<OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  715 

3hoiild  have  thus  recalled  it.  It  contains  nothing  of  ivhich  he 
bad  any  reason  to  be  ashamed.  The  passages  of  it  most 
pbjected  to^  are  the  parts  which  of  all  others  are  most  creditable 
to  the  judgment  and  feelings  of  Baxter ;  and  respecting  which 
there  is  now  scarcely  any  difference  of  opinion  in  this  enlightened 
country.  I  will  not,  however,  defend  the  political  consistency 
of  Baxter.  In  these  passages,  he  avows  principles  and  approves 
of  conduct  not  reconcilable  with  his  opposition  to  the  doctrines 
of  Hooker,  on  which  I  have  remarked  in  another  chapter.  And, 
indeed,  in  the  ^  Holy  Commonwealth'  itself,  there  are  posi« 
tions  that  it  would  be  impracticable  to  harmonize.  Considering 
also  what  part  he  acted  in  connexion  with  the  army  of  the 
commonwealth,  and  the  defence  which  he  makes  of  his  own 
conduct,  he  ought  to  have  been  more  sparing  in  his  censures 
ot  others  who,  in  these  affairs,  do  not  appear  to  have  acted 
differently  from  himself,  or  to  have  been  influenced  in  their 
conduct  by  motives  less  pure  or  patriotic.^ 

In  1680,  Baxter  published  his  ^  Church  History  of  the  Go« 
yemment  of  Bishops,  and  their  Councils  Abbreviated.'  This  is 
a  quarto  volume  of  more  than  500  pages,  and,  though  chiefly  a 
compilation,  must  have  cost  the  author  very  considerable  labour. 
It  contains  an  account  of  the  leading  transactions  of  Christian 
princes  and  popes,  and  of  the  principal  heresies  and  contro- 
versies till  the  Reformation.  Its  object  is  to  inform  the  ignorant 
of  the  state  of  the  ancient  churches,  and  to  correct  many  mis- 
takes and  misconceptions  that  prevail  respecting  the  heresies  of 
former  times,  and  the  means  employed  to  destroy  or  promote 
them. 

*  Baxter  teUs  a  curious  auecdote  regpectiag  Dr.  South  in  couuexion  with 
his  *  Holy  Commonwealth/  *'  Bishop  Morley  having  preferred  a  youngs  roan 
named  Mr.  S—  orator  of  the  University  of  Oxford,  a  fluent,  witty  satirist, 
and  one  that  was  some  time  mentioned  to  me  to  be  my  curate  at  Kiddermin-> 
ster;  this  man>  being  household  chaplain  to  the  lord  chanceUor,  waa  ap- 
pointed to  preach  before  the  king,  where  the  'crowd  had  high  expectations  of 
some  vehement  satire.  But  when  he  had  preached  a  quarter  of  an  hour  he  was 
utterly  at  a  loss,  and  so  unable  to  recollect  himself,  that  he  could  go  nu  fur- 
ther, but  cried  *  The  Lord  be  merciful  to  our  infirmities,'  and  so  came  down. 
About  a  month  after,  they  were  resolved  yet  that.  Mr.  S—  should  preach 
the  same  sermon  before  the  kiug,  and  not  lose  his  expected  applause  ;  and 
preach  it  he  did,  little  more  than  half  an  hour,  with  no  admiration  at  all  of 
the  hearers;  and,  for  his  encouragement,  the  sermon  was 'printed.  When 
it  was  printed,  many  desired  to  see  what  words  they  were  that  he  was  stopped 
at  the  first  time,  and  they  found  iu  the  printed  copy  all  that  he  had  said  first, 
and  one  of  the  next  passages,  which  he  was  to  have  delivered,  was  against  me 
for  my  *  Holy  Commonwealth.'  "'■^Life,  part  ii.  p.  380. 


716  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

Ecclesiastical  history'  is  a  very  important  branch  of  studjr^ 
but  one  which  is  attended  with  many  difficulties.     The  widely- 
spread  and  diversified  circumstances  of  the  Christian  churchy 
even  from  the  earliest   period,  render  it  difficult  to  arrive  at 
satisfactorv  views  of  manv  events  in  which  it  was  concerned. 
Those  events  were  seldom  recorded  at  the  time,  or  by  the  per- 
sons who  lived  on  the  spot.     The  early  writers  who  undertook 
to  give  the  history  of  the  churchy^  were  not  well  skilled  in  the 
laws  of  historic  truth  and  evidence,  nor  always  well  fitted  to 
apply  those  laws.     Opinions   and  statements   scattered  over 
the  pages  of  the .  fathers  and  their  successors,  are  often  vagof, 
discordant,  and  unsatisfactory,  presenting  almost  endless  per* 
plexity,  or  matter  of  debate.     While  these  and  other  causes 
contribute    to  render  ecclesiastical   history  very  difficult,  they 
who  have  devoted  themselves  to  it  in  modern  times,  look  at  the 
subjects  of  their  investigation  througli  mediums  which  tend  to 
colour  or  distort  most  of  the  facts  passing  under  their  review. 
Their  associations  and  habits  of  thinking  lead  them  unconscious- 
ly to  attach  modern  ideas  to  ancient  terms  and  usages.     The 
word  church,  for  instance,  almost  invariably  suggests  the  idea 
of  a  body  allied  to  the  state,  and  holding  the  orthodox  creed. 
The  heretics  of  church  history  are  generally  regarded  as  men  of 
erroneous  principles  and  immoral  lives.     Councils    are  bodies 
representative,  and  clothed  with  something  approaching  to  in- 
fallible authority.     Bishops  are  not  regarded  as  pastors  of  par- 
ticular congregations,    but   ecclesiastical   rulers   of  provinces. 
All  these  things  tend  greatly  to  bewdlder  and  perplex  an  in- 
quirer into  the  true  state  of  the  profession  of  Christianity  during 
a  long  succession  of  ages ;  and  from  their  distracting  influence, 
even  the  strongest  minds  can  scarcely  be  protected.     Impartia- 
lity is  commonly  professed,  and,  in  most  instances,  honestly  in- 
tended, but  very  rarely  exercised. 

That  Baxter  should  be  altogether  free  from  prejudice  is  not 
to  be  supposed^  But  as  he  held  with  none  of  the  great  leading 
parties  of  his  own  day  on  the  subject  of  church  government,  he 
was  as^  likely  as  most  men  to  ascertain  the  truth ;  while  total 
regardlessness  of  the  influence  which  his  discoveries  or  their 
promulgation  might  have  upon  his  own  circumstances,  must 
have  operated  powerfully  in  securing  an  honest  declaration 
of  truth. * 

*  In  the  mtroduclxon  U^^tet  oJludea  to  Dr.  Heylin's  unjust  ai^persionf  oo'tbe 
Presbyteriauft,  awOi  b\&  B^^mwx^  MTx^^tk^\\\t)^c^^>^\^^^<«^^vn^QC  blood ;  wbicb 


OF   RICHARD  BAXTER*  717 

His  representation  of  the  reason  for  undertaking  this  pub- 
lication^ and  especially  the  testimony  he  bears  respecting  the 
chief  causes  of  the  evils  and  contentions  which  have  afflicted  the 
Christian  church,  are  exceedingly  important. 

^'  I  found  by  the  people  of  London,  that  many,  influenced 
by  the  Tate  confusions  in  this  land,  had  got  an  apprehension  that 
all  schism  and  disorder  came  from  ministers  and  people  re- 
sisting the  bishops,  and  that  prelacy  is  the  means  to  cure  schism; 
so  that  seeing  what  church  tyranny  hath  done  in  the  world, 
they  fly  to  it  for  refuge  against  that  mischief  which  it  doth  prin- 
cipally introduce.  Wherefore  I  wrote  the  history  of  prelacy, 
or  a  contraction  of  all  the  history  of  the  church,  especially  Bin- 
nitts  and  Baronius,  and  others,  of  councils ;  to  show  by  the 
testimony  of  their  greatest  flatterers  what  the  councils  and  con- 
tentions of  prelates  have  done.  But  the  history,  even  as  deli- 
vered by  Binnius  himself,  was  so  ugly  and  frightful  to  me  in  the 
perusing,  that  I  was  afraid  lest  it  should  prove,  when  opened  by 
me,  a  temptation  to  some  to  contemn  Christianity  itself  for  the 
sake  and  crimes  of  such  a  clergy.  .  As  an  antidote,  therefore,  I 
prefixed  the  due  commendation  of  the  better,  humble  sort  of 
pastors.  But  I  must  profess  that  the  history  of  prelacy  and  coun- 
cils, doth  assure  me  that  all  the  schisms  and  confusions  that 
have  been  caused  by  Anabaptists,  Separatists,  or  any  of  the 
popular,  unruly  sectaries,  have  been  but  as  flea-bitings  to  the 
church,  in  comparison  of  the  wounds  that  prelatical  usurpation, 
contention,  and  heresies,  have  caused.  I  am  so  far  from  won- 
dering that  all  Baronius's  industry  was  thought  necessary  to 
put  the  best  visor  on  such  actions,  that  I  wonder  the  Papists 
have  not  rather  employed  all  their  wit,  care,  and  power,  to 
get  the  histories  of  councils  burnt  and  forgotten  in  the  world ; 
that  they  might  have  only  their  own  oral,  flexible  tradition 
to  deliver  to  mankind ;  what  their  interest,  pro  re  nata^  shall 
require."* 

The  first  part  of  the  work,  in  which  he  giv6s  an  account  of 
the  primitive  churchesi,  showing  most  satisfactorily  that  they 
vere  single  congregations  under  the  government  of  their  respec- 
tive pastors  or  bishops;  with  the  rise  of  diocesan  episcopacy,  and 
the  progress  of  corruption,  till  Christianity  became  amalgamated 

brought  upon  him  a  fierce  rejoinder  from  Vernon,  in  his  preface  to  Heylin's 
Life,  with  the  repetition  of  the  story  of  Baxter's  killing  a  man,  as  the  evidence 
of  his  bloody  disposition  ;  and  some  remarks  on  the  church  history. 
•  Idfe,  part  iU.  pp.  181, 182. 


71&  THE  LIPR  AND  WRITINGS 

with  secular  things  and  placed  under  the  power  of  civil  gofen- 
ment,  is  the  most  important. 

The  views  and  reasonings  contained  in  thb  portion  of  the 
work)  are  fully  supported  by  the  best  authorities.  I  regret  diat 
my  limits  render  it  impracticable  to  make  quotations :  and  to 
follow  him  through  his  account  of  popes  and  councils,  would  be 
unprofitable.  As  far  as  they  are  concerned,  church  history  is  littk 
better  than  a  record  of  human  depravity  and  impiety  under  the 
name  of  religion.  It  is  an  almost  unbroken  exhibition  of  the 
lust  and  abuse  of  power — of  irreligious  arrogance  and  domina- 
tion-—of  the  worst  passions  of  human  nature,  seeking  their 
gratification,  and  displaying  their  most  malignant  qualities,  in 
combination  with  a  pretended  regard  to  the  interests  of  the 
pure  and  holy  religion  of  Jesus, 

This  work  of  our  indefatigable  author  did  not  pass  with- 
out animadversion.  It  was  attacked  by  a  clergyman  named 
Morrice  or  Maurice,  chaplain  to  Archbishop  Sancroft,  in  an 
anonymous  work,  entitled  '  A  Vindication  of  the  Primitive 
Church  Diocesan  Episcopacy :  in  answer  to  Mr.  Baxter's  Church 
History,  as  also  to  some  parts  of  his  Treatise  of  Episcopacy.' 
1682.  8vo.  The  great  object  of  this  work  is  to  shake  the  autho- 
rity of  Baxter's  statements,  and  to  vindicate  the  bishops  from 
what  is  laid  to  their  charge.  Tliis  led  Baxter  to  write  and  pub- 
lish his  *  True  History  of  Councils  Enlarged  and  Defended.'  1682. 
4to.  This  work  is  written  with  very  considerable  vigour  and 
spirit,  and  is  in  some  respects  more  interesting  than  the  former. 
Baxter  was  stung  and  roused  by  some  of  the  reproaches  and 
misrepresentations  of  his  adversary,  and  defends  himself  ex- 
ceedingly well.  He  was  accused  of  want  of  learning,  and  of 
want  of  accuracy ;  of  misquoting  and  mistranslating  his  authori- 
ties. The  following  extract  contains  a  piece  of  his  own  history^ 
as  well  as  a  view  of  the  extent  of  his  reading,  and  of  the  a»- 
thorities  whioh  he  used  ;  it  is  therefore  curious  : 

"  Seeing  these  things  are  thought  just  matter  for  our  accuser's 
turn,  I  will  crave  the  reader's  patience  while  I  tell  him  the 
truth.  It  is  now  about  twenty-five  years  since  I  read  the  Ger- 
man history  in  the  collections  of  Freherus,  Reuberus,  and  Pis- 
torius,  and  about  thirtv  vears  since  I  read  the  collections  of 
Goldastus.  The  Magdeburgers,  Osiander,  Sleidan,  or  any  such 
Protestants,  I  thought  vain  to  allege  to  Papists.  About  seven 
or  eight  years  ago^  L  was  accused  for  preaching,  and  fined  by. 
Sir  Thomas  DaVu  •,  «.xv^  0^^  vjwt^wx.  ^%&  ^\jx  Vs^  bim  to  Sir 


OF   RICHARD  BAXTER.  719 

Edmund  Bury  Godfrey,  to  levy  it  on  me  by  distress.  ■  I  had  no 
way  to  avoid  it,  but  bond  fide  to  make  away  all  that  I  had. 
Among  the  rest,  I  made  away  my  library ;  only  borrowing  part 
of  it  for  my  use.    I  purposed  to  have  given  it  almost  all  to  Cam- 
bridge, in  New  England;  but  Mr.  Thomas  Knowles,  who  knew 
their  library,  told  me  that  Sir  Kenelme  Digby  had  already  given 
them  the  Fathers,  Councils,  and  Schoolmen,  and  that  it  was 
history  and  commentators  which  they  wanted.    Whereupon  I 
sent  them  some  of  my  commentators,  and  some  historians,  among 
which  were,  Freherus',  Reuberus',  and  Pistorius'  collections; 
and  Nauclerus,  Sabellicus,  Thuanus,  Jos.  Scaliger,  &c.     Gol- 
dastus  I  kept  by  me,   (as  borrowed,)  and  many  more  which 
I  could  not  spare ;  the  fathers,  councils,  and  schoolmen,  I  was 
stopped  from  sending.     Now,  whether  I  was  unacquainted 
with  those  that  partly  stand  yet  at  my  elbow,  and  which  I  had 
read  so  long  ago,  must  depend  on  the  credit  of  my  memory ; 
which,  I  confess,  of  late  \a&  grown  weak  :  but  not  so  weak  as 
to  think  that  Marquardus  Freherus  was  not  one  man,  and  a  Pa* 
latinate  Councillor,  though  it  be  names  that  I  most  forget.  Why 
I  gave  not  the  christian  names  of  Reuberus  and  Pistorius,  whe- 
ther because  I  forgot  them,  or  because  I  minded  not  so  small  a 
thing,  not  dreaming  what  would  be  inferred  from  it,  I  remember 
noL     But  when  I  wrote  that  abridgment,  I  made  use  of  none 
that  I  thought  the  Papists  would  except  against.    For  the  first 
ages,  I  gathered  what  I  remembered  out  of  the  Fathers,  and  out 
of  Eusebius,  Socrates,  Sozomen,  Evagrius,  Theodoret,  the  Tri- 
partite, Nicephorus,  Liberatus,  Brev.  Victor  Vtic,  Bede,  and 
such  others  as  are  by  them  received.     Beside  which,  I  prin- 
cipally followed  and  epitomized  Binnius  and  Crab,  and  partly 
BaroniuS)  with  Platina,  Onuphrius  Panunius,  Stella,  Petavius, 
and  others  of  their  own.     I  resolved  I  would  not  so  much  as 
open  Goldastus,  or  any  Protestant  collector,  that  they  might 
not  except  against  their  credit,  and  reject  them  as  malicious, 
cursed  heretics.  Therefore,  even  those  histories  which  be  in  Gol- 
dastus, I  would  not  take  as  out  of  him,  but  some  of  them  from 
the  books  published  by  others,  and  some  as  cited  by  Binnius, 
Petavius,  or  other  such  :  and  this  is  now  the  proof  of  my  vanity. 
'^  He  accuseth  me  for  not  using  Valesius'  edition  of  Euse- 
bius, and  those  editions  of  the  councils  which  he  accounteth 
the  best.     To  which  I  say,  I  am  not  rich  enough  to  buy  them, 
nor  can  keep  them  if  I  had  them.     Must  none  write  but  rich 
meo  ?  The  French  councils  would  cost  more  than  many  of  us 


720  TUB   LIFE   AND  WRITINGS 

are  worth.     We  have  had  uo  ecclesiastical  maintenance  these 
nineteen  years,  and  we  cannot  keep  die  hooks  we  have. 

^^  As  for  my  using  Hanmer's  translation  oF  Eusebius  and 
Socrates,  my  case  was  as  before  described.  Valesiua  I  had  not; 
Grynosus  I  made  use  of  heretofore.  But  since  I  was,  by  con- 
straint, deprived  both  of  my  books  and  money  to  buy  morei 
when  I  wrote  that  abridgment,  I  had  only  Hanmer's  transb- 
tion  left  me :  and  if  that  sort  of  men  who  forced  me  to  give 
away  my  books,  to  keep  them  from  being  distrained  on,  will 
make  use  of  tliis  to  prove  me  ignorant  of  them,  the  matter  it 
very  small  to  me. 

^^  If  you  say  I  should  not  then  have  written,  I  answer.  Could 
they  so  have  silenced  us  in  the  pulpit,  they  had  more  answered 
their  own  judgment  than  mine.  I  had  no  use  for  critics,  nor  for 
any  thing  in  Eusebius  and  Socrates  that  depends  on  the  credit 
of  the  translator.''  ^ 

There  is  something  very  stinging  in  this  and  some  other  pas- 
sages of  the  present  work,  as  applied  to  the  party  by  whom 
Baxter  was  chiefly  opposed.  His  defence  of  himself  against 
the  other  misrepresentations  of  this  author,  which  refer  both  to 
his  work  and  to  himself,  are,  in  general,  very  satisfactory,  but 
do  not  require  to  be  gone  into. 

In  the  preface  to  this  work,  he  gives  some  account  of  Job 
Ludolph's  *  History  of  Ethiopia.'  He  then,  in  reply  to  L'Estraiige, 
gives  a  specimen  of  the  readiest  method  of  confuting  Mr. 
Baxter,  by  noticing  the  story  of  his  killing  a  man,  adding 
the  true  account  of  that  affair,  which  has  been  given  in  the 
first  part  of  these  memoirs.  Annexed  to  the  work  is  an  admir- 
able anonymous  pamphlet,  by  Mr.  David  Clarkson,  ^  Diocesan 
Churches  not  yet  Discovered  in  Primitive  Times ;  or,  a  Defence 
of  the  Answer  to  Dr.  Stillingfleet.'  Clarkson  is  well  known  as 
the  colleague  and  successor  of  Dr.  Owen.  On  this  occasiou, 
Baxter  and  he,  though  an  Independent,  wrote  in  conjunction. 
They  were  agreed  on  the  main  points  in  dispute,  viz.,  that  dio- 
cesan episcopacy  was  not  the  primitive  form  of  church  govern- 
ment, but  a  departure  from  it.  Clarkson  was  a  man  of  great 
piety  and  moderation,  and  of  more  accurate  learning  than 
Baxter,  though  far  from  equal  to  him  in  acuteness  and  con* 
troversial  talents.^ 

^  *  True  History  of  Councils  Defended/  pp.  56—59. 
•  Wood  (MV\c\uO«.oii.\o\.  \v.  v328)  sajs  Clarkson  afterwards  dtsowoei! 
this  book,  thougVi  OTX  \<\k9X  ^\)X\x<;)fiv^  \a  ^^%<^  "Oksx  %vi«   \^^  «Iter wards  pub- 


OP  nirHARD   BAXTKR.  721 

Baxter  also  speaks,  on  his  title-page,  of  a  detection  of  tlie 
false  history  of  Edward,  Lord  Bisliop  of  Cork  and  Uoss,  in 
Ireland.  He  refers  to  a  publication  of  Bishop  Wetenhairs, 
entitled,  ^The  Protestant  Peace*Maker,'  published  in  1682;  in 
a  postscript  to  which  are  some  notes  on  several  of  Baxter's 
iiTitin^  for  peace.  His  lordship  evidently  did  not  understand 
the  subject  on  which  he  wrote.  His  strictures  arc  feeble,  and 
undeserving  of  the  attention  which  Baxter  bestowed  on  them. 
The  two  works  on  church  history,  which  wc  have  now  noticed, 
with  the  treatise  on  episcopacy,  are  among  the  best  of  Baxter's 
writings,  which  have  not  been  re-published,  and  well  deserve 
the  attention  of  inquirers  into  the  affairs  of  the  church. ' 

The  '  Breviat  of  the  Life  of  Mrs.  Margaret  Baxter,  with 
some  account  of  her  mother,  Mrs.  Hanmer,'  was  published 
shortly  after  Mrs.  Baxter's  death,  in  1681.  Of  this  little  work 
considerable  use  has  already  been  made,  in  noticing  Baxter's 
marriage,  and  his  wife's  death.  Of  Mrs.  Baxter  it  is  un- 
necessary again  to  speak ;  she  possessed  great  piety,  energy, 
and  benevolence,  and  was  peculiarly  fitted  to  be  the  wife  of 
such  a  man.  His  account  of  her  is  full  of  affection,  very  mi- 
nute, and  very  faithful ;  as  it  records  some  of  her  failings,  as 
well  as  her  virtues.  It  is  strikingly  characteristic  of  the  author. 
He  mentions  in  the  preface,  that  in  his  wife's  will  he  was  par- 
ticularly requested  to  re-print  five  hundred  copies  of  the  funeral 
sermon  for  her  mother,  written  in  1661,  which  leads  him  to 
give  some  account  of  his  writing  the  biographical  sketch  of  his 
wife  and  of  some  other  individuals  of  his  family, 

'^  Being  thus  obliged,  by  her  request,  mine  own  affections 
urged  me  to  premise  this  Breviat  of  her  own  Life ;  written,  I 

Ushcd  a  rery  admirable  tract,  <  Primitive  Episcopacy  stated  aod  cleared  from 
the  Holy  Scriptures  aod  Ancient  Records.'  1688.  8vo.  To  this  work  Maurice, 
then  a  Dr.,  published  au  answer,  in  a '  Defence  of  Diocesan  Eplicopacy.'  1691« 
8vo.  Dr.  Maurice  was  a  person  of  very  considerable  learniuf^,  of  which  \l% 
teems  sufficiently  sensible  in  his  controversy  with  Baxter. 

'  There  is  one  fact  mentioned  in  his  *  True  History  of  Councils  Dcfemled/ 
which  ought  to  be  mentioned.  It  throws  some  Ught  on  the  charge  of  perse- 
cuting the  Episcopalians,  preferred  against  Cromwell  and  his  party.  "  In  the 
days  of  the  usurpers  I  moved  for  a  petition,  that,  when  tliey  granted  liberty  of 
eonscience  to  so  many  others,  they  would  grant  liberty  fur  the  full  exercise  of 
the  Episcopal  government  to  all  that  deserved  it.  Bui  the  episcopal  party 
thai  I  tpake  to  would  not  endure  it,  <u  knowing  what  hare  liberty  would  be  ta 
their  cause^  unlete  they  could  have  the  sword  to  tupprea  th$S€  that  yield  not  ta 
iheir  reasoHt.** — p.  13K 

VOL.  !•  3  A 


722  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

confess,  under  the  power  of  melting  grief,  and  therefore  perhaps 
with  the  less  prudent  judgment ;  but  not  with  the  lest,  but  thfc 
more  truth,  for  passionate  weakness  poureth  out  all,  which 
greater  prudence  may  conceal.  Conscionable  men's  histories 
are  true,  but  if  they  be  also  wise,  they  tell  ua  but  some  part  of 
truth ;  concealing  that  which  would  do  harm,  and  which  the 
depraved  world  cannot  bear  without  abusing  it.  But  we  that 
are  less  wise  tell  all  the  truth,  too  little  regarding  how  men  wiD 
receive  it. 

**  And  hence  comes  all  history,  which  hath  not  evidence  equal 
to  natural,  to  be  of  less  credit  than  most  men  think ;  wlule  bad 
men  lie,  and  good  men  leave  out  so  much  of  the  truth,  aa  maka 
the  rest  to  be  as  another  thing  than  altogether  it  would  appear. 

"And  having  purposed  to  write  this  breviat  Concerning  my 
dear  wife,  God  having,  the  same  year,  taken  away  two  m<we  of 
my  ancient  family,  I  wrote  a  breviat  of  their  lives  also.  One 
was  my  excellent,  holy  mother-in-law,  Mary  the  daughter  of 
Sir  Thomas  Hunks,  widow  to  my  dear  father.  She  was  one  of 
the  most  humble,  mortified,  holy  persons  that  ever  I  knew;  and 
lived  in  longing  to  be  with  Christ,  till  she  was  a  hundred  yeait 
old,  wanting  three  or  four,  in  full  understanding,  and  at  last  re- 
joicing in  the  triumphant,  frequent  hearing,  and  repeating  the 
ninety-first  Psalm. 

"  The  other  was  my  old  friend  and  housekeeper,  Jane  Mat- 
thews, who  lived  in  pious,  humble  virginity,  with  eminent  worth 
to  about  seventy- six  or  seventy-seven  years,  and  died  of  mere 
decay,  without  considerable  pain  or  sickness,  about  a  month  or 
six  weeks  before  my  wife. 

"  To  these  I  add  a  fourth,  a  breviat  of  the  life  and  death  of 
the  worthy  mother  of  my  wife,  as  to  the  time  that  I  knew  hert 
But  I  have  cast  by  these  latter  three,  and  much  of  the  first, 
by  the  counsel  of  wise  friends,  as  things  which  they  think  that 
strangers  will  not  make  so  great  a  matter  of,  as  love  and  near^ 
ness  made  me  do. 

.  '^As  to  these  little  private  histories  of  mine  own  family 
forementioned,  I  was  loth  to  cast  by  my  own  mother-in-law's 
life,  she  being  a  person  of  extraordinary  holiness,  living  long 
with  Sir  Robert  Harley,  whose  lady  was  her  cousin*  german ; 
afterwards  at  Shrewsbury,  and  after  with  my  father  and  me, 
&c.,  in  so  great  communion  with  God,  contempt  of  the 
world,  and  all  its  pomp  and  vanity;  so  great  victory  over  the 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  723, 

fleshy  and  so  strong  desires  to  die ;  and  especially  in  such  eon« 
stant,  fervent,  successful  prayer,  that  had  marvellous  answers, 
aa  very  few  Christians  attain. 

*f  She  is  gone  after  many  of  my  choicest  friends,  who  within 
one  year  are  gone  to  Christ,  and  I  am  following  even  at  the 
door.  Had  I  been  to  enjoy  them  only  here,  it  would  have  been 
but  a  short  comfort  mixed  with  the  many  troubles  which  all  our 
failings  and  sins,  and  some  degree  of  unsuitableness  between  the 
nearest  and  dearest,  cause.  But  I  am  going  after  them  to  that 
blessed  society,  where  life,  light,  and  love,  and  therefore  har-< 
mony,  concord,  and  joy,  are  perfect  and  everlasting/' 

To  the  Memoir  of  Mrs.  Baxter  itself,  after  the  extracts 
already  given,  I  shall  not  any  further  advert.  It  is  an  interest- 
ing testimony  to  the  character  of  a  beloved  and  excellent 
woman,  who  enjoyed  the  highest  confidence  of  this  man  of 
God,  and  who  devoted  herself  to  promote  his  comfort  and 
usefulness  to  the  end  of  her  life.  He  had  intended  to  make  his 
account  of  her,  and  of  all  the  circumstances  connected  with 
their  marriage,  much  more  extended ;  but  was  diverted  from  his 
purpose  by  the  advice  of  some  judicious  friends*  His  papers 
on  this  subject  have  I  suppose  been  destroyed,  which  I  do  not 
much  regret;  though  they  would  have  gratified  curiosity,  they 
might  not  answer  any  useful  purpose. 

Among  the  historical  and  biographical  'writings  of  Baxter, 
may  be  properly  classed  his  '  Penitent  Confession,  and  necessary 
Vindication/  1691.  4 to.  This  must  have  been  among  the 
latest  of  his  productions,  as  a  letter  prefixed  to  it,  addressed 
to  Bishop  Stillingfleet,  is  dated  June  13, 1691.  Few  men  have 
been  subjected  to  greater  or  more  calumnious  misrepresentations 
than  Baxter.  To  these  he  was  particularly  exposed,  not  only 
from  the  public  part  which  he  acted,  and  from  his  sentiments  as 
a  Nonconformist,  during  a  period  of  great  difficulty,  but  from 
the  promptitude  and  honesty  with  which  he  always  avowed  and 
published  his  convictions,  respecting  both  himself  and  others. 
He  was  a  great  lover  of  peace  and  of  his  friends ;  yet  he  had  a 
still  stronger  love  for  truth  and  the  interests  of  religion.  The 
man  who  could  fearlessly  sacrifice  himself  to  what  he  believed 
the  cause  of  righteousness  required,  was  not  likely  to  be  fasti- 
diously cautious  in  speaking  of  the  conduct  of  others^  whether 
friends  or  foes. 

3a2 


724  THK   TJFB   AND   WRITINGS 

Among  his  bitterest  and  most  persevering  enemies^  was  one 
Long,  a  clergyman  of  Exeter,  who  appears  to  have  considered 
it  his  duty  to  hunt  down  the  Nonconform!^  ia  general,  and 
Baxter  above  all  others.  According  to  Wood-— ^  He  was  a 
person  well  read  in  the  fathers'^  in  Jewish,  and  other  ancient 
writings ;  and  much  conversant  with  the  works  of  the  more 
modern  authors^  as  having  been  well  skilled  in  the  writings  of 
the  several  sorts  of  English  separatists,  especially  of  the  Presl^- 
terians.  The  great  danger  and  destructiveness  of  their  rebellious 
principles  and  practices  (reducing  them  into  faithful  historicsl 
narratives  from  their  first  origin  and  source  quite  down  to  thesr 
times)  few,  if  any,  have  fully  and  truly  represented  in  their 
proper  colours,  fairly  examined,  or  more  clearly  refuted  and  set 
out.  He  hath  also  undergone  that  very  toilsome  drudgery  of 
reading  many  or  most  of  Mr*  Richard  Baxter's  books,  and 
hath  published  reflections  and  animadversions  on  several  of 
them."  8 

,  This  violent  individual,  after  attacking  several  of  Baxter's 
'  controversial  pieces,  to  which  reference  is  elsewhere  made, 
vented  his  full  malignity  in  an  anonymous  volume,  imputed 
to  him  by  Baxter,  and  which  he  afterwards  acknowledged* 
'  The  Unreasonableness  of  Separation,  the  second  part ;  or,  a 
further  impartial  Account  of  the  History,  Nature,  and  Pleas  of 
the  present  Separation  from  the  Church  of  England,  with  special 
Remarks  on  the  Life  and  Actions  of  Mr.  Richard  Baxter/  1681. 
8vo.  The  zeal  and  labour  employed  in  getting  up  this  book  are 
quite  extraordinary,  in  order  to  show  that  Baxter  was  a  bad  man, 
and  a  great  heretic*  His  life  and  writings  must  have  been  ran- 
sacked in  the  most  assiduous  manner,  to  furnish  the  mis-state* 
ments  and  mis-representations  with  which  the  book  abounds* 
To  investigate  their  nature,  and  expose  their  injustice,  would  fill 
up  a  volume.  Happily,  it  is  not  necessary  to  the  just  and  fair  re* 
putation  of  Baxter ;  that  has  outlived  the  abuse  and  the  very 
memory  of  Long ;  who  is  now  known  only  to  the  curious  in  the 
history  of  those  times  as  the  calumniator  of  Owen  and  Baxter, 
the  defender  of  High-Church  principles  in  religion,  and  of  pas* 
sive  obedience  in  politics.  That  he  was  a  man  not  altogether 
destitute  of  talents,  is  evident  even  from  his  mischievous  books; 
but  talents,  however  great,  when  prostituted  to  evil  purposes,  and 
employed  in  opposing  or  vilifying  men  of  principle  and  integrityi 


^F  RICHARD  BAXTBR.  725 

iikimately  bring  upon  their  possessor  the  displeasure  of  God^ 
and  the  indignation  of  men> 

Baxter  wrote  an  answer  to  this  scurrilous  production  at  the 
time;  but  delayed  its  publication  till  he  received  in  1691  an 
anonymous  letter,  signed  ^^  Caniianus  De  Minimis"  calling 
him  to  repent  and  to  publish  his  Confessions  like  Augustine. 
Baxter  printed  this  letter  at  the  end  of  one  prefixed  to  his 
Confession^  addressed  to  Stillingfleet,  and  thanks  the  writer^ 

'  The  only  part  of  Lonf^'g  book,  which  it  is  worth  while  to  quote,  is  the 
condoftioii,  which  he  caUs  a  characteristic  epitaph  of  Baxter.  It  will  iUuBtrate, 
better  than  any  thing  I  could  say,  Loofj^'s  vituperative  character  :*—  ^ 

ilic  jacet  RichaMus  Baxter^^ 

TheologuB  ArmatuSy 

Loiolita  Reforroatus, 

Haresiarcha  ^rianus, 

Schismaticonim  Aotisi^aous ; 

Cujus  pruritus  disputandi  peperit^ 

Scriptitandi  cacoethes  nutrtvit, 

Predicandi  zelus  intemperatus  maturavit, 

ECCLBSIX  SCABIEM  ; 

Qui  dissentit  ah  iis  quibuscum  consentit  maxim^  ; 

Turn  sibi  cum  aliis  Nonconformis, 

Preteritis,  praesentibus,  et  futuris  $ 

Re^m  et  Episcoporum  Juratus  hostis, 

ipsumq;  Rebellium  solenne  fcedus ; 

Qui  natus  erat,  per  septua^ota  Aduos 

£t  Octog^inta  Libros, 
Ad  perturbandas  Re^i  Respublicas, 
£t  ad  bis  perd^ndam  Ecclesiam  Anglicanam  ; 
Maguis  tamen  excidit  ausis : 
Deo  Gratias. 
The  followini^  is  a  translation  of  this  effusion  of  malice  and  wicked- 
ness: — Here  lies  Richard  Baxter,  a  militant  divine,  a  reformed  Jesuit,  a 
brasen  heresiarch,  aud  chief  of  the  schismatics  ;  whose  itch  of  disputiu^  be* 
^t,  whose  humour  of  writing  nourished,  and  whose  intemperate  zeal  in 
preaching  brought  to  its  utmost  height,  the  leprosy  of  the  church  :  who  dis- 
sented from  those  with  whom  he  most  agreed,  from  himself  as  well  as  from 
all  other  Noucouformists,  past,  present,  and  to  come ;  th^  sworn  enemy  of 
kings  and  bishops,  and  in  himself  the  very  bond  of  rebels ;  who  was  born, 
through  seventy  years  and  eighty  books,  to  disturb  the  peace  of  the  kingdom, 
^d  twice  to  attempt  the  ruin  of  the  Church  of  England ;  in  the  endeavour  of 
which  mighty  mischiefs  he  fell  short.    Thanks  be  to  God. 

It  was  the  fashion  to  write  epitaphs  for  Baxter ;  another  scurrilous  enemy 
proposed  to  write  over  his  tomb  the  two  lines  which  are  mangled  in  the  last 
part  of  the  above — 

*'  Hie  situs  est  Baxter,  currus  auriga  paterni, 
Quern  si  non  tenuity  maguis  tamen  cxcidU  ausis." 
•"•  Young* s  Anti  •  Baxieriantg. 

The  above  quotations  justify  the  remark  of  Granger,  **  Baxter's  enemies 
have  placed  him  in  hell ;"  that  candid  aud  spirited  writer,  however,  justly 
adds,  **  but  every  man  that  has  not  ten  times  the  bigotry  that  Baxter  himself 
badj  mutt  conclude  that  he  is  in  a  better  place." — Jliiog,  ffUt.  vol,  v,  p.  81» 


726  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

though  unknown  to  him,  for  giving  him  the  opporUuiit]^  of  pin* 
fessing  his  repentance.  The  greater  part  c^  the  letter  wottU 
demand  to  he  quoted,  did  the  limits  of  this  work  admit  of  it,  as 
illustrative  of  the  spirit  of  Baxter,  and  explanatory  of  hit  designs 
in  writing  his  Confession. 

After  this  excellent  prefatory  letter,  he  proceeds  to  gm 
some  account  of  the  necessity  of  repentance,  and  of  the  tfaiop 
for  which  others  blamed  him,  but  for  which  he  did  not  Uami 
himself.  He  then  reviews  many  particulars  in  his  life  and 
.writings,  defending,  extenuating,  explaining,  or  retracting,  as 
matters  seemed  to  require.  As  the  statements,  in  connexioB 
with  his  own  life,  have  been  ofteti  used  in  this  work,  this  pam- 
phlet requires  no  further  notice.  It  is  a  singular  evidence  of 
the  integrity,  tenderness  of  conscience,  and  regardlessness  of 
the  applause  or  censure  of  men,  for  which  Baxter  was  so 
remarkable. 

The  last  work  in  this  department  remaining  to  be  noticed, 
is  the  largest,  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  most  important  of  all. 
'  Reliquiae  Baxterianee :  Mr.  Richard  Baxter's  Narrative  of  the 
most  memorable  passages  of  his  Life  and  Times,  faithfully  pub- 
lished from  his  own  original  manuscript,  by  the  Rev.  Matthew 
Sylvester.'  fol.  1686.  Of  a  work,  the  most  valuable  parts  of 
which  have  been  incorporated  in  this  volume,  the  reader  will 
not  expect  to  be  furnished  with  a  detailed  description  in  this 
place.     A  few  particulars,  however,  are  necessary  to  be  stated. 

It  contains  an  account  of  Baxter,  from  his  birth,  in  1615,  to 
the  year  1684;  including  his  personal  transactions,  or  private 
life,  his  ministerial  life,  and  his  views  of  the  great  public  affairs 
of  his  times.  It  is  divided  into  three  parts :  the  first  extending 
from  his  birth  to  the  time  of  the  Commonwealth ;  and  in- 
cluding some  occurrences  which  happened  afterwards.  The 
second  goes  back  to  the  Westminster  Assembly,  and  to  the  civil 
wars,  and  concludes  with  the  year  1665,  at  the  time  of  the 
plague  in  London.  The  third,  which  he  began  to  write  in 
1670,  takes  up  the  narrative  where  it  had  broken  off,  and  brings 
ic  down  to  about  1684.  There  is  also  a  large  appendix  of 
papers  and  letters  of  various  degrees  of  interest. 

Considered  as  an  account  of  Baxter  and  his  times,  it  is  an 
invaluable  document;  but  it  is  exceedingly  to  be  regretted  that 
it  fell  into  the  hands  of  so  incompetent  an  editor  as  Sylvester. 
ile  was  a  very  good  maU)  but  utterly  unfit  for  the  task  which  was 


OV  RICHARD   BAXTER.  727 

devolved  upon  him.  Instead  of  digesting  the  materials  which 
Baxter  had  left  in  the  roughest  state,  he  appears  to  have  printed 
them  with  all  their  imperfections,  and  with  scarcely  any  regard 
to  arrangement.  The  consequence  is,  the  book  is  almost  un- 
readable, except  for  the  purpose  of  consultation ;  and  even  that 
is  attended  with  much  difficulty  from  its  disorderly  disposition.  It 
is  also  printed  with  remarkable  inaccuracy,  either  from  the  editor 
or  the  printer,  in  numberless  places, grossly  mistaking  the  author's 
meaning,  or  leaving  it  unintelligible.  The  following  paragraph 
from  Sylvester's  preface,  sufficiently  justifies  what  I  have  now 
stated. 

^  As  to  the  author*s  ordering  and  digesting  of  his  own  me* 
moirs,  a  rhapsody  it  now  appears;  and  as  to  method  and 
equality  of  style,  somewhat  below  what  curious  readers  might 
expect :  yea,  and  from  what  it  had  been,  had  it  but  passed  the 
author's  stricter  thoughts  and  view.  Yet  we  shall  find  the  his- 
tory greatly  useful,  though  not  exactly  uniform ;  nor  is  it  so 
confused  as  to  be  incapable  of  easy  references,  and  reductions 
to  such  proper  order  as  may  best  please  the  reader,  if  the  de^ 
sign  be  clear  and  worthy,  viz.,  to  set  in  open  light  the  degene* 
rate  age  he  lived  in  :  the  magnolia  of  grace  and  providence  as 
to  himself;  his  self-censurings  on  all  occasions ;  caution  and 
conduct  unto  others;  and  tracing  all  events  to  their  genuine 
sources  and  originals.  The  judicious  reader  will  improve  such 
things.  There  were  several  papers  loosely  laid,  which  could  not 
easily  be  found  when  needed.  And  the  defectiveness  of  my 
very  much  declining  memory  made  me  forget,  and  the  more 
because  of  haste  and  business,  where  I  had  laid  them  after  I 
had  found  them.  Some  few  papers  mentioned,  and  important 
here,  are  not  yet  found,  though  searched  after,  which  yet,  here- 
after, may  be  brought  to  light  amongst  some  others  intended 
for  the  public  view,  if  God  permit.  The  reverend  author  wrote 
them  at  several  times,  as  his  other  work  and  studies  and  fre- 
quent infirmities  would  admit  of.  He  was  more  intent  upon 
the  matter  than  the  method;  and  finding  his  evening  sha- 
dows growing  long,  as  the  presage  of  his  own  approaching  and 
expected  change,  he  was  willing,  through  the  importunity  had, 
rather  that  the  work  was  done  somewhat  imperfectly,  than  not 
at  all.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that  he  hath  left  us  nothing  of  the 
last  seven  years  of  his  life,  save  his  apology  for  his  accused 
^  Paraphrase  and  Notes  on  the  New  Testament ;'  for  which  he 
was  so  fiercely  prosecuted,  imprisoned^  traduced,  and  fined* 


'72S  THE  UFJS   kHJ}  WRITINGS 

And  tb6ugh  some  pressed  me  to  draw  up  the  supplemental  bit* 
tory  of  his  life,  yet  the  wisest  that  I  could  consult  advised  me 
to  the  contrary ;  and  1  did  take  their  counsel  to  be  right  and 
good." 

The  chief  value  of  this  woik  consists  in  the  faithful  portrut 
ivhich  it  presents  of  the  excellent  and  venerable  author*    Jt 
exhibits  him  at  full  length,  displaying  all  his  greatness,  his 
weaknesses,  and  his  peculiarities.   It  enables  us  to  live  with  Bax- 
ter, and  in  Baxter's  times.     It  opens  his  heart,  and  enaUes  us 
to  read,  without  disguise,  what  was  passing  there.    It  opens  his 
chamber  door,  and  discloses  the  retirement  and  the  privacies 
of  the  man  of  God — holding  fellowship  with  his  Maker  and 
Redeemer— -mourning  over  his  deficiencies  and  sins — wrestling 
in  prayer,  and  rejoicing  in  hope.     It  conducts  us  to  his  pulpit, 
and  places  us  almost  within  reach  of  (he  Ughtening  of  his  eye, 
and  the  music  of  his  voice— 'arresting  attention,  flashing  con«* 
viction,  penetrating  with  sorrow,  or  filling  with  peace  and  joy« 
It  introduces  us  to  his  flock,  and  makes  us  femiliar  with  his 
pastoral  visits,  his  catechetical  labours,  his  faithful  discipline. 
It  places  him  before  us  as  the  centre  of  an  extended  circle  of 
correspondents,  who  looked  to  him  for  counsel  to  guide,  for 
encouragement  to  act,  for  comfort  to  suffer — vigilant,  tender, 
and  conscientious.     It  exhibits  him  as  the  patriot,  alive  to  all 
the  wrongs  of  his  country,  and  endeavouring  to  redress  or  miti- 
gate them  ;  ambitious,  not  of  ease,  honour,  or  preferment ;  and 
regardless  of  all  personal  interests,  if  he  might  but  promote 
the  public  good.     It  depicts  him  as  the  steady  and   devoted 
witness  and  confessor  of  Christ ;  enduring  wrongfully  for  his 
Master's  sake,  with  all  patience  and  long-suffering  with  joyful* 
ness.     It  is  such  a  book  as  cannot  be  read  without  the  deepest 
interest  by  all  who  have  any  respect  for  Baxter,  for  the  class  of 
persons  to  which  he  belonged,  or  for  the  period  in  which  he 
lived. 

Baxter's  account  of  public  occurrences,  in  some  of  the  most 
important  of  which  he  was  not  merely  personally  but  deeply 
engaged,  must  be  received  with  allowance  for  those  mis- 
takes to  which  the  most  candid  and  upright  men  are  liable; 
and  for  thase  prejudices  of  party  and  of  system,  from  which  it 
is  obvious  Baxter  was  not  exempted.  Wherever  he  records 
what  he  said  or  did,  or  what  occurred  under  his  own  eve,  tiie 
fullest  dependence  may  be  placed  upon  his  statements.  His 
reasonings  on  facts  may  frequently  be  liable  to  objection ;  and 


OF   RICHARD  BAXTER.  723 

when  lie  speaks  of  the  conduct  and  principles  of  others,  on 
the  ground  of  what  he  heard,  we  must  examine  what  he 
says  by  the  established  laws  of  evidence,  llie  period  of 
which  he  treats  did  not  belong  to  the  ordinary  course  of  the 
world.  There  was  nothing  common-place  in  its  features. 
Politics,  religion,  law,  government,  all  assumed  new  and  strange 
characters.  AH  classes  of  men  were  thrown  out  of  their  ac- 
customed circumstances  and  relations,  and  assumed  forms  and 
habits,  novel  and  strange.  It  was  impossible  to  think,  speak,  or 
write,  but  as  partisans.  Hence,  the  difficulty  in  arriving  at  true 
and  accurate  views  of  many  of  the  individuals  and  affairs  of 
those  times.  Baxter  affords  important  aid ;  but  implicit  conii-* 
denoe  must  not  always  be  placed  in  his  judgment,  or  in  the  re-* 
ports  which  he  received  from  others.  I  have  introduced  every 
thing  important  in  his  narrative,  in  his  own  language,  making 
the  required  verbal  and  grammatical  corrections;  but  I  have 
frequently  corrected  his  statements  and  disputed  his  reasonings 
in  the  notes.  Justice  -to  Baxter  required  that  I  should  faith- 
Ailly  record  his  views ;  justice  to  truth,  and  to  the  light  with 
which  we  are  now  furnished,  required  that  I  should  not  sup^ 
press  my  own. 

Dr.  Calamy  has  left  us,  in  ^  His  Own  Life,'  the  following  ac-* 
count  of  this  publication,  which  shows,  that  had  it  been  under 
his  care,  rt  would  have  appeared  in  a  more  improved  form. 
**Thi8  work,"  he  says, "  was  much  expected,  and  had  been  long 
earnestly  desired.  Mr.  Baxter  left  it,  with  his  other  MSS.,  to 
the  care  of  his  beloved  friend,  Mr.  Sylvester,  who  was  chary  of 
it  to  the  last  degree,  and  not  very  forward  to  let  it  be  seen ;  yet 
had  not  leisure  enough  to  peruse  and  publish  it.  After  some 
time,  I  obtained  the  favour  of  the  MS.,  and  read  it  over  and 
discoursed  with  him  about  the  contents  with  all  imaginable 
freedom.  I  found  the  good  man  counted  it  a  sort  of  sacred 
thing  to  have  any  hand  in  making  alterations  of  any  sort,  iu 
which  I  could  not  but  apprehend  he  went  too  far,  and  was 
cramped  by  a  sort  of  superstition. 

^^  Of  this  I  was  the  more  fully  convinced  upon  my  seeing  se^ 
veral  passages  in  the  MS.  that  I  could  perceive  likely  to  do 
more  hurt  than  good ;  and  being  informed,  upon  inquiry  made, 
that  he  had  a  discretionary  power  left  him  by  his  deceased 
friend,  I  freely  told  him  some  things  must  be  left  out,  or  he 
would  be  charged  with  great  weakness.  He  asked  for  instances; 
and  I  bf  gan  with  Mr.  Sylvester's  own  character,  and  told  him  I 


730  TUB  LIFA  ANH   WEITIM6S 

could  not  see  how  he  could,  with  decency,  let  that  atandt  tbougk 
it  ivas  an  instance  of  the  author's  kindness  to  him,  when  be 
himself  was  to  be  the  publisher.  He  seemed  surprised  and 
struck,  and  upon  my  turning  to  it  and  reading  it  to  Um,  owned 
that  that  should  be  altered,  and  empowered  me  to  do  it.  I  fur- 
ther mentioned  to  him  some  few  reflections  on  persons  and 
families  of  distinction,  which  would  be  offensive,  though  the 
matters  related  were  true  enough.  These,  also,  he  suflered 
me  to  blot  out.  I  then  fastened  on  some  other  thinga  relathig 
to  Mr*  Baxter  himself,  about  a  dream  of  his,  and  his  bodily 
disorders,  and  physical  management  of  himself,  and  some 
other  things  that  were  too  mean,  the  publishing  of  wfaidi 
1  told  him  to  censure.  After  a  good  deal  of  discourse^  he 
suffered  these  also  to  be  expunged.  The  contents  prefixed  to 
Mr.  Baxter's  narrative,  and  the  index  at  the  end,  were  of  my 
drawing  up.  For  my  pains,  I  had  from  the  bookaellen  the 
present  of  a  copy."  ^ 

Notwithstanding  the  remarksof  Dr.  Calamy,  Sylvester  brought 
out  the  Life  in  a  most  unfinished  state ;  and  full  of  the  sort 
of  gossip,  and  tiresome  digressions,  which  he  had  been  en- 
treated to  omit.  Even  the  index,  drawn  up  by  Calamy,  reflects 
little  credit  on  his  skill  or  industry^  being  not  more  correct 
or  complete  than  the  work  itself. 

Of  this  work,  Calamy  justly  observes,  ^^  It  met  with  the  same 
treatment,  as  Baxter  in  his  lifetime  was  much  used  to,  both  as  to 
his  person  and  his  writings.  It  has  been  valued  by  some,  and 
as  much  slighted  by  others.  But  where  it  has  been  most  freely 
censured,  it  has  been  generally  acknowledged  to  contain  a  col- 
lection of  many  valuable  things  of  divers  kinds."  ^  It  was  first 
attacked  by  Baxter's  indefatigable  adversary.  Long;  who 
published,  in  1697,  ^  A  Review  of  Mr.  Richard  Baxter's  Life ; 
wherein  many  mistakes  are  rectified,  some  false  relations 
detected,  some  omissions  supplied,  out  of  his  other  books ;  with 
remarks  on  several  material  passages.'  8vo.  This  volume  is  in 
fact  only  a  repetition  of  the '  Second  Part  of  the  Unreasonable- 
ness of  Separation,'  published  by  Long,  in  1682,  with  additions 
of  the  same  malignant  nature.  Of  diis  man  of  violence  and 
war,  enough  has  already  been  said.  Baxter's  account  of  his 
former  attack  upon  him  is  justly  applicable  to  the  present 
His  object  is  not  to  correct  the  mistakes  or  errors  of  Baxteti 
but  to  prove  him  to  have  been  a  liar,  and  a  villain,  and  that  the 


OV  EICHARD  BAXTBE.  781 

4ito  of  his  party  were  generally  no  better*  It  is  unnecessary  to 
▼indicate  Richard  Baxter  from  such  charges  of  the  Rev*  Thomas 
Long,  prebendary  of  Exeter. 

The  work  was  attacked  with  no  less  virulence  and  ma-* 
lignity  by  a  person  named  Young,  who,  Calamy  says,  came 
from  Pl]rmouth.  He  entitles  his  small  Grub*street  libel, 
'  Anti«»Baxterian» :  or,  Animadversions  on  a  book  entitled  Re- 
liquiae Baxterianse/  1696.  12mo.  It  is  difficult  to  divine  the 
motive  or  object  of  this  worthless  performance ;  the  author  of 
which  seems  to  have  been  crazed  as  well  as  wicked.  He  talks 
all  sorts  of  nonsense  and  ribaldry ;  speaking  sometimes  as  a 
(^hurehman,  and  sometimes  as  a  dissenter :  so  that  no  correct 
opini<m  can  be  formed,  either  of  his  sentiments  or  designs,  from 
this  publication, 

.  Dr»  Calamy  published  in  1705,  ^Aii  Abridgment  of  Mr* 
Baxter's  History  of  his  Life  and  Times/  This  work  appeared 
at  first  in  one  volume,  '8vo  )  but  in  1713,  the  author  re-pub- 
lished it  in  two  volumes,  with  a  continuance  of  the  history  of 
the  Dissenters  till  171 1>  and  an  account  of  the  ejected  minis- 
ters. In  1727)  he  published  ^  A  Continuation  of  the  Account 
of  the  ejected  Ministers ;'  so  that  the  complete  work  makes  four 
considerable  volumes.  As  an  abridgment  of  Baxter  it  is  very  faith- 
fiil,  but  dull ;  because  it  is  a  continued  translation  of  Baxter's 
own  narrative  from  the  first  to  the  third  person :  thus  destroying 
the  charm  of  the  finest  of  Baxter's  personal  descriptions,  and 
necessarily  fettering  the  style  of  Calamy  throughout.  The 
entire  work,  however,  is  replete  with  valuable,  and  in  general, 
accurate  information  respecting  the  character,  principles,  and 
sufferings,  of  the  Nonconformists. 

'^This  work,"  the  author  says,  ^^  cost  me  no  little  puns,  and 
was  more  taken  notice  of  in  the  world,  and  got  me  more  friends 
and  enemies  too,  than  I  could  have  expected  or  imagined.  I  had 
the  thanks  of  several  in  the  established  church,  as  well  as  of  a 
great  number  out  of  it.  Many  also  were  displeased,  and  some 
went  so  fiur  as  to  threaten  my  abridgment  with  the  public  censure 
of  the  convocation.  A  dignified  clergyman  discoursing  to  that 
purpose  with  one  of  my  booksellers,  that  had  a  concern  in  the 
work,  and  telling  him  what  he  had  heard  from  several,  that 
there  was  a  design  of  that  nature  on  foot,  the  bookseller  re- 
quested him  to  be  so  kind  as  to  tell  any  members  of  the  convo- 
cation, that  if  they  would  pursue  that  design,  and  bring  it  to 
bear,  he  would  willingly  present  such  as  were  active  in  it  with 


732  THB  UFS  AND  WAITINGS 

a  purse  of  guineas,  and  did  not  doubt  but  the  consequence  would 
turn  to  good  account  to  him  in  the  way  of  business.  This  being 
reported,  there  was  no  more  talk  heard  of  that  nature* 

''Among  other  censurers.  Dr.  William  Nichols,  some  time 
after  publishing  a  Latin  defence  of  the  doctrine  and*  discipline 
of  the  Church  of  England,  charges  me  in  his  historical  Ap« 
paratus,  ^  with  hard  and  severe  reflections  running  through  my 
work//'* 

As  a  counterpart  and  counteraction  to  Baxter  and  Calamr, 
John  Walker,  a  clergyman  of  Exeter,  published  in  a  folio 
volume,  '  An  Attempt  towards  recovering  an  Acconnt  of  the 
Numbers  and  Sufferings  of  the  Clergy  of  the  Church  of  England, 
Heads  of  Colleges,  Fellows,  'Scholars,  &c.,  who  were  seques* 
tered,  harassed,  &c.,  in  the  late  time  of  the  grand  Rebellion  ; 
occasioned  by  the  ninth  chapter,  now  the  second  volume^  of  Drt 
Calamy's  Abridgment,' &c.  1714. 

It  is  impossible  to  deny  that  many  of  the  clergy  suffered 
severely  during  the  civil  wars,  which  no  doubt  involved  many 
worthy  individuals  and  families  in  undeserved  as  well  as  severe 
distress.  Walker,  it  is  evident,  bestowed  great  pains  to  repre* 
sent  their  hardships.  But  his  attempt  falls  far  short  of  the  book 
to  which  it  was  intended  as  a  reply.  It  is  exceedingly  incorrect 
in  the  staterhent  of  numbers,  in  the  representation  of  many 
occurrences,  and  in  general  is  deficient  in  historic  fidelity.  It 
cannot  be  referred  to  as  a  book  of  authority. 

^^My  work/'  says  Calamy,  "was  also  warmly  reflected  on  in  a 
pamphlet,  entitled,  '  A  Case  of  present  Concern  in  a  Letter  to  a 
Member  of  the  House  of  Commons,'  in  Mr.  Wesley's  defence  of 
his  letter  concerning  the  education  of  Dissenters  in  their  private 
academies  ;  in  a  sermon  of  Mr.  Stubbs,  entitled,  *  For  God  or  for 
Baa),  or  no  Neutrality  in  Religion  ;'  and  in  almost  all  the  warm 
and  angry  pamphlets  which  at  that  time  swarmed  from  the  press 
in  great  plenty.  ^  Animadversions '  were  published  upon  me 
in  a  dialogue ;  my  Abridgment  was  said  to  *  deserve  to  be 
condemned  by  public  authority,  and  to  undergo  the  fiery  trial ; 
and  there  came  out  a  rebuke  to  Mr.  Edmund  Calamy,  author  of 
the  Abridgment  of  Mr.  Baxter's  Life  by  Thomas  Long,  B.  D. 
But  he  was  a  man  of  such  a  temper,  and  the  spirit  that  ran 

*  Dr.  Nichols*  work  was,  replied  to  by  Mr.  Peirce  of  Exeter,  in  his  *  Viudica- 
tion  of  the  DisseDters.'  Both  Nichols  and  Peirce  published  first  in  Laliu  ;  hut 
their  worlf^s  afieirwardft  apv^&i^^  iu  English.  Those  whoaredisiuclioed  to  read 
larger  publicaUous,  vi\\V  Vmv\  \u  x\\^^<i  xvtvi  N«^>aw!kfc%»  v.Vve  substance  of  the 


or  AICHARD   BAXTER* 


733: 

throi^h  his  writings  was  so  bitter,  and  had  such  a  mixture  of 
weakness  with  fury,  that  it  seemed  to  little  purpose  to  offer  at 
pursuing  the  argument,  and  therefore  I  forebore.'^  °* 
.  In  the  tenth  chapter  of  his  Abridgment,  Calamy  reduces  to 
distinct  heads  the  reasons  of  the  Nonconformists  for  separating 
from  the  church  of  England*  This  part  of  the  work  is  written 
with  great  care  and  judgment,  and  was  considered  at  the  time 
one  of  the  ablest  defences  of  the  Nonconformists  which  had  ap- 
peared. It  was  therefore  attacked  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  011}'ffe, 
rector  of  Durton  and  Hedgerly,  in  his  *  Defence  of  Ministerial 
Conformity,'  which  came  out  in  three  parts  in  the  years 
1703, 1705,  and  1706.  The  celebrated  Dr.  Hoadly,  afterwards 
bishop  of  Bangor,  also  entered  the  lists  with  Calamy  in  *  The 
Reasonableness  of  Conformity  to  the  Church  of  England ;'  which 
appeared  in  two  parts,  and  went  through  several  editions.  In 
reply  to  both  these  antagonists,  Calamy  published  in  three  suc- 
cessive parts^  occupying  as  many  volumes,  his  ^  Defence  of 
Moderate  Nonconformity.'  1703-4-5.  The  controversy  was 
managed  with  great  ability  on  both  sides^  and  affords  by  far  the 
fullest  view  of  the  points  in  debate  b^tweeo  the  Church  and  the 
Nonconformists  to  be  found  in  our  language.  ^ 

"»  Calamy's  Own  Life,  vol.  i.  pp.  445—449. 

■  It  called  forth  the  commendatioii  of  John  Locke,  who  declared  that  while 
the  author  "  stood  to  the  principles  there  laid  down,  he  had  no  occasion  to  be 
afraid  of  any  antagonist.*'— Cotomif'f  Oipfi  Z^^e,  toI.  ii.  p.  3K 


734  THB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 


CHAPTER   XII, 


DEVOTIONAL  WOBKS. 

Introductory  ObBervations— <  The  Saint's  Everlasting  Rest  '—Written  for  bit 
own  use  in  the  time  of  Sickness — Composed  in  Six  Months — Notices  o{ 
Brook,  Fym,  and  Hampden,  whose  names  are  omitted  in  tl^e  latter  Edi- 
tions—Description, Cliaracter,  and  Usefulness  of  the  Work— Attacked  by 
Firmin— Baxter's  «  Answer  to  his  Exceptions  •—«  The  Divine  Life  •—Occa- 
sioned by  a  request  of  the  Countess  of  Balcarras- Its  Objeet  «nd  Eiod- 
lence— *  Funeral  Sermons  '  for  various  Persons—*  Treatise  of  Death  « 
*  Dying  Thoughts'—'  Reformed  Liturgy '— '  Paraphrase  on  the  New  Tsita* 
ment'— *  Monthly  Preparations  for  the  Communion'*-'  Pb«tical  Frsg- 
ments '  —  ' Additions '  to  the  Fragments —<  Paraphrase  of  the  F»alais* 
^General  Review  of  his  Poetry — Conclusion. 

The  talents  of  Baxter  as  a  writer  appear  to  great  advantage 
in  every  department  in  which  they  were  employed.  Asa  contro- 
versialisty  he  had  not  only  no  superior,  but  no  equal  in  his  day. 
In  the  field  of  theological  warfare  he  was  a  giant«  and  few  indi- 
viduals who  attempted  to  grapple  with  him,  had  reason  to  be 
proud  of  their  success.  In  the  practical  instruction  of  religion 
he  was  not  less  distinguished.  His  knowledge  of  the  word  of 
God,  and  of  the  corrupt  workings  of  the  human  heart,  was 
profound ;  while  his  power  over  the  minds  and  the  affections  of 
others,  has  been  evinced  by  the  numbers  who  have  derived  the 
highest  benefit  from  his  preaching  and  his  writings.  It  is  an 
extraordinary  circumstance  that,  amidst  the  multiplicity  of  his 
labours,  and  the  variety  of  his  controversial  discussions,  he  was 
enabled  to  preserve  uninjured,  during  a  long  period  of  years,  a 
more  elevated  tone  of  devotional  feeling  than  has  usually  been 
enjoyed  by  Christians,  even  in  the  most  favoured  walks  of  life. 
This  will  appear  in  the  following  review,  which  commences  with 
the  first  and  most  popular  of  his  works,  and  closes  with  almost 
the  last  production  of  his  pen. 


OP  RICHARD   BAXTER*  735 

'  The  Saint's  Everlasting  Rest^'^*  though  the   second  book 
which  Baxter  published,  was  thie  first  he  wrote ;  and  had  he  never 
written  another,  it  alone  would  have  endeared  his  memory  for 
ever,  to  all  who  cherish  the  sublime  hopes  of  the  Gospel.     ^'  It 
was  written  by  the  author  for  his  own  use  during  the  time  of  his 
languishing,  when  God  took  him  off  from  all  public  employ* 
ment;"  and  furnishes  an  admirable  illustration  of  the  richness 
and  vigour  of  his  mind,  as  well  as  of  the  great  sources  of  its 
consolation.    *'  While  I  was  in  health,"  he  says,  ^^  I  had  not 
the  least  thought  of  writing  books,  or  of  serving  God  in  any 
more  public  way  than  preaching,  but  when  I  was  weakened  with 
great  bleeding,  and  left  solitary  in  my  chamber  at  Sir  John 
Cook's,  in  Derbyshire,  without  any  acquaintance  but  my  servant 
about  me,  and  was  sentenced  to  death  by  the  physicians,  I 
began  to  contemplate  more  seriously  on  the  everlastingrest,  which 
I  apprehended  myself  to  be  just  on  the  borders  of.    That  my 
thoughts  might  not  too  much  scatter  in  my  meditation,  I  began 
to  write  something  on  that  subject,  intending  but  the  quantity 
of  a  sermon  or  two ;  but  being  continued  long  in  weakness^ 
where  I  had  no  books  and  no  better  employment,  I  followed  it 
on,  till  it  was  enlarged  to  the  bulk  in  which  it  is  published.  The 
first  three  weeks  I  spent  on  it  was  at  Mr.  Nowel's  house,  at 
Kirkby  Mallory,  in  Leicestershire ;  a  quarter  of  a  year  more, 
at  the  seasons  which  so  great  weakness  would  allow,  I  bestowed 
on  it  at  Sir  Thomas  Rous's,  in  Worcestershire ;  and  I  finished  it 
shortly  after  at  Kidderminster."  p 

Thus,  in  less  than  six  months,  and  those  months  of  pmn  and 
sickness,  he  produced  a  quarto  volume  of  more  than  eight  hun- 
dred pages,  rich  in  Christian  sentiment,  wonderfully  correct 
and  pointed  in  style,  and  fertile  in  most  beautiful  illustrations. 
^*  The  marginal  citations,"  he  tells  us,  '^  I  put  in  after  I  came 
home  to  my  books,  but  almost  all  the  book  itself  was  written 
when  I  had  no  book  but  a  Bible  and  a  Concordance;  and  I  found 
that  the  transcript  of  the  heart  hath  the  greatest  force  on  the 
hearts  of  others." 

The  success  and  approbation  which  this  work  experienced, 
were  very  great.  The  first  edition  was  published  in  1649;  the 
ninth  edition,  now  before  me,  appeared  in  1662,  and  it  passed 
through  several  other  editions  in  4to,  in  the  course  of  the  few 
following  years. 

•  Works,  ToU,  xxiL  xxiii.  »  life,  p.  108. 


73&   '  THtt   LTF£  AND  WRITrNGS 

To  each  of  the  four  parts  into  which  the  work  is  divided,  de- 
dications are  prefixed.  The  whole  is  dedicated  to  the  people 
of  Kidderminster;  the  first  part  to  Sir  Thomas  and  Lady  Jaoe 
Rous ;  and  the  three  following  to  the  people  of  Bridgnorth, 
Coventry,  and  Shrewsbury.  The  first  three  are  addressed  to 
those  who  had  enjoyed  his  stated,  or  occasional  labours ;  the 
last  is  '^  a  testimonv  of  his  love  to  his  native  soil,  and  to  his 
many  godly  and  faithful  friends  there  living."  All  these  ad<« 
dresses  contain  many  faithful  admonitions  and  warnings,  much 
calculated  to  impress  the  minds  of  those  with  whom  he  had 
associated.  ^ 

Considerable  alterations  were  made  in  the  latter  editions  of  thtf 
Rest.    The  most  singular  of  these,  is  his  omitting  the  names  of 
Brook,  Hampden,  and  Pym,  as  among  those  whom  he  rejoiced 
to  have  the  prospect  of  meeting  in  heaven  !     It  certainly  would 
have  been  better  either  not  to  have  introduced  them  at  all,  or  to 
have  allowed  their  names  to  remain.   It  looks  like  blotting  them 
out  of  the  book  of  life.   The  expectation  that  this  would  please 
the  enemies  of  Puritanism,  failed  to  be  realized;    while  the 
author,  at  the  same  time,  did  violence  to  his  own  feelings,  as  his 
judgment  of  the  individuals  whose  names  he  erased  remained  the 
same.   *'  The  need,"  he  says, "  which  i  perceived  of  taking  away 
from  before  such  men  as  Dr.  Jane,  any  thing  which  they  might 
stumble  at,  made  me  blot  out  the  names  of  Lord  Brook,  Pym, 
and  Hampden,  in  all  tlie  impressions  of  the  book  that  were  made 
since  1659  :  yet  this  did  not  satisfy.     But  I  must  tell  the  reader, 
that  I  did  it  not  as  changing  my  judgment  of  the  persons,  well 
known  to  the  world :  of  whom  Mr.  John  Hampden  was  one, 
whom  friends  and  enemies  acknowledged  to  be  most  eminent  for 
prudence,  piety,  and  peaceable  counsels  ;  having  the  most  uni- 
versal praise  of  any  gentleman  that  I  remember  of  that  age.'*' 
This  testimony  to  the  Christian  character  of  Hampden  is  parti- 
cularly important,  as  Baxter  appears  to  have  been  very  intimate 
with  him.     His  patriotism  will  not  be  reckoned  the  less  worthy 
of  estimation,  when  it  is  ascertained  to  have  been  of  Christian 
Origin  and  growth. 

Though  Baxter  says  nothing  particular  of  Brook  and  PjTn,  it 

t  These  dedications,  with  the  exception  of  the  first  to  the  people  of  Kidder- 
mlaster,  and  that  to  Sir  Thomas  and  Lady  Rous,  do  uot  exist  iu  the  fint 
edition.    They  appear  to  have  been  added  afterwards. 

'  Life,  part  iii.  177, 


OP   RICHARD   BAXTER.  73? 

may  not  be  unacceptable  to  the  reader  to  be  furnished  with  their 
character.  Robert  Grevillc,  Lord  Brook,  was  distinguished 
for  his  patriotism,  his  love  of  liberty,  and  his  ardent  piety. 
He  and  Lord  Say  had  fully  determined  to  go  to  America,  on 
account  of  the  civil  and  religious  oppressions  of  Charles  I.;  and 
though  he  never  left  England,  one  of  the  early  settlements  was 
named  Saybrook,  after  the  two  noblemen.  He  was  a  leading 
man  in  the  Long  Parliament,  one  of  the  commanders  in  its 
army ;  and  was  killed  by  a  musket  shot  in  the  eye,  at  the  storm^ 
ing  of  a  close  in  Lichfield,  in  1643.  * 

Lord  Brook  was  an  author  as  well  as  a  soldier,  and  signalized 
himself  in  ^  A  Discourse,  opening  the  Nature  of  that  Episcopacy 
which  is  exercised  in  England.'  1641.  4 to.  This  tract  dis- 
covers a  considerable  portion  of  acuteness,  and  a  respectable 
degree  of  acquaintance  with  the  argument  both  from  Scripture 
and  antiquity.  The  piety  and  liberality  of  the  writer  are  also 
▼cry  strongly  marked.  The  conclusion  of  it  is  worth  quoting. 
*^  To  this  end,  God  assisting  me,  my  desire,  prayer,  endeavour, 
fihall  still  be  to  follow  peace  and  holiness.  And  though  there 
may  haply  be  some  little  dissent  between  my  poor  judgment 
and  weak  conscience,  and  other  good  men  who  are  more  clear 
and  strong ;  yet  my  prayer  shall  still  be  to  keep  the  unity  of 
the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace.  And  as  many  as  walk  after 
this  rule,  peace,  I  hope,  shall  still  be  on  them,  and  the  whole 
Israel  of  God."  *  Yet  Brook  was  a  sectary  and  fanatic !  He 
wrote  another  book,  *  The  Union  of  the  Soul  and  Truth,'  which 
I  have  not  seen. 

For  the  character  of  John  Pym,  who  died  about  the  same 
time  with  Lord  Brook,  it  is  enough  to  refer  to  Neal. "  He  was 
an  admirable  speaker,  a  man  of  profound  knowledge  and  expe* 
rience  in  business,  and  no  less  respected  for  his  private  worth 
and  piety  than  for  his  public  talents.  He  was  carried  from  his 
own  house  to  Westminster  on  the  shoulders  of  the  chief  men  of 
the  House  of  Commons,  the  whole  House  going  in  procession 
before  him,  preceded  by  the  assembly  of  divines.  Marshall 
delivered  a  most  eloquent  and  pertinent  funeral  sermon  on 
the  occasion.  Parliament  ordered  his  debts  to  be  paid,  and 
a  stately  monument  to  be  built  for  him  in  the  chapel  of 
Henry  VIL  » 

Such  were  the  men  whose  names  Baxter  was  induced,  from 

•  Whiiclocke's  Mciu.  p.  66.  '  Pp.  123, 124. 

«  Vol.  iii.  p.  82.  31  Baillle's  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  409. 

V0L«  I.  3  B 


738  THB  UFB  AND  WRITINGS 

the  clamour  raised  agunst  them,  to  erase  from  the  book  in 
which  they  had  been  honourably  mentioned,  as  among  the  ex- 
cellent of  the  earth,  who  had  gone  to  that  rest,  in  which  be 
hoped  shortly  to  join  their  glorified  spirits.  The  clamour  which 
required  the  names  of  such  men  to  be  blotted  out,  is  disgraceful 
only  to  those  who  manifested  it.  No  act  of  man,  or  lapse  of 
time,  can  erase  from  the  roll  of  England's  Christian  patriots,  the 
names  of  Brook,  Pym,  and  Hampden;  or  deprive  them  of  the 
glory  which  justly  belongs  to  their  illustrious  deeds. 

The  first  and  last  parts  of  the  Saint's  Rest,  were  all  that  the 
author  originally  designed  ;  the  one  containing  the  explanatioa 
of  the  nature  of  the  rest,  the  other  '  a  directory  for  getting  ami 
keeping  the  heart  in  heaven,  by  heavenly  meditation.'  The  hat, 
indeed,  he  tells  us,  was  the  main  thing  intended  in  the  writing 
of  the  book,  and  to  which  all  the  rest  is  subservient.  The 
second  part  treats  of  the  certainty  of  the  future  rest,  where 
he  enters  much  further,  than  is  necessary  in  such  a  book,  into 
the  evidences  of  Revelation,  mixed  up  with  discussions  and  stories 
about  apparitions,  witches,  and  compacts  with  the  devil ;  which 
are  blemishes  on  the  fair  face  of  this  beautiful  producdon. 
The  third  is  on  the  use  which  ought  to  be  made  of  the  doc- 
trine and  prospect  of  the  everlasting  rest.  The  first  four 
chapters  of  it  being  intended  for  secure  and  sensual  sinners  who 
might  happen  to  read  the  book ;  and  the  three  last  for  Chris- 
tians, to  direct  and  comfort  them  in  the  time  of  affliction,  and  to 
stir  them  up  to  seek  the  salvation  of  their  brethren. 

Comparing  the  first  edition  of  this  work,  which  is  very  rare, 
with  the  subsequent  ones,  which  the  author  considerably  al- 
tered, I  am  disposed  to  give  it  the  preference.  It  contains 
chiefly  his  own  thoughts,  as  they  arose  in  his  mind,  and  were 
freely  expressed  during  a  period  of  severe  affliction,  when  he  was 
far  removed  from  books,  and  had  eternity  constantly  before 
him.  There  are  very  few  of  those  marginal  notes  and  digres- 
sions which  were  supplied  at  a  future  period,  and  that  tend  much 
more  to  distract  than  to  interest  the  reader. 

The  very  title  of  this  book  operates  like  a  charm  on  the  mind 
of  a  Christian,  and  leads  him  to  associate  with  it  the  most 
delightful  ideas.  Everlasting  Rest  presents  to  the  wearied, 
harassed,  suffering  spirit,  a  prospect  fuir  of  glory  and  repose. 
As  the  cessation  of  labour,  the  termination  of  suffering,  and 
the  end  of  all  evil ;  in  connexion  with  the  eternal  enjoyment  of 
God,  it  is  the  sum  of  Christian  blessedness :  comprehending  in 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER.  739 

it  all  that  is  calculated  to  reconcile  to  the  trials  of  lifei  and  to 
sustain  under  its  labours  and  sorrows.  It  is  a  rest  which  consists 
act  in  indisposition  or  incapacity  for  action,  or  in  the  indulgence 
of  indolence  and  sloth ;  but  which  implies  activity  without  weari- 
ness, and  exertion  without  fatigue;  the  constant  employment 
of  our  best  faculties  on  the  worthiest  objects  and  employmeents 
securing  that  felicity  which  is  to  be  found  only  in  doing  the  will 
of  Qod,  without  involving  exhaustion  of  spirits,  or  diminution  of 
strength.  What  more  can  man  desire  to  render  him  supremely 
happy  ? 

To  such  a  person  as  Baxter,  a  martyr  to  disease  and  pain^ 
possessed  of  a  spirit  characterised  by  restless  activity,  which  was 
constantly  repressed  and  counteracted  by  a  body  ill  adapted  to 
be  the  instrument  of  its  boundless  desires ;  but  who,  notwith- 
standing this  counteraction,  continually  struggled  to  do  the  work 
of  God,  the  hope  of  rest  must  have  been  exquisitely  delightful. 
Surrounded  as  he  was  at  the  same  time  with  all  that  grieved  his 
spirit,  and  resisted  his  efforts,  it  is  not  wonderful  that  he  fled  to 
the  promise  of  rest  as  his  refuge  and  his  anchor.  While  he  did 
this,  however,  he  did  not  surrender  himself  to  the  mere  contem* 
plation  of  the  joy  set  before  him ;  it  roused  and  excited  him  to 
still  greater  exertions ;  or  induced  that  patience  with  joyfulnesij 
of  which  the  apostle  speaks,  and  which  is  the  peculiar  effect  of 
the  Christian  hope. 

'^  It  is  sweet  to  look  forward  to  the  restitution  of  all  things  ; 
to  think  of  a  world  where  God  is  entirely  glorified,  and  entirely 
loved,  and  entirely  obeyed ;  where  sin  and  sorrow  are  no  more ; 
where  severed  friends  shall  meet,  never  again  to  part ;  where 
the  body  shall  not  weigh  down  the  spirit,  but  shall  be  its  fit 
medium  of  communication  with  all  the  glorious  inhabitants  and 
scenery  of  heaven ;  where  no  discordant  tones  or  jarring  feelings 
shall  interrupt  or  mar  the  harmony  of  that  universal  song  which 
shall  burst  from  every  heart  and  every  tongue,  to  him  who 
sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  to  the  Lamb*  And  it  is  not  only 
sweet,  but  most  profitable  to  meditate  on  these  prospects.  It  is 
a  most  healthful  exercise.  It  brings  the  soul  into  contact  with 
that  society  to  which  it  properly  belongs,  and  for  which  it  was 
created. 

^  The  world  think  that  these  heavenly  musings  must  unqualify 
tlie  mind  for  present  exertion.  But  this  is  a  mistake,  arising 
from  an  ignorance  of  the  nature  of  heaven.  The  happiness  of 
heaven  is  the  perfection  of  those  principles  which  lead  to  the 

3b2 


740  THB  LIPB   AND  WRITINGS 

discharge  of  duty,  and  therefore  the  contemplation  of  it  must 
increase  our  sense  of  the  importance  of  duty.  That  happinest 
is  not  entirely  a  future  thing,  but  rather  the  completion  of  a 
present  process,  in  which  every  duty  bears  an  important  part. 
The  character  and  the  happiness  of  heaven,  like  the  light  and 
heat  of  the  sun-beams,  are  so  connected,  that  it  is  impossible  to 
separate  them,  and  the  natural  and  instinctive  desire  of  the  one 
is  thus  necessarily  linked  to  the  desire  of  the  oth^.  FSill  of 
peace,  as  the  prospect  of  heaven  is,  there  is  no  indolent  relin- 
quishment of  duty  connected  with  the  contemplation  of  it :  for. 
heaven  is  full  of  action.  Its  repose  is  like  the  repose  of  nature; 
the  repose  of  planets  in  their  orbits.  It  is  a  rest  from  all  con- 
troversy with  God ;  from  all  opposition  to  his  will.  His  servants 
serve  Him.  Farewell,  vain  world !  .  No  rest  hast  thou  t6  oflfier 
which  can  compare  with  this.  The  night  is  far  spent ;  soon  will 
that  day  dawn,  and  the  shadows  flee  away.'^^ 

^  The  Saint's  Rest  ^  has  been  one  of  the  most  useful  of  Baxter's 
works ;  the  most  useful  to  Christians,  for  whom  it  was  chiefly 
intended.  It  appears  to  have  been  the  means  of  impressing  Mr. 
Thomas  Doolittle,  and  Mr.  John  Janeway,  two  excellent  Non- 
conformist ministers.  Sir  Henry  Ashurst  ascribed  his  conversion 
to  it.  Sir  Nathaniel  Barnardiston,  Robert  Warburton,  of  Grange, 
both  persons  of  great  eminence  in  piety,  devoted  much  of  the 
evenings  of  their  lives  to  the  reading  of  this  work,  and  derived 
great  enjoyment  from  it.  But  these,  I  apprehend,  are  far  from 
solitary  instances ;  it  has  gone  through  many  editions,  and  fully 
justifies  the  remark  made  on  it  by  Dr.  Bates,  ^'  It  is  a  book  for 
which  multitudes  will  have  cause  to  bless  God  for  ever." 

The  late  Mr.  Favvcett,  of  Kidderminster,  published  an  excel- 
lent abridgment  of  it  in  1758.  .  It  makes  no  alteration  on  the 
sense  or  even  language  of  the  author,  but  diminishes  the  bulk  of 
the  work  by  omitting  many  digressions,  controversial  discussions, 
together  with  the  prefaces,  dedications,  and  other  things  of  a 
temporary  and  local  nature.  From  that  time,  the  circulation  of 
the  original  work  has  been  greatly  diminished,  but  I  have  no 
doubt  the  design  of  the  author  has  been  fully  accomplished ;  as 
a  much  greater  circulation  has  been  given  to  his  sentiments  in  a 
moderate  12mo  than  could  have  been  obtained  for  the  bulky 
4 to.  Those,  however,  who  wish  to  do  full  justice  to  Baxter  and 
his  treatise,  will  not  be  satisfied  with  any  thing  but  the  original. 
Giles  Fumm,  ^  ?\t%b^leriaa  minister,  who  appears  to  have 


OF   RICHARD  BAXTER.  741 

thought  Baxter  carried  his  views  of  meditation  on  the  ^  Saint's 
Rest'  too  far,  published  in  1671 9  what  Baxter  calls  ^^  a  gentle 
reproof  for  tying  men  too  strictly  to  meditation/'  This  Baxter 
answered  immediately  in  a  small  pamphlet  entitled,  '  The  Duty 
of  Heavenly  Meditation  Reviewed,  against  the  Exceptions  of  Mr. 
Giles  Firmin/  4to.  In  general,  there  is  little  danger  of  men  erring 
in  the  extreme  of  dwelling  too  much  on  heavenly  and  eternal 
things*  The  number  of  persons  addicted  to  mystical  devotion, 
or  exclusively  engrossed  by  spiritual  exercises,  has  been  small 
compared  with  the  multitude  even  of  serious  Christians,  whose 
minds  have  been  too  little  occupied  in  this  manner.  The  at- 
tractions of  earth  are  so  powerful,  and  the  affinities  of  our  nature 
BO  strong  to  material  objects,  that  we  require  every  possible  ex- 
citement and  encouragement  to  look  off  from  the  things  that  are 
seen  and  temporal,  to  those  which  are  unseen  and  eternal.  And 
as  we  cannot  be  influenced  by  that  which  we  do  not  know  or 
love,  or  with  which  we  are  not  conversant,  the  more  that  the 
unseen  world  and  its  permanent  glories  are  the  objects  of  contem- 
plation, the  more  powerfully  must  we  be  attracted  by  them,  till 
meditation  on  heaven  is  swallowed  up  in  its  full  and  everlasting 
enjoyment. 

The  work  on  the  *  Divine  Life,'»  published  in  1664,  next 
demands  our  attention.  The  occasion  of  it,  he  tells  us,  was 
this :  "  The  Countess  of  Balcarras,*  before  going  into  Scotland 
after  her  abode  in  England,  being  deeply  sensible  of  the  loss  of 
the  company  of  those  friends  which  she  left  behind  her,  desired 
me  to  preach  the  last  sermon  which  she  was  to  hear  from  me, 
on  these  words  of  Christ :  '  Behold  the  hour  cometh,  yea,  is  now 
come,  that  ye  shall  be  scattered  every  man  to  his  own,  and  shall 
leave  me  alone ;  and  yet  I  am  not  alone,  because  the  Father  is 
with  me.'  At  her  request  I  preached  on  this  text,  and  being 
afterwards  desired  by  her  to  give  it  her  in  writing,  and  the  pub- 
lication being  her  design,  1  prefixed  the  two  other  treatises,  to 
make  it  more  considerable,  and  published  them  together.  The 
treatise  is  upon  the  most  excellent  subject,  but  not  elaborate  at 

•  Works,  vol.  xiii. 

*  Since  the  remark  on  the  Countess  of  Balcarrasi  at  page  503«  was  printed 
oftf  1  have  ascertained  that  she  was  married  a  second  time  to  the  unfortunate 
Earl  of  Ar^yle,  there  rererred  to.  1  have  seen  also  a  curious  letter  from  her 
to  the  Duke  of  Lauderdale,  accompanying  the  stune  taken  from  the  heart  of 
her  son,  of  which  Baxter  speaks. — Letters  from  Ladif  Margaret  Kcv.iud^i^aJ* 
ierwiwdt  wife  to  Bishop  Burnet. 


742  THB  LIFE  AND  WRITINOS 

all ;  being  but  popular  sermons  preached  in  the  midst  of  diTert" 
ing  businesses^  accusations,  and  malicious  clamours. 

'^  When  I  offered  it  to  the  press,  I  was  fain  to  leave  out  the 
quantity  of  one  sermon  in  the  end  of  the  second  treatise,  (that 
God  took  Enoch,)  wherein  I  showed  what  a  mercy  it  is  to  ODe 
that  walked  with  God,  to  be  taken  to  him  from  this  world ; 
because  it  is  a  dark,  wicked,  malicious  implacable,  treacherous, 
deceitful  world,  &c.  All  which  the  bishop's  chaplain  mmt 
have  expunged,  because  men  would  think  it  was  all  spoken  of 
them.  And  so  the  world  hath  got  a  protection  against  the  force 
of  our  baptismal  vow."  * 

This  admirable  treatise  may  be  placed  either  under  the  bead  of 
the  experimental  or  the  devotional  works  of  our  author.  I  have 
placed  it  in  the  latter  class,  chiefly  for  my  own  convenience  in 
the  arrangement  of  this  work.  It  is  divided  into  three  parts — 
The  Knowledge  of  God — Walking  with  God — and  Converse 
with  God  in  solitude.  This  division  obviously  embraces  all  the 
great  points  of  Christian  practice  and  experience.  Without  the 
knowledge  of  God,  man  can  have  no  objective  religion.  He  is 
the  glorious  object  of  love,  veneration,  and  hope  ;  the  source 
of  all  pure  and  spiritual  enjoyment ;  and  the  spring  of  all  right 
conduct.  He  who  knows  God  aright,  will,  at  the  same  time, 
walk  with  God,  or  in  the  course  of  obedience  to  him ;  and  with 
this  course  will  be  invariably  connected,  that  spiritual  fellow- 
ship with  him  which  is  at  once  the  enjoyment  of  religion,  and 
the  best  proof  of  its  reality. 

None  of  the  works  of  Baxter  is  written  with  greater  sweetness 
than  this.     The  manner  of  it  is  in  good  keeping  with  the  sub- 
ject :  soft,  tender,  and  full  of  spirituality.     He  lays  open  to  the 
reader,  as  it  were,  the  very  recesses  of  his  own  heart ;  and  de- 
,  scribes  his  own  character  and  procedure  in  delineating  the  es- 
sential features  of  the  Christian  character  and  profession.    In 
himself  were  combined,  in  an  extraordinary  degree,  the  con- 
templative and  the  active  in  religion.     In  the  former  he  de- 
lighted no  less  than  in  the  latter.     To  him  the  Gospel  of  Christ 
was  a  continual  feast.     It  presented  to  him  a  boundless  and 
exhaustless  subject ;  combining  all  that  was  holy,  excellent,  and 
sublime ;   all  that  was  most  worthy  in  itself  with  every  thing 
calculated  to  inspire  the  love  of  goodness,  and  promote  the 
most  joyful  compliance  with  the  divine  will.     In  meditation  he 
found  relief  ftoitv  the  severity  of  bodily  pain,  from  the  anguish 


OF  RICHARD   BAXIVR.  743 

of  ifisappointinent,  and  the  sorrow  6f  unmerited  suffering ;  from 
the  pains  and  griefs  occasioned  by  his  own  sins,  or  the  sins  of 
others.  While  all  around  was  darkness  and  tempest,  here  he 
found  repose  to  his  spirit,  and  a'  quiet  refuge.  When  languid^  it 
recruited  his  strength ;  when  discouraged,  it  re-invigorated  Iiis 
hope;  when  exposed  to  perils,  or  called  to  the  discharge  of 
arduous  duties,  it  gave  fresh  energy  and  animation  to  his  soul. 
God  as  revealed  in  the  economy  of  redemption,  was  the  grand 
centre  of  all  the  principles,  feelings,  and  exercises  of  Baxter* 
It  was  to  him  at  once  an  attractive  as  well  as  a  repelling  power ; 
drawing  him  to  holiness  and  happiness,  and  repelling  every 
thing  that  was  mean  and  unworthy  from  his  character,  as  well 
as  what  was  more  directly  evil. 

To  the  extraordinary  degree  in  which  the  mind  of  Baxter  was 
imbued  vrith  the  spiritual  knowledge  of  God,  arising  from  the 
intimacy  of  his  communion  with  him,  arose  no  small  portion  of 
that  energy  of  character  for  which  he  was  so  distinguished.  The 
proper  value  of  the  contemplative  life  in  him  was  thus  strikingly 
illustrated.  In  many  men,  contemplation  operates  as  a  princi- 
ple of  seclusion :  it  renders  society  disagreeable ;  the  bustle 
and  business  of  it  intolerable.  They  can  be  happy  only  in 
retirement,  and  in  abstraction  from  the  duties  of  social  obli- 
gation. Such  persons  become  a  kind  of  spiritual  epicures: 
who  can  enjoy  only  what  is  exquisite,  and  adapted  to  the  most 
delicate  pdate.  The  common  food  of  Christianity  is  unsuited 
to  them.  Their  religion  assumes  all  the  character  of  a  refined, 
spiritual  selfism  ;  concerned  only  about  one  thing,  and  that 
thing  comfort :  it  partakes  not  of  the  active  principles  or  sym- 
pathies of  apostolic  Christianity. 

In  others,  activity  is  too  much  separated  from  meditation. 
The  leaves  and  the  fruit  are  cultivated  without  due  attention  to 
the  root  of  the  tree.  Enjoyment  is  found  only,  or  chiefly  in 
the  crowd,  or  on  the  stage  of  public  life.  Effect  is  studied 
rather  than  principle ;  and  all  is  supposed  to  be  well  if  others 
are  but  persuaded  that  it  is  so.  There  is  little  that  is  perma- 
nent and  influential  in  this  class  of  persons.  What  is  thus 
produced  is  easily  blasted  and  overthrown.  There  is  a  want  of 
sufficient  breadth  and  depth  in  the  foundation,  for  the  super- 
structure which  they  endeavour  to  rear,  and  hence  it  often  tum- 
.  bles  into  ruin.  Professed  concern  for  the  good  of  others,  when 
connected  with  indifference  to  our  own,  cannot  be  sincere  in  its 
nature  or  lasting  in  its  duration.    BaKlet  \^  >i\i&'^'^^?^Va&\x^\^^ 


744  THE   LIFE   AND   WRITINGS 

of  the  two  great  constituent  principles  of  the  Christian  character 
now  adverted  to,  and  which  constitute  the  subject  of  the  work 
under  consideration. 

The  chief  fault  that  presents  itself  to  me  in  this  work  is,  the 
extent  to  which  he  dwells  on  the  natural  attributes  of  God,  such 
as  his  eternity,  simplicity,  omnipotence,  &c.,  as  comprehended 
in  that  knowledge  which  is  eternal  life.  Not  that  I  would  ex- 
clude these  things ;  but  he  has  dwelt  upon  them  in  undue  pro- 
pordon,  and  to  the  exclusion  of  more  extended  views  of  the 
moral  attributes  of  God,  which  constitute  the  grand  subject  of 
Revelation,  and  the  great  objects  of  Christian  faith  and  enjoy- 
ment. In  the  natural  perfections  of  God,  however,  Baxter  was 
furnished  with  delightful  subjects  for  the  exercise  of  his  meta- 
physical powers.  The  u.>cs  of  God's  ^'  simple  and  uncompounded 
essence  of  his  incorporeality  and  invisibility,"  were  quite  to  his 
taste;  ttiough  likely  to  be  regarded  by  the  reader  as  more  inge- 
nious than  profitable.  He  has  also  some  disquisitions  about 
sin,  as  whether  ^^  God  decrees  not,  or  wills  not,  ut  evemi  pecca^ 
turn;  and  whether  he  wills  de  eventUy  that  sin  shall  not  come  to 
pass,  when  it  doth  ? "  in  which  little  light  is  thrown  on  these 
mysterious  questions. 

ITiese,  however,  are  but  trifling  blemishes  in  this  valuable 
work,  which  abounds  with  passages  of  great  beauty,  illustrative 
not  only  of  the  fine  genius,  but  the  intense  ardour  of  Baxter's 
spirit  and  feelings.  I  have  just  fixed  my  eye  on  a  page,  which 
I  cannot  deny  myself  tlie  pleasure  of  extracting,  though  it  is 
but  one  of  many  I  have  been  tempted  to  introduce. 

"To  walk  with  God,"  he  says,  "is  a  word  so  high,  that  I 
should  have  feared  the  guilt  of  arrogance  in  using  it,  if  I  had 
not  found  it  in  the  Holy  Scriptures.  It  is  a  word  that  im- 
porteth  so  high  and  holy  a  frame  of  soul,  and  expresseth  such 
high  and  holy  actions,  that  the  naming  of  it  striketh  my  heart 
with  reverence,  as  if  I  had  heard  the  voice  to  Moses,  *  Put 
off  thy  shoes  from  off  thy  feet,  for  the  place  whereon  thou 
standest  is  holy  ground.'  Methinks  he  that  shall  say  to 
me.  Come  see  a  man  that  walks  with  God,  doth  call  me  to 
see  one  that  is  next  unto  an  angel  or  glorified  soul.  It  is  a  far 
more  reverend  object  in  mine  eye  than  ten  thousand  lords  or 
princes,  considered  only  in  their  fleshly  glory.  It  is  a  wiser 
action  for  people  to  run  and  crowd  together  to  see  a  man  that 
walks  with  God,  than  to  see  the  pompous  train  of  princes,  their 

entertaii^n^cuis,  oy  iW\t  xuvlvu^V*   Qn\v\  Xv^y^^^^  \xc\\v  tluvt  walks 


OP  RICHARD    BAXTER.  745 

vnth  God,  though  neglected  and  contemned  by  all  about  him  I 
What  blessed  sights  doth  he  daily  see!  What  ravishing  tidings, 
what  pleasant  melody  doth  he  daily  hear,  unless  it  be  in  his 
swoons  or  sickness!  What  delectable  food  doth  he  duly 
taste !  He  seeth,  by  faith,  the  God,  the  glory  which  the  blessed 
spirits  see  at  hand  by  nearest  intuition !  He  seeth  that  in  a 
glass,  and  darkly,  which  they  behold  with  open  face !  He 
seeth  the  glorious  Majesty  of  his  Creator,  the  eternal  King, 
the  Cause  of  causes,  the  Composer,  Upholder,  Preserver,  and 
Governor  of  all  worlds !  He  beholdeth  the  wonderful  me- 
thods of  his  providence ;  and  what  he  cannot  reach  to  see,  he 
admireth,  and  waiteth  for  the  time  when  that  also  shall  be  open 
to  his  view !  He  seeth  by  faith  the  world  of  spirits,  the  hosts 
that  attend  the  throne  of  God  ;  their  perfect  righteousness,  their 
full  devotedness  to  God  ;  their  ardent  love,  their  flaming  zeal^ 
their  ready  and  cheerful  obedience,  their  dignity  and  shining 
glory, .  in  which  the  lowest  of  them  exceed  that  which  the 
.  disciples  saw  on  Moses  and  £lias,*when  they  appeared  on  the 
holy  mount  and  talked  with  Christ !  He  hears  by  faith  the 
heavenly  concert,  the  high  and  harmonious  songs  of  praise,  the 
joyful  triumphs  of  crowned  saints,  the  sweet  commemorations  of 
the  things  that  were  done  and  suffered  on  earth,  with  the  praises 
of  Him  that  redeemed  them  by  his  blood  and  made  them  kings 
and  priests  unto  God.  Herein  he  hath  sometimes  a  sweet  fore- 
taste of  the  everlasting  pleasures  which,  though  it  be  but  little, 
as  Jonathan's  honey  on  the  end  of  his  rod,  or  as  the  clusters  of 
grapes  which  were  brought  from  Canaan  into  the  wilderness ; 
yet  they  are  more  excellent  than  all  the  delights  of  sinners/'  ^ 

Under  the  general  head  of  his  devotional  writings,  it  is  ne- 
cessary that  1  should  include  the  following  funeral  sermons, 
from  several,  of  which  1  have  already  made  extracts  in  the  first 
part  of  this  work  ;  and  two  treatises  on  the  subject  of  death.  I 
class  them  together  as  they  relate  chiefly  to  one  topic,  and  do 
not  call  for  distinct  notice.  -  Their  titles,  which  I  give  fully,  suf- 
ficiently explain  their  nature. 

'  The  last  work  of  a  Believer,  his  passing  prayer,  recommend- 
ing his  departing  spirit  to  Christ,  to  be  received  by  him,  prepared 
•  for  the  funeral  of  Mary,  the  widow  first  of  Francis  Charlton, 
Esq.,  and  after  of  Thomas  Hanmer,  Esq.'  1660.  4to.^ 

^  A  Sermon  preached  at  the  funeral  of  that  holy,  painful,  and 
fruitful  minister  of  Christ,  Mr.  Henry  Slxibbs,  ;A^o\sX  %Sc^  ^^'ox^ '^ 

•  Workt,  vol  xilL  pp.  242, 243.  ^  VU^,  ^o\,  ^  A\« 


746  THS  Lin  AND  WRITINGS 

successful  preacher  at  Bristol^  Wells^  Chew,  Dmsleyy  Lonckm, 
and  divers  other  places/  1678.  4to.^ 

'  A  true  Believer's  choice  and  pleasure  instanced  in  the  exem- 
plary life  of  Mrs.  Mary  Coxe,  the  late  wife  of  Dr.  Tliomas 
Coxe/  1680- 4to/ 

*  Faithful  Souls  shall  be  with  Christ,  the  certainty  proved,  and 
their  Christianity  described  and  exemplified  in  the  truly  Chris- 
tian life  and  death  of  that  excellent  amiable  saint,  Henry 
Ashurst,  Esq.,  citizen  of  London,  briefly  and  truly  published  for 
the  conviction  of  hypocrites  and  the  malignant,  die  atrengthen- 
ing  of  believers,  and  the  imitation  of  all,  especially  the  masters 
of  families  in  London.  Go,  and  do  thou  likewise.'  1681.  4to.> 

^  A  Sermon  preached  at  the  funeral  of  Mr.  John  Corbet,  that 
faithful  minister  of  Christ,  with  his  true  and  exemplary  cha- 
racter.' 1682.  4to.^ 

^  A  treatise  of  death,  the  last  enemy  to  be  destroyed.'  Show- 
ing wherein  its  enmity  consisteth,  and  how  it  is  destroyed.  Fsrt 
of  it  was  preached  at  the  funeral  of  Elizabeth,  the  late  wife  of 
Mr.  Joseph  Baker,  pastor  of  the  church  at  St.  Andrew's,  in 
Worcester,  With  some  few  passages  of  the  life  of  die  said 
Mrs.  Baker,  observed.'  1659.  8vo.'^ 

'Mr.  Baxter's  Dying  Thoughts  upon  Philippians  i.  23.' 
Written  for  his  own  use  on  the  latter  times  of  his  corporal 
pains  and  weakness.'  1 683.  4to.  ^ 

All  these  discourses  and  treatises  show  how  familiar  the  mind 
of  Baxter  was  with  the  subject  of  death,  and  illustrate  the  ad- 
mirable use  which  he  made  of  it,  in  promoting  the  good  of 
others.  It  was  a  favourite  topic  of  his  ministry  from  the  very 
beginning,  arising  out  of  the  feeble  state  of  his  health,  and  from 
the  apprehension  which  he  entertained  that  his  career  was 
likely  to  be  a  very  short  one.  Though  in  this  he  was  mistaken, 
he  never  lost  the  impression  that  he  must  soon  die,  and  there- 
fore constantly  preached  and  wrote  under  that  impression. 

His 'Dying Thoughts*  abound  in  admirable  sentiments,  express- 
ed in  appropriate  and  beautiful  language,  worthy  of  a  believer  in 
the  near  prospect  of  eternity.  They  were  written  for  his  own  use, 
and  originally  intended  to  be  left  to  his  executors  for  publica- 

•  Works,  vol.  xiii.  p.  61.  '  Ibid.  p.  91.  ■  Ibid.  p.  124. 

»»  Ibid.  p.  163. 

^  AmoDg^  the  Baxter  MSS.  is  a  letter  from  a  clergyman  of  the  name  of 
Taylor,  at  SlandtoTd^  «Lekwo\Nl«d^ia^  that  the  *  Treatise  on  Death'  had  been 
tlie  means  of  h\&  coiivets\o\i -^  wv^T^cv^^%^A\v^'&^a^«*^^J^svcA  respecting  soaie 
difficu\liet  ^rbicVi  Vie  U\X.  ou  Xi;i^  %>M^cX.  ^1  %>i>a%crvVww>., 

k  Works,  vo\.  ivu. i?*  ^2.7 .  ^  V\3J^.N<i\.V^.*r^         ^  \«iv\,^i^.x»N^ 


OP  RICHARD  BAXTER.  747 

tion^  but  were  finally  brought  out  by  himself.  Calamy  puts  them 
under  the  date  of  1685^  and  represents  them  as  having  furnished 
great  consolation  to  Lord  William  Russell  before  his  execution^ 
But,  as  he  speaks  of  himself  as  in  the  seventy-sixth  year  of  his 
age^  and  the  fifty-third  of  his  ministry,"  which  was  the  year  of 
his  death,  he  must  have  altered  and  improved  the  work  shortly 
before  he  died.° 

In  these  Thoughts^  as  there  are  few  raptures,  so  there  are  no 
depressions  or  despondencies.  They  discover  throughout  a 
solemn,  calm,  undisturbed  serenity ;  the  steady  contemplatioii 
of  dissolution  and  all  its  consequences,  without  alarm  or  terror. 
He  knew  in  whom  he  had  believed ;  to  him,  therefore,  death  had 
no  sting.  Its  poison  liad  been  extracted,  and  the  grim  tyrant 
deprived  of  his  power  to  injure.  In  Christ,  his  soul  had  found 
rest ;  his  life  was  made  sure  by  the  covenant  of  redemption :  so 
that  he  could  lay  down  his  head  and  die  in  the  sure  and  certain 
hope  of  a  resurrection  to  glory.  Unenviable  must  be  the  state 
of  that  man's  feelings,  who  can  read  these  reflections  as  the 
honest  and  sincere  expressions  of  a  soul  ready  to  take  its  flight 
into  eternity,  without  exclaiming,  '*  Let  me  die  the  death  of 
this  righteous  man,  and  let  my  latter  end  be  like  his." 

Among  the  devotional  works  of  Baxter  must  be  classed  'The 
Refoqned  Liturgy,'  which  he  drew  up  by  the  request  of  his 
brethren,  at  the  time  of  the  Savoy  conference.  Part  of  it  was 
published  among  the  other  papers  relating  to  that  affair^  and  in 
his  Own  Life,  by  Sylvester ;  the  whole  appears  among  the  docu- 
ments of  the  Savoy  conference ;  at  the  end  of  the  first  volume  of 
Calamy 's  Abridgment;  in  the  folio  edition  of  his  works;  and  in 
the  fifteenth  volume  of  the  present  edition.  The  circumstances 
which  led  to  his  compiling  this  work  have  been  sufficiently  de- 
tailed in  the  account  of  the  Savoy  meeting  and  debates,  Bax- 
ter produced  an  entirely  new  liturgical  service,  not  because  he 
objected  to  the  whole,  or  greater  part  of  the  former,  but  as  the 
shortest  and  easiest  method  of  removing  what  he  considered 
its  defects,  its  inaccuracies,  and  repetitions.  It  was  not  de- 
signed by  him  to  be  enforced  by  legal  enactments,  in  the  room 
of  the  other ;  but  rather  as  a  specimen,  or  directory,  for  con- 

■  Works,  vol.  xvii.  p.  331. 

*  His  <  Dying  Tbouf^bts '  were  abridged  by  Fawcett^  a  work  by  no  means 
so  necessary  as  tbe  abridgment  of  tbe  '  Saint's  Rest.'    Sir  James  Stonebouse 
was  so  deligbted  witb  tbem,  tbat  be  says  <*  I  bavesLVmoAl  \ft»rtiX>^v(s^V| 
heart;  J  am  cootinuaJJy  quotinf^  tbem  in  m>  UttienC*— ^^  IiSU«r%  frvm  4^ 
OriM,  Sfc.  roL  it  p.  209, 


748  THE   LIFE   AND  WRITINGS 

ducting  the  public  service  of  the  church.  He  was  occupied  on 
this  work  not  more  than  a  fortnight ;  a  period  which  he  ac- 
knowledges to  have  been  **  too  short  for  doing  it  with  the  ac- 
curateness  which  a  business  of  that  nature  required ;  or  for  the 
consulting  with  men  or  authors.  He  could  make  no  use  of  any 
book,  except  a  Bible  and  a  Concordance ;  but  he  compared  it 
all  with  the  Assembly's  Directory,  the  Book  of  Common-prayer, 
Hammond  and  L'Estrange."  p 

Without  pronouncing  on  the  comparative  excellences  of  this 
liturgical  work,   or  intimating  that  it  is  every  thing  such  a 
work  should  be,  it  is  not  too  much  to  say,  that  it  is  remarkable 
for  simplicity,  appropriateness,   and    fulness.    The    forms  of 
prayer  contain  variety  without  repetition,  and  are  so  scriptural 
that  they  are  made  up  almost  entirely  of  scriptural  language  ;* 
references  to  which  he  has  thrown  into  the  margin.   Few  better 
liturgies  probably  exist ;  and  had  it,  or  something  of  the  same 
improved  description,  been  adopted  by  the  church,  at  the  period 
when  the  subject  was  under  discussion,  some  of  the  chief  dif- 
ficulties experienced  by  the  early  Nonconformists  to  the  Book 
of  Common-prayer  would  have  been  removed.     There  was  no 
.disposition  then,  however,  to  listen  to  the  voice  of  candid  and 
conscientious  objection ;  and  though  the  subject  has  frequently 
been  agitated  since,  the  imperfections  of  the  Anglican  Liturgy 
seem  to  be  increasingly  sanctified  by  time,  and  every  day  dimi- 
nishes the  probability  of  any  improvement  taking  place  upon  it« 
The  motive  for  alteration,  so  far  as  the  Nonconformists  are  con- 
cerned, may  be  said  to  be  extinguished ;  as  no  change  on  the 
liturgical  forms  of  the  Church,  would  reconcile  the  great  body 
of  the  Dissenters  to  it.     Their  objections  are  now  chiefly  to  the 
constitution  of  the  church  as  allied  to  the  state,  and  to  the 
whole  system  of  episcopal  government;  objections  which  no 
modification  of  forms  and  ceremonies  would  either  remove  or 
materially  alter. 

In  this  class  of  writing,  I  feel  justified  in  placing  the  only 
work  of  an  expository  nature  published  by  Baxter :  his  '  Pa- 
raphrase on  the  New  Testament,  with  Notes,  Doctrinal  and 
Practical,'  &c.  1685.  4to.*i     Of  the  trouble  into  which  he  was 

f  Life,  part  ii.  p.  306. 

4  WaJcb,  in  hi&  '  Ribliotbeca  Theolot^ica,'  mentions  '  Meditations  on  the 
Seven  Penitential  P&almft/  by  Baxter.     He  says  they  were  published  in  En- 
glish, and  trausWled  mlo  C^etma.\i/\\\  \N\\\Oct  Xwk^xvwj,^  \\\«Y  appeared  in  two 
editions,  1684  and  \6fe7 .  He  %^'3%  xV^^  ^tt  \x^\.^x^v«Vi  ^v^^tt'Cv^^^oxxMswl^ 
in  their  uature,  aud  ous^iXVi^i«.IWxV^^\^^>^^ei»a^^\^*«^«^^  \^^^^Y^ 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTER.  749 

brought  by  this  work,  a  full  account  has  already  been  given,  in 
the  history  of  his  trial  before  the  infamous  Jefferies.  It  now 
only  remains  to  say  something  of  the  book  itself.  Its  origin 
and  object  are  well  stated  by  himself  in  the  following  passage 
in  the  preface. 

'^  A  friend  long  urging  me  to  write  a  paraphrase  on  the 
Epistle  to  the  Romans,  as  being  hard  to  be  understood ;  when  I 
had  done  it,  I  found  so  much  profit  by  the  attempt,  that  it 
drew  me  to  go  on  till  I  had  finished  what  I  offer  you.  It  was 
like  almost  all  my  other  public  works,  done  by  the  unexpected 
conduct  of  God*s  urgent  providence,  not  only  without,  but  con- 
trary to  my  former  purposes.  God  hath  blessed  his  church 
with  many  men's  excellent  commentaries  on  the  Scriptures, 
and  I  never  thought  myself  fit  to  do  it  Better  than  they  have 
done  ;  but  that  is  best  for  some  persons'  use  which  is  not  best 
to  others.  I  long  wished  that  some  abler  man  would  furnish 
Tulgar  families  with  such  a  brief  exposition  as  might  be  fitted 
to  the  use  of  their  daily  course  in  reading  the  Scriptures,  and 
instructing  their  households.  I  found  that  many  who  have  done 
it  better  than  I  can  do,  are  too  large  and  costly  for  this  use ; 
some,  like  Diodati,  are  very  sound  but  unsatisfactorily  brief; 
some  have  parcelled  their  annotations  into  so  numerous  shreds, 
that  readers,  especially  in  a  family  course,  will  not  stay  to 
search  and  set  them  together  to  make  up  the  sense.  I  like  Dr. 
Hammond's  order  best,  but  I  differ  from  him  in  so  much  of  the 
matter, — take  his  style  to  be  too  lax,  his  criticisms  not  useful 
to  the  vulgar,  and  his  volume  too  big  and  costly ;  I  therefore 
chose  more  plainly,  and  yet  more  briefly  and  practically,  by  the 
way  of  paraphrase,  to  suit  it  to  my  intended  end. 

'^  But  I  must  give  the  reader  notice,  that  where  I  seem  but  in 
few  words  to  vary  from  the  text,  those  words  answer  the  large 
criticisms  of  divers  expositors,  as  the  learned  may  find  by  search- 
ing them  and  the  Greek  text ;  though  I  must  not  stay  to  give 
the  reasons  of  them  as  I  go  on.  That  though  I  have  studied 
plainness,  yet  brevity  is  unavoidably  obscure  to  unexercised  per- 
sons, who,  as  learners,  cannot  understand  things  without  many 
words.  That  where  the  Evangelists  oft  repeat  the  same  things 
to  avoid  tediousness,  I  repeat  not  the  whole  exposition ;  and  yet 
thought  it  not  meet  wholly  to  pass  it  by.    That  where  the  text  is 

sitively  affirm  that  Walch  is  mistaken,  but  I  have  never  seen  any  such  work 
of  Baxter's ;  nor  does  it  appear  in  any  catalogue  of  bis  books  published  ia 
Eofflandj  either  by  himself  or  others* 


750  THB  UVX  AND  WRITmOS 

plain  of  itself)  instead  of  an  exposition,  I  fill  up  the  spice  by 
doctrinal,  or  practical  obsen^ations,  seeing  practice  is  the  end  of 
all,  and  to  learners  this  part  is  of  great  necessity.  That  where 
great  doctrinal  controversies  depend  on  the  exposition  of  any 
text,  I  have  handled  those  more  largely  than  the  rest,  and  I  hope 
with  pacificatory  and  satisfactory  evidence/' ' 

Though  this  work  is  not  critical,  and  was  intended  by  the 
author  chiefly  for  the  unlearned,  it  bears  marks  of  consideraUe 
labour  when  attentively  examined.  Baxter  had  long  and  pro- 
foundly studied  the  Scriptures ;  possessing  a  large  portion  of 
acuteness,  and  being  very  independent  in  his  manner  of  think* 
ing,  he  often  throws  considerable  light  on  difficult  passages. 
He  does  not  give  the  process,  but  the  results ;  without  the 
parade  of  criticism  and  learning,  he  frequently  furnishes  us  with 
their  best  fruits.  So  that  without  toil  or  labour,  we  are  at  once 
put  in  possession  of  what  he  conceived  to  be  the  meaning  of  the 
word  of  God.  I  feel  bound  to  say,  that  I  have  seldom  consulted 
Baxter's  Paraphrase,  which  I  have  done  occasionally  for  many 
years,  without  deriving  instruction  from  it ;  and  finding  that  it 
either  threw  some  light  on  what  was  dark,  or  suggested  what 

tended  to  remove  a  difficultv. 

« 

The  reasons  which  he  assigns  for  not  attempting  an  exposition 
of  the  book  of  Revelation,  are  worthy  of  quotation.  Among 
other  things,  he  says, 

"  I  am  far  below  Didnysius,  Alexandrinus,  and  most  of  the 
ancient  Fathers,  even  Augustine  himself,  who  professed  that  they 
understood  it  not.  Yea,  the  incomparable  Calvin  professeth 
that  he  understood  not  the  thousandth  part  of  it  5  and  his  part- 
ner, Beza,  would  give  us  little  of  it,  next  to  none  :  both  refusing 
to  write  a  comment  on  it.  I  honour  them  that  know  more 
than  I,  and  contradict  them  not ;  I  had  rather  say  too  little, 
where  other  men  have  said  enough,  than  say  more  than  I  know, 
it  is  not  through  mere  sloth  that  1  am  ignorant.  Women  and 
boys,  who  have  studied  it  less  than  I,  think  they  know  herein 
what  I  do  not ;  but  I  confess  that  despair  is  much  of  the  cause. 
Forty-four  years  ago,  when  I  was  but  young,  I  studied  it,  I  doubt 
too  soon,  and  read  Brightman,  Napier,  Parens,  &c.,  and  after 
that  Mede,  Potter,  and  many  more ;  beside  such  treatises  as 
Downame  de  Antichristo  Broughton,  and  other  such ;  with 
the  answers  of  Bellarmine,  &c.  I  met  with  many  divines  and 
laymen  who  had  chosen  it  out  for  the  chief  study  of  their  lives, 


or  mCHABD  BAXTER.  751 

Mid  I  found  80  great  diversity  of  opinions,  five  of  the  most  con- 
fident going  four  ways,  and  so  little  proof  of  what  they  most 
confidently  asserted,  that  I  despaired  of  being  so  much  wiser 
than  they  as  to  come  to  satisfaction,  if  I  should  lay  by  more 
necessary  studies,  and  make  this  the  business  of  the  rest  of  my 
life,  which  yet  I  durst  not  do.  Afterwards  I  conversed  with 
my  iSellow  labourer,  Mr.  Nathaniel  Stephens,  who  hath  written 
af  it,  and  was  much  upon  it  inl  his  discourse,  but  I  durst  not 
be  drawn  to  a  deep  study  of  it.  When  since  I  read  Mr» 
Durham,  Dr.  More,  &c.,  and  Grotius,  and  Dr.  Hammond,  and 
many  annotators,  I  confess  despair,  and  morQ  needful  business^ 
made  me  do  it  but  superficially.  And  when  I  had  for  my  own 
use  written  the  rest  of  this  Paraphrase  on  the  New  Testament, 
I  proposed  to  have  said  nothing  of  any  more  of  the  Revelations 
than  of  the  three  first  chapters,  professing  that  I  understood  it 
not  i  but  after,  being  loth  to  omit  wholly  any  part  of  the  New 
Testament,  and  thinking  that  the  renewed  study  of  that  which 
■peaketh  so  much  of  the  New  Jerusalem  might  be  suitable  to  a 
pained  dying  man,  I  thought  of  it  more  searchingly  than  I  had 
heretofore ;  but  have  not  now  either  the  strength  of  wit,  or 
length  of  time,  that  are  necessary  to  so  hard  a  work,  and  there- 
fore presume  not  to  oppose  others,  but  refer  the  readers  to 
them  that  have  more  thoroughly  studied  and  expounded  it  than 
I  can  do.  But  yet  I  thought  that  those  generals  which  I  under- 
stood might  be  usefiil  to  unlearned  readers,  though  they  made 
them  no  wiser  than  I  am  myself,  while  those  that  are  above  me 
have  enough  higher  to  read/' ' 

The  sentiments  expressed  in  this  passage  are  illustrative  of 
the  modesty  of  Baxter,  and  of  his  distnist  of  his  own  under- 
standing on  the  difiicult  subjects  of  the  apocalyptic  visions. 
Without  subscribing  to  the  propriety  of  regarding  these  visions 
as  unintelligible,  considering  the  little  success  which  has  at- 
tended the  speculations  of  many  respecting  their  design,  di£B- 
dence  on  such  subjects  is  much  more  a  Christian  virtue  than 
confidence.  It  is  not  difficult  to  frame  a  prophetic  hypothesis, 
and  to  adjust  its  parts  with  considerable  skill  and  ingenuity ;  but 
to  prove  that  it  is  the  very  thing  intended  by  the  angel  of  the 
apocalypse,  requires  a  portion  of  wisdom  from  Him  who  alone 
can  open  its  seals,  which  does  not  yet  appear  to  have  been  af- 
forded to  any  of  the  sons  of  men.  But  while  there  is  much  that 
is  obscure  in  the  book,  it  is  delightful  to  find  so  much  that  is 
intelligible ;  and  that  though  many  of  the  symboU  asvd  \\v^\5^* 

'  Atfrnttaaent  to  <  Paraphcass  oik  ^t  ^«ii  TtsvmASDx: 


752  TAB   LIFE   AND  WRITINGS 

glyphxcs  yet  remain  to  be  deciphered,  the  suffering  and  glory 
of  the  Redeemer,  the  final ,  triumphs  of  his  kingdom  and  iu 
everlasting  duration,  are  revealed  with  a  clearness  not  inferior 
even  to  that  of  the  Gospel  itself. 

A  posthumous  work  of  a  devotional  nature  by  Baxter,  ap« 
peared  after  his  death,  with  the  following  title :  *  Monthly  Pre- 
parations for  the  Holy  Communion,  by  R.  B.  To  which  is 
added  suitable  Meditations,  before,  in,  and  after  recovery;  with 
Divine  Hymns  in  common  tunes,  fitted  for  Public  Congregations 
or  Private  Families/  1696.  12mo. 

.  This  little  work  has  a  preface  by  Sylvester,  in  which  it  is  very 
singular  that  he  makes  no  mention  whatever  of  the  meditations 
as  the  productions  of  Baxter.  There  can  be  no  doubt,  how- 
ever, that  they  were  published  from  some  of  Baxter's  manu- 
scripts, left  in  possession  of  the  editor,  or  that  they  were  fur- 
nished by  some  one  who  took  notes  while  Baxter  delivered 
them.  I  am  inclined  to  think  the  latter  must  have  been  their 
origin ;  as  some  of  the  language  is  like  Baxter's,  but  other  parts 
of  it  not.  Of  the  hymns  I  am  unable  to  form  any  opinion, 
whether  they  were  composed  by  Baxter,  or  some  one  else. 
Their  devotion  is  more  worthy  of  admiration  than  their  poetry. 

I  must  now  introduce  a  class  of  Baxter's  writings,  with  which 
few  of  the  readers  of  his  works  are  familiar.  I  refer  to  his 
poetry,  of  which  I  should  have  been  afraid  to  speak  with  much 
confidence  in  my  own  judgment,  had  not  Montgomery  given 
him  a  place  among  the  Christian  poets  of  England,  and  spoken 
of  him  in  the  following  terms : 

"  This  eminent  minister  of  the  Gospel,  though  author  of  some 
of  the  most  popular  treatises  on  sacred  subjects,  is  scarcely 
known  by  one  in  a  hundred  of  his  admirers,  as  a  writer  in  verse ; 
yet  there  is  a  little  volume  of  *  Poetical  Fragments*  by  him,  in- 
estimable for  its  piety,  and  far  above  mediocrity  in  many  pas- 
sages of  its  poetry.  The  longest  piece,  entitled,  "  Love  breath- 
ing thanks  and  praise,'  contains  his  spiritual  auto-biography, 
from  the  earliest  impressions  made  upon  his  conscience  by 
divine  truth,  to  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war  ^tween  Charles 
I.  and  the  parliament.  In  this,  and  indeed  in  all  the  other 
minor  pieces,  he  speaks  the  language  of  a  minute  self-observer, 
and  tells  the  experience  of  his  own  heart  in  strains  which 
never  lack  fetvenc'j^woT  \wi^^^  ^Vc^o^^wie^ however  unapt  in  the 
art  of  tuTuuig  tau^l^A  '^^uo^^  \\\  ^^^^  ^^  ^»5^^\  \sx^  ^sr^^^ 


OF    RICtiARD   BAXTER.  753 

ttonally  be  found.  A  great  portion  of  this  volume  well  merits 
re-publication,  as  the  annexed  examples  will  prove.  He  that  is 
not  powerfully  affected  by  some  of  these,  whatever  be  his  taste 
in  polite  literature,  may  fear  that  he  has  neither  part  nor  lot  in 
a  matter  of  infinitely  surpassing  interest  even  to  himself.'^ ' 

The  volume,  of  which  Mr.  Montgomery  thus  speaks,  and  from 
which  he  inserts  some  striking  extracts,  was  first  published  in 
1681,  in  small  Timo,  with  the  following  singular  title  :  ^  Poetical 
Fragments  :  Heart  Employment  with  God  and  itself.  The  con- 
cordant discord  of  a  broken  healed  heart ;  sorrowing,  rejoicing, 
fearing,  hoping,  living,  dying.' 

**  These  poetical  fragments,"  he  says, "  except  three  heretofore 
printed,  were  so  far  from  being  intended  for  the  press,  that  they 
were  not  allowed  the  sight  of  many  private  friends,  nor  thought 
worthy  of  it:  only,  had  1  had  time  and  heart  to  have  finished  the 
first,  which  itself,  according  to  the  nature  and  designed  method, 
would  have  made  a  volume  far  bigger  than  all  this,  being  intend- 
ed as  a  thankful  historical  commemoration  of  all  the  notable 

■ 

passages  of  my  life,  I  should  have  published  it  as  the  most  self- 
pleasing  part  of  my  writings.  But,  as  they  were  mostly  written 
in  various  passions,  so  passion  hath  now  thrust  them  out  into 
the  world.  God,  having  taken  away  the  dear  companion  of  the 
last  nineteen  years  of  my  life,  as  her  sorrows  and  sufferings  long 
ago  gave  being  to  some  of  these  poems,  for  reasons  which  the 
world  is  not  concerned  to  know  ;  so  my  grief  for  her  removal, 
and  the  revived  sense  of  former  things,  have  prevailed  with  me 
to  be  passionate  in  the  open  sight  of  all."  ^ 

He  afterwards  published  ^  Additions  to  the  Poetical  Frag- 
ments, written  for  himself,  and  communicated  to  such  as  are 
more  for  serious  verse  than  smooth.'  1683.  He  left  also,  fullv 
prepared  for  the  press,  an  entire  poetical  version,  or  ^  Para- 
phrase of  the  Psalms  of  David,  with  other  Hynuis,'  which  were 
published  after  his  death  in  1692,  by  his  friend,  Matthew  Syl- 
vester. Putting  all  his  pieces  together,  therefore,  we  have  suf- 
ficient means  of  determining  Baxter's  claims  to  the  character  of 
a  poet. 

He  himself  was  not  ignorant  of  the  qualities  which  are  ne- 
cessary to  constitute  excellence  in  this  department  of  literattire^ 
and  puts  in  his  own  claims  very  modestly.  "  I  will  do,"  he 
says,  '^  my  wise  friends,  whose  counsel  I  have  much  followed^ 

■  Montgumer>'8  Christian  Poet,  p.  320.  *  Epistle,  y.  U 

VOL.   J.  3  C 


7S4  TBB  LIFB  AND  WRITfi«GS 

that  rights  as  to  acquit  them  from  all  the  guilt  of  the  publicatioo 
of  these  fragments.  Some  of  them  say^  that  such  work  it 
below  irie ;  and  those  that  I  think  speak  more  wisely,  say,  I  am 
below  such  work.  These  I  unfeignedly  believe.  I  hare  long 
thought  that  a  painter^  a  musician,  and  a  poet,  are  contempti- 
ble if  th^y  be  not  excellent ;  and  that  I  am  not  excellent,  I  am 
satisfied ;  but  I  am  more  patient  of  contempt  than  many  are. 
Common  painters  serve  for  poor  men's  works;  and  a  fiddler  may 
s^rve  at  a  country  wedding.  Such  cannot  aspire  to  the  attain- 
ments of  the  higher  sort,  and  the  vulgar  are  the  greater  number. 
Dr.  Stillingfleet  saith,  ^  I  seldom  follow  my  friends*  advice;'  m 
this  I  justify  him,  though  in  other  things  my  advisers  contradict 
him.  I  know  that  natural  temper  makes  poetry  savour  to  se- 
veral wise  and  learned  men,  as  differently  as  meats  do  to  various 
appetites.  I  know  such  learned  discreet  men,  that  know  not 
ti'hat  a  tune  is,  nor  can  difference  one  flrom  another. .  I  wonder 
at  them;  and  oft  doubt  whether  it  be  an  accident,  or  an  integral 
of  humanity  which  they  want.  Annatus,  the  Jesuit,  in  bis 
answer  to  Dr.  Twisse  De  Scientia  Media,  commends  his  poetry, 
(for  a  poem  added  in  the  end,)  in  scorn,  as  if  it  were  a  di^raoe 
to  a  school  divine.  I  take  one  sign  of  an  acumen  of  wit  to  make 
it  likely  that  the  man  hath  the  same  wit  for  other  work. 

"  For  myself,  I  confess  that  harmony  and  tnelody  are  the  plea- 
sure and  elevation  of  my  soul.  1  have  made  a  psalm  of  praise 
ill  the  holy  assembly  the  chief  delightful  exercise  of  my  religion 
and  my  life,  and  have  helped  to  bear  down  all  the  objections 
which  I  have  heard  against  church  music,  and  against  the  149 
and  150th  Psalms.  It  was  not  the  least  comfort  that  I  had  in  the 
converse  of  my  late  dear  wife,  that  our  first  in  the  morning,  and 
last  in  bed  at  night,  was  a  psalm  of  praise,  till  the  hearing  of 
others  interrupted  it.  Let  those  that  savour  not  melody,  leave 
others  to  their  different  appetites,  and  be  content  to  be  so  fir 
strangers  to  their  delights."  ^ 

In  m  far  as  genius  and  imagination  are  essential  to  the  cha- 
racter of  a  poet,  it  is  impossible  to  doubt  that  Bakter  possessed 
high  claims  to  that  distinction.  His  prose  writings  are  full  of 
poetry.  His  genius  every  now  and  then  bursts  forth  where  we 
least  expect  its  appearance ;  and  in  no  writer  of  tlie  age  are 
there  so  many  passages  exquisite  for  their  pathos  and  tender- 
ness, or  dazzling  with  splendour.     His  language  is  often  re- 

,'«  ^i^\%\ift^  \j^»  2^  3. 


or  RICHARD   BAXTBR.  755 

markable  for  its  cjiasteness,  and  for  its  rhythm;  so  that  it  would 
only  require  a  little  skill  in  the  mechanical  construction  of  verse, 
to  convert  many  of  his  pages  into  the  sweetest  poetry. 

That  he  was  not  skilled  in  versification,  is,  at  the  same  time, 
very  obvious.  He  had  the  ideas  of  poetry,  and  often  the  expres- 
•ions  also,  but  could  not  frame  them  skilfully,  according  to  the 
laws  of  verse.  This  kind  of  employment  required  more  patience 
and  labour  than  he  was  capable  of  bestowing.  He  could  not  waste 
time  on  the  collocation  of  words  and  syllables;  and  hence  he 
often  becomes  tame  and  prosaic,  in  immediate  connexion  with 
the  utterance  oi'  the  finest  and  loftiest  conceptions. 

He  lived  during  what  Johnson  calls  "  the  age  of  the  meta- 
physical poets  ;"  whom  he  describes  as  learned  men,  who  made 
it  their  whole  endeavour  to  show  their  learning.  They  yoked 
the  most  heterogeneous  ideas  together  by  violence ;  ransacked 
nature  and  art  for  illustrations,  comparisons,  and  allusions. 
They  were  fond  of  conceits,  both  of  idea  and  phraseology ;  they 
broke  every  image  into  fragments,  and  mixed  the  sublime  and 
ridiculous,  the  lofty  and  the  low,  in  the  most  extraordinary 
manner.  Such  were  Donne  and  Denman,  Waller  and  Cowley, 
according  to  Johnson  ;  and  such  he  would  have  reckoned  Bax- 
ter, had  he  met  with  any  of  his  poetical  effusions. 

The  longest  of  Baxter's  poetical  pieces,  as  Montgomery  has 
remarked,  is  a  fragment  of  his  own  life  and  experience  in  verse. 
It  is  entitled  ^  Love  breathing  Thanks  and  Praise,*  and  is  full  of 
the  most  glowing  gratitude.  From  this  poem  an  extract  or  two 
has  already  been  given  in  the  first  part  of  this  work.  The  open- 
ing bnes  run,  with  a  slight  exception,  very  smoothly.  They 
discover  the  school  to  which  the  author  belonged,  in  the 
manner  >  in  which  he  pursues  the  leading  figure  of  a  worm 
praising  God.  Yet  there  is  nothing  offensive  in  the  thought  or 
the  language. 

*'  Eternal  God !  this  worm  lifu  up  the  bead, 
Aod  looks  to  Tbee,  by  Thee  encourag^ed  ; 
CheerM  by  thy  bounty,  it  would  speak  thy  praise. 
Whose  wond'rous  love  hath  uicasur'd  all  my  days. 
If  thou  vouchsafe  to  make  a  worm  rejoice, 
Give  hiiu  a  thankful  praisioj;  heart  and  voice* 
Thy  shining^  glory  blessed  angels  see  : 
Angels  rou>t  sing  thy  highest  praise,  not  we. 
But  if  thy  warming  beams  cause  worms  to  speak 
Their  baser  part  will  not  the  concert  break. 
When  time  was  yet  do  measure,  wheu  \Ue  &uu 
Itanpid  motion  had  not  yet  begun , 

3c2 


756  THB  LIFE  AND  WRITrNGS 

When  heaT^n,  ftod  eardiy  and  sea,  were  yet  mitaiii'd 
Angels  and  meo,  and  all  thinics  else  un-nam*d  $ 
When  there  did  nothiog  else  exist  but  thee» 
Tbou  wast  the  same,  and  still  the  same  wilt  be. 
When  there  was  none  to  know  or  praise  thy  nanie« 
Thou  wast  in  perfect  blessedness  the  same."  * 

In  the  following  passage  a  most  original  and  poetical  image 
is  employed  with  great  felicity^  to  illustrate  the  re-forming  of 
man  in  God's  own  image.  The  idea  of  the  Deity  taking  the 
signet  from  his  own  right  hand,  to  form  the.  stamp  by  which  his 
own  offending  creature  is  to  be  restored  to  holiness  and  bliss,  u 
exquisite  in  itself,  and  uncommonly  well  sustained. 

*'  When  man  from  holy  love  tum'd  to  a  lie. 
Thy  ima^  lost,  became  thine  enemy ; 
O  what  a  seal  did  love  and  wisdom  fiod 
To  re-impriot  thine  image  on  man's  mind ! 
Thou  sent'st  the  signet  from  thine  own  right  band ; 
Made  man  for  them  that  had  themselves  unman'd. 
The  fiternal  Son,  who  in  thy  bosom  dwelt. 
Essential  burning  love,  men's  hearts  to  melt ; 
Thy  lively  image  ;  he  that  knew  thy  mind. 
Fit  to  illuminate  and  heal  the  blind. 
With  love's  great  office  thou  didst  him  adorn. 
Redeemer  of  the  helpless  and  forlorn. 
On  love's  chief  work  and  message  he  was  sent : 
Our  flesh  he  took,  our  pain  he  underwenr. 
Thy  pardoning,  saving  love  to  man  did  preach : 
The  Reconciler  stood  up  in  the  breach. 
The  uncreated  image  of  thy  love. 
By  his  assumption  and  the  Holy  Dove, 
On  his  own  flesh  thine  image  first  imprest ; 
And  by  that  stamp  renews  it  on  the  rest."  J 

The  account  of  his  early  experience,  and  of  the  steps  by 
which  he  was  first  led  to  choose  God  for  his  portion,  and  then 
his  work  as  his  great  employment,  is  very  admirably  given.  In 
the  following  passage  he  describes  how  God  takes  advantage  of 
the  natural  love  of  self  which  belongs  to  man,  and  implants  his 
own  fear,  as  a  seedling  which  gradually  ripens  into  the  love  of 
God  and  of  goodness^  and  brings  forth  fruit  to  his  glory. 

"  Fear  is  the  soil  that  cherisheth  the  seed. 
The  nursery  in  which  heav'n's  plants  do  breed. 
God  first  iu  nature  finds  self-love,  and  there 
He  takes  advantage  to  implant  his  fear. 
With  some,  the  time  is  long  before  the  earth 
Disclose  her  young  one  by  a  springy  birth. 
When  heav'n  doth  make  our  winter  sharp  and  long. 
The  seed  ot  XoNftW^^Vi^^  v^x  ^^^\qa  >4Mt  ^oung, 


OF   RICHARD  BAXTBR.  757 

But  when  God  makes  it  sprisg-tlmey  his  approach 

Takes  from  the  harren  soil  its  great  reproach  ; 

When  heav'n*s  reviving  smiles  and  rays  appear. 

Then  love  begins  to  spring  up  above  fear ; 

And  if  sin  hinder  not  by  cursed  shade. 

It  quickly  shoots  up  to  a  youthful  blade. 

And  when  heav'n's  warmer  beams  and  dews  succeed. 

That's  ripen'd  fruit  which  e'en  now  was  but  seed* 

Yet  doth  not  flow'riog,  fruitful,  love  forget 

Her  nursing  fear,  there  still  her  root  is  set ; 

In  humble  self-denial  undertrod, 

While  flower  and  firuit  are  growing  up  to  God.*'  ■ 

Tliere  is  a  short  poem,  entitled  *  The  Resolution/  which  was 
composed  when  he  was  silenced  and  cast  out  of  the  church. 
It  conveys  his  reflections  on  that  sorrowful  event,  and  expresses 
his  high  determination  to  suffer  the  loss  of  all  things  for  Christ's 
sake.  The  following  lines,  referring  to  the  dispersion  of  friends, 
the  storms  of  life,  and  the  final  assembling,  are  very  beautiful, 
though  the  figure  is  not  uncommon. 

'*  As  for  my  friends,  they  are  not  lost : 

The  several  vessels  of  thy  fleet, 
Though  parted  now  by  tempests  tost. 

Shall  safely  in  the  haven  meet. 
Still  we  are  centred  all  in  Thee  ; 

Members,  tho'  distant  of  one  head, 
*  In  the  same  family  we  be. 

By  the  same  faith  and  Spirit  led. 
Before  thy  throne  we  daily  meet. 

As  joint  petitioners  to  Thee  ; 
In  spirit  we  each  other  greet. 

And  shall  again  each  other  see. 
The  heavenly  hosts,  world  without  end. 

Shall  be  my  company  above ; 
And  thou,  my  best,  my  surest  Friend, 

Who  shall  divide  me  from  thy  fove  ?"  • 

From  the  dialogue  between  Flesh  and  Spirit,  I  have  already 
given  a  very  beautiful  extract,  in  noticing  the  work  on  self-de- 
nial, to  which  it  was  first  attached.  The  dialogue  between 
Death  and  a  Believer  is  very  gravely  intended,  and  contains 
some  very  good  passages,  but  is  occasionally  ludicrous.  The 
same  remark  applies  to  the  poems  on  grace,  wisdom,  madness, 
hypocrisy,  and  man.  They  abound  with  the  faults  of  the  meta- 
physical poets,  interspersed  with  flashes  of  real  poetical  genius. 

His  Psalms  are  far  from  contemptible ;  for,  although  few 
of  them  are  without  rugged  and  prosaic  lines,  they  frequently 
contain  very  good  stanzas.     He  had  ev\detv\\^  \ie.%\Av<^\  ^<acw- 

'  Poetical  FragmeDts,  p.  16.  «  \\M.'^% W* 


758    •  THS  Un  AND  WRITINGS 

siderable  puns  on  his  yereion.  There  is  a  peculiarity  in  the 
structure  of  the  verse,  which  often  discovers  mechanical  in- 
genuity,  though  it  "contributes  frequently  to  destroy  the  poetry. 
By  putting  certain  words  in  a  different  character  widiin  brackets, 
he  contrives  to  make  the  verse  long  or  short,  as  these  words  are 
used  or  omitted.  He  did  this,  he  tells  us,  becaiwe  *^  nature 
weary  of  sameness,  is  re-created  with  a  variety  of  tunes.''  I  shall 
give  as  a  specimen  the  first  stanzas  of  the  twenty-third  P^alm, 
printed  after  this  plan,  which' may  be  considered  a  fiur  average 
sample  of  the  whole. 

**  The  Lord  himself  my  tbaplMrd  is. 

Who  doth  me  feed  and  [safely]  keep ; 
What  can  1  want  that's  truly  good. 

While  I  am  [one  of]  his  own  sheep  ? 
He  makes  me  to  lie  down  and  rest 

In  [pleasant]  pastures,  tender  grass  ; 
He  keeps  and  gently  leadeth  me 

Near  [the  sweet]  streams  of  qvietnese. 
My  failing  soul  he  doth  restore. 

And  lead  in  [safe  and]  righteous  ways ; 
And  aU  this  freely,  that  his  grace. 

And  [holy]  name  may  have  the  praise.'* 

It  is  pleasant  to  remark  the  delight  and  enjoyment  which 
this  holy  man  felt  in  sacred  poetry  and  music ;  a  delight 
which  he  seems  to  have  cherished  to  the  very  last.  Sylvester 
tells  us  in  his  preface  to  his  Psalms,  that  **when  his  sleep 
was  intermitted  or  removed  in  the  night,  he  then  sang  much; 
and  on  the  Lord*s-day8,  he  thought  the  service  very  defective, 
without  some  considerable  time  were  spent  in  singing ;  nay,  he 
believingly  expected  that  his  angelical  convoy  would  conduct 
him  through  all  the  intermediate  regions,  to  his  appointed  man- 
sion in  his  heavenly  Father's  house,  with  most  melodious  hal- 
lelujahs, or  with  something  equally  delightful/'  In  this  fraaie 
of  mind,  he  probably  was  when  he  composed  his  ^  Exit,'  and  bis 
/  Valediction.'  In  both  he  takes  his  leave  of  the  world^  satisfied 
to  be  gone,  and  longing  for  the  enjoyment  of  his  Lord.  I  quote 
a  few  stanzas  from  the  former,  as  a  vale  to  the  poetry  of  Baxter. 

'*  My  soul,  go  boldly  forth, 
Forsake  this  sinful  earth  ; 
What  hath  it  been  to  thee 

But  pain  and  sorrow  P 
Mid  thiukest  thou  'twHl  be 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTER.  7^9 

Where  blessed  spirits  dwell. 

How  pure  and  ligbtful ! 
But  earth  is  near  to  hell, 

How  dark  and  frightful ! 

Jerusalem  above. 
Glorious  in  light  and  love, 
is  mother  of  us  alL 

Who  shall  enjoy  them  ? 
The  wicked  hell-ward  fall. 

Sin  will  destroy  them. 

God  is  essential  love  ; 
And  all  the  saints  above 
Are  like  unto  him  made. 

Each  in  his  measure. 
Love  is  their  life  and  trade. 

Their  constant  pleasure. 

What  joy  must  there  needs  be. 
Where  all  God's  glory  see  I 
Feeling  God's  vital  love, 

Which  still  is  barning : 
And  flaming  God-ward  move. 

Full  love  returning. 

Lord  Jesus,  take  my  spirit: 
I  trust  thy  love  and  merit; 
Take  home  this  wand*ring  sheep. 

For  thou  hast  sought  it ; 
This  soul  in  safety  keep. 

For  thou  hast  bought  it"  ^ 

I  have  dwelt  longer  on  Baxter's  poetical  pieces  than,  to 
some,  their  importance  may  seem  to  justify.  I  have  been  the 
more  particular,  however,  because  they  are  less  known  than 
most  of  his  writings,  and  because  they  form  a  very  appropriate 
conclusion  to  his  devotional  works.  They  show  what  every 
thing  which  Baxter  wrote  confirms,  that  his  religion  was  a  reli- 
gion of  enjoyment.  It  is  the  more  necessary  to  remark  this, 
because  a  superficial  observer  may  be  induced  to  suppose  that 
the  contrary  was  the  case.  His  writings,  it  will  be  remarked, 
speak  much  of  mortification,  and  self-denial,  and  crucifixiont 
They  do ;  and  Baxter  felt  himself  impelled  to  dwell  on  these 
■ubjects,  because  iie  regarded  the  evils  which  render  them 
necessary  as  the  true  banes  of  man's  happiness.  He  was 
persuaded  that,  till  the  habit  of  resisting  and  conquering  the 
flesh  and  tlie  world  be  formed,  and  unless  it  be  kept  in  con- 
stant exercise,  no  real  enjoyment  can  be  found.  The  self- 
denial  which  he,  therefore,  inculcated,  arose  out  of  the  state  of 

^  Poetical  Fragments,  pp.  148^153, 


760  TUB   UFB  AND  WRITINGS 

human  nature,  and  was  directed  to  the  highest  good  of  man— 
the  enjoyment  of  the  divine  complacency. 

Baxter  was  probably  regarded  by  the  men  of  the  world  of 
his  own  age,  as  one  of  the  most  demure,  joyless,  mortified 
persons  on  earth ;  and  such,  on  their  principles,  he  certiunly 
was.  Yet  Baxter  was  a  singularly  happy  man.  He  tells  us 
that  he  knew  nothing  of  low  spirits  or  nervous  depression,  not* 
withstanding  all  his  bodily  sufferings.  His  hopes  of  heaven 
and  its  blessedness  were  rarely  clouded  from  the  beginning  to 
the  end  of  his  Christian  course.  His  hands  were  constantly 
full  of  his  Master's  work,  and  his  heart  ardently  set  upon  the 
accomplishment  of  it.  llie  pulse  of  the  Christian  life  ever 
beat  most  vigorously  in  his  veins ;  the  Christian  walk  he  steadily 
pursued ;  and  its  close  was  as  peaceful  and  serene  as  its  pro« 
gress  had  been  honourable- 
It  is  pleasing  to  read  of  the  melody  of  his  feelings,  of  the 
tenderness  or  "  passion  "  of  his  heart,  of  his  songs  in  the  night, 
and  his  delight  in  sacred  poetry  and  music.  They  are  eiddencei 
of  the  rest  which  his  soul  had  found  in  God.  There  was  a  close 
and  holy  union  between  the  fountain  of  living  joy  and  his  reno- 
vated spirit.  *^  Being  justified  by  faith,  he  had  peace  with  God 
through  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  rejoiced  in  hope  of  the  glorj 
of  God."  Devotion  was  his  element,  and  its  exercises  were  his 
delight.  By  this  means  he  renewed  his  impaired  strength, 
restored  his  lost  tranquillity,  and  replenished  his  exhausted 
comfort.  It  was  the  master-principle  of  his  mind  and  cha- 
racter; that  which  harmonized  and  adjusted  all  their  move- 
ments, and  guided  all  their  aims.  I  may,  with  the  greatest 
propriety,  accommodate  to  himself  the  beautiful  description 
which  he  gives  of  a  Christian's  devout  meditations  in  the  con- 
clusion of  his  *  Saint's  Rest.' 

"As  Moses,  before  he  died,  went  up  into  Mount  Nebo,  to 
take  a  survey  of  the  land  of  Canaan,  so  he  ascended  the  mount 
of  contemplation,  and  by  faith  surveyed  his  heavenly  rest.  He 
looked  on  the  delectable  mansions,  and  said, '  Glorious  things 
are  deservedly  spoken  of  thee,  thou  city  of  God.*  He  heard, 
as  it  were,  the  melody  of  the  heavenly  choir,  and  said, '  Happy 
the  people  that  are  in  such  a  case ;  yea,  happy  is  that  people 
whose  God  is  the  Lord.'  He  looked  upon  the  glorious  inha- 
bitants, and  exclaimed,  *  Happy  art  thou,  O,  Israel !  Who  is 
like  unto  thee,  O  ^^o^\^^  ^w^^  Vj  <cv&\*i\4^'     He  looked  on 


OV   mCHARD   BAXTEiU  7^1 

the  Lord  himself,  who  is  their  glory,  and  was  ready,  with  the 
rest^  to  fall  down  and  worship  Him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever. 
He  looked  on  the  glorified  Saviour,  and  was  ready  to  say 
*  Amen,'  to  that  new  song, '  Blessing,  and  honour,  and  glory, 
and  power,  be  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  ' 
the  Lamb/-  He  looked  back  on  the  wilderness  of  this  world, 
and  blessed  the  believing,  patient,  despised  saints;  he  pitied 
the  ignorant,  obstinate,  miserable  world.  For  himself,  when 
thus  employed,  he  said,  with  Peter, '  It  is  good  to  be  here,'  or, 
with  Asaph,  ^  It  is  good  for  me  to  draw  near  to  God.'  Like 
Daniel,  in  his  captivity,  he  daily  opened  his  window,  looking 
towards  the  Jerusalem  that  is  above,  though  far  out  of  sight. 
Like  PaulV  affections  towards  his  brethren,  though  absent  in  the 
flesh  from  the  glorified  saints,  he  was  yet  with  them  in  spirit, 
joying  and  beholding  their  heavenly  order."  ® 

Engaging  so  deeply  in  these  delightful  exercises  of  holy  con- 
templation, he  was  thus  eminently  qualified  to  explain  and  re- 
commend  them  to  others.  They  constitute  the  life  of  the  soul, 
the  beauty  of  religion,  the  glory  of  the  Christian.  **  As  the 
lark  sings  sweetly  while  she  soars  on  high,  but  is  suddenly 
ulenced  when  she  falls  to  the  earth ;  so  is  the  frame  of  the 
soul  most  delightful  and  divine,  while  it  keepeth  God  in  view  by 
contemplation.  But,  alas  1  we  make  there  too  short  a  stay, 
and  lay  by  our  music."  ^ 

Will  the  reader  now  join  with  me  in  closing  this  chapter  with 
the  beautiful  prayer  which  concludes  the  ^  Rest  ? '  "  O  Thou, 
the  merciful  Father  of  spirits,  the  attractive  of  love,  and 
ocean  of  delight !  draw  up  these  drossy  hearts  unto  thyself,  and 
keep  them  there  till  they  are  spiritualized  and  refined !  Second 
thy  servant's  weak  endeavours,  and  persuade  those  that  read 
these  lines  to  the  practice  of  this  delightful,  heavenly  work ! 
Oh  !  suffer  not  tlie  soul  of  thy  most  unworthy  servant  to  be  a 
stranger  to  those  joys  which  he  describes  to  others ;  but  keep  me 
while  I  remain  on  earth  in  daily  breathing  after  thee,  and  in  a 
believing,  affectionate  walking  with  thee.  And  when  thou 
comest,  let  me  be  found  so  doing :  not  serving  my  flesh,  nor 
asleep  with  my  lamp  unfurnished,  but  waiting  and  longing 
for  my  Lord's  return.  Let  those  who  shall  read  these 
pages,  not  merely  read  the  fruit  of  my  studies,  but  the 
breathing  of  my  active  hope  and  love ;  that  if  my  heart  were 
•  <  Saint's  Rest/  4to.  p.  814«  '  Ibid,  v*  ^^^% 


762  Tsm  un  ahd  whitimgs 

open  to  their  view^  they  might  there  read  thy  lovt  most  deeply 
engmven  with  a  beam  from  the  face  of  the  Son  of  God ;  tiid 
not  find  Tani^,  or  Inftti  or  pride  within,  where  the  words  of  lilii 
appear  without;  that  bo  these  lines  may  not  witnev  agaimt 
me;  but,  proceeding  from  the  heart  of  the  writer,  may  be 
effisotuai,  tfirough  thy  graee,  iqwn  the  heart  of  the  reader,  and 
ao  be  the  savour  of  li&  to  bodu''* 

•«SaIafi  Bast,' 410,  ]k8U. 


IHT  MOIARB  BASmHU  Jti 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


GENERAL  C0MCLU810N. 

Baxter,  tha  author  of  Prefaces  to  many  Books  by  others— -Leaves  vaiions 
Treatises  ia  Maouscript— His  extensive  Correspoodeace  still  presenred— 
Iietter  to  Increase  Mather — Account  of  Transactions  with  his  Book- 
sellers— G>ncurrence  of  Opinions  respectin|^  him  as  a  Wrltei^— Barrow- 
Boyle— Wilkins  — Usher—  Manton  —Bates— Doddridge— Kippif^-Oiton-« 
Addison — Johnson — Grainger— WUberlbrce— His  own  Review  if  hie  WiiU 
ings — Its  characteristic  candour  and  fidelity— The  aaagaitade  of  his  Laboma 

'  as  a  Writer— The  number  and  variety  of  his  Worics— 41is  Readipeif  ' 
His  Style— Sometimes  injudidous  both  in  his  Writings  and  his  Coodnd^ 
Deficient  in  the  full  statement  of  Evangelical  Doctrine— Causes  of  ^t 
DeficioKsy— Conclusion. 

• 

Having  laid  before  the  reader  some  account  of  every  book 
published  by  Baxter,  as  far  as  can  be  aacertained,  untb  those 
observations  which  have  been  suggested  by  their  nature  and 
design,  it  only  remains  that  I  should  collect  together  some 
miscellaneous  circumstances,  which  could  not  properly  be 
noticed  under  any  of  the  preceding  heads,  and  o£fer  some  ^on-f 
eluding  remarks  on  the  character  of  Baxter  as  a  writer. 

Besides  the  books  he  wrote  himself,  he  prefixed,  generally  at 
the  desire  of  their  respective  authors,  prefiEices  or  commendatory 
epistles  to  a  great  number  of  publications.  Of  these^  Calamy 
has  given  the  following  enumeration,  which  I  have  no  doul^ 
could  be  greatly  increased,  were  it  of  sufficient  importance  to 
devote  the  time  which  such  a  research  would  require : 

'^  We  have  a  preface  of  his  before  Mr.  Swinnock's  book  of 
'  Regeneration ;'  another  before  a  book  of  Mr.  Eede's ;  another 
before  Mr.  Jonathan  Hanmer's  ^ Exercitation  of  Confirmation;' 
another  before  Mr.  Lawrence's,  of  '  Sickness ;'  two  before  two 
of  Mr.  Tombes's  books ;  another  before  a  discourse  of  Mr% 
William  Bell'a,  of  < Patience}'   djx  vdl\xxA»sSossq^  \s^Va^\^^ 


764  THE-  LIFE  AND  WRITINGS 

Allein^s  'Life;'  a  preface  to  his 'Alarm  to  the  Unconverted;' 
another  to  Howe's  'Blessedness  of  the  Righteous;'  another  to 
Mr.  Clark's  'Annotations  on  the  New  Testament;'  another  to 
Mr.  Abraham  CliflFord's  'Discourse  on  the  Two  Covenants;' 
another  to  one  edition  of  Mr.  Rawlet's  book  of  the  'Sacra- 
ment:' another  to  the  eleventh  of  Sender's  'Dailv  Walk;' 
another  to  Mr.  William  Allen,  of  the  '  Covenants ; '  another  to 
a  book  of  Dr.  Bryan's,  of  '-Dwelling  with  God;'  another  to 
Mr.  Hotchkis's  '  Forgiveness  of  Sin ;  *  another  to  Mr.  Gouge's 
'Surest  and  Safest  Way  of  Thriving ;'  another  to  Mr.  Obed. 
Wills,  of  '  Infant  Baptism/  against  Mr.  Danvers's;  and  one  to 
Mr.  Corbet's  '  Remains ;'  with  many  others."  ' 

Baxter  left  several  treatises  in  a  more  or  less  prepared  state 
for  publication,  besides  all  that  he  published  himself.  Some  of 
these  saw  the  light  afterwards,  others  remain  or  have  been  de« 
stroyed.  His  work  on  '  Universal  Redemption,'  '  The  Protes- 
tant Religion  Justified,'  his  '  Poetical  Paraphrase  of  the  P^ms,' 
the  '  Narrative  of  his  own  Life,'  his  '  Mother's  Catechism,' 
'  Monthly  Preparation  for  the  Communion,'  have  all  been  no- 
ticed already  among  his  posthumous  publications. 

Into  the  subject  of  what  he  calls  '  Physical  Predetermina- 
tion,' he  appears  to  have  entered  very  largely ;  and  there  yet 
remains  among  his  manuscripts  what  would  make  a  considerable 
volume  9n  it.  It  seems  to  be  in  reference  to  this  manuscript 
that  he  says  in  his  Own  Life: 

"  When  I  had  written  my  book  against  Mr.  Gale's  'Treatise 
for  Predetermination,'  and  was  intending  to  print  it,  the  good 
man  fell  sick  of  a  consumption,  and  I  thought  it  meet  to  sus- 
pend the  publication,  lest  I  should  grieve  him,  and  increase  his 
sickness,  of  which  he  died.  And  that  I  might  not  obscure 
God's  providence  about  sin,  I  wrote  and  preached  two  sermons 
to  show  what  great  and  excellent  things  God  doth  in  the  world 
by  the  occasion  of  man's  sin ;  and,  verily,  it  is  wonderful  to 
observe  that  in  England  all  parties,  prelatical  first.  Indepen- 
dents, Anabaptists,  especially  Papists,  have  been  brought  down 
by  themselves,  and  not  by  the  wit  and  strength  of  their  enemies  ; 
and  we  can  hardly  discern  any  footsteps  of  any  of  our  own 
endeavours,  wit,  or  power,  in  any  of  our  late  deliverances,  but 
our  enemies'  wickedness  and  bloody  designs  have  been  the  occa- 
sion of  almost  all :  yea,  the  Presbyterians  themselves  have  suf- 
fered more  by  l\\e  A\\\X\tv^  e^ficv^  q.\  ^«v\  <q^nw  ^^-^^viant,  and 


OF  EICUARD  3AXTBB.  765 

their  imskilfiilnest  Jn  healing  the  divisions  between  them  and 
the  Independents  and  Anabaptists  and  the  Episcopalians,  than 
by  any  strength  that  brought  them  down ;  though  since  men's 
wrath  hath  trodden  them  as  in  the  dirt/'  ^ 

On  the  subject  of  predestination,  Baxter  says  a  great  deal  in 
the  second  book  of  his  Catholic  Theology,  in  which  he  endear 
vours  to  reconcile  ^^  the  Synodists  and  Arminians,  the  Calvinists 
and  Lutherans,  the  Dominicans  and  Jesuits,"  Judging  from 
what  he  says  on  the  subject  in  that  work,  I  should  not  suppose 
that  his  separate  treatise  throws  much  light  on  it,  or  that  the 
world  sustains  a  great  loss  from  its  suppression.  Theophilus 
Gale,  for  whom  this  intended  treatise  was  designed,  was  one  of 
the  profoundest  scholars  and  theologians  of  his  time.  His 
learning  was  more  extensive  and  accurate  than  Baxter's,  and 
his  judgment,  both  in  metaphysics  and  theology,  more  correct. 
His  ^  G)urt  of  the  Gentiles,'  in  which,  among  other  subjects,  he 
discusses  predestination,  and  free-will,  and  their  consistency  with 
each  other,  is,  without  exception,  the  profoundest  book  of  the 
age.  It  contains  greater  stores  of  pagan  and  sacred  learning, 
on  every  thing  relating  to  the  whole  range  of  philosophy  and 
religion,  than  any  book  which  had  previously  appeared. 

Baxter  left  also '  Divers  Disputations  on  sufficient  Grace;  seve- 
ral Miscellaneous  Disputations  on  various  Questions  in  Divinity, 
briefly  managed  at  the  Monthly  Meeting'  of  Ministers  held  while 
he  was  at  Kidderminster.  '  Two  Replies  to  Mr.  Lawson's 
Animadversions  on  his  Aphorisms ;'  '  A  Reply  to  Warren's 
Animadversions'  on  the  same  ho6k ;  and  the  commencement  of 
^  A  Reply  to  Dr.  Wallis's  Animadversions :'  beside  many  other 
pieces  in  a  more  or  less  prepared  state  for  publication.  Most 
of  these  treatises  still  remain  among  the  Baxter  MSS.  depo- 
sited in  the  Redcross-street  library.  None  of  them  appear  to 
me  to  be  deserving  of  publication  ;  as  among  the  printed  works 
of  Baxter  sufficient  is  to  be  found  already  on  all  the  subjects  of 
which  thev  treat. 

The  most  interesting  portion  of  these  manuscript  collections 
is  the  correspondence.  There  are  many  hundred  letters  between 
Baxter  and  his  friends  on  a  great  variety  of  subjects ;  extending 
from  an  early  period  of  his  public  life  till  near  the  time  of  hit 
death.     Sylvester  appears  to  have  intended  the  publication  of  a 

r  Life,  part  iii.  p.  185.    There  is  another  passage  in  Baxter's  Life  in  which 
he  speaks  disrespectfully  of  Gale  and  his  Work  *,  \ViU*  Y\«  ni^  \oq  %^\  V)  ^^> 
where  be  differed  from  a  brother  aathor«-^PaU  ^.  v«  V^'^* 


766  ram  upb  and  weithigs 

tolnme  of  these  letters ;  i^  but,  for  reasons  whieb  do  not  appeeTi 
abandoned  the  design,  Aii  Baxter's  manoscripts  in  his  pos- 
session were  at  last  deposited  in  the  hands  of  Dr.  WilUams's 
trustees,  by  whom  they  hare  been  carefully  preserved. 

Though  I  did  not  find  on  examining  these  letters  mueh  addi- 
tional matter  that  could  be  used  in  this  Life  of  Baxter,  he  haviag 
published  every  thing  of  importance  inspecting  himself,  I  fcel 
satisfied  that  a  volume  or  two  of  very  interesting  letters  might 
be  furnished  from  them.  An  editor  of  competent  abilities  sad 
leisure  could  produce  a  very  valuable  selection.  Aokm^ 
Baxter's  correspondents  were  some  of  the  most  distinguished 
men  of  his  times.  Lord  Chief  ^Justice  Hale,  the  Dvk^  at  Lsih 
derdale.  Lord  Clarendon,  the  Earl  of  Orrery,  Archbishop  Tillot* 
son,  Bishop  Brownrigge,  Henry  More,  Glanville,  Robert  Boyisi 
Greaves,  Henry  Dod well,  Heyiin,  Bruno  Ryves,  Gataker,  Vines, 
Owen,  Howe,  Bates,  Peter  Du  Moulin,  Dr.  Hill,  Arrowsmith, 
Burgess,  William  Penn,  Eliot,  Mather  of  New  England, 
and  a  multitude  of  others.  Many  of  Baxter's  letters  to  hit 
friends  are  very  long,  and  as  he  appears  to  have  been  in  the 
practice  of  keeping  copies  of  those  which  he  regarded  as  impor- 
tant, all  of  which  are  in  his  own  hand ;  his  correspondence  alone 
must  have  created  to  him  vast  labour.  In  numerous  instances 
he  appears  to  have  been  treated  by  troublesome  persons,  who 
applied  to  him  to  solve  their  doubts  and  perplexities,  and  exer- 
cised his  ingenuity  by  their  cases  of  conscience.  Where  he 
considered  the  laity  in  earnest,  he  seems  never  to  have  been 
unwilling,  though  at  the  expense  of  great  labour  to  himself,  to 
attempt  afibrding  them  satisfaction. 

A  short  letter  that  he  wrote  to  Increase  Mather,  which  Palmer 
thinks  may  have  been  among  the  last  he  ever  wrote,  is  so  excel- 
lent and  characteristic  of  the  writer,  that  it  will  not  be  considered 
out  of  its  place  here.  It  refers  to  Cotton  Mather *s  Life  of 
Eliot,  the  apostle  of  the  Indians,  and  the  valued  correepondent 
of  Baxter. 

"  Dear  Brother, 
'^  I  thought  I  had  been  near  dying  at  twelve  o'clock  in  bed : 
but  your  book  revived  me ;  I  lay  reading  it  until  between  one 
and  two.  I  knew  much  of  Mr.  Eliot's  opinions  by  many  letters 
which  I  had  from  him.  There  was  no  man  on  earth  whom  I 
honoured  a\)o\e  Yivcci.    U  \%  bU  evangelical  work  that  is  the 


Df  llfDttARiy  BAZTBi.  767 

apostolieal  ttiecMrion  which  I  plead  for.  I  am  ncm  dying  I 
hope  as  he  did.  It  pleated  tne  to  iread  from  him  my  case*  ^  My 
understanding  faileth,  my  memory  faileth,  and  my  hand  and  pen 
fail|  but  my  charity  faileth  not/  That  word  much  comforted  me. 
I  am  as  zealous  a  lover  of  the  New  England  Churches  as  any 
nan^  according  to  Mr.  Noyes^  Mr.  Norton's,  and  Mr.  Mitchael's^ 
and  the  Synod's  model.  I  love  your  father  upon  the  letters  I 
received  from  him.  I  love  you  better  for  your  leamingi  labourf^ 
Mtki  peaceable  moderation.  I  love  your  mm  better  than  either 
of  you,  for  the  excellent  temper  that  appeareth  in  his  writings. 
O  that  godliness  and  wisdom  may  thus  increase  in  all  fiunilies. 
He  hath  honoured  himself  half  as  much  as  Mr.  Eliot,  I  say  half 
US  much,  for  deeds  excel  words.  God  preserve  you  and  New 
England.     Pray  for  your  fainting  languishing  friend, 

"  Aug.  8,  1891.  Hi.  Baxter."* 

A  person  who  had  so  much  to  do  with  the  press  as  Baxter, 
inust  have  been  connected  with  the  principal  religious  booksel- 
lers of  the  period,  and  a  knowledge  of  his  transactions  with 
them  must  throw  some  light  on  the  extent  to  which  religious 
Works  were  circulated  at  this  time.  From  the  multitude  of 
books  published  by  Baxter,  many  of  which  appear  to  us  unin- 
teresting, it  appears  surprising  that  the  author  should  have 
found  encouragement  to  print  them.  It  appears,  however,  that 
he  c<^uld  not  only  publish  without  risk,  but  that  they  were  the 
source  of  a  considerable  revenue,  which  he  generally  applied  to 
some  benevolent  purpose.  In  the  following  document,  written 
as  a  vindication  of  himself  from  a  charge  of  ruining  his  book- 
sellers, he  gives  a  very  interesting  account  of  the  manner  in 
which  he  transacted  business  with  them.  It  affords  us  also 
some  additional  illustration  of  the  circumstances  and  the  disin« 
terestedness  of  Baxter.  After  adverting  to  several  of  the  false 
charges  which  had  been  circulated  against  him,  he  thus  pro* 
ceedsi 

*'  But  now  comes  a  new  trial :  my  fufferings  are  my  crimes. 
My  bookseller,  Nevil  Symmonds,  is  broken,  and  it  is  reported 
that  I  am  the  cause,  by  the  excessive  rates  that  I  took  for  my 
books  of  him ;  and  a  great  dean,  whom  I  much  value,  foretold 
that  I  would  undo  him.  Of  all  the  crimes  in  the  world,  I 
least  expected  to  be  accused  of  covetousness.  Satan  being 
the  master  of  this  desigi\  to  hinder  the  success  of  my  writingi 

'  Paiiner's  Noaooni  Men,  vdi  ti&k  ^  A^% 


768  TQS  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

wheii  I  am  dead^  it  is  part  of  my  warfare,  under  Christ,  to  re- 
sist him.  I  tell  you,  therefore,  truly  all  my  covenants  and 
dealings  with  booksellers  to  this  day. 

'^  When  I  first  ventured  upon  the  publication  of  my  thoughts, 
I  knew  nothing  of  the  art  of  booksellers.  I  did,  as  an  act  of 
mere  kindness,  offer  my  book  called  '  The  Saint's  Rest,'  to 
Thomas  Underbill  and  Francis  Tyton,  to  print,  leaving  the 
matter  of  profit,  without  any  covenants,  to  their  ingenuity. 
They  gave  me  ten  pounds  for  the  first  impression,  and  ten 
pounds  a  piece,  that  is,  twenty  pounds  for  every  after  impres- 
sion, till  1665.  I  had,  in  the  mean  time,  altered  the  book,  by 
the  addition  of  divers  sheets.  Mr.  Underbill  died ;  his  wife 
becama  poor.  Mr.  Tyton  had  losses  by  the  fire  in  1666.  They 
never  gave,  nor  offered  me  a  farthing  for  any  impression  after 
that,  nor  so  much  as  one  of  the  books ;  but  I  was  £ain  out  of 
my  own  purse  to  buy  all  that  I  gave  to  any  friends  or  poor  per- 
son that  asked  it. 

"This  loosening  me. from  Mr.  Tyton,  Mr.  Symmonds  stepped 
in,  and  told  me  that  Mr.  Tyton  said  he  never  got  three-pence 
by  me,  and  brought  witness.  Hereupon  I  used  Mr,  Symmonds 
only.  When  I  lived  at  Kidderminster,  some  had  defamed  me 
of  a  covetous  getting  of  many  hundred  pounds  by  the  book- 
sellers. I  had,  till  then,  taken  of  Mr.  Underbill,  Mr.  Tyton,  and 
Mr.  Symmonds,  for  all,  save  the  *  Saint's  Rest,'  the  fifteenth 
book,  which  usually  I  gave  away ;  but  if  any  thing  for  second 
impressions  were  due,  I  had  little  in  money  from  them,  but  in 
such  books  I  wanted  at  their  rates.  But  when  this  report  of 
my  great  gain  came  abroad,  I  took  notice  of  it  in  print,  and  told 
that  I  intended  to  take  more  hereafter :  and  ever  since  I  took 
the  fifteenth  book  for  myself  and  friends,  and  eighteen-pence 
more  for  every  ream  of  the  other  fourteen  which  1  destinated 
to  the  poor.  With  this,  while  I  was  at  Kidderminster,  1  bought 
Bibles,  to  give  to  all  the  poor  families  ;  and  I  got  three  hundred 
or  four  hundred  pounds,  which  I  destined  all  to  charitable  uses. 
At  last,  at  London,  it  increased  to  eight  hundred  and  thirty 
pounds,  which,  delivering  to  a  worthy  friend,  he  put  it  into  the 
hands  of  Sir  Robert  Viner,  with  a  hundred  pounds  of  my 
wife's,  where  it  lieth,  settled  on  a  charitable  use  after  my  death, 
as  from  the  first  I  resolved.  If  it  fails,  I  cannot  help.  I  never 
received  more  of  any  bookseller  than  the  fifteenth  book,  and 
this  eighteeu-peivcc  a  ream.  And  if,  for  after  impressions,  I 
had  more  oi  t\voa^  M\j^^\v\Xv^>Je«sv\  %w^  w^^^^^lViok  about  two 


OP  RICHARD  3AXTJIR.  769 

third  parte  of  the  common  price  of  the  bobkseUer^  or  little 
more,  and  oft  less ;  and  sometimes  I  paid  myself  for  the  print* 
ing  many  hundreds  to  give  away ;  and  sometimes  I  bought  them 
of  the  bookseller  above  my  number,  and  sometimes  the  gain 
was  my  own  necessary  maintenance ;  but  I  resolved  never  to  lay 
up  a  groat  of  it  for  any  but  the  poor. 

^  Now,  sir,  my  own  condition  is  this :  Of  my  patrimony  or 
nnall  inheritance  I  never  took  a  penny  to  myself,  my  poor  kin- 
dred needing  much  more.  I  am  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  divested 
of  all  ecclesiastical  maintenance.  I  never  had  any  church  or 
lecture  that  I  received  wages  from,  but,  within  these  three  or  four 
years  much  against  my  disposition,  I  am  put  to  take  money  of 
the  bounty  of  special  particular  friends ;  my  wife's  estate  being 
never  my  property,  nor  much  more  than  half  our  yearly  expense. 
If,  then,  it  be  any  way  unfit  for  me  to  receive  such  a  proportion 
as  aforesaid,  as  the  fruit  of  my  own  long  and  hard  labour  for 
my  necessary  and  charitable  uses ;  and  if  they  that  never  took 
pains  for  it  have  more  right  than  I,  when  every  labourer  is 
master  of  his  own,  or  if  I  may  not  take  some  part  with  them,  [ 
know  not  the  reason  of  any  of  this.  Men  grudge  not  a  cobbler, 
or  a  tailor,  or  any  day  labourer,  for  liring  on  his  labours,  and 
why  an  ejected  minister  of  Christ,  giving  freely  five  parts  to  a 
bookseller,  may  not  take  the  sixth  to  himself,  or  to  the  poor,  I 
know  not.    But  what  is  the  thought  or  word  of  man  ? 

**  Dr.  Bates  now  tells  me,  that  for  his  book,  called  the  ^  Divine 
Harmony/  he  had  above  a  hundred  pounds,  yet  reserving  the 
power  for  the  future  to  himself;  for  divers  impressions  of  the 
Saint's  Rest,  almost  twice  as  big,  I  have  not  had  a  farthing : 
for  no  book  have  I  had  more  than  the  fifteenth  book  to  myself 
and  friends,  and  the  eighteen-pence  a  ream  for  the  poor  and 
works  of  charity,  which  the  devil  so  hateth,  that  I  find  it  a  mat- 
ter past  my  power,  to  give  my  own  to  any  good  use ;  he  so  robs 
me  of  it,  or  maketh  men  call  it  a  scandalous  thing.  Verily, 
rince  I  devoted  all  to  God,  I  have  found  it  harder  to  give  it  when 
I  do  my  best,  than  to  get  it :  though  I  submit  of  late  to  him 
partiy  upon  charity,  and  am  so  far  from  laying  up  a  groat,  that 
(though  I  hate  debt)  I  am  long  in  debt,"  &c.  &c.  &c.  ^ 

This  letter  was  written  in  1678.  In  his  Life,  Baxter  declares^ 
that  Symmons  must  have  received  in  mere  charity  from  him, 
that  is,  I  suppose,  more  than  he  was  strictly  entitled  to  demand^ 

k  AppendU  to  Bsztcr't  Oira  Life,  No.  xU« 
VOL.  I.  3  X> 


77(r  THX  LIIB  AWD  WBITIKM 

8  sum  not  less  than  five  hundred  pounds^  if  net  ilSAfljr  i^  tlkM* 
sand.  The  money  which  Baxter  appropriated  from  hit  profits 
to  a  charitable  purpose,  he  unfortunately  lost  by  the  sfanttiBg 
up  of  the  exchequer ;  so  that  the  hard^-eahied  guds  of  many 
years  were  lost  in  one  day.  From  Baxter's  statement  of  the 
agreement  with  the  booksellers,  it  is  very  evident  that  the  cir- 
culation of  his  works  must  have  been  extensive  to  tei^ble  them 
to  afford  the  sums  which  h6  expended^  Coonpariog  these 
^th  the  compensation  receive  for  Paradise  Loet,^  it  is  dear 
that  the  publishers  and  the  public  theti  were  bettlMr  judges  ef 
poetry  than  of  theology,  A  singular  revtrs^  has  taken  plaet 
since  that  period. 

There  is  a  remarkable  concurrence  of  opinioiis  respecting  the 
character  and  talents  bf  Baxter^  even  among  thoae  who  wnt 
be  regarded  as  unfavourable  to  many  of  the  sentiments  fi)r 
which  he  contended.  This  agreement  can  be  aceounted  far  only 
on  the  ground,  that  the  high  integrity  of  his  diaraeter  and  the 
superiority  of  his  talents  were  beyond  dispute ; .  and  that  the 
evident  tendency  of  all  his  writings  is  t6  promote  the  best  inte- 
rests of  men.  His  contemporaries  in  the  churchy  as  wdl  ss 
his  brethren  out  of  it,  unite  in  their  testimony  to  his  wotth  and 
greatness,  and  the  value  of  his  writings. 

Dr.  Barrow  said,  his  practical  writings  were  never  mended, 
and  his  controversial  ones  seldom  confuted.  With  a  view  to 
his  casuistical  writings,  the  honourable  Robert  Boyle,  declared, 
^^  He  was  the  fittest  man  of  the  age  for  a  casuist,  because  he 
feared  no  man's  displeasure,  nor  hoped  for  any  man's  prefer- 
ment/' Bishop  Wilkins  observed  of  him,  that  he  had  cultivated 
every  subject  he  had  handled ;  that  if  he  had  lived  in  the  pri- 
mitive times,  he  would  have  been  one  of  the  fathers  of  the 
church  ;  and  that  it  was  enough  for  one  age  to  produce  such  a 
person  as  Mr.  Baxter.  Archbishop  Usher's  high  thoughts  of 
him,  appeared  in  his  earnest  importunity  to  induce  him  to  write 
on  the  subject  of  conversion.  Dr.  Manton  thought  Mr.  Baxter 
came  nearer  the  apostolical  writings  than  any  man  in  the  age« 
Dr.  Bates'  opinion  of  his  eloquence  has  been  given  already.  '^  His 
books,"  he  says,  ^*  for  their  number  and  variety  of  matter,  make 
a  hi)rary.  They  contain  a  treasure  of  controversial,  casuistical, 
and  practical  divinity.  His  books  of  practical  divinity  have 
been  effectual  for  more  numerous  conversions  of  sinner*  to  God, 
than  any  pnuled  \u  out  Uove  \  and  while  the  church  remains  on 


OF  EICHARD  BAXTBR.  771 

earthi  will  be  of  continual  efficacy  to  reeover  lost  souls.  There 
is  a  vigorous  pulse  in  them  that  keeps  the  reader  awake  and 
attentive/'  ^ 

Few  men  were  capable  of  forming  a  better  or  more  candid 
opinion  of  Baxter  than  Dr.  Doddridge.  He  was  well  acquainted 
with  his  writings,  very  similar  to  him  in  his  sentiments,  and  par- 
took largely  of  his  desire  to  be  useful  to  all  men.  He  thus 
expresses  his  opinion  of  his  character  as  a  writer : 

'^  Hb  style  is  inaccurate,  because  he  had  no  regular  educa- 
tion ;  and  because  he  wrote  continually  in  the  views  of  eternity : 
but  juiUdous,  nervous,  spiritual,  and  remarkably  evangelical :  a 
manly  eloquence;,  and  the  most  erident  proof  of  an  amazing 
genius:  with  respect  to  which  he  may  not  improperiy  be 
called  the  English  Demosthenes :  exceeding  proper  for  convic- 
tion :  see  his  '  Saint's  Rest,'  all  his  treatises  on  conversion,  and 
especially  his  ^  Call  to  (he  Unconverted,'  *  Divine  Life,  and  Coun- 
sels to  Young  Men:'  few  were  ever  more  instrumental  for  awaken^ 
ing  and  converting  more  souls.  His  book  of  converse  with  God 
in  solitude,  is  a  most  sublime  piece  of  devotion :  his  Gildas  Sal- 
viamis  is  a  most  extraordinary  piece,  and  should  be  read  by 
every  young  minister  before  he  takes  a  people  under  bis  stated 
care ;  and  I  think  the  practical  part  of  it  deserves  to  be  read 
every  two  or  three  years :  for  nothing  has  a  greater  tendency  to 
awaken  the  spirit  of  a  minister  to  that  zeal  in  his  work,  for  want 
of  which  many  good  men  are  but  shadows  of  what  by  the  bless^ 
tng  of  God  they  might  be,  if  the  maxims  and  treasures  laid  down 
in  that  incomparable  treatise  were  strenuously  pursued."  "* 

In  a  letter  to  a  friend,  giving  him  some  account  of  his  studies, 
Doddridge  says,  ^*  Baxter  is  my  particular  favourite.  It  is  im- 
posaibb  to  tell  you  how  much  1  am  charmed  with  the  devotion, 
goodaense,  and  pathos,  which  is  eveiy  where  to  be  found  in  liim« 
I  cannot  forbear  lookiqg  upon  him  as  one  of  the  greatest  orators, 
both  with  regard  to  copiousness,  acuteness,  and  energy,  that  our 
nation  hath  produced ;  and  if  he  hath  described,  as  I  believe  the 
temper  of  his  own  heart,  he  appears  to  have  been  so  far  superior 
to  the  generality  of  those  whom  we  charitably  hope  to  be  good 
men,  that  one  would  imagine  that  God  raised  him  up  to  disgrace 
and  eondemn  his  brethren ;  to  show  wthat  a  Christian  is,  and 
how  few  in  the  world  deserve  the  character.    I  have  lately  been 

*  These  testimoDies  are  collected  by  Pawcettin  the  Preface  to  hU'  Abrid|^- 
sent  4if  the  Saint^s  Eeat.' 
■  Or  ton's  <  Letten  to{)i«8«ptiog  MiaUtosft,'  moVIi  V^V^^>\^^* 

3d2 


772  THB  LIFE  AND  WRITINGS 

reading  his  Gildas  Salvianus^  which  hath  cut  me  out  much  woik 
among  my  people.  This  will  take  me  oiF  from  so  close  an  ap- 
plication to  my  private  studies,  as  I  could  otherwise  covet,  but 
may  answer  some  valuable  ends  with  regard  to  others  and 
myself.'* 

But  these  commendatory  opinions  of  Baxter  have  not  been 
confined  to  evangelical  Churchmen  and  Dissenters  ;  the  literary 
men  of  the  nation  have  not  been  backward  to  express  their  ap- 
probation of  Baxter's  talents  and  piety.  Dr.  Kippis,  under  the 
article  *  Doddridge'  in  the  '  Biographia  Britannica,'  institutes  a 
comparison  between  him  and  Job  Orton,  the  author  of  ^  Dod- 
dridge's Memoirs.* — "  It  has  occurred,"  he  says,  **  to  us,  that 
Mr.  Orton,  who  so  long  resided  at  Kidderminster,  the  principal 
seat  of  Mr.  Baxter's  ministerial  usefulness,  had  a  xronsiderable 
resemblance  in  certain  respects  to  that  famous  divine.  In 
extent  of  abilities,  Baxter  was  greatly  superior  to  Mr.  Orton,  and 
he  prodigiously  exceeded  him  in  the  multiplicity  of  his  writings; 
but  with  regard  to  the  nature  of  their  practical  works  and  the 
strictness,  we  had  almost  said  the  rigidness,  of  their  personal 
piety,  there  was  no  small  degree  of  similarity.  Both  of  them 
display  in  their  productions  the  same  ardent  zeal  to  excite  the 
attention  of  men  to  their  eternal  concerns,  and  urge  these  con- 
cerns with  peculiar  energy  and  pathos.  Both  of  them  were  ani- 
mated with  a  seriousness  of  spirit  which  seems  never  to  have 
forsaken  them  in  the  most  ordinary  occurrences  of  life :  nor 
could  either  of  them  bear  to  be  much  interrupted  in  their  sacred 
employments.  When  some  visitors  to  Mr.  Baxter,  after  having 
fiitten  awhile  with  him,  said,  ^  We  are  afraid,  sir,  that  we  break 
in  upon  your  time  ? '  His  answer  was,  *  To  be  sure  you  do.'/' 

While  this  passage  shows  the  high  idea  which  Kippis  enter- 
tained of  Baxter's  character,  I  conceive  that  the  points  of  re- 
semblance between  him  and  Orton  were  very  few.  Orton  was 
stiff,  formal,  and  cautious  to  a  fault,  not  to  mention  other  par- 
ticulars ;  qualities  the  very  opposite  of  those  which  distinguished 
Baxter,  whose  warmth  and  energy  often  involved  him  in  difficul- 
ties, which  the  timid  prudence  of  the  other  was  sure  to  pre- 
vent. The  souls  of  the  two  men  were  cast  in  totally  different 
moulds.  Baxter  would  have  set  the  world  on  fire,  while  Orton 
was  lighting  a  match. 

^rton  himself  held  Baxter  in  the  highest  veneration.  In  one 
of  his  lettew  to  V\ve  ^^n»  ^t»  \i\x%\ve&^  he  says,  "  I  would 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTER.  773 

recommend  you  to  read  some  practical  divinity  every  day; 
especially  the  works  of  Howe,  Henry,  Watts,  Doddridge,  and 
writers  of  that  strain  and  spirit,  whom  God  eminently  honoured 
as  instruments  of  great  usefulness  in  his  church.  Above  all, 
Baxter,  who  was,  with  regard  to  the  success  of  his  labours  and 
writings,  superior  to  them  all/'  ^ 

^^ Addison  say^, '  I  once  met  with  a  page  of  Mr*  Baxter;  upon 
the  perusal  of  it,  I  conceived  so  good  an  idea  of  the  author's 
piety,  that  I  bought  the  whole  book/  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson, 
in  his  *  Rambler,'  has  quoted  Baxter  twice,  (No.  71  and  196) 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  show  that  he  considered  his  name  to  be 
worthy  of  a  place  amongst  the  highest  authorities.  He  is  also 
frequently  mentioned  in  Johnson's  conversations  with  Boswell : 
and  once,  when  Boswell  asked  him  what  works  of  Richard 
Baxter  he  should  read  ?  '  Read  any  of  them,'  said  the  sage^ 
*for  they  are  all  good/  "p 

But  no  writer  has  more  accurately  or  candidly  sketched  the 
character  of  Baxter  than  Grainger,  whose  invaluable  Biogra- 
phical History  supplies  information  about  numerous  individuals^ 
of  whom  no  account  is  any  where  else  to  be  found;  and  who 
rarely  distorts  his  portraits  under  the  influence  of  personal  or 
professional  prejudice. 

'^  Richard  Baxter,"  he  says,  '^  was  a  man  famous  for  weak- 
ness of  body  and  strength  of  mind ;  for  having  the  strongest 
sense  of  religion  himself,  and  exciting  a  sense  of  it  in  the 
thoughtless  and  the  profligate;  for  preaching  more  sermons^ 
engaging  in  more  controversies,  and  writing  more  books,  than 
any  other  Nonconformist  of  his  age.  He  spoke,  disputed,  and 
wrote  with  ease ;  and  discovered  the  same  intrepidity  when  he 
reproved  Cromwell  and  expostulated  with  Charles  II.  as  when 
he  preached  to  a  congregation  of  mechanics.  His  zeal  for 
religion  was  extraordinary;  but  it  seems  never  to  have  prompted 
him  to  faction,  or  carried  him  to  enthusiasm.  Tliis  champion 
of  the  Presbyterians  was  the  common  butt  of  men  of  every 
other  religion,  and  of  those  who  were  of  no  religion  at  alL 
But  this  had  very  little  effect  upon  him :  his  presence  and  his 
firmness  of  mind  on  no  occasion  forsook  him.  He  was  just 
the  same  man  before  he  went  into  a  prison,  while  he  was  in  it, 
and  when  he  came  out  of  it ;  and  he  maintained  a  uniformity 
of  character  to  the  last  gasp  of  his  life.    His  enemies  h&ve 

*  Orton't '  Letters  to  Dissenting  Ministers,*  vol.  i.  p.  103. 

9  Ibid.  pp.3\5,3\&. 


774  TH«  Lin  AKH  witTftt^s 

placed  him  in  hell ;  bat  eVery  man  who  has  not  ten  times  the 
bigotry  that  Mr.  Baxter  himself  had,  must  eonclude  that  he  is 
in  a  better  place.  This  is  a  very  faint  and  imperfect  sketch  of 
Mr.  Baxter's  character.  Men  of  his  size  are  not  to  be  drawn 
in  miniature.  His  portrait,  in  full  proportion,  is  in  his  ^  Nar* 
rative  of  his  own  Life  and  Times/  which,  though  a  rhapsody, 
composed  in  the  manner  of  a  diary,  contains  a  great  variety  of 
memorable  things,  and  is,  in  itself,  as  far  as  it  goes,  a  history  of 
Nonconformity.'*  *> 

I  cannot  close  this  collection  of  testimonies  to  the  merits  of 
Baxter,  without  adding  that  of  Mr.  Wilberforce,  a  name  whidi 
will  ever  be  dear  to  every  fnend  of  religion  and  httraanity.  I 
cannot  help  saying,  however,  he  ought  not  to  have  considered 
Baxter  as  exclusively  the  property  of  the  church  of  England. 
Baxter,  though  not  properly  a  Dissenter,  was^  in  the  strictest 
sense  of  the  term,  a  Nonconformist.  *'  I  must  beg,"  says  Mr. 
Wilberforce,  *^  to  class  among  the  brightest  ornaments  of  the 
Church  of  England,  this  great  man,  who,  with  his  brethren,  was 
So  shamefully  ejected  from  the  church  in  1662,  in  violation  of 
.  the  royal  word,  as  well  as  of  the  dear  principles  of  justice. 
With  his  controversial  pieces  I  am  little  acquainted ;  but  his 
practical  writings,  in  four  massy  folios,  are  a  treasury  of  Chris- 
tian wisdom.  It  would  be  a  most  valuable  serrice  to  mankind 
to  revise  them,  and,  perhaps,  to  abridge  them,  to  render  them 
more  suited  to  the  taste  of  modern  readers.  This  hsis  been 
already  done  in  the  case  of  his  *  Dying  Thoughts,*  a  beautiful 
little  piece,  and  of  his  *  Saint's  Rest.'  His  *  la fe,*  also^  written 
by  himself,  and  in  a  separate  volume,  contains  much  useful  mat- 
ter, and  many  valuable  particulars  of  the  history  of  the  times  of 
Charles  I.,  Cromwell,"  &c.  ' 

Having  presented  to  the  reader  a  selection  of  the  opinions 
which  have  been  expressed  of  Baxter,  as  a  writer,  by  men  of 
the  first  eminence,  both  in  his  own  times  and  since,  I  have  re- 
served his  own  opinion,  or  review,  for  the  last.  As  no  man  was 
so  fully  acquainted  with  his  writings  as  himself,  so  no  one  could 
express  a  more  enlightened  or  candid  opinion  of  them  than  be 
has  done.  It  leans  to  the  side  of  severity  rather  than  of  leni- 
ency, and  presents  so  amiable  a  view  of  the  author's  character 
that  it  cannot  fail  to  excite  esteem  and  admiration.  Combined 
with  his  review  of  his  Christian  character  and  experience,  it 
presents  what  Qmtv^t  justly  calls  a  full-length  portrait  of  the 


Of  RieBABD  BAXTB1U  775 

team  He  jud({ed  hhnsdf  ihst  he  might  not  be  judged,  and 
was  evidently  far  more  sensible  of  his  own  imperfections,  and 
morie  ready  to  censure  them  than  any,  even  of  .his  bitterest 
opposers.  He  constantly  defended  the  integrity  of  his  charact^ 
and  the  purity  of  his  motives,  but  was  most  willing  to  adwow- 
ledge  that  none  of  his  works  were  without  spot  or  blemisii 
befeveOod. 

^Concerning  almost  all  my  writings,  I  must  confess  thai  mjr 
own  judgment  b,  that  fewer  well  studied  and  polished  had  been 
better  I  but  the  reader  who  can  safely  censure  the  books,  is  not 
fit  to  censure  the  author,  unless  he  had  been  upon  the  place,  and 
acquainted  with  all  the  occasions  aiid  circumstances.  Indeed^ 
for  the  ^  Saint's  Rest,'  I  had  four  months'  vacancy  to  write  it^ 
but  in  the  midst  <if  continual  languishing  stnd  medicine:  bnti 
for  the  rest,  I  wrote  them  in  the  crowd  of  all  my  other  «nploy- 
mentB,  which  would  allow  me  no  great  leisure  for  polishing  and 
exactness,  or  any  ornament ;  so  that  I  scarce  ever  wrote  ono 
Aeet  twice  over,  nor  stayed  to  make  any  blots  or  interliningSf 
but  was  fain  to  let  it  go  as  it  was  first  conceived  ;  and  when  my 
own  desire  was  rather  to  stay  upon  one  thing  long  than  run 
over  many,  some  sudden  occasions  or  other  extorted  almost  oil 
my  writings  firom  me ;  and  the  apprehensions  of  present  usefoU 
ness  or  necessity  prevailed  against  all  other  motives :  sq  that 
ibe  divines  which  were  at  hand  with  me  still  put  me  on,  and 
approved  of  what  I  did,  because  they  were  moved  by  present 
necessities,  as  well  as  1 1  but  diose  that  were  fiur  off,  and  felt  not 
those  nearer  motives,  did  rather  wish  that  I  had  taken  the- other 
Way,  and  publidied  a  few  elaborate  writings ;  and  I  am  ready 
myself  to  be  of  their  mind,  when  I  forgot  the  case  that  I  then 
stood  in,  and  have  lost  the  sense  of  former  motives.  The  op* 
posing  of  the  Anabaptists,  Separatists,  Quakers,  Antinomians^ 
Sediers,  &c.,  were  works  which  then  seemed  necessary;  and 
so  did  the  debates  about  church-government  and  communion, 
which  touched  our  present  practice :  but  now,  all  those  reasons 
are  past  and  gone,  I  could  wish  I  had  rather  been  doing  soma 
work  of  more  durable  usefulness.  But,  even  to  a  foreseeing 
man,(Who  knoweth  what  will  be  of  longest  use,  it  is  hard  to 
discern  how  far  that  which  is  presently  needful  maiy  be.  omitted, 
fof  the  sake  of  a  greater,  fiiture  'good.  There  are  some  other 
works  wherein  my  heart  hath  more  been  set  than  any  of  those 
feremenlioned,  in  whkh  1  have  met  with  great  bbstructioBS :  for 
I  must  declare^  that  in  this,  as  in  many  bthei  imXMn%^ 


776  THE  LIFB  AND  WE1TIM€S 

not  the  choosers  of  our  own  empbyroenlSy  any  mots  thaaoC 
our  own  successes. 

^  And  yet,  that  I  may  not  say  worse  than  it  deaenreth  of  my 
former  measure  of  understanding,  I  shall  truly  tell  yoa  what 
change  I  find  now  in  the  perusal  of  my  own  writinga.  Those 
pcnnts  which  then  I  thoroughly  studied,  my  judgment  ia  the 
aame  of  now  as  it  was  then,  and  therefore  in  the  aubatuce  ef 
aiy  veligion,  and  in  those  controversies  which  I  then  aeaidied 
into  with  some  extraordinary  diligence,  I  find  not  my  mind  dis» 
poaed  to  a  change :  but  in  divers  points  that  I  studied  atighdy^ 
aind  by  the  halves,  and  in  many  things  which  I  took  upon  trust 
from  others,  I  have  found  since  that  my  apprehoisiona 
either  erroneous  or  very  lame*.  And  those  thinga  which  I 
orthodox  in,^  I  had  either  insufficient  reasons  for,  or  a  mixtore 
of  some  sound  and  some  insufficient  ones,  or  else  an  inauAcient 
stpprehension.of  those  reasons ;  so  that  I  scarcely  knew  what  I 
aeemed  to  know :  and  though  in  my  writings  I  found  little  ia 
snbatance  which  my  present  judgment  differeth  from,  yet  in  my 
^Aphorisms'  and  *  Saint's  Rest,'  which  were  my  first  writiiq;s,  I 
find  some  few  unmeet  expressions,  and  one  common  infirmity* 
i  perceive  that  I  put  off  matters  with  some  kind  of  confideucci 
as  if  I  had  done  something  new  or  more  than  ordinary  in  them^ 
when,  upon  my  more  mature  reviews,  I  find  that  I  aaid  not  half 
that  which  the  subject  did  require.  As,  e.  ^.,  in  the  doctrine  of 
the  covenants  and  of  justification,  but  especially  about  the 
divine  authority  of  the  Scripture  in  the  second  part  of  the 
^  Saint's  Rest,'  where  I  have  not  said  half  that  should  have  been 
aaid ;  and  the  reason  was,  because  that  I  had  not  read  any  of 
the  fuller  sort  of  books  that  are  written  on  those  subjects,  nor 
conversed  with  those  that  knew  more  than  myself,  and  so  all 
those  things  were  either  new  or  great  to  me  which  were  common 
and  small,  perhaps,  to  others ;  and  because  they  all  came  in  by 
the  way  of  my  own  study  of  the  naked  matter,  and  not  firom 
books,  they  were  apt  to  affect  my  mind  the  more,  and  to  seem 
greater  than  they  were.  And  this  token  of  my  weakness  so 
accompanied  those  my  younger  studies,  that  I  was  very  apt  to 
atart  up  controversies  in  the  way  of  my  practical  writings^  and 
ulso  more  desirous  to  acquaint  the  world  with  all  that  I  took  to 
be  the  truth,  and  to  assault  those  books  by  name  which  I 
thought  did  tend  to  deceive  them,  and  did  contain  unsomid  and 
dangerous  doctrine ;  and  the  reason  of  all  this  was,  that  I  waa 
then  in  iVie  vigoMx  oi  tcj  >jwi?Oc&Ni\.  ^y¥^^^\xv»c&^  and  the  new 


OF  RICHARD  BAXTBR«>  777 

app6aitnce  of  any  sacred  truth,  it  was  more  apt  to  affect  me 
and  be  more  highly  valued  than  afterwards,  when  commonness 
kad  duUed  my  delight;  and  I  did  not  sufficiently  discern  then 
bow  much,  in  most  of  our  controversies,  is  verbal,  and  upon 
nmtiial'  mistakes.  And^  withal,  I  knew  not  how  impatient 
divii^es  were  of  being  contradicted,  nor  how  it  would  stir  up  all 
their  powers  to  defend  what  they  have  once  said,  and  to  rise  up 
against  the  truth  which  is  thus  thnist  upon  them  as  the  mortal 
•oemy  of  their  honour :  and  I  knew  not  how  hardly  men's 
asinds  are  changed  from  their  former  apprehensions,  be  the  evi* 
dence  never  so  plain.  And  I  have  perceived  that  nothing  so 
nnch  hinders  the  reception  of  the  truth  as  urging  it  on  men 
with  too  harsh  importunity,  and  falling  too  heavily  on  their 
errors :  for  hereby  you  engage  their  honour  in  the  business,  and 
they  defend  their  errors  as  themselves,  and  stir  up  all  their  wit 
and  ability  to  oppose  you.  In  controversies,  it  is  fierce  opposi* 
tion  which  is  the  bellows  to  kindle  a  resisting  zeal ;  when,  if  Uiey 
be  neglected,  and  their  opinions  lie  awhile  despised,  they  usually 
cool  andcome  again  totliemselves.  Men  are  so  loth  to  bedrenched 
with  the  truth,  that  1  am  no  more  for  going  that  way  to  work  i 
and,  to  confess  the  truth,  1  am  lately  much  prone  to  the  con* 
trary  extreme,,  to  be  too  indifferent  what  men  hold,  and  to  keep 
my  judgment  to  myself,  and  never  to  mention  any  thing  wherein 
I  differ  from  another  on  any  thing  which  1  think  I  know  more 
than  he ;  or,  at  least,  if  he  receive  it  not  presently,  to  silence  it, 
and  leave  him  to  his  own  opinion ;  and  I  find  this  effect  is  mixed 
according  to  its  causes,  which  are  some  good  and  some  bad« 
The  bad  causes  are,  1.  An  impatience  of  men's  weakness,  and 
mistaking  forwardness,  and  self-conceitedness.  2.  An  abate* 
ment  of  my  sensible  esteem  of  truth,  through  the  long  abode 
of  them  on  my  mind.  Though  my  judgment  value  them,  yet  it 
is  hard  to  be  equally  affected  with  old  and  common  things,  as 
with  new  and  rare  ones*  The  better  causes  are,  1.  That  I  am 
much  more  sensible  than  ever  of  the  necessity  of  living  upon 
the  principles  of  religion  which  we  are  all  agreed  in,  and  uniting 
in  these ;  and  how  much  mischief  men  that  overvalue  their  own 
opinions,  have  done  by  their  controversies  in  the  church;  how 
some  have  destroyed  charity,  and  some  caused  schisms  by  them, 
and  most  have  hindered  godliness  in  themselves  and  others,  and 
used  them  to  divert  men  from  the  serious  prosecuting  of  a  holy 
life ;  and,  as  Sir  Francis  Bacon  saith  in  his  Essay  of  Peace, 
^  that  it  is  one  great  benefit  of  cUuxcVv  ^^^q^  «scA  ^:a\\^;qk\^ 


its  THX  LI9B  AND  WAITmOS 

that  writing  eontrdrenieft  is  turned  into  books  of  pnuittfltl  da^ 
Votion  for  increase  of  piety  and  virtue/   2*  And  I  find  that  it  is 
much  more  for  most  men's  good  and  edification^  to  copfttii 
with  them  only  in  that  way  of  godliness  which  all  are  agreed  i% 
and  not  by  touching  upon  differences  to  stir  op  thair  corrap- 
tions,  and  to  tell  them  of  little  more  of  your  knowledge  than 
what  you  find  them  willing  to  receive  firom  you  as  nier«  leainers } 
and  therefore  to  stay  till  they  crave  information  of  yoa.    We 
mistake  men's  diseases  when  we  think  there  needeth  nothing  te 
eure  their  errors,  Imt  only  to  bring  them  the  evidence  of  tnith. 
Alas !  there  are  many  distempers  of  mind  to  be  removed  IwAee 
men  are  apt  to  receive  that  evidence.    And,  therefore,  that 
church  is  happy  where  order  is  kept  up,  and  the  abilitiea  of  the 
ministers  command  a  reverend  submission  firom  the  hearers,  and 
where  all  are  in  Christ's  school  in  the  distinct  ranks  of  teacben 
and  learners;  for  in  a  leatning  way  men  are  ready  to  rcoeive  the 
truth,  but  in  a  disputing  way,  they  come  armed  againat  it  with 
pejudice  and  animosity. 

"  And  I  must  say,  forther,  that  what  I  last  mentioiiied  on  tiw 
by,  is  one  of  the  notablest  changes  of  my  mind.  In  ray  yoodi,  I 
was  quickly  past  my  fundamentals,  and  was  running  up  inta  a 
multitude  of  controversies,  and  greatly  delighted  with  metafriiy- 
sical  and  scholastic  writings,  (though,  I  must  needa  aay,  my 
preaching  was  still  on  the  necessary  points,)  but  the  older  I 
grew,  the  smaller  stress  I  laid  apon  these  controveiries  and 
curiosities,  though  still  my  intellect  abhorreth  coniMon,  ai 
finding  far  greater  uncertainties  in  them  than  I  at  first  diaoemed, 
and  finding  less  usefulness  comparatively,  even  where  there  ii 
the  greatest  certainty.    And  now  it  is  the  fondamental  doctrines 
of  the  Catechism  which  I  most  highly  value,  and  dally  think  of, 
and  find  most  useful  to  myself  and  others*    Ttie  Creed,  the 
Lord's  Prayer,  and  the  Ten  Commandments,  do  find  me  now 
the  most  acceptable  and  plentiful  matter  for  all  my  meditations. 
They  are  to  me  as  my  daily  bread  and  drink;  and,  as  1  can  speak 
and  write  of  them  over  and  over  again,  so  I  had  rather  read  or 
hear  of  them,  than  of  any  of  the  school  niceties,  which  once  so 
much  pleased  me.    And  thus  I  observed  it  was  with  old  Bishop 
Usher,  and  with  many  other  men.    And  I  conjecture  that  this 
effect  also  is  mixed  of  good  and  bad,  according  to  its  causes. 
The  bad  cause  may,  perhaps,  be  some  natural  infirmity  and 
decay.    And,  as  trees  in  the  spring  shoot  up  into  brttidies, 
leaves,  and  b\oa«om&,  Wx.m^^  «NX3»£cc^>X!t(^  \ifc  dcains  down 


Of  ftlCHAftb  BAXTER.  779 

liito  the!  root ;  so  possibl  j,  my  natare,  conscious  of  its  Infirmity 
and  decay,  may  find  itself  insufficient  to  the  attempting  of  dif-* 
ficult  things,  and  so  my  mind  may  retire  to  the  root  of  Christian 
principles,  and  also,  I  have  often  been  afraid,  lest  ill  rooting  at 
first,  and  many  temptations  afterwards,  have  made  it  more  ne« 
cessary  for  me  than  many  others,  to  retire  to  the  root  and  secure 
my  fundamentals.  But,  upon  much  observation,  I  am  afraid 
lest  most  others  are  in  no  better  a  case. 

'^  The  better  causes  are  these:  I  value  all  thingti  according  to 
tiieir  use  and  ends,  and  I  find  in  the  daily  practice  and  expe- 
rience of  my  soul,  that  the  knowledge  of  God  and  Christy  and 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  truth  of  Scripture^  and  the  life  to  come> 
and  of  a  holy  life,  is  of  more  use  to  me  than  all  the  most  curious 
speculations.  I  know  that  every  man  must  grow  as  trees  do, 
downwards  and  upwards  both  at  once ;  and  that  the  roots  in- 
crease as  the  bulk  and  branches  do.  Being  nearer  death  and 
another  world,  I  am  the  more  regardful  of  those  things  which 
my  everlasting  life  or  death  depend  on.  Haring  most  to  do 
with  ignorant,  miserable  people,  I  am  commanded  by  my  charity 
and  reason  to  treat  with  them  of  that  which  their  salvation  lietb 
on ;  and  not  to  dispute  with  them  of  formalities  and  niceUes, 
when  the  question  is  presently  to  be  determined,  whether  they 
shall  dwell  for  ever  in  heaven  or  in  hell.  In  a  word,  nvy  medi'^ 
tations  must  be  most  upon  the  matters  of  my  practice  and  my 
interest  i  and  as  the  love  of  God,  and  the  seeking  of  everlasting 
life,  is  the  matter  of  my  practice  and  my  interest,  so  must  it  be 
of  my  meditation.  That  is  the  best  doctrine  and  study  which 
maketh  men  better,  and  tendeth  to  make  them  happy.  I  abhor 
the  folly  of  those  unlearned  persons,  who  revile  or  despise  leanw 
ing,  because  they  know  not  what  it  is :  and  I  take  not  any  piece 
of  true  learning  to  be  useless ;  and  yet  my  soul  approveth  of  the 
resolution  of  holy  Paul,  who  determined  to  know  nothing  among^ 
his  hetoers,  that  is  comparatively  to  value  and  make  ostentation 
of  no  other  wisdom,  but  die  knowledge  of  a  crucified  Christ ; 
to  know  God  in  Christ  is  life  eternal.  As  the  stock  of  the  tree 
affordeth  timber  to  build  houses  and  cities,  when  the  small 
though  higher  multifiirioiis  branches  are  but  to  make  a  crow's 
nest  or  a  blasK,  so  the  knowledge  of  God  and  of  Jesus  Christ,  of 
heaven  and  holiness,  doth  build  up  the  soul  to  endless  blessed-^ 
ness,  and  affordeth  it  solid  peace  and  comfort ;  when  a  multitude 
of  school  niceties  serve  but  for  vain  janglings  and  hurtful  diver- 
rfons  and  contentions^  and  yet  I  wou\d  not  &\«satA^  tD^  inu^set 


780  THE  U¥K  AND  WRITINGS 

from  the  perusal  of  Aquinas,  Scotus^  Ockham,.  Anmiueniki 
Durandus,  or  any  such  writer ;  for  much  good  may  be  gotten 
from  them :  but  I  would  persuade  him  to  study  and  live  upon 
the  essential  doctrines  of  Christianity  and  godliness,  incomparably 
above  them  all.    And  that  he  may  know  that  my  testimony  is 
somewhat  regardable,  I  presume  to  say  that  in  this,  and  as  much 
gainsay  my  natural  inclination  to  subtilty  and  accuratenets  in 
knowing,  as  he  is  like  to  do  by  his  if  he  obey  my  counsel :  and 
.  I  think,  if  he  lived  among  infidels  and  enemies  of  Christ,  be 
would  find,  that  to  make  good  the  doctrine  of  faith  and  life 
eternal  were  not  only  his  noblest  and  most  useful  study,  but 
also  that  which  would  require  the  height  of  all  his  parts,  and  the 
utmost  of  his  diligence,  to  manage  it  skilfully  to  the  satisfieictioo 
of  himself  and  others. 
^I  add,  therefore,  that  this  is  another  thing  which  I  am  changed 
in,  that  whereas  in  my  younger  days  I  never  was  tempted  to 
doubt  of  the  truth  of  Seripture  or  Christianity,  but  all  my  doubts 
and  fears  were  exercised  at  home,  about  my  own  sincerity  aud 
interest  in  Christ,  and  this  was  it  which  I  called  unbelief;  since 
then  my  sorest  assaults  have  been  on  the  other  side,  and  such 
they  were,  that  had  I  been  void  of  internal  experience  and  the 
adhesion  of  love,  and  the  special  hqjp  of  God,  and  had  not  dis- 
cerned more  reason  for  my  religion  than  I  did  when  I  was 
younger,  I  had  certainly  apostatized  to  infidelity.     I  am  now, 
therefore,  much  more  apprehensive  than  heretofore  of  the  neces* 
sity  of  well  grounding  men  in  their  religion,  especially  of  the 
witness  of  the  indwelling  Spirit;  for  I  more  sensibly  perceive, 
that  the  Spirit  is  the  great  witness  of  Christ  and  Christianity  to 
the  world.    And  though  the  folly  of  fanatics  tempted  me  long 
to  overlook  the  strength  of  this  testimony  of  the  Spirit,  while 
they  placed  it  in  a  certain  internal  assertion,  or  enthusiastic 
inspiration ;  yet  now  I  see  that  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  another  man-* 
ner,  is  the  witness  of  Christ,  and  his  agent  in  the  world.    The 
Spirit  in  the  prophets  was  his  first  witness,  and  the  Spirit  by 
renovation,  sanctification,  illumination,  and  consolation,  assimi- 
lating the  soul  to  Christ  and  heaven,  is  the  continued  witness  to 
all  true  believers :  and  if  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
the  same  is  none  of  his.  (Rom.  viii.  9.)     Even  as  the  rational 
soul  in  the  child  is  the  inherent  witness  or  evidence  that  he  is  the 
child  of  rational  parents.    And,  therefore,  ungodly  persons  have 
a  great  disadvantage  in  their  resisting  temptations  to  unbelief, 
•nd  it  is  uo  woxidfci  \l  Ci\\m\.>a^  ^  %X\i\siV:?iSsi^-Ulock  to  the  Jews, 


OF  RICHARD  RAXTBR.  76 1 

and  to  the  Gentiles  foolishness.  There  is  many  a  one  that  hideth 
bis  temptations  to  infidelity,  because  he  thinketh  it  a  shame  to 
open  them,  and  because  it  may  generate  doubts  in  others ;  but  I 
doubt,  the  imperfection  of  most  men's  care  of  their  salvation^  and 
of  their  diligence  and  resolution  in  a  holy  life,  doth  come  from 
the  imperfection  of  their  belief  of  Christianity  and  the  life  to 
come.  For  my  part,  I  must  profess,  that  when  my  belief  of 
things  eternal  and  of  the  Scripture  is  most  clear  and  firm,  all 
goeth  accordingly  in  my  soul,  and  all  temptations  to  sinful  conn 
plianees,  worldliness,  or  flesh-pleasing,  do  signify  worse  to  me 
than  an  invitation  to  the  stocks  or  Bedlam.  And  no  petition 
seemeth  more  necessary  to  me  than, — I  believe,  help  thou  my 
unbelief.     Lord,  increase  our  faith. 

**  Accordingly,  I  had  then  a  far  higher  opinion  of  learned  per« 
sons  and  books  than  I  have  now ;  for  what  I  wanted  myself,  I 
thought  every  reverend  divine  had  attained,  and  was  familiarly 
acquainted  with.  And  what  books  I  understood  not  by  reason 
of  the  strangeness  of  the  terms  or  matter,  I  the  more  admired, 
and  thought  that  others  understood  their  worth.  But  now  ex- 
perience hath  constrained  me  against  my  will  to  know,  that 
reverend  learned  men  are  imperfect,  and  know  but  little  as  well 
as  I,  especially  those  that  think  themselves  the  wisest :  and  the 
better  I  am  acquainted  with  them,  the  more  I  perceive  that  we 
are  all  yet  in  the  dark.  And  the  more  I  am  acquainted  with  holy 
men,  that  are  all  for  heaven,  and  pretend  not  much  to  subtleties, 
the  more  I  value  and  honour  them.  Aiid  when  I  have  studied 
hard  to  understand  some  abstruse  admired  book,  (as  De  Scientia 
Dety  De  Promdentia  circa  Malum,  De  Decretis,  De  Pradeter^ 
mnationej  De  lAbertate  Creatura,  &c.)  I  have  but  attained  the 
knowledge  of  human  imperfection,  and  to  see  that  the  author  is 
but  a  man  as  well  as  I. 

*'  And  at  first  I  took  more  upon  my  author's  credit  than  now 

I  can  do :  and  when  an  author  was  highly  commended  to  me  by 

others,  or  pleased  me  in  some  part,  I  was  ready  to  entertain  the 

.  whole ;  whereas  now  I  take  and  leave  in  the  same  author,  and  dissen^ 

in  some  things  from  him  that  I  like  best,  as  well  as  from  others.   < 

'^  At  first,  I  was  greatly  inclined  to  go  with  the  highest  in  con* 
troversies  on  one  side  or  other ;  as  with  Dr.  Twisse  and  Mr. 
Rutherford,  and  Spanhemius  de  Providentia  et  (jratia,  &c.  But 
now  I  can  so  easily  see  what  to  say  against  both  extremes,  that 
I  am  much  more  inclinable  to  reconciling  principles.  And 
whereas  then  I  thought  thatcottciUaXox^vrei^WxvecLQx^sX^MscL^ 


782  THB  Lin  AND  WBITIN08 

that  were  willing  to  please  ail,  and  would  pretend  |o  reeondk 
the  world  by  principles  which  they  did  not  understand  them* 
selves,  I  have  since  perceived,  that  if  the  amiableness  of  peace 
and  concord  had  no  hand  in  the  business,  yet  greater  light  and 
stronger  judgment  usually  is  with  the  reconcilers,  than  with  either 
of  the  contending  parties,  as  with  Davenant,  Hall,  Uaher,  Lud* 
Crocius,  Bergius,  Strangius,  Camero,  &c.  But  on  both  accoiMits 
their  writings  are  most  i^oeptable )  though  I  know  that  mode* 
ration  may  be  a  pretext  of  errors. 

'  *'  At  first,  the  style  of  authors  took  as  much  with  me  aa  the  ar- 
gument, and  made  the  arguments  seem  more  forcible,  bat  ixnr 
I  judge  not  of  truth  at  all  by  any  such  ornaments  or  aoddenli^ 
but  by  its  naked  evidence. 

"  I  am  much  more  cautelous  in  my  belief  of  history  than  here- 
tofore. Not  that  I  run  into  their  extreme,  that  wilt  beliete 
nothing,  because  they  cannot  believe  all  things.  But  I  an 
abundantly  satisfied  by  the  experience  of  this  age,  that  there  ti 
po  believing  two  sorts  of  men,  ungodly  men,  and  partial  mca, 
though  an  honest  heathen  of  no  religion  may  be  believed,  where 
enmity  against  religion  biasseth  him  not;  yet  a  ddMUcbed 
Christian,  besides  his  Enmity  to  the  power  and  practice  of  his 
own  religion,  is  seldom  without  some  further  bias  pf  interest  and 
faction,  especially  when  these  concur;  and  a  man  both  ungodly 
and  ambitious,  espousing  an  interest  contrary  to  a  holy,  heavenly 
life,  and  aho  factious,  embodying  himself  with  a  sect  or  party 
suited  to  his  spirit  and  designs,  there  is  no  believing  his  word 
or  oath.  If  you  read  any  man  partially  bitter  against  others,  oi 
difiering  from  him  in  opinion,  or  as  cross  to  his  greatness,  iale- 
rest,  or  designs,  take  heed  how  you  beUeve  ai^y  Htore  than  the 
historical  evidence  distinct  from  his  word  oampelleth  you  to 
believe.  The  prodigious  lies  which  have  been  published  in  this 
age  in  matters  of  fact  with  unblushing  confidence,  even  where 
thousands  or  multitudes  of  eye  and  ear  witnesses  knew  aH  to  be 
false,  do  call  men  to  take  heed  what  history  they  believe, 
especially  where  power  and  violence  af&>rd  that  privilege  to 
jtlie  reporter,  that  no  man  dare  answer  him,  or  detect  his  firaud, 
or  if  they  do,  their  writings  arc  all  suppressed.  As  long  as  men 
have  liberty  to  examine  and  contradict  one  another,  one  may 
partly  conjecture  by  comparing  their  words,  on  which  aide  the 
truth  is  like  to  lie.  But  when  great  men  write  history,  or  flat- 
terers by  their  appointment,  which  no  man  dare  contradict| 
believe  it  but  aa  ^ow  ^^  ^oo»Xa»^^4^ 


OF   RICHARD   BAXTER*  783 

^So  in  this  hgp  there  have  been  such  things  written  against 
parti^  an4  persons  whom  the  writers  design  to  make  odious^ 
so  notoriously  false,  as  you  would  think  that  the  sense  of  their 
honour,  at  least,  should  have  made  it  impossible  for  such  men  to 
write*  My  own  eyes  have  read  such  words  and  actions  asserted 
with  most  vehement,  iterated,  unblushing  confidence,  which 
al>undance  of  ear- witnesses,  even  of  their  own  parties,  must  needs 
know  to  have  been  altogether  false  j  and  therefore,  having  myself 
now  written  this  history  of  myself,  notwithstanding  my  protesta- 
tion, that  I  have  not  in  any  thing  wilfully  gone  against  the  truth, 
I  expect  no  more  credit  from  the  reader,  than  the  self-condensing 
light  of  the  matter,  with  concurrent  rational  advantages,  from 
persons,  and  things,  and  other  witnesses,  shall  constrain  him  to. 
If  he  be  a  person  that  is  unacquainted  with  the  author  himself, 
and  the  other  evidences  of  his  veracity  and  credibility,  and  I 
l^ave  purposely  omitted  almost  all  the  descriptions  of  any  per^* 
sons  that  ever  opposed  me,  or  that  ever  I  or  my  brethren  suffered 
by,  because  I  know  that  the  appearance  of  interest  and  partiality 
might  give  a  fair  excuse  to  the  reader's  incredulity;  except 
only  when  I  speak  of  the  Cromwellians  and  Sectaries,  where  I 
%m  the  more  free,  because  none  suspecteth  my  interest  to  have 
engaged  me  against  them,  but  with  the  rest  of  my  brethren  I 
have  opposed  them  in  the  obedience  of  my  conscience,  when 
by  pleasing  them  I  could  have  had  almost  any  thing  that  they 
could  have  given  me ;  and  when  beforehand  I  expected  that 
the  present  governors  should  silence  me,  and  deprive  me  of 
maintenance,  house,  and  home,'  as  they  have  done  to  me  and 
many  hundreds  more  $  therefore,  I  supposed  that  my  descrip- 
tion and  censures  of  those  persons  who  would  have  enriched 
and  honoured  me,  and  of  their  actions  against  that  party  which 
hath  silenced,  impoverished,  and  accused  me,  and  which  before- 
hand I  expected  should  do  so,  are  beyond  the  suspicions  of 
envy,  self-interest,  or  partiaKty  :  if  not,  I  there  also  am  content 
that  the  reader  exercise  his  liberty,  and  believe  no  worse  even 
pf  these  men,  than  the  evidence  of  fact  constraineth  them, 

**  And  though  I  before  told  the  change  of  my  judgment  against 
provoking  writings,  I  have  had  more  will  than  skill  since  to 
avoid  such,  I  must  mention  it  by  way  of  penitent  confession, 
that  I  am  Coo  much  inclined  to  such  words  in  controversial 
writings,  which  are  too  keen  and  apt  to  provoke  the  person 
whom  I  write  against.  Sometimes  I  suspect  that  age  soureth 
my  spirits,  and  sometimes  I  am  apt  to  think  that  it  is  oMt  ^  ^ 


784  THS  LIPJB  AND  WRITINGS 

hatred  of  a  flattering  humour,  which  now  prevaileth  so  in  the 
world,  that  few  persons  are  able  to  bear  tlie  truth ;  and  I  am 
sure  that  I  cannot  only  bear  myself  such  language  as  I  use  to 
others,  but  that  I  expect  it,  I  think  all  these  are  partly  causes; 
but  I  am  sure  the  principal  cause  is  a  long  custom  of  studying 
how  to  speak  and  write  in  the  keenest  manner  to  the  common, 
ignorant,  and  ungodly  people ;  without  which  keenness  to  them 
no  sermon  or  book  does  much  good  ;  which  liath  so  habituated 
me  to  it,  that  I  am  still  falling  into  the  same  with  others ;  for- 
getting that  many  ministers  and  professors  of  strictness  do 
desire  the  greatest  sharpness  to  the  vulgar  and  to  thrir  adver- 
saries, and  the  greatest  lenity,  and  smoothness  and  comfort,  if 
not  honour,  to  themselves.  I  have  a  strong  natural  inclination 
to  speak  of  every  subject  just  as  it  is,  and  to  call  a  spade  a  spade, 
and  verba  rebus  (gnare  ;  so  as  that  the  thing  spoken  of  may  be 
fullest  known  by  the  words ;  which  methinks  is  part  of  our 
speaking  truly.  But  I  unfeignedly  confess  that  it  is  faulty,  be- 
cause imprudent ;  for  that  is  not  a  good  means  which  doth 
harm,  because  it  is  not  fitted  to  the  end ;  and  because,  whilst  the 
readers  think  me  angry,  though  I  feel  no  passion  at  such  times 
in  myself,  it  is  scandalous  and  a  hinderance  to  the  usefulness  of 
what  I  write :  and  especially,  because  though  I  feel  no  anger, 
yet  which  is  worse,  I  know  that  there  is  some  want  of  honour 
and  love,  or  tenderness  to  others ;  or  else  I  should  not  be  apt  to 
use  such  words  as  open  their  weakness  and  offend  them ;  and 
therefore  I  repent  of  it,  and  wish  all  over  sharp  passages  were 
expunged  from  my  writings,  and  desire  forgiveness  of  God  and 
man.  And  yet  I  must  say,  that  I  am  oft  afraid  of  the  contrary 
extreme,  lest,  when  I  speak  against  great  and  dangerous  errors 
and  sins,  though  of  persons  otherwise  honest,  I  should  encou- 
rage men  to  them,  by  speaking  too  easily  of  them,  as  EH  did  to 
his  sons ;  and  lest  I  should  so  favour  the  person  as  may  befriend 
the  sin  and  wrong  the  church.  And  1  must  say  as  the  New 
England  synodists  :  '  We  heartily  desire,  that  as  much  as  may 
be,  all  expressions  and  reflections  may  be  forborne  that  tend  to 
break  the  bond  of  love.  Indeed,  such  is  our  infirmity,  that  the 
naked  discovery  of  tK?  fallacy  or  invalidity  of  another's  allega* 
tions  or  arguings  is  apt  to  provoke.  This  in  disputes  is 
unavoidable.' 

"  And,  therefore,  I  am  less  for  a  disputing  way  than  ever,  be- 
lieving that  it  temyteth  men  to  bend  their  wits  to  defend  their 
errors,, and  opipos^  X\\^  Xt\x\Xv^  ^\A\5v\Ar\^^  >\^\«!&^  \J\w  infor* 


OP  RICHARD  baxtbr;  785 

mation ;  and  the  servant  of  the  Liord  must  not  strive,  but  be 
gentle  to  all  men,  &c.  Therefore,  I  am  most  in  judgment  for 
a  learning  or  teaching  way  of  converse :  in  all  companies,  I  will 
be  glad  either  to  hear  those  speak  that  can  teach  me^  or  to  be 
heard  of  those  that  have  need  to  learn/' ' 

The  life  and  writings  of  Baxter  are  now  fully  and  impartially 
before  the  reader,  llie  views  entertained  of  them  by  others^ 
and  his  own  estimate  of  himself  and  his  works,  with  the  ex- 
tended details  which  I  have  brought  forward,  leave  little  to  be 
said  in  the  way  of  a  general  summary*  My  own  opinions  have 
been  always  freely  expressed  on  all  the  subjects  which  have  passed 
successively  under  consideration ;  and,  had  I  now  been  disposed 
to  criticise  the  writings  and  character  of  Baxter  more  minutely^ 
the  extracts  just  given  from  his  own  pen  must  have,  in  a  great 
measure,  deprived  me  of  the  power  to  c^n^ure.  Though  not 
unconscious  of  his  imperfections,  I  frankly  acknowledge  that 
I  have  been  more  disposed  to  mark'  his  beauties,  than  to  expose 
his  faults;  and  would  rather  leave  the  reader  under  the  impres- 
sion of  his  many  and  great  excellences^  than  minutely  acquahted 
with  his  foibles  and  failings. 

Every  reader  of  the  preceding  part  of  this  work  must  be  struck 
with  the  magnitude  of  Baxter's  labours  as  a  writer.  The  age 
in  which  he  lived  was  an  age  of  voluminous  authorship ;  and 
Baxter  was  beyond  comparison  the  most  voluminous  of  all  his 
contemporaries.  Those  who  have  been  acquainted  only  with 
what  are  called  his  practical  or  spiritual  writings,  form  no 
correct  estimate  of  the  extent  of  his  works.  These  form  twenty- 
two  volumes  octavo,  in  the  present  edition ;  and  yet  they  are  but 
a  small  portion  of  what  he  wrote.  The  number  of  his  books 
has  been  very  variously  estimated ;  as  some  of  the  volumes  which, 
he  published  contained  several  distinct  treatises,  they  have  some- 
times been  counted  as  one,  and  sometimes  reckoned  four  or  iive« 
The  best  method  of  fonning  a  correct  opinion  of  Baxter's  la« 
hours  from  the  press,  is  by  comparing  them  with  some  of  his 
brethren,  who  wrote  a  great  deal.  The  works  of  Bishop  Hail 
amount  to  ten  volumes  octavo ;  Lightfoot's  extend  to  thirteen  ; 
Jeremy  Taylor's  to  fifteen;  Dr.  Goodwin's  would  make  about 
twenty;  Dr.  Owen's  extend  to  twenty-eight;  Richard  Baxter's^ 
if  printed  in  a  uniform  edition,  could  not  be  comprised  in  less 
than  sixty  volumes,  making  more  than  from  thirty  to  forty 
thousand  closely*printcd  octavo  pages ! 

"Life,  parti,  p.  137. 
VOL,  I.  3  B 


786  THE  L1FB  AND  WRITINGS 

On  this  mass  of  writing  he  wm  employed  from  the  year  1649| 
when  his  first  work  appeared,  till  near  the  time  of  his  death  in 
169 15  a  period  of  forty-four  years.  Had  he  been  chiefly  engaged 
in  writing,  this  space  was  amply  sufficient  to  have  enabled  him 
to  produce  all  his  works  with  ease.  But,  it  must  be  recollected 
that  writing  was  but  a  small  part  of  his  occupation.  His  labours 
as  a  minister,  and  his  engagements  in  the  public  busineaa  of  his 
times,  formed  his  chief  employment  for  manyyears,  so  that  he 
speaks  of  writing  but  as  a  kind  of  recreation  from  more  severe 
duties.  Nor  is  this  all ;  his  state  of  health  must  be  taken  into 
consideration,  in  every  estimate  of  his  work.  A  man  more  dis- 
eased, or  who  had  more  to  contend  with  in  the  frame  of  bis 
body,  probably  never  existed  in  the  same  circumstances.  He 
was  a  constant  martyr  to  sickness «  and  pain,  so  that  how  be 
found  it  practicable  to  write  with  the  composure  which  be  ge- 
nerally did,  is  one  of  the  greatest  mysteries  in  his  history.  The 
energy  of  his  mind  was  superior  to  any  discouragement,  for, 
though  it  often  felt  the  burden  and  clog  of  the  fieeh,  it  never  gave 
way4o  its  desire  of  ease,  or  succumbed  under  the  pressure  of 
its  infirmities.  He  furnishes  an  illustrious  instance  of  what  may 
be'  done  by  principle,  energy,  and  perseverance,  in  the  most 
untoward  and  discouraging  circumstances. 

The  subjects  on  which  Baxter  wrote  embrace  the  whole  rai^ 
of  theology,  in  ail  the  parts  of  which  he  seems  to  have  been 
nearly  equally  at  home.  Doctrinal,  practical,  casuistical,  and 
polemical,  all  occupied  his  thoughts,  and  engaged  his  pen.  His 
inquiries  ranged  and  his  writings  extended  from  the  profoundest 
and  most  abstruse  speculations  on  the  divine  decrees,  the  con- 
stitution of  man,  and  the  origin  of  evil,  to  the  simplest  truths 
adapted  to  the  infant  mind.  To  say  he  was  master  of  any 
subject,  would  be  too  much,  but  he  must  be  very  wise  or  very 
stupid  to  whom  Baxter  can  impart  no  instruction.  If  he  does 
not  always  impart  light,  he  seldom  fails  to  suggest  some  pro- 
fitable reflection,  or  to  lead  his  readers  to  discover  difficulties 
where  they  had  seen  none  before.  On  the  most  important 
subjects,  he  dwells  with  the  greatest  delight,  expatiating  with  a 
freedom  which  evinces  how  fully  they  occupied  his  own  mind, 
and  interesting  his  readers  by  the  earnestness  of  his  naanner  and 
the  beauty  of  his  illustrations. 

Few  men,  perhaps,  have  had  greater  command  of  their  know- 
ledge, or  ot  iW  povjet  ot  cowN^^vu^it^  than  Baxter.  He  appears 
to  have  read  ever5\X\\xv?^  x^v^xSxi^  x^>m.^  wrcw  ^\^\^»ssss^^^«s\d  tn 


hAt^  remembered  all  he  read.  The  fathers  and  tthMlnitn^ 
the  doctors  and  reformers  of  a)l  ages  and  countries^  seem  to  hiiTe 
been  as  familiar  to  him  as  the  alphabet  of  his  natite  tongue^ 
He  rarely  makes  a  parade  of  his  knowledge^  but  h^  neter  failA 
to  convince  that  he  was  well  acquainted  with  most  that  had  beeti 
written  on  the  subject  he  discusses.  Hi9  mistakes  were  seldonl 
the  mistakes  of  ignorance.  He  laboured  to  derive  his  know^^ 
ledge  from  the  fountains  of  information ;  and  considering  that  he 
had  not  enjoyed  the  benefits  of  a  university  education,  the  defects 

^of  it  very  rarely  appear.  Such  an  education  might  have  given 
more  correctness,  but  would  have  added  nothitig  to  the  tigovf 
of  his  mind. 

Ever  alive  to  the  claims  of  duty,  and  the  cAlls  ot  Prof  ideiieei 
he  obeyed  with  the  utmost  promptitude  every  d^matid  made  updn 
him  by  his  brethren,  his  country,  or  the  state  of  the  chtitdh. 
Perhaps  he  erred  in  complying  too  readily,  atid  using  hin  pen  on 
occasions  when  a  dignified  silence  wouldhave  been  tnore  suitabte* 
His  own  apology,  however,  on  the  subject  of  his  many  writings^ 
is  very  satisfactory.  With  him  it  was  usually  matter  of  eon« 
science  to  write,  and  only  such  an  acquaintance  with  all  tha 
circumstances  as  cftn  now  scarcely  be  had,  could  enable  us  to 
form  a  correct  judgment  as  to  the  necessity  which  he  conceived 
was  laid  upon  him. 

When  he  did  write,  it  was  with  a  pointed  pen^  wtiich  i^  never 
chargeable  with  obscurity  or  feebleness.  The  extent  ot  his  know- 
ledge and  his  command  of  language,  betrayed  him  into  exube« 

.  ratlce  and  redutidancy.  He  heaps  up  arguments,  and  raises  piles 
of  reasons,  scarcely  knowing  when  to  stop,  or  what  limits  to 
prescribe  to  a  discussion.  Though  a  lover  of  drder,  he  had  no 
time  to  arraiige'or  select  his  thoughts  when  he  sat  down  to  write^ 
so  that  he  poured  them  forth  with  all  the  Copiousness  of  Ms 
mind,  but  often  with  an  irregularity  and  incongruity  that  ma« 
terially  injured  their  betiuty  and  effect.  He  belabours  an  adve^« 
sary  till  he  has  destroyed  not  only  his  existence  but  his  very 
form.  Not  content  with  disarming  him,  and  using  his  ahns 
Against  himself,  he  seems  to  take  pleasure  in  having  him  an 
object  of  pity,  if  not  of  scorn.  His  metaphysics  atid  refinements 
have  frequently  been  referred  to.  These  constituted  both  his 
power  and  his  weakness  as  a  controversialists  They  enabled  him  to 
discover  any  assailable  points  in  the  positions  of  his  adversaries; 
to  penetrate  into  every  crevice,  and  to  lay  open  every  mistake^ 
l^hejr  at  the  aame  time  supplied  an  a\aiQ«l  \uNv\\\mN:X^  ^^tt^^^ 

8b2 


788  TUB  LIFB  AND  WRITINGS 

tion  to  himself.  He  had  always  ground  on  which  he  could  retreat 
with  advantage,  so  that  he  was  frequently  left  in  quiet  posses- 
i^ion  of  the  field.  This  style  of  debate,  however,  enfeebled  the 
cause,  while  it  appeared  to  constitute  the  strength  of  its  advo* 
cate.  It  rarely  produced  conviction  of  the  truth,  but  oftien  in- 
duced, suspicion  that  error,  was  lurking  under  the  forms  and 
behind  the  battlements  of  logic  and  metaphysics. 
•  The  style  of  Baxter  is  considerably  diversified.  It  is  often 
ilicorrect,  nigged,  and  inharmonious,  abounding  in  parenthesis 
and  digressions,  and  enfeebled  by  expansion.  It  is  happiest 
when  it  is  divested  entirely  of  a  controversial  character,  and  the 
subject  relates  to  the  great  interests  of  salvation  and  charity.  It 
then  flows  with  a  copiousness  and  purity  to  which  there  is  no* 
thing  superior  in  the  language  in  which  he  wrote.  The  vigorous 
conceptions  of  his  mind  are  then  conveyed  in  a  corresponding 
energy  of  expression ;  so  that  the  reader  is  carried  along  with  a 
breathless  impetuosity,  which  he  finds  it  impossible  to  resist. 
Baxter  knew  nothing  of  that  vice  of  learning  which  Bacon  so 
beautifully  describes,^  as  consisting  '*  more  in  hunting  aft^ 
words  than  matter;  more  after  the  choiceness  of  the  phrase, 
and  the  round  and  clean  composition  of  the  sentence,  and  the 
sweet  falling  of  the  clauses,  and  the  varying  and  illustration  with 
tropes  and  figures,  than  after  the  weight  of  matter,  worth  of 
subject,  soundness  of  argument,  life  of  invention,  or  depth  of 
judgment.''  Baxter  was  superior  to  all  this.  Truth  in  all  its 
majesty  and  infinite  importance  alone  occupied  the  throne  of  his 
spirit,  and  dictated  the  forms  in  which  its  voice. should  be  ut- 
tered. And.  when  it  spoke,  it  was  in  language  divinely  suited 
to  its  nature,  never  distracting  by  its  turgidness,  or  disgusting 
by  it^  regularity.  He  could  be  awful  or  gentle,  pathetic  or 
pungent,  at  pleasure ;  always  suiting  his  words  to  his  thoughts, 
and  dissolving  his  audience  in  tenderness,  or  overwhelming  them 
with  terror,  as  heaven  or  .hell,  the  mercies  of  the  Lord,  or  the 
wrath  to  come,  was  the  topic  of  discourse.  It  may  confidently 
be  affirmed,  that  from  no  author  of  the  period  could  a  greater 
selection  of  beautiful  passages  of  didactic,  hortatory,  and  con* 
solatory  writings,  be  made. 

In  the  character  of  Baxter,  both  as  a  %vriter  and  a  public  man, 
there  was  a  marked  deficiency  of  wisdom.  Had  this  been  in 
proportion  to  his  knowledge,  his  piety,  and  his  fearlessness,  he 
would  have  becu  uue^ualled  among  the  men  of  his  times.  But 
in  thib  respect  Vve  oll^w  fe^  W  Xjs^qw  \Xx<^<^  >^\v^n4^\^  ^^atly  hi« 


OF  RICHARD   BAXTER.  789 

inferiors  in  every  other  quality  of  mind  and  character.  His  re- 
proofs and  expostulations  were  frequently  ill-timed  and  injudi-* 
eious,  in  consequence  of  which  they  failed  iu  producing  the 
effect  which  he  was  most  anxious  to  accomplish.  The  same 
remark  is  applicable  to  many  of  his  writings ;  not  his  contro- 
versial ones  only,  but  even  his  practical,  works,  displaying  frequent 
marks  of  want  of  judgment.  This  defect  did  not  arise  chiefly 
from  the  haste  with  which  he  connposed.  In  those  cases  in 
which  he  bestowed  most  labour,  we  are  furnished  with  the 
greatest  proofs  that  knowledge  and  wisdom  do  not  always  go 
together ;  and  in  the  conduct  of  great  public  measures,  he  was 
guilty  of  the  greatest  blunders. 

lliis  feature  of  his  mind  fully  accounts  for  that  want  of  con- 
sistency which  is  so  remarkable  in  some  parts  of  his  conduct* 
It  did  not  arise  from  timidity^  from  the  fear  of  giving  offence^ 
or  from  the  desire  of  human  applause.  None  of  these  disposi- 
tions had  any  place  in  the  soul  of  Baxter.  On  the  contrary,  his 
would  have  been  a  smoother  and  more  pleasant  part,  had  he 
acted  decidedly  with  either  of  the  two  great  professions,  who 
both  claimed  him,  and  both  disowned  him.  From  this  want  of 
judgment,  in  the  grand  struggle  for  Nonconformity,  what  he 
built  up  with  one  hand,  he  pulled  down  with  the  other.  He 
ftrst  opposed  the  church,  and  then  turned  round  and  opposed  his 
brethren.  He  objected  to  conformity,  and  yet  conformed;  he 
seceded  from  the  establishment,  and  vet  held  stated  communion 
with  it ;  he  declined  a  bishoprick,  and  begged  for  a  curacy.  He 
wrote  books  which  made  many  dissenters,  and  yet  was  always 
angry  with  those  who  dissented.  He  decided  where  he  ought 
to  have  hesitated,  and  hesitated  where  he  should  have  decided. 
Possessed  of  a  firmness  of  character  which  nothing  could  sub«- 
due,  he  was  yet  often  turned  aside  from  his  purpose  for  a  tim^ 
by  a  trifling  difficulty,  and  frequently  lost  himself  in  mists  of  hia 
own  creating. 

It  is  a  striking  fact,  that  men  of  extraordinary  talents  and 
attainments  are  frequently  marked  by  the  peculiarity  which  has 
been  adverted  to  in  the  case  of  Baxter — an  inaptitude  to  manage 
little  matters,  or  to  apply  their  general  knowledge  .to  practical 
purposes.  Bacon  could  lay  down  laws  for  the  government  of 
the  world,  both  of  matter  and  mind,  and  yet  could  not  manage 
with  discretion  his  own  servants.  Newton  could  measure  and 
weigh  the  universe,  but  in  ordinary  afieats  iu»\\\lc^\ft^  ^^c^&  ^>ssv* 
plkity  of  childhoQ^.    Ip  Baxtef  there  y/^  ?^  goW^X^^a  ivKS^v£>2y 


790*  TH9  UFB  AN1>  WE1TIN6S 

pf  purposCi  and  a  straightforward  earnestness  in  prosecuting  it, 
which  prevented  his  attending  to  those  roinor  circumstances  of 
manner  and  method  that  often  completely  frustrated  the  object 
of  bis  strongest  desire.  Deceived  by  the  purity  of  his  own  prin- 
ciples and  aims,  he  often  expected  too  much  from  others ;  and 
was  ill  prepared  for  the  reception  and  opposition  which  he  ex- 
perienced. Confident  in  the  correctness  of  his  own  opinions  on 
some  important  points,  and  desirous  of  inducing  all  men  to 
embrace  them,  he  over-estimated  the  strength  of  principles  in 
others,  and  moderated  the  difficulties  which  obstructed  the  pro- 
gress of  his  schemes.  In  various  respects,  he  was  born  before 
his  time ;  and  was  therefore  imperfectly  adapted  to  the  world  in 
which  be  lived.  His  schemes  of  reconciliation,  catholic  com- 
munion, and  general  philanthropy,  which  were  deemed  Utopian 
by  many,  have  survived  the  opposition  which  they  then  expe- 
rienced, are  no  longer  regarded  as  visionary  speculation,  and  are 
destined  to  enjoy  a  still  greater  measure  of  approbation  in  the 
ages  to  come. 

In  the  greater  number  of  the  practical  writings  of  Baxter,  a 
larger  infusion  of  evangelical  doctrine  would  have  added  greatly 
to  their  interest  and  effect.  The  fulness,  freeness,  and  suitable- 
ness, of  the  grace  and  salvation  of  the  Redeemer  to  sinners,  are 
rather  implied  and  assumed  in  his  treatises  than  brought  promi- 
nently forward  or  urged.  That  he  understood  them  well  is  un- 
questionable I  but  his  talent  lay  in  dealing  with  sinners  on  some- 
what different  grounds.  He  had  seen  much  of  the  abuse  of  the 
doctrines  of  grace,  and  was  in  consequence  induced  to  dwell 
on  the  dangers  of  abusing  them  too  frequently,  and  at  too  great 
length.  In  his  system^  terms,  conditions,  and  qualifications  (a 
phraseology  foreign  from  the  Gospel),  frequently  occur,  embar- 
rassing himself,  and  stumbling  to  others.  His  directions  to  the 
sinner,  and  the  weak  believer,  are  not  sufficiently  simple ;  they 
lead  rather  to  the  mind  itself  for  comfort,  than  to  the  object 
which  alone  can  relieve  it.  Faith,  repentance,  and  good  works, 
all  of  great  importance  in  themselves,  are  more  frequently  the 
subjects  of  discourse  than  the  person,  the  atonement,  and  the 
glory  of  the  Saviour,  as  the  ground  of  all  hope,  and  the  source 
of  all  consolation.  In  these  respects,  the  writings  of  Baxter 
differ  considerably  from  those  of  Owen,  and  the  men  of  his 
school ;  though  no  substantial  difference  of  sentiment  subsisted 
between  l\\etti. 


of  IlICHAIl!>  BAXTBR.  791 

Christianity,  view  it  fVotn  different  points,  and  are  variously  in- 
fluenced by  it.  Some  are  most  attracted  by  its  grace,  others 
most  influenced  by  its  holiness.  The  divine  goodness  and  love 
are  consequently  the  chief  subjects  of  discourse  by  the  former^ 
while  the  malignity  of  sin  and  its  hatefulness  to  God  are  chiefly 
dwelt  upon  by  the  latter.  Both  hold  the  same  sentiments  re« 
specting  the  two  parts  of  divine  economy,  though  each  dwell  on 
that,  which  is  the  principal  motive  to  love  and  obedience  in  their 
respective  cases.  The  experience  of  Baxter  shows,  that  from 
the  commencement  to  the  close  of  his  religious  course,  he  was 
chiefly  influenced  by  those  views  of  God  which  induced  hatred  of 
sin,  repentance,  and  self-abasement ;  and  all  that  is  included  ia 
the  phrase — Godly  fear.    This  led  him  to  say, 

**  Fear  is  to  love,  as  was  tbe  law  to  ^race; 
And  as  John  Baptist  goes  before  Christ's  face» 
Preacbini^  repeutance ;  it  prepares  bis  way. 
It  is  tbe  first  appeariog  of  the  day — 
Tbe  dawning  ligbt  which  comes  before  tbe  sun.'* 

What  he  felt  himself  to  be  a  great  constraining  principle,  he 
naturally  enough  applied  to  others ;  and  was  thus  led  to  dwell 
more  on  *'  the  terrors,*'  than  the  "  tender  mercies  of  the  Lord.*' 

"  My  feeble  new-born  soul  began  with  crying. 
My  infant  life  did  seem  to  me  stiU  dying, 
Betwixt  supporting  hope  and  sinking  fears. 
My  doubting  toul  did  languish  many  years."  ^ 

This  gives  an  air  of  sternness  and  severity  to  many  of  his 
writings,  and  the  appearance  of  legality,  which  must  not  be  con* 
iidered  as  evidence  that  he  did*  not  understand  the  Gospel, 
enjoyed  little  of  its  consolation,  or  imperfectly  experienced  its 
sweetening  influence.  On  the  contrary,  the  very  poem  from 
which  I  have  extracted  his  representation  of  the  influence  of 
fear,  and  which  records  his  experience,  is  entitled  'Love 
breathing  thanks  and  praise,'  and  affords  the  most  delightful 
illustration  of  the  power  of  this  heavenly  principle  upon  him. 
He  tells  us,  after  dwelling  upon  his  fears, 

*'  At  last  my  fears  became  my  greatest  fear, 
.    .  Lest  that  my  whole  religion  should  lie  there. 

No  man  hath  more  of  holiness  than  love  ; 
Which  doth  free  souls  by  complacency  move. 
A  slavish  fear  desireth  leave  to  sin  ; 
it  doth  but  tie  th«  hands  and  wa»h  tbe  skin. 
Hypocrites  act  a  forced,  affected  part. 
Where  love  is  absent,  God  hath  not  the  heart."" 

/  Poetical  Fragments,  p.  13.  ^  Vav^,  Y^A\^\^* 


792      THB  LIFB  ANP  WRITINOS  OF  RICHARD  BAXTER. 

His  pantings  after  greater  measures  of' holy  love  and  delight 
in  God,  were  singularly  ardent ;  every  paragraph  of  this  poem 
closing  with  the  beautiful  line^ 

**  O  my  dear  God !  How  precious  is  tby  love  I" 

Indeed,  in  all  his  devotional  ^vridngs,  the  predominance  of  his 
love  to  God  is  apparent ;  and  from  the  contemplation  of  the 
love  of  God,  he  derived  pure  and  constant  enjoyment. 

The  natural  temper  of  Baxter  was  quick  and  irritable,  impa- 
tient of  contradiction,  and  prone  to  severity,  lliis  was  partly 
owing  to  the  diseased  state  of  body,  from  which  he  endured 
constant  and  incredible  pain.  It  appears  that  he  was  deeply 
sensible  of  this  infirmity,  and  that  he  laboured  hard  to  subdue 
it.  It  led  him  frequently  to  use  harsh  and  irritating  language 
towards  his  opponents,  which  created  increased  hostility,  and 
gave  them  an  idea  that  he  was  an  unamiable  man^  who  might  be 
feared  or  esteemed,  but  who  could  not  be  loved.  But  if  Baxter 
was  easily  provoked,  he  was  ever  ready  to  forgive.  He  was 
warm,  but  not  irrascible.  He  cherished  no  resentments,  tvas 
always  happy  to  accept  an  explanation  or  apology,  and  was  as 
prompt  to  pardon,  as  he  had  been  ready  to  take  offence*  In 
the  expression  of  all  his  feelings,  he  was  open  and  undisguised. 
He  always  spoke  from  the  heart,  whether  it  was  filled  with  in- 
dignation, or  overflowed  with  love. 

I  have  literally  exhausted  all  I  can  say  respecting  the  faults 
and  infirmities  of  this  extraordinary  and  excellent  man.  Such 
as  they  were,  they  were  obvious  on  the  very  surface  of  his  charac- 
ter ;  while  they  constitute  but  a  small  drawback  on  the  numerous 
virtues  by  which  it  was  adorned.  In  his  personal  character, 
the  grace  of  God  shone  forth  with  distinguished  lustre.  The 
Christian  ministry  enjoyed  in  him  one  of  its  brightest  ornaments, 
and  the  Nonconformists  one  of  their  ablest  defenders  and  advo- 
cates. He  died  full  of  years  and  of  honour,  in  the  presence  of 
his  brethren,  and  lamented  by  all  good  men.  He  is  now  enjoy- 
ing that  *  Everlasting  Rest,*  of  which  he  wrote  so  well,  and  for 
which  he  prepared  so  many.  No  sculptured  monument  has  been 
reared  to  his  memory,  to  mark  the  spot  where  his  ashes  repose. 
He  needs  it  not.  His  name  lives  in  his  works.  Among  the 
Christian  writers  of  our  country,  there  is  perhaps  no  individual 
who  occupies  so  wide  a  circle,  or  who  fills  it  with  so  deserved  an 
influenccj  as  Richard  Baxter, 


CHRONOLOGICAL   LIST 


or 


THE  WORKS   OF  BAXTER 


1.  Aphorisms    of  Justification^    with    their    Explications. 

Wherein  also  is  opened  the  Nature  of  the  Covenants^ 
Satisfaction^  Righteousness^  Faith^  Works,  &c.  1649» 
12mo. 

2.  The  Saint's  Everlasting  Rest;  or^  a  Treatise  of  the  blessed 

State  of  the  Saints  in  their  enjoyment  of  God.  1649.  4to« 

3.  Plain  Scripture  Proof  of  Infants'  Church-Membership  and 

Baptism.  ItidO.  4 to. 

4.  Animadversions  on  a  Tract  by  Mr.  Thos.  Bedford.  1652. 

4to.  ' 

5.  A  Friendly  Accommodation  of  the  Controversy  with  Mr. 

Bedford.  1652..4to.  : 

6.  Tombs*s  Precursor,  stayed  and  examined.  1652.  4 to. 

7.  Letters  between  Mr.  Baxter  and  Mr.  Tombs^  concerning 

their  Dispute.  1652.  4to. 

8.  The  right  Method  for  Peace  of  Conscience  and  Spiritual 

Comfort,  in  thirty^two  directions.  12mo.  1653. 

9.  Richard  Baxter's  Judgment  about  the  Perseverance  of  Be- 

lievers. 1653. 

10.  Christian  Concord  ;  or,  the  Agreement  of  the  Associated 

Pastors  and  Churches  of  Worcestershire.  1653.  4to. 

11.  The  Worcestershire  Petition  to  Parliament.  1653.  4to. 

1 2.  The  Petition  Defended  in  Sixteen  Queries,  in  a  book  in* 

titled  ^  A  Brief  Discovery  of  the  three-fold  State  of  An^ 
tichrist.'  1653.  4 to. 

13.  True  Chmtiauity  y  two  Assize  Setmov^*    \^"5>\*  ^X^% 


794  CHRONOLOGICAL   LIST 

14.  Richard  Baxter's  Apology;  containing  bi8  Reasons  of  Dis- 

sent from  ^r.  Blake^  &c.  1654,  4to. 

15.  — • Reduction  of  a  Digressor  in  Reply  to 

Kendal.  1654.  4to. 

15^  Admonition  to  Eyre.  1654.  4to. 

17. Crandon  Anatomised.  1654.  4to. 

18,  Confutation  of  Lewis  Molinaeus.     1654. 

4to. 

19. Confession  of  Faith  j  especially  concern- 
ing the  Interest  of  Repentance  and  sincere  Obedience  to 
Christ  in  onr  Justification  and  Salvation.  1655.  4to. 

20.  humble  Advice  to  the  Members  of  Parlia- 

liament ;  a  Sermon  preached  in  Westminster  Abbey. 
1655.  4to. 

21.  Making  Light  of  Christ.  1655.  4to. 

22.  Of  Judgment;  a  Sermon  preached  in  St.  Paufs.  1655.  4to. 

23.  The  IQuaker's  Catechism,  1655.  4to. 

24.  The  Unreasonableness  of  Infidelity.  1655.  8vo. 

25.  Gildas  Salvianus ;  or,  the  Reformed  Pastor.  1656.  8vo. 

26.  The  Agreement  of  the  Worcestershire  Ministers  for  Cate- 

chising. 1556.  12mo. 

27.  Certain  Disputations  of  Right  to  the  Sacraments.  1656. 

28.  The  Safe  Religion ;  or,  three  Disputations  for  the  Reform- 

ed Religion  against  Popery.  1657*  8vo. 

29.  A  Treatise  of  Conversion.  1657.  4to. 

30.  A  Winding-Sheet  for  Popery.  1657.  8vo. 

31.  A  Sheet  for  the  Ministry  against  Malignants.  Jbid* 

32.  A  Sheet  against  the  Quakers.  Ibid. 

33.  A  Second  Sheet  for  the  Ministry.  Ibi<L 

34.  A  Sheet  directing  Justices  in  Corporations  to  discharge 

their  duty  to  God.  Ibid. 

35.  A  Call  to  the  Unconverted.  1657-  8vo. 

36.  The  Crucifying  of  the  World  by  the  Cross  of  Christ.  1658. 

4to. 

37.  Saving  Faith.  1658.  4to. 

38.  Confirmation  and  Restoration.  1658.  12mo. 

39.  Directions  and  Persuasions  to  a  sound  Conversion.  1658. 

4to. 

40.  Disputations  of  Church  Government.  1658.  4to. 

41.  The  Judgment  and  Advice  of  the  Associated  Ministers  of 

Worcesletsh\xe,\w  reference  to  Dury.  1658.  4to. 

42.  Four  D\spxxla\.\oi»  ol  i\)l%^b^^^^L\Qvv«  \wi%*  ^is^ 


OP  TRB  WORKS  09   BAXTER.  7W 

43.  Universal  Concord.  1658.  12ino. 

44.  The  Grotian  Religion  discovered.  1658.»12ino. 

45.  Key.  for  Catholics.  1659.  4to. 

46.  Holy  Commonwealth.  1659.  8vo. 

47*  A  Treatise  of  Death )  a  Fmieral  Sermon  for  Mrs«  Baker* 
1659.  8vo. 

48.  A  Treatise  of  Self-Denial.  1659.  4to. 

49.  Catholic  Unity.  1659.  12mo. 

50.  The  True  Catholic  and  Catholic  Church  described.  1659, 

1 2mo. 
5 1  •  A  Sermon  of  Repentance,  preached  before  the  House  of 
Commons,  April  30.  1659.  4to« 

52.  A  Sermon  of  right  Hejoicing,  preached  before  the  Lord 

Mayor,  May  10.  1659.  4to. 

53.  The  Life  of  Faith,  a  Sermon,  preached  before  the  King^ 

Julv  22.  1659.  4to. 

54.  The  Successive  Visibility  of  the  Church.  1659.  I2mo. 

55.  The  vain  Religion  of  the  formal  Hypocrite.  1659.   12mo. 

56.  The  Fool's  Prosperity.  1659.  12mo. 

57.  The  Last  Work  of  a  Believer ;  a  Sermon  preached  at  the 

death  of  Mrs.  Hanmer.  1659.  4to« 

58.  The  Petition  to  the  Bishops  for  Peace,  &c.  166I« 

59.  The  Reformed  Liturgy.  166K 

60.  The  Mischiefe  of  Self-Ignorance,  and  the  Benefits  of  Self- 

Acquaintance.  1662.  8vo. 

61.  Baxter's  Account  to  the  Inhabitants  of  Kidderminster  of 

the  Cause  of  his  being  forbid  to  preach  among  them. 
1662.  4 to. 

62.  A  Saint  or  a  Brute.  1662.  4to. 

63.  Naw  or  Never.  1663. 

64.  Fair  Warning ;  or,  Twenty*five  Reasons  against  the  ToIera« 

tion  of  Popery.  1663.  8vo. 
63.  Divine  Life.  1664.  4to. 

66.  IVo  Sheets  for  Poor  Families.  1665, 

67.  A  Sheet  for  the  Instruction  of  the  Sick  during  the  Plague. 

1665. 

68.  Reasons  for  the  Christian  Religion.  1667.  4 to. 

69.  Directions    to    the   Converted,    for   their  Establishment^ 

Growth,  and  Perseverance.  1669.  8vo. 

70.  ITie  Life  of  Faith,  1670.  4to. 

71*  Cure  of  Church  Divisions.  1670.  8vo, 


796  CHRONOLOGICAL  LIST 

72.  Defence  of  the  Principles  of  Loye,  in  answer  to  Exceptions 

against  the  Cure  of  Church  Divisions*  1671.  8vo. 

73.  The  Divine  Appointment  of  the  Lord's  Day.  1671.  8vo. 

74.  The  Duty  of  Heavenly  Meditation  revived.  1671*  4to. 

75.  How  far  Holiness  is  the  Design  of  Christianity.  1671*  4to. 

76.  The  Difference  between  the  Power  of  Magistrates  and  Church 

Pastors,  and  the  Roman  Kingdom  and  Magistracy.  1671* 
4  to. 

77.  God's  Goodness  Vindicated.  1671.  12mo. 

78.  A  Second  Admonition  to  Mr.  Edward  Bagshaw.   1671. 

8vo. 

79.  More  Reasons  for  the  Christian  Religion,  and  no  Reason 

against  it.  1672.  12mo. 

80.  Sacrilegious  Desertion  of. the  Holy  Ministry  rebuked.  1672. 

12mo. 

81.  The  certainty  of  Christianity  without  Popery.  1672.  8vo. 

82.  The  Church  told  of  Mr.  Edward  Bagshaw's  Scandals. 

1672.  4 to. 

83.  Christian  Directory.  1673.  Fol. 

84.  Full  and  Easy  Satisfaction  which  is  the  true  and  safe  Re* 

ligion.  1674.  Svo. 

85.  The  Poor  Man's  Family  Book.  1674.  8vo. 

86.  An  Appeal  to  the  Light ;  a  Sermon  on  Ephesians  i.  3. 

1674.  4to. 

87.  Catholic  Theology.  1675.  Fol. 

88.  More  Proofs  of  Infants'  Church-Membership.  1675.  Svo. 

89.  Two  Disputations  of  Original  Sin.  1675.  12mo. 

90.  Select  Arguments  against  Popery.  1675.  4 to. 

91.  A  Treatise  of  Justifying  Righteousness.  1675.  8vo. 

92.  An  Answer  to  Dr.  Tullie's  angry  Letter.  1675.  Svo. 

93.  The  Substance  of  Mr.  Cartwright's  Exceptions  considered. 

1675.  Svo. 

94.  Christ,  not  the  Pope,  the  Universal  Head  of  the  Church, 

a  Sermon.  1675.  4to. 

95.  Reasons  for  Ministerial  Plainness  and  Fidelity.  1676.  Svo. 

96.  A  Review  of  the  State  of  Christian  Infants.  1676.  Svo. 

97.  Judgment  of  Nonconformists,  concerning  the  office  of  Rea- 

son in  Religion.  1676.  4to. 

98.  The  Judgment  of  Nonconformists  on  the  difference  between 

Grace  and  Morality.  1676.  4to. 

99.  Their  Judgment  a\voMt  Tl\u\g&  Indiflferent  commanded  by 

aul\\0T\ly.  \^lVi,  ^\.o* 


OF  THB  WORKS  OF  BAXTER.  797 

100.  Their  Judgment  about  Things  Sinful  by  Accident.  1676, 

4to. 

101.  What  Mere  Nonconformity  is  not.  1676.  4to. 

102.  Roman  Tradition  examined  in  the  point  of  Transubstan* 

tiation,  16/6. 

103.  Naked  Popery;    or,  the  Naked  Falsehood  of  a  Book 

called  'The  Catholic  Naked  Truth.'  1677.  4to. 

104.  A  Funeral  Sermon  for  Mr.  Henry  Stubbs.  1678.  8vo. 

105.  Which  is  the  True  Church— the  whole  Christian  Church, 

as  Headed  by  Christ,  or  the  Pope  and  his  Subjects. 
1679.  4to. 

106.  The  Nonconformist's  Plea  for  Peace.  1679.  Svo. 

107.  A  Funeral  Sermon  for  Mrs.  Mary  Cox.  1680.  Svo. 

108.  The  True  and  Only  Way  of  Concord  of  all  Christian 

Churches.  1680.  Svo. 

109.  Defence  of  the  Nonconformist's  Plea  for  Peace.  1680.  Svo. 

110.  The  Second  Part  of  the  Nonconformist's  Plea  for  Peace. 

1680.  4  to. 
1 1 1  •  A  moral  Prognostication  of  what  must  be  expected  in  the 

Churches  of  Christendom  till  the  Golden  Age  returns. 

1680.  4to. 
112..  Church  History  of  the  Government  of  Bishops  and  their 

Councils.     1680.  4 to. 

113.  An  Answer  to  Dr.  Stillingflcet's  Charge  of  Separation. 

1680.  4to.  • 

114.  Treatise  of  Episcopacy.  1681.  4to, 

115.  A  Funeral  Sermon  for  Henry  Ashurst,  Esq.  1681.  4to. 

116.  Poetical  Fragments,  1681.  12mo. 

117.  An  Apology  for  the  Nonconformist's  Ministry.  1681.  4to« 

1 18.  Methodus  Theologiae  Christians.  1681.  Fol. 

119.  Universal  human  Church  Supremacy,  in  answer  to  Dbd** 

well.  1681.  4  to. 

120.  Baxter's  Account  of  his  Dissent  from  Dr.  Sherlock.  1681. 
4to. 

121.  A  Search  for  the  English  Schismatic.  1681.  4to. 

122.  A  Third  Defence  of  the  Cause  of  Peace.  1681.  Svo. 

123.  A  Second  True  Defence  of  the  Mere   Nonconformists. 

1681. 

124.  A  Breviate  of  the  Life  of  Mrs.  Margaret  Baxter.  168J. 

4to. 

125.  An  Answer  to  Mr.  Dodwell's  Letter,  calling  for  more  An- 

swers. 1682»  4  to. 


7d8  tsUkM6to&it:kt  Llit 

126.  A  Specititen   df  ttie   present   fiiode  of  ContMtersy  id 

England^  in  Reply  to  L'Estrange.  1682.  4to. 

127.  The  True  History  of  Cdtincila  enlarged  and  defended. 

1682.  4to. 

128.  A  Funeral  Serhion  for  Mr.  John  Corbet  1682.  4 to. 

129.  Of  the  Immortality  of  Man's  Soul.  1682.  12ino. 

130.  On  the  Nature  of  Spirits*  1682.  I2mo. 

131.  A  Sermon  for  the  Cure  of  Melancholy^  1682.  4to. 

132.  Compassionate  Counsel  to  Young  Men.  1682*  l2mo. 

133.  How  to  do  Good  to  Many.  1682.  4to. 

134.  Family  Catechism.  1683.  8vo. 

135.  Additions  to  Poetical  Fragments.  1683.  12mb. 

136.  Obedient  Patience.  1683.  8to. 

137«  Richard  Baxter's  Farewell  Sermbn,  prepared  to  lufe 
been  preached  to  his  hearers  in  Kidderminster  at  his 
departure,  but  forbidden.  1683.  4to. 

188. -^  Dying  Thoughts.  1683.  8vo. 

139.  The  dangerous   Schismatic   clearly  Detected   and  fully 

Confuted.  1683.  4to. 

140.  The  Second  Part  against  Schism,  and  a  Book  reported  to 

be  Mr.  Raphson's.  1683.  4to. 

141.  A  Survey  of  the  Reply  to  Mr.  Humphrey.  1683.  4to. 

142.  Catholic   Communion  defended  against  both    extremes. 

1684.  4to. 

143.  An  Answer  to  Dr.  Owen's  Arguments  against  that  Prac- 

tice. 1684.  4to. 

144.  Whether  Parish  Congregations  be  true  Christian  Churches. 

1684.  4 to. 

145.  A  short  Answer  to  the  Chief  Objections  in  a  Book  intitled 

'  A  Theological  Dialogue.'  1G84.  4to. 

146.  Catholic  Communion  doubly  Defended.  1684.  4to. 

147.  The  Judgment  of  Sir  Matthew  Hale,  of  the  Nature  of  True 

Religion.  1684.  4to. 

148.  Unum  Necessarium.   1685.  8vo. 

149.  A  Paraphrase  on  the  New  Testament.  1685.  4to. 

150.  Richard  Baxter's  Sense  of  the  Subscribed  Articles.  1689. 

4to. 

151.  The  English  Nonconformity,  as  under  King  Charles  the 

Second,  and  James  the  Second,  stated   and   argued. 
1689.  4to. 

152.  A  Treatise  o(  Ktvow\ed^e«aud  Love  compared.   1689.  4to. 

153.  Caiu  and  K\>d'^'^^\\t^\Vj-  XVo^'^^.  '^>ivi. 


OP  THB  WORKS  OF  BAXTBR.  799 

154.  The  Scripture  Gospel  defended.  1690.  8vo. 

155.  A  Defence  of  Christ  and  Free  Grace.  1690.  8yo. 

156.  An  End  of  Doctrinal  Controversies.  1691.  8to. 

157.  The  Glorious  Kingdom  of  Christ  Described  and  Vindicated 

against  Mr.  Thos.  Beverly.  1G91.  4to. 

158.  A  Reply  to  Mr.  Thos.  Beverly.  1691.  4to. 

159.  Of  National  Churches.  1691.  4to. 

160.  Against  Revolt  to  a  Foreign  Jurisdictipn.  1691.  8vo. 

.    161.  Richard  Baxter's  Penitent  Confession  and  necessary  Vin- 
dication. 1691.  4 to. 

162.  The  Certainty  of  the  World  of  Spirits,  fully  evinced  by 

unquestionable  Histories  of  Apparitions    and   Witch- 
crafts, &c.  1691.  1 2mo. 

163.  The  Protestant  Religion  truly  Stated  and  Justified.  1692. 

8vo. 

164.  A  Paraphrase  on  the  Psalms  of  David,  with  other  Hymns. 

1692.  8vo. 

165.  A  Treatise  of  Universal  Redemption.  1694.  8vo. 

166.  Reliquiae  Baxterianae  :  or,  Narrative  of  his  Life  and  Times. 

1696.  Fol. 
167*  Monthly  Preparations  for  the  Holy  Communion.  1696. 

12mo. 
168.  The  Mother's  Catechism.  1701.  8vo. 


THE   END. 


INDEX. 


A. 


^ct  of  Uniformity,  injuntice,  impolicy, 
and  cruelty  of,  221^—234.  Ite  effecU, 
235,  236.  Mr.  Soutbey's  misstate- 
ment of  it  CKposed,  236,  note.  Severe 
act  afTBii^Bt  private  meetings,  or  con- 
venticles, 246,  247.  The  Five-mile 
Act  passed,  257.  Oath  imposed  by  it, 
ib.  Observations  on  it,  258i  Re- 
newal of  the  conventicle  act,  285, 
286.  The  Test  Act  passed,  300,  301 . 
Act  for  excluding  the  Duke  of  York 
from  the  throne  carried  iu  the  House 
of  Commons,  hut  lost  in  the  House 
of  Lords,  332,  333.  The  Toleration 
Act  passed,  392,  393. 

JIdamic  curse,  on  the  extent  of,  449, 
aud  note, 

Addi9on*s  (Joseph)  opinion  of  Baxter, 
773. 

j4Ueine's  (Joseph)  '  Alarm,'  character 
of,  495* 

jimes  (Dr.) ,  notice  of  his  *  Fresh  Suit 
against  Human  Ceremonies  in  God's 
Worship,'  19,  20,  notes.  And  of  his 
*  Cases  of  Conscience,'  544,  note*. 

Anabaptists,    See  Baptists, 

Anglesey  (Earl  of),  character  of,  182, 
note  7, 

Antinomianism^  nature  of,  660,    661. 
Its  appearance  at  the  Reformation, 
661.    Originated  in  Popery,  (6.,  662. 
Opposed  by  Luther,  662,  663.    its 
origin  in  England,  664.     Statement 
of  its  principles  by  Dr.  Crisp,  664 — 
<H66.     Opposition    of   Baxter,    667. 
Antinomianism,  the  chief  subject  of 
his  *  Cuufession  ot  Faith/  667—669. 
Remarks  ou  it,   669.    On  Baxter*s 
'  Holiness,  the  Design  of  Christiani- 
ty,' 670,  671.  *  Appeal  to  the  Light,' 
671,  672.    Reply  to  it,  672.    *  Trea. 
tise  of  Juitifyiog   AJghteousaesB/ 
VOL.   /. 


ib,f  673.  '  Scripture-Gospel  De* 
fended,'  674.  Influence  of  Baxter's 
writings  and  preaching  ou  Antino- 
mianism, 675 — 677.  Observation  of 
Baxter  ou  the  conduct  aud  principles 
of  the  Autinomiaus,  515,  516.  Lead- 
iug  errors  of  their  system,  677,  678. 
Autiuomianism  successfully  opposed 
by  the  Rev.  Andrew  Fuller,  679,  note. 

Army,  Parliamentary,  increased  by  the 
accession  of  the  Puritans,  32 — 34. 
Its  state  after  the  battle  of  Naseby, 
44—46,  Character  of  it,  49—53. 
Various  occurrences  in  it,  after  the 
battle  of  Langport,  57 — 60.  Clauses 
why  Mr.  Baxter  had  so  little  success 
in  his  ministerial  labours  in  it,  60, 
61.  Remarks  on  his  views  of  the 
army,  .and  on  his  conduct  while  in 
it,  66,  67. 

Articles  of  religion,  required  to  be 
signed  by  the  Toleration  Act,  Mr. 
Baxter's  opinion  of  the  sense  of  cer- 
tain, 393— 396. 

Ash  (Mr.  Simeon),  biographical  notice 
of,  242. 

Ashurst  (Mr.  Henry) ,  benevolence  of, 
during  and  after  the  fire  of  LundQO, 
262.  Biographical  account  of,  340 — 
342. 

Ashurst  (Sir  Henry),  Biographical  do*  ^ 
tice  of,  370,   note.     His    generous 
conduct   to  Mr.   Baxter,  364,  366. 
Extract  from  a  dedication  to  him. 

Assembly  of  Divines,  Mr.  Baxter's  cha- 
racter of,  68,  69.  Lord  Clarendon's 
account  of  it,  70,  note.  Remarks  on 
it,  ib.  Milton's  account  of  it,  ib,,  71. 
Remarks  on  it,  70,  71.  notes.  Com- 
parison of  the  three  characters^69^70« 
Mr.  Uaxlet'%  ^kCcouuX.  o^  >^^  \^^^va% 

3   V 


802 


INDEX. 


B. 


Bagthaw  (Edward),  Biograpliical  ac- 
count of,  602,  603,  aud  note  •»,  No- 
tice of  bis  viodicatioD  of  Mr.  Baxter 
agaiust  Bishop  Morley,  505.  Ac- 
count i)f  his  controversy  with  Mr. 
Baxter  on  church  divisions,  600,  601. 
And  of  Baxter's  replies  to  him,  601. 
Character  of  his  treatise,  •  De  Mo- 
narchic Absolute  Politick,  705,  note  «. 

Balcarrat  (Countess  of) ,  Bio^crapbical 
account  of,  502,  503,  74 1 ,  note.  No- 
tice of  her  son,  503.  Baxter's  *  Di- 
vine Life'  undertaken  at  her  re- 
quest, 741. 

Baldwin  (Mr.  Thomas),  successor  of 
Baxter,  at  Kidderminster,  character 
of,  134. 

Baptists  y  or  Anabaptists  f  discussions  of, 
with  other  sects,  39.  Mr.  Baxter's 
account  of  them,  80.  82.  Analysis 
of  M\'.  Baxter's  controversial  pieces 
on  baptism,  with  remarks,  681 — 688. 

Barlow  (Bishop),  an  opponent  of  Mr. 
Baxter,  notice  of,  463. 

Barrow's  (Dr.)  character  of  Mr.  Bax- 
ter's writings,  770. 

Bastwifk  (Dr.) ,  notice  of,  25,  note  '. 

Bates  (Dr.  William),  censured  by  the 
Nonconformists  for  his  occasitinal 
conformity,  248.  Consults  Lord 
Keeper  Brid^man  on  the  construc- 
tion of  the  oath  required  by  the  Five- 
mile  Act,  259.  Which  he  takes,  ib. 
His  account  of  Mr.  Baxter's  last 
sicknes!;  and  death,  399 — 401.  And 
of  his  character  aud  labours,  406 — 
409.770. 

Battle  of  Edffhill,  40,  41.  Of  Naseby, 
44.  Of  Langport,  54.  Of  Worces- 
ter, 113,  114. 

Baxtei-  (Mrs.j,  step-mother  to  Mr. 
Baxter,  character  of,  342.  722. 

Baxter  (Mrs.  Margaret),  marriage  of 
to  Mr.  Baxter,  239.  Conditions  of 
their  marriage,  t^.  Her  attention  to 
him  during  his  imprisonment,  280. 
Instance  of  her  presence  of  mind, 
305,  note  ^.  Encourages  him  to  sub- 
mit to  warrabts  of  distress,  316, 
note  r.  Her  death,  342.  Her  at- 
tachment to  him,  343.  His  charac- 
ter of  her,  344, 345.  Account  of  her 
husband's  *  Breviat '  of  her  life,  721. 
723. 

n/xTER  (RichanI). 

i.  Personal  Memoirs  or  Him. — Birth, 
1.  Character  of  his  father,  t^.,  2. 
His  first  religious  impressions,  2,  3. 
Education,  aud  c\\«Lr3ic\.fet  o^  \\\%  tu- 
tors, 3,  4.  ProeTe&%  ol  VA%  t^V\»\oxx% 
feeUugR,  5,6.  m%  e^cav*  ^tom  ^^vci- 
Ing  during  bw  w%\^^tt6^«xU>4dXw« 


Castle,  6.  Illneiui  aud  its  effects,  7. 
Further  progress  of  his  education,  tA. 
8—10.  Is  troubled  with  doubt,  10. 
His  consequent  distress  of  mind,  a^., 
11—13.  His  diseased  habit  of  body, 
13,14.  Goes  to  court,  14.  Renark- 
able  preservation y  15.'  Death  of  bis  ^ 
mother,  and  character  of  his  mother-  ' 
in-law,  ik.  His  attachment  to  the 
ministry,  tb*  His  conformity,  18. 
Is  ordained  by  Bishop  Thomborougb, 
t^.  Preaches  his  first  sermon  at 
Dudley,  19.  Examines  the  Noncon- 
formist controversy,  and  adopts  some 
of  the  principles  of  Noocooformity, 
t^.,  20.  Progress  of  his  mind,  21. 
Residence  and  labours  in  Bridge- 
north,  ib,  Effect  of  the  Et-Cvtera 
oath  on  him,  22.  Ezaroioes  the  sub- 
ject of  Episcopacy,  t^.,  23.  Is  io- 
vited  to  Kidderminster,  26.  Removes 
thither,  28.  His  account  of  the  state 
of  religion  at  this  time,  29—33.  His 
judgment  of  the  causes  of  the  civil 
war,  32i  His  reflections  on  the  cha- 
racter of  the  opposinj^  parties,  3^37. 
Reasons  which  probab^  indined 
him  to  the  parliamentary  canse,  37, 
38.  Is  obliged  to  quit  Kiddermin- 
ster, 38.  Does  to  Gloucester,  37. 
Returns  to  Kidderminster,  and  is 
obliged  to  withdraw,  40.  Visits  Al- 
cester,  ib.  His  residence  in  Coven- 
try, i^.,  42.  Opposes  the  Analwp- 
tists,  43.  Consults  several  ministers 
about  his  going  into  the  army,  47. 
Consents  to  become  chaplain  to  Co- 
lonel  Whalley's  regiment,  48.  His 
cool  reception  by  Cromwell,  ib.  His 
opinion  of  the  soldiers,  49.  He  is 
falsely  accused  of  murdering  a  mao 
at  Langport,  55.  His  satisfactory 
vindication  of  himself,  56*.  His  ill- 
ness at  Bristol,  57.  His  account  of 
various  occurrences  in  the  army,  57 
— 59.  He  disputes  with  some  sec- 
taries at  A|^mondesham,  59,  60. 
Chief  impediments  to  his  success 
in  it,  60,  61.  Goes  to  London  on 
account  of  his  health,  64.  His  ill- 
ness in  Worcestershire,  ib.  Quits 
the  army,  and  is  entertained  by  Lady 
Rous,  65.  Remarks  on  his  views  of 
the  army,  and  on  his  conduct  in  it, 
ib. — 67.  His  account  of  the  Wesl- 
miuster  assembly,  68,  69.  Remarks 
thereon,  69,  70.  His  account  of  the 
religious  parties  in  England  between 
1646  and  1656,  72—82.  Observa- 
tions on  it,  82,  83.  His  remarks  on 
various  minor  sects,  fih — 95.  Ob- 
^«.t\«XA»<cv^  citv  ^^  4S — 98.      He  re- 


INDKX. 


808 


loyalty,  109.    Remarks  on  bis  con- 
duct towards  King^  Charles  I.,  t6., 

110,  111.    Towards  the  parliament, 

111,  113.    And  towards  the  leaders 
and  soldiers  of  the  Commonwealth, 

112,  113.    Account  of  his  ministry 
and  success  at  Kidderminster,  115 — 
130.  Remarks  on  bis  style  of  preach- 
ing,  and  on  his  public  and  private 
exertions,  131 — 133.   Lasting  effects 
of  his  labours,  133,  134.    Principles 
on  which  he  act«d  towards  Crom- 
well, 142, 143.    He  preaches  before 
the   Protector,    144.      Interview   of 
Baxter  with  him,  143, 144.     He  goes 
to  London,  159.      Preaches  before 
the  parliament,  160.    Remarks  on 
his  sermon,  t^..  161,  note  K     And 
before  the  Lord  Mayor,   idl,    and 
note  *.    Notice  of  bis  labours  during 
his  second  residence  at  Kiddermin- 
ster, 164.   His  extensive  correspond- 
ence, 165,  169,andM0te^  His  efforts 
to  promote  the  propagation  of  the 
Gospel  among  the  American  Indians, 
165,  166.    He  is  appointed  one  of 
the  king's  chaplains,  172,  and  note  9, 
His  desire  of  agreement  between  the 
Episcopalians  and  Presbyterians,  1 73. 
Interview  with  the  king,  and  speech 
to     him,    174—176.      Observations 
thereon,  176, 177.  Propositions  drawn 
up  by  Baxter,  17b.     Character  of 
them,   179.    Tney  are  presented  to 
the  king,  i6.,  180.      His  observa- 
tions on  the  king's  declaration,  181, 
182.    Petition  to  the  king,  182,  1B3. 
Further  proposals  made  to  the  king, 
and  interview  with  him,   184 — 187. 
Imperfect  notions  of  Baxter  on  reli- 
gious liberty,  187,  note.    His  senti- 
ments on  the  altered  declaration  of 
the  king,  188.    His  account  of  the 
king's  offer  to  make  some  of  the 
Nonconformists   bishops,  193 — 195. 
Letter  to  Lord  Clarendon,  195 — 197. 
His  modest  request  for  himself,  that 
he  might  be  permitted  to  remain  at 
Kidderminster,  197.     His  proceed- 
ings at  the  Savoy  conference,  200, 

201.  Prepares  a  reformed  liturgy, 

202.  And  exceptions  against  the  na- 
tional liturgy,  ib,,  203.  He  endea- 
vours to  be  restored  to  Kiddermin- 
ster, but  is  frustrated,  215—222.  A 
letter  of  his  intercepted,  222,  223. 
Preaches  in  London,  223,  224.  Ob- 
tains a  license  from  the  Archbishop 
of  Canterbury,  224,  225.  Unjustly 
charged  with  sedition,  225.  At- 
tempts, but  In  vain,  to  negociate  with 
the  vicar  of  Kidderminster,  226. 
Conduct  of  Bishop  Morley  and  the 
Dean  of  WoretBier  towards  him 

a,,  Z27»  Mu  totirr  takes  teate 


'-k 


Kidderminster,  228.  His  reasons 
for  discontinuing  his  ministry  before 
Bartholomew-day,  229.  Account  of 
his  marriage,  236---240.  Narrowly  es- 
capes a  plot  to  arrest  him,  244,  245, 
He  retires  from  London  to  Acton, 

249.  ^  Works  written  or  published 
by  bim  between  1661  and  1665,  t6., 

250.  His  providential  escape  ftoni 
assassination,  250.   And  from  a  ma- 
levolent informer,  t^.,  251*    His  opi- 
nion respecting  occasional  comBiu- 
nlon,  251.    His  reflections    on  the 
plague  in  London,  252,  8.^.    his 
account  of  the  Five- mile  Act^  256— • 
259.  And  of  the  fire  of  lAndoOf  260» 
261.    Interview  of  Baxter  with  the 
Lord  Keeper  respecting  a  compre- 
hension, 268—270.    His  reflections 
on  the  terms  offered,  271.     He  is 
complained  against  for  preaching* 
272.    His  character  of  Lord  Chief- 
Justice  Hale,  274—276.    Treatment 
of  Baxter  by  Dr.  Ryves,  277,  278. 
At  whose  instigation  he  is  sent  to 
prison,  279.    He  is  advised  to  apply 
for  a  habeas  corpus^  ib,,  280.    JDe- 
mands  it  from  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas,  281.   Behaviour  of  the  judges, 
t^.    He  is  released,  282.    His  bene- 
factors during  his  imprisonment,  283. 
Removes    to    Totteridge,    ib.    His 
writings  l>etween  the  years  1665  and 
1670,  &.,  284.    Remarks  on  his  con- 
troversy with    Or.    Owen,   on   the 
agreement  of  Christians,  284.    Ami- 
cable letter  of  Baxter  to  Lord  Lau- 
derdale, declining  the  acceptance  of 
preferment  in    Scotland,  286—288. 
His  pecuniary  loss  by  the  shutting  of 
the  Exchequer,  294.    Takes  out  a 
license  to  nreach,  297.    Preaches  at 
Pinner's  Hall,  and  afterwards  near 
Fetter-lane,    298,    299.      Removes 
from  Totteridge  to  Bloomsbury,  299. 
Is  requested  to  draw  op  new  terms 
of  agreement,  302.    Healing  mea- 
sure proposed  in  consequence,  which 
fails  lu  tne  House  of  Commons^  303. 
Providential  deliverance  from  dan- 
ger while  preaching  at  St.  Janqes's 
market-house,  305.    Attempts  of  in- 
formers against  him  frustrated,  306. 
His  license  recalled,  3D7.    Employs 
an  assistant,  ib.    Escapes  being  im- 
prisoned, 308.    Engages  in  another 
scheme  of  comprehension,  .309.    He 
is  harassed  by  informers,  310— 312. 
Baxter's  goods  distrained,  316.    His 
reflections  on  being  obliged  to  part 
with  his  library,  318.    Various  mi- 
nisterial labours,  319.    His  contrQ-^ 


804 


INDEX. 


cbapel,  320.      Various  publications 
between   1670  and   1675,  321.     His 
further  preaching  in  London,    322. 
It  preached   against   by  Dr.  Jane, 
323,  324.     Calumniated  hy  Dr.  Ma- 
•on,  324.     Warrant  issued  against 
bim,  and  bis  interview  with  Bishop 
Comptrin,  325.     OSers  bis  chapel  in 
Oxendou- street  to  Dr.   Lloyd,  326. 
Various  slanders  a^iust  bim,  3i7. 
His  reflections  on   the  times,  334. 
Remarks  thereon,  335.     Books  pub- 
lished by  bim  between  1676  and  1681, 
336.     His  continued  suffering,  346. 
Is  ap|irebended,  and  bis  ^ods  are 
distrained,   347.      Could  obtain  no 
redress,  348.    His  devout  reflections 
ou  his  suffering,  t^.,  349.      He  is 
again  apprehended  and  hound  to  bis 
rood  behaviour,  351,  352.      He  is 
Drought  before  the  justices,  and  again 
bound  over,  354.    His  reflections  on 
the  state  of  his  own  times,  ib.      Ap- 
prehended ou  a  charge  of  sedition, 
358.    Copy  of  bis  indictment,  359 — 
362.    Extracts  from  bis  *  Paraphrase 
on  the  New  Testament,'  on  which 
the  indictment  was  founded,   363, 
364,  Tioie.    Argument  of  bis  counsel, 
Mr.  PoUexfen,  365.    Extraordinary 
behaviour  of  JefTeries  to  him  and  to 
Mr.  Baxter,  t6.,  366.    Arguments  uf 
bis  other  counsel,  Mr.  Wallop,  367. 
Mr.   Rotheram,  ib.     Abuse  of  Bax- 
ter by  Jefferies,  368.     Arguments  of 
Mr.  Atwoud,  364.    Jefferies'  address 
to  the  jury,  370.  He  is  found  guilty, 
ib.     He  endeavours  to  procure  a  new 
trial,  or  a  mitigated  sentence,  ib.  His 
letter  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  371, 
372.     He  is  fined  and  imprisoned, 
Remarks    on    his    trial,    ib., 
His   behaviour  while   in   pri- 
375,  376.     His  fine   remitted, 
be  is  released,  376,377.     His 
review  of  his  own  life  and  opinions, 
and   account  of  his  matured  senti- 
ments, with  remarks  thereon,  378 — 
391.     His  sense  of  certain   articles 
required  to  be  subscribed  by  the  dis- 
senting ministers  under  the  Tolera- 
tion  Act,  3^3—396.     Notice  of  his 
latter  years,  3'J7.     He  preaches  fv»r 
Mr.  Sylvester,  .IPS.     Writings  at  this 
time,  ib.     Account  of  his  Ian  sick- 
ness and  death,  399—403.     Buried 
at  Christ   Church,    Nev\ gate-street, 
403.     Devout  exordium  of  his  will, 
ib.f  404.       Notice  of   his   principal 
bequests,  404.     Character  given  him 
by  his  nephew,  405,  note.    Numer- 
ous  funeral  fceTU\ou«i  1^^e^c\\^:^il  Kot 
bim,  405.  Descr\pt\ou  u?\\\%  c\v«j^e- 
ter   and   person  by    Mr.  ^\\ve%xw, 
ib.,  406.      Of  h\»  \a\iou\*  wid  tW^ 


ib, 
373. 
son, 
and 


racter  by  Dr.  Bates,  406—409.  Ge- 
neral* estimate  of  bis  character,  ta- 
lents, and  piety,  409 — 412. 
II.  SuRVBY  or  Mr.  Baxter's  Wri- 
tings, 41.5.  ObserTations  on  the 
theological  literature  of  the  periud, 
4 16— 420.  CbronoloeicaL  list  of  hit 
works,  792—799.  Classification  of 
them,  420. 

1.  PForks  on  the  Evidences  of  Religion: 
— Design,  plan,  aud  execution  of  bis 
'  Unreasonableness  of  iufidelitv,' 
422—429.  Of  bis  <  Reasons  of  the 
Christian  Religion,'  and  its  *  Appen- 
dix,' 429—432.  And  '  More  Rea- 
sons for  the  Christian  Religion,*  432. 
Of  bis  treatises  *  On  the  Immortality 
of  Man's  Soul,  rmd  of  tbe  Nature  of 
itand  of  other  Spiiits,'  433 — 137.  Of 
bis  '  Certainty  of  tbe  World  of  Spirits 
evinced,'  437 — 440.  Mr.  Baxter  the 
first  original  writer  in  tbe  English 
language  on  the  evidences  of  reveal- 
ed religion,  440, 44  i. 

2.  Doctrinal  tVorks : — <  Apborisms  on 
Justification,'  444—450.  *  Apology ' 
for  them,  and  its  opponents,  451— 
455.  <  Confession  of  Faith,'  455— 
459.  *  Thoughts  on  Perseverance,* 
460, 461.  '  Four  Disputations  of  Jus- 
tification,' 461.  «  Treatise  of  Saving 
Faith,'  462.  'Treatise  of  Justifying 
Righteousness/  463.  «  Two  Dispu- 
tations of  Original  Sin,'  464.  *  Ca- 
tholic 'Iheology,'  465—468.  *  Me- 
thodus  TheologijB,'  468 — 472.  *  End 
of  Doctrinal  Controversies,'  472, 473. 
General  view  of  bis  doctrinal  senti- 
ments, 475—479.  Remarks  on  his 
manner  of  conducting  controversy, 
479—484. 

3.  PTorks  on  Gmverwn  ;-rHis  *  Trea- 
tise  on  Conversion,'  486—493.  Call 
to  the  Unconverted,'  493—495.  •  Now 
or  Never,'  494.  •  Directions  for  a 
sound  Conversion,'  496,  497.  '  Di- 
rections   to    the     Converted,'     498. 

*  Character  of  a  sound  Christian,' 
499.  *  Mischiefs  of  Self-Ignorance,' 
501.  *  A  Saint  or  a  Brute,' 506— 
508.  Various  smaller  treatises,  501'. 
Observations  on  this*  class  of  Baxter's 
writings,  ib.,  510. 

4.  PTorki  on  Christian  Experience:— 

*  Right  Method  for  settled  Peace  of 
Conscience,' 513— 516.  «The  Cru- 
cifying   of    the    World,'    516—518. 

*  Treatise  on  Self- Denial,'  518—524. 

*  Obedient  Patience,'  524,  525. 
•Life  of  Faith,'  526—529.  'Ser- 
mon on   Faith,'  528.     '  Kuowlcd|rc 

^w^    V»«v<-     cvNvec^^T^^;     529—533. 


INDHX. 


805 


5.  ff^orks  on  Christian  FJhicx:-^ 
*  Cbri^iiiu  Directory,*  543—549, 
551 — 554.  *  Gilildii  Salviaiius,  or  the 
Reformed  Pastor,*  554—55U.  «  Jlea- 
suiis  fur  Miniiiters  usiu^  FUinuess/ 
559.  «  The  Poor  Man's  Faiiiilv 
Book,'  559— 5G2.  '  Catechising  o'f 
Families,*  562,  563.  *  The  Mother's 
Catechism,  563.  '  Sheets  for  the 
Ptwr  and  Afflicted,'  i*.,  564.  <  Di- 
rections to  Justices  of  the  Peace,' 
564, 565.  <  How  to  do  Good  to  Many,' 
565,  566.  <  Compassionate  Counsel 
to  Youug  Men,'  567.  '  Divine  Ap- 
pointment of  the  Lford's  Day,  56i< — 
571.  General  remarks  on  Mr.  Bax- 
ter's ethical  writinf^s,  572. 

6.  fFarks  on  Catholic  Communion: — 
'  Christian  Concord,  or  Agreement 
of  the  Associated  Pastors  and 
Churches  of  Worcestershire,'  579 — 
581.  '  Agreemcuit  of  divers  Minis- 
ters for  Catecnising/  581,  fi%2. 
<  Disputatious  of  Right  to  Sacra- 
mento,' 582—584.  Notice  of  a  Re- 
ply to  it,  585.  *  Confirmation  and 
Restauration,'  586—588.  <  Five  Dis- 
sertations of  Church  Government,' 
588.  '  Judgmeot  conceniing  Mr. 
Dury,'  591.  *  Universal  Concord,* 
593.  '  The  True  Catliolic,  and  Ca- 
tholic Church  Described,'595.  *  Cure 
for  Church  Divisions/  596—598. 
'  Defence  of  the  Principles  of  Love,' 
599.  *  Second  Admonition  to  Bag- 
Shaw,'  601.  *  The  Church  told  of 
Mr.  EUIward  Bagshaw's  Scandal/ 
ib,  '  True  and  Only  Way  of  Con- 
cord,* 605, 606.  *  Catholic  Communion 
Defentitfd,'  606—610.  <  Judgment 
of  Sir  Mathew  Hale  on  the  Nature 
of  True  Religion,'  610.  *  Sense  of 
the  Subscribed  Articles  of  the  Church 
of  England,'  611.  <  Church  Con- 
cord,' ib.  Treatise  *  Of  National 
Churches,'  ib,  *  Moral  Prognosti- 
cation,' ib.  Summary  view  of  Mr. 
Baxter's  opinions  on  Catholic  Com- 
munion and  Church  Government, 
612,  61.3. 

7.  H^orkt  on  Nonconformity : — '  Ac- 
count of  the  Proceeiiings  at  the  Sa- 
voy Conference,' 620— 622.  •  Sacri- 
lej^^ious  Desertion  of  the  Ministrv 
rebuked,'  622.  Notice  of  Dr.  Full- 
wood's  reply  Ut  it,  ib.,  623.  *  The 
Juii<;uient  of  the  Nonconformists 
concfrning  the  Office  of  Reason  in 
Ri'li«:lou,' (123.  *  Difference  between 
Grace  and  Moralitv,*  ib.  *  About 
Thin:{.s  Indifferent,*  i7>.  *  And  Sinful,' 
ib.  ♦What  Mere  Noncooforuuty  is 
not,'U.    Hcuiarks  on  these  treatises, 

^.  624.    <  The  Nooconfvrmist's  Plea 
for  Peace/  V24^626.    Reply  to  it 


by  Mr.  Chenev,  627.  *  Second  Pwrt 
of  the  Plea,'  'ib.  <  Defence*  of  it* 
628.  Account  of  Stillmgfleet's  at- 
tack upon  it,  ib.  629.  Reply  of  Mr. 
Baxter  t(»  his  charge  of  separatioiK 

631.  Rejoinder  of  Stilliugfleet,  ib. 
6.32.      Baxter's  *  Second  Defence,' 

632.  Further  answer  to  Stillingfleet» 

633.  634.  <  Search  after  English 
Schismatics,'  635,  636.  <  TreatiM 
of  English  Episcopacy,'  636,  637. 
'  Apology  for  the  Nonconformittt' 
Ministry,'  637,  638.  *  English  Non- 
conformity Truly  Stoted,'  638,  639. 
Observations  on  the  various  Tkea* 
tises  on  Nonconformity,  639,  640. 

8.  fTorks  on  Popery .— «  The  Safe  Re- 
ligiouy'  642,643.  'Winding-Sheet 
for  Popery,'  643.  '  Grotian  Religion 
Discovered,*  ib*  Controversy  it . 
produced  with  Peirce,  Womack, 
Heylin,    and    BramhaU,    644— M8. 

«  Key  for  Catholics,'  648.  '  Succei- 
sive  Visibility  of  the  Church/  649. 
Controversy  with  Johnson  respectioi^ 
it,  ib.,  650.  'Fair  Warning,  or 
Twenty-five  Reasons  against  Tolera- 
tion of  Popery,'  650,651.  'Differ- 
ence between  the  Power  of  Church 
Pastors  and  the  Roman  Kingdom/ 
651.  'Certainty  of  Christianily 
without  Popery,'  652.  '  Full  and 
Easy  Satisfaction  which  is  the  True 
Religion/  ib.,  653.  '  Christ,  not 
the  Pope,  the  Head  of  the  Church/ 
654.  *  Roman  Tradition  Examined/ 
ib.  '  Naked  Popery,'  ib.  Contro- 
versv  with  Hutchinson  respecting  it, 
t^.,  '655.  '  Which  is  the  True 
Church  i'  655.  Controversy  with 
Dodwell  respecting  it,  ib.,  656. 
'Dissent  from  Dr.  Sherlock/  656. 
Answer  to  Dodwell's  letter,  calling 
for  more  Answers,  ib.  '  Against 
Revolt  to  a  Foreign  Jurisdiction^' 
657.  'The  Protesiant  Religion 
Truly  Stated  and  Justified,'  ib.,  658. 
His  prayer  for  deliverance  from 
Popery,  658. 

9.  ffork$  on  Antinomianism ;— Baxter's 
Early  hostility  to  it.  666,  ^67.  The 
chief  subject  of  his  '  Confession  of 
Faiih,'  667—669.  «  How  far  Holi- 
ness is  the  Design  of  Christianity,* 
670,  671.  'Appeal  to  the  Light/ 
(17 1.  Ntitice  of  a  reply  to  it,  572. 
*  Treali-ie  of  Justifying  Riglit- 
eousuess*  672,  673.  *  Scripture 
Gospel  Defended/  674.  Influence  * 
of  Baxter's  writiiijs  and  preaching 

ou  AiitintJiuiauism,  674 — 67H. 

10.  fforlwon  UaplVi|jiu,(itttt\uTV*m>«*^ 
JWillcnorianUm;— C«vkVtw«tvj    hi^ 

«  V\a\u   ?tooU  %>^  \tA«o\  ^^ss?^^-* 


606 


INDEX. 


683—685.  Its  success,  686.  Reply 
to  it  by  Tombes,  685.  Baxter  pub- 
lishes his  *  More  Proofs  of  Infants' 
Church  Membership/  687.  His 
Controversy    with     Daovers,    688. 

*  Review  of  the  State  of  Christian 
Infants,'  ib.  Remarks  on  this  con- 
troversy, (j'69.  C<induct  of  the  Qua- 
kers, and  controversy  of  Baxter  with 
them,  ib.,  690.  'The  Worcester- 
shire Petition  to  Parliament,'  690. 
The  'Petition  Defended,'  691,  69*2. 
<The  Quaker's  Cateciiism,'  693. 
Single  sheets  a^^inst  Quakerism, 
694.  Controversy  with  Beverley  on 
th€  Millenium,  697,  698.  <  The 
Glorious  Kingdom  of  Christ  describ- 
ed,' 699.  Answered  by  Beverley,  700. 

*  Reply  •  of  Baxter,  t*. 

11.  Political  and  Historical  ffTnris:- 
<  Humble  Advice,'  703.  *  Holy 
Commonwealth/  704.  Occasion  of 
it,  U,  705—707.  Analysis  of  it,  707. 
His  opinion  on  resistance  to  illegal 
{governments,  and  of  the  causes  of 
the  civil  war,  708— 710.  The  pub- 
lication of  this  work  the  reason  whv 
Baxter  was  not  permitted  to  preacn 
in  the  diocese  of  Worcester,  711. 
Notice  of  various  attacks  upon  the 
*Holy  Com  moo  wealth/  ib»  He 
recalls  this  work,  712.  His  motives 
for  doing  so,  713,  714.  Remarks 
thereon,  714,  715.    Analysis  of  his 

*  Church  History  of  the  Goverumeut 
of  Bishops  and  their  Councils  Ab- 
breviated,' 715—718.    It  is  attacked 

.by  Morrice,  718.  Baxter's  *  True 
History  of  Councils  Enlarged  and 
I)efended/  ib.  Extract  from  it,  718 
— 720.  Account  of  his  '  Breviat  of 
the  Life  of  Mrs.  Baxter,'  721—723. 
His  'Penitent  Confession,'  723. 
Conduct  of  Long  towards  him,  724 
— 726.  Character  of  his  <  Reliquis 
Baxterianae,'  726—729.  Imperfectly 
edited  by  Sylvester,  727.  Dr.  Cala- 
my'a  accouut  of  it,  and  of  its  re* 
ceptiou,  729 — 731.  Notice  of  his 
abridgment  and  continuation  of  it, 
and  of  the  controversy  to  which  it 
led,  731—733. 

12.  Devotional  Worhs: — *  Saint's  Ever- 
lasting Rest,'  written  for  his  own 
use  during  sickness,  735.  And  in 
six  months,  ib.  His  reasons  for 
omitting  the  names  of  Lord  Brook, 
Hampden,  and  Pym,  iu  the  later  edi- 
tions, 736.  Description,  character, 
and   usefulness  of  this  work,  738 —  , 

740.  It  14  aUacked  V^'^-  ^'utoaxi,  \bA. 

741.  Baxter's  *  \u%>NeT  \oVv\%^v 
ceptions/   i6.     Hw  *  l>VyVu«i  LM^t* 


tess  of  fialcamtf,  741.  Its  object 
and  excellency,  742 — 744.  Notice 
of  his  *  Funeral  Sermons,' '  Treatise 
of  Death,'  and  '  Dying  Thoughts,' 
745—747.  Character  of  his  <  Re- 
formed Liturgy,'  747,  748.  Origin 
and  object  of  his  *  Paraphrase  un  the 
New  Testament,'  749,  750.  His 
reasons  fur  not  attemptioj^  an  expo- 
sition of  the  book  of  Revelatious4  75d, 

751.  Notice  of  his  '  Monthly  Pi«- 
parations  for  the  Holy  Communion/ 

752.  Mr.  Monti^omery's  character 
vi  Baxter  as  a  Christian  poet,  tt., 

753.  Account  of  bis  *  Poetical  Frtf  • 
ments/  753.  And  'Additions'  to 
them,  t^.  '  Paraphrase  oo  the 
Psalms,*  ib.  His  observations  on 
the  qualifications  of  a  poet,  tft.,  754. 
Specimens  of  bis  poetry,  with  re- 
marks thereon,  755 — 759. 

13.  jmscellaneaus  H^ritingt ,— lionet* 
of  Mr.  Baxter's  prefaces  to  the  works 
of  others,  763,  764.  Aod  of  various 
treatises  in  manuscript  left  by  hia, 
764,  765.  His  extensive  correspood- 
ence,  765,  766.  Letter  to  Increase 
Mather,  766,  767.  His  account  of 
his  transactions  with  bis  booksellen, 
767-^770,  Concurrence  of  opinioas 
respecting  him  as  a  writer,  770 — 
774.  His  own  candid  and  faithful 
review  of  his  writings,  775 — 785. 
Number  and  variety  of  bis  works, 
785,  7iiS,  Facility  with  which  he 
wrote,  787,  788.  Character  of  bis 
style,  788.  Sometimes  injudicious 
both  in  his  writings  and  his  conduct, 
ib.,  789.  Deficient  in  the  full  state- 
ment of  evangelical  doctrine,  790, 
791.    Causes  of  it,  792. 

Baxter  (William),  principal  legatee  of 
Mr.  Baxter,  biographical  notice  of, 

404,  405.  His  character  of  his  uncle, 

405,  note, 

BehmenistSf  Mr.  Baxter's  account  of 
the  tenets  of,  and  their  principal  fol- 
lowers in  England,  91,  92.  Obser- 
vations on  the  writings  of  Bebmen, 
92,  note  r, 

i?frn/ (Colonel  James),  Mr.  Baxter's 
character  of,  62, « 63.  Remarks 
thereon,  63,  rtote.  Extract  from  a 
dedication  to  him,  521,  522. 

Beverley  (Rev.  Thomas),  account  of 
the  Millenarian  tenets  of,  GV6,  Pub- 
lishes his  *  Millenary  Catechism/ 
697,  Questions  addressed  to  him  by 
Baxter,  ib..  698.  Who  publishes  bis 
'  Glorious  Kingdom  of  Christ  De- 
%^x\hed)'  against  him,  699.  Extract 
\t<iV!a.\\.>  \\>,^*l^^.  '^vjS'ait^  <i<  Bever- 

1^^  KOk\^\^VIV^K^%Ti^\^i^KXV^^ 


INDEX. 


sa^ 


Bithopricks  offered  by  Charles  II.  to 
certaiD  Nonconfomiist  miuisters, 
193, 194.  One  of  them  decliued  by 
Baxter,  197.  The  bishoprick  of 
Norwich  accepted  by  Reynolds,  198. 
Remarks  on  the  proceedings,  199. 

Bishops^  conduct  of,  at  the  Savoy  Con- 
ference, 200—208.  Remarks  there- 
on, 208,  209.  Baxter's  account  of 
those  who  attended,  209—211.  Re- 
marks on  the  whole  proceeding,  212, 
213,  Alterations  proposed  by  the 
episcopal  commissioners  in  the  Book 
of  Common  Prayer,  213,  note  ^,  Se- 
veral of  them  advise  Charles  II.  to 
recall  the  Nonconformists'  licenses 
to  preach,  307.  Account  of  the  pro- 
ceedings on  the  Bishops' Test  Act, 
313—315. 

^dke  (Mr.),  an  opponent  of  Mr.  Bax- 
ter, notice  of,  461,  note '. 

Blatphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
observations  on,  427,  428. 

Booksellers,  Mr.  Baxter's  account  of 
bis  transactions  with,  767 — 770. 

Bojfle's  (Hon.  Robert)  character  of 
Mr.  Baxter,  770. 

BojfU  (Roger).    See  BroghilL 

BramhalVs  (Bishop)  Vindication  of 
himself  from  the  charge  of  Popery, 
notice  of,  657.  Baxter's  opinion  of 
this  work,  657,  658. 

Bridges  (Colonel],  Biographical  no- 
tice of,  514.  Extract  of  a  dedication 
to  him,  513, 514. 

Bndgman  (Sir  Orlando) ,  Lord  Keeper, 
biographical  notice  of,  259,  note  \ 
His  construction  of  the  Five-Mile 
Act,  259.  Resigns  the  great  seal, 
295. 

Brodie*s  History  of  England,  character 
of,  1 12. 

Broghill  (Roger  Boyle,  Baron  of,  af- 
terwards Earl  of  Orrery) ,  character 
of,  173,  note  \  302,  iMte  <*.  Requests 
Mr.  Baxter  to  draw  up  new  terras  of 
agreement,  302,  303.  His  treatise 
on  the  *  Unreasonableness  of  Infi- 
delity,' dedicated  to  him,  423. 

Brook  (Robert  Greville,  Lord),  bio- 
graphical notice  of,  737. 

Buckmgham  (George  VilUers,  Duke 
of),  character  of,  266,  and  note '. 
His  conduct  towards  the  Noncon- 
formists, 267. 

Bunny* s  (Edmund)  'Resolution,'  no- 
tice of,  5,  and  note. 

Burgess  (Anthony) ,  an  opponent  of  Mr. 
Baxter,  notice  of,  445, 461,  note  s. 

JJicm^ff  (Gilbert,  Bishop  of  Salisbury) 

character  of  Sir  Matthew  Hale,  276, 

note  \     His  evidence    against   the 

Vuke  of  JLauder dale,  312.    Remarks 

oa  «  dedication  of  his,  to  the  duke» 


ib.f  note  p.     His  testimony  to  Mrj 

Baxter's  writings,  313,  note. 
Burton  f  Henry),  notice  of,  25,  note  ^, 
Burton  (Dr.  Hezekiah),  notice  of,  270, 

tuUe^. 
Busby  (Mr.),  master  of  Westminster 

School,  anecdotes  of,  603, 604,  notes* 

C. 

Calamy  (Dr.)  declines  a  bishoprick, 
198.  Remarks  on  his  conduct,  ji., 
note  *.     His   account   of   Baxter's 

*  ReliquiflB,'  or  Narrative  of  his  Life 
and  Times,  729—731.  Character  of 
his  Abridgment  and  Continuation,  of 
that  work,  731.  its  reception,  ti., 
732.  Controversy  to  which  it  gave 
rise,  732,  733. 

CatderwootTs  (Dayid)  AltareDamatce- 
num,  notice  of,  22,  note. 

'  Call  to  the  Unconverted,'  plan  of,  493. 
Mr.  Baxter's  account  of  its  effects, 
ib,y  494.  Comparison  of  it  with  Mr. 
Law's  'Serious  CaU,'  495.  And 
with  Alleine's  <  Alarm,*  tft. 

Calvin's  Institutions,  character  of,  542. 

CampbeWs  (Dr.)  'Treatise  ou  Mira- 
cles '  recommended,  423,  note  '. 

Corr/icr^A^ (Christopher),  an  opponent 
of  Mr.  Baxter,  notice  of,446, 463, 464. 

Casuists  of  the  Romish  Church,  obser- 
vations on,  541.  Paucity  of  casu- 
istical books  among  the  reformed 
churches  accounted  for,  545,  not4* 

Catechising,  Mr.  Baxter's  method  of, 
119.     Analysis  of   his  treatise  on 

*  The  Catechising  of  Families,'  562, 
563.  And  of  his  'Mother's  Cata^ 
chism,'  563,  564.  His  account  of 
his  practice  in  catechising,  581,582. 

'  Catholic  Theology,*  title  of  Mr.  Bax* 
ter*s  treatise  so  called,  465, 466.  His 
design  in  it,  466.  Remarks  on  at, 
467. 

Catholic  Communion,  observations  on 
Mr.  Baxter's  efforts  to  promote  it, 
576,  577.  And  on  his  several  treatises 
on  this  subject,  577— 611.  Observa- 
tions upon  his  sentiments  ou  ibis 
subject,  612,  613.  And  on  bis  etforts 
to  promote  it,  593,  594. 

Charles  1.,  conduct  of,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  civil  war,  32. 
By  whom  supported,  33.  Strongly- 
marketl  difference  between  his  sup^ 
porters  and  his  antagonists,  ii.,  34. 
Mr.  Baxter's  account  of  public  af- 
fairs duriug  bis  reign,  froui  1646  til) 
his  death,  with  remarks  thereon, 
102—1 15.  Remarks  on  a  passage  in 
the  'Eikou  Ba&vUke^'  «5A<cVh^  ^l^ 
\     Yi\m,\^^w»UV  .      <       • 


808 


INDfiX. 


Worcester,  113,  114.  His  flight, 
'  114.  Account  of  his  restoratioD,  157 
—159.  His  arrival  iu  Loodun,  161. 
Bate  bypocrisy  of,  exposed,  iA.,  note 
\  Intoxicatiou  of  the  people  at  his 
return,  t^.,  notey.  Remarks  on  the 
circumstances  of  his  restoration , 
162,  163.  Views  of  the  Nooconforni- 
ists  respecting  him,  171.  His  con- 
duct towards  them,  172.  Interview 
of  Baster  and  several  ministers  with 
bim,  173—175.  Remarks  thereoA, 
176.  He  requires  the  ministers  to 
draw  up  proposals  respecting  church 
goremmeot,  177.  1  neir  paper  pre- 
sented to  him,  178,  179.     His  reply 

'  to  them,  179, 180.  Meeting  of  the 
ministers  with  Charles,  to  bear  the 
declaration,  181,  182.  Petition 
against  it,  182,  183.  Charles  alters 
bis  declaration ,  1 84—  1 88.  He  offers 
bisbopricks  to  Baxter,  Calamy,  and 
Reynolds,  193,  194.  He  has  a  pri- 
vate interview-  with  Baxter,  199. 
Issues  a  commission  for  the  Savoy 
Conference,  200.  And  his  declara- 
tion fer  liberty  of  conscience,  241. 
His  conduct  towards  Lord  Claren- 
don, 266,  note  ^.  An  address  pre- 
sented ,to  bim  by  the  Nonconformist 
ministers,  272,  273.  He  shuU  up 
bis  Exchequer,  294.  Its  conse- 
quences, 294,  295.  Issues  his  dis- 
pensing declaration,  295.  Which 
the  Parliament  votes  to  be  illegal, 
299.  Prorogues  Parliament,  301. 
303.  Commands  the  pers<*cution  of 
the  Nonconformists,  322.  His  death 
and  character,  355,  356,  and  note. 
C%ar//o»  (Miss  Margaret),  Bio<;raphi- 
cal  notice  of,  237.  Her  marriage  to 
Mr.  Baxter,  239. 
Cheney*s  (Mr.)  *  Conforming  Noncon- 
formist,' notice  of,  627.  And  of 
Baxter's  reply  to  it,  628. 

*  Christian  Directory^*  Baxter's  account 
of,  544 — 546.  Remarks  on  its  ar- 
rangement, 547.  Opposed  to  the 
politics  of  Hooker,  548,  549.  Re- 
marks on  the  notion  of  passive  obe- 
dience iu  this  treatise,  io»  General 
character  of  the  w<Mk,  551,  552. 
Comparison  of  it  with  the  *  Ductor 
Dubitantium  '  of  Bishop  Taylor, 
552.  Defects  and  excellencies  of  the 
*  Christian  Directory,'  552,  553. 

Christian  erptiHence^  ob<iervations  od, 
and  on  abuses  and  mistakes  respect- 
iug  it,  511 — 513. 

Christian  fellowship^  Mr.  Baxter's  sen- 
timents conceruiii<r,  5h2,  583.  Re- 
marks thereon,  5H1^,  5)64. 

Christians  (early) ,  observ?il\owft  ow  ^« 
uuioa  of,  573,    ^:^useii  v>t  ^^lY'^Ta.Wviw 


among  them,  574.  Observations  on 
the  means  of  effecting  their  pe-mikm, 
ift.,  575. 

Chvreh  communion^  observaiions  cm 
Mr.  Baxter's  sentiments  respecting, 
612,  613. 

*  Church  Divisions r  account  of  Mr. 
Baxter's 'Cure 'for,  598—600.  Its 
reception,  600.  Attacked  by  Mr. 
Bagshaw,  t^.,  601.  Mr.  Baxter's 
replies  to  bim, 601, 602. 

Onsrch  Government,  account  of  Mr. 
Baxter's '  Five  Disserutions '  on,58d^ 
589.  Extract  from  his  dedication 
of  them  to  Richard  Cromwell,  590. 
Remarks  thereon,  t6.,  591. 

<  Church  Historic  of  the  Government 
of  Bishops,'  design  of  Mr.  Baxter's 
treatise  on,  715.  His  reasons  for 
undertaking  this  work,  717.  Out- 
line of  it,  717,  718.  Attacked  by 
Morrice,  718.  And  defended  by 
Baxter,  ib. 

Churches,  national,  Mr.  Baxter's  opi- 
nion on ,  6 1 1 .  Analysis  of  bis  '  Tree 
and  only  Way  of  Concord  of  all 
Christian  Churches,'  604—606.  And 
of  his  <  Moral  Prognostication,'  re- 
specting the  future  state  of  churches 
by  the  restitution  of  primitive  piety, 
purity,  and  charity,  61 1, 612. 

Civil  war,  state  of  religiou  in  England, 
before  and  at  the  commeuceraent  of, 
29—32.  Its  causes,  32.  Character 
of  the  parties  engage«l  iu  it,  ib»  Rea- 
sons assigned  for  it,  by  both  parties, 
35.  Remarks  thereon,  36.  Mr. 
Baxter's  judgment  on  this  subject, 
ib.,  37. 

Clare  (Sir  Ralph),  biographical  notice 
of,  2\tiynote,  Account  of  his  suc- 
cessful opposition  to  Mr.  Baxter's 
return  to  Kidderminster,  216 — 219. 

Clarendon  (Edward  Hyde,  Earl  of), 
character  of,  184,  note*.  His  cha- 
racter of  the  Westnnnster  assembly, 
7U,  note.  Remarks  on  it,t^.  69.  His 
at-count  of  the  conduct  of  the  Non- 
conformists, 169,190.  Exposure  of 
its  unfairness  and  inaccuracy,  190 — 
192.  Letter  of  Baxter  to  him,  19.'>— 
197.  His  letter,  recommendiug  Mr. 
Baxter  to  be  fixed  at  Kidderminster, 

219.  Observations  on   liis  conduct, 

220.  Promotes  the  purisiug  of  the 
Five-Mile  Act,  257.  His  fall,  and 
remarks  thereon,  265,  266,  and 
?iole  *». 

CMirkson's  (David)  publications  on 
episcopacy,  notice  of,  720,  and  note*, 
721. 

Colcnvttu,  ^  ?vi\kkt,  execution  of,  for 

Comiwou  P-vo>jcv-liwV^  ^v<c:'^^<cv<ai«&  ^ 


INDEX. 


809 


the  NoocouformiiiU  a^inst,  202, 
203.  Proceedinirs  tlierefiii,207.  Al- 
terations }>ropu«;ed  therein  by  the 
episcopal  comknissiouers  ab  the  Savoy 
Conference,  213,  note  >",  214. 

Communicants,  number  of,  at  Kidder- 
minster, 119. 

Communion,  occasional,  Baxter's  opi- 
nion on,  251. 

Comprehension,  account  of  the  dis- 
cussions concerninf^,  with  Lford 
Keeper  Brid^man,  268—270.  A  bill 
proposed  for  it,  frustrated  by  Bishop 
Ward,  270.  A  second  scheoie  of 
comprehension  proposed,  309. 

Oompton  (Dr.  Henry),  Bishop  of  Lon- 
don, notice  of,  325,  note  ^.  inter- 
▼iew  of  Baxter  with  him,  325. 

Conference,  at  the  Savoy,  accenntof, 
200—^12.  Observations  on  it,  212, 
213. 

*  Confirmation  and  Restanration,*  ana- 
lysis of  Mr.  Baxter's  treatise  on,  586 
---588.  His  account  of  the  mode  in 
which  confirmation  was  once  admi- 
nistered in  Eoj^land,  587,  note  ". 

Conformiit  cler^ry,  labours  of,  after  the 
fire  of  London,  263.  Observations 
on  the  published  writing  of  some  of 
them,  u>,,  264. 

Conventicle  Act,  passed,  246.  Suffer- 
ings of  the  people  in  consequence  of 
it,  247,  248.  Renewal  of  the  act, 
285,  286. 

Conoertion,  analysis,  with  remarks  on 
Mr.  Baxter's  various  publications  on; 
'  Treatise  on  Conversion,'  486 — 493. 

<  Call  to  the  Unconverted,'  493—495. 
*  Now  or  Never,'  494.  «  Directions 
for  a  Sound  Conversion/  496,  497. 

<  Directions  to  the  Converted,'  498. 
Importance  of  this  division  of  Mr. 
Baxter's  works,  485—488.  General 
remarks  on  them,  509,  510. 

Comtocation  of  1661,  notice  of,  202, 
203. 

Corbet  (Rev.  John),  biog^raphical  ac- 
count of,  338— 341. 

CorporoHon^jict,  observation  on  the 
repeal  of,  252. 

Correopondence,  extensive,  of  Mr.  Bax- 
ter, 765,  766. 

Coventry,  uotii^e  of  Mr.  Baxter's  re^ii- 
dence  at,  41,  42.  Character  of  his 
hearers  there,  42,  44. 

Covenant,  taken  by  Mr.  Baxter,  of 
which  he  afterwards  repented,  42. 
He  opposes  the  takinj^  of  it  in  Kid- 
derminster, 111. 

Cradock  (Walter),  a  Nonconformist 
minister,  notice  of,  17,  note  ^. 

Crandon  (John),  an  opponent  of  Mr. 

Baxter,  notice  of,  451. 
OdghUm  (Dr,),  anecdote  of,  271. 


\ 


Crew  (Dr.),  Bishop  of  Durham,  anec- 
dotes and  character  of,  267,  and 
note  K 

Crisp  (Dr.),  biographical  notice  of, 
664,  6(j6.  Account  of  his  Antino« 
miao  sentiments,  ib.  They  are  op* 
posed  by  Baxter,  666,  667.  Repub- 
lication of  his  works  by  his  son,  673. 
Account  of  the  controversy  which 
ensued,  t^.,  674. 

Croft's  (Bishop  of  Hereford)  'Naked 
Truth,*  notice  of,  and  of  the  contro- 
versy to  which  it  ;ave  rise,  654j  656, 
notes* 

Cromwell  (Oliver)  invites  Mr.  Baxttr 
to  become  bis  chaplain,  but  is  rt» 
fused,  46.  His  cool  reception  of  Mr. 
Baxter,  48.  Mr.  Baxter's  character  of 
Cromwell,  61 .  His  treatment  of  the 
Parliament,  137—140.  Institutes  a 
committee  of  triers,  140.  And  a  com- 
mittee  to  report  of  fundamentals,  142. 
Baxter's  conduct  towards  him,  t^.«- 
144.  Account  of  his  preaching  be- 
fore Cromwell,  144.  His  ioterriew 
with  the  latter,  145.  Admissiop  of 
the  benefits  of  bis  government,  146* 
Mr.  Baxter's  character  of  him,  148 
—152.    Remarks  thereon,  152,  193. 

Cromwell  (Richard),  succession  of,  to 
the  Protectorate,  and  his  subsequent 
retirement,  154  —  156.  Remarks 
thereon,  156,  157.  Extract  from  a 
dedication  of  Mr.  Baxter's  to  bin, 
590.    Observations  on  it,  ib,,  591. 

<  Crucifying  of  the  fTorld  by  tho  Qrom 
of  Christ,'  plan  of  this  treatise,  517, 
Comparison  of  it  with  Maclaorio's 
sermon  on  the  same  subject,  ib* 
Fine  passage  quoted  from  it,  5I7«— 
520. 

*,  Cure  of  Melancholy,'  observations  on, 
535—537. 


D. 


Danby  (Sir  Thomas  Osborne,  Earl  of, 
and  Lord  Treasurer),  character  of, 
302,  note  ^  Attackeil  by  Parliament, 
313.  Impeachment  of,  for  high 
treason,  331.  His  subsequent  his- 
tory, ib.,  note  *. 

Dance  (Mr.),  vicar  of  Kidderminster, 
chamctor  of,  26.  And  uf  his  preach- 
ing, 21G.  AlloMrs  a  lecturer  to  be 
chosen  by  bis  parishioners,  ib,  Bax- 
ter solicits  preferment  lor  him,  197. 
Failure  of  his  application,  216,217. 

Danvcrs  (Mr.),  bioj^raphical  notice 
of,  683.  His  controversy  with  Baxter, 
on  bapti««m,  and  Baxter's  reply,  t^.. 

Daventry,  origin  of  the  dissenting  cao- 
f;Tegai\uw  a\,  ^^\  >  ^'ofl. 


810 


INDEX. 


oonduct  of,  towards  Baxter,  310— 

312. 
JhcUnnm  (relii^us),  iosUDce  of  tbe 

prof  ress  of,  6. 
IkekMm  (DaTid),  biofrapbical  notice 

of,  545,  9oi9. 

*  JHrecHam  to  a  Sound  Ctnvertion,* 

aualysif  of,  496,  4U7.     And  to  tbe 

converted,  497,  498. 
JDiteiplmef  account    of  Mr.  Baxter's 

meetings  for,  117.    His  exercise  of 

church    discipUne,  126.      Want  of 

discipline  in  the  esublished  Church, 

126,  note. 
Z)Mpen«ifl^deolaratioB  issued  byCharies 

JI.,  295.    Remarlcg  on  its  design,  ib. 

Proceedings  of  the  Nonconformists 

ki  relation  to  it,  296.    It  is  voted  to 
.  be  illegal  by  Parliament,  299. 
DUtttUert,  aeal   of,   against  Popery, 

658,659.    See  NoHcm^ormisU. 
JHitresMf  spiritual,  remarks  on,  11,  12. 

Account  of  Mr.  Baxter's  distress,  10, 

11. 

*  JDimns  L^«,'  treatise  on,  written  at 

tbe  request  of  the  Countess  of  Bal- 
carras,  741.  lu  object  and  excel- 
lency, 742—744. 

JDMruMa  ConirovertitSf  analysis  of 
Mr.  Baxter's  treatise  on  tbe  end  of, 
472,  473.  Observations  on  bis  doc- 
trinal sentiments,  474—479  ;  and  on 
bis  mode  of  conducting  doctrinal 
controversies,  479—484. 

J}oddrid§re*s  (Dr.)  recommendation  of 
tbe  «  Reformed  Pastor/  559.  His 
character  of  Mr.  Baxter's  writing, 
771,  772. 

Doduftll  (Henry) ,  account  of,  and  of  bis 
tenets,  655.  Baxter's  Controversy 
with  him,  656.  Their  correspond- 
ence, 657,  note,  Tillotson's  opinion 
of  both  of  them,  656,  note, 

Zhmstan's  (St.)  Church,  accident  at, 
during  Mr.  Baxter's  preaching  there, 
223,  224,  and  note  ■. 

Dmy  (Mr.  John),  account  of  his  en- 
deavours to  promote  ecclesiastical 
peace,  591,  592. 

*  Jbjfinf  ThmigtUs*  of  Mr.  Baxter,  cha- 

racter of,  746, 747  ;  and  of  Mr.  Faw- 
cett's  abridgment  of  them,  747,  note. 


E. 


JBeeUsiastical  Hittory^     difficulty    of 

writing,  716. 
JSdrAti/,  battleof,  40,  41. 
£Aieaiion,  importance  of,  especially  of 

academical  education,  8, 9.    Account 

of  Mr.  Baxter's  educaX\on>^,4.  7  ^  ^, 
JSdtvards*9  ('Vhoma&^     *  ^ft*X*inwv\%\ii 

Barefaced' ,  notice  of,  4*3^,  4^  \  ^^ 

of  himself,  4^»  note. 


EUctUnt  Mr*  Baxter's  aenthamts  an, 
476. 

EUioi't  (Mr.)  eSorU  to  piofagaie  tbe 
Gospel  among  tba  American  lodiaas 
promoted  by  Baxter,  165.  Sncoctt 
of  bis  labours,  166.  (Extract  of  a 
letter  firom  Baxter  to  bim,  a^.— 168, 

England,  state  of  religion  in,  before 
and  at  the  commencement  of  the 
civil  wars,  29—32. 

EfitcopaHam,  Mr.  Baxter's  aceoaat  of 
the  teneU  of,  73 — 91.  A  limited 
episcopacy  pleaded  for  In  bim  and 
by  others,  73.  Account  of  bis  <  Trea- 
tise of  Epucopacv,*  636, 637.  Aaee* 
dote  of  their  rejecting  a  toleration 
from  Cromwell,  721,  weie'. 

EreuUoMt,  tenets  of,  72  ;  and  iMle  '  73. 

Ertkine  (Mr.),  obeervaUons  of,  on  tbe 
characteristic  features  of  the  writings 
of  the  Puritans  and  Nonconlnnnisis, 
418. 

Et'Certera  oath,  nature  and  eflfoct  of, 
22,  23. 

Evidences  of  ReHgiem,  Mr.  Baxter's 
plan  in  studying  and  writing  on, 
421,  422.  Mr.  Baxter  tbe  earliest 
original  English  writer  on  tbe  En- 
deuces  of  Revealed  Religion,  440, 
441.  Analysis  of  bis  Yarious  tna<» 
tises  on,  with  remarks,  422—440. 

Exchequer  shut  by  Charles  11.,  294. 
Its  consequences,  ib,  295. 

Exciution-BiU  passed  in  the  House  of 
Commons,  but  lost  iu  the  House  of 
Lords,  332.  333. 

Ejfre  (William),  an  opponent  of  Mr. 
Baxter^  notice  of,  451, 452. 


F. 


Faith: — Mr.  Baxter's  sentiments  od 
justifying  faith,  477.  Account  of  his 
<  Life  of  Faith,'  526—528.  Notice 
of  his  sermon  on  Faith,  528. 

FawcetVs  (Benjamin)  Abridgment  of 
Baxter's  <  Saint's  Rest,'  character  of, 
741  ;  and  of  his  <  Dying  Thoughts,' 
747,  note  «>. 

Fetter-Lane^  historical  notice  of  tbe 
Dissenting  Congregation  in,  299, 
note  •. 

Fifth-Monarchy  Men^  account  of  the 
insurrection  of,  222. 

Finch  (Sir  Heoeage)  ,notiGe  of,306,ii«l£. 

Fire  of  Loudon,  in  1666,  account  of, 
260,  26 1 .  Benevolent  efforts  made  to 
relieve  the  inhabitants,  263.  Tbe  fire 
favourable  to  the  labours  of  the  Non- 
conformist Ministers,  2^.  Preach- 
ing of  the  Conformist  Clergy,  265. 

FVrmxu  V5^\\t<^  «Oaa!L«  the  <  Saim's 


INDBX. 


Sll 


fUher  (Samuel) ,  notice  of  the  *  Rasfic*s 
Alarm  to  the  Rabhies/  by,  695. 
Account  of  him,  ib, 

Fwe-AfUe  Jet  ipassed,  256,  257.  Oath 
imposed  by  it,  ib.  Jt  is  rig^orously 
enforced,  259.  Sir  Orlando  Bridge- 
man's  copstruction  of  it.  ib.  Obser- 
vations on  it,  258—260. 

Foley  (Thomas,  esq.),  Biographical 
notice  of,  516. 

Fatherby's  (Bishop)  *  Atheomastix,' 
notice  of,  441. 

Fountain i^Mr,  Serjeant),  Biogprapbical 
notice  of,  292,  TuHe  ^  His  kindness 
to  Mr.  Baxter,  280,  283.  His  inter- 
esting character  of  Fountain,  291 ,292. 

Fowler  (Dr.  Edward),  bishop  of  Glou- 
cester, notice  of,  669,  670.  Account 
of  his  *  Design  of  Christianity,'  670. 

Fifx's  (Mr.)  notice  of  the  treatment  of 
the  Dissenters.and  of  the  trial  of  Bax- 
ter, 356,  357.  Remarks  thereon,  357, 
358. 

Freedom  of  the  will,  Mr.  Baxter's  sen- 
timents on,  478. 

Frewen  (Dr.),  archbishop  of  York, 
conduct  of,  at  the  Savuy  Conference, 
200,  209. 

Fuller  (Rev.  Andrew),  writings  of, 
against  Antinomianism,  679,  note. 

Fundamentals  of  religion,  remarks  on 
the  committee  for,  141, 142. 

«  Fkneral  Sermons,'  notice  of  various, 
published  by  Mr.  Baxter,  745,  746. 

G. 

Gauden  (Dr.) ,  conduct  of,  at  the  Savoy 

Conference,  210,  and  note  *. 
Gayer  (Sir  John),  determination  upon 

the  will  of,  351,110^^. 
GeU  (Dr.),  notice  of  the  tenets  of,  92, 

and  note  '. 
Gibbon  (Dr.   Nicholas),    account  of, 

93,  note  •. 

*  GUdas  SalvianuSf  or  the  Reformed 

Pastor,'  analysis  of,  with  remarks, 
554—559. 

Gillespie  (George),  his  account  of  Eras- 
tianism,  73,  note, 

GlanviVs  (Joseph)  *  Sadducismus 
Triumphatus,'  notice  of,  435.  His 
correspondence  with  Mr.  Baxter,  ib. 
And  offer  to  vindicate  him  against 
the  attacks  of  Bishop  Morley,  505. 

Gloucester,  anecdote  of  the  siege  of, 
338,  note  K 

*  Cod's  Goodness  Vindicated,'  remarks 
on  this  treatise,  533,  534. 

Godfrey  (Sir  Edmondbury),  death 
of  I  329,  and  note  ". 

Godwin's  History  of  the  Common- 
wealth, character  of,  110. 

Gfod,  doing  tomany,  account  of  Mr. 
Bi^xter'B  directions  for,  565.  567. 


Gospel,  obsenrationa  on  the  Spirit's  tes- 
timony to,  426,  427. 

Goring  (Lord),  defeat  of,  at  the  battle 
of  Langport,  54. 

Gou^e  (Rev.  Thomas) ,  benevolent  la* 
hours  of,  after  the  fire  of  London, 
262.  Biographical  account  of  him, 
340. 

Cough  (General),  anecdote  of,  455. 

Crainger*s  (Mr.),  character  of  Mr. 
Baxter,  773,  774. 

CreviUe.    See  ^«oA  (Lord). 

Crigg  (Thos.),  chaplain  to  the  Bishop 
of  London,  Mr.  Baxter's  account  of 
his  refusing  to  license  one  of  hii 
treatises,  499,  500. 

Grotius,  character  of,  644,  645.  Vii|- 
dication  of  him  by  Dr.  Peirce,  643, 
644.  Lord  Lauderdale's  opinion  of 
Grotius,  645,  note  ', 


H. 


£fa/ff  (Sir  Matthew),  Lord  Chief  Jot- 
lice,  Mr,  Baxter's  character  of,  274— ^ 
276.  Confirmation  of  it,  by  Bishop 
Burnet,  276,  note  *.  Notice  of  his 
death,  336, 337.  And  of  bis  <  Jod£- 
ment  on  the  Nature  of  True  Refi- 
gion/  &c.  610. 

Hall  (Rev.  Robert),  observations  of 
on  the  means  of  effecting  a  re-onion 
among  Christians,  574,  575.  Cha- 
racter ofjhis  publications  on  Christian 
communion,  576,  note. 

Hampden  (John), character  of,  736. 

Harrington's  (James)  '  Oceana,'  cha- 
racter of,  704,  705,  note  s. 

Harrison  (Major-General),  characttr 
of,  55,  note,  61,  62. 

Henry  (Rev.  Matthew),  account  of  bis 
interview  with  Mr.  Baxter,  in  pri- 
vate, 375,  376. 

Herbert's  (Lord)  treatise  de  Feritate, 
account  of  Mr.  Baxter's  repJy  to, 
432, 433. 

Heylin  (Dr.  Peter),  controversy  of, 
with  Baxter,  646.  Proof  of  his  lefui- 
ing  towards  Popery,  647.  Notice  of 
a  <  Review  of  nis  Certamen  Episto- 
lare,'  ib,,  note, 

Hinchman  (Dr.  bishop  of  London), 
character,  of  210. 

Hoadly's  (Benjamin)  '  Reasonableness 
of  Conformity,'  and  Calamy's  reply    - 
to  him,  notice  of,  733. 

Hobbes's  <  Leviathan,'  character  of, 
704,  note  «*. 

Hollis  (Denzil,  Lord),  character  «f, 
182,  note  >. 

Holy    Commonwealth,    or    Political 
AyVvon&in&*    ol  ^^xXjtx^  ^TviniOk  "w^^ 
de%\snofO^)^V— 1^1«  ^«L«BawSiA«^_j 
707  •   VoUXacaSi  v^s«^^^?^  ^\iafis^^ 


\ 


812 


IN  DliX. 


avows,  708 — 710.    Notice  of  various 
attacks  upon  it,  711.     He  recalls  it, 

712,  713.    Reasons    for    su    doing, 

713,  714.      ObservatiuLB    thereuu, 

714,  715. 

Hohf  Ghost,  observations  on  the  blas- 
phemy of,  427,  428. 

lAoke'f  (Dr.  Ricbttrd)  <  NoDconform- 
ist  Champion,'  notice  of,  G35. 

Hooker* t  Ecclesiastical  Polity,  charac- 
ter of,  16,  17.  His  view  of  govern- 
ment opposed  by  Baxter,  548,  549. 

Himgarian  Protestant  Ministers,  case 
ofy331.  Oppression  of  the  Protest- 
sots  in  Hungary,  t^.,  note  ^, 

autchinson*t  *  Catholic  Naked  Truth,' 
notice  of,  654.  Answered  by  Baxter, 
t6.,  655. 

Hyde.    See  Clarendon, 

I. 

Immortality  of  the  Soul,  analysis  of 
Jdr.  Baxter's  Treatise  on,  with  re- 
marks, 434—440. 

Independents,  Mr.  Baxter's  character 
of,  with  remarks,  76^78. 81.  Union 
of  the  Independent  and  Presbyterian 
ministers,  3i^7. 

Indictment  of  Mr.  Baxter  for  sedition, 
359—362. 

Infants,  opinion  of  the  Synod  of  Dort 
on  the  Salvation  of,  687,  note.  Ex- 
cellent treatise  of  Mr.  Russell  ou  thi^ 
subject,  608,  iiott. 

Infidelity,  close  connexion  of  Popery 
with,  682. 

Informers  against  Baxter  and  others, 
account  of  the  proceedings  of,  307 — 
309,  310—316. 

Insurrection  of  Venner,  and  the  Fifth 
Monarchy-men,  account  of,  222. 

J. 

Jacob,  a  Brownist,  notice  of,  23,  note°. 

Jamest  (Duke  of  York,  afterwards  King 
James  11.),  opposition  of  the  Parlia- 
ment to  his  marrying^  a  Popish  wife, 
.301.  Exclusion  bill  pas«>ed  against 
him  in  the  House  of  Connnuiis,  332. 
But  lost  in  the  House  of  Lords,  33;^. 

t/(Dr»rt«'5  (St.)  Market-house y  account  of 
Mr.  Biixier's  preachiojc  there,  30.'). 
Providential  escape  ot  him  and  his 
congregation,  ib.  306. 

Jane  (Rev.  Dr.),  biographical  account 
of,  323,  wo^r.  Preaches  against  Mr. 
Baxter,  323,  324. 

Jeffries  (Lord  Chief  Justice),  conduct 
of,  ou  Mr.  iSaxicY's  \na\,  iWo.^Vi^S, 
368.  370. 


\ 


55.    RefuUUon  of  this  false  charge, 
56. 

Johnson* 9  (Dr.  Samuel)  opinion  of 
Baxter,  773. 

Johnson,  a  Rorai&h  priest,  controversy 
of  Baxter  with,  ou  the  successive 
visibility  of  the  church,  649,  650. 

Judges,  behaviour  of,  to  Mr.  Baxter, 

'  ou  his  applying  for  a  habeas  cerfms^ 
281. 

Justices  of  the  Peace,  notice  of  Mr,  Bax- 
.  ter's  *  Directions  '  to,  562, 563. 

Justification^  analysis  uf  Mr.  Baxter's 
'  Aphorisms  *  of,  t^.,  445.  Animad- 
versitms  thereon^  by  Anthony  Bur- 
gess, 445.  John  Warren,  ih.  Dr. 
John  Wallis,  ib.,,  446.  Christopher 
Cartwright,  446.  George  La«»son, 
t6.,  447.  Observations  on  the  A- 
phorisms,  447—450.  Further  at- 
tacks on  Baxter,  by  Ludovicus  Moli- 
usus,  451.  John  Crandon,  ih, 
William  Eyre,  ib,,  452.  Analysis 
of  the  '  Apology '  for  the  Aphorisms, 
452,  453.  Extracts  from  the  dedica- 
tion to  Colonel  Whalley,  453,  454. 
Extracts  from  Baxter's  '  Confes&iun 
of  Faith,'  on  justification,  &c.,  456 
— 459.  Notice  of  his  •  Four  Dis- 
putations on  J  usti6cation,'  461,  462. 
Analysis  of  his  'Treatise  on  Justify- 
ing Righteousness,'  and  account  of 
its  opponents,  463,  464. 

Juxon  (Dr.),  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury, character  of,  245. 

K. 

Keeling,  an  informer  against  Baxter, 
account  of,  307 — 309.  He  is  liberated 
from  prison  through  Baxter,  316. 

Kendal  (Dr.),  an  opponent  of  Mr. 
Baxter,  notice  of,  461. 

*  Key  for  Catholics,*  notice  of,  648. 

Kidderminster,  inhabitants  of,  petition 
against  their  minister,  26.  A  Com- 
mittee of,  invite  Mr.  Baxter  to  be- 
come their  lecturer,  ib.  He  is  cho&en 
lecturer,  and  s^oes  to  reside  there, 
27.  State  ot  the  people  there,  ib. 
Account  of  his  first  residence  there, 
2K.  He  is  obliged  to  qui;  the  town, 
38.  Returns,  and  m  again  obliged 
to  witlidraw,  41).  Once  more  re- 
sumes his  lal)Ours  there,  100 — 102. 
His  account  of  liis  labours  there,  115 

—  118.  Ilissucce>r,  U'J— 118.  Ad- 
vantaq^es  enjoyed  by  liiin  there,  118 

—  130.  Remarks  on  his  style  of 
prcacliiiig:  there,  131.  Ou  his  public 
v\\\d    \u'^^*'^     exertions,     132,     l.'i3. 

'>l\\«:\x  VswSVvw^^  Vi^vtvLVs.  "ftx  VA\<.vi5iradn- 


Jennings      (Thomas^       cX^ult-c^    ^\t.\     s.\.^x,m^    ^v:a.v>>^uv^\ Vnsvjxa^xsw^V 
Baxter  with  being W^U^  «^  m>xt^^tA    ^^^\.^t^\^£.^^N^^v.vcw^>AxV^x^,^t't.-^^^, 


INDBX. 


813 


Notice  of  his  successors  in  the  miti- 
istrv  there,  134,  135.  Notice  of  his 
various  labours,  aud  works  com- 
posed, during  his  second  residence, 
in  Kidderniiuster,  164.  His  efforts  to 
be  restored  to  Kidderminster,  215, 
216.  Charles  II.  and  Lord  Claren- 
don favourable  to  them,  ib.  Frus- 
trated by  Sir  Ralph  Clare  and  Bishop 
Morley,  216—218.  220.  Why  Mor- 
ley  would  not  allow  him  to  return  to 
Kidderminster,  711,  note.  The  con- 
duct of  Clare  to  the  people  of  Kidder* 
minster,  220,  221.  Character  of 
some  uf  bis  successors,  228.  His 
parting  advice  to  his  flock,  ib.  Ex- 
tract from  his  dedication  to  them  of 
his  <  Treatise  on  Conversion,*  488, 
489.  Of  his  '  Directions  to  the  Con- 
verted,' 497,  498.  Of  hii  *  Saint  or 
a  Brute,'  507,  508. 

Kippis't  (Dr.)  parallel  between  Baxter 
andOrton,772.    Remarks  on  it,  ib. 

*  Knowledge  and  Love  Compared,*  plan 
of  Mr.  Baxter's  treatise  on,  529 — 
532. 


L. 


Lafnplugh  (Bishop),  anecdotes  of,  326, 
note  ^ 

Jjangport,  account  of  the  battle  of,  54. 

Jjaiin  verges  of  Mr.  Baxter,  specimen 
of,  471. 

Latitudinarian  divines,  Mr.  Baxter's 
account  of,  264.  Observations  there- 
on, ib.f  and  265,  note, 

JLaud,  (Archbishop),  conduct  of,  and 
its  effects,  619. 

Lauderdale  (Lord),  character  of,  289. 
Offers  preferment  to  Mr.  Baxter, 
286.  His  admirable  reply  to  this 
offer,  286  —  288.  Proceedings  of 
parliament  against  him,  312;  His 
opiuion  of  Grotius,  644,'fio/tf  <^.  Bax- 
ter's <Full  and  Easy  Satisfaction 
which  is  the  Safe  Religion,'  dedi- 
cated to  bim,  ^52,  653.  Their  cor- 
respondence, 653. 

Lawton  (George),  an  opponent  of  Mr. 
Baxter,  notice  of,  446,  447. 

Lecture,  Tuesday  morning,  instituted, 
298.    Its  present  state,  ib,  note '. 

Leirh't  (Edward)  System  of  Divinity, 
character  of,  543. 

Leighton  (Dr.),  notice  of,  25,  note  c. 
Observations  on  bis  *  Slon's  Plea 
against  Prelacy,'  ib, 

L*JEstrange  (Sir  Roger),  character  of, 
374.  Anecdote  of  him,  ib.  Account 
of  his  *  Casuist  Uncased,'  635. 

Library,  Baxter's  account  of  his  being 
obliged  to  part  with,  7\9, 720. 
.  Z*nm«r  fo  juraacb  graated  to  Mr.  Bax- 


ter, 297.    The  licenses  to  Noncon- 
formists r.ecalled,  307. 

Liturgy,  a  reformed  one  prepared  by 
Baxter,  and  adopted  by  the  Presby- 
terian ministers,  2U2,  203.  Who 
brought  it  lo  the  bishops  at  the  Savoy 
Cui)ferei)ce,^204.  Their  exteptious 
to  the  existing  liturgy,  203.  Altera- 
tions madein  it,  213,  note  K  Cha- 
racter of  it,  747,  748. 

Lloyd  (Dr.),  Vicar  of  St  Martin's,  Mr. 
Baxter's  chapel  offered  to,  326.  He 
vindicates  Baxter's  character,  327. 

Locke's  (Mr.)  observations  on  the  ope- 
ration of  the  Act  of  Uniformity,  234. 
Aud  ou  the  conduct  of  the  clergy  to- 
wards the  Nonconformists,  235,  note, 

London,  Mr.  Baxter's  reflections  on  the 
plague  of,  252,  253.  Account  of  it, 
254,  255.  Preaching  of  the  Non- 
conformist ministers  to  the  inhabit- 
ants of,  255, 256.  Account  of  the  fire 
of,  260, 261 .  Benevolence  of  Mr.  Ash- 
urst  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gouge  on  this 
occasion,  262.  The  fire  advantage- 
ous to  the  preaching  of  the  silenced 
ministers,  t^., 263, 267, 268.  Labours 
of  the  Conformist  ministers,  263. 

Long't  (Mr.)  attack  on  Mr.  Baxter, 
notice  of,  635.  Remarks  on  bis 
abuse  of  Baxter's  '  Penitent  Confes- 
sion,' 724.  Hi«  virulent  epitaph  on 
Baxter,  725,  note.  Notice  of  his 
<  Review'  of  Mr.  Baxter's  Life,  730. 

Long  Parliament,  proceedings  of,  24 
—26. 

Lord's  Day,  analysis,  with  remarks,  of 
Mr.  Baxter's  treatise  on  the  divine 
appointment  of,  568 — 570.  How  the 
Lord's-day  was  celebrated  in  his 
early  days,  571. 

Lougfiborough,  ravages  of  the  plague 
at,  255,  note. 

Love  (Mr.),  notice  of  the  execution  of, 
113,  note. 


M. 


Madstard  (Mr.  William),  minister  of 
Bridgnorth,  notice  of,  21. 

*  Making  Light  of  Christ,*  a  sermon  of 
Baxter's,  anecdote  respecting  the 
delivery  of,  509. 

Malignant,  origin  of  the  term,  3!i,note  K 

Manchester  (fiiward.  Earl  of),  cha- 
racter of,  172,  note  ^, 

Afanton  (Dr.  Thomas),  character  of, 
272,  note.  Mr.  Baxter's  character  of 
him,  328.  His  character  of  Baxter, 
770. 

Martin  (Henry),  anecdote  of,  138, 
note". 

Mason  (pv.V  ca^nxnxk^   q\%    %as2^sk^ 


\ 


814 


INDEX. 


Maikert  (Increase),  letter  of  Mr.  Bax- 
ter to,  7fi6,  767, 

Mmft  (Rev.  Robert)  bequeaths  a 
Jency  to  Baxter,  io  trust,  350. 
Whicli  is  forcibly  witbheid  by  the 
Court  of  Chancery,  but  ultimately 
re6tored»a^. 

Mml-'TMh  Plot,  notice  of,334,  and  note: 

MekmekUp  persons,  numbm  of,  con- 
sulted Mr.  BaxUr,  535.  Observa- 
tions on  his  *  Cure  of  Melancholy  by 
Faith  and  Physic,'  ih.  536. 

*  Metkadms  TheoUgut  Ckriiiianif,'  Mr. 
Baxter's  account  of  this  treatise,  468 
—470.  Analysis  of  it,  470,  471,  and 
mate  '.    Concludinfp  lines  of,  471. 

MiUemmitm  Controversy,  account  of 
Baxter's  writinrs  on,  697—700. 

MlUm's  (John)  character  of  the  West- 
minster Assembly,  70, 71,  neff.  Re- 
marics  thereon,  /I,  iMie,  69. 

Mmisier*M  maintenance,  proceeding  of 
the  Parliament  respecting,  139,  and 
Male.  Notice  of  ministers  imprisoned, 
272.    See  Noncomformists, 

MbraeUtt  argument  from,  forcibly 
stated,  424,  425. 

'  Muekiifg  of  Self'tgnoroncCf*  analysis 
of  Mr.  Baxter's  treatise  on,  501. 

Molinaus  (Ludovicus),  an  opponent 
of  Mr.  Baxter,  notice  of,  45 1 .  Bax- 
ter's '  Difference  between  the  Power 
of  Magistrates  and  Oburch  Pastors, 
and  the  Roman  Kingdom,'  why  ad- 
dressed to  him,  651. 

Monk  (General),  conduct  of,  in  pro* 
motiog  the  Restoration,  157,  158. 
Mr.  Baxter's  interview  with  him,  159. 

MotUgomery  (Mr.),  his  character  uf 
Baxter  as  a  Christian  poet,  752,  753. 

Morct  (Dr.  Henry),  account  of  the 
philosophical  notions  of.  436.  Dif- 
ference between  him  and  Mr.  Baxter 
on  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  436, 
437. 

Morice*s  (William)  *  Coena  quasi 
Koine,'  notice  uf,  585.  Mr.  Baxter's 
sentiments  on  this  work,  ib. 

Morley   (Dr.),    bishop  of   Worcester, 
conduct  of,  at  the  Savoy  Coufereiice, 
206.   209.      Unites   with  Sir  Ralph 
Clare  in  preventing  Mr.  Baxter's  re- 
turn   to    Kidderminster,    217,    218. 
Whom   he  silences,  226,  227.     His 
reasou  for  so  doing,  711,  note,    lu 
couj unction  with    Bishop  Ward,  he 
purposes  a  comprehension,  309.    Ac- 
count of  Mr.  Baxter's  controversy 
with   him,  503— 5U5.     Character  of 
the  Bishop's  '  Vindication  '  of  him- 
self, 505, 506.  N utice  oV  y\\\A\cttX\ou^ 
on  this  controversy,  b^6,ifiote.    ^\^ 
severe   reflections  ou  lioxxer'*  xt- 
cantatioD    of    bU   HoV^  Common 
wealth/  713,  note  7. 


Mamay'i  treatise  on  the  Christiaii 
religion,  notice  of,  441. 

AUrriee  (Dr.)  attacks  Baxter's 
'  Church  History  of  Government  by 
Bishops,'  718.  Baxter's  reply  to 
him,  s^.  IntcrestiDg  extract  from  it, 
ib.,7l^,7». 

N. 

NdUrni  (Mr.  John), biographical  notice 
of,  243,  244. 

NoMiky^  battle  of,  44. 

Naglor  (James),  a  Quaker,  observa- 
tions on  the  case  of,  91,  and  wHe  \ 

Ntedham  (Marchmont),  biographical 
notice  of,  705,  iia<e  ^ 

NfoiUe  (Henry) ,  notice  of,  704,  mUe '. 

NichMt  (Dr.  Wm.)  writings  agaiost 
the  Dissenters,  notica  of,  732,  and 
note. 

Noneonfonmsit^  why  opposed  to  the 
bishops.  34,  and  joined  to  the  pariia- 
ment,  ib.  35.  Their  views  after  the 
Restoration,  172.  Conduct  of  Charles 
1 1 .  towards  them ,  t^.  They  have  an 
interview  with  him,  173—175.  Re- 
marks thereon,  176.  They  are  re- 
quired to  draw  up  proposals  concern- 
ing church-government,  177.  Which 
thev  present  to  the  king,  178, 179. 
His' reply  to  them,  179,  180.  Meet- 
ing of  Nonconformist  ministers  with 
Charles  to  hear  his  declaration,  181, 
182.  They  have  a  meeting  with 
some  bishops,  183.  Petition  the 
kiu^,  iA,— 185.  Who  alters  his 
declaration,  186 — 188.  Clarendon's 
account  of  their  conduct,  189,  190. 
Exposure  of  its  inaccuracy  and  un- 
fairness, 190—192.  Accpunt  of  the 
king's  offer  to  make  some  of  them 
bishops,  193—195.  Remarks  there- 
on, 197.  Account  of  their  proceed- 
ings at  the  Savoy  conference,  200— 
212.  Observations  on  it,  212,  213. 
Two  thousand  Nonconformist  minis- 
ters ejected  by  the  Act  of  Uniformity, 
229.  Their  character  and  conduct 
vindicated,  230—233.  InjusUce  and 
cruelty  of  the  act  exposed,  233,  234. 
Its  injurious  effects,  235.  Remarks 
on  their  jealousy  of  the  Roman  Ca- 
tholics, 241.  Severe  act  against 
their  holdhi;^  private  meetings,  246, 
247.  Its  eiafects  upon  the  people, 
247.  Censures  of  the  Nonconformists 
against  their  ministers,  248.  De- 
voted labours  of  the  silenced  Non- 
conformist ministers  in  London  dor- 
lug  the  plague,  255,  256.  The  Five- 
TD^\ft  KsX  ^^&\^^  ^i^inst  them,  257. 


INDfiX. 


815 


Which  is  connived  at»  267, 268.   Ac- 
coQDt  of  the  eflbrtt  mode  by  the 
Lord  Keeper  and  others  to  procure 
compreheosion  for  the  Nonconform- 
ittf,    268-^70.     Efforts    of  Arch- 
bishop Sheldon  to  crush  them,  271. 
Many  of  them  imprisoned,  272.  The 
Nonconformist  ministers  present  an 
address  to  the  kini^,  ik.    Its  recep- 
tion, 273.    They  are  assailed  from 
the  press,    273,   274.     Charies  II. 
connives  at  their  toleration,  292 — 
294.    Their  procecdini^  in  relation 
to  the  Icing's  dispensing  declaration, 
297.    Proeeedinrs  of  the   aspiring 
Conformists  against  them,  304.    Per- 
secution against   them  renewed  by 
order  of  Charies  II.,  322, 323.  Their 
oppressed    situation    between    1676 
and  1681,  335,  and  at  the  dose  of 
Charles  If.'s  reign,  355*    Mr.  Pox's 
remarks  on  the  conduct  of  the  court 
towards  the   Nonconfbrmists,  356, 
357.    Observations  thereon,  357, 358. 
Nonconf&mwhf  defined,  614, 615.   Ob- 
servations on  the  history  of  Noncon- 
formity, 615 — 620.    Some  principles 
of  Nonconformity  adoptea  by  Mr. 
Baxter,  20.    Analysis,  with  remarks, 
of  his   various  works  on  Noncon- 
formity :  of  the  *  Account  of  the  Pro- 
ceedings at  the  Savoy  Conference,' 
620,  621.    This  treatise  never  an- 
swered, 622.    *  Sacrilegious  Deser- 
tion of  the  Ministry  Rebuked,'  622. 
Notice  of  Dr.  Fulwood's  reply  to  this 
treatise,  <^.  623.    *  The  Judgment  of 
NoDCouformists  concerning  the  Of- 
fice of  Reason    in  Religion,'  623. 
■  DiflTerenee  between  Grace  and  Mo- 
rali^r,'  ib.    <  About  Things  Indiffer- 
ent,^ <»4    *  About  Things  Sinful,'  ib. 
*  What  Mere  Nonconformity  is  not,' 
t5.    Observations  on  these  several 
tracts,    t5.,   624.      The   *  Noncon- 
formist's Plea  for  Peace,'  624—626. 
Reply  to  it,  by  Mr.  Cheney,  727. 
Second  part  of  the  *  Plea,'  627.    De- 
fence  of  it,  628.    Attack  of  it  6y  Dr. 
Stillingfleet»  <6.,  62i^«      Answer  of 
Baxter  to  his  charge  of  separation, 

631.  Stillingfleet's  reply  in  his  <  Un- 
reasonableness of  Separation ,  iA.  63 1 , 

632.  Baxter's  *  Third  Defence '  no- 
ticed, 632.  His  further  answer  to 
Stiliingfieet,  633,  634.  Various  sup- 
porters of  Stillingfleet,  634,  635. 
Baxter's  'Search  for  the  English 
Schismatic,'  635,  636.  «  Treatise  of 
Episcopacy,'  636, 637.  '  Apology  for 
the  Nobcoofbrroist's  Ministry  J  637, 
638.  'EaglisbNonconformil^  Truly 
Stated/  638, 639.  Remarks  on  these 
tMrh^  pMkntioa^  639,  640* 


North  (Lord  Keeper),  character  of, 
350,  note  «. 

JVye  (Mr.)  endeavours  to  perfaade 
Mr.  Baxter  to  accept  Charles  ll.'s 
declaratioQ  of  indulgence,  241. 


O. 


Oaiet  (Titus),   and  the  popish  plot 
discovered  by  him,  328—330.    His 
character,  330,  note  «. 
Oaths,   profligate     disregard   of,    by 
Chkries  II.,  172,  and tude '.  Oath  «e- 
quir«Ml  by  the  Five-mileAet,  and  obser- 
vations on  it,  257, 258.    Lord  Keener 
Bridgman's  construcdon  of  it^  w9. 
It  is  token  by  Dr.  Bates,  a.    Oath 
reqnired  by  the  bishops'  Test  Acty8|5. 
Oeeasionai     CMWSttttm,    discuisians 
among  the  Nonoonforttiists  respect- 
ing. 251^  252. 
(Hwo's  (Thomas)  «  Defence  of  Min- 
isterial Conformity/  notiee  of,  733. 
Ormmd  (Duke  of),    notke  of,   164, 

note*, 
Orrtry  (Earl  of),  see  Bro^hUi* 
Orton'M  (Rev.  Job)  character  of  9*x- 
ter's  writings,    773.     Remarks   on 
Kippis's  parallel  between  Baxter  and 
Orton,  772i 
Otbome  (Sir  Thomas),  see  Danhy. 
Overton's  (Richard)  treatise  on  <  Man's 
Mortallitie,'answered  by  Mr.  Baxter, 
436. 
Owen  (Rev.  Dr.),  controversy  of  Mr* 
Baxter  with,  on  the  terms  of  agree- 
ment among  Christians,  284.    Att4 
on  catholic  communion,  606-*608, 
610.    Supposed  address  of  Owen  to 
the  disputers  on  this  subject,  6M» 
Owen   (Mr.  Johe),    one  of  Baxter's 

tutors,  character  of,  4. 
OxoHdon^sireetf  a  chapel  erected  in, 
for  Mr.  Baxter,  311.  It  is  offered  to 
Di*.  Lioyd,  vicar  of  St.  Martin's  in 
the  Fields,  326.  Its  subsequent  Ms- 
tory,  <6.,  note  K 
Oxford,  act  of  parliament  passed  at, 
against  the  Noneenfomists,  257* 


P. 

Pmckingrt9n  (Sir  John),  notice  of,  2ifk 
Intercepu  a  letter  of  Mr.  Baxter's. 
222. 

Pagki's  (Ephraim)  Heresiography, 
notice  of,  96,  note, 

*  Paraphrme  on  the  New  Testament,' 
origin  and  object  of,  749,  750.  Ex- 
tracte  from,  on  which  Mr.  Baxter 
was  indicted  for  sedition,  363,  364, 
note.  Why  it  cQUt«A^%  tu^  «vv^i&e^«^^ 
of  the  VxMk  ^1  ^eu«<ii^ioeiaM^'%^i^^^>^^* 

r«rliMMii«,  te«iia  ^^  xiVi  \ytfinai»A 


816 


Index. 


by  tbe  accession  of  the  Puritans,  32 
--34.  Its  cause,  why  embraced  by 
Baxter,  37,  38.  Remarks  on  his 
treatment  of  tbe  Parliament^  111, 
112.  Cromwell's  conduct  towards 
the  Parliament,  137—140.  Charac- 
ter of  Cromwell's  Parliament,  138, 
-  note  ^,  Their  proceedings  with  re- 
ptrd  to  the  maintenance  of  minis- 
ters, 139,  and  note.  Their  apprehen- 
sions of,  and  opposition  to,  Pupery, 
289,  299,  300.  Oppose  the  Duke  of 
York's  raarryiuij^  a  popish  princess, 
301.  Prorogued  by  Charles  II.,  302. 
Proceedings  of,  against  Lauderdale 
and  Lord  Danby,  312,  313.  Their 
.  proceedings  on  re-assembling,  t^. 
Debates  in  Parliament  on  the  bishops' 
Test  act,  314.  316.  Disputes  be- 
tween  the  Lords  and  Commons  re- 
•pecting  privileges,  315.  The  Long 
Parliament  dissolved  by  Charles  II., 
332.  A  new  one  called,  and  the  Ex- 
clusion bill  passed  by  the  House  of 
Commons,  ib.  But  lost  in  the 
.  House  of  Lords,  333.  Prorogation 
of  this  Parliament,  and  resolutions  of 
the  House  of  Commons,  t6. 

Passive  obedience,  doctrine  of,  asserted 
by  Mr.  Baxter,  549.  Observations 
on  the  principles  and  writings  of 
some  of  the  clergy  on  this  subject, 
550,  551. 

Patience,  account  of  Mr.  'Baxter's 
treatise  on,  524, 525. 

Peace  of  Conscience ,  publication  of 
Mr.  Baxter's  *  Right  Method '  for, 
513.  Extract  from  the  dedication  of 
it  to  Colonel  Bridges,  ib.,  514.  And 
to  the  poor  in  spirit,  515, 516.  Cha- 
racter of  this  treatise,  515. 

Peirce  (Dr.) ,  conduct  of,  at  the  Savoy 
conference,  211,  212,  and  note  S 
Vindicates  Grotius,  and  attacks  Mr. 
Baxter,  643,  644.  Notice  of  his 
*  New  Discoverer  Discovered,'  646. 

*  Penitent  On^ession '  of  Baxter,  notice 
of,  723,  726.  And  of  iu  assailants, 
724,  725. 

Penn  (William),  controversy  with 
Baxter,  319,  aud  note, 

Perkins's  (William)  <  Golden  Chain,' 
notice  of,  543. 

Perseveiutnce  of  the  saints,  analysis  of 
Mr.  Baxter's  <  Thoughts  '  ou,  460. 

Pettit' s  (Edw&rd)  'Visions  of  Govern- 
ment,' and  attacks  on  Baxter,  notice 
of,  711,  712,.no/e". 

Pinner's  Hall,  Mr.  Ikixter  preaches  at, 
298.  Account  of  the  lectures  there, 
328. 

PUiSfue  of  London*  ravages  o\,  Yo\. 
Mr.  Baxter*s  rcfteclvou*  oiv  '\X,  ^*l> 
253.    Prcacbiug  ol  xiie'tioucotklotvii 


,i8t  ministers  to  the  iDbmbitaote  oTy 
255,  256.  Notices  of  works  respect- 
ing it,  256,  note  '. 

Poe^r^  (Latin)  of  Mr.  Baxter,  specimen 
of,  471.  And  of  his  Eng^lish  poetry^ 
with  remarks,  524,  755—759. 

Political  affairs,  tlie  conduct  of  minis- 
ters respecting,  considered,  702. 
Analysis  of  Baxter's  Political  Works, 
703-715. 

Pollexfen  (Mr.),  argument  of«  for  Mr. 
Baxter,  365.  Ju^e  Jefferies*  treat- 
ment of  him,  ib,,  366. 

'  Poor  AtcaCs  Family  Book*  analysis 
of,  with  remarks,  559—561.  Inter- 
esting anecdote  of  this  work,561,562. 

Popery t  apprehensions  of  the  bishops 
and  their  agents  concerning,  2tf9. 
Dread  of  the  nation  against  it,  299, 
300.  Public  fast  against  Popery,  302. 
Baxter's  prayer  for  deliverance  from 
Popery,  658.  Observations  on  it  at 
the  time  he  wrote,  621.  642.  Analy- 
sis, with  remarks,  of  his  works 
against  Popery : — *  The  Safe  Reli- 
gion,' 642,  643.  <  A  Wiudiug-Sheet 
for  Popery,'  643.  <  Grotian  Religion 
Discovered,'  643.  Controversy  to 
which  it  gave  rise,  644—648.  <  Key 
for  Catholics,'  648.  •  Successive 
Visibility  of  the  Church,'  aud  con- 
troversy with  Johnson  respecting  it, 
649,650.  *  Fair  Warning;  or.  Twen- 
ty-five Reasons  against  Toleration  of 
Popery,'  650,  651.  *  Difference  be- 
tween tbe  Power  of  Church  Pastors 
aud  the  Roman  Kingdom,'  651.  *  The 
Certainty  of  Christianity  without 
Popery,''652.  *  Full  aud  easy  Satis- 
faction which  is  the  true  Religion,' 
ib.,  653.  *  Christ,  not  the  Pope,  the 
Head  of  the  Church.'  654.  <  Roman 
Tradition  examined,'  ib,  *  Naked 
Popery,'  ib.  Controversy  with  Hutch- 
iuson  respecting  it,  t6.,655.  '  Which 
is  the  true  Church?*  ib.  Contro- 
versy with  Dodwell,  ib.,  656.  *  Dis- 
sent'from  Dr.  Sherlock,'  t6.  *  An- 
swer to  Dodwell*s  Letter  calling  for 
more  Answers,'  ib,  *  Against  Revolt 
to  a  Foreign  Jurisdiction,'  657. 
*  The  Protesunt  Religion  truly  Suted 
and  Justified,'  ib.,  658.  '  0»>senra- 
tions  on  the  zeal  of  Protestant  Dis- 
senters against  Popery,'  658,  659. 
Pup<!ry  tho  Originator  of  Antinomi- 
anism,  66],  662. 

Pordage  (Dr.),  notice  of  the  tenets  of, 
92,  and  note  *. 

Presbyterians,  Mr.  Baxter's  account  of 

the  tenets  of,  74,  75,  81.    Remarks 

>^«t%«\i>l^>i^>.   Viisvss^^C  the  Pres- 


IKDlbt.  tilV 


PrdfessioHf  Cbristiab,  obdeiVfttious  od, 
582,  583. 

Piynne  (William) » biog^p&ical  notice 
of,  25,  26,  note  «. 

Psalm,  the  twenty-third,  versified  by 
Baxter,  758. 

PulpU  in  which  Mr.  Baxter  preached, 
notice  of,  135,  note  "».  Observations 
00  the  style  best  adapted  for  the  pul- 
pil,491. 

Puritans,  treatment  of,  before  and  at 
the  commencement  of  the  civil  wars, 
30 — 32.  The  garb  of,  assumed  by 
Romish  priests,  for  the  purpose  of 
propagatinff  sedition,  642,  note, 

Pym  (John},  character  of,  737. 

QfiokerSf  Mr.  Baxter's  account  of  the 
tenets  of,  90,  91.  Remarks  on  it, 
91,  noiie^.  Their  sufferings  under 
the  bill  ag^nst  private  meetings, 
248,  and  note,  Ijieir  conduct  to- 
wak-ds  Baxter,  690,  Remarks  on  it» 
ib.  '  The  Worcestershire  Petition  ' 
against  them,  ib.  The  petition  de- 
fended by  Baxter,  691.  Who  pub- 
lishes the  *  Quaker's  Catechism,' 
693.  Specimen  of  his  questions  to 
them,  ib,,  694.  Notice  of  his  «  Sin- 
gle Sheets'  relating  to  them,  ib. 
Controversy  with  Wuliam  Penn,  on 
the  principles  of  Quakerism,  695. 


R. 


Banters,  notice  of  the  tenets  of,  89,  90. 

Read  (Kev.  Joseph),  account  of  the 
impnsonment  of,  323. 

<  Reasons  of  the  Christian  Religion,* 
view  of  Mr.  Baxter's  treatise  on, 
429—432.  Account  of  «  More  Rea- 
sons for  the  Christian  Religion,  and 
no  Reason  against  it,'  432,  433. 

Redempiion,  Mr.  Baxter's  sentiments 
on  the  extent  of,  477. 

*  Reformed  Pastor,*  analysis  of,  with 

remarks,  554—558.  Notice  of  abridg- 
ments  of  this  treatise,  558.  Dr. 
Doddridge's  recommendation  of  it, 
559. 
Religion,  low  state  of,  at  the  time  of 
Mr.  Baxter's  birth,  2.  State  of,  be- 
fore and  at  the  commencement  of  the 
civil  wars,  29— 32.  State  of  religious 
narties  from  1646  to  1656,  68—98. 
Improved  state  of  religion  duriog  the 
Commonwealth,  153,  154. 

*  Reliquia  Raxteriamt,*    character  of, 

726.     Imperfectly  edited  by  Sylves- 
ter, 727.    Observations  on  it,  728, 
729.    Calamys  accouut  of  this  pub- 
licatioa  and  of  its  reception^  729— 


731,  tiotic«  of  his  abridgment  oif 
it,  ^nd  pf  the  controversy  to  which  it 
gave  rise,  731—733. 

R^&raiion  of  Charles  tl.  account  oL 
i57_|59.  Remarks  thereon,  162, 163. 

Revelation  (Book  of),  Mr.  Baxter's 
reasons  for  not  writing  an  exposition 
of,  750,  751. 

Revolution  of  1688,  notice  of,  392. 

Reynolds  (Dr.  Edward)  accepts  the 
bishoprick  of  Norwich,  198.  Obser- 
vations on  bis  conduct,  ib,  note  '. 

Rich  (Robert;,  second  Earl  of  War« 
wick),  character  of»  144,  noto. 

Rogers  (John),  a  Fif^-monarcby  man, 
notice  of,  705.  note  ^, 

Rogers  (Sir  William) ,  minister  of  featon 
Constantine,  notice  of,  2—4. 

Roman  Catholics,  jealousy  of  th6.Noii<^ 
'  conformists  a^nst,  241.  Proofs  that 
their  priests  disguised  themselves  as 
Puritans,  642.  note. 

Rosewell  (Rev.  Thomas),  trial  of,  on  a 
charge  for  high-treason,  352,  353^ 
its  result,  353. 

Rotherham  (Mr.),  argument  of  in  be- 
half of  Mr.  Baxter,  367. 

Roundhead,  origin  of  the  term,  35, 
note  ^. 

Runuf' Parliament,  put  down  by  Crom- 
weU.  137. 

Rpves  (Dr.),  minister  of  Acton,  con- 
duct of,  towards  Mr.  Baxter,  277 » 
278.  Causes  him  to  be  sent  to  pri- 
son, 278, 279. 


S. 


Sacraments,  analysis  of  Mr.  Baxter's 
<  Disputations'  on  the  rieht  to,  564. 
Notice  of  Mr.  Mopce's  observations 
on  it,  585;  and  of  Mr.  Baxter's  senti- 
ments respecting  them,  id, 

'  Saint  or  a  Brute,*  ex^ct  from  Mr* 
Baxter's  dedication  of,  Sk)7,  508« 
Remarks  on  this  treatise,  508. 

<  Saints  Everlasting  i2efl,' occasion  of, 
735.  Baxter's  reasons  for  omitting 
the  names  of  Brook,  Pym,  and  Hamp- 
den, in  the  later  editions  of  this  trea- 
tise, 736.  Beautiful  quotations  from 
it,  760—762.  Description,  charac- 
ter, and  usefulness  of  this  work,  740, 
741.  It  is  attacked  by  Giles  Firmin« 
741,  and  defended  by  Baxter,  ib. 
Character  of  Mr.  Fawcett's  abridg- 
ment of  it,  740. 

Saltmarsh,  biographical  notice  of,  668, 
and  note. 

Sanderson  (Dr.),  bishop  of  Lincoln^ 
couduct  of,  at  the  Savoy  Conference^ 
2lO,a\idnote*. 

Saravia  l^t.  k^\«iA^)  \io>2«fe  ^\%  'a^ 
fiote*. 

3g 


818 


INDEX. 


Sannnf  Conferencei  m  royal  commission 
issued  for  holding,  199,200.  History 
of  the  proceedings  at  it,  200*212. 
Remarks  thereon,  212,  213. 

Sawyer  (Sir  Robert),  character  of, 350, 
note^. 

Schoolmen^  Mr.  Baxter's  opinion  of, 
531.  Character  of  some  of  their 
works,  541. 

Scotch  Prethyteriam,  oppression  of, 
331,  and  note  ^ 

Seddon  (Mr.),  imprisonment  of  for 
preaching,  320.  Is  liberated  by 
Baxter,  tS. 

Seekers,  notice  of  the  tenets  of,  89. 

Selden  (John) ,  anecdotes  of,  and  note  '. 

Self 'Denial f  analysis  of  Mr.  Baxter's 
treatise  on,  522 — 524.  Extract  from 
the  dedication  of  it,  520—522. 

SKarpe  (Rev.  John,  afterwards  arch- 
bisnop  of  St.  Andrews),  notice  of, 
169,  and  note  <*. 

Shaw  (Rev.  Samuel),  anecdote  of,  265, 
note, 

Sheldon  (Dr.) ,  bishop  of  London,  cha- 
racter of.  209,  fiote  245.  His  pro- 
ceedings at  the  Savoy  Conference, 
200—209.  Succeeds  to  the  see  of 
Canterltury,  245<  Promotes  the 
passing  of  the  Five-mile  act,  257. 
Which  he  rigorously  enforces,  259. 
His  efforts  to  crush  the  Nonconfor- 
mists, 271.  285.  315,  note  s. 

Shepherd  (Mr.  Serjeant),  notice  of  Mr. 
Baxter's  reply  tu,  on  faith,  462. 

Slieppard^s  (Mr.)  Divine  Origin  of 
Christianity,  character  of,  442,  note, 

Sherlock  (Dr.) ,  suspected  of  instigating 
the  prosecution  of  Mr.  Baxter,  363 — 
374.  Notice  of  his  defences  of  Stil- 
lingfleet  against  Baxter,  634 ;  and  of 
Baxter's  '  Account  of  his  Dissent 
from  Dr.  Sherlock,*  656. 

Smart  (Peter),  notice  of,  25,  note  •». 

South  (Dr.),  anecdote  of,  715,  note, 

Southampton  (Earl),  noble  opposition 
of,  to  the  passing  of  the  I'ive-mile 
act,  257,  and  note. 

Southey*s  (Mr.)  account  of  the  Act  of 
Uniformity,  misstatements  of  expos- 
ed, 236,  note. 

Sfilsbury  (Mr.  Francis),  a  successor  of 
Baxter,  at  Kidderminster,  notice  of, 
134. 

Spirits: — Account  of  Mr.  Baxter's  trea- 
tise on  the  '  Certainty  of  the  World 
of  Spirits,'  437—440. 

Sprigge*s  *  Anglia  Rediviva,'  character 
of,  44,  note.  His  character  uf  the 
parliamentary  army,  5.'^  Notice  of 
his  sermons,  85,  86,  and  note  '. 

Sterne  (Dr.),  bishop  o(  Carlkle,  con- 
duct of,  at  iVie  Savo'j  Co\A<tttuc^, 
210^211. 


Steny  (Peter),  Mr.  Baxter's  cbaneter 
of,  85,  86,  note  4.    Remarks  oo  ^  al. 

Stillingfleei  (Dr.),  zealous  dforts  ti, 
against  Po^ry,  301, 302.  .  Cbaraclcr 
of  his  *  Origines  Sacrae/  441.  His 
vindication  of  Baxter  from  the  charge 
of  leaning  towards  SociDianism,  47€» 
Notice  of  his  *  Irenicum,'  628,  nele. 
Observations  on  bis  '  Mischief  of  Se- 
paration,' 628,  629.  He  is  answefed 
by  Baxter,  629.  Publishes  his  <  Ua- 
reasonableness  of  Separatioo,*  afr., 
630.  Baxter's  reply  to  it,  633, 634. 
Notice  of  some  of  Stiliingflcet's  de- 
fenders, 634, 635. 

Stonehouse*s  (Sir  James)  character  of 
Baxter's  *  Dying  Thoughtt,'  747, 
note, 

Stubbs  (Henry),  a  partisan  of  Sir  Heniy 
Vane,  character  of,  87,  and  note  ',  SSL 
Notice  of  his  writings,  705,  note  *. 

Stubbs  (Rev.  Henry),  biographical  ac- 
count of,  337.  Notice  of  Mr.Bsx- 
ter's  funeral  sermon  on  him,  338. 

Style  of  Mr.  Baxter,  remarks  on,  788. 

Subscription^  Mr.  Baxter's  opinion  oa, 
605.  Notice  of  his  *  Sense  of  tbe 
subscribed  Articles  of  the  Church  of 
England,'  393—396.  611. 

Swallow-street^  chapel  erected  in,  for 
Mr.  Baxter,  325.  He  is  forcibly  kept 
out  of  it,  t6.  Subsequent  history  of 
the  church  there,  325,  note  s. 

Sylvester  (Mr.),  his  account  of  Mr. 
Baxter's  preaching  for  him,  398. 
And  of  his  last  sickness  and  death, 
401,  402.  Vindication  of  bis  me- 
mory from  slander,  403.  Descrip- 
tion of  his  character  and  person, 
405,  406.  Observations  on  his  edi- 
tion of  *  Reliquis  Baxteriaos,'  727. 

SymondSf  notices  of  some  Nonconfor- 
mist ministers  of  that  name,  17, 
note  ". 

Systematic  Theology,  observations  on, 
538 — 542.  Notice  of  tbe  svstems  of 
Calvin,  542.  Of  Perkins,  543.  And 
of  Usher  and  Leigh,  ib. 


T. 


Taylor  (Colonel  Silvan  us),  biographi- 
cal notice  of,  327,  note. 

Taylor  (Bishop),  observations  of,  on 
tlie  paucity  of  casuistical  books 
among  the  reformed  churches,  545, 
note.  His  <  Ductur  Dubitaiiiium' 
compared  with  Baxter's  '  Christian 
Directory,'  552. 

Test  ^ct,  proceedings  relative  to  the 
passing  of,  300,  301. 

TKeoU^coX    VAXevoibure    of    Baxter's 


INDEX. 


819 


T'hwmhoroiu^h  (Bishop),  notice  of,  18, 
and  m>it, 

TUenus  (Daniel),  biof^phical  notice 
of,  645,  note  j.  HiB  name  assumed 
by  Bishop  Womack,  in  his  attacks 
upon  the  Paritans,  645. 

JVloUon  (Archbishop) ,  correspondence 
of  Baxter  with,  on  the  subject  of  his 
court  sermon,  629,  630.  His  opinion 
of  Baxter  and  Dodwell,  656,  note. 
Dedication  of  Baxter's  treatise 
'  Against  Revolt  to  a  Foreign  Juris- 
diction,' 657. 

TolertUUm  of  Popery,  opposed  by  Bax- 
ter, 650, 65 1 .  Account  of  the  passing 
of  the  Toleration  Act,  392, 393.  Mr. 
Baxter's  sense  of  certain  articles  of 
religion  required  to  be  subscribed  by 
it,  393— 396. 

Tonibes  (John),  origin  of  his  contro- 
versy with  Mr.  Baxter,  on  the  sub- 
jects and  modes  of  baptism,  681. 
Account  of  their  conference,  682, 
683.  Notice  of  Tombes's  <  Antidote 
against  the  Venom  '  of  Baxter,  683. 
And  of  the  reply  of  the  latter  in  his 
'  Plain  Scripture  Proof  of  Infants' 
Church-Membership,'  684,  685.  Of 
Tombes's  *  Precursor/  and  '  Anti- 
pedobaptism,'  685,  686.  And  of 
Baxter's  '  More  Proof  of  Infant 
Church-Membership,'  687. 

Tomkin*  (Thomas),  an  opponent  of 
Mr.  Baxter,  notice  of,  7 1 1. 

Tongue  (Dr.  Israel),  biographical  no- 
tice of,  329,  note  ^ 

Totteridge,  residence  of  Mr.  Baxter  at, 
283. 

Tinal  of  Mr.  Rosewell  for  high-treason, 
352,  353.  And  of  Mr.  Baxter  on  a 
charge  of  sedition,  359 — 370. 

Triers,  character  of  the  assembly  or 
committee  of,  140,  141. 

Tully*s  (Dr.)  attack  on  Mr.  Baxter 
upon  justification,  notice  of,  463, 464. 


U. 


CTnt/ormt^y ,  Act  of ,  239.  Its  impolicy, 
230 — 233.  Injustice  and  cruelty, 
233,  234.  Its  injurious  effects,  235. 
Mr.  Southey's  misstatements  re- 
specting it,  exposed,  236,  note. 

Union,  of  the  early  Christians,  573. 
Causes  of  separation,  574.  Means  of 
promoting  re-union,  i6.,  575. 

*  Unreasonableness  of  Infidelity ^  dedi- 
cation of,  to  Lord  Broghill,  422, 
423.  Intended  as  a  reply  to  Clement 
Writer,  423.  Its  plan  and  arrange- 
ment, 424.  Five  observations  ou 
miracles,  424 — 426.  And  on  the 
SpirWa  testimony  to  the  Gospel,  426 
427. 


Usher  (Archbishop)  perfuades  Mr. 
Baxter  to  write  his  treatise  on  Con- 
version, 492.  Notice  of  his  system 
of  divinity,  543. 


V. 


Fane  (Sir  Henry),  and  the  Vanistt^ 
Mr.  Baxter's  account  of,  85—89. 
Remarks  on  it,  89,  note. 

Vomghan  (Lord  Chief  Justice),  charac- 
ter of,  292,  note  ".  Opinion  of,  on 
Mr.  Baxter's  mittimus,  282.  His 
opinion  against  the  fining  of  jury- 
men, 292. 

Venner*s  Insurrection,  account  of,  222, 
and  note, 

Filliers,  see  BucMngham  (Duke  of). 

Fincent  (Rev. Thomas),  labours  of,  in 
London,  during  the  plague,  256,  and 
note'i. 

W. 

fFalker's  (James)  *  Account  of  the 
Sufferings  of  the  Clergy,'  character 
of  732. 

talking' mth  God,  felicity  of,  744, 
745. 

fFallis  (Dr.  John^,  an  antagonist  of 
Baxter,  notice  or,  445,  446. 

fFallop  (Mr.),  arguments  of,  in  behalf 
of  Mr.  Baxter,  367. 

Ward  (Seth,  bishop  of  Salisbury), 
biographical  notice  of,  290,  note. 
He  prevents  the  passing  of  a  compre- 
hension act,  270.  His  activity  against 
the  Nonconformists,  290,  and  note^ 
291. 

Warmestry,  (Dr.),  dean  of  Worcester, 
preaches  against  Mr.  Baxter,  227. 

Wamej-  (John),  an  opponent  of  Mr, 
Baxter,  notice  of,  461,  and  note  ^. 

Warren,  (John)  an  opponent  of  Baxter, 
notice  of,  445. 

Webster*s  (John)  «  Displaying  of 
Witchcraft,'  notice  of,  439,  440, 
note. 

Westminster  Assembly^  see  Assembly 
of  Divines. 

Whalley  (Colonel),  why  engaged  to 
Cromwell,  47.  Receives  Mr.  Baxter 
as  chaplain  to  his  regiment,  49. 
Character  of  it,  49 — 52.  Notice  of 
the  colonel,  455.  Dedication  of 
Baxter's  <  Apology  '  to  him,  453, 454. 

White  (Thomas),  a  Catholic  priest, 
notice  of,  704,  note  •. 

Wickstead  (Richard),  one  of  Baxter's 
tutors,  notice  of,  4. 

Wight  (Isle  of),  .account  of  the  treaty 
of,  with  Charles,  V<\^— V\l . 


m 


INDiX. 


JTtlAtM  ][Dr.Jobb),bUhop6fChefter, 
chaHU;ter  of,  370,  sm/c  *.  His  cfaa- 
nctelr  of  Mr.  Baiter,  770. 

9fUUam  III.,  Toleration  Act  of,  and 
remarks  oo  it,  392,  393. 

ffMUams  (Dr.  DaHiel),  opposea  Anti. 
numiaoiim,  674. 

ff^Ueherafi  and  apparitioni,  remarlcs 
on,  439. 

ff^maek's  (Biiliop)  '  Examii&ation  of 
TlleniM  before  the  Trien,*  notice  of, 
645,  646.  And  of  hit  *  Arcana 
Dopnatum  Anti-Remonitrantiam,' 
646 

fForeesUr,  battle  of,  113, 114. 

l^rMlenJUre  Jlliiii^«,agreement  of; 


its  detlpi^  577,  578.  AiMs  tf 
their  asreemeDt  for  catechisin|,  9L 
miter  (Clement),  notice  of,  4fl, 
iMe«.  Mr.  Baxter's  *UnreHOBsU»- 
ness  of  Infidelity,'  deaipaed  as  a  i^ 
to  him,  423. 

Y. 

I^ft(t>ncbest  of),  becomes  a  fl|te, 

289,iM«f. 
YoMig^  MeHt  Mr*  Baxter'^  compasuoa- 

ate  counsel  to,  noticed,  567. 
i%«i^*f « Antl-Baxterian«/  noliceof, 

731*    His  irirulent  epitaph  on  Bsx- 

tar,  729,iial^. 


MUVi)  lQ^%\X>«>*LMV\\%<^Vf^a\ws'^'^'^•^^'«*>^^^f^«^^^ 


V