Introductory Observations- The Safe Religion'-' Winding-Sheet for Popery Grotian Religion'-Controversy with Peirce, Womack, Heylin, and Bramhall- Key for Catholics - Successive Visibility of the Church'-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 Dodwell's Letter calling for more Au- The Nature of Antinomianism-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 his Confession of Faith'-Dr. Fowler-Baxter's Holiness, the Design of Christianity' —' Appeal to the Light '—‹ Treatise of Justifying Righteousness '— Publication of Crisp's Works-Controversy which ensued-Baxter's 'Scripture Gospel 'Defended '-The Influence of his Writings and Preaching on Antinomianism-Leading Errors of the System 650 Behaviour of the Quakers-Worcestershire Petition to Parliament '- 'Petition Defended'—' Quaker's Catechism Single Sheets' re- lating to the Quakers-Controversy with Beverley on the Millenium- Account of Beverley- The Glorious Kingdom of Christ described ' Introductory Observations Humble Advice '—' Holy Commonwealth' -Origin and Design of the Work-Involved the Author in much Trouble-The Political Principles whieh 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 the Life of Mrs. Baxter'- Penitent Confession '-Conduct of Long towards Baxter- Reliquiæ Baxterianæ '-Character of this Work-Imperfectly Edited by Sylvester-Calamy's Account of it, and its Reception-His Abridgment of it-Controversy to which it led Introductory Observations- The Saint's Everlasting Rest'-Written for his own use in 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 Thoughts'- Reformed Liturgy'' Paraphrase on the New Testament' Monthly Pre- parations for the Communion '-' Poetical Fragments - Additions' to the Fragments - Paraphrase of the Psalms'-General Review of CHAPTER XIII. GENERAL CONCLUSION. Baxter, the author of Prefaces to many Books by others-Leaves various Treatises in Manuscript-His extensive Correspondence still preserved-Letter to Increase Mather-Account of Transactions with his Booksellers-Concurrence of Opinions respecting him as a Writer-Barrow-Boyle-Wilkins-Usher - Manton-Bates-Doddridge - Kippis-Orton - Addison-Johnson-Granger-Wilberforce-His own Review of his Writings-Its characteristic candour and fidelity-The magnitude of his Labours as a Writer-The number 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 DeficiencyConclusion Page 763 THE LIFE AND TIMES OF RICHARD BAXTER. CHAPTER I. Birth of Baxter-Character of his Father-Low State of Religion-Baxter's first religious Impressions-His early Education-Progress of his religious Feelings-Residence at Ludlow Castle-Escapes acquiring 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 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 Baxter, 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 12th of November, 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, his It seems rather singular that Baxter should be guilty of a mistake respecting the day of his own birth. There is, however, a discrepancy between the date here given by himself, and that in the parish register. The following extract from it, made by my friend Mr. Williams, of Shrewsbury, shows that either Mr. Baxter or the parish clerk must have made a mistake. "Richard sonne and heyr of Richard Baxter of Eaton Constantyne and Beatrice his wife, baptized the sixth of November, 1615." If he was haptised on the sixth, he could not be born on the twelfth! But perhaps sixth is a mistake in the register for sixteenth. 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 calculated to injure, rather than to benefit. In High Ercall, there were four readers in the course of six years; all of them ignorant, 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 failing, he repeated the prayers without book, but to read the lessons, he employed a common labourer one year, a tailor another; and, at last, his own son, the best stage-player and gamester in all the country, got orders, and supplied one of his places. Within a few miles round were nearly a dozen more ministers of the same description poor, ignorant readers, and most of them of dissolute lives. Three or four, who were of a different character, 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 the manner in which he was reproached by the people as a Puritan and hypocrite, gave additional effect to his conversation. Parents should be careful what they say in the pre b In his Third Defence of the Cause of Peace, Baxter gives the names of all the individuals above referred to, with additional circumstances of a disgraceful nature in the history of each. The statement is a very shocking one, even in the most mitigated form in which I could pre-ent it; but justice to Baxter and to his account of the times, required that the facts should not be withheld, They give a deplorable view of the state of the period, and show, very powerfully, the necessity of some of the measures which were pursued at a future period for the purification of the church. |
