BAXTER, RICHARD. 



BAXTER, RICHARD. 



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examined what had been taught till then under the name of belles- 

 lettres, he endeavoured to reduce that branch of study to fixed prin- 

 ciples. He invented the word ' sesthetic," which he applied to the 

 theory of taste, or the science of the beautiful. Previous writers who 

 had written on this subject had mostly limited their investigations to 

 the beautiful in works of art; Baumgarten extended his researches 

 to the qualities that constitute the beautiful in general, whether in 

 natural or artificial objects, and to our faculty of perceiving the same. 

 He divided the science of aesthetic into theoretical and practical : he 

 developed his ideas first in his treatise, ' Disputatio de nonnullis ad 

 Poema pertinentibus,' Halle, 1735, and afterwards in his ' ^Esthetica,' 

 Frankfurt on the Oder, 1750. ^Esthetics has since become a distinct 

 science, and is taught as such in the German universities. The other 

 works of Baumgarten are ' Metaphysiea ; ' '^Ethica Philosophica; ' 

 ' Initia Philosophies Practicae.' 



In 1740 Baumgarten was appointed professor of philosophy at 

 Frankfurt-on-the-Oder. His constant application undermined his 

 health, and after lingering in a weak state for several years, he died 

 in 1762. He was a profound thinker, remarkably methodical in the 

 arrangement of his thoughts, and precise in his exposition of them. 



His elder brother, JAMES SIGISMUND, studied also at Halle, and 

 became professor of theology in that university. He wrote ' Instruc- 

 tions on Moral Theolocy,' 8vo, 1738 ; ' Abridgment of Ecclesiastical 

 Hitory,' 3 vols. 8vo, 1745; 'Primso Line;e Brevarii Antiquitatum 

 Chri-tianarum,' 1747, and other works on ecclesiastical studies. He 

 introduced important ameliorations into the study of theology at 

 Halle. He died in 1757. 



MARTIN BAUMOARTEN, of Breitenbach, patrician of Nuremberg, no 

 relation to the preceding, travelled in the east in the beginning of the 

 16th century, and left an account of his journey, which was published 

 after his death vnder the title of ' Peregrinatio in Egyptum, Arabian), 

 Palsestinam, et Syriam, facta annis 1507 et 1508, in lucem edita a 

 Crintophoro Donaver,' 4to, Nuremberg, 1594. 



BAXTER, RICHARD. This eminent Nonconformist divine was 

 born at Rowdon, a small village in Shropshire, on the 12th of Novem- 

 ber, 1615; but he resided till 1625 st Eaton Constantino, about five 

 miles from Shrewsbury. His father's limited means prevented him 

 from giving his son any education beyond what could be obtained 

 from the village schoolmasters, who were neither competent teachers 

 nor moral men. To Mr. John Owen, who kept the free grammar- 

 school at Wroxeter, Baxter acknowledge* some obligations. Though 

 he was captain of the school, his acquirements were very inconsiderable 

 when he left it. His ambition was to enter one of the universities to 

 qualify himself for the ministry; but his master, Mr. Owen, recom- 

 mended him to Mr. Richard Wickstead, chaplain to the council at 

 Ludlow, who had an allowance from government for a divinity 

 student. Though the defects in his previous education were but ill 

 supplied by this arrangement (Wickstead being a negligent tutor), he 

 had access to a good library, where he acquired a taste for those 

 studies which he pursued with such indefatigable diligence in after life. 

 Here he continued for eighteen months, when he returned to his 

 father's house, and supplied for a few months the place of hia old 

 master at Wroxeter grammar-school. Finding all his hopes of going 

 to the university disappointed, he resumed his professional studies 

 under the direction of Mr. Francis Qarbett, a clergyman of some 

 celebrity, who conducted him through a course of theology, and gave 

 him much valuable assistance in his general reading. While thus 

 engaged, he was diverted from hia pursuits by a proposition from his 

 friend, Mr. Wickstead, to try his fortune at court. Tiieology was 

 thrown aside, and Baxter went up to Whitehall, specially introduced 

 to Sir Henry Herbert, master of the revels, as an aspirant to royal 

 favour. His reception was courteous and even kind. For one month 

 he mingled in the festivities of the palace, a period which was suffi- 

 cient to convince him of the unsuitablenesa of such a mode of life to 

 his tastes, his habits, and his conscience ; he returned home, and 

 resumed his studies with a determination never to be again diverted 

 from them. Some books which he read increased that habitual 

 seriousness which he derived from his natural disposition, as well as 

 from the example of his father; and a protracted illness completed 

 the preparation of his mind for the reception of those impressions of 

 religious duty under which he acted through the remainder of hia life. 



While he was in this declining state of health, his anxiety to com- 

 mence his ministerial labours overcame every other consideration. 

 He applitd for ordination to the Bishop of Worcester, and obtained 

 it, together with a schoolmaster's licence, as lie had accepted the 

 mastership of the free grammar-school at Dudley, just then founded 

 by his friend Mr. Foley of Stourbridge. He was then twenty-three 

 years of age, and at this time entertained no scruples on the subject 

 of conformity, having never examined with any nicety the grounds of 

 subscription. 



At the end of nine months Baxter removed from Dudley to Bridge- 

 north, where he acted as assistant to the clergyman. A release from 

 his school engagements must, to such a mind as Baxter's, intent upon 

 pastoral duties, have appeared a sufficient inducement for the change, 

 but, in the then state of hia feelings, it waa of still greater moment to 

 him to be relieved from the prospect of having to renew his sub- 

 scription, to the terms of which his attention had now been directed. 

 Bridgenorth is the centre of a little district comprising six parishes, 



BIOO. DIV. vuu i. 



exempt from all episcopal jurisdiction, except a triennial visitation 

 from the archbishop. Here he expected to perform the humble duties 

 of curate without obstruction, happy in the society of a colleague 

 whose views harmonised with his own, and still happier in having a 

 wide field for his exertions. But his hopes were soon frustrated by 

 the 'et cetera oath,' as it was called, which enjoined all who had 

 taken orders to swear that they would never consent to any alteration 

 in the ceremonial or government of the church by archbishops, bishops, 

 deans, archdeacons, &c. It does not appear that Mr. Baxter, any 

 more than his brother clergyman at Bridgenorth, thought it necessary 

 to observe the terms of this oath, for a complaint was laid against 

 them for non-compliance with the ritual in various particulars. 



Baxter left Bridgenorth after a residence of one year and nine 

 months, on an invitation from a committee of the parishioners (1640) 

 to become the officiating clergymnn at the parish church in Kidder- 

 minster, the vicar having agreed, in order to settle disputes, to allow 

 SOL per annum to a curate of their own choosing. The living was 

 afterwards sequestered, the townsmen collected the tithes, paid Baxter 

 and Baxter's curate, aud gave the vicar 401. per annum. The circum- 

 stances under which Baxter settled at Kidderminster were favourable 

 to his views; but it was not without considerable opposition from 

 one portion of the community, whose vices he publicly reproved, 

 that he carried some of his reforms into effect. Not satisfied with cor- 

 recting the more flagrant offences of the inhabitants, he visited them 

 at their houses, became acquainted with their families, gave them 

 religious instruction in private, and became their friend as well as 

 their pastor. By these means he soon wrought a complete change in 

 the habits of the people. His preaching was acceptable to all ranks. 

 Wherever he went, large audiences attended him; and his energy was 

 so unremitting, notwithstanding his feeble health and constant indis- 

 position, that he preached three or four times a week. 



During the civil wars of that period Baxter held a position by 

 which he was connected with both the opposite parties in the state, 

 and yet was the partisan of neither. His attachment to monarchy 

 was well known ; while the deep stream of religious feeling which ran 

 through the conversation of the parliamentarians drew his sympathies 

 to that side. The undisguised respect paid by him to the character of 

 some of the puritans, made him and many others, who were sincerely 

 attached to the crown, the objects of jealousy and persecution. A 

 clamour was raised against them, and the rabble, whose excesses had 

 been checked by him, were eager enough to become the trumpeters of 

 the charge. During one of these ebullitions of party excitement, 

 Baxter spent a few days in the parliamentary army, and was preaching 

 within sound of the cannon when the memorable battle was fought 

 at Edge HilL Not considering it safe to return to Kidderminster, 

 he retired to Coventry, where he lived two years, preaching regularly 

 to the parliamentary garrison and to the inhabitants. After the 

 battle of Napeby, in 1645, he passed a night on a visit to some friends 

 in Cromwell's army, a circumstance which led to the chaplaincy of 

 Colonel Whalley's regiment being offered to him, which, after con- 

 sulting his friends at Coventry, he accepted. In this capacity he was 

 present at the taking of Bridgewater, the sieges of Kxeter, Bristol, 

 and Worcester, by Colonels Whalley and Rainsboro'. He lost no 

 opportunity of moderating the temper of the champions of the com- 

 monwealth, and of restraining them within the bounds of reason ; but 

 as it was known that the check proceeded from one who was unfriendly 

 to the ulterior objects of the party, his interference was coolly received. 



After his recovery from an illness which compelled him to leave 

 the army, we find him again at Kidderminster, exerting himself to 

 moderate conflicting opinions. The conduct of Cromwell at this crisis 

 exceedingly perplexed that class of men of whom Baxter might be 

 regarded as the type. For the sake of peace they yielded to an 

 authority which they condemned as a usurpation, but nothing could 

 purchase their approbation of the measures by which it had been 

 attained and was supported. In open conference Buxter did not scruple 

 to denounce Cromwell and his adherents as guilty of treason aud rebel- 

 lion, though he afterwards doubted if he was right in opposing him so 

 strongly. (See Baxter's ' Penitent Confessions,' quoted in Ormo.) The 

 reputation of Baxter rendered his countenance to the new order of 

 things highly desirable, and accordingly no pains were spared to pro- 

 cure it. The Protector invited him to an interview, and endeavoured 

 to reconcile him to the political changes that had taken place ; but 

 the preacher was unconvinced by his arguments, and boldly told him 

 that " the honest people of the land took their ancient monarchy to be 

 a blessing and not an evil." 



In the disputes which prevailed about this time on the subject of 

 episcopal ordination, Baxter took the side of the Presbyterians in 

 denying its necessity. With them too he agreed in matters of disci- 

 pline aud church government. He dissented from them in their con- 

 demnation of episcopacy as unlawful. On their great principle, namely, 

 the sufficiency of the Scriptures to determine all points of faith and 

 conduct, he wavered for some time, but ultimately adopted it in its full 

 extent. Occupying as he did this middle ground between the Episco- 

 palians and the Presbyterians, it was not very obvious with which of 

 the two parties he was to be classed. Had all impositions aud restraints 

 been removed, there is every reason to suppose that ho would have 

 preferred a moderate episcopacy to any other form of church govern- 

 ment ; but the measures of the prelatical party were so grievous to the 



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