B A X 



B A X 



l.o Iiopc of (join g to the uniM-rsily disappointed, he re- 



1 hi* nrofi-sMonal studies under the direction of Mr. 



1'i.in -i- (i.iri>olt. a clergvman of some celebrity, who con- 



urse of theology, mid gave him 



much valuable a^istance in his general reading. While 

 bo w.i* thus engaged, lie was suddenly diverted from liis 

 pursuits by a proposition frjm his friend, Mr. Wicl. 

 tn (r> his fortune at court. The project, singular as it vva<, 



- not to have been unpalatable cither to the future 

 puritan-divine or to his father: theology was thrown aside, 

 and Baxter went up to Whitehall, sjiccially 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 sufficient to convince him of 

 the UMUitabtaMM of such a mode of life to his tastes, his 

 habits, and his conscience ;- he then returned h.mic, and 

 resumed his studies with a determination never to be again 

 diverted from them. Before he went to London, his rc- 

 ns were deepened by the perusal of Bunny's 

 Resolution, Sibbs's limited Reed, and other works of this 

 kind. Some books which he read after his return increased 

 that habitual seriousness which he derived from his natural 

 disposition, as well as from the example of his father 

 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 his life. 



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

 to commence his ministerial labours overcame every other 

 cMii-idcration. He applied for ordination to tho bishop of 

 Worcester, and obtained it, together with a schoolmaster's 

 license, as he 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. His attention, however, 

 was speedily drawn to the debatable points of the contro- 

 versy ; but,' at first, the bitter tone of the None, nformists 

 pave him an unfavourable impression of their character, 

 though he admired their fervent piety, mid their energetic 

 efforts to stem the moral corruption of the times. There 

 was much in his own views and temperament which cor- 

 responded with theirs; but it required lime and circum- 

 stances to develop the tendencies of his mind. 



At the end of nine months Baxter removed from Dudley 

 to Bridgenorth, where he acted as assistant to the clergy- 

 man. 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 his feelings, it was of still greater moment to 

 him to he relieved from the prospect of having to renew 

 his subscription. Bridgenorth is the centre of a little dis- 

 trict comprising six parishes, exempt from all episcopal 

 jurisdiction, except a triennial visitation from the arch- 

 bishop. Here he expected to perform the humble duties of 

 curate without obstruction, happy in the society of a col- 

 league whose views harmonized with his own, ami 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 cere- 

 monial or government of the church by archbishops, bishops, 

 deans, archdeacons, &c. Itdoes not appear that Mr. Baxter, 

 any more than his brother clergv man at Bridgenorth, 

 thought it necessary to observe the terms of this oath, for 

 a complaint was laid against them for non-compliance with 

 tho ritual in various particulars. 



.icr left Bridgenorth after n residence of one vcar and 

 nine months, on an invitation from a committee of the pa- 



>ner.s (1040) to become the officiating clergyman at the 

 parish church in Kidderminster, the vicar having agreed, in 

 order to settle disputes, to allow OO/. per annum to a curate 

 of their own choosing. The living was afterwards scqucs- 



. the townsmen collected tho tithes, paid Baxter and 

 Baxter's curate, and gave the vicar 407. per annum. The 

 rin-n-ii-l -m-i'-i under which Baxter settled at Kiddermin- 

 ster were favourable to his views; but it was not without 



lerable opposition from one portion of the commu- 

 nity, whoso vices ho publicly reproved, that he carried 

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

 recting the more flagrant offences of the inhabitants, 

 nc 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. B> ' 

 means he soon wrought a complete change iji the habits of 

 the people. Though so strict a disciplinarian, his concilia- 

 tory manners won the hearts of all but a few who were irrc- 

 claimahlc. II i> preaching was acceptable to all ranks. 

 Wherever he went, hirge audicii. I him : and his 



energy was so unremitting, notwithstanding his feeble ' 

 and constant indisposition, that he preached three or four 



a week. 



During the civil wars of that period Baxter held a posi- 

 tion by which he was connected with both tho opposite 

 .tc, and yet was the parti ther. 



itachment to monarchy was well known, though his 

 adherence to the royalist party wa-. not so ecitain : while tho 

 deep stream of religious li-chng whi'-li ran thr.mgh the con- 

 versation of the parliamentarians drew hi^ sympathies to that 

 side. The undisguised respect paid by him to the rha: 

 of some of the puritans, made him and many others, wdio 

 were sincerely attached to the crown, the objects of jealousy 

 and persecution. A clamour was rai-c d against them, and 

 the rabble, whose excesses had been cheeked 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 pi 

 ing within sound of the cannon when the memorable battle 

 was fought at Edge Hill. His friend*, not considering it 

 safe for nim to return to Kidderminster, lie retired ; 

 ventry, where he lived two \cars, preaching regularly to 

 the parliamentary garrison and to the inhabitants. After 

 the battle of Naseby.in 1045, he passed :i night "ii a visit to 

 some friends in Cromwell's army, a cin iimstanee which led 

 to the chaplaincy of Colonel Whalli 

 offered to him, which, after consulting his fnein: 

 try, l.e art-opted. In this capacity he v.as present at tho 

 taking of Bridgcwater, t'.io sieges of Exeter, Bristol, and 

 Worn ' '.doncls WhalVy and l';:insbi TO'. ]'. 



no o| i f moderating the temper of the cham- 



pions ''!' the commonwealth, nnd of restrainir.fz them within 

 the bounds of reason ; but as it was known that the check 

 one who was unfriendly to the ulterior 

 objects of the party, his interference was coolly re 

 Among the soldiery he laboured with unceasing ardour to 

 diffuse a better spirit, and to correct those sectarian < 

 as he considered them,- anabaplism, antinomianism, and 

 separatism inclusive which in his view were so productive 

 of disputes and animosity. 



After his recovery from an illness, which compelled him 

 to leave the army, we find him again ul Kidderminster, 

 exerting himself with renewed vigour to moderate conflict- 

 ing opinions. The conduct of Cromwell at this crisis ex- 

 ceedingly perplexed that class of men of whom Baxter might 

 be regarded as the type. For the sake of peace they j . 

 to an authority which they condemned ns a usurpation, 

 but nothing could purchase their approbation of the mca- 

 snro by which it had been attained and va< supported 

 In open conference, Baxter did not scruple to denounce 

 Cromwell and his adherents as guilty of treason and rebel- 

 lion ; though he afterwards doubted i:'he was ri^ht in op- 



' him ?o strongly. (See Baxter's I'rnilfiit ('""/Vv.vjrj/j.? 

 quoted in Orine.) 'file reputation of Baxter rendered his 

 countenance to the new order of things highly desirable, and 

 accordingly no pains were spared to procure it. At tho 

 suggestion of some of his noble friends, he. once pn 

 before the Protector, who afterwards invited him to an inter- 

 view, and endeavoured to reconcile him to the political 

 changes that hail taken place; but the preacher was uncon- 

 vinced by his arguments, and boldly told him that 'the 

 honest people of the land took their antient monarchy to bo 

 a blessing, and not an evil.' The necessity of an\ a'.torati. n 

 in the government did not come within tl I his 



comprehension. He looked with a single eve to tin' dill 

 ofa deeper spirit of religion 1 in purified e.-.talilish- 



nvnt, beyond which he was incapable of carrying his views 

 or lending his Fanction. 



li, tl.'- disputes which prevailed about this time on the 



t of episcopal ordination, Baxter tok the side of the 



icrians in den uni: Us n,rr-,itv. With them, too, he 

 ;iline and church government. 



He dis-eiiU'd lioni them in their condemnation of episcopacy 

 as unlawful. On their great principle, viz. the suffiV 

 of the Scriptures to determine all points of faith nnd < n- 

 duct, he wavered for some time, but ultimately adopted it in 



