BAXTER, RICHARD, an eminent divine, was born at Rowton, in Shrgiishire, November 12, 1615. He was carefully instructed by his father in the principles of Christian piety, and gave early indica tions of a devout and studious disposition. He was less fortunate in his opportunities of literary improve ment, and hiS first teachers were neither men of great learning nor of good morals. He made very consi derable attainments, however, under Mr Owen, mas ter of the free school at Wroxeter, who taught him the elements of grammar ; under Mr Wickstead, chaplain to the council at Ludlow, who allowed him the use of an excellent library ; and under Mr Gar ben, minister of Wroxeter, who carried him through a course of philosophy, and greatly encouraged him in the pursuit of his studies. In 1633 he was per suaded to seek employment at court ; and he went to Whitehall, with recommendation tp Sir Henry Her bert, master of the revels ; but being soon disgusted with that mode of life, and having a strong predilec tion for the clerical office, he returned home, after little more than a month's absence, and resumed his former studies with redoubled vigour. In the mean time he was appointed master of the free school at Dudley ; but his bodily health became so infirm, that, from the 21st to the 23d year of his age, he lived in the constant expectation of death, and was so deeply impressed by a sense of the importance of religion, that he became still more anxious to em ploy his remaining strength in recommending the subject to his fellow creatures. In 1638 he received orders from Dr Thornborough, bishop of Worcester, and preached frequently at Dudley and the neigh bouring villages, with great satisfaction to his hear ers.. Within less than a year after his ordination he went to associate as assistant to Mr Madstard, at Bridgnorth ; and in 1640 he was invited to the of fice of stated preacher at Kidderminster. Here he employed himself with unwearied diligence in the in struction of his parish, and produced a very remark able reformation of manners among a very dissolute people. When the civil war commenced, about two years afterwards, he joined with the parliament, and was exposed to several inconveniences on that account. He was obliged to remove his residence, first to Worcester, then to Gloucester, then back to Kid derminster, and then at length to Coventry, where he continued about two years, residing chiefly in the governor's house, preaching both to the soldiers of the garrison and to the people of the town, and exert ing himself, with great success and zeal, in repress ing the anabaptists, and restraining the violence of the other sectaries. With the view of preventing, still ' more effectually, the growing influence of turbulent men, he connected himself with the army, and acted for a considerable time as chaplain to the regiment of Colonel Whalley. In 1647 he was reduced to such a feeble state of health, by a frequent bleeding at the nose, that he was obliged to relinquish his' employ ment in the army, and, after remaining sonie time at the house of Sir Thomas Rouse, he returned to his ministry at Kidderminster. He openly opposed ma
ny of the revolutionary measures which now began to prevail ; discouraged the taking of the covenant ; dissuaded the army from resisting Charless II. at the head of the Scots ; expressed his dissatisfaction with Cromwell's usurpation ; recommended loyalty to their prince, in a discourse before the parliament ; preached a thanksgiving sermon at St Paul's, on account of. General Monk's success ; after the restoration was appointed one of the king's chaplains in ordinary, and was always treated by him with peculiar respect. He frequently waited upon the king, in order to procure, by his means, more favourable terms fur the non-conformists ; was one of the commissioners at the Savoy conferences on the. same subject ; and was employed to draw up the reformed liturgy. He de clined the bishopric of Hereford, which was offered to him by Lord Chancellor Clarendon, and desired nothing so much as to resume his humble labours at Kidderminster ; but'he Was so obnoxious to the high church party, that all the favour of the chancellor could not procure his settlement there, in the way that he approved. He preached occasionally in the neighbourhood of London, till the passing of the act against conventicles in 1662. About this time he married the daughter of Francis Charleton, Esq. a distinguished magistrate in Shropshire, and lived very quietly, first at Acton in Middlesex, and afterwards at Totteridge, near Barnet. During this retirement, he received various tokens of the royal favour ; was consulted upon the plans for settling the ecclesiasti cal disputes in Scotland ; and was offered his choice of preferments in that country. He was one of the principal sufferers in the oppressive severities which were exercised against the non-conformists, during the reigns of Charles II., and his successor James IL. He was repeatedly imprisoned, even when he was la bouring under the pressure of sickness, and was fre quently sentenced to pay very heavy penalties. But nothing could deter him from discharging his minis terial functions, when proper opportunities were pre sented ; and, even when confined to his chamber by increasing infirmities, he continued to expound the Scriptures to all who chose to assemble together at his seasons of family devotion. He bore his last ill ness with the most exemplary resignation, and bene fited his numerous visitors by his good instructions and example.. When constrained, by the extremity of his pains, to wish for death, he used to check him self, and say, " It is not fit for me to prescribe ; when thou wilt, what thou wilt, how thou wilt." He died at the age of 76 years, on the 8th of De cember 1691, and his body was accompanied to the grave by many persons of all ranks and denomina tions.