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Demonology and Witchcraft - "Less we forget"

Richard Baxter

Written and compiled by George Knowles

Richard Baxter was a prominent Puritan church leader, poet, hymnodist, theologian, and controversialist who influenced 17^th century English Protestantism.  Known as a peacemaker he sought unity among the clashing Protestant denominations, and was at the centre of nearly every major controversy in England during his time.  He was the author of some 200 works covering some of the most controversial church subjects of his time including Witchcraft.

Baxter was born on the 12^th November 1615 at the house of his maternal grandfather in a small village called Rowton, Shropshire.  He was later baptised in the local parish church at High Ercall.  In February of 1626 his parents’ returned with him to there own home (now called Baxter’s House) located in Eaton Constantine, Shropshire.

Baxter’s House as it still stands today

Baxter’s early education was poor, provided mainly by the local clergy who themselves were virtually illiterate.  He was helped by John Owen, a master of a nearby free school at Wroxeter, where he studied from 1629 to 1632, during which he showed a growing propensity for languages.  On Owen’s advice he did not go to Oxford (which he afterwards regretted), but instead went to Ludlow Castle and studied with Richard Wickstead, chaplain to the Council of Wales and the Marches.

Under the patronage of Sir Henry Herbert, the then Master of the Revels, Baxter worked for a short time at his court in London, but soon returned home to care for his mother who was seriously ill.  After the death of his mother, which deeply affected him, he resolved to change his studies to theology and divinity.  In the meantime he worked with his old tutor John Owen as a teacher at the free school in Wroxeter, while at the same time studying theology with Francis Garbet, a local clergyman.  In about 1634, he met Joseph Symonds and Walter Cradock, two Nonconformists who sowed the seeds of his early doubts regarding current Church of England episcopacy, doubts that would characterise the rest of his life causing conflict and persecution.

In 1638 Baxter received ordination into the Church of England from John Thornborough, the Bishop of Worcester, and was made master of the free grammar school at Dudley, in Worcestershire, where he commenced his initial ministry.  His success as a preacher was at first small; but he was soon transferred to Bridgnorth, in Shropshire, where as an assistant to a Mr Madstard, he established a reputation for vigorously discharging the duties of his office.

Baxter remained at Bridgnorth for nearly two years, during which time he took a special interest in the controversy relating to church nonconformity.  He soon became alienated from the Church on several matters; and after the requirement of the “et cetera oath”; he rejected episcopacy in its English form.  He became a moderate nonconformist; and continued as such throughout his life.  Though he was regarded as a Presbyterian, he was not exclusively tied to Presbyterianism, and often seemed prepared to accept a modified Episcopalianism.  He regarded all forms of church government as subservient to the true purposes of religion.

One of the first measures of the Long Parliament (first summoned in November 1640 by King Charles I) was to reform the church’s clergy; to which a committee was appointed to receive complaints against them.  Among the complainants were the clergy of St Mary and All Saints’ Church in Kidderminster, Worcestershire.  The then vicar George Dance agreed that he would give £60 a year, out of his own income of £200, to a preacher chosen by the church trustees.  Baxter was invited to deliver a sermon before the people, and was unanimously elected as the new church minister. 

The Reformed Pastor

The outbreak of the First English Civil War (1642-51), began a series of three civil war armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between the Parliamentarians (aka the Roundheads) and the Royalists (aka the Cavaliers) from 1642 until 1651, (the Roundheads were supporters of the Parliament of England, also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I of England and his supporters, known as the Royalists or Cavaliers.  The Royalists claimed rule by absolute monarchy and the principle of the “Divine right of Kings”.  The goal of the Roundhead party was to give Parliament supreme control over the executive administration of the country/kingdom.

Baxter blamed both parties and recommended protesting by becoming a nonconformist; but Worcestershire at the time was in a Royalist stronghold, and his views exposed him to danger in Kidderminster.  He temporarily retired to Gloucester, and then moved to Coventry (a Parliamentary stronghold).  There each Sunday he officiated as chaplain to the garrison, preaching a sermon each to of the soldiers, the townspeople and to strangers.  After the Battle of Naseby during which he met with and preached to Oliver Cromwell, he took the position of chaplain to Colonel Edward Whalley’s parliamentary regiment, and continued to hold it till February 1647.  During those stormy years he wrote his “Aphorisms of Justification”, which on its appearance in 1649 excited great controversy.  Of numerous critics the one with whom Baxter engaged most closely was Christopher Cartwright.

A believer in limited monarchy, Baxter attempted to play down his nonconformist views during the English Civil Wars particularly while serving as a chaplain in the parliamentary army.  Later he was summoned to London to assist in settling “the fundamentals of religion”.  In 1647, Baxter was staying at the home of Lady Rouse, wife of Sir Thomas Rouse, 1st Baronet of Rous Lench in Worcestershire.  There while debilitated by illness, he wrote most of his major work “The Saints' Everlasting Rest” (1650).  He was also an energetic campaigner for the establishment of a new University in Shrewsbury, but lack of funding prevented its success.

On his recovery Baxter returned to Kidderminster where he became a prominent political leader, but his sensitive conscience led him into conflict with most all the contending parties of Church and State.  An all-day debate on 01^st January 1650 with John Tombes, a prominent Presbyterian with Baptist views at Bewdley, the small town and civil parish where Baxter preached in Worcestershire, was attended by about 1500 people on each side and ended in confused disorder.

After the Restoration of the King in 1660, Baxter, who had helped to bring about the event settled in London.  He preached there until the Act of Uniformity 1662 took effect.  He looked for such terms of comprehension as would have permitted the moderate dissenters, with whom he had acted, to remain in the Church of England, but in that respect he was sadly disappointed.  The goal of comprehension was obstructed by forces on both sides, that of conforming churchmen and dissenters alike.  The Savoy Conference resulted in Baxter’s writing the “Reformed Liturgy”, though it was cast aside without consideration.  Baxter continued to advocate for a comprehensive “National Church” until his death.

Baxter soon gained the same reputation in London that he had obtained in the country.  The power of his preaching was universally felt, and his capacity for business placed him at the head of his party.  He had been made a King’s chaplain, and was offered the Bishopric of Hereford, but he could not accept the offer without assenting to things as they were.  After his refusal, he was not allowed, even before the passing of the Act of Uniformity, to be a curate in Kidderminster, and Bishop George Morley prohibited him from preaching in the Diocese of Worcester.

On 10 September 1662, Baxter married Margaret Charlton, a woman like-minded with himself.  She died in 1681 and Baxter wrote the words for the hymn “Ye Holy Angels Bright” in that year to honour her.

From 1662 until the indulgence of 1687, Baxter’s life was a constant battle against persecution of one kind or another.  He had retired to Acton in Middlesex, for the purpose of quiet study, but was placed in prison for keeping a conventicle. (A conventicle is a small, unofficial and unofficiated religious meeting of laypeople.) Baxter procured a habeas corpus in the court of common pleas, but was later taken up for preaching in London after the King recalled his licence granted in 1672.  The meetinghouse he had built for himself in Oxendon Street was also closed to him, he having only preached there once.

In 1680, he was taken from his house; and though he was released so that he might die at home, all his books and goods were seized.  In 1684, he was taken three times to the session house, where being scarcely able to stand, and without any apparent cause, he was made to enter into a bond for £400 in security for his good behaviour.

His worst encounter however was with the Chief Justice, Sir George Jeffreys, in May 1685.  He had been committed to the King’s Bench Prison on the charge of libelling the Church in his work “Paraphrase on the New Testament”, and was tried before Jeffreys for the accusation.  No authoritative report of the trial exists; but if the partisan account on which tradition is based is accepted, Jeffreys was infuriated.  Baxter was sentenced to pay 500 marks, to lie in prison until the money was paid, and to be bound to his good behaviour for seven years.  Jeffreys is even said to have proposed he should be whipped behind a cart.  Baxter was now approaching 70 years old, and remained in prison for 18 months, until the government, hoping to win his influence, remitted the fine and released him.

Certainty of the Worlds of Spirits

The remainder of Baxter’s life from 1687 seems to have passed peacefully.  He died in London on the 08^th December 1691 and churchmen as well as dissenters alike attended his funeral.

Legacy

A Monument to Richard Baxter at St Mary and All Saints' Church in Kidderminster.

End.

Sources:

https://www.evangelical-times.org/19534/richard-baxter-of-kidderminster-1/

https://www.evangelical-times.org/19176/richard-baxter-of-kidderminster-2/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Baxter

https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/philosophy-and-religion/protestant-christianity-biographies/richard-baxter

Written and compiled on the 17^th May 2020  ©  George Knowles

Best wishes and Blessed Be

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Many of the above biographies are briefs and far from complete.  If you know about any of these individuals and can help with additional information, please contact me privately at my email address below.  Many thanks for reading  :-)

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