sufficed; and giving himself to the Christian ministry, he was ordained
in 1638, and, after being master of a school at Dudley, exercised his
ministry successively at Bridgnorth and Kidderminster. His learning and
capacity for business made him the leader of the Presbyterian party. He
was one of the greatest preachers of his own day, and consistently
endeavoured to exert a moderating influence, with the result that he
became the object of attack by extremists of opposing views. Though
siding with the Parliament in the Civil War, he opposed the execution of
the King and the assumption of supreme power by Cromwell. During the war
he served with the army as a chaplain. On the return of Charles II., B.
was made one of his chaplains, and was offered the see of Hereford, which
he declined, and his subsequent request to be allowed to return to
Kidderminster was refused. He subsequently suffered persecution at the
hands of Judge Jeffreys. After the Revolution he had a few years of peace
and quiet. His literary activity was marvellous in spite of ill-health
and outward disturbance. He is said to have written 168 works, the best
known of which are _The Saints' Everlasting Rest_ (1650), and _Call to
the Unconverted_ (1657), manuals of practical religion; and, among his
controversial writings, _Methodus Theologiæ_ (1681), and _Catholic
Theology_ (1675), in which his theological standpoint--a compromise
between Arminianism and Calvinism--is set forth. Dr. Isaac Barrow says
that "his practical writings were never mended, and his controversial
seldom confuted," and Dean Stanley calls him "the chief English
Protestant schoolman." B. left an autobiography, _Reliquiæ Baxterianæ_,
which was a favourite book with both Johnson and Coleridge. Other works
by him are _The Life of Faith_ (1670), _Reasons of the Christian
Religion_ (1672), and _Christian Directory_ (1675). _Practical Works_ in
23 vols. (1830) edited with memoirs by W. Orme, also _Lives_ by A.B.
Grosart (1879), Dean Boyle (1883), and J.H. Davies (1886).