What hath it been to thee But pain and sorrow? Better to-morrow? Look up towards heav'n and see How pure and lightful! Who shall enjoy them? God is essential love; Each in his measure. Their constant pleasure. What joy must there needs be, Feeling God's vital love, Which still is burning: And flaming God-ward move, Lord Jesus, take my spirit: This soul in safety keep, For thou hast bought it." b I have dwelt longer on Baxter's poetical pieces than, to some, their importance may seem to justify. I have been the more particular, however, because they are less known than most of his writings, and because they form a very appropriate conclusion to his devotional works. They show what every thing which Baxter wrote confirms, that his religion was a reli b Poetical Fragments, pr. 148-153. gion of enjoyment. It is the more necessary to remark this, because a superficial observer may be induced to suppose that the contrary was the case. His writings, it will be remarked, speak much of mortification, and self-denial, and crucifixion. They do; and Baxter felt himself impelled to dwell on these subjects, because he regarded the evils which render them necessary as the true banes of man's happiness. He was persuaded that, till the habit of resisting and conquering the flesh and the world be formed, and unless it be kept in constant exercise, no real enjoyment can be found. The selfdenial which he, therefore, inculcated, arose out of the state of human nature, and was directed to the highest good of manthe enjoyment of the divine complacency. Baxter was probably regarded by the men of the world of his own age, as one of the most demure, joyless, mortified persons on earth; and such, on their principles, he certainly was. Yet Baxter was a singularly happy man. He tells us that he knew nothing of low spirits or nervous depression, notwithstanding all his bodily sufferings. His hopes of heaven and its blessedness were rarely clouded from the beginning to the end of his Christian course. His hands were constantly full of his Master's work, and his heart ardently set upon the accomplishment of it. The pulse of the Christian life ever beat most vigorously in his veins; the Christian walk he steadily pursued; and its close was as peaceful and serene as its progress had been honourable. It is pleasing to read of the melody of his feelings, of the tenderness or "passion" of his heart, of his songs in the night, and his delight in sacred poetry and music. They are evidences of the rest which his soul had found in God. There was a close and holy union between the fountain of living joy and his renovated spirit. "Being justified by faith, he had peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ, and rejoiced in hope of the glory of God." Devotion was his element, and its exercises were his delight. By this means he renewed his impaired strength, restored his lost tranquillity, and replenished his exhausted comfort. It was the master-principle of his mind and character; that which harmonized and adjusted all their movements, and guided all their aims. I may, with the greatest propriety, accommodate to himself the beautiful description which he gives of a Christian's devout meditations in the conclusion of his Saint's Rest.' "As Moses, before he died, went up into Mount Nebo, to take a survey of the land of Canaan, so he ascended the mount of contemplation, and by faith surveyed his heavenly rest. He looked on the delectable mansions, and said, 'Glorious things are deservedly spoken of thee, thou city of God.' He heard, as it were, the melody of the heavenly choir, and said, 'Happy the people that are in such a case; yea, happy is that people whose God is the Lord.' He looked upon the glorious inhabitants, and exclaimed, 'Happy art thou, O Israel! Who is like unto thee, O people, saved by the Lord!' He looked on the Lord himself, who is their glory, and was ready, with the rest, to fall down and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever. He looked on the glorified Saviour, and was ready to say "Amen,' to that new song, 'Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.' He looked back on the wilderness of this world, and blessed the believing, patient, despised saints; he pitied the ignorant, obstinate, miserable world. For himself, when thus employed, he said, with Peter, 'It is good to be here,' or, with Asaph, It is good for me to draw near to God.' Like Daniel, in his captivity, he daily opened his window, looking towards the Jerusalem that is above, though far out of sight. Like Paul's affections towards his brethren, though absent in the flesh from the glorified saints, he was yet with them in spirit, joying and beholding their heavenly order." c Saint's Rest,' 4to. p. 814. Engaging so deeply in these delightful exercises of holy contemplation, he was thus eminently qualified to explain and recommend them to others. They constitute the life of the soul, the beauty of religion, the glory of the Christian. "As the lark sings sweetly while she soars on high, but is suddenly silenced when she falls to the earth; so is the frame of the soul most delightful and divine, while it keepeth God in view by contemplation. But, alas! we make there too short a stay, and lay by our music." d Will the reader now join with me in closing this chapter with the beautiful prayer which concludes the Rest?' "O Thou, the merciful Father of spirits, the attractive of love, and ocean of delight! draw up these drossy hearts unto thyself, and keep them there till they are spiritualized and refined! Second thy servant's weak endeavours, and persuade those that read these lines to the practice of this delightful, heavenly work! Oh! suffer not the soul of thy most unworthy servant to be a stranger to those joys which he describes to others; but keep me while I remain on earth in daily breathing after thee, and in a believing, affectionate walking with thee. And when thou comest, let me be found so doing: not serving my flesh, nor asleep with my lamp unfurnished, but waiting and longing for my Lord's return. Let those who shall read these pages, not merely read the fruit of my studies, but the breathing of my active hope and love; that if my heart were open to their view, they might there read thy love most deeply engraven with a beam from the face of the Son of God; and not find vanity, or lust, or pride within, where the words of life appear without; that so these lines may not witness against me; but, proceeding from the heart of the writer, may be effectual, through thy grace, upon the heart of the reader, and so be the savour of life to both."e 4 Saint's Rest,' 4to. p. 815. Ibid. 4to. p. 815. CHAPTER XIII. GENERAL CONCLUSION. Baxter, the author of Prefaces to many Books by others-Leaves various Treatises in Manuscript-His extensive Correspondence still preserved-Letter to Increase Mather-Account of Transactions with his Booksellers-Concurrence of Opinions respecting him as a Writer-Barrow— Boyle-Wilkins-Usher- Manton-Bates-Doddridge—Kippis-Orton— Addison-Johnson-Grainger-Wilberforce-His own Review of his Writings-Its characteristic candour and fidelity-The magnitude of his Labours as a Writer-The number and variety of his Works-His ReadinessHis Style-Sometimes injudicious both in his Writings and his ConductDeficient in the full statement of Evangelical Doctrine-Causes of this Deficiency-Conclusion. HAVING laid before the reader some account of every book published by Baxter, as far as can be ascertained, with those observations which have been suggested by its nature and design, it only remains that I should collect together some miscellaneous circumstances, which could not properly be noticed under any of the preceding heads, and offer some concluding remarks on the character of Baxter as a writer. Besides the books he wrote himself, he prefixed, generally at the desire of their respective authors, prefaces or commendatory epistles to a great number of publications. Of these, Calamy has given the following enumeration, which I have no doubt could be greatly increased, were it of sufficient importance to devote the time which such a research would require : "We have a preface of his before Mr. Swinnock's book of 'Regeneration;' another before a book of Mr. Eede's; another |