Baxter’s the true case of my life

Scope and Content

A closely written sheet in Baxter's hand. An autobiographical piece, containing xxxix articles or paragraphs; but different from Baxter’s Penitent Confession published in the last year of his life (1691, quarto, pp. 8-14) where xxiii articles occur.

Other Finding Aids

Argent / Black iv.95; Thomas p.25

Bibliography

See Corr 1051, 1053, 1054, 1055, 1205, 1235 and 1246.

  • For Thomas Long (1621-1707) see ODNB, WR and Corr 1017, 1028, 1058, 1096, 1205, 1235 and 1246.
  • Richard Baxter’s Penitent Confession, and his Necessary Vindication, in Answer to a Book, Called, The Second Part of the Mischiefs of Separation. Written by an Unnamed Author (1691) was a reply to Thomas Long’s anonymous The Unreasonableness of Separation (1682). Baxter’s preface of 13 June 1691 was addressed to Edward Stillingfleet, then Bishop of Worcester. Stillingfleet’s The Mischief of Separation (1680) had prompted Baxter’s reply Richard Baxter’s Answer to Dr Edward Stlillingfleet’s Charge of Separation (1680). Stillingfleet responded to this and other replies with The Unreasonableness of Separation (1681) and Baxter countered this with A Second True Defence of the Meere Nonconformists (1681). Long’s animosity towards Baxter continued after the latter’s death and issued in his Review of Mr Richard Baxter’s life, wherein many mistakes are rectified, some false relations detected, [and] some omissions supplied(1697).