Increase Mather’s comments on Baxter’s Glorious Kingdom of Christ

Archive Unit
  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 123 DWL/RB/1/267
  • Former Reference
      GB 123 Treatises vii.26 Treatises vii.220
  • Dates of Creation
      16 December 1690
  • Name of Creator
  • Physical Description
      ff 3-4* Additional pagination pp. 1-7; 238 x 177 mm.

Scope and Content

Notes and suggestions by Dr Increase Mather on the MS, sent for his perusal by Baxter, of his Glorious Kingdom of Christ. Not signed and written in a peculiar and difficult hand, referring to the pages and sections of that work, but not as numbered in the printed copy (1691, quarto DWL ‘8 Aa 8’ and ‘9 D* 6’). The author states his position in opposition to Baxter’s, and denies (p. 5) that the Independents in England or in New England, in general held like views. He states he has not seen Mr Beverley’s 'Catechisme, or ye Booke wch you Answer’, and saith (p. 6), and ‘As for the Reasons which first induced me to believe the Chiliad, they are (in part) mentioned in my preface to my Sermons about the Salvation of Israel, which I send herewith & pray your Acceptance of. I wrote that Booke when I was a young man (28 years old) but as to the Substance of what is there asserted, I am still (now that I am 52) of the same perswasion.’ (p. 6).

Note

  • Black identifies the writer as the Dr Increase Mather of Boston (who was in England from 1688 to 1692) and whose Works were described in Palmer’s Nonconformist’s Memorial, ii, 248-249.
  • Baxter’s reply, dated 19 December 1690 appeared in Glorious Kingdom of Christ (AGM 129), when it was published in 1691.

Other Finding Aids

Argent / Black vii.220 (also listed as vii.26); Thomas p.23

Custodial History

Black records 'The second sheet of this quarto manuscript (pp. 3-6) was found among loose fragments, and is now placed within the first.' Baxter’s reply, dated 19 December 1690 appeared in Glorious Kingdom of Christ (AGM 129), when it was published in 1691.

Bibliography

  • For Increase Mather (1639-1723) see Corr 390, 1201, 1215, 1216, 1218, 1252, 1257 CR and ODNB.
  • Baxter’s The Glorious Kingdom of Christ (1691) was an answer to Thomas Beverley’s The Catechism of the Kingdom (1690) and challenged Beverley’s view of Christ’s millennial kingdom. See Corr 1207. Baxter also wrote A Reply to Mr Tho. Beverley’s Answer to my reasons against his doctrine of the thousand years middle kingdom, and of the conversion of the Jews (1691). Beverley responded with The Thousand Years Kingdom of Christ (1691) and The Universal Christian Doctrine of the Day of Judgment(1691).