Reliquiae Baxterianae: or, Mr. richard baxter's narrative of The most Memorable Passages of his life and times. Faithfully Publish'd from his own Original Manuscript, By matthew sylvester..
London.
Printed for T. Parkhurst, J. Robinson, J. Lawrence, and J. Dunton, 1696.
First edition.
Folio.
[28], 448, 200, 132, [2], 18pp, [6]. Partially misbound. 'Elisha’s cry after Elijah’s God consider’d and apply’d', (Wing S6330) has separate dated title page, pagination and register. With an engraved portrait frontispiece. Contemporary blind-ruled speckled calf, later rebacked, lettered in gilt to spine. Rubbed, joints starting, loss to head of spine. Armorial bookplate of Gaddeson Park Library to FEP, latter half of text-block browned and spotted, very occasional short tears to margins, clipping text at times (without loss of sense).
The first edition of ejected minister and religious writer Richard Baxter's (1651- 1691) posthumously autobiography, edited by ejected minister, and Baxter's literary executor, Matthew Sylvester (1636/7-1708). 'Elisha's Cry after Elijah's God', Sylvester's sermon on the occasion of Baxter's death, is included in an appendix.
No one esteemed Baxter more highly than Sylvester. For this very reason, however, no one could have been a more unhappy choice as editor. Weighed down by his responsibility - 'My Heart akes exceedingly', he wrote in his preface, 'at every remembrance of my incumbent Trust' - and 'Deeply sensible of my inability for such Work; even to discouragement, and no small Consternation of Spirit', he was quite unable to take the drastic measures necessary to reduce Baxter's 'great quantity of loose Papers' to order. As a result, the chronology of the Reliquiae's narrative is confused and impaired by an inconsistent formal arrangement.
No one esteemed Baxter more highly than Sylvester. For this very reason, however, no one could have been a more unhappy choice as editor. Weighed down by his responsibility - 'My Heart akes exceedingly', he wrote in his preface, 'at every remembrance of my incumbent Trust' - and 'Deeply sensible of my inability for such Work; even to discouragement, and no small Consternation of Spirit', he was quite unable to take the drastic measures necessary to reduce Baxter's 'great quantity of loose Papers' to order. As a result, the chronology of the Reliquiae's narrative is confused and impaired by an inconsistent formal arrangement.
ESTC R16109, Wing B1370.
£ 950.00
Antiquates Ref: 25926