Aaron Menikoff, The Baxters

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Submitted by Aaron Menikoff on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 07:24

Aaron After his wife died, Richard Baxter wrote a brief account of her life. A summary of these events and excerpts of this writing are found in J. I. Packer's A Grief Sanctified: Through Sorrow to Eternal Hope (Crossway, 2002). I think it is safe to say that Baxter, well known for his work on ministry, The Reformed Pastor, as well as his reflections on heaven, The Saints' Everlasting Rest, is not so well known for his marriage. And yet, it is a sweet, sweet story.


Baxter (1615-1691) met Margaret after she moved to Kiddermister to be with her mother. Her mother, as Packer put it, "had moved there to receive the benefit of Richard's magnificent ministry." Though immature in years and spiritual maturity when she came to Kiddermister, Margaret grew while sitting under the preaching of Baxter. Washed in the Word, she committed herself to Christ. "In due course she found herself assured of her sincerity in this commitment, and thus of her new birth, pardon for sin, and title to glory." 

At this point their lives became intertwined. Margaret grew in her affection for Richard and Richard knew he needed a wife. They had a marriage ceremony on September 10, 1662, and remained married for nineteen years until Margaret died. From Packer's account, it was not an easy marriage (does such a thing exist?) but it was a beautiful one. Baxter experienced a degree of persecution as a Nonconformist to the church of England in the seventeenth century. Margaret supported him through thick and thin. They sang together, prayed together, and endured hardship and ill-health together. 

When Richard reflected on Margaret's life, he did not write an extended greeting card full of flowery prose. His words are honest and appreciative. He saw in his wife and exemplary life and wanted others to learn from it. He wanted the account of Margaret's conversion and spiritual growth to be used to encourage Christians to press onward. Giving a reason for publishing a brief account of her life, Baxter wrote:

"And this history may teach us that, though God usually begins (as is said) our conversion in fears and penitent sorrows, it is holy and heavenly joy which it tendeth to, as more desirable; and we should chiefly seek and should labor to moderate fear and sorrow, and not think we can never have enough."

Watching Margaret grow in her knowledge and love of the Lord taught Richard that when it comes to "holy and heavenly joy" we can never have enough. What a wonderful lesson.
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