There was scarce a man in England so consulted about cases of conscience as he was. He was applied to in matters of more than common concern and difficulty, by persons of all ranks and qualities. His "Directory" may give the world satisfaction how fit he was for that province: and had he kept an exact account of the various cases that had been proposed to him, with his solutions, we should have had yet fuller evidence.
He loved a retired life, but could not so conceal himself as not to be observed and much respected. My Lord Broghill, who was afterwards Earl of Orrery and Lord President of Munster, gave him many marks of his respect. Archbishop Usher used great freedom with him, and urged him to some of his writings. In the worst of times he had some even in King Charles's court that were very respectful to him. Duke Lauderdale was one of these: and let him be ever so ill a man himself, this must be said, that Mr. Baxter had sometimes an interest in him for the procuring good, and the avoiding mischief. While he lived at Acton, he had free conversation with his neighbour Sir Matthew Hale. And he manifested his respect to Mr. Baxter, by giving a high encomium of him both for piety and learning, before all the judges at the table at Serjeants' Inn, at the time when he was in prison upon the Oxford Act. My Lord Balcarres and his Lady had also a very great value for him. He had many letters full of respects from eminent divines in foreign parts. But there was no friend in the whole course of his life whom he more valued and respected, and by whom he was more beloved, than that noted citizen Henry Ashhurst, Esq. commonly called Alderman Ashhurst, who was the most exemplary person for sobriety, self-denial, piety, and humility, that London could glory of. In short, living and dying, he was as much respected by some, and as much slighted by others, as any man of the age.
Hardly any man was ever more calumniated and reproached than he. Dr. Boreman, of Trinity College, charged him in print with killing a man with his own hand in cold blood. Some years after, the same charge was brought against him in a coffee-house; but he that brought it being afterwards convinced, professed his sorrow, and asked his pardon. But Sir Roger L'Estrange published a story a little like it in his "Observator," and it was also inserted in the preface to the "Life of Dr. Heylin," and was lately inserted in a book entitled, "Ordination by mere Presbyters proved Void and Null, in a Conference between Philalethes and Pseudocheus." The story was this, that Mr. Baxter finding one Major Jennings in the war time among the bodies of the dead and wounded, looked on while Lieutenant Hurdman, that was with him, ran him through the body in cold blood. And that Mr. Baxter took off with his own hand the king's picture from about his neck, telling him as he was swimming in his gore, that he was a popish rogue, and that was his crucifix: which picture was kept by Mr. Baxter till it was got from him, but not without much difficulty, by one Mr. Somerfield who lived with Sir Thomas Rouse, who restored it to the true owner, who was supposed to be dead of his wounds: and this narrative was subscribed by Jennings himself, that it might pass for the more authentic.--Mr. Baxter, on the contrary, solemnly protested in print[4] upon occasion of the publication, that he knew not that he ever saw Major Jennings; that he never saw him or any other man wounded; that he never took such a picture from him, or saw who did it; nor was in the field when it was done; much less spoke any thing like the words reported: but that being at Longford House, while it was a garrison for the parliament, a soldier showed a small medal of gilt silver, bigger than a shilling; and said that he wounded Jennings, took his coat from his back, and the medal from his neck, which Mr. Baxter bought for eighteen pence, no one offering more: and that hearing afterwards he was living, he freely desired this Somerfield to give it him, supposing it was a mark of honour which might be useful to him. And this story was all the thanks that ever he had.
When he preached before King Charles, his Majesty sent the lord chamberlain to him to require him to print his sermon, and he accordingly printed it, and added in the title page, "by his Majesty's special command." Dr. Pierce afterward asserted to several, that he was none of the king's chaplain, and that he had no order from him for the printing of his sermon. And he could scarce preach a sermon, but he was represented as having some seditious design, covered over with innocent words.