Ebyafaayo bya Richard Baxter

Richard Baxter yabuulira ng'omusajja eyali asuubira okufa — si mu ngeri ya kigambo kyereere, wabula ng'asoma bulungi omubiri gwe yennyini. Okumala emyaka nga ataano yeetikka endwadde ez'engeri nnyingi abasawo be ze bataasobola kutuuma linnya wadde okuziwonya, era buli mulimu gwe yatandika mu bulamu bwe yagutandika ng'akakasiza ddala nti tagenda kuwangaala kugumaliriza. Ekyo yakikyamiramu okumala ekitundu ky'ekyasa. Mu kiseera ekyo kyennyini yawandiika ebitabo nga kikumi mu nkaaga, n'akyusa ekibuga ky'abaluzi eky'obulagajjavu okukifuula kimu ku bitundu by'ekkanisa ebisinga okumanyibwa mu Bungereza, n'agaana okufuuka omulabirizi, n'afiirwa ekifo kye eky'okubuuliriramu, era n'atwalibwa mu maaso g'omulamuzi eyasinga obukambwe mu mulembe ogwo. Ye omu ku bantu abasinga okwewuunyisa era abasinga okuba n'obuntubulamu ekkanisa ey'e Bungereza b'eyazaala: omusajja ow'ekisa ekingi atasobola kulekeraawo kuwakana, omutabaganya eyayombanga, omusajja eyali afa naye n'awangaala okusinga abo bonna abaamusaasira.

Obuto mu Shropshire, n'Ekitabo Ekyatuuka ku Luggi

Yazaalibwa nga November 12, 1615, e Rowton mu Shropshire, mu nnyumba ya jjajjaawe ow'oluuyi lwa nnyina, era n'abatizibwa e High Ercall. Kitaawe naye yali ayitibwa Richard Baxter; nnyina yali Beatrice, eyazaalibwa nga Adney. Mu February 1626 amaka gaasengukira e Eaton Constantine. Okuyigirizibwa okw'eddiini kwe yafuna ng'akyali mulenzi kwali, ng'ekibalo kye kyennyini bwe kiri, kutono nnyo — olukalala lw'abakulembeze b'ekkanisa ab'omu kitundu abaalina obunyiikivu obw'enjawulo — era okuzuukusibwa kw'omuntu we ow'omunda tekwajja ng'okuyita mu mubuulizi wabula ng'okuyita mu bitabo ebyali bimaze okukozesebwa abalala, ebyatuuka ng'ekintu ekya kabonaboneka.

Ekyasooka kitaawe yakyewola ku mupakasi omwavu ow'omu kibuga: kkopi enkadde, eyayulika, ey'ekitabo Baxter ky'ayita Bunny’s Resolution — ekitabo eky'okusaba ekyawandiikibwa Parsons Omuyezwiiti ne kitereezebwa okukozesebwa Abapolotesitanti Edmund Bunny. Bwe yakisoma, Baxter yawulira omutima gwe nga gukwatibwa mu ngeri okubuulira kwonna kwe kwali tekunnamukwatamu. Oluvannyuma omusuubuzi omutambuze n'atuuka ku luggi n'ennyimba n'ebitabo ebirungi ebitono, ne kitaawe n'agula ekitabo kya Richard Sibbes ekiyitibwa The Bruised Reed. Ekitabo ekyo, yawandiika nti, “kyanjigiriza ennyo ku Kwagala kwa Katonda, era ne kimpa okutegeera okulamu ku Kyama ky'Okununulibwa.” Oluvannyuma ne kizuulibwa nti omuweereza ow'omu maka yalina ekitundu ky'ebiwandiiko bya William Perkins, era ekyo ne kimunyweza. Ye ne kitaawe, yakkiriza, tebaalina muntu n'omu gwe baali bamanyi eyalina okutegeera okw'amazima ku by'eddiini; teyali abaddeko na kuwulira muntu ng'asaba nga takozesa kitabo.

Era bwe kityo (nga tewali kyandiyambye okuggyako Ebitabo) Katonda yasiima okunsalirawo mbeere owuwe.

— Richard Baxter, Reliquiae Baxterianae

Kirungi okuyimirira katono ku sentensi eyo, kubanga eyo y'ennyonnyola ebingi ku ebyo ebyaddirira. Baxter yakyusibwa omutima ebitabo ebyakubibwa, ng'ali mu nnyumba omutaali kwogera kwonna kwa Kikristaayo. Obulamu bwe obwasigalawo bwonna yeeyisa ng'ekitabo ekiteekeddwa mu mikono egisaanidde kisobola okukola ekyo ye kennyini ky'atasobola kutambula wala okumala kubaawo kumala kukola.

Obutafuna Ebitiibwa by'Ettendekero

Baxter teyasoma yunivasite. Kino tekyali tteeka lya Bapuritani wadde ngeri ya kwetoowaza; kyali kinakuwaza, era yakyogera bw'atyo mu lwatu. Yali asomye mu ssomero ery'obwereere ery'e Wroxeter wansi w'omusomesa omukulu ayitibwa John Owen, era yali akoze bulungi mu Lulattini okutuuka we yali yeetegekedde Oxford. Awo, nga bwe yakyogera, “Bwe nnali nzeetegese okugenda mu Yunivasite, Omusomesa wange n'ansikira mu kkubo eddala eryannziyiza okugendayo, gye kwali okwegomba kwange okw'amaanyi.” Mu kifo ky'ekyo yatwalibwa mu Ludlow Castle okusoma ne Richard Wickstead, omusumba w'Olukiiko olw'eyo. Oxford gye yayagala teyajja n'akatono, era yawulira obwetaavu bwayo okumala emyaka nkaaga. Yali amanyi bulungi kye kyandimusaaseeko: “Nnali mmanyi nti obutaba na Bitiibwa na Ddiguli bya ttendekero kyandinfudde Anyoomebwa abasinga obungi, era bwe kityo ne kiziyiza Obuwanguzi bw'Okufuba kwange.”

Bw'atyo ne yeeyigiriza yekka, n'obunyiikivu obw'amaanyi era nga tewali nteekateeka, era okweyigiriza okwo kulabika mu buli kye yawandiika — obugazi obungi obw'ebirowoozo, obutagumiikiriza bitundu by'okulowooza, n'empisa ey'okumalirawo buli kibuuzo ye yennyini ng'atandikira ku misingi egisooka ng'ateeka nti tewali n'omu eyali akibuuzizza. Mu 1638 yafuuka omukulembeze w'essomero ery'obwereere ery'egulaama e Dudley era n'ayawulwa John Thornborough, Omulabirizi w'e Worcester. N'agenda e Bridgnorth mu Shropshire okumala emyaka nga ebiri. Mu kiseera ekyo yali muvubuka ayanguyiriza, era nga mulwadde dda.

Kidderminster

Mu ttoggo ery'omwaka 1641, ng'aweza emyaka amakumi abiri mu mukaaga, yayitibwa okugenda e Kidderminster mu Worcestershire, ekibuga ky'abaluka engoye n'emikono, era n'alondebwa mu mateeka nga April 5. Ekitundu ky'ekkanisa kyalimu amaka nga lunaana. Obuweereza obwakisookera bwali bwa bwereere, era erinnya lyakyo lyali lya butamiivu na butamanya.

Ekyo Baxter kye yakola eyo mu myaka amakumi abiri egyaddirira kyafuuka ekyokulabirako ekitundu ky'abasumba ba Bungereza kye baagezaako okukoppa oluvannyuma. Yabuulira, mazima ddala. Naye era yali akakasiza ddala nti okubuulira kwokka tekwandimazeeyo; bw'atyo ye n'omuyambi we ne bateekawo ennaku bbiri buli wiiki, ne batwala amaka kkumi na ana buli wiiki, nga bayita mu kitundu kyonna ky'ekkanisa amaka ku maka, nga batuula wansi na buli nnyumba mu mulundi gwayo, nga tewali mugenyi akkirizibwa — nga baagala okubuna ekitundu kyonna mu mwaka gumu n'oluvannyuma ne batandika okuddamu. Okuva mu mpisa eno mwe mwava ekitabo The Reformed Pastor (1656), ekitabo ekyafuula okuyigiriza katekisimu amaka ku maka, buli muntu kinnoomu, ekyokulabirako eky'Ekipuritani mu kifo ky'okubeera ekintu eky'ekyewuunyo. Ng'ekibalo kye kyennyini bwe kiri, yakuuma abaali basaanira okulya ku mmeeza ya Mukama lukaaga mu maka ago lunaana, era teyakkiriza kukuŋŋaanya kkuŋŋaaniro erirondeddwa ery'abo abaali beetegefu ng'abaggya mu kitundu: “Ndowooza nti Omulimu gw'Ekitundu ky'Ekkanisa gwe gusinga obulungi.”

Ebyava mu mulimu ogwo byamukwasa ensonyi okubinnyonnyola. Naye n'abinnyonnyola, kubanga, nga bwe yagamba, yalina ebbanja eri Katonda ery'okuwaayo ssaddaaka ey'okwebaza, era teyandigigaanye lwa kutya kulowoozebwa nga mwenyumiriza. Ekkuŋŋaaniro lyasukka obunene bw'ekizimbe, ne kibagwanira okuteekamu emikeeka gy'entebe etaano. Ku Ssande, ng'oyita mu Kidderminster, wandiwulidde amaka kikumi nga bayimba zabbuli era nga bakomawo ku kubuulira kwe mu nnyumba zaabwe.

bwe nnasooka okutuuka eyo, waaliwo ng'amaka gamu mu buli luguudo agaasinza Katonda ne gakoowoola Erinnya lye, ate bwe nnali nva waaliwo enguudo omutaali maka gasukka mu limu ku luuyi lw'oluguudo agaali tegakola bwe gatyo

— Richard Baxter, Reliquiae Baxterianae

Teyakyerabira. “Ai nze ani, Nsiro etaliiko mugaso,” yawandiika, “atalina Bitiibwa bya ttendekero byokka, wabula abulwa n'ebingi ku Bwetaavu obwetaagisa mu Mulimu ogwa waggulu bwe gutyo, Katonda okunzizaamu amaanyi mu bujjuvu bwe butyo, ate ng'Abasomesa bange Abassibwamu Ekitiibwa ab'Obuvubuka bwange, baakola n'obunyiikivu Emyaka Ataano wamu mu kifo kimu, so nga tebasobola na kugamba nti baakyusa mutima gwa muntu omu oba babiri mu Bitundu byabwe eby'Ekkanisa!”

Era kyali e Kidderminster omuwala omuvubuka ow'ekitiibwa ayitibwa Margaret Charlton gye yatuukira — ow'amalala, ayagala ebyambalo eby'omulembe, ayagala emboozi z'okwagala, era nga anyooma mu lwatu abaluzi abaavu ab'omu kibuga — era n'akyusibwa omutima wansi w'okubuulira kwe okwali kukwata ku kukyusibwa kw'omutima. Nga wayiseewo akaseera katono n'agwa mu kye Baxter yayita “Okukolola n'ekyalabika ng'Akafuba, mwe twali tuweddemu essuubi ku bulamu bwe.” Ye n'abaliraanwa be abaali basaba tebaayagala nti omuntu eyali akyusiddwa omutima mu bwangu bw'atyo aggibwewo mangu, ne basalawo okusiiba n'okumusabira. N'awona.

Olutalo, n'Omusumba w'Eggye

Olutalo olw'omunda mu ggwanga lwatandika mu August 1642, era Baxter, ataayagala kubeeramu kitundu kyonna, n'asikibwa mu lwo. Yagezaako obutasenga ku luuyi lwonna, n'asanga ekibuga nga si kya mirembe, n'aggwayo e Gloucester, oluvannyuma n'agenda e Coventry n'abaweereza abalala nga amakumi asatu abaali badduse, era eyo n'aweereza ng'omusumba w'eggye ery'okukuuma. Oluvannyuma lw'Olutalo olw'e Naseby n'afuuka omusumba w'ekibinja kya Kanoni Edward Whalley, ku kubuulirira kw'abaweereza b'e Coventry, era n'asigalayo okutuusa mu ntandikwa ya 1647. Yagendanga mu kuzingiza ebibuga naye teyalwana. Ekyo kye yasanga mu New Model Army kyamutiisa emirembe gyonna: ekibinja eky'abantu ab'ebitundu eby'eddiini ebitonotono n'ab'obunyiikivu obw'ekitalo nga bawakanya buli njigiriza y'okukkiriza okutuusa lwe zaamenyekamenyeka, era yamala obusumba bwe bwonna ng'agezaako, mu ngeri etaawangula, okubakomyawo n'ensonga.

Mu 1647 omubiri gwe ku nkomerero ne gumuyimiriza. Okuvaamu omusaayi mu nnyindo mu ngeri ey'akabi — ogumu ku mirundi mingi — kwakomya obuweereza bwe mu ggye era n'amala emyezi mingi ng'ayongobera. Ng'empisa ye bwe yali, yasoma obulabirizi bwa Katonda mu nsonga eyo, era oluvannyuma n'abala nti Katonda yali amuggye mu ggye nga eggye terinnamutta.

Ekyawandiikibwa mu Kiseera ky'Okuyongobera Kwe

Embeera y'obulamu bwa Baxter obw'omubiri si kigambo kya ku mabbali mu byafaayo bye; gwe muzindaalo gw'obulamu bwe. Yabonaabona olw'okuvaamu omusaayi mu nnyindo okw'amaanyi “mu bungi obw'ekitalo, ne kutera okutiisa Obulamu bwange,” era ku nkomerero n'asalawo nti kwava mu “Amayinja Agakwekeddwa mu Nsigo zange, agaaleetebwa Emmere Etasaanira ey'Obuvubuka bwange” — amayinja mu nsigo. Ku ebyo ne kwongerwako omutwe ogw'obulwadde bwa nnamusujja w'amagumba, olubuto lwe yagamba nti lwakyusa buli kimu okufuuka empewo, omusaayi omukalubo ennyo ne guggya olususu ku nkomerero z'engalo ze, era, oluvannyuma lw'emyaka mingi abasawo nga bamuggyamu omusaayi, embeera gye yatuuma Praematura Senectus: obukadde obw'amangu ago, obunafu bw'omuntu ow'emyaka kinaana nga bwongereddwa ku ebyo ebirala byonna. Yabalamu ebisa bibiri ebikulu. Ekyasooka kyali nti wadde ng'omubiri gwe gwali mu nnaku ennyingi, teyabuutikirwa nnaku ya mwoyo ntuufu.

Ng'aweweera mu nnyumba ya Lady Rouse e Rous Lench mu Worcestershire, ewala n'awaka, nga talina kitabo kyonna ky'ayinza okukebera okuggyako Bayibuli ye, era ng'asuubira okufa buli kiseera okumala emyezi mingi, yawandiika ekitabo The Saints’ Everlasting Rest. Yakiwandiikira ye yennyini, ng'okufumiitiriza kw'omuntu afa ku nsi gye yali asuubira okuyingira mu mwaka ogwo. N'olupapula lw'erinnya lwakyogera bwe kityo: kyawandiikibwa omuwandiisi ku lulwe ye mu kiseera ky'okuyongobera kwe, Katonda bwe yamuggya ku mulimu gwe ogw'olukale. Oluvannyuma n'akibuulira e Kidderminster n'akifulumya mu 1650, era ne kifuuka kimu ku bitabo eby'okusaba ebisinga okwagalibwa mu lulimi Olungereza. Yamala emyaka emirala amakumi ana mu gumu.

Nga nkyalowooza nti nsigazza akaseera katono okubeera mu bulamu, Omutima gwange ogw'omuliro gwafuba okuwangula Emyoyo gy'abantu.

Nnabuulira, ng'atali mukakafu nti alibuulira nate, Era ng'omusajja afa eri abantu abafa!

— Richard Baxter, Poetical Fragments (1681)

Obulabirizi Obwagaanibwa

Mu kudda kwa Kabaka ku ntebe mu 1660 Baxter yajja e London, n'afuulibwa omusumba wa Kabaka, era okumala ekiseera ekitono n'ayimirira okumpi n'omutima gw'obulamu bw'eddiini mu Bungereza. Yakolera ku Lukiiko lwa Savoy olw'omwaka 1661 ng'anoonya endagaano egaziyye ekimala okugumira Abapuritani abateefu munda mu Kkanisa ya Bungereza, era n'awandiika Reformed Liturgy olw'ekigendererwa ekyo. Ne kigaanibwa.

Awo ne wajja ekiwewa. Kanoni Birch yamusemberera mu kyama ku lw'Omukulu w'Amateeka, ng'amuleetera obulabirizi bw'e Hereford — mu kyama, Baxter nga bw'akiraba, obulabirizi buleme kugaanibwa mu lwatu. Baxter teyayagala kuwa kigambo kya kugaana kya kkubo limu ng'ekyo kikyalimu essuubi ery'endagaano engazi, naye teyalina kubuusabuusa n'akatono: “Namugamba nti nnali nsazeewo obutabeera Mulabirizi wa Hereford, era nti sirowooza nti nnaajja kulaba nsonga ey'okutwala Obulabirizi bwonna.” Yandibadde n'emirembe wansi wa gavumenti yonna Kabaka gy'aliteekawo, bwe yagamba; naye teyandibaddemu mukono mu kugituukiriza.

Nga May 16, 1662, yabuulira okusiibula kwe mu kkanisa ennene ey'e Blackfriars. Etteeka ery'Obumu (Act of Uniformity) lyalagira buli muweereza okukkiriza ebiragiro nga tewannaba kutuuka ku Lunaku lwa Bartolomayo Omutukuvu, nga August 24, 1662. Baxter teyakkiriza. Abaweereza nga enkumi bbiri baafuluma naye mu ekyo ekyamanyibwa nga Great Ejection — Black Bartholomew, Abawakanyi bwe baakiyita — era Nonconformity ey'e Bungereza n'ezaalibwa. Baxter yali aweza emyaka amakumi ana mu mukaaga, era teyaddayo kufuna kitundu kya kkanisa nate. Teyaddayo Kidderminster.

Wiiki ssatu oluvannyuma, nga September 10, 1662, yawasa Margaret Charlton mu Kkanisa ya Bennet-Fink. Yali yaakagobwa mu buweereza, nga talina musaala, ng'ali bubi mu mubiri, era ng'amusinga emyaka nnyo; obufumbo ne bumala emyaka kkumi na mwenda era bwali, ng'ebiwandiiko byonna ebisigaddewo n'ebibye bwe biraga, bwa ssanyu erya njawulo. Margaret ye yatambuza obulamu bwabwe obw'akabi mu biseera by'okuyigganyizibwa, era bwe yafa nga June 14, 1681, Baxter yatuula wansi mu wiiki mukaaga n'awandiika A Breviate of the Life of Margaret Baxter — ekijjukizo ky'omwami akungubaga, eky'obwerufu obungi ku birabo bye, ku ntiisa ye, ne ku ngeri gye yamusinga mu magezi ag'okukola ebintu, ekisigala nga kimu ku byawandiikibwa ebisinga okukwata ku mutima ku bufumbo bw'Abapuritani.

Mu mwaka gwe gumu yafulumya Poetical Fragments, ennyimba ze yawandiika okusinga ku lulwe ye ne ku lwa mikwano gye egy'okumpi mu bulwadde. Mu zo mwalimu oluyimba lwe yayita “The Covenant and Confidence of Faith,” lwe yassaako obubaka obumu obw'akasirise wansi: Endagaano eno Mukyala wange Omwagalwa yagiwandiikako erinnya lye mu Bulwadde bwe obwayita ng'ali musanyufu.

Okuyigganyizibwa, n'Omusango

Emyaka egyaddirira 1662 gyali gya buzibu era nga giteganya. Yaggwayo e Acton okusoma. Yasibibwa olw'okukuŋŋaanya ekibiina eky'ekyama, n'afuluma ku habeas corpus. Olukusa lwe olw'okubuulira ne luggibwawo; ennyumba y'okukuŋŋaanirangamu gye yaggulawo mu Oxendon Street ne eggalwawo oluvannyuma lw'okukozesebwa omulundi gumu gwokka. Mu 1680 abaserikale bajja mu nnyumba ye ne batwala ebitabo n'ebintu bye. Mu 1684 yatwalibwa emirundi esatu mu kkooti n'awalirizibwa okuwaayo obwakakafu bwa pawundi 400.

Mu February 1685 yakwatibwa ku musango gw'okuvvoola Ekkanisa ya Bungereza mu kitabo kye Paraphrase on the New Testament. Yajja mu musango mu Guildhall nga May 30, 1685, mu maaso ga Sir George Jeffreys, Omulamuzi Omukulu, obukambwe bwe obutali bugambo bwa lugero wabula obuwandiikiddwa mu byafaayo. Baxter yali aweza emyaka nkaaga mu mwenda era ng'amenyese mu mubiri. Jeffreys teyalina kigendererwa kya kuwulira musango; yavvoola omusajja omukadde ng'ali ku ntebe y'obulamuzi, era okwewozaako Baxter kwe yali yeetegese tekwakkirizibwa kuwulirwa. Yasingibwa omusango, n'atanzibwa maaka 500, era n'asibibwa okutuusa lwe gandisasulwa. Yamala mu kkomera nga emyezi kkumi na munaana, okutuusa gavumenti lwe yasonyiwa ensimbi n'emuta mu nkomerero ya 1686. Teyafulumya kubuulira kwonna ku musango ogwo mu bulamu bwe.

Kaakano ndaba Obulungi obusingako n'Obubi obusingako mu Bantu bonna okusinga bwe nnalabanga edda: Ndaba nti abantu abalungi tebalungi nga bwe nnali ndowooza edda, wabula balina obulema obungi… Era nsanga nti batono abali babi nga Abalabe baabwe ab'obukyayi, oba Abaatula abeeyawula era abaasalira abalala omusango, bwe balowooza.

— Richard Baxter, Reliquiae Baxterianae

Oyo ye Baxter ng'akebera ebirowoozo bye ye mu bukadde, era kye kintu ekisinga okuba ng'ekifaananyi kye ye mu byonna bye yawandiika. Yali musajja anoonya emirembe eyamala obulamu bwe bwonna mu mpaka, era yali akimanyi. Yayaayaanira obumu bw'Abakristaayo naye n'asobola okukontana ne buli kibinja ekyandisobodde okubuleeta — abalabirizi, Abeetongodde, ab'ebitundu eby'eddiini ab'omu ggye, n'omuwendo omulungi ogw'abo abaali bakwatagana naye. Yawandiika bingi nnyo, mu mpaka n'akkiriza bitono nnyo, era oluvannyuma n'eenenya obukambwe bwe. Talongoosebwa olw'okuyonjebwa n'okuwoolerezebwa.

Nga Mpulira Bulungi

Oluvannyuma lw'olukusa olwa 1687 emyaka gye egy'enkomerero gyali gya mirembe. Yaweereza, awatali musaala, ng'omuyambi wa Matthew Sylvester, ng'assa ekitiibwa mu buwombeefu bw'omuvubuka oyo n'emisingi gye emirungi, era ng'aweereza okuva ku mimbari ekyo Sylvester kye yali abulwa mu ngeri y'okwogera. Yeeyongera okuwandiika okutuusa ku nkomerero.

Omugenyi bwe yamubuuza okumpi n'enkomerero nti awulira atya, Baxter yaddamu nti: “Nga mpulira bulungi.” Olunaku olwakulembera okufa kwe, Dr. William Bates yajja n'amuwa ebigambo ebimu eby'okubudaabuda, Baxter n'addamu nti: “Nnina obulumi: tewali kuwakanya kye mpulira mu mubiri; naye nnina emirembe: nnina emirembe!” Yafa ng'essaawa kkumi ez'oku makya ku Lwokubiri, nga December 8, 1691, ng'aweza emyaka nsanvu mu mukaaga. Ab'ekkanisa enkulu n'Abawakanyi bajja ku kuziika wamu, ekintu ekyali kitegeeza ekingi mu mwaka ogwo mu kibuga ekyo. Yaziikibwa ku mabbali ga Margaret ne nnyina mu Christ Church, Newgate, era Bates n'abuulira.

Emyaka etaano oluvannyuma Sylvester yafulumya ebiwandiiko ebingi eby'ebyafaayo by'obulamu bwe Baxter bye yali amulesezza, ng'abiyita Reliquiae Baxterianae — nga bisaasaanye, nga tebikwekeddwa kintu, nga tebitereezebbwa, era nga kimu ku bijjukizo ebikulu ennyo mu lulimi olwo. Mu byo omusajja atalina ddiguli, atalina bulamu bwa mubiri, atalina mimbari mu myaka amakumi abiri mu mwenda egy'enkomerero egy'obulamu bwe, era atalina kabonero ka kuleka mpaka nga tazimazeeyo, awa Katonda ekitiibwa olw'oluguudo olumu mu Kidderminster zabbuli gye zaawulirwanga nga ziyita mu madirisa.