Mr. Richard Baxter's last legacy in select admonitions and directions to all sober dissenters

§ 5. Pag. 169. Part. 3. Of B's Life. I wrote a Book called Cain and Abel, intending a third Part, to tell Dissenters, why I went to the Parish Church, and Communicated; and why they should not suffer as Separatists, least they suffer as Evil doers; which a Bookseller importuned me to let him Print, but for Reasons then given, I delayed it; but at last consented to publish the Reasons of my Communicating in the Parish Churches, and against Separations: But a Manuscript of Dr. Owen's, containing Twelve Arguments against joining with the Liturgy in Public Churches was sent me, which I answered, whereupon a swarm of Revilers poured out their keenest Censures whom I answered. Another said, that my Treatise of Episcopacy fully proved the duty of Separation; whereupon I explained that Treatise, and all these things together I Published in a Treatise in defence of Catholic Communion, to which I refer such as desire farther Satisfaction.

§ 5. Pag. 169. Part. 3. Of B's Life. I wrote a Book called Cain and Abel, intending a third Part, to tell Dissenters, why I went to the Parish Church, and Communicated; and why they should not suffer as Separatists, least they suffer as Evil doers; which a Bookseller importuned me to let him Print, but for Reasons then given, I delayed it; but at last consented to publish the Reasons of my Communicating in the Parish Churches, and against Separations: But a Manuscript of Dr. Owen's, containing Twelve Arguments against joyning with the Liturgy in Publick Churches was sent me, which I answered, whereupon a swarm of Revilers powred out their keenest Censures whom I answered. Another said, that my Treatise of Episcopacy fully proved the duty of Separation; whereupon I explained that Treatise, and all these things together I Published in a Treatise in defence of Catholick Communion, to which I refer such as desire farther Satisfaction.

§ 7. I shall name but one Passage more on this Head, in ⟨p. 39⟩his Defence of the Principles of Love. pag. 88. The Covenant (he saith) bindeth us to Reformation according to God's Word, and the Example of the best Reformed Churches: But to prefer no Public Worship, or a worse before the Liturgy, is Deformation and Profaneness; and it is greater Reformation to prefer the Liturgy before none, than to prefer Extemporate Public Worship before the Liturgy; for all the Reformed Churches in Christendom do commonly profess to hold Communion with the English Churches in the Liturgy, if they come among us where it is used, so that it seems in Mr. Baxter's Judgment a breach of the Covenant to prefer no Public Worship before the Liturgy, or to refuse Occasional Communion in the use of the Liturgy, as if it were unlawful, when in Mr. B's as well as in the Judgment of all the Reformed Churches, it is to be preferred to Extemporate Public Worsip.