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

Those Forms of Liturgy which now are most distasted,¹ were brought in by the most zealous religious People at the first: The many short Invocations, Versicles and Responses, which the People use, were brought in when the Souls of the Faithful did abound with Zeal, and in holy fervours break out in such expressions, and could not well endure to be bare Auditors, and not vocally to bear their part in the praises of God and prayers of the Church.

Those Forms of Liturgy which now are most distasted,¹ were brought in by the most zealous religious People at the first: The many short Invocations, Versicles and Responses, which the People use, were brought in when the Souls of the Faithful did abound with Zeal, and in holy fervors break out in such expressions, and could not well endure to be bare Auditors, and not vocally to bear their part in the praises of God and prayers of the Church.

1. 1Cure of Divisions, P. 200.

I have showed at large,¹ How far God hath given Men power to prescribe, and impose Forms for others, and commanded others to obey them:² when Christ said, When ye pray, say, Our Father, &c. he bound the Disciples in duty to do as he bid them;³ How Forms may be imposed publicly on the Congregations of Believers, and on the Ministers, yea though the Forms imposed be worse than the exercise of their own gifts, (though among us no Man be forbidden to use his own gifts in the Pulpit.) The Pharisees long Liturgy (it is like) was in many things worse than ours; yet Christ and his Apostles often joined with them,