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

The Interest of the Christian Protestant Religion in England, ¹must be much kept up by keeping up as much of Truth, Piety, and Reputation as is possible in the Parish-Churches. Therefore,—In Parishes where all may hear the Parish-minister,² I would not have you, without necessity, to Preach at the same hour of the day, but at some middle time, that you may not seem to vie with him for Auditors, nor to draw the People from him; but let them go with you to hear him, and after come and hear you.

1. 1Defence, p. 36.
2. 2Sacrilegious deserting, p. 92.

Do not meet together in opposition to the public meeting,¹ nor at the time of public Worship, nor yet to make a groundless Schism, or to separate from the Church, whereof you are Members, nor to destroy the old, that you may gather a new Church out of its Ruins, as long as it hath the Essentials, and there is hope of reforming it; nor yet would I have you forward to vent your own supposed gifts and parts in teaching, where there is no necessity of it; nor as a separated Church, but as a part of the Church more diligent than the rest in redeeming time. Let all your private meetings be in subordination to the public, and by the approbation and consent of your Spiritual guides, Remembering them which have the rule over you, Heb. 13. 7, 8, 9. And I beseech you Brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the Doctrine which you have learned and avoid them, &c. Rom. 16. 17, 18. I would you would ponder every one of these words, for they are the precious advice of the Spirit of God, and necessary now as well as then.