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

Public Wars and Private Quarrels usually pretend the Reformation of the Church,¹ the vindicating of the Truth, and the welfare of Souls; but they as usually prove in the issue, the greatest means to the overthrow of all. It is as natural for both Wars and private Contentions to produce Errors, Schisms, contempt of Magistracy, Ministry, and Ordinances, as it is for a dead Carrion to breed Worms and Vermin. Believe it from one, that hath too many years experience of it; it is as hard a thing to maintain even in your People, a sound understanding, a tender Conscience, a Lively, gracious, Heavenly frame of Spirit, and an upright Life in a way of War and Contention, as to keep your Candle lighted in the greatest Storms, or under the Waters. The like I may say of perverse and fierce Disputings about the Circumstantials of Discipline, or other Questions, that are far from the Foundation; they oftener lose the truth than find it. Woe to those Ministers, that make unnecessary Divisions, and Parties among the People, that so they may get themselves a name, and be cried up by many Followers. The way to prosper your labours is to quench all flames of Contention, to your power. Study the Peace and Unity of your Congregations, keep out all occasions of Divisions, especially the Doctrine of Separation, and popular Church-Government, the apparent Seminary of Faction, and perpetual Contentions. If ⟨p. 16⟩once the People be taught, that it belongs to them to govern themselves, and those the Scripture calleth their Guides and Rulers, we shall have mad work. They that would pluck up the Hedge of Government, as if the Vineyard could not be fruitful, except it lay waste, to the pleasure of all the Beasts of the Forest, are like the pond, that grudged at the Banks and Dam, and thought it injurious to be restrained of its liberty, and therefore combined with the Winds, to raise a Tempest, and so assault and beat down the Banks in their rage; And now where is that peaceable Association of Waters? We feel now, how those are mistaken that thought the way for the Churches Unity, was to dig up the Banks and let all loose, that every Man in Religion might do what he list.

Publick Wars and Private Quarrels usually pretend the Reformation of the Church,¹ the vindicating of the Truth, and the welfare of Souls; but they as usually prove in the issue, the greatest means to the overthrow of all. It is as natural for both Wars and private Contentions to produce Errors, Schisms, contempt of Magistracy, Ministry, and Ordinances, as it is for a dead Carrion to breed Worms and Vermine. Believe it from one, that hath too many years experience of it; it is as hard a thing to maintain even in your People, a sound understanding, a tender Conscience, a Lively, gracious, Heavenly frame of Spirit, and an upright Life in a way of War and Contention, as to keep your Candle lighted in the greatest Storms, or under the Waters. The like I may say of perverse and fierce Disputings about the Circumstantials of Discipline, or other Questions, that are far from the Foundation; they oftner lose the truth than find it. Wo to those Ministers, that make unnecessarry Divisions, and Parties among the People, that so they may get themselves a name, and be cryed up by many Followers. The way to prosper your labours is to quench all flames of Contention, to your power. Study the Peace and Unity of your Congregations, keep out all occasions of Divisions, especially the Doctrine of Separation, and popular Church-Government, the apparent Seminary of Faction, and perpetual Contentions. If