Reliquiæ Baxterianæ, or, Mr. Richard Baxters narrative of the most memorable passages of his…

We had just Reason to call our People to express their Consent (which Reasons we printed in our Agreement to which I refer you) and we explained all to them, and told them over and over, that we must take those only for our special Charge that would express their Consent, and we waited now two Years to see whether they would do it: And if after all this they forbear or refuse, let the World judge whether this be not an open, plain disclaiming of our Oversight and their Membership. What would you have us do! can we know Mens Hearts that will not open them to us? Nay, shall the same Man so long refuse to tell us his Mind, and when he hath done, blame us because we understand it not? If indeed they consented, a Word speaking, or the writing of their Names is no great Cost or Labour to discover it. If they think it too much, we might better think our yearly Labour too much for them, Relation is the ground of the Duties which they bind to. I cannot enter these Relations but by consent; nor know them without the Expression of that Consent. No Man can be a Member of my Charge in despite of me; nor can I make any Man such against his Will. I can never marry a Woman that will say, you shall do the Office of a Husband to me, but I will not tell you whether I take you for my Husband, nor promise to be your Wife, &c. I will not have a Scholar in my School, or a Pupil that will say, Hither will I come, and you shall teach me, but I will not tell you whether I will be your Scholar, or take you for my Teacher: Nor will I have a Patient that will make me give him what Physic he desires, and will not say he will take me for his Physician. 3. Besides, the Office of a Pastor is not only to preach and administer the Sacrament, but also to admonish, rebuke, and exercise some Discipline for the Good of the Church: And he that will not profess his consent to these, doth not by his partial submitting to the rest show his consent that I be his Pastor. I will be a Pastor to none that will not be under Discipline: That were to be a half Pastor, and indulge Men in an unruliness and contempt of the Ordinance of Christ: If I take more on me than is just or necessary, I will gladly hear of it, and recant. 4. Either they do indeed take us for their Pastors or not: If not, we do them no Wrong to take them for none of our Charge:

We had just Reason to call our People to express their Consent (which Reasons we printed in our Agreement to which I refer you) and we explained all to them, and told them over and over, that we must take those only for our special Charge that would express their Consent, and we waited now two Years to see whether they would do it: And if after all this they forbear or refuse, let the World judge whether this be not an open, plain disclaiming of our Oversight and their Membership. What would you have us do! can we know Mens Hearts that will not open them to us? Nay, shall the same Man so long refuse to tell us his Mind, and when he hath done, blame us because we understand it not? If indeed they consented, a Word speaking, or the writing of their Names is no great Cost or Labour to discover it. If they think it too much, we might better think our yearly Labour too much for them, Relation is the ground of the Duties which they bind to. I cannot enter these Relations but by consent; nor know them without the Expression of that Consent. No Man can be a Member of my Charge in despight of me; nor can I make any Man such against his Will. I can never marry a Woman that will say, you shall do the Office of a Husband to me, but I will not tell you whether I take you for my Husband, nor promise to be your Wife, &c. I will not have a Scholar in my School, or a Pupil that will say, Hither will I come, and you shall teach me, but I will not tell you whether I will be your Scholar, or take you for my Teacher: Nor will I have a Patient that will make me give him what Physick he desires, and will not say he will take me for his Physician. 3. Besides, the Office of a Pastor is not only to preach and administer the Sacrament, but also to admonish, rebuke, and exercise some Discipline for the Good of the Church: And he that will not profess his consent to these, doth not by his partial submitting to the rest shew his consent that I be his Pastor. I will be a Pastor to none that will not be under Discipline: That were to be a half Pastor, and indulge Men in an unruliness and contempt of the Ordinance of Christ: If I take more on me than is just or necessary, I will gladly hear of it, and recant. 4. Either they do indeed take us for their Pastors or not: If not, we do them no Wrong to take them for none of our Charge: