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

by this time we began to feel what we expected at the first setting out, viz the Rage and Malice of wicked Men vented in Railings and Slanders on the one hand, and bitter Censures and Suspicions of the Brethren on the other. In the midst of all this we received your Book as a seasonable Refreshment: Our Hands were much strengthened by it; it was a great Encouragement to us, to see that other godly and learned Men had walked much what in the same Steps, and had pleaded our Cause almost by the same Arguments wherewith we endeavoured to strengthen it. But 2. we are hereby quickened up to carry our Design higher. Our Propositions for the Substance of them are near the same with yours; we agree in a great part of your Discipline, our Rules of Admission are competent Knowledge, Unblameableness of Conversation, and assent to the Covenant of Grace, the means to carry it on are, the Peoples Consent and Association of Ministers; and where we differ from you, 't is not because we differ in Opinion, but because our People (whose Condition and Temper we were forced to set before us in framing our Agreement) differ from yours. Hence our Examination of the People Knowledge is more general than yours, if we understand you right in Prop. 19. Reg. 9. hence instead of your Parish Assistants we are forced to make use of one another's help in private Examinations, and Determination of Fitness, as well as in more public Debates and Consultations: Yet in two things we come short of your Agreement: 1. In that we have not as yet propounded to our People your height of Discipline; though we never thought secret and private Admonitions and Suspension from the Sacrament such a Measure of Discipline wherein we might comfortably satisfy our selves without farther Progress; yet (our Hands being much weakened by our Brethren's refusal to join with us, our People stubborn, and Suspension from the Supper being a piece of Discipline that hath not been here practised till of late, and therefore a matter of greater Shame till Custom shall make it more common) we resolved to propound and Practise this first as an Essay to try what Success and Entertainment a farther Discipline might find. For though the Fear of People flying off and separating is not by us looked upon as a sufficient Discharge for the neglect and laying aside all endeavours to reform:

by this time we began to feel what we expected at the first setting out, viz the Rage and Malice of wicked Men vented in Railings and Slanders on the one hand, and bitter Censures and Suspicions of the Brethren on the other. In the midst of all this we received your Book as a seasonable Refreshment: Our Hands were much strengthned by it; it was a great Encouragement to us, to see that other godly and learned Men had walked much what in the same Steps, and had pleaded our Cause almost by the same Arguments wherewith we endeavoured to strengthen it. But 2. we are hereby quickned up to carry our Design higher. Our Propositions for the Substance of them are near the same with yours; we agree in a great part of your Discipline, our Rules of Admission are competent Knowledge, Unblameableness of Conversation, and assent to the Convenant of Grace, the means to carry it on are, the Peoples Consent and Association of Ministers; and where we differ from you, 't is not because we differ in Opinion, but because our People (whose Condition and Temper we were forced to set before us in framing our Agreement) differ from yours. Hence our Examination of the People Knowledge is more general than yours, if we understand you right in Prop. 19. Reg. 9. hence instead of your Parish Assistants we are forced to make use of one anothers help in private Examinations, and Determination of Fitness, as well as in more publick Debates and Consultations: Yet in twothings we come short of your Agreement: 1. In that we have not as yet propounded to our People your height of Discipline; though we never thought secret and private Admonitions and Suspension from the Sacrament such a Measure of Discipline wherein we might comfortably satisfie our selves without farther Progress; yet (our Hands being much weakened by our Brethrens refusal to join with us, our People stubborn, and Suspension from the Supper being a piece of Discipline that hath not been here practised till of late, and therefore a matter of greater Shame till Custom shall make it more common) we resolved to propound and Practise this first as an Essay to try what Success and Entertainment a farther Discipline might find. For though the Fear of People flying off and separating is not by us looked upon as a sufficient Discharge for the neglect and laying aside all endeavours to reform: