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

This Assembly was confined by the Parliament to debate only such things as they proposed to them: And many Lords and Commons were joined in Commission with them, to see that they did not go beyond their Commission: Six or seven Independents were joined with them, that all sides may be heard; of whom five were called the Dissenting Brethren, (Philip Nigh, Thomas Goodwyn, Jeremiah Burroughs, Sydrach Simpson, and William Bridge) who joined with the rest till they had drawn up a Confession of Faith, a larger and a shorter Catechism. But when they came to Church Government, they engaged them in many long Debates, and kept that Business as long as possibly they could undetermined; and after that kept it so long unexecuted in almost all parts of the Land, saving London and Lancashire, that their Party had time to strengthen themselves in the Army and the Parliament, and hinder the Execution after all, and keep the Government determined of, a Stranger to most of the People of this Land, who knew it but by hearsay, as it was represented by Reporters. For my own part, as highly as I honour the Men, I am not of their Mind, in every Point of the Government which they would have set up; and some words in their Catechism I could wish had been more clear; and above all, I could wish that the Parliament and their more skilful Hand, had done more than was done to heal our Breaches, and had hit upon the right way either to unite with the Episcopal and Independents (which was possible, as distant as they are) or at least had pitched on the Terms that are fit for Universal Concord, and left all to come in upon those Terms that would. But for all this dissent I must testify my Love and Honour to the Persons of such great Sincerity, and Eminent Ministerial Sufficiency, as were Gataker, Vines, Burgess, White, and the greater part of that Assembly.

This Assembly was confined by the Parliament to debate only such things as they proposed to them: And many Lords and Commons were joyned in Commission with them, to see that they did not go beyond their Commission: Six or seven Independants were joyned with them, that all sides may be heard; of whom five were called the Dissenting Brethren, (Philip Nye, Thomas Goodwyn, Ieremiah Burroughs, Sydrach Sympson, and William Bridge) who joyned with the rest till they had drawn up a Confession of Faith, a larger and a shorter Catechism. But when they came to Church Government, they engaged them in many long Debates, and kept that Business as long as possibly they could undetermined; and after that kept it so long unexecuted in almost all parts of the Land, saving London and Lancashire, that their Party had time to strengthen themselves in the Army and the Parliament, and hinder the Execution after all, and keep the Government determined of, a Stranger to most of the People of this Land, who knew it but by hearsay, as it was represented by Reporters. For my own part, as highly as I honour the Men, I am not of their Mind, in every Point of the Government which they would have set up; and some words in their Catechism I could wish had been more clear; and above all, I could wish that the Parliament and their more skilful Hand, had done more than was done to heal our Breaches, and had hit upon the right way either to unite with the Episcopal and Independants (which was possible, as distant as they are) or at least had pitched on the Terms that are fit for Universal Concord, and left all to come in upon those Terms that would. But for all this dissent I must testifie my Love and Honour to the Persons of such great Sincerity, and Eminent Ministerial Sufficiency, as were Gataker, Vines, Burgess, White, and the greater part of that Assembly.