Gildas Salvianus: The Reformed Pastor

When the Lord had awakened his Ministers in this County, and some neighbouring parts to a sense of their duty in the work of Catechizing, and private Instruction of all in their Parishes that would not obstinately refuse their help, and when they had subscribed an Agreement containing their Resolutions for the future performance of it, they judged it unmeet to enter upon the work, without a solemn humbling of their souls before the Lord, for their so long neglect of so great and necessary a duty: And therefore they agreed to meet together at Worcester, Decemb. 4. 1655. and there to join in such Humiliation, and in earnest Prayer to God for the pardon of our neglects, and for his special Assistance in the work that we had undertaken, and for the success of it with the People, whom we are engaged to instruct: At which time among others, I was desired by them to Preach: In answer to their desires I prepared the following Discourse; which though it proved longer then could be delivered in one or two Sermons, yet I intended to have entered upon it at that time, and to have delivered that which was most pertinent to the occasion, and to have reserved the rest to another season. But before the meeting, by the increase of my ordinary pain and weakness, I was disabled from going thither: To recompense which unwilling omission, I easily yielded to the requests of divers of the Brethren, forthwith to publish the things which I had prepared, that they might see that which they could not hear. If now it be objected, that I should not have spoken so plainly or sharply against the sins of the Ministry, or that I should not have published it to the view of the world, or at least that I should have done it in another tongue, and not in the ears of the vulgar, especially at such a time when ⟨image 3⟩Quakers and Papists are endeavouring to bring the Ministry into contempt, and the people are too prone to hearken to their suggestions: I confess I thought the Objection very considerable; but that it prevailed not to alter my resolutions, is to be ascribed to the following Reasons. 1. It was a purposed solemn Humiliation that we were agreed on, and that this was prepared and intended for. And how should we be humbled without a plain Confession of our sin? 2. It was principally our own sins that the Confession did concern;

When the Lord had awakened his Ministers in this County, and some neighbouring parts to a sense of their duty in the work of Catechizing, and private Instruction of all in their Parishes that would not obstinately refuse their help, and when they had subscribed an Agreement containing their Resolutions for the future performance of it, they judged it unmeet to enter upon the work, without a solemn humbling of their souls before the Lord, for their so long neglect of so great and necessary a duty: And therefore they agreed to meet together at Worcester, Decemb. 4. 1655. and there to joyn in such Humiliation, and in earnest Prayer to God for the pardon of our neglects, and for his special Assistance in the work that we had undertaken, and for the success of it with the People, whom we are engaged to instruct: At which time among others, I was desired by them to Preach: In answer to their desires I prepared the following Discourse; which though it proved longer then could be delivered in one or two Sermons, yet I intended to have entred upon it at that time, and to have delivered that which was most pertinent to the occasion, and to have reserved the rest to another season. But before the meeting, by the increase of my ordinary pain and weakness, I was disabled from going thither: To recompence which unwilling omission, I easily yielded to the requests of divers of the Brethren, forthwith to publish the things which I had prepared, that they might see that which they could not hear. If now it be objected, that I should not have spoken so plainly or sharply against the sins of the Ministry, or that I should not have published it to the view of the world, or at least that I should have done it in another tongue, and not in the ears of the vulgar, especially at such a time when