A26932:160
Gildas Salvianus: The Reformed Pastor
Gildas Salvianus, the reformed pastor showing the nature of the pastoral work, especially in private instruction and catechizing : with an open confession of our too open sins : prepared for a day of humiliation kept at Worcester, Decemb. 4, 1655 by the ministers of that county, who subscribed the agreement for catechizing and personal instruction at their entrance upon that work / by their unworthy fellow-servant, Richard Baxter ...Gildas Salvianus, the reformed pastor shewing the nature of the pastoral work, especially in private instruction and catechizing : with an open confession of our too open sins : prepared for a day of humiliation kept at Worcester, Decemb. 4, 1655 by the ministers of that county, who subscribed the agreement for catechizing and personal instruction at their entrance upon that work / by their unworthy fellow-servant, Richard Baxter ...
London: printed by Robert White for Nevil Simmons, 1656
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
I. You are liker then others to sin against knowledge, because you have more then they. At least you sin against more light or means of knowledge. What, do you not know that Covetousness and Pride are sins? do you not know what it is to be ⟨p. 34⟩unfaithful to your trust, and by negligence or self-seeking to betray mens souls? You know your masters will, and if you do it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. There must needs therefore be the more wilfulness, by how much there is the more knowledge. If you sin, it is because you will sin.
I. You are liker then others to sin against knowledge, because you have more then they. At least you sin against more light or means of knowledge. What, do you not know that Covetousness and Pride are sins? do you not know what it is to be ⟨p. 34⟩unfaithful to your trust, and by negligence or selfseeking to betray mens souls? You know your masters will, and if you do it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. There must needs therefore be the more wilfulness, by how much there is the more knowledge. If you sin, it is because you will sin.
2. Your sins have more hypocrisy in them then other mens, by how much the more you have spoke against them. O what a heinous thing is it in us, to study how to disgrace sin to the utmost, and make it as odious to our people as we can, and when we have done, to live in it, and secretly cherish that which we openly disgrace? What vile hypocrisy is it, to make it our daily work to cry it down, and yet to keep it? to call it publicly all to naught, and privately to make it our bed-fellow and companion? To bind heavy burdens for others, and not to touch them our selves with a finger? What can you say to this in judgement? Did you think as ill of sin as you spoke? or did you not? If you did not, why would you dissemblingly speak it? If you did, why would you keep it and commit it? O bear not that badge of a miserable Pharisee, They say but do not,