A26932:184
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.
And 1. It is here implied, that Every Flock should have their own Pastor (one or more) and every Pastor his own Flock. As every Troop or Company in a Regiment of soldiers must have their own Captain and other officers, and every soldier know his own Commanders and Colours: so is it the will of God, that every Church have their own Pastors, and that all Christs Disciples do know their Teachers that are over them in the Lord, 1 Thes. 5. 12, 13. The Universal Church of Christ must consist of particular Churches guided by their own Over-seers; and every Christian must be a member of one of these Churches; except those that upon Embassages, travels, or other like cases of necessity, are deprived of this advantage, Acts 14. 23. They ordained them Elders in every Church; so Tit. 1. 5. and in many places this is clear. Though a Minister be an Officer in the Universal Church, yet is he in a special manner the Overseer of that particular Church which is committed to his charge: As he that is a Physician in the Common-wealth may yet be the Medicus vel Archiater cujusdam Civitatis, and be obliged to take care of that City, and not so of any other: so that though he may and ought occasionally to do any good he can else where that may consist with his fidelity to his special charge, (when an unlicensed person ⟨p. 50⟩may not) yet is he first obliged to that City, and must allow no help to others that must occasion a neglect of them, except in great extraordinary cases, where the public good requireth it. So is it betwixt a Pastor and his special Flock. When we are Ordained Ministers without a special charge, we are licensed and commanded to do our best for all, as we shall have a call for the particular exercise: but when we have undertaken a particular charge, we have restrained the exercise of our gifts and guidance so specially to that, that we may allow others no more then they can spare, of our time and help, except where the public good requireth it, which must be first regarded. From this Relation of Pastor and Flock, arise all the duties which mutually we owe. As we must be true to our trust, so must our people be faithful to us, and obey the just Directions that we give them from the word of God.