A26932:210
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.
SECT. IV.
III. THE Object of our Pastoral care is, All the Flock: That is, the Church and every member of it. It is considered by us, 1. In the whole body or society. 2. In the parts or individual members.
1. Our first care must be about the whole. And therefore the first duties to be done are public duties, which are done to the whole. As our people are bound to prefer public duties before private, so are we much more. But this is so commonly confessed, that I shall say no more of it.
1. Our first care must be about the whole. And therefore the first duties to be done are publike duties, which are done to the whole. As our people are bound to prefer publike duties before private, so are we much more. But this is so commonly confessed, that I shall say no more of it.
2. But that which is less understood or considered, is, That All the Flock even each individual member of our charge must be taken heed of and watched over by us in our Ministry. To which end, it is presupposed necessary, that (unless where absolute necessity forbiddeth it, through the scarcity of Pastors, and greatness of the Flock) We should know every person that belongeth to our charge. For how can we take heed to them, if we do not know them? Or how can we take that heed that belongeth to the special charge that we have undertaken, if we know not who be of our charge, and who not (though we know the persons?) Our obligation is not to all neighbour Churches, or to all stragglers, as great as it is to those whom we are set over. How can we tell whom to exclude, till we know who are included? Or how can we refel the accusations of the offended, that tell us of the ungodly or defiled members