A26932:233
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.
1. The first part of our Ministerial work lieth in bringing unsound Professors of the faith to sincerity, that they who before were Christians in name and show, may be so indeed. Though it belong not to us as their Pastors, to co•••rt professed Infidels to the faith, because they cannot be members of the Church while they are professed Infidels; yet doth it belong to us as their Pastors, to convert these seeming Christians to sincerity, because such seeming Christians may be visible members of our Churches. And though we be not absolutely certain that this or that man in particular is unsound, and unsanctified, yet as long as we have a certainty that many such are usually in the Church, and have too great probability that it is so with several individuals whom we can name, we have therefore ground enough to deal with them for their conversion. And if we be certain by their notorious Impiety that they are no Christians, and so to be ejected from the Communion of Christians; yea if they were professed Infidels, yet may we deal with them for their conversion, though not as Their Pastors, yet as Ministers of the Gospel. So that upon these terms we may well conclude that, The work of conversion is the great thing that we must first drive at, and labour with all our might to effect.
1. The first part of our Ministerial work lyeth in bringing unsound Professors of the faith to sincerity, that they who before were Christians in name and shew, may be so indeed. Though it belong not to us as their Pastors, to co•••rt professed Infidels to the faith, because they cannot be members of the Church while they are professed Infidels; yet doth it belong to us as their Pastors, to convert these seeming Christians to sincerity, because such seeming Christians may be visible members of our Churches. And though we be not absolutely certain that this or that man in particular is unsound, and unsanctified, yet as long as we have a certainty that many such are usually in the Church, and have too great probability that it is so with several individuals whom we can name, we have therefore ground enough to deal with them for their conversion. And if we be certain by their notorious Impiety that they are no Christians, and so to be ejected from the Communion of Christians; yea if they were professed Infidels, yet may we deal with them for their conversion, though not as Their Pastors, yet as Ministers of the Gospel. So that upon these terms we may well conclude that, The work of conversion is the great thing that we must first drive at, and labour with all our might to effect.