Gildas Salvianus: The Reformed Pastor

1. One part of our work, and that the most excellent, because it tendeth to work on many, is the public preaching of the word. A work that requireth greater skill, and especially greater life and zeal, then any of us bring to it. It is no small matter to stand up in the face of a Congregation, and deliver a Message of salvation or damnation, as from the living God, in the name of our Redeemer. It is no easy matter to speak so plain, that the ignorant may understand us, and so seriously, that the deadest hearts may feel us; and so convincingly, that the contradicting Cavillers may be silenced. I know it is a great dispute whether preaching be proper to the Ministers or not? The decision seems not very ⟨p. 79⟩difficult. Preaching to a Congregation as their ordinary Teacher, is proper to a Minister in office; And Preaching to the unbelieving world (Jews, Mahometans or Pagans) as one that hath given up himself to that work, and is separated and set apart to it, is proper to a Minister in office: But Preaching to a Church or to Infidels, occasionally, as an act of Charity, extraordinarily, or upon special call to that act, may be common to others. The Governor of a Church, when he cannot preach himself, may in a case of necessity appoint a private man pro tempore, to do it that is able (as Mr. Thorndike hath showed.) But no private man may obtrude without his consent, who by office is the Guide and Pastor of that Church. And a master of a family may preach to his own family, and a School-master to his Scholars, and any man to those whom he is obliged to teach; so be it he go not beyond his ability, and do it in a due subordination to Church-teaching, and not in a way of opposition and division. A man that is not of the trade, may do some one act of a trades-man in a Corporation for his own use, or his family, or friend; but he may not addict or separate himself to it, or set it up, and make it his profession, nor live upon it, unless he had been Apprentice and were free. For though one man of ten thousand may do it of himself as well as he that hath served an Apprenticeship, yet it is not to be presumed that it is ordinarily so: And the standing Rule must not bend to rarities and extraordinaries, lest it undo all: For that which is extraordinary and rare in such cases, the Law doth look upon as a non ens.

1. One part of our work, and that the most excellent, because it tendeth to work on many, is the publike preaching of the word. A work that requireth greater skill, and especially greater life and zeal, then any of us bring to it. It is no small matter to stand up in the face of a Congregation, and deliver a Message of salvation or damnation, as from the living God, in the name of our Redeemer. It is no easie matter to speak so plain, that the ignorant may understand us, and so seriously, that the deadest hearts may feel us; and so convincingly, that the contradicting Cavilers may be silenced. I know it is a great dispute whether preaching be proper to the Ministers or not? The decision seems not very