Gildas Salvianus: The Reformed Pastor

5. Another part of the work of our private Over-sight consisteth in a vigilant opposing of Seducers, and seeking to prevent the Infection of our Flock, and speedy reclaiming those that begin to itch after strange Teachers, and turn into crooked paths. When we hear of any one that lies under the influence of their temptations, or that is already deceived by them, we must speedily with all our skill and diligence make out for their relief. The means I shall show in the Directions in the end.

5. Another part of the work of our private Over-sight consisteth in a vigilant opposing of Seducers, and seeking to prevent the Infection of our Flock, and speedy reclaiming those that begin to itch after strange Teachers, and turn into crooked paths. When we hear of any one that lies under the influence of their temptations, or that is already deceived by them, we must speedily with all our skill and diligence make out for their relief. The means I shall shew in the Directions in the end.

6. Another part of this oversight lieth in the due encouragement of those that are humble, upright, obedient Christians, and profit by our teaching, and are an honour to their Profession: We must in the eyes of all the Flock, put some difference between them and the rest by our Praises, and more special familiarity, and other testimonies of our approbation and rejoicing over them; that so we may both encourage them, and incite others to imitate them. Gods graces are amiable and honourable in all; even in the poorest of the Flock, as well as in the Pastors: and the smallest degrees must be cherished and encouraged, but the highest more openly honoured and propounded to imitation. They that have slighted or vilified the most gracious, because they were of the Laity, while they claimed to themselves the honour of their Clergy, though adorned with little or none of that grace, as they showed ⟨p. 88⟩themselves to be Proud and Carnal, so did they take the next way to debase themselves by self-exaltation, & to bring the office it self into contempt. For if there be no honour due to the Real sanctity of a Christian, much less to the relative sanctity of a Pastor: and he that vilifieth the Person, cannot well plead for the honouring of Robes and empty Titles: Nor can he expect that his people should give him the honour of a Pastor, if he will not give them the love and honour that is due to Christians and members of Christ. As the Orator said to Domitius, Cur ego te habeam ut principem, cum tu me non habeas ut Senatorem. It was an unchristian course therefore, which our late Prelates and their Agents took, who discountenanced none so much as the most godly, whom they should have rejoiced in, and encouraged; and made them not only the common scorn, but also the objects of their persecuting rage, as if they had fed their Flock for the Butcher, and called them out for suffering as they came to any maturity. This vilifying and persecuting the most diligent of the Flock, was neither the note of Christian Shepherds, nor the way to be so esteemed. As Hierom saith, Quid de Episcopis, qui verberibus timeri volunt, canons dicant, been fraternitas vestra novit. Pastores enim facti sumus, non percussores. Egregius praedicator dixit, Argue, obsecra, increpa, in omni patientiâ & doctrina: Nova vero atque inaudita est illa praedicatio, qu verberibus exit it sidem.