A26932:287
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.
2. Let there be therefore a less public meeting of chosen persons (the Officers and some Delegates of the Church on their behalf) to have the hearing of all such cases before they be made more public: that once a month at a set place, they may come together, to receive what charge shall be brought against any member of the Church, that it may be considered whether it be just and the offender may be dealt with then first: And if the fault be either less public, or less heinous, so that a less public profession of Repentance may satisfy, then if the ⟨p. 96⟩party shall there profess Repentance, it may suffice.
2. Let there be therefore a less publike meeting of chosen persons (the Officers and some Delegates of the Church on their behalf) to have the hearing of all such cases before they be made more publike: that once a moneth at a set place, they may come together, to receive what charge shall be brought against any member of the Church, that it may be considered whether it be just and the offender may be dealt with then first: And if the fault be either less publike, or less hainous, so that a less publike profession of Repentance may satisfie, then if the ⟨p. 96⟩party shall there profess Repentance, it may suffice.
3. But if it be not so, or if the party remain impenitent, he must be reproved before all, and there again invited to Repentance. This duty is never the less, because our Brethren have made so little conscience of the Practice of it; It is not only Christs command to tell the Church, but Pauls to rebuke such before all, and the Church hath constantly practised it, till selfishness and formality caused them to be remiss in this and other duties together, and the Reformers have as much stood up for it as the rest; and as deeply are we engaged by Vows, Covenants, Prayers and other means, for the execution of it, (of which more in the Application) Austin saith, Quae peecantur coram omnibus, coram omnibus corripiendae sunt, ut omnes timeant: Qui secreto peccant in te, secreto corripe; nam si solus nosti, & eum vis coram aliis arguere, non es corrector sed proditor. Greg. Mag. in Registro saith, Manifesta peccata non sunt occulta correctione purganda: sed palam sunt arguendi qui palam nocent; ut dum aperta objurgation sanantur, hi qui eos imitando deliquerant, corrigantur. Dum enim unus corripitur, plurimi emendantur; & melius est ut pro multorum salute unus condemnetur, quam ut per unius licentiam multi periclitentur. Isidore saith, Qui admonitus secrete de peccato corrigi negligit, publice arguendus est, ut vulnus quod occulte sanari nescit, manifest debeat emendari. If any shall say, that we shall thus be guilty of defaming men by publishing their crimes; I answer in the words of Bernard sup. Cantic. Cum carpuntur vitia, & inde scandalum oritur, ipse sibi scandali causa est, qui fecit