A26932:295
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.
5. The Church of Christ hath found reason enough to use this course, even in times of persecution, when our carnal reason would have told them, that they should then above all have forborne it, for fear of driving away all their converts.
5. The Church of Christ hath found reason enough to use this course, even in times of persecution, when our carnal reason would have told them, that they should then above all have forborn it, for fear of driving away all their converts.
6. The principal use of this public Discipline, is not for the offender himself, but for the Church. It tendeth exceedingly to deter others from the like crimes, and so to keep pure the Congregations and their worship. Seneca could say, Vitia transmitit ad posteros, qui praesentibus culpis ignoscit. And elsewhere. Bonis nocet, qui malis parcit. If you say, that It will but restrain them as hypocrites, and not convert them. I answer, 1. As I said, it may preserve others. 2. Who knows how God may bless his Ordinance, even to them? 3. The restraint of sin, is a benefit not to be contemned. Audebo peccanti mala sun ostendere: vitia ejus si non excidero, inhibebo. Non desinent; sed intermittent: fortasse autem desinent, si intermittendi consuetudinem fecerint, said the Moralist. Sen. Epist. 40. The scorns that I have heard from ⟨p. 99⟩many against the Scottish Ministers, for bringing offenders to the stool of Repentance, (as if it were mere formality and hypocrisy, to take such a thing as satisfactory, when true Repentance is absent) hath discovered more of the accusers error then of theirs. For no doubt, it is true Repentance that they exhort men to; and it is true Repentance which offenders do profess: and whether they truly profess it, who can tell but God? It is not nothing that sin is brought to so much disgrace, and the Church doth so far acquit themselves of it. (But of this next.)
6. The principal use of this publike Discipline, is not for the offendor himself, but for the Church. It tendeth exceedingly to deter others from the like crimes, and so to keep pure the Congregations and their worship. Seneca could say, Vitia transmitit ad posteros, qui praesentibus culpis ignoscit. And elsewhere. Bonis nocet, qui malis parcit. If you say, that It will but restrain them as hypocrites, and not convert them. I answer, 1. As I said, it may preserve others. 2. Who knows how God may bless his Ordinance, even to them? 3. The restraint of sin, is a benefit not to be contemned. Audebo peccanti mala sun ostendere: vitia ejus si non excidero, inhibebo. Non desinent; sed intermittent: fortasse autem desinent, si intermittendi consuetudinem fecerint, said the Moralist. Sen. Epist. 40. The scorns that I have heard from