A26932:298
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.
3. To these may most fitly be adjoined the public prayers of the Church, and that both for the Reproved before they are Rejected, and for the Rejected (some of them at least) that they may repent and be restored: but we are now upon the former. Though this is not expressly affixed to Discipline, yet we have sufficient discovery of Gods will concerning it in the general precepts: We are commanded to pray alway, and in all things, and for ⟨p. 100⟩all men, and in all places, and all things are said to be sanctified by it. It is plain therefore that so great a business as this should not be done without it! And who can have any just reason to be offended with us, if we pray to God for the changing of their hearts, and the pardon of their sins. It is therefore in my Judgement a very laudable course of those Churches that use for the three next days together to desire the Congregation to join in earnest prayer to God for the opening of the sinners eyes, and softening of his heart, and saving him from impenitency and eternal death! And though we have no express direction in Scripture just how long we shall stay to try whether the sinner be so impenitent as to be necessarily excluded, yet we must follow the general directions, with such diversity as the case and quality of the person and former proceeding shall require, it being left to the discretion of the Church, who are in general to stay so long till the person manifest himself obstinate in his sin: not but that a temporal exclusion (called suspension) may oft be inflicted in the mean time; but before we proceeded to an exclusion à statu, it is very meet (ordinarily) that three days prayer for him, and patience towards him should antecede.
3. To these may most fitly be adjoyned the publike prayers of the Church, and that both for the Reproved before they are Rejected, and for the Rejected (some of them at least) that they may repent and be restored: but we are now upon the former. Though this is not expresly affixed to Discipline, yet we have sufficient discovery of Gods will concerning it in the general precepts: We are commanded to pray alway, and in all things, and for ⟨p. 100⟩all men, and in all places, and all things are said to be sanctified by it. It is plain therefore that so great a business as this should not be done without it! And who can have any just reason to be offended with us, if we pray to God for the changing of their hearts, and the pardon of their sins. It is therefore in my Judgement a very laudable course of those Churches that use for the three next daies together to desire the Congregation to joyn in earnest prayer to God for the opening of the sinners eyes, and softning of his heart, and saving him from impenitency and eternal death! And though we have no express direction in Scripture just how long we shall stay to try whether the sinner be so impenitent as to be necessarily excluded, yet we must follow the general directions, with such diversity as the case and quality of the person and former proceeding shall require, it being left to the discretion of the Church, who are in general to stay so long till the person manifest himself obstinate in his sin: not but that a temporal exclusion (called suspension) may oft be inflicted in the mean time; but before we proceeded to an exclusion à statu, it is very meet (ordinarily) that three daies prayer for him, and patience towards him should antecede.