A26932:314
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 charge the Church that they imitate Christ in forgiving, and retain (or if he were cast out, receive) the Penitent person in their Communion, & that they never reproach him with his sins, or cast them in his teeth, but forgive and forget them as Christ doth.
4. And then to give God thanks for his recovery so far, and to pray for his confirmation, and future preservation.
5. The next part of Discipline, is the Rejecting ⟨p. 108⟩and Removing from the Churches Communion, those that after sufficient tryaldo remain impenitent. Where note.
1. That if a man have sinned but once (so scandalously) or twice, it is but a Profession of Repentance that we can expect for our satisfaction; but if he be accustomed to sin, or have oft broke such Promises, then it is an actual reformation that we must expect. And therefore he that will refuse either of these, to Reform, or to Profess and manifest Repentance, is to be taken by us as living in the sin: For a heinous sin, but once committed, is morally continued in till it be Repented of; and a bare forbearing of the act is not sufficient.