Gildas Salvianus: The Reformed Pastor

Was not Christ himself the leader of these Disciplinarians who instituted Discipline, and made his Ministers the Rulers or Guides of his Church, and put the Keys of the Kingdom into their hand, and commanded the very particular acts of Discipline, and requireth the people to submit to them, and obey them in the Lord? What would these men have said, if they had seen the Practice of the ancient Church for many hundred years after Christ, who exercised a Discipline so much more rigorous, then any among us do, and that even in the heat of heathen persecutions? as if they read but the ancient Canons, and Cyprian's Epistles, they may soon see, though they look no further. And it was not then (no nor after under Christian Magistrates) taken to be a useless thing; nor would it appear such now, if it were showed in its strength and beauty by a vigorous Practice: For its a thing that is not effectually manifested to the ear, but to the eye: and you will never, make men know well what it is by mere talking of it; till they see it they will be strangers to it: As it is in the military act, or in Navigation, or in the Government of Common-wealths, which are so little known till learned by experience. And that will tell us that, as Cyprian saith, Disciplina est custos spei, retinaculum fidei, dux itineris salutaris, fomes ac nutrimentum bonae indolis, magistra virtutis; facit in Christo manere semper, ac jugiter Deo vivere, ad promissa coelestia & divina praemia pervenire: Hanc & sectari salubre est, & aversari ac negliger• lethal: as he begins his Book de Discipl. & hab. virg. pag. (mihi) 265. When the Martyrs and ⟨p. 114⟩Confessors would (upon others persuasions) have had some offenders restored before they had made Confession, and manifested openly Repentance for their sin, and been absolved by the Pastor; Cyprian resisteth it, and tells them that they that stand so firmly to the faith, should stand as firmly to Christs Law and Discipline: Sollicitudo lory nostri & timor Domini compellit, fortissimi ae beatissims Martyrs, admonere vos literis nostris, ut à quibus tam devote & fortiter servatur fides Domino, ab iisdem lex quoque & Disciplina Domini reservetur, &c. Epist. 11. pag. 32.

Was not Christ himself the leader of these Disciplinarians who instituted Discipline, and made his Ministers the Rulers or Guides of his Church, and put the Keyes of the Kingdom into their hand, and commanded the very particular acts of Discipline, and requireth the people to submit to them, and obey them in the Lord? What would these men have said, if they had seen the Practice of the antient Church for many hundred years after Christ, who exercised a Discipline so much more rigorous, then any among us do, and that even in the heat of heathen persecutions? as if they read but the antient Canons, and Cyprians Epistles, they may soon see, though they look no further. And it was not then (no nor after under Christian Magistrates) taken to be a useless thing; nor would it appear such now, if it were shewed in its strength and beauty by a vigorous Practice: For its a thing that is not effectually manifested to the ear, but to the eye: and you will never, make men know well what it is by meer talking of it; till they see it they will be strangers to it: As it is in the military act, or in Navigation, or in the Government of Common-wealths, which are so little known till learned by experience. And that will tell us that, as Cyprian saith, Disciplina est custos spei, retinaculum fidei, dux itineris salutaris, fomes ac nutrimentum bonae indolis, magistra virtutis; facit in Christo manere semper, ac jugiter Deo vivere, ad promissa coelestia & divina praemia pervenire: Hanc & sectari salubre est, & aversari ac negliger lethale: as he begins his Book de Discipl. & hab. virg. pag. (mihi) 265. When the Martyrs and