A26932:339
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. This work must be carried on Prudently, Orderly and by Degrees; Milk must go before strong meat: The foundation must be first laid before we build upon it. Children must not be dealt with as men at age. Men must be brought into a state of Grace, before we can expect from them the works of Grace. The work of Conversion and Repentance from dead works, and faith in Christ must be first, and frequently, and throughly taught. The Stewards of Gods household must give to each their portion in due season. We must not go beyond the capacities of our people ordinarily, nor teach them the perfection, that have not learned the principles. As August. saith, li. 12. de Civit. Si pro viribus suis alatur infans, fiet ut crescendo plus capiat: si modum suae capacitatis excedat, desicit antequam crescat. And as Gregor. Nysen. saith, Orat, de Pauper. amand. As we teach not infants the deep precepts of science, but first letters, and then syllables, &c. So also the Guides of the Church do first propound to their hearers certain documents, which are as the elements, and so by degrees do open to them the more perfect and mysterious matters. Therefore did the Church take so much pains with their Catechumeni, before they baptized them, and ⟨p. 120⟩would not lay unpolished stones into the building; as Chrysost. saith, Hom. 40. Imperfect. operis (or who ever else it be) p. (mihi) 318. Aedificatores sunt Sacerdotes, qui—domum Dei compon unt sicut enim adificatores, nodosos lapides & habentes torturas, ferro dolant, postea vero ponunt eos in aedificio, alioqui non dolati lapides lapidibus non cohaerent: Sic & Ecclesiae doctores vitia hominum quasi nodos acutis increpationibus primum circumcidere debent, & sic in Ecclesiae edification collocare: alioquin vitiis manentibus Christiani Christianis concordare non possunt.
3. This work must be carried on Prudent'y, Orderly and by Degrees; Milk must go before strong meat: The foundation must be first laid before we build upon it. Children must not be dealt with as men at age. Men must be brought into a state of Grace, before we can expect from them the works of Grace. The work of Conversion and Repentance from dead works, and faith in Christ must be first, and frequently, and throughly taught. The Stewards of Gods houshold must give to each their portion in due season. We must not go beyond the capacities of our people ordinarily, nor teach them the perfection, that have not learned the principles. As August. saith, li. 12. de Civit. Si pro viribus suis alatur infans, fiet ut crescendo plus capiat: si modum suae capacitatis excedat, desicit antequam crescat. And as Gregor. Nysen. saith, Orat, de Pauper. amand. As we teach not insants the deep precepts of science, but first letters, and then syllables, &c. So also the Guides of the Church do first propound to their hearers certain documents, which are as the elements, and so by degrees do open to them the more perfect and mysterious matters. Therefore did the Church take so much pains with their Catechumeni, before they baptized them, and