A26932:384
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.
Ipsa Dei Ecclesia quae in omnibus esse debet placatrix Dei, quid est aliud quam exacerbatrix Dei? aut pr• ter ⟨p. 159⟩paucissim•s qu•sdam qui mala fugiunt, quid est aliud pene omnis coetus Christianorum quam sentina vitiorum? Quotum enim quemque invenies in Ecclesia non aut Ebriosum aut helluonem, aut adulterum, &c.—immo facilius invenias qui totum sit quam qui nihil: Et quod diximus nihil ni•is forsitan gravis videatur esse censura; plus multo dicam, facilius invenias reum malorum omnium quam non omnium; facilius majorum criminum quam minorum: id est, facilius qui & major a crimina cum minoribus, quam qui minor a tantum sin• majoribus perpetrarint. In hanc enim morum probrositatem prope omnis Ecclesiastica pl•bs redacta est, ut in •uncto populo Christiano genus quodammodo sanctitatis si•, minus esse vitiosum. Itaque Ecclesias vel potius templa atque altaria Dei minoris reverentiae quidem habent quam cujus••bet minimi ac municipalis judicis domum. Siquidem intra j•nuas non modo illustrium potestatum, sed etiam praesidum & praepositorum, non omnes passim intrare praesumunt, nisi quos aut judex vocaverit, aut negotium traxerit, aut ipsa honoris proprii dignitas introire permiserit: it a •t si quispiam fu•rit insolenter ingressus, aut caed•tur, aut propellatur aut al• qua verec••diae atque existimationis su• labe mulctetur. In templa autem vel potius in altaria atqu• sacraria Dei passim omnes sordidi ac flagitiosi sin• ulla penitus reverentia sacri honour is irrumpunt, non quia non omnes ad exorandum Deum currere debent; sed quia qui ingreditur ad placandum, non debet egredi ad exacerbandum. Neque enim ejusde offic est indulgentiam poscere & r acundiam provocare: Novum siquidem monstrigenus est; eadem paene omnes jugiter faciunt, quae fecisse se plangunt: Et qui intrant in Ecclesiasticam domum, ut mala antiqua defleant, exeunt; & quid dico