A26932:388
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.
Yet through the mercy of God, it was not all the Prelates of the Church that thus miscarried: we have yet surviving our Usher, our Hall, our Morton, learned, godly and peaceable men; whose names are as dear to us as any mens alive. And O that it had been the will of God that all had been such! Then had we not been like to have seen those days of blood that we have seen: nor those great mutations in Church and state! But so far were these good men from being able to do the good that they would, that they were maligned for their piety, and soundness in the faith, and many a time have I heard them despised as well as others, and scorned as Puritans for all they were Prelates.
Yet through the mercy of God, it was not all the Prelates of the Church that thus miscarried: we have yet surviving our Usher, our Hall, our Morton, learned, godly and peaceable men; whose names are as dear to us as any mens alive. And O that it had been the will of God that all had been such! Then had we not been like to have seen those daies of blood that we have seen: nor those great mutations in Church and state! But so far were these good men from being able to do the good that they would, that they were maligned for their piety, and soundness in the faith, and many a time have I heard them despised as well as others, and scorned as Puritans for all they were Prelates.
And yet it were well if all the guilt had lain upon that party! But alas it was not so! Those pious and painful Divines that were oppressed, and much more that part of the people that joined with them, were too impatient under their suffering! and bent themselves (some of them) more then was meet against the persons of those that they suffered by; and too much endeavoured to make the Prelates odious with the people; as persecutors of the Church of God: and were ready to go too far from them on the other hand; and to think the worse of some things because they commanded them. Doubtless had we all suffered with more patience, and carried our selves with meekness and gent eness to those that we differed from, and given them so much commendation as was their due, and put the best constructions on ⟨p. 162⟩