A26932:39
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
Preface: To my Reverend and Dearly beloved Brethren, the faithful Ministers of Christ, in Britta…
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.
Answ. Weightier business may put by our preaching, even on the Lords day; but we must not therefore neglect our constant observance ordinarily of that day: And so it is here. If you have so much greater business, that you cannot ordinarily have time to do the Ministerial work, you should not undertake the office: ⟨image 14⟩For Ministers are men separated to the Gospel of Christ, and must give themselves wholly to these things.
Answ. Weightyer business may put by our preaching, even on the Lords day; but we must not therefore neglect our constant observance ordinarily of that day: And so it is here. If you have so much greater business, that you cannot ordinarily have time to do the Ministerial work, you should not undertake the office: ⟨image 14⟩For Ministers are men separated to the Gospel of Christ, and must give themselves wholly to these things.
Obj. All the Parish are not the Church, nor do I take the Pastoral charge of them, and therefore I am not satisfied that I am bound to take this pains with them.
Answ. I will pass by the question, Whether all the Parish be to be taken for your Church: because in some places it is so, and in others not. But let the negative be supposed: Yet 1. The common maintenance which most receive, is for Teaching the whole Parish, though you be not obliged to take them all for a Church. 2. What need we look for a stronger obligation, then the common bond that lieth on all Christians, to further the work of mens salvation, and the good of the Church, and the honour of God, to the utmost of their power: together with the common bond that is on all Ministers, to further these ends by Ministerial teaching to the utmost of their power? Is it a work so good, and apparently conducing to so great benefits to the souls of men, and yet can you perceive no obligation to the doing of it?