A26932:392
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.
The minds of many are as much exasperated or estranged as ever. Three sorts I meet with, that all are too backward to any accommodation.
1. The violent men of the Prelates side, especially those of the new way, who are so far from Reconciliation and healing of our breaches, that they labour to persuade the world that the contrary-minded are ⟨p. 164⟩Schismatics, and that all the Ministers that have not Episcopal ordination are no Ministers, nor any of the Churches that have not Prelates are true Churches, (at least, except it can be proved to be through unavoidable necessity.) And they say, To agree with such were to strike a Covenant with Schism it self.
1. The violent men of the Prelates side, especially those of the new way, who are so far from Reconciliation and healing of our breaches, that they labour to perswade the world that the contrary-minded are ⟨p. 164⟩Schismaticks, and that all the Ministers that have not Episcopal ordination are no Ministers, nor any of the Churches that have not Prelates are true Churches, (at least, except it can be proved to be through unavoidable necessity.) And they say, To agree with such were to strike a Covenant with Schism it self.
2. Some on the other side say, Do you not see that except an inconsiderable number, the Prelatical party are all, empty, careless, if not scandalous ungodly men! Where are almost any of them whose Communion is desirable! That set themselves to the winning and saving of souls, and are serious men in the matters of salvation, in whom you can perceive a heavenly conversation? Hath God brought down these enemies of godliness, and persecutors and depopulators of his Church, and would you make a league with them again? Do you not see that they are as bitter and implacable as ever! and have not some of them the faces to justify all the former impositions and persecutions, and draw or continue the guile of it upon their heads? and would make the world believe that they are wrongfully ejected, when so many accusations in Parliament before the division, so many Centuries of horribly scandalous ones published by Mr. White, and so many more Centuries that lie on Record under depositions in the several Counties of the Nation where the Committees ejected them, will be perpetual witnesses of the quality of these men.