A26932:432
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.
Nay, more then all this; I know it; I see and hear it; that there are some Ministers that are g••d when they perceive the people despise their Brethren that differ from them in some lesser things […] would have it so, and they foment it as […] can for shame; and they secretly rejoice […] they hear the news of it. This is next to Prelat••• silencing them, and casting them out of the Church▪ And I confess I cannot but suspect that such men would go near to silence them, if they had their will and way. For he that would have a Minister under disgrace, would have him useless; which is next to silencing him, and tendeth to the same end. You will say, we do not desire that he should be disabled to do good, but to do hurt. I answer; but the question is, Whether his error be so great, that the holding or propagating it doth more hurt, then all his Preaching, and the labours of that whole party which you would disgrace, is like to do good? If so, then I think it is a desirable work to disgrace him, and silence him in a just measure, and by just means, and I would concur therein; but if it be otherwise, we are bound to keep up that reputation of others, which is necessary ordinarily to the success of their labours.
Nay, more then all this; I know it; I see and hear it; that there are some Ministers that are g••d when they perceive the people despise their Brethren that differ from them in some lesser things 〈…〉 would have it so, and they foment it as 〈…〉 can for shame; and they secretly rejoyce 〈…〉 they hear the news of it. This is next to Prelat••• ••lencing them, and casting them out of the Church▪ And I confess I cannot but suspect that such men would go neer to silence them, if they had their will and way. For he that would have a Minister under disgrace, would have him useless; which is next to silencing him, and tendeth to the same end. You will say, we do not desire that he should be disabled to do good, but to do hurt. I answer; but the question is, Whether his error be so great, that the holding or propagating it doth more hurt, then all his Preaching, and the labours of that whole party which you would disgrace, is like to do good? If so, then I think it is a desirable work to disgrace him, and silence him in a just measure, and by just means, and I would concurr therein; but if it be otherwise, we are bound to keep up that reputation of others, which is necessary ordinarily to the success of their labours.