Gildas Salvianus: The Reformed Pastor

There are through the great mercy of God, abundance of painful and able young Ministers, that were in the Universities in the time of the wars, and had no hand in it, and were ordained since Bishops became to them either invisible, or inaccessible; and its like they judge not their Ordination to be of necessity. They lay out themselves faithfully for the healing of that ignorance and common profaneness which got so much head under their careless or drunken predecessors. They desire nothing more then the saving of souls; They preach sound Doctrine: They live in Peace. And it is the greatest of their grief that many of their hearers remain so ignorant and obstinate still. And see what a help these poor impenitent sinners have for their cure? They are taught to turn their backs upon their Teachers; and whereas before they heard them but with disregard, they are now taught not to hear them at all. And if we privately speak to them, they can tell us that its the Judgement of such and such learned men, that we are not to be heard, nor our Churches to be communicated with, nor we to be at all regarded as Christs Ministers. And thus Drunkards, and Swearers, and worldlings, and all sorts of sensualists are got out of gun-shot, and beyond the reach of our teaching or reproof: And those that do not (for shame of the world) obey their Doctrine to stay from the Assembly, yet do they there hear us with prejudice and contempt, and from ⟨p. 197⟩the Communion of the Church in the Lords Supper they commonly abstain. Were it only the case of those few Civil persons, that conscientiously go this way, and address themselves to these kind of men for Government and Sacraments, I would never have mentioned the thing; For it is not them that I intend. For what care I what Minister they hear or obey, so it be one that leadeth them in the ways of truth and holiness? Let them follow Christ and forsake their sins, and go to heaven, and I will never much contend with them for the forsaking of my Conduct. But it is the common sort of profane and sensual men, that are everywhere hardened against the Ministry, and they have nothing but the reputation of the Prelatical Divines to countenance it with. If their Teachers do but differ in a gesture from these men, they vilify them, and reject their guidance, having nothing but the authority of such men to support them.

There are through the great mercy of God, abundance of painful and able young Ministers, that were in the Universities in the time of the wars, and had no hand in it, and were ordained since Bishops became to them either invisible, or inaccestible; and its like they judge not their Ordination to be of necessity. They lay out themselves faithfully for the healing of that ignorance and common prophaneness which got so much head under their careless or drunken predecessors. They desire nothing more then the saving of souls; They preach sound Doctrine: They live in Peace. And it is the greatest of their grief that many of their hearers remain so ignorant and obstinate still. And see what a help these poor impenitent sinners have for their cure? They are taught to turn their backs upon their Teachers; and whereas before they heard them but with disregard, they are now taught not to hear them at all. And if we privately speak to them, they can tell us that its the Judgement of such and such learned men, that we are not to be heard, nor our Churches to be communicated with, nor we to be at all regarded as Christs Ministers. And thus Drunkards, and Swearers, and worldlings, and all sorts of sensualists are got out of gun-shot, and beyond the reach of our teaching or reproof: And those that do not (for shame of the world) obey their Doctrine to stay from the Assembly, yet do they there hear us with prejudice and contempt, and from