Gildas Salvianus: The Reformed Pastor

And when a work is like to prove difficult and costly, how backward are we to it, and make excuses and will not come on? For instance; What hath been for more talked of, and prayed for, and contended about in England for many years past, then the business of Discipline? And there are but few men (the Erastians) but they seem zealous in disputing for one side or other: some for the Prelatical way, and some for the Presbyterian, and some for the Congregational. And yet when we come to the practice of it, for ought I see we are most of us for no way. It hath made me admire sometimes; to look on the face of England, and see how few Congregations in the Land have any considerable execution of Discipline, and to think withal what volumes they have written for it; and how almost all the Ministry ⟨p. 214⟩of the Nation is engaged for it? how zealously they have contended for it, and made many a (just) exclamation against the opposers of it; and yet for all this will do little or nothing in the exercise of it. I have marvelled what should make them so zealous in siding for that which their practice shows that their hearts are against. But I see a disputing zeal is more natural then a holy obedient practicing zeal. How many Ministers in England be there that know not their own charge, that plead for the truth of their particular Churches, and know not which they be, or who be members of them? and that never cast out one obstinate sinner; no nor brought one to public Confession, and expression of Repentance and promise of reformation; No nor admonished one publicly to call him to such Repentance. But they think they do their duties if they give them not the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, (when it is perhaps avoided voluntarily by themselves, and thousands will keep away themselves without our prohibiting them) and in the mean time we leave them stated members of our Churches, and grant them all other Communion with the Church, and call them not to personal Repentance for their sin. Read Albaspinaens, a sober Papist in his Observat. 1. and 2. and 3. after his Annot on O tatus, and see whether Church-Communion in former times was taken to consist only •n co-partaking of the Lords Supper. Either these hundreds that we communicate not with in the Supper are members of our Churches, or not; If not; then we are Separatists while we so much disclaim it;

And when a work is like to prove difficult and costly, how backward are we to it, and make excuses and will not come on? For instance; What hath been for more talked of, and prayed for, and contended about in England for many years past, then the business of Discipline? And there are but few men (the Erastians) but they seem zealous in disputing for one side or other: some for the Prelatical way, and some for the Presbyterian, and some for the Congregational. And yet when we come to the practice of it, for ought I see we are most of us for no way. It hath made me admire sometimes; to look on the face of England, and see how few Congregations in the Land have any considerable execution of Discipline, and to think withall what volumns they have written for it; and how almost all the Ministery