A26932:471
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.
4. But yet let me tell you, that there is not such a Lyon in the way as you do imagine; nor is Discipline such a useless thing. I bless God upon the small and too late trial that I have made my self of it, I can speak by experience, it is not vain; nor are the hazards of it such as may excuse our neglect.
4. But yet let me tell you, that there is not such a Lyon in the way as you do imagine; nor is Discipline such a useless thing. I bless God upon the small and too late tryal that I have made my self of it, I can speak by experience, it is not vain; nor are the hazards of it such as may excuse our neglect.
But I know that pinching reason is behind; They say that, When we pleaded for Discipline, we meant a Discipline that should be established and imposed by the secular power: and without them what good can we do? when every man hath leave to despise our censures, and set us at nought: and therefore we will not meddle with it (say they) without authority. To which I answer, 1. I thought it once a scornful indignity that some fellows attempted to put upon the Ministry, that denied them to be the Ministers of Christ, and would have had them called the Ministers of the State, and dealt with accordingly. But it seems they did not much cross the judgements of some of the Ministry themselves, who are ready to put the same scorn upon their own calling. We are sent as Christs Ambassadors to speak in his name, and not in the Princes; ⟨p. 223⟩and by his Authority we do our work as from him we have our Commission. And shall any of his Messengers question the Authority of his commands? The same Power that you have to preach without or against the Magistrates command, the same have you to exercise Pastoral Guidance and Discipline without it. And should all Ministers refuse preaching if the Magistrate bid them not? yea or if he forbid them? 2. What mean you when you say, you will not do it without Authority? Do you mean the Leave, or the Countenance and approbation, or the Command upon your selves, or do you mean a Force or Penalty on the People to obey you? The Magistrates Leave we have; who hindereth or forbiddeth you to set up Discipline, and exercise it faithfully? Doth the secular Power forbid you to do it, or threaten or trouble you for not doing it? No, they do not. To the shame of the far greatest part of the Ministers of England it must be spoken (for we have so opened our own shame that it cannot be hid) we have had free Liberty to have done the work of Christ, which we have desired and pleaded for, and yet we would not do it. What might not the Ministers of England have done for the Lord, if they had been but willing? They had no prohibition, nor any man to rise up against them, of all the enemies whose hearts are against their work: and yet they would not do it. Nay more, for ought you know, you have the Approbation of Authority. You have the commands of former powers not yet repealed. You have the Protection of the Laws and present Governors: