A26932:478
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. And I must tell you, that too much interposition of the sword with our Discipline, would do more harm then good. It would but corrupt it by the mixture, and make it become a humane thing. Your Government is all to work upon the conscience; and the sword cannot reach that. It is not a desirable thing to have Repentance so obscured by mere forced Confessions, that you cannot know when men do mean as they speak; and so it will be the sword that doth all, by forcing men to dissemble, and you will not discern the power of the Word and Ordinance of Christ. I confess since I fell upon the exercise of some Discipline I find by experience that if the sword did interpose and force all those Public Confessions of sin, and Profession of Repentance, which I have ⟨p. 229⟩persuaded men to by the light of the word of God; it would have left me much unsatisfied concerning the validity of such Confessions and Promises, whether they might indeed be satisfactory to the Church: And I find that the godly people do no further regard it then they perceive it hearty and free; and if it were forced by Magistrates, they would take him for no Penitent person, nor be any whit satisfied, but say, He doth it because he dare do no otherwise.
4. And I must tell you, that too much interposition of the sword with our Discipline, would do more harm then good. It would but corrupt it by the mixture, and make it become a humane thing. Your Government is all to work upon the conscience; and the sword cannot reach that. It is not a desirable thing to have Repentance so obscured by meer forced Confessions, that you cannot know when men do mean as they speak; and so it will be the sword that doth all, by forcing men to dissemble, and you will not discern the power of the Word and Ordinance of Christ. I confess since I fell upon the exercise of some Discipline I find by experience that if the sword did interpose and force all those Publike Confessions of sin, and Profession of Repentance, which I have ⟨p. 229⟩perswaded men to by the light of the word of God; it would have left me much unsatisfied concerning the validity of such Confessions and Promises, whether they might indeed be satisfactory to the Church: And I find that the godly people do no further regard it then they perceive it hearty and free; and if it were forced by Magistrates, they would take him for no Penitent person, nor be any whit satisfied, but say, He doth it because he dare do no otherwise.