Gildas Salvianus: The Reformed Pastor

5. Another sad discovery, that we have not so devoted our selves and all we have to the service of God, as we ought, is, The Prevalency of worldly fleshly interests too much against the Interest and work of Christ. And this I shall further manifest in these three instances following. 1. Our temporizing. 2. Our too much minding worldly things, and shrinking from duties that will hinder our commodity. 3. Our barrenness in works of Charity, and in the improving of all that we have to our Masters use.

5. ANother sad discovery, that we have not so devoted our selves and all we have to the service of God, as we ought, is, The Prevalency of worldly fleshly interests too much against the Interest and work of Christ. And this I shall further manifest in these three instances following. 1. Our temporizing. 2. Our too much minding worldly things, and shrinking from duties that will hinder our commodity. 3. Our barrenness in works of Charity, and in the improving of all that we have to our Masters use.

1. I would not have any to be thwart and contentious with those that govern them, nor to be disobedient to any of their lawful commands. But it is not the least reproach upon the Ministry, that the most of them for worldly advantage do still suit themselves with the party that is most likely to suit to their ends. If they look for secular advantages, they suit themselves to the secular Power: if for the air of Ecclesiastic applause, then do they suit themselves to the party of Ecclesiastics that is most in credit. This is not a private, but an Epidemical malady. In Constantine's days, how prevalent were the Orthodox? In Constantius days, they almost all turned Arians, so that there were very few Bishops at all that did not apostatize or betray the truth; even of the same ⟨p. 235⟩men that had been in the Council of Nice; And when not only Liberius, but great O sius himself fell, who had been the President or chief in so many Orthodox Councils, what better could be expected from weaker men! Were it not for secular advantage, or Ecclesiastic faction and applause, how could it come to pass that Ministers in all the Countries in the world, are either all, or almost all, of that Religion and way that is most in credit, and most consistent with their worldly interest! Among the Greeks, they are all of the Greek profession: and among the Abassines, the Nestorians, the Maronites, the Jacobites, the Ministers generally go one way. And among the Papists they are almost all Papists. And in Saxony, Sweden, Denmark, &c. almost all Lutherans: In Holland, France, Scotland, almost all Calvinists. Its strange that they should be all in the right in one Country, and all in the wrong in another, if carnal advantages and reputation did not sway much. When men fall upon a conscientious search, the variety of Intellectual capacities causeth unavoidably a great variety of conceits about some hard & lower things. But let the Prince and the stream of men in credit go one way, and you shall have the generality of Ministers agree to a hair, and that without any extraordinary search. How generally did the common sort of Ministers too often change their Religion with the Prince at several times in this land? Not all (as our Martyrology can witness) but the most. I will purposely forbore the mention of any later change.