A26932:514
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.
2. Consider also that it is by your own voluntary undertaking and engagement, that all this work is laid upon you. No man forced you to be Overseers of the Church. And doth not common honesty bind you to be true to your trust?
3. Consider also that you have the Honour to encourage you to the Labour. And a great honour indeed it is to be the Ambassadors of God, and the instruments of mens conversion and salvation, to save mens souls from death, and cover a multitude of sins, Jam. 5 ult. Indeed the honour is but the attendant of the work. To do therefore as the Prelates of the Church in all ages have done, to strive for precedency, and fill the world with vile contentions about the dignity and superiority of their seats, doth show that they much forget the nature and work of that office which they strive about. I seldom see men strive so seriously who shall go first to a poor mans cottage to teach him and his family the way to heaven; or who shall first endeavour the conversion of a sinner; or ⟨p. 253⟩first become the servant of all; strange! that for all the plain expressions of Christ, men will not understand the nature of their office! If they did, would they strive who should be the Pastor of a whole County and more, when there are ten thousand poor sinners in it that cry for help; and they are not so eager to engage for their relief? Nay when they can patiently live in the houses with riotous profane persons, and not follow them seriously and uncessantly for their change? And that they would have the Name and Honour of the work of a County, who are unable to do all the work of a Parish, when the Honour is but the appendix of the work? Is it Names and Honour, or the Work and End that these desire? O if they would faithfully, humbly, and self-denyingly lay out themselves for Christ and his Church, and never think of Titles and Reputation, they should then have Honour whether they would or not: but by gaping after it, they lose it: For this is the case of vertues shadow, Quod sequitu, fugio, quod fugit ipse sequor.