A26932:546
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.
SECT. VIII.
4. Moreover, if you would prosper in your work; Be sure to keep up earnest desires and expectations of success. If your hearts be not set on the end of your labours; and you long not to see the conversion and edification of your hearers, and do not study and preach in hope, you are not likely to see much fruit of it. Its an ill sign of a false self-seeking heart, that can be content to be still doing, and see no fruits of their labour; so I have observed that God seldom blesseth any mans work so much as his whose heart is set upon the success; Let it be the property of a Judas to have more regard to the bag then to his business, and not to care much for what they pretend to care; and to think if they have their Tithes, and the love and commendations of the people, that they have enough to satisfy them: but let all that preach for Christ and mens salvation, be unsatisfied till they have the thing they preach for: He had never the right end of a Preacher, that is indifferent whether he do obtain them, and is not grieved when he misseth them, and rejoiced when he can see the desired issue. When a man doth only study what to say, and how with commendation to spend the hour, and looks no more after it, unless it be to know what people think of his own abilities, and thus holds on from year to year, I must needs think that this man doth preach for himself, and drive on a private trade of his own, and doth not ⟨p. 280⟩preach for Christ even when he preacheth Christ, how excellently soever he may seem to do it. No wise or charitable Physician is content to be still giving Physic, and see no amendment among his Patients, but have them all to die upon his hands: nor will any wise and honest Schoolmaster be content to be still teaching though his Scholars profit not; but either of them would rather be weary of the employment. I know that a faithful Minister may have comfort when he wants success and though Israel be not gathered, our reward is with the Lord: and our acceptance is not according to the fruit, but according to our labour; and as Greg. M. saith, Et Aethiops etsi balneum nigger intrat, & niger egreditur, tamen balneat or nummos accipit. If God set us to wash Blackamores, and cure those that will not be cured; we shall not lose our labour, though we perform not the cure. But then 1.