A26932:561
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.
Sure I am by such means as these we are many of us grown so hardened in sin, that men make no great matter what they say one against another, but stand out of hearing and sight, and vent their spleen against each other behind their backs. How many jeers and scorns have they among their Companions for those that are against their party! and ⟨p. 288⟩they easily venture be the matter never so false. A bad report of such is easily taken to be true; and that which is true is easily made worse: when as Seneca saith, [Multos absolvemus, si coeperimus ante judicare quam irasci: nunc autem primum impetum sequimur] It is passion that tells the tale, and that receiveth it.
Sure I am by such means as these we are many of us grown so hardened in sin, that men make no great matter what they say one against another, but stand out of hearing and sight, and vent their spleen against each other behind their backs. How many jeers and scorns have they among their Companions for those that are against their party! and ⟨p. 288⟩they easily venture be'the matter never so false. A bad report of such is easily taken to be true; and that which is true is easily made worse: when as Seneca saith, [Multos absolvemus, si coeperimus ante judicare quam irasci: nunc autem primum impetum sequimur] It is passion that tels the tale, and that receiveth it.
The second thing therefore that I entreat of you is, that you would be very tender of the Unity and Peace of the Catholic Church; not only of your own parties, but of the whole. And to this end these things will prove necessary. 1. Do not too easily introduce any Novelties into the Church either in faith or practice: I mean not, that which seems a novelty to men that look no further then yesterday; for so the restoring of Ancient things will seem novelty to those that know not what was Anciently; and the expulsion of prevailing novelties will seem a novelty to them that known not what is such indeed. So the Papists censure us as Novelists for casting out many of their Innovations; and our common people tell us we bring up new Customs if we do not kneel at the receiving of the Lords Supper: (A notorious Novelty: Even in the sixth General Council at Trull. in Constantinop. this was the ninth Canon: Ne Dominicis diebus genua flectamus; à Divinis Patribus nostris Canonice accepimus: Quare post vespertinum ingressum Sacerdotum in Sabbato ad Altare ut more observatum est, nemo genu flectii usque ad sequentem vesperem post dominicam.) It is that which is indeed Novelty that I dissuade you from, and not the demolishing of Novelties. Some have already introduced such New