A26932:616
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.
3. A Third Benefit that may be expected by the well-managing of this work, is this, It will make our public preaching to be better understood and regarded. When you have acquainted them with the Principles, they will the better understand all that you say. They will perceive what you drive at, when they are once acquainted with the main. This prepareth their minds, and openeth you a way to their hearts: when without this you may lose the most of your labour: and the more pains you take, in accurate preparations, the less good you do. As you would not therefore lose your public labour, see that you be faithful in this private work.
3. A Third Benefit that may be expected by the well-managing of this work, is this, It will make our publike preaching to be better understood and regarded. When you have acquainted them with the Principles, they will the better understand all that you say. They will perceive what you drive at, when they are once acquainted with the main. This prepareth their minds, and openeth you a way to their hearts: when without this you may lose the most of your labour: and the more pains you take, in accurate preparations, the less good you do. As you would not therefore lose your publike labour, see that you be faithful in this private work.
4. AND this is not a contemptible Benefit, that by this course you will come to be familiar with your people, when you have had the opportunity of familiar conference. And the want of this with us, that have very numerous Parishes, is a great impediment to the success of our labours. By distance and unacquaintedness, slanderers and deceivers have opportunity to possess them with false conceits of you, which prejudice their minds against your doctrine: and by this distance and strangeness abundance of mistakes between Ministers and people are fomented. Besides that, familiarity it self doth tend to beget those affections, which may open their ears to further teaching. And when we are familiar with them, they will be more encouraged to open their doubts and seek resolution, and deal freely with us. But when a minister knoweth not his people, or is as strange to them as if he did not know them, it must be a great hindrance to his doing them any good.