A26932:621
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.
7. Another Benefit will be this, We shall by this means be the better enabled to help our people against their particular temptations, and we shall much better prevent their entertainment of any particular errors or heresies; or their falling into Schism to the hazard of themselves and the Church. For men will freelyer open their thoughts and scruples to us, and if they are infected already or inclined to any error or schism, they will be ready to discover it, and so may receive satisfaction before they are past cure. And familiarity with their Teachers, will the more encourage them to open their doubts to them at any other time. The common cause of our peoples infections and heresies is the familiarity of Seducers with them, and the strangeness of their own Pastors. When they hear us only in public, and hear Seducers frequently in private unsaying all that we say, and we never know it, or help them against it, this settleth them in heresies before we are aware of it. Alas our people are most of them so weak, that whoever hath 1. Most interest in their estimations and affections: and 2. Most opportunity in private frequent conferences to instill his opinions into them, of that mans religion will they ordinarily be. It is pity then that we should let deceivers take such opportunities to undo them, and we should not be as industrious, and use our advantages to their good. We have much advantage against Seducers in many respects, if our negligence and their diligence did not frustrate them.
7. ANother Benefit will be this, We shall by this means be the better enabled to help our people against their particular temptations, and we shall much better prevent their entertainment of any particular errors or heresies; or their falling into Schism to the hazard of themselves and the Church. For men will freelyer open their thoughts and scruples to us, and if they are infected already or inclined to any errour or schism, they will be ready to discover it, and so may receive satisfaction before they are past cure. And familiarity with their Teachers, will the more encourage them to open their doubts to them at any other time. The common cause of our peoples infections and heresies is the familiarity of Seducers with them, and the strangeness of their own Pastors. When they hear us only in publike, and hear Seducers frequently in private unsaying all that we say, and we never know it, or help them against it, this fettleth them in heresies before we are aware of it. Alas our people are most of them so weak, that whoever hath 1. Most interest in their estimations and affections: and 2. Most opportunity in private frequent conferences to instill his opinions into them, of that mans religion will they ordinarily be. It is pity then that we should let deceivers take such opportunities to undo them, and we should not be as industrious, and use our advantages to their good. We have much advantage against Seducers in many respects, if our negligence and their diligence did not frustrate them.