A26932:684
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. IV.
Having found so great Reason to move us to this work, I shall, before I come to the Directions. 1. Apply them further for our Humiliation and Excitation. And 2. answer some Objections that may be raised.
HAving found so great Reason to move us to this work, I shall, before I come to the Directions. 1. Apply them further for our Humiliation and Excitation. And 2. answer some Objections that may be raised.
And 1. what cause have we to bleed before the Lord this day, that have neglected so great and good a work so long? That we have been Ministers of the Gospel so many years, and done so little by personal instructions and conference for the saving of mens souls! If we had but set a work this business sooner, that we have now agreed upon, who knows how many more might have been brought over unto Christ? and how much happier we might have made our Parishes, ere now? And why might we not have done it sooner as well as now? I confess many impediments were in our way, and so there are still, and will be while there is a Devil to tempt, and a corrupt heart in man to resist the light: But if the greatest impediment had not been in our selves, even in our own darkness, and dullness, and undisposedness to duty, and our dividedness and unaptness to close for the work of God, I see not but much might have been done before this. We had the same God to command us, and the same miserable objects of compassion, and the same liberty from Governors of the Common-wealth. But we stood looking for changes, and we would have had the Magistrate not only to have ⟨p. 366⟩given us leave to work, but have done our work for us, or at least to have brought the game to our hands, and while we looked for better days, we made them worse, by the lamentable neglect of a chief part of our work. And had we as much petitioned Parliaments for the interposition of their Authority to compel men to be catechized and instructed by the Minister, as we did for maintenance and other matters; its like we might have obtained it long ago, when they were forward to gratify us in such undisputable things. But we have sinned, and have no just excuse for our sin; somewhat that may perhaps excuse à tanto, but nothing à toto; and the sin is so great, because the duty is so great, that we should be afraid of pleading excuse too much. The Lord of Mercy forgive us, and all the Ministry of England, and lay not this or any of our Ministerial negligences to our charge. O that he would cover all our unfaithfulness, and by the blood of the everlasting Covenant, would wash away our guilt of the blood of souls, that when the chief Shepherd shall appear, we may stand before him in peace, and may not be condemned for the scattering of his Flock.