A26932:725
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.
Obj. 2. But this course will destroy the health of our bodies, by continual spending the spirits, & allowing us no time for necessary recreations; and it will woolly lock us up from any civil friendly visitations, so that we must never stir from home, nor take our delight at home one day with our friends, for the relaxation of our minds; but as we shall seem discourteous and morose to others, so we shall tire our selves, and the bow that is still bent will be in danger of breaking at last.
Answ 1. This is the mere plea of the flesh for its own interest: The sluggard saith, there is a Lyon in the way. He will not plough because of the cold. There is no duty of moment and self-denial, but if you consult with flesh and blood, it will give you as wise reasons as these against it. Who would ever have been burnt at a stake for Christ, if this reasoning had been good? Yea or who would ever have been a Christian?
Answ 1. This is the meer plea of the flesh for its own interest: The sluggard saith, there is a Lyon in the way. He will not plough because of the cold. There is no duty of moment and self-denyal, but if you consult with flesh and blood, it will give you as wise reasons as these against it. Who would ever have been burnt at a stake for Christ, if this reasoning had been good? Yea or who would ever have been a Christian?
2. We may take time for necessary Recreation for all this? An hour or half, an hours walk before meat, is as much Recreation as is of necessity for the health of most of the weaker sort of students. I have reason to know somewhat of this by long experience. Though I have a body that hath languished under great weaknesses many years, and my diseases have been such as require as much exercise as almost any in the world, and I have found exercise the principal means of my preservation till now, and therefore