A26932:851
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.
This way did Musculus take with the Anabaptists, visiting them in Prison, and relieving them even while they railed at him as Antichristian, and so continued without disputing with them, till they were convinced that he loved them, and then they sought to him for advice themselves, & many of them were reclaimed by him.
8 Either in the Conclusion of your meeting, or at another appointed time, when you come to debate their Controversy with them, tell them, That seeing they think you unable to teach them, and think themselves able to teach you, it is your desire to learn; You suppose disputing (as tending usually to exasperate mens minds, rather then to satisfy them) is to be used as the last remedy; Therefore you are here ready, if they are able to Teach you, to learn of them and desire them to speak their minds: Which if they refuse, tell them, you think it the humblest and most Christian edifying way for him that hath most knowledge to Teach, and the other to Learn; and therefore your purpose is to be either a Learner or a Teacher, and not be Disputant, till they make it to be Necessary. When they have declared their minds to you in a teaching way, if it be nothing but the common pleas of the seduced (as its like it will not till then) that this is no new thing to you; it is not the first time that you have heard it, or Considered of it, and if you had found a Divine Evidence in it you had received it long ago: You are truly willing to receive all truth; but you have received that which is contrary to this doctrine, with far better Evidence then they bring for it, &c. If they desire to hear what your Evidence is, tell them if they will hear as learners you shall communicate your Evidence in the meetest way you can, which if they promise to do, let them know that this promise obligeth them to impartiality and an humble free entertainment of the truth, and that they do not turn back in cash carping and contention but take what shall be delivered into sober Consideration: which if they promise, ⟨p. 460⟩1. If you are so far versed in the point in hand as to manage it well ex tempore, or the person be temperate and fit for such debates, then come in with your evidence in a discursive way, first showing your reasons against the grossest imperfections of his own discourse, and then giving him your grounds from Scripture; not many but rather a few of the clearest best improved. And 2.