A26932:857
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.
And what wonder if Popish Priests refuse this motion, when now among us it is so rare a matter to find any in England, though he differ only in the point of Infant-Baptism, that will calmly and without fraudulent designs of secret promoting his own opinions by it, entertain and prosecute such a motion for the common good! As if they had rather, that Christianity were thrust out of the world, or kept under, then Infants should be admitted into the Church! well, let any party or person pretend what they will of Zeal or Holiness, I will ever take the Dividatur for an ill sign: The true Mother abhors the Division of the Child; and the true Christian doth prefer the Common interest of Christianity, before the Interest of a faction, or an opinion, and would not have the whole building endangered, rather then one peg, should not be driven in as he would have it, he had rather a particular Truth (if we suppose it a truth) should suffer, then the whole or the main.
And what wonder if Popish Priests refuse this motion, when now among us it is so rare a matter to find any in England, though he differ only in the point of Infant-Baptism, that will calmly and without fraudalent designs of secret promoting his own opinions by it, entertain and prosecute such a motion for the common good! As if they had rather, that Christianitie were thrust out of the world, or kept under, then Infants should be admitted into the Church! well, let any party or person pretend what they will of Zeal or Holiness, I will ever take the Dividatur for an ill sign: The true Mother abhorrs the Division of the Child; and the true Christian doth prefer the Common interest of Christianity, before the Interest of a faction, or an opinion, and would not have the whole building endangered, rather then one peg, should not be driven in as he would have it, he had rather a particular Truth (if we suppose it a truth) should suffer, then the whole or the main.
And having given you this advice what to do with this kind of men in your Conference on the occasion now in question, so I shall add a word or two of advice how to carry your self towards them at other times; For the preservation of the Unity and Peace of your Congregations doth much depend on your right dealing with such as these. For (alas for grief and shame) it is most commonly men that profess more then ordinary Religiousness they are the dividers of these.