A09417:145
A faithful and plain exposition upon the 2. chapter of Zephaniah by that reverend…A faithfull and plaine exposition vpon the 2. chapter of Zephaniah by that reuerend…
A faithful and plain exposition upon the 2. chapter of Zephaniah by that reverend and judicious divine, M.W. Perkins. Containing a powerful exhortation to repentance: as also the manner how men in repentance are to search themselves. Published by a preacher of the word. With a preface prefixed, touching the publishing of M. Perkins his works. And a catalogue of all such particulars thereof, as are to be expected.A faithfull and plaine exposition vpon the 2. chapter of Zephaniah by that reuerend and iudicious diuine, M.W. Perkins. Containing a powerful exhortation to repentance: as also the manner hovve men in repentance are to search themselues. Published by a preacher of the vvord. With a preface prefixed, touching the publishing of M. Perkins his vvorks. And a catalogue of all such particulars thereof, as are to be expected.
London: printed by T. Creed for William Welby, 1609
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.
Now Gods winnowing times are two, the one is at the last day, after this life, and that is Gods great winnowing day of all his corn (that of all men) when the bad shall be severed from the good for ever, never to be mingled again with them, but by the strong & powerful fan of his last and final judgement to be blown into hell: the wind of whose wrath, at that day, shall be stronger to blow them all away, then all the wind in the world to blow away one handful of light Chaff.
Nowe Gods winnowing times are two, the one is at the last day, after this life, and that is Gods great winnowing day of all his corne (that of all men) when the bad shall be seuered frō the good for euer, neuer to be mingled againe with them, but by the strong & powerfull fan of his last and finall iudgement to be blown into hell: the winde of whose wrath, at that day, shal be strō ger to blow them all away, then all the wind in the world to blowe away one handfull of light Chaffe.
2. Gods other fanning time, is in this world, and that is also double. The one is, when the word is preached: the Preaching of the word is ⟨p. 128⟩one of Gods fans: For when the Gospel is preached to a Nation or Congregation, it Fans them, and tries them, and purgeth them, and so serves them, that a man may see a manifest difference of the chaff and the wheat, that is, of the goodly man, and the wicked man: this preaching of the Gospel doth John the Baptist expressly call a Fan: where the holy Ghost pursueth this whole Metaphor most plainly, speaking of Christ, he saith, Whose Fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his Floor, and gather his wheat into his garner, but the Chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. The wind of this Fan of the word preached, is so strong, as ⟨p. 129⟩that it severs the Chaff from the Wheat, that is, good professors from hypocrites in the visible Church, and blows so strongly upon the wicked, that it brings them to the beginning of Hell even in this world, for it so worketh upon the conscience, as if it cannot convert them, it strikes them with fear, terror and torment, either in life or at death, which torment of conscience is the very flashes of hellfire.