A09417:55
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.
For the first, the holy Ghost saith; Search your selves. The words are commonly read thus. Gather your selves; which though it be good, for that in Repentance a man gathereth himself, & all his wits together, which afore were dispersed, & wandered up and down in vanity: yet I rather allow their translation who read thus. Search or fan your selves: but either of them may stand, because the word in the original doth comprehend both significations; yet it seemeth that to search, or sift, fits this ⟨p. 5⟩place better, considering the same manner of speech is afterwards continued in the word Chaff: so that the meaning of the holy Ghost seemeth to be this: Search, try, and fan your selves, least you be found light chaff, and so fly away and be consumed before the Justice of God.
For the first, the holy Ghost saith; Search your selues. The wordes are commonly read thus. Gather your selues; which though it bee good, for that in Repentance a man gathereth himselfe, & all his wits together, which afore were dispersed, & wandred vp and downe in vanitie: yet I rather allowe their translation who reade thus. Search or fanne your selues: but either of them may stand, because the word in the originall doth comprehend both significations; yet it seemeth that to search, or sift, fits this ⟨p. 5⟩place better, considering the same manner of speech is afterwardes continued in the word Chaffe: so that the meaning of the holy Ghost seemeth to be this: Search, try, and fanne your selues, least you bee found light chaffe, and so flie away and be consumed before the Iustice of God.
Concerning this duty of searching, let us observe first, that the holy Ghost urging the Jews to repent, useth not the word Repentance, but bids them search themselves: yet meaning, he would have them to repent: giving us to understand, that no man can have true & sound repentance, but he who hath first of all searched and examined ⟨p. 6⟩