A09417:69
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.
But alas, these times of ours, cry out of an other state, for even Jeremies case is ours: We may complain as he did, No man repents him of his wickedness, saying, what have I done? the same is the force of our people, and the sickness of all Nations: that every man runs on in his sins, from sin to sin carelessly: even as the bard horse into the battle. But how rare a thing is it, to find a man, that daily searcheth himself, and examines how he lives, and how the case standeth betwixt God and himself: and that when he hath done amiss, entereth into the closet of his heart, and strikes himself upon the breast, and disputes the case with himself, ⟨p. 31⟩saying; What have I done? O what is this, that I gave done against GOD, against his Church, and against my own soul?
But alas, these times of ours, crie out of an other state, for euen Ieremies case is ours: We may complaine as hee did, No man repents him of his wickednes, saying, what haue I done? the same is the force of our people, and the sickenesse of all Nations: that euerie man runnes on in his sinnes, from sin to sinne carelesly: euen as the barde horse into the battaile. But how rare a thing is it, to finde a man, that daylie searcheth himselfe, and examines how he liues, and how the case standeth betwixte God and himselfe: and that when hee hath done amisse, entereth into the closet of his heart, and strikes himselfe vpon the breast, and disputes the case with himselfe, ⟨p. 31⟩saying; What haue I done? O what is this, that I gaue done against GOD, against his Church, and against my own soule?
The want of this, is that which the Prophet complains of in that place: not as though it was sufficient thus to do, in a mans own conscience: but because it is a good beginning, and a step to further grace. For if a man did seriously thus deal with his conscience after his sin, his conscience would shape him such an answer, and would tell him so roundly, what he had done, that he would take heed, how he did the same again, and look more narrowly, and warily to