A09434:659
A godly and learned exposition upon the whole epistle of Jude, containing threescore and…A godlie and learned exposition upon the whole epistle of Iude, containing threescore and…
A godly and learned exposition upon the whole epistle of Jude, containing threescore and six sermons preached in Cambridge by that reverend and faithful man of God, Master William Perkins, and now at the request of his executors, published by Thomas Taylor, preacher of Gods word ; whereunto is prefixed a large analysis, containing the sum and order of the whole book, according to the authors own method, to which are further added, four brief tables to direct the reader ...A godlie and learned exposition upon the whole epistle of Iude, containing threescore and sixe sermons preached in Cambridge by that reverend and faithfull man of God, Master William Perkins, and now at the request of his executors, published by Thomas Taylor, preacher of Gods word ; whereunto is prefixed a large analysis, containing the summe and order of the whole booke, according to the authors owne method, to which are further added, foure briefe tables to direct the reader ...
London: printed by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man, 1606
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Ans. If therefore the fault be secret, we must only admonish our brother alone; and if that will not serve to reclaim him, leave him to God to turn him: and if it be private, that is, known to some few, it is Christian wisdom to admonish him before some two of those that can testify of this sin, that so the party admonished may be convinced, and the admonisher cleared from all show and appearance of slander.
Ans. If therefore the fault bee secret, we must onely admonish our brother alone; and if that will not serue to reclaime him, leaue him to God to turne him: and if it be priuate, that is, known to some few, it is Christian wisedome to admonish him before some two of those that can testifie of this sinne, that so the partie admonished may be conuinced, and the admonisher cleered from all shew and apparance of slaunder.
Use. 1. By this rule is condemned the rigour and austerity of many in too severe censuring offenders and offences. This was a fault and blemish in the ancient Church; which sometime for no faults would enjoin penance, as if a man had married the second time: yea for small and light offences were wont to enjoin a penance of two, five, yea and sometimes of ten years. This is the sin also of those that are departed from our Church, condemning us (for some wants) utterly as no Church nor people of God, refusing to hear the word of God, to pray, and to join in other religious duties with us. It is also the sin of many of the Lutherans, who because we dissent from them in some opinions, condemn us and our Churches to hell; and speak and write that we are limbs of the devil. Which were too great severity, if we held not the truth against them, in the things wherein we differ. Use. 2. We ought on the contrary to put on the bowels of compassion towards offenders, if there be any hope of amendment; following herein the footsteps of Christ himself, who was very tender over Jerusalem, so as he wept over it. Moses when the Israelites had sinned in making their golden Calf, he mourned for them, fasted forty days and forty nights for them, and would not depart from God till he was entreated of him in their behalf. Men cannot but be compassionate towards sick, and dangerously diseased, or wounded bodies; but a rare ⟨p. 143⟩