A09445:112
Of the calling of the ministry two treatises, describing the duties and dignities of…Of the calling of the ministerie two treatises, discribing the duties and dignities of…
Of the calling of the ministry two treatises, describing the duties and dignities of that calling. Delivered publicly in the University of Cambridge, by Master Perkins. Taken then from his mouth, and now diligently perused and published, by a preacher of the word with a preface prefixed touching the publishing of Master Perkins his works, & a catalogue of all such particulars thereof, as are to be expected.Of the calling of the ministerie two treatises, discribing the duties and dignities of that calling. Delivered publickly in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge, by Maister Perkins. Taken then from his mouth, and now dilligently perused and published, by a preacher of the word with a preface prefixed touching the publishing of Maister Perkins his workes, & a catalogue of all such particulars thereof, as are to bee expected.
London: printed by I. Roberts for William Welby, 1605
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.
To the right worshipful and Reverend Judges, Sir John Savile Knight, one of the Barons of his Majesties Exchequer: and Sir Christopher Yeluerton Knight, one of the Judges of his Majesties Court of Kings bench, the late worthy Judges of our Northern Circuit. The spirit of wisdom, zeal and courage be multiplied.
To the right worshipfull and Reuerend Iudges, Sir Iohn Sauile Knight, one of the Barons of his Maiesties Exchequer: and Sir Christopher Yeluerton Knight, one of the Iudges of his Maiesties Court of Kings bench, the late worthy Iudges of our Northeren Circuite. The spirit of wisedome, zeale and courage be multiplied.
Right worshipful, it is said in other Nations, and written in some of their books, that there are three disgraces of the English Nation: The Ignorance, or (that I may so call it) the Unlearnedness of our Gentry and Nobility, the Beggary of our poor, and the Baseness of the body of our Ministry. The first blot, our Nobility and Gentry have well wiped off, since the first days of blessed Queen Elizabeth, partly by study at home, partly by travel abroad, and I hope they will do it more and more: The second hath been well l•ssened by good laws of late, and wou•d be more, if the Execution were as good as our laws be, and it were much honour to our Nation, and more to our Religion, if it were quite taken away: for he that tells us there shall be poor ever with us,1 saith also, there shall not be a beggar ⟨image 36⟩amongst us; If there were no poor, what should become of Charity: for it is charity to relieve poverty, not to maintain beggary: Poverty may be a Cross, but it is no Curse: but beggary is a fearful curse, threatened on the enemies of God: and David saith not,2 be never saw a righteous mans child poor, but that he never saw him beg his bread. The daily cries in our streets, cry for yet further reformation hereof, that the impotent poor may be sufficiently provided for, that he need not, and the sturdy beggar compelled to work, that he may not be suffered to beg. Happy you, or whosoever can have a hand, in effecting this blessed work, we, who can do little else shall pray for it, and for them that labour in it. But now fr the third, I fear none but the very hand of God, can wipe out that stain from our Church: The basnes of the general body of our Ministry, whence is it, but either from the unworthiness or poverty thereof: and the unworthiness thereof, whence is it but from the poverty, and base maintenance of our Ministry, which was once robbed by the Abbeys, and after worse by some in our own State: and Popery that stands so much upon Non dimittitur peccatum nisi restituator ablatum, yet for all that, would not restore unto the Church her tenths again.