A09445:121
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.
IN the five former Chapters are contained such Sermons, as the Prophet had made under Uzziah king of Judah: At this Chapter begin such as he preached in the reign of Jotham, & ⟨p. 2⟩so forward: But before he either preach or prophesy of any thing, in King Jotham's days, or his successors, the Lord in this Chapter gives a new commission to the Prophet, & a new confirmation to this calling: the old king in whose days Esayah was first called being now […], and an other succeeding him, God with the new king, reneweth the calling and commission of the Prophet: wherein God doth not give him another calling, for one calling to the office of the ministry is sufficient: but he confirmeth the calling formerly given, by repeating & ratifying it. And this God did to Easy, not as he was an ordinary, but an extraordinary Prophet: for ordinary Ministers need no renovation of their calling, nor any new signs of confirmation, but extraordinary Prophets, who come in extraordinary manner, & to do many extraordinary works, God in his wisdom will have their calling confirmed, again, and again, & that by very extraordinary means. Out of which practise of the Lord, we learn, how great cause we have to doubt those men to be either fantastical ⟨p. 3⟩or worse, who pretend extraordinary callings in these days, and yet scarce can show us any good signs of an ordinary, much less of an extraordinary motion: for if in those days, when such courses were more common, God will have his extraordinary prophets calling to be renewed & confirmed, again and again, then certainly in these days, we may justly require, more & more, wonderful signs of an extraordinary calling afore we believe it: and if God himself was so careful to satisfy his Church in those days of the vocation of his Prophet, surely the Church in these days hath much more cause to doubt in such cases, and to require many & extraordinary signs, afore it acknowledge any such extraordinary calling: These men therefore offer much wrong to the church, & deserve both the censure thereof, & the sword of the Magistrate, who dare so boldly offer and obtrude to the Church their own fancies & dreams, as extraordinary motions of Gods spirit. This is the occasion and coherence.
IN the fiue former Chapters are contained such Sermōs, as the Prophet had made vnder Vzziah king of Iuda: At this Chapter begin such as he preached in the raign of Iotham, &