A09445:150
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.
And again, that a Minister in such a place, & amongst such people, free from such and such sins, removed to another place, is there found more or less tainted with them, because they abound amongst the people: and yet further, that a Minister, known to be faithful, painful and zealous, and coming to a disobedient, stubborn, froward, or profane and dissolute people, his faith is weakened, his zeal and courage abated, Gods graces in him dulled, & much decayed: godly Ministers do daily complain hereof, and experience every where shows it too true.
And againe, that a Minister in such a place, & amongst such people, free from such and such sinnes, remoued to another place, is there found more or lesse tainted with them, because they abound amongst the people: and yet further, that a Minister, knowne to be faithfull, painfull and zealous, and comming to a disobedient, stubborne, froward, or prophane and dissolute people, his faith is weakened, his zeale and courage abated, Gods graces in him dulled, & much decayed: godly Ministers doe daily complaine hereof, and experience euery where shewes it too true.
Out of this, we may learn something both for our instruction, and for our conversation.
Out of this, we may learne something both for our instruction, and for our conuersation.
For our instruction, it here appears how wicked and wretched the corruption of our nature is, which cannot but receive some contagion from the pollution of those with whom we live: for this is so, not only in them who carry a loose hand over themselves, but even in such as look most narrowly unto their steps: as we see here in this holy Prophet, who was a man of more then ordinary sanctification: how little cause therefore hath any man to extol nature? and how much less cause the schoolmen and some other Papists, to give the least commendation to our pure naturals: for if nature rectified by grace, be so hardly kept within compass, alas how outrageous and perverse is it, when it reigns without controlment?