A09445:152
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.
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?
For our instruction, it here appeares how wicked and wretched the corruption of our nature is, which cannot but receiue some contagion from the pollution of those with whom we liue: for this is so, not onely in them who carry a loose hand ouer themselues, but euen in such as looke most narrowly vnto 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 lesse cause the schoolemen and some other Papists, to giue the least commendation to our pure naturals: for if nature rectified by grace, bee so hardly kept within compasse, alas how outragious and peruerse is it, when it raignes without controlment?
And for our further instruction, here we may see of what a creeping and encroaching nature sin is, which like a secret venom in the natural body, so it in the politic body rests not in the place, or pa•tie poisoned, but closely creeps ⟨p. 32⟩and diffuseth it self into every part and member of the whole: it creeps from man to man, yea from an evil man to a good, from the worst man to the best: from profane men, to godly Ministers: and as from public persons (as Magistrates and Ministers) it descendeth visibly, and the example of their evil life is palpably scandalous: so from the people to the Magistrate or Minister, it creepeth closely, and ascendeth in more secret and insensible manner, yet in the effect it is too sensible: for it is always seen, that they are something touched with their peoples pollutions: sin is not only as a poison spreading from the heart to all parts, from the Minister to the people: but as a gangrene, if it begin in the foot, will without speedy prevention spread privily to the hart: so sin shows it self, even from the people to the Ministers: So great cause is there for all men to stop sin in the beginning, to break it in the egg, to give water no passage, no not a little: for let this gangrene begin at the feet, it