A09445:97
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.
The use of this doctrine is first for Rulers, 1and great men of this world, this may teach them to be nursing Fathers, & nursing Mothers unto the Church, whose authority they see is so great over them, as that their decree stands ratified in heaven: Therefore though their place be great, & they be Gods upon earth, 2yet must they withal acknowledge, that in justifying a sinner, in interpretation, in declaring unto man his righteousness; in binding & loosing, ⟨image 30⟩their power also is immediate from God, & above theirs, and they themselves, as they are men, must submit themselves to this powerful word of the Ministers, to be taught by it, and to be reconciled by means of it, and highly must they receive it, for though a man speak it, yet is it the word of God: this is to lick the dust of Christs feet, 3which the Prophet speaketh of: not as the Pope would have it, to hold the stirrup, and lead the horse, and hold the water to the Pope, to kiss his toes, to hold their kingdoms of him, as tenants at will, or by courtesy, but reverently to acknowledge the ordinance to be Gods, the function and duty to be high and excellent, to acknowledge the power of their keys & censures (being rightly applied) their promises & their threatenings to be as from God, and to submit to them accordingly.
The vse of this doctrine is first for Rulers, 1and great men of this worlde, this may teach them to be nursing Fathers, & nursing Mothers vnto the Church, whose authority they see is so great ouer them, as that their decree stands ratified in heauen: Therefore though their place be great, & they be Gods vpon earth, 2yet must they withall acknowledge, that in iustifying a sinner, in interpretation, in declaring vnto man his righteousnes; in binding & loosing, ⟨image 30⟩their power also is immediate from God, & aboue theirs, and they themselues, as they are men, must submit themselues to this powerfull word of the Ministers, to be taught by it, and to be reconciled by meanes of it, and highly must they receiue it, for though a man speake it, yet is it the word of God: this is to licke the dust of Christs feete,