A73023:127
M. Perkins, his Exhortation to repentance, out of Zephaniah preached in 2. sermons in…
M. Perkins, his Exhortation to repentance, out of Zephaniah preached in 2. sermons in Stourbridge Fair. Together with two treatises of the duties and dignity of the ministry: delivered publicly in the University of Cambridge. With a preface prefixed touching the publishing of all such works of his as are to be expected: with a catalogue of all the particulars [sic] of them, diligently perused and published, by a preacher of the word.M. Perkins, his Exhortation to repentance, out of Zephaniah preached in 2. sermons in Sturbridge Faire. Together with two treatises of the duties and dignitie of the ministrie: deliuered publiquely in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge. With a preface præfixed touching the publishing of all such workes of his as are to be expected: with a catalogue of all the perticulers [sic] of them, diligently perused and published, by a preacher of the word.
London: printed by T. Creede 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.
Now for the use, for us in England, the case stands thus: Our church doubtless is Gods corn field, & we are the corn heap of God: and those Brownisles and Sectaries are blind and besotted, who cannot see that the church of England is a godly heap of Gods corn: but withal, we must confess, we are full of chaff: that is, of profane, & wicked Hypocrites, whose hearts and minds abound in sins and rebellions: and many of our best professors are also too full of chaff (that is) of corruptions, and do give themselves too much liberty in many sins: but alas, the pure wheat, how thin is it scattered? how hard to find a man (at least a family) which dedicate themselves to the Lord in holy and sincere obedience, and labour to make conscience of all sins: now therefore, seeing we are Gods corn field, and we have some pure wheat amongst much chaff, therefore God will winnow us, to find out the corn, if he have but one corn of wheat in a handful of chaff, but one good man ⟨p. 90⟩of many, he will stir all the heap for those few corns, he will not care to blow all the chaff to hell, to find out those few corns of wheat, to lay them up in heaven: so that out of all question, England being so full of chaff, must look to be winnowed.
Now for the vse, for vs in England, the case stands thus: Our church doubtlesse is Gods corne field, & we are the corne heape of God: and those Brownisles and Sectaries are blinde and besotted, who cannot see that the church of England is a godly heape of Gods corne: but withall, we must cōfesse, we are ful of chaffe: that is, of prophane, & wicked Hypocrits, whose hearts and mindes abound in sinnes and rebellions: and many of our best professors are also too full of chaffe (that is) of corruptions, and doe giue themselues too much libertie in many sinnes: but alas, the pure wheate, how thinne is it scattered? howe hard to finde a man (at least a family) which dedicate themselues to the Lord in holy and sincere obedience, and labour to make conscience of all sinnes: now therefore, seeing wee are Gods corne field, and we haue some pure wheat amongst much chaffe, therefore God will winnow vs, to find out the corne, if hee haue but one corne of wheat in a handfull of chaffe, but one good man ⟨p. 90⟩of many, he will stirre all the heape for those fewe cornes, hee will not care to blow all the chaffe to hell, to finde out those fewe cornes of wheat, to lay them vp in heauen: so that out of all question, England being so ful of chaffe, must look to be winnowed.