A73023:190
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.
The last reason is more peculiar to this 1age of the new Testament, namely, want ⟨p. 21⟩of maintenance and preferment, for them that labour in this calling: men are flesh and blood, and in that respect must be allured, and won to embrace this vocation, by some arguments, which may persuade flesh and blood: the world hath in all ages been negligent herein, and therefore God in his law took such strict orders, for 2the maintenance of the Levites: but especially, now under the Gospel, this calling is unprovided for, when it deserves best of all to be rewarded: certainly it were a worthy Christian policy, to propound good preferments to this calling, that thereby men of the worthiest gifts might be won unto it, and the want thereof, is cause why so many young men of special parts, and greatest hope, turn to other vocations, and especially to the Law, wherein at this day the greatest parts of the finest wits of our 3kingdom, are employed, & why? But because they have all the means to rise, whereas the Ministry, for the most part yieldeth nothing, but a plain way to beggary: this is a great blemish in our Church, and surely I wish the Papists, those children of ⟨p. 22⟩this world, were not wiser in their kind, (in this point) then the Church of God: the reformation hereof is a work worth the labour of prince and people▪ & special care is to be had in it, else it will not be reformed, for doubtless had not God himself in the old testament, taken such straight orders for the livings of the Levites, they had been put to no less extremities, then is the Ministry of this age. And this reason added to the other, makes them perfect; and all put together make a reason infallible: for who will undergo so vile contempt, and undertake so great a charge for no reward: and where there is so great contempt, so heavy a burden, and so mean a reward, what marvel, if a good Minister be one of a thousand?
The last reason is more peculiar to this