A73023:275
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 Prophet not only complains of his own pollution, but of his peoples 1also amongst whom he lived, and this he doth for these causes: First, to teach us, that it is the Ministers duty to confess not only his own sins, but the sins of his people, & to complain of them to God: for as he is the peoples Interpreter to God, he must not think it enough to put up their petitions, to unfold their wants, & crave relief for them at Gods hand, but he must further take knowledge of the sins of his ⟨p. 82⟩people, and make both public and private confession of them to God: and the more particularly he can do this, the better: and this he is to do, both 2for the peoples good, and for his own also, because it cannot be but the sins of his people, are in some sort his: for this is the peculiar danger of the Magistrates and Ministers •••ling, that generally the sins of their people are theirs: I mean, that they are accessory to the sins of their people, either by provoking them by their evil example, or by not reproving, or not hindering or suffering, or winking, or covering & concealing, or not punishing them, or not carefully enough using means to prevent them: by all which means and many more, it comes to pass, that the peoples sins are the Ministers by communication: so that as well for his own sake, as theirs, he is to confess to GOD their sins, as well as his own.
The Prophet not onely complaines of his own pollution, but of his peoples 1also amongst whom he liued, and this he doth for these causes: First, to teach vs, that it is the Ministers duty to confesse not onely his owne sinnes, but the sinnes of his people, & to complaine of them to God: for as he is the peoples Interpretar to God, he must not thinke it enough to put vp their petitions, to vnfolde their wants, & craue reliefe for them at Gods hand, but hee must further take knowledge of the sins of his ⟨p. 82⟩people, and make both publique and priuate confession of them to God: and the more particularly he can doe this, the better: and this hee is to doe, both