A73023:286
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.
But as for those to whom God hath been so good, as to bestow upon them competent livings, and a willing and well disposed people, let them think themselves double blessed of God, and treble bound to honour God, & to do good in his Church: and if such men go not before their brethren in all Ministerial care and duty, their fault is above all mens, & they make themselves unworthy of so great mercies.1
But as for those to whom God hath bene so good, as to bestowe vpon them competent liuings, and a willing and well disposed people, let them thinke themselues double blessed of God, and treble bound to honour God, & to doe good in his Church: and if such men goe not before their brethren in al Ministerial care and dutie, their fault is aboue al mens, & they make themselues vnworthy of so great mercies.1
- 12. Ergo, Ministers must take heed of their company.
Again, if that a polluted people, pollutes their Minister, here is a good warning for all ministers to be wary & ⟨p. 92⟩choice of their company, with whom they will most privately converse: for, as on the one side they may not retire themselves into solitariness, nor sequester themselves from all society with their people, (which is rather a Cynical and fantastical, then any way a religious practise): so of all men are they to be most careful, that they do not loosely and lavishly bestow themselves on all companies, as too many do in 1our Church, to the great scandal thereof, who care not with whom they converse, but all companies, all places, all times, all sports & recreations, all meetings, all occasions, are one with them: but alas, what marvel, though such men keep not themselves unspotted of the world, but prove too offensive to their calling: for seeing the best men cannot live with the best people, but they shall receive some contagion from them, how carefully ought ordinary ministers to make difference of men and meetings, times and places, and not diffusedly & carelessly