A73023:382
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.
All faithful Ministers must here 1learn the true way of comforting troubled and distressed consciences, namely, first to draw him unto a sight of some particular sins, then to summon him into Gods presence, and there to arraign him for those sins, until the view of the foulness of his sins, and the glory of Gods justice, have sufficiently humbled him, and then to labour to ⟨p. 150⟩persuade his conscience upon good grounds of the pardon of those sins by Christ Jesus, this is the way that God used and devised, this is the sure way, that cannot fail.
All faithfull Ministers must heere 1learne the true way of comforting troubled and distressed consciēces, namely, first to drawe him vnto a sight of some particular sinnes, then to summon him into Gods presence, and there to arraigne him for those sinnes, vntill the view of the foulnesse of his sinnes, and the glory of Gods iustice, haue sufficiently humbled him, and then to labour to ⟨p. 150⟩perswade his conscience vppon good groundes of the pardon of those sinnes by Christ Iesus, this is the way that God vsed and deuised, this is the sure way, that cannot faile.
- 1Use. Here is the true way to comfort distressed consciences.Vse. Here is the true way to comfort distressed consciences.
Some think that all trouble of mind is nothing but melancholy and therefore 1think nothing needs but Physic and outward comforts: but he that considers in what case the Prophet here was, or David when he made the 6. the 32. or the 51. Psalms, will be of another mind, and will find that nothing can properly trouble the mind but sin: therefore as the wise Physician in his cure first searcheth out the cause, and then endeavours to take it away: so the good Physician of the soul, must first of all search into the cause of his sickness, that is his sins, and must take them away: which if they do not, then all their labour is lost: for all the company, music, recreation, wine, diet, nay all worldly comforts & delights, if it were the advancement to a kingdom, cannot so much comfort the distressed soul of a sinner, as this voice of a minister