A73023:42
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 when as Gods spirit hath by the light of Gods word opened his eyes & touched his heart to consider his estate, then he seeth the frail bridge of this narrow life, and how little a sleep there is between him and damnation; then he seeth Hell open due for his sins, and himself in the high way to it: sin being the craggy rock, and Hell the gaping gulf under it; this life ⟨p. 2⟩being the narrow bridge, and damnation the stream which runneth under it: Then he wondereth at his miserable estate, admireth the mercy of God in keeping him from falling into the bottom of hell, wondereth at the presumptuous boldness of his corruption, which so securely plodded on towards destruction, and being ashamed of himself, and these his ways, he turns his heart to the God that saved him from these dangers; and sets himself into more holy ways, and more comfortable courses, and confesseth that ignorance made him bold, and blindness made him so presumptuous; but now he seeth the danger, and will by no means go the same way again: and thus the searching and seeing into the foulness of sin, and the danger thereof, is the first beginning of repentance, and the first step into grace.
But when as Gods spirit hath by the light of Gods word opened his eyes & touched his heart to consider his estate, then hee seeth the fraile bridge of this narrow life, and how little a sleppe there is between him and damnation; then hee seeth Hell open due for his sinnes, and himselfe in the high way to it: sinne being the craggy rocke, and Hell the gaping gulfe vnder it; this life ⟨p. 2⟩being the narrowe bridge, and damnation the streame which runneth vnder it: Then hee wondreth at his miserable estate, admireth the mercie of God in keeping him from falling into the bottome of hell, wondreth at the presumptuous boldnesse of his corruption, which so securely plodded on towards destruction, and being ashamed of himselfe, and these his waies, he turnes his heart to the God that saued him from these daungers; and sets himselfe into more holy wayes, and more comfortable courses, and confesseth that ignorance made him bold, and blindnesse made him so presumptuous; but now hee seeth the daunger, and will by no meanes goe the same way againe: and thus the searching and seeing into the foulnesse of sinne, and the daunger thereof, is the first beginning of repentance, and the first step into grace.