A73023:43
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.
This doctrine teacheth us what faith and repentance is general in the world: All men say, they believe, and have repented ⟨p. 9⟩long ago; but try it well, and we shall find in the body of our Nation, but a lip faith, and a sip Repentance: for even when they say so, they are blind and ignorant of their own estate, & know not themselves, but presume of themselves, that because they are baptized and live in the Church, therefore they are in Gods favour, and in very good estate, when as they never yet were reconciled to God: and are so far from it, that they never yet saw any sins in themselves whereof they should repent: as a man travelling in the night, seeth no danger, but plods on without fear: So the most part of our common people, in the night of their ignorance, think and presume they love and fear God, and love their Neighbour; and that they have ever done so: Nay, it is the common opinion that a man may do so by nature, and that he is not worthy to live, who doth not love God with all his heart, and believe in Jesus Christ: But alas poor simple souls, they never ⟨p. 10⟩knew what sin was, never searched nor saw into their own harts with the light of Gods law, for if they had, they should have seen such a Sea of corruption, that then they would confess it to be the hardest thing in the world, to love God, and to believe in Christ, and for sake sin: it is therefore manifest, that they have not yet begun to believe or repent, nor have entered into the first step of grace, which leadeth to repentance, for that they have not learned this lesson, which the Prophet teacheth: that is, to search themselves.
This doctrine teacheth vs what faith and repentance is generall in the world: All men say, they beleeue, and haue repented ⟨p. 9⟩long agoe; but trie it well, and we shall finde in the bodie of our Nation, but a lippe faith, and a sippe Repentance: for euen when they say so, they are blinde and ignorant of their owne estate, & know not themselues, but presume of themselues, that because they are baptized and liue in the Church, therefore they are in Gods fauour, and in very good estate, when as they neuer yet were recōciled to God: and are so farre from it, that they neuer yet saw any sinnes in themselues wherof they shuld repent: as a man trauelling in the night, seeth no daunger, but plods on without feare: So the most part of our common people, in the night of their ignorance, think and presume they loue and feare God, and loue their Neighbour; and that they haue euer done so: Nay, it is the common opinion that a man may do so by nature, and that hee is not worthy to liue, who doth not loue God with all his heart, and beleeue in Iesus Christ: But alas poore simple soules, they neuer