A73023:443
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.
Out of his word, God showeth thee the dignity and excellency of this calling, 1to be a Minister of the word: Namely, they are his Messengers and Ambassadors, &c. that so he may win them to love and affect it. And again, the necessity of it, that it teacheth the way to salvation, that without it ordinarily Gods Church is not gathered, nor mens souls saved, that this may stir thee 2up to undertake the burden: this is general. But now particularly for thy self, wouldest thou know whether GOD would have thee to go or no, then thou must ask thy own conscience, and ask the Church, for if thou be heartily willing, and be fully and worthily qualified, then God bids thee go. Now thy conscience must judge of thy willingness, and the ⟨p. 180⟩Church of thy ability: and as thou mai•• not trust other men, to judge of thy inclination or affection, so thou mayest not trust thy own judgement, to judge of thy worthiness or sufficiency. If therefore thy own conscience tell thee upon true examination, that thou doest not love and affect this calling above any other, then God sends thee not: and if thou enter with such a testimony, not God, but some worldly and sinister respect doth send thee, and put thee forward: for though thou doest desire it, yet if the Church of God give not allowance of thy sufficiency, God doth not send thee: But if contrariwise, thy conscience do truly testify unto thee, that thou desirest to do service to God and his Church, in this calling above any other: And if withal, upon signification hereof to the Church, and upon trial made of thy gifts and learning, the Church (that is, many 3learned, wise, and godly, and such as the Church hath publicly appointed for that purpose) do approve of that thy desire, and of thy sufficiency to do God ⟨p. 181⟩service in his Ministry, and thereupon by a public Calling, bid thee go, then assuredly God himself hath bid thee go. And it is as effectual a calling, as if thou heardst the voice of God from heaven: for as in Repentance, If thy conscience tell thee thou hast truly repented, and if thou canst make that known to the Church by so good evidence, as thereupon a Minister of God pronounceth the pardon of thy sins unto thee: If thou rest herein, and knowest it to be as effectual, as if God from heaven had told thee thy sins are pardoned.