A73023:47
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.
& he crieth out with holy Jeremiah: It is the Lords mercy that we are not consumed. 1Away then with this superficial & hypocritical search, where so many sins are spared and not found out. It is Pharisaical, for even so the Pharisee, when he came into the Temple to reckon with God, and to tell what Traitors he had found, that is, what sins, upon good search he had espied, he returns his precept, all is well, he hath found never a one, but begins to thank God that he was so good, and so good, and not so il, and so il, nor yet like the Publican. The world is full of Pharisees, not only the popish Church: but even our Church swarms with these superficial searchers, who cannot (because they will not,) find any sins to present unto God, Men think in the Country, a Church Officer hazards his Oath, if he present all well, and findeth no fault in his Parish, ⟨p. 15⟩to present as punishable to the Ordinary: for men think it unpossible, that there should be none in a whole parish: then how doth that man hazard his own soul, who being made overseer & searcher of his heart, finds nothing in it to present to the Lord. For it is not more easy to espy outward & actual transgressions in a whole parish, then it is to find a heap of corruptions in a mans heart, if a man will search into the bottom of it with the light of Gods Law. Therefore when the Lord comes and keeps his visitation, what shall become of such a man, but to undergo the strict and severe search of the Almighty, because he would not search himself?
& he crieth out with holy Ieremie: It is the Lords mercie that we are not consumed. 1Away then with this superficial & hypocritical search, where so many sinnes are spared and not found out. It is Pharisaical, for euen so the Pharisie, when hee came into the Temple to recken with God, and to tell what Traytours hee had found, that is, what sinnes, vpon good search hee had espied, he returnes his precept, all is well, he hath found neuer a one, but beginnes to thanke God that he was so good, and so good, and not so il, and so il, nor yet like the Publicane. The world is full of Pharisies, not onely the popish Church: but euen our Church swarms with these superficial searchers, who cannot (because they will not,) finde any sinnes to present vnto God, Men thinke in the Countrie, a Church Officer hazards his Oath, if he present all well, and findeth no fault in his Parish,