A73023:77
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.
Now we come to the second general point here laid down: that is, whom must we Search? the Prophet answereth: your selves not other men, but your selves. This search so urged and enforced by the Prophet, must not be of other mens hearts and lives, but of our own: our own are our charge, and not other mens: and therein is the saying true, which else is most false: Every man for himself: for as every soul must be saved by it self so must it believe, Repent, and search it self.
Now we come to the second general point here laid down: that is, whom must we Search? the Prophet aunswereth: your selues not other mē, but your selues. This search so vrged and inforced by the Prophet, must not be of other mens hearts and liues, but of our owne: our owne are our charge, and not other mens: and therein is the saying true, which else is most false: Euery man for himselfe: for as euery soule must bee saued by it selfe so must it beleeue, Repent, and search it selfe.
The duty therefore here commanded, is, for every man that would have his soul to be saved, to Search it, and reform it, and leave others to be searched by themselves. Here the holy Ghost meets with the common corruption of this world, (and that is) that men are Eagle eyed, to see into the lives of other men, but to look into their own hearts, and lives, they are blinder then Moles: they can see moats in other mens lives, but discern not beams in their own: whereby it comes to pass, that they stumble and fall foully: for the eyes of most men are set upon others, & not upon them selves: and thereupon it is, that an evil, man seeing other men, & not himself: thinks best of himself, & worst of other men: but contrariwise, a good man seeing himself, & not other men, thinks worst of himself, and better of other men: an evil man looks outward, and judgeth other men: but a good man looks homeward & judgeth himself: and in judging, condemns ⟨p. 49⟩himself, far above other men: and that because by searching into his own heart and ways, he knows that by himself, which he knows not, by any man in the world besides.