A73023:78
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.
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.
The dutie therefore here commanded, is, for euery man that would haue his soule to be saued, to Search it, and reforme it, and leaue others to bee searched by themselucs. Here the holy Ghost meetes with the common corruption of this world, (and that is) that men are Eagle eyed, to see into the liues of other men, but to looke into their owne hearts, and liues, they are blinder then Moles: they can see moates in other mens liues, but discerne not beames in their owne: wherby it comes to passe, that they stumble and fall fowly: for the eies of most men are set vpon others, & not vpon them selues: and thereupon it is, that an euil, man seeing other men, & not himselfe: thinkes best of himselfe, & worst of other men: but contrariwise, a good man seeing himselfe, & not other men, thinkes worst of himselfe, and better of other men: an euil man lookes outward, and iudgeth other men: but a good mā lookes homeward & iudgeth himselfe: and in iudging, condemnes ⟨p. 49⟩himselfe, farre aboue other men: and that because by searching into his own heart and wayes, hee knowes that by himselfe, which he knowes not, by any man in the world besides.