A73023:79
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.
So then we must search, not other men, but our selves: our own hearts and our own lives are our charge, and burden: the lives of other men concern us not, being private men, further than, either to follow them being good, or take heed of them being evil: but to search, or to be inquisitive into them, is no duty commanded us, but rather a foul & a base vice forbidden of God. Indeed Magistrates in their people, Pastors in their congregations, and house-holders in their families are to search: but they can search only for criminal causes, or open actual sins: but this searching must be of our hearts, which no man can search, but our selves only. Few men have a calling to enquire into other mens lives, but every man hath a calling to search into himself: but (alas) men ⟨p. 50⟩do far otherwise, they suffer themselves to rot in their own sins, and erect an Inquisition over other mens lives, & it is to be seen in daily experience, that those men, who are the great Searchers and priers into other men, are the neglecters and forgetters of themselves: And contrariwise they who do narrowly search themselves and their own ways, and look into the corners of their own hearts, do find so much work to do with themselves that they little busy themselves, with other men.
So then we must search, not other men, but our selues: our owne hearts and our owne liues are our charge, and burthen: the liues of other men concerne vs not, being priuate mē, further thē, either to follow them being good, or take heede of them being euil: but to search, or to bee inquisitiue into them, is no dutie commaunded vs, but rather a foule & a base vice forbidden of God. Indeede Magistrates in their people, Pastours in their congregations, and house-holders in their families are to search: but they can search onely for criminall causes, or open actuall sinnes: but this searching must bee of our hearts, which no man can search, but our selues onely. Few men haue a calling to enquire into other mens liues, but euery man hath a calling to search into himselfe: but (alas) men ⟨p. 50⟩doe farre otherwise, they suffer themselues to rotte in their owne sinnes, and erect an Inquisition ouer other mens liues, & it is to be seene in dayly experience, that those men, who are the great Searchers and priers into other men, are the neglecters and forgetters of themselues: And contrariwise they who doe narrowly search themselues and their owne wayes, and looke into the corners of their owne hearts, doe finde so much worke to do with themselues that they little busie themselues, with other men.