A73023:85
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.
Thus for soul and body, they were every way a Nation, blessed of God, a people beloved of God above all others. Now, how did this people (thus beloved of their God,) requite this his love, which they had no more deserved, then any other Nation? Certainly, as they deserved it not afore they had it: so they requited it not, when they had it: but requited this love of God with sin, with rebellion, and with disobedience. They tempted him, they provoked him to wrath, they presumed of his mercy, & proved a most stubborn and stifnecked people, a froward generation: Moses partly saw this in his own experience, & better discerned it in the spirit of Prophecy: and therefore wondering at this their wickedness, he cried out, Do you thus requite the Lord: O foolish people, & unwise? ⟨p. 53⟩1thus: that is with sin, & disobedience, which is the only means to displease the Lord, & to provoke him to wrath: for this cause, they are worthily called a foolish and unkind people by Moses, and here, by the Prophet. A Nation, not worthy to be beloved, namely, for their unthankfulness, and unkindness: which was such, as they not only were slack, and careless in performance of such duties as God required: but even multiplied their sins, & committed those foul rebellions, which his soul hated.
Thus for soule and bodie, they were euery way a Nation, blessed of God, a people beloued of God aboue all others. Now, how did this people (thus beloued of their God,) requite this his loue, which they had no more deserued, then any other Nation? Certainly, as they deserued it not afore they had it: so they requited it not, when they had it: but requited this loue of God with sinne, with rebellion, and with disobedience. They tempted him, they prouoked him to wrath, they presumed of his mercy, & proued a most stubborne and stifnecked people, a froward generation: Moses partly sawe this in his owne experience, & better discerned it in the spirit of Prophesie: and therefore wondering at this their wickednes, he cryed out, Do you thus requite the Lord: O foolish people, & vnwise? ⟨p. 53⟩1thus: that is with sin, & disobedience, which is the only meanes to displease the Lord, & to prouoke him to wrath: for this cause, they are worthily called a foolish and vnkind people by Moses, and here, by the Prophet. A Nation, not worthy to bee beloued, namely, for their vnthankefulnes, and vnkindnes: which was such, as they not only were slacke, and carelesse in performance of such duties as God required: but euen multiplyed their sinnes, & committed those foule rebellions, which his soule hated.