A73023:87
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, although every sin in it self, is of that ill desert, as it is able to cast us ⟨p. 54⟩out of Gods favour, and deprive us of his love: yet, behold, here God complains, not upon a little cause, but for wonderful, & exceeding unthankfulness, & unkindness in them: who of all other should have loved the Lord.
Now, although euery sin in it selfe, is of that ill desert, as it is able to cast vs ⟨p. 54⟩out of Gods fauour, and depriue vs of his loue: yet, behold, here God complaines, not vpon a little cause, but for wonderfull, & exceeding vnthankfulnesse, & vnkindnesse in them: who of all other should haue loued the Lord.
As a man cares not for hard usage from him, whom he esteems not: but a little unkindness doth greatly grieve a man, from him who is loved and respected: so is it with the Lord our God, he loved not the Gentiles, as he did the Jews, neither was he so bountiful unto them: and therefore, 1(as we may see) though they lived always in ignorance, and continued always in disobedience, yet, the Text saith, the time of that ignorance God regarded not: but when as the Jews, his own people, whom he chose out of all people, & bestowed his love upon them, and made his Covenant of grace with them, when they became unkind, unthankful, forgetful, stubborn, and rebellious, that caused the Lord even to complain of the indignity, ⟨p. 55⟩and to cry out by Moses. Do ye thus requite the Lord: O foolish people & unwise? And hereby the Prophet, O nation, not worthy to be beloved: & therefore there is no man, but if he be asked what he thinks of this Nation of the Jews: he will answer, that they are a most vile & wicked people, a froward generation, and that they are worthy to taste deeply, of all Gods plagues, who so far abused his love and mercy.