A73023:95
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.
This sin was never amongst the Jews: they indeed regarded it not so as it deserved, but who did ever make a mock and a scorn of it but England? ⟨p. 62⟩O England, how canst thou answer this. God sends thee the most precious Jewell, that he can send to a Nation; and thou scornest it, and them that bring i•, and them that receive it; even as though it were no blessing, but a curse: so that as Christ saith to the Jews, for which of my good works do you stone me; So may the Lord say to 1England: I have given thee a fruitful land, a blessed Prince, gold and silver, peace and liberty: plenty and prosperity: for which of these (O England) doest thou contemn my religion? The least of these deserve love; but England hath a better then all these; that is, his Gospel and word of salvation: and yet, that also is contemned (as being nothing worth) and those which confess it, and those that bring it, and consequently God himself that gave it. If England had no more sins but this: this deserves, that it should be said of us, that we are a Nation unworthy to be loved above all Nations, for some Nations would have religion, that they ⟨p. 63⟩might love it, but they cannot have it: some have it, and do love it: some have it, and love it not: but in no Nation is it made a mocking-stock, but in England. And where are those men, but in England, who (like the dog in the manger) will neither entertain Religion themselves, nor suffer them that would: let us in time take heed of this sin, as a sin that crieth to God, to revenge so vile a dishonour done to his majesty: neither is there any sin that more certainly foreshows, and more forcibly hastens the removing of the Gospel from us. For high time is it to cease loving, where love procures disdain. And to stay giving, where gifts are scorned.2
This sinne was neuer amongst the Iewes: they indeed regarded it not so as it deserued, but who did euer make a mocke and a scorne of it but England? ⟨p. 62⟩O England, how canst thou answere this. God sends thee the most precious Iewell, that he can send to a Nation; and thou scornest it, and them that bring i, and them that receiue it; euen as though it were no blessing, but a curse: so that as Christ saith to the Iewes, for which of my good workes doe you stone mee; So may the Lord say to