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 praefixed touching the publishing of all such workes of his as are to be expected with a Catalogue of all the perticulers of them diligently perused and published by a Preacher of the Word Prouerbs 28. 13. Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper But he that confesseth and for saketh them shall finde mercy LONDON Imprinted by T. C. for William Welby and are to bee sold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Grey-hound 1605. To the right worshipfull my very worthie and Christian friend Syr William Gee Knight one of his Maiesties Honourable Counsell in the North Recorder of the Towne Maiesties Iustices of peace in the Eastriding of the Countie of Yorke a true friend of learning and pietie and to the vertuous and religious Lady his wife Grace and peace from God c. AMongst the many reasons Worshipful Syr ' which haue perswaded mee that Poperie cannot bee the true religioÌ„ this is not the lest the insufficiency of their doctrin of faith repeÌ„tance which two things though they be the chiefe principal points in Religion and so necessarie that he who doth not both knowe and practise them aright can neuer be saued yet I dare auouch that the faith and repentance of the Romish Church as they are taught by many of the best approued Papists are no better then such a faith and such a repentance as an hypocrite and a very reprobate may attaine vnto Indeed to insist vpon repentance onely they make many faire florishes they call it penance they make it a sacrament say it is a boord that saues a man after shipwrack and write great volumnes of it and of confession and of Cases of conscience as you good Syr in your owne reading know better then I yet alas when all is done it is but a shadow of repentance and indeede how can they teach aright the doctrine of repentance which erre so fowly in setting downe the iustice of God and the vilenes of sin which 2. points a man must know else he will neuer repent but Poperie misconceiuing the iustice of God teaching it not to bee infinite in as much as it needes not an infinite satisfaction misconceiuing the nature of sin teaching euery sin not to bee damnable 〈◊〉 to offend Gods Infinite iustice â—â—ring I say in these 2. how is it possible they should conceiue aright the nature of repentance by which a man seeing his sins their foulenesse their punishment and his own misery by them confesseth them bewails them fearing Gods iustice flyeth froÌ„ it and craues forgiuenesse of his mercie and lastly purposeth indeuoureth to leaue them all and to leade a newe life The serious consideration hereof hath often made me wonder why many Popish treatises being in some sort exhortations to repentance should be so accounted of as they are by some for though I confesse there are in some of them good and holesome meditations and many motiues to mortification and good life yet would I gladly learne of any man but this one thing how those exhortations can be pithie or powerful sound or any way sufficient to moue a man to repentance when as not those bookes nor all Poperie is able to teach a man sufficiently what true repentance is If any man reply I will therefore learne the doctrine out of the Protestants bookes and vse the Papists for exhortation onely I then answere is it not a more compendious and conuenient and a lesse scandalous course to seeke exhortations out of such writers as do teach the doctrine aright nay I doubt how it is possible to finde a powerfull exhortation to repentance in any Papist who erres in the Doctrine the reason is manifest because Doctrine is the ground of exhortation and if the doctrine be vnsound how can the exhortation be any better Let vs therefore leaue these muddic puddles and fet our water at the fountaine the water of life at the fountaine of life I mean the doctrine of faith and repentance at the written word of God and at such mens writings as are grounded therevpon and agreeable thereunto Now amongst those many instruments of God who haue laboured with profit in this great point of Religion namely repentance drawing their doctrine out of the two brests of the 2. Testaments of Gods booke I may well say to say no more that this man of God Maister Perkins deserues to haue his place whose labours whilst he liued and his yet liuing labours what they deserue I had rather others should proclame then I once name who professe my selfe to bee one of those many who may truely say that by the grace of God his good meanes principally I am that I am But leaning him in that glorious mansion which Christ the Lord of the Haruest hath prepared for him and now giuen him I returne to my selfe and doe humbly praise the Lord of heauen who gaue mee my time in the Vniuersitie in those happie dayes wherein beside many other worthy men of God whereof some are falne asleepe and some remaine aliue vnto this day this holy man did spend him self like a Candle to giue light vnto others The scope of all his godly endeuours was to teach Christ Iesus and him crucified and much laboured to moue all men to repentance that as our knowledge hath made Popery ashamed of their ignorance so our holy liues might honour our holy profession And as repentance was one of the principal ends both of his continuall preaching and writing soespecially and purposely hath hee twise dealt in that Argument First in his Treatise of Repentance published 1592. wherein briefly as his manner was but soundly pithily and feelingly hee layeth downe the true doctrine and the very nature of repentance and after the positiue doctrine hee toucheth some of the principall controuersies and difficulties in that doctrine but afterwards thinking with himselfe that hee had not seriously and forcibly enough vrged so great necessarie a Lesson as Repentance is therefore shortly after being desired and called to the duty of preaching in that great general assembly at Sturbridge-Faire he thought it a fit time for this necessary and generall exhortation to Repentance to the intent that as wee were taught the doctrine of Repentance in the former treatise so in these sermons we might bee stirred vp to the practise of it And certainly Good Sir I iudge there could haue beene no matter more fit for that assembly then an exhortation to repentance for as the audience was great and general of all sorts sexes ages and callings of men and assembled out of many corners of this kingdom so is this doctrine generall for all some doctrines are for Parents some for children some for schollers
some for tradse-men some for men some for women but repentance is for all without which it may bee said of all and euery one of age not one excepted No Repentance no saluation These Sermons being in my hands and not deliuered to mee from hand to hand but taken with this hand of mine from his owne mouth were thought worthy for the excellencie fit for the generallity of the matter to be offered to the publique veiwe I haue also other workes of his in my hands of which being many I confesse my selfe to be but the keeper for the time taking my selfe bounde to keepe them safely to the benefite of Gods Church of whose treasure vpon earth I make no questiō but they are a part and I hartily desire you my godly friends all other faithfull Christians to solicite the Lord in prayer for me that I may faithfully discharge my self of that great charge which in this respect lyeth vpon me and that his grace and blessing may be on mee and all others who are to be imployed in this seruice wherein had the Lord so pleased wee could heartily haue wished neuer to haue bin imployed but that his life might haue eased vs of the labour and that as I begin with this so I or some other better able which I rather desire may goe forward vndertaking the weight of this great burthen and not faint till he haue made a faithfull account to the Church of God of all these Iewels deliuered to our trust And now these first fruites of my labours in another mans vineyard as also all that hereafter doe or may follow I humbly consecrate to the blessed Spouse of Christ Iesus the holy Church of God on earth and namely to the Church of England our beloued mother who may reioyce that she was the mother of such a sonne who in few yeares did so much good to the publique cause of religiō as the wickednesse of many yeares shall not be able to weare out But first of all and especially I present the same vnto you my very worsh and Christian friends who I must needes say are very worthy of it in many respects 1 For the matter it selfe which is repentance my selfe being able to testifie that you are not heares but doers ripe in knowledge rife in the practise of repentance insomuch as I dare from the testimonie of my conscience and in the word of a minister pronounce of you that as you haue heard and knowne this Doctrine of repentance so blessed are you for you doe it And 2. for him who was the author hereof whose mouth spake it from the feeling of his soule whose soule is now bound vp in the bundle of life I know and cannot in good conscience cōceale the great delight you haue alwaies had in the reading of his bookes the reuerend opinion you had of him liuing and how heauily and passionately you tooke his death and departure therefore to cheare you vp in want of him I send you here this little booke his owne childe begotten in his life time but borne after his death obserue it well and you shall find it not vnlike the father yea you shall discerne in it the fathers spirit and it doubts not but to find entertainement with them of whom the father was so well respected And for my selfe I spare to rehearse what interest you haue in me al my labours it is no more then you worthily deserue and shall haue in me for euer you are the fairest flowers in this garden which in this place I after others haue planted for the Lord or rather God by vs And two principall pearles in that caowne which I hope for at the last day from the Lord my God whose worde at my mouth you haue receiued with much reuerence and with such profit as if I had the like successe of my labours in others I should then neuer haue cause to say with the Prophet I haue laboured in vain spent my strength in vaine but my iudgement is with the Lord. my work with my God And if I knewe you not to be such as take more delight in doing well then in hearing of it I would proue at large what I haue spoken of you yet giue me leaue to say that which without open wrong I may not conceile that beside your rare knowledge and godly zeale to religion and other duties of the first table to God himselfe your charity pitty to the needy distressed Christians at home and abroad your mercifull dealing with them who are in your power your beneuolence to learning and namely to some in the Vniuersitie doe all proclaime to the world those your due praise which I well knowing your modesties do spare once to name neither would I haue said thus much were it not for this cold and barren age wherein wee liue that so when our preaching cannot moue yet your godly examples might stirre vp Pardon me therefore I pray you and think it no wrong to you which is a benefit to Gods Church But goe forward in the strength of the Lord your God hold on in that happie course you haue begun bee faithfull vnto the end the Lord will giue you the Crowne of life faithfull is hee which hath promised who will also doe it proceed good Sir to honour learning in your selfe and others and religion especially which is the principall learning and proceed both of you to practise religion in your own persons and in your family hold on to shine before your family and amongst the people where you dwell in zeale and holinesse hold on hereby still to shame popery to stop your enemies mouthes and to honour that holy religiō which you professe to gaine comfort of good conscience to your selues assurance of eternall reward and lastly to encourage me in those painefull duties which lye vpon me for I openly professe that your religious zeale and loue of the truth with māy other good helps are principal incouragements in my ministry especial motiues vnto me to vndertake the charge of publicatiō of so many of the workes of this holy man deceased as may not in better maner be done by others But I keep you too long from this holy exhortation following I therefore send you to it it to you and from you to the Church of God for I dare not make it to bee priuately yours and mine wherein the whole Church hath interest as well as we It was preached in the field but it is worthy to be admitted into our hearts I found it in the open field but vpon diligēt view finding it to bee Gods corne and a parcel of his holy and immortal seed therefore I brought it home as good corne deserues And as it is Gods corne so in you I desire all holy christians to lay it vp in Gods garners that is in their hearts and soules And thus committing this little volume to your reading the matter
our people are as euill as those in the dayes of Christ of whom the holy ghost saith Light is come into the world but men loue darknesse more then light so knowledge is come into England but many Englishmen loue ignorance better then knowledge Alas how many thousands haue we in our Church who know no more in religiō then they heare in common talke of al men which is worse they thinke it sufficient also and which is worst of all whereas they might haue more they will not but care not for it 2 The second maine sin of England is Contempt of Christian Religion Religion hath bin among vs these fiue and thirtie yeares but the more it is published the more it is contemned and reproached of many in so much as there is not the simplest fellow in a country town who although he knowes not one point of religion yet he can mock and scorne such as are more religious then himself is this is one of the moaths of England that eates vp religion this is grieuous in whomsoeuer but most intollerable in two sorts of men First in them who are altogether ignorant that they should mocke they know not what A pittifull thing to hear one who himselfe cannot giue the meaning of one petition in the Lords praier to vpbraide other men because they are too forward but it is the worst of all when men of knowledge and such as liue ciuilly and would be counted good christians and are indeede of the better sort cannot abide to see others go a little before them but if they doe presently they are Hypocrites and dissemblers Thus not prophanenesse nor wickednesse but euen Religion it selfe is a by-word a mocking-stocke and matter of reproach so that in England at this day the man or woman that begins to professe religion and to serue God must resolue with himselfe to sustaine mockes and iniuries euen as though he liued among the enimies of religion and not among professors and as religion increaseth and spreadeth it selfe so doth the number of these mockers O what a cursed sinne is this to contemne the greatest fauour that God can giue vs that is his holy religion for the which wee should rather praise him all the dayes of our liues All that God can giue a man in this world is his Gospell what then can God giue to be regarded when his gospel is contemned 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 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 England I haue giuen thee a fruitfull land a blessed Prince gold and siluer peace and libertie plentie and prosperitie for which of these O England doest thou contemne my religion The least of these deserue loue but England hath a better then all these that is his Gospell and word of saluation and yet that also is contemned as beeing nothing worth and those which confesse it and those that bring it and consequently God himselfe that gaue it If England had no more sinnes but this this deserues that it should bee saide of vs that wee are a Nation vnworthy to bee loued aboue all Nations for some Nations would haue religion that they might loue it but they cannot haue it some haue it and doe loue it some haue it and loue it not but in noe Nation is it made a mocking-stocke but in England And where are those men but in England who like the dog in the manger will neither entertaine Religion themselues nor suffer them that would let vs in time take heede of this sinne as a sinne that crieth to God to reuenge so vile a dishonour done to his maiesty neither is there any sinne that more certainly foreshewes and more forceably hastens the remouing of the Gospell from vs. For high time is it to cease louing wher loue procures disdaine And to stay giuing where giftes are scorned Carry home this lesson to your great townes cities where you dwel for in these populous places are these great mockers for wher God hath his professors the diuel hath his mockers repēt betimes of this sin for hold on in mocking be sure that God who will not be mocked will remoue his gospel frō you but if you leaue this sin and entertaine the gospel as it worthily deserus then be sure of it God will continue the Gospell to you and your posterities after you in the face of al your enemies round about you 3 The third common sinne of Englande is Blasphemie many waies but especially in vaine swearing false swearing and forswearing and the abuse of all the names and tytles of the Lord God This sinne is general euen ouer the whole land especially in Fayres and Markets where men for a little gaine wil not care to cal the Lord of Hostes to be witnesse to a lye and the God of truth to testifie an vntruth And which is worst of all Gods holy name is vsed in vaine oathes and ordinarie talke When men haue no cause to sweare at all so that it is most lamentable to see and obserue that the name of any man of honour or worship is vsed more reuerently and lesse abused then that fearefull and glorious name the Lord our God 4 The fourth generall and great sinne is Prophanation of the Saboath A common sinne euery where and yet so great a sinne that where it raignes in that Country congregation family man or woman there is noe feare of God nor any true grace in them for the keeping of the saboath is the maintaining increasing and publishing of religion 5 The fift sinne of our Nation is vniust dealing in bargaining betwixt man and man How hard is it to finde an honest simple plaine dealing man and that euen in such great assemblies as this is I feare present experience wil testifie you are now many thousands gathered together some to buy some to sell some to exchange Remember that I haue tolde you an honest hearted and plaine dealing man is hard to finde therfore labour to approue your selues sincere hearted men remember the counsell of the holy Ghost Let no man oppresse nor defraude his brother in bargaining for the Lord is the auenger of all such things These sinnes are generall and vniuersall as a cancker And so are the sinnes of the 6. 7. and 8. Commandements though they be not altogether so cōmon as these be Murthers Adulteries Vsuries Briberies Extorsions Cousenages they are a burthen vnder which our earth groanes and they cry against vs to heauen so that vpon as good or much
pouerty contempt basenesse vppon it It were a worke worth the labour of the wisest heads to put downe the true meane betwixt both extreames worth the labour of our Noble King to take order that that meane be kept without rising to the right hand or falling to the left This short Treatse may hap to giue some light directions therein or at least may encourage stir vp their hearts in whose hands it is to doe it Vnder your woorthy names would I haue it see the world not so much for that I am bound to you both in many priuate and particular respects though that be much as for that know you both to be o◠so right and reformed a iudgement in this case as you would haue none Ministers but of sufficient gifts and vnblameable liues nor those Ministers put to their Pensions or vncertaine salailes but to haue certaine sufficient maintenance proportionable to their charge and beseeming the honour of a Christian Church God continue you still in that minde and make many more of the same with you so should we haue as florishing a Church as any Christendome hath seene Goe forward in that and other your religious resolutions it is the true way to honour both heere and in a better world stand firmly for the truth and boldly against the Popish enemies thereof as hitherto you haue done Religion had neuer more cause to thanke you and all that doe so then now it hath for her enemies were neuer so insolent since they were our enemies but if you and others holde on as in your seuerall places you haue wel begun and others take the like course there is hope their insolencies will bee easily if timely repressed and themselues neerest the fall when they imagine they are in the full The Lorde blesse and assist you in your painfull places and make you on earth Instruments of his glorie to the good of his Church so shall you bee vessels of glory in the kingdome of Heauen And thus commending this little treatise to your reading and my selfe to your fauour I take leaue and wil euer rest 1605. Your Worships in the Lord VV. Crashawe A Treatise of the duties and dignitie of the Ministerie Iob. 33. 23. 24. If there bee with him a Messenger An Interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnesse Then will be haue mercie on him and will say deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation IN this Chapter and the former Elihu a holy learned noble wise young man had conference with Iob in matters of high and excellent Diuinitie the points of his conference are these From the first verse of this chap. to the 7. verse is a Praeface to his speach From thence to the 13. he repeateth certaine propositions of Iob and reproueth them frō thence to these wordes hee instructeth Iob in certaine points touching Gods dealing with sinners and those are two 1 How God preserueth a sinner from falling 2 How God restoreth a sinner being falne 1 The meanes whereby God preserueth a sinner are set downe to bee two principall 1 By Admonitions in dreames and visions 2 By scourges and chastisments when the first will not preuaile And these are layde downe from the thirteene verse vnto these words 2 Then followeth the 2. point namely the restoring of a sinner when both the meanes formerly spoken of haue not preuailed with him but that through his corruption he is fallen and concerning this point he handleth these particulers 1 The remedie and meanes of his restoring 2 The effect that followeth thereupon 1 The remedie is layde downe in these wordes now red vnto vs then followeth the effect which is that when a sinner is restored by repentance then the graces of God are plentifully powred vpon him both for soule body from these words to the end of the Chapter The intent then of this Scripture is that God vseth meanes in his mercie to preserue sinners from falling into sinne but if they doe then hee in much greater mercie afordeth them meanes and helpes to rise againe And this is the summe and substance of the words Now that means and remedie is the matter I purpose to speake of out of these wordes The meanes then to restore a sinner after a fall is to raise him by repentance to a better estate then hee was in before and that is inclusiuely and by implication taught in this Text But the instrument by whom that great worke is to be wrought is here in plaine termes layd downe to bee a Minister of God lawfully called and sent by God appointed by his Church to that great dutie So that these wordes containe a worthy description of a true Minister and he is here described 1 By his titles which are two An Angell An Interpreter 2 By his rarnesse One of a thousand 3 By his office which is to declare vnto man his righteousnes 4 By the blessing that God giueth vpon the labours of this true Minister which is then God will haue mercie vpon the sinner 5 By his Commission and authoritie in the last wordes God will say Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation Let vs speake of them in order as they lie in the text and first of his titles 1 The first title of a Minister of God is he is called a Messenger or an Angel and not here alone but elswhere in the Scripture Malachy 2. 7. He is the Messenger of the Lord of hostes And in the Reuelation the Ministers of the 7. Churches are called the Angels of those Churches So that it is apparant a true Minister is an Angel of God in one place and in the other place the Angel of the Church Hee is an Angell or Messenger sent from God to his Church This consideration affords matter of much vse And first for Ministers themselues The most of vs in this place are eyther Prophets or sonnes of the Prophets If thou be a Prophet thou art Gods Angel If a sonne of the prophets thou intendest to bee then marke thy dutie prophets and Ministers are Angels in the very institution of their calling Therefore thou must preach Gods word as GODS word and deliuer it as thou receiuest it for Angels Embassadors and Messengers carry not their owne message but the message of their Lords and Maisters who sent them and Ministers carry the message of the Lord of Hostes therefore they are bound to deliuer it as the Lords and not their owne In the first Epistle of Peter 4. 11. wee are bid If any man speake let him speake not onely the word of God but as the word of God Gods word must bee spoken and as Gods word then shew thy faithfulnesse to the Lord in discharging thy hands sincerely of that message which he hath honoured thee to
Bench and Sir Edward Phillips Knight his Maiesties Sargeant at Lawe now or late the worthie Iudges of our Northeren Circuite The spirit of wisedome zeale courage be multiplied RIght worshipfull it is sayd in other Nations and written in some of their bookes that there are three disgraces of the English Nation The Ignorance or that I may so call it the vnlearned of our GeÌ„trie Nobilitie the beggery of our poore the Basenes of the bodie of our Ministerie The first blot our Nobilitie and Gentrie haue well wiped off since the first daies of our blessed Queen Elizabeth partly by studie at home partlie by trauell abroade and I hope they will do it more more The second hath beene well lessened by good lawes of late and would hee more if the Execution were as good as our lawes bâ—e it were much honour to our Nation and more to our Religion if it were quite taken away for hee that tells vs there shall bee poore euer with vs saith also there shall not bee a begger amongst vs If there were no poore what should become of Charitie for it is Charitie to relieue Pouertie not to maintaine Beggerie Pouerty may bee a Crosse but it is no Curse but Beggerie is a fearefull curse threatened on the enemies of God and Dauid saith not hee neuer saw a righteous mans child poore but that hee neuer saw him begge his bread The daily cries in our streetes crie for yet further reformation heereof that the impotent poore may bee sufficiently prouided for that he neede not and the Sturdie begger complied to worke that hee may not be suffered to begge Happy you or whosoeuer can haue a hand in effecting this blessed worke wee who can doe little else shall pray for it and for them that labour in it But now for the third I feare none but the verie hand of God can wipe out that staine from our Church The basenesse of the generall body of our Ministerie whence is it but either from the vnworthinesse or Pouertie thereof and the vnworthinesse whence is it but from the Pouertie and base maintenance of our Ministry which was once robbed by the Abbies and after by some in our owne State which was then Popish and Poperie that stands so much vpon Non dimittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum yet for all that would not restore vnto the Church her tenthes againe But as popish Abbies stole them so a popish State kept them and to their shame some of the good Professors of our Religion haue of late restored such as were in their hands and there is hope that all our Professors vnlesse they care not to bee accounted hypocrus will make some conscionable restitution We doe not craue that they would with Zacheus restore foure-fold though it is apparant that the tenthes were got from vs in old time by most false and forged Cauillations we onely craue our owne we would aske no more nor willingly take lesse for our whole duetie is still required then why should not our whole due be payd And yet that the world may learne of vs contentednesse as well by our practise as our doctrine we would for the present take in good part rest contented with a part of our owne And some competent portions out of the Impropriations proportioned to the quantitie of the charge imposed and the giftes and paines required would for a time be a reasonable satisfaction in our Ministerie vntil our state found it self either better enabled or more straightly tied in Conscience to full restitution But as I said this is a worke of God himselfe for if a man could doe it so many Parliaments would not haue slipt it but some of them would haue eternized it selfe with this honourable name to all posterities The Parliament that restored Impropriations but til that or some other course as good bee taken it is both vnseasonable and vnreasonable to complaine of the Ignorant or to craue a learned Ministerie For shal the Oxes mouth be mousled which treads out the corne or shall a man goe to warre at his owne cost and hath not God ordained marke it is his Ordinance that those which teach the Gospel shall liue of the Gospel But alas how shal the Ministerie of England liue of the Gospel when my small experience can shew that in one Corner of one Countie of this Kingdom wherin there are some 105. parishes or parochial Chappels almost a 100. of them if not a full 100. are Impropriate and amongst them I can shewe the most parishes haue but 10 pound or thereabouts some 8. li some 6. li. some â— li some foure pounds some not 4. pounds yearly liuing for the Minister and those impropriations worth some 300. li many 200. li. almost all 100 li. per an yea there is one worth 400 pound per an where there were but 8 li. left for the Minister vntill of late with much adoe 10. pound more was obtained for a Preacher and so there is out of 400 8. pound shared for a Minister and 10. pound caried for a Preacher in that parish where there are 2000. Communicanâ—s Of all the rest the Crowne hath some 100 pound rent or not so much the remainder of 180. pound being a rich liuing for a worthy learned Minister a competent liuing for 2. and more then some 7 painful able ministers haue I know not what becomes of it vnlesse it go to the feeding of Kits Cormorats Are not these goodly liuings for learned men and may not wee expect a learned ministerie where there is such maintenance I hartily with that other countries be not able to showe the like Presidents I haue the rather made relation hereof that our high Court of Parliament may see how great cause they haue to go forward with that motion already by the made for the establishing of a learned Ministerie But if they bring it not to passe what then remaineth but to hope that the great God of heauen will put into the heart of the God on earth our noble king into whose hands he hath put the sword of soueraigne authoritie an irreâ—oâ—able and unresistable resolution to execute his supreme power for the reformation of this euill which as Maister Perkins saith in this treatise may well be called the Kings euill for it will hardly be healed but by the will power of a king In the meane time this Treatise of that worthy man may be a motiue to our zealous professors who haue any impropriations in their owne hands to excite and prouoke them to a conscionable restitution in whole or in part as their estate may beare or their conscience shall mooue them For heerein are layd downs and mixed together both the duties to be done by faithfull Ministers and the Dignities due vnto them for their duties and so seeing the dignities of that calling to bee most honourable and the duties so chargeable it cannot
so farre from being driuen from their duty because they being sinfull men dare not come into Gods presence without much feare as let them contrariwise be assured that the more they tremble at Gods presence here the lesse shall they feare it at the last day and when prophane and vngodly men who in this world feared not to stand in Gods presence in their horrible sins shall cry to the Mountaines fall vpon vs and hilles couer vs and hide vs from the presence of God then such ministers as in this world in feare and trembling and alwaies in repentance did approach into Gods presence shall then looke vp and lift vp their heads shall say to the holy Angels all the powers of heauen helpe vs and hasten vs to come into the glorious presence of our God and Sauiour And thus we see the manisold vse of this doctrine to our Church and ministerie Secondly In asmuch as here the prophet in a conscience of his corruptions feareth and cryeth out at the least apparition of Gods glory The vanitie and false dealing of the Church of Rome is here discoured in whose LegeÌ„ds stories of their Saints nothing is more common then apparitions from heauen of Saints depaâ—ted of glorious Angels of the virgin Mary and that so familiarly as sometime she sang with theÌ„ in their Cell kissed some of them and let them sucke her brests Nay of God himselfe and especially of our Sauiour Christ Iesus who they say appeared I knowe not how oft to one man namely to Saint Francis and appeared as he was crucified with his woundes and imprinted those woundes of his in Francis his body which they say he bare all his life and that they bled whensoeuer hee would suffer them which he alwayes did on Good Fryday that hee might be like to Christ Thus c many more such may yousee in that fabulous blasphemous book of the conformities of S. Francis But for the matter Are apparitions from heauen so ordinary in the popish Church how then came it to passe that the greatest and holiest men in the olde Testament were so amezed at the very apparition but of an Angell as wee may see in the whole course of the Storie Some ranne away and hidde themselues some couered their faces some fell flat on the grounde and the Prophets heere cryed out Woe is mee I am vndone my eyes haue seene the King and Lorde of Hostes But in the Church of Rome looke the stories that Saint or Monke is no body that hath not had some apparition either of the Virgin Marie or some of the Apostles or an Angel or Christ Iesus appearing and talking with them and yet alas Peter lames and Iohn those three great pillars they were as good as beside themselues at the appearing of a little part of the glorie of Christ in his transfiguration Either therefore must it followe that these men haue no sinne in them which dare and can behold Gods glory so easily and so ordinarily which is impossible or rather which indeed is truth it appeares that these are but deceitfull fancies and forgeries of their owne deuise to deceiue the world and to magnifie themselues before the eyes of the common people for it is first of all most false that apparitions are so common as they make them for if they were then are they more ordinary in the newe Testament then in the Olde For whereas the Scripture hath one their Legions haue twenty whereas one namely Saint Paul was once rapt into heauen they haue 20. that were rapt thither And as that is false so is it impossible that any man cloathed with flesh can endure an extraordinary apparition of Gods glorie without extreame amazement as is plaine herd in the Prophet who I hope was as holy a man as the holiest monke that euer was I haue noted this that young Diuines may be occasioned to looke a litle into their fabulous legends that so they may discouer the false trickes and iugling castes of that religion which euill shiftes it needed not if it were of God Thirdly the people may here learne First in that Gods presence is so glorious and fearefull to mans nature how mercifully God hath delt with them in teaching them not by himself or by his Angels from heaueÌ„ which they could neuer endure but by men who are like themselues and how vaine and fond these men are who would bee taught from heauen not by men who are so full of wants In the olde Testament when the people receiued the law from Gods owne mouth it is saide they ran away and cryed out Why should we die if we heare the voyce of God any more wee shall dye for what flesh euer heard the voice of the liuing God liued therefore they said to Moses Goe thou neare and heare al that the Lord shal say declare thou vnto vs what God saith to thee we wilheare it doe it And then saith the text the Lord said I heard the words of this people they haue said well in al that they haue spoken And so from that day forward God ordinarily taught his church by men like themselues we see that the beginning of it was not in iudgement but in mercie vnto them It is therefore the dutie of all men both to acknowledge this mercy of God in due thankfulnesse and withall to remember when they see infirmities in Ministers that they are but men and that if they had not the Ministery of men howe hard it would goe with them considering that the least measure of Gods owne presence cannot be endured by any man 2. Inasmuch as gods presence is so glorious in it self and fearefull to our nature al men are taught to prepare themselues by holy prayer by humisiation and confession of their sinnes and vnworthinesse afore they come to Gods word or sacraments for they come at that time into Gods presence they therefore are not to come in their securitie nor in their ordinarie sinnes vnrepented of least God strike their consciences with a sence of his fearefull displeasure make them cry out vpon farre greater cause then here the Propet did Thirdly and lastly wee learne here the different natures and properties of sinne and holinesse Sinne euen the least sinne nay a very sinfulnes of nature makes a man afraid of Gods presence That sinne vnrepented of doth so appeares in Adam who as in his integrity he spoke conuersed euen in a familiar sort with God so no sooner had he finned but he ranne from God and hid himselfe that euen the least sinnes not repented of doe so also appeares in this Prophet who beeing a holy man yet his conscience being priuie to it self of some small omissions or negligeÌ„ces in his calling he crieth out he is vndone because he seeth the Lord of hosts But contrariwise the state of perfect holinesse the want