I i :r he Epijlle Vedicatorie. , '1 ~~;;::;~; .., j · Now, amongfi thole many infirum~nts ofGod, who haue laboured wirh profi~j,;" """"'· : tht< grcar pouu ofRehg10n; namely repentance, drawmg their Jochineout of the ' 1 ;,~,~·~•Y o- , two breafls of the two Tdlarncnts of Gods booke, I may well lay (to fay no morc,)that I this man of God M. PERK 1N s, defcruesro haue his place: whole bbours, while{\ bee ' lined, :md his yet liuing labours,what they deferuc,[ had rather others fhould proclaim, I then I once name: who ?rofeffe my fclfe to be one ofthofe nuny, who may truly fay, that by the grace ofGo·d,and h1s good meancs pt1nc1pally, Iam that Iam. Bur leaning , him in that glorious manfion, which Cbriil:-the Lord of the harucll hath prepared for M. P£~tttn:s butfounic: vures olde ~thhdcath. \ him, and now giuen him,_ I ret_urneto my felfe_,and doe humbly praife the Lord ofhea- ' uen, wha gaue mcc my w_nc m the Vmuerfiue, m thole happte dayes, whc.rein (be- ; I fides many wor.thy men of God, whereof fame arc f.1lne aQecpe, andfome remaine a· ! , line vnto thisd.ry) this holy man did yend himfelfc like aCandle,ro giue light vnto o- 1 thers. . I The !cope of all his godly cndeauours was ro teach chrijllcfu., and him crucified,& ; much laboured to mooue all men ro repentance, that as our knowledge hath made Po- ! perie afhamed of their ignorance; fo our holy liues might honour our holy profeffion. And as repentance was one ofthe principall ends, both of hisconrinuall preaching and writing: fo cfpecially and purpofely hath he rwifc dealt in that Argument. Firfi, in-his Trcatife of Repentatoce, publi!hed r 592. wherein briefly ( as his manner was ) bm foundly,pithily,,a_nd feelingly, hee layeth downc the doctrine, and the veric nature of Repentance: an·d after the pofitiue doctrine, he toucheth fome of the prin– cipall conrroucrfies an.d difficulties in that c!octrine, but afterwards thinking with him– felfe, that he_had npt fe;ricmily and forcibly enough, vrged fo great and neceffarie aiel– Con as Repemancc is, therefore !hardy after, beeing defired and called to the c!mie of Preaching, i1,1•fhar great,a·Q·d general! a!femblie :a Sturbridge F4ire, he thought it a lie time, for this neteflar(~a~g-gen,eraiLel'horration to repentance : to the intent, that as we were t!\11gln 1hedo{trine of reppnrance, in the former rreatife; (o in rhefe Sermons we mighcb,c;flirred-vp·IQ t\!e praetif~ of it. And cerrainely (good Sir) I iudge there could haue beel).e no- 1"\latl~r, \U<'>re fir for that affembly, then an Exhortation re Repen– tance : for a.Sthe audicn(e,W.asgreat.and generail , ofall forts, fexes, ages , and callings of men,ana'affembled.oH.tof l)lanycorners of this Kingdome; fq is this doctrine ge– ncrall for all :~ fot;ne dqf;t!)_n<;s ~re. fer Parents , fome for children>.tome for fchollers, fome for rr:t,d§f-nn;n.,f!m>.e.fqr men·,f<>me for \~omen,but rep_enrancc is for all: ·without which, ittii•V p§.faig qfr;~jl ,;nod cu~~y.one9fage, not one excepted ; NoRepenr.ance, nofaluario·n! t, "~ ...... =J!<. ., Thcf.;Swnons bcei11g In my hanods,~nd not dqliuered to m.~.fr:m1 ha~d .io hand, but raket1 wirlHhjs hand of mioe, from ll1s owne mouth, were thought wonhie.for the excellenc(c·, and fie foe..(he-gcneralitie of the matter, to bee offered.tQ tlJ~• Pit~like viewe. J:JI ~ .• ·! .~::· , · ,.. ;. · ~· )7 li •:.. · · ·• · And ,n·ov1uhefC<!i[fl:·fruire• of my,labpursinanother mans ~ineyard, as alfcialLrhat hereafter pos: er may (91J.ow,'Ihu!nl>ly C?.nfecratc to rhe bleffed Sr_oufe of .chris1 le{m, the holy Chur~\\ •qfGo.d on 'earth, 0 nd namely to the Church ofE1Jgl•nd, owr bdoued mother, whom•y reibxc.e ~h.artbc wa~_the mother of fi1ch a fo1,1'!e, who in fel~cyeaq did fo much good,to fhc publi.ke ca.ufe-of Religion , as th_c wtcke.dneffe of many years !hal!_not bes: ~ble to wearc our. Bur firfl: ofall, a~d efpcctally, I prefentthe lame vntq you(myvcry Wor!hipfull andChriil:ian friends) who (lmufipeedesfay) areveric wonhie aficin many r,cfp~tk - . . J., Fl)rthe-matter it fclfe, which is repentance, my fclfe becmg able to tell,fie, that you are no.t hearers ,bur.doers;ripc in-knowlec!g,and rife in rh~ praCl1fe ofrepentance, iofomuch as.! dare from. the reflimoojeofrny confcicnce, and 111 the word ofaMm1fl:er pronounceofyou, that as you hal\e heard and knowncthis doctnne of repentance, fo blc!fcd arc you,for you iloe it. ·, . . . I . A11d 2. for him who·waslhc Author hereof ( whofe mourh fp~ke 1t from the feeling of his foulc, and whole foule is now bound vpin the btmdlq o.f_life) Iknowc, and I cannot in good confcience ,conceale the great dcl1ght, you haue alwa1cs had 111 tbe readin g of his bookes, rhcreuerendopinion you haol of lum hum!\, ancj ho1:r._!:_:aurly · and . ·- -------:;-------
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