Perkins - BX9318 P47 1613 v3

---~-~- --------- ·---- TO THE RIGHT vV 0 R S H 1PFV L L S1R E D vV A R D CooK E, Knigh t, his Ma iell ies 1\ tturnie Genetall andSir Thomas Hes!ljth,l(.n~ght, dtturnieo/hu High~ mffeCourt of Wards a11d Liuenes, and one ofhis MJidlics Hu~ nourablc Cott»foll in rh~ N orrh, Grace1md Peace from !Esvs CHRHT. Ight Worl11ipfnll, giue me lcaue to pm you both in one Epifllc 1 whome one feruice, one place, oneprofcllion, oneorder, omRcligi• , on haue fo neerely combined: as you arc Brethren n;any waycs, ' and efpecially in the prvfcllion .and praCI:ife of one Religion : fo vouchfafe to bee ioynt Patro11s of this little afier.birth, thisftttmPofl· hmmu, of thatwonhie man M. Perkins, 110"-' deeeafed. I fend yott here oneofthe fhortejt, and one ofthefawtejl of his Treatilcs: had it bcenc as well brought foorrh 6ymet, as it was begot byhmi, it had becnc a cht!de not vnworrhic offo grcar aFather: but feeing it is now a Fatherk-ffi child; be yon the T111or to this Orphane, at whofe ]fandes Orpli'anes andW:trdi bauc been well vied. The Father while!! he liucd was alhining light to this our Church , and beeing dead, is a;ihining fiar in heauen,forheturnrdm.1ny1o righteorl[mlfe , a:Jd his doCl:tine will {hine in Chtiflian Churches, whilefl the Sunne l11ineth vpon the earth. The fubie{r of this Tteatile is the Minijieric, whereof are hid downe the drrties anddignities. And well doth he couple thefetwo together: for fome can challenge the dign4ies of the Mi" niflerie, and cunninglycafl thcdutiesfcom their 0Joulders: others f>crforme the d11;irs, but arekept from thedignities duly belonging to that calling: bur as hcedmwill do the duties, may iuf!ly chailcnge thedignities; fo he that will expeCl: thc dtgmties, mufl doe the'duties ob Miniflcr: therefore in this building, thefe two bcamcs are in great wile– dome wellfctrogcthcr by this W1fe Ma.fter bt<ilder , a-ndfo clolcly courlcd, as the idle or ambitious man cannot lookc at the dignitiei, bm he mufl withal! behold the alttie, , nor thepainfull and bborious man fcllhisd~<tie, but wirhall tball fee thea'ignitie therc:o be– longing. And fi~tely (Right vVorl11ipfull) none might better haue written of this (i,bieCl then 1 he: for who may more Worthily defcribc the dignities of the Miniflerie, then hee, who neither by doClrinenorconuerfation, was euer the leafl difgrlce vnto his Minirtcric? Or who nny better cl)<llcnge the honour of hi.~ calling, then he, who was cuer an l honomto his calling? And who mightbetrer teach thedutiesof the Minillerie,-thcn he, who f<> difchargedthem, as Enuie it fdfc c>nnor iufliy reproouc, and the Encmic5·1 1 themfc:lucs cannot but 3 con1mend? And who nuy be!tcrteach them ro others, then :1 Anrn·t: tct 1 . hec that .carefully praC:bfed them inhi5 ownc pc:rfon ? And as none could bee a fir- ~~~~,~;,;:,tis ter Author of this difcourfe thea hce, fo not manv fi::tcr P.nrons then yot~r fcJuc:s : C:ernn;ikr~ not many inyourprofellion better fchollcrs, nor a;,y that better loucs lcnollers rben byB-'P''"" J' yourfelnes: and you arc fi>me of thofe fewc in thi.swicked a~c , who willingly yecld all dtgmtm and due reucrencc to fi1ch Miniilcrs, as you Ice willingly to ciKharge the d:1tw of good Miniflcrs. Well would it hce with the Miniftcrie of Ene,hnd, I (and the better with it, the better with Enghn~) if ".J.l as gseJt as· ):~·~~e as j' ------------~-----------------------~1~\~r:_r_ I ~~~d-----~-

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