Perkins - BX9318 P47 1613 v3

/ : 450 1 1- · 'The fecond 'Treatife of the duties I ~uch "'en~ This is the caufe , why the labours of fuch hhours ne men arc moh vnprofitablc • becaufe they dare 1fnudctlc. come imo Gods prefence in,their Gnncs.ln mal ny places ofour land, there is by Gods bldling I ~nuc.::h t~achin.g, yet there is little r~formation I 111 the hues of the mofi: but contranwifc fome Andth~ir )oofcndfe doth more bnn.~hcn dleirdo– ttrincguod. Bv Godsfe. cr"etiudge· mcnt. Go0dwotds 2rcvaine~ wheredlerc is no good life:. f.1ll to Atheifi·ne, feme eo Papilinc: forrie into fou1e finnes, not to be namedamong!l Chri!H– ans. Where is the caufc?furely not in the gofpel, nor in our doCtrine, n~r in the teaching of ir; but one very principall caufc is,many Miui!lcrs con1e into Gods prcfcnce vn fantlified, and in their finnes: not caring how loofcly they liue, in the face of their people : and therefore God in iufl:ice, though he infiamly fi1~itc not them, with vifiblc vengeance for their prefumption: yet he !inites the people with fpirituall blind– netfe, that they regard not their doC\rine, hut lookeat their liues, and doe ratherfollowc the prophanenelfe ofthe one, then the holinclfe of the other. Miniflcrs-are fuch, in whomc God will be fanC\ificd , therefore bccaufe they doe ,nm fo, but dil1lonour him, by contming into his prefence in their Gnnes : therefore he can– not obide them, nor giue any blclling to their Iabouri. All minillers therefore, 3! they would fee a– ~y fruitc· of their mi'nifierie, let thetn firfi fan– Clific themfclues, and clcanfc their hearts by repentance, before they prefumc to fland vp, ro rebuke fi.nnc in others : elfc let them not think that their golden words fhall do fo mnch good, as their leaden liucs fhall doe hurt : and t\1ey may happe to confirme men, that alreadic arc conuened, but hardly fhallany fuch men, conuert any (bule from Popcrie or prophane– ne[c. And it is a vaine conceit for men to ima– gine,there is any force ineloquence,or humane lea·rning, to oucrthr.owe that finne in others, which'rulcth and raigncth in themfelucs. Our Church, and all reformed Ch~rchcs may make vfe of this doCtrine : for it is the glory of a Church to haue their doCtrine powcrfull, and effeC!uall for the.winning of foules, therefore it c"onccrneth them to takeorder, as well that their minifl:crs be godly.mcn, M goodSchoUen, and their liues /Je inoJfmjiHe, as well as their do– chine{oU»d: or el(e they willfindc in wofitl ex– perience, thatthcy pull downe as much with 1 one hand, as they build vp with the·other. But mo!tnecrelythis doCtrine toucheth Mi– nifiers themfclucs :who mull: knowe their cafe is moll fearefull of all mens , ifthey come into Gods prefcnce in their prophanencffc: for as no man is more honourable then a learned and holy Miniflcr, fQ none more contefnptihle in this world none more mifcrablc for that to come, then\.ee that by his loofe and Jewde life doth fcandalize hi~ doCtrine: and let him affure him(dfc,thar for his prcfi.1mption, in ruChing in-· to Gods prcfcnce in his finnes, he f11al! in this world , be call out tU vn(auotrriefolt and troden downcofmm,\vith the footc..ofcomcmpt:and in A 1 the world to come , h~ {hall abouc all m~;,:~ j out in mofl cxtrcame torment of confcJencc– Woe Ume that my eiamujlfee the King andLord of hoftes: and fo bccaulc hec "' ould not in this ! world, come into Gods f rcfcncc in fan Clifica- ! tion and holineilC: he fl1:tll tht:rcforc in fcarc & ! horror,bc baled into d1c prdcncc ofGods g\o. ! rie, at the laft day:thcrc to rcceiuc the iuH fen- 'I tencc ofhis condemnation. Laflly, all painful & godly minillers may re- . Tho pk I cciuc comfort, not to be difcourage? or driucn ~~r~,~~~~~. from Gods prcfencc, bcc:mfc ofrhc1r corruptifiood mim~ ons or infirmities; for w~ fee it was the Pro- ~~~fi~~~:;om I phets cafe: bur let them ~Ill approach in tCare ~od, re· and rcuercncc, and be fo tarre from.bccing dri- ~:a~f:· of· uen from their dutie, bccaufe they beeing fin.. thci1finncs. B fu!l men, dare not come into Gods prelencC', ~~~rf!:;~· Without much feare; as let them comrariwife p~o~ch_to be alturcd , that the more they tremble at gods ht' duuc. prefence here, thelelfdhall thcyfeare ir atthe Jail day: and when prophane and vngodly men, who in this world feared hot to !land in Gods prcfcnce in their horrible finncs, fhall crieto the Mountamu fallvpon VJ, .:tnd to the hi!lf,couervs,andhide vsJi"om theprefence ofGod, then fuch minifl:ers as in tbis woild in fe<~re and trembling, and alwaies in repentan-ce, did ap.. , proach into Gods prefence, fhall rh(n looke vp andliftvptheir heads, and a,u fay to the holy Angels and all the powers ofheauen, helpe vs, apd haOen vs to come into the glorious prc– fenceofourGodandSauiour. _ And thus wee fee the manifoldevfe ofthis C DoCtrine to our Church and n•inillerie, Secondly, In as much a.s here the Prophet in T11c rccond aconfcicnce of his corruptions, fearcth and · vfc agai~ll: crieth out at theleafl apparition ofGodsg!orie : ' thcPapltls, The vanitie and falfe dealing of the Church of I •·~'·""* Rome, is here difcouercd,in whofc Legendsand pamion$of fiories of their Saints , 110thing is more com- ~~~~.:tich mon then .::tpparit!ons from beauen, of Saints f~~vr~~~ric, dcpancd,of glonous ~~gels, of the Virgine arc~tcoiMarie, (and that fo fanultarly, as fomctime lhe Iuli.oas. ' fang with them itnheir Cell, ~ilfcd fomc of them, and letthem fucke her brealls.) Nay,of God himfelfe; and cfpecially of our Sauiour Chriftlefus: who they fay appeared(I knowc not howoft,) to one man Saint Francis: and appeared as he was crucifiedwith his wounds, D and imprinted thofe wounds of his in FrancH his bodic, which they fay he bare a!! his life, & that they bledde whcnfocuerhce would fuffcr them, whichbee alwaies did onGoodFridaie, thet he might be like to Chrill, Thi•, and ma– ny more fit eh, may you fee in the fabulous and bJafphcmous booke, of the conformities of s. FrancM. But for thematter: Are appariti6s from I-I ea– uen fo ordin:arie in the Popi01Church?howthe came itto pafle, thatthc grcarell and holioll men in the oldeT<:flament, were fo amazed at the vcric apparition but of an Angel! , as wee m:1y fee in the whole courle of the Sto~ rie .? Some ranne away, and hidde thcm- .1 1 r-.12tth.J.13· fclucs: !--~--------~--------------------~~~

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