The Reformation of Covetousness, Title page – To the reader
THE REFORMAtion of Couetousnesse. Written vponupon the 6. Chapter of Mathew, from the 19. verse to the ende of the said Chapter.
By William Perkins.
Imprinted at London, for Nicholas Ling, and Iohn Newbery. 1603.
In memoriam Perkinsi.
Is Perkins gone, that whilome was a Lamp,
A Cantabrigian Phôspher shining farre?
Gon, gon indeed. And yet his deeds remain
As monuments of such a writers worth.
Hei-papist snarle, cōtend his works to dim,
Thou bites & blots thy wretched selfe, not him.
He. Clapham.
To the Christian Reader.
IT shall not greatly neede (well disposed Reader) to commend to thy kinde allowance, this godly, learned and necessary Treatise, of the reformation of that sin, which of our ancient Philosophers and Diuines, hath bin condemned for the originall and roote of all euils; since the Author therof (now dead) while hee liued, receiued a true approbatiō of his faithfull labors from the most iudiciall, graue and learned censures of our time. The neuer-wearied vertues of his inward soule, still laboring like the Sunne to illuminate and enlighten the darkenesse of our vnderstandings, amongst other of his industrious studies, hauehave left this token to the world, that his whole care and endeuour was alwaies bent to the begetting of a generall profit. How necessary the publishing of such a subiect is, in respect of the Idolatrous worshipping of the wicked Mammon, I referre me to the truly▪ zealous & soule-labouring Ministers in the Lords vineard; whose voices like brazen trompets cōtinually sounding in the obdurate and stif-necked worldlings, worke little or no motion at all in them, either for compassion of their poore distressed brethren, or saluation of their owne soules. My request therefore is, that thou wouldst reache thy gentle hand of acceptance to the New-yeares gift of a dead man, who by a vertuous and godly life, hath chased obliuion from his graue, and now suruiueth in the hearts and tongues of all godly Christians.
Fare ye well.