The Dead Yet Speaking, Biography 82
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The Life and Death of William Perkins.
IF the Mountain… of …ilboah… 2 Samu…l 1. were cond…mned and cursed by King David, that n… dew nor r…in should fall …pon them, because valiant Saul, and piou… Ionathan, were there unhappily slain; then by rules of opposition, such places deserve to be praised and blessed where godly men have had their happy Nativity. Amongst which let M…rston in Warwickeshire com in for his just share of commendation, where Master William Perki…s was born, and br…d in his infancy.
2. How he passed his childhood, is … matt…r befo… da…d in the Register of my Intilligence, whereof I can receiv… no instructions. OnelyOnly I dare be bold to conclude, that with Saint Paul, 1. Cor. 13. 11. When he was a childe, he spake … a childe he understood as a childe, he thought as a childe; whose infancy, as he with simplicity, so we passe it over with silence.
3. But no sooner … he admitted … Christs Colledge in Cambridge, but qui…ly the wilde fir… of his youth began to break out. An age which one may term… …he Midsommer Moone and dog-dayes of mans life: It is not certaine whether his owne disposition, or the bad company of others chiefly betrayed him to thes… extravagancies. Sure it is he tooke such wild lib…es to himselfe … cost him many a sigh in his reduced …ge… Probably … Providence permitted him to ru… himselfe with the prodigall Son out of breath, that so he might be the better enabled experimentally to repr… others of their vanity, … simpathizing with their sad condition, and be th… … skil'd how to comfort and counsell them on their …pentance. Why should God… arme, which afterwards gr…ously overtook Master Perkins, be too short to reach others in the same condition.
4. When fir… … muc… …ddicted to the study of naturall Magicke, digging so deepe, in natures mine, to know the hidden causes and sacred quallities of things, that some conceive, that he bordered on Hell it …fe in his curiosity. Beginning to be a practitioner in that black Art, the blacknesse did not affright him but name of Art lured him to admit himselfe as …dent thereof. Howeve… herein we afford no certaine beliefe, the rather because other mens ignorance might cast this aspersion upon him: Who knowes not that many things as pretty as strang… may really be effected by a skilfull hand, lawfull and laudable meanes? which some out of a charitable errour will interpret a Miracle, and others out of uncharitable ignorance will nickname Sorcery. A very Load-stone in some Scholars hand, before a silly Townsmans eye is enough to make the former a Conjurer.
5. The happy houre was now come wherein the stragling sheep was brought home to the fold, and his vanity and mildnesse corrected into temperance and gravity. It is certainly known and beleeved, that if Quick-silver could be fired (which all confesse difficult, and most conclude impossible) it would amount to an infinite treasure; so when the roving parts, the giddy and unstable conceits of this young Scholar began to be setled, his extravagant studyes to be confined and centered to Divinity, in a very short time he arrived at an incredable improvement.
6. He began first to preach to the prisoners in Cambridge Castle, being then himselfe Fellow of Christ Colledge. Here he truely preached Christs precepts: Freely you have received, freely give: And with Saint Paul made the Gospell of Christ of no expence; yea he followed Christs example to preach deliverance to the Captives, whose bodies were in a prison and souls in a dungeon: such generally their ignorant and desperate condition. Here (though free himselfe) he begot sons to God in fetters: Many an Onesimus in bonds was converted to Christ: Mock not at this good mans meane imployment, neither terme him with such as sit in the seate of the scornfull, the Goale-birds Chaplaine: But know nothing is base which in it selfe is lawfull, and done in order to the glory of God, yea better it is to be a true preacher in a prison then a flatterer in a Princes pallace.
7. But so great a star could not move alwayes in so small a sphear: His merits promoted him to a Cangregation of greater credit in the Town of Cambridge, where he was most constant in preaching. Wherein as no man did with more vehemency remove sin, so none either with more passionate affection bemone the condition of obstinate siners, or with sounder judgment, give them directions for their future amendment: Luther did observe that Thunder without rain doth more harme then good, wherof he maks this application, that Ministers who are alwaies threatning of legall terrors to offenders, except also they seasonably drop the dew of direction; giving them orders and instructions to better their estates, are no… wise Master builders, but pluck downe and build nothing up againe. Whereas Master Perkins so cunningly interweaved terrours and counsels in his Sermons, that as a changable taffaty, where the wooffe and the warpe are of severall colours, appeare now of one colour, now of another, according to the different standing of the beholders; so one and the same Sermon of hi…, seemed all Law, and all Gospell, all cordials and all corrasivts, as the different necissities of people apprehended it.
8. Amongst those his many vertues worthy our imitation, his humility was eminent, in condescending to the capacity of his meanest Auditors: He had well read Saint Paul, who calleth the people understanding him, mine understanding; in wch sence he may be said to be the most intelligent Preacher, who preacheth plainest to others apprehention: And Ministers being turned Gods interpreters, it is ill whē their langvage is so high and hard, that these Interpreters need others to interpret them to their Congregations. But this may be said of Master Perkins, that as Physitians order Infusions to be made, by steeping ingredients in them, and taking them out againe, so that all their strength and vertue remaines, yet none of the Bulke or Masse is visible therein; he in like manner did distill, & soake much deep Scholarship into his Preaching, yet so insensibly as nothing but familiar expressions did appe…r…. In a word, his Church consisting of the University and Town, the Scholar could heare no learneder, the Townsmen plainer Sermons.
9. He used alwayes before his Sermons, (as to this day is attested by many surviving witnesses) a set form of prayer, not that out of poverty he wanted variety and exchange of phrase…, or that out of niggarliness he begrudged his Auditors the use of them, but out of holy and heavenly Thri…t, he found this the most profitable way for his people. He would not that his soul should goe to Heaven alone, but in his prayers would have the company of the meanest of his Congregation along with him, and therefore alwayes used the same forme that others might keepe pace with him in his devotions.
10. Commendable was his contentment with his Estate, considering his income so small, his charge of children so great, and his Professors of removall, so many, so advantagious. Yet he still was true to his first love, continuing his paines in the Church of Saint Andrewes, where …he meanes inconsiderable in it selfe, was made up to a competency, not so much by the bountifull hands of others in giving, as by the moderate mind of Master Perkins in takeing… yet wanted he not severall Patrons about the Towne, who relieved him in a faire proportion; amongst whom Master Wendey of Haslingfield must stand in the chiefe place. Now if honourable mention be made in Scripture of Iohanna, Susanna, and other benefactors to our Saviour, who Ministred unto him of their substance; let not this worthy Esquires memory be forgotten, with his singular Courtesy to this painfull Minister of Gods word.
11. Many and most excellent are the books which Master Perkins left behind him. His learning appeares most in his Problemes, a difficult taske no lesse valiantly performed than venturously undertaken to assert the truth of the Protestant Religion, by the testimony of the Fathers for the first five hundred years: Which shews that his industry did not onelyonly drive a retale trade in moderne Writers, but that he fetched his learning, and bought his wares from the best hands of the most ancient Authors.
12. Herein excellent his judgement, in fanning the Chaffe from the Corn, the true from the forged writings of the Fathers. The ancient Germanes are said to cas… their new born children into the river of Rhine, thereby to make an experiment whether they be true born or no, accounting them legitimate if swimming, but concluding themselves wronged by their wives dishonesty obtruding a bastard issue upon them, if the infant sunk in the water. Perkings had neater, and more infallible touchstones to discerne the native and genuine, from the spurious and adulterate workes of the Fathers by the manner of their stile, strength of their matter, time of their writing, censure of other learned men upon them, whereby many counterfeit Books are not onelyonly denyed authenticke authority, but also justly pillored for cheaters to all posterity. I know it is layed to Perkins his charg… (learned Whitaker is accu…ed) for the same fault) that he made all the Fathers Puritans: but certainly in one sense they were Puritans of themselve… without his making, I mean strict in their lives and conversations, and how far he was from wresting their doctrines to the Countenancing of any error, be it reported to men of unprejudiced judgement.
13. In case Divinity, he had an excellent dexterity to State controversies, for the satisfaction of tender & douting consciences: to show what is lawfull and what unlawfull; in mixt actions, where good and bad are blinded together (wherewith many are deceived, like children swallowing the bones with the flesh to their great danger of choaking, great was the fan and fire of his discretion and judgement, to winnow the chaffe from the corn, and separate the one from the other. And sure in this case Divinity Protestant… are now defective; for (save that a smith or two of late have built them forges and set up shop) we for the most part go downe to our adversaries to sharpen our instruments, and are beholden to the Romanists, (the more our sham and their credit) both for offensive and defensive weapons i… this kind. Some object that his doctrine referring all to an absolute Decree, cut off the sinnewes of mens endeavours towards salvation. But were this the hardest objection against Master Perkins his doctrine, his owne life was a sufficient answer thereunto: So pious, so spotlesse that malice was afraid to bite at his credit, into whch she knew her teeth would never enter. He lived Sermons, and as his Preaching was a comment on his Text, so his Practise was a comment on his Preaching.
14. As for his Books, it is a miracle almost to conceive how thick they lye, and yet how far they over-spread, all over Christendome. When the Disciples were inspired with severall languages, Acts 2.7. the strangers of Ierusalem, were amazed and mervelled, saying one to another; Behold, are not all these that speake Galileans? And how heare we every man in our tongue wherein we were born? Here I confesse was no inspiration, but much industry, much labour taken by others, much honour done to Master Perkins: when the Dutch, Spaniards, French, and Italians, stand wondring at his Workes (who understood none of these tongues) exactly speake them all, being by severall pens translated into all these languages. Thus good Ware never lyeth long on the Merchants hands, but is ready money into what Country so ever it be brought.
15. Thus for some years, he constantly Preached to his people even to and above his strength: It is observed of the bird… of Norway that they having in winter very short daies, flye faster then any foul in other Countries, as if principled by the instinct of nature thriftily to improve the little light allowed them, and by the swiftnesse of their wings to regaine the shortnesse of the time: So this good man, as if presaging that his life was likly to be very short (dying at the forty fourth year of his age) husbanded it with double diligence to Gods glory, and by his industry gained in thicknesse, what he wanted in length.
16. When Ahab dyed, the Ep…affe as I may say was written on his grave, That he built an Ivory House. A great honour indeed to have a milke-white Pallace and a blacke soul within it. But of gracious Iosiah it is said, 2. Chron. 35. 26. Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his goodnesse, and his deeds first and last. This indeed was worth remembring: I can tell the Reader of no Ivory house, no beautifull building, no stately structures this Master Perkines erected, but as for his goodnesse with Iosiah, very much may be spoken thereof: For he did not onelyonly, as Scripture praise is, Serve his Generation; that is, discharge himselfe with credit in all reference to those persons, to whom he stood related in that Age he lived in; but also he hath provided in his Workes a Magazine of Learning and Religion for all Generations to come. So that the Levites, which as yet lurkes in the loynes of Abraham their great Grandfather (infants as yet concealed in their causes) have just reason alwayes to b… thankfull to God for the benefit they receive from thos… Monuments he hath left behinde him.
His Stature was indifferent, complexion ruddy, hayre bright, body inclined to corpulency, which proceeded not from any lazinesse, but pulse and paines shall make one fat where God gives the blessing. He was lame of his right hand, like another Ehud, Iud. 3.15. yet made the instrument to dispatch many Eglon errors in judgement and vice in conversation. And nature commonly compensates corporall defects with a surplusage of the Soule. As for such as make bodily markes in men, the brands of disgrace …pon them; we will send them to halting, but true heart… Iacob; bleare-eyed, but faithfull Leah; stammering, but meeke Moses; lame, but loyall Mephibosheth, with other Saints in the Scripture; so to have their erronious judgements rectified into a more charible opinion.
He was much afflicted with the Stone, the attendant of a sedentary life, whereby his patience was much exercised. This brought him at last to his long home, so called Eccles. 12.5. not because man is long going thither, but long, yea for ever staying there. When he quietly surrendred his soul into the hands of his Creator, dying rich onelyonly in Grace, the love of God and good men. It was true of him what Saint Paul said, 2 Cor. 6.10. being poore, but making many rich. Even in a litterall sence, the Sellers of his Books gained, but small profit came to the Author. He was buried in a decent manner, where all the spectators were Mourners, veris & spirantibus lachrymis. Doctor Mou…tague, afterwards Bishop of Wincher, Preached his Funerall Sermon, taking for his Text, Moses my servant is dead, Iosh. 1.2. and hath no other Monument then his owne vertues; except any will say that the plaine Stones which cover his Grave are made Marble by the worth of the Corps beneath them. A Wife and many Children he left behinde him; she married successively two other Husbands, but no more Mr. Perkinses.
If any charitable disposed Person hath been blessed by God with a Cup which overfloweth, and if he desireth that some drops of the same should fall upon them, who are the proper objects of bounty; I doubt not but an easie inquiring he may quickly finde out some of this worthy mans Children, as not so poore openly to request, so not so proud but they would thankfully receive such expressions of his Charity. Yea, what Saint Paul said of the Iews, may truely be applyed to the good mans memory, We are debters unto, &c. So that what is bestowed in this kinde on his, is not so much a guift, as a paying an obligation.
He was borne the first and dyed the last year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth; so that his life ran parallel with her reigne, streaming in equall length, and had both their fountains and fals together. He dyed Anno Dom. 1602.
1 A foundation of Christian Religion. 2 His Golden …haine, or description of Divinity. 3 An Exposition of the Apostles Creed. 4 An Exposition of the Lords Prayer. 5 A Declaration of the state of Grac… and Condemnation. 6 Cases of Conscience. 7. A discourse of the Tongue, done in Latine by Thomas Drax 8 Of the nature and practice of Repentance. 9 Of the meanes to dye well, in all states and …imes. 10 Of the combate of the flesh and spirit into Latine by Drax. 11 Of the course to live well. 12 A Treatise of Conscience. 13 The Reformed Catholicke. 14 Of the …rue meanes to know Christ crucified, and the Gra…ne of Mustard-seed into Latine, by Thomas Draxe. 15 Of true Wealth. 16 Of the Idolatry of the last times. 17 Of Gods free grace, and of free will in Men. 18 Of mens callings. 19 Of Predestination in Latine by the Author. 20 His Bible harmony. 21 A Dialogue of the worlds dissolution.
These that follow, were set forth after the Authors death.
1 Three bookes of the cases of Conscience, translated into Latine by Thomas Draxe and Meyer. 2 Commentaries on the five first Chapters on the Galathians. 3 Of Christian Equity by Carshaw. 4 Of Mans Imagination, set forth by Thomas Peirson. 5 Problemes against Coxe, in Latine by himselfe, set forth by Samuel Ward. 6 The key of Prophesie, set forth by Thomas Tuke. 7 Commentaries upon the fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of Matthew set forth by Thomas Peirson, 8 Commentaries on the three first chapters of the Apocalyps, by Robert Hill, and Thomas Peirson. 9 Of the tentation of Christ, from the first verse to the 12. of the fourth chapter of Matthew. 10 An exhortation to Repentance. 11 Two excellent Treatises of Ministers calling, set out by Master Crashaw. 12 A Commentary on Judes Epistle, by Thomas Pickering. 13 Of poysoning a Treatise. 14 Against Prognosticks: An Answer to a Countrey fellow. 15 Of the houshold Discipline in Latine, by the Author, now Englished.
Of all the Worthies in this learned role,
Our English Perkins may, without controle,
Challenge a crowne of Bayes to deck his head,
And second unto none be numbered,
For's learning, wit and worthy parts divine,
Wherein his Fame resplendantly did shine
Abroad and eke at home; for's Preaching rare
And learned writings, almost past compare;
Which were so high estéem'd, that some of them
Translated were (as a most precious jem)
Into the Latine, French, Dutch, Spanish tongue,
And rarely valued both of old and young.
And (which was very rare) Them all did write
With his left hand his right being uselesse quite;
Borne in the first, dying in the last year
Of Quéen Eliza, a Princesse without péer.
Place here Bishop Androwes his Life, marked with this Signiture * * *. having no Folioes.