Exhortation to Repentance, To the reader
To the Chriſtian Reader, and eſpecially to all ſuch as hauehave any Coppies of the workes of Maiſter Perkins, or intend any of them to the Preſſe.
FOraſmuch as there hath beene lately ſignification made, of diuers of M. Perkins his workes hereafter to bee printed, in an Epiſtle to the Reader praemiſed before the Treatiſe of Callings, and that ſignification being but generall, might peraduenture giuegive occaſion to ſome, to ſet out ſome particulars (without the conſent of M. Perkins his aſsignes) as imperfectly as are theſe two bookes, intituled The reformation of Couetouſneſſe, and The practiſe of Faith, iuſtly and truly (for ought that I ſee) cenſured in the aforeſaide Epiſtle: It is therefore nowe thought good, to mention the particular Treatiſes, and workes of his, which ſhall hereafter (if God wil) be publiſhed, for the benefite of Gods Church: I doe therefore hereby make knowne to all, whome it any way may concerne, that there were found in the ſtudie of the deceaſed, and are in the hands of his Executors, or aſsignes, and preparing for the Preſſe.
1 His Expoſitions on the Epiſtle to the Galathians.
2 On the Epiſtle of Iude.
2 His Booke of the Caſes of Conſcience.
3 His Treatiſes,
1. Of Witch-craft.
2. Of Callings.
All theſe he had peruſed himſelfe, and made them ready for the Preſſe, according to which Coppies by himſelfe ſo corrected, ſome of them already are, and the reſt will be publiſhed in due time: And hereupon we deſire all men who hauehave Coppies of them, not to offer that wrong to that worthy man of God, as to publiſh any of their own, ſeeing the coppies hereof which are to be printed, are of his own correcting: but rather if they can helpe to make any of them more perfect by their coppies, they may therin doe a good worke to the benefit of many, and much comfort to themſelues.
And further, I doe hereby make knowne, that I hauehave in my handes at this preſent of his workes, taken from his mouth, with my owne hand, hereafter (if God wil) to be publiſhed, with the allowance of our Church, and for the benefit of his children, theſe particulars.
1 His Expoſitions or readings, on the 101. Pſalme.
2 On the 32. Pſalme.
3 On the 11. Chap. to the Hebrewes.
4 On the 1, 2, & 3. Chap. of the Reuelation.
5. On the 5, 6, and 7. Chapters of Saint Matthew.
2 His Confutation of Camſius his little Popiſh Catechiſme.
3 His Treatiſes,
1. Of Imaginations Out of Geneſ. 8. 2.
2. Of Temptations, out of Mathew 4.
3. Of Chriſtian equitie, out of Phillippians 4. 3.
4. Of the Callings of the Miniſtery, out of two places of Scripture.
5. Of Repentance, out of Zephaniah, 2. 1.
Beſides many other particular Sermons, and ſhort diſcourſes made vponupon ſeuerall, and ſpeciall occaſions: of al which, ſome are already publiſhed by others, and ſome by my ſelfe: and all the reſt that remaine, as they bee the Iewels of Gods Church, ſo did I willingly dedicate them to the publique and general good: Iudgeing it were a foule ſinne in mee, or any other, to impropriate to our ſelues, or our owne priuate vſe, the labours of This, or any other learned man, which are in my opinion, parts of the Treaſurie of the militant Church: And as it were wrong to the Church, if I ſhould conceale them, ſo doubtleſſe were it to him & his children: If I ſhould publiſh them for mine owne alone, and not for their benefit. If I doe, I thinke it may be iuſtly ſayde vntounto mee, or whoſoeuer doth ſo, Thy monie periſh with thee. And what herein I hauehave ſayd for my ſelfe: I know I may boldly & ſafely ſay, for his Executors or aſsignes, which hauehave or had in their hands, any of thoſe which were found in his Studie: In the publiſhing of alwhich, as we do intend to deale truly with the Chriſtian Reader, and not to commit any thing to the Preſſe, which hath not either beene written or corrected, by the Authour himſelfe, or faithfully penned according to the trueſt Coppies taken from his owne mouth, and ſince by others of ſufficiencie and integritie, dilligently peruſed: ſo we purpoſe to referre them to the benefit of the Authours wife and children, as much as may bee, wishing that vponupon this Caueat, men would not be ſo haſtie (as ſome hauehave been) to commend to the world, their vnprefect notes, vponupon a baſe deſire of a little gaine, both to hinder the common good of the Church, and to defraude the ſaid parties of their priuate benefit, to whom in all equitie and conſcience, it doth principally appertaine: And deſiring all who hauehave any perfect Coppies of ſuch as are in my owne handes, that they would either helpe me with theirs, or rather take mine to helpe them. That by our ioynt powers and our forces layd together: the walles of this worthy building, may goe vp the fairer & the faſter. And ſo I commend them all to Gods bleſsing, who endeuor to commend themſelues, and their labours to God and to his Church.
Your brother in the Lord. W. C.