A09432:1032
A godly and learned exposition of Christs Sermon in the Mount
A godly and learned exposition of Christs Sermon in the Mount: preached in Cambridge by that reverend and judicious divine M. William Perkins. Published at the request of his executors by Th. Pierson preacher of Gods word. Whereunto is adjoined a twofold table: one, of special points here handled; the other, of choice places of Scripture here quotedA godly and learned exposition of Christs Sermon in the Mount: preached in Cambridge by that reuerend and iudicious diuine M. William Perkins. Published at the request of his exequutors by Th. Pierson preacher of Gods word. Whereunto is adioyned a twofold table: one, of speciall points here handled; the other, of choise places of Scripture here quoted
Cambridge : Printed by Thomas Brooke and Cantrell Legge, printers to the University of Cambridge, 1608Cambridge : Printed by Thomas Brooke and Cantrell Legge, printers to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge, 1608
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The exposition. By treasure (as we said before) must be understood things precious & excellent in our estimation laid up for time to come, wherein we repose our trust, and take a special joy and delight. By heart we must conceive, not only the affections which are seated in the heart, as love, joy, care, desire, and delight; but the more inward powers of the soul in thought and imagination; yea and the effects hereof in action, as labour, study, and endeavour: As if he should say; your treasure and your heart are joined together, look where that thing is wherein you trust and take chief delight, & thereon will your thoughts run; your love, fear, desire, and care will draw unto it; and your chiefest pains, study, and endeavour will be after it.
The exposition. By treasure (as we saide before) must be vnderstood things pretious & excellent in our estimation laid vp for time to come, wherein we repose our trust, and take a speciall ioy and delight. By heart we must conceiue, not onely the affections which are seated in the heart, as loue, ioy, care, desire, and delight; but the more inward powers of the soule in thought and imagination; yea and the effects hereof in action, as labour, studie, and endeauour: As if he should say; your treasure and your heart are ioyned together, looke where that thing is wherein you trust and take chiefe delight, & theron will your thoughts runne; your loue, feare, desire, and care will draw vnto it; and your chiefest paines, studie, and endeauour will be after it.
The use. Do heart and treasure go together? Then here first we learn to search out and try the state of our own hearts: for though it be a bottomless gulf, hand deceitful above all things, so as none can thoroughly know it, yet if we apply this sentence aright unto our selves, we shall be able to give true judgement of the state of our own heart. An earthly treasure, and an earthly heart; but heavenly treasure, and an heavenly heart; these cannot be severed: therefore look whereon thou spendest thy thoughts, & settest thy love, thy care & delight, and bestowest thy wit, industry, and labour, and thereby judge of the disposition of thy heart. If the thing be earthly and worldly, then thy heart is earthly and carnal: thou mayest plead that thou hearest the word, receivest the Sacraments, and prayest often; yet all this will not prove thee to have Christ Jesus for thy treasure: for thine heart being set upon the world, there undoubtedly thy treasure is, and that proves thy heart to be earthly and carnal. And on the contrary, if thy principal thoughts, thy chief love, joy, and delight be on Christ crucified, and thy special care and industry be after his merits and righteousness, then is Christ thy treasure, and thine heart is heavenly.