A09432:1121
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.
Here Christ propounds and applies this reason to his disciples and hearers; and in this application enforceth it, by putting a manifest difference between men and the hea••s of the field, preferring man far1 before them. The preeminence of man above the flowers of the field stands in these things: first, the hen[…] made for mans use, and not man for them; for besides oath[…]y serve for fe•ell to the oven, as Christ here noteth. Secondly, •he h•a•b of the field is to day and to morrow is not, for being▪ bu•n• or consumed it ceaseth to be at all: But it is not so with man, for though he be burnt or consumed, yet he is not brought to nothing, but his being remaineth still by reason of his immortal soul, which though it had beginning, yet never shall have end. And herein he far excelleth them: for though herbs and trees live for a time, yet their life ariseth from the matter whereof they consist, and so vanisheth with it, but the soul of man is a different substance from the body, and vanisheth not though the body perish. This difference is plain in the creation: for God commanded dthe earth to bring forth herbs and tr•es with their life and substance: but when he created man, though he made his body of the dust of the earth, yet his soul came from God▪ for ehe breathed into his face the breath of life. And herein man excels not only the herbs of the field, but all beasts and fowls, for though they, besides life have sense and motion from their souls, yet their souls (whether they be qualities or substances it here▪ killeth not) arising from the matter whereof their bodies subsist, are mortal and vanish to nothing when the body perisheth; so as a beast burnt up is no beast, but a dead man is a man though his body be burnt to nothing, because his soul lives for ever; yea and his body, though eaten up of beasts or consumed with fire, by virtue of Gods ordinance shall one day rise again, and be reunited to the soul: yea the dead bodies of the elect, by virtue of the covenant of grace, have not only relation to their souls, but a spiritual union with Christ, for