A09432:1204
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.
v. 3. And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye, and perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4. Or how sayest thou to thy brother, Suffer me to cast out the mote out of thine eye, and behold a beam is in thine own eye?
v. 3. And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye, and perceiuest not the beame that is in thine owne eye? 4. Or how saiest thou to thy brother, Suffer me to cast out the mote out of thine eye, and behold a beame is in thine owne eye?
These two verses contain a second reason to enforce the former commandment against rash judgement. The meaning of the words is this: Why seest thou that is, upon what ground, for what cause, and with what conscience seest thou. And so in the 4. v. How sayest thou that is, with what face, with what honesty and conscience sayest thou. So much these interrogations how, and why, import. Seest sight, here is not a light or sudden beholding of the mote, but a seeing with attention, a serious and considerate observation thereof. A mote the word used in the original,1 may as well be translated a straw, or a piece of a straw, as a mote, as it hath been in former times; for it will bear either translation: yet the word beam, seems rather to have reference to a straw, then to a mote: but which way soever it be taken, it signifies small and little sins, as sins of ignorance and infirmity, such as the best Christians do commit, & cannot be free from in this life. Again, it signifies supposed sins; such as are not indeed sins before God, but only in his opinion that gives rash judgement. And perceivest not this perceiving is properly an action of the mind, standing in consideration and thinking, which follows after seeing. Thus the word is used, Luk. 12. 27. Consider the lilies of the field; that is, look upon them, and then consider well thereof in your mind. And, Jam. 1. 23. He that hears the word, and doth it not, is like unto a man that BEHOLDS his natural face in a glass: that is, to one that sees and considers of his shape. So that Christs meaning is, as if he had said, It may be thou seest, but why doest thou not well weigh and consider with thy self of the beam that is in thine own eye? By beam, is here meant great and notorious reigning sins in mans heart; such as wound the conscience, which are like unto a beam in the eye: which doth not only blemish, but quite dash out the fight. Some may here ask, in what sense this is spoken, seeing the eye is not capable of a beam? Ans. It is spoken by way of supposition, as if i had bin said; if it