A09432:139
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.
For the first: ye are the salt of the earth: ye, that is, you whom I have called to be Apostles, and set apart for the work of the Ministry, are salt; not properly, but by resemblance; yet not in regard of their persons, but of their ministry; because hereby they were to season men for God, and to make them savoury both in heart and life: Of the earth; not of Judea only, but of the whole world, as may appear by their commission, Math. 28. 19. Go therefore and teach all Nations.
For the first: yee are the salt of the earth: yee, that is, you whom I haue called to be Apostles, and set apart for the worke of the Ministry, are salt; not properly, but by resemblance; yet not in regard of their persons, but of their ministerie; because hereby they were to season men for God, and to make them sauourie both in heart and life: Of the earth; not of Iudea only, but of the whole world, as may appeare by their commission, Math. 28. 19. Goe therefore and teach all Nations.
From this description, both Ministers, and people, may learn their duty. First for Ministers: by this title of salt hear given unto them, Christ would teach them, first, how they ought to dispense the word1 of God, both Law and Gospel; namely, so as they labour therein to express the properties of salt, whereto Christ alludeth in his Title: Now the properties of salt, applied to raw flesh, or fresh wounds, are principally three; First, it will bite and fret, being of nature hot and dry: Secondly, it makes meats savoury unto our taste: Thirdly, it preserveth meats from putrefaction, by drawing out of them superfluous moistness. The Apostles therefore and other Ministers being salt, must not only in general deliver the word of God unto the people; but withal apply the same particularly unto mens hearts & consciences, as salt is applied unto meat: And that for three ends; first the Law must be applied, to rip up mens hearts, to make them see their sins; it must fret and bite them by the curse thereof, to cause them to renounce themselves, and to cry with the Jews,