A09432:233
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; by least commandment, he meaneth the precepts of the Moral law, though in the former verse, by (Law) he understood ⟨p. 79⟩the whole law in three parts; Judicial, Moral, and Ceremonial: And he calleth them little, not simply in regard of themselves, as though1 they were so indeed; for in it self every commandment of God is great and weighty: but he speaketh according to the opinion of the Jews, for the Scribes and Pharisees had ordained certain rites and ceremonies, according to the tradition of their Fathers; the observation whereof, they made a greater matter of conscience, then the keeping of some of Gods commandments: and so esteemed them little. Again, saying these least commandments, he pointeth out what particular commandments of the Moral law, the Jews esteemed less then the traditions of men; namely, those which afterward he expoundeth in this Chapter, touching Murder, Adultery, Swearing, and the rest: for they esteemed not all the commandments of the law lesser then their traditions. Shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: Here Christ sets down the punishment of a false Prophet,2 which breaks Gods commandments, & teacheth men so; to wit, his base esteem in the Church of God; for the kingdom of God is two-fold, the kingdom of grace, and the kingdom of glory: The kingdom of grace, is the society and company of Gods faithful servants here on earth: The kingdom of glory, is the blessed estate of all the Saints in heaven. Now here by kingdom of heaven, he meaneth the kingdom of grace, which is the militant Church on earth: and so John Baptist calleth it, Math. 3. 2. Repent and amend, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand: that is, the Church of the old Testament is now abolished; and the Church of the new Testament is ready to take place by Christs coming: and therefore repent and amend: and Math. 11. 12. from the time of John hitherto, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence. So then the meaning of this first conclusion is this,3 Whosoever breaketh one of these least commandments of the Moral law (which afterward I shall expound) and teacheth men so to do, he shall be contemned, and not counted worthy to be a member of the Church of God in the new Testament.