A09432:396
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.
Our Saviour Christ proceeding further, to restore the seventh commandment to his perfection, doth here confute a false interpretation of a Politic law of Moses, given by the Scribes and Pharisees. For this end, first he lays down the words of Moses politic law; but yet so, as containing in them the false interpretation of the Jewish teachers, ver. 31. then he opposeth the truth of God, against their false interpretation, and maintaineth the first institution of marriage, v. 32.
Our Sauiour Christ proceeding further, to restore the seauenth commaundement to his perfection, doth here confute a false interpretation of a Politicke law of Moses, giuen by the Scribes and Pharises. For this ende, first he laies downe the wordes of Moses politicke law; but yet so, as containing in them the false interpretation of the Iewish teachers, ver. 31. then hee opposeth the truth of God, against their false interpretation, and maintaineth the first institution of mariage, v. 32.
For the first, Moses politic law was, That he which put away his wife, should give her a Bill of divorce. This law the Jewish Teachers did falsely interpret; for the better perceiving whereof, these three points are to be handled, touching Moses politic law: 1. what kind of law it was: 2. the straitness of that law: 3. what effect and ⟨p. 142⟩force it had. For the first, the law is set down, Deut. 24. 1. when a man marrieth a wife, and she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath espied some filthiness in her; then let him write her a bill of divorce, and put it in her hand, and send her out of his house. This law was not moral, but civill, or politic, for the good ordering of the common wealth. Now among their particular laws, some were laws of toleration, and permission, which were such as did not approve of the evil which they concerned, but did only tolerate and permit that evil which could not be avoided, for the preventing of a greater evil, which otherwise would fall out. As when the sea hath made • breach into the land, if it cannot possibly be stopped, the best course is, to make it as narrow as may be. Such was the law concerning usury,