A09432:495
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, the words of Moses law here set down, An eye for an 1eye, and a tooth for a tooth, are written, Exod. 21. 24. whereto, as to the former, Christ prefixeth this preface, It hath been said, thereby giving us to understand, that he is about to lay down the law of God in the false sense of the Jewish Teachers: for the better perceiving whereof, we must observe the true meaning of that law. An eye for an eye, and a 2tooth for a tooth: wherein the Lord requireth, requital of like for like, not by every private man, but by the public Magistrate. As if a man did put out his neighbours eye, then the Magistrate should put out his •ie; and strike out his teeth, that strikes out his neighbours teeth: this appears to be so, because revenge is directly forbidden to every private person, and plainly appropriated to the Judge, Deut. 19. 18, 19, 21. But the Jewish Teachers expounded this law of private revenge; as though God had said to every private man, If thy neighbour pluck out thine •ie, pluck out his again; and if he strike out thy tooth, strike thou out his tooth: this is the false interpretation of the Jews. Quest. How could they so far overshoot themselves in so clear a case, seeing in all the books of Moses, it is plainly referred to the Magistrate? Ans. There may be two reasons given thereof; First, it is a natural opinion, that a man may revenge himself in his own cause privately, and not wait for recompense of the Magistrate; and answerable hereunto, there is a mighty strong desire of revenge in every mans heart by nature, when he is injured: now it is like, that these Jews followed their corrupt nature, and heady affections, in the interpretation of this law. Again, the Jewish people were mightily given to revenge, by their natural disposition, as may appear by the law of the Cities of Refuge, and by mentioning of the Revenger of blood: which plainly imports, that the Jews would have blood again of him that shed blood, wheresoever they met with him. Now the Jewish Teachers framed their doctrine to the common disposition and behaviour of their people, and so falsified the truth of God, as many times it falls out, that the common