A09432:545
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.
III. Point. To whom must we give? Ans. To the poor: this1 needs no proof: yet in these poor two things are required. First, they must be truly poor: that is, such as are indeed either in common ⟨p. 191⟩or extreme want; and of such poor S. John saith, lIf any have this worlds goods, and seeth his brother have need, if he shut up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? Secondly, they must be such as cannot help themselves, Levit. 25. 35. If thy brother be impoverished, and have a trembling hand, thou shalt relieve him: the man of a trembling hand, is one that is not able to maintain himself; of this sort are Orphans, widows, the aged, sick, blind, lame, maimed in service, and such like, all these must be relieved. But the case stands otherwise3 with that kind of poor, which we call lusty beggars, who are able to provide for themselves, if they would take pains: S. Pauls rule belongs to them, mIf they will not work, they must not eat: that is, they must not be maintained on the Alms of the Church. Quest. 1. What must such lusty poor do? Answ. They must be employed in some lawful calling, wherein they may labour to get their own bread, and not eat the common food of those that are poor indeed. For the Church and Commonwealth are as a mans body, wherein every member hath his several office, for the good of the whole body: and indeed every man should have not only a general calling of a Christian, but a particular calling also, wherein he must employ himself for the common good: it is against the word of God, and the light of nature, that any should live having nothing to do. Adam in his innocency was enjoined to work in the garden; and our nSaviour Christ before his baptism, lived under his Father in a particular calling, till he was thirty years old; whose examples we must follow. Quest. 2. What is our duty towards these lusty beggars? Ans. From