A09432:624
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 commandment, Take heed, &c. This may seem to be repugnant to that precept given before, Chap. 1. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works. But here is no contrariety, if we mark well; for in the former chapter we are commanded to do good works before men, that they may see them, and glorify God for the same. Now here we are not forbidden simply to do good works before men, but to do them before men for this end, to have our praise of men, that we might be glorified for doing them, howsoever it went with God.
For the first commandement, Take heed, &c. This may seeme to bee repugnant to that precept giuen before, Chap. 1. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good workes. But here is no contrarietie, if we marke well; for in the former chapter wee are commanded to doe good workes before men, that they may see them, and glorifie God for the same. Now here wee are not forbidden simply to doe good workes before men, but to doe them before men for this ende, to haue our praise of men, that we might be glorified for doing them, howsoeuer it went with God.
Before we come to the Rule, the words are somewhat to be scanned;1 for whereas we read them thus, Give not your Alms before men, &c. Some ancient Churches, after other copies and translations read them thus, Do not your righteousness or justice before men: which must not seem strange, that in Gods book there should be divers readings; for in former ages, before Printing was invented, the Scriptures of God were conveyed from hand to hand, by means of writing: now they that writ out the copies of Scripture, did now and then mistake some words and letters by negligence, or ignorance, and put one thing for another, whereupon do come these divers readings: yet we must not think, that the word of God is hereby maimed, or made imperfect, for the true sense of the holy Ghost, remains sound & perfect, though it may be we cannot discern of the right reading. And the sense of Scripture is rather to be judged the word of God, then the words and letters thereof. Now it being here uncertain, whether reading to follow, (for either of them contain a sense convenient to the place) therefore I will exclude neither, but from them both propound this instruction.