A09432:978
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. Touching the right ends of a religious fast: which be1 four especially. I. To be a spur and provocation to true humiliation and repentance: for this cause the mNinevites did not only fast themselves; 3but caused their beasts to be without food & water, that by hearing their lowing and bleating for meat, they might more deeply be humbled by the consideration of the desert of their own sins, and so more unfeignedly repent. This stands with good reason: for a mans abasing and pinching of his body, shows him his unworthiness of the comforts of Gods creatures by reason of his sins; it leads him to see his desert of Gods wrath by reason of his transgressions, and so his heart is more deeply stricken with conscience of his own sins: whereupon he doth more freely confess them unto God, and more carefully turn from them afterward. II. A religious fast serves for an4 ⟨p. 330⟩outward testimony and profession of our humiliation and repentance: for by our abstinence from the delights of nature, and the comforts of the creatures, we solemnly profess our unworthiness thereof, and of all Gods blessings: for this the Lord bids, proclaim a fast, when he would5 have his people to testify their humiliation. III. It serves to subdue6 the flesh, and the corruption of nature: this end is necessary, for the soul worketh by the body, the inclination of the affections is greatly swayed by the bodily constitution, and the soul is stained with many sins, by reason of the distemper of the body. But yet this end is not so general as the two former: for there be two sorts of men in Gods Church; some of so weak a constitution of body, that their ordinary sobriety and temperance in diet, doth sufficiently subdue the rebellion of their flesh; now these need not to fast for this end: others there be, whom ordinary temperance and sobriety will not serve to tame the rebellion of their flesh, and these are they that must use religious fasting, for the subduing of the flesh to the spirit, besides their ordinary moderation in diet. IV. Fasting serves to prepare us unto prayer, and