A09432:996
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.
The words thus explained contain 2. parts; a commandment, and a reason thereof. The commandment is two-fold: First, that we should conceal our fasts from men, intimated by wash thy face, & anoint thy head: secondly, that we should seek to approve our selves, not to men, but to God in our religious fasts, in these words, That thou seem not to men to fast, but to thy father which is in secret. In this first branch of this1 commandment we may learn, that the private worship of God must be performed privately unto God, & concealed from men; for that which is here said of private fasting, which is a means to further our prayers, is true of prayer it self, & of every part of Gods private worship, for there is the same reason of all: as may thus appear; First, in all actions of Gods worship, there must be observed an holy comeliness & decency, which is then done, when they be performed with fi• & convenient circumstances; that is, public actions of worship, with public circumstances, and private actions with private circumstances: as public prayer must be made of a public person, in a public place, with an audible & loud voice; & private prayer must be made in a private place, by private persons, with a still and low voice, & other seemly private gestures. Secondly, when private worship is performed with public circumstances, there are many occasions given to ambition, pride, & hypocrisy; but being done privately, these occasions are prevented, & the heart is more free to seek the approbation of God only.
The words thus explaned containe 2. parts; a commandement, and a reason therof. The commandement is two-fold: First, that we should cō ceale our fasts frō men, intimated by wash thy face, & annoint thy head: secondly, that we should seeke to approoue our selues, not to men, but to God in our relgious fasts, in these words, That thou seeme not to men to fast, but to thy father which is in secret. In this first branch of this1 commandement we may learne, that the priuate worship of God must be performed priuately vnto God, & concealed frō men; for that which is here said of priuate fasting, which is a meanes to further our praiers, is true of praier it selfe, & of euery part of Gods priuate worship, for there is the same reason of all: as may thus appeare; First, in al actions of Gods worship, there must be obserued an holy comelines & decencie, which is then done, when they be performed with fi & conuenient circūstances; that is, publike actions of worship, with publike circumstances, and priuate actiōs with priuate circūstances: as publike praier must be made of a publike person, in a publike place, with an audible & loud voice; & priuate praier must be made in a priuate place, by priuate persons, with a still and lowe voice, & other seemely priuate gestures. Secondly, when priuate worship is performed with publike circumstāces, there are many occasions giuen to ambitiō, pride, & hypocrisie; but being done priuately, these occasions are preuented, & the heart is more free to seeke the approbation of God only.