A cloud of faithful witnesses, leading to the heavenly Canaan, or, A commentary upon…A cloud of faithfull witnesses, leading to the heauenly Canaan, or, A commentarie vpon…

Now, howsoever it may be thought but a small fault, not to profit in Religion: yet undoubtedly it is a fearful Judgement of GOD, when the hearers of the word in any congregation are daily taught, and do not profit thereby: and therefore the holy Ghost noteth those women to be laden with sin, which are ever learning, and yet never are able to come to the knowledge of the truth, 2. Timoth. 3.7. If a child lately borne, like not well, nor grow, when it hath good keeping: the common saying is, that it is a Changeling. So, if a man hear the word of God, and do not increase in knowledge, faith, and obedience, we may most truly say of him, that he is a spiritual Changeling: ⟨p. 280⟩and therefore to avoid this fearful judgement of God, we must first labour for faith; & having faith, increase therein, and in other graces of God, till we come to be strong men in Christ.

Now, howsoeuer it may be thought but a small fault, not to profit in Religion: yet vndoubtedly it is a fearefull Iudgement of GOD, when the hearers of the word in any congregation are daily taught, and doe not profit thereby: and therefore the holy Ghost noteth those women to be laden with sinne, which are euer learning, and yet neuer are able to come to the knowledge of the truth, 2. Timoth. 3.7. If a childe lately borne, like not well, nor growe, when it hath good keeping: the common saying is, that it is a Changeling. So, if a man heare the word of God, and doe not encrease in knowledge, faith, and obedience, wee may most truly say of him, that hee is a spirituall Changeling: ⟨p. 280⟩and therefore to auoide this fearefull iudgement of God, we must first labour for faith; & hauing faith, encrease therein, and in other graces of God, till we come to be strong men in Christ.

It is here said, that those Patriarchs increased in faith: But it may be demanded how, and by what means they did attain hereto? Answer. In the book of Genesis, we may find three ways, whereby they were confirmed in the faith, and did grow up in grace. The first means was from God himself; for, when he had made his covenant with Abraham, mercifully renewing the same, during his life as occasion served sundry times, he stayed not there, suffering it to die with Abraham: but when Abraham was dead, God renewed his covenant with Isaac and Rebekah: and with Jacob also after them. Now the tongue of man cannot utter, what a wonderful furtherance it was unto their faith, to have the Lord himself to renew his gracious promises unto them. The second means of increasing their faith was, their holy conversing one with another: for, the manner of the Patriarchs, was to teach and instruct their children, and to nurture them up in the true worship and fear of God; by which means they did not only implant Gods promises in the hearts of their children, but were themselves confirmed in the same: for, he that teacheth another from a feeling heart, greatly strengtheneth his own soul. Now God himself doth testify this thing of Abraham,