A09376:1077
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…
A cloud of faithful witnesses, leading to the heavenly Canaan, or, A commentary upon the 11 chapter to the Hebrews preached in Cambridge by that godly, and judicious divine, M. William Perkins ; long expected and desired, and therefore published at the request of his executors, by Will. Crashawe and Tho. Pierson, preachers of Gods Word, who heard him preach it, and wrote it from his mouth.A cloud of faithfull witnesses, leading to the heauenly Canaan, or, A commentarie vpon the 11 chapter to the Hebrewes preached in Cambridge by that godly, and iudicious divine, M. William Perkins ; long expected and desired, and therefore published at the request of his executours, by Will. Crashawe and Tho. Pierson, preachers of Gods Word, who heard him preach it, and wrote it from his mouth.
London: printed by Humphrey Lownes for Leo. Greene, 1607London: printed by Humfrey Lownes for Leo. Greene, 1607
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.
Secondly, for temporal blessings, as money, lands, wealth, sustenance, and such like outward things, as concern the necessary or convenient maintenance of this natural life. And in this sense, the world is not to be contemned, for in themselves, these earthly things are the good gifts of God, which no man can simply contemn, without injury to Gods disposing hand and providence, who hath ordained them for natural life.
Secondly, for temporal blessings, as money, lands, wealth, sustenance, and such like outward things, as concerne the necessarie or conuenient maintenance of this naturall life. And in this sense, the world is not to bee contemned, for in themselues, these earthly things are the good gifts of God, which no man can simply contemne, without iniurie to Gods disposing hand and prouidence, who hath ordained them for naturall life.
The Papists esteem it an Angelical state of perfection, approaching near to the state of glory, when a man forsaketh all, and betakes himself to voluntary poverty; as begging Friars do: But indeed it is a mere device of mans brain, and hath no warrant in Gods word, which decreeth thus; that he that will not labour (in some lawful calling) shall not eat. Object. But here they will say, that our Saviour Christ, speaking to the young rich man, bade him go and sell all that he had, and give to the poor, and he should have treasure in heaven. (Mar. 10.) Answ. That commandment was not ordinary, but special, belonging to that young man: It was a commandment of trial, given to him only; as this was to Abraham, when God said, Abraham kill thy son, Gen. 22.2. And the reason of that commandment, was peculiar to him; namely, to show him his corruption, and to discover his hypocrisy. Again, howsoever the young man was commanded to sell all, yet he is ⟨p. 290⟩not commanded to give all; but only thus, Sell all, & give to the poor. 2. Object. Again they object, that Christ himself was a beggar, and his Disciples also, and had nothing of their own, but went up and down the world, as beggars; and lived of that which others ministered unto them. Answ. This is a mere forgery, and cannot be proved out of the word of God. The bag which Judas carried, doeth prove the contrary; for, he was (as it were) the steward in Christs family, who looked to their provision, and to their contribution to the poor: as may be seen,