A09376:1086
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.
I answer, that this desire of Balaam's was not grounded upon any constant persuasion, nor settled resolution, but upon some sudden motion: Secondly, though he desired ⟨p. 293⟩to die the death of the righteous, yet he would not live the life of the righteous: he had no delight to walk in the way to come to that end which they walked in; without which, no man ordinarily can come to it.
I answere, that this desire of Balaams was not grounded vpon any constant perswasion, nor settled resolution, but vpon some sodaine motion: Secondly, though he desired ⟨p. 293⟩to die the death of the righteous, yet he would not liue the life of the righteous: hee had no delight to walke in the way to come to that end which they walked in; without which, no man ordinarily can come to it.
Yet further some will say, Many shall seek (as our Saviour Christ saith) to enter in at the strait gate of the kingdom of heaven, and shall not be able, Luke 13.24. Therefore to seek for heaven is no sufficient argument of true faith.
Yet further some will say, Many shall seeke (as our Sauiour Christ saith) to enter in at the straite gate of the kingdome of heauen, and shall not be able, Luke 13.24. Therefore to seeke for heauen is no sufficient argument of true faith.
Answer. True indeed, many shall seek to come to heaven, and shall not be able to enter; because they seek when the door of mercy is shut, and when the day of grace is past: for there is a time of grace wherein the Lord will be found. Now if men seek him not in this time, though they seek him never so long after, yet they shall not find him. But the seeking of these Patriarchs was a sound and constant seeking, and so a notable fruit of their true faith. For 1. they sought a heavenly Country: 2. they sought it in due time; not for a brunt, but through the whole course of their lives: 3. they went the right way; denying themselves and their estate in this life, as being strangers upon earth: and they were willing to forsake all things in this world to attain heaven, esteeming it as their true dwelling place, and their eternal rest.