A09376:1088
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.
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.
Answer. True indeede, many shall seeke to come to heauen, and shall not be able to enter; because they seek when the dore 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 seeke him not in this time, though they seeke him neuer so long after, yet they shall not finde him. But the seeking of these Patriarchs was a sound and constant seeking, and so a notable fruite of their true faith. For 1. they sought a heauenly Country: 2. they sought it in due time; not for a brunt, but through the whole course of their liues: 3. they went the right way; denying themselues and their estate in this life, as being strangers vpon earth: and they were willing to forsake all things in this world to attaine heauen, esteeming it as their true dwelling place, and their eternall rest.
Now more particularly, the holy Ghost divideth this reason into two parts, & handleth the same severally: 1. he proveth that they sought a Country, in this verse; and 2. that this Country which they sought, was heaven it self, verse 15.16. For the first part; that they sought a Country, is thus proved: They which say they are Pilgrims and strangers, they show plainly that they seek a Country. But Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob said of themselves, that they were Pilgrims and Strangers. Therefore they show plainly that they seek a Country.