A09376:1117
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.
Now whereas the Patriarchs, being our fore-fathers in faith, and patterns whom we must follow, did desire heaven: by their example every one of us is taught the same duty, to aim at another and a better Country, then that in which we live, even at the kingdom of heaven; and not to think that this world is the Country we are borne for. This better Country we must all seek for, whatsoever we be, high and low, young and old, learned and unlearned, if we will follow these godly Patriarchs. And this we must do not at death only, seeking this world all our life long, for that is to despise heaven; but even in the time of ⟨p. 303⟩our youth, & strength of our days, must we set our hearts on heaven; endeavouring so to use this world, and the things thereof, that when we die, we may come to heaven, that blessed country, which we desired, and sought for in our lives.
Now whereas the Patriarchs, being our fore-fathers in faith, and patternes whom we must followe, did desire heauen: by their example euery one of vs is taught the same duty, to aime at another and a better Country, then that in which we liue, euen at the kingdome of heauen; and not to thinke that this world is the Country we are borne for. This better Country we must all seeke for, whatsoeuer we be, high and lowe, young and olde, learned and vnlearned, if we will followe these godly Patriarchs. And this wee must doe not at death onely, seeking this world all our life long, for that is to despise heauen; but euen in the time of ⟨p. 303⟩our youth, & strength of our daies, must we set our hearts on heauen; endeauouring so to vse this world, and the things thereof, that when we die, we may come to heauen, that blessed countrie, which we desired, and sought for in our liues.
And to persuade us hereunto, consider the reasons following. First, worldly wisdom teacheth this: If a man dwell on his own land, and in his own house, he is careless; But if in another mans house, whereof he hath no lease, but contrariwise, is certain to be put out, he knoweth not when: this man will in time provide himself of another that so he may remove into it, and not be destitute; and if it be within his power, he will provide a better, that so he may not remove for the worse. Behold, while we live in this world, our bodies are tents and tabernacles wherein our souls do dwell, for a time: and besides; this time is uncertain; for there is no man that can say certainly, he shall live to the next hour: Therefore, we must every one of us, provide for himself a dwelling place in heaven, where we may abide for ever, in all blessedness.