A09376:1119
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.
Again, consider the state of all sorts of men in the world: for, sin, Atheism, and profaneness, abound every where, the blaspheming of Gods holy name, and the breaking of his Sabbath; besides daily sins against the second table: Now, all these cry continually for vengeance, and for Gods judgements to be inflicted upon us, and we know not how God will deal with us for own sins; whether he will take from us our goods, and good name, our health, friends, or life it self: and therefore it standeth us in hand to provide for our selves, a resting place, wherein we may abide for ever, after this frail life full of misery is ended.
Again, consider the state of all sorts of men in the world: for, sinne, Atheisme, and profanenesse, abound euery where, the blaspheming of Gods holy name, and the breaking of his Sabbath; besides daily sinnes against the second table: Now, all these crie continually for vengeance, and for Gods iudgements to be inflicted vpon vs, and we know not how God will deale with vs for owne sinnes; whether he will take from vs our goods, and good name, our health, friends, or life it selfe: and therefore it standeth vs in hand to prouide for our selues, a resting place, wherein we may abide for euer, after this fraile life full of misery is ended.
Thirdly, if we shall not do this, mark what followeth: this, and no other, is our estate; By nature, we are the children of wrath, and of the devil; and by our manifold sins, we have made our ease far worse: Now, what is ⟨p. 304⟩due unto us, for this corruption, and for these transgressions? Surely, not heaven, but another place; even the contrary, the place of eternal woe, and destruction, the bottomless pit of hell. Now, if this be our due by nature, then let not sin, nor Satan, deceive us; persuading us, that we may come to heaven, and still continue in the state of our corrupt nature: but let us labour by all means, to eschew this place, which is due unto us by nature; that thorough the gift of faith in Christ, we may come to the heavenly city, which these godly Patriarchs so seriously sought for. But if we remain in our sins, and so die, we are sure to go to the place of destruction, and there to remain in woe and torments, with the devil, and his angels for evermore: so that it stands us in hand, to use all good means to come to heaven, or else our case will be the most miserable of all creatures; for, perdition and destruction will be our portion world without end.