A09376:1143
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.
Because the ceremonies are the inferior duties of the first, but charity and mercy the principal duties of the second table: for example, the Lord enjoineth us in the fourth commandment to rest on the Sabaoth day. Now it falls out that my neighbours house is on fire upon the Sabaoth day: whether then may I labour with my neighbour that day to save his house? Answ. I may; for the strict observation of rest on the Sabaoth day is a ceremony: but the quenching of fire in my neighbours house, is a work of mercy, and a main duty of the second table, and therefore must take place before a ceremonial duty of the 1. table.
Because the ceremonies are the inferiour duties of the first, but charity and mercy the principal duties of the second table: for example, the Lord inioyneth vs in the fourth cōmandement to rest on the Sabaoth day. Now it falls out that my neighbours house is on fire vpō the Sabaoth day: whether then may I labour with my neighbour that day to saue his house? Answ. I may; for the strict obseruation of rest on the Sabaoth day is a ceremonie: but the quenching of fire in my neighbours house, is a work of mercy, and a maine duty of the second table, and therfore must take place before a ceremonial duty of the 1. table.
Thirdly, God hath given us ten commandments, containing all ordinary duties both of piety and of mercy: yet if God give us a particular and special commandment contrary to any of the ten; that must stand, and the ordinary commandments must give place and yield unto it: as for example; the second commandment forbiddeth any man to make any graven Image; yet Moses by a special commandment,1 made a brazen serpent in the wilderness to be a figure of Christ. So the sixth commandment, Thou shalt not kill, is an ordinary commandment, and bindeth the conscience of every man to obey the same; yet God comes with a special commandment to Abraham, & saith, Abraham, kill thy son; & therefore the ordinary commandment of the 2. table giveth place for the time. And so go all the commandments, thou shalt do thus & thus, unless God command otherwise: for God is an absolute Lord, and so above his