A09376:1149
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.
This doctrine is very comfortable to a distressed conscience; but yet it must not make any man bold to sin: for many abuse this Doctrine, and say, that though they live in sin, yet God will accept of them, for they love GOD in their heart. But they deceive themselves: for, this merciful dealing of God in accepting the will for the deed, is only towards those that endeavour themselves sincerely to leave their sins, to believe in God, and to walk in obedience: but such as flatter themselves, lying in their sins, God will not be merciful unto them, Deut. 29.19.20.
This doctrine is very comfortable to a distressed conscience; but yet it must not make any man bolde to sinne: for many abuse this Doctrine, and say, that though they liue in sinne, yet God will accept of them, for they loue GOD in their heart. But they deceiue themselues: for, this mercifull dealing of God in accepting the will for the deede, is onely towards those that endeauour themselues sincerely to leaue their sinnes, to beleeue in God, and to walke in obedience: but such as flatter themselues, lying in their sinnes, God will not be mercifull vnto them, Deut. 29.19.20.
Here further it may well be demanded; How Abraham ⟨p. 316⟩could take Isaac and bind him, and lay him on the altar to have offered him: for, though the common opinion be, that he was but 13. years old, yet the more received opinion of the best Writers is, that Isaac was 25. or 27. years old. How then could Abraham being an old man of more then 120. years, be able to bind Isaac being a young and lusty man, and lay him on the altar to kill him? For though Abraham had a commandment to kill Isaac, yet we find not that God commanded Isaac to suffer himself to be killed; now Nature moves every one to seek to save his own life, and to resist such as would kill us. How then was Isaac brought to yield thus far to his Father?