A09376:1171
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.
Hence, we learn this notable lesson: That those people in Gods Church, which receive from God more graces then others, must look for more tentations. This we shall see to be true in Christ Jesus the head of the Church: for, when he was Baptized, and had received the holy Ghost, Matthew 3, in the form of a Dove, and had this voice of GOD the Father pronounced upon him, that he was his well-beloved son in whom he was well pleased; then presently followeth this, that he was led into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil: Matthew 4.1. Luke 4.1: being full of the holy Ghost, as Luke saith: So likewise when God had testified of Job, that he was an upright and just man, one that feared God and eschewed evil, Job 1.8; then Satan took occasion thereby to tempt him: as in all the whole course of that book we may plainly see, wherein are set down most wonderful temptations and trials whereby he was proved. So Jacob must wrestle with the Angel, Genesis 32.24.28, and by the power of GOD overcome GOD himself. This was a notable prerogative, To prevail with the Lord; but yet he must prevail with his foil (Verse 31) and at the same time, and ever after draw one of his legs after him, even to his dying day. Saint Paul was rapt up into the third heaven, into Paradise, and heard words which cannot be spoken; yea, which ⟨p. 324⟩are impossible for man to utter: yet least he should be exalted out of measure, through abundance of revelations, there was given unto him a prick in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet him: 2. Corinthians 12. Verse 7: God will honour him with revelations, but yet Satan shall have leave to buffet and beat him as it were black and blew. In all which we may see, that to whom GOD vouchsafeth a a greater measure of grace, to them he appointeth singular trials and temptations above other men. And the reason is; First, because Gods graces do better appear in temptations then out of them: as gold is best tried in the fire, and thereby proved most pure and perfect: Secondly, temptations serve to abase the servant of God, and to bring him down in his own conceit, that he be not proud of those things that are in him, or puffed up with conceit that there is more in him, then indeed there is. This we saw in Pauls example; He was buffeted of Satan, lest he should be exalted with abundance of Revelations.