A09376:1203
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.
From the words thus explained, first we must observe Pauls collection gathered from Gods dealing with those two persons (Romans 9.7): namely, that God before all worlds hath chosen some men to salvation in his eternal counsel, to manifest the glory of his grace; and hath refused and rejected others, leaving them unto themselves, to show forth his Justice upon them.
From the words thus explaned, first wee must obserue Pauls collection gathered from Gods dealing with those two persons (Romanes 9.7): namely, that God before all worlds hath chosen some men to saluation in his eternall counsell, to manifest the glory of his grace; and hath refused and reiected others, leauing them vnto themselues, to shew forth his Iustice vpon them.
This Doctrine is gathered out of this place, after this manner: Such as is Gods practice and dealing towards men, in time; such was his eternal counsel and decree (for as God before all time determined to deal with men, so in time he dealeth with them). Now Gods practice and dealing with Isaac and Ismael is this; Ismael is vouchsafed to be made partaker of temporal blessings; but yet he is cut off from the spiritual covenant of grace, and Isaac is the man that must receive the Covenant, and by virtue thereof be made partaker of life everlasting. And so accordingly it is with others; GOD hath decreed to choose some men to salvation, and these are admitted into the Covenant: others he hath decreed to reject, and they are cut off from the Covenant and from life everlasting. These two persons, Isaac & Ismael, are two types of these two sorts of people whom God doth elect, and reject: Isaac representeth those that are chosen to salvation, who become the true members of Gods Church; and Ismael is a type of those that are rejected. Now in regard of this different dealing of God with mankind, choosing some and refusing others, we must all put in practice Saint Peters lesson with fear and trembling; even careful above all give all diligence to make our election sure: