A09376:1258
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.
Here observe these two things: First, Jacob is received into Gods covenant, and Esau put by. Jacob gets the principal blessing, and Esau loseth it: but what? are these things so, for Jacobs desert, or for the default of Esau? Nay verily: The good pleasure of GOD is the chief cause hereof: for, touching the blessing; if we read the History, we shall see, that Esau at his Fathers commandment, went and hunted, and took the pains, and got his Father venison, and told him nothing but truth. But Jacob never went to hunt, but gets a Kid dressed, and comes to his Father with it, and while he talks with his Father, doth foully gloze and lie: so that in all reason it might seem, that Esau deserved the better blessing; yet GOD will have it otherwise, and the principal blessing belongs to Jacob. Wherein we may note, that Gods special love to man, whereby he receives him into his covenant, is not grounded on mans behaviour, but on his own good will and pleasure.
Heere obserue these two thinges: First, Iacob is receiued into Gods couenaunt, and Esau put by. Iacob gets the principall blessing, and Esau loseth it: but what? are these thinges so, for Iacobs desert, or for the default of Esau? Nay verily: The good pleasure of GOD is the chiefe cause heereof: for, touching the blessing; if wee reade the Historie, wee shall see, that Esau at his Fathers commaundement, went and hunted, and tooke the paines, and got his Father venison, and tolde him nothing but truth. But Iacob neuer went to hunt, but gets a Kid dressed, and comes to his Father with it, and while hee talkes with his Father, doth foully gloase and lie: so that in all reason it might seeme, that Esau deserued the better blessing; yet GOD will haue it otherwise, and the principall blessing belongs to Iacob. Wherein wee may note, that Gods speciall loue to man, whereby hee receiues him into his couenaunt, is not grounded on mans behauiour, but on his owne good will and pleasure.
Secondly, in that Jacob here had the principal blessing; we learn, that the counsel of GOD doth overrule the will of man. For, Father Isaac had purposed to have blessed Esau with the chiefest blessing; but yet Gods counsel was contrary, and the same over-rules Isaacs will. For, though Isaac had cause to suspect that it was not Esau, both because he came so soon, as also for that the voice was apparent not to be Esau's, but Jacobs voice: yet Gods counsel over-ruled his will; and when he came to handle his sons hands, he could not discern between a Kids skin, and the skin of a man: whats the cause hereof? Surely it was Gods will and counsel, that Jacob should have the chiefest blessing; and therefore he over-rules Isaacs will, and blinds his senses, and makes him to bless Jacob with the chiefest blessing.