A09376:128
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.
But you will say, God hath given us liberty in meats: differences of meats are taken away in Christ, and God hath ⟨p. 30⟩given us use of his creatures, not only for necessity, but more liberal use even for greater delight and comfort. I answer: I grant all this and more too, to a man that hath faith. I grant, feasts and banquets are lawful for some men on some occasions. I take not away any mans liberty in meats: God hath granted it, and man ought not to take it away. I only wish that when we eat, we also would make this use of it: and that we would not too riotously abuse that liberty that God hath given us for diversity of meats: faith gives us leave and liberty to eat; yet faith denies not a man to make a holy use of his eating, for his own humiliation, but rather commands it.
But you will say, God hath giuen vs libertie in meates: differences of meats are taken away in Christ, and God hath ⟨p. 30⟩giuen vs vse of his creatures, not onely for necessitie, but more liberall vse euen for greater delight and comfort. I answer: I grant all this and more too, to a man that hath faith. I grant, feasts and bankets are lawfull for some men on some occasions. I take not away any mans liberty in meates: God hath granted it, and man ought not to take it away. I onely wish that when we eate, wee also would make this vse of it: and that we would not too riotously abuse that liberty that God hath giuen vs for diuersity of meates: faith giues vs leaue and liberty to eate; yet faith denies not a man to make a holy vse of his eating, for his owne humiliation, but rather commaunds it.
Fourthly, we see in the world, that creatures not only dye for mans feeding, but one creature feeds on another, and one destroyeth another to eat him. The Hawk preyeth on diverse kinds of birds: the Fox feedeth on tame birds: the Wolfe on the Lamb: greater fishes devour the less: Dogs will eat diverse kinds of creatures, if they can come by them. These things are manifest, and some of them be common sports in the world.