A09376:1379
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.
And of these two, Moses must needs choose the one: well what chooseth he? Surely he refuseth the prerogatives and dignity, that he might have had in Pharaohs Court, and makes choice of the misery and affliction of GODs people in adversity; that so he may enjoy the privileges of GODs Church. A wonderful choice: for which, his faith is here commended, and he renowned to all posterity. The same choice hath GOD set before men in all ages. In former times GOD set before Esau two things; A mess of red broth, and his birth-right: but profane Esau chooseth the worser, ⟨p. 402⟩he forgoes his birth-right, so he may have the broth. But far worse did the Gadarenes; there was set before them Christ Jesus the Lord of life, and their hogs and cattle: Now they prefer their hogs before Christ; A most miserable and senseless choice. And is it not as ill with us? There is set before us on the one side heaven, and on the other side hell; but men for the most part choose hell & forsake heaven. Civill worldly men whose delight is all in riches, they prefer earth before heaven, the service of sin which is the greatest slavery, before the service of GOD which is perfect freedom, and glorious liberty of the Saints in light: and thus do all men without Gods special grace. Whereupon Paul prays in his Epistles for the Churches, that God would give unto them the spirit of wisdom, 1that they may be able to judge between things that differ. And this wisdom we must labour for, that when these different things are set before us, we may make a wise choice: otherwise, we show our selves to be like brute beasts without understanding, & do quite overturn our own salvation. In the Ministry of the word we have life and death, good & evil set before us, as Moses said to the people, Deut. 30.15, 19. Let us therefore endeavour our selves to choose life by embracing and obeying the word of God: & so shall we follow both his precept and practice.
And of these two, Moses must needes choose the one: well what chooseth hee? Surely hee refuseth the prerogatiues and dignitie, that hee might haue had in Pharaohs Court, and makes choise of the miserie and affliction of GODs people in aduersitie; that so hee may enioy the priuiledges of GODs Church. A wonderfull choise: for which, his faith is heere commended, and hee renowmed to all posteritie. The same choise hath GOD set before men in all ages. In former times GOD set before Esau two things; A messe of red broth, and his birth-right: but profane Esau chooseth the worser,