A09376:1383
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.
Thirdly, they serve to wean the people of God, and to drive them from the love of this world: for, if men might always live in ease, they would make their heaven upon earth; which may not be. And herein GOD dealeth with his children like a Nurse; when she will wean her child, she lays some bitter thing upon the paps head, to make the child to loathe the pap: so the Lord, to draw our hearts from the world, and to cause us to love and seek after heaven and heavenly things, he makes us to taste of the bitterness of affliction in t•is world. Fourthly, afflictions fer•e to make Gods children to go out of themselves to seek sincerely unto GOD, and to rely only upon him: which in prosperity they will not do. This, Paul confesseth of himself and others: We (saith he) received the sentence of death in our selves, because we should not trust in our selves, but in God: 2. Corinthians chapter 1. verse 9. So good King Jehoshaphat, when he was compassed of his enemies, He cried to the Lord, and said; Lord we know not what to do, but our eyes are towards thee: 2. Chronicles, chapter 20. verse 12. Yea, the rebellious Jews are hereby driven to seek the Lord, whom in prosperity they forsook: as we may see at large, Psal. 107.6.12.13.19.
Thirdly, they serue to weane the people of God, and to driue them from the loue of this world: for, if men might alwaies liue in ease, they would make their heauen vpon earth; which may not be. And heerein GOD dealeth with his children like a Nurse; when shee will weane her childe, she layes some bitter thing vpon the pappes head, to make the childe to loathe the pappe: so the Lord, to draw our hearts from the world, and to cause vs to loue and seeke after heauen and heauenly things, hee makes vs to taste of the bitternesse of affliction in t•is worlde. Fourthly, afflictions fer•e to make Gods children to goe out of themselues to seeke sincerely vnto GOD, and to relie onely vpon him: which in prosperity they will not doe. This, Paul confesseth of himselfe and others: Wee (saith hee) receiued the sentence of death in our selues, because wee should not trust in our selues, but in God: 2. Corinthians chapter 1. verse 9. So good King Iehosaphat, when hee was compassed of his enemies, Hee cried to the Lord, and said; Lord wee knowe not what to doe, but our eyes are towards thee: 2. Chronicles, chapter 20. verse 12. Yea, the rebellious Iewes are heereby driuen to seeke the Lord, whom in prosperity they forsooke: as wee may see at large,