A09376:1410
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.
This confuteth those which hold, that every man may be saved by his own religion, whatsoever it be, if he live civilly and uprightly therein. Their reason is taken from the Jews, who (they say) had only the knowledge of outward ceremonies, and so were saved. But that opinion is here disproved; for, the Jews knew Christ, and professed him, or else they would never suffer for him: and therefore they were saved by him, and not by their obedience to outward ceremonies. And thus much of the reason, which moved Moses to make such a choice as he did.
This confuteth those which holde, that euery man may be saued by his owne religion, whatsoeuer it be, if hee liue ciuilly and vprightly therein. Their reason is taken from the Iewes, who (they say) had onely the knowledge of outward ceremonies, and so were saued. But that opinion is here disprooued; for, the Iewes knew Christ, and professed him, or else they would neuer suffer for him: and therefore they were saued by him, and not by their obedience to outward ceremonies. And thus much of the reason, which mooued Moses to make such a choyce as hee did.
Now in the end of the verse is added a reason, why Moses was of this strange judgement; to think the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: namely, because he had respect to the recompense of reward. That is, he often set his eye to behold, and his heart to consider, how God had made a promise of life everlasting after this life, unto all those that obeyed him, and trusted in him in this life: for the enjoying whereof, he preferred that estate wherein he might live in the fear of God, though it were a state of reproach, before all other whatsoever. Where we see, what it is that will bring a man to esteem affliction, with the fear of God, better than the treasures & pleasures of an earthly kingdom: namely, as we set the bodily eye to behold the affliction; so we must lift up the eye of the mind of faith, to behold the recompense of reward; ⟨p. 417⟩that is, the state of glory in heaven prepared for Gods children. Thus did the Christian Hebrews in the primitive Church, Hebrews 10.37, They suffered with joy the spoiling of their goods. (A very hard thing, but yet most true, for it is the word of GOD) And the reason is rendered, They knew in themselves how that they had in heaven a better and more enduring substance. And our Saviour Christ endured the Cross, and despised the shame, for the joy that was set before him, Hebrews 12.1; that is, in consideration of that joy in glory, whereto he should be advanced himself, and bring all his members. This we must make use of: for if we will live godly in Christ Jesus, we must suffer affliction. This, flesh and blood will not yield unto: and therefore, to persuade us to suffer with joy, we must with Moses have respect to the recompense of reward. We must say thus to our souls, The day will come wherein we shall have everlasting life in the Kingdom of heaven, if we now serve and fear him: Shall we not then for his sake be content to suffer a short affliction; seeing the greatest of them are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed? Romans, chapter 8. verse 18.