A09376:1441
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 Moses is said, to talk with God face to face: and, to see his back parts, Exod. 33.11, 23. Answ. This imports not, that he saw the substance of God; but only, that God did after a familiar manner, reveal himself unto him, and in ⟨p. 431⟩some resemblance show him his glory, so far forth as Moses was able to behold it: for the text is plain, My face can not be seen. There shall no man see me and live, vers. 20.
But Moses is said, to talke with God face to face: and, to see his backe parts, Exod. 33.11, 23. Answ. This imports not, that he saw the substance of God; but onely, that God did after a familiar manner, reueale himselfe vnto him, and in ⟨p. 431⟩some resemblance shewe him his glory, so farre forth as Moses was able to behold it: for the text is plaine, My face can not be seene. There shall no man see me and liue, vers. 20.
Here we learn, that when we pray to God, we must not conceive of him by any form or image in our minds; for so we make an idol of God. Quest. What then must we do? for, how (will some say) can I pray to him, and not think of him? Answ. When we think of God, or pray unto him, we must conceive of him in our minds, as he hath revealed himself in scripture; that is, by his works, and by his properties: we must think in our minds of an eternal essence, most holy, wise, &c. who made all things, and governs them by his mighty power. For, every image to resemble God by, either to the mind, or to the eye is a plain lie; making him visible, who is invisible: as saith the Prophet, Hab. 2 18, The image, what profiteth it, for it is a teacher of lies? Which flatly overthroweth the opinion and practice of the Romish Church, who resemble the true God, even God the father, and the holy Trinity, in images: what else do they herein, but make a lie of God?