A09376:1457
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.
Now in this, that Moses did in this manner celebrate this passover, we are taught this lesson; that Governors and Superiors in their place, must procure, that those which •e under their government, do keep the commandments of God; and especially those, which concern Gods worship. It is the commandment of the Lord by Moses, that the King should have the law written; that he may learn to fear his God, and keep all the words of this law written, to do them. Now, how shall the king do all the words of the law? seeing there be many commandments, that do not concern him, nor his place; but his subjects, and other particular men, of other callings. Surely thus: He must do those in his own person, that concern him in his place; and then see that his subjects and servants do likewise such duties, both towards God and man, as concern them in their places. This is a special point concerning all Magistrates and Superiors whatsoever; and therefore Paul saith, Rom. 13.4, The Magistrate beareth not the sword for nought, but for the wealth of Gods people: that is, for their good; not in body only, but principally, for the good of their souls. And therefore every governor, either of town or kingdom, and every master of a family, within the compass of his calling, is to see that those which are ⟨p. 440⟩under him keep Gods commandments; especially those which concern Gods worship. When a magistrate shall do this, then the praise & honour of the whole is given to him; as here the killing of the Passover is ascribed to Moses, because he saw that the people did it. So on the contrary, if the Magistrate be negligent in his duty, he becomes the greatest sinner of all; for then the sins that are committed through his default, are ascribed to him. Nehemiah, reproving the Rulers, tells them that they brake the Lords Sabbaths, Nehem. 13.13; when as not only they, but the people also brake them: yet there he chargeth the sin of the people upon them, because it came through their negligence. As, if any sin be committed in a family, through the defect of the governor of the family; it is not only the sin of the particular party, but the governors sin. And so, when any man sins in breaking the Sabaoth, it is not only the sin of that particular man, but of the governors to whom he is subject.