A09376:1463
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.
Object. But some will say, If this be so, then all is well, for I do believe this? Answer. Herein very many deceive themselves, thinking that they have faith, when indeed they have none. For, look unto their ways, and see into their hearts by their lives; and it will easily appear, that they have nothing in them but ignorance, security, & presumption in sin. Now, such men are deceivers of their own souls; for after this sprinkling followeth sanctification, and rising from dead works to newness of life: so that they that live in sin, and yet say they have faith, deceive themselves. For, if a mans heart be sprinkled with the blood of Christ through faith, it will change his life & conscience, and make him a new creature; for, Christs blood is a cleansing and purifying blood, insomuch as where it is truly sprinkled, it certainly cleanseth: Hebrews ⟨p. 444⟩9.14. And thus much of this ceremony of sprinkling.
Obiect. But some will say, If this be so, then all is well, for I doe beleeue this? Answer. Heerein very many deceiue themselues, thinking that they haue faith, when indeede they haue none. For, looke vnto their wayes, and see into their hearts by their liues; and it wil easily appeare, that they haue nothing in them but ignorance, security, & presumption in sinne. Now, such men are deceiuers of their owne soules; for after this sprinkling followeth sanctification, and rising from dead workes to newnesse of life: so that they that liue in sinne, and yet say they haue faith, deceiue themselues. For, if a mans heart be sprinkled with the bloud of Christ through faith, it will change his life & conscience, and make him a new creature; for, Christes bloud is a cleansing and purifying bloud, insomuch as where it is truly sprinkled, it certainly cleanseth: Hebrewes ⟨p. 444⟩9.14. And thus much of this ceremonie of sprinkling.
Now followeth the end of both these actions, in these words: Lest he that destroyed the first borne should touch them. Let us examine the words in order: First, by the destroyer, is meant the Angel of God (as we may see in the Story,