A09376:1483
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.
The third point is this: When did the Israelites believe? ⟨p. 453⟩This circumstance is worth the marking: They believed when they passed through the read sea; for, they believed not only in general, that GOD was their GOD, as he had promised to their fathers: but they believed, that GOD would be with them, and give them life in the middle of the read sea. A notable point. They believed (as it were) in the middle of their graves (for so might the read sea be well called) that GOD would give them life everlasting, and preserve them safely through the sea, and from their enemies.
The third point is this: When did the Israelites beleeue? ⟨p. 453⟩This circumstance is worth the marking: They beleeued when they passed through the redde sea; for, they beleeued not onely in generall, that GOD was their GOD, as hee had promised to their fathers: but they beleeued, that GOD would bee with them, and giue them life in the middle of the redde sea. A notable point. They beleeued (as it were) in the middle of their graues (for so might the redde sea be well called) that GOD would giue them life euerlasting, and preserue them safely through the sea, and from their enemies.
In their example we are taught the same duty, to do as they here did. The child of GOD in this life hath innumerable causes of desperation: and sometimes his own conscience will take part with Satan, in charging the soul to be in state of damnation. In this heavy case, what must be done? Surely, at this time, when a man is a cast-away in himself, he must even then believe; being in hell (as it were) he must believe that God will bring him to heaven. It is nothing for a man to believe in prosperity, and peace; but in time of desperation to believe, that is a most worthy faith: and indeed, then is the right time for a man to show his faith, when there is in himself no cause of believing. Object. But when a man is in this case, he cannot believe. Answ. Indeed to believe then, is a wonderful hard thing, and a miracle of miracles: But yet this is the property of true faith, so to do; and if there be but one dram of true faith in the heart that despairs, howsoever it may for a time lie hid, as dead: yet at the length it will make him to hope, and wait for mercy and life at the hands of Almighty GOD. And therefore, if it shall please GOD at any time to lay a torment upon our consciences, so as we shall strive with the wrath of GOD, thinking that he hath cast us away; yet for all that, then we must believe GODs promises, and set before us his mercies, and therewith refresh us. And if this faith were not, the child of GOD many sundry times