A09376:1485
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.
Fourthly, note the effect and issue of this faith. They passed through the red sea. We say usually, that water & fire be unmerciful creatures; and therefore the natural man fears them both: but the Israelites faith, makes them not to fear the water; but it makes them bold, even to pass thorough the sea. The like we may see for fire, in the 3. children, Dan. 3.16.23; who were not afraid of the hot burning oven, but were as bold in it, as out of it. Ravenous & wild beasts are terrible unto men; but faith makes a man not to fear them: and therefore Daniel fears not the Lyons, though he were thrown into their den to be devoured, Dan. 6.22. Great is the fruit and force of faith: it takes from a man the fear of those creatures, which by nature are most terrible. And here we see a cause, why the holy Martyrs of God died most cheerfully. A man would think it strange, that one should go into the fire, rejoicing, as many of them did: but the reason is, Because they had faith in their hearts, which taketh away the fear of the most fearful creatures.
Fourthly, note the effect and issue of this faith. They passed through the red sea. We say vsually, that water & fire be vnmercifull creatures; and therefore the naturall man feares them both: but the Israelites faith, makes them not to feare the water; but it makes them bold, euen to passe thorough the sea. The like we may see for fire, in the 3. children, Dan. 3.16.23; who were not affraid of the hot burning ouen, but were as bold in it, as out of it. Rauenous & wilde beasts are terrible vnto men; but faith makes a man not to feare them: and therefore Daniel feares not the Lyons, though hee were throwen into their denne to bee deuoured, Dan. 6.22. Great is the fruite and force of faith: it takes from a man the feare of those creatures, which by nature are most terrible. And here wee see a cause, why the holy Martyrs of God died most cheerefully. A man would thinke it strange, that one should goe into the fire, reioycing, as many of them did: but the reason is, Because they had faith in their hearts, which taketh away the feare of the most fearefull creatures.