A09376:1495
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.
Secondly, in this circumstance, that the Egyptians following the Israelites, were drowned, we have a notable pattern ⟨p. 460⟩of the state & condition of all persecutors of Gods church. In Pharaoh and his host we may see their end, which is usually destruction: that is their reward for persecuting Gods Church. Cain slays Abel that notable servant of GOD: but his reward was this, he was cast forth of Gods Church, Gen. 4.11.13▪ and stricken in Gods just judgement with final desperation. Saul persecuted David: but his end was to kill himself with his own sword, 1. Samuel 30.4. And Jezebel she persecutes the Prophets & children of God: but her end was this,1 the dogs did eat her flesh. The whole stock of the Herods were great enemies to Christ: But their name was soon rooted out; and Herod, called Agrippa, that slew James, 2and persecuted Peter, was eaten up of worms. Many great Emperors in the primitive Church were persecutors: but they died desperately. And Julian, for one, once a Christian, died blaspheming Christ; &, casting his blood up towards heaven, cried, Thou hast overcome ô Galilean, thou hast overcome. And to come nearer these times; what reward from God the persecutors of the Church have had, we may read in the book of Acts & monuments, which was penned for that purpose. And to come to these our days, the whole band of those that call themselves leaguers, in France, Italy, Spain, &c. like the Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab, and the Agarims, &c. Psal. 83.5, 6, they vow the destruction & persecution of Gods Church: but yet Gods Church stands; & he so contrives the matter, that they draw swords against themselves, & slay & poison one another. Herein doth God graciously make good his promise to his Church, that the weapons made against her shall not prosper. 3And Zechariah 12.3, there is a prophecy of the Church in the new Testament: the Lord saith, He will make Jerusalem (that is his Church) an heavy stone; for all people that lift it up shall be torn, though all the people of the earth be gathered against it: where the Prophet setteth down, notably, what shall be the condition of those that persecute Gods Church: the more they persecute her, the more they shall have Gods