A09376:1508
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.
This must admonish us, that howsoever, we use ordinary means of our preservation and help, yet ever we must cast our whole care on GOD, and put all our confidence in him for help and safety: for, without him all other outward means are nothing but vain helps; For, vain is the help of man. And thus much for the fact it self.
This must admonish vs, that howsoeuer, we vse ordinarie meanes of our preseruation and helpe, yet euer wee must cast our whole care on GOD, and put all our confidence in him for helpe and safety: for, without him all other outward meanes are nothing but vaine helpes; For, vaine is the help of man. And thus much for the fact it self.
Further, this fact is set out unto us by two circumstances; to wit, by the means which they used, and by the time which they observed for this exploit. For the first; when they come to Jericho, this strong City, which they must needs subdue (or else they could not this way enter ⟨p. 468⟩and possess the Land, they do not go about to overturn the City by undermining, battering, or scaling the walls; but, according to Gods appointment, they go one by one in order round about the City walls day by day for one week space: and on the seventh day, they compass it seven times; during all which time they kept great silence, save only that seven Priests sounded upon seven trumpets of Rams-horns before the Ark, till Joshua bade them shout. Now, in common reason, a man would judge this rather to be some childish sport, then a means to fling down these great walls. Nay, consider it well, and it may seem a course tending rather to overthrow themselves, then the walls of Jericho: for, they marched not in battle ray, as though they would pitch a field against the people of Jericho, or lay siege to their City; but they went in length one before another, so as they might compass the City about. Now, if the men of Jericho should have come forth, and made assault upon them, in all likelihood the Israelites had been overthrown; so weak and feeble were the means. And yet the Lord for weighty causes, prescribes this course unto them: to wit, 1. Hereby to try the faith of his people, whether they will believe his promises or no, when they are enjoined to use weak and feeble means, and in mans reason foolish.