A09376:1509
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.
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.
Further, this fact is set out vnto vs by two circumstances; to wit, by the meanes which they vsed, and by the time which they obserued for this exploit. For the first; when they come to Iericho, this strong Citie, which they must needes subdue (or else they could not this way enter ⟨p. 468⟩and possesse the Land, they do not goe about to ouerturne the Citie by vndermining, battering, or scaling the walls; but, according to Gods appointment, they go one by one in order round about the Citie walls day by day for one weeke space: and on the seauenth day, they compasse it seuen times; during all which time they kept great silence, saue onely that seauen Priests sounded vpon seauen trumpets of Rammes-hornes before the Arke, till Iosuah bade them shout. Now, in common reason, a man would iudge this rather to be some childish sport, then a means to fling downe these great walls. Nay, consider it well, and it may seeme a course tending rather to ouerthrowe themselues, then the walls of Iericho: for, they marched not in battell ray, as though they would pitch a field against the people of Iericho, or lay siege to their Citie; but they went in length one before another, so as they might compasse the Citie about. Now, if the men of Iericho should haue come forth, and made assault vpon them, in all likelihood the Israelites had been ouerthrowen; so weake and feeble were the meanes. And yet the Lord for waighty causes, prescribes this course vnto them: to wit, 1. Heerby to try the faith of his people, whether they will beleeue his promises or no, when they are enioyned to vse weake and feeble meanes, and in mans reason foolish.