A09376:1532
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.
Now, the report hereof came to the people of Jericho: whereupon they were stricken with a wonderful great fear▪ And howsoever the men of Jericho made no other ⟨p. 478⟩use of it, but to arm and prepare themselves to resist and beat back the Israelites: yet this report wrought further with Rahab; and therefore she came to the Spies, whom she had received, and hid upon the roof of her house, & there confessed the God of Israel to be the true God, in heaven above,1 and in the earth beneath.
Now, the report heereof came to the people of Iericho: whereupon they were strik•n with a wonderfull great feare▪ And howsoeuer the men of Iericho made no other ⟨p. 478⟩vse of it, but to arme and prepare themselues to resist and beate backe the Israelites: yet this report wrought further with Rahab; and therefore shee came to the Spies, whom shee had receiued, and hid vpon the roofe of her house, & there confessed the God of Israel to be the true God, in heauen aboue,1 and in the earth beneath.
- 1Josh. 29.10, 11.Iosh. 29.10, 11.
Here we may note, that when ordinary means fail, for the beginning and increase of faith; as the word preached, and the Sacraments: then God can work faith extraordinarily, even by reports, and rumours. For, thus Rahab, and many of the heathen came to believe. We say of the Church of Rome, that it is no true Church, and that their religion cannot save a man: Hereupon, many that savour that way, reply and say; Will you therefore condemn all your forefathers, that lived and died in time of Popery? We answer, no: we dare not give such censure upon them; but rather judge charitably of them: yea, we have great hope that many of them were saved. For, though they wanted preaching & reading, yet God might work faith in them extraordinarily, and bless even good reports and speeches unto them, with the reading of other godly books, besides Gods word, which some of them had. We need not then give so hard a censure of them; because God is not tied to ordinary means, but can save extraordinarily, when means fail.