A09376:1570
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, let us consider what manner of persons these were, Gideon, Barak and the rest: They were extraordinary men, in their time, raised up by God, for the special good of his Church, and the common wealth of the Jews, that they might help and defend them in distress. And therefore, as their calling was extraordinary; so God endued them with extraordinary gifts of wisdom, strength, zeal, and authority: for which, they are here renowned in this Catalogue of most worthy believers.
Secondly, let vs consider what manner of persons these were, Gedeon, Barac and the rest: They were extraordinary men, in their time, raised vp by God, for the speciall good of his Church, and the common wealth of the Iewes, that they might help and defend them in distresse. And therefore, as their calling was extraordinary; so God indued them with extraordinary gifts of wisdome, strength, zeale, and authority: for which, they are here renowmed in this Catalogue of most worthy beleeuers.
In their example we may observe this point: That whom God doth raise up extraordinarily, for some special ⟨p. 496⟩good in his Church, them he endues with extraordinary gifts to discharge that calling: and withal, he gives them the spirit of grace, with a true and lively faith. This (besides the instance we have in hand) appears plainly in Christs Apostles: they were called by Christ to preach the Gospel to all the world, and to plant his Church universally; and thereupon (howsoever they were simple men before) were furnished with extraordinary gifts of wisdom, zeal, & knowledge, and with this excellent grace of saving faith, which did sanctify their other gifts: for, howsoever Judas was numbered among them, having been a Disciple; yet he never came to the execution of the Apostleship, but went astray from that ministration, Acts 1.25. And in these later days, when God restored his Gospel to light out of the dark mist of Popery, he raised up extraordinary men, whom he endued with wisdom, zeal, and judgement; which gifts also he sealed up in them by a lively faith, which they testified by their piety and godliness in life & conversation. And this course he observeth usually, in all those whom he raiseth up extraordinarily for the good of his Church.