A09376:1607
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
The Faith of the Judges and David.The Faith of the Iudges and Dauid.
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.
Question. But, if it be so hard a thing, how could Daniel and the three children do it? Answer. They were prepared for it▪ for, they rested upon God in the time of peace; and so were enabled to rely upon him in time of peril. Even so if we would believe in God when we die, & then show forth our faith, we must while we live put our trust in him, and show it by obedience: for, rare it is to find a man that lives in unbelief, to show forth faith at his end. And therefore while we have health, strength, and peace, we ⟨p. 513⟩must labour to believe, and then shall we find the comfort of it in time of peril, and of death.
Question. But, if it be so hard a thing, how could Daniell and the three children doe it? Answer. They were prepared for it▪ for, they rested vpon God in the time of peace; and so were enabled to rely vpon him in time of perill. Euen so if we would beleeue in God when wee die, & then shew forth our faith, we must while we liue put our trust in him, and shew it by obedience: for, rare it is to finde a man that liues in vnbeliefe, to shew forth faith at his end. And therefore while wee haue health, strength, and peace, wee ⟨p. 513⟩must labour to beleeue, and then shall wee finde the comfort of it in time of perill, and of death.
Secondly, from these two effects of faith, we observe further, that Gods divine providence doth firmly rule and govern the whole world. Ordinarily God governs the world by secondary causes, setting one creature over another, and ordaining one to do this thing, and another that, and accordingly they work: but we must not think that God is bound to any of these means, but is most free to use them, or not to use them. Ordinarily he executeth this or that punishment by this or that creature, and so by means conveys his blessings: but yet he can work without them, as here we see. For, he preserves his creatures against the ordinary means; as, Daniel from the Lions, whose nature is to devour: and against the nature of fire, he saved the three children in the fire. So that God worketh by means, but yet freely; because he can work at his pleasure either without or against means: and his powerful hand, saving against means, shows his ruling and disposing providence over all things.