A09376:1618
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.
Here we are taught a special duty, for the recovery of our health, in the time of sickness: to wit, before we use the ordinary means of Physic, we must (according to this example) first put our faith in practice, by humbling our selves for our sins past, confessing them truly unto God, and praying for pardon, from a resolute purpose of heart, to lead a new life; and also, by entreating health of God, and his good blessing upon the means which we shall use for our recovery. Thus have other of Gods servants done, beside Hezekias. When David was grievously ⟨p. 519⟩sick, the principal thing he did, was this practice of faith; in humbling his soul before God for his sins, and entreating earnestly the pardon of them, as we may see Psa. 6. & 38. This is the principal thing, which in those Psalms is propounded of David. And so the Apostle counsels, Jam. 5.14, 15▪ Is any man sick among you? let him call for the Elders of the Church: and what must they do? Surely, first pray for him; and then (as the custom was in those days) anoint him with oil, in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up again: and if he have committed any sin, it shall be forgiven him. And, here we must be admonished, to beware of the bad practices of the world, in this case: the most men in their sickness, first seek to the Physicians; and if that fail them, they send for the Minister. This was King Asa his practice, for which he is branded to all posterity, that being diseased in his feet, he sought unto Physicians, and not unto the Lord, 2. Chron. 16.12; though otherwise, he had good things in him, as 1. King. 15.14. And, many do far worse, who seek to witches and enchanters, when they, or theirs, are in such distress: but, this is to forsake God, and to seek help of the devil, like to Ahaziah, who sent to Beelzebub the God of Ekron, to know of his recovery, when he was sick upon a fall, 2. Kings 1.2. This should be far from all Gods children: for, as Ahaziahs sickness became deadly, through his sending to Beelzebub; so undoubtedly, many diseases become incurable, by the bad and preposterous dealing of the Patient, who either useth unlawful means, or lawful means disorderedly, or trusting therein. We therefore, in this case, must remember our duty in the practice of faith, as Hezekiah did.