A09376:1677
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
Believers under the Maccabees.Beleeuers vnder the Maccabees.
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.
Verse 36. And others have been tried by mockings, and scourgings: yea, moreover by bonds and prisonment. The second kind of suffering, wherewith the servants of God were then tried, is mocking. Touching the which, we may observe divers points: First, whence it came. No doubt it came from ungodly persons, that were enemies to Gods Church, & true religion; for, here it is made a part of the trial of Gods Church, by the enemies thereof.
Verse 36. And others haue beene tried by mockings, and scourgings: yea, moreouer by bonds and prisonment. The second kinde of suffering, wherewith the seruants of God were then tried, is mocking. Touching the which, we may obserue diuers points: First, whence it came. No doubt it came from vngodly persons, that were enemies to Gods Church, & true religion; for, here it is made a part of the triall of Gods Church, by the enemies thereof.
Here, then behold the state of mockers and scoffers at the servants of God: they are here accounted wicked wretches, and enemies to God, and to his truth. So Saint Jude, speaking of certain false Prophets, which were crept into the Church, calls them ungodly men, Jude 4: which he proves afterward, by their black mouth in evil speaking, verse 8.10. And Ismael is accounted a persecutor, by the holy Ghost, for mocking Isaac, Galatians chapter 4. verse 29. And David reckoning up the degrees of sinners, makes the chair of the scornful, the third and highest, Psalm 1.1. All these places show the heinousness of this sin: and therefore if any of us, young or old, high or low, have been overtaken with it heretofore, let us now repent and leave it; for, it is odious in Gods sight. Thou, that art a scoffer, mayst flatter thy self, and think all is well, let the matter prove how it can, words are but wind. But know, thy case is fearful; for, as yet thou wantest the fear of God, and art an enemy to Christ and his religion: and one day thou shalt be judged, not only for thy wicked deeds, but for all thy cruel speakings,