A09376:1682
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.
The third kind of suffering, is Scourging. They were not only mocked for religion, but also whipped and scourged. The fourth, is Bonds and imprisonment. The fifth is stoning verse 37, They were stoned. The sixth, is this, They were hewen asunder. These were all worthy fruits of faith, being endured for religions sake: but the particular points ⟨p. 547⟩might here be observed, have been handled before; and therefore I pas•e them over.
The third kinde of suffering, is Scourging. They were not onely mocked for religion, but also whipped and scourged. The fourth, is Bonds and imprisonment. The fift is stoning verse 37, They were stoned. The sixt, is this, They were hewen asunder. These were all worthy fruits of faith, being endured for religions sake: but the particular points ⟨p. 547⟩might heere be obserued, haue beene handled before; and therefore I pas•e them ouer.
The seventh kind of suffering, is this: they were tempted. These words, by the change of a letter in the original, may be read thus. They were burned. And some do so translate it; thinking, that they that writ or copied out this Epistle at the first, did put one letter for another. Their reason is, because examples of grievous punishments are mentioned both before and after this: and therefore they think this should be burning, which is a sore and grievous death. But we may safely and truly read the words thus; They were tempted: conceiving hereby, that they were enticed and allured by fair promises of life, to forsake their religion. So, the same word is used by Saint James, saying; Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own concupiscence, and is enticed, James 1.14. If any ask, why this kind of trial in tempting, should be placed among such cruel torments? I answer, because it is as great a trial as any can be. For, it is as dangerous a temptation to overthrow religion and a good conscience, as any punishment in the world. This appears plainly in Christs temptations by the Devil: for, in those three, Satan bewrays his malice and craft against Christ and his Church most notably. Now Satan, not prevailing with the two first, makes his third and last assault from the glory and dignity of the world: for, showing unto Christ all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, he saith, All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me,