A09376:1735
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.
This prescience, or foreknowledge in God, puts a difference between the true God, and all false gods; yea, between the true God, and all creatures: for, the true God foresees all things that are to come; so can no creature do. Indeed, some creatures foresee and foretell some things; yet herein, they come short of the divine property: for, God foresees all things by himself, without signs, or causes, or outward means. But, creatures only foresee some things, not of themselves; but, by means of signs, and outward causes, or by revelation from God: otherwise can no creature foresee things to come.
This prescience, or foreknowledge in God, puts a difference betweene the true God, and all false gods; yea, betweene the true God, and all creatures: for, the true God foresees all things that are to come; so can no creature doe. Indeed, some creatures foresee and foretell some things; yet herein, they come short of the diuine property: for, God foresees all things by himselfe, without signes, or causes, or outward meanes. But, creatures onely foresee some things, not of themselues; but, by meanes of signes, and outward causes, or by reuelation from God: otherwise can no creature foresee things to come.
Now, as we said before, this fore-sight in God includes his decree and ordination: for, therefore did these things so come to pass, because God ordained them. Whereby we see, that Gods prescience of fore-knowledge is not idle, but operative, and joined with his will: for, Math. 10.29, 30, an hair cannot fall from our head; nor a sparrow light upon the ground, without his will. As all things in time come to pass; so God before all worlds willed, that is, decreed and appointed them. And, under this large extent of Gods will or decree, we must include the sinful actions of men: for, God doth not barely foresee them, but decree the being of them, and so will them after a sort; though not to be done by himself, yet by others. When Judas betrayed Christ, and Pilate with the wicked Jews condemned and reviled him, they sinned grievously; & yet herein, they did nothing, but that which Gods hand and counsel had determined before to be done.