A09376:1764
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
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.
Now followeth the 2. point to be observed in this verse; namely, the manner how Gods Church & people may put in practice this worthy exhortation of the holy Ghost, To be constant in the faith. And this consists in three duties: 1. They must cast away that which presseth down: 2. They must cast away that sin that hangeth so fast on; or sin which so readily doth compass us about: 3. They must run the race that is set before them, with patience. Whosoever in Gods Church either Jew or Gentile, can perform these 3. things, shall be able no doubt to follow the counsel of the holy Ghost, & continue constant in the faith unto the end. Of these 3. in order.
Now followeth the 2. point to be obserued in this verse; namely, the manner how Gods Church & people may put in practice this worthy exhortation of the holy Ghost, To be constant in the faith. And this consists in three duties: 1. They must cast away that which presseth downe: 2. They must cast away that sin that hangeth so fast on; or sin which so readily doth compasse vs about: 3. They must run the race that is set before them, with patience. Whosoeuer in Gods Church either Iew or Gentile, can performe these 3. things, shall be able no doubt to follow the counsell of the holy Ghost, & cōtinue cōstant in the faith vnto ye end. Of these 3. in order.
The 1. thing then to be done, is this, We must cast away that which presseth down; or thus, Cast away the weight, or burden (for so much the word in the original signifieth) even that burden which so presseth down the poor Christian, that he cannot go on forward in the course of godliness and Christianity. By burden or weight, here we must understand 5. things: 1. The love of this temporal life: 2. Care for earthly things: 3. Riches & temporal wealth: 4. Worldly honour & preferments: 5. Worldly delights and pleasures. All these are things which lie heavy on mans soul, as weighty burdens which press it down, especially then when the soul should lift up it self to seek heavenly things. ⟨p. 580⟩So in the Parable of the Sower, riches, pleasures, & cares for the things of this life, are called thorns, which choke the word of God in a mans heart, and make it unfruitful. And, surfeiting & drunkenness, are said to be things which oppress the heart, and make it heavy. And, easy it were, to show by many testimonies, that all these five things do press down the heart; especially then, when it should be lifted up in the seeking of heavenly things.