A09376:1765
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.
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.
The 1. thing then to be done, is this, We must cast away that which presseth down; or thus, Cast away the waight, or burthen (for so much the word in the originall signifieth) euen that burthen which so presseth down the poore Christian, that he cannot goe on forward in the course of godlinesse and Christianity. By burthen or weight, here we must vnderstand 5. things: 1. The loue of this temporall 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 heauy on mans soule, as weighty burthens which presse it downe, especially then when the soule should lift vp it self to seek heauenly things. ⟨p. 580⟩So in the Parable of the Sower, riches, pleasures, & cares for the things of this life, are called thornes, which choake the word of God in a mans heart, and make it vnfruitfull. And, surfetting & drunkennes, are said to be things which oppress the heart, and make it heauy. And, easie it were, to shewe by many testimonies, that all these fiue things do press down the heart; especially then, when it should be lifted vp in the seeking of heauenly things.