A09376:1769
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 second duty that we must perform, for constancy in religion, is this; we must cast away the sin that hangeth so fast on: or, as the words will better bear, We must cast away ⟨p. 583⟩the sin, that is so fit, or so ready to compass us about every way. By sin here, we must not understand actual sin, the practicing of ungodliness in life and conversation; but, original sin, which is the corruption of nature, in which men are conceived and borne. Now, this original sin, is said to be ready to compass us about; because (as Paul saith of himself) when a man would do good, it causeth evil to be present with him; so as that good thing which he would do, that he doth not: but the evil which he would not do, that doth he. And, it is said to compass us about; because, whatsoever in heart a man doth desire, or affect, or purpose to do, this original sin doth corrupt and defile the same unto him: and, whatsoever in action a man would bring to pass, it doth likewise pollute it. By reason whereof, it comes to pass, that we may truly say, that all the thoughts, affections, wills, and purposes, yea and every action of Gods children, are all mixed and stained with the corruption of this sin. So that this hinders Gods dear servants and children, that they cannot go on in the course of godliness and christianity, as they would; but, either they fall in their journey many times: or, if they stand, yet they do often stagger, and go very faintly and haltingly forward.
The second duty that we must performe, for constancy in religion, is this; wee must cast away the sinne that hangeth so fast on: or, as the words will better beare, We must cast away ⟨p. 583⟩the sinne, that is so fit, or so ready to compasse vs about euery way. By sinne here, wee must not vnderstand actuall sinne, the practicing of vngodlinesse in life and conuersation; but, originall sinne, which is the corruption of nature, in which men are conceiued and borne. Now, this originall sinne, is said to be ready to compasse vs about; because (as Paul saith of himselfe) when a man would doe good, it causeth euill to be present with him; so as that good thing which he would doe, that he doth not: but the euill which he would not doe, that doth he. And, it is said to compasse vs about; because, whatsoeuer in heart a man doth desire, or affect, or purpose to do, this originall sinne doth corrupt and defile the same vnto him: and, whatsoeuer in action a man would bring to passe, it doth likewise pollute it. By reason whereof, it comes to passe, that we may truly say, that all the thoghts, affections, wills, and purposes, yea and euery action of Gods children, are all mixed and stained with the corruption of this sinne. So that this hinders Gods deare seruants and children, that they cannot goe on in the course of godlinesse and christianity, as they would; but, either they fall in their iourney many times: or, if they stand, yet they doe often stagger, and goe very faintly and haltingly forward.