A09376:1775
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.
1. This serves to admonish all secure persons, which never felt sin to be a clog or burden unto them, of their fearful and dangerous estate. For, to every child of God, original corruption is a grievous burden. Now, confer with a natural man, and ask him what imperfections and wants he feels in himself: his answer is; he never was hindered by any corruption in all his life: he never felt doubting or want of love either to God or to his brethren: he feels no pride of heart, no guile or hypocrisy, nor vain-glory, &c. If we take these men upon their words, they are Angels among men: but indeed they are blind and ignorant, and wonderfully deceived by Satan: for, all Gods servants in this life do continually bewail the corruption of their nature, crying out against original sin, that it hinders them in doing the good things which they would do; and causing them to do that evil which they would not. These men therefore, that are never troubled with corruption, but (to their own thinking) have grace at will, are in a fearful case, their minds are still blinded, and their hearts hardened; they are dead in sin, abiding in darkness unto this hour. And if they go thus on to death, ⟨p. 586⟩[…] ⟨p. 587⟩[…] ⟨p. 588⟩they shall find that sin will unvisor himself, and then they shall know what sin means, and find the terror, and feel the burden of it when it is too late; like the foolish virgins that knew what the want of oil meant, when the doors were shut.
1. This serues to admonish all secure persons, which neuer felt sinne to bee a clogge or burthen vnto them, of their fearfull and dangerous estate. For, to euery childe of God, originall corruption is a grieuous burthen. Now, conferre with a natural man, and aske him what imperfections and wants he feeles in himselfe: his answer is; he neuer was hindered by any corruption in all his life: he neuer felt doubting or want of loue either to God or to his brethren: he feeles no pride of heart, no guile or hypocrisie, nor vaine-glory, &c. If wee take these men vpon their words, they are Angels among men: but indeede they are blinde and ignorant, and wonderfully deceiued by Satan: for, all Gods seruants in this life doe continually bewaile the corruption of their nature, crying out against originall sinne, that it hinders them in doing the good things which they would doe; and causing them to doe that euill which they would not. These men therefore, that are neuer troubled with corruption, but (to their owne thinking) haue grace at will, are in a fearefull case, their mindes are still blinded, and their hearts hardned; they are dead in sin, abiding in darknesse vnto this houre. And if they goe thus on to death,