A09376:1783
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 third duty to be performed for our continuance in the faith, is this: We must run with patience the race that is set before us. In these words the holy Ghost ⟨p. 590⟩borroweth a comparison from the games of men that did run a race: and thus we may conceive it▪ The race that the Holy Ghost propounds us to run, is the race of Christian Religion: the parties that must run in this race, are all Christians, men or women, high or low; not one excepted: the price and crown for which we run, is everlasting glory: the judge of the runners is the Lord himself, who hath appointed this race unto every Christian in this life; who also, will give the reward to every one that runneth well.
The third duty to bee performed for our continuance in the faith, is this: Wee must runne with patience the race that is set before vs. In these words the holy Ghost ⟨p. 590⟩borroweth a comparison from the games of men that did runne a race: and thus we may conceiue it▪ The race that the Holy Ghost propounds vs to runne, is the race of Christian Religion: the parties that must runne in this race, are all Christians, men or women, high or lowe; not one excepted: the price and crowne for which we runne, is euerlasting glory: the iudge of the runners is the Lord himselfe, who hath appointed this race vnto euery Christian in this life; who also, will giue the reward to euery one that runneth well.
In this comparison, we may observe many good instructions: First, in that Christian religion is compared to a race; We are taught, that every one that professeth religion must go forward therein, growing in knowledge, faith, piety, and in every grace of God. He that runs a bodily race, must neither stand still, nor go backward (for, then then he shall never get the price) but, still go forward to the race end: So must every Christian go forward in grace, following hard towards the mark, for the price of the high calling of God. If we care not for eternal life, then we may take our ease, and let grace alone; but, if we tender our own salvation, we must go on in the graces of religion, as a runner doth go forward in his race. This being well observed, would rouse up our drowsy Christians, that make no progress in religion.