A09376:190
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 holy Ghost calls Abel's a better or greater sacrifice: because Abel brought the best and fattest of his sheep, and so bestowed the most cost he could; as signifying that he would have bestowed more cost, had he known how to have done it. For, he that gives as he hath, would give more if he had it. And he that doth the best he can in any thing, it is certain he would do better if he could. Cain contrariwise brought not the best of his fruits, but either the worst, or whatsoever came first to hand; as thinking that whatsoever he brought, was good enough: therefore worthily is Abel said to have offered a better sacrifice then Cain.
The holy Ghost calls Abels a better or greater sacrifice: because Abell brought the best and fattest of his sheepe, and so bestowed the most cost hee could; as signifying that hee would haue bestowed more cost, had hee knowne how to haue done it. For, he that giues as he hath, would giue more if he had it. And he that doth the best he can in any thing, it is certaine hee would doe better if he could. Cain contrariwise brought not the best of his fruites, but either the worst, or whatsoeuer came first to hand; as thinking that whatsoeuer hee brought, was good enough: therefore worthily is Abell saide to haue offred a better sacrifice then Cain.
And further, this holy practice of Abel, came to be a law written, even one of the commandments of the Ceremonial law; namely, that the first borne should be offered to God, Exod. 34.19. And the first fruits of the corn, Levit. 23.10. &c. And that nothing that was lame, blind, maimed, or had any blemish in it, should be offered to the Lord. Deut. 15.21. Abel here did even that which these laws commanded: and these laws commanded the same that he did. Thus God vouchsafed to honour his servant Abel, for his obedient and honest heart; even to make his practice the ground and beginning of one of his own laws: that so the Israelites in all their generations, might in their daily practices, remember this worthy deed of holy Abel to his perpetual honour.