A09376:193
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. To the Parent. Hast thou many children, and wilt give some to the Lord? namely, to serve him in the ministry? The practice of the world, is to make the eldest a Gentleman, the next a Lawyer, the next a Merchant: he that is youngest, or least regarded, or that hath some infirmity in wit, or deformity in body, set him to school, let him be a Minister. But Abel's sacrifice controls this profane course of the world. Learn therefore by him, whomsoever of all thy children thou findest fittest in gifts and graces of body and mind; whom thou lovest best, and most esteemest, he is fittest for the Lord, and the Lord is most worthy of him: consecrate him to the Lord, for his service in the ministry.
1. To the Parent. Hast thou many children, and wilt giue some to the Lord? namely, to serue him in the ministerie? The practice of the world, is to make the eldest a Gentleman, the next a Lawyer, the next a Merchant: hee that is youngest, or least regarded, or that hath some infirmity in wit, or deformity in body, set him to schoole, let him be a Minister. But Abels sacrifice controlles this profane course of the world. Learne therefore by him, whomsoeuer of all thy children thou findest fittest in gifts and graces of body and minde; whom thou louest best, and most esteemest, he is fittest for the Lord, and the Lord is most worthy of him: consecrate him to the Lord, for his seruice in the ministerie.
2. To the young man. He being in the strength and ripeness of wit, senses, memory, capacity, and in the best of his age: he saith, I will take my pleasure now I am fittest for it: I will repent at the end of my days, and that is a fitter time. This is a vile policy of the devil, to dishonour God, and to cast away their souls. What a grief is it to give the devil his young years, the strength of his body and wit, and to bring his withered old age unto God? nay, be sure, God will not accept thy rotten sacrifice of old age, but rather give thee up to the devil, that he may have thee altogether which hath had the best: then follow rather Solomons counsel, Eccles. 12.1