A09376:213
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.
Now, of what did God thus testify? Of his gift.
Now, of what did God thus testifie? Of his gift.
It may here be asked at the first: how can Abel give a gift to God: hath the Lord need of any thing? and are not all things his? I answer. God is sovereign Lord of heaven and earth, and all creatures: yet hath he so given his creatures unto man to use, as that they become mans own, and so he ⟨p. 54⟩may esteem & use them: and being mans, a man may in token of his thankfulness return them again to God; especially seeing God accepts them, being so offered, as most free gifts.
It may here be asked at the first: how can Abell giue a gift to God: hath the Lord neede of any thing? and are not all things his? I answer. God is soueraigne Lord of heauen and earth, and all creatures: yet hath hee so giuen his creatures vnto man to vse, as that they become mans owne, and so he ⟨p. 54⟩may esteeme & vse them: and being mans, a man may in token of his thankfulnes return them again to God; especially seeing God accepts them, being so offred, as most free gifts.
This showeth us, first, the wonderful mercy of God, that whereas we can offer him nothing but his own, he vouchsafeth to accept a gift offered of his own, even as though we had of our own to offer.
This sheweth vs, first, the wonderfull mercy of God, that whereas we can offer him nothing but his owne, he vouchsafeth to accept a gift offred of his owne, euen as though we had of our owne to offer.