A09376:282
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.
If any man demand, How shall I please God? My answer is this; Adam pleased GOD by keeping the Law: but now that is past, that power is lost: we must now please God by direction from the Gospel; namely, by faith in Christ and true repentance, together with a holy life (which must necessarily accompany true faith ⟨p. 66⟩and repentance) thus God is pleased. And this must we not defer till our death; but do it in our lives: nor can we look to be inheritors of the kingdom of glory as now Enoch is: unless before hand we be in the kingdom of grace, by pleasing God as Enoch did. It is lamentable, to see men not care for salvation till death, and then they begin to please God: but alas, God will not be so pleased. They begin to learn how to please God, when they have so long displeased him, as there is then fear they can never please him: but that man liveth and dieth with comfort, of whom it may be said as here of Enoch, before he was taken away he pleased God.
If any man demaund, How shall I please God? My answere is this; Adam pleased GOD by keeping the Lawe: but now that is past, that power is lost: wee must nowe please God by direction from the Gospell; namely, by faith in Christ and true repentance, together with a holy life (which must necessarilie accompanie true faith ⟨p. 66⟩and repentance) thus God is pleased. And this must we not deferre till our death; but doe it in our liues: nor can we looke to be inheritours of the kingdome of glory as now Henoch is: vnlesse before hand wee be in the kingdome of grace, by pleasing God as Henoch did. It is lamentable, to see men not care for saluation til death, and then they begin to please God: but alas, God will not be so pleased. They begin to learne how to please God, when they haue so long displeased him, as there is then feare they can neuer please him: but that man liueth and dieth with comfort, of whom it may be said as here of Henoch, before hee was taken away hee pleased God.
Again, whereas he came not in heaven till he pleased God; this discovers the madness of sinful men, who will look for heaven, and yet will leave no sin, but flatter themselves therein. But, let all impenitent men here take knowledge that they come not in heaven till they please God: let them therefore cease pleasing themselves and their corruptions, by living in sin, and learn to please God by a holy life.