A09376:311
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.
First, here we learn that faith is simply and absolutely necessary to salvation, and most necessary of all other gifts and graces of God whatsoever. And though many be required, yet amongst all holy graces this is the principal, and more necessary in some respects, then any other. For howsoever hope, and love, and zeal, and many other graces of God are required, to make the state of a Christian complete; and though they all have their several commendations in the word: Yet, of none of them all is it said in the whole Scripture, as it is here said ⟨p. 72⟩of faith, that without it, it is impossible to please God: And no marvel, for it is the root and ground of all other graces, and gives them their life and being: for therefore doth a man fear God, therefore doth he love God, therefore is he zealous for Gods glory, because he believeth that God loveth him in Christ the redeemer.
First, here wee learne that faith is simply and absolutely necessarie to saluation, and most necessary of all other giftes and graces of God whatsoeuer. And though many be required, yet amongst all holy graces this is the principall, and more necessarie in some respects, then any other. For howsoeuer hope, and loue, and zeale, and many other graces of God are required, to make the state of a Christian complete; and though they all haue their seuerall commendations in the word: Yet, of none of them all is it saide in the whole Scripture, as it is heere said ⟨p. 72⟩of faith, that without it, it is impossible to please God: And no meruaile, for it is the roote and ground of all other graces, and giues them their life and being: for therefore doth a man feare God, therefore doth he loue God, therefore is he zealous for Gods glory, because hee beleeueth that God loueth him in Christ the redeemer.
Now then if faith be thus necessary, then it followeth that those that live in ignorance, and so have no sound faith, but a foolish presumption, are in a miserable case: for how-ever they may flatter themselves with conceits of their devotions, and good meanings, and good intents; it is faith, with which they must please God, and nothing can without it. It stands them therefore in hand to lay-off ignorance and presumption, and labour for a sound and saving faith, and that will bring them to the favour of God.