A09376:345
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.
Thus both Scripture and plain demonstrations prove this to be true, That every man by nature denieth Gods presence, power, and justice; and therefore is by nature a plain Atheist, not believing that God is God ind•ede. Now furthermore, there are 4. sorts of people that put in practice this Atheism.
Thus both Scripture and plaine demonstrations proue this to be true, That euery man by nature denieth Gods presence, power, and iustice; and therfore is by nature a plaine Atheist, not beleeuing that God is God ind•ede. Now furthermore, there are 4. sorts of people that put in practice this Atheisme.
First, such as are not ashamed to say openly, Is there a God or no? and dare dispute the question, and at last avouch there ⟨p. 83⟩is none; but that all matters concerning God and his worship, are nothing but devises of politic men, to keep simple men in awe, and to make fools fain: but these themselves are fools of all fools, and the devil devised that impious conceit, to keep them in miserable blindness. There have been such fools in all ages: yet in old time, as David saith, These fools did but say in their hearts;1 But now the fools of these last & rotten ages, are ripe in their folly, and they dare say with their mouths: There is no God. These are Monsters in nature, and devils incarnate, worse then the devil himself, for he in judgement never was an Atheist. These are to be marked, & hated worse then Toads & Adders▪ and if such a one can be convicted by any lawful evidence, if ever Heretic or Traitor deserved death, such a one deserves ten deaths; as being a Traitor to God, to mankind, and to Nature her self. And though these wretches say there is no God: yet make they a God of themselves, sacrificing all their affections to their pleasure, and their profit.