A09376:350
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 then, to shut up this point with the use thereof: If this be true, that there are so many sorts of Atheists, that almost the world is full, and that we are all so by nature: then, first let us see how hard a matter it is to believe in God aright, and if no man come to God, but he that believeth God aright, then we see its no marvel, though so few come to God. Let ⟨p. 85⟩us therefore go to God by earnest prayer, to give us his spirit to work true faith in our hearts, and to make us of a true belief. And secondly, seeing men may be Christians in profession, and Atheists in practice; let us all look narrowly to our selves, and join, with our profession, Conscience and obedience: for else the more we know God, the worse we are. It may please God after to give us better minds; but as yet we are no better then deniers of God: and though we come near God in profession and in his outward service, yet indeed we are far from him, because we want that true faith, which must profess God, not in judgement alone, but in practice; and that will bring us near unto God: for he that cometh to God, must believe that God is. And thus much for the first thing to be believed, by him that will come to God and please him.
Now then, to shut vp this point with the vse thereof: If this be true, that there are so many sorts of Atheists, that almost the world is full, and that we are all so by nature: then, first let vs see how hard a matter it is to beleeue in God aright, and if no man come to God, but he that beleeueth God aright, then we see its no maruel, though so fewe come to God. Let ⟨p. 85⟩vs therefore go to God by earnest prayer, to giue vs his spirit to worke true faith in our hearts, and to make vs of a true beliefe. And secondly, seeing men may be Christians in profession, and Atheists in practice; let vs all looke narrowly to our selues, and ioyne, with our profession, Conscience and obedience: for else the more we know God, the worse we are. It may please God after to giue vs better mindes; but as yet we are no better then deniers of God: and though wee come neere God in profession and in his outward seruice, yet indeede we are farre from him, because wee want that true faith, which must professe God, not in iudgement alone, but in practice; and that will bring vs neere vnto God: for hee that commeth to God, must beleeue that God is. And thus much for the first thing to be beleeued, by him that will come to God and please him.