A09376:355
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.
Secondly, he that will seek God aright (when he hath lost himself) must hunger in his heart and soul, not after wealth and honours, ease, or pleasures; but after the favour and mercy of God in Christ, for the forgiveness of his sins: and one drop of Christs blood, to wash away the guilt and stain of his defiled and sinful soul, must be dearer to him then all the pomp and glory of ten worlds. Look how a hungry soul hungers after meat, and a fainty soul thirsteth after drink; so must his soul hunger after Gods mercy, and thirst for Christs blood: and these are necessary. For, as a man that undertakes a long journey, must be provided of meat and drink; so he that undertakes the journey to go seek the Lord, must have this provision for the diet of his poor soul, Gods mercies and Christs merits: and he that seeks, without a soul hungering after these, may seek long and find nothing.
Secondly, he that will seeke God aright (when hee hath lost himselfe) must hunger in his heart and soule, not after wealth and honours, ease, or pleasures; but after the fauour and mercy of God in Christ, for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes: and one drop of Christes bloud, to wash away the guilt and staine of his defiled and sinfull soule, must be dearer to him then all the pompe and glory of tenne worlds. Looke how a hungry soule hungers after meate, and a faintie soule thirsteth after drinke; so must his soule hunger after Gods mercy, and thirst for Christs bloud: and these are necessary. For, as a man that vndertakes a long iourney, must be prouided of meate and drinke; so hee that vndertakes the iourney to goe seeke the Lord, must haue this prouision for the diet of his poore soule, Gods mercies and Christes merits: and he that seeks, without a soule hungring after these, may seeke long and finde nothing.
Thirdly, if he will truly seek God, he must not go in every path; but take the true & living way, which Christ hath consecrated by his blood: nor take any guide, but trust to Christs spirit alone to be his guide: nor make many mediators or messengers to God, but make Christ alone to God the Father. We must therefore go to him, and yield up our selves to be taught and guided by him, & leave our suit to be preferred by him; we must not look to come to God, by running on pilgrimages to this or that Saints picture, or bones: or to our Lady of Loreto. Many have sought God in these, but who ever found him? Nay, alas thou mayest lodge in her forged tabernacle at Loreto all thy life, and lie