A09376:368
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, if God be a rewarder of them that seek him, then not of them that seek him not. Who seek not God? wicked and ungodly men, seek him not, but rather seek to avoid him, and his service: this sentence therefore is heavy against ⟨p. 91⟩them. For, when they hear it, their conscience answereth, But we seek not God; Therefore we can look for no reward from him. Doest thou seek the world? then must the world be thy rewarder: Doest thou seek to please thy self? then must thou reward thy self. And if thou wilt please the devil by living in sin, then must he be thy paymaster: alas! pitiful and fearful will these rewards be.
First, if God be a rewarder of them that seeke him, then not of them that seeke him not. Who seeke not God? wicked and vngodly men, seeke him not, but rather seeke to auoide him, and his seruice: this sentence therefore is heauie against ⟨p. 91⟩them. For, when they heare it, their conscience answereth, But wee seeke not God; Therefore wee can looke for no reward from him. Doest thou seeke the world? then must the world be thy rewarder: Doest thou seeke to please thy selfe? then must thou reward thy selfe. And if thou wilt please the diuell by liuing in sinne, then must hee be thy paymaister: alas! pitifull and fearefull will these rewards be.
Again, if God reward none but them that seek him: here appears the reason why so many Papists die in our religion, and (with us) cleave to Christs merits alone, when they come to die; because their conscience then tells them, that by their pilgrimages, relics, will-worships, and many more of their courses (ordinary in Popery) they did never seek God, but themselves & their own honour, gain, and credit; and full well knew they that there is no reward due for such service: and therefore by their practice they make it a true saying, that It is good living a Papist, but dying a Protestant.
Againe, if God reward none but them that seeke him: here appeares the reason why so many Papists die in our religion, and (with vs) cleaue to Christes merits alone, when they come to die; because their conscience then tells them, that by their pilgrimages, reliques, will-worships, and manie more of their courses (ordinarie in Poperie) they did neuer seeke God, but themselues & their owne honour, gaine, and credite; and full well knew they that there is no reward due for such seruice: and therefore by their practice they make it a true saying, that It is good liuing a Papist, but dying a Protestant.