A09376:412
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.
From hence, we may learn divers excellent instructions.
From hence, wee may learne diuers excellent instructions.
First, whereas God maketh choice of Noah, to reveal unto him his counsel, and his judgements to come; we learn that this is a prerogative which God bestoweth on such as fear him, he revealeth his counsels to them in a special manner, whether they be purposes of Judgements upon his enemies, or of mercies unto his Church. Thus dealt he with Abraham, Gen. 18.19. Shall I (saith God) hide from Abraham the thing that I will do? which thing was, the destruction of Sodom, and her sisters. And so when the Sodomites lived in wanton carelessness, and put far from them the evil day, then Abraham knew from God their destruction was at hand. And as in that, for is it generally true in all his great works: that the Lord God will do nothing, but he reveals his secrets to his servants the Prophets. Amos 3.7. Now this is not a prerogative of Prophets alone, or of such as were extraordinary men as Abraham was: but the secrets of the Lord are amongst such as fear him, Psalm 25.14. All that fear the holy name of God; are Gods friends, and of his Counsel: and therefore not Abraham only is called the friend of God, James 2.23: But of all true believers, saith Christ, John 15.14.15; You are my friends, If you ⟨p. 104⟩do what I command you: henceforth I call you not servants, but friends, for the servant knoweth not what his Master doth▪ but all things that I have heard of my Father, have I made known unto you As if he had said, I will communicate and impart my secrets unto you, as one friend doth unto another, as far as shall be fit for you to know. And the Apostle saith,