A09376:451
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, the consideration of Gods strange Judgement upon the sinful world; to see that his wrath was so provoked, that he should bring so unwonted a plague: so strange both for the nature of it; a flood of water to drown men: whereas generally all men can avoid the violence of that element; & for the measure of it, so great, as it should drown all the world, and destroy all men.
First, the consideration of Gods strange Iudgement vpon the sinfull world; to see that his wrath was so prouoked, that he should bring so vnwonted a plague: so strange both for the nature of it; a floud of water to drowne men: whereas generally all men can auoide the violence of that element; & for the measure of it, so great, as it should drown all the world, and destroy all men.
Now, that which this Judgement of God wrought in Noah, the same effect should Gods Judgements work in us; namely, they should move us with reverence. For, as Christ saith, Our days are like Noah's: As it was in the days of ⟨p. 116⟩Noah; so shall the days be before the coming of Christ (Matthew 24.37). These days are as wicked, men are as covetous, as cruel, as malicious, as voluptuous, and yet as secure, as they then were; as full of sin, and yet as dead in sin as they were then. Therefore Noah looked for a flood 120. years after: and who can tell whether our world shall last so long a time or no? At least we may safely say (whatsoever the world doth) there is no man liveth, but within far less time then 120. years, is assured to be thrown to hell by a flood of Gods wrath at his death, unless in the mean time he repent: and yet alas where is he that is moved with reverence at consideration hereof? The wicked man may escape the water of a flood: but he cannot scape the fire of hell, he cannot escape death, he cannot escape the last Judgement. These are to come, yet they are sure: why then do not men fear as Noah did? he feared, 120. years afore it came. We can indeed tremble a little at a present Judgement: as, when fire breaks out, when waters overflow, when the plague destroyeth, or when famine consumes: but to tremble at a Judgement threatened, though it be afar off, this is the work of true faith. This was in Noah, & wrought in him a reverence: and so would it in us, if it were in us. When men cry fire, fire; we stir, we run, we tremble: but God crieth in his word, the fire of hell, the fire of his wrath; and we care not, we stir not, we leave not our sins, we are not moved with reverence, as Noah was: therefore it is more then manifest, that holy faith is wanting in the world, which Noah had.