A09376:467
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.
And as God dealt with them, so will he one way or other do with us: if we be his servants, he will at some time of our life or other, lay some such affliction upon us, as may try us, and our faith, and our patience, and our humility. For if we be hypocrites, and have no true graces, but only a show; this will discover it: and if we have true and sound faith, and patience; this will make them shine like orient pearls in their true and perfect beauty.
And as God dealt with them, so will he one way or other doe with vs: if wee be his seruants, hee will at some time of our life or other, lay some such affliction vpon vs, as may try vs, and our faith, and our patience, and our humility. For if we be hypocrites, and haue no true graces, but onely a shew; this will discouer it: and if we haue true and sound faith, and patience; this will make them shine like orient pearles in their true and perfect beauty.
Secondly, as God bad Noah build an Ark so long time before any need of it; so he did, without denying or gainsaying. So saith the story (in Genesis): He did according to all that God commanded him. And thus the holy Ghost saith here, He being warned of God, by faith prepared the Ark: Where we learn, That where true faith is, there followeth true obedience to every commandment of God: insomuch as a godly believing man no sooner heareth any duty to be commanded of God, but he thinks his soul and conscience is tied to obedience: and this is the nature of true faith. And it is as impossible to be otherwise, as it is for fire having fuel not to burn. Acts 15.9. Faith purifieth the heart; ⟨p. 122⟩namely, from careless disobedience to Gods word: for if from any corruption at all, then from it especially, because it is most contrary to the pureness of true faith.
Secondly, as God bad Noah build an Arke so long time before any neede of it; so he did, without denying or gainesaying. So saith the story (in Genesis): He did according to all that God commaunded him. And thus the holy Ghost saith here, He being warned of God, by faith prepared the Arke: Where we learne, That where true faith is, there followeth true obedience to euery commaundement of God: insomuch as a godly beleeuing man no sooner heareth any duty to be commaunded of God, but hee thinks his soule and conscience is tied to obedience: and this is the nature of true faith. And it is as impossible to be otherwise, as it is for fire hauing fewell not to burne.