A09376:489
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.
Here we learn, first, the special and extraordinary presence, and providence of God over his children in great distresses and extremities. His providence is over all his works, for he forgets nothing that he made: but the special eye of his providence watcheth over his children; as a Master of a family hath an eye over his meanest servants, yea over his very cattle: but his care night and day is for his children. And as God overlooketh all his children always: so principally his providence showeth it self, when they are in the deepest dangers, or in the greatest want of natural helps. When Daniel was cast into the Lions den, God was there with him, and shut their mouths, Daniel 6.22. When the three children were cast into the fiery furnace, God was with them, and took away the natural force from the fire: Daniel 3.27. When the Israelites were to pass through the sea, or else die (a hard shift) God was with them, & made the sea give place to his children, and stand like two walls on either side them, Exodus 14.22. When they were to wander through the wide wilderness, through so many dangers and discomforts as Deserts do afford, Christ was with them, and waited upon them with his continual comfort and assistance, ⟨p. 128⟩Corinth. 10.4. And so when Noah was to go into the Ark, and (being in) must have the door shut, and closed upon him; his ca•e pitiful. For, do it himself he could not; it both being so bi•ge, that Elephants and Camels must en•er in at it: and though he could have pulled it to; yet being within, he could never have sufficiently closed it from the water: Nor would any other of that wicked world do it for him: they did not owe him so much love or service, but rather mocked him, & laughed at him: as first, for making the Ark; so now for entering in, when he knew not how to have it closed. How should he do? himself could not, others would not. God himself with his own hand shut it for him. And after, when he was in, and was in danger to be thrown upon the rocks, and to be split in pieces on the hills, and had no Anchor, no stern, no Pilot, no Master; God himself was with him, and was all in all unto him. The eye of his love, and the hand of his power was over him, and so the Ark saved him and his household.