A09376:499
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, for the Propagation and multiplication of the world after the flood. If any object, Noah and his wife might have served for that end: I answer, they were old; for he was 600. years old, when the flood came: and though he lived 300. years after the flood (Genesis, 9.28); Yet read we not of any children that he had. If any further object; The first world was begun, and multiplied by two alone, Adam & Eve, & no more: why then should there be so many for the beginning of the second world? I answer: God did so in the beginning, to show that all mankind came of one blood (Acts. 17.26); and that in regard of body or birth, there is no difference originally betwixt man and man: which also was observed even in the second beginning For, though the world was multiplied by three brethren, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: Yet those three were not strangers, but all sons to one man Noah: so that as at first by Adam and Eve; so after, from Noah and his wife came all men in the world. But in the beginning of the second world, there must needs be more lines then one; because now the blessed seed was promised, whose line and kindred must needs be kept ⟨p. 132⟩distinct from all other, until his incarnation. Again, there was more cause now why the world should be speedily replenished then at the beginning. For, first the earth had some glory and beauty left it after the first curse; so that it was still a most pleasant and delightful habitation to Adam and Eve. But now by the second curse in the flood, all her beauty was gone, she and all her glory was overrun, spoiled, and defaced; so that it had been a miserable habitation for Noah and his wife, if they had been without company. Secondly, the earth being much defaced, and the virtue of it almost quite perished by the flood, had now more need to be recovered, by the hands and help of many mens labours. And to this purpose, the Scripture saith, Gen. 9.19. & 10.32. that the earth was divided amongst the three sons of Noah. And they lived not all together, but overspread the earth. And least the beasts, which then were many, should overgrow the world, therefore God would have the earth speedily replenished, & to that end Noah & his wife: had never a servant in the Ark, but only such as should have children; their 3. sons and their wives.