A09376:535
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.
Secondly, in that the whole world that then was, was thus destroyed and condemned, and (as we heard afore) only Noah and his household saved; we learn that it is not good, nor safe to follow the multitude. Noah was here a man alone, he held and believed against all the world, and yet his judgement, and his belief was true, and all the worlds false: and (accordingly) he saved, when they were all condemned.
Secondly, in that the whole world that then was, was thus destroyed and condemned, and (as wee heard afore) onely Noah and his houshold saued; wee learne that it is not good, nor safe to follow the multitude. Noah was here a man alone, he held and beleeued against all the world, and yet his iudgement, and his beliefe was true, and all the worlds false: and (accordingly) he saued, when they were all condemned.
It is marvel therefore the Church of Rome should so much stand upon numbers and multitude, for the gracing of of their religion: For, it ever was, and ever will be a weak argument. If multitudes might ever have been alleged; then unto Noah especially, to whom it might have been said, Who art thou that pretendest to be wiser then all men? and to know more then all the world? Thou that hast a faith by thy self, and hast no man to bear thee company; think not that all Adams posterity, all the children of holy Enoch, and Methusalem are all deceived, but thy self alone? Would not these and such like objections, have discouraged any man? Yet behold the force of faith. Noah had Gods word for it, and therefore believeth against all the world, and is commended to all ages for this faith. It is therefore but a vain flourish of the Papists, to press us so much with their multitudes, and universality, and consent, and unity, and succession, & continuance. For, all this is worth nothing, as long as they first prove not, that that doctrine or opinion which these multitudes hold, hath his ground from Gods word: ⟨p. 143⟩till then, all the other is vanity. For, it is better with Noah, to have Gods plain word of his side, then to believe otherwise with all the world; which was here deceived & condemned, when Noah alone believed Gods word, and was saved.