A09376:553
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.
The Prophets preached two ways, in word, & in action.
The Prophets preached two wayes, in word, & in action.
For, beside their Verbal preaching, and delivering of Gods word, they preached in their lives and actions; especially in such actions as were extraordinary. And such was Noah's building of the Ark: it was an actual preaching; yea, every stroke upon the Ark, was a loud Sermon, to the eyes and ears of that wicked world. For, by making it, he signified some should be saved, and the rest drowned: namely, all that would believe and repent, should be saved in it; and all that would not, should (out of it) be drowned: & because they believed not this, therefore by it he condemned them. From this ground we may learn•:
For, beside their Verball preaching, and deliuering of Gods word, they preached in their liues and actions; especially in such actions as were extraordinarie. And such was Noahs building of the Arke: it was an actuall preaching; yea, euery stroke vpon the Arke, was a loud Sermon, to the eyes and eares of that wicked world. For, by making it, he signified some should be saued, and the rest drowned: namely, all that would beleeue and repent, should be saued in it; and all that would not, shold (out of it) be drowned: & because they beleeued not this, therefore by it he condemned them. From this ground we may learn•:
First, that a man may be a true and sincere Minister, lawfully called by God and his Church, and yet not turn many unto God, nor by his Ministry bring many to repentance. For here Noah a Prophet called immediately, yet in 120. years preaching both in word and action, he cannot turn one to faith and repentance. A most fearful thing, if we well consider it, that both by preaching and making the Ark, he should not turn one of the sons of Lamech, Methuselah, or Enoch, to believe him: but that they should all rather choose to be misled in the general vanity of that wicked world, then to serve God with Noah. This was a most discomfortable thing unto him as could be, yet this hath been the case and lot of many holy Prophets: Isaiah must go and preach unto them, and yet his doctrine must harden their hearts, that they may not be saved, Isaiah 6.10. And Ezekiel must go and speak, and yet is told aforehand, they will not hear him, nor repent,