A09376:57
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.
Thirdly, here we learn how to behave our selves in a strange temptation, whereby God useth to exercise his children. The Lord, after that he hath received his children into his favour, continueth not always to manifest that favour unto them; but often times pulls back the feeling of it for a time; that afterward, he may show it again in more comfortable manner unto them, and that they may afterward more sensibly feel it, and more earnestly love it, and more carefully labour to keep it, when they have it.
Thirdly, here wee learne how to behaue our selues in a strange temptation, whereby God vseth to exercise his children. The Lord, after that he hath receiued his children into his fauour, cōtinueth not alwaies to manifest that fauour vnto them; but often times puls back the feeling of it for a time; that afterward, hee may shew it againe in more comfortable manner vnto them, and that they may afterward more sensibly feele it, and more earnestly loue it, and more carefully labour to keepe it, when they haue it.
Now for the time of this eclipse of the favour of God, he not only darkeneth his love, but makes them feel also such ⟨p. 9⟩a measure of his wrath, as that they will often think themselves castaways from the favour of God. David and Jo• were often exercised with this temptation, as appeareth by their most lamentable & bitter complaints: yea, David doubts not, Psal. 77.9, to challenge the Lord, that he hath forgotten to be gracious, and hath shut up his loving kindness in displeasure. And Job, chap. 13.26, complains to the Lord, that He writeth bitter things against him, and makes him to possess the sins of his youth; words, as it may seem, of men forsaken of God: and indeed so for that time they thought of themselves. If it please the Lord thus to deal with us, so as we feel nothing else but his wrath wrestling with our consciences, neither can think otherwise by present feeling, but that God hath forsaken us; what should we do in this pitiful case? should we despair, as reason would bid us? no, but take this course: Call to mind Gods merciful promises, and his ancient former love; and cast thy self upon that love, though thou canst not feel it: When thou hast most cause to despair, then labour against it: When thou hast no reason to believe, then believe with all thy power. For, remember the power & prerogative of thy faith: It believes not things that are, & manifestly appear, so much as such things that are not, & have no being. So then, when Gods favour seems to be lost, and to have no being to thee, then is Gods favour a fit object for thy faith, which believes those things that are not. Let all the devils in hell set themselves against thy poor soul, and if thou holdest fast this faith, they cannot all make thee sink under it: for when the devil saith, Thou hast lost Gods favour; by faith a man answereth, though Gods favour be lost unto my feeling, yet to my faith it is not: My faith gives it a being, & so long (say what thou wilt) I will never fear that it is lost. When God pulls back his favour, and fights against thee with his wrath; do as Jacob did,