A09376:573
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.
I answer; It were so, if they were perfectly sanctified in their regeneration: but they are sanctified but in part, and it is not perfect until death: Object. 1. Thess. 5.23. We are sanctified throughout, spirit, soul, and body. If all those, what then remains unsanctified? therefore our sanctification is perfect. I answer: It is perfect in parts, but not in measure nor degree. As a child is a perfect man in all the parts of a man, but not in the quantity of any part: So a child of God is perfectly sanctified in all parts, but not ⟨p. 152⟩in the measure of any part, until flesh, and mortality, and corruption have an end.
I answere; It were so, if they were perfectly sanctified in their regeneration: but they are sanctified but in part, and it is not perfect vntill death: Obiect. 1. Thess. 5.23. We are sanctified throughout, spirit, soule, and body. If all those, what then remaines vnsanctified? therefore our sanctification is perfect. I answere: It is perfect in parts, but not in measure nor degree. As a childe is a perfect man in all the parts of a man, but not in the quantitie of anie part: So a childe of God is perfectly sanctified in all parts, but not ⟨p. 152⟩in the measure of any part, vntill flesh, and mortality, and corruption haue an end.
Secondly, some may object: The virgin Mary sinned not: I answer: so teacheth indeed the Church of Rome, that she never sinned, that her life was free from sin actual, and her conception from sin original. But so taught neither the Scripture nor Gods Church: but, contrariwise, it is more then manifest, she was a sinner. For first, she confesseth her soul rejoiced in God her Saviour: but if she were no sinner, she stood in need of no Saviour. Again, she died: but if she had not sinned, she should in Justice not have died. For death entered by sin: and where no sin is, there death is not due. Thus no man can be righteous by the perfect righteousness of the law, in himself.