A09376:61
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.
Objection. But it seemeth, doubting is a part, or at least a companion of faith, for we doubt as well as believe: & who is so faithful that doubteth not? Answer. We do so: but what then? we should not; for God commands us to believe, & not to doubt: therefore to believe, because it is commanded of God, is a virtue: and if it be a virtue, then to doubt is a vice; faith & doubting are both in a good man, but faith is a work of grace and of the spirit. Doubting is a work of the flesh, & a piece of the corruption of the old man.
Obiection. But it seemeth, doubting is a part, or at least a companion of faith, for we doubt as wel as beleeue: & who is so faithful that doubteth not? Answer. We do so: but what then? we should not; for God cōmands vs to beleeue, & not to doubt: therefore to beleeue, because it is commanded of God, is a vertue: and if it be a vertue, then to doubt is a vice; faith & doubting are both in a good man, but faith is a work of grace and of the spirit. Doubting is a work of the flesh, & a piece of the corruption of the old man.
Fifthly, if faith be a substance of things hoped for, much more is it a substance to the believer: if it give those things a being which a•e out of him, much more doth it give a permanent being unto the believer himself, strengthening him ⟨p. 11⟩to stand & continue in all assaults. So, Heb. 3.14, Faith is that, whereby a believer is sustained & upholden: so that indeed we may fitly say; Faith is the spiritual substance, and the spiritual strength of a Christian man: and according to the measure of his faith, such is the measure of his spiritual strength.
Fiftly, if faith be a substance of things hoped for, much more is it a substance to the beleeuer: if it giue those things a being which a•e out of him, much more doth it giue a permanent being vnto the beleeuer himselfe, strengthning him