A09376:615
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 second point is, that faith alone, and no other virtue, nor spiritual power in mans soul, is able to do this. And this may be proved by comparing it with all the principal virtues of the soul: for, amongst all, there are none that may come into comparison with faith, but hope and love: both which, especially love, have their several and special excellencies: yet have neither of them, nor both of them this virtue to apprehend and apply Christs righteousness. The property of love, is to extend it self, and with it self to carry many passions or affections of the heart, and to place them upon the thing that is loved: yet cannot love be said properly to apprehend Christ; for he must needs be apprehended, before he can be loved. And the proper action of Hope, is to wait, and expect for a blessing to come: so, hope waits for salvation, but properly apprehends it not. For, salvation must first be believed, and then hoped or expected: so saith Jeremiah, Lament. 3.26, It is good both to trust and to wait for the salvation of the Lord: To trust, that is, to believe assuredly it will come (there is the action of faith) and to wait till it do come (that is the action of Hope). Thus we see the several natures, and actions, of these two worthy virtues. But the proper action of faith, is to apprehend and lay hold on Christ, ⟨p. 164⟩and his righteousness, and to apply them to a mans own soul: and that being done, then come Love and Hope, & do their duties: And so, though love last longer then faith doth, yet faith is afore love, and makes the way for it.
The second point is, that faith alone, and no other vertue, nor spirituall power in mans soule, is able to doe this. And this may be proued by comparing it with all the principall vertues of the soule: for, amongst all, there are none that may come into comparison with faith, but hope and loue: both which, especially loue, haue their seuerall and special excellencies: yet haue neither of them, nor both of them this vertue to apprehend and apply Christes righteousnesse. The property of loue, is to extend it selfe, and with it selfe to carie manie passions or affections of the heart, and to place them vpon the thing that is loued: yet cannot loue be said properly to apprehend Christ; for he must needes be apprehended, before he can be loued. And the proper action of Hope, is to waite, and expect for a blessing to come: so, hope waites for saluation, but properly apprehends it not. For, saluation must first be beleeued, and then hoped or expected: so saith Ieremie,