A09376:62
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.
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 ⟨p. 11⟩to stand & continue in al assaults. So, Heb. 3.14, Faith is that, whereby a beleeuer is sustained & vpholden: 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 spirituall strength.
This consideration hath divers comfortable uses: but especially two: 1. When any of us are out of the reach of a temptation, so long are we confident of our own strength. But when we are assaulted by the devil, the world, and our own flesh: then we shall find, that to resist is a harder matter then we dreamed of: for, as possible as it is for water to burn, or fire to put out it self: so possible is it for us of our selves to resist sin; insomuch, as it is a thousand to one, but that at every assault our nature yields. Now if it be so hard to rule over one sin, how shall we do against that sea of temptations, that overwhelmeth a Christian life? this doctrine teacheth thee how: namely, to stick to thy faith, and it will do it for thee: for if it be the substance of the things thou hopest for, which yet never were: much more will it yield unto thee spiritual strength & substance, to make thee stand in all temptations. When thou art tempted, then call to mind Gods promises, believe them, that is, apply them to thy self, and be resolved that they were made, & shall be performed even to thee: then though thou have no more power of thy self, then fire hath to cease to burn; yet whilst thou doest thus, thou shalt feel thy soul spiritually strengthened against all temptations: &, feeling the experience of this, deny then thine own strength, & magnify the power that God hath given unto true faith.