A09376:663
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, for the manner of his calling, it is laid down in the Story of Genesis, to be in an earnest kind of Counsel, Go out, saith God, from thy kindred, and from thy Fathers house, unto the land that I will show thee: Where it is to be observed, he saith not barely Go, or come forth; but he amplifieth, and urgeth it with many words and circumstances.
Thirdly, for the manner of his calling, it is laied downe in the Storie of Genesis, to be in an earnest kinde of Counsell, Goe out, saith God, from thy kindred, and from thy Fathers house, vnto the land that I will shew thee: Where it is to be obserued, he saith not barely Goe, or come forth; but hee amplifieth, and vrgeth it with many wordes and circumstances.
If any ask why God did so, when he might have given the commandment in one word? I answer; the reason is, that Abraham might have cause more seriously to consider of Gods calling, and to imprint it more deeply in his heart; least at the first brunt he should have obeyed, and afterward have shrunk back. For, it is doubtless, that this calling was harsh to reason, and that Abraham found many hindrances, and therefore it were dangerous he would have started back after some trial of these difficulties he must pass through, if he had had but a bare call, & commandment to go. But when God saith to him, Go out of thy native Country, let it not stay ⟨p. 175⟩thee, that thou wast borne there; nor hinder thee, that thy kindred dwells there: but leave all, and come with me: forsake all and trust me, follow me into the land that I will show thee: I take thee from one, but I will give thee another: When God, I say, useth all these, and it may be, many more like words to Abraham, its apparent he would have him furnished with strength and resolution, to go through with his calling after he had once made entrance into it.
If any aske why God did so, when hee might haue giuen the commaundement in one word? I answer; the reason is, that Abraham might haue cause more seriously to consider of Gods calling, and to imprint it more deepely in his heart; least at the first brunt he should haue obayed, and afterward haue shrunk back. For, it is doubtlesse, that this calling was harsh to reason, and that Abraham found many hindrances, and therefore it were dangerous he would haue started back after som trial of these difficulties he must passe throgh, if he had had but a bare call, & commaundement to go. But when God saith to him, Goe out of thy natiue Country, let it not stay