A09376:824
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, let us observe, how God promising Abraham only the Land of Canaan, that is, a temporal inheritance; he looks further, for a City in heaven. This he did out of his faith; for he knowing that Canaan was but a type of heaven, therefore in consideration of the earthly Canaan, he arose to a consideration of the heavenly: and in the promise of the earthly, apprehended the heavenly. This is the true and Christian use of all Gods blessings, given in this life; in them to behold better things laid up in heaven, and shadowed in the other. Men use for their use, spectacles in reading: but they take no pleasure in looking upon them, but at other things by and through them: So should Christians, through all temporal blessings, look at spiritual and eternal, which are promised and shadowed under the temporal. Thus doth Christ himself teach us, in the very order of the Lords prayer: directing us to pray for temporal blessings first, in the fourth petition; and then for eternal, in the fifth and sixth: as though that the one were introductions and passages to the other. And this made the Prophets so ordinarily cover spiritual blessings under temporal, and put temporal deliverances, for spiritual, and confusedly oftentimes one for another; because that the holy men of the old Church, did never rest in view of any temporal promise, or blessing, but ascended to the contemplation of higher things in them. How ⟨p. 222⟩pitiful then is the practice of worldly men? who use Gods blessings so, as they daily abuse and pervert them; using meat to gluttony, raiment to pride, learning to vain-glory, speech to flattery, wit to deceit, authority to revenge, callings to oppression; whereas they are all given to be helps in Gods service, and furtherances in religion, and means to help us towards heaven. These men look at Gods gifts, with the eye of reason, and no further: but if they looked at them, with the eye of faith, as Abraham did; it would teach them to make a heavenly and spiritual use of them, as he did.
Thirdly, let vs obserue, how God promising Abraham only the Land of Canaan, that is, a temporall inheritance; hee lookes further, for a City in heauen. This he did out of his faith; for hee knowing that Canaan was but a type of heauen, therefore in consideration of the earthly Canaan, hee arose to a consideration of the heauenly: and in the promise of the earthly, apprehended the heauenly. This is the true and Christian vse of all Gods blessings, giuen in this life; in them to behold better things laid vp in heauen, and shadowed in the other. Men vse for their vse, spectacles in reading: but they take no pleasure in looking vpon them, but at other things by and through them: So should Christians, through all temporall blessings, looke at spirituall and eternall, which are promised and shadowed vnder the temporall. Thus doth Christ himselfe teach vs, in the very order of the Lords praier: directing vs to pray for temporall blessings first, in the fourth petition; and then for eternall, in the fift and sixt: as though that the one were introductions and passages to the other. And this made the Prophets so ordinarily couer spirituall blessings vnder temporall, and put temporall deliuerances, for spirituall, and confusedly oftentimes one for another; because that the holy men of the olde Church, did neuer rest in view of any temporall promise, or blessing, but ascended to the contemplation of higher things in them. How