A09376:865
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.
First, in that the third heaven, which never was seen with the eye of man, is here positively affirmed to be made by God: We learn, that therefore it is one of Gods creatures; and not eternal, as some hold, and go about to prove, thus: God is eternal; but he must be in some place: and heaven is the seat and place of God; therefore it is coeternal with God. But I answer, from Gods word; that though heaven be the seat and throne of Gods glory, and where he manifesteth, and magnifieth his glory; yet is it not the place of his substance and being, for that is infinite, and incomprehensible: and it is against the Christian faith, to imagine the Godhead to be comprehended or contained in any place. 1. Kings, 8.27, The heavens, yea the heavens of heavens cannot comprehend thee, O Lord; how much more unable is this house that I have built?
First, in that the third heauen, which neuer was seene with the eie of man, is here positiuely affirmed to be made by God: Wee learne, that therefore it is one of Gods creatures; and not eternall, as some hold, and goe about to prooue, thus: God is eternall; but hee must bee in some place: and heauen is the seate and place of God; therefore it is coeternall with God. But I answere, from Gods word; that though heauen bee the seate and throne of Gods glory, and where hee manifesteth, and magnifieth his glory; yet is it not the place of his substance and beeing, for that is infinite, and incomprehensible: and it is against the Christian faith, to imagine the Godhead to bee comprehended or contained in any place. 1. Kings, 8.27, The heauens, yea the heauens of heauens cannot comprehend thee, O Lord; how much more vnable is this house that I haue built?
Nor is it material, that we know not on what day it was created; or that it is not named amongst the works of the creation. For the same is true of the Angels also: and it pleased Gods wisdom, for special causes, to name no creatures particularly in the creation, but visible; whereas we know, both from our Creeds, and Gods word it self, that he is the creator of all things both visible and invisible. Therefore, though we know not what day the third heaven was made; yet is it sufficient, that here is