A09376:871
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 and lastly, let us observe the description of heaven, included in these two words, maker and builder. God made it, that is, it is one of his creatures; he made it as well as the rest: and he builded it; that is, (as the word signifieth) made it with art; or he bestowed skill and wisdom upon it. For, though we may not imagine any substantial difference betwixt these two words, for matter; yet in signification they differ: and so far we are to observe it.
Thirdly and lastly, let vs obserue the description of heauen, included in these two words, maker and builder. God made it, that is, it is one of his creatures; hee made it as well as the rest: and he builded it; that is, (as the word signifieth) made it with arte; or he bestowed skill and wisdome vpon it. For, though we may not imagine any substantiall difference betwixt these two words, for matter; yet in signification they differ: and so farre wee are to obserue it.
Here then we learn, that the third Heaven is like a piece of work, wherein an excellent workman hath spent his art, and showed his skill; that is, that the highest heaven is a most glorious place, and surpasseth all other creatures of God in glory and excellency, so far as therein shineth the glory, skill, and wisdom of the Creator, more than in any other creature. In which regard, it is no marvel though the Holy Ghost say in another place, That the eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, nor mans heart conceived, what God hath there prepared for them that love him: 1. Corinth. 2.9. And Saint Paul himself, though he had the honour to be taken up into this third heaven, and to see and hear the glory which is there; yet afterwards could not he express the glory he had seen. And this was figured in the Temple of Jerusalem, which was the mirror, and beauty of the world; for the building whereof, God both chose the skilfullest men, and endued them also, with extraordinary gifts: namely, Bezaleel and Aholiab. Now, as thereby that Temple was the most excellent piece of work that ever was in this world, made by man; so the highest heaven (which was mystically prefigured in Solomons Temple) is the most excellent of all the works of God.