A09376:876
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.
Shall we then seek to dwell in the cities of this world, and not labour to come to heaven? Are they any way excellent, wherein heaven is not much more to be desired? Are they beautiful, and is not it the beauty of the world? Read the 21. chapter of the Revelation, and suppose that the beauty of it were but outward, and worldly, and sensible to humane capacity; yet is it far more excellent, than ever any was in this world. And is not there the ⟨p. 234⟩company of the deity, of Christs humanity, of the holy Angels, and all good men? And is not there abundance of whatsoever belongs to perfect happiness? And is not there freedom from the devil, sin, and death? And is it not the Court of God, the King of glory? Then why do we not sigh and groan, and long to be free-men of this glorious city? And though we cannot come to it, as long as we live in this world; yet why do we not strive to come as near it as may be? In this world, when a man cannot dwell in the heart of a City, yet he will rather dwell in the suburbs, than he will not be near it; and being there, he knows he can soon steppe into the city. So let us in this life come as near heaven as we may; let us get into the suburbs and dwell there.
Shall we then seeke to dwell in the cities of this world, and not labour to come to heauen? Are they any way excellent, wherein heauen is not much more to be desired? Are they beautifull, and is not it the beauty of the world? Read the 21. chapter of the Reuelation, and suppose that the beauty of it were but outward, and worldly, and sensible to humane capacitie; yet is it farre more excellent, than euer any was in this world. And is not there the ⟨p. 234⟩company of the deitie, of Christs humanity, of the holy Angels, and all good men? And is not there aboundance of whatsoeuer belongs to perfect happinesse? And is not there freedome from the diuell, sinne, and death? And is it not the Court of God, the King of glory? Then why doe we not sigh and grone, and long to be free-men of this glorious citie? And though we cannot come to it, as long as wee liue in this world; yet why doe wee not striue to come as neere it as may bee? In this world, when a man cannot dwell in the heart of a Citie, yet he will rather dwell in the suburbs, than hee will not be neere it; and beeing there, he knowes he can soone steppe into the citie. So let vs in this life come as neere heauen as wee may; let vs get into the suburbs and dwell there.