A09376:898
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.
She was the wife of Abraham, the grand Patriarch of the Age betwixt the Flood, and the giving of the Law. And of her we read this story, amongst other, Gen. 18.13; God by his Angel appearing to her husband and her, made a promise, that within the year they should have a son; both heard it, and both laughed to hear it: Abraham in joy and admiration, and therefore was not reproved; she in doubtfulness, and a conceit of almost impossibility, and was for it sharply reproved of the Angel. Yet behold, this Sarah, that even now laughed to hear such a promise, as being a fond conceit, and mere impossible; yet afterward believeth, and in so good a measure, as her faith is here registered to all posterities.
Shee was the wife of Abraham, the grand Patriarch of the Age betwixt the Flood, and the giuing of the Lawe. And of her we read this storie, amongst other, Gen. 18.13; God by his Angel appearing to her husband and her, made a promise, that within the yeare they should haue a sonne; both heard it, and both laughed to heare it: Abraham in ioy and admiration, and therefore was not reproued; shee in doubtfulnesse, and a conceipt of almost impossibilitie, and was for it sharpely reprooued of the Angel. Yet behold, this Sarah, that euē now laughed to heare such a promise, as beeing a fond conceipt, and meere impossible; yet afterward beleeueth, and in so good a measure, as her faith is here registred to all posterities.
In her example, we may learn a good lesson. It was a bad thing in Sarah, to laugh at Gods word, though it seemed never so high above her conceit: But it was good & commendable, that she correcteth her fault, and testifieth her amendment, by believing. We all follow Sarahs fault; but few, her repentance. Many in our Church are mockers of our religion, and of the Ministers, and professors thereof: and all religion that standeth not with their humours, is no more regarded of them, than toys, or devises; and they are counted fools, or hypocrites that think otherwise. But alas, these men know not how vile a sin they commit, while they laugh at Gods word. For, if her fault was such, who laughed at that, that seemed to her almost impossible, and yet without any profaneness; what shall become of them, that out of their carnality, and fleshly profaneness do make but a sport at all Gods ordinances, promises, and commandments; and at all religion, more than serveth their own turn? Let such men be warned, to cease mocking, and lay aside reviling