A09376:901
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.
I answer: It is not so, but the contrary, as I will prove. For, Sarah was no Infidel, utterly to deny and gain-say Gods word, when she heard it: but only finding it in all reason, impossible, she therefore presently yielded not to it, but laughed at it as a matter past ordinary course, yet withal she regarded who spake it: namely God, and therefore forthwith, judged it possible with God, though impossible in reason, and so at last constantly believed it, yet still her reason gain-saying it: so that she never doubted so, but that she in some part believed it. And when she believed it most steadfastly, yet she something doubted of it: reason said it could not be, faith said it might be. Therefore as when reason over-ruling, yet she had some sparks of faith: So, when her faith was predominant, there remained some relics of doubting: for, as reason cannot overthrow true faith; so the best faith in this world, cannot fully vanquish reason.
I answere: It is not so, but the contrary, as I will proue. For, Sarah was no Infidell, vtterly to denie and gaine-say Gods word, when shee heard it: but onely finding it in all reason, impossible, shee therefore presently yeelded not to it, but laughed at it as a matter past ordinary course, yet withall she regarded who spake it: namely God, and therefore forthwith, iudged it possible with God, though impossible in reason, and so at last constantly beleeued it, yet stil her reason gaine-saying it: so that she neuer doubted so, but that she in some part beleeued it. And when she beleeued it most stedfastly, yet shee something doubted of it: reason saide it could not be, faith saide it might be. Therefore as when reason ouer-ruling, yet shee had some sparkes of faith: So, when her faith was predominant, there remained some reliques of doubting: for, as reason cannot ouerthrowe true faith; so the best faith in this world, cannot fully vanquish reason.
This is the doctrine of Gods word, Mark 9.24. Jesus bidding the father of the child possessed, to believe, and then his child should be dispossessed: he answered, crying with tears, Lord I believe, help my unbelief. There is faith and unbelief in one soul at one time, in one action, upon one object: and what is unbelief, but doubting or worse?