A09376:927
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.
But let us come to personal promises, as hers was (for this is general): God hath promised grace and pardon to every penitent and believing soul; yet no man is partaker of the sweetness hereof, without the bitterness of many temptations to the contrary, giving him occasions of doubting, and often even of despairing of Gods favour. What must a man do in this case? even believe, though he feel no reason why to believe; and hope above hope. Such was Abraham's and Sarahs faith. And for it, as they were registered in the Story of Genesis: so both here and in the Romans, Chap. 4. remembered again, and commended for it. Now, suppose that thou, after thy coming to God by faith & repentance, fall into temptations of desertion, wherein to thy feeling, Gods heavy hand & wrath hath seized on thee, & the devil layeth thy sins to thy charge, & tells thee thou art a damned wretch, for thou wert ever an hypocrite, and never hadst faith, & that therefore God is thy enemy; In this case, wherein, in reason or in feeling, there is not the least hope of salvation: what must thou do, despair? God forbid. For, that is the downfall into hell. No, but hope when there is no hope, keep faith when there is no feeling.
But let vs come to personall promises, as hers was (for this is generall): God hath promised grace and pardon to euery penitent and beleeuing soule; yet no man is partaker of the sweetnesse hereof, without the bitternesse of many temptations to the contrary, giuing him occasions of doubting, and often euen of despairing of Gods fauour. What must a man doe in this case? euen beleeue, though he feele no reason why to beleeue; and hope aboue hope. Such was Abrahams and Sarahs faith. And for it, as they were registred in the Storie of Genesis: so both here and in the Romanes, Chap. 4. remembred againe, and commended for it. Now, suppose that thou, after thy comming to God by faith & repentance, fall into temptations of desertion, wherein to thy feeling, Gods heauy hand & wrath hath seized on thee, & the diuell layeth thy sins to thy charge, & tels thee thou art a damned wretch, for thou wert euer an hypocrite, and neuer hadst faith, & that therfore God is thy enemy; In this case, wherein, in reason or in feeling, there is not the least hope of saluation: what must thou doe, despaire? God forbid. For, that is the downfall into hell. No, but hope when there is no hope, keepe faith when there is no feeling.