A09376:937
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.
The use of this doctrine is for two sorts of people:
The vse of this doctrine is for two sorts of people:
First, many in our Church, being ignorant; when they are moved to learn religion, answer: Alas they are simple, or not book-learned, or they are dull, and heavy witted, or they be old and weak; and therefore they can learn nothing; or if they do, they cannot remember it. But here is nothing but vain excuses: For, they want not wit to learn religion, if they have wit to buy and sell, to know a fair day from a foul, good meat from ill, deer from cheap, Winter from Summer. If they have wit to practice the civill actions of the world, they have wit enough to conceive the grounds of religion, and to get so much knowledge as may suffice for a ground of that faith, which will save their souls: So that they want nothing, but grace and diligence to use the means. To them therefore here is matter of good advice. Let such a man learn but one promise of God out of the holy Scripture, as this; Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all things else shall be given unto you, Math. 6.33: or this; Cast all your care on him, for he careth for you, 1. Pet. 5.7: or this; He that cometh unto me, I cast him not away, John 6.37. or but this: Ask and ye shall have, seek and ye shall find, Math. 7. Let him learn but one of these, & when they have learned it, believe it, and let their souls daily feed on that faith; And they shall see what will follow: even a wonderful blessing upon that poor beginning. This their faith, will so content and please their hearts, that it will urge them forward to get more, and will make them both desirous, & capable of more knowledge and grace; and will make them even hunger and thirst after knowledge and grace: (whereas, he that knoweth no promise, nor believes it, contents himself in ignorance and error). And this shall every one find, that will carefully use the means that God appoints, and will begin to learn but one lesson at the first. For, as