A09376:980
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.
Secondly old persons must here learn S. Pauls lesson: 2. Corinth. 4. That as the outward man perisheth, so the inward man may be renewed daily. The outward man is the body: the inward man is the soul and the grace of God in it. They must therefore labour, that as the strength of their bodies decay, so the grace of GOD in their souls may quicken and revive. But alas, the common practice is contrary. For old men have generally so misspent their youths, and in their old age are partly so backward, partly so unfit to learn religion, that when they come to their death-beds, they are then to be Catechised in the very principles of religion: so that when as the body is half dead, religion hath no being in them; and when the body is a dying, religion and grace scarce begins to live in them: such men cast all upon a desperate point. But let them that desire a joyful departure, think of these things afore-hand: and as years draw on, and so draw life to his end, and the body to the grave; so let them wean their hearts from the world, and lift them up to GOD, and so spend their last days in getting knowledge, and in serving ⟨p. 260⟩God: that when their bodies are weakest and fittest for the earth, their souls may be the holiest, and ripest for heaven. To such men shall it never be discomfort to see their bodies half dead, when for recompense thereof, they find their souls half in heaven. Thus we see the root or foundation of this posterity, how poor and weak it was. Now let us come to the greatness of it.
Secondly olde persons must heere learne S. Pauls lesson: 2. Corinth. 4. That as the outward man perisheth, so the inward man may be renued daily. The outward man is the bodie: the inward man is the soule and the grace of God in it. They must therefore labour, that as the strength of their bodies decay, so the grace of GOD in their soules may quicken and reuiue. But alas, the common practice is contrarie. For olde men haue generally so misspent their youthes, and in their olde age are partly so backward, partly so vnfit to learne religion, that when they come to their death-beds, they are then to be Catechised in the very principles of religion: so that when as the body is halfe dead, religion hath no being in them; and when the body is a dying, religion and grace scarce begins to liue in them: such men cast all vpon a desperate point. But let them that desire a ioyfull departure, thinke of these thinges afore-hand: and as yeares draw on, and so draw life to his end, and the body to the graue; so let them weane their hearts from the world, and lift them vp to GOD, and so spend their last dayes in getting knowledge, and in seruing