A09376:992
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.
Concerning these two comparisons, let us observe the manner or the phrase of speech in them used:
Concerning these two comparisons, let vs obserue the manner or the phrase of speech in them vsed:
Secondly, the matter in them intended.
For the first, we are to know, that the speech is not proper, but figurative: For properly, they were not as many as the stars, or as the sands: neither are the stars or sands innumerable: but it is a figure called by the Rhetoricians [Greek or Hebrew], which is an excess of fineness of speech, or an excessive elegance. And as it is ordinary in all Writers, and even in common speech: so it is not refused by the holy Ghost, but used both here, and in the two forenamed places: and the like also of the same nature (but in other phrases) in other places, as Saint John, 21.25. I suppose, saith he, if all the sayings and doings of Christ were written, the world could not contain the books that would be written. Meaning, they would be exceeding many, and more then would be needful for salvation. And Deuteronomy, 9. verse 1. Moses saith, That the Cities of the Canaanites were great, and walled up to heaven. Meaning, that they were very high, and so high as was possible for ⟨p. 263⟩Cities walls to be, and as was impossible to have been scaled in all mens reason, had not GOD fought for them.
For the first, wee are to knowe, that the speech is not proper, but figuratiue: For properly, they were not as manie as the starres, or as the sands: neither are the starres or sands innumerable: but it is a figure called by the Rhetoricians , which is an excesse of finenesse of speech, or an excessiue elegancie. And as it is ordinarie in all Writers, and euen in common speech: so it is not refused by the holy Ghost, but vsed both heere, and in the two forenamed places: and the like also of the same nature (but in other phrases) in other places, as Saint