A09376:997
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.
First, that therefore Rhetoric is a warrantable, good, and lawful Art; and it ariseth thus: That which the holy Ghost practiceth, must needs be not only not evil, but good and warrantable. But the holy Ghost useth and practiceth Rhetoric, here and in many places else of the Scripture. Therefore it is a good and lawful Art. The proposition is undoubted, the assumption is clear both by these places, and almost the whole body of the Scripture: many of Saint Pauls Epistles, many of Christs own Sermons, Saint Johns Gospel, many of the Prophets, especially Esayah have as much and as elegant Rhetoric in them, as any Writers in the world; and, beside all other virtue and Divine power in them, do even for figures and ornaments of Art, match any Orators, that have written in the Greeks or Latins. Nor would it be any hard task to undertake to prove, and illustrate every ⟨p. 264⟩approved rule of Rhetoric, out of some part of Scripture. Now if it be lawful to practice the rules of Rhetoric, then is it lawful also to collect those rules together, to pen them, and to make an Art of them. They therefore that holding the contrary, do say, or teach, or write, it is unlawful, go against the stream, and common practice of the Scripture, and rules of common reason.
First, that therefore Rhetoricke is a warrantable, good, and lawfull Art; and it ariseth thus: That which the holy Ghost practiceth, must needes be not onely not euill, but good and warrantable. But the holy Ghost vseth and practiceth Rhetoricke, heere and in many places else of the Scripture. Therefore it is a good and lawfull Arte. The proposition is vndoubted, the assumption is cleare both by these places, and almost the whole body of the Scripture: many of Saint Pauls Epistles, many of Christes owne Sermons, Saint Iohns Gospell, many of the Prophets, especially Esayah haue as much and as elegant Rhetoricke in them, as any VVriters in the vvorlde; and, beside all other vertue and Diuine power in them, doe euen for figures and ornaments of Arte, match any Oratours, that haue vvritten in the Greekes or Latines. Nor would it bee anie hard taske to vndertake to prooue, and illustrate euery ⟨p. 264⟩approued rule of Rhetorick, out of some part of Scripture. Now if it be lawfull to practice the rules of Rhetorick, then is it lawfull also to collect those rules together, to pen them, and to make an Art of them. They therefore that holding the contrary, doe say, or teach, or write, it is vnlawfull, goe against the streame, and common practice of the Scripture, and rules of common reason.