An Exact collection of farewell sermons preached by the late London-ministers viz. Mr. Calamy,…An Exact collection of farewel sermons preached by the late London-ministers viz. Mr. Calamy,…

2 By a figurative speech they are called a cloud, [hav• a cloud of witnesses] why so? I might trouble you with many conceits Interpreters have had of this word cloud; say some, because of the raisedness of their spirits, because clouds fly aloft: Clouds for the fruitfulness of their doctrine, as clouds send down fruitful showers upon the earth; and clouds, because they cool and cover us from the heat: so some would gloss for our comfort: others with more judgement say, a cloud with allusion to the pillar of cloud which conducted the Israelites to Canaan; yet neither doth this come up fully to the scope of the Apostle; for the Apostle speaks not of a cloud that goes before us, but of a cloud that compasses us round about, and therefore a cloudy; the reason why 'tis called so, is the number and multitude of those witnesses, as a cloud is made up of a multitude of vapours gathered together, and condensed into one body; and so the expression is often used, (Ezek. 38. 9.) thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, &c. noting the increase of the people when God would restore them, the multitude of converts: and so in profane Authors, Livy hath such an expression, an army of men is called a cloud; but this is enough to show the intent of this expression, that there are a multitude, a very great number: though the godly comparatively, and with respect to the wicked are a few, yet considered in themselves they are a great number; for if the Martyrs, and those glorious instances of heroic faith, and that under the Old Testament, when God's interest was more confined to one people, if there were such a Church then, of so great a number; what will the whole Church of the Old and New Testament be when we shall meet together in Heaven? We are often discouraged with the paucity ⟨p. 313⟩of Professors, and are apt to think our selves to be left alone, 1 Kin. 19. 10. But let us remember there is a Cloud of Witnesses; we are not solitary now, and certainly we shall not want company when we come to Heaven, To the innumerable company of, &c.

2 By a figurative speech they are called a cloud, [hav• a cloud of witnesses] why so? I might trouble you with many conceits Interpreters have had of this word cloud; say some, because of the raisedness of their spirits, because clouds fly aloft: Clouds for the fruitfulness of their doctrine, as clouds send down fruitfull showers upon the earth; and clouds, because they cool and cover us from the heat: so some would gloss for our comfort: others with more judgement say, a cloud with allusion to the pillar of cloud which conducted the Israelites to Canaan; yet neither doth this come up fully to the scope of the Apostle; for the Apostle speaks not of a cloud that goes before us, but of a cloud that compasses us round about, and therefore a cloudy; the reason why 'tis called so, is the number and multitude of those witnesses, as a cloud is made up of a multitude of vapors gathered together, and condensed into one body; and so the expression is often used, (