reacbeaauguir 17. teb2. t-5 der hand and real to the world, that God is a true and faithful God. But now, ifwe either by our-finfill walking, or by our droop- ing difcouragements, (lit-credit Chrift and his profeflion, then we are witneffes againft him, we deny that Religion which we would feem to profels and cry up, (Tit. 1. i6. Theyprofefs they know God, but in wcrks they deny him : and the more dangerous, becaufe deeds are more deliberate then words,and fo a greater evidence ofwhat we think in our hearts. If we by drooping dilcouragements and finful walking dilcredit Religion, we deny it, and do in offea put the I) e upon C,hrift.Therefore let us remember they were Witneffes,and fo molt we. Secondly, By a figurative fpeech they are called a Cloud, [having a cloud of witneffesi why fo ? I might trouble you with many Conceipts Interpreters have had of thisword Cloud; lay Come, be- cattle of the raifednefs of their fpirits, becaufe Clouds flye aloft : Clouds for the fruitfulnefs of their Do&rine, as Clouds fend down fruitful thowres upon the Earth ; and Clouds , becaufe they cool and cover us from the heat; Co force would glols for our comfort:others with more judgement fay, a Cloud with allufion to the pillar of Cloud which concluaed the Ifraelites to Canaan : yet neither cloth this come up fully to the fcope of the Apofile;for tae Apottle fpeaks not of a Cloud that goes before us, but of a Cloud that complies. us round about, and therefore a cloud ; the realon why 'cis called 10) Is the number and multitudeof thole Witnefles, as a Cloud is made up ofa multitude of vapours gathered together, and condenfed in- to one body ; and Co the expreilion is often ufed, (Ezete., 38. 9.) Thomfhalt be like a cloud to cozier the land, &c. noting the encreafe of the people when God would reflore them, the multitudeof Con- verts : and fo in prophane Authors, Lime hath fuch an expreflion an army of men is called a Cloud : But this is enough to Phew the intent ofthis expreflion, that there are a multitude, a very great number : though the godly comparatively, and with refpea to the wicked are a few, yet confide; edo fn thernfeNes, they are a -great number ; for, if the Martyrs and thofe glorious infiances of he- roick faith, and that under the Gad T.eflament; when Gods inte- reft was more confined toone People, if there were filch a Church then, of fo great a number,what will the whole Church of theOld and New Teffament be when we fhtll meet together in Heaven?We are often diCcouraged with the pa: city of Profeffors, and areapt to thinkour felvesto he left alone, 1 Kings 19. Jo, But let us remem- ber there is a Cloudof witneffes; we are not folitarynow,and certain- ly we (hall not want company when we corn to Heaven,To the innu- merable company Of, &co Again,
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