A00564:303
The black devil or the apostate Together with the wolf worrying the lambs. And…The blacke devil or the apostate Together with the wolfe worrying the lambes. And…
The black devil or the apostate Together with the wolf worrying the lambs. And the spiritual navigator, bound for the Holy Land. In three sermons. By Thomas Adams.The blacke devil or the apostate Together with the wolfe worrying the lambes. And the spiritual navigator, bound for the Holy Land. In three sermons. By Thomas Adams.
London: printed by William Jaggard, 1615London: printed by William Iaggard, 1615
Title page typeset from the transcription.
LYCANTHROPY. OR THE WOLFE Worrying The LAMBS.LYCANTHROPY. OR THE WOLFE Worrying The LAMBES.
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.
3. For voracity. The wolf is ravenous of all beasts; especially the she-wolf, when she hath a litter: and eats the very earth when she hath no other prey, saith Isidore. These mystical wolves rob the Ministers, & take away the portion of their meat, as Melzar did from Daniel, though against our wills; and force us to live with pulse & water-gruel. They love to have the Priest look through a Lattice; & would be loth, all his means should keep his house from Dilapidations. The main policy & piety of many, that would seem to be most religious & pure, consists in plotting and parleying how to lessen the Clergyman's estate. They grudge not the Merchants wealth, nor envy the ditation of Lawyers, nor hinder the enriching of Physicians. These occupations provide for their bellies, their bodies, their estates. But (as if all were more precious then their souls) their whole labour is to devour the Ministers due, and to beggar him. I could tell them what Paul saith, If we have sown to you spiritual thing, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? but these 1have no faith in the Scriptures. They are very hot ⟨p. 30⟩for the Gospel, they love the Gospel: who but they? Not because they believe it, but because they feel it: the wealth, peace, liberty that ariseth by it.
3. For voracity. The wolfe is rauenous of al beasts; especially the she-wolfe, when she hath a litter: and eates the very earth when she hath no other prey, saith Isiodore. These mysticall wolues rob the Ministers, & take away the portion of their meate, as Melzar did from Daniel, though against our wils; and force vs to liue with pulse & water-gruell. They loue to haue the Priest look through a Lattice; & would be loth, all his meanes should keepe his house from Dilapidations. The maine policy & piety of many, that would seeme to be most religious & pure, consists in plotting and parlying how to lessen the Clergymans estate. They grudge not the Merchants wealth, nor enuy the ditation of Lawyers, nor hinder the enriching of Physitians. These occupations prouide for their bellies, their bodies, their estates. But (as if all were more precious then their soules) their whole labor is to deuoure the Ministers due, and to begger him. I could tel them what Paul saith, If wee haue sowne to you spirituall thing, is it a great thing if we shall reape your carnall things? but these