A01956:1205
The happiness of the church, or, A description of those spiritual prerogatives wherewith Christ…The happines of the church, or, A description of those spirituall prerogatiues vvherewith Christ…
The happiness of the church, or, A description of those spiritual prerogatives wherewith Christ hath endowed her considered in some contemplations upon part of the 12. chapter of the Hebrews : together with certain other meditations and discourses upon other portions of Holy Scriptures, the titles whereof immediately precede the book : being the sum of diverse sermons preached in S. Gregory's London / by Thomas Adams ...The happines of the church, or, A description of those spirituall prerogatiues vvherewith Christ hath endowed her considered in some contemplations vpon part of the 12. chapter of the Hebrewes : together with certain other meditations and discourses vpon other portions of Holy Scriptures, the titles wherof immediately precede the booke : being the summe of diuerse sermons preached in S. Gregories London / by Thomas Adams ...
London: printed by G.P. for John Grismand, 1619London: printed by G.P. for Iohn Grismand, 1619
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.
4. In respect of the women that stood by; that their faith might be confirmed. For seeing him on the Cross, at their mercy, whose bowels never knew the softness of such a nature: exposed to all the tyranny of their hands and tongs: hands that like cruel Chirurgeons searched every part of his blessed body: tongues that ran nimbly through all the passages of obloquy, till they had overtaken reproach it self, and cast it on him: His body at the full will of the tormenters, and his soul not without intolerable terrors; as they might judge by strange speech that came from him; My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Doth man triumph over him, and doth God forsake him? This might breed in their hearts a suspicion: either that he was a deceiver, or else utterly cut off. To stifle this doubt in the very birth, he shakes the earth, and rends the rocks; that as they knew him dying Hominem v•rum, so they might perceive him doing these miracles not Hominem merum; but the everliving God. These wonders; blow the spark of their faith, almost dying with Christ; and root in their hearts a deep ⟨p. 70⟩and infallible persuasion of their Saviour. Something there is to keep the faith of the elect from quenching, though Satan reign on it showers of discomforts. Though no object greets the eye of flesh but discouragement yet there is a secret Sp•it within, that will never suffer the faith to fail.
4. In respect of the women that stood by; that their faith might be confirmed. For seeing him on the Crosse, at their mercie, whose bowels neuer knew the softnes of such a nature: exposed to all the tyrannie of their hands and tongs: hands that like cruell Chirurgions searched euery part of his blessed body: tongues that ranne nimbly through all the passages of obloquie, till they had ouertaken reproch it selfe, and cast it on him: His body at the full will of the tormenters, and his soule not without intolerable terrors; as they might iudge by strange speech that came from him; My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Doth man triumph ouer him, and doth God forsake him? This might breed in their hearts a suspition: either that hee was a deceiuer, or else vtterly cut off. To stifle this doubt in the very birth, hee shakes the earth, and rends the rockes; that as they knew him dying Hominem v•rum, so they might perceaue him doing these myracles not Hominem merum; but the euerliuing God. These wonders; blow the sparke of their faith, almost dying with Christ; and roote in their hearts a deepe