A01956:1240
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
THE FOOL And His Sport. › Fools.THE FOOLE And His Sport. › Fooles.
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.
If a whole land flow with wickedness, it escapes not a deluge of vengeance. For England; have not her bowels groaned under the heavy pestilence? If the plague be so common in our mouths, how should it not be common in our streets? With that plague wherewith we curse others, the just God curseth us. We shall find in that Imperial state of Rome, that till Constantine's time almost every Emperor dyed by treason or massacre: after the receiving of the Gospel, none except that revolter Julian: Let not sin then be made a sport or jest, which God will not forbear to punish even in this life.
If a whole land flow with wickednes, it escapes not a deluge of vengeance. For England; haue not her bowells groaned vnder the heauy pestilence? If the plague be so common in our mouthes, how should it not be common in our streets? With that plague wherwith we curse others, the iust God curseth vs. Wee shall find in that Emperiall state of Rome, that till Constantines time almost euery Emperour dyed by treason or massacre: after the receiuing of the Gospell, none except that reuolter Iulian: Let not sinne then be made a sport or iest, which God will not forbeare to punish euen in this life.
3. But if it bring not present Judgement, it is the more fearful. The less punishment wickedness receives here, the more is behind. God strikes those ⟨p. 82⟩here, whom he means to spare hereafter; and corrects that son which he purposeth to save. But he scarce meddles with them at all, whom he intends to beat once for all. The Almond tree is forborne them, who are bequeathed to the boiling Pot. There is no rod to scourge such in present; so they go with whole sides to hell. The purse and the flesh scapes, but the soul pays for it. This is Misericordia puniens, a grievous mercy: when men are spared for a while, that they may be spilled for ever. This made that good Saint cry; Lord here afflict, cut, burnt, torture me; Ut in aeternum parcas; 1that for ever thou wilt save me. No sorrow troubles the wicked, no disturbance embitters their pleasures: But remember saith Abraham to the merry-lived rich man,