A01956:1291
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.
Domesticall, thy own bosom is disquieted, and thou must muster up all the forces of thy soul, to take the Traitor that lurks within thee, thy own flesh. This is a near and a dear enemy, yet we must fight against it, and that with a will to subdue it; denying our selves, and forsaking our delighted lusts and pleasures. The godly must be fain to sit, like the Nightingale, with a thorn against their breast. If they scape conflicts abroad, they are sure to have them at home: and if foreign and profest adversaries should give over their invasions, yet this domesticall rebel, lust, must with great trouble be subdued. After which spiritual combat, our comfort is that in the end the victory shall be ours. kIt shall not have rule over them that fear God, neither shall they be burnt with the flames thereof. Hence we learn five useful lessons.
Domesticall, thy owne bosome is disquieted, and thou must muster vp all the forces of thy soule, to take the Traytour that lurkes within thee, thy owne flesh. This is a neare and a deare enemie, yet we must fight against it, and that with a will to subdue it; denying our selues, and forsaking our delighted lusts and pleasures. The godly must be faine to sit, like the Nightingale, with a thorne against their brest. If they scape conflicts abroad, they are sure to haue them at home: and if forraigne and profest aduersaries should giue ouer their inuasions, yet this domesticall rebell, lust, must with great trouble be subdued. After which spirituall combate, our comfort is that in the end the victorie shall be ours. kIt shall not haue rule ouer them that feare God, neither shall they be burnt with the flames thereof. Hence we learne fiue vsefull lessons.
- kEcclus. 28. 22.
1. That we have need of Patience: seeing we know that the law of our Profession binds us to a warfare; and it is decreed upon that all that will live godly in Christ, shall suffer persecution. When Fire, which was the God of the Chaldeans, had devoured all the other wooden deity, Canopis set upon him a Caldron full of