A01956:1429
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. Constant.
For with Christ is no variableness, fno shadow of change. But gWhom he once loves, he loves for ever. Fickleness is for a Laban, whose hcountenance will turn away from Jacob: and his affection fall off with his profit. I have read of two entire friends, well deserving for their virtues; that when the one was promoted to great wealth and dignity, the other neglected in obscurity: the preferred, though he could not divide his honour, yet shared his wealth to his old companion. Things so altered that this honoured friend was falsely accused of treachery, and by the blow of suspicion thrown down to ⟨p. 156⟩misery: & the other for his now observed goodness raised up to a high place where now he requites his dejected friend with the same courtesy: as if their minds had consented & contended to make that equal, which their states made different. O for one dram of this immutable Love in the world! Honours change manners: & we will not know those in the Court, who often fed us in the country. Or if we vouchsafe to acknowledge them as friends, we will not as Suitors. Hereon was the verse made. Quisquis in hoc mundo cunctis vult gratus haberi: Debt, Capiat, Quaerat, Plurima, Pauca, Nihil.
For with Christ is no variablenes,