A01956:144
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.
Thus we see the property of this Church, Catholic or General. It is one, but not tied to one time, nor one place, nor one person: it is Catholic to all times, to all places, to all persons. Augustine says that the Donatists in his days would have tied the Church to Cartenna in Africa: as the Papists in our days to Rome in Italy. How is it then a General assembly? Thus that Antichristian rabble, which have almost nothing in their mouths but the Church, the Church; yet do mostly infringe the liberties of the Church, and hedge it in. All of them have made the Catholic Church, to be nothing else but the Roman Church; and some of them the Roman Church to be nothing else but the Pope. So in effect Papa virtualiter est •ota Ecclesia; say they. The Anabaptists imagined a Church like the Tick, all body and no head: the Papists have made a Church like the Toadstool, all head and no body. What a monster is their Pope, that will be all in all; eye and tongue, body and head, & tail too? As Caligula ⟨p. 58⟩took off the head of Jupiter, and set on another of his own: so they have smitten off Christs head, and set on the Pope. Let them take their imaginary head: say we only to Christ: Whom have we in heaven but thee? and on earth none besides thee. Our dependence be for ever on our Head the Lord Jesus.
Thus we see the property of this Church, Catholike or Generall. It is one, but not tyed to one time, nor one place, nor one person: it is Catholike to all times, to all places, to all persons. Augustine sayes that the Donatists in his dayes would haue tyed the Church to Cartenna in Africa: as the Papists in our dayes to Rome in Italy. How is it then a Generall assembly? Thus that Antichristian rabble, which haue almost nothing in their mouthes but the Church, the Church; yet doe mostly infringe the liberties of the Church, and hedge it in. All of them haue made the Catholike Church, to be nothing else but the Romane Church; and some of them the Romane Church to be nothing else but the Pope. So in effect Papa virtualiter est •ota Ecclesia; say they. The Anabaptists imagined a Church like the Ticke, all body and no head: the Papists haue made a Church like the Toadstoole, all head and no body. What a monster is their Pope, that will bee all in all; eye and tongue, body and head, & taile too? As Caligula ⟨p. 58⟩