A01956:147
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.
1. It lies hid through want of the word preached, and public administration of the Sacraments. So it was in the days of Elijah, when he wished to die; aI only am left. Strange Apostasy, when so notable a Prophet could not discern the Church! yet; vers. 18. I have left seven thousand, that never bowed their knees to Baal. So it was in the reign of Asa; bFor a long season Israel hath been without the true God without a teaching Priest, and without the Law. The Papists demand where our Church was before the days of Luther: we answer, that an universal Apostasy was over the face of the world, the true Church was not then visible: but the grain of trueth lay hid under a great heap of popish chaff. But this invisibility doth not prove a nullity. They cannot impugn the antiquity of our Church, unless they convince themselves. For the Church of England holds no other doctrine then that the Church of Rome primarily did hold, and that which S. Paul delivered to them in sacred writing; Justification ⟨p. 59⟩only by the blood of Christ. If they be fallen from this, who can blame us for falling from them? It was high time to leave them, when they left the Lord Jesus. So long as we preserve the truths antiquity, we must smile at their fond objection of novelty. The Church of God is Catholic, not Roman Catholic: that's just as foolish a phrase, as the by-word of Kent and Christendom. Particular and universal are contradictories. If we have any thing from them, that they had from God; it is our blessing that we have kept it, their woe that they have lost it. Esau's blessing and birth-right is lost to himself, and given unto Jacob. They have not so much reason to boast, as we to rejoice.
1. It lies hid through want of the word preached, and publike administration of the Sacraments. So it was in the dayes of Elias, when hee wished to die; aI onely am left. Strange Apostacie, when so notable a Prophet could not discerne the Church! yet; vers. 18. I haue left seuen thousand, that neuer bowed their knees to Baal. So it was in the raigne of Asa; b