A01956:148
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.
Our Church had a substantial being before, but hath gotten a better being by the repurgation of the Gospel: which is maintained by our Christian Princes, justly styled Defenders of the ancient Faith. It was Gods Floor before, though full of chaff: but now since che that hath his fan in his hand hath purged it, it is clearer in show and substance. It was before a wedge of pure gold, but usurped by the hands of Impostors: that by their mixtures, and sophistications for gain and sinister respects, augmented it into a huge body and mass. It had the tincture of gold still, but mingled with the dross of traditions, superstitions, will-worships. You ask where was the gold? show us the place. We answer, it was in that mass: now for extracting and purifying it from the dross, God gave us the touchstone of his word, which made it sound, & manifests it to be sound. The Lord doth not then forsake his: the time was that the whole world seemed to groan, factum see videns Arrianum, beholding it self made Arian; yet God had his number. Sardis is said to be dead, dthou hast a name that thou livest, but thou art dead: yet there be ea few names in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments. When ordinary means fail, by extraordinary the Lord gathers his elect. The Israelites in the wilderness ⟨p. 60⟩wanted both Circumcision and Passover, yet GOD made supply by Manna, and the Pillar of the cloud.
Our Church had a substantiall being before, but hath gotten a better being by the repurgation of the Gospell: which is maintained by our Christian Princes, iustly stiled Defenders of the ancient Faith. It was Gods Floore before, though full of chaffe: but now since chee that hath his fanne in his hand hath purged it, it is clearer in shew and substance. It was before a wedge of pure gold, but vsurped by the hands of Impostors: that by their mixtures, and sophistications for gaine and sinister respects, augmented it into a huge body and masse. It had the tincture of gold still, but mingled with the drosse of traditions, superstitions, will-worships. You ask where was the gold? shew vs the place. We answer, it was in that masse: now for extracting and purifying it from the drosse, God gaue vs the touchstone of his word, which made it sound, & manifests it to be sound. The Lord doth not then forsake his: the time was that the whole world seemed to groan, factum se videns Arrianum, beholding it selfe made Arrian; yet God had his nūber. Sardis is said to be dead,