A01956:1537
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.
Did ever any of you know what the peace of conscience, and joy of the holy Ghost is? whiles that comfort and jubilation dwelt in your heart, I ask you how the world stood in your sight? Stood it not like a deformed witch, devils sucking on her breasts; a shoal of ugly sins sitting like screech owls on her head; blood and massacres besmearing her face; lies, blasphemies, perjuries waiting at her back; extortion and oppression hanging on her arms; wickedness and wretchedness filling both her hands; the cries, groans, and imprecations of widows and orphans sounding in her ears; heaven thundering vengeance on her head; and the enlarged gates of the infernal pit yawning to entertain her.
Did euer any of you know what the peace of conscience, and ioy of the holy Ghost is? whiles that comfort and iubilation dwelt in your heart, I aske you how the world stood in your sight? Stood it not like a deformed witch, deuils sucking on her breasts; a shoale of vgly sinnes sitting like screechowles on her head; bloud and massacres besmearing her face; lies, blasphemies, periuries waiting at her backe; extortion and oppression hanging on her armes; wickednes and wretchednesse filling both her hands; the cryes, grones, and imprecations of widowes and orphans sounding in her eares; heauen thundring vengance on her head; and the enlarged gates of the infernall pitte yawning to entertaine her.
Is this your Paramour, O ye worldlings? Is this the beauty you hazard a soul to get? O munde immunde; ⟨p. 193⟩evil favoured world, that thou shouldst have so many lovers! rEcceruinosus est mundus, & si• amatur: quidsi perfectus esset? Quid for•osus faceret, quùm deformis sic adoratur? If the world being ruinous so pleaseth men, what would it do if it were sound and perfect? If it were fair and beauteous how would we dote on it, that thus love it deformed? But how rare a man is hee,