A01956:159
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.
What damnable cruelty then was it in them to burn silly women, for not understanding this their inexplicable mystery? Those gunpowder divines condemned others to the fire for not knowing that, which they never knew themselves. We teach such erring souls be corrected, that they may be converted: not be confounded. Excommunicated mfor the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
What damnable cruelty then was it in them to burne silly women, for not vnderstanding this their inexplicable mysterie? Those gunpowder diuines condemned others to the fire for not knowing that, which they neuer knew themselues. Wee teach such erring soules bee corrected, that they may bee conuerted: not bee confounded. Excommunicated mfor the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus.
2. Whether a separation may be justly made from our Church for some errors or corruptions of life. I know that divers, who were once among us, never of us, have put out their own lights, indeed excommunicated themselves. What's their plea? that our assemblies are full of enormities. I answer, that the defects and corruptions of a Church must be distinguished: they are either in doctrine or in manners. For doctrine, some errors are Citra fundamentum, some Circa fundamentum, others Contra fundamentum. Errors beside the foundation trouble, errors about the foundation shake, errors against the foundation overturn all. So long then as no foundation is harmed, it is not lawful depart. until the Church separates from Christ, we must not separate from it. In two cases there is warrant of separation. First, when the substance of Gods worship is quite corrupted.