A01956:161
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.
For corruption in manners, they make not Nullam Ecclesiam, sed malam ecclesiam; not no Church, but a bad Church. Wicked Scribes sitting in Moses chair, and teaching the things he wrote, must be heard. rWhatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do: but do not after their works. Separate from their private society, not from the public assembly. But they charge us, that we deny Christ. I answer, Denial of Christ is double, either in judgement or in fact. Denial of Christ in judgement, makes a Christian no Christian: denial in fact, the judgement being sound, makes him not no Christian, but an evil Christian. When the Jews had crucified the Lord of life, they remained still a Church, if there were any on the face of the earth: and Jerusalem was still called the sHoly City. To them belonged tthe promise, and to their children. uTo them pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants. I would to God this bloody issue were stanched: but what age hath not complained it? This mischief is intestine. Amara persecutio in cruore martyrum, amarior in pugna haereticorum, amarissima in malis moribus domesticorum. The persecution of Tyrants was bitter, the poison of heretics more bitter, but the evil lives of Christians most bitter of all. xMany walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ. Whereupon saith Augustine; How comes that great Champion to fall a weeping? Could he endure astripes above measure, prisons frequent, shipwrecks, perils by sea and land; among enemies, ⟨p. 68⟩among false brethren; hunger, thirst, cold, weariness, painfulness: bDid he fight with beasts after the manner of men; was he rapt up among the Angels? Did he bear all these miseries? was he honoured with all these mercies? and now does he weep? Yes, sin and sensuality was crept into the Church; and this made that undanted spirit fall a weeping. Pax a Paganis, Pax ab Hreticis, nulla pax a falsis filijs. We have quiet from the Pagans, quiet from heretics, but no quiet from wicked and exorbitant professors. Our greatest enemies are they of our own house. Lord Jesus heal this plague.