A01956:173
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.
2. Because they are culled and called out of the world. Many wicked are created before them, but they are elected in Gods decree to life before the other; for the wicked are not chosen at all. Esau was Isaaks first borne, but Jacob was Gods first borne. Many of the worlds firstborn have been rejected. kIsrael laid his right hand upon Ephraim the younger, and his left upon Manasseh the elder. lReuben, thou art my first borne, but thou shalt not be excellent. Cain Adams first borne; Ismael, Abraham's first borne, were cast off. mThus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my first borne. The Lord had first chosen that nation to be his people, yet afterward rejected them, and accepted the Gentiles: so that the elder serve the younger. But Gods first borne are never refused: whom he hath predestinated to be sons, he hath also called to be heirs. So that this primogeniture is not in respect of generation, but of regeneration. Though they be not primò conditi, they are primò reconditi. nFlesh and blood hath no work in this birth, nor the will of man; but the will of God. oOf his own will begat he us, with the word of trueth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. The Spirit begets of immortal seed, grace; in the womb of the Church; the means of this Birth being the Word. pExcept a man be borne again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Out of that universal apostasy God sent his Son, to beget some first borne to himself.
2. Because they are culled and called out of the world. Many wicked are created before them, but they are elected in Gods decree to life before the other; for the wicked are not chosen at all. Esau was Isaaks first borne, but Iacob was Gods first borne. Many of the worlds firstborne haue beene reiected. k