A01956:180
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.
Besides in the Law there were three other rules observable in the consecration of the first borne. 1. That they should be seven days with the dam, and the eight day be given to God. Exod. 22. 30. wherein there was not only a respondence to the rule of circumcision, limited to the eight day, Gen. 17. 12. But to prevent their fraud in offering to God things of no service, being too soon taken from the dam. 2. In voluntary oblations they were forbidden to dedicate to the Lord any of the first borne. nThe firstling of the beasts which should be the Lords firstling, no man shall sanctify it. The reason is, because that was the Lords already. We have such names highly recorded on our Hospital-walls, painted on the windows of our Churches, often engraven in marble the memorable tenet of worthy acts, for excellent benefactors. Yet ⟨p. 80⟩All their benevolence to God, is not the Tenth of that they have robbed God, & taken from his Church. Fool, give of thine own, if thou wilt have reward in Heaven: first restore justly what thou hast gathered unjustly. To give of that is not Liberaliter dare, sed partialiter retribuere: thou bestowest on God a Lamb of his own Ewe. Dost thou look for thanks for such a gift? Alas, it was Gods own before. 3. They were commanded neither to work nor shear the first borne. oThou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy Bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy Sheep. To curb their covetousness: though they would not deceive the Lord of his first borne, yet they would take so much profit of it as they could. But they are restrained from diminution; they must not present a worn Bullock, nor a shorne Sheep. Now if the Lord was so jealous of first borne beasts, how is he jealous of first borne souls? Let us not think our choicest and most excellent things too dear for God, that hath made us his first borne in Jesus Christ.
Besides in the Law there were three other rules obseruable in the consecration of the first borne. 1. That they should be seuen daies with the damme, and the eight day be giuen to God.