A01956:195
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.
But how then shall we justify Moses his desire? rIf thou wilt forgive their sin, fair and good: but if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book, which thou hast written. Did Moses wish an impossibility? Some opinionate, that this was not the book of life that Moses meant: but they err. 1. Some by this understand the book of the Law: as if this were his meaning. If thou destroy the people to whom thou hast given the Law, let not my name be mentioned as the Law giver. But it is answered. 1. that the book of the Law was not yet written; and he could not desire blotting forth of a book that was not. 2. This was in Moses his power when he wrote the Law, to leave out his own name; he needed not to trouble God about it. 3. He opposeth the greatest loss he could sustain, against the greatest benefit the people could obtain: but this was no great loss to be blotted out of that book. 4. Moses speaks of a book that God had written: but the book of the Law, saving only the Decalogue, Moses wrote himself. 2. Jerome understands this desire of Moses for death in this life; Perire in praesentem, non in perpetuum. But if he conceives no more then a temporal death, Gods answer confutes it; Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out. ver. 33. Only sinners are raced out of this book; but from the book of terrene life, both sinners and just come to be blotted: for good and bad are subject to temporal death. 3. Caietan understands it De libro Principatus in hac vita, to be the book of Sovereignty: because it is decreed by God as in a book, quòd isti vel illi principentur: that this or that man should have the dominion. But God answers, only sinners are raced out of the book: but in the book of government are bad Kings, so well as good. And for that book, Ezek. 13. 9. as if he wished no more, but not to be counted of Israel; or have his name among the Patriarchs and Prophets. If ⟨p. 88⟩Israel had perished, the book of his Covenant with Israel had also perished. So for that book of Jasher. Josh. 10. 13. it is thought to be lost; therefore no great matter to be put out of it. It must needs be then the book of life, and how could Moses wish a racing out of that book?