A01956:2003
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.
5. GOD speaks by his Ministers, expounding and opening to us those Scriptures. These are Legati a latere; dispensers of the mysteries of heaven. uAmbassadors for CHRIST: as if God did beseech you ⟨p. 340⟩through us, so we pray you in Christs stead, that you would be reconciled to God. This voice is continually sounding in our Churches, beating upon our ears; I would it could pierce our consciences, and that our lives would echo to it in an answerable obedience. How great should be our thankfulness!
5. GOD speakes by his Ministers, expounding and opening to vs those Scriptures. These are Legati a latere; dispencers of the mysteries of heauen. uAmbassadors for CHRIST: as if God did beseech you ⟨p. 340⟩through vs, so wee pray you in Christs stead, that you would be reconciled to God. This voice is continually sounding in our Churches, beating vpon our eares; I would it could pierce our consciences, and that our liues would eccho to it in an answerable obedience. How great should be our thankfullnesse!
God hath dealt with us as he did with Elijah. aThe Lord passed by, and a great strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, a still voice: and the Lord came with that voice. After the same manner hath God done to this Land. In the time of K. Henry 8. there came a great and mighty Wind, that rent down Churches, overthrew Altarages, impropriated from Ministers their livings: that made Lay-men substantial Parsons, and Clergy men their vicar-shadows. It blew away the rights of Levi, into the lap of Issachar: a violent wind: but God was not in that wind. In the days of King Edward the sixth there came a terrible Earthquake, hideous vapours of Treasons and conspiracies, rumbling from Rome, to shake the foundations of that Church, which had now left off loving the Whore, and turned Antichrist quite out of his saddle. Excommunications of Prince and people, execrations and curses in their tetricall forms with Bell, Book, and Candle; Indulgences, Bulls, Pardons, promises of heaven, to all traitors that would extirpate such a King and kingdom: a Monstrous earthquake; but GOD was not in the Earthquake. In the days of Queen Mary came the Fire, an unmerciful fire: such a one as was never before kindled in England, and (we