A01956:275
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. The preordinance of their torments; Prepared for the Devil and his Angels: ordained before-hand. Origen held that the Devil and his angels should one day be released from their tortures: and that these words of Christ were spoken Minaciter, potiùs quàm veraciter; rather by way of threatening, then true meaning. But Augustine answers, that the Scripture hath confuted him plenissime ac planissimè. For the fire prepared for Satan is not temporary, but everlasting: where though floods of tears be continually raining upon it, yet can it not be put out.
5. The preordinance of their torments; Prepared for the Deuill and his Angels: ordained before-hand. Origen held that the Deuill and his angels should one day be released from their tortures: and that these words of Christ vvere spoken Minaciter, potiùs quàm veraciter; rather by way of threatning, then true meaning. But Augustine answers, that the Scripture hath confuted him plenissime ac planissimè. For the fire prepared for Satan is not temporarie, but euerlasting: vvhere though flouds of teares bee continually raining vpon it, yet can it not bee put out.
Prepared: to the terror of wicked men, that covenant with hell: alas they are deceived, it was made for some purpose. That fire was prepared for some, and some have prepared themselves for it. Burning in lusts, in malice, in revenge; until themselves, their lusts, malice and revenge, and all burn in hell. The Devil was crafty, yet he could not scape hell: be as wily as you can, yet beware hell. It is not policy, but piety, that must escape this fire. Now as this brings to the wicked much terror, so it helps to preserve the godly against error. And this was one principal cause of the penning this sentence. The wise master of the family vvill chide his servants, yea and upon desert correct them, in the presence of his child, that he may learn by it to stand in awe of his Father. So ⟨p. 134⟩deals God; Minatur quod faciet improbis, ne faciat quod minatur sanctis. He threatens the wicked what he vvill do to their sins, that the godly may avoid what he threatens for sinnes. Omnis minatio amica monitio: every threatening is a fair warning. The Lord give us mutare sententiam nostram, ut ipse mutet sententiam suam; to change our mind, that God may change his menace. Let us now come humbly to him in repentance, that we may never depart from him into vengeance. The other circumstances I will but touch.