A01956:291
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.
Being thus justified, let us be just: not doing that to others, which we would not have others do to us: and doing that to others which we desire to be done to our selves. Some are just in small matters: so the Pharisees apay tithe of mint, & anise, and cummin; but omit weightier things. This is Pharisaica Justitia, a Puritan righteousness: not to endure an hours recreation on the Sunday, yet to rob the Church by usurpations, to exact interests and forfeits; these be nothing. So the money might not be put into the Treasury, that might hire Judas to betray his master. The ten brethren were so just, as to return the money in their sacks; yet stuck not to sell their brother Joseph.
Being thus iustified, let vs be iust: not doing that to others, which we would not haue others do to vs: and doing that to others which wee desire to bee done to our selues. Some are iust in small matters: so the Pharises apay tithe of mint, & annise, and cummine; but omit waightier things. This is Pharisaica Iustitia, a Puritane righteousnesse: not to endure an houres recreation on the Sunday, yet to robbe the Church by vsurpations, to exact interests and forfets; these be nothing. So the mony might not be put into the Treasury, that might hire Iudas to betray his master. The tenne brethren were so iust, as to returne the mony in their sackes; yet stucke not to sell their brother Ioseph.
Some are just in great things, not in small. As the other ⟨p. 143⟩strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel: so these are like the net, that takes the great fishes, and lets go th• little fry. Wantonness is no fault with them, if it extend not to adultery. They stick not to swear, so long as they swear not to a lie. Maliciously to hate, or peevishly to quarrel, is trivial; if they proceed not to blows and blood. So long as they are not drunk, swallow down wine, and spare not. De minimis non curat Lex; the Law takes no notice of small faults. But indeed Eadem ratio rotunditatis, there is the same respect of roundness in a penny, that is in a platter; though not of largeness. To steal the bridle, as to steal the horse, is Tam, though not Tantum: such a sin, though not so great a sin. Thou sayest minimum est, minimum est; it is little, it is little. Sed in minimo fidelem esse magnum est: to bee faithful in a little is a great virtue.