A01956:317
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.
That speaketh better things then that of Abel. This is a Metaphor, to show the force of Christs blood, so prevailing with God as if it had a tongue. The comparison is between Abel's blood and Christs: now Abel's is said to cry; oThe voice of thy brothers blood crieth unto me from the ground. Clamitat in coelum vox sanguinis. So Christs blood is said to speak; Quot vulnera, tot voces; so many wounds, so many words.
That speaketh better things then that of Abel. This is a Metaphor, to shew the force of Christs bloud, so preuailing with God as if it had a tongue. The comparison is between Abels bloud and Christs: now Abels is said to cry; oThe voyce of thy brothers bloud cryeth vnto mee from the ground. Clamitat in coelum vox sanguinis. So Christs bloud is said to speake; Quot vulnera, tot voces; so many wounds, so many words.
There is great respondence of Christ to Abel. Abel was slain by his brother, Christ by his brethren; the voice of the Jews was Crucify him. Abel was slain because he sacrificed; Christ was slain that he might be sacrificed. Cain envied Abel because he was accepted; the Jews hated Christ because he was good. Abel might say to his brother; For my sacrifice dost thou kill me? Christ did say to the Jews; For which of my good works do you stone me? Abel was so slain, that his blood was abundantly shed, and that in many places; for it is said Vox sanguinum; the voice of bloods. So Christs blood was let out with thorns, scourges, nails, spear. As Cain sustained a threefold punishment; he was cursed in his soul, a vagabond on earth, unprosperous in his labours. So are the Jews plagued; they have no place they can call their own; when they have heaped up riches, some other takes them away; they cannot see their own City but they must pay for it; they are cursed in their obstinate blindness: thus according to their own request, the blood of Christ is upon them and upon their children.