A01956:477
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.
1. With Reverence. qYe shall hallow my Sabbaths, and reverence my Sanctuary: I am the Lord. The very mention of this Reverence, me thinks, should strike our hearts with our self-known guiltiness. How few look to their feet, before they enter these holy doors? Eccl. 5. and 2so they offer the Sacrifice of imprudent and impudent fools. If they are to hear, they regard Quis, not Quid: any thing is good that some man speaks, the same in another trivial. If the man likes them not, nor shall the Sermon. Many thus contend, like those two Germans in a Tavern; One said he was of Doctor Martins religion, the other protested himself of Doctor Luther's religion: ⟨p. 211⟩and thus among their cups the litigation grew hot between them: whereas indeed Martin and Luther was but one man. Others, when they come first into the Church, they swap down on their seats, clap their hats before their eyes, and scarce bow their knees; as if they came to bless God, not to entreat God to bless them. They would quake in the presence of an offended King; who are thus impudent faced in the house of God. But saith the Lord, whose rThrone is the heaven, and the earth his footstool; I will look to him that trembleth at my word. So Jacob, Gen. 28. was afraid; and said, How fearful is this place! sThis is none other then the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. Whereupon Bernard, Terribilis planè locus, &c. A fearful place indeed, & worthy of all reverence: which Saints inhabit, holy Angels frequent, and God himself graceth with his own presence. As the first Adam was placed in Paradise to keep it; so the second Adam is in the congregation of his Saints, to preserve it. Therefore enter not without Reverence. tI will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies; and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy Temple.