A01956:700
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.
The eye of Reason sees further then that of Sense; and hath (more then common Sense) a rational and discursive apprehension of intelligible objects. For the bodies of creatures, the brutes see them as well as man, and perhaps some better: but in these bodies he perceives hidden virtues, obiectuall to the scope of understanding, which the beast cannot see. I confess that many a man is defective in the gradual ascents of reason. Tell a rustic or mechanic that the Sun is greater then the whole earth, or that a little star is larger then his car-wheel; and he derides thy boldness, and thinks thou wouldst be admired for telling ally. Though this by the eye of mature reason is discerned perfect truth.
The eye of Reason sees further then that of Sense; and hath (more then common Sense) a rationall and discursiue apprehension of intelligible obiects. For the bodies of creatures, the bruites see them as well as man, and perhaps some better: but in these bodies he perceiues hidden vertues, obiectuall to the scope of vnderstanding, which the beast cannot see. I confesse that many a man is defectiue in the graduall ascents of reason. Tell a rusticke or mechanicke that the Sun is greater then the whole earth, or that a little starre is larger then his car-wheele; and he derides thy boldnesse, and thinkes thou wouldst be admired for telling alye. Though this by the eye of mature reason is discerned perfect truth.
The eye of Faith sees further then both the former; for it looks into the hope of our calling, and the glorious inheritance of the Saints. The Christian hath not only an eye of Sense common with beasts; nor an eye of reason common with men; but also an eye of faith proper to his profession. Wherein he goes beyond the natural man, further then the natural man goes beyond the beast. The unregenerate lives all his days in a mist: he cannot look up to heaven; in comparison whereof that world he sees, is but a base mole-hill; and himself is like a blind mole, digging in it. Yea in this very world, his own proper element, how little doth he truly perceive! There is no herb or flower he treads on, that he truly knows. Yea he is a stranger at home, and is ignorant of what is in his own bosom. But for things that concern a better world, he hath no insight. The natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto