A01956:721
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.
4. It is required that the objected matter be substantial; not altogether diaphanous & transparent, but massive, and of a solid being. Otherwise the sight cannot perceive, nor the mind well conceive, the nature which is so subtle & sublimed: but intends it self still further, till it can acquiescere in materiam visibilem; rest it self on some visible object. But this Object here proposed, is no empty Chimera, or imaginary, tralucent, airy shadow, but substantial: the hope of Gods calling, and a glorious inheritance: which though natures dull eye cannot reach, faiths eye sees perfectly. For Hac est fides, credere quod non vides.
4. It is required that the obiected matter be substantiall; not altogether diaphanous & transparent, but massie, and of a solid being. Otherwise the sight cannot perceiue, nor the minde well conceiue, the nature which is so subtil & sublim'd: but intends it selfe still further, till it can acquiescere in materiam visibilem; rest it selfe on some visible obiect. But this Obiect here proposed, is no empty Chimera, or imaginary, tralucent, ayery shadow, but substantiall: the hope of Gods calling, and a glorious inheritance: which though natures dull eye cannot reach, faiths eye sees perfectly. For Hac est fides, credere quod non vides.
And the subject of this spectacle is by demonstration proved solid and substantial: because▪ nothing but that can give this intellectual eye firm content and complacency. How go the affections of man in a rolling and ranging pace from one creature to another! now thy heart is set upon wealth; thou wilt have it, though thou dig for it in visceribus both matris & filiorum; in the bowels of the earth, and of the sons of the earth. Say wealth is come, thou art then for honour: thy riches are a ladder, whereby thou wouldest climb to dignity. Dedecet divitem esse ignobilem. Nobility gotten hath not settled thee: thou art traversing new desires. Thy lust presents thee a beauteous paramour: unclean desires now fill up thy scene; and thou playest, like that Germane, many parts thy self; a golden Ass, a proud Lyon, a luxurious Goat. Wealth and greatness commands thy pleasure; thy lust is answered: then thou art for music, and so actest a fourth part; thou art thine own fiddler. Now thy blood is to be heated with delicates; thou must be indulgent to thy throat with lust-provoking meats; and so playest yet another part, a Cater to uncleanness. When all is done,