A01956:791
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.
But what if we look further then the literal sense; ⟨p. 329⟩and conceive by this night the darkness of his soul? Such a blindness as he brings on himself, though the day of the Gospel be broke round about him. The cause of night to a man, is the interposition of the earth betwixt him and the Sun. This worldling hath placed the earth, the thick and gross body of riches, between his eyes and the Sun of righteousness. And so shine the Sun never so clear, it is still night with him. There is light enough without him, but there is darkness too much within him. And then darkness must to darkness; inward to outward, as Christ calls it, utter darkness. He would not see whiles he might, he shall not see when he would. Though he shall for ever have fire enough, yet it shall give him no light: except it be a little glimmering, to show him the torments of others, and others the torments of himself.
But what if wee looke further then the literall sense; ⟨p. 329⟩and conceiue by this night the darknesse of his soule? Such a blindnesse as he brings on himselfe, though the day of the Gospell be broke round about him. The cause of night to a man, is the interposition of the earth betwixt him and the Sunne. This worldling hath placed the earth, the thicke and grosse body of riches, betweene his eyes and the Sunne of righteousnesse. And so shine the Sunne neuer so cleare, it is still night with him. There is light enough without him, but there is darknesse too much within him. And then darkenesse must to darkenesse; inward to outward, as Christ calls it, vtter darkenesse. He would not see whiles he might, hee shall not see when he would. Though hee shall for euer haue fire enough, yet it shall giue him no light: except it bee a little glimmering, to shew him the torments of others, and others the torments of himselfe.
2. This night, the sadness is yet increased by the suddenness. It will be fearful, not only to be surprised in the night, but in that night when he doth not dream of any such matter; when there is no fear, nor suspicion of apprehension. His case is, as with a man that having rested with a pleasing slumber, and been fed with a golden dream; suddenly waking finds his house flaming about his ears, his wife and children dying in the fire, robbers ransacking his coffers, and transporting his goods, all lovers forsaking, no friend pitying, when the very thrusting in of an arm might deliver him. This rich man was long asleep, and been delighted with pretty wanton dreams, of enlarged barns, and plentiful harvests; (as all worldly pleasures are but waking dreams) now he starts up on the hearing of this Soul-knell, and perceives all was but a dream; and that indeed he is everlastingly wretched.