A01956:890
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
THE BAD LEAVEN: OR, THE CONTAGION OF SIN.THE BAD LEAVEN: OR, THE CONTAGION OF SINNE.
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.
Every sin is committed against God, qAgainst thee, thee only have I sinned. Look upon the infinite Majesty offended, and by that judge the quality of thy offence. There be sins of weakness, sins of ignorance, and sins of malice. Those of weakness, are said to be committed against God the Father, whose special attribute is Power. Those of Ignorance against God the Son, whose special attribute is wisdom. Those of malice against God the Holy Ghost, whose special attribute is love. Whether then they be of weakness, of ignorance, or of malice, they offend either the Power of God, or the Wisdom of God, or the Love of God: therefore acknowledge Secundum magnitudinem Dei, magnitudinem peccati: confess the least sin great and bad, that hath offended a Majesty so Great and Good.
Euery sinne is committed against God, qAgainst thee, thee onely haue I sinned. Looke vpon the infinite Maiestie offended, and by that iudge the quality of thy offence. There be sinnes of weaknesse, sinnes of ignorance, and sinnes of malice. Those of weakenesse, are said to be committed against God the Father, whose speciall attribute is Power. Those of Ignorance against God the Sonne, whose speciall attribute is wisedome. Those of malice against God the Holy Ghost, whose speciall attribute is loue. Whether then they be of weakenesse, of ignorance, or of malice, they offend either the Power of God, or the Wisedome of God, or the Loue of God: therefore acknowledge Secundum magnitudinem Dei, magnitudinem peccati: confesse the least sinne great and bad, that hath offended a Maiestie so Great and Good.
2. Minima plurima, sins less heinous, are the most numerous. Many littles make a mickle. Small drops of rain commonly cause the greatest floods. Quò minus violentum, eò magis perpetuum: the less violence, the longer continuance. The drizzling sleet, that falls as it were in a mist, fills the channels, they swell the rivers, the overcharged rivers send forth their superfluous waters over the containing banks: now the meadows are polluted, the Corn-fields spoiled, the Cattle drowned; yea even houses, and towns, and inhabitants endangered; and firm continents buried under a deluge of waters. Many little sands gathered to an heap, fail not to swallow a great Vessell. De paruis grandis aceruus erit. You have Eagles, Hawks, Kites, and such great fowls of rapine, flying always alone: but the sparrows and pigeons, that devour the grain, by innumerable troupes. There were not more grievous plagues to the Egyptians, then came by the contemptiblest creatures: as frogs, lice, flies, locusts: by reason of the monstrous swarms,