A01956:965
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.
Aim at perfection, shoot at this mark, though thou cannot reach it. When the wrestling Angel said to Jacob, tLet me go, for the day breaketh; he answered, I will not let thee go except thou bless me: happy perseverance! uWhen I caught him whom my soul loved, I held him, and would not let him go. O sweet Jesus, who would let thee goe? Qui tenes tenentem, apprehendentem fortificus, fortificatum 3confirmas, confirmatum perficis, perfectum coronas. Thou that holdest him that holdeth thee, that strengthenest him that trusteth thee, confirmest whom thou hast strengthened, perfectest whom thou hast confirmed, and crownest whom thou hast perfected. In the behalf of this continuance, the Holy Ghost gives those exhortations; Hold fast, Stand fast. aHold that thou hast, that no man take thy crown. The same to the Church of Thyatira; Tene quod habes, Reu. 2. 25. bStand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. It is an ill hearing, cYe (not do, but) did run well. The Prophet in his threnes weeps, that dthey which were brought up in scarlet, embrace dunghills. It is just matter of lamentation, when souls which have been clad with zeal, as with scarlet, constantly forward for the glory of God, fall to such Apostasy, as with Demas to embrace the dunghill of this world, and with an avarous hausture to lick up the mud of corruption.
Aime at perfection, shoot at this marke, though thou cannot reach it. When the wrastling Angel said to Iacob, tLet me goe, for the day breaketh; he answered, I will not let thee goe except thou blesse me: happy perseuerance!