A17183:1006
Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)
Fifty godly and learned sermons divided into five decades, containing the chief and principal points of Christian religion, written in three several tomes or sections, by Henry Bullinger minister of the church of Tigure in Switzerland. Whereunto is adjoined a triple or three-fold table very fruitful and necessary. Translated out of Latin into English by H.I. student in divinity.Fiftie godlie and learned sermons diuided into fiue decades, conteyning the chiefe and principall pointes of Christian religion, written in three seuerall tomes or sections, by Henrie Bullinger minister of the churche of Tigure in Swicerlande. Whereunto is adioyned a triple or three-folde table verie fruitefull and necessarie. Translated out of Latine into English by H.I. student in diuinitie.
London: printed by Henry Middleton for Ralph Newberrie, 1577London: printed by Henry Middleton for Ralphe Newberrie, 1577
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.
Lastly, they do most of all endamage their neighbours which 1do withhold the labourers wages. The labourers hire is withheld two sundry ways. For thou doest either never pay it: Or else thou payest it with grudging and grunting, thou doest delay the payment too long, or otherwise diminishest some part of his hire. But mark now that the name of hirelings is of ample signification, and is extended to all kinds of artificers. The common sort of wealthy men have a caste now adays to use the help of handicrafts men, and bid them keep a reckoning of their hire & wages in books of accounts, in the mean while, though they perceive that these poor men lack money, yet will they not pay them so much as one penny: yea, when they require the debt that is due, they take them up with bitter words and send them empty away, till they them selves be disposed to pay. And so these foolish and wicked wealthy men do not cease to lash out in riot prodigally the things that are not clearly their own, but which they withhold from other poor men. Let us hear therefore the laws and judgements of the Lord our God touching this horrible abuse and detestable fault. In Deuteronomy we read: Thou shalt not deny, nor withhold the wages of an hired servant, that is needy & poor, whether he be of thy brethren or of the strangers that are in thy land and within thy gates: But shalt give him his hire the same day, and let not the Sun go down thereon, for he is needy, and by the hire he holdeth his life (that is, he layeth the hope of his life therein, as he that looks to line thereby) lest he cry unto the lord, and it be turned unto sin to thee. With this law of the Lord do the words of James the Apostle most fitly agree, where he saith: Behold the hire of labourers, which have reaped down your fields, which hire is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath. What can be more terrible to the hearers ears? the labourers hire which is withheld doth cry, and crieth even up into heaven: and that which is most of all ⟨p. 273⟩doth enter into the ears of the most just, severe and mighty God? What now may these defrauders look for at God's hand, but heavy punishment to light upon their cursed heads.
Lastly, they do moste of all endammage their neighboures which 1