A17183:1031
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.
I Did in my last Sermon (dearly beloved) declare unto you, by what means goods are rightly gotten, & how many kinds of thefts there be, and sundry sorts of getting wealth unlawfully: there is yet behind an other treatise for me to add, and therein to teach you, what is the true use of goods rightly gotten, and how we may lawfully possess them, and justly spend & dispose them in this transitory life. For justice doth not only not defraud any man, but doth so much as it may endeavour it self to do good to all men. Neither is it enough for a godly man not […], unless also he do good to all that he can. And in this point do many men sin, while they are persuaded that they have done all the duty that they owe, if they hurt no man, & if they possess that which they have without trouble to any man, although in the mean while they have no regard whether they help or do good to any man, or no. And he sinneth as greatly in the sight of the Lord, which doth not use rightly goods justly gotten, as he that hath heaped up wealth in wickedness, and naughty means. I will tell you therefore, so far as God shall give me grace, how & in what sort godly men may holily possess and dispose these earthly goods.
I Did in my laste Sermon (dearely beloued) declare vnto you, by what meanes goods are rightly gotten, & howe many kinds of theaftes there be, and sundry sorts of getting wealth vnlawfully: there is yet behind an other treatise for me to adde, and therein to teache you, what is the true vse of goods rightly gotten, and howe we may lawfully possesse them, and iustly spende & dispose them in this transitorie life. For iustice doth not onely not descaude any man, but doth so muche as it may endeuour it selfe to do good to al men. Neither is it •nough for a godly man not 〈…〉, vnlesse also he do good to all that he can. And in this point do many men sinne, while they are persuaded that they haue done al the duetie that they owe, if they hurt no man, & if they possesse that whiche they haue without trouble to any man, although in the meane while they haue no regarde whether they helpe or do good to any man, or no. And he sinneth as greatly in the sight of the Lord, which doth not vse rightly goods iustly gotten, as he that hath heaped vp wealth in wickednesse, and naughtie meanes. I will tell you therefore, so farre as God shall giue me grace, howe & in what sort godly men may holily possesse and dispose these earthly goods.