A17183:1089
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.
WE are too unthankful towards our God, unless we do willingly and cheerfully suffer calamities at his hand. And yet such cheerfulness is 1not required of us, as should take away all sense and feeling of grief and bitterness. Otherwise there should be no patience in the Saints suffering of the Cress of Christ, unless they were both pinched by the heart with grief, and vexed in body with outward troubles. If in poverty there were no sharpness, if in diseases no pain, if in infamy no sting, & in death no horror, what fortitude or temperance were it to make small account of and set little by them? But since every one of them doeth naturally nip the minds of us all with a certain bitterness engrafted in them, the valiant stomach of a faithful man doth therein show it self, if he being pricked with the feeling of this bitterness howsoever he is grievously pained therewith, doeth notwithstanding by valiant resisting & continual struggling worthily vanquish and quite overcome it. Therein doth patience make proof of it self, if when a man is sharply pricked, it doth notwithstanding so bridle it self with the fear of God, that it never breaketh forth to immoderate unruliness. Therein doth cheerfulness clearly appear, if a man once wounded with sorrow and sadness, doth quietly stay himself upon the spiritual consolation of his God and creator. This conflict which the faithful sustain against the natural feeling of sorrow and grief (while they study to exercise patience and temperance) the Apostle Paul hath finely described in words as followeth: We are troubled on every side but not made sorrowful: we are in poverty but not in extreme poverty: we suffer persecution but are not forsaken therein: we are caste down but we perish not. Thou seest here that to bear the Cross patiently, is not to be altogether senseless, and utterly bereft of all kind of feeling: as the Stoics of old did foolishly describe the valiant man to be such an one, as laying aside the nature of man, should be affected alike in adversity and prosperity, in sorrowful matters and joyful things, yea, and such an one as should be moved with nothing whatsoever. And what did they I pray you with this exceeding great patience? Forsooth they painted the image of patience, which neither ever was nor possibly can be found among men.
WE are too vnthanckful towards our God, vnlesse we do willingly and chearefully suffer calamities at his hand. And yet such chearefulnes is 1