A17183:1101
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.
And as faith is the gift of Gods 1grace, and not the power or effect of our own nature, so hope is given us from above, and confirmed in us by the spirit of God. For in our looking after things, there are both groanings and longings for them. Temptations assail and urge us sorely, as though the thing were utterly deemed, ⟨p. 306⟩which is for a season deferred, or as though God knew not our state & condition, because he seemeth somewhiles, and as it were for ever to neglect and not set by our earnest expectation: wherefore our hope hath need of much consolation and confirmation of the spirit of God. Which, if it be sound, sustaineth and upholdeth the mind of man overladen howsoever with very weak infirmities. And when the Lord deferreth his promises, and seemeth somewhat too long, 2either to neglect our calamities, or else to lay more troubles on the backs of us, that are otherwise sufficiently afflicted, then cometh hope, which doing her duty, biddeth us pluck up our harts and stay the Lords leisure, who, as he cannot possibly hate them that worship him, so he never faileth nor in the least point deceiveth them, for he himself is the eternal trueth and everlasting goodness. Here now the places of Scripture touching the certainty of hope, are very profitable to teach, that the people that hoped in God were never confounded, although he did delay very long to aid them with his helping hand. The Lord promiseth the land of Canaan to the seed of Abraham, but 430 years do first come about, before he settleth them in possession of it, yea before he brought them to it, he led them whole 40. years about in the wilderness. He delivereth the Israelites from the captivity of Babylon, but not till 70. years were spent. What may be thought of this also, that God having immediately after the beginning promised his only son, did notwithstanding not send him till and toward the latter •nd of the world? The Saints must therefore still endure, and always wait the Lords good leisure, because truth cannot possibly fail them, and all that hope in it are surely saved. David crieth: Our fathers hoped in thee, they hoped 3in thee and thou diddest deliver them. They called upon thee and were saved: they hoped in thee and were not confounded. And again, The Lord is good, happy is the man that hopeth in him.