A17183:1105
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 therefore do they for his chastening of them yield him hearty thanks, and forsaking utterly themselves & their opinions, do wholly commit themselves whether they live or die into the lords hands. The Apostle going about to settle this in the hearts of the faithful saith: God speaketh to you as to his sons, my son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, neither faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the lord loveth he chasteneth, & scourgeth every son that he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God tendereth you as his sons. For what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards & not sons. Since therefore when we had fathers of our flesh, they corrected us & we reverenced them, shall we not much more rather be in subjection to the father of spirits & live? Secondarily, let the faithful 1believer which is oppressed with calamities consider and weigh the causes for which he is afflicted. For either he is troubled & persecuted of worldlings for the desire that he hath to righteousness & true religion: or else he suffereth due punishment for his sins & offences. Let them which suffer persecution for righteousness sake, rejoice and give God thanks, as the Apostles did, for that he thinketh them worthy to suffer for the name of Christ. For the lord in the gospel said: Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness 2sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile & persecute you, and shall say all manner evil saying against you •or my sake: rejoice ye & be glad, for great is ⟨p. 308⟩your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you. But if any man for his sins doth feel the scourge of God, let him acknowledge that Gods just judgement is fallen upon him, let him humble himself under the mighty hand of the Lord, let him confess his sins to God, let him meekly require pardon for them, and patiently suffer the plague, which he with his sins hath worthily deserved. Let him follow the examples of Daniel and David. Daniel confesseth his sins unto the Lord and saith: We have sinned, we have committed iniquity and have done wickedly, we have not obeyed 3