A17183:1107
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.
Furthermore, the men that bear 1the yoke of afflictions, do lay before themselves the plain and ample promises of God, from which, and from the examples of the saints they never turn their eyes. There are innumerable examples of them which have felt Gods helping hand ready in all needs to aid and deliver them. Now our good God doth promise to help and deliver, not them only which are afflicted for righteousness sake, but them also whom he doth visit for their faults and offences. For David saith: The Lord doth heal the contrite of heart: The Lord doth loose them that are bound in chains: The Lord giveth sight unto the blind: The lord setteth up again them that do fall. He is not angry for ever, neither doth he always child. He dealeth not with us after our sins, nor rewardeth us after our iniquities. And how wide the East is from the West, so far hath he set our sins from us. To this belongeth the whole thirtieth chapter of Jeremies Prophecy. And Paul doeth bear witness to this and saith: As the afflictions of Christ are many in us, so is our comfort great through Christ. Neither are we without examples enough to prove this same by, and to lay before our eyes the present delivery of the Saints, and the repentance of sinners in extreme calamities. Our ancestors y• Patriarchs Noah & Lot with their families, were by the mighty hand of God delivered ⟨p. 309⟩from the deluge, that drowned all creatures under the heavens, and the horrible fire that fell upon Sodom. Jacob and Joseph being wrapped in sundry tribulations, were by their merciful God wood out and rid from all. Even as also the children of Israel were brought forth and delivered from the servile bondage of Pharaoh in Egypt. The people of Israel did in the wilderness under their guides and Judges, sin often and grievously against the lord, for which they were punished roundly, and sharply scourged, but they were quickly delivered again by the Lord, so oft as they did acknowledge their sins, and turn themselves to him again. There are also notable peculiar examples of Gods deliverance of his people in David, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Manasseh, and 2many other. There are to be seen in the Gospel innumerable places, where Christ delivered his professors from sin, from diseases, from evils, from perils, and from the devil.