A17183:1145
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.
In this precept coveting is especially forbidden, I mean evil longing, 1and corrupt desiring. For coveting is a word indifferently used, as well in the better as the worse signification. For David affirmeth that he did long after God and his law, I have wished for (saith he) O Lord thy salvation. And, I have longed after thy commandments. Psal. 119. We must here therefore be able with discretion to judge betwixt that good affection, which God did first create in man, and that other motion, the root of evil that groweth in our nature, by the descent of corruption from our first father Adam. There was in Adam before his fall, a certain good appetite with pleasure and delight. He was not so hungry, that hum ger did pain his empty bowels (which is in deed a plague for sin) but he did eat with a certain sweet and delectable appetite. He was delighted with the pleasures of Paradise. He did with a certain holy desire, both love and long after the woman, which God had brought and placed before him. And this good appetite or desire proceeded from God himself, who made both Adam and all his affections good at the first. Yea, and at this day also there are in men, certain natural affections and desires, as, to eat, to drink, to sleep, and such like belonging to the preservation of mans life, which of themselves are not to be accounted among the number ⟨p. 325⟩of sins, unless by corruption of original vice they pass the bounds, for which they are ordained. But in this treatise upon the tenth commandment desire is used in the worser part, and is taken for the concupiscence or coveting of evil things. This concupiscence being translated from Adam into us all, is the fruit of our corrupt nature, or offspring of original sin: whose seat is in the hart of man, and is the fountain and he adspring of all sin and wickedness, that is to be found in mortal men. For the Lord in the Gospel doeth expressly say: whatsoever entereth in by the mouth, goeth into the belly and is caste out into the draught: but the things that come out of the mouth, proceed from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart do come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, whoredoms, theft, false witness bearings, despiteful speaking: these be they that do defile the man. And the Apostle James speaking altogether as plainly in an other place doeth say: