A17183:1240
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.
It did admonish the circumcised of his duty, for so much as he had given his name unto the Lord his confederate, to be enrolled in the register of God among the names of them that give them selves unto the Lord: wherefore he ought by covenant & duty to frame his life not after his own lust and pleasure, but according to the will of God, to whom he ⟨p. 361⟩did betake him self. For the condition of the covenant was, that the circumcised should not defile them selves with idolatry and strange religions, that they should not pollute with unclean living the bodies and minds that were hallowed to the Lord, but that they persevering in true faith, should ensue godliness, show the works of repentance, and be obedient to God in all things. For thus saith Moses in the tenth of Deuterono. Circumcise the foreskin of your hearts, and harden not your necks any longer. To which words the Prophet Jeremiah alludeth in his fourth Chapter: saying, Be ye circumcised to the Lord, and cut away the foreskin of your heart. And the Martyr S. Stephan rebuking the unbelieving Jews sayeth: Ye stiffenecked, and of uncircumcised heart and ears, ye always resist the holy ghost: Very rightly therefore doth the holy Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romans declare, that there are two sorts of circumcision: the 1one of the letter, in the flesh, the outward circumcision, that is made with hands: the other in the heart, of the Spirit, the inward circumcision, which is made by the means of the holy Ghost. The circumcision of the heart God doth like well of in those y• be his, but that in the flesh he doeth utterly mislike of, if as the flesh is, the heart be not circumcised. The liking and misliking of these two circumcisions is in that, which went before, so plainly already declared, that I need not to stick any longer upon it.
It did admonish the circumcised of his duetie, for so much as he had giuen his name vnto the Lord his confederate, to bee inrolled in the register of God amōg the names of them that giue them selues vnto the Lord: wherefore he ought by couenaunt & duetie to frame his life not after his owne lust and pleasure, but according to the will of God, to whome he ⟨p. 361⟩did betake him selfe. For the condition of the couenaunt was, that the circumcised shoulde not defile them selues with idolatrie and straunge religions, that they should not pollute with vncleane lyuing the bodies and mindes that were hallowed to the Lord, but that they perseuearing in true faith, should ensue godlynesse, shewe the workes of repentance, and be obedient to God in all things. For thus saith Moses in the tenth of Deuterono. Circumcise the foreskinne of your hearts, and harden not your neckes any longer. To which words the Prophet Ieremie alludeth in his fourth Chapter: saying, Bee ye circumcised to the Lord, and cut away the foreskinne of your hearte. And the Martyr S. Stephan rebuking the vnbeléeuing Iewes sayeth: Ye stiffenecked, and of vncircumcised hearte and eares, ye alwayes resist the holie ghost: Verie rightly therefore doth the holy Apostle Paule in his Epistle to the Romanes declare, that there are two sortes of circumcision: the