A17183:1315
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.
Other more abstained from swines flesh, whereby they obtained neither praise nor glory among wicked men. When the word of GOD saith that a thing is holy, it is holy in deed, and that because he is holy that commandeth it. When God saith that any thing is unclean, it is unclean in deed, so that to eat any thing against the word of God is to defile the eater: Ye now, saith the Lord in the Gospel, are clean because of the word which I said unto you. It is needful therefore that we believe the word of God, and that obedience go before faith, and then it cannot be but that the deed or work that is of faith, as Eleazar's was, who would not taste the swines flesh, must needs be acceptable unto God, with whom whatsoever is not of faith is sin and wickedness.
Other more absteyned from swines flesh, whereby they obteyned neither praise nor glorie amonge wicked men. When the woord of GOD saith that a thing is holy, it is holy in déede, and that because hée is holy that commaundeth it. When God saith that any thing is vncleane, it is vncleane in déede, so that to eate any thinge against the word of God is to defile the eater: Ye nowe, sayth the Lord in the Gospell, are cleane beecause of the woord which I said vnto you. It is needefull therefore that wee beleeue the woord of God, and that obedience goe before faith, and then it cannot be but that the deede or woorke that is of faith, as Eleazars was, who would not taste the swines fleshe, must needs be acceptable vnto God, with whom whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and wickednesse.
Moreover, the Lord in these laws of his touching the abstaining from the flesh of certain living creatures, had a great respect unto the health and soundness of mortal mens bodies. For some of those which he forbiddeth to be eaten, are by Physicians scarcely thought to be wholesome for our bodies. And thereupon the Saints do gather this syllogism, If God hath care for the health of our bodies, he is far more careful verily for the preservation of our souls. What may be thought of this, that many nations have tempered themselves from the eating and touching of some living creatures? Therefore that the people of Israel, who of themselves were sufficiently superstitious and curious enough, should not be their own carvers and invent such toys as they thought best, God gave them such laws for choice of their meat, as did contain hidden mysteries in them, thereby to draw them from their own devises, and to sever them from all other nations: as Moses testifieth in the fourteenth Chapter of Deuteronomium, saying: Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord thy GOD hath chosen thee from among all the nations upon the face of the whole earth, to be a peculiar people unto himself.