A17183:1317
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.
To Saint Peter in the Acts of the Apostles a vision is showed, wherein by the unclean beasts are meant the Gentiles. Lastly God would have the nature and disposition of the beasts, that he forbade to be eaten, to ⟨p. 384⟩be thoroughly scanned. For in their diet at the table he did by figures lay before their eyes the heavenly Philosophy, giving them occasion even in their meat to think and speak of the true holiness of the mind, to the end that men should not be filthy, impudent, foul, and unclean. And therefore is this clause so many times repeated, I the Lord your God am holy. As if he should say: All these Ceremonies tend to this end, that ye may give your selves to holiness. Wherefore in those figures he taught the godly what to follow, and what to fly from.
To Sainct Peter in the Actes of the Aposties a vision is shewed, wherein by the vncleane beastes are ment the Gentiles. Lastly God would haue the nature and disposition of the beastes, that hee for•ad to be eaten, to ⟨p. 384⟩be thoroughly scanned. For in their diet at the table hee did by figures lay before their eyes the heauenly Philosophie, giueing them occasion euen in their meate to thincke and speake of the true holinesse of the minde, to the ende that men should not bee filthie, impudent, foule, and vncleane. And therefore is this clause so many times repeated, I the Lord your God am holie. As if hee should say: All these Ceremonies tende to this ende, that yee may giue your selues to holinesse. Wherefore in those figures hee taught the godly what to follow, and what to flie from.
Now in the law of the clean and unclean, he doth first of all put certain generalities, then he descendeth by specialities, and doeth in a bedroll reckon up certain particular things in a very natural course and order. The place is at the full set out in the eleventh Chapter of Leviticus & the fourteenth of Deuteronomium. Those beasts were allowed to be eaten, which cleave the hoof, and chaw the cud. Here are two things set down, in which the duty of a good man is notably contained. For if we will be clean we must divide the hoof, and also chaw the cud. Our affection is the foot of our minds, which affection must not be followed. We must have discretion in all things to judge betwixt affections. And as in a cleft there be two parts or sides, the right & the left, so a good man chooseth the good, and flieth from the evil. Chawing of the cud is our judgment. For we must not admit every thing which we hear and see, but those things only which we have examined exactly & found to be contrary neither to God nor to his law.