A17183:1320
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 of fishes, so much was allowed for meat, as was found to have fins and scales upon them: if they lacked either of them, they were forbidden, as the Eel, which though it hath fins yet lacketh it scales, and therefore was not to be eaten. For as the bodies of fishes are ruled with the fins: so must the whole man be governed by hope. The scales are hard and cover the body: and we, unless we be constant & patient in the Lords work, are worthy to be abhorred of the Lord our maker. Of birds those are forbidden which are the greatest raveners, devourers, which love and live by unclean meats, which fly abroad at owl-light, at midnight, and in the dark, and such as are crafty, ⟨p. 385⟩unstable, and nothing cheerful. Herein therefore is commended unto us, well doing, abstinence, temperance, simplicity, light, constancy, cheerfulness, soundness and pureness of living.
Furthermore of fishes, so much was allowed for meate, as was found to haue finnes and scales vpon them: if they lacked either of them, they were forbidden, as the Eele, which thoughe it hath finnes yet lacketh it scales, and therefore was not to be eaten. For as the bodies of fishes are ruled with the finnes: so must the whole man be gouerned by hope. The scales are hard and couer the body: and wée, vnlesse we be constant & patient in the Lords woorke, are worthie to bee abhorred of the Lorde our maker. Of birdes those are forbidden which are the gretest raueners, deuourers, which loue and liue by vncleane meates, whiche flye abroad at owlelight, at midnight, and in the darke, and such as are craftie, ⟨p. 385⟩vnstable, and nothing chéerefull. Herein therefore is commended vnto vs, well dooing, abstinence, temperance, simplicitie, light, constancie, chéerefulnesse, soundnesse and purenesse of liueing.
Lastly, of such as creep by the ground no small number are noted. For men altogether wrapped in worldly muck do utterly displease the Lord. I have of purpose not reckoned up, all the names of the forbidden creatures, partly because it would have been too tedious unto you, and partly because the interpreters of the Bible do wonderfully stick in the interpretation of their names: so that I can never marvel enough at the extreme blind stubbornness of the Jewish people in keeping so strictly the choice of their meats, when their own Rabbins do stick and cannot tell certainly what creatures they be that the Lord did forbid them.