A17183:1333
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.
Moses was before all other lawgivers that were of name and authority: among whom Mercurius Trismegistus & Rhadamanthus y• L• cian are thought to be the eldest.
Moses was before all other lawegiuers that were of name and authoritie: among whome Mercurius Trismegistus & Rhadamanthus y• L• cian are thought to be the eldest.
The Egyptians called their Mercurius by the name of Thoth, who, as Lactantius affirmeth, slue Argus that had so many eyes, and upon the murder 1fled into Egypt. Now Argus and Atlas lived about the time of Cecrops Diphyes. And Cecrops is reported to have been in the same time that Moses was. Rhadamanthus also is supposed to have lived after the days of Joshua Moses his servant and successor. But the most famous lawgivers of the greatest and most ancient nations did follow long after the death of Moses, Draco and Solon among the Athenians, Minos with the Cretans, Charondas of the Tyrians, Phoronaeus to the Argives, Lycurgus to the Lacedaemonians, Pythagoras to the Italians, Romulus and Numa unto the Romans, Plato wrote of laws a little before the reign of Philip king of Macedon and father to Alexander the great. And Cicero 2. lib. de legibus saith: I see therefore that the opinion of the wisest sort was, that law was neither invented by mens wits, nor yet was the decree or ordinance of people, but a certain eternal thing ruling the whole world with discretion to command, or for bid, to do, or leave undone. So they 2said that that chief and highest law is the wisdom of God, which commandeth or forbiddeth all things by reason. Whereupon that law, which the Gods have given to mankind, is rightly commended: for it is the reason and discretion of the wise which is able either to command or else forbid, and so forth. Therefore the Judicial laws of God are commended unto us, not so much for their antiquity, as for the authority which they have of God.