A17183:1399
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.
and no marvel, since to many men through their own fault the Gospel doth become, and is made the letter. Furthermore the same Apostle doth in an other place say that in sacrifices they called their sins to remembrance, & we know that in them was prefigured the purging of sins. Therefore even the ceremonial laws also led them to Christ, testifying & teaching them that he alone doth cleanse us from all our sins. Whereupon I conclude that the office of Moses and of the law both was & is, to open to us our sin & judgment, & yet not to condemn us, only, but also by occasion to lead us to Christ. By which we learn also that the law doth not only teach us the first 1principles and rudiments of righteousness, but the very true & absolute righteousness. For Moses doth expressly say, that he taught a most perfect & absolute kind of doctrine, as that where in both life and death doth wholly consist. And the Apostle saith, that the law leadeth us by the hand to Christ, that we should be justified by faith. Now, the righteousness of faith is the most perfect righteousness. Therefore where 2as the precepts of the law are in some places called the rudiments of the world, that is for two especial causes. The first whereof is, because the law is as it were the first instructions or elements, which, when the doctrine of the Gospel cometh, is finished, and giveth place to it as to more absolute principles. The latter cause is because ceremonies are taught under outward things or signs, when as in those outward things they do prefigure and set forth to be seen y• inward things, even Christ himself & his holy mysteries. And out of that which I have hitherto said, we may also learn, that the ancient saints, which lived under the old testament, did not seek for righteousness & salvation in the works of the law, but in him which is the perfectness & end of the law, even Christ Jesus, & therefore that they used the law & the ceremonies as a guide and schoolmistress to lead them by the hand to Christ their saviour. For so often as they heard that the law required perfect 3righteousness at their hands, they did by faith through grace understand, y• in the law Christ was set forth to be the most absolute righteousness, to whom all men ought to fly for he obtaining of righteousness.