A17183:1411
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.
Now that faith, wherewith we believe ⟨p. 409⟩that Christ hath satisfied the law, 1and that he is our righteousness and our perfection, is neither of our own nature, nor of our own merits, but is by the grace of God poured into us through the holy spirit, which is given into our hearts. This spirit abiding in our hearts, doth inflame our breasts with the love and desire of Gods law, to do our endeavour to the expressing and showing of the law in all our works and conversation. Which desire and endeavour, although they be never fully accomplished by reason of the s•eashes frailty or weakness of mans nature, which remaineth in us even till the last gasp and end of our life, is notwithstanding acceptable to God by grace for Christ his sake alone: neither doeth any Godly man put any confidence in this other, but in the first fulfilling of the law, as that which is only absolute and perfect. For Paul in his Epistle to the Romans crieth out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? And yet immediately after he answereth, I thank God. to wit, because he hath redeemed me from death, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then I me self with the mind serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. There is then no damnation to them which are grafted in Christ Jesus, which walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. &c.
Now that faith, wherewith we beleeue ⟨p. 409⟩that Christ hath satisfied the law, 1and that he is oure righteousnesse and our perfection, is neither of our owne nature, nor of our owne merits, but is by the grace of God powred into vs through the holy spirit, which is giuen into our hearts. This spirite abiding in our heartes, doth inflame our breastes with the loue and desire of Gods lawe, to doe oure endeuoure to the expressing and shewing of the lawe in al our workes and conuersation. Which desire and endeuour, although they be neuer fully accomplished by reason of the s•eashes frailetie or weakenesse of mans nature, which remayneth in vs euen till the last gaspe and end of our life, is notwithstanding acceptable to God by grace for Christe his sake alone: neither doeth anye Godly man put any confidence in this other, but in the first fulfilling of the lawe, as that which is onely absolute and perfecte. For Paule in his Epistle to the Romans crieth out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death? And yet immediatly after he answereth, I thanke God. to wit, because he hath redéemed me from death, through Iesus Christ our Lord. So then I me selfe with the minde serue the law of God, but with the fleshe the lawe of sinne. There is then no damnation to them whiche are graffed in Christ Iesu, which walk not after the fleshe but after the spirite. &c.