A17183:1452
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 upon this he inferreth: Now therefore why tempt ye God, to lay upon the disciples necks a yoke, which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
And vppon this he inferreth: Now therefore why tempt ye God, to laye vppon the disciples neckes a yoke, which neither wee nor our fathers were able to beare? But wee beleeue that through the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ we shalbe saued, euen as they.
See here, Saint Peter called the law a burden and a yoke: and therefore where the Apostles say that they will not lay upon the church any greater burden, they do thereby signify that the law is flatly abrogated. They do therefore set the church free from the burden of the law: and do acquit it from all burdens like to y• law. We now do gather by those words of the Apostles, that those 1burdensome, and innumerable ceremonies, which the church hath received by counsels & Synods since the time of the Apostles, were unjustly & against the Apostolic spirit then laid upon the church, and at this day wickedly retained and defended in the church. For they in express words said: It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us to burden you with no more then these things necessary. But if any man object and say that those ceremonies were for the rudeness of the people laid upon the churches necks, as a rule or instruction to guide or teach them by? Mine answer is, that that kind of instruction is clean taken away, which whosoever goeth about to reduce, he desireth nothing else but to bring in Judaism again. God knew very well what kind of church that would be, which he purposed to gather together of Jews and Gentiles, and yet he abolished those external ceremonies. Now, who doth better know than God, what is expedient, or not expedient for his church? therefore the things that he abolished, were ⟨p. 425⟩not expedient for the faithful, whereupon the Apostles did rightly & very well pronounce: It seemed good to the holy ghost and us not to lay upon you any greater burden. Let them therefore be ashamed of their doings, which lay so great a burden upon the shoulders of the church, that otherwise ought to be most free.