A17183:1479
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.
But if any man object that Christ 1descended to them below: we verily do not deny it, but yet we say withal that he descended to the departed saints, that is, that he was gathered to the company of the blessed Spirits, which were not in the place of punishment, that is in torments, but in the joys of heaven, as the Lord him self confirmeth the same, when being ready to descend to them below, he did say 2unto the chief: This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. It may also by many places of Scripture be proved, that the ancient holy fathers from Adams time until the death of Christ, at their departure out of this life did presently for Christ his sake enter, not into prison, but into eternal life. For our Lord in the Gospel after Saint Mark doth say: God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. But he is the god of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob: therefore consequently Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob do live, or are now alive: and yet not in body corporally. For their bodies being buried were rotten long since: therefore their souls do live in joy: and their very bodies shall rise to judgement again. In the Gospel after S. Luke the Lord maketh mention of Abraham's bosom, into which are gathered all the blessed spirits, & of it he testifieth that it is placed aloft, & that it is not a place of pain & punishment, but of joy and refreshing. And therefore we do often read in the Scriptures of the holy fathers, that they were gathered unto their people, that is to say, that they were received into the fellowship of those fathers, with whom they had in this world remained in the same faith and same kind of religion. For the sequences & circū stances of those places do manifestly declare y• those words cannot be expounded corporally of the burial of the body. Again in the Gospel after S. Matthew the Lord saith: I say unto you, that many shall come out of the East & out of the West, and shall rest them selves with Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob in the kingdom of heaven: but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into utter darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
But if any man obiect that Christe 1descended to them belowe: we verily do not denye it, but yet we say withal that he descēded to ye departed saincts, that is, that he was gathered to ye companie of the blessed Spirites, whiche were not in the place of punishment, that is in torments, but in the ioyes of heauen, as the Lorde him self cōfirmeth the same, when being readie to descende to them belowe, he did saye