A17183:1550
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 the unlawful and forbidden deeds wherewith men are offended, do tend against God and his laws, are done contrary to all seemliness, equity, right, & reason, & stir ⟨p. 452⟩up others to imitate the like revels and desire of ill rule. For such are idolatry, murder, whoredom, covetousness, pride, and luxury. So did the wicked king Jeroboam set up the golden calves to be a stumbling block unto all the people of Israel. And in like manner do many with their drunken tippling, and overnice bravery in gaudy apparel not only offend others, but also make them worse, and by their ill example draw them into like and more foolish vanities.
Nowe the vnlawfull and forbidden déedes wherewith men are offended, doe tende against God and his lawes, are done contrarie to all séemlinesse, equitie, right, & reason, & stirre ⟨p. 452⟩vpp others to imitate the like reuels and desire of ill rule. For suche are idolatrie, murther, whoredome, couetousnesse, pride, and luxurie. So did the wicked king Ieroboam set vp the golden calues to bee a stumblinge blocke vnto all the people of Israel. And in like manner doe many with their drunken tippling, and ouernéece brauerie in gawdie apparaile not only offend others, but also make them worse, and by their ill example drawe them into like and more foolishe vanities.
Finally, to give an offence is a very 1great sin, as the saying of y• Lord in the Gospel affirmeth. For in Matthew he saith: Woe unto the world because of offences. It must needs be that offences come, but woe to the man by whom the offence cometh. Whosoever offendeth one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea. And Paul the Apostle speaking to the brethren that give offence, doeth say: Through thy giving of offence perisheth thy brother for whom Christ died. And again: And so ye sinning against your brethren, and wounding their weak consciences, do sin against Christ him self. But what can be devised more heinous then to sin against Christ? Let us all therefore take heed, that by abusing Christian liberty, we give no occasion of offence to the weak, but all ways do the things that do belong to charity.