A17183:1823
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 here I will not stick to recite unto you (dearly beloved) Saint Augustine's judgement touching this matter in his seconde book De peccatorum meritis et remissione Chap. 33. & 34. where he saith: Things, the guilt whereof God absolveth or remitteth, to the end that after this life they should do no harm, and yet he suffereth them to abide unto the conflict ⟨p. 523⟩of faith, that by them men may be instructed and exercised, profiting in the conflict of righteousness. &c. And presently after: Before forgiveness they are the punishments of sinners: but after remission they are the conflicts and exercises of just men. And again, after a few words more he faith, The flesh which was first made, was not the flesh of sin, wherein man would not keep righteousness among the pleasures of paradise. Wherefore God ordained, that after his sin, the flesh of sin being increased, should endeavour with pains and labours to recover righteousness again. And for that cause Adam being cast out of Paradise, dwelt over against Eden, that is, against the place of pleasures, which was a sign, that with labours, which are contrary to pleasure, the flesh of sin was then to be inured, which being in pleasures, kept not obedience, before it was the flesh of sin. Therefore even as those our first parents by living justly afterward, whereby they are rightly thought to be by the blood of Christ delivered from utter punishment, deserved not yet in that life to be called back again into Paradise: so also the flesh of sin, although, when sins are forgiven, a man live righteously in it, doth not presently deserve not to suffer that death, which it drew from the propagation of sin. Such a like thing is insinuated to us in the book of the Kings, concerning the patriarch David, to whom when the prophet was sent, and had threatened unto him the evils that should come upon him through the anger of God, because of the sin which he had committed, by the confession of the sin he deserved forgiveness, according to the answer of the prophet, who told him that that sin and crime was forgiven unto him, and yet those things 1betided him which god had threatened unto him, to wit, that he should so be humbled by the incest of his son. &c.
And here I wil not sticke to recite vnto you (dearely beloued) Saincte Augustines iudgement touching this matter in his seconde booke De peccatorum meritis et remissione Chap. 33. & 34. where he sayth: Thinges, the guilt wherof God absolueth or remitteth, to the ende that after this life they should doe no harme, and yet he suffereth them to abide vnto the conflict