A17183:196
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.
The same line is brought down from Abraham by Isaac unto Jacob, and Jacob being full of the spirit of God, pointed out his son Judah to be the root of the blessed seed, as it is to be seen in 49. of Genesis. Lastly, in the tribe of Judah, the house of David was noted, out of which that seed and branch of life should come. Moreover, the holy fathers taught, that God by a certain 1league hath joined him self to mankind, and that he hath most strictly bound him self to the faithful, and the faithful likewise to him self again. Whereupon, they did teach to be faithful to God ward, to honour God, to hate false Gods, to call upon the only God, and to worship him devoutly. Furthermore, they taught, 2that the worship of God did consist in things spiritual, as faith, hope, charity, obedience, upright dealing, holiness, innocency, patience, trueth, judgement, and godliness. And therefore did they reprehend naughtiness, and sin, falsehood, lack of belief, desperation, disobedience, unpatientnesse, lying, hypocrisy, hatred, despiteful taunts, violence, wrong, unrighteous dealing, uncleanness, riotousness, surfeiting, whoredom, unrighteousness, and ungodliness. They taught, that God was a rewarder of good, but a punisher and revenger of evil. They taught, that the souls of 3men were immortal, and that the bodies should rise again in the day of judgement: therefore they exhorted us all, so to live in this temporal life, that we do not lose the life eternal. This is the sum of the word of God revealed to the fathers, and by them delivered to their posterity. This is the tradition of the holy fathers, which comprehendeth all religion. Finally, this is the true, ancient, undoubted, authentical, & catholic faith of the fathers. Besides this, the holy fathers taught 4their children, & childers children, the account of the years from the beginning of the world, & also the true historical course, as well profitable as necessary, of things from the creation of the world, even unto their own times, lest peradventure their children should be ignorant of the beginning and succession of worldly things, and also of the judgements of God, and examples of them which lived, as well godly as ungodly.