A17183:296
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 in this diversity (I mean) in this increase and weakness of faith, there is no partition or division, for the self same root and substance of faith doth always remain, although it be at sometime more, and at sometime less. In like manner, faith is not therefore 1changed nor cut in sunder▪ because one is called general faith, and another particular faith. For general faith is no other then that, which believeth that all the words of God are true, and that God hath a good will to mankind. Particular faith believeth nothing contrary to this, only that which is common to all, the faithful applieth particularly to him self, believing that God is not well minded toward others alone, but even unto him also. So then, it bringeth the whole into parts, and that which is general into particularities. For whereas by general faith he believeth that all the words of God are true: in the same sort by particular faith he doth believe that the soul is immortal, that our bodies rise again, that the faithful shall be saved, the unbelievers destroyed, and whatsoever else is of this sort taught to be believed in the word of God. Moreover, the disputation touching faith that is poured into us, and 2faith that we our selves get, touching formal faith, and faith without fashion, I believe to be beaten out of them which of them selves do bring these new disputations into the Church. True faith is obtained by no strength or merit of man, but is poured into him of God, as I declared in my last Sermon: and though man obtain it by hearkening unto the word of God, yet nevertheless, it is wholly imputed to the grace of god. For unless this grace do work inwardly in the heart of the hearer, the preacher that laboureth out wardly doth bring no profit at all. We read in the third chapter of S. Augustins book, De praedestinatione Sanctorū. That once he was in an error, because he thought that that faith, wherewith we believe in God, is not the gift of God, but that it was in us as of our selves, and that by it we do obtain the gifts of God, whereby we may in this world live rightly and holily. ⟨p. 42⟩But this he confuteth in that book at large and that substantially. So then, true faith which bendeth on God alone, and is directed by the word of God, is formal enough or sufficiently in fashion.