A17183:321
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.
Paul in the very beginning of his Epistle to the Rom. doth prove that all 1men are sinners, that in men there remaineth no strength for them to be saved by, and that the law of God it self, doth dig up the knowledge of offences, that is, doth apply them, bring them to light, and make them manifest, but doth not take them away, blot them out, or utterly extinguish them: and that therefore, God for his own goodness sake, to the end that the work that he hath made, should not altogether perish, doth justify the faithful freely by faith in Jesus Christ. I will rehearse a few of the Apostles own words. The righteousness of God (saith he) is declared without the law, being witnessed notwithstanding by the law and the Prophets, the righteousness of God, I say, cometh by faith in Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe. For there is no difference. For all have sinned & have need of the glory of God: but are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood. These words of the Apostle, I suppose, are most manifest to them that believe. He plucketh justification from our own merits & strength, and attributeth it to grace, whereby the Son of God is given to the world, unto the punishment of the cross, that all they that believe that they are redeemed by the blood of the Son of God, may be justified. Again the Apostle immediately after, addeth: Therefore we hold that man is justified by faith without the works of the law. Upon the neck of this again, he argueth thus. Is he the God of the Jews 2only? Is he not also of the gentiles? Yes even of the Gentiles also. For it is one God that shall justify Circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. To be God, is nothing else but to be life & salvation. But God is the God of the Gentiles also, & not of the Jews alone: therefore God is the ⟨p. 51⟩life & salvation of the Gentiles. This life & salvation he doth communicate to us, not by the law or through circumcision: but by faith in Christ. Therefore faith alone doth justify. This may be proved by the example of Cornelius the Centurion, who as soon as S.
Paule in the very beginning of his Epistle to the Rom. doth proue that al