A17183:396
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.
Let us first of all pray to our God, that he will vouchsafe to grant us an happy, speedy, and very fruitful proceeding in the declaration of the other Articles of Christian belief.
LEt vs firste of all pray to our God, yt he wyll vouchsafe to graunt vs an happie, speedie, and verye fruitefull proceeding in the declaration of the other Articles of Christian beliefe.
The fifth Article of our belief is: 1The third day he rose again from the dead. And this article verily of our belief is in a manner the chief of all the rest. Neither are the Apostles so busily occupied in declaring and confirming the other, as they are in this one. For it had not been enough, if our Lord had dyed only, 2unless he had also risen from the dead again. For if he had not risen from the dead, but had remained still in death, who should have persuaded us men, that sin was purged by the death of Christ, that death was vanquished, Satan overcome, and Hell broken up for the faithful by the death of Christ? Yea verily we have foolish fellows that would never cease to blaspheme the very God, to make a mock of our hope, and to say: Tush who did ever return from the dead, to tell us whether there be a life in an other world after this or no, and what kind of life it is?
The fifte Article of oure beliefe is: 1The thirde daye he rose againe from the deade. And this article verilie of our beliefe is in a maner the chiefe of all the reste. Neyther are the Apostles so busily occupied in declaring and confirminge the other, as they are in this one. For it had not beene enoughe, if our Lorde had dyed onely, 2vnlesse he had also rysen from ye deade agayne. For if hee had not risen from the deade, but had remayned still in death, who shoulde haue persuaded vs men, that sinne was purged by the death of Christe, that death was vanquished, Sathan ouercome, and Hell broken vppe for the faythfull by the death of Christe? Yea verilye wee haue foolish fellowes that would neuer ceasse to blaspheme the verye God, to make a mocke of oure hope, and to saye: Tushe who did euer returne from the deade, to tell vs whether there be a lyfe in an other worlde after this or no, and what kinde of lyfe it is?