A17183:501
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.
But now let us hear Moses the 1servant of God declaring and teaching us the way and manner how to love God, to wit, how great love ought to be in the elect. Thou shalt saith he, love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength. The very same words in a manner did our Lord in the Gospel repeat, and said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, and with all thy mind. By this we understand that the greatest love that may be, is required at our hands to God ward: as that which challengeth man wholly how big so ever he be and all the parts of man as peculiar unto it self. In the mind is mans understanding. In the heart is the seat of his affections and will. The strength of man containeth all mans ability, as his very words, deeds, counsel, riches, and his whole substance. Finally, the soul is the life of man. And we verily are commanded to employ all these upon the love of God, when we are bidden to love God with all our soul, with all our strength, with our whole mind, and our whole heart. Nothing is overslipped, but all is contained in this. We are Gods wholly and altogether, let us altogether therefore and wholly love God. Let nothing in all the world be dearer to us then God, let us not spare for Gods sake any thing of all that which we possess how dear to us or good soever it be, but let us forsake, spend, and give it for Gods sake, and as the Lord by his word appointeth. For in doing so we love God before and above all things. We are also commanded ⟨p. 94⟩to stick to God only & to embrace him alone. For to whom we do 2wholly owe all that we have, to him is all the whole sincerely, simply and fully to be given. Here are they condemned, whosoever will not once love God and the world together. The Lord requireth the whole heart, the whole mind, the whole soul, and all the strength, finally he requireth all what soever we are, or have in possession: he leaveth nothing therefore for thee to bestow on other. By what right then wilt thou give to the flesh, the devil, to other Gods or to the world the things that properly are Gods own? And God verily alone is the chiefest, eternal, greatest, mightiest, creator, deliverer, preserver, most gentle, most just, and best of all.