A17183:505
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.
Thou must take him to be a man, whosoever beseecheth thee, therefore that he may think thee to be a man, Give to the blind, to the impotent, to the lame, to the comfortless, to whom unless thou be liberal, thou shalt dye undoubtedly. Again he saith, If so be we will rightly be called by the name of men, then must we in any case keep the law of civill humanity. And what else I pray you is it to keep humanity but therefore to love a man because he is a man, and the very same that we our selves are. The Lord in the Gospel verily speaking of the love of our neighbour saith, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them that hurt you. And again, Give to every one that asketh of thee. And if you love them that love you, what thank is that to you. For sinners also love them of whom they are loved. So then every man who so ever standeth in need of our aid, both is, and is to be counted our neighbour.
Thou muste take him to be a man, whosoeuer beseecheth thee, therefore that he may thinke thee to be a man, Giue to the blinde, to the impotent, to the lame, to the comfortlesse, to whome vnlesse thou be liberall, thou shalt dye vndoubtedly. Againe he saith, If so be we will rightly be called by the name of men, then must we in any case keepe the lawe of ciuill humanitie. And what else I pray you is it to keepe humanitie but therfore to loue a man bycause he is a man, and the very same that we our selues are. The Lord in the Gospel verily speaking of the loue of our neighbour saith, Loue your enimies, blesse them that curse you, doe good to them that hate you, pray for them that hurt you. And againe, Giue to euery one that asketh of thee. And if you loue thē that loue you, what thanke is that to you. For sinners also loue them of whome they are loued. So then euery man who so euer standeth in néede of our ayde, both is, and is to be counted our neighbour.
And yet all this notwithstanding 1there is no cause but that there ought to be an order, a measure and decent regard in love and well doing. For rightly said Saint Augustine in the 27. Chapter of his book De doctrina Christiana. No sinner in that he is a sinner is to be loved. And in the. 28. Chapter. All men are to be loved alike, but since thou canst not do good to all men, therefore thou must especially do good to them, to whom thou art as it were by lot more nearly joined by opportunity either of time, of place, or of any other thing what soever. And this did Paul before Augustine teach, where he saith: Who soever worketh not let him not eat. And again, While we have time let us work good to all men, but specially to them of the household of faith. And in another place he commandeth us not to bestow on others, & to lack our selves at home. But rather he chargeth every one to have a godly care of his own house. The place is known in the fifth Chapter of the first Epistle to Timothy.