A17183:579
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.
Among us, he that calleth another an Idol or an Image, doth seem to have spoken it too too despitefully in reproach of the other. For we know that Idols are counterfeits of men and not men in deed: and therefore do we call him an Image, that is a sot, a fool, a dolt, an idiot, and one that hath no wit, nor knoweth any more then he heareth of other. Why then henceforward should we any more call Images the likenesses of God? God is living: Images are monuments of dead men, as Solomon the author of the book of Wisdom saith. God is glorious, and heaven and earth are full of the glory of his majesty: but Idols are without all glory, and subject to the scoffs and mocks of men. Images are tokens of absent friends. But God is present always and every where. And the signs or tokens which God did of old ordain, and give to his people, were not simply the signs and Images of God, but tokens of Gods presence, signifying that God who by nature is a spirit, and invisible, incomprehensible ⟨p. 119⟩and unmeasurable, is present still among them. Such a token was the cloud, the smoke, the fire, and finally the very Ark of the covenant, which also the Cherubim did cover with their wings, signifying thereby, that no mortal man could look God in the face: and that therefore the soul, and the mind and spirit ought, by contemplation, to be lifted up into heaven there to behold him. For to Moses, who notwithstanding is said to have seen God face to face, it was said: No man shall see me & live. When once we are deceased, then shall we see him as he is, according to the sayings of the blessed Evangelist John. So then, these I say are the causes why the Lord will not have him self represented or portrayed in any matter or likeness.
Among vs, he that calleth another an Idole or an Image, doth séeme to haue spoken it too too despightfully in reproche of the other. For we know that Idoles are counterfaites of men and not men in déede: and therefore doe we call him an Image, that is a sotte, a foole, a dolte, an idiote, and one that hath no wit, nor knoweth any more then he heareth of other. Why then henceforwarde should we any more call Images the likenesses of God? God is lyuing: Images are monumentes of deade men, as Solomon the authour of the booke of Wisdome sayth. God is glorious, and heauen and earth are full of the glory of his maiestie: but Idoles are without all glory, and subiect to the scoffes and mockes of men. Images are tokens of absent friendes. But God is present alwayes and euery where. And the signes or tokens which God did of olde ordeine, and giue to his people, were not simply the signes and Images of God, but tokens of Gods presence, signifying that God who by nature is a spirite, and inuisible, incomprehensible