A17183:581
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.
Isaiah also in his forty Chapter, saith: Behold all people (to wit, compared to God) are in comparison of him as a drop of a bucketful, and are counted as a little dust sticking on the balance, and weighing nothing at all. Yea, the Isles are to him as a very little thing. Libanus is not sufficient to minister fire to his offering, and all the beasts thereof are not enough for one sacrifice. All people in comparison of God are reckoned as nothing, in respect of him they are less then nothing, and as that that is not. To whom then will ye liken God? or what similitude will ye set up to him? Shall the Carver make him an Image, and shall the Goldsmith cover it with gold or caste it into a form of silver plates.
Esaias also in his fourtie Chapter, sayth: Beholde all people (to wit, compared to God) are in comparison of him as a droppe of a bucketfull, and are counted as a little dust sticking on the balance, and weying nothing at all. Yea, the Isles are to him as a very little thing. Libanus is not sufficient to minister fire to his offering, and all the beastes thereof are not inoughe for one sacrifice. All people in comparison of God are reckoned as nothing, in respect of him they are lesse then nothing, and as that that is not. To whome then wil ye liken God? or what similitude will ye set vp to him? Shall the Caruer make him an Image, and shall the Goldsmyth couer it with golde or caste it into a fourme of siluer plates.
Moreover, shall the poor man, that he may have somewhat to set up, choose a tree that is not •otten, and seek out a cunning workman, to carve there out an Image that moveth not? Know ye not this? heard ye never of it? And again, It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the world, whose inhabitants are, in comparison of him, but as Grasshoppers. It is he ⟨p. 120⟩that spreadeth out the heavens like a curtain, he stretcheth them out as a Tent to dwell in: It is he that bringeth princes to nothing, and maketh the judges of the earth as though they were not. To whom now will ye liken me, and to whom shall I be like, saith the holy one. Lift up your eyes on high, and consider who hath made those things, which come out by so great heaps, and he calleth them all by their names. And so forth. Thus much out of Isaiah.