A17183:589
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.
For to serve, is to worship, to reverence, 1to attribute some majesty and divine authority to that which we do worship, to have affiance in, to burn incense, to offer gifts, and to show our selves dutifully serviceable to that which we worship. There is no man that knoweth not what it is to serve, and what is meant by service in matters of Religion. We are forbidden therefore to run in Pilgrimage to Idols, yea, though they be the Images of God him self. We are forbidden to do them any service, in offering gifts, or attributing unto them any one jot of Gods preeminence, thereby to bind our selves to maintain and uphold their unlawful honour, in mingling such superstitions with better points of true religion. This therefore considered 2(since we may not attribute to Images any serviceable honour) I do not see how we can ascribe to them the office of teaching, admonishing, and exhorting, which are the offices and benefits of Gods holy spirit and word: For Habakkuk the Prophet, of whose writings Paul did make no small account, hath left in writing words worth remembering. What profiteth (saith he) the image: for the maker of it hath made it an image and a teacher of lies, though he that made it trusteth therein, when he maketh dumb Idols▪ Woe unto him that s•yth to the wood, awake, and to the s•n•el […] stone, arise, Should that teach• th••• ⟨p. 123⟩Behold, it is covered with gold, and silver, & there is no breath in it. But the Lord is in his holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before him. What could be said more plainly and agreeable to the trueth? Images (saith he) are mere and very lies. But how can that teach the trueth, which of it self is nought else but a lye. There is no moving, there is no life, there is no breath in a picture or Image. But the Lord sitteth in his holy temple, where he reigneth and teacheth by inspiration, and the preaching of his word the sum of godliness, and where he liveth for ever in the hearts of all his Saints and servants. Let therefore all the tongues in the whole world be stopped of them that go about to maintain and uphold superstitious Idolatry, against the true and living God.