A17183:593
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.
Then also he descendeth and doth 1very severely, yet notwithstanding justly, threaten extreme and terrible revengement. I am (saith he) a jealous God. This may be taken two ways very well, and not amiss. For first the sense may be thus, I will not have thee to seek any other Gods but me, neither will I have thee admit or receive any foreign or unlawful worshipping of me.
Then also he descendeth and doth 1very seuerely, yet notwithstanding iustly, threaten extreme and terrible reuengement. I am (sayth he) a iealous God. This may be taken two wayes very well, and not amisse. For firste the sense may be thus, I will not haue thée to séeke any other Gods but me, neyther will I haue thée admit or receiue any forreine or vnlawfull worshipping of me.
- 1God suf•• reth not mate.
The cause is, I am a jealous God, envious against my rival, not suffering mine equal, nor by any means abiding to have a mate. I alone will be loved, I alone will be worshipped, and that too, not after any other ⟨p. 124⟩fashion, than I my self have appointed to be observed. For no man is so ignorant, but that he knoweth, how God in the Scripture doth by the parable of wedlock, figuratively set down the assurance and bond, wherein by faith we are bound to God, God is our husband & bridegroom: we are his wife & chosen spouse. A chaste and faithful wife, giveth ear alone to her husbands voice, him alone she loveth, him alone she doth obey, & him excepted she loveth no man at all. Again on the other side, a shameless, faithless, adulteress, and whorish strumpet, not worthy to be called a wife, seemeth outwardly to stick and cleave to her husband, but privily she maketh her body common to many men, and loveth other more then her husband, and for the most part burneth on them, being cold enough to him ward. But God is a jealous God, and will be loved, and worshipped alone, without any partner to rob him thereof. That is spiritual adultery & whore-hunting, when men do partly love and worship God, and yet notwithstanding, do therewithal give reverence to strange and other Gods. Against this faithless and double dealing, all the Prophets cry out most vehemently, with words that represent a tyrannous and cruel revengement. For of all other sins that is most detestable. I would to God at this day so many were not persuaded that this kind of honour is the worship that God maketh most account of. Or else otherwise the sense of those words may be thus: I will not have thee to seek any other Gods but me, I will not have thee worship me according to thine own inventions. The cause is, I am a jealous God, that is, I am easy to be provoked, and will not suffer me self, and mine honour to be rejected, without due punishment for the contempt. And to this sense he seemeth to draw where he goeth forward, and doth at large expound how he is jealous: for I visit, saith he, the fathers iniquity in the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.