A17183:596
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.
Now, whereas we see that the Lord 1saith that he will visit, and by inquisition punish the sins of the fathers in the children, unto the third and fourth generation: we must not by and by think that God is unjust and punisheth another mans fault in afflicting the innocent, that is, in whipping him that did not offend: as the Jews in Ezekiel did wickedly taunt and cavil with God, saying: The Fathers have eaten sower grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge. But it is not so. For every man shall bear his own offences, neither shall the son bear or abye the fathers sin, nor the father the sons iniquity. ⟨p. 125⟩This doth the most true God very often and earnestly beat into our heads throughout Ezekiel, and the whole scripture beside. If therefore the children or childers children shall abide in the crooked steppes of their fathers, and shall, as their fathers did, do service to Idols, and shall think that they shall be safe and remain unpunished, because they learned it of their fathers, even as their fathers also were Idolaters, and yet flourished in wealth and prosperity: then I say, I will punish the sin of the fathers in the children, that is, I will sharply revenge the sin, that the children have learned of the fathers, and wherein they stiffly stand and abide, being encouraged thereunto by their fathers example and good fortune, although for the very same sin, I did not once touch their fathers before them. And for that cause is this expressly added, Of them that hate me. Hereof have we very many and very evident examples, in the books of Kings. The house of Jeroboam is utterly destroyed, because Jeroboam did erect in Israel Idolatry and superstition. Immediately after, the whole stock of King Baasa is clean cut off: and Achabs house is pulled up by the roots. At length, the Israelites are made slaves to serve the Assyrians. Solomon the most mighty, wealthy, wise, & happy king of Judah, because of his Idolatry and strange superstition, is of a sudden, made a wretch of all other. There is none, unless he never read the holy Scriptures, but doth know what happened to his son Rehoboam, to Joram the son of Jehoshaphat, to Achas, Manasseh, Jehoiachim & Zedechias, because of idolatry, & foreign worshipping of God.
Now, wheras we sée that the Lord 1