A17183:600
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.
Of the third precept of the ten Commandments, and of Swearing.
Of the thirde precept of the tenne Commaundementes, and of Swearing.
¶ The third Sermon.
¶ The thirde Sermon.
THE third Commandment of the 1first Table, is thus word for word. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Because the Lord will not let him go unpunished, that taketh the name of the Lord his GOD in vain. In the second Commandment, the Lord did set down the worship that he would not have, that he misliked of, and did flatly forbid, to wit, a worldly, earthly, and carnal kind of honour, a base and vile kind of worship, a service that is directly contrary to the spirit, nature and majesty of God, that is, to think that God will in shape resemble a man, or any other creature made of earth or corruptible stuff or matter, and then again to worship him under those shapes and figures, with corruptible things that were first ordained, and created for the use and behoof of men, and not of God. For God is an eternal spirit, which goeth all over and preserveth every thing, whom all the most excellent creatures of the whole world, if they were joined together in one, are not able to resemble, nor yet to represent the least jot of excellency in the living God. God is so far from lacking any corruptible things, that he him self supplieth the want ⟨p. 127⟩of all our necessities. It is a mere folly therefore to set up a percher, a taper, or a smoky torch before the maker and giver of light. It is a very toy to offer flesh of beasts to that eternal spirit, who in the Psalms saith: All the beasts of the woods are mine, and the cattle in a thousand hills, I know all birds upon the mountains, and in my power are all the beasts of the field, if I be hungry, I need not to tell thee, since the world is mine, and all that is therein. Now therefore in this third Commandment, the Lord doth very exquisitely, although very briefly, declare the manner hw he will be worshipped, that is, in holy reverencing of his holy name. The names whereby god is called, are God, Gods Majesty, Gods truth, Gods power, & Gods justice. Now the charge of this commandment is, not to abuse the name of God, and not to use it in light and trifling matters: but to speak, to think and judge honourably, reverently, holily, and purely of God and godly things.