A17183:636
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.
Last of all, yt Lord doth add his own 1example, whereby he teacheth us to keep holy the sabbath day. Because (saith he) in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it. The Lord our God wrought six days, in creating heaven and earth, the sea, & all that in them is, & the seventh day he rested, & ordained that to be an appointed time for us to rest in. On the seventh day, we must think of the works that God did in the six days, the children of God must call to remembrance what & how great benefits they have received yt whole week, for which they must thank God, for which they must praise God, & by which they must learn God. We must then dedicate to him our whole body & soul, we must consecrate to him all our words & our deeds. As that day the Lord did rest from creating, but he ceased not still to preserve: so we upon that day must rest from handy & bodily works, but we must not cease from yt works of well doing & worshipping of god. Furthermore, that heavenly rest was no prejudice at all to the things created: neither shall that holy day or sabbath spent in gods service be any let or hinderance to our affairs or business. For the Lord 2blessed the sabbath day, & therefore shall he bless thee, & thy house, all thy affairs & business, if he shall see thee to have a care to sanctify his sabbath, that is, to do those works which he hath commanded to be don on the sabbath day. They therefore do err from the truth, as far as heaven is wide, whosoever do despise the religion & holy rest of the sabbath day, calling it an idle case, & do labour on the sabbath day, as they do on working days, under the pretence of care for their family and necessities sake.
Last of all, yt Lord doth adde his own 1exāple, wherby he teacheth vs to kepe holy the sabboth day. Bicause (saith he) in sixe dayes the Lorde made heauen and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seuenth day. Therefore the Lord blessed the seuenth day and hallowed it. The Lorde our God wrought sixe dayes, in creating heauē and earth, the sea, & al that in them is, & the seuenth day he rested, & ordeined that to be an appointed time for vs to rest in. On the seuenth day, we must thinke of the workes that God did in the sixe days, the children of God must cal to remēbrance what & howe great benefites they haue receiued yt whole wéeke, for whiche they must thanke God, for which they must praise God, & by which they must learn God. We must then dedicate to him our whole body & soul, we must cōsecrate to him all our words & our déeds. As that day ye Lorde did rest from creating, but he ceasied not stil to preserue: so we vpō that day must rest frō handie & bodily works, but we must not ceasse from yt works of well doing & worshipping of god. Furthermore, yt heauēly rest was no preiudice at al to ye things created: neither shal yt holy day or sabboth spēt in gods seruice be any let or hinderāce to our affaires or busines. For ye Lord