A17183:642
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.
Nevertheless, if ye will hear me, saith the Lord, and bear no burden through this gate upon the Sabbath, but hallow the sabbath, so that ye do no work therein: then shall there go through the gates of this city, Kings and Princes, that shall sit upon the throne of David, they shall be carried upon chariots, & ride upon horses, both they and their Princes: there shall come men from the cities of Judah, and the land of Benjamin which shall bring sacrifices and shall offer incense and thanksgiving, in the house of the Lord. But if ye will not be obedient unto me to hallow the sabbath, so that ye will bear your burdens through the gates upon the sabbath day, then will I set fire upon the gates of Jerusalem, which shall burn up the great houses thereof, & shall not be quenched. Very justly therefore did the devout Princes Leo and Anthemius, 1writing to Arsemius their Lieutenant ⟨p. 143⟩in these words give charge. That the holy days ordained in honour of the high Gods majesty, should not be spent in any voluptuous pleasures, nor be unhallowed with troublesome exactions. We therefore do decree and ordain, that the Lords day or sunday, as it hath always ben accounted well of, so it shall still be had in estimation, so that upon that day no office of the law shall be executed, no man shall be summoned, no man arrested for suretyship, no man attached, no pleading shall be heard, nor any judgement pronounced. &c. And by & by after again, Neither do we in giving this rest of the holy day, suffer any man to wallow in any kind of wanton pleasures at all. For on that day stage plays are not admitted, nor fencers prises, nor bear baitings: yea to, & if it happen that the solemnising of our birth day fall upon the Sunday, then shall it be differed till the next day after. And we have determined, that he shall sustain the loss of his dignity, and have his patrimony confiscate, whosoever shall on the Sabbath day, be present at any sight or play, or what summoner soever of any judge whatsoever, shall under the pretence of any business, either public or private, do any thing to infringe the statutes in this law enacted And yet nevertheless, they that are Christians, do not forget the words of 2Christ, in the Gospel where he saith: The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath, and that the Son of man too, is Lord of the sabbath.