A17183:672
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.
There is now remaining the third 1and last part of our present treatise, wherein we have to see what God promiseth to them that honour their parents religiously, whereby we have to gather, what peril hangs over the heads of them, that wickedly neglect, and irreligiously despise their parents. The Lord in the law therefore saith: That thy days may be long in the land, which the Lord thy God shall give thee. The meaning of which saying is, Honour thy father & thy mother, that thou mayest for many days enjoy the possession of the land, which thou shalt have in testimony of my favour to thee ward. These words do properly belong to the Jews: But very well and truly doth a godly minister of Christ writing upon this place, say: Because the whole earth is blessed to the faithful, we do nothing amiss, when we reckon this present life among the blessings of God. Wherefore this promise appertaineth as well to us as to the Jews, because the prolonging of this present life, is a testimony of Gods especial favour. He promiseth assuredly, to them that do religiously honour their parents, in what land soever they dwell, all kind of blessings, felicity, and store of temporal things, with a sweet prolonging of this present life. For Paul interpreting this in the fifth Chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians, saith: That it may go well with thee, and that thou mayst live long upon the earth: Meaning any land whatsoever, and promising a Temporal blessing of the Lord. We therefore gather hereupon, that the contrary is threatened and set as a penalty upon the heads of those that disobediently despise their ⟨p. 153⟩parents. By examples and other places of the scripture, this shall be made more manifest. Ham is cursed of his father Noah, for behaving him self unreverently toward him, even in his drunkenness. Joseph is exalted to the chiefest dignity in Egypt, because from his childhood he honoured God, and reverenced his father Jacob. Solomon in the. 17. Chapter of his Proverbs, saith: Whosoever rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house. Again, He that despitefully taunteth his father, and despiseth the old age of his mother, shall be confounded and left in reproach. The son that leaveth to keep the discipline of his father, shall think of talk of wickedness.
There is now remaining the third 1