A17183:741
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.
And in all cases truly, the magistrate is very necessary and cannot 1be missing among men, yea, he is so necessary that without the magistrates help, the state of men can hardly prosper nor easily stand. Neither doest ⟨p. 171⟩thou read that the state and commonweal of the Israelites was ever at any time in greater danger and peril of undoing, than it was in the middle time betwixt Sampson and Heli, when they were governed by no magistrates, but did every man what he thought good himself. For all men even from their birth are blindly led with self love, and therefore they seek their own advantage, nothing pleaseth them but what they do them selves, they utterly mislike the deeds and words of other men, yea such is our fond affection and opinionative sense, that how evil soever our causes are, yet we will not stick to face them out with a card of ten, and to colour them with law and equity. He that will stand in denial hereof, did never consider mans disposition. The people of Israel at their delivery out of Egypt saw wonderful signs, they were marvellously fed from heaven in y• desert, & did every day behold new miracles. But yet hearken (my brethren) & consider what Moses, the meekest and gentilest man that ever was doth say, touching this holy people, this people of God, whom God had chosen to be a peculiar people unto himself. How shall I alone (saith he to the people) bear your trouble, your burden, and the strifes that are among you? What may be thought of that moreover, that in the most sure fellowship of the ancient and Apostolic Church, yea in those very vessels, which were regenerate, the wrangling disposition of flesh did show it self? For the Greeks murmured against the Hebrews, because their widows in the daily ministry, were little regarded. The Corinthians also go to law before Heathen Judges, and therefore doth Paul very sharply rebuke them, and chargeth them to appoint honest judges among themselves to take up matters betwixt them that were at variance Let no man therefore make this objection and say, that the old people of Israel were a carnal people and not regenerate. For we see that even in the regenerate, the relics of flesh remain, which ever and anon, when occasion is offered, do show forth themselves, & trouble the quiet state of every thing.
And in all cases truely, the magistrate is very necessarie and cannot