A17183:746
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.
In the mean while the king is of the Lord, & sometime he makes an hypocrite reign. Wherefore the evil magistrate is of God, even as also seditions, wars, plagues, hail, frost, and other miseries of mankind come from the Lord, as punishment of sin and wickedness, which the Lord hath appointed to be executed, as he himself saith: I will give them children to be their kings, and infants shall rule them: because their tongue and hart hath been against the Lord. Likewise the Lord stirred up the cruel kings of Assyria and Babylon against his City, and own peculiar people, whose living was not agreeable to their profession.
In the meane while the king is of the Lord, & sometime hée makes an hypocrite reigne. Wherefore the euill magistrate is of God, euen as also seditions, warres, plagues, hayle, frost, and other miseries of mankind come from the Lord, as punishment of sinne and wickednesse, which the Lord hath appointed to be executed, as hée himselfe sayth: I will giue them children to bee their kings, and infants shall rule them: because their tōgue and hart hath bene against the Lord. Likewyse the Lord stirred vp the cruell kinges of Assyria and Babylon against his Citie, and owne peculiar people, whose liuing was not agréeable to their profession.
But now how and after what sort subjects ought to be affected toward 1such hard, cruel, and tyrannical Princes, we learn partly by the example of David, and partly by the doctrine of Jeremiah and the Apostles. David was not ignorant what kind of man Saul was, a wicked & merciless fellow, yet notwithstanding he fled to escape his hands: and when he had occasion given him once or twice to kill him, he slue him not, but spared the tyrant and reverenced him, as though he had been his father. Jeremiah prayed for Joachim & Zedechias wicked kings both, and obeyed them until they came to matters flatly contrary to Gods religion. For where I spake touching the honour due to parents, there did I by the scriptures prove that we ought not to obey the wicked commandments of godless magistrates. Because it is not permitted to magistrates to ordain or appoint any thing contrary to Gods law, or the law of Nature.