A17183:765
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.
I have decreed for every man which changeth any thing of my determination touching the reparation of the temple, and the restoring of the worship of god, that a beam be taken out of his house, & set up, and he hanged thereon, and his house to be made a jakes. The very same Darius again who was also called Artaxerxes saith: Whosoever will not do the law of thy God (Esdras) and the law of the king, let judgement straight way pass upon him, either to death, or to utter ⟨p. 180⟩rooting out, or to confiscation of his goods, or imprisonment. All this we find in the book of Esdras.
I haue decreed for euerie man which chaūgeth any thing of my determination touching the reparation of the temple, and the restoring of the worship of god, that a beame be takē out of his house, & set vp, and he hanged theron, and his house to be made a iakes. The verie same Darius again who was also called Artaxerxes saith: Whosoeuer will not doe the lawe of thy God (Esdras) and the law of the king, let iudgemēt straight way passe vpon him, either to death, or to vtter ⟨p. 180⟩rooting out, or to confiscation of his goods, or imprisonment. All this we find in the booke of Esdras.
The men, which are persuaded that 1the care and ordering of religion doth belong to bishops alone, do make an objection, and say, that these examples which I have alleged, do nothing appertain to us which are Christians: because they are examples of the Jewish people. To whom mine answer is. The men of this opinion ought to prove that the Lord Jesus & his Apostles, did translate the care of religion from the magistrate unto bishops alone: which they shall never be able to do: But we on the other side will briefly show that these ancient princes of Gods people, Joshua, David, and the rest were Christians verily & in deed, and that therefore the examples, which are derived from them & applied to Christian princes, both are and ought to be of force and effect among us at this day. I will in the end add also the prophecy of the Prophet Isaiah, whereby it may appear that even now also kings have in the Church at this day the same office, that those ancient kings had in that Congregation which they call the Jewish Church. There is no doubt but that they ought to be accounted true Christians, which being anointed with the spirit of Christ, do believe in Christ, and are in the Sacraments made partakers of Christ. For Christ (if the interpret the very word) is as much to say, as anointed. Christians therefore according to the Etymology of their name are anointed. That anointing