A17183:780
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.
Forasmuch as I exalted the out of the dust, ⟨p. 186⟩and made thee prince over my people Israel, and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to anger me with their sins, behold I will root out the posterity of Baasa, and the posterity of his house, and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam. Which was performed (as the scripture saith) by Sim•• captain of the host of Israel. For he destroyed king Hela the son of Baasa when he was drunken, and all his posterity. Amri succeeded in the kingdom who was the father of Ahab that mischievous cutthroat, whom the Syrians sive in fighting a battle. A•ter him reigned his sons Ochosias and Joram. But when they left the religion taught in the word of God, to follow the new tradition of king Jeroboam, and had thereunto added the worshipping of the shameful idol Baal, they were utterly (at last) destroyed by the means of Jehu a very just, although a rigorous prince. The offspring of Amri reigned about the space of 40. years, not without the shedding of much innocent blood, but it was at last destroyed, when yt measure of iniquity was fulfilled, & was utterly plucked up at the roots by the just judgment of Almighty God. Let all Princes and magistrates therefore learn by these wonderful and terrible examples, to take heed to themselves how they devise any new religion, or alter the lawful & ancient manner of worshipping, which God himself hath ordained already. Our faithful Lord is our good God, who hath fully, simply, and absolutely set down in his word his true religion & lawful kind of worship, which he hath taught all m•n to keep alone & for evermore: Let all men therefore cleave fast unto it, and let them die in defence thereof that mean to live eternally. They are punished from above whosoever do add too, or take away any thing from the religion and kind of worship first ordained and appointed of God. Mark this ye great men and Princes of authority. For the keeping or not heeping of true religion, is the root from whence abundant fruit of felicity, or else utter unhappiness doth spring and bud out. He therefore that hath ears to hear let him hear.
Forasmuch as I exalted the out of the dust, ⟨p. 186⟩