A17183:818
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.
The Lord in Jeremiah crieth out and saith: I call a sword upon all the dwellers upon earth. Again in Ezekiel: The sword is sharp and ready trimmed to kill the sacrifice. And again: I will give my sword into the hands of the king of Babel. The kings of Egypt were of their people called Pharaohs, as who should say: Revengers. But the sword in the magistrates hand, is to be put unto two uses: For either he punisheth offenders therewith for doing other men injury, and for other ill deeds: Or else he doth in war therewith repel the violence of foreign enemies abroad, or repress the rebellions of seditious and contentious Citizens at home.
The Lord in Ieremie crieth out and saith: I call a sworde vppon all the dwellers vppon earth. Againe in Ezechiel: The sword is sharpe and readie trimmed to kill the sacrifice. And againe: I will giue my sword into the handes of the king of Babell. The kings of Aegypte were of their people called Pharaos, as who should saye: Reuengers. But the swoord in the magistrates hand, is to bée put vnto two vses: For either hée punisheth offenders therewith for doinge other men iniurie, and for other ill déeds: Or else hée doth in warre therwith repell the violence of forreine enimies abroade, or represse the rebellions of seditious and contentious Citizens at hoame.
But here again an other objection is cast in our way by them, which 1say, that according to the doctrine of the Gospel, no man ought either to kill or to be killed▪ because the Lord hath said: Resist not the evil. And again to Peter: Put up thy sword into thy sheath. Every one that taketh the sword doth perish by the sword. Mine answer to this is, that throughout all the Scripture, private revengement is utterly forbidden, but that that is done openly by authority of the public magistrate is never found fault withal. But that was private and extraordinary vengeance that the Apostle Peter was about to have taken, considering that he was called to be a Preacher of the word of God, not to be a Judge, a Captain, or a man of war. And against private and extraordinary revengement is that sentence rightly pronounced, Every one that taketh the sword, shall perish by the sword.