A17183:820
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.
So that the magistrates duty is, to punish with the sword, the wrongful dealings of wicked men, in the name and at the commandment of God himself. Therefore when the magistrate punisheth, then doth God himself, to whom all vengeance belongeth, punish by the magistrate, who for that cause is called by the name of God. Moreover it is written: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Again: A wise king will scatter the wicked, and turn the wheel upon them. And again: He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, they are both abominable in the sight of the Lord. 1Neither do we lack examples, to prove that some have incurred y• heavy wrath and displeasure of the Lord for their foolish pity in sparing them, whom the Lord commanded to strike with the sword. I speak of Saul and Ahab. Again on the other side, there are innumerable examples of most excellent Princes which testify & bear witness of the praise that they deserved for punishing of lewd & wicked offenders. For the Prince sinneth not, nor is blameworthy any whit at all, which killeth or otherwise punisheth the guilty and ungracious man: and for that cause we find in the law so often repeated: His blood be upon him self. But if the blood of the guilty be not shed, then that is imputed as a fault, and laid to the magistrates charge, because he neglecting his office, hath pardoned them that were not worthy to be forgiven, and by letting them go, hath left the innocent unrevenged. For he is made partaker of the injury done, & shedding of the innocents blood, which he leaveth unrevenged, by letting the murderer go untouched, on whose neck the Lord gave charge to let the sword fall. The just severity of the upright magistrate in punishing 2naughty men, is not (as it is falsely judged) extreme cruelty. But overthwart and peevish pity, that spareth offenders, which are not worthy to live among men, is utter and mere cruelty in deed. For when the magistrate ⟨p. 198⟩letteth them go unpunished and at ease, which with their naughty deeds have deserved death, he doth thereby first of all give occasion and courage to like offenders, to go on and increase in their mischievous wickedness. For they see their own faults borne with all in other men.