A17183:850
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.
Let the magistrate therefore have an eye to himself, that he abuse not his lawful authority. And although the magistrate be licensed to make war for just and necessary causes, yet notwithstanding war is a thing most full of peril, and draweth with 1it self an endless troupe of mischievous evils. By war the just judgement of God doth plague the men, whom his fatherly warning could never move: but among them many times too, the guiltless feel the whip. In war for the most part, soldiers misuse themselves, and thereby incur Gods heavy displeasure: there is no evil in all the world that war upholdeth not. By war both scarcity of every thing, and dearth do arise: For high ways are stopped, corn upon the ground is trodden down and marred, whole villages burnt, provision goeth to wrack, handicrafts are unoccupied, merchandise do cease, and all do perish both rich and poor. The valiant strong men are flame in the battle, the cowardly sort run away for their lives to hide their heads, reserving themselves to be tormented with more exquisite and terrible kinds of cruel punishments: For wicked knaves are promoted to dignity, and bear the sway, which abuse mankind like savage beasts. Hands are wrung on every side: widows and children cry out and lament: the wealth that hath been carefully gathered to help in want to come, is spoiled and stolen away: cities are raced, virgins and unmarriageable maidens are shamefully deflowered, all honesty is utterly violated, old men are handled unreverently, laws are not exercised, religion and learning are nothing set by, godless knaves and cut threats have the dominion: and therefore in the scriptures 2war is called the scourge of God. For with war he plagueth incurable idolaters, and those which stubbornly contemn his word: for that was the cause why the city of Jerusalem with the whole nation of the Jews was utterly destroyed: Because they knew not the day of their visitation (as the Lord in the Gospel saith) but went on to kill the Lords Apostles, bringing on upon their own necks the shedding of all the blood, from the righteous Abel unto Zechariah. For murder, idolatry, incest, and detestable riot, we read that the Canaanites were raced out and cut off.
Let the magistrate therefore haue an eye to himselfe, that hée abuse not his lawfull authoritie. And although the magistrate bée licensed to make warre for iuste and necessarie causes, yet notwithstanding warre is a thing most full of perill, and draweth with