A17183:852
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.
Again thou mayest see perhaps 1that some by war have no small commodity, profit, and unestimable riches with very little loss or no damage at all. Such was the war which the Israelites had with the Canaanites, under their Captain Joshua. But I would not that gaping after gain should draw any man 2from right and equity. And many times the magistrates suppose that their quarrel is good, and that of right they ought to make war on others, and punish offenders, when as notwithstanding the righteous God by that occasion draweth them on into peril, that their sins may be punished by the men in whom they did purpose to have punished some grievous crime. We have evident examples hereof in the Scriptures. The eleven tribes of Israel in a good quarrel made war on the Beniamites, purposing to revenge the detestable crime that a few wicked knaves had horribly committed, wherein the whole tribe bare them out and upheld them, being partners thereby of their heinous offence. But twice the Israelites were put to the worse and the wicked Beniamites had the upper hand in the battle. In the time of Heli the Israelites minded to drive the tyrannous rule of the idolatrous Philistines out of their country, but they are slain, the Ark of God is taken, and carried into the cities of their idolatrous enemies. Likewise that excellent Prince Josiah is overthrown and slain by the Chaldees, because the Lord had purposed to punish & bring evil upon the whole people of Israel, which he would not have so holy a Prince his servant, to see with his eyes to his sorrow and grief. Whereby we have to gather that the trueth of religion is not to be esteemed by the victory or overthrow of any people, so that that religion should be true and right, whose favourers have the upper hand, and that again be false and untrue, whose professors and maintainers are put to the worse: For we must distinguish betwixt religion, and the men or persons that keep that religion, which do for other causes suffer the Lords visitation.
Againe thou mayste see perhappes 1that some by warre haue no smal commoditie, profite, and vnestimable riches with verie little losse or no dammage at all. Such was the warre which the Israelites had with the Chanaanites, vnder their Capitaine Iosue. But I would not that gaping after gayne should drawe any man