A17183:864
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.
But now the word of God doth set 1before our eyes an innumerable sort of examples almost, of holy and upright wars, and of excellent kings and captains. Abraham our father setting forward with a very small army, pursueth the four most ⟨p. 216⟩puissant kings or robbers of the world, he overthroweth and putteth them to flight, and having recovered his people, and restored to them their substance again, he giveth the thanks to God as to the author of that unlikely victory. Moses and Joshua destroyed about 39. kings, they punished severely the unspeakable wickedness of all those nations, and planted the people committed to their charge, in the land which god had promised to give them. The Judges of the people of Israel had notable wars against the Heathens and infidels, whereby they brake the tyranny of those wicked men, unlawfully usurped among Gods people, restoring them again to their liberty and religion. The Prophet Samuel is here to be numbered among the notable Captains of Gods people. Jonathan Sauls son, was a worthy Captain, and a singular example of a godly man. Than David none was more excellent or worthy to be praised. In war he vanquished the Philistines, the Idumits, the Syrians, and a good part of the East beside, by war he revenged injuries, by war he maintained his liberty, and kept Gods people from a number of mischiefs: and yet notwithstanding, he that warred thus, is said to be a man according to Gods hearts desire, and the father of our Lord Jesus Christ touching his flesh or his humanity. In Davids posterity thou mayest find many excellent warriors and valiant Captains, Abia, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Amasia, Ofia, Hezekiah and other moe. Among these Judas Maccabeus hath not the last nor least place of all, who fought very stoutly for the law, religion, and people of God, and died at the last in the middest of the battle, in defence of religion and his country quarrel. I will not add to these the examples of Constā tine, Gratian, Theodosius, and other more that were excellent in feats of war. Of these and other writeth S. Augustine in the end of his fi•t book De civitate Dei, and Orosius very largely in the 7. book of his history unto the end of the 28. Cap. This is sufficient for godly magistrates.
But now the word of God doth set 1