A17183:883
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.
By this we may easily gather the 1excellent dignity of marriage or matrimony. For God did ordain it, yea he ordained it in Paradise, when man as yet was free from all kind of calamities. Adam when he was in the great felicity of Paradise, seemed not yet to live commodiously nor sweetly enough, except a wife were given to be joined unto him. It is not good (saith God) for man to be alone, I will make him a helper to tarry or dwell with him. For God brought to Adam all living creatures which he had created for him to name them: but among them all, there was nothing that Adam had lust unto, his mind and nature did utterly abhor to be coupled with any of them. God therefore casting ⟨p. 223⟩Adam into a dead sleep, doth out of his side as he slept, frame up a woman, which so soon as Adam set his eye upon when she was brought unto him by God who had made her, he straightway crieth that this was such a one as he desi•ed, that this was such a one as he could love, and where with his nature could very well agree. This now (saith he) is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. I have found (saith he) I have found an help fit for me, which hath part of my flesh, of my blood, and my very substance. From hence riseth and yet remaineth that natural proneness of men toward women: when on the other side overthwart mingling and meddling of cursed men with beasts contrary to mans nature was long ago destroyed by fire, which showed that God did abhor it. The Lord moreover said: A man shall forsake his father and his mother, and cleave to his wife, and two shall be one flesh. But in the exposition of the fifth commandment we perceived how much God doth set by the love and goodwill of children to their parents: and what a charge he giveth to children to honour them. It must needs be therefore that wedlock is a most heavenly ordinance, since it is preferred before the honouring of parents: and yet nevertheless it is so preferred, as that by the law of matrimony, the precept for the honour due to parents may not be abolished, but that thereby married folks may know to behave themselves so, if their parents go about to breed discord betwixt them and their spouses, that then they suffer not themselves for their parents words to be severed, but in all things else to honour them as they should.
By this wée may easilie gather the