A17183:894
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.
The second cause why matrimony 1was ordained, is the begetting of children for the preservation of mankind by increase, and the bringing of them up in the fear of the Lord. For the Lord blessed Adam and Eva, saying: Increase and multiply, & replenish the earth. Paul the Apostle in his Epistle to Titus sayeth: Speak to the elder women that they may teach honest things, that they may make the younger women to be sober minded, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discrete, house keepers, good, obedient to their husbands. And again to Timothy: Adam was not deceived, but the woman was seduced, notwithstanding through bearing of children she shall be saved, if they continue in faith, and charity, and holiness, with modesty. But the begetting of children were altogether unprofitable, if they were not well brought up. For she, that loveth her children in deed, doth bring them up in the fear of the Lord Which bringing up is no small commodity to the common weal & Church of God. The glory also and worship of God, is greatly augmented, when ⟨p. 226⟩as by wedlock there doth spring up a great number of men that acknowledge call upon, & worship god as they ought to do. The third cause why matrimony was ordained, yt Apostle Paul 2expresseth in these words: To avoid whoredom let every man have his own wife, & every woman her own husband. It were good and expedient for a man not to touch a woman, and to live single, but because this is not given to all men, as yt Lord in the gospel testifieth, and that concupiscence of the flesh doth for the most part, burn the greatest sort of men, the Lord hath appointed marriage to be as it were a remedy against that heat, as the Apostle in an other place witnesseth, saying: Let them marry which cannot abstain: for it is better to marry than to burn. By this we learn that the natural company of a man with his own wife, is not reputed for a fault or uncleanness in the sight of God. Whoredom is uncleanness in the eyes of the Lord, because it is directly contrary to the law of God. But God hath allowed wedlock and blessed it, therefore married folks are sanctified by y• blessing of God through faith and obedience. Neither lack we here any evident arguments, and testimonies of Paul to prove it by. For to the Hebrews he said: Wedlock is honourable among all men, and the bed undefiled: