A17183:895
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 whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. The Apostle here spake very reverently, and by the bed he understood the natural company of a man with his wife, which he saith plainly is undefiled. What God hath made clean, who shall call unclean? 1who can deny that to the clean all things are clean? Paphnutius therefore both bishop and confessor judging rightly of this, did in the Nicene counsel say openly: that the lying of a man with his own wife is chastity. Neither was the most modest Apostle ashamed to make laws betwixt a man & his wife. For to the Corinthians he saith: Let the husband give to the wife due benevolence: 2likewise also the wife to the husband. The wife hath not the power of her own body, but the husband: likewise also the husband hath not the power of his own body but the wife. Defraud ye not the one the other, except it be with both your consents for a time, that ye may give your selves to fasting and to prayer: and afterward come together again, that satan tempt you not for your incontinence: These words of the Apostle are so evident that they need no exposition at all. In the same Epistle again he saith: If thou marriest a wife thou sinnest not. And again. If a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Now what is more excellent, pure and holy, than virginity is? But a virgin sinneth not if she change virginity for holy matrimony. Very well therefore doth Chrysostom in a certain homily say: The first degree of chastity is unspotted virginity, the 2. is faithful wedlock. S. Augustine also calleth marriage chastity or continency: the place is to be seen in the 19. & 20. cap. de bono coniugali. & in yt 198. Epist. This is the head from whence doth spring y• greatest part of public honesty. For god alloweth wedlock, but disalloweth fornication and all kind of 3uncleanness. It pleased him by his ordinance to exclude all uncleanness from his believing servants. Let the saints therefore, but magistrates especially, have an especial eye, not to be slack in promoting holy wedlock, but diligent to punish severely all filthy fornication and other uncleanness. This have I hitherto rehearsed somewhat ⟨p. 227⟩largely out of the holy scripture, to the intent I might prove to all men