A17183:896
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.
and so consequently that marriage is permitted to all sorts of men. For the Apostle saith: Let a bishop be the husband of one wife, let him rule his own house well, and have faithful children. For it is manifest by the testimonies of scripture and ecclesiastical writers, that the Apostles of Christ and other Apostolical teachers of the primitive Church were married men, and had wives and children. Neither is there any thing, next after corrupt doctrine, which doth more infect the Church of Christ, and subvert all ecclesiastical discipline, than if the ministers of yt Churches, which should be lights of the whole congregation, be fornicators or adulterous persons. That offence especially above all other, is an hinderance and blot to all kind of honesty: but touching this I purpose not at this time to discourse so largely & fully as I might. To this I ad that the band of wedlock is indissoluble & everlasting, that is to say, such a 1knot as never can be undone. For of two is made one flesh & one body which if you sever, you do utterly mar it. What god hath joined together therefore, let not man separate. They therefore do make a slaughter of this body, that do commit adultery. For the laws of God and men admit a divorcement betwixt a man & his adulterous wife. And yet let not any less or lighter cause dissolve this knot betwixt man and wife, than fornication is. Otherwise God which in the Gospel hath permitted the less, doth not forbid the greater to be causes of divorcement. And in the primitive church the Epistles & constitutions of christian princes do testify, that once committing of fornication was no cause of divorcement. Of which I have spoken in another place.
and so cō sequently that marriage is permitted to al sorts of men. For ye Apostle saith: Let a bishop be the husband of one wife, let him rule his owne house wel, and haue faithful children. For it is manifest by ye testimonies of scripture and ecclesiastical writers, that the Apostles of Christ and other Apostolical teachers of ye primitiue Church were married men, and had wiues and children. Neither is there any thing, next after corrupte doctrine, which doth more infect the Church of Christ, and subuert al ecclesiastical discipline, thā if the ministers of yt Churches, which should be lights of the whole congregation, be fornicatours or adulterous persons. That offence especially aboue all other, is an hinderance and blot to al kind of honesty: but touching this I purpose not at this time to discourse so largly & fully as I might. To this I ad that the band of wedlock is indissoluble & euerlasting, yt is to say, such a