A17183:901
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.
Neither is it sufficient for thee to 1be faithful, unless thou be courteous or tractable toward thy wife & dwell with her according to knowledge, as S. Peter saith. Let the husband be the head of the wife, to wit, her adviser and counsellor, her ruler and guide, her sweet yokefellow and admonisher in all her affairs, her assured aider and faithful defender. Let the wife be obedient unto her husband, even as we see the members obey the head, let her yield her self to her husband to be ruled and governed, let her not despise his honest counsels, and indifferent commandments: let them think that they twain are one body, or the members of one body. And therefore let them learn by the government of this mortal body how to behave themselves in the guiding of wedlock. The worthier members do not despise the more unworthy limbs, but do rather honour them, lighten their labour, and aid and help them. Again the more unworthy limbs are in love with the worthier, not envying their preeminence any whit at all. One member breaketh not, or hurteth an other, but all do mutually cherish themselves and defend one an other from harm and injury. Such a mutual knitting together, and working, and love, and charity, and goodwill, and fellowship let there be betwixt ⟨p. 230⟩man and wife. For to that end the woman was taken out of the mans body, that the husband should love and cherish (his wife) his own body. And for that cause the Apostle saith: So must husbands love 2their wives, even as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife doth love himself. For no man at any time hath hated his own flesh, but loveth and cherisheth it, as the Lord doth the Church. What may be said to that moreover, that the Apostle in the very same place hath made the son of God and the holy Church an example for married folks to follow in keeping of wedlock, requiring at the husbands hand to love his wife, even as Christ hath loved the Church: and of the wife to reverence her husband and to love him again, as the Church doth Christ? Than which example there is none in the world more holy and effectual. For there is no love greater than the love of Christ toward his Church. Neither is there any love more chaste, than that which the Church doth bear to Christ.
Neither is it sufficient for thée to