A17183:911
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.
In this precept is forbidden fornication 1or that kind of whoorehunting, which is said to be the meddling of a single man with an unmarried woman. This kind of whoredom is thought of many either to be a very small offence or none at all. But such kind of men doth the devil hearten on, bewitch, and by those ill thoughts drive on to commit that sin: when as the doctrine of the Evangelists and Apostles doth teach us the contrary. 2For the Apostles in that Synodal Epistle, which they sent from Jerusalem to all nations, do expressly name 3and forbid fornication. S. Peter reckoneth fornication among those filthy sins, from which he would have Christians to be most clear. S. Paul saith: Flee fornication. Again: Let us not be defiled with fornication as some of them committed fornication, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Fornication doth directly fight with the covenant of God, whereby he is joined to us, and we to him: and whoredom also spoileth God of his glory, and doth most filthily pollute the temple of the Lord. Let us hear what the Apostle 4Paul saith touching this matter. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? GOD forbid. What, know ye not that he that is coupled to an harlot is one body? For two (saith he) shall be one flesh. But he that is coupled to the Lord, is one ⟨p. 235⟩spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doth is without the body, but he that committeth fornication, sinneth against his own body. What, know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy ghost which is in you, whom ye have of God, and ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price: Therefore fornication shutteth fornicators out of the kingdom 5of God. For the same Apostle saith: Neither whoremongers nor adulterers shall inherit the kingdom of God. And therefore in an other place he suffereth not fornication to be so much as once named among Christians, so far was he from admitting stews and brothel houses among Gods people.