A17183:968
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.
He therefore granteth to his disciples a propriety and possession of peculiar goods, wherewith they may frankly do good unto other, and help the needy, and the man in misery. But the proper owning of several goods being once taken away, good deeds, and alms, must of necessity be utterly lacking. For if all things be common, then doest thou give nothing of that which is thine, but all that thou spendest is of the common richesse. Yet Paul the Apostle in his Epistle to the Corinthians, biddeth every one to lay up alms by himself, which he might receive when he came unto Corinth. He doth also command every one to bestow so much as he can find in his hart willingly to give, and according to the quantity that every one possesseth, not according to that which he possesseth not: & yet not to bestow it so, that they, to whom it is given, should have more then enough, and they, which give, should be pinched with penury and lack of things necessary. ⟨p. 261⟩The same Apostle saith: We beseech you brethren, that you study to be quiet, & to do your own business, and to work with your own hands as we commanded you: that you may walk honestly to them that be without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. I could out of other his Epistles allege many more proofs of this same sort: but these are enough to declare sufficiently that propriety of goods is in both the testaments permitted to Christian men.
Hée therefore graunteth to his disciples a proprietie and possession of peculiar goodes, wherewith they may frankly do good vnto other, and helpe the néedie, and the man in miserie. But the proper owning of seueral goodes being once taken away, good déedes, and almes, must of necessitie bée vtterly lacking. For if all thinges be common, then doest thou giue nothing of that which is thine, but all that thou spendest is of the common richesse. Yet Paule the Apostle in his Epistle to the Corinthians, biddeth euery one to lay vpp almes by himselfe, which hée might receiue when hee came vnto Corinthe. Hee doth also commaund euerie one to bestowe so much as he can finde in his hart willingly to giue, and according to the quantitie that euery one possesseth, not according to that which he possesseth not: & yet not to bestowe it so, that they, to whome it is giuen, should haue more then enoughe, and they, which giue, should bee pinched with penurie and lacke of things necessarie. ⟨p. 261⟩