A17183:991
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.
For God doth not assist slothful persons and idle slowbacks. Now I 1call those needless occupations, which idle and ill disposed people do use, thereby to be troublesome to their neighbours and to deceive other men, exercising, I confess, an occupation, but such an one as is utterly unlawful & unprofitable to all men, themselves only excepted, to whom it brings in excessive gains: of which sort are usurers, engrossers, hucksters, and other moe that have many arts to frank themselves with an idle show of business, like a swine shut up to be •atted in a sty. As for them […] wealth is come to them, not ⟨p. 267⟩2by their own labour, or their own industry, but by inheritance of their aū cetours leaving, let them consider with themselves, by what means the riches were gotten, which now by inheritance are fallen to their lot: and if they perceive that they be heirs of unjust gotten goods, let them be liberal and make amends for them, not doubling the evil in possessing unjustly, and more wickedly digesting the thing that before was naughtily come by. Let them put no trust or confidence in their ill gotten riches, neither let them give them selves to idleness, but still be busy in some honest thing. But yet most commonly, it cometh to pass, that ill gotten goods are spent very lewdly. The best way therefore, is either to be heir to a good, just, and liberal man, or else to seek means by their own toil and travail to have of thine own, wherewithal to sustain both thine own life, and the lives of thy family.
For God doth not assiste slouthfull persons and idle slowbackes. Now I 1call those néedelesse occupations, whiche idle and ill disposed people do vse, thereby to be troublesome to their neighbours and to deceiue other men, exercising, I confesse, an occupation, but such an one as is vtterly vnlawfull & vnprofitable to all men, themselues onelye excepted, to whome it bringes in excessiue gaynes: of which sort are vsur•rs, engrossers, hucstars, and other moe that haue many artes to francke themselues with an idle shewe of businesse, like a swine shutt vp to be atted in a stie. As for them wealth is come to them, not