Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion, Title page 1 – Preface
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.
WHEREVNTO IS ADIOYNED A TRIPLE or three-folde Table verie fruitefull and neceſſarie.
Tranſlated out of Latine into Engliſh by H. I. ſtudent in Diuinitie.
ET INVENTA EST PERIIT
MATTHEWE. 17.
This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleaſed: Heare him.
¶ IMPRINTED AT LONDON BY RALPHE Newberrie, dwelling in Fleete-ſtreate a little aboue the Conduite.
Anno. Gratiae. 1577.
A Praeface to the Miniſterie of the Church of England, and to other wel diſpoſed Readers of GDOS woorde.
WHat iuſt cauſe there is, that all ſpiritual ſheepeherdes, and eſpecially theſe of our time, ſhould ſee carefully to the feeding of the flockes committed to their charge: may eaſily appeare to him that ſhal but a litle ſtay his conſideration vponupon this matter. For firſt, the commaundementes of the Almightie touching this thing are verie earneſt, the authoritie of whiche ſhoulde greatly inforce. Secondly, the rewardes which hee propoſeth to vigilant and carefull paſtours are large and bountiful, the ſweeteneſſe of which ſhould muche allure. Thirdly, the plagues and heauie iudgementes whiche hee denounceth againſt ſlouthful and careleſſe ſhepeheards are grieuous and importable, the terrour whereof ſhoulde make afraide. Then the nature and condition of the ſheepe ouer whom they watche, the vigilancie of the wolfe againſte whome they watche, the conſcience in taking the fleece for whiche they watche, and this time and age wherein they watche being rightly conſidered, will giuegive them to vnderſtand ſufficiently, that they hauehave good occaſion to watch. Howe earneſtly God commaundeth, appeareth, Eſaie 58. Where he ſayth, Crie aloude, ſpare not, lift vp thy voice like a trumpet, ſhewe my people their tranſgreſsions, and the houſe of Iacob their Eſai. 58.ſinnes. And Eſaie. 62. I hauehave ſet watchmen vponupon thy walles, O Hieruſalem, Eſai. 62.which all the day and al the night continually ſhal not ceaſſe: ye that are mindfull of the Lord keepe not ſilence. And Iohn. 21. Feede my lambes, Feede my Iohn 21.ſheepe, and if ye louelove me, Feede. And 2. Tim. 4. Preache the woord: be inſtant, 2. Tim. 4.in ſeaſon out of ſeaſon, improue, rebuke, exhorte, &c. Howe ſweetely with rewardes he allureth, doth appeare in the 12. of Daniel: They that be wiſe ſhal ſhine Dan. 12.as the brightneſſe of the firmament, and they that turne many to righteouſnes ſhal ſhine as the ſtarres for euer and euer. And …. Tim. 4. Take heede to thy ſelfe 1. Tim. 4and to doctrine, in them occupie thy ſelfe continually. For in ſo dooing thou ſhalt ſaue thy ſelfe and them which heare thee. How fierſly alſo he vrgeth and driueth on the ſluggiſh and careleſſe ſheapheards with terrible plagues and whips threatened vntounto them: appeareth Ezechiel. 3. Where he ſayth: Sonne of man, I hauehave made thee a watche-man vntounto the houſe of Iſrael: therefore heare the woord of my Ezech. 3.mouth, and giuegive them learning from me: When I ſhal ſay vntounto the wicked, thou ſhalt ſurely dye, and thou giueſt him not warning, nor ſpeakeſt to admoniſh the wicked of his wicked way, that he may liue: the ſame wicked man ſhal dye in his iniquitie, but his bloud wil I require at thy hand. And Ieremie. 1. ver. 17. Thou therefore truſſe vp thy loynes, and ariſe, and ſpeake vntounto them all Ier…. 1.that I commaund thee: bee not afraide of their faces, leaſt I deſtroy thee before them. And 1. Cor. 9. ver. 16. Though I preache the Goſpel, I hauehave nothing to reioyce …. Cor. 9.of: for neceſsitie is laide vponupon me, and woe is vntounto me if I preach not the Goſpell: for if I doe it willingly, I hauehave a rewarde: but if I doe it againſt my will, notwithſtanding the diſpenſation is committed vntounto me. Nowe the ſheepe whereof ſpiritual ſheepheards hauehave vndertaken charge, are not beaſtes, but men: the verie Images of God himſelfe endued with euerliuing ſoules, Citizens with the ſaintes and bleſſed angels, cloathed with Gods liuerie, beautified with his cogniſance, and all the badges of ſaluation, admitted to his Table, & to no meaner diſhes than the bodie & bloud of the vndefiled lambe Chriſt Ieſus, bought alſo and redeemed out of the wolues chawes with no leſſe price, than of that ſame bloud more precious than any Golde or ſiluer. Sheepe alſo of that nature they are, that being carefully fed and diſcreetely ordered, they proue gentle and louing towardes their ſheepherds, and ſeruiceable towards the chief ſheepherd Ieſus Chriſt: but being neglected & left to thē ſelues, they degenerate into bloudie wolues, watching euer opportunitie whē they may rent in peeces their ſheepherds, and all other ſheepe which are not degenerated into their woluiſhe nature. As for the ſpirituall wolfe againſt whom they watch, which is Satan, He, (as the Apoſtle Peter witneſſeth, 2. Epiſtle, cap. 5.) Neuer reſteth, but as a roaring Lyon, walketh …. Pet. 5.about, ſeeking euer whom he may deuour. And for that cauſe alſo is he called Apoc. 20. ver. 2, A dragon, Which beaſt naturally is verie malicious, craftie and Apoc. 20.watchfull: ſo then, if the ſpiritual ſheepheard muſt watche whiles the ſpirituall wolfe doth wake, he can promiſe vntounto him ſelfe no one moment of ſecuritie, wherein he may be careleſſe. God by his Prophet Ezechiel cap. 34. ſaith, Woe be vntounto the ſheepherds of Iſrael that feede themſelues: ſhould not the ſheepherdes feede the flockes? Ezech. 32.ye eate the fatte, and ye cloathe you with the wooll: ye kill them that are fedde, but ye feede not the ſheepe. This ſentence ſhould awake the ſleepie and careleſſe conſciences of many ſheepherds. For as the prieſt that ſerueth the altar, is worthie to liue vponupon the offeringes: and the ſouldier that ventereth, is worthie his wages: and the huſbandman that toyleth, is worthie the harueſt: and the ſheepheard that feedeth the flocke, is worthie to be fedde with the milke, and cloathed with the wooll: ſo queſti…nleſſe, the prieſt that ſerueth not, is worthie no offerings: the ſouldier that fighteth not, is worthie no wages: the huſbandman that loytereth, is worthie of weedes: and the ſheepherd that feedeth not, can with no good conſciēce require either the milke or the fleece: but his due rewarde and iuſt recompence is puniſhment, for that through his default the ſheepe are hunger-sterued and deſtroyed of the wolfe. But let the miniſters of our time well weighe the condition and manner of the time, and then no doubt, they ſhall ſee that it is highe time to beſtyrre them to the doing of their dueties. This time ſuccedeth a time, wherein was extreame famine of all ſpiritual foode, ſo that the ſheepe of this time can neuer recouer themſelues of …hat feebleneſſe whereinto they were brought, but by ſome great and extraordinarie diligence. This time ſuccedeth a time, wherein the multitude of wolues and rauenous beaſtes was ſo great, and their rage, and furie ſo fell in eueryevery ſheepfolde, that the good ſheepherdes were either put to flight, or pitifully murth…red: ſo that the ſheepe being committed to wolues, did either periſh, or degenerate into wolues: ſo that to regenerate them againe into ſheepe, requireth no ſmall labour. The Churche in this time is like lande that hath lyen (time out of minde,) vnmanured, vncompaſſed, vntilled, by reaſon whereof it is ſo out of harte, that it requireth armes of yron, and legges of braſſe to recouer it againe: or like a ſhip ſoworne with windes and tempeſts, ſo rente with rockes, ſo crackt and vtterly decayed, that it ſeemeth a rare peece of cunning to make her take the ſeas againe. No remedie then but the miniſterie of this time, if there be any louelove or feare of God in them, if they would not hauehave all things run to ruine, if they regard either God, themſelues, or their brethrē, muſt forthwith without further delay ſet thē ſelues to feede their flocks, to teach, to exhorte, to ſtrengthē, to binde vp, to builde, to plant, to water, to ſet, to graffe, to leaue nothing vndone that apperteineth to the feeding & fatting of the Lords flocks, to the plāting of the Lords Paradiſe, tilling of the Lords huſbandrie, dreſſing of the Lords vineyarde, raiſing and rearing vp of the Lordes Temple. What great want there is in many, to diſcharge their dueties in this behalfe, is verie lamentable, and by ſome meanes (as muche as is poſſible) to be ſupplied and remedied, rather than to be made a common theame and argument of railing, whiche at this day many doe. Wherein they ſhewe them ſelues like vntounto thoſe, whiche finde faulte at other mens garmentes, not for that they louelove them, or minde to giuegive thē better: but for that they are proude of their owne, & would ſcornefully ſhame and vexe other. The cauſe of this great want needs not heere to be diſputed: but in verie deede, any man may iudge howe vnpoſſible it was for ſo populous a kingdome, abounding with ſo many ſeuerall congregations, to be all furniſhed with fitte and able paſtors, and that immediatly after ſuch a generall corruption and apoſtacie from the trueth. For vnleſſe they ſhould hauehave ſoudenly come from heauen, or been rayſed vp miraculouſly, they coulde not hauehave been. For the auncient preachers of king Eduardes time ſome of them died in priſon, many periſhed by fier, many otherwiſe: many alſo fled into other countries, of whom ſome there died and a few returned, which were but as an handful to furniſh this whole Realme. The Ʋniuerſities were alſo at the firſt ſo infected, that many wolfes and foxes crept out, who detested the miniſterie, and wrought the contempt of it euerie-where: but verie fewe good ſheapherdes came abroade. And whereas ſince that time, now eighteene yeares, the Vniuerſities being wel purged, there was good hope that all the land ſhould hauehave been ouer-ſpred, and repleniſhed with able and learned paſtors: the diuel and corrupt patrones hauehave taken ſuche order, that much of that hope is cutte off. For patrones, nowe a dayes, ſearche not the Vniuerſities for a moſte fit pastor: but they poſt vp and downe the countrie for a most gaineful chapman. He that hathe the biggeſt purſe to pay largely, not he that hathe the beſt gyftes to preache learnedly is preſented. The Biſhops beare great blame for this matter, and they admitte (ſay they) vnworthy men. See the craft of ſathan, falſly to charge the worthieſt pillers of the church with the ruine of the church: to the end that al church-robbers & caterpillers of the Lords vineyard may lie vneſpied. There is nothing that procureth the biſhops of our time more trouble and diſpleaſure, than that they zealouſly withſtand the couetouſneſſe of Patrons, in reiecting their vnſufficient clerkes. For it ſtandeth them vponupon of al other, that the Churche of God doth proſper, in the decay and fall whereof they can not stande but periſhe. But how ſo euer it commeth to paſſe, certeine it is, that many are farre behinde in thoſe gyftes which are neceſſarie for their function, and ſmall likelyhoode is there yet that the Churche ſhalbe ſerued with better, but rather with worſe. For it ſeemeth not, that Patrones here-after wil bate one penie, but rather more and more rayſe the market. The caſe ſtanding thus, their labour ſurely is not woorſt beſtowed, neither do they promote the glorie of God, or profite the Church leaſt, whiche to that end applie their endeuour, that the miniſterie which now is in place, may come forward, and bee better able to do their dueties: I meane ſuch, as either ſet forth godly and learned treatiſes, or expoſitions of the holy ſcriptures, compiled by themſelues in our mother tounge: or elſe ſuche as tranſlate the worthie workes of the famous diuines of our time: bothe theſe ſortes of men, no doubt, do muche aedifie all the godly, and doe greatly helpe forward all thoſe miniſters, whiche either not at all, or verie meanely vnderſtand the Latine tounge: ſo that amongſt them are found many, which by painful industrie and diligent reading of ſuche bookes, doe God good ſeruice in the Churche, and ſo might all the reſt of them do alſo if ſlouth and worldly affaires did not hinder them. Some of that ſort complaine, that Caluins maner of writing in his institutions is ouer-deepe and profound for them: Muſculus alſo, in his commonplaces is verie ſcholaſtical: the commentaries of Marlorat vponupon Iohn, of Peter Martyr vponupon the Iudges, of Gualter vponupon the ſmall prophets, and other many are tranſlated and extant, which altogether do handle moſt points of christian doctrine excellently wel: but this ſort of miniſters for the moſt part are ſo bare bitten of their patrones, that to buy thē al would deeply charge them. Therfore queſtionleſſe, no writer yet in the hands of men can fit thē better, than maister Bullinger in theſe his Decades, who in thē amēdeth much Caluins obſcuritie, with ſingular perſpicuitie: & Muſculus ſcholaſtical ſubtilitie, with great plainnes & euen popular facilitie. And all thoſe points of christiā doctrine, which are not to be found in one, but hādled in al: Bullinger packeth vp al, & that in good order, in this one booke of ſmal quantitie. And where as diuerſe of the miniſterie which lacke knowledge and ſome alſo which hauehave knowledge, but yet lacke order, diſcretion, memorie, or audacitie, cannot by reaſon of thoſe wants, either expound or exhort, or otherwiſe preache, but onelyonly read the order of ſeruice: the Decades of Maiſter Bullinger in this reſpect may do more good, than ſhall perhaps at the firſt be conceiued. For in very deed, this book is a book of Sermons: Sermons in name, and in nature: fit to be read out of the pulpit vntounto the ſimpleſt and rudeſt people of this land: the doctrine of them verie plaine, without ostentation, curioſitie, perplexitie, vanitie, or ſuperſluitie: verie ſound alſo, without Poperie, Anabaptiſme, Seruetianiſme, or any other haereſie: and in number, 80. eueri… Decade conteining (as the word importeth) tenne: ſo that they may eaſily be ſo diuided, as there may be for euerie Sunday in the yeare one. Neither is it materiall, what thoſe Phanatical felowes ſay, which can away with no Homilies or Sermons, be they neuer ſo ſound, pithy, and effectuall to be read in Churches. They are like Phyſicians, whiche forbid their patients all thoſe meates which they may hauehave, and would do them good: and appoint them only ſuche, as by no meanes they can obteine: for it will not yet be, that eueryevery pariſh ſhal hauehave a learned able preacher reſident and abyding in it. And in the meane time it cannot be denied, but that an Homilie or ſermon penned by ſome excellent clerk being read plainly, orderly, & diſtinctly, doth much moue the hearers, doth teach, cōfirme, confute, cōfort, perſuade, euen as the ſame pronounced without the booke, doth. Perhaps ſome hearers whiche delight more to hauehave their eyes fed with the preachers action, than their hartes aedified with his ſermon, are more moued with a ſermon not read: but to a good christian hearer, whoſe minde is moſte occupied on the matter, there is ſmalods. Better is a good ſermon read than none at all. But nothing (ſay they) muſt be read in the open congregation, but the verie Canonical ſcriptures. That rule is ſomwhat ſtraite & praeciſe. Then may not either the Creed, called the Apoſtles creed, or the Nicene creed, or the creed called Athanaſius creed, or any prayers, which are not word for word cōteined in the canon of the ſcriptures, nor any cōtents of chapters be read in the Cōgregatiō. The church & Congregatiō of the Coloſſians, were inioyned by S. Paul, Col. 4. ve. 16. to read amongſt them the Epiſtle written frō Laodycea, which Epiſtle (as Caluine thinketh) was not writen by Paule, but by the church of Laodycea, and ſent to Paule, and is not con…eined in the Canon of the ſcriptures. The Churche of Corinth alſo, and other churches of the godly, ſoone after the Apoſtles times (as appeareth out of Euſebius, lib. 4. cap. 23. and the writers of the Centuries, Cent. 2. cap. 10.) did vſe to read openly for admonition ſake, certeine Epiſtles of Clement, & of Dionyſius Biſhop of Corinth. Maister Bucer in his notes vponupon the communion book in King Edwardes time, writeth thus: It is better, that where there lackes to expounde the ſcriptures vntounto the people, there ſhould bee godly and learned Homilies read vntounto them, rather than they ſhould hauehave no exhortation at al in the adminiſtration of the ſupper. And a little after, he ſaith: there be two fewe Homilies, and too fewe pointes of religion taught in them: when therefore the Lord ſhal bleſſe this kingdome with ſome excellent preachers, let them be cōmaunded to make moe Homilies of the principal pointes of religion, which may be read to the people, by thoſe paſtors that cannot make better themſelues. And that worthie martyr doctor Ridley Biſhop of London, ſpeaking of the Church of England that was in the reigne of king Edward (as he is reported by maiſter Foxe in his booke of Actes and Mo: To 2. Pag. 1940.) ſayeth thus: It had alſo holy and wholeſome Homilies in commendation of the principall vertues, which are cōmended in ſcripture, and likewiſe other Homilies againſt the moſt pernicious and capital vices, that vſe (alas) to reigne in this Churche of Englande. So long therfore as none are read in the Church, but ſuch as are ſound, godly, & learned, and fit for the capacitie of the people: and whiles they are not thruſt into the Churche for Canonicall Scriptures, but are read as godly expoſitions, and interpretations of the ſame: and whiles they occupie no more time in the church, than that which is vſually left and ſpared, after the reading of the Canonical ſcriptures, to preaching and exhortation: and whiles they are vſed, not to the contempt, derogation, or abandoning of preaching, but only to ſupplie the want of it: no good man can miſlike the vſe of them, but ſuch contentious perſons as defie all thinges which they deuiſe not themſelues. And if it be ſaide, there be already good Homilies, and thoſe alſo authorized, & likewiſe wholeſome expoſitions of ſundrie parts of ſcripture t… the ſame purpoſe: I graunt there be ſo. But ſtore is no ſore. And as in meats, which are moſt deintie, if they come often to the table, we care not for them: ſo in ſermons which are moſte excellent, if the ſame come often to the pulpit, they oftentimes pleaſe not: others are deſired. But, to end: theſe ſermons of maiſter Bullingers are ſuch, as whether they be vſed priuately, or read publiquely: whether of miniſters of the word, or other Gods children: certeinely there will be found in them ſuche light and inſtruction for the ignorant, ſuch ſweeteneſſe and ſpiritual comfort for conſciences, ſuche heauenly delightes for ſoules: that as perfumes, the more they are chafed, the better they ſmell: and as golden mynes, the deeper ye digge them, the more riches they ſhewe: ſo theſe, the more diligently ye peruſe them, the more delightfully they will pleaſe: and the deeper ye digge with daily ſtudie in their mynes, the more golden matter they will deliuer forth to the glorie of GOD, to whō only be praiſe for euer and euer, Amen.