The Decades of Henry Bullinger (Volume 5) (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE FIFTH DECADE OF SERMONS, WRITTEN BY HENRY BULLINGER. C F THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH; WHAT IT IS, HOW FAR IT EXTENDETIT, BY WHAT MARKS IT IS KNOWN, FROM WHENCE IT SPRINGETH, HOW IT IS MAINTAINED AND PRESERVED, WHE- THER IT MAY ERR. ALSO OF THE POWER AND STUDIES OF TILE CHURCH. THE FIRST SERMON. The order and course of things1 so leading us, next after God, the workman and author of all things, we come to speak of his most excellent work, to wit, the church. For so great is the goodness of our good God and most loving Father, that not he himself is desirous to live happily and blessedly alone, but moreover to bestow and pour upon us men, his beloved creatures, all kind of blessedness2; and that we should enjoy his goods by all means possible. And for that intent he chooseth men to himself who live in this world, that he may once3 translate unto himself: in whom also (even while they live here) he may dwell, whom he may enrich with all his goods, in whom he may reign; and that they should be called by his name, to wit, a people, a house, a kingdom, an inheritance, a flock, a congregation or church, of the living God. Of which church I will speak (being aided with your prayers) such things as the Lord of the church shall grant unto me to utter. This word Eccleaia, which signifieth a church or con- . ' ' church or gregation4, is a Greek word, used and received among the consresation. [i rerum colucrentium, Lat.: of things mutually related to each other.] [2 et bona sua omnia, Lat. omitted: and all his good things.] [3 aliquando, Lat.] [4 which?congregation: not in Lat.] Latins, signifying, as I said, a congregation, communion, or assembly (in the Duteh tongue, Ein Gemeind), or a people called together to hear of matters of tho commonwealth: for so...