The Decades of Henry Bullinger: First and Second Decades

by Heinrich Bullinger

Publisher:

Cambridge University Press

, 1849

Overview

The Decades of Henry Bullinger: First and Second Decades includes 20 godly and learned sermons, divided into two decades, containing the chief and principal points of the Christian Religion. The Decades are meant to encourage, uplift and inspire ministers to uphold their high calling of preaching God’s word. Bullinger implores, “But let the ministers of our time well weigh the condition and manner of the time; and then, no doubt, they shall see that it is high time to bestir them to the doing of their duties.” He provides careful admonishment for shepherds to guard their flocks against the enemy and stand vigilant to promote truth and godliness.

Key Features

• Sermons from a critical time in Reformation period, each fully annotated with Scripture references
• Ancillary information on history
• Biographical information on the author

Contents

• The Word of God
• The Word of God, part 2
• The Exposition of God’s Word
• True Faith
• The Force of Faith
• Justification by Faith
• The Apostles’ Creed
• The Apostles’ Creed, part 2
• The Apostles’ Creed, part 3
• Of the Love of God and our Neighbor

• The Second Decade Sermons
  • Of the Law of Nature and of Men
  • 1st and 2nd Precepts of the Ten Commandments
  • The Third Precept of the Ten Commandments
  • The Fourth Precept of the Ten Commandments
  • The Fifth Precept of the Ten Commandments
  • The Sixth Precept of the Ten Commandments, part 1
  • The Sixth Precept of the Ten Commandments, part 2
  • The Sixth Precept of the Ten Commandments, part 3
  • The Sixth Precept of the Ten Commandments, part 4
  • The Seventh Precept of the Ten Commandments

Top Highlights

“But in this treatise of ours, the word of God doth properly signify the speech of God, and the revealing of God’s will; first of all uttered in a lively-expressed voice by the mouth of Christ, the prophets and apostles; and after that again registered in writings, which are rightly called ‘holy and divine scriptures.’ The word doth shew the mind of him out of whom it cometh: therefore the word of God doth make declaration of God. But God of himself naturally speaketh truth; he is just, good, pure, immortal, eternal: therefore it followeth that the word of God also, which cometh out of the mouth of God, is true, just, without deceit and guile, without error or evil affection, holy, pure, good, immortal, and everlasting.” (Page 37)

“Faith is a gift of God, poured into man from heaven, whereby he is taught with an undoubted persuasion wholly to lean to God and his word; in which word God in Christ doth freely promise life and every good thing, and wherein all truth necessary to be believed is plainly declared.” (Page 97)

“We therefore, the interpreters of God’s holy word, and faithful ministers of the church of Christ, must have a diligent regard to keep the scriptures sound and perfect, and to teach the people of Christ the word of God sincerely; made plain, I mean, and not corrupted or darkened by foolish and wrong expositions of our own invention.” (Pages 74–75)

“I will shew unto you, that this term of justification is taken in this present treatise for the absolution and remission of sins, for sanctification, and adoption into the number of the sons of God.” (Page 105)

Product Details

• Title: The Decades of Henry Bullinger: First and Second Decades
• Author: Henry Bullinger
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication Date: 1849
• Pages: 436

About Heinrich Bullinger

Heinrich (Henry) Bullinger (July 18, 1504 – September 17, 1575) was a Swiss Reformer who succeeded Zwingli as head of the Swiss church and was one of the most influential theologians of the Protestant Reformation. He was a minister, theologian, and writer of thousands of letters in correspondence with prominent leaders of the Protestant world. He was integral in drafting the Second Helvetic Confession of 1566, and his Decades remain his most popular and significant writings. Bullinger was a loving family man, dedicated to his wife, Anna Adlischweiler, a former nun, and his 11 children—all of his sons followed their father’s footsteps and became Protestant ministers.