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.
“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)