A04477:30
A sermon made in latin in Oxford in the reign of King Edward the…A sermon made in latine in Oxenforde in the raigne of King Edwarde the…
A sermon made in latin in Oxford in the reign of King Edward the sixth, / by the learned and godly father John Ivel, late Bishop of Salisbury, and translated into English, by R.V. Dedicated unto the Bishop of London, as appeareth in the Commentary of Ma. Calvin, upon the Galatians, in English.A sermon made in latine in Oxenforde in the raigne of King Edwarde the sixt, / by the learned and godly father Iohn Iuel, late Bishop of Sarisburie, and translated into Englishe, by R.V. Dedicated vnto the Bishop of London, as appeareth in the Commentarie of Ma. Caluine, vpon the Galathians, in Englishe.
London: printed by Thomas Purfoote, 1581
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.
It is a burden of great difficulty and weight that we have taken upon us. Which if we would all well weigh, the ⟨image 19⟩course of the Gospel would not be so hindered, the word of God would not be so much neglected. For when as we profess God with our mouth, but deny him with our deeds, we fray away the unlearned multitude by our example from religion, and the thing that of all other is most divine, we defile, not with unpure hands, but with unpure manners. So for our sakes is godliness despised for our sake is the truth contemned, for our sake is the majesty of God impaired. These things, brethren, are diligently to be considered, and earnestly to be regarded of us. For if we live filthily and wickedly, and bring into the pulpit nothing but a rolling of the tongue and impudency, whatsoever we speak, we speak it not, either as it should, or else as the words of God. But to the end the word of the Lord may be handled according to the worthiness thereof, two things principally are by us to be taken heed of: the one that we be not weakened nor feebled by fear, the other, that out of the Gospel we reap no jot or piece of praise unto our selves. A preachers mind must be prepared and diligently fens•• ⟨image 20⟩against either of these. For the Gospel and the word of God, except it be stiffly and manfully upholden and maintained, neither will serve the gospel▪ nor the word of GOD. For error is fearful, base, and quaking, it feareth all things it dreadeth all things, it flieth sight, and light: but the truth, and the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, never abaseth it self, never flattereth any, dissembleth nothing▪ feigneth nothing, is unfearful, free, bold to show her face, and high. Wherefore as long as we speak the truth, let not the force or authority of any man make us afraid. Let us call to mind that we are the messengers and Ambassadors of God, Let us call to mind that God hath given us power to speak. For what courage doth not Christ make us, when he promiseth that he will be the revenger of the injury done unto us? he, saith he, that despiseth you, despiseth me, he which hurteth you, hurteth the sight of mine eye, wherefore let us speak, not dissemblingly, not darkly, as did the Pharisees, but freely and plainly as having authority, as meet it is that the ⟨image 20⟩