A04480:102
Seven godly and learned sermons preachedSeuen godly and learned sermons preached
Seven godly and learned sermons preached by the Reverend Father in God John Ivel, late bishop of Salisbury. Never before imprintedSeuen godly and learned sermons preached by the Reuerend Father in God Iohn Iuel, late bishop of Salisburie. Neuer before imprinted
London : Impensis G. Bishop, 1607
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.
Now, good brethren, consider well with your selves, where should this desolation be, which Christ spake of? Amongst whom shall so small faith be found? Where should Antichrist nestle himself? Where should good Doctrine be despised? where should there be preachers and teachers of lies? Where should the truth be cast flat to the ground? ⟨image 77⟩where should all these things come to pass? Amongst the Turks, the Saracens, the Heathen, the Infidels? amongst such as never heard of Christ, nor his Gospel? should these things, that Christ, that S. Paul, that S. Peter, that Daniel prophesied to come to pass, should they (I say) be fulfilled amongst them? Let not us deceive our selves, good brethren, Christ said that desolation should come into the holy place, that such as professed God and his name, should have little faith. S. Paul said that Antichrist should sit in the holy place, in the Temple of God: that amongst Christians wholesome doctrine should be despised, and cast away: S. Peter also, that even amongst the professors of Gods Gospel, some there should be that should preach and teach lies: And Daniel likewise, that in the Temple Antichrist should sit, and there all truth should be cast flat to the ground. And this should not come to pass among the Heathen and Infidels, but in the Church of Christ, even in the very Church of God. S. Hillary, who was ⟨image 77⟩an old father in the Church, saith: O you will soon deceive your selves if ye trust in the walls, know you not that Antichrist in the Church? Let us not therefore deceive our selves, let not us, good brethren, deceive our selves. And here I pray you consider with me, how that God, for our better understanding, hath in similitudes opened and set forth unto us the state of his Church. For Christ in the Gospel compareth his Church unto a ship in the Sea, tossed and tumbled with perilous waves: and what I pray you, betides unto a Ship so tossed in the Sea, if there be no Lodes-man to stir it, or if the Lodes-man doth not his duty, Christ hath likened his Church to a vine:1 and what becomes to a vine, if it be not shred and underpropped? He doth also liken it to a flock of Sheep:2 and what becomes to a flock of Sheep, if there be no Shepherd to guide and look unto them?