A04480:108
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.
Loath I am to speak of these things, loath and sorry I am to repeat ⟨image 82⟩them here unto you, but I am enforced so to do, somewhat the more plainly to open unto you the great abuses, the wonderful Errors that long time have reigned in the Church of God. We had Prayers, but, alas, as they were used, they were no prayers: we had the Sacraments, but we knew not to what end those Sacraments were left unto us. We had Baptism, but we knew not what Baptism meant. The Testament, and holy Gospel of God, was burnt, cast down, and trod under foot. And in one word, in one word for all, there was in Christs Church nothing but a heap of wickedness, nothing but a very heap of confusion and wickedness. Jeremiah the prophet said, That all men, 1(after Christ once appeared) should have such knowledge, such perfect knowledge of God, that no man should say to his neighbour, know the Lord, for all men should know him, even from the highest unto the lowest. Baruch also the prophet,2 said, O blessed art thou Israel, how happy art thou, seeing God hath showed unto thee all such things as are pleasant ⟨image 83⟩unto him; what ever God would have known, that is revealed unto thee. O then, what may we say of our selves, and the blind time that is now past, wherein we neither knew God, nor had Gods word revealed unto us? what may we say of that time? O we may well say, miserable were we, and cursed was that time wherein we then lived.
Loath I am to speake of these things, loath and sorie I am to repeat ⟨image 82⟩them here vnto you, but I am inforced so to do, somewhat the more plainly to open vnto you the great abuses, the wonderfull Errors that long time haue raigned in the Church of God. We had Prayers, but, alas, as they were vsed, they were no prayers: we had the Sacraments, but we knew not to what end those Sacraments were left vnto vs. We had Baptisme, but we knew not what Baptisme ment. The Testament, and holie Gospell of God, was burnt, cast downe, and trod vnder foot. And in one word, in one word for all, there was in Christs Church nothing but a heap of wickednesse, nothing but a verie heap of confusion and wickednesse. Ieremie the prophet said, That all men,