A04480:80
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.
God is contented his honour be deferred, he is contented to tarry for his Sacrifice, till thou art agreed with thy Brother, ⟨image 58⟩till thou art at one with him. And when thou hast thus done, then come & there offer thy Sacrifice. This is the ground of the atonement between God and us, this is the token that Christ is reconciled unto us, if we be at one with our neighbour, if we be reconciled to our Christian Brother.1 For if we shall hate our Brethren whom we see, if we shall be at debate with our Neighbours being daily conversant with us; how can we love God whom we see not, how can we agree with Christ, with whom we are not conversant? But to declare further unto you, that God accepteth not our Sacrifices, that he regardeth not our petitions, that he is not pleased with our prayers, unless we be at one & pleased with our Brethren; He crieth out by Isaiah his prophet, and saith,2 Cum clamabitis ad me, ego non exaudiam vos, quia manus vestrae plenae sanguinis sunt, When you shall call upon me, I will not hear you, though ye make many prayers, yet hear I nothing at all, saith God. And wherefore? Because your hands are full of blood. It is written in Genesis,3 that God would ⟨image 59⟩not look upon Cain and his Offering, that he would have no regard to his Sacrifice: and wherefore? because his hart was full of malice. Solomon saith, Precatio iniusti abhominabilis est, The praier of the wicked is abominable, the sinful mans prayer is abominable in the sight of God. 4David also, Let their prayers be as a sin, let their prayer be turned into sin, saith he. O miserable man thou art, if thou be not in charity, wretched and too sinful thou art, if thou be not in love and unity, thy Prayer is abominable, yea, thy prayer is no prayer, thy prayer is sin. Thou prayest to be forgiven, but thou thy self wilt not forgive, this is enough to condemn thee. For our Religion is none other but a Brotherhood knit together in the love of God; our profession is none other than charity and brotherly love towards all men in our Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ.