A64642:412
Eighteen sermons preached in Oxford 1640 of conversion, unto God. Of redemption, & justification,…
Eighteen sermons preached in Oxford 1640 of conversion, unto God. Of redemption, & justification, by Christ. By the Right Reverend James Usher, late Arch-bishop of Armagh in Ireland. Published by Jos: Crab. Will: Ball. Tho: Lye. ministers of the Gospel, who writ them from his mouth, and compared their copies together. With a preface concerning the life of the pious author, by the Reverend Stanley Gower, sometime chaplain to the said bishop.Eighteen sermons preached in Oxford 1640 of conversion, unto God. Of redemption, & justification, by Christ. By the Right Reverend James Usher, late Arch-bishop of Armagh in Ireland. Published by Jos: Crabb. Will: Ball. Tho: Lye. ministers of the Gospel, who writ them from his mouth, and compared their copies together. With a preface concerning the life of the pious author, by the Reverend Stanly Gower, sometime chaplain to the said bishop.
London: printed by S. Griffin for Will, 1660
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.
Sol. I say, if thou seest thou hast a Will, then thou hast a warrant: I say, not that this Will comes from thy self. Its not a blind faith will do thee good; the Word of God works faith in thee; thou hast not a Will to it born in thee. It is not a flower that grows in thine own Garden; but is planted by God: John 6.44. No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw him. What? Will Christ offer violence to the Will, and draw a man against his Will? No, there's no such meaning. Its expounded in the 65. verse, No man can come unto me, except it were given him of my Father. By this Christ showeth what he meant. If thou hast a Will to come, thank the Father for it; for of Him, as in the Philippians, we have both the Will and the deed. Take for example that general proclamation in the book of Ezra, Whatever Jew would might be free, Ezra 1.3. So said the King that had power to make them free, Who is there among you of all his people, his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem ⟨p. 405⟩which is in Judah, and build the house of the God of Israel. Then we read, verse 5. Then rose up the chief of the Fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the Priest, and the Levites, and all them whom the Spirit of God had raised up to go up. Observe here, though the proclamation were general, yet the raising up of the Will was from the Spirit of the Lord. We must not by any means take our will for a ground; the Will cometh from God: but if thou hast a Will, thou hast a warrant. Who ever will let him take the water of life freely without covenanting: say if thou had but a measure of faith, and such a measure of humiliation; for that were to compound with Christ: away with that, Whosoever will, let him come. Christ keeps open house, Whosoever will, let him come: whosoever comes to him, he will not shut out. John 6. If thou hast a heart to come to him, he hath a willing heart to receive thee; as it was with the Prodigal son, the Father stays not till he comes to him, but runs to meet him: he is swift to show Mercy, and to meet us, though we come slowly on towards him. But this is not all, there is a second gracious Word that is preached to a man, not yet in the state of Grace. A man that keeps open house, he seldom invites any particularly, but if he come, he shall be welcome.