A64642:414
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.
Third Word, that though Christ keeps open house, so that who will, may freely come, and though he sends special invitations to them that are ⟨p. 407⟩most bashful, because their case is extraordinary: What do you think now, that Christ will come with his soldiers, and destroy those that do not come in? He might do it when he is so free, and invites thee, and thou turnest it back again into his hand: but yet here's another Word of comfort, Christ doth not only send a Messenger to invite thee, who hast no goodness in thee, but he falls to beseeching and entreating thee, and that's a third word whereby faith is wrought in an Unbeliever. 2 Cor. 5.10. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; observe the place, We pray you in Christs stead be reconciled unto God. This is the most admirable word that ever could be spoken unto a sinner: Alas! thou mayst say, I am afraid that God will not be friends with me; why? he would have thee to be friends with him; do not then with the Papists make such an austere God, as though he might not be spoken unto, as though thou mightst not presume thy self, but must make friends unto him. We have not an high Priest that is not touched with our infirmities. Will the Papists tell me, I am bold if I go to God, or lay hands on Christ? I am not more bold then welcome. Let us go with boldness to the Throne of grace. We are commanded to do it: do not think but that he had bowels to weep over Jerusalem, and he carried the same with him into heaven, when thou liest groaning before him, he will not spurn thee. We pray you, and beseech you to be friends; therefore in this case make no doubt, its Gods good pleasure to entreat thee, and therefore thou hast warrant enough. Christ wept over Jerusalem, and he is as ready to embrace thee. You have now three ⟨p. 408⟩words to make a man of an Unbeliever, a Believer: Is there, or can there be more then these? Open house-keeping, special invitations, Entreaties and Beseechings? yet there is more then all this; which if thou hast not a heart of stone, it will make thee believe, or make thee rue it. And that is,
Third Word, that though Christ keeps open house, so that who will, may freely come, and though he sends special invitations to them that are ⟨p. 407⟩