A64642:415
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.
4. When God seeth all these things will not work with us, but we are slow of heart to believe, then he quickens us; and there comes a word of Command. God chargeth, and commands thee to come; and then if thou breakest his Command, be it to thy peril. It is the greatest sin that can be committed. Thou wilt not draw near to God because thou art a sinner: thou now committest a greater sin then before: thou returnest back, Christ unto God: thou bidst him take his commodity into his hand again: thou wilt not believe: and this is an heinous crime. John 16.8, 9. And when the Spirit shall come, it shall reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement: of sin, because they believe not in me: this is that great sin he shall convince the world of, because they believe not in him. Of all sins, this was the most notorious: this makes us keep all other sins in possession: It is not only one particular sin, but it fastens all other sins upon us, be they never so many. When faith comes, it will out them, but till then they remain in thee; where there is no Commandment there is no sin. How could it be a sin in not believing, if I were not commanded so to do: but you shall here more then so. When the Apostle speaks of excluding Rejoicing under the Law; Rom. 3.37. Where is boasting, then saith he, it is excluded: By what Law? by the Law of ⟨p. 409⟩works? No, but by the Law of faith: there is a Law of works, and a Law of faith. God doth not only give thee leave to come, and take him, and draw near unto him: but he commands thee, there's a Law: by the breach of that Law of faith thou art made guilty of a high sin. There's a full testimony of this. 1 John 3.23. And this is the Commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ. If a man should ask, may I love my Neighbour? would you not think him a fool? because he must do it, he is commanded. So should a poor soul come, and say to me, may I believe? thou fool, thou must believe. God hath laid a Command upon thee, it is not left to thy choice: The same Commandment that bids thee love thy brother, bids thee to believe on Christ. To entreaty is added Gods Command, and therefore if thou shalt argue, what warrant have I to believe? Why, God enjoins it thee, and commands it. As the impotent man said, so mayst thou; He that healed me, said unto me, take up thy bed, and walk: