A64642:452
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.
Now consider, sure there is such a thing as this joy, or else do you think the Scripture would talk of it, and of the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, by whom we know the things that are given us of God. There is a generation in the world that hath this joy, though you that know it not, do not, nor cannot believe it, there is a righteous generation that have it; and why dost thou not try to get it? do as they do, and thou mayst obtain it likewise. The secrets of the Lord are revealed to them that fear him: These are hidden comforts; do you think God will give this joy to those that care not for him? No, The way is to seek God, and to labour to fear him. The secrets of the Lord are revealed to such, and such, only as fear him; do as they do, and follow their example, and thou mayst have it likewise.
Object. Many have served Christ long, and have not found it.
Object. Many have serv'd Christ long, and have not found it.
Sol. Its long of themselves; you are straitened in your own bowels, or else, Open your mouths wide, and God will fill them. No wonder that we are so barren of these comforts, when we be straitened in our selves. There is a thing wondrously wanting amongst us, and that is Meditation. If we could give our selves to it, and go up with Moses to ⟨p. 431⟩the Mount to confer with God, and seriously think of the price of Christs death, and of the joys of heaven, and the Privileges of a Christian; if we could frequently meditate on these, we should have these sealing days every day, at lest oftener. This hath need to be much pressed upon us; the neglect of this makes lean souls. He that is frequent in that, hath these sealing days often. Couldst thou have a parle with God in private, and have thy heart rejoice with the comforts of another day, even whilst thou art thinking of these things, Christ would be in the midst of thee. Many of the Saints of God have but little of this, because they spend but few hours in Meditation. And thus as this hour would give leave, have we proceeded in this point.