A64642:479
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.
1. Those that know not God: and indeed it is a most unworthy thing for an ignorant man to come to Gods Table. Know whoever thou art, that art such an one, that it belongs not to thee, it was appointed for an understanding people. The Lord invites not fools and block-heads to his Mysteries. God will not know them that know not him. If thou knowest not what the signs are, or the relation of them to the thing signified, hast no insight or understanding of the Mysteries: Know that its to no other purpose to thee to come to the Sacrament, then if thou wentest to a Mass, to see a Mass, to see the Gesticulations, Elevations, or if thou wentest to see a play, not knowing to what end and purpose it was done. Such a one is not a friend of God, but an enemy that shall be destroyed in everlasting fire that knows not him. Deceive not then your selves, but seriously weigh it, and consider what a Judgement falls on us for this. What an unworthy thing is it, when as in one months space, or less, if a man had any care, he might learn as much as would bring him to heaven. What saith the Apostle? 1 Cor. 15.34. Some have not the knowledge of God, I speak this to your shame. And a shameful thing it is indeed, when the knowledge of the Principles of Christian Religion may be had in so short a space, to be so grossly ignorant as commonly many are. Its a most unworthy, and a shameful thing to think the knowledge of Christ not worth ⟨p. 445⟩thus much pains. Thou that carest not for the knowledge of Gods ways, what hast thou to do to take his Word into thy mouth, to tread in his Courts? I doubt not but very many here too are but Babes in Christ. An ignorant person then cannot possibly come worthily; for we are to come with faith; and Faith cannot be without knowledge. And hence are they joined both together: By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many. Isa. 53.11. By his knowledge, not subjective, but objective,, the knowledge of him: if thou knowest not him, his Nature, and Offices, the end of his offering himself, and will be still a mere Ignoramus, come not to Gods Table, go to Nebuchadnezzar, and feed with him amongst the beasts, thou hast nothing to do here. This is the first sort.
1. Those that know not God: and indeed it is a most unworthy thing for an ignorant man to come to Gods Table. Know whoever thou art, that art such an one, that it belongs not to thee, it was appointed for an understanding people. The Lord invites not fools and block-heads to his Mysteries. God will not know them that know not him. If thou knowest not what the signs are, or the relation of them to the thing signified, hast no insight or understanding of the Mysteries: Know that its to no other purpose to thee to come to the Sacrament, then if thou wentest to a Mass, to see a Mass, to see the Gesticulations, Elevations, or if thou wentest to see a play, not knowing to what end and purpose it was done. Such a one is not a friend of God, but an enemy that shall be destroyed in everlasting fire that knows not him. Deceive not then your selves, but seriously weigh it, and consider what a Judgement falls on us for this. What an unworthy thing is it, when as in one moneths space, or less, if a man had any care, he might learn as much as would bring him to heaven. What saith the Apostle?