A64642:538
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.
It's said, that God dwells in our hearts by faith. Now God and faith dwelling in a heart together, that heart must needs be pure and clean. Faith makes the heart pure: It were a most dishonourable thing to entertain God in a sty; a filthy and unclean heart: but if faith dwell there, it makes a fit house for the habitation of the King of Saints, therefore it purifieth the heart. Well then, doest thou think thy sins are ⟨p. 387⟩forgiven thee; and that thou hast a strong faith, and yet art as profane and as filthy as ever? How can it be? It is a most holy faith that justifieth, it is not a faith that will suffer a man to lie on a dunghill, or in the gutter with the hog. There may be a faith which is somewhat like this, but it is but temporary, and cometh short of it.
It's said, that God dwells in our hearts by faith. Now God and faith dwelling in a heart together, that heart must needs be pure and cleane. Faith makes the heart pure: It were a most dishonourable thing to entertaine God in a sty; a filthy and unclean heart: but if faith dwell there, it makes a fit house for the habitation of the King of Saints, therefore it purifieth the heart. Well then, doest thou think thy sinnes are ⟨p. 387⟩forgiven thee; and that thou hast a strong faith, and yet art as prophane and as filthy as ever? How can it be? It is a most holy faith that justifieth, it is not a faith that will suffer a man to lie on a dunghill, or in the gutter with the hog. There may be a faith which is somewhat like this, but it is but temporary, and cometh short of it.
But now there is another thing which distinguishes it: it is the peculiar work of faith. In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but the new creature, Gal. 6.15. and again, Gal. 5.6. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing, but faith which worketh by love. It's twice set down. Now what is a new creature? why, he that hath such a faith as works by love: not a dead faith, but a faith that works: but how does it work? it not only abstains from evil, and does some good acts, which a temporary may do, but its such a faith as works by love. The love of God constrains him, and he so loveth God, as that he hates evil for Gods sake; the other does it not out of love to God; all the love he hath, is self-love: he serves his own turn on God, rather than hath any true love to serve him.