A64642:667
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 it may fall out that there may be a kind of quietness in the conscience of a wicked man; but we must make a great difference between a peace and a truce; a truce is but a cessation of war, for such a ⟨p. 448⟩time, and many times when the truce is over, it ends in greater war, because they have the more time to gather strength, and increase their Forces: So there may be a peace or a truce between God and wicked men; but it is the highest judgment that can be upon a wicked man to be thus let alone; but it is not so with a godly man; God breaks their peace, and hedges up their way with thorns, and many times torments their conscience, and breaks their peace; but when God suffers a sinner to thrive in sin, when he suffers him to on so long, that his own honour is almost touched; I held my peace saith God, then thou thoughtest me to be such a one as thy self; God holds his peace, then the sinner saith God doth not heed. However the preacher amplifies these things, God is not so terrible as they make him; well, but though God hold his peace long, yet at last he will speak. Oh consider this ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver you· When the time of the truce is out, then the conscience is like a fierce Mastiff; the longer he is tied, the more fierce he is when he is let loose; so conscience, when it hath been long quiet, and tied up, when God lets loose the cords thereof, it will be more fierce than ever before, it will then fly like a Mastiff in thy face, and as it were tear thy throat; and then there will be in thee the very flashings of hell.
Now it may fall out that there may be a kinde of quietnesse in the conscience of a wicked man; but we must make a great difference between a peace and a truce; a truce is but a cessation of warre, for such a ⟨p. 448⟩time, and many times when the truce is over, it ends in greater warre, because they have the more time to gather strength, and increase their Forces: So there may be a peace or a truce between God and wicked men; but it is the highest judgment that can be upon a wicked man to be thus let alone; but it is not so with a godly man; God breaks their peace, and hedges up their way with thornes, and many times torments their conscience, and breaks their peace; but when God suffers a sinner to thrive in sinne, when he suffers him to on so long, that his own honour is almost touch't; I held my peace saith God, then thou thoughtest me to be such a one as thy self; God holds his peace, then the sinner saith God doth not heed. However the preacher amplifies these things, God is not so terrible as they make him; well, but though God hold his peace long, yet at last he will speak. Oh consider this ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver you· When the time of the truce is out, then the conscience is like a fierce Mastiffe; the longer he is tyed, the more fierce he is when he is let loose; so conscience, when it hath been long quiet, and tyed up, when God lets loose the cords thereof, it will be more fierce than ever before, it will then flie like a Mastiffe in thy face, and as it were tear thy throat; and then there will be in thee the very flashings of hell.