A64642:67
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.
Nor esteem this a vain word. I bring you those things whereon your life depends. Obeying it you are made for ever, neglecting it you are undone for ever. Unless you embrace this message, God will bend his bow, and make ready his arrows against you. Know therefore 1. That continuance in sin brings certain death. There will be no way of escaping but by repentance, by coming in speedily unto God.
The words of this Text are taken from Psal. 95. Harden not your hearts as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness. If when God calls us either to the doing of this, or leaving that undone, yet we are not moved, but continue in our evil ways. What's the reason of it? It's because we harden our hearts against him. The Word of God which is the power of God to salvation, and a two-edged sword to sever between ⟨p. 3⟩the joints and the marrow. The strength of the Almighty encounters with our hard hearts, and yet they remain like the stony and rocky ground: whereon though the Word be plentifully sown, yet it fastens no root there, and though for a season it spring, yet suddenly it fades and comes to nothing. We may have a little motion by the Word, yet there's a rock in our souls, a stone in our hearts, and though we may sometimes seem to receive it with some affection, and be made as it were Sermon-sick, yet it holds but a while, it betters us not: why? because it's not received as an ingrafted word. Therefore saith St. James, Receive with meekness the ingrafted word, Jam. 1.21. Let the word be ingrafted in thee; one sprig of it is able to make thee grow up to everlasting life. Be not content with the hearing of it, but pray God it may be firmly rooted in your hearts; this will cause a softening. To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts against Almighty God. If you do, expect him also to come against you in indignation. Hearken what he saith by his Prophet. I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees, that say in their heart the Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil,