A64642:685
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.
But now to know how I may get this joy, how comfortable a thing is it to have such a comfort on earth, as to know that I have this true joy! and to be able to distinguish this joy from the joy, from the flashes, those fleeting joys of the wicked, which are but as the crackling of thorns under a pot; for theirs is but as a blaze that suddenly goeth out. Now if thou wouldst know thy joy aright, and whether it differ from that counterfeit joy which flesh and blood, and the Devil suggests; Look to the things that go before, and produce this joy.
But now to know how I may get this joy, how comfortable a thing is it to have such a comfort on earth, as to know that I have this true joy! and to be able to distinguish this joy from the joy, from the flashes, those fleeting joys of the wicked, which are but as the crackling of thornes under a pot; for theirs is but as a blaze that suddenly goeth out. Now if thou wouldst know thy joy aright, and whether it differ from that counterfeit joy which flesh and blood, and the Divel suggests; Look to the things that go before, and produce this joy.
1. The first thing that goeth before true joy, and produceth it, is an opening unto Christ when he knocks at the door of thy heart. As in that famous place, in Rev. 3.20. Behold I stand at the door and knock; If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me. There is if thou open, a sweet and familiar communication between Christ and thee; he communicates himself at dinner and supper. A man comes not melancholy to meals; Christ will come and make merry with thee, he will sup with thee familiarly. But how is it with thee? Hath Christ knocked, and thou hast given him a sleeveless answer, and hast thou joy? it is a false joy. But when Christ knocks at the door of thy heart, there must be an opening the door on thy part, when he knocks by his Word and Spirit: And dost thou give such an answer as the Spouse in the Canticles, Cant. 5. I am come into