A64642:69
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.
Moab hath been at ease from his youth, he hath been settled, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity, Jer. 48.11. Consider we whether our security comes not from the same cause: We have not been emptied from vessel to vessel, we have always been at rest. Why have we so little conversion? There are two things hinder it: the hardening of a mans heart against the Word, and our settling our selves on our lees. When we we have no change in grace, we are secure, we never see an evil day. And this is that which slays the foolish person. Woe to them that are at ease. It were better for thee to be emptied from vessel to vessel, to go into captivity. For as long as a man continues thus in an unregenerate condition, he can look for •othing but troubles; certain judgments must necessarily follow, and as sure as God is in heaven, so sure may they expect misery on earth: and they shall receive the eternal weight of Gods wrath treasured up against the day of wrath: Therefore there is a necessity of our conversion if we will keep off either temporal or eternal wrath. Our Saviour makes it the case of all impenitent sinners to be liable to wrath: One judgment befell the Galileans, an other those on whom the Tower of Silo fell: But what saith our ⟨p. 5⟩Saviour, Suppose you that these were greater sinners above all the men of Jerusalem? I tell you nay, but except you repent you shall all likewise perish, Luk. 13.3. All, every mothers son here present, if you turn not from your sinful courses, God will meet with you one time or other, if you harden your hearts against him be sure. Who ever hardened his heart against God and prospered? As long as a man is in this condition, his state is woeful. As many as are in the state of unregeneracy, are under the power of Satan, 2 Tim. 2.25, 26. Mark the Apostles words, In meekness instruct those that oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. The state then of the hardened & settled on their lees, is as a bird in a cage, taken alive at the will of the Fowler. So is it here, as long as we continue obstinate and hardened, we are taken alive at Satan's will, we are at his disposing.