A64642:81
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.
1. By this means we incur the highest presumption: and this is no light thing inconsiderately to be passed over. Shall God offer you such a proffer, and you be so presumptuous as to think such a one more seasonable? It's high presumption for thee to make thy self wiser then God, to neglect that he prescribes, and that with a promise too; as if thou hadst God at command. If thou resolve to take to morrow, it is requisite that thou have 1. Space to repent, and
2. Grace to do it. Now neither of these are in thine own hands, if they were, thou hadst ground for a farther delay. If thou hadst power to say, I will live so long, or could by thine own might prolong thy life, it were something, but it's otherwise. In refusing Gods proffer, thou refusest him that hath thy life in his hand. What high presumption is this? See it in Jezebel, Rev. 2. I gave her space to repent, but she repented not. As if God should have said, it's I gave it her, I gave her time to live, I might have cut her off in the midst of her whoredoms. Observe here by the way the reason why God gives us this space; it is to repent. What presumption must that be, when we will go quite contrary to God? and because we have space, therefore we will not repent. Why does not God smite thee from heaven, when thou thus audaciously settest thy self against him? Why do's he not strike thee with a thunderbolt? Sure he gives thee this space not to spend it idly, but to another end; not to follow our lusts, neglecting Gods call, but that thou mayst remember thy self, and return with all thy heart. Remember those words of the Prophet, My times are in thy hands, Psal. 35. He said not, my times are in mine own hands; for he knew it was grand presumption. Why then should any challenge that to himself, that belongs to God, as if he were the lord of his own life, supposing Gods call unseasonable, and that he may think on it better hereafter? May not a young man die soon? now an old man cannot live long. Many strong ⟨p. 13⟩