A64687:33
Twenty sermons preached at Oxford before His Majesty, and elsewhere
Twenty sermons preached at Oxford before His Majesty, and elsewhere by the most Reverend James Usher ...
London: printed for Nathanael Ranew, 1678
Preface: A PREFACE Concerning the AUTHOR, And these SERMONS.
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.
Secondly in making Christ and the Apostles the pattern of his preaching, this great Master in Israel was the most self-denying man in the pulpit, and the most Reverend and Christ-advancing Preacher.
He preached *with great Authority as did our Saviour to the Conscience, *his speech was not with enticing words of Mans wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit, and of power: that their faith might not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. How oft have I seen my self, and heard from others, whilst be thus prophesied, some that believed not, coming to hear him *go away Convinced of all, Judged of all, and the secrets of their heart made manifest, and so falling down on their face they have worshipped God, and reported that God was in him of a truth. He was an *Apollos an Eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures: He was another Paul in the preaching that did 5compare Scripture with Scripture, and so make demonstrative Proofs from the spirit speaking in them. Some that affected a frothy way of preaching by strong Lines (as they call them) after they heard him in Oxford decry that Corinthian vanity, were much ashamed, and took up a more profitable way of preaching. Those words of his in a Sermon at the Court before the King, are worthy to be printed in Letters of Gold, And oh! That God would print them in the hearts of all the Ministers in the World, *Great Scholars (said he) possibly may think it standeth not with their Credit to stoop so low, &c. But let the Learnedst of us all try it when ever we please, we shall find that to lay this ground-work right, that is, to apply our selves to the Capacity of the Common Auditory, and to make an ignorant man to understand these mysteries in some good measure, will put us to the trial of our skill, and trouble us a great deal more, then if we were to discuss a Controversy, or handle a subtle point of Learning in the Schools.