never enter into the inheritance of sons. Let us take heed; for mercy is like a rainbow, which God set in the clouds to remember mankind: it shines here as long as it is not hindered; but we must never look for it after it is night, and it shines not in the other world. If we refuse mercy here, we shall have justice to eternity. ΔΕΚΑΣ ΕΜΒΟΛΙΜΑΙΟΣ, A SUPPLEMENT TO THE ΕΝΙΑΥΤΟΣ, OR, COURSE OF SERMONS FOR THE WHOLE YEAR: BEING TEN SERMONS, EXPLAINING THE NATURE OF FAITH AND OBEDIENCE, IN RELATION TO GOD, AND THE ECCLESIASTICAL AND SECULAR POWERS, RESPECTIVELY. TO THE MOST NOBLE AND VIRTUOUS PRINCESS, THE LADY DUTCHESS OF ORMOND, HER GRACE. MADAM, I PRESENT your Grace herewith a testimony of my obedience, and of your own zeal for the good of souls. You were, in your great charity, not only pleased to pardon the weakness of this discourse,* but to hope it might serve as a memorial to those that need it, of the great necessity of living virtuously, and by the measures of Christianity. Madam, you are too great and too good to have any ambition for the things of this world; but I cannot but observe that in your designs for the other world, you, by your charity and zeal, adopt yourself into the portion of those ecclesiastics, who humbly hope, and truly labour, for the reward that is promised to those wise persons who convert souls, if our prayers and your desires that every one should be profited in their eternal concerns, cast in a symbol towards this great work, and will give you a title to that This and the two following Discourses were preached at Christ Church, Dublin, and respectively entitled, "The Righteousness Evangelical Described :"-" The Christian's Conquest over the Body of Sin"-"Fides Formata; or, Faith working by Love." great reward but, Madam, when I received your commands for dispersing some copies of this sermon, I perceived it was too little to be presented to your Eminence; and if it were accompanied with something else of the like nature, it might, with more profit, advance that end which your Grace so piously designed; and, therefore, I have taken this opportunity to satisfy the desire of some very honourable and very reverend personages, who required that the two following sermons should also be made fit for the use of those, who hoped to receive profit by them. I humbly lay them all at your Grace's feet, begging of God, that even as many may receive advantages by the perusing of them, as either your Grace will desire, or he that preached them did intend. And if your Grace will accept of this first testimony of my concurrence with all the world that know you, in paying those great regards which your piety so highly merits, I will endeavour hereafter, in some greater instance, to pursue the intentions of your zeal of souls, and, by such a service, endeavour to do more benefit to others, and by it, as by that which is most acceptable to your Grace, endear the obedience and services of, MADAM, Your Grace's most humble And obedient Servant, JER. DOWN. |