Sermons by the late Rev. Richard de Courcy

Name: Sermons by the late Rev. Richard de Courcy
Author: De Courcy, Richard

De Courcy, Richard

Church of England -- Sermons; Sermons, English -- 18th century

of the most glorious and discriminating doctrines of the gospel.  If the
_heart_ be not washed from the wickedness of domineering _pride_,
_worldly conformity_, _fear of man_, _self-conceit_, and _unbelief_, to
“wash the outside of the cup and platter,” will avail nothing.  “Cleanse
_first_ that which is WITHIN,” is our Lord’s direction.  Mat. xxiii. 26.

As to the other case alluded to above, it often happens that a degree of
reformation may take place through accident, or the unavoidable course of
nature.  This happens either through old age, or those contingencies,
which often suddenly deprive some, of the means of gratifying their
lusts.  When the vigor of constitution is abated by declining age, or
ruined by a long series of debaucheries; when health sinks with the lapse
of time, or fortunes are exhausted by long extravagance; the aged become
chaste, and the young, sober, _through necessity_.  But neither, in
numerous instances, forsake their sins in reality.  Their sins have only
forsaken _them_.  This would appear evident to a demonstration, were both
only placed in the circumstances that once contributed fuel to their
passions.  Were only youth, health, or fortune, restored, the aged miser
would again add his love of lewdness to that of money, and the enfeebled
or impoverished rake return to all his juvenile voluptuousness, with
greater ardor than ever.  Through all the varying circumstances of life,
the heart of an unconverted sinner is still the same, and the sinner
himself would be the same, if no such variation occurred, by which his
pursuits are circumscribed, or his line of sinning altered.  But where
the heart is really transformed, former lusts are hated; the remembrance
of sin is grievous; the burden of it is intolerable; and a desire to
mortify it is deeply rooted, and universal..  Pure principles are
implanted.  Noble passions predominate.  Sublime desires and spiritual
appetites attract the heart to God, and fix the conversation in heaven.
From whence it arises, that to give the heart to God implies,

2.  A restoration of the alienated affections to their original claimant,
and a placing of them upon God as their supreme object.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Sermons by the late Rev. Richard de CourcyDe Courcy, Richard

Religion

Sermons by the late Rev. Richard de Courcy

De Courcy, Richard

Church of England -- Sermons; Sermons, English -- 18th century

of the most glorious and discriminating doctrines of the gospel.  If the
_heart_ be not washed from the wickedness of domineering _pride_,
_worldly conformity_, _fear of man_, _self-conceit_, and _unbelief_, to
“wash the outside of the cup and platter,” will avail nothing.  “Cleanse
_first_ that which is WITHIN,” is our Lord’s direction.  Mat. xxiii. 26.

As to the other case alluded to above, it often happens that a degree of
reformation may take place through accident, or the unavoidable course of
nature.  This happens either through old age, or those contingencies,
which often suddenly deprive some, of the means of gratifying their
lusts.  When the vigor of constitution is abated by declining age, or
ruined by a long series of debaucheries; when health sinks with the lapse
of time, or fortunes are exhausted by long extravagance; the aged become
chaste, and the young, sober, _through necessity_.  But neither, in
numerous instances, forsake their sins in reality.  Their sins have only
forsaken _them_.  This would appear evident to a demonstration, were both
only placed in the circumstances that once contributed fuel to their
passions.  Were only youth, health, or fortune, restored, the aged miser
would again add his love of lewdness to that of money, and the enfeebled
or impoverished rake return to all his juvenile voluptuousness, with
greater ardor than ever.  Through all the varying circumstances of life,
the heart of an unconverted sinner is still the same, and the sinner
himself would be the same, if no such variation occurred, by which his
pursuits are circumscribed, or his line of sinning altered.  But where
the heart is really transformed, former lusts are hated; the remembrance
of sin is grievous; the burden of it is intolerable; and a desire to
mortify it is deeply rooted, and universal..  Pure principles are
implanted.  Noble passions predominate.  Sublime desires and spiritual
appetites attract the heart to God, and fix the conversation in heaven.
From whence it arises, that to give the heart to God implies,

2.  A restoration of the alienated affections to their original claimant,
and a placing of them upon God as their supreme object.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Sermons by the late Rev. Richard de Courcy

Sermons by the late Rev. Richard de Courcy

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