A53702:19
An humble testimony unto the goodness and severity of God in his dealing with…
An humble testimony unto the goodness and severity of God in his dealing with sinful churches and nations, or, The only way to deliver a sinful nation from utter ruin by impendent judgments, in a discourse on the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, Luk. 13, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 / by John Owen.An humble testimony unto the goodness and severity of God in his dealing with sinful churches and nations, or, The only way to deliver a sinful nation from utter ruine by impendent judgments, in a discourse on the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, Luk. 13, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 / by John Owen.
London: printed for Nathanael Ponder, 1681
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
The least Endeavour to attire a Discourse of this Nature, with the Ornaments of Speech or Language, is even ridiculous; it is more fit to bear the Furrows of Sighs and and Tears, than to be smoothed and flourished with the Oily Colours of Elegance and Rhetoric.
The least Endeavour to attire a Discourse of this Nature, with the Ornaments of Speech or Language, is even ridiculous; it is more fit to bear the Furrows of Sighs and and Tears, than to be smoothed and flourished with the Oyly Colours of Elegance and Rhetorick.
And as for the obvious Plainness of the Matter contained in it, it is suited, as I Judge, unto them whose Good is principally designed therein. Plain men have sinned as well as others, though it may be, not unto so high a degree, nor in such an Outrage of Excess. However, on many Considerations they are likely first to suffer, unless impendent Judgments ⟨image 7⟩are diverted by Repentance.
I do but a little plead with every man for himself, and in his own Cause. Neither however wise or learned men may be, is it meet in this Case to treat them otherwise. It is to no purpose to make a fine Speech unto such as are falling into a Lethargy; nor to discourse learnedly of the Art of Navigation, unto them that are ready to perish in a Storm; they must be plain Words and plain Things that are forcible in this Case. And these by whom they are despised, from any Principle of Self-Elation, give but an uncomfortable Indication of what will be the Issue of their Dangers.