A53702:26
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.
I. The Time when the Things mentioned did fall out, and wherein our Saviour passed this judgement on them.
1. It was a Time of great Sin; of the abounding of all sorts of Sins: The Nation as such, in its Rulers and Rule; the Church as such, in its Officers, Order and Worship; and the Generality of the People, in their Personal Capacities, ⟨p. 3⟩were all overwhelmed in provoking Sins, Hypocrisy, Oppression, Cruelty, Superstition, Uncleanness, Persecution, Impenitency, and Security, all proceeding from Unbelief, had filled the Land, and defiled it. We have a sufficient Account of this State of things in the Story of the Gospel; so as that it needs no other Confirmation. Yea, so wicked were the People, and so corrupt the Church-State, and so impenitent were the Generality of them therein, that it suited the Righteousness and Holiness of God, to revenge on that Generation, not only their own Sins, but the Sins also of all wicked persecutors from the Foundation of the World; a thing which he doth not do but on high Provocations; Luke 11. 50. 51. That the Blood of all the Prophets, which was shed from the Foundation of the World, may be required of this Generation; from the Blood of Abel, unto the Blood of Zechariah, which perished between the Altar and the Temple: Verily I say unto you, it shall be required of this Generation.
1. It was a Time of great Sin; of the abounding of all sorts of Sins: The Nation as such, in its Rulers and Rule; the Church as such, in its Officers, Order and VVorship; and the Generality of the People, in their Personal Capacities, ⟨p. 3⟩were all overwhelmed in provoking Sins, Hypocrisie, Oppression, Cruelty, Superstition, Vncleanness, Persecution, Impenitency, and Security, all proceeding from Unbelief, had filled the Land, and defiled it. We have a sufficient Account of this State of things in the Story of the Gospel; so as that it needs no other Confirmation. Yea, so wicked were the People, and so corrupt the Church-State, and so impenitent were the Generality of them therein, that it suited the Rightousness and Holiness of God, to revenge on that Generation, not only their own Sins, but the Sins also of all wicked persecutors from the Foundation of the World; a thing which he doth not do but on high Provocations;