A53702:73
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.
These things being premised for the opening of the words, the Truth wherein we are instructed by them, appears to be this.
When a Land, a Nation, a City, a Church, is filled with sin, so as that God gives them Warnings or Indications of his displeasure by previous Judgments; or other extraordinary Signs, if they are not as Warnings complied withal by Repentance and Reformation, they are Tokens of approaching Judgments, that shall not be avoided,
When a Land, a Nation, a City, a Church, is filled with sin, so as that God gives them Warnings or Indications of his displeasure by previous Judgments; or other extraordinary Signs, if they are not as Warnings complyed withal by Repentance and Reformation, they are Tokens of approaching Judgments, that shall not be avoided,
This is that sacred Truth which our Lord Jesus Christ doth here recommend ⟨p. 20⟩to our Observation. It is the great Rule of Divine Providence, with the especial Seal of our Lord Christ annexed to it; I tell you Nay but unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish. When Warnings for Instruction are not received, they are Tokens of Destruction. This is a Truth which none almost deny, and none almost believe. Had it been believed, many desolating Judgments in former Ages had been prevented, Nations and Cities should have abode in Prosperity, which are now sunk into Ruin, yea, into Hell. See Luke 19. 41, 42, 43, 44. Mat. 11. 23. And were it believed in the days wherein we live, it would be the means of saving a poor Nation from, otherwise inevitable ruin. The State is so with us, that unless we repent, we shall perish. I do not prescribe unto the Sovereignty of God in his Providential Administrations. He can if he please, suffer all his Warnings to be despised, all his Calls neglected, yea scoffed at, and yet exercise Forbearance toward us, as unto a speedy execution of Judgment. But woe unto them with whom he so deals; for it hath only this end, that they may have a space to fill up the measure of their Iniquities, and so be fitted for eternal Destruction,