A90263:100
The branch of the Lord, the beauty of ZionThe branch of the Lord, the beauty of Sion
The branch of the Lord, the beauty of Zion: or, The glory of the Church, in it's relation unto Christ· Opened in two sermons; one preached at Berwick, the other at Edinburgh. By John Owen, minister of the Gospel.The branch of the Lord, the beauty of Sion: or, The glory of the Church, in it's relation unto Christ· Opened in two sermons; one preached at Berwick, the other at Edinburgh. By John Owen, minister of the Gospel.
Edinburgh: printed by Evan Tyler, 1650
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.
Now this House receives a two fold building. 1. Spiritual, of all the stones thereof into one mystical House: of this I chiefly treat. 2. Ecclesiastical, of some particular stones into several Tabernacles, which are useful Partitions in the great mystical House, called Assemblies, and dwelling places of mount Zion: both these it hath from Christ alone.
Now this House receives a two fold building. 1. Spirituall, of all the stones thereof into one mysticall House: of this I chiefly treat. 2. Ecclesiasticall, of some particular stones into severall Tabernacles, which are usefull Partitions in the great mysticall House, called Assemblyes, and dwelling places of mount Sion: both these it hath from Christ alone.
1. For the first. If all the most skilful Workmen in the world should go to the pit of Nature, by their own strength to hew out stones for this building, they will never with all their skill and diligence, lay one stone upon it. There is Life required to those stones, which none can give but Christ▪ The Father hath given into his hand alone, to give life eternal to whom he will, Joh. 17. 2. He alone can turn stones into children of Abraham. To him is committed all dispensation of quickening power. He brings us from the dust of death, and no man hath quickened his own soul. With spiritual power, all spiritual life is vested in Christ. If dead stones live, it must be, by hearing the voice of the Son of God. ⟨p. 28⟩Christ's building of his mystical House, is his giving life unto dead stones, or rather, being life unto them. Of those who will attempt to build themselves, and draw a Principle of spiritual life, from the broken Cisterns of Nature, I shall speak afterwards.
1. For the first. If all the most skilfull Workmen in the world should go to the pit of Nature, by their own strength to hew out stones for this building, they will never with all their skill and diligence, lay one stone upon it. There is Life required to those stones, which none can give but Christ The Father hath given into his hand alone, to give life eternall to whom he will,