A90263:71
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.
2. A Foundation must be hidden, and out of sight unto all those that outwardly look upon the House: They cannot perceive it, though every part of the House doth rest upon it: And this hath occasioned many mistakes in the World. An unwise man coming to a great House, seeing the Antics and Pictures stand crouching under the Windows and sides of the House, may happily think, that they bear up the weight of the House, when indeed they are for the most part pargeted Posts; they bear not the House, the House bears them. By their bowing and outward Appearance, the Man thinks the Burden is on them, and supposes, that it would be an easy thing, at any time, by taking them away, to demolish the House it self; But, when he sets himself to work, he finds these things of no value, there is a Foundation in the Bottom, which bears up the whole, that he thought not of: against that, he may waste himself, until he be broken in pieces.
2. A Foundation must be hidden, and out of sight unto all those that outwardly look upon the House: They cannot perceive it, though every part of the House doth rest upon it: And this hath occasioned many mistakes in the World. An unwise man coming to a great House, seeing the Anticks and Pictures stand crouching under the Windows and sides of the House, may happily think, that they bear up the weight of the House, when indeed they are for the most part pargetted Posts; they bear not the House, the House bears them. By their bowing and outward Appearance, the Man thinks the Burden is on them, and supposes, that it would be an easie thing, at any time, by taking them away, to demolish the House it self; But, when hee sets himself to work, hee findes these things of no value, there is a Foundation in the Bottome, which bears up the whole, that he thought not of: against that, hee may waste himself, untill hee be broken in pieces.
Men looking upon the Church, do find that it is a fair Fabric indeed, but cannot imagine how it should stand. A few supporters it seemeth to have in the world, like crouching Antics under the Windows, that make some show of under-propping it: Here you have a Magistrate, there an Army, or so: think the men of the world, can we but remove these props, the ⟨p. 15⟩