A90296:18
A vision of unchangeable free mercy, in sending the means of grace to undeserved…A vision of vnchangeable free mercy, in sending the means of grace to undeserved…
A vision of unchangeable free mercy, in sending the means of grace to undeserved sinners: wherein Gods uncontrollable eternal purpose, in sending, and continuing the gospel unto this nation, in the middest of oppositions and contingencies, is discovered: his distinguishing mercy, in this great work, exalted, asserted, against opposers, repiners: in a sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, April. 29. being the day of public humiliation. Whereunto is annexed, a short defensative about church-government, (with a country essay for the practice of church-government there) toleration and petitions about these things. / By John Owen, minister of the gospel at Coggeshall in Essex.A vision of vnchangeable free mercy, in sending the means of grace to undeserved sinners: wherein Gods uncontrollable eternall purpose, in sending, and continuing the gospel unto this nation, in the middest of oppositions and contingencies, is discovered: his distinguishing mercy, in this great work, exalted, asserted, against opposers, repiners: in a sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, April. 29. being the day of publike humiliation. Whereunto is annexed, a short defensative about church-government, (with a countrey essay for the practice of church-government there) toleration and petitions about these things. / By Iohn Owen, minister of the gospel at Coggeshall in Essex.
London: printed by G.M. for Philemon Stephens, 1646
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 Kingdom of Jesus Christ is frequently in the Scripture compared to growing things;1 small in the beginning and first appearance, but increasing by degrees unto glory and perfection. The shapeless stone cut out without hands, having neither form, nor desirable beauty given unto it, becomes a great mountain, filling the whole earth, Dan. 2. 35. The small vine brought out of Egypt, quickly covers the hills with her shadow, her boughs reach unto the sea, and her branches unto the rivers, Psal. 80 8. The tender plant becomes as the Cedars of God; and the grain of mustard-seed to be a tree for the fowls of the air,2 to make their nests in the branches thereof:3 Mountains are made plains before it,4 every valley is filled, and the crooked paths made straight, 5that it may have a passage to its appointed ⟨p. 2⟩period;6 and all this, not only, not supported by outward advantages, 7but in direct opposition to the combined power of this whole creation,8 as fallen, and in subjection to the god of this world, 9the head thereof. As Christ was a tender plant, seemingly easy to be broken,10 and a root out of a dry ground, not easily flourishing, yet liveth for ever: so his people and Kingdom,