A90296:65
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.
If any attendants of actions, might free and exempt them, from the regular dependence we insist upon, they must be either contingency or sin; but yet for both these, we have,1 besides general rules, clear particular instances: what seems more contingent and casual, then the unadvised slaying of a man,2 with the fall of the head of an axe from the helve, as a man was cutting wood by the way side? Deut. 319. 5. yet God assumes this as his own work, Exod. 23.4 13. the same may be said of free agents, and their actions: and for the other, 5see Act. 4. 27, 28. in the crucifying of the Son of Gods love,6 all things came to pass according as his counsel had before determined that it should be done.7 Now how in the one of these liberty is not abridged, the nature of things not changed in the other, sin is not countenanced, belongs not to this discourse: the counsel of the Lord then standeth for ever, and the thoughts of his heart are unto all generations, Psal. 33. 12. his counsel standeth, and he will do all his pleasure, Isa. 46. 10. for he is the Lord, and he changeth not,