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A90269 God's work in founding Zion, and his peoples duty thereupon. A sermon preached in the Abby Church at Westminster, at the opening of the Parliament Septemb. 17th 1656. / By John Owen: a servant of Jesus Christ in the work of the Gospell. Owen, John, 1616-1683. 1656 (1656) Wing O758; Thomason E891_2; ESTC R203086 27,585 57

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destroyed cast down and rooted out for ever that the name of Israel might no more be had in remembrance This then is that which God in their dissapointment aimes to establish 5. Because the founding of Sion doth not consist in this or that form of the civile Administration of humane affaires there being nothing promised nor designed concerning them but that they be laid in an orderly subserviency to the common interest of the Saints which let men doe what they will yea what they can all Government shall at last be brought unto And who is there amongst us that in singlenesse of heart dares make such an answer to the Messengers of the Nations enquiting after the peculiar worke of God amongst us namely that it consists in the establishment of this or that form of civile Administrations though much of the worke of God lies therin in Relation to this Generall end This then is the Answer which I shall give to the Messengers of the Nations and of it there are these three parts 1. God hath broken destroyed ruined them and their contrivances who made it their buisnesse to over-throw Sion And to roote out the generation of the righteous not under this or that way or forme whereby they are differenced among themselves bnt as such as the Saints of the holy one and will continue so to doe 2. He hath given to them to the poore of his people peace liberty freedome from impositions on their consciences with much glorious light in severall degrees in his worship and service 3. He hath cast as he hath promised the power of the Nation into a subserviency to this common interest of Christ and his people in this world and hath made or will make them to understand that as the peace of Sion lies in their peace so their peace lies in the peace of Sion and what to say more to the Messengers of the Nation I know not Vs 2. If this then be the worke of God let us repaire to it the poore of the people shall trust therin or joyne themselves thereunto That you may doe this in judgment be pleased to take these directions which with all humility I offer to you and I hope from the Lord 1. Ingage in no way no Counsels be the reasonings and pretences for them never so Specious which have an inconsistency with this common interest of Sion in this generation If instead of repairing to the worke of God you should be found contending against it and setting up your own wisdom in the place of the wisdom of God it would not be to your advantage I know many things will be suggested unto you Setling of Religion establishing a discipline in the Church not to tolerate errors and the like from which discourses I know what Conclusions some men are apt to draw if no otherwise yet from what they have been doeing for many yeeres doe we then plead for Errors and unsetlement God forbid God hath undertaken to found and establish Sion to setle it and he will doe it and I pray God you may be instrumentall therin according to his mind He will also give his people one heart and one way And I pray that you by your Example of union in love and by all other good means may be instrumentall towards the accomplishment of that promise amongst us It is only the Liberty and Protection of the people of God as such that is pleaded for he that shall set up any thing inconsistent there with as so set up will lay the foundation of his building in the firstborne of his peace set up the gate of it in the utmost last of his welfaire In a word the people of God may possibly in this Nation devoure one another and wash their hands in the blood of one another by widening the breaches that are among them and woe be to them that shall be instrumentall herein but if ever they come to a coalescency in love and truth it must be by their mutuall forbearance of one another untill the Spirit be powr'd down from on high and the fruits of peace be brought forth thereby and herein the Lord make you as the mountaines that bring forth righteousnesse and the litle hills that bring forth peace unto his people There are some things that I am affraid of that ly contrary to what I am exhorting you unto I wish the event manifest that I am affraid without cause However give me leave to caution you of them Because I cannot be faithfull to my call if I doe not 1. Take heede least that evill be still abiding upon any of our Spirits that we should be crying out and calling for Reformation without a due consideration of what it is and how it is to be brought about I wish one of many of them who have praied for it and complained for want of it had endeavour'd to carry it on as they might would you have a Reformation be you more humble more holy more zealous delight more in the wayes worship Ordinances of God reform your persons in your lives Relations families parishes as to Gospell obedience and you will see a glorious Reformation indeed what mean you by a Reformation is it the hurting of others or doing good to our selves is it a power over other mens persons or our owne lusts God hath now for sundry yeeres tryed us whether indeed we love Reformation or no have any provoked us or compelled us to defile the worship of God with ceremonies or superstitions and our owne consciences therewith all have we been imposed on in the ways of God by men ignorant of them hath not God said to us you that have praied under persecution for Reformation you that have fought in the high places of the field for Reformation you that have covenanted and sworne for Reformation goe now reforme your selves you Ministers preach as often as you will as frely as you please no man shall controll you live as holily as you can pray as often fast as often as you will be full of bounty and good workes giving examples to your flock none shall trouble you be instant in season out of season preach the whole counsell of God without controll you people be holy serve God in holinesse keep close to his worship and ordinances love them delight in them bring forth such fruits as men may glorify God on your account condemne the world justifie the cause of God by a Gospell Conversation Take seaven yeares peace and plenty and see what you can doe If after all this wee still cry out give us a Reformation and complain not of our owne negligence folly and hatred of personall Reformation to be the only cause of that want it is easie to judge what we would have had we our desires 2. Take heed least any who have formerly desired the day of the Lord considering the purity and holinesse wherewith it will be attended grow weary of it and its worke as not
being able to abide it and so lay aside all thoughts of growing up with it in the will of God least any say is this the day of the Lord that Holinesse Godlinesse exact obedience should be prized exalted esteemed that profanenesse pride selfishnesse formallity should be despised consumed devoured we will have none of this day 3. Take heed that there rise not up a Generation that knew not Ioseph that knew us not in the dayes of our distresse and contending with those who would have destroy'd us who were not engaged with us in praying fasting fighting in England Scotland Ireland but were unconcerned in all our affaires who know nothing of the cry's teares trembling and feares wherewith this cause hath been mannaged can we expect that they should be acted by the Spirit of it or have a due sense of what they must be ingaged in what know they of the Communion we have had with God in this buisnesse all along what Answers he hath given us what Obligations he hath put upon us thereby the whole buisnesse is to them as a story only of that which is past wherin they are not concerned There are such abiding impressions left on the Soules of as many as have been ingaged in the worke of God in this Nation from the beginning to the end as will never be blotted out If a Spirit not sensible of former ways should arise amongst us and prevaile it would be sad with the interest of Christ and his people in this Nation To return to my directions 2. Make this worke of God your pole-star that you may steere and guide your course by it in all your consultations and actions what ever is proposed what ever is to be done let this consideration attend it but how will it suite the designe of God in establishing Sion men speaking of a thing of manifest evidence say that it is written with the beames of the Sun Give me leave to tell you of a thing that is written in the prayers of the Saints the feares of your enemies the condition of this nation the councels of Princes of the earth the Affaires of the Nations abroad in the world all the issues of the providence of God in these dayes all which concurring I suppose will give as good an evidence as any thing in the like kind is capable of What is this you wil say It is in brief Let the worke of God as stated be your guide in all your consultations and it will direct you to aime at these two Ends 1. To preserve Peace to compose Differences to make up Breaches to avoid all occasions of divisions at home 2 To make up unite gather into one common interest the Protestant Nations abroad in the World that we may stand or fall tegether and not be devoured one after another That these are the things which God calls you to mind and doe if you will bear any regard to his present work is I say written with all the beams of providence before mentioned If the Lord should suffer you to be regardlesse either to the one or the other know you not that it would be bitternesse in the latter end Ask your friends what they desire your enemies what they feare the Nations abroad what they are doing Consider Babylon consider Sion and if one and the same voyce come from them all not to attend unto it would be not to attend to the voice of God It is indeed an easy thing for you to gratify Sathan satiate the desires of your enemies lay a foundation of troubles it is but attending to the clamours of men without and the tumultuating of lusts and carnall wisdome within and the whole work is done But to carry on the work of God in the particulars mentioned this is not so easy a task selfe must be denied many glorious pretences laid aside contrary reasonings answered mens weaknesses miscarriages failings borne withall because they are men and which is more then all our own particular darling desires it may be let goe unsatisfied though moulded into contrivances for many years The truth is the combinations of the Antichristian party in the world are so evident their successes so notorious their designes so fixed their Advantages to carry them on so many that to perswade with them who have power for that end and purpose to make it their businesse to keep union amongst our selves on all good and honest termes and to endeavour the union of all that call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ their Lord and ours in the world were to cast a reproach upon their Wisdome foresight and zeale so that it sufficeth me to have mentioned these things Vse 4. Encourage all things that lye in a tendency and subserviency to the work of God unfolded and insisted on For instance 1. Where ever you see any work of reall reformation tending to the advancement of the Gospell discarding of old uselesse formes received by Tradition from our Fathers separating the pretious from the vile according to the severall measures of light which God in his infinite wisdome hath graciously imparted Let not needlesse objections and hinderances lye in the way but give in all due encouragements to the men of such engagements Perhaps the businesse of carrying on Reformation is grievous to some who in their anger and wrath revenge and disappointment may make complaints of it to you in private or in publique The Lord give you Wisdome that you may never weaken the hands or sadden the hearts of men who are willing to joyne hearts and hands with you to save a poore Nation and to keep life in the work of God in the mid'st thereof 2. What you find established already in this kind encourage preserve improve that the work faile not 3. Find out what is wanting and pursue it as God gives you advantage and opportunity 4. Where men under pretence of Religion make it their businesse to defile themselves or disturbe the civile peace and quiet of others let them know that the Sword is not borne in vaine I can but name these things Honourable my hearts desire and prayer to God for you is that you may be the repairers of breaches and the restorers of pathes for men to walk in that you may be the preservers of the good old Cause of England according to the growth it received in and under severall providentiall dispensations Many particulars ly in my heart to propose unto you but on very many considerations I shall name none at present of them but close all with some few Generall Directions 1. Secure your Spirits that in sincerity you seek the publick good of the Nations and the prosperity of the good people therein who have adhered to the good cause of Liberty and Religion if this be in your eye as that which is principally intended as you may pray in faith for the presence of God with you and have a comfortable expectation of his protection and favour so if in the pursuit of it through humane frailty you should erre or mistake in the choise of meanes paths ways tending to that end God will guide you and lead you and not leave you untill he hath made straite pathes for your feet But if at the bottome there ly secret animosities selfe-will desire of obtaining greatnesse or Power on the one hand or other if every such thing be not on all hands subdued unto publick good Prayers will be weakned carnall wisdome increased the Counsell of God rejected and you will wander in all your ways without successe 2. Keep alive this principle which whether any will heare or whether any will forbeare I know not but this I am sure of in the latter end it will be found to be true according as you regard cleave to promote protect on the one side or despise contemne and oppose on the other the common interest of Sion the people of God before laid downe so will your affaires either flourish prosper and succeed on the one hand or wither decay and be fruitlesse on the other In all other things that shall fall under your consideration that relate to the civile government of the Nations prudence conjecture probability consideration of circumstances and the present posture of things may take place This is capable of no framing to the one hand or other upon any pretence what ever 3. If it be possible keep up a spirit of Love and forbearance among your selves love thinketh none evill doe not impose designes on one another and then interpret every thing that is spoken though in never so much sincerity and simplicity of Spirit in a proportion to that designe this will turne judgment into wormwood and Truth into Hemlock FINIS Ob. 1. Ob. 2. Ob 4. Ob. 3.