and suitable deliverance They may call every spring of their Refreshment Beer laâ—ai-roi 2. To see that the Son of Violence draw not nigh unto it and if he do to require it at his hands to make him eat his own flesh and drink his own blood that he may learn to devour no more Observe then 1. Whence it is that this House which seems so often to be nigh to destruction is yet preserved from ruine Ofttimes it is brought into a condition that all that look on say Now it is gone for ever but still it recovers and gets up again The Lord Christ he looks on all the while He knowes how far things may proceed for tryall When it comes to that passe that if pressures and troubles should continue the House would be over born indeed then he puts in rebukes the windes and waves and makes all things still again Like a Father who looks upon his Childe in a difficult and dangerous businesse knowes that he can relieve him when he pleases but would willingly see him try his strength and cunning lets him alone untill perhaps the Childe thinks himself quite lost and wonders his Father doth not help him but when the Condition comes to be such that without help he will be lost indeed instantly the Father puts in his hand and saves him So deales the Lord Iesus with his House lets it oftentimes strive and wrestle with great Oppositions to draw out and exercise all the Graces thereof but yet all this while He looketh on and when danger is nigh indeed He is not far off 2. Let all the Enemies of the Church know that there is one who hath an Eye overthem in all their Counsels and under-takings Whilst they are digging deep He looks on and laughs them to scorn How perplexed was the King of Syria when he found that the Prophet was acquainted with all his designes and made them known to the King of Israel It cannot but be a matter of perplexity to the Enemies of this House when they shall finde that the great Friend and Protector thereof is continually present in all their Advisoes Let them not wonder at their birthlesse under-takings the Eye of Christ is still uupon them 3. Let the Saints see their priviledge who ever they are in what condition soever the Eye of Christ is upon them He watches over them for good and knowes their soules in Adversity When no Eye sees them he looks on them they cannot be cast out of his care nor hid from his sight There are many poor souls who goe heavily all the day long that mourn in their spirits unknown unregarded unpitted The Eye of Christ is on them for good continually they cannot be thrown out of his watchfull care 4. Christ is the In dweller of this House He hath not built it and framed it for no use It is for an Habitation for himself He hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for â—â—s Habitation this is my rest saith he here will I dwell Psal. 132. 13 14. This House iâ—built up to be an Habitation unto him Ephes. 2. 22. He is the King of Saints and this House is his Court It is true for his human Nature the Hevens must receive him untill the time of the Restitution of all things Acts. 4. 27. but yet he dwelleth in this House three ways 1. By his Spirit Christ dwels in this House and every stone of it by his Spirit Know you not that Christ is in you except you be reprobates 2 Cor 13. 5 Christ in you that is the Spirit of Christ Christ by his Spirit So the Holy Ghost expounds it Rom. 8. 9. If the Spirit of God dwell in you which v 10. is if Christ be in you Christ and his Spirit as to Indwelling are all one for he dwels in us by his Spirit The love of God is shed in abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost that is given unto us Rom. 5. 5. There is not only the love of God a grace of the Spirit shed abroad in us but there is also the Holy Spirit giuen unto us This is fully asserted Rom. 8. 11. The Spirit of him that raysed up Jesus dwels in you as also 2 Tim. 1. 14. keep the good thing committed to thee by the Holy Ghost that dwelleth in us Hence the Saints are said to be Temples of the Holy Ghost Jesus Christ doth not build Temples merely for Graces created Graces He dwels in them himself He dwels in them by his Spirit And this is a glorious Priviledge of this House that Jesus Christ in a Misticall and wounderfull manner should dwell in it and every stone of it Hereby all beleivers become to be not one personall but one Misticall Christ 1 Câ—r 12. 6. However we are distanced in respect of his human Nature yet Mistically we are one one body one Mistical Christ because we have one Spirit dweling in us and him If a man were never so tall so that his Head should reach the sterres and his freet stand upon the Ground yet having but one soul he is but one man still Though Christ in his human Nature be exceedingly distanced from us yet there being one and the same Spirit in him and us wee are one Mysticall Christ Yet abserve 1. Though Christ be united unto the persons of the Saints by the Indwelling of the Spirit yet the Saints have not that which is called Personal Vnion with him nor with the Spirit Personal Vnion is by a person of the Deity assuming the nature of man into one personallty with it self that having of it sown no personall subsistance Things are here clean otherwise Christ doth not assume the Saints into a personall subsistance with himself but dwels in their persons by his Spirit 2. That the Operations of the Indwelling Spirit of Christ and all his manifestations are Voluntary He worketh as he will revealeth what he wil 〈◊〉 where he dwells He doth not work in us Naturally but Voluntarily unto what proportion he pleaseth therefore though he dwel equally in all Saints in respect of Truth and reality yet he doth not in respect of working and Eficacy 2. By his graces Christ dwelleth in this House and in all the stones thereof by his Graces He dwells in our hearts by faith Ephes. 3. 17. He dwells in us by his word in all wisdome Col. 3. 16. All the graces we are made partakers of we receive from his fulnesse and by them he Inhabits in us They are indeed the ornaments of the living stones of this House to make them meet and fit for such an Indweller as the Lord Christ Christ will not dwell in a soule whose mind is darknesse His will stubbornesse and His Affections carnall and sensuall He puts Light and life and love upon the soule that it may be meet for him to dwell in Christ dwels in all the world by his power and Presence but he dwels only in his Saints by his Spirit and
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 PSAL. 48. 12 13 14. Walk about sion and go round about her tell the Towres thereof Mark ye wel her Bulwarks consider her Palaces that you may tell it to the Generation following For this God is our God for ever and ever he will be our Guide unto death EDINBURGH Printed by Evan Tyler in the year 1650. To His EXCELLENCY the Lord General CROMWELL c. MY LORD IT was with Thoughts of Peace that I embraced my Call to this Place and Time of Warre As all Peace that is from God is precious to my spirit so incomparably that between the Father his Elect which is established and carried on in the Blood and Grace of Jesus Christ The Ministeriall dispensation of this Peace being through free Grace committed even unto me also I desire that in every place my whole may be to declare it to the men of Gods good pleasure That this was my chief design in answer to the Call of God upon me even to poure out a savour of the Gospel upon the Sons of Peace in this place I hope is manifest to the Consciences of all with whom since my coming hither in the Work of the Ministery I have had to do The Enmity between God and us began on our Part The Peace which he hath made begins and ends with himself This is the way of God with sinners when he might justly continue their Enemy and fight against them to their Eternal ruine he drawes forth Love and beseeches them to be reconciled who have done the wrong and them to accept of Peace who cannot abide the Battell Certainly the bearing forth of this Message which is so worthy of all Acceptation and ought to be so welcome cannot but have sweetnes enough to season all the Pressures and temptations wherewith it is somtimes attended This hath bin my desire to pursue and that with the weapons which are not carnal And though some may be so seasoned with the leaven of contention about carnal things or at best the tithing of Mint and Cummin as to disrelish the weightier things of the Gospel yet the great Owner of the Vineyard hath not left me without a comfortable assurance that even this labour in the Lord hath not been in vain The following Sermons which I desire to present unto your Excellency were preached one at Berwick upon your first advance into Scotland the other at Edinburgh My willingnes to serve the Inheritance of Christ here even in my Ablence caused me to close with the desires that wercheld out to this purpose And I do present them to your Excellency not only because the Rise of my Call to this service under God was from you but also because in the carrying of it on I have received from you in the weaknesses and temptations wherewith I am encompassed that dayly spirituall Refreshment and support by inquiry into and discovery of the deep and hidden dispensations of God towards his secret ones which my spirit is taught to value The carrying on of the Interest of the Lord Jesus amongst his Saints in all his wayes which are Truth and Righteousnesse the matter pointed at in this Discourse being the Ayme of your spirit in your great under-takings it bears another Respect unto you I am not unacquainted with it's meannesse yea it 's coming short in respect of use and fruit of what the Lord hath since and by others drawn forth but such as it is having by Providence stepped first into the world I wholly commend it to him for an Incense who graciously supplyed the seed to the sower beseeching him that we may have joy unspeakable and glorious in the Acceptance of that Peace which he gives us in the Son of his Love whilest the Peace whose desire in the midst of warre you continually bear forth to him and to others is by them rejected to their hurt Edinb. Nov. 26. 1650. Your Excellencies most humble servant in our dearest Lord John Owen ISAIAH 56. Chap. 7. verse For mine House shall be called an House of Prayer for all People FRom the 3d verse of this Chapter to the 8th you have Promises and Predictions of calling in Gentiles and Strangers to the Church of God notwithstanding any Objections or hinderances laid in their way By Ceremoniall and Typicall constitutions they being all to be removed in the Crosse of Christ Ephes. 2. 13 14 15 16 Colos. 2. 14. making way for the accomplishment of that signall Promise which is given in the 2 Chapt of this Prophesie 2 3. And it shall come to passe in the last dayes that the Mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountaines and shall be exalted above the hills and ALL NATIONS shall flow unto it And MANY PEOPLE shall go and say Come ye let us go up c. The words of the 7th verse are a RecapiTulation of the whole holding out summarily the calling of the Gentiles to the Holy Mount or spirituall Church of Christ Where also you have a description of the services performed by them upon their coming Their burnt offerings and sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine Altar Answerable to that eminent prediction of the solemne worship of the called Gentiles Mal. 1. 11. For from the rising of the Sun even to the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a peace offering for my Name shall be great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hosts The Spirituall services of the Saints of the Gentiles are in each place set forth by those Ceremoniall Ordinances of Incense Altar and Sacrifice as were then most acceptable from the Lords own appointment Now this whole promise is once again straightned without losse of life or beauty and comprized in the words of the Text That which before he termed sacrifice and burnt-offerings here he calleth Prayer and those who before were the sons of the stranger are here all People some many of all sorts the whole world all men without distinction the Partition Wall being broken down My House shall be called c. The Thing here spoken of is Gods House described 1. By its Appropriation unto him it is his peculiar My House 2. By its extent of receipt in respect of others it is for all People 3. By the employment of its Inhabitants that is Prayer it shall be called an House of Prayer House here may be taken two wayes 1. Properly as it was in the Type for the Materiall Temple at Hierusalem whereunto these words are applyed by our Saviour Math. 21. but that is no farther concerned herein but as the spirituall Holinesse of the Antitype could not be represented without a Ceremoniall Holinesse
out of themselves which they receive from the Candlestick For this Candlestick hath seven lamps v. 2. which lamps that burn before the throne are the seven spirits of God Rev. 4. 5. seven spirits that is the perfection and compleatnesse of the Spirit of God in all his Graces and Operations Now who hath these seven spirits Even he who received not the spirit by measure Joh. 3. 34. being the stone upon which are the seven Eyes Zech. 3. 9. He alone then is this Candlestick and all the light which this House hath it is from him There are two wayes whereby Jesus Christ makes out light to this House 1. By way of Doctrinall Revelation 2. Of Reall Communication 1. He alone discovers light to all the Stones of this Building No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Joh 1. 10. No saving discovery of God of his Nature his Will his Love but what is by Christ The Moon and Starres give light but it is only what they receive from the Sun The Prophets and Apostles held out light but it was all received from him They spake by the spirit of Christ that was in them I have received of the Lord that which I have delivered unto you 1 Cor. 11. 23. The same Apostle curses every one that shall bring in any other light into this House be they Angels or Men Gal. 1. 8. 9 Christ alone fully knowes the minde of God as being alwayes in the bosome of his Father Joh 1. 18. Yea he knowes it to the uttermost being one with his Father Joh. 10 30. And he is willing to reveal it for even for this end came he into the world that he might bear witnesse to the truth And he had Ability enough to do it for in him were hid all Treasure of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2. 3. He alone is the Author of all light to this his holy Habitation Many Attempts have been to set up light in this House and not from Christ Some would kindle their Traditions or the Doctrine of this House Some their Prudentials for the Government of it Some their Ceremonials for the Worship of it All Candles in the Sun Shall men think to compasle themselves with sparks and walk in the light of the fire which themselves have kindled in the face of the Sun of Righteousnes shall not such men ly down in sorrow Beloved take heed of such ignes fatui foolish misguiding fires 2. By way of Reall Communication He is the true light which lightneth everyman Joh. 1. 9. Every one that hath any spirituall light really communicated to him hath it from Christ It is part of his work to recover sight to the blind Luke 4. 18. And therfore he adviseth the Church of Laodicea to come to him for eye salve that she might see Revel. 3. 18. At his coming Sion shines forth Isa 60. 1. because his light ariseth upon her v. 2. The former Doctrinall Teaching of it self wâ—ll not suffice That light may shine in darknes and the darknes not comprehend it Joh. 1. 5. All the light the Sun can give will not make a blind man see There must be a visive faculty within as well as light without The Stones of this building are by Nature all blind yea darkned yea darknesse it self If the Lord Christ do not by the mighty efficacy of his spirit create a visive Power within them as well as reveal the will of his Father to them they will never spiritually discern the things of God The naturall man discerneth not the things of God nor indeed can do 1. Cor. 2 14. It is true men by the help of Common Gifts with the use of the former Doctrinall Revelation may attain to such a knowledge of the mind of God as may in a sense be called Illumination Heb. 6. 4. Far may they go much may they do by this light They may teach others and be cast away themselves They may dispute for Truth yea dye for Truth and all this while have but the first common Anointing see nothing clearly but Menwalking like Trees A spiritual Insight into the mind of God is not to be obtained without an Almighty Act of the Spirit of Christ creating a new power of Life and Light upon the Soul Some indeed think that they have this seeing Power in themselves Do but shew them outwaraly what is to be seen and let them alone for the discerning of it Well then let them alone if ever they are stones of this living House I am deceived Thou that art so know whence is all thy light and if thou art any thing in the dark draw nigh to the Candlestick from whence all light is Thence must thy light come yea and thence it shall come the secrets of the Lord shall make their abode with thee And this is the fourfold Relation wherein the Lord Christ stands unto this House as it is a Spirituall building In Respect of State and Condition Jesus Christ stands in a fivefold Relation to this House which I shall unfold in order 1. He is the Owner of it He cals it HIS Upon this Rock will I build my Church Math. 16 18 Moses was faithfull in all c. but Christ as a son over his OWN House whose House are we Heb. 3. 4 5. And that you may see that he doth not owne it as His without good Right and Title know that in the great Oeconomie of Grace Jesus Christ hath a threefold Right and Title to this House 1. Of Inheritance He is by his Father appointed Heir of all things Heb. 1. 3. By Inheritance he obtains this excellent name to be Lord of this House God sends him to the Vineyard as the Heir after his servants were refused And he hath an Engagement from his Father that he shal injoy his whole Inheritance upon demand Psal. 2. 8. For the Father appointed in the fulnesse of time to gather together all these things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are in Earth in him Eph. 1. 10. So that as Christ is the first begotten of the Father Heb. 1. 6. and the first born of every creature Col. 1. 15. the Right of Heirship is his But this will not do for 2. When He should come to take possession of this House He findes that it is morgaged and that a great Debt lyes upon it which he must pay to the uttermost farthing if ever He intend to have it To the former Title there must also be added a Right of Furchase He must Purchase this House and pay a great Price for it And what is this Price what is required of him No lesse then his dearest blood Acts 20. 28. Yea he must make his Soul an Offering for sin and charge himself with the whole Debt all the Curse and Punishment which this House had in part actually contracted upon it self and wholly deserved He must put his