SERMON X.
god's work in founding zion, and his people's duty thereupon.
Prefatory Note by the Editor ....••• 398 Epistle Dedicatory ....-••••• 399 Sermon.— " What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it."— IsA. xiv. 32 '^'^1
SERMON XL
god's presence with a people the spring of their prosperity.
Prefatory Note by the Editor ....... 428
Epistle Dedicatory .....■••• 429
Sermon.—" And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin ; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him ; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you." — 2 Chron. XV. 2 . . • ■ • • • • 431
SERMON XII.
the glory and interest of nations professing the gospel.
Prefatory Note by the Editor ....••• 454
Epistle Dedicatory • • * " ^^'^
Sermon.— " Upon all the glory shaU be a defence."— Isa. iv. 5 . . .457
SERMON XIII.
how AVE MAY BRING OUR HEARTS TO BEAR REPROOFS.
Prefatory Note to the Three Following Discourses, by the Editor . . 474
Sermon.—" Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness ; and let him re- prove me, it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head : for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities."— Ps. cxli. 5 . . . .475
SERMON XIV.
THE TESTIMONY OF THE CHURCH IS NOT THE ONLY NOR THE CHIEF REASON OF OUR BELIEVING THE SCRIPTURE TO BE THE WORD OF GOD.
Sermon— "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them."— Luke
xvi.29 *97
VI CONTENTS.
SERMON XV.
THE CHAMBEU OF IMAGERY IN THE CHURCH OF ROME LAID OPEN.
rase
Sekmon. — " If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious." — 1 Pet. ii. 3 . , 647
SERMON XVI.
AN HUMBLE TESTIMONY UNTO THE GOODNESS AND SEVERITY OP GOD IN HIS DEALING WITH SINFUL CHURCHES AND NATIONS.
Prefatory Note by the Editor . . . . . . - . . 594
To the Reader .......... 595
Sermon. — " There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus, answering, said unto them. Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Gali- leans, because they suffered such things ? I tell you, Nay : but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you. Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." — Luke xiiL i-5. ......... 5'J7
PREFACE,
The two following volumes contain, it is believed, the most complete collection of Dr Owen's Sermons which has ever been published.
The first volume (vol. viii.) includes all the Discourses which wei;e published durmg the lifetime of the author Among these there will be found his "Humble Testimony to the Goodness and Severity ot God-" which— though, from its lengd:h, it might rank as a separate treatise— is comprehended in this volume, as it was the substance ol some discourses, and is entitled by Owen himself a Discourse. An- other valuable sermon, which we have discovered m the Mommg Exercises against Popery, at Southwark,"_ though onritted m every previous cotlection of his Sermons, and m Russell s edition of his Works we have not hesitated to include in the present collection, our conviction that it belongs to Owen resting on the high authority of Calamy,^ who must have had the best opportunities of knowing what sermons, in a publication so important and celebrated as the " Morning Exercises," were the productions of our author ^^ e are strengthened in this conviction by the circumstance, that the key. i. H Home, also, in the recent admirable edition of the/' Morning Exer- cises," expressly ascribes this sermon to Owen. It is entitled, ihe Testimony of the Church not the only nor the chief Reason ot our Believing the Scripture to be the Word of God." On the contrary, we have assigned to the subsequent volume, which contains the Posthumous Discourses of our author, a sermon entitled, ±iuman Power Defeated," though we find it mentioned by Mr Orme m his list of the works which Owen himself committed to the press. Our reason for accounting it posthumous, is not simplythat we have not met mth it in its original foi-m (for in a few other instances we have been unable to discover copies of original editions) but m the tolio volume of Owen's Sermons, published in 1721, and edited so care- fully by five Independent ministers, who assure us that the posthu- mous sermons contained in it were the genuine productions of Owen, "a great part of them having been transcribed from his own copies and the rest taken from his mouth by a gentleman^ of honour and known integrity," it is ranked among the posthumous sermons, which had then for the first time been given to the public.
' See Calaniy's Account of ISIinisters Ejected, vol. ii. p. 56. 2 Sir John Hartopp. See vol. ix. p. 18.