Oh, that by these and the like ways we might manifest our self- condemnation and abhorrency for all that distrust and staggering at the word of God, which arising from unbelief, hath had such deplor- able issues upon all our counsels and undertakings!
VOL. VIIL 16
SERMON V.
OTPANHN OXPANIA:
THK
SHAKING AND TRANSLATING OF HEAVEN AND EARTH:
A SERMON PREACHED TO THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED, APRIL 19, 1649,
A DAV SET APART FOR EXTRAORDINARY HUMILIATION.
TREFATORY NOTE.
This sermon, from Heb. xii. 27, was preached before Parliament on a day set apart for extraordinary Linniliation. It was in connection with this sermon that Owen for the first time was introduced to Oliver Cromwell; who, with other officers, listened to it, and afterwards made acquaintance with the preaclier, under the circumstances mentioned in the " Life," etc., vol. i. p. 42, Cromwell was preparing to go to Ireland, and procured the appointment of Owen to accom- pany him, in order that the affairs of Trinity College, Dublin, might be adjusted and placed on a proper footing. — Ed.
Die Veneris, April 20, 1649. Ordered, by the Commons assembled in Parliament, That Sir William Masham do give hearty thanks from this House to Mr Owen for his great pains in his sermon preached before the House yesterday, at Margaret's, Westminster ; and that he be desired to print his sermon at large, as he intended to have delivered it if time had not prevented him ; wherein he is to have the like liberty of print- ing thereof as others in like kind usually have had.
Hen. Scobell, CUrc. Farl.
TO TPIE EIGHT HONOURABLE,
THE COMMONS OF ENGLAND,
IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED.
Sirs, All that I shall preface to the ensuing discourse is, that seeing the nation's welfare and your own actings are therein concei-ned (the welfare of the nation and your own prosperity in your present actings being so nearly related, as they are, to the things of the ensuing discourse), I should be bold to press you to a serious consi- deration of them as now presented unto you, were I not assured — by your ready attention unto, and favourable acceptation of, their delivery — that, being now pub- lished by your command, such a request would be altogether needless. The sub- ject-matter of this sermon being of so great weight and importance as it is, it had been very desirable that it had fallen on an abler hand ; as also that more space and leisure had been allotted to the preparing of it — first, for so great, judicious, and honourable an audience ; and, secondly, for public view — than possibly 1 could beg from my daily troubles, pressures, and temptations, in the midst of a poor, numerous, provoking people. As the liord hath brought it forth, that it may be useful to your Honourable Assembly, and the residue of men that wait for the appearance of the Lord Jesus, shall be the sincere endeavour at the throne of grace of
Your most unworthy Servant
In the work of the Lord,
J. Owen.
CoGGESHALL, May 1, lb'49.
SERMON y.
THE SHAKING AND TRiLNSLATING OF HEAVEN AND EARTH
" And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain." — Heb. xii. 27.
Tpie main design of tlie apostle in this scripture to the Hebrews, is to prevail with his countrymen, who had undertaken the profession of the gospel, to abide constant and faithful therein, without any apostasy unto, or mixture with Judaism, which God and themselves had forsaken ; — fully manifesting, that in such backsHders the soul of the Lord hath no pleasure, chap. x. 88, —
A task, which whoso undertaketh in any age, shall find exceeding weighty and difficult, — even to persuade professors to hold out and continue in the glory of their profession unto the end, that with patience doing the will of God they " might receive the promise;"^ — especially if there be " lions in the way,"^ if opposition or persecution do attend them in their professed subjection to the Lord Jesus. Of all that deformity and dissimilitude to the divine nature which is come upon us by the fall, there is no one jjart more eminent, or rather no one defect more evident, than inconstancy and unstableness of mind in embracing that which is spiritually good. Man being turned ft'om his unchangeable rest,^ seeks to quiet and satiate his soul with restless movings towards changeable things.
Now, he who worketh all our works for us and in us, Isa. xxvi. 12, worketh them also by us;'' and, therefore, that which he will give, he persuades us to have, that at once his bounty and our duty may receive a manifestation in the same thing. Of this nature is perse- verance in the faith of Christ; — which, as by him it is promised, and therefore is a gi'ace ; so to us it is prescribed, and thereby is a duty.
1 Chap. X. 36. ■ Trov. xxii. 13, xxvi. 13. ' Ps. cxvi. 7.
* 1 Thess. i. 3; 2 Thess. i. 11; Deut. x. IG, xxx. 6; Ezek. xviii. 31, xxxvi. 26; Acts xi. IS.
248 THE SHAKING AND TRANSLATING
" Petarnus iit clut, quod ut habeamua jubet," Augustine; — " Let us ask him to liestow what he requires us to enjoy." Yea, " Da, Do- niinc, quod jubes, et jube quod vis;" — " Give what thou commandest, and command what thou pleasest."