Sixteen Sermons on Various Subjects Author:Henry Owen General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1797 Original Publisher: Printed for J. Nichols Subjects: Sermons, English Religion / General Religion / Christianity / Anglican Religion / Sermons / Christian Religion / Christianity / Denominations Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It ha... more »s no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: SERMON V. EPHESIANS iv. -- 12. FOR THE EDIFYING OF THE BODY OF CHRIST. J. HE Religion which Christ introduced into the world, though at firft confined to his immediate followers, was plainly intended for the general benefit of mankind. In order therefore that mankind might partake of the benefit in- G 2 tendedtended by it, our Saviour commanded his difciples to " go forth ir. to all the world, " and preach the Gofpel to every creature." Endowed and qualified for the work, " they " went forth accordingly, and preached " every where ; the Lord working with 4 them, and confirming the word with figns following." By thefe means the Gofpel was fpeedily conveyed and propagated over diverfe countries. But into whatever country it might be thus introduced, if it had been left with the inhabitants without anyfup- port; -- without any fettled method for prc ferving and perpetuating the knowledge of it; how very foon would it have begun to decline ? -- Nay, how foon indeed would it have totally funk -- neglected, and forgotten ? For, what reafon is there to imagine, that the doctrine of our Saviour, how-, however recommended at its firft promulgation, would have fared better, or beeii more effectually retained and practifed, than the doctrine of the ancient philofophers ; if, like that, it had been only a fyftem of fpe1- culative principles and moral precepts, nmply propoied to every man's own private ftudy an...« less