Owen, John (1616-1683), God's presence with a people, the spring of their prosperity; with their speciall interest in abiding with Him. A sermon, preached to the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, at Westminster, Octob. 30. 1656. A day of solemn humiliation. By John Owen, D.D., a servant of Jesus Christ, in the work of the Gospel. Printed by Order of Parliament, 1656.

Owen preaches at length, 21 pages, on God's presence with a people both individually and corporately in a sermon on the text "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 Chronicles 15:2) delivered to Parliament October 30, 1656.

"The great concernment of any people or nation is, to know that all their prosperity is from the presence of God amongst them, and to attend to that which will give continuance thereunto. . . .

"There is a presence of God in respect of providential dispensations. . . . attended with peculiar love, favor, good-will, special care towards them with whom he is so present. So Abimelech observed that he was with Abraham, Genesis 21:22, "God is with thee in all that thou doest," -- with thee to guide thee, bless thee, preserve thee, as we shall see afterward. So he promised to be with Joshua, "I will be with thee," Joshua 1:5; and so he was with Gideon, "The Lord is with thee," Judges 6:12, -- to bless him in his great undertaking; and so with Jeremiah, "I am with thee," Jeremiah 15:20. This is fully expressed, Isaiah 43:1,2, "I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee." And this is the presence of God here intimated -- his presence with the people as to special providential dispensations, as is manifest from the whole discourse of the prophet; and wherein this consists, shall be afterward at large declared. . . . -- John Owen
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