PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Works of John Owen — Volume 18
John Owen · 300,763 words · 293 reading sections
Section 241
4, Abraham, he was first called by his parents D728, “ Abram,” VOL. XVIII, 29 450 STATE AND ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH [EXERC. XIX. ‘that is, “an high father,’—not without a signal presaging providence of God; for as of old they gave segnificant names unto their chil- dren, so therein they had respect unto their prese…
991 wordsSECTION 242Section 242
6. His nativity and education was in Ur of the Chaldees, Gen. xi. 28, 31. This place is said to be “on the other side of the flood,’ 39, or “ the river,” Josh. xxiv. 2; that is, from the land of Canaan, on the other side of the great river Huphrates eastward. It was so also of Tigris, on the east of Aram Naharaim, or M…
1,060 wordsSECTION 243Section 243
8. From Ur, therefore, with his father and the rest of their family, he removed to Haran with a design for Canaan, Gen. xi.31. Where this Haran was situated we before declared. Stephen calls it xafdy, * Charran ;” and so do the Latin writers. “ Assyrias Latio maculavit sanguine Charras,”’ says Lucan of the overthrow o…
1,238 wordsSECTION 244Section 244
456 STATE AND ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH [EXERC. XIX. they were now no more as the Keyptians, wncirewmeised. And it was their glory, both because God made it the token of his receiv- ing them to be his peculiar people out of all the nations of the earth, as also because it was the pledge of their obedience unto God; whi…
1,000 wordsSECTION 245Section 245
12. In the faith of Abraham, manifested in his obedience to the call of God, resting on the promise of the blessing by Christ, and in the observation of the ordinance of circumcision, whereby they were separated unto God and united among themselves, did this people continue, without the addition of any new ordinance of…
1,195 wordsSECTION 246Section 246
460 STATE AND ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH [EXERC. XIX. it was M31, “a sacrifice,” Exod. xii. 27; and 47, “a feast,” verse 14;— a sacrifice, from the slaying and offering of the lamb, which was done afterwards for the people by the Levites; and a feast, from the joy and remission of labour wherewith the annexed solemnitie…
1,026 wordsSECTION 247Section 247
18. This sacrifice of the passover, with its attendant feast of un- leavened bread, to be annually observed, on the fourteenth day of the month Abib unto the end of the twenty-first, was the second solemn ordinance of that people as the people and church of God; and the Jews observe, that no other positwe ordinances, b…
1,178 wordsSECTION 248Section 248
AGA STATE AND ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH [EXERC. XIX. for that opinion, doth indeed overthrow it; for it is abundantly evi- dent that God in his laws doth directly, on all occasions, command the contrary to whatever was in practice of this sort among the nations. So that Maimonides well observes, that the reason of many…
1,178 wordsSECTION 249Section 249
466 STATE AND ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH [EXERC. XIX. they receive hereby is incredible; for by them are they defended JSrom evil,—as some by the sign of the cross, others by the first words of the Gospel of John worn about them. ‘They are sanctified in the law; and, in a word, the Targum on the Canticles, chap. viii. 3…
1,077 wordsSECTION 250Section 250
468 PREPARATIONS FOR THE [EXERC. XIX. 25. Three things must be explained in reference unto this great and solemn foundation of that Judaical church-state, which our apostle treateth about in this whole epistle ;—first, The prepara- tions for it; secondly, The manner of the giving of it; thirdly, The law itself. For th…
1,093 wordsSECTION 251Section 251
470 PREPARATIONS FOR THE (EXERC. XIX. wonder that they made use of a word that had obtained amongst them from some of the nations with whom they had been conver- sant, differing little in sound from that of their own of the same sig- nification, and afterwards admitted into common use amongst them. From this occasiona…
946 wordsSECTION 252Section 252
28. Thus did God prepare this people for the receiving of the law, by a triple intimation of him who is the Redeemer from the law, and by whom alone the law that was to be given could be made useful and profitable unto them. And all these intimations were still given them on their great and signal provocations; to decl…
1,168 wordsSECTION 253Section 253
32. Being come unto this place, it is said, “ Moses went up into the mount unto God.” It doth not appear that he had any new immediate express command so to do; probably he both came to that place, and so soon as he came thither went up into the moun- 474 PREPARATIONS FOR THE [EXERC. XIX, tain, in obedience to the co…
1,049 wordsSECTION 254Section 254
- it was first taken up by some ante-Mishnical rabbins. 36. The next thing which Moses did, by the command of God, after he returned from the mount, was to set bounds unto it and the people, that none of them might press to go up until the trumpet had done its long and last sounding,—a sign of the departure of the 47…
1,014 wordsSECTION 255Section 255
The continuance of this prescription was from the day before the appearance of the glory of God on the mount, until by the long sounding of the trumpet they perceived the presence of God had left the place: Verse 13, “ When the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount;” that is, they had liberty so to do.…
936 wordsSECTION 256Section 256
46. The utmost of the approach of the people was to “the nether part of the mount.” The Targum of Jerusalem hath a foolish ima- gination from this expression, which they have also in the Talmud, —namely, that mount Sinai was plucked up by the roots, and lifted up into the air, so that the people stood under it: which J…
915 wordsSECTION 257Section 257
3. The Jews either acknowledge not or insist not much on this distinction, which is evidently founded in the things themselves, but, casting all these parts of the law together, contend that there is amongst them six hundred and thirteen precepts: for the numeral letters of 771n denote six hundred and eleven of them; a…
967 wordsSECTION 258Section 258
ee a, a a oe ed SECT. 7, 8.] THE LAW AND PRECEPTS THEREOF. 483 sanctuary by turns, but that all be present at the great anniversary feasts, Deut. xvi. 16. 18. That the priests mourn and be defiled for their near relations, Lev. xxi. 2. 19. That the high priest marry a virgin, Lev. xxi. 13. This is the second family,…
1,018 wordsSECTION 259Section 259
9. The fourth family of affirmative commands respects CLEAN- NESS AND UNCLEANNESS, whereof they reckon up eighteen precepts: —1. He that touches that which dies of itself is unclean, Lev. xi. 39. 2. Hight kinds of creeping things are unclean, Lev. xi. 29, 30. 8.Sun- dry things that may be eaten are yet capable of uncle…
971 wordsSECTION 260Section 260
12. The seventh family of affirmative precepts respects the PASS- OVER and other feasts, as to the time of their observation, haying twenty commands appertaining unto it:—1. That the course of the sun and moon be exactly observed, for the right constitution of the anniversary feasts, Deut. xvi. 6. 2. That the beginning…
907 wordsSECTION 261Section 261
488 THE LAW AND PRECEPTS THEREOF. [EXERC. XX. — scales, be exact, Lev. xix. 36. 23. That wise men, or men skilful in the law, be honoured, or had in reputation, Lev. xix. 32. 24. That father and mother be honoured, Exod. xx. 12. 25. That they be Seared, Lev. xix. 3. 15. The tenth family concerns WOMEN AND MATRIMONY, …
926 wordsSECTION 262Section 262
xx. 4. 3. That we make no images for others, or for their use, Deut. xii. 3,4. 4. That we make no images for ornament, Exod. xx. gas B: That we bow not down to any idols; 6. Nor serve them, Exod. xx. 5. 7. That none offer his‘son or daughter to Moloch in the fire, Lev. xviii. 21. 8. That none have a familiar spirit o…
1,211 wordsSECTION 263Section 263
_ 24, The fourth family is comprehensive of the prohibitions given about SACRIFICES AND PRIESTS, being in number eighty-two:—l. That no sacrifice be used but at the temple, Deut. xii. 13,14, 2. That no sacred beast be killed but at the temple, Lev. xvii. 3,4. 3. That no blemished thing be brought to the altar, Lev. xxi…
1,116 wordsSECTION 264Section 264
25. The fifth family of negative precepts compriseth thirty-eight prohibitions about MEATS, or what may be eaten:—1. That no wn- clean beast be eaten, Lev. xi.4-8. 2. That no unclean fish be eaten, Ley. xi. 9-12. 38. That no unclean bird or fowl be eaten, Lev. xi. 13-23. 4. That no creeping thing that also flieth be ea…
1,397 wordsSECTION 265Section 265
496 THE LAW AND PRECEPTS THEREOF. [EXERC. XX judgment, Exod. xxiii. 8. 6. That wé have no pity for a manslayer, or other criminal person, Deut. xix. 11-13. 7. That the judgment of the poor be not perverted, Exod. xxiii. 6; 8. Nor of the stranger, widow, or orphan, Deut. xxiv. 17. 9. That one party be not heard in the …
939 wordsSECTION 266Section 266
31. The eleventh family concerns MARRIAGES, in eight prohibi- tions:—1. That a bastard take not an Israelitess to wife, Deut. xxii. 2. 2. That no ewnuch take a daughter of Israel, Deut. xxii. 1. 3. That no male be made an eunuch, Lev. xxi. 17-24. 4. That there be no whore in Israel, Deut. xxiii. 17. 5. That he who hath…
992 wordsSECTION 267Section 267
1. By the sanction of the law, we intend the promises and penal- ties wherewith by God the observation of it and obedience unto it was enforced. This the apostle hath respect unto in sundry places of this Epistle; the principal whereof are reported in the following dissertation. To represent this distinctly, we may obs…
908 wordsSECTION 268Section 268
7. The first are of three sorts:—First, Of life temporal, as it was an instrument of their government; and eternal with God, as the promise or covenant of grace was exemplified or represented therein, Ley, xvii. 5; Ezek. xx. 11; Rom. x. 5; Gal. ii, 12. Secondly, Of a spiritual Redeemer, Saviour, Deliverer, really to ef…
1,000 wordsSECTION 269Section 269
11. They have a third opinion also,—that by this “ cutting off” the soul is intended, especially when the word is ingeminated: “ Cut- ting off he shall be cut off,’ as Num. xv. 31. So Maimonides, nop) mn Aan xdy wan Jaxny;—“That soul shall perish; it shall not live” (or “ subsist”) ‘any more for ever.” Few embrace this…
907 wordsSECTION 270Section 270
SECT. 13-17. ] IN PROMISES AND THREATENINGS. 505 “same day the taskmasters of the people and their officers ;’” and verses 13, 14, “ And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works; SRC: and the officers of the children of Israel were beaten.” And they tell us in Midrash Rabba, on Exod. sect. 1, that one o…
1,018 wordsSECTION 271Section 271
SECT. 18-22.] IN PROMISES AND THREATENINGS. 507 not appear. 5. He that despiseth the words of the scribes, much more the words of the law of Moses. 6. He that doth not obey and stand unto the sentence denounced against him. 7. He that hath any hurtful thing in his power, as a biting dog, and doth not remove it. 8. He …
1,043 wordsSECTION 272Section 272
SECT. 23-25. ] IN PROMISES AND THREATENINGS. 509 doors of his adversaries; and let posterity be astonished at his day. Let him be accursed out of the mouth of Addiriron and Athariel, from the mouth of Sandalphon and Hadraniel, from the mouth of Ansisiel and Pathiel, from the mouth of Seraphiel and Sagansael, from the …
903 wordsSECTION 273Section 273
First, Corporeal punishment was that only of stripes, not exceed- ing the number of forty, Deut. xxv. 2, 3. An account of the Jews’ opinions, and the manner of their execution of this punishment, is given us by many, in particular exactly by Buxtorf in his preface unto his Bibliotheca Rabbinica, whither I refer the rea…
1,004 wordsSECTION 274Section 274
2. The preparation for the directions which God gave for the building of this tabernacle is declared, Exod. xxiv. The body of the people having heard the law,—that is, the ten words or command- ments,—which was all they heard, Deut. ix. 10 (what God spake to them was written in the two tables of stone), they removed un…
1,064 wordsSECTION 275Section 275
We call it by the same name with the great vessel wherein Noah and the seed of all living creatures were preserved ; but their names are far distant in the original, both in sound and signification. This was {N, “aaron,” a chest, it may be from MX, a certain wood whereof such chests were made; that was 7234, “tebah,” t…
917 wordsSECTION 276Section 276
11. This ark made at Horeb, 1 Kings viii. 9,—that is, at the foot of the mountain where the people encamped,—was finished with the rest of the tabernacle on the first day of the first month of the second year of the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt, Exod. xl. 1-8, being, as we have showed, the visible pledge of th…
924 wordsSECTION 277Section 277
13. Its matter was of pure gold; and for its dimensions, it was just as broad and long as the ark whereon it was laid, Exod. xxv. 21. And this mercy-seat or covering of gold seems to have lain upon the ark within the verge of gold or crown that encompassed it, being itself plain, without any such verge or crown; for it…
988 wordsSECTION 278Section 278
520 OF THE TABERNACLE AND ARK. [EXERC. XXII. John xi. 41, with the mystery of the calling of the Gentiles and rejection of the Jews, which the angels were not able to look into, Eph. 1. 9, 10, and. were therefore said to cover their faces with their wings, as not being able to look into the depths of those mysteries: …
974 wordsSECTION 279Section 279
3. Secondly, Unto the completing of his call, there concurred his consecration, or separation unto God, at large described, Exod. xxix. 522 THE HIGH PRIEST AND HIS OFFICE. [EXERC. XXIII. In general it is expressed, verse 1, by vip? which we render to “hallow;” that is, to sanctify, to separate unto God im the work of…
902 wordsSECTION 280Section 280
Thirdly, %2289, Exod. xxxix. 29,—“A girdle of silk,” or twined linen, with purple, blue, and scarlet, wherewith he girt the coat under the paps or breast. Fourthly, Dyn, Exod. xxviii. 4, “a robe,” all of blue, with bells and pomegranates of gold hanging interchangeably at the fringes of it, in number, as the Jews say,…
968 wordsSECTION 281Section 281
9. Being thus appointed in his office, a succession also therein was designed,—namely, by the first-born male of the eldest family or branch of the posterity or house of Aaron. But the tracing of this succession in particular is greatly perplexed, for it is nowhere directly given us in the Scripture for that space of t…
926 wordsSECTION 282Section 282
EXERCITATION XXIV. SACRIFICES OF THE OLD LAW. 1. Sacrifices the principal worship of God. 2. Three sorts of them: (1.) Of the brazen altar; (2.) Of the sanctuary; (3.) Of the most holy place. 3. Re- ferred to by the apostle, 4. All sacrifices of the altar were 92272. 5. Every Corban either Isha or Terumah. 6. ®°¥S of …
911 wordsSECTION 283Section 283
4, Sacrifices of the altar in general were 5'227?, “corbanim.” The name, it may be, of 1222 is not distinctly applied unto every sort of them; but whereas every thing that any man 3, “ brought nigh,” to dedicate or offer unto God, was thence {272, we may allow it to be the general name of all sacrifices. And therefore,…
904 wordsSECTION 284Section 284
j Q SECT. 8-11.] SACRIFICES OF THE OLD LAW. 531 translate it Svoiaowa, Exod. xxix. 18; sometimes vou, to the same purpose, Ley. xi. 13, ii. 2, “a sacrifice;’ sometimes xdépruua, Lev. i. 9, that is, “ an oblation, an offering;’ thus most frequently. But whereas that word signifies primarily the “seed of fruit,” or the…
1,055 wordsSECTION 285Section 285
SECT. 12-16.] SACRIFICES OF THE OLD LAW. 533 xlii. 8; as did Jethro also in the wilderness, Exod. xviii. 12. For from that sacrifice of Noah was this rite of whole burnt-offerings derived by tradition unto all nations of his posterity; but the end and use of it being lost, is was in process of time, by the craft of Sa…
925 wordsSECTION 286Section 286
SECT. 17-20. ] SACRIFICES OF THE OLD LAW. 535 called. The LXX. render it for the most part by 6aéxavoroy or dAoxau- auc, a8 doth our apostle, Heb. x. 6, —that which is wholly consumed or burned, as this was, all but the skin; for the 178 mentioned, Lev. i. 8, and chap. viii. 20, and nowhere else in the Scripture, rath…
952 wordsSECTION 287Section 287
22. The end of this offering was always to make atonement. So the text, yoy "BD? p my, Lev. i. 4;—“ It shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.” 52, says one, “quod Latiné ver- titur expiare, hic est, Deo aliquem commendare,”—it is “to com- mend any one to God;” a sense which neither will the word bear nor …
982 wordsSECTION 288Section 288
26. As the mincha denotes a peculiar offering, whose laws ind ordinances are recorded, Lev. ii. 1, 2, etc., the matter of it was,— 1. 12D,. “soleth,” “ ance verse 7; hee sigs “the flour of wheat.” So it is expressed, Ezek. xvi. 18, 19. In one case, pyyy np, “farina hordeacea,” “barley meal” (so we render the word), was…
1,010 wordsSECTION 289Section 289
30. The next solemn sacrifice, in the order of their appointment under the law, is that which is called piney nat, “ zebach shelamim ;” which we render “ peace-offerings,” Lev. iii. 1. It is by translators rendered with more variety than any other word used in this matter: By the Greeks, Ivoia owrnpias, and ris rereris…
979 wordsSECTION 290Section 290
35. Of the kind of these shelamim were the offerings among the heathen, which they sacrificed either upon any great undertaking, which they called 2&éds«, in a way of vow, or upon any success. So Cyrus Minor, Xenophon, and Arrian, in their expeditions, sacrificed “sacrificia votiva.” And the latter sort were in an espe…
1,114 wordsSECTION 291Section 291
38. Of the matter of this offering see Lev. iv.; which, because it differed very little from the matter of the burnt-offering, I shall not particularly insist upon it. As to the persons that were to offer it, there is a general distri- bution of them in the text, comprehensive of all sorts of persons whatever: for it …
1,000 wordsSECTION 292Section 292
42. The principal ceremony in the manner of its oblation was the disposal of the blood; for the blood of this sacrifice had a triple dis- posal. The main of the blood was poured out at the bottom of the altar of burnt-offerings, in the court before the door of the taber- nacle, Ley. iv. 7. A part of it was taken and ca…
904 wordsSECTION 293Section 293
548 SACRIFICES OF THE OLD LAW. [EXERC, XXIV. “ heave-offerings ;” under which kind the "53M, or “ wave-offerings,” also were comprised. Concerning these, because the handling of them is not without its difficulties, being diffused in their use throughout the whole worship of God, and that some things not vulgarly know…
794 wordsSource & rights
Public-domain historical edition (1850–1870); OCR text from Internet Archive. OCR may contain scanning/transcription errors. Verify quotations against page images when precision matters.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.