PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Works of John Owen — Volume 1
John Owen · 319,122 words · 321 reading sections
Section 181
" Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given ; and his name shall be called The mighty God," Isa. ix. 6. The child and the mighty God are the same person, or he that is " born a child" cannot be rightly called " The mighty God." And the truth of many other expressions in the Scripture hath its sole foundation in t…
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2. Sometimes that is spoken of the person which belongs not dis- tinctly and originally unto either nature, but doth belong unto him on the account of their union in him, — which are the most direct enun- THE EXALTATION OF CHRIST. 235 ciations concerning the person of Christ. So is he said to be the Head, the King, P…
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For the discharge of this work, he hath a sovereign power over all things in heaven and earth committed unto him. Herein he doth and must reign. And so absolutely is it vested in him, that upon the ceasing of the exercise of it, he himself is said to be made subject unto God. It is true that the Lord Christ, in his hum…
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All perfections whereof human nature is capable, abiding what it was in both the essential parts of it, soul and body, do belong unto the Lord Christ in his glorified state. To ascribe unto it what is inconsistent with its essence, is not an assignation of glory unto its state and condition, but a destruction of its be…
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In this world, believers are united unto God hy faith. It is by faith that they cleave unto him with purpose of heart. In heaven, it shall be by love. Ardent love, with delight, complacency, and joy, from a clear apprehension of God's infinite goodness and beauty, now made present unto us, now enjoyed by us, shall be t…
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VOL. I. 16 242 THE PERSON OF CHRIST. world, Epli. i. 17-19 ; Col. ii. 2. Howbeit, whilst we are here, we see it but " darkly as in a glass;" it is not evident unto us in its own lustre and beauty. Yea, the remainder of our darkness herein is the cause of all our weakness, fears, and disconsolations. Want of a steady …
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[4.] All believers are, or should be, conversant in their minds about these things, with longings, expectations, and desires after nearer approaches unto them, and enjoyments of them. And if we are not so, we are earthly, carnal, and unspiritual ; yea, the want of this frame — ^the neglect of this duty — is the sole ca…
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2. The glory of the human nature of Christ differs from that of the saints after the resurrection, in things which concern the degrees of it. For, — (1.) The glory of his body is the example and pattern of what they shall be conformed unto : " Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glor…
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(1.) In his ascension, as it was triumphant, three things may be considered : \st, The manner of it, with its representation of old ; ^dly, The ^olace whereinto he ascended ; ^dly, The end of it, or what was the work which he had to do thereon. [1.] As unto the manner of it, it was openly triumphant and glo- rious. So…
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(2.) His ascension may be considered as gracious, as the ascent of a High Priest. And herein the things before mentioned are of a distinct consideration. [1.] As to the manner of it, and the design of it, he gives an ac- count of them himself, John xx. 1 7. His design herein was not the taking on him the exercise of h…
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MEDIATORIAL EXALTATION OF CHRIST. 251 "voluntaries of the people," (those made willing in the day of his power, Ps. ex. 3,) " gathered themselves to the people of the God of Abraham," and were taken in his covenant, Ps. xlvii. 9 — margin. But he ascended graciously, as the high priest went into the holy place ; not to…
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Thus he is at once represented in all his offices. Rev. v. 6, " And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spkits of God sent forth into all the earth." The …
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Secondly, To undertake their protection, and to plead their cause against all the accusations of Satan. He yet accuseth and chargeth them before God ; but Christ is their advocate at the throne of grace, effectually frustrating all his attempts. Rev. xii. 1 0 ; Zech. iii. 2. Thirdly, To intercede for them, as unto the…
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1st, That there is nothing carnal in it, or such things as are suited unto the fancies and imaginations of men. In the thoughts of heaven, most persons are apt to frame images in their minds of such carnal things as they suppose they could be delighted withal. But they are far remote from the worship of this holy assem…
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3. In tliis solemn assembly before the throne of grace, the Lord VOL. I. 17 258 THE PERSON OF CHRIST. Jesus Christ — the great High Priest — doth represent and render ac- ceptable unto God the worship of the church here below. So it is expressed, Eev. viii. 3, 4, " And another angel came and stood at the altar, havi…
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260 THE PERSON OF CHRIST. satisfaction and complacency, and is a gi'eat part of the subject-matter of their incessant praises and ascriptions of glory unto him. Herein lies the concernment of the church above in that here below ; this is the communion that is between them, whereof the person of Christ, in the discharg…
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2. Upon supposition of the obedience of Christ in this life, and the atonement made by his blood for sin, with his exaltation thereon, there is nothing in any essential property of the nature of God, — no- thing in the eternal, unchangeable law of obedience, — to hinder but that God might work all these things in us un…
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But now, upon the entrance ofChi-ist into the heavenly sanctuary, all those holy ones were admitted into the same glory with what the saints under the New Testament do enjoy. Hereon with open face 264 THE PERSON OF CHRIST. they behold the use and end of those typical services and ordinances wherein these things were …
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This is that manifestative glory wherewith God satisfieth himself, until the end determined shall be. On the account hereof he doth and will bear with things in this world, unto the appointed season. For whilst the creation is in its present posture, a revenue of glory must be taken out of it for God ; and longer than …
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In this state of things God will not call them hence unto their loss ; he "v\ill not put an end unto these privileges, without an abundant recompense and advantage. Whatever we enjoy here, yet still to depart hence and to be with Christ shall be far better, Phil. i. 23. For,— 15^, Although service here below shall cea…
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But that which at present I alone intend, is the joint communion of the whole church in the worship of God in Christ. Were all that die in the Lord immediately received into that state wherein God " shall be all in all," — without any use of the mediation of Christ, or the worship of praise and honour given unto God by…
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2dly, I do therefore also believe, that he shall be the means and way of communication between God and his glorified saints for ever. What are, what will be, the glorious communications of God unto his saints for ever, in life, hght, power, joy, rest, and ineffable satisfaction, (as all must be from him unto eternity,)…
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Mr Hervey thus expresses his admiration of this work : " To see the Glory of Christ is the grand blessing which our Lord solicits and demands for his disciples in his last solemn intercession, John xvii. 24. Should the reader desire assistance in this important work, I would refer him to a little treatise of Dr Owen's,…
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In this condition — lost, poor, base, yea, cursed — the Lord Christ, the Son of God, found our nature. And hereon, in infinite condescension and compassion, sancti- fying a portion of it unto himself, he took it to be his own, in a holy, ineffable sub- sistence, in his own person. And herein again the same nature, so d…
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Other encouragements there are innumerable to stir us up unto diligence in the discharge of the duty here proposed, — namely, a continual contemplation of the glory of Christ, in his person, office, and grace. Some of them, the principal of them which I have any acquaintance with, are represented in the ensuing Dis- co…
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1. It will herein, and in the discharge of this duty, be made evident how slight and inconsiderable all these things are from whence our trovibles and distresses do arise. For they all grow on this root of an over-valuation of temporal things. And unless we can arrive unto a fixed judgment that all things here below ar…
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How is it like to be after the few moments which, under the pangs of death, we have to continue in this world ? Is it an annihilation that lies at the door ? Is death the destruction of our whole being, so as that after it we shall be no more ? So some would have the state of things to be. Is it a state of subsistence …
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Angels, being pure, immaterial spirits, have nothing in them, nothing belonging unto their essence, that can die. Beasts have nothing in them that can live when their bodies die. The soul of a beast cannot be preserved in a separate condition, no, not by an act of almighty power ; for it is not, and that which is not c…
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PREFACE TO THE READER. 283 dissolution ? It is from a view by faith of Christ and his glory, whence the soul is satisfied that to be with him is incomparably better than in its present state and condition. He, therefore, that would die comfortably, must be able to say within himself and to liimself, " Die, then, thou…
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There is none of all the things we have insisted on— neither the resignation of a departing soul into the hand of God, nor a willingness to lay down this flesh in the dust, nor a readiness to comply with the will of God, as to the times and seasons, or the way and manner of the approach of death — that can be attained …
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All unbehevers do in their heart call Christ " Ichabod," — " Where is the glory?" They see neither " form nor comeliness in him," that he should be desired. They look on him as Michal, Saul's daughter, did on David " dancing before the ark," when she despised him in her heart. They do not, indeed (many of them), " call…
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It is the second way — namely, by vision in the light of glory — that is principally included in that prayer of our blessed Saviour, that his disciples may be where he is, to behold his glory. But I shall not confine my inquiry thereunto ; nor doth our Lord Jesus exclude from his deske that sight of his glory which we …
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VOL. L 19 290 THE GLORY OF CHRIST. 2. The beholding of Christ in glory is that which in itself is too high, illustrious, and marvellous for us in our present condition. It hath a splendour and glory too gi'eat for our present spiritual visible [visive] faculty ; as the direct, immediate sight of the sun darkens our s…
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Hence the apostle gives "thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light," Col. L 12. Indeed, the beginning here, and the fulness of glory here- 292 THE GLORY OF CHRIST. after, are communicated imto believers by an almighty act of the will and grace of God. But …
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CHAPTER II. Tho Glory of the Person of Christ, as the only Representative of God unto the Church. The glory of Christ is the glory of the person of Christ. So he calls it Triv bd^av rriv sfiriv, John xvii. 24, " That glory which is mine," which belongeth to me, unto my person. The person of Christ may be considered…
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The essence of faith consists in a due ascription of glory to God, Rom. iv. 20. This we cannot attain unto without the manifestation of those divine excellencies unto us wherein he is glorious. This is done in Christ alone, so as that we may glorify God in a saving and acceptal:)le manner. He who discerns not the glory…
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With respect unto this universal darkness, — that is, ignorance of God, with horrid confusion accompanying it- in the minds of men, — Christ is called, and is, the " light of men," the " light of the world ;" be- cause in and by him alone this darkness is dispelled, as he is the " Sun of Righteousness." II. This darkn…
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AS THE EEPEESENTATIVE OF GOD. 2^9 of Philip's request, "Lord, show us the Father?" because having seen him, we have seen the Father also, John xiv. 9. This is our first saving view of Christ, the first instance of our be- holding his glory by faith. So to see him as to see God in him, is to behold his glory; for here…
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In beholding the glory of this infinite wisdom of God in Christ, we behold his own glory also, — the glory given him of his Father; for this is his glory, that in and by him, and him alone, the wisdom of God is manifested and represented unto us. When God appointed him as the gi^eat and only means of this end, he gave …
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These things are of the deep things of God, such as belong unto that wisdom of God in a mystery which they that are carnal cannot receive, as the apostle testifies, 1 Cor. ii. 14. But the meanest be- liever who lives in the exercise of faith, may have an understanding of them so far as is needful unto his love and obed…
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But the most of those Avho at this day are called Christians are strangers unto this duty. Our Lord Jesus Christ told the Pharisees, that notwithstanding all their boasting of the knowledge of God, they had not " heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shajDc;" that is, as Moses did. They had no real acquaintance wit…
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3. That in the beholding of the glory of God in Christ, we behold his glory also. For herein is he infinitely glorious above the whole creation, in that in and by him alone the glory of the invisible God is represented unto us. Herein do our souls live. This is that whereby the image of God is renewed in us, and we are…
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4. Would we, then, behold the glory of God as he manifesteth it in and by the holy properties of his nature, with their blessed operations and effects ? — without which we have nothing of the power of religion in us, whatever we pretend : this alone is the way of it. Go to the whole creation, and all things contained i…
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3. This is the only way whereby we may attain the saving, sancti- fying knowledge of God. Without this, every beam of divine light that shines on us, or gleams from without (as the light shineth into darkness when the darkness comprehendeth it not, John i. 5), every spark that ariseth from the remainders of the light o…
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IN THE CONSTITUTION OF HIS PERSON. 811 Here Vies the foundation of the church. The foundation of the whole old creation was laid in an act of absolute sovereign power. Hereby God " hanged the earth upon nothing." But the foundation of the church is on this mysterious, immovable rock, " Thou art the Christ, the Son of …
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The Scripture reproacheth the vanity and folly of the minds of men, in that " they spend their money for that which is not bread, and their labour for that which profiteth not." They engage the vigour of their spirits about perishing things, when they have durable substance and riches proposed unto them. ^ See the pre…
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2. Our second direction unto the same end is, that we diligently study the Scripture, and the revelations that are made of this glory of Christ therein. To behold it, is not a work of fancy or imagina- tion; it is not conversing with an image framed by the art of men without, or that of our own fancy within, but of fai…
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We should herein be as the merchant-man that seeks for pearls; he seeks for all sorts of them, but when he hath found one of " great price," he parts with all to make it his own. Matt. xiii. 45, 46. The Scripture is the field, the place, the mine where we search and dig for pearls. See Prov. ii. 1-5. Every sacred truth…
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So, to manifest how nigh he is unto us, it is said that " he stands at the door, and knocks," Rev. iii. 20, in the continual tender that he makes of himself and his grace unto our souls. For he is always ac- companied with the glorious train of his graces ; and if they are not received, he himself is not so. It is to n…
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320 THE GLORY OF CHRIST sign or purpose, for attendance on communion with Christ, that she was surprised into a readiness and wihingness unto it. So it will be with them that love him in sincerity. Their own souls, without pre- vious designs or outward occasions, will frequently engage them in holy thoughts of him ; w…
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So it will be. It is well if these things be not only neglected, be- cause the minds of men are carnal, and cannot discern spiritual things, but also despised, because they have an enmity unto them. It is not for all to walk in these retired paths; — not for them who are negli- gent and slothful, whose minds are earthl…
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That which we inquire after at present, is, the glory of Christ herein, and how we may behold that glory. And there are three things wherein we may take a prospect of it. 1. In his susception of this office. 2. In his discharge of it. 3. In the event and consequence thereof, or what ensued thereon. In the susception…
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How glorious, then, is the condescension of the Son of God in his susception of the office of mediation ! For if such be the perfection of the divine nature, and its distance so absolutely infinite from the whole creation, — and if such be his self-sufficiency unto his own eternal blessedness, as that nothing can be ta…
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But this no way belongs unto the condescension of Christ. We may call it Ichabod, — it hath no glory in it. It destroys both his natures, and leaves him a person in whom we are not concerned. For. according unto this imagination, that divine nature, wherein he was in the form of God, did in its own form cease to be, ye…
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IN HIS CONDESCENSION AS MEDIATOR. 329 (5.) This condescension of Christ was not by a phantasm or an ap- pearance only. One of the first heresies that pestered the church immediately after the dajj's of the apostles was this, that all that was done or suffered by Christ as a man were not the acts, doings, or sufferings…
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We speak of these things in a poor, low, broken manner, — we teach them as they are revealed in the Scripture,— we labour by faith to adhere unto them as revealed ; but when we come into a steady, direct view and consideration of the thing itself, our minds fail, our hearts tremble, and we can find no rest but in a hol…
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But it is not so much the declaration or vindication of this glory of Christ which I am at present engaged in, as an exhortation unto the practical contemplation of it in a way of believing. And I know that among many this is too much neglected ; yea, of all the evils which I have seen in the days of my pilgiimage, now…
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(1.) Because it is an act suited unto that glorious excellency of his nature wherein he is love; for " God is love," 1 John iv. 8, 9. And the first egress of the divine properties must, therefore, be in an act of communicative love. And whereas this election, being an eternal act of the will of God, can have no moving …
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(8.) Being thus inclined, disposed, and ready, in the eternal love of his divine person, to undertake the office of mediation and the work ' See his " Christologia," &c., chap, iv., p. 54 of this volume. 336 THE GLORY OF CHmST of our redemption, a body ivas prepared for him. In this body or human nature, made his own…
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2. Be not satisfied with general notions concerning the love of Christ, which represent no glory unto the mind, wherewith many deceive themselves. All who believe his divine person, profess a valuation of his love, — and think them not Christians who are other- wise minded ; but they have only general notions, and not …
998 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.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.