PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Works of John Owen — Volume 20
John Owen · 308,868 words · 307 reading sections
Section 1
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2022 with funding from Kahle/Austin Foundation https://archive.org/details/worksofjohnowendO00200wen THE WORKS OF JOHN OWEN, D.D. Property of. Please return to Graduate Theological Lion Library JOHNSTONE AND HUNTER, LONDON AND EDINBURGH. ' M.DCCC.LIV. « o - ed oe 4 ; , ae …
1,014 wordsSECTION 2Section 2
"Ex tox. trav qe. “Under the last period, viz., of the Messiah.”— Stuart. “On the confines of the former period, and of the new everlasting epoch; not within the latter, and also not within the former.”—Tholuck. The end of this time, in reference to the mim adv of the Jews, the period of the world which pre- ceded the …
910 wordsSECTION 3Section 3
That wherein the law and gospel do both agree is, that God was the author of them both. About this there was no difference as to the most of them with whom the apostle treated. This he takes for granted. For the professing Jews did not adhere to Mosaical institutions because God was their author, not so of the gospel; …
1,129 wordsSECTION 4Section 4
“Sry a3) mpd pN,—‘the ark, propitiatory, and cherubim, one.’ “sow naw ,—‘the divine Majesty, the second thing,’ “wndy mNiaa NIM’ wrIpA m,—‘the Holy Ghost, which is prophecy, the third.’ “sya peony os, —‘ Urim and Thummim, the fourth thing,’ “oumon piown jd wx,—‘fire from heaven, the fifth thing.’ “But as this argu…
988 wordsSECTION 5Section 5
It is, then, confessed “that God ceased to speak to the church in prophets, as to their oral teaching and writing, after the days of Malachi; which season of the want of vision, though continuing four hundred years and upwards, is called by Haggai, chap. ii. 6, N08 DY, “unum pusillum,’ ‘a little while,’ in reference to…
985 wordsSECTION 6Section 6
It is not for nothing that the apostle minds the Hebrews that the season then present was the “ last days,” whereof so many things were foretold in the Old Testament. Many of their concernments lay in the knowledge of it: which, because they give great light unto the whole cause, as stated then between him and them, mu…
1,047 wordsSECTION 7Section 7
To discover the evidence of this demonstration, as confirmed in our Prolegomena, I shall here also briefly add some considerations of the miserable entanglements of the Jews in seeking to avoid the argument here intimated unto them by the apostle. “It is a com- mon tradition among them that all things were made for the…
955 wordsSECTION 8Section 8
“ (2.) What say they unto their temple, that second house where- unto he was to come, and so render the glory of it greater than that of the former? Hag. i; Mal. ui. Of old they unanimously agreed that he was born whilst the temple stood, or that day that it was destroyed, as Aben Ezra confesseth on Isa. lili. Many sto…
972 wordsSECTION 9Section 9
VOL, XX, 2 © Hei. Thoravuespars. 18 AN EXPOSITION OF THE ‘[ CHAP. 1. velation from the beginning of the world, and it compriseth four principal parts or degrees, with those that were subservient unto them. The first of these was made to Adam in the promise of the seed, which was the principle of faith and obedien…
1,001 wordsSECTION 10Section 10
In opposition to this gradual revelation of the mind of God under the old testament, the apostle intimates that now by Jesus, the Messiah, the Lord hath at once begun and finished the whole reve- 20 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. I. lation of his will, according to their own hopes and expectation. So, Jude 3, the faith …
921 wordsSECTION 11Section 11
In answer unto this speaking of God in the prophets, it is as- serted that in the revelation of the gospel God spake “in his Son.” This is the main hinge, on which all the arguments of the apostle in the whole epistle do turn; this bears the stress of all the inferences afterwards by him insisted on. And therefore havi…
991 wordsSECTION 12Section 12
2. There is a difference between the Son of God revealing the will of God in his divine person to the prophets, of which we have spoken, and the Son of God as incarnate revealing the will of God immediately to the church. This is the difference here insisted on by the apostle. Under the old testament the Son of God, in…
1,095 wordsSECTION 13Section 13
To confirm themselves in this prejudicate apprehension, they-assign a fourfold pre-eminency to the prophecy of Moses above that of other prophets; and those are insisted on by the same Maimonides in his explication of cap. x. Tractat. Sanhed., and by sundry others of them. : [1.] The first they fix on is this, “'That …
1,030 wordsSECTION 14Section 14
Not to follow them in their imaginations, the just privileges of Moses above all other prophets lay in these three things:—(1.) That he was the lawgiver or mediator by whom God gave that law and revealed that worship in the observation whereof the very being of the Judaical church did consist. (2.) That God in the reve…
944 wordsSECTION 15Section 15
But,—[1.] There was no cause of any such rapture of the human nature of Christ, as we shall evidence in manifesting the way whereby he was taught of the Father, especially after his baptism. [2.] This imaginary rapture is grounded solely on their rparov Y<td0s, that the Lord Christ in his whole person was no more than …
979 wordsSECTION 16Section 16
This was the foundation of the Father’s speaking in the Son as incarnate. He spake in him by his Spirit; so he did in the pro- phets of old, 2 Pet. i. 21.. And herein in general the prophecy of Christ and theirs did agree. It remaineth, then, to show wherein his pre-eminence above them did consist, so that the “ word s…
939 wordsSECTION 17Section 17
to Moses and the prophets that ensued, that they came all short in the © light of that mystery to John the Baptist, who did not rise up in a _— VER. 1, 2.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 33 clear and distinct apprehension of it unto the least of the true dis- ciples of Christ, Matt. xi. 11; whence the giving of the law by…
913 wordsSECTION 18Section 18
This is that which the apostle partly asserts, partly takes for granted, as the head and spring of his whole ensuing discourse. And this shall now be a little further cleared and confirmed; to which end we may observe,— 1. That the whole mystery of his will, antecedently to the reve- lation of it, is said to be hid in…
922 wordsSECTION 19Section 19
4, The whole revelation and dispensation of the will of God in and by the word is, as was said, eminently appropriated unto the Father. Eternal life (the counsel, the purpose, ways, means, and procurer of it) was with the Father, and was manifested to us by the word of truth, 1 John i.1, 2. And it is the Father,—that i…
929 wordsSECTION 20Section 20
38 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. I. the revelation of the will of God unto us, requires all readiness, willingness, and cheerfulness, in the receipt of it and submission unto it. Besides these also,— 3. There is care eminently seen in it. The great care of the church is in and on the Father. He is the husbandman that t…
1,007 wordsSECTION 21Section 21
40 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. L this discovers the woful state of the present Jews. They grant that the revelation of the will of God is not perfected; and yet, notwith- standing all their. miseries, darkness, and distresses, they dare not pretend that they have heard one word from heaven these two thousand years,—th…
1,037 wordsSECTION 22Section 22
dered. This is eternal, natural, co-existent with the being of all KAnpovouov. 42, AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. L things; that new, created by grant and donation, by whose erection and establishment the other is not at all impeached... For whereas it is affirmed that “the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all…
905 wordsSECTION 23Section 23
Upon the creation of man, God gave unto him a dominion over all things in this lower world, Gen. i. 28, 29. He made him his heir, vicegerent, and substitute in the earth. And as for those other creatures to which his power and authority did not immediately ex- tend, as the sun, moon, and stars, the whole inanimate host…
1,037 wordsSECTION 24Section 24
I will not deny but it may have respect unto sundry things pre- ceding these, and preparatory unte them; as,—(1.) The eternal pur- _ pose of God, ordaining him before the fourtdation of the world unto his work and inheritance, 1 Pet.i 20. (2.) The covenant that was of old between the Father and Son for the accomplishme…
904 wordsSECTION 25Section 25
The words being opened, and the design of the apostle in them discovered, because they contain an eminent head of the doctrine of the gospel concerning the lordship and kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, I shall stay here a little, to give in a scheme of his whole dominion, seeing the consideration of it will not ag…
939 wordsSECTION 26Section 26
VER. 1, 2.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 49 concernments of his enemies? Czsar thought he had spoken with terror, when, threatening hint with death who stood in his way, he told him, “Young man, he speaks it to whom it is as easy to do it.” He speaks to his adversaries, who stand in the way of his interest, to “deal no mor…
1,009 wordsSECTION 27Section 27
4, They always attend his throne: Isa. vi. 1, 2, “I saw the Lorp VER. 1, 2.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 51 sitting upon a throne,” and “about it stood the seraphim.” ThisIsaiah “spake of him when he saw his glory,” John xii. 39-41. He was upon his throne when he spake with the church in the wilderness, Acts vii. 38,—tha…
925 wordsSECTION 28Section 28
This is the first foundation of the equity of this grant of all power over the angels unto the Lord Christ: in his divine nature he made them; and in that respect they were before his own; as on the same account, when he came into the world, he is said to come «ig ra 76:0, Johni. 11, “to his own,” or the things that he…
926 wordsSECTION 29Section 29
1. As before, this right is founded in his divine nature, by virtue whereof he is izevés, fit for this dominion. He made these angels also, and therefore, as God, hath an absolute dominion over them. The creatures cannot cast off the dominion of the Creator by rebel- lion. Though they may lose their moral relation unto…
901 wordsSECTION 30Section 30
Some ax d&pxiis, “from the beginning,” being “ chosen to salvation,” 2 Thess. 1. 13; xpd xara€orys xéouov, Eph. i. 4, “before the founda- tion of the world;” Rom. viii. 29, xi. 5; Matt. xx. 16; 2 Tim. ii. 10; Rey. xxi. 27 ;—others are appointed to the day of evil, Prov. xvi. 4; raral rpoysypajumévos, “of old ordained t…
1,021 wordsSECTION 31Section 31
That God, who spared not the angels when they sinned, but im- mediately cast them into chains of darkness, should place sinners of the race of Adam under a dispensation of forbearance and goodness, —that he should spare them with much long-suffering during their 58 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [ CHAP. I, pilgrimage on the ea…
915 wordsSECTION 32Section 32
3. Preservation in a condition of acceptation with God, and holy obedience unto him unto the end, is also of especial grace. It is the grace of perseverance, and eminently included in the covenant, as we have elsewhere showed at large. 4, Adoption, as a privilege, with all the privileges that flow from it, is also gra…
1,029 wordsSECTION 33Section 33
_ The especial foundation of all this trust is in an eminent manner expressed, Isa. lili. 10-12. His suffering for the sins of all those to whom he intends to communicate of this his fulness, according to the will of God, and the purchase he made in his death, according to the tenor of the covenant of the mediator, mak…
1,025 wordsSECTION 34Section 34
mediately conferring them on any, falls not under our present con- sideration of them. Nor yet can we insist on their use, which is such that they are the great instrument in the hand of God for the preservation of human society, and to keep the course of man’s life and pilgrimage from being wholly brutish. I design on…
1,098 wordsSECTION 35Section 35
2. By these is his church edified. And to that end doth he continue to bestow them on men, and will do so to the end of the world, 1 Cor. xii. 4-14; Eph. iv. 8-12; Rom. xii. 6-8; 1 Pet. iv. 10, 11; Col. ii. 19. And for any to hinder their growth and exer- cise is, what in them lies, to pull down the church of Christ, a…
931 wordsSECTION 36Section 36
Secondly, To close our considerations of this part of the lordship of Christ, there remains only that we show him to be the Lord of all spiritual eternal things, which in one word we call glory. He is himself the “Lord of glory,” 1 Cor. ii. 8, and the Judge of all, John v. 22; in the discharge of which office he gives …
942 wordsSECTION 37Section 37
IV. The last branch of this dominion of Christ consists in the residue of the creation of God,—heaven and earth, sea and land, — wind, trees, and fruits of the earth, and the creatures of sense. As ‘they are all put under his feet, Ps. viii. 6-8; Eph. i, 22; 1 Cor, xv. 27; VER. 1, 2, EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 69 so the…
901 wordsSECTION 38Section 38
(3.) As 6? of and ¢¢ éy are distinguished, the one expressing the efficient the other the final cause, Rom. xi. 36; so also are 6” oS and — 6? év in this very epistle: chap. 11.10, Ar oy r& wdvra, xad Of 08 re réyre,—“ For whom are all things, and by whom are all things.” And is it likely that the apostle would put o…
1,014 wordsSECTION 39Section 39
(5.) His last refuge is in Isa. li. 16, “ Where the work of God,” as he observes, “in the reduction of the people of the Jews from the captivity of Babylon is called his planting the heavens, and laying the foundations of the earth. And the Vulgar Latin translation,’ as he further observes, “renders the word, ‘ut ccelu…
905 wordsSECTION 40Section 40
6. The context utterly refuseth this gloss. The Son in the pre- ceding words is said to be made heir or lord of all; that is, of all things absolutely and universally, as we have evinced and is con- fessed. Unto that assertion he subjoins a reason of the equity of that transcendent grant made unto him, namely, because …
928 wordsSECTION 41Section 41
76 AN EXPOSITION OF THE FCHAP.T. vise the affairs of the earth: (3.) o%abin oby,—"the world of spheres:” and, (4.) woyn phy,—“the highest world ;” called by Paul “he third heaven,” 2 Cor. xii. 2; and by Solomon DOWN PY, “the heaven of heavens,” 1 Kings viii. 27; and mown ody, “olam hanneshamoth,’-—“ the world of spiri…
912 wordsSECTION 42Section 42
But besides these particular instances, there is that which is more general, and which we may a little insist upon from the context and design of the apostle in this whole discourse, whose consideration will not again occur unto us; and it is, that God in infinite wisdom ordered all things in the first creation, so as …
1,140 wordsSECTION 43Section 43
- being the beginning and first-born of them. The apostle in these _ words gives us the whole of what we intend, namely, that the making of the worlds, and of all things in them, in the first crea- tion by the Son, was peculiarly subservient to the glory of the grace of God in the reparation and renovation of all thin…
1,168 wordsSECTION 44Section 44
Thirdly, God would hereby instruct us both in the use that we are to make of his creatures, and the improvement that we are to make of the work of the creation unto his glory. For the first, it is his will that we should not use any thing as merely made and cre~ VOL, XX. 4 82 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. I. ated by h…
940 wordsSECTION 45Section 45
2. The Scripture testifieth that “known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world,” Acts xv. 18; not only all those which at first he wrought, but also all that ever he would so do. The idea and system of them was all in his holy mind from eternity. Now, though in their creation and production they are…
944 wordsSECTION 46Section 46
The brightness, shining, ray, beam, ris d0Zns, “of glory.” Some look on this expression as a Hebraism, éravyacwa ra d6Ens, “ the beam of glory,” for ZydoZov aruvyacuo, “a glorious beam; but this will not answer the design of the apostle, as we shall see afterwards. Our translators have supplied “his,” “ the brightness…
917 wordsSECTION 47Section 47
Tas weyerwotyyc. This word is seldom used in other authors: twice in this epistle, here, and chap. viii. 1; once by Jude, verse 25; and nowhere else in the New Testament; by the LXX. not at all. The apostle evidently expresseth by it 722 or 734; not as they are used appellatively for glory, power, or majesty, bub as th…
981 wordsSECTION 48Section 48
Pipa x. ¢. A. Controlling all things by his own powerful word.—Stuart. _ Kabep. . After he had made expiation.—Stuart. Having made expiation, —Bloomfeld. When he had made purification.—Conybeare and Howson. When he had made atonement.—Craik. After he had by himself purified us from sins by making an expiation,— Z'urne…
929 wordsSECTION 49Section 49
Thirdly, Some refer these words to the prophetical office of Christ, and say that he was the brightness of God’s glory, etc. by his reveal- ing and declaring the will of God unto us, which before was done darkly only and in shadows. So the Socinians generally, though Schlichtingius refers the words unto all that simili…
971 wordsSECTION 50Section 50
Fifthly, There is nothing in these words that is not applicable unto the divine nature of Christ. Some, as we have showed, sup- pose that it is not that which is peculiarly intended in the words; but yet they can give no reason from them, nor manifest any thing denoted by them, which may not be conveniently applied the…
1,011 wordsSECTION 51Section 51
It remaineth, then, in the second place, that we consider the ex- pressions severally, with the reasons why the apostle thus expresseth the divine glory of Jesus Christ: “O¢ dy dratyacua rig d0&ng-—“ Who being the brightness” (“light, lustre, majesty”) “of glory.” The apostle, in my judgment (which is humbly submitted …
907 wordsSECTION 52Section 52
The apostle adds, that he is yapaunrip troordoews airod, “the ex- press figure” (or “image’’) “of his person;” that is, of the person of God the Father. I shall not enter into any dispute about the mean- ing of the word isécracic, or the difference between it and odoia. Many controversies about these words there were o…
1,020 wordsSECTION 53Section 53
. VER. 3.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 97 And this, with submission to better judgments, do I conceive to be the design of the apostle in this his description of the person of Jesus Christ. It pleased the Holy Ghost herein to use these terms and expressions, to mind the Hebrews how they were of old in- structed, though o…
961 wordsSECTION 54Section 54
1. In the essential inbeing of the Father and Son. This our Saviour expresseth, John x. 38, “The Father is in me, and I in him.” The same essential properties and nature being in each of the persons, by virtue thereof their persons also are said to be in each other. The person of the Son is in the person of the Father,…
956 wordsSECTION 55Section 55
Dipuy re ra rdvra 7% phuart rijg duve pews airod. After the descrip- tion of the person, the apostle returns unto an assertion of the power of Christ, the Son of God, and therein makes his transition from the kingly and prophetical unto his sacerdotal office; on all which he intends afterwards to enlarge his discourse.…
1,050 wordsSECTION 56Section 56
2. NW is another word that may be intended; and this denotes a bearing like a prince in government, as \'¥2. And in this sense the word ought to be referred unto Christ as mediator, intrusted with power and rule by the Father. But neither the words nor context will well bear this sense: for,—(1.) It is mentioned before…
1,061 wordsSECTION 57Section 57
Now, this efficacy of divine Providence is called the word of God, to intimate that as rulers accomplish their will by a word of com- mand, in and about things subject to their pleasure, Matt. viil. 9, so doth God accomplish his whole mind and will in all things by his power. And therefore rig duvcémews, “of his power,…
1,103 wordsSECTION 58Section 58
Now, what is thus spoken of God in general is by Paul particu- larly applied unto the Son: Col. i. 16, 17, “ All things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” He did not only make all things, as we have de- clared, and that for himself and his own glory, but also …
1,001 wordsSECTION 59Section 59
3. And this abundantly discovers the vanity and folly of them who make use of the creation in an opposition unto the Lord Christ and his peculiar interest in this world. His own power is the very ground that they stand upon in their opposition unto him, and all things which they use against him consist in him. They hol…
942 wordsSECTION 60Section 60
Let us then see what it is that is here ascribed unto the Lord Christ: Kadapiowdy romocmevos. KabapiZa doth most frequently denote real actual purification, either of outward defilements, by healing and cleansing, as Mark i. 40, vii. 19, Luke v. 12; or from spiritual defilements of sin, by sanctifying grace, as Acts xv…
1,194 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.