PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Works of John Owen — Volume 7
John Owen · 292,509 words · 290 reading sections
Section 1
TN 1001 1346737 The Library SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AT CLAREMONT WEST FOOTHILL AT COLLEGE AVENUE CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA - tie ¥ be le SP hes dea to ek THE BT 70. WORKS Ib / 250 oF v7 JOHN OWEN, D.D. EDITED BY THE REV. WILLIAM H, GOOLD, EDINBURGH. VOL. VII. SD overnus \ \ JOHNSTONE AND HUNTER, LONDON AND ED…
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Reasons of the want of growth in our spiritual affections as unto this assimilation, 4 ; : é PaGe 282 298 308 332 344 351 367 379 394 410 416 423 430 445 CONTENTS. CHap. . XVII.—Decays in spiritual affections, with the causes and danger of them—Ad- vice unto them who are sensible of the evil of spirit…
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It is in substance an expansion of his commentary on Heb. vi. 4-6 ; and his Exposition on this passage is accordingly brief and meagre, having been forestalled by the publication of this treatise. Doddridge seems to regard it as most replete with the characteristic excellencies of Owen. “‘ Owen’sstyle,’’ he remarks, “ …
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4 TO THE READER. such like,” as they are reckoned up by the apostle. How these things have spread themselves over the face of the Christian world, among all sorts of persons, 1s manifest beyond all contradiction or pretence to the contrary. And that so it should come to pass in the latter times is both expressly and f…
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That there is also another endeavour of the same kind, and for the same gene- ral end,—namely, to corrupt the doctrine of the gospel,—though in another way, and unto another extreme, vigorously carried on in the world by the Socinians, and those who either absolutely or for the most part comply with them in their perni…
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1 In the sense of the French “se prévaloir,”—“ to take advantage of.”—Ep. He 4, “a TO THE READER. 7 It were to be wished that the defection from the truth of the gospel complained of were confined unto the instances already mentioned, though in them the event be deplorable among multitudes of professed Christians. Bu…
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I was not ignorant of the weakness and impertinency of all thoughts that a person of my mean condition in the world, disadvantaged by all imaginable cir- cumstances that might prejudice the most sincere endeavours, should attempt any thing with respect unto the relief of nations or national churches, which yet are not …
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It is known that the primitive church, according to its duty, was carefully watchful about the holiness and upright walking of all that were admitted into the society and fellowship of it. Hence, upon every known and visible failing, they required an open repentance from the offenders before they would admit them unto …
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But the sense of these words hath been the subject of great con- tests on other occasions also; for some do suppose and contend that they are real and true believers who are deciphered by the apostle, and that their character is given us in and by sundry inseparable adjuncts and properties of such persons. Hence they c…
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2. The description of the persons that are the subject spoken of is given in five instances of the evangelical privileges whereof they were made partakers; notwithstanding all which, and against their obliging efficacy to the contrary, it is supposed that they may wholly desert the gospel itself. And some things we may…
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1 Apostles ?—Ep, . HEB, VI. 4.6 EXPLAINED, 19 was used mystically to express baptism. In the whole Scripture it _ hath another sense, denoting an inward operation of the Spirit, and _ not the outward administration of an ordinance. And it is too much _ boldness to take a word in a peculiar sense in one single place,…
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1. There is a knowledge of spiritual things that is purely natural and disciplinary, attainable and attained without any especial aid or assistance of the Holy Ghost. As this is evident in common experi- ence, so especially among such as, casting themselves on the study of spiritual things, are yet utter strangers unto…
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And he is said to be éroupéviog, “heavenly,” or from heaven. This: may have respect unto his work and effect,—they are heavenly, as opposed to carnal and earthly; but principally it regards his mission by Christ, after his ascension into heaven: Acts ii, 33, being exalted, and having received the promise of the Father,…
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HEB. VI. 4-6 EXPLAINED. 25 they had a mind to leave the finest wheat for their old acorns. Wherefore, although tasting contains a diminution in it, if compared _ with that spiritual eating and drinking, with that digestion of gospel truths, turning them into nourishment, which are in true believers, yet, absolutely co…
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FourTHLY, It is added in the description, that they had tasted narby @eod pywe, “the good word of God.” And we must inquire,— HEB. VI. 4.6 EXPLAINED. 27 1. What is meant by the “ word of God;” 2. How it is said to be “good;” and, 3. In what sense they “taste” of it. 1. ‘Pua is properly “ verbum dictum,” a word spoken…
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(2.) It is so in the matter of it, or the doctrines contained in it; as,—[1.] The nature and properties of God are declared therein. God being the only good, the only fountain and cause of all good- ness, and in whose enjoyment all rest and blessednegs do consist, the revelation made of him, his nature and attributes, …
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[1.] This taste is accompanied, or it may be so, with delight, pleasure, and satisfaction in hearing of the word preached, especially when it is dispensed by any skilful “master of assemblies,” who finds out “acceptable words,” or “words of delight,” which yet are “upright, and words of truth,” Eccles. xii. 10, 11. So …
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\ preserve it. So it isin this matter. The extraordinary miraculous gifts of the Spirit were used in the erection of Christ’s kingdom, but it is continued by ordinary gifts; which therefore also belong unto the “ powers of the world to come.” From the consideration of this description in all the parts of it, we may u…
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y bial Kt HEB, VI. 4-6 EXPLAINED. 35 the Scripture. Wherefore, men, after some conviction and reforma- tion of life, may fall into corrupt and wicked courses, and make a long abode or continuance in them. Examples hereof we have _ every day amongst us, although, it may be, none to parallel that of _ Manasseh. Consi…
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HEB, VI. 4.6 EXPLAINED. 37 __an open shame,”—as that I know not but that it may be contrary to the holiness, and righteousness, and glory of God, as the supreme ruler _ of the world, to have any more mercy on them than on the devils themselves or those that are in hell. But I will not assert this to be the meaning …
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Hence it appears what it is réAw dvanawiZew, “to renew them again.” It is to bring them again into this state of profession by a second renovation, and a second baptism as a pledge thereof. This is determined impossible, and so unwarrantable for any to attempt; and, for the most part, such persons do openly fall into s…
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(1.) In extraordinary outward judgments upon open, profligate sin- HEB. VI. 46 EXPLAINED, Al ners, especially the enemies of his church and glory. Hence on such an occasion doth God give that description of himself, Nahum i. 2, “ God is jealous, and the Lorp revengeth; the Lorp revengeth, and is furious; the Lorp wi…
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[2.] God will actually punish them with, or inflict on them, hard- ness of heart and blindness of mind, that they never shall repent or believe: John xii. 39, 40, “ Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their…
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HEB, VI. 4-6 EXPLAINED. 45 soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting,” Gal. vi. 7, 8. But I have elsewhere already showed the necessity there was of arming the gospel with threatenings, as well as confirming of it with promises, …
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HEB, VI. 4-6 EXPLAINED. 47 (1.) The one sacrifice of Christ extended farther, as to sing and persons, than all those of the law with all their repetitions put to- gether: “By him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses,” Acts xiii. 39. There were some …
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\ HEB. VI. 4.6 EXPLAINED, 49 no man living ean attempt a higher dishonour against Jesus Christ, in his person or in any of his ways, than openly to profess that upon trial of them they find nothing in them for which they should _be desired. But “it had been better for such persons not to have known the way of righteou…
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But it may be inquired, “How they could be excused by ignorance who had so many means and evidences of conviction as to the truth of his person, that he was the Messiah, and of his doctrine, that it was from heaven? for besides the concurrent testimony of Moses and the prophets given unto him, the holiness of his perso…
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Partial apostasy is every crime against the gospel which partakes of the nature of the other in any measure or degree; and whatever doth so makes an accession towards the guilt of “crucifying the Son of God afresh, and putting him to an open shame:” for it is in hig gospel and church alone wherein he can now suffer fro…
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PARTIAL APOSTASY FROM THE GOSPEL. _ 55 minations?” Jer. vii. 8-10, A plea of innocency and hope of im- _punity, under an evident guilt of the highest immoralities and the _ vilest of superstitions, do equally participate of folly and impudence. It is fallen out with this church of Rome somewhat in like man- ner as it …
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Z PARTIAL APOSTASY FROM THE GOSPEL. 57 image, and representation of holiness; they delineate a form of reli- gion by a substitution of other things in the room of the life and substance of it, which are lost. The power of Christianity is openly denied in their being acted by the power of all those lusts which are con…
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PARTIAL APOSTASY FROM THE GOSPEL. 59 more but this, that they being “the church,” the promise of giving the Spirit is made and fulfilled unto them alone; which only begs __ the matter that is in principal difference between us, and the disputes about it are endless. If, indeed, they argued, on the other hand, _ that t…
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* Of evil omen.—Ep, APOSTASY FROM THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL. 61 ceedingly prone to turn aside from the mystery and truth of the doctrine of the gospel, that they have done so accordingly, and that _ those which are now in the world continue to be of the same temper and inclination. And as it will appear that no evil pr…
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The church of Corinth was planted by the apostle Paul, and watered by Apollos, that great evangelist; and none can question but that they were fully instructed by them in all the principles of the gospel; which is evident also from that abundance of spiritual gifts which, above any other church, they had received. But …
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AMG APOSTASY FROM THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL. 65 _ carefully attend unto all the ways and means whereby we may so be? _ But these things will be spoken unto afterward. ___ We may, in the next place, inquire what was the state of the churches after the ending and finishing of the sacred records, and the death of the apos…
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APOSTASY FROM THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL. 67 _ was yet with you, I told you these things? and now ye know what _ withholdeth,” 2 Thess. ii. 8, 5, 6. He had both told them of the apostasy, and also acquainted them with one particular about it, _ which he will not now mention. This being the great testimony of the Spirit o…
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APOSTASY FROM THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL. 69 philosophical prejudices and notions, by wrested allegorical exposi- _tions of Scripture, by opinions openly false and contradictory to the _ word of God, they much corrupted and debased the pure and holy doctrine of Jesus and his apostles. 2. The “grievous wolves” foretold o…
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APOSTASY FROM THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL. 71 our Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles in comparison of them. These are particularly prophesied of and declared, 1 Tim. iv. 1-3. By the hypocrisy and lies, fabulous stories and doctrines of devils, of this sort of men, the body of the Christian people was so leavened and _ i…
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* APOSTASY FROM THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL. 73 of the reformed churches, aiming especially at what is of late years fallen out among ourselves in a sort of men whom the preceding generations were unacquainted withal, which I shall therefore insist on apart and by itself afterward. Tt is not unknown how ready many, yea,…
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* Dr Goodman, rector of Hadham, who published, in 1674, “ An Inquiry into the Causes of the Present Separation from the Church of England.’ He was answered by Vincent Alsop in his “ Melius Inquirendum.”—Ep. APOSTASY FROM THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL. 75 most weighty points of religion, to declare. Let but the doctrine es…
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There is little ground of fear, as I suppose, that a “novel Dutch synod,” as it is called, though consisting of persons delegated from all the principal reformed churches of Europe (that of France only excepted), “should prescribe doctrines to the church of England,” seeing in that synod the church of England did rathe…
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CAUSES OF APOSTASY FROM THE TRUTH. 79 _ its separate state and condition, the eternity of hell torments, the nature of Christ's sacerdotal office as distinguished from his regal, _ begin to be either questioned or very faintly defended amongst many. _ And many other noisome opinions there are, about the Scriptures, …
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NE a) CAUSES OF APOSTASY FROM THE TRUTH. 81 ends, have no other thoughts of it but what the devils in the pos- sessed man had of our Lord Jesus Christ,—that it comes to “tor- ment them before the time.” And there are not wanting some who fear no-evil but from the gospel, who suppose that the minds of all men would be…
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Thus, upon the first preaching of the gospel, many were convinced of its truth, and took upon them its profession, merely on account of the miracles that were wrought in its confirmation, whose hearts and minds were not in the least reconciled unto the things contained in it. See John ii. 23, 24; Acts viii. 13. Some*a…
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ENMITY A CAUSE OF APOSTASY. 85 are more vitiated and corrupted than are the preceptive and directive powers of the mind; and hence it was that all the world, who had — nothing to conduct them but the light of nature, apostatized from its guidance, and lived in contrariety unto it. They were all rebels _ against that l…
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This was the fundamental cause of that apostasy from the doctrine and truths of the gospel which has prevailed in almost the whole visible church. Had the generality of men received the truth in the love thereof, had they not had a secret enmity in their hearts and minds against it, had not things vain, curious, and su…
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It is greatly complained of that Popery doth increase in this na- tion; and some express their fears of its farther prevalency, and that perhaps not without cause. And although there are several other ways whereby men may and do apostatize from the truth, yet all those who take any other measure of things besides their…
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These things I know are by some despised. They suppose they have surer ways and better expedients forthe preservation of the profession of the gospel amongst us than its own power and efficacy. What those ways are we need not conjecture, seeing themselves de- clare them continually; but they shall not be here spoken un…
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vantage from any acknowledged principles of truth; but as to the . 92 THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF APOSTASY. preservation of men in the profession of truth which they have re- ceived and owned, the work on many accounts seems to be more expedite and easy. If, therefore, the dispensation of the word, as it is God’s ordin…
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2. This is such a way and expedient for the preservation of the _ truth and the profession of the gospel as none can have the impu- dence to complain of or except against. There is in all places, among all sorts of persons, a pretence of zeal for the retaining of what they conceive to be the truth or right in religion…
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‘Again: this inate and yet uncured enmity unto things spiritual and heavenly becomes a cause and means of apostasy from the truths of the gospel, by filling the hearts of men with a love of sin, and their lives with the fruits of it in wicked works; for men are _ “alienated and enemies in their mind,” in or “ by wicked…
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_ What should secure such persons unto any constancy in profession? for whilst they are in this condition, it is altogether indifferent unto them, as to their present or future advantage, what religion they are of, or whether they are of any at all or no. It is true, one way of religion may more harden them in sin, lay…
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Hereby was the apostasy completed; for men being grown car- nal and wicked, there appeared no way to keep them up unto the profession of the gospel but by corrupting the whole doctrine and worship of it, that their lusts might be some way accommodated. To this end external things were substituted in the room of things …
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102 THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF APOSTASY. any may be interested in these efficacious means of eternal salvation, —namely, by confession, penances, and alms,—are possible, yea, easy to persons who never intend to leave their sins. Of this sort are the most of those visibly who every day fall off to the Roman church. And i…
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104 THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF APOSTASY. the apostle tells us expressly, 2 Cor. iii. 18, “ We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image.” They are cast into the same mould with the doctrine whereunto they are given up, Rom. vi. 17. The mind is united unto the thin…
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_ Jesus Christ), “they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us,” 1 John i 19. 106 THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF APOSTASY. Thus when the apostle had described the woful apostasy of some among the Hebrews, he adds concerning them whose preserv…
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- Papists, nor are theirs to be compared with those of some of the Mo- hammedans; yea, by the power of false and superstitious apprehen- sions imposed on their minds and consciences, some are carried out unto greater and more frequent acts of bounty and charity, of the mor- tification of-the flesh, the denial of its s…
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as are suited unto natural light,—are common, in some degree or measure, unto all religion whatever, be it on other accounts true or false. Every thing that is called religion pretends at least unto the improvement of natural light, as did the philosophers among the heathen of old. It urgeth also the law so far as it i…
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112 THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF APOSTASY. and rule of all acceptable obedience, even “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” From the whole it appears how prone such persons must be unto an apostasy from the truth who have no spiritual light to discern its glory nor to let in the power of it upon t…
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2, Rest not in any notions of truth, unless you find that you have learned it as it isin Jesus. What it is to learn the truth as it is in Jesus, the apostle fully declares, Eph. iv. 20-24, “But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth isin Jesus: that y…
1,171 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.