PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Works of John Owen — Volume 9
John Owen · 335,461 words · 337 reading sections
Section 121
Use 3. You that are men of courage, and might, and success, stout of heart and strong of hand, be watchful over yourselves, lest you should in any thing be engaged against the Lord. The ways of the THE DIVINE POWEE OF THE GOSPEL. 2] 7 Lord are your locks; — step but out of them, they will be cut, and you will become …
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THE DIVINE POWER OF THE GOSPEL. 219 they might be saved, had given the apostles to be theirs, — " All things are yours; Paul is yours, Apollos is yours," — and charged them to preach the gospel to them; so that, Acts xx. 26, 27, he saith, " Now I am free from the blood of all men." How doth he prove it? " I have not s…
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[2.] The gospel is taken more largely for all things that were an- nexed to the accomplishment of the promise, the revelation of truths made there, with all the institutions and ordinances of worship that accompanied it, — the whole doctrine and worship of the gospel. The first is what God doth for us in giving Christ …
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Now this is that which the apostle intends. M For the doctrine," saith he, " and worship of the gospel, and for my work in preaching and dispensing it, I have neither trouble of mind, nor will I desert it; ' I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.' " But you will say, " What great matter is this? I am persuaded ther…
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You will say, "How can this be?" To clear it to you, I shall do three things: — I. I shall show you what there is iu the gospel that we are in danger to be ashamed of, if we look not well to it. II. How we may be ashamed of it. III. I shall give you the reasons why we ought not to be ashamed of it. I. What is there in…
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[3.] Where the gospel is preached, the whole work of glorifying God is committed to the Holy Ghost. Christ promised to send him to glorify him, to do the work of God in the world, and carry on all the concerns of the covenant. The Father laid the foundation of his own glory: the Son comes, and professes he came not to …
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the due performance of them, as the gospel commands. Men are ashamed of the worship of the gospel, — (1.) Upon the account of the worshippers; and, (2.) Upon the account of the worship itself: — (1.) Upon the account of the worshippers, who are for the most part poor and contemptible in the world; for "not many great,…
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1 This sermon was preached May 26, 1670. 230 THE DIVINE POWER OF THE GOSPEL. 4. There is a special kind of profession, that, in its own nature, is exposed to reproach in the world. The apostle Paul tells us, 2 Tim. iii. 12, " They that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer perse- cution/' There is (John xv. 4,…
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232 THE DIVINE POWER OF THE GOSPEL content 'to do thy will, O God.'" And in the issue of the whole, Heb. xii. 2, "He despised the shame, and endured the cross;" which made way for his glory. Now, here lies the foundation of our reason : — If the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, — being engaged purely out of his own…
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234 THE DIVINE POWER OF THE GOSPEL. give the least countenance or semblance to any such thing. The gospel calls us to nothing that hath any reproach in it. If men will esteem the strict profession of the gospel — praying, hearing the word, abstinence from sin — to be shameful things; if they will count it strange that…
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(3.) It is the power of God instrumentally. It is the instrument God puts forth to effect his great and mighty works in the world. Preaching is looked upon as a very foolish thing in the world. " We preach Christ crucified, to the Greeks foolishness," 1 Cor. i. 23. But God hath chosen this foolish thing to confound the…
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If you have an experience of this power upon your hearts, it will recover all your recoiling, wandering thoughts, when you find you cannot live without it. It is so as to every ordinance whatever; unless we can have some experience of the benefit of it, and of the power and efficacy of the grace of God in it, we can ne…
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1. In the manner of it. "I cried," saith he, "unto thee." The word is frequently used in this case in Scripture ; and it is natu- rally expressive of the principal actings of faith in a distressed con- dition. There are four things that faith will do in a condition of distress in believers; and they are all of them co…
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GOD THE SAINTS' ROCK. 241 ing this, faith -will look through all, and make a reserve in God him- self. I shall, — I. Give some instances of this. II. Show the grounds of it. III. Come to that which I chiefly intend ; namely, to discover what it is in God that in such an overwhelming condition faith can see and fix up…
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II. I come now to the grounds of it, — whence it is that faith doth this. And that is upon a twofold account: — 1. Because it knows how to distinguish between the nature of the covenant and the external administration of it. 2. Because it is natural to faith so to do; and that upon a double account, as we shall see pre…
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GOD THE SAINTS' ROCK. 245 the sun is where it was still, — God will hide us where we may abide till this indignation be overpast, and the light of his countenance will yet shine upon me again." Faith considers God in the midst of all his various administrations ; and so finds a way for relief. 2. Faith will naturally…
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GOD THE SAINTS' ROCK. 247 before," saith God; " but now I reveal myself so, because I am come to give subsistence unto my promise." Thus God dealt with them, when he came to maintain his church, by gradual revelations. But now God reveals himself by his whole name ; and we may take what suits our distress, especially …
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SERMON XX.1 " From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed : lead me to the rock that is higher than I." — Ps. lxi. 2. In my former discourse upon this text, I told you that there were three reasons why faith betakes itself to the nature of God for relief in overwhelming distresses. Th…
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3dly. It is impossible for faith ever to consider the nature of God, but it hath a secret respect unto Jesus Christ, as the days-man or umpire between God and the soul, and as him by whom — as to all that concerns these properties of his nature — his severity and justice are already manifested and glorified. [3.] Ther…
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[2.] If God be able, there is nothing in it contrary to any decree of God. There are many things that may be contrary to God's decree, that in themselves were not contrary unto his nature ; for the decree of God is a free act of his will, which might have been, or not have been. But when the decree of God is engaged, i…
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254- GOD THE SATNTS' ROCK. 1st. One is taken from that goodness and gracionsness of his na- ture which we have been before considering and proposing unto you, and doth now properly in this place occur unto us. Suppose any of us had a business with a man whom we believe to be a good man, — a man that hath something of …
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3. I should go farther, to show what respect faith in such a condi- tion hath unto the covenant of God ; but I cannot now insist upon it. IV. I thought to have shown you also, in the last place, the differ- ence between the faith of the godly and that of unbelievers, — that which the worst of men will have in God in t…
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That which I shall at present discourse upon is this : — Observation. Love, and its exercise, is the principal grace and duty that is required among, and expected from, the saints of God, especially as they are engaged in church- fellow ship. I shall not prove it in general, but speak to these three things: — I. I sh…
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1 [Fire or power ?] GOSPEL CHARITY. 259 another. Whatever duties you do perform, be they never so great and glorious, never so useful one to another, to any of the members of Christ ; if they are not quickened and animated by this love, they are of no value to thy communion with Christ, and edification of the church.…
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GOSPEL CHARITY. 261 it were a task, not for one sermon, but many discourses, to show what are the duties that his love requires of us, and will put us upon ; how it will influence all our walkings, direct us in all our ways, — in our whole course and conversation, and all that we do. It may be asked, seeing all belie…
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GOSPEL CHARITY. 263 he doth see in that relation wherein Christ hath appointed him to exercise love, loves not the brethren whom he doth not see, and that he hath not that peculiar relation to and acquaintance withal. The great Lord and Guide of his church binds it upon all our spirits arid consciences ; it is our lif…
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2. We have no evidence that we ourselves in particular are the disciples of Christ without it. John xiii. 34, 35, " A new command- ment I give unto you, That ye love one another ; as I have loved yci?, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." I…
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(3.) The life and formal reason of this communion, which derives strength from the fountain, and communicates it into that expression and profession, lies in love. Truly, I have a little jealousy upon my spirit, that churches have been apt to place their communion too much, if not solely, in the participation of the s…
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III. Having spoken thus far of the nature of evangelical love, and of the reasons of its importance, I would willingly say something to press it upon your hearts and mine own. The whole issue of this day's work which you have called us unto, under the care and kindness of Christ, depends wholly upon this one instance,…
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2. Take heed of such hinderances of love as may attend your peculiar state and condition. I would speak to them who have the advantage of riches, wealth, honour, reputation in the world; which encompass them with so many circumstances, that they know not how to break through them to that familiarity of love with the me…
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He gives an account of the state of the professing, visible church ; which he looks upon to be like unto a field or a vineyard, after the harvest is past and the vintage over: " I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape-gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat : my soul desireth the fi…
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VOL. IX. 18 274 Christ's pastoral care. hands earnestly." And where men do lay out all their wisdom, and all their industry and strength in the pursuit of sin, there also destruc- tion lies at the door. When men are slothful, careless, negligent, — sensual in all other things, but industrious only in doing evil, — th…
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We may observe here, — 1. Who this enemy is: "She that is mine enemy." Some say one thing, some another. Certainly it is some false church ; it may be Babylon, or Samaria, or the false professors among themselves. But as Samaria was not yet carried captive, I take it most probably to be the false worshippers of Dan an…
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I shall go no farther than the text to prove it ; for the opening the text and the proof of the doctrine will be one and the same. In the words we have, — I. What is prayed for, what the prophet pleads for; and that is, " Feed thy people with thy rod." II. There are the arguments of faith the prophet pleads in this co…
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This is the first thing, — What it is we have a rule to pray for, even in the most calamitous season, and when inevitable destruction is decreed against a place or nation. II. Let us now consider the arguments of faith to be pleaded in this case, which our text affords. And these, as I have said, are four. I would on…
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2. The next argument is, " Because they are ' the flock of thine heritage/ " There are two things in this argument that we may plead with God:— (1.) That they are "a flock;" (2.) That they are "the flock of God's heritage." (1.) They are "a flock,"— that is, of sheep; wherein these three things are comprised, which ar…
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[2.] It is the heritage of Him whom the whole world looks upon to be their greatest enemy. The whole world is at enmity against God : and you see the state of things in the world ; every one's design is to destroy the heritage of his enemy. As long as the world con- tinues in this enmity against God, its whole design i…
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CHRIST S PASTORAL CARE. 285 4. There is one argument more in the words, which I shall bnt name, and I have done. " Let them feed," saith he, " in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old." Bashan and Gilead were places of very fruitful pasture. Whence the children of Reuben and Gad de- sired Moses that they might have…
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1 In the original edition the words are, " he expresses it again." As these A CHRISTIAN, GOD'S TEMPLE. 287 defiled with women, .... being the first-fruits unto God."' When God gave and sanctified all things unto his church of old, he reserved the first-fruits unto himself. These were all to be dedicated to him, every…
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A CHKISTIAN, GOD'S TEMPLE. 289 This is the second way whereby any thing was consecrated unto God. III. The third way whereby the temple (as believers are peculiarly said to be " God's temple," in the text and other places) and taber- nacle were consecrated, was by inhabitation. God consecrated them unto himself by a …
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Now, I say, believers are dedicated, consecrated to God, and be- come his portion by all these several ways: — First. They are so by calling, — which was the first way ; God calls A CHRISTIAN, GODS TEMPLE. 291 them out of the world to be a peculiar portion unto himself, Rom. i. 7. They are " called to be saints," an…
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Thirdly. By inhabitation. The Spirit of God dwells in believers. I must say of this also, as I did of what went before, — I have shown so at large how the Spirit of God dwells in and inhabits in believers, and how they are his temple and tabernacle, that I shall not speak more to it now ; but only apply to the case of …
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A CHRISTIAN, GOD'S TEMPLE. 295 That generation of vipers, those evil neighbours of God's inheritance everywhere, that have been devouring it, and taking of it away, their doom is read in the prophet, and will come upon them in God's ap- pointed time. The great sin that is upon the nation, and which we ought to bewail,…
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1 This sermon was preached on a solemn day of fasting and prayer, March 21, 1675. For which occasion the Doctor had prepared another discourse; but by a special reason which then occurred, had his thoughts directed to this sub- ject. [Such is the note appended to the sermon in the edition of 1721. It is to be regretted…
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I. What is it to err from the ways of God ? The ways of God are either God's ways towards us, or our ways towards him, that are of his appointment. God's ways towards us, are the ways of his providence: our ways towards God, are the ways of obedience and holiness. We may err in both. I think in that place of the Hebr…
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(3.) The third way whereby God doth judicially give up men to hardness of heart is, by supplying them in his providence with oppor- tunities to draw out their lusts. They shall have opportunity for them. It is commonly given for one of the darkest dispensations of divine providence towards men, when it orders things so…
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1st. The vain imaginations of the mind. The Holy Ghost tells us that by nature " all the imaginations of the heart of man are evil, and that continually." And God knows what remainders there are of this vanity of mind, and these vain imaginations, in all our hearts. I place it at the head of what I intend; whereof if w…
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304 god's withdeawing his pkesence, [4.] Want of a due sense of the sin of others is a great sign that we are partially hardened from God's fear; as it is a sign men are totally hardened, when they do not only commit sin themselves, but have pleasure in them that do it. We have before us the sins of professors, the si…
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(2.) A second reason is, — inordinate cleaving to the things of the world at a most undue season. It may be it would not provoke God so much thus to fight against us, and harden our hearts from his fear, if the season of it was not undue. Do not we see with our eyes, and hear with our ears, that God is vmsettling all t…
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1. Sovereign mercy, verse 15, " Look down from heaven, and be- hold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me? are they restrained?" Our great plea in this case is upon sovereign mercy and compassion. Plead the pity…
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I shall make one observation from the words, and speak a little very briefly and plainly to it : — Observation. A diligent search into, and consideration of, the means and causes of the preservation and 'protection of the church in the greatest dangers and difficulties, is a duty incumbent on us, for our own support a…
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I answer, — Though I acknowledge all the churches in the world have greatly apostatized and fallen away, yet, in the first place, all did not fall away in the same length or manner with those in these parts of the world that were under the antichristian apostasy. There were churches in the east which, though very corru…
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THE BEAUTY AND STEENGTH OF ZION. 313 ing with God, ruling for God, and faithful to him, they shall never be prevailed against by outward persecution in any place ; unless it be in subserviency to the hidden design of sovereign wisdom to re- move the gospel wholly from such a place. This, then, is the second rule: and …
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THE BEAUTY AND STRENGTH OF ZION. SI 5 III. What are the causes and means of the preservation of Zion, and protection of the church, that we are to search out, and to con- sider, and trust unto? It is but a little I can comply with the text in. I cannot go round about Zion, I cannot tell her towers; but we will consid…
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THE BEAUTY AND STRENGTH OF ZION. 317 Now, when Christ takes the church, and goes to new-form it, and fashion it more for the glory of God, there is the foundation-promise made in the New Testament : "Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it," Matt. xvi. 18. If that obsc…
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IV. Why should we make this inquiry into these causes and means of the preservation and protection of the church? The reason is, to deliver ourselves from our own sinful fears, and that by a discovery of the great mistake which all the adversaries of the church run upon. The reason why, the ground whereupon, they atte…
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The words contain a warning of imminent dangers. And there are four things in them : — First, The manner of the warning : " This know also." Secondly, The evil itself that they are warned of: " Perilous times." Thirdly, The way of their introduction : " They shall come." Fourthly, The time and season of it: "They shall…
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Thirdly. The manner of their introduction, svgr^ffovrai, — " shall come." We have no word in our language that will express the force of iviorri/xi. The Latins express it by " immineo, incido," — the coming down of a fowl unto his prey. Now, our translators have given it the greatest force they could. They do not say, …
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2. It is dangerous, because of the effects; for when predominant 1 Thucydides. 324 PERILOUS TIMES. lusts have broken all bounds of divine light and rule, how long do you think that human rules will keep them in order? They break through all in such a season as the apostle describes. And if they come to break through…
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[2.] Men are apt to countenance themselves in lesser evils, having their eyes fixed upon greater abominations of other men, that they behold every day; nay, there are those who pay their tribute to the devil, — walk in such and such abominations, and so countenance them- selves in lesser evils. This is part of the publ…
909 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.