Certain characteristics will be noticed in this edition which, it is hoped, will be regarded as improvements. As in the original edition, all the prefaces are given at length. In the edition of Dr Wright, and in the reprint of Mr Tegg, a preface is given which is made up of all the different prefaces by Owen, and which omits some interesting statements, by no means deserving to be consigned to oblivion, The Italics of the original edition are partially restored ; and, by a variety of type, criticism on the language and text of the original is discriminated from the doctrinal and practical expositions. Notes are appended to the purely critical discussions, embracing the substance of modern criticism on the more important passages. The
XII GENERAL PREFACE.
Greek text is carefully revised. Subsidiary notes are inserted among the Exercitations, on the topics commonly included under what is termed “Introduction.” More especially, the language of the author is left untouched and unmodified. The attempt has been made in former editions to modernize the composition ; but while it has thus been rendered in some respects more smooth and less obscure, serious damage has been done, although most unintentionally, to the meaning of Owen in several instances, while manifest errata, such as “foregoing” instead of “following,” and “possibly” instead of “positively,” have been left uncorrected. In the edition by Dr Wright, in which this attempt to improve the style of Owen was chiefly made, no great amount of care seems to have been taken to correct the Hebrew, the Greek, the Latin, the quotations from various authors, and the Scripture references. In regard to all these particulars very decided improvement will be found in the present edition.
The portrait engraved for this volume is from an old engraving by Vertue, prefixed to the collection of our author's sermons and tracts published in 1721.
An acknowledgment is due of the valuable help received by the Editor in his labours from the Rev. John Edmondston of Ashkirk, without whose friendly counsel and active co-operation volumes of such number and extent as are contained in the present work could not have been brought out in the limited time allotted for the prepa- ration of them, with the accuracy which, it is believed, they possess.
Dr Owen in all his works, and nowhere more than in the follow- ing Exercitations and Exposition, while he seems absolutely to riot in a prodigality of massive thought and learned illustration, mani- fests a constant zeal, and a desire that all his readers share with him in his zeal, for the glory of Christ and the advancement of personal godliness. He had no ambition merely to acquire fame by rustling amid the dead leaves of controversy and criticism; his hand is ever dropping into the mind of his reader the precious seeds of quicken- ing truth. The same sky that dispenses its thunder against every heretical assault on the paramount dignity of the Saviour, is ever distilling its showers of gentler influence for the refreshment of many a weary heart. That-this work, in its present form,—a work to which Owen consecrated the best energies of his life——may be sub- servient to this holy result,—may promote higher views of the glory of Him who is “the brightness of his Father’s glory,” may deepen in every Christian reader his sense of responsibility for the enjoy- ment of Christian privilege, may recall the truant from the school of Christ to the feet of the great Teacher, and rouse many a sinner to flee from the wrath to come to the covert of that atoning blood which speaketh better things than that of Abel,—is the prayer of him who edits, as he is sure would have been the prayer of him who was honoured of God to indite the following Exposition.
W., FLAG.
Epinpurau, March 1854,
EXERCITATIONS
ON
THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
a ALSO,
CONCERNING THE MESSIAH:
.
WHEREIN
THE PROMISES CONCERNING HIM TO BE A | THE PERSON, OR WHO HE IS, IS DE- SPIRITUAL REDEEMER OF MANKIND ARE CLARED ; EXPLAINED AND VINDICATED ; THE WHOLE ECONOMY OF THE MOSAICAL HIS COMING, AND ACCOMPLISHMENT OF HIS LAW, RITES, WORSHIP, AND SACRIFICES, WORK, ACCORDING TO THE PROMISES, ARE IS EXPLAINED : PROVED AND CONFIRMED ;
AND IN ALL, THE DOCTRINE OF THE PERSON, OFFICE, AND WORK OF THE MESSIAH, IS OPENED; THE NATURE AND DEMERIT OF THE FIRST SIN IS UNFOLDED ;
THE OPINIONS AND TRADITIONS OF THE ANCIENT AND MODERN JEWS ARE EXAMINED ; THEIR OBJECTIONS AGAINST THE LORD CHRIST AND THE GOSPEL ARE ANSWERED; THE TIME OF THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH IS STATED ;
AND THE GREAT FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS OF THE GOSPEL VINDICATED.
[ALSo,] CONCERNING THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST:
~ WHEREIN THE ORIGINAL, CAUSES, NATURE, PREFIGURATIONS, AND DISCHARGE OF THAT HOLY OFFICE, ARE EXPLAINED AND VINDICATED 5 4
THE NATURE OF THE COVENANT OF THE REDEEMER, WITH THE CALL OF THE LORD CHRIST UNTO HIS OFFICE, IS DECLARED ;
AND THE OPINIONS OF THE SOCINIANS ABOUT IT ARE FULLY EXAMINED, AND THEIR OPPOSITION UNTO IT REFUTED.
TOGETHER WITH EXERCITATIONS CONCERNING THE ORIGINAL, NATURE, USE, AND CONTINUANCE, OF A DAY OF SACRED REST.
NOTE IN REGARD TO THE PREFACES.
Iy previous reprints of this work, instead of the prefaces which the author himself had written for the different parts of the work as they issued from the press, one general preface was concocted out of them all. The design may have been to save space, but it seems scarcely fair that the work should appear without the author’s explana- tion of the objects which he had in view as indicated in his own language, and of the circumstances in which each volume originally appeared. The result, moreover, of this unwarrantable attempt at compression, was the omission of some interesting para- graphs, which shed light upon his state of health at the time when the yolumes were published. All these prefaces are now published in full. The first of them, page 5, was prefixed to the first volume of the work, published in 1668, immediately before the introductory Exercitations; and the second appeared in the same yolume, before the Exposition of two chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews. To the second volume, published in 1674, was prefixed the preface which is numbered III. in the following arrangement. The third volume, published in 1680, contained the fourth preface. To the fourth volume, published in 1684, one year after the author's death, the fifth preface belongs, with the initials H. G. attached to it.—Ep.