VOL. XVIII. 2
18 THE PREFACE TO THE READER.
Christ and his expiatory sacrifice. What way, therefore, remained in this case, to state a right judgment in this controversy, but a particular discussion of what their principal authors and leaders, with great agreement among themselves, do teach in this matter? -And if from thence it do appear, that what they call the sacerdotal office of Christ is indeed no such office,.nor any thing that holds the least analogy with what is properly so called; and that what they term his ex- piatory sacrifice and his intercession is neither sacrifice nor intercession, nor hath — the least resemblance of what is so indeed; the principal difficulty which lieth in our contest with them is despatched out of our way. And herein,—that none might suspect that advantages have been sought against them, by undue collections of passages out of their writings, or a misrepresentation of their sense and intentions,— it was necessary they should be heard to speak for themselves, and their own words at large, without alteration or diminution, be represented unto the reader ; and this is done so fully, out of their principal authors, as that I dare say with some confi- dence, there is nothing in the writings of the whole party, of any importance in this cause, which is not strictly examined. And the reader is desired to observe, that if the truth which we profess concerning this office of Christ, and his dis- charge’ thereof, be sufficiently confirmed and vindicated, all the other notions of these men, concerning a metaphorical redemption, a metaphorical sacrifice, and the like, do vanish and disappear. So that although I intend, if God will, and I live, a full declaration of the true nature of the sacrifice of Christ, and the vindication of the doctrine of the church of God concerning it, I must take it for granted, that, whilst what we have asserted and confirmed concerning his priesthood remains unshaken, the whole truth relating thereunto will not only easily but necessarily follow: and what in these discourses is effected towards that end, is left to the judgment of the learned and candid reader. Besides, I thought it not unmeet to give a specimen of the way and manner whereby this sort of men do manage their opposition unto the principal truths and mysteries of the gospel, that such as are less conversant and exercised in their writings, may be cautioned against those sophistical artifices whereby they endeavour to inveigle and infect the minds or imaginations of men; for this is their peculiar excellency (or call it what you will), that, under an appearance and pretence of perspicuity, clearness, and reason, they couch the most uncouth senses, and most alien from the common reason of man- kind, that can possibly fall under the imagination of persons pretending to the least sobriety. Instances hereof, and those undeniable, the reader will find in the ensuing discourses plentifully produced and discovered.
I have only further to advertise the reader, that whereas, by reason of my absence from it, many mistakes and errors have escaped the press, especially in the Exerci- tations, and. those the most of them corrupting the sense of the words or places which they have befallen,—some whereof I have, in a cursory view of the whole, collected,—I must entreat his favour, that the failure of others may not be imputed unto me, nor any thing be interpreted to be my neglect, which, being duly con- sidered, gives its own account to have been the effect of the want of skill or dili- gence in others.
Joun Owen. September 80, 1673.
1V.—THE PREFACE TO THE READER,
I WAVE so fully, in my former discourses on this subject, declared the general de- sign, scope, and end of this Epistle, the proper way and means of its interpreta- tion, with the method of the present Exposition, which is the same throughout, that I shall not at all here detain the reader with a renewed declaration of any of
THE PREFACE TO THE READER. 19
them. Only, some few things, which immediately concern that part of the Expo- sition which is now presented unto him, and my labour therein, may be mentioned (as I suppose) unto some usefulness :—
1, And it may not be amiss, in the first place, to take notice of an objection the present endeavour seems liable and obnoxious unto; and this is, the unseason- ableness of it. We live in times that are fortified against the use of discourses of this nature, especially such as are so long and bulky. The world, and the minds of men therein, are filled with disorder and confusion; and the most are at their wits’ end with looking after the things that are come, and coming, on the earth. They have enough to do in hearing, telling, and reading, real or pretended news of public affairs, so as to divert them from engaging their time and industry in the perusal and study of such discourses. Besides, there is not any thing in this now published to condite it unto the palate of the present age,—in personal contests and reflections, in pleading for or against any party of men or especial way in the profession of religion; only the fundamental truths of the gospel are occasionally contended for. ‘These and the like considerations might possibly, in the judgment of some, have shut up this whole discourse in darkness, upon the account of its being unseasonable.