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55. Chapter VIII.

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Chapter VIII. Of the gifts of the Spirit with respect to doctrine, worship, and rule. Of the gifts of the Spirit with respect to doctrine, worship, and rule — how they are attained and improved.

There still remain two things to be spoken to with respect to the gifts which the Holy Ghost bestows on the ministers of the gospel, to qualify them for their office, and to enable them for their work. And these are — I. What those gifts are; and II. How they are to be attained and improved.805

I. In our inquiry about the first — or what the gifts are by which men are fitted and enabled for the ministry — we wholly set aside the consideration of all those gracious qualifications of faith, love, zeal, compassion, careful tender watchfulness, and the like, on which the holy use of their ministry depends. For our inquiry is only about those gifts on which the very being of the ministry depends. There may be a true ministry in some cases where there is no sanctifying grace; but where there are no spiritual gifts, there is no ministry at all. In general, gifts are abilities for duly managing the spiritual administrations of the gospel, in its doctrine, worship, and discipline, for the edification of the church. It is not easy, indeed, it may be that it is not possible for us, to enumerate in particular all the various gifts which the Holy Ghost endows the ministers of the gospel with. But because all the concerns of the church may be referred to these three heads — doctrine, worship, and rule — we may inquire, What are the principal spiritual gifts of the Holy Ghost with respect to those distinctly?

First. The first great duty of the ministry, with reference to the church, is the dispensation of the doctrine of the gospel to it, for its edification. Just as it is the duty of the church to continually attend to this, Acts 2:42, so it is also the principal work of the ministry. This is the foundation of all other duties, which the apostles themselves gave themselves to in a special manner, Acts 6:4. Hence it is given as the charge of all ministers of the gospel, Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2; 1Tim 1.3, 4.13, 16, 17; 2Tim 4.1-3.806 For this is the principal means appointed by Christ for the edification of his church, and that by which spiritual life is begotten and preserved. Where this work is neglected or carelessly attended to, the whole work of the ministry is despised. And with respect to this ministerial duty, there are three spiritual gifts that the Holy Ghost endows men with, which must be considered:

1. The first is wisdom, or knowledge, or understanding in the mysteries of the gospel, the revelation of the mystery of God in Christ, with his mind and will towards us in this. These things may be distinguished, and they seem to be so in the Scripture sometimes. I put them together, as all of them denote that acquaintance with and comprehension of the doctrine of the gospel which is indispensably necessary for those who are called to preach it to the church. Some imagine this is an easy matter to be attained; or at least, that there is no more required for this, nor is the use of any other means needed, than what is necessary to acquire skill in any other art or science. And it would be well if some who are otherwise concerned in point of duty, would only lay out as much of their strength and time in obtaining this knowledge, as they do about other things which will not turn much to their account. But instead, the cursory perusal of a few books is thought sufficient to make any man wise enough to be a minister. And not a few undertake ordinarily to be teachers of others, who would scarcely be admitted as tolerable disciples in a well-ordered church. But more belongs to this wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, than most men are aware of. If the nature of it were duly considered, and along with that, the necessity of it to the ministry of the gospel, then probably some would not so rush into that work as they do, when they have not been provided the ability to perform it. In brief, there is,

such a comprehension of the scope and end of the Scripture, of the revelation of God in this; such an acquaintance with the systems of particular doctrinal truths, in their rise, tendency, and use; such a habit of mind in judging spiritual things, and comparing them with one another; such a distinct insight into the springs and course of the mystery of the love, grace, and will of God in Christ

— that it enables those who have this, to declare the counsel of God, to make known to others the way of life, of faith and obedience, and to instruct them in their whole duty to God and man in these things. The apostle calls this his "knowledge in the mystery of Christ," which he manifested in his writings, Ephesians 3:4. The gospel is the "wisdom of God in a mystery," 1 Corinthians 2:7. Because the dispensation and declaration of this wisdom is committed to the ministers of the church, their principal duty is to become so wise and understanding in that mystery, that they may be able to declare it to others. And without this, they have no ministry committed to them by Jesus Christ. See Ephesians 1:8-9; Ephesians 3:3-6; Ephesians 3:18-19; Col 4.3.807 The sole inquiry is this: from where may we gain this wisdom, seeing that it is abundantly evident that we do not have it of ourselves. The Scripture declares everywhere that, in general, it is from God, and it is to be asked of him. See Colossians 1:9; Colossians 2:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:7; James 1:5, 1 John 5.20.808 In particular, it is plainly affirmed that it is the special gift of the Holy Ghost: He gives the "word of wisdom," 1 Corinthians 12:8 (this passage has been examined before). And wisdom is the first ministerial gift that he bestows on anyone. To look for a ministry where this gift is not found in some measure, is to look for the living among the dead. Those who undertake to be preachers of the gospel on any other grounds, will deceive their own souls in the end, just as they deceive the souls of others in the meantime. But I will not divert here to the full description of this spiritual gift, because I have discussed it elsewhere.

2. With respect to the doctrine of the gospel, the ministry of the church requires skill to divide the word rightly; which is also a special gift of the Holy Ghost: 2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Both the former clauses depend on the latter. If a minister would be accepted with God in his work, if he would be found at the last day "a workman who does not need to be ashamed," — that is, if he would be such a builder of the house of God that is work is fit, proper, and useful — he must take care to "divide the word of truth," which is committed to his dispensation "rightly," or in a due manner. Ministers are stewards in the house of God, and dispensers of the mysteries of this house. And therefore it is required of them that they give all the servants that are in the house, or belong to it, a fit portion, according to their wants, occasions, and services, suitable to the will and wisdom of their Lord and Master: Luke 12:42-43, "Who is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?" Giving provision and a portion of food to the household of Christ, consists principally in the right dividing and distribution of the word of truth. It is taking from those great stores of it in the Scripture and, as it were, cutting off a portion suitable to the various conditions of those in the family. In this consists the principal skill of a scribe who is furnished for the kingdom of heaven with the wisdom described before. And without this, a common course of dispensing or preaching the word, without distinguishing persons and truths, however it may be gilded over with a flourish of words and oratory, is shameful work in the house of God.

Now, various things are required for this skill:

(1.) Sound judgment in general concerning the state and condition of those to whom anyone is so dispensing the word. It is the duty of a shepherd to know the state of his flock; and unless he does, he will never feed them profitably. He must know whether they are babes, or young men, or old; whether they need milk or strong meat; whether they are skilful or unskilful in the word of righteousness; whether they have their senses exercised to discern good and evil or not; or whether his hearers are mixed with all these sorts — whether, in the judgment of charity, they are converted to God, or are still in an unregenerate condition; — what their principal temptations probably are, their hindrances and furtherances; and what is their growth or decay in religion. Somone who is not able to make a competent judgment concerning these things, and the other circumstances of the flock, so as to be steered by this in his work, will never evidence himself to be "a workman who does not need to be ashamed."

(2.) An acquaintance with the ways and methods of the work of God’s grace on the minds and hearts of men, so that he may pursue and comply with its design in the ministry of the word. Nothing is more despised by many than an understanding of this; yet, nothing is more necessary to the work of the ministry. The word of the gospel as preached is a vehicle of grace,809 and it ought to be ordered so that it may comply with its design in its whole work on the souls of men. Therefore, the one who is unacquainted with the ordinary methods of the operation of grace, fights uncertainly in his preaching of the word, like a man beating the air.1 Corinthians 9:26 It is true, God can and often does direct a word of truth, spoken randomly as it were at, to have its proper effect of grace on some one or other. Thus it was when the man drew a bow by chance, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the harness.1Kng 22.34 But ordinarily, a man who does not know how to take aim, is not likely to hit a joint.

(3.) An acquaintance with the nature of temptation, with the special hindrances of faith and obedience which may befall those to whom the word is dispensed, is likewise required for this. Many things might be added under this head, seeing that a principal part of ministerial skill consists in this.

(4.) A right understanding of the nature of spiritual diseases, distempers, and sicknesses, with their proper cures and remedies, also belongs to this. For lack of this, the hearts of the wicked are often made glad in the preaching of the word, and those of the righteous are filled with sorrow; the hands of sinners are strengthened, and those who are looking to God are discouraged or turned away. And where men either do not know these things, or they do not or cannot apply themselves skilfully to distribute the word according to various occasions, they cannot give the household its portion of food in due season. The one who lacks this spiritual gift will never divide the word rightly, to its proper ends, 2Tim 3.16-17.810 It is lamentable to consider what shameful work is made for lack of this in the preaching of some men — indeed, how the whole gift is lost, as to its power, use, and benefit.

3. The gift of utterance also belongs to this part of the ministerial duty in the dispensation of the doctrine of the gospel. This is particularly reckoned by the apostle among the gifts of the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 1:5; 2 Corinthians 8:7. And he desires the prayers of the church that the gift may abide with himself, and abound in him, Eph 6.19. 811 And there he declares that the nature of it consists in "opening the mouth boldly, to make known the mysteries of the gospel;" also Col 4.3.812 Now, this utterance does not consist in a natural volubility of speech,813 which taken by itself, is so far from being a gift of the Spirit, or a thing to be earnestly prayed for, that it is usually a snare to those who have it, and trouble for those who hear them. Nor does it consist in a rhetorical ability to adorn discussions with a flourish of words, however plausible or enticing they may be. Much less is it a bold corrupting of the ordinance of preaching, with a foolish affectation of words — supposedly elegant speech, quaint expressions, and similar effects of wit — this is but fancy and vanity. But four things concur in this gift of utterance:

(1.) Parrhesia,814 or "dicendi libertas." The word we translate "utterance" is logos, that is, speech. It is evident from the places mentioned, and their application, that what is intended is not speech in general, but a certain kind of speech. And it is such a speech that elsewhere is called parrhesia — that is, a freedom and liberty in the declaration of the truth conceived. A man has this when he is not restrained by any internal defect, or any outward consideration, in the declaration of those things which he ought to speak. This is the frame and ability that the apostle expresses in himself: 2 Corinthians 6:11, "O you Corinthians, our mouth is open to you, our heart is enlarged." A free, enlarged spirit, attended with an ability of speech suited to the matter in hand, with its occasions, belong to this gift.

(2.) Boldness and holy confidence. This is how we often render parrhesia, which this utterance greatly consists in. When the Spirit of God, in the midst of difficulties, oppositions, and discouragements, strengthens the minds of ministers so they are not terrified by any amazement, but discharge their work freely, considering whose word and message it is that they deliver, that is what belongs to this gift of utterance.

(3.) Gravity in expression in their delivery, becoming the sacred majesty of Christ and his truths. One who speaks is to "speak as the oracles of God," 1 Peter 4:11 — that is, not only as to truth, preaching the word of God and nothing else, but doing it with that gravity and soundness of speech which become those who speak the oracles of God. For just as we are to deliver "sound doctrine" and nothing else, Titus 1:9, so we are to use "sound speech, that cannot be condemned," Titus 2:7-8.

(4.) To this gift also belongs the authority which accompanies the delivery of the word when it is preached in demonstration of these spiritual abilities.

All these things are necessary, so that the hearers may receive the word, "not as the word of man, but as it is in truth, the word of God." 1 Thessalonians 2:13

These are the principal spiritual gifts with which the Holy Ghost endows the ministers of the church, with respect to the effectual dispensation of the word or the doctrine of the gospel which is committed to them. And where these gifts are communicated in any degree necessary to the due discharge of that office, they will evidence themselves to the consciences of those who believe. The dispensation of the word by virtue of these gifts greatly varies, from the various degrees in which they are communicated, and the different natural abilities of those who receive them. Yet it will be sufficiently distinguished and remote from that empty, wordy, sapless way of discussing spiritual things, which is the mere effect of the wit, fancy, invention, and projection of men who are destitute of the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the mysteries of the gospel.

Secondly. The worship of God is the second head of duties belonging to the ministerial office. By the worship of God, I mean only that especial part of it, of which God himself is its immediate object. For, absolutely, preaching and hearing the word is a part of sacred worship. It is that part in which we act the obedience of faith to the commands of God, and submit ourselves to his institutions. And, indeed, for those who hear, God declaring himself by his word is the immediate object of their worship. But the dispensation of the word which we have considered, is the acting of men, upon the authority and command of God, towards others. But, as was said, what is to be inquired into, is that alone of which God himself is the immediate object. Such are all the remaining offices and duties of the church, except those which belong to its rule. And this worship has various acts, according to the variety of Christ’s institutions and the church’s occasions. Yet, as to the manner of its performance, it is comprised in prayer. For by "prayer," we mean all the confessions, supplications, thanksgivings, and praises, that are made to God in the church, whether absolutely or in the administration of other ordinances, such as the sacraments. Therefore, as the glory of God is greatly concerned in this duty, and as it comprehends all the sacred offices of public worship, prayer is the principal act of obedience in the church. As to its performance, then, this depends either on the natural abilities of men, or on the aids and operation of the Holy Ghost. By the natural abilities of men, I mean not only what they are able to perform of themselves in every instance, but also whatever assistance they may make use of, either of their own discovery or others’. And by the aids of the Holy Ghost, I mean a special spiritual gift bestowed on men for this purpose. Now, to suppose that the whole duty of the church in this should consist in the actings of men in their own strength and power, without any special assistance of the Holy Spirit, is to exclude the consideration of him from those things with respect to which he is principally promised by our Lord Jesus Christ. But what concerns this gift of the Holy Ghost has been handled at large by itself already, and it must not be insisted on here again. Taking for granted that what is in this was sufficiently confirmed, I will only add that those who have not received this gift are utterly unfit to undertake the office of the ministry. And in this office it is their duty to go before the church in the administration of all ordinances, by virtue of these abilities. In civil or secular things, it would be esteemed an intolerable solecism815 to call and choose a man to discharge an office or duty whose execution depended solely on such a particular faculty or skill, which he has no interest in or acquaintance with. It will be apparent one day that this is also true in sacred and religious things — indeed, much more.

Thirdly. The rule of the church belongs to its ministers. God has established rule in the church, Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Timothy 5:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12; Heb 13.7, 17.816 I will not dispute now what sort of ministry this is, nor whether the rule belongs to one sort alone. It is enough for my present design that it is committed by Christ to the ministers of the church, which are its guides, rulers, and overseers. Nor will I at present inquire into the particular powers, acts, and duties of this rule; I have done that elsewhere. For now I am only considering it so far as its exercise requires a special ministerial gift to be communicated by the Holy Ghost. And in order for this, the ensuing things must be premised:

1. That this rule is spiritual, and has nothing in common with the administration of the powers of the world. It has, I say, no agreement with secular power and its exercise, unless it is in some natural circumstances that inseparably attend rulers and the ruled in any kind. It belongs to the kingdom of Christ and the administration of it, which are "not of this world." John 18:36 And this is well pleaded by some against those who would erect a kingdom for him in the world, and as far as I can understand, of this world, framed in their own imaginations for a fancied interest of their own. And it is as pleadable against those who pretend to exercise the rule and power of his present kingdom in the manner of the potestative817 administrations of the world. Our Savior forbade his disciples to rule at all in the manner of the Gentiles, who then possessed all sovereign power in the world. He told them that it should not be so with them — that some would be great and exercise dominion over others, but that they should serve one another in love, with the greatest condescension to service being required of those who are otherwise most eminent.818 When he said this, he did not intend to take from them or divest them of that spiritual power and authority in the government of the church which he intended to commit to them. His design, therefore, was to declare what that authority was not, and how it should not be exercised. It was not to be a lordly or despotic power; nor was it to be exercised by penal laws, courts, and coercive jurisdiction, which was the way the Gentiles administered all power. If that kind of power and rule in the church, which is for the most part exercised in the world, is not forbidden by our Savior, then no man living can tell what is forbidden. For as to meekness, moderation, patience, equity, righteousness — these were more easily found in the legal administrations of power among the Gentiles, than in those used in many churches. But such a rule was signified to the apostles, that its authority, and what it proceeds from, was spiritual. Its object is the minds and souls of men only. And the way of its administration was to consist in a humble, holy, spiritual application of the word of God or rules of the gospel to them.

2. The end of this rule is merely and solely the edification of the church. All the power that the apostles themselves had, either in or over the church, was only for their edification, 2Cor 10.8.819 And the edification of the church consists in the increase of faith and obedience in all its members; in subduing and mortifying sin; in fruitfulness in good works; in the confirmation and consolation of those who stand; in raising up those who have fallen, and the recovery of those who wander; in the growth and flourishing of mutual love and peace. Whatever rule is exercised in the church for any other end, is foreign to the gospel, and it tends only to the destruction of the church itself.

3. In the way and manner of the administration of this rule and government, two things may be considered:

(1.) What is internal, in the qualifications of the minds of those by whom it is to be exercised: such as wisdom, diligence, love, meekness, patience, and similar evangelical endowments.

(2.) What is external, or what the outward rule of it is; and this is the word and law of Christ alone, as we have declared elsewhere. From these things it may appear what the nature is, in general, of that skill in the rule of the church which we assert to be a special gift of the Holy Ghost. If it were only an ability or skill in the canon or civil law, or rules of men; if it was only an acquaintance with the nature and course of some courts, proceeding litigiously, by citations, processes, and legal pleadings, issuing in pecuniary mulcts,820 outward coercions, or imprisonments — then I would willingly acknowledge that there is no special gift of the Spirit of God required for this. But its nature being what we declared, it is impossible for it to be exercised rightly without special assistance of the Holy Ghost. Is any man sufficient of himself for these things? 2 Corinthians 2:16 Will any man undertake, of himself, to know the mind of Christ in all the occasions of the church, and to administer the power of Christ in them and about them? Therefore, the apostle teaches in many places, that wisdom, skill, and understanding are a special gift of the Holy Ghost, to administer the authority of Christ in the church for its edification, with faithfulness and diligence, Rom 12.6, 8;821 1 Corinthians 12:28. It is the Holy Ghost who makes the elders of the church its bishops or overseers, by calling them to their office, Acts 20:28; and whatever he calls any man to, he furnishes him with abilities for its discharge. And so have we given a brief account of those ordinary gifts which the Holy Ghost communicates for the constant ministry of the church. And he will do so to the consummation of all things, having manifested in our passage, moreover, the dependence of the ministry on this work of his. So that we need no additional pains to demonstrate that where he does not go before in the communication of these gifts, no outward order, call, or constitution is sufficient to make anyone a minister of the gospel.

There are gifts which respect duties only.822 Such are those which the Holy Ghost continues to communicate to all the members of the church in a great variety of degrees, according to the places and conditions which they are in, for their own and the church’s edification. There is no need to insist on them in particular, seeing that they are of the same nature as those which are continued for the ministers of the church — those who are required to excel in them, so as to be able to go before the whole church in their exercise. The Spirit of the gospel was promised by Christ to all his disciples, to all believers, to the whole church, and not only to its guides. To them, the Spirit is promised in a special manner, with respect to their office, power, and duty, but not absolutely or only. As he is the Spirit of grace, he quickens, animates, and unites the whole body of the church, and all its members, in and to Christ Jesus, 1Cor 12.12-13.823 And as he is the administrator of all supernatural gifts, he furnishes the whole body and all its members with spiritual abilities for its edification.824 And ordinarily, without them in some measure or degree, we are not able to discharge our duty to the glory of God; for —

1. These gifts are a great means and help to excite and exercise grace itself, without which it will be lifeless and apt to decay. Men grow in grace by the due exercise of their own gifts in duties. Therefore, every individual person on his own account stands in need of them with respect to the exercise and improvement of grace, Zec 12.10.825

2. Most men have, it may be, such duties incumbent on them with respect to others, that they cannot rightly discharge them without the special aid of the Spirit of God in this kind. So it is with all those who have families to take care of and provide for; for ordinarily they are bound to instruct their children and servants in the knowledge of the Lord, and to go before them in that worship which God requires of them, as Abraham did, the "father of the faithful." And some spiritual abilities are requisite to this; for none can teach others more than they know themselves, nor can they perform spiritual worship without some spiritual gifts, unless they resort to those shifts826 which we rejected on good grounds before.

3. Every member of a church, in order and according to the mind of Christ, possesses some place, use, and office in the body, which cannot be filled for the benefit and ornament of the whole, without some spiritual gift. These places are various; some are of greater use than others, and of more necessity for the edification of the church; but all are useful in their kind. Our apostle argues for this at large in1Cor 12.12-20. All believers in due order become one body, by the participation of the same Spirit, and by union to the same Head. Those who do not partake of the one Spirit, who are not united to the Head, do not properly belong to the body, whatever place they seem to hold in it. Of those who do so, some are (as it were) an eye, some a hand, and some a foot. All of these are useful in their several places, and needed for one another. None of them is so highly exalted as to have the least occasion for being exalted, as though he had no need of the rest; for the Spirit distributes to every one severally as he will — not all are distributed to any one, except the Head, our Lord Jesus, from whom we all receive grace according to the measure of his gift. Nor is any so low or useless as to say it is not of the body, or that the body has no need of it. But every one in his place and station concurs to the unity, strength, beauty, and growth of the body. Our apostle argues at large for these things, in the place mentioned.

4. Hereby supplies are communicated to the whole from the Head, Ephesians 4:15-16; Col 2.19.827 It is the body, that is, the church under the conduct of its officers, that the apostle discusses in those places. And it is the duty of the whole to "speak the truth in love," every one in his distinct place and station. And in this, God has so ordered the union of the whole church in itself, to and in dependence on its Head, that through and by not only the "supply of every joint" (which may express either the officers or its more eminent members), but also the "effectual working of every part" in the exercise of the graces and gifts which the Spirit imparts to the whole, the body may "edify itself" and be increased. Therefore —

5. The Scripture is express that the Holy Ghost communicates those gifts to private believers, and directs them in that duty in which they are to be exercised. 1Pet 4.10,828 "Every man," that is, every believer, walking in the order and fellowship of the gospel, is to attend to the discharge of his duty, according to the spiritual ability he has received. So it was in the church of Corinth, 1Cor 1.5-7,829 and in the church of Rome, Rom 15.14.830 And all of them knew it was their duty to "covet the best gifts," 1 Corinthians 12:31, which they did with success. And on this depend the commands for the exercise of those duties which they were to perform in the ability of these gifts they received. So they were all to "admonish one another," Romans 15:14 to "exhort one another," Hebrews 3:13 to "build up one another in their most holy faith." Jude 1:20 And it is the loss of those spiritual gifts which has introduced among many an utter neglect of these duties, so that they are scarcely heard of among most of those who are called Christians. But blessed be God, we have a large and full experience of the continuance of this dispensation of the Spirit, in the eminent abilities of a multitude of private Christians, however those gifts may be despised by those who do not know them! I confess, they have been abused by some. Some have presumed on them beyond the line and measure which they have received; some have been puffed up with them; some have used them in a disorderly way in churches and to their hurt; some have boasted of what they have not received — all of these miscarriages also befell the primitive churches. And I would rather have the order, rule, spirit, and practice of those churches that were planted by the apostles, with all their troubles and disadvantages, than the carnal peace of others in their open degeneracy from all those things.

II. It remains only that we inquire how men may come to or attain a participation in these gifts, whether it is ministerial or more private. And to this end we may observe —

1. That they are not communicated to anyone by a sudden afflatus831 or extraordinary infusion, as were the gifts of miracles and tongues, which were bestowed on the apostles and many of the first converts. That dispensation of the Spirit has long since ceased. And where it is now pretended to by anyone, it may justly be suspected as an enthusiastic delusion. For just as the purpose of those gifts has ceased — which in their own nature, exceeded the whole power of all our faculties — so their communication and the manner of it has also ceased.

Yet I must say this: that the infusion of spiritual light into the mind, which is the foundation of all gifts (as it was proved), sometimes being worked suddenly or in a short time, the concomitance of gifts in some good measure is likewise often sudden. And it has the appearance of being something extraordinary, as might be shown in instances of several sorts.

2. These gifts are not absolutely attainable by our own diligence and endeavors in the use of means, without respect to the sovereign will and pleasure of the Holy Ghost. Suppose there are such means to attain and improve them, and that several persons with the same measures of natural abilities and diligence use those means for that end. It still will not follow that all must equally partake of them. They are not the immediate product of our own endeavors, nor under an ordinary blessing on them. For they are charismata,832 arbitrary largesses or gifts, which the Holy Spirit works in all persons severally as he will. Hence we see different outcomes among those who are exercised in the same studies and endeavors: some are endowed with eminent gifts, some scarcely attain any that are useful, and some despise them, both name and thing. Therefore, there is an immediate operation of the Spirit of God in the bestowal of these spiritual abilities, which cannot be accounted for by the measures of a person’s natural parts and industry. And yet I say that,

3. Ordinarily they are attained and also increased by the due use of means suited to this, as grace is also, which none but Pelagians would affirm is absolutely in the power of our own wills; and naming these means will put a close to this discourse.

Among them is required, in the first place, a due preparation of the soul by humility, meekness, and teachableness. The Holy Spirit takes no delight in imparting his special gifts to proud, self-conceited men, nor to men vainly puffed up in their own fleshly minds. The same must be said concerning other vicious and depraved habits of mind by which, moreover, gifts are often expelled and cast out after they have been received in some measure. And in this case, I need not mention those by whom all these gifts are despised — it would be a wonder indeed if they were to be made partakers of them, or at least if these gifts were to abide with them.

Secondly. Prayer is a principal means for their attainment. The apostle directs us to this when he enjoins us to earnestly desire the best gifts;1 Corinthians 12:31 for this desire is to be acted on by prayer, and not otherwise.

Thirdly. Diligence in the things about which these gifts are concerned. What I mean here, is study and meditation on the word of God, with the due use of means, to attain a right understanding of God’s mind and will in this. For it is in this course, for the most part, conscientiously attended to, that the Holy Spirit comes in and joins his aid and assistance for furnishing the mind with those spiritual endowments.

Fourthly. The growth, increase, and improvement of these gifts depend on their faithful use as our duty requires. It is practice alone that increases talents, and exercise in a way of duty that improves gifts. Without this, they will first wither, and then perish. And by neglecting this, they are lost every day — in some it is partially, in some totally, and in some to the point of contempt, hatred, and blaspheming of what they themselves had received.

Lastly. Men’s natural endowments, with elocution, memory, judgment, and the like — improved by reading, learning, and diligent study — will enlarge, set off, and adorn these gifts where they are received.

Notes [←1]

Quakers are members of the Religious Society of Friends; and so "Friends" and "Quakers" mean the same thing.

[←2] John Tillotson (1630-1694) – Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury from 1691 to 1694.

[←3]

Owen uses the word "immediately" in two ways throughout this work. Here it means "directly," i.e., without any intervening or "mediate" cause. He also uses it as a length of time; but rather than instantaneously, it only means "shortly" or "soon."

[←4] Cavilling: raising trivial objections to something; quibbling.

[←5]

Romans 1:19 because what may be known of God is manifest in [men], for God has shown it to them. Romans 2:14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

[←6]

1Kng 4:31 For he was wiser than all men-- than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. 32 He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. 33 Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish. 34 And men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Exodus 31:2 "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 "And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 "to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, 5 "in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship. 6 "And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all who are gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you.

[←7]

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

[←8]

Ephesians 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power. 2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

[←9]

Hebrews 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

[←10] Immediately: directly, without additional intermediary means.

[←11]

Jude 1:14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 "to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."

[←12]

Genesis 18:19 "For I have known [Heb. yada OT:03045 qal tense] him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him."

[←13]

Genesis 4:26 And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD. Genesis 5:29 And he called his name Noah, saying, "This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD has cursed."

[←14] A general figure only (Romans 5:14). In Owen’s Sermon V. – "The Shaking and Translating of Heaven and Earth," (Works, vol. 8) he uses this same figure, but adds the words, "at least." It may be based on Bishop Ussher’s The Annals of the World (pub. 1650), in which creation is placed at 4004 B.C., and the giving of the law at Sinai in 1491 B.C. (par. 193) – WHG

[←15] Occasional: as occasion required.

[←16]

Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. 2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. Romans 1:19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

[←17] Occasions: something you have to do; duties.

[←18] De Natura Theologiæ, lib. iii.

[←19]

Deuteronomy 6:6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

[←20]

Deuteronomy 4:2 "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. Deuteronomy 12:32 "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.

[←21] That is, those books written after the first five books of Moses.

[←22] Pretend: to put forward a guess, in spite of possible refutation; to make an unsupported assertion.

[←23]

[←24]

Luke 1:4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. Acts 1:1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach; John 20:31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

[←25]

Malachi 4:4 "Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments. 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. 6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse." Revelation 22:18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book;

[←26]

Psalms 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. 2 Timothy 3:15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

[←27] See Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Deuteronomy 11:18-19; Joshua 1:8; Psalms 1:2; Psalms 119; Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:15.

[←28]

Luke 24:26-27; Luke 24:32 (to Emmaus). "Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself... 32 And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"

[←29] See Matthew 5:14-15; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Ephesians 4:11-15; 1 Timothy 3:15.

[←30]

Daniel 12:3 Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.

[←31] So it is stated in 2 Peter 1:19-21; Hebrews 1:1; 2 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 8:20. 2 Peter 1:19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

[←32] Nehemiah 8:8; Isaiah 28:9; Hosea 14:9; Proverbs 1:6; Psalms 119:34; Matthew 15:16; 2 Timothy 2:7, 1 John 5:20.

[←33]

Isaiah 29:11 The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, "Read this, please." And he says, "I cannot, for it is sealed." 12 Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, "Read this, please." And he says, "I am not literate."

[←34] On the road to Emmaus: Luke 24:45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

[←35]

Acts 8:31; Acts 8:34-35. Acts 8:30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31 And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him... 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.

[←36]

Today we would say, "reason FOR faith," but that can be misleading. The reason for faith is salvation – that’s faith’s purpose, or the reason why we must have faith. Faith is the instrumental cause of salvation (Hebrews 11:6). But the formal cause of faith itself, is what our faith is based on. Now, Christ is the object of our faith – we must believe on him (John 6:40). Yet we know nothing of Christ and the Gospel that isn’t drawn from Scripture. Scripture is therefore the instrumental cause (or reason) of our faith. But why should we believe the Scripture at all? "Well," we answer, "because it is the word of God." Yes, but why should we believe it is the word of God? Whatever that reason is, it is the formal cause (or reason) of our faith. Owen intends to prove that our belief of Scripture — our belief that it is the word of God — is the work of the Holy Spirit.

[←37]

Owen insists that our belief (or faith) must be infallible. "Infallible" means incapable of failure, not just incapable of fault or error. So Owen is saying that, because God’s revealed word is infallible (faultless), our belief in it can be infallible (unfailing). – WHG

[←38]

Owen is referring to Aristotelian logic concerning the nature and categories of causes. But he calls "formal" what is usually termed "final." Aristotle’s four categories are formal, efficient, final, and material. The FORMAL cause is what makes something one thing rather than another – a log and table are both wood, but their properties and arrangement (their form) cause them to be different. The EFFICIENT cause is what actually produces a change or effect – a saw is an efficient cause (a means) in making a table. The FINAL cause is related to its purpose (the why of it), or its relation to other things – the final cause of a table may be to have a place to eat. The MATERIAL cause is what something is made of – wood can be cut and nailed because of its material. – WHG

[←39] See Acts 8:28-38.

[←40]

Substituting the name of an attribute or feature for the name of the thing itself: when we believe the Scriptures, we believe God.

[←41] Acts 26:27 "King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe."

[←42] Alone: that is, if that’s all they are: mere products of the mind, logic, hearsay, or experience.

[←43]

John 4:40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His own word. 42 Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."

[←44]

2 Samuel 7:28 "And now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant.

[←45]

Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

[←46]

Superfetation: a second conception on top of an existing conception; as if Scripture had one conception in God, and another superimposed by Man. So we ask, "Is the Bible God’s word about Man, or Man’s word about God?" Or, "Has God revealed Himself in the Bible, or has Man merely conceived of Him there?" — 2 Peter 1:20, "no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation." Other ancient writings (e.g. the Vedas of India 1500-1200 BC, Egyptian Book of the Dead 1550 BC, or Kesh Temple Hymn of Sumer 2600 BC) do not purport to be the revelations of God about Himself.

[←47] Petulance: here it means being immodest; impertinent; or insolent.

[←48]

Deuteronomy 4:6 "Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ’Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7 "For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? 8 "And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?

[←49] Romans 1:21; 1 Corinthians 1:21.

[←50]

Hence the assistance of Hiram and his artisans was required to build David’s palace and Solomon’s temple (2 Samuel 5:11; 2 Samuel 1 Kngs 5). Israel was not known for science, engineering, mathematics, astronomy, etc. – Israel knew God. Jeremiah 9:24 "But let him who glories glory in this: That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD.

[←51] This attempt to destroy the Bible applies to the Old Testament as well; see Jeremiah 36. Antiochus Epiphanes IV (ca. 166 B.C.), known as “the madman,” launched a bloody persecution against the Hebrew people. He attempted to destroy copies of the Jewish Scriptures: "And they cut in pieces, and burnt with fire the books of the law of God: And every one with whom the books of the testament of the Lord were found, and whoever observed the law of the Lord, they put to death, according to the edict of the king." (1Ma 1:59-60) Josephus writes, "And if there were any sacred book of the law found, it was destroyed, and those with whom they were found miserably perished also" (Antiquities of the Jews, 12.5.4). An effort to eradicate the Bible was initiated by Diocletian. In 303 A.D., he began a mass persecution of Christians: "all assemblies of Christians were forbidden and churches were ordered to be torn down... One edict ordered the burning of every copy of the Bible" (Hurst, History of the Christian Church. Vol. 1. NYC, Eaton & Mains.1897, p. 175). The Fourth Rule of the Council of Trent stated that the indiscriminate circulation of the Scriptures in the common tongue would generate “more harm than good.” Therefore, those reading or possessing the Bible “without... permission may not receive absolution from their sins till they have handed them over to the ordinary” (Schroeder, Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent. St. Louis, MO: B. Herder, 1950, p. 274). In 1543 a Parliamentary act was passed forbidding the use of Tyndale’s version, and any reading of the Scriptures in assemblies without royal license (Newman, A Manual of Church History. Vol. 2. Philadelphia, PA: ABPS. 1902, p. 262). Thousands of copies were burned. “Of the estimated 18,000 copies printed between 1525-1528, only two fragments are known to remain” (Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. 1949, p. 84). – Wayne Jackson, www.chrisiancourier.com

[←52]

Approbation: not just approval, but commendation – worthy of regard or confidence; or entrusted to someone’s care.

[←53]

Isaiah 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Psalms 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times. 7 You shall keep them, O LORD, You shall preserve them from this generation forever.

[←54] Flagitious: extremely and brutally wicked; atrocious.

[←55]

Acts 17:23 "for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you:

[←56]

Theologoumena etc., lib. ii. cap. 1, sect. 11. Owen’s Works, vol. 17 – a six-book treatise on the nature, rise, progress, and study of theology from the Fall to the present, but in Latin only. In 1817, Lucy Hutchinson authored an excellent abridged translation of the first two books. Soli Deo Gloria recently published a flawed translation, titled "Biblical Theology." But Logos Publications is now offering a 3-volume set from Lexham Press, "The Latin Works of John Owen." The first volume is Theologoumena. – WHG

[←57] Ubi supra [Theologoumena], lib. iii. cap. 3, de origine et progressu idololatriæ.

[←58]

Needful: Necessary for relief or supply; "necessary" points to a requisite condition, rather than requisite needs.

[←59] Here it implies "lost in translation" as these truths were appropriated from Scripture, and then twisted.

[←60] Digladiation: gladiatorial fighting with swords or hand-to-hand (metaphorically speaking).

[←61] Vitiated: marred or corrupted.

[←62] Improve: use or employ to good purpose; turn to a profitable account.

[←63] Exercitat. on the Epist. to the Heb., Exer. i.

[←64]

Jeremiah 23:28 "The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?" says the LORD. 29 "Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

[←65]

Timothy and Maura had been married only three weeks when the persecution of Emperor Diocletian reached Mauritania in Northern Africa. In A.D. 303, Diocletian had ordered that all Scripture be destroyed. Some Christians complied with the emperor’s order and as a result, a new word entered into the vocabulary – traitors (traditores: those who delivered). As a deacon, one of Timothy’s jobs was to keep the Scriptures; and knowing this, the authorities had him arrested. When Timothy refused to turn over the Scriptures, he was blinded with red hot irons so that, "The books shall at least be useless to you." When, after further torture, Timothy continued his refusal to surrender the scriptures, he and his new bride were crucified. (Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, Tenth Perscution, http://www.consider.org/library/which.htm)

[←66]

Hebrews 2:3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

[←67]

Acts 5:32 "And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him."

[←68]

Acts 22:20 ’And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ Revelation 2:13 "I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. Revelation 17:6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.

[←69]

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us [likewise] run with endurance the race that is set before us...

[←70] Imposture: deception or fraud.

[←71]

Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

[←72]

2 Corinthians 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

[←73]

[←74] Uncouth: Lacking refinement, cultivation or taste.

[←75] Conventicle: a secret unauthorized meeting for religious worship.

[←76]

Acts 16:21 "and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe." Acts 18:13 saying, "This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law."

[←77] In solidum: as a whole.

[←78] Habakkuk 1:11 Then his mind changes, and he transgresses; He commits offense, Ascribing this power to his god."

[←79]

Cicero, 57 B.C., "Pietate et religione atque hâc una sapientia, quod deorum immortalium numine omnia regi gubernarique perspeximus, omnes gentes nationesque superamus." Orat. de Har. Resp., 19 ["Resp., 9" in Goold’s edition]. The translation used here was done by Francis Bacon, Essays – Civil and Moral, XVI, Of Atheism.

[←80] Dionysius (60 B.C.- post 7 A.D.) – Greek historian and teacher of rhetoric during the reign of Caesar Augustus.

[←81] That is, Augustine of Hippo (354-430); the book is his City of God.

[←82] Matthew 5:29-30.

[←83]

[←84] In the next chapter, Owen will show that, while external arguments are good in their place, they are insufficient to establish faith or belief unless we first believe that the Scriptures are the word of God. And that belief comes from God. God’s word reveals not only His nature, mind, and will, but God reveals Himself there, as its author, by His Spirit illumining our minds. – WHG

[←85] Those who question the truth or validity of something; or take exception to it.

[←86]

Obviously we can believe things that are not divinely revealed; but they are natural things, naturally believed. Owen is only saying that the natural man cannot receive the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:14) – it requires divine faith, Spirit-imparted (1 Corinthians 2:10).

[←87] Exodus 6:2; Isaiah 57:15; Exodus 7:17; Isaiah 8:20; Matthew 17:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Chronicles 20:20.

[←88]

1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 1 Corinthians 14:36 Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? 37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

[←89]

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Matthew 13:11 He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

[←90] Meaning external arguments and human reason.

[←91] That is, the Second Council of Orange, 529 A.D.

[←92]

"Si quis sicut augmentum ita etiam initium fidei, ipsumque credulitatis affectum, non per gratiæ donum, id est, per inspirationem Spiritus Sancti, corrigentem voluntatem nostram ab infidelitate ad fidem, ab impietate ad pietatem, sed naturaliter nobis inesse dicit, apostolicis dogmatibus adversarius approbatur."

[←93]

"Si quis per naturæ vigorem bonum aliquod quod ad salutem pertinet vitæ eternæ, cogitate ut expedit, aut eligere, sive salutari, id est, evangelicæ prædicationi consentire posse affirmat absque illuminatione et inspiratione Spiritus Sancti, qui dat omnibus suavitatem consentiendo et credendo veritati, hæretico fallitur spiritu."

[←94] That is, in the Bible itself. It is not the word of God merely because it says so, but because God reveals it is so. And that revelation is not in the text of Scripture itself ("in its own nature"), but it is an enabling act of the Holy Spirit in the believer. – WHG

[←95]

1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

[←96] That is, that our belief in the authenticity of God’s word can be sufficiently established by rational arguments.

[←97] The one does not substitute for the other; both are required. – WHG

[←98] Comply: to go along with or follow; to embrace.

[←99] These aren’t theoretical truths, but ones that determine our eternal destiny.

[←100] 1 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Corinthians 2:14.

[←101] See Book III, chap. III (in Part 1).

[←102]

"Externæ omnes et humanæ persuasiones non sunt satis ad credendum, quantumcunque ab hominibus competenter ea quæ sunt fidei proponantur. Sed necessaria est insuper causa interior, hoc est divinum quoddam lumen incitans ad credendum, et oculi quidam interai Dei beneficio ad videndum dati," says Canus, Loc. Theol., lib. ii. cap. 8; nor do any of the divines of that church dissent in this.

[←103]

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Ephesians 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power; Ephesians 3:16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-- 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

[←104]

Analogy of faith: a principle of interpretation in which Scripture interprets Scripture. In the Westminster Confession (1.9) it is defined this way, "The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly." In other words, Scripture cannot contradict Scripture.

[←105] Afflatus: A strong creative impulse; divine inspiration.

[←106] See Part I, Books I and II, espec. Book II, chap. I, p. 145.

[←107] The sum of Owen’s argument is that saving faith must be divine and supernatural. Natural faith, or belief, requires something to believe (the what), and also evidence of its truth (the why, or reasoning) — it is entirely of us, in our own capacity. But to be divine, the object of our faith must be divine: it is of God. Thus Christ is the object; God’s word is the evidence; and both are divine. And to be supernatural, the means of our faith must be supernatural: our belief is God-given and Spirit-enabled (it is revealed to us) — for it is foolishness to the natural mind. And yet, being enabled by the Spirit to believe what is divine, without also having the evidence of it, is insufficient. If it is not grounded in God’s word, then it is the mere product of our imagination. All these elements of faith must be present, and work in concert, if it is to be saving faith. What Owen has not addressed here, is that salvation is by God’s grace alone; and His grace is effectual even for those who lack the mental capacity to meet this manifold standard of belief. He addresses such saving grace in Book IX, chap. II., especially p. 432. – WHG

[←108] How the church is to conduct itself in the world is sufficiently clear in Scripture; it is unequivocal and unchanging.

[←109] In other words, it may be the means of our belief, but it is not the cause or reason of it.

[←110] Namely, the word of God itself, as preached (Romans 10:14).

[←111]

ἐκ τῶν πρός τι (ek ton pros ti), "derives the relative" (or is taken from the relationship); Aristotle’s Logic, Chap. VI. par. 3.

[←112]

Taken from Battles translation of Calvin’s Institutes. "Maneat ergo," he says, "hoc fixum, quos Spiritus sanctus intus docuit, solidè acquiescere in Scriptura, et hanc quidem esse αὐτόπιστον, neque demonstrationi et rationibus subjici eam fas ease: quam tamen meretur apud nos certitudinem Spiritus testimonio consequi. Etsi enim reverentiam sua sibi ultro majestate conciliat, tunc tamen demure seriò nos afficit, quum per Spiritum obsignata est cordibus nostria. Illius ergo veritate illuminati, jam non aut nostro, aut aliorum judicio credimus a Deo esse Scripturam; sed supra humanum judicium, certo certius constituimus (non secus ac si ipsius Dei numen illic intueremur) hominum ministerio, ab ipsissimo Dei ore ad nos fluxisse. Non argumenta, non verisimilitudines quærimus, quibus judicium nostrum incumbat; sed ut rei extra æstimandi aleam positæ, judicium ingeniumque nostrum subjicimus … Neque qualiter superstitionibus solent miseri homines captivam mentem addicere: sed quia non dubiam vim numinis illic sentimus vigere ac spirare, qua ad parendum, scientes so volentes, vividius tamen et efficacius quam pro humana aut voluntate aut scientia trahimur et accendimur … Talis ergo est persuasio quæ rationes non requirat: talis notitia, cui optima ratio constet, nempe, in qua securius constantiusque mens quiescit quam in ullis rationibus: talis denique sensus, qui nisi ex coelesti revelatione nasci nequeat. Non aliud loquor quam quod apud se experitur fidelium unusquisque, nisi quod longe infra justam rei explicationem verba subsidunt." — Calv. Instit., lib. i. cap. 7, sec. 5.

[←113]

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

[←114]

1 Thessalonians 2:13 …we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

[←115]

We don’t have to believe it is the word of God; we only have to believe the church, which says that it is. Our faith is thus placed in the church, not in the revealed word of God. This is an "easy way to exercise faith" – blind followers of the blind, Matthew 15:14.

[←116]

τὴν γραφήν (NT:1124, graphe – writing) – Acts 1:16 "Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;

[←117] Posting: riding Western style, bobbing up and down in the saddle in rhythm with a horse’s trotting gait.

[←118]

Luke 24:25 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 "Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

[←119]

2 Timothy 3:15 from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

[←120]

Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Malachi 4:4 "Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments.

[←121]

Psalms 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

[←122]

John 1:45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Luke 16:29 "Abraham said to him, ’They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 31 "But he said to him, ’If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’" Matthew 21:42 Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: ’The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’S doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes ’? Acts 18:24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John… 28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 24:14 "But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. Acts 26:22 "Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come; 2 Peter 1:21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

[←123]

Acts 28:23 So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening.

[←124]

Romans 16:25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith;

[←125] Mark 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

[←126]

Blind acceptance of a prophet’s claim is prohibited by Scripture, Deuteronomy 13:1; 1 John 4:1. But Owen isn’t talking about the messenger; he is talking about the message, the words of God. Even false prophets can truly speak the words of God; and those words, being self-attesting, are always to be accepted and believed with divine and supernatural faith. – WHG

[←127] Inbred: inherent – normally existing at conception.

[←128]

Isaiah 1:3 The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider."

[←129]

Jude 1:10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.

[←130] Discursive: proceeding to a conclusion by reason or argument rather than intuition.

[←131]

1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

[←132]

Romans 2:14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them);

[←133]

Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

[←134]

Acts 14:15 and saying, "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, 16 "who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. 17 "Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." Acts 17:24 "God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 "Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 "so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 "for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ’For we are also His offspring.’ Acts 17:29 "Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising.

[←135]

Isaiah 46:5 "To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal And compare Me, that we should be alike? 6 They lavish gold out of the bag, And weigh silver on the scales; They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god; They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship. 7 They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it And set it in its place, and it stands; From its place it shall not move. Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer Nor save him out of his trouble. 8 "Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you transgressors. Isaiah 44:18 They do not know nor understand; For He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, And their hearts, so that they cannot understand. 19 And no one considers in his heart, Nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, "I have burned half of it in the fire, Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals; I have roasted meat and eaten it; And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?" 20 He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

[←136] Paralogism: an unintentionally invalid argument.

[←137]

Romans 1:21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man-- and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.

[←138] Promiscuous: made up of various disparate elements mixed together; with a disorderly composition.

[←139] Fortuitous: having no cause, or no apparent cause (it was luck, chance, or a random outcome).

[←140] Fatally: inevitably.

[←141]

Isaiah 46:8 "Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you transgressors. 9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me; Isaiah 44:19 [of idols] no one considers in his heart, Nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, "I have burned half of it in the fire, Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals; I have roasted meat and eaten it; And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?" 20 He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

[←142] Phrenetic: frenzied or in a fit of madness; excessively agitated; distraught with fear or other violent emotion.

[←143]

"Quid enim potest," says Cicero, "esse tam apertum, tamque perspicuum, cùm coelum suspeximus, coelestiaque contemplati sumus, quàm esse aliquod numen præstantissimæ mentis, quo hæc regantur? … Quod qui dubitet, haud sane intelligo cur non idem, sol sit, an nullus sit, dubitare possit," De Natura Deor. lib. ii. 2. I certainly do not see why the man who doubted this should not also be capable of doubting whether there is, or is not, a sun… We know it as the perception and conviction of our minds; otherwise the belief would not endure with such stability; Nature of the Gods, book ii.2, translated by Francis Brooks.

[←144]

2 Chronicles 20:20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper." Isaiah 7:9 The head of Ephraim is Samaria, And the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son. If you will not believe, Surely you shall not be established." Mark 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

[←145]

Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. 2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Psalms 19:7-9 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. Psalms 147:8-9 Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains. 9 He gives to the beast its food, And to the young ravens that cry. Psalms 147:19-20 He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel. 20 He has not dealt thus with any nation; And as for His judgments, they have not known them. Praise the LORD!

[←146] In the "Divine Original of Sacred Scripture." — Ed.

[←147]

1 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Corinthians 1:26 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness… 26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

[←148] καρδιογνώστης [NT:2589] – heart-knower.

[←149] Acts 15:8 "So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us;

[←150]

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

[←151]

1 Corinthians 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

[←152] 1 Peter 2:2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby;

[←153]

1 Corinthians 14:24-25 But if all prophesy [i.e., speak the word of God], and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.

[←154] Principle: verb – to impress with any tenet or rule of conduct.

[←155]

2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ; Jeremiah 23:29 "Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? Zechariah 1:6 Yet surely My words and My statutes, Which I commanded My servants the prophets, Did they not overtake your fathers? "So they returned and said: ’Just as the LORD of hosts determined to do to us, According to our ways and according to our deeds, So He has dealt with us.

[←156] The finger of God. Exodus 8:19.

[←157]

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them... 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

[←158] Psalms 45:5 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies; The peoples fall under You.

[←159] Dispose: make receptive or willing towards an action or attitude or belief; to make fit or prepared.

[←160]

Schoolmen: Scholasticism is a method of critical thought taught in medieval universities in Europe c. 1100-1700. Practitioners were called "scholastics" or "schoolmen." They included Aquinas, Anselm, Abelard, Scotus, Bernard of Clairvaux, et al.

[←161]

Bonaventure, "As for the objection that matters of belief are above reason, this is true [in the sense that they are] above reason as far as acquired knowledge is concerned, but not above reason elevated through faith, or the gift of science and understanding. For faith elevates us towards assent, while science and understanding elevates us towards understanding those things that we believe in." Commentary on the Sentences of Peter Lombard, Prologue, p. 80. — WHG

[←162]

1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 14:24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.

[←163]

Unqualified foolishness. Acts 17:18 Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, "What does this babbler want to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods," because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.

[←164]

2 Timothy 3:14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

[←165]

John 4:42 Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."

[←166]

Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!" …17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

[←167]

Luke 16:31 "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead."

[←168] That is, if a miracle is required to believe, and there is no miracle, then there is no requirement to believe.

[←169] For example, Esther is traditionally in the Canon, though it never mentions God or prayer. There are books mentioned in the Bible that we do not currently have in our possession, like the Book of Jasher (Joshua 10:13) or Iddo the Seer (2 Chronicles 9:29). It may be that one day we will discover a copy; and if it is Scripture, it too will be self-evident, and proven to be consistent with the rest.

[←170]

Matthew 13:57 So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."

[←171] Acts 2:13 (The Spirit’s effusion at Pentecost) Others mocking said, "They are full of new wine."

[←172] That is, spell-bound, emotionally overcome.

[←173]

Acts 3:7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them-- walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Acts 8:13 Then Simon [the Magician] himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. Acts 8:21 (Peter to Simon)"You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.

[←174] Obloquy: a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone’s words or actions.

[←175] Suffrage: testimony.

[←176] Clement of Alexandria (150-215).

[←177]

Strom. cap. 16, Ἔχομεν γὰρ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς διδασκαλίας τὸν Κύριον, διά τε τῶν προφητῶν, διά τε τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, καὶ διὰ τῶν μακαρίων ἀποστόλων, πολυτρόπως καὶ πολυμερῶς ἐξ ἀρχῆς εἰς τέλος ἡγούμενον τῆς γνώσεως.

[←178]

Τὴν ἀρχὴν δ’ εἴτις ἐτέρου δεῖσθαι ὑπολάβοι, οὐκέτ’ ἄν ὄντως ἀρχὴ φυλαχθείη. Ὁ μὲν οὖν ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ πιστὸς, τῇ κυριακῇ γραφῇ τε καὶ φωνῇ ἀξιόπιστος εἰκότως ἄν διὰ τοῦ Κυρίου πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων εὐεργεσίαν ἐνεργουμένη· ἀμέλει πρὸς τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων εὕρεσιν, αὐτῇ χρώμεθα κριτηρίῳ· τὸ κρινόμενον δὲ πᾶν, ἔτι ἄπιστον πρὶν κριθῆναι· ὥστ’ ὀυδ’ ἀρχὴ τὸ κρίσεως δεμενον.

[←179]

Εἰκότως τοίνυν πίστει περιλαβόντες ἀναπόδεικτον τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐκ περιουσίας, καὶ τὰς ἀποδείξεις παρ’ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀρχῆς περὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς λαβόντες, φωνῇ Κυρίου παιδευόμεθα πρὸς τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τῆς ἀληθείας.

[←180]

Οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς ἀποφαινομένοις ἀνθρώποις προσέχοιμεν, οἷς καὶ ἀνταποφαίνεσθαι ἐπ’ ἴσης ἔξεστιν. Εἰ δ’ οὐκ ἀρκεῖ μόνον ἁπλῶς εἰπεῖν τὸ δόξαν, ἀλλὰ πιστώσασθαι δεῖ τὸ λεχθὲν, οὐ τὴν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀναμένομεν μαρτυρίαν, ἀλλὰ τῇ τοῦ Κυρίου φωνῇ πιστούμεθα τὸ ζητούμενον. Ἣ πασῶν ἀποδείξεων ἐχεγγυωτέρα, μᾶλλον δ’, ἥ μόνη ἀπόδειξις οὖσα τυγχάνει. Οὕτως οῦν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀπ’ αὐτῶν περὶ αὐτῶν τῶν γραφῶν τελείως ἀποδεικνύντες, ἐκ πίστεως τειθόμεθα ἀποδεικτικῶ.

[←181] Basil of Caesarea (330-379), also Basil the Great; brothers: Gregory of Nyssa, Macrina the Younger, and Theosebia.

[←182]

Πίστις, ἡ ὑπὲρ τὰς λογικὰς μεθόδους τὴν ψυχὴν εἰς συγκατάθεσιν ἕλκουσα. Πίστις, οὐκ ἡ γεωμετρικαῖς ἀνάγκαις, ἀλλ’ ἡ ταῖς τοῦ πνεύματος ἐνεργείαις ἐγγινομένη.

[←183]

Nemesius of Emesa (4th century); authored “On the Nature of Man,” the first compendium of Christian anthropology.

[←184]

Ἡ τῶν θείων λογίων διδασκαλία, τὸ πιστὸν ἀφ’ ἑαυτῆς ἔχουσα διὰ τὸ θεόπνευστον εἶναι·.

[←185] Augustine, Confessions, lib. xi. cap. 3.

[←186] That is, the Second Council of Orange, 529 A.D.

[←187]

CANON 7. If anyone affirms that we can form any right opinion or make any right choice which relates to the salvation of eternal life, as is expedient for us, or that we can be saved, that is, assent to the preaching of the gospel through our natural powers without the illumination and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who makes all men gladly assent to and believe in the truth, he is led astray by a heretical spirit, and does not understand the voice of God who says in the Gospel, “For apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5), and the word of the Apostle, “Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5).

[←188] Also known as Johannes Baptista Spagnolo (1447-1516); an Italian Carmelite reformer.

[←189]

De Patient., lib. iii. cap. 2. “Sæpe mecum cogitavi unde tam suadibilis sit ipsa Scriptura, unde tam potenter influat in animos auditorum, unde tantum habeat energiæ, ut non ad opinandum tantum, sed ad olide credendum omnes inflectat? Non est hoc imputandum rationum evidentiæ, quas non adducit; non artis industriæ aut verbis suavibus ad persuadendum accommodatis, quibus non utitur. Sed vide an id in causa sit, quod persuasi sumus eam a prima veritate fluxisse? Sed unde sumus ita persuasi nisi ab ipsa? quasi ad ei credendum nos sui ipsius contrahat authoritas. Sed unde oro hanc anthoritatem sibi vendicavit? Neque enim vidimus nos Deum concionantem, scribentem, docentem; tamen, ac si vidissemus, credimus et tenemus a Spiritu Sancto fluxisse quæ legimus. Forsan fuerit hæc ratio firmiter adhærendi, quod in ea veritas sit solidior, quamvis non clarior; habet enim omnis veritas vim inclinativam, et major majorem, et maxima maximam. Sed cur ergo non omnes credunt evangelio? Respond. Quod non omnes trahuntur a Deo. Sed longa opus est disputatione? Firmiter sacris Scripturis ideo credimus quod divinam inspirationem intus accepimus;”

[←190]

Thomas Stapleton (1535–1598) – English Catholic theologian who helped found the English College in Douay, France, 1561. On the accession of Elizabeth I (1558), he left England, rather than conform to Protestantism. Later returning to England, he was summoned by the Anglican bishop (1563) to repudiate the pope’s authority. Stapleton refused.

[←191]

De Principiis Fidei, controver. 4, lib. viii. cap. 1 "impossibile esse sine speciali gratia, ac done fidei divinitùs infuso, actum veræ fidei producere, aut ex veri nominis fide credere."

[←192] Robert Bellarmine (1542–1621) Jesuit and Roman Catholic Cardinal; an important figure in the Counter-Reformation.

[←193]

De Grat. et Lib. Arbit., lib. 6 cap. 3 “Argumenta quæ articulos fidei nostræ credibiles faciunt non talia sunt ut fidem omnino indubitatam reddant, nisi mens divinitùs adjuvetur.”

[←194] Or Melchor Cano – Spanish Dominican bishop and Scholastic theologian (1509-1560).

[←195]

Loc. Theol., lib. ii. cap. 8, “Id statuendum est, authoritatem humanam et incitamenta omnia illa prædicta, sive alia quæcunque adhibita ab eo qui proponit fidem, non esse sufficientes causas ad credendum ut credere tenemur; sed præterea opus esse interiori causa efficiente, id est, Dei speciali auxilio moventis ad credendum;”

[←196]

“Externæ igitur omnes et humanæ persuasiones non sunt satis ad credendum, quantumcunque ab hominibus competenter ea quæ sunt fidei proponantur; sed necessaria est insuper causa interior, hoc est, divinum quoddam lumen, incitans ad credendum, et oculi quidam interiores Dei beneficio ad videndum dati;”

[←197]

“Arcanum divini Spiritus testimonium prorsus necessarium est, ut quis ecclesiæ testimonio ac judicio circa Scripturarum approbationem credat.”

[←198] Gregory de Valentia (1550-1603) – Professor of the University of Ingolstadt (Spain).

[←199] Institut. lib. i, cap. 7, sect. 5, cited at the end of Book VI, chap. 4. (page 68).

[←200]

Tom. iii. in Thom., disp. 7, qu. 1, punc. 4, sect. 2. “Cum hactenus ejusmodi argumenta pro authoritate Christianæ doctrinæ fecerimus, quæ per seipsa satis prudentibns esse debeant, ut animum inducant velle credere; tamen nescio an non sit argumentum iis omnibus majus, quod qui vere Christiani sunt, ita se animo affectos esse, quod ad fidem attinet, sentiunt, ut præcipue quidem propter nullum argumentum, quod vel hactenus fecimus vel ratione similiter excogitari possit, sed propter aliud nescio quid, quod alio quodam modo et longe fortius quam ulla argumenta persuadet, ut ad firmiter credendum [trahi] se intelligant,”

[←201]

“Deus ipse imprimis est, qui, Christianam doctrinam atque adeo Scripturam sacram veram esse, voce revelationis suæ et interno quodam instinctu et impulsu, humanis mentibus contestatur;”

[←202] Charge: that is, with wrongdoing or misbehavior; to attack.

[←203] Prolix: Tediously prolonged, wordy.

[←204] Namely, the eternal state. Perfect knowledge is not necessary or possible in the preceding state of grace.

[←205] In 1679, Dr. Owen published a small treatise answering this description, under the title of "The Church of Rome no Safe Guide." It forms a part of his controversial writings. See vol. xiv. — Ed.

[←206]

[←207] malæ fidei possesoribus.

[←208]

Matthew 23:4 "For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

[←209]

1 Peter 1:10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.

[←210]

Psalms 119:33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end. 34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

[←211] נִפְלָאוֹת pala’ [OT:06381].

[←212] פִּלְאֶךָ pele’ [OT:06382] – wonders.

[←213]

1Ti 6:20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed (parakatatheke) to your trust; also 2Ti 1:14, "the good deposit."

[←214]

There are some things in Scripture that are not so clear as others, and some which will remain mysteries. But whatever is necessary for faith and obedience is made sufficiently clear by the Spirit, to all believers. 2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue…

[←215] 2Co 4:4; 2Ti 1:10.

[←216]

(paniym lowt, OT:06440, 03875) הַלֹּוט הַלֹּוט.

[←217]

(maccekah nacak, OT:04541, 05259) וְהַמּסֵּכָה הַנְּסוּכָה.

[←218]

Romans 16:25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began; 2Co 12:1 It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: 2Co 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Galatians 1:12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. Galatians 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain.

[←219]

Luke 2:32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel." Ephesians 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints;

[←220] As indicated in 2Pe 3:16.

[←221] Shift: a start or arrangement that enables further progress (Middle English).

[←222] Canting: empty, hypocritical talk.

[←223]

Ephesians 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-- 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

[←224] That is, the state of Adam prior to the fall.

[←225]

See his Treatise on the Holy Spirit, book iii. chap iii. vol. iii. of his works. — Ed. (which is in Part I of Pneumatologia)

[←226]

Luke 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

[←227] ruwach OT:07306; this is not ru’ach (OT:07307, spirit) – figuratively, it means to accept what can be sensed, but not touched.

[←228]

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

[←229]

1Co 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1Co 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness;

[←230] Either our natural capacity, or perhaps our position in the church (our authority as a cleric, theologian, etc.).

[←231]

Ostensibly Philip is giving the interpretation; but Philip was "taught of God." Even so, without God’s Spirit enabling the Eunuch, whatever Philip might have shared with him, could not have been understood. "Unless one is born again…",John 3:3;John 8:43.

[←232] The end of verse 27 is normally rendered, "and you will abide in Him." (the Greek is the reflexive autos).

[←233]

Hebrews 1:9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions." 2 Corinthians 1:21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

[←234]

Episcopius in loc., after Socinus on the same passage. Simon Episcopius (1583–1643) Dutch theologian and Remonstrant who played a significant role at the Synod of Dort in 1618. Faustus Socinus (1539-1604) Italian theologian whose anti-Trinitarian theology led to the development of Unitarianism.

[←235] de Spir. Sanc. lib. ii. – Didymus the Blind (c. 313–398) — a Christian theologian in the Coptic Church of Alexandria.

[←236]

Hebrews 6:1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

[←237] Douay-Rheims translation of 1 John 2:27.

[←238] 1 John 2:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.

[←239]

Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. NKJ 2 Peter 1:19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place;

[←240]

1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

[←241]

Ephesians 4:14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting; Colossians 2:2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ;

[←242] That is, it is hearsay evidence – it is not conviction of the truth itself. And so their faith is not placed directly in God’s truth about Christ, or in Christ himself, but in the church. The Roman Church thus interposes itself between believers and God, as the means of their salvation, because it has made itself the means of their faith. – WHG

[←243] Some things are true a priori, without evidence. Descartes (1596-1650): "I think, therefore I am."

[←244] That is, external senses that are not deceived. Owen is excluding illusions and delusions here.

[←245]

Php 1:9 This I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment; Hebrews 5:14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

[←246] διδακτοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ.

[←247] θεοδίδακτοι Theo-didaktoi – God-taught.

[←248]

αὐτοδίδακτος auto-didaktos – self-taught.

[←249]

Ephesians 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ;

[←250] Suffrage: testimony.

[←251]

1 Corinthians 8:1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.

[←252]

Php 1:9; Luke 1:4; Colossians 1:6; Colossians 1:9-10; Colossians 2:2; Colossians 3:10; Romans 10:2; Ephesians 1:17; Ephesians 4:13; 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Timothy 2:25; 2 Timothy 3:7; Titus 1:1; 2 Peter 1:2-3; 2 Peter 1:8; 2 Peter 2:20.

[←253]

πάντα πλοῦτον τῆς πληροφοφίας τῆς συνέσεως εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ.

[←254]

γνῶσις ψευδώνυμος. 1 Timothy 6:20

[←255]

John 16:13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 "All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. 1 John 2:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 1 John 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

[←256] Originally, "perfect enthusiasms."

[←257]

Acts 26:17 ’I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 ’to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

[←258]

1 Corinthians 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

[←259]

Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27; Ephesians 1:18; Ephesians 2:3; Ephesians 4:18; Colossians 1:21; Hebrews 8:10; 1 Peter 1:13; 2 Peter 3:1.

[←260] The phrase "what lies in him" means "to the extent he is able to do it." Or, "God will do what He can," as though He has limitations, and cannot effect His will in the world. Owen condemns this view of God.

[←261] Collate: to confer or bestow on someone.

[←262] This is Owen’s denunciation of Arminianism, in which Christ’s sacrifice only made men salvable, but actually saved no one, even though he intended to save all. He did what he could to save us, "what lies in him," but the outcome is left in our hands.

[←263]

θεοπνευστία – 2 Timothy 3:16, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God (Theopneustos).

[←264]

[←265]

1 John 2:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 1 John 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

[←266]

Hebrews 1:9 Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions." Isaiah 61:1 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

[←267] Acts 16:14 The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.

[←268]

νωθροὶ ταῖς ἀκοαῖς – noothroi tais akoais.

[←269]

Today, we might use the example of a black light (UV rays), whose lighted objects can’t be seen without special lenses.

[←270] Wrest: To twist, pervert, distort.

[←271]

. 2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

[←272]

Daniel 12:10 "Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. Hosea 14:9 Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right; The righteous walk in them, But transgressors stumble in them. Psalms 107:43 Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

[←273]

Colossians 1:9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him; Colossians 3:10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him;

[←274] That is, without this wisdom imparted by the Spirit of God, we cannot have its effect, which is knowledge of God.

[←275] "Audax omnia perpeti Gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas." Horat. Od. lib. i. 3, 25.

[←276] See vol iii. of the author’s works. — Ed. – see Pneumatolgia, Part I.

[←277] See vol. vii. of his works. — Ed. "The Nature of Apostasy," an exposition on Hebrews 6:4-6.

[←278] John 1:5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

[←279]

θελήματα τῶν διανοιῶν.

[←280]

Luke 12:1 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

[←281] Niceties: subtle differences in meaning, opinion or attitude.

[←282]

John 5:44 "How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? John 12:43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

[←283] Pertinacious: stubbornly persisting, refusing to give up.

[←284] The expression “to set people together by the ears” means to involve them in a quarrel; set them at variance with each other.

[←285]

Joshua 1:8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Psalms 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. Proverbs 2:2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; 3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, 4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; John 5:39 "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 1 Peter 1:10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven-- things which angels desire to look into.

[←286]

Application: here, the act of appealing; e.g., in "applying" for a job, an appeal is made listing the benefits the applicant offers.

[←287]

2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 1 John 3:3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

[←288]

1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Titus 3:3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit; Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Ephesians 4:20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

[←289]

Enthusiast means a religious zealot – here it means someone filled more with emotional fervor than biblical truth.

[←290] Comply with: to be ceremoniously courteous to someone (to avoid offense); placate.

[←291]

[←292] The second part is on page 192.

[←293]

Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, etc. 2 Timothy 3:14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

[←294]

1 Corinthians 3:7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

[←295]

Ephesians 4:8 Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men." … 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ;

[←296]

2 Corinthians 5:18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

[←297]

Job 11:7.

[←298]

There seems a general agreement among modern critics that this expression of the apostle is not susceptible of the meaning which is here attached to it. It does not refer to any rule according to which we are to try a doctrine by its harmony with the system of divine truth as a whole (although the rule itself is sound and valuable); but the passage simply means that a man is to preach or prophesy "according to the measure of his faith," — the μέπρον πίστεως of which the apostle had been speaking in verse 3. — Ed.

[←299] Other advantages: dictionary, concordance, atlas, Bible dictionary, Bible handbook, etc. – WHG

[←300] That is, simply reading the Bible should be part of both private and family devotions.

[←301]

[←302]

Ephesians 1:16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power; Ephesians 3:15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-- 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

[←303] Disquisition: an elaborate analytical or explanatory essay or discussion.

[←304]

Romans 6:17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

[←305] The treatise to which Dr. Owen alludes was subsequently published, and appears in this volume of his works, Book VII. — Ed.

[←306] Proverbs 28:5 Evil men do not understand justice, But those who seek the LORD understand all.

[←307] Evert: Turn inside out.

[←308] The second place is on page 219.

[←309]

Psalms 147:19 He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel. 20 He has not dealt thus with any nation; And as for His judgments, they have not known them. Praise the LORD!

[←310]

2Kng 18:26 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; and do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people who are on the wall."

[←311]

Jeremiah 10:11 Thus you shall say to them: "The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens."

[←312] Owen is speaking of the Roman Catholic Church insisting that the Scriptures be kept in Latin, which is a dead language.

[←313]

1 Timothy 6:20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust; 2 Timothy 1:14 That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

[←314]

These statements are founded on those views respecting the functions and tendency of biblical criticism in which, by universal admission, Owen, in common with most theologians of his age, altogether erred. We need not consider his opinions on the subject under the incidental reference to them above. He refers to his writings in controversy with Brian Walton; for which see vol. xvi. of his works. His argument proceeds on the supposition that, by a continuous miracle, extending over ages, every point and letter of Scripture have been indubitably preserved as they came from the inspired penmen. But it is a necessary condition of the argument, that what he alleges or assumes, respecting the miraculous preservation of all the letters and words of Scripture, should be true. If it is not true, and if there really is higher evidence for the unique claims of the Word in the fact that, with the common liabilities of all manuscripts to corruption, it exists in such accuracy and perfection, greater reverence is shown to it in critical efforts to weed out all remaining errata by the collation of manuscripts, than by slothful acquiescence in the text, without any attempt to ascertain on what authority it must be received as the actual text of inspiration. — Ed. See The Preservation of God’s Word, p. 232. When Goold wrote this comment (1853), Westcott-Hort had yet to begin their quest for a definitive collection of manuscripts, known as the "Critical Text" (1881), distinct from the textual criticism which Goold describes and rightly defends here. – WHG

[←315]

"Interpretis officium est, non quid ipse velit, sed quid sentiat ille quem interpretatur, exponere," Hieron. Apol. adv. Rufin. "The duty of the translator is not to say what he wants, but to explain the sense of what he translates." This quote is not in the "Apology Against Rufinus." But elsewhere in it, Jerome says that the function of a commentary, "is to interpret another man’s words, to put into plain language what he has expressed obscurely." Bk I, sec. 16. – WHG

[←316] Cognation: a line of descent; a derivative correlation.

[←317]

Titus 3:10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition; — the gloss is, "a heretical man… is to be killed." Devitare in Latin ("avoid" or "reject") was taken by Dr. John Colet (1467-1519) to mean the same as de vita tolle, "to kill, or take away life."

[←318]

Ordinal – the preceding or source language. Tyndale (Obedience of a Christian Man) complained that the Roman Catholics demanded all modern translations be made from Jerome’s Latin Vulgate – which was itself a translation from the Greek and Hebrew. Tyndale argued for doing a fresh translation from the original languages, as being easier and more accurate. – WHG

[←319] Signal: notable, or out of the ordinary; exceptional.

[←320] Originally, "humour" – a primary motivation or desire.

[←321] Ostentation: a tasteless outward display.

[←322] Imprecation: the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil.

[←323] Farced: stuffed, as with a turkey.

[←324] That is, they "go after" the underlying source text, altering it – rather than merely translating it. – WHG

[←325] Sally: a venture off the beaten path.

[←326] Chimera: a grotesque product of the imagination.

[←327] Supernumerary: more than is needed, desired, or required.

[←328] Ratiocination: Logical and methodical reasoning.

[←329]

Willow measure – a hand-made ruler created by carving notches in a stick; the increments are unique to that stick. – WHG

[←330] That is, which such persons are familiar with.

[←331]

Psalms 12:6 "The words of the LORD are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times. 7 You shall keep them, O LORD, You shall preserve them from this generation forever." – though this is variously translated. – WHG

[←332] Disquisition: an elaborate analytical or explanatory essay or discussion.

[←333] Traduction: something that is passed on or transmitted, generally to another generation; a "hand me down."

[←334]

Breviary: A Catholic book of prayers to be recited daily by certain priests and members of religious orders. Missal: a book containing all the prayers and responses needed to celebrate Mass throughout the year. In 1549, Thomas Cranmer had written a similar collection of formal prayers and readings for Protestants, called the Book of Common Prayer (in Latin). Its contents were revised according to the sway of the times, whether Protestant or Catholic. Those who argued for keeping the purity of reformation doctrine in it, were called Puritans. The Book was redone in 1662 under the Act of Uniformity. It imposed Catholic doctrines and practices on the Church of England. Two thousand Puritan pastors who refused to use it, were ejected from their pulpits (The Great Ejection). This was a relatively recent event for Owen, and it may color some of his observations here. – WHG

[←335]

Own: to admit or acknowledge. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

[←336] That is, the head of the household; by analogy, it may also apply to business owners in caring for their employees. – WHG

[←337] Inveigle: to influence or urge by subtle persuasion.

[←338]

Jewish scholars identifed two Messiahs: the suffering Messiah - Messiah ben Joseph – and the victorious Messiah – Messiah ben David. The military figure that rises up with the gentile nations to kill Messiah ben Joseph is called Armilus (also Armaglus or Armalgus). He is eventually vanquished by Messiah ben David. http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/10729-messiah

[←339]

Constantine called the Council of Nicea in 325 to establish church orthodoxy, in part. And he moved the seat of the Roman Empire to Constantinople in 330. The following is an online Catholic explanation of the development of the Mass, that you may compare with Owen’s:

"Until the fourth century, no liturgical books were used during Mass except for the Bible from which the lessons were read. The Mass contained two distinct parts. The first was a Christianized synagogue service of prayers, readings, and a sermon. At the end of this "Liturgy of the Word," the catechumens, those who were not baptized, had to leave; hence the name "Mass of the Catechumens." Then followed the second part, the Christian Mystery, the Eucharist. This was an extempore celebration by the bishop; but from apostolic times it had already acquired fixed forms. When St. Paul recounts the Words of Institution [1 Corinthians 11:24-25], he is citing an already established Eucharistic formula. The faithful participated in the Eucharist with appropriate hymns and responses, something they could not have done without fixed forms. A new bishop would be expected to pray with the same prayers used by his predecessor, because that was the way things were done. The constant movement of Christians among the different Churches ensured a fairly uniform general pattern. This pattern still forms the basis of all the ancient rites. This is made clear in a description of the liturgy in the celebrated Apologia (explanation or justification) of St. Justin Martyr (d. about 164). All the elements of the traditional Roman Mass can easily be discerned in his account. Once the practice of writing down the liturgy had become established in the fourth century, the more or less uniform pattern previously used, crystallized into four parent rites from which all others are derived. Three of the four parent rites derive from the three ancient patriarchates of Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch, which were recognized by the Council of Nicea (325)." http://www.catholicapologetics.info/modernproblems/newmass/develop.htm

[←340] Adventitious: associated by chance and not an integral part.

[←341] Rubric: directions for the conduct of church services.

[←342] Cautels: cautions respecting the mass.

[←343]

Eleusis: Grecian city 11 NW of Athens. From as early as 600 BC up to the 4th century AD, Eleusis was the site of the Eleusinian Mysteries, or the Mysteries of Demeter and Kore. These Mysteries revolved around a belief that there was a hope for life after death for those who were initiated. – WHG

[←344] See this volume of the author’s works, p. 420. — Ed. (Book IX).

[←345] Mulct: imposition of a penalty.

[←346] Fagot: a bundle of kindling; this refers to burning at the stake.

[←347] Abaddon: hell; the bottomless pit; also the destroyer or angel of that pit.

[←348]

Matthew 25:15-16 "And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; ... 16 "Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

[←349]

Mental prayer: See chapter X. Prayer is merged into spiritual contemplation, without any succession and utterance of thought. Today, it is found in practices such as lectio divina, or centering prayer. The mind is "opened" to whatever thoughts may arise after reading a passage of Scripture, praying according to those thoughts, and then acting on them. – WHG

[←350]

Hugh Paulin de Cressey (ca. 1605-1674) was a noted controversialist in defense of Popery; and among other productions devoted to this object, he wrote two treatises in reply to Stillingfleet. The work to which Owen alludes is entitled "Church History of Britain; or, England from the Beginning of Christianity to the Norman Conquest," and was published in it. — Ed.

[←351] Contumely: a rude expression intended to offend or hurt.

[←352] Enervate: weaken.

[←353]

Luke 21:36 "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." 1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray without ceasing;

[←354] Communicate: have communion with each other.

[←355] Scurrility: foul-mouthed or obscene abuse.

[←356] Suffrage: testimony.

[←357]

Proverbs 1:23 Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out [naba ’] my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. Isaiah 32:15 Until the Spirit is poured [’arah] upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is counted as a forest. Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour [yatsaq] water on him who is thirsty, And floods [nazal] on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring; Isaiah 52:15 So shall He sprinkle [nazah] many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider.

[←358]

ἐξέχεεν πλουσίως ekcheen plousios (NT:1632,4146)

[←359] John 19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

[←360]

Didymus gives us a brief account of the whole of these observations, De Spir. Sanc. i. 1: "Significat autem effusionis verbum, largam, et divitem muneris abundantiam; itaque cum unus quis alicubi, aut duo Spiritum Sanctum accipiunt, non dicitur, ’Effundam de Spiritu meo,’ sed tunc, quando in universas gentes munus Spiritus Sancti redundaverit."

[←361]

John 3:34 For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God: for God does not give the Spirit by measure to him. Colossians 2:9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

[←362] That is, deserving or merit.

[←363]

Titus 3:4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

[←364] Virgil declares this custom in his Æneas, addressing himself to Evander: —

“Optime Grajugenûm, cui me fortuna precari Et vittâ comptos voluit prætendere ramos.” Virg. Æn. viii. 127.

[←365]

Synecdoche: substituting a more inclusive term for a less inclusive one, or vice versa. ("All hands on deck!")

[←366] James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

[←367]

Amyrald. Præfat. in Psal. Moses Amyraut (1596-1664), propounder of Amyraldianism (4-point Calvinism with universal atonement). The work referred to is his "Paraphrase on the New Testament and Psalms" (1645).

[←368]

2 Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people." 17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." 18 "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty." 2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

[←369]

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." 6 So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

[←370] That is, Amyraut.

[←371]

Scion: a shoot or sprout that is cut for grafting. Romans 11:17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree…

[←372]

1 Peter 1:12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven-- things which angels desire to look into.

[←373] Mean: lowly or beggarly – impoverished or lacking social status, education, and "refinement."

[←374]

Acts 2:33 "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. Acts 5:32 "And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him."

[←375]

Colossians 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell; Colossians 2:19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. Ephesians 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

[←376] Πνεῦμα δυνάμεως – Pneuma dunameis.

[←377]

Ephesians 5:11.

[←378] ὁ Πατήρ [NT:3962]

[←379]

העבדים וחשפחות אין קורין אותם לא אבא פלוני ולא אמא פלונית.

[←380]

רוּחַ נְדִּיבָה [OT:05081,07307]

[←381] Being frank and straightforward, open. Yet nadiyb in Psalms 51:12 is variously translated generous, willing, or free.

[←382] אָבִי [OT:0001]

[←383] Paraphrast: someone who paraphrases.

[←384] אַבָּא

[←385]

Βουλόμενος δεῖξαι γνησιότηατ, καὶ τῇ τῶν Ἑβραίων ἐχρήσατο γλώσσῃ· οὐ γὰρ εἶπε μόνον ὁ πατὴρ ἀλλ’ ἀββᾶ ὁ πατὴρ, ὅπερ τῶν παίδων μάλιστά ἐστι τῶν γνησίων πρὸς πατέρα ῥῆμα.

[←386] χράζον [NT:2896]

[←387]

φωνῇ μεγάλῃ [NT:5456,3173] phone megale. Matthew 27:50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

[←388]

It is because Christ is the Son of God, and because we are adopted "in Christ," that God is our Father, in Christ. – WHG

[←389] Glib: Artfully persuasive in speech.

[←390]

Ephesians 6:18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints;

[←391]

Hosea 7:14 They did not cry out to Me with their heart When they wailed [howled] upon their beds. "They assemble together for grain and new wine, They rebel against Me;

[←392]

[←393]

Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight. Luke 16:15 And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

[←394]

1Th 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[←395]

2Co 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

[←396] That is, be reduced in scope while retaining essential elements – these will encompass the essence of other instances.

[←397] Meretricious: showy or pretentious.

[←398]

1Co 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

[←399] Original wording, "Men without them may say on to the world’s end…"

[←400]

"Omnino oportet nos orationis tempore curiam intrare coelestem, illam utique curiam, in qua rex regum stellato sedet solio, circumdante innumerabili et ineffabili beatorum spirituum exercitu … Quanta ergo cum reverentia, quanto timore, quanta illuc humilitate accedere debet, à palude sua procedens et repens ranuncula vilis? Quam tremebundus, quam supplex, quam denique humilis et sollicitus, et toto intentus animo majestati gloriæ, in præsentia angelorum, in concilio justorum et congregatione assistere poterit miser homuncio?" — Bernard. Serm. de quatuor orandi modis.

[←401] That is, they are given the words to speak.

[←402] For example, Directory of Devotional Prayers, Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy, or Directory for Public Worship.

[←403] Subjoin: tack on, append.

[←404] Psalms 18:23 I was also blameless before Him, And I kept myself from my iniquity.

[←405] This is well explained by Origen on this verse: "Velut si magister suscipiens ad rudimenta discipulum, et ignorantem penitus literas, ut eum docere possit et instituere, necesse habet inclinare se ad discipuli rudimenta, et ipse prius dicere nomen literæ, ut respondendo discipulus discat, et sit quodammodo magister incipienti discipulo similis, ea loquens et ea meditans, quæ incipiens loqui debeat ac meditari; ita et Sanctus Spiritus, ubi oppugnationibus carnis perturbari nostrum spiritum viderit, et nescientem quid orare debeat secundum quod oportet, ipse velut magister orationem præmittit, quam noster spiritus (si tamen discipulus esse Sancti Spiritus desiderat) prosequatur, ipse gemitus offert quibus noster spiritus discat ingemiscere, ut repropitiet sibi Deum." Damascen speaks to the same purpose, lib. iv. chap. 3; and Austin in various places, collected by Beda, in his comment on this.

[←406]

Zechariah 12:10 "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

[←407]

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

[←408]

ὑπερεντυγχάνει [NT:5241] huperentugchanei – interceding or pleading for someone.

[←409]

συναντιλαμβάνεται [NT:4878] sunantilambanetai – to lay hold along with, strive to obtain with others.

[←410] בָּשׂרַ [OT:01319 basar] – to bear news, publish.

[←411]

1 Samuel 4:17 So the messenger answered and said, "Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; and the ark of God has been captured."

[←412] הַמְבַשּׂרֵ.

[←413]

στεναγμοῖς ἀλαλήτοις [NT:4726,215] stenagmois alaletois.

[←414] See note at page 59.

[←415]

Owen distinguishes what the Spirit does in us, from what Christ does for us at the right hand of God. Romans 8:34 It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

[←416]

Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs-- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

[←417]

Romans 8:23 Not only that, but we also who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

[←418]

Romans 8:34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

[←419]

ἐντυγχάνειν [NT:1793] entugchanein – to entreat or plead.

[←420]

ὑπερεντυγχάνει [NT:5241] huper-entugchanein – to intercede or plead for someone; the prefix huper indicates above in degree.

[←421] Uncouth: strange, foreign, or clumsy (unskilled).

[←422] ἀσθένεια [NT:769] – weakness.

[←423]

συναντιλαμβάνεται ταῖς ἀσθενείαις ἡμῶν, sunantilambanetai tais astheneiais hemoon.

[←424] Owen gave the Greek, ἀπροσδιόνυσα, aprosdionusa.

[←425] Pervious: Admitting passage or entrance (antonym impervious).

[←426]

Daniel 7:9 "I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire; 10 A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened.

[←427]

Isaiah 33:14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: "Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" Micah 6:6 With what shall I come before the LORD, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Revelation 6:16 and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 "For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"

[←428]

Colossians 2:1 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ;

[←429]

Isaiah 27:4 Fury is not in Me. Who would set briers and thorns Against Me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together. 5 Or let him take hold of My strength, That he may make peace with Me; And he shall make peace with Me."

[←430] Matthew 6:9 "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name."

[←431] Παῤῥησία [NT:3954] parresia – confidence, freedom of speech.

[←432]

Owen compares parresia, confident speech, with πανρησία, pan-resia, breadth or openness of speech.

[←433]

Ephesians 6:19 that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,

[←434] Inference from Jeremiah 44:26; excerpts from Isaiah 1:11; Isaiah 1:15.

[←435]

John 14:13 "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. John 16:26-27 "In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 "for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.

[←436]

ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ, en panti kairoo – in every season or time.

[←437]

διὰ πάσης προσευχῆς καὶ δεήσεως, and ἐν πάσῃ προσευχῇ καὶ δεήσει.

[←438]

εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἀγρυπνοῦντες.

[←439]

Owen does not fully address corporate prayer here. If a congregation prays together, as a whole, it must have a set form of prayer, or it will sound lke the cacophony prohibited in 1 Corinthians 14:23. That seems to be the instance Owen does not consider unlawful. Yet even if someone prays on behalf of the congregation (1 Corinthians 14:16), it may be insincere or inappropriate for particular persons in the congregation to say "Amen" to it, because of their current spiritual condition. That is the point he is making here. For them, it might not be praying "in the Spirit,"as their own supplication. Though he doesn’t mention it, it could be prayed as an intercessory prayer on behalf of others in the congregation. Owen will address the use of Psalms as written prayers, on page 349. – WHG

[←440]

Romans 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. 2 Timothy 1:6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

[←441] Originally, "flags or bladders."

[←442] Better to come as a pauper, giving what you have, than to give from another’s purse. – WHG

[←443] This does not exclude silent prayer from being biblical, but it must be articulated in words, not vague thoughts. 1 Samuel 1:13 "Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk." Owen addresses Hannah’s prayer on page 311. This vocal requirement may be tied to chapter X, where Owen opposes "mental prayer." – WHG

[←444] Cavilling: raising trivial objections to something; quibbling.

[←445] Quaint: while it can mean old-fashioned, it can also mean out of place or incongruous.

[←446] In Maimonides’ enumeration, there are 613 commandments; 248 positive commandments to perform an act (mitzvot aseh), and 365 negative commandments, to abstain from an act (mitzvot lo taaseh). The positive number is ascribed to the number of bones and main organs in the human body (Babylonian Talmud, Makkot 23b-24a).

[←447] Scion: a shoot or sprout of a plant cut for grafting (Romans 11:17).

[←448] Inoculate: to insert a bud for propagation.

[←449]

Ephesians 6:19 that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel;

[←450]

1 Corinthians 1:5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge; 2 Corinthians 8:7 But as you abound in everything-- in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us-- see that you abound in this grace also. Ephesians 6:19 that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel; Colossians 4:3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ;

[←451] Vocation: our calling.

[←452]

John 13:14-17 "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 "Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

[←453]

Τίς οὐκ ἂν ἐκπλαγείη καὶ θαυμάσειε τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν, ἣν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐπιδείκνυται, τοσαύτην τιμὴν ἀνθρώποις χαριζομενος, ὡς καὶ προσευχῆς ἀξιῶσαι καὶ ὁμιλίας τῆς νεοφύτου! Θεῷ γὰρ ἀληθῶς λαλοῦμεν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς προσευχῆς. — Chrys. Hom. lxvii. de Prec. 1.

[←454] Improve: use or employ to good purpose; turn to a profitable account.

[←455] אִשיִּם (plural, "the firings").

[←456]

Ὥσπερ τῷ σώματι φῶς ἥλιος, οὕτω ψυχῇ προσευχή· εἰ οὖν τυφλῷ ζημία τὸ μὴ ὁρᾷν τὸν ἥλιον, ποία ζημία Χριστιανῷ τὸ μὴ προσεύχεσθαι συνεχῶς καὶ διὰ τῆς προσευχῆς τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ φῶς εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν εἰσάγειν; — Chrys. Hom. lxvii. de Prec.

[←457] The Roman Catholic practice of "Sanctus Bells," which are rung as part of the celebration of the Mass. Missal ch.4, par 150.

[←458] Psalms 16:7 I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.

[←459]

Psalms 19:12 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Psalms 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

[←460]

Php 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

[←461] That is, the words will become an incantation, no longer affecting either the mind or the heart in a transformative way. – WHG

[←462]

Psalms 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

[←463]

[←464] 1 Chronicles 16:8; Psalms 80:18; Psalms 99:6; Psalms 105:1; Psalms 116:13; Romans 10:13.

[←465] Exodus 20:4; John 4:24 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

[←466]

Leviticus 10:3 And Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD spoke, saying: ’By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.’" So Aaron held his peace. Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

[←467]

Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

[←468] Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.

[←469]

Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

[←470]

1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

[←471] Originally, desuetude: a state of inactivity or disuse.

[←472] Enormity: an act of extreme wickedness.

[←473]

Psalms 22:1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? Hebrews 5:7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear;

[←474]

James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

[←475]

Plotinus, Ennead. 6, lib. 9, cap. 10; Οὐ γάρ τι ἐκινεῖτο παρ’ αὐτῷ, οὐ θυμὸς, οὐκ ἐπιθυμία ἄλλου παρῆν αὐτῷ, ἀναβεβηκότι· ἀλλ’ οὐ δὲ λόγος, οὐ δέ τις νὸησις· οὐ δ’ ὅλως αὐτὸς, εἰ δεῖ καὶ τοῦτο λέγειν· ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ ἁρπασθεὶς ἢ ἐνθουσιάσας ἡσυχῆ ἐν ἐρήμῳ καταστάσει γεγένηται ἀτρεμεῖ, τῇ αὐτοῦ οὐσίᾳ οὐδαμοῦ ἀποκλίνων, οὐδὲ περὶ αὐτὸν στρεφόμενος, ἑστὼς πάντη καὶ οἷον στάσις γενὸμενος.·– The Six Enneads by Plotinus (204-270) neo-Platonist philosopher; written 250 A.D.

[←476] "How rare the time, and how brief the stay." Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153).

[←477] His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.

[←478]

μετὰ κραυγῆς ἰσχυρᾶς [NT:3326,2906,2478] – meta krauges ischuros.

[←479] Artificial slight and facility (facile): Artfully speaking, but lacking in substance or significance.

[←480]

"Interdum voce nos ipsos ad devotionem et acrius incitamus," August. Epist. cxxi. ad Probam. "Sometimes the sound of our own voice incites devotion and sharpness."

[←481]

1 Corinthians 14:11 Therefore if I do not know the meaning of the voice, I shall be a barbarian to him that speaks, and he that speaks shall be a barbarian to me.

[←482]

"Fundus animæ meæ tangit fundum essentiæ Dei." Such mystical non-sense continues today. Paul Tillich, for example, said that God is not the ground of all being (Hindu), but the ground of Being itself, as if that were any clearer. “God does not exist. He is being-itself beyond essence and existence. Therefore, to argue that God exists is to deny him.” Owen says such a man "declares as the word of God, the dreams of his own fancy, or the divinations of his own mind." p. 75. Indeed, such fanciful conceptions tend to contradict Scripture: Hebrews 11:6, "whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists."– WHG

[←483]

1 Corinthians 14:26-28 Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.

[←484] At random: rashly or impetuously; being undefined, unknown, or unimportant to them.

[←485] "Which good?" or "What good is it?"

[←486]

2 Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

[←487]

Incomparable here means that comparison is impossible; it cannot be compared either with Scripture, or others’ experience.

[←488] Affiance: faith.

[←489] Originally, by-blow.

[←490] "In the nature of things."

[←491]

Ephesians 6:18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints; Php 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

[←492] Bravery here connotes audacity, or brazenness, not courage. – WHG

[←493] Jejune: Lacking in nutritive value.

[←494] Mean: lowly or beggarly – impoverished or lacking in social status, education, and "refinement."

[←495] "Coelestes igniculi."

[←496] Sedulous: marked by care and persistent effort.

[←497] Fancies: something that many people believe, but is false.

[←498] Judges 17:13 Then Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, since I have a Levite as priest!"

[←499]

Exodus 25:18 "And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work you shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat. Exodus 26:31 "You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen. It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim. 1Kng 6:23 Inside the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high.

[←500] Cogent: powerfully persuasive.

[←501] Inexpedient: not suitable or advisable; not appropriate to the purpose.

[←502] From Wm. Goold’s 1862 edition of Owen’s Works, vol XV, p. 249: "Of these officers, in their distinction into apostles and evangelists, with their call, gifts, power, and work, I have treated at large in my "Discourse of Spiritual Gifts." Editors footnote on p. 249: These words are printed in the original edition as if they were the title of a particular treatise by our author. His treatise under that title will be found in vol. iv. of his Doctrinal Works; but it seems to have been published in 1693, twelve years after the present work appeared. Such a discourse is promised in his preface to his treatise on "the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer," which was published in 1682, a year after the publication of the present work. There is some discussion on the subject of spiritual gifts in the first chapter of his great work on the Holy Spirit; but a special and separate treatise seems alluded to in the text above. To the " Discourse of Spiritual Gifts," as published in 1693, there is a preface by Nathaniel Mather; from which the reader is led to infer that it was then published for the first time. Perhaps the difficulty may be obviated by the supposition that Owen intended to publish it immediately, and refers to it in this work by anticipation. — Ed.

[←503] Contumely: a rude expression intended to offend or hurt.

[←504]

Thomas Bradwardine (c. 1290-1349), "The Cause of God." William Twisse (1578–1646) Prolocutor of the Westminster Assembly. William Ames (1576-1633), author of The Marrow of Theology.

[←505] Lucubration: a solemn literary work that is the product of laborious cogitation.

[←506]

Nathaniel Mather was the son of Richard Mather, an eminent Puritan divine of Lancashire, from whom descended children and grandchildren distinguished as theologians and preachers both in this country and in America. Nathaniel was pastor of a numerous congregation in Lime Street, London, where he died; a.d. 1697. — Ed.

[←507] Susception: the act of taking; reception or acceptance.

[←508]

Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. 26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;

[←509]

John 16:7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

[←510]

Acts 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

[←511] Originally, "immix ourselves in the niceties of that inquiry."

[←512]

John 17:4 "I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

[←513]

John 7:38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

[←514] Theandrical: of a Divine man or God-man (Theos+andro).

[←515]

Psalms 104:30 You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth. John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. John 15:26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. John 16:7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

[←516]

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate [parakletos NT:3875] with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

[←517] Hebrew transliteration: פרקלטא.

[←518]

Hebrew הַמְּנַחֵם [OT:05162 nacham] – the Comforter.

[←519] ὁ κατήγορος [NT:2723] o kategoros.

[←520] Propitiation: the act of placating and overcoming animosity; Christ atoned for our sin to appease God’s wrath.

[←521] One who questions the truth or validity of something; who takes exception to, contradicts, or denies it.

[←522] Acts 24:25 (KJV "trembled"); Acts 26:28.

[←523] Admire here means to wonder at or be amazed.

[←524]

Galatians 3:2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

[←525] See the following treatise in this volume. — Ed.

[←526] ἐλέγξει [NT:1651]; used in John 16:8 for convict.

[←527] Ἐλέγχω [NT:1651]; used in Revelation 3:19 for rebuke or reprove.

[←528]

Τὰ δὲ πάντα, ἐλεγχόμενα ὑπὸ τοῦ φωτὸς, φανεροῦται.

[←529]

John 3:20 "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed (elegcho).

[←530] ἐπιστομίζειν [NT:1993].

[←531] Ἔλεγχος [NT:1650].

[←532]

[←533] John 3:13; John 16:16; Ephesians 4:10.

[←534] Converse: or conversation; to keep company with; to hold intimate intercourse with, or commune with someone.

[←535]

Acts 2:33 "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

[←536] Evert: to turn inside out.

[←537] John 16:11; that title is also given in John 12:31; John 14:30; and Ephesians 2:2.

[←538]

[←539]

Exinanition: self-emptying, Php 2:7; ἐκένωσε [NT:2758 ekenoose], "made himself of no reputation."

[←540] terminus ad quem.

[←541] Disquisition: an elaborate analysis.

[←542] Susception: the act of taking; reception or acceptance.

[←543] That is, for everyone who has an ingenuous nature, or is childlike, open, and generous.

[←544]

NLT Proverbs 23:6 Don’t eat with people who are stingy; don’t desire their delicacies. 7 They are always thinking about how much it costs. "Eat and drink," they say, but they don’t mean it. 8 You will throw up what little you’ve eaten, and your compliments will be wasted.

[←545] Froward: headstrong and rebellious.

[←546]

Isaiah 40:28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

[←547]

Isaiah 59:21 "As for Me," says the LORD, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants," says the LORD, "from this time and forevermore."

[←548] Part I - book iv. chap. iii.

[←549] A metaphor for living in a protected place, preserved from the wrath of God: Exodus 8:22 "And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the land. Exodus 9:26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.

[←550] John 16:8 "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

[←551]

John 3:8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

[←552]

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

[←553] Vol. xi. of the author’s works. — Ed.

[←554] Vol. ii. — Ed.

[←555]

John 14:17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

[←556]

Ezekiel 36:27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Isaiah 59:21 "As for Me," says the LORD, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants," says the LORD, "from this time and forevermore." Proverbs 1:23 Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.

[←557]

Luke 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

[←558]

Using the name of one thing for that of another that it is closely associated with. For example, saying "he spent the evening reading Shakespeare" is metonymic, because it substitutes the author for the author’s works.

[←559]

[←560] Decretory: pertaining to an authoritative decree or final judgement.

[←561]

1>Jn 3:12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

[←562]

Titus 1:15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.

[←563] The second sort will be found in Chapter VI.

[←564]

τὸ χρίσμα [NT:5545] – anything smeared on, like an ointment; as in the priestly inauguration (Exodus 28:40-41;Exodus 29:7).

[←565] Owen previously referred to the interpretation of this passage, and to Episcopius; see p. 145.

[←566]

1>Jn 2:20-27 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Song of Solomon. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that He has promised us-- eternal life. 26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. 27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

[←567] 2Co 1:21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God,

[←568] Excerpts from 1>Jn 2:20-27.

[←569]

Cornelius a Lapide (1567–1637) – Flemish Jesuit; his commentary included every book but Job and Psalms. In vol 6, on this passage from 1John, a Lapide says, "S. Augustine (in loc.) says, This spiritual anointing is the Holy Spirit Himself, and the outward anointing is the sacrament thereof. So, too, in the Veni Creator, we read of the ‘Anointing Spirit.’ The Holy Spirit then, inhabiting, enlightening, and directing the soul, teaches it at the fitting time, all things befitting its salvation. S. Clement (Const. Apost. iii. 17) explains the ceremonies of baptism and confirmation thus: —“Baptism is an administration into the death of the Son of God, water as betokening burial, oil the Holy Spirit, the sign of the Cross for the Cross itself, the Chrism as the confirmation of our confession.”

[←570]

לִמְשֹׁחַ קֹדֶש קָדָשים

[←571]

2Co 3:6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life… 8 how will the ministry [or ministration] of the Spirit not be more glorious?

[←572] See Pneumatologia, Part I, Book II, Chap. III, p. 163.

[←573] John 17:19 "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

[←574]

Acts 2:33 "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

[←575] Owen’s Works, vol. 19, ch. 1 (1850-53 edition, Wm. Goold, ed.).

[←576] Collation: the act of conferring or bestowing.

[←577] Ephesians 4:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

[←578] 2Co 1:21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God;

[←579] As in Peter’s boast, and subsequent denial of Christ (Matthew 26:33).

[←580] Inveigled: influenced or urged by subtle persuasion – here it means being lured.

[←581]

Isaiah 10:27 It shall come to pass in that day That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, And his yoke from your neck, And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.

[←582]

1Co 13:12.

[←583]

Matthew 7:24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

[←584] Aerial: characterized by lightness and insubstantiality; as impalpable or intangible as air.

[←585] Ἐν tᾧ ἐσφραγίσθητε.

[←586]

John Gill would later write: "the seal by which they are sealed, is not any of the ordinances, such as circumcision under the Old Testament, or baptism or the Lord’s supper under the New; for these are not seals, nor are they ever so called; but it is the Spirit of God himself, as the Holy Spirit of promise; for the same one who is called the "earnest" in the next clause, is the seal." Owen will address that next clause in the next chapter. – WHG

[←587] Or Maldonatus, Juan Maldonado (1533-1583), Jesuit theologian and commentator, born in Madrid.

[←588]

Isaiah 42:1-4 "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. 2 He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. 4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law."

[←589]

ἐμπυρισμός. LXX. Numbers 11:3 So he called the name of the place Taberah, because the fire [empurismos] of the LORD had burned among them.

[←590] Composition: a mixture of ingredients, causes, or parts.

[←591]

Ἀῤῥαβών [NT:758] 2Co 1:22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as an earnest [or deposit].

[←592] That is, Jerome (340-420), translator of the Latin Vulgate Bible, which was commissioned by the pope in 382 AD.

[←593] עֵרָבוֹן [OT:06162] – a pledge or deposit.

[←594]

Plutarch (46–120) – Greek historian, biographer and essayist, known primarily for Parallel Lives and Moralia.

[←595]

Ἐφθάκει προειληφὼς ἀῥῥαβῶσι μεγάλοις τὸν Ὀβίνιον.

[←596] πρόδομα.

[←597] Hesychius of Alexandria, a Greek grammarian of the 5th or 6th century A.D.

[←598]

Δοὺς τὸν ἀῤῥαβῶνα τοῦ Πνεύματος.

[←599]

ὅς ἐστιν ἀῤῥαβών – who is the earnest.

[←600]

KJV 2Co 1:22 Who has also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 2 Corinthians 5:5 Now he that has fashioned us for the self-same thing is God, who also has given to us the earnest of the Spirit.

[←601] Participation here refers to sharing in common.

[←602] The Works of John Owen, vol. 19, ch. 1.

[←603]

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Romans 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His [i.e., he has no share or interest in Christ].

[←604]

ἀπαρχὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος – aparchen [NT:536] tou Pneumatos.

[←605]

רֵאשיִׁת re’shiyth [OT:07225] (Leviticus 2:12); בִּכּוּרִים bikkuwr [OT:01061] (Exodus 23:16).

[←606]

תְּרוּמָה teruwmah [OT:08641] an offering or contribution (Exodus 25:2); as distinct from corban קָרְבָּן [OT:07133] (Leviticus 1:2).

[←607]

Μὴ λυπεῖτε τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον.

[←608] τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἁγιον.

[←609]

וְהֵמָּה מָרוּ וְעִצְּבוּ אֶת־רוּחַ קָדְשוֹ. [OT:06087 ’atsab – to vex or grieve].

[←610] παροξύνω.

[←611]

παραπικραίνω [NT:3893 rebelled] (Hebrews 3:16); and παραπικρασμός [NT:3894 rebellion] (Hebrews 3:8).

[←612] LXX λυπέω [NT:3076] to sorrow or grieve, as in Matthew 27:37.

[←613]

Ephesians 4:30-31 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

[←614] Psalms 51:11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

[←615]

1 Corinthians 6:15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For "the two," He says, "shall become one flesh." 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

[←616]

Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

[←617] Render: to give back in return for something valuable.

[←618] Obstinacy: resolute adherence to your own ideas or desires.

[←619]

1 Corinthians 5:9-12 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner-- not even to eat with such a person. 12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?

[←620]

Isaiah 1:5 Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints.

[←621]

Romans 1:26; Romans 1:28 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions… 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 2 Peter 2:4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;

[←622] Spoil: to destroy and strip of possession.

[←623] Profuseness: to pour out; to give or spend liberally; to lavish or squander.

[←624] Debauched: Indulging in sensual pleasures to a degree that is morally harmful; corrupted; immoral; self-indulgent.

[←625]

1 Corinthians 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ… 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

[←626] That is, the nature and use of the members of Christ’s body.

[←627]

Hebrews 10:1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.

[←628]

Gospel institutions: institutions of worship in the New Testament, bounded by the Second Commandment, which include church fellowship, order, ministry, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, prayer, preaching, hearing, etc. And from these flow our gospel duties. Owen ties those duties to the Spirit’s gifts, distributed according to His will. – WHG

[←629] Orifice: an opening. "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread" (Alexander Pope, Criticism, 1711).

[←630] δόματα [NT:1390] – gifts.

[←631] מַתָּנוֹת [OT:04979] – gifts.

[←632] Δωρεὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Doorea ton Theou.

[←633]

Δωρεὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος. Doorea ton hagiou Pneumatos.

[←634]

χαρίσματα [NT:5486] – gifts. Romans 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them:

[←635]

Acts 8:20 That is, "simony." — 18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, "Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit." 20 But Peter said to him, "Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 "You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.

[←636] Benefice or dignity: An endowed church office giving income to its holder.

[←637] πνευματικά [NT:4152] – pneumatika – spirituals.

[←638]

Περὶ δὲ τῶν πνευματικῶν. Peri de toon pneumatikoon.

[←639]

Ζηλοῦτε τὰ πνευματικά. Zeloute ta pneumatika.

[←640]

Ζηλοῦτε τὰ χαρίσματα τὰ κρείττονα. Zeloute ta charismata.

[←641]

μερισμοὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἁγίου. Merismoi tou Pneumatos hagiou.

[←642] μερισμός [NT:3311] – merismos – distribution.

[←643]

διαίρεσιν· Διαρέσεις χαρισμάτων εἰσί. diairesin Diareseis charismatoon eisi.

[←644]

1 Corinthians 12:8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

[←645]

διακονίας [NT:1248] – diakonias – services, ministries.

[←646]

ἐνεργήματα [NT:1755] – energemata – workings or activities.

[←647]

Φανέρωσις τοῦ Πνεύματος, Phaneroosis tou Pneumatos.

[←648] τὰ πάντα.

[←649]

Acts 2:33 "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

[←650]

Acts 1:4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me… 8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

[←651]

Colossians 1:6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; John 15:8 "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

[←652]

Matthew 13:11 He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. Php 1:29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake;

[←653]

Romans 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them; Ephesians 4:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

[←654] καρπός karpos [NT:2590].

[←655]

Romans 11:17-18 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

[←656]

John 14:17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

[←657]

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love; 2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth; Acts 2:47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved [KJV: "such as should be saved"]. Acts 13:48 Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

[←658]

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

[←659] That is, where they are not accompanied by saving grace.

[←660]

John 15:16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

[←661] Hebrews 5:4 And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.

[←662] That is, most clergy.

[←663] To bind their consciences. The Westminster Confession of Faith (20.2), teaches that "God alone is Lord of the conscience." To bind the consciences of believers only on the basis of human wisdom or preference, is to usurp His rule. – WHG

[←664]

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word; Titus 2:14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

[←665]

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Acts 2:33 "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

[←666]

Ephesians 4:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men." Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ;

[←667]

John 14:17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

[←668]

Ephesians 1:22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church; Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ;

[←669]

Matthew 25:14-29; "Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents." (v. 16)

[←670]

Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

[←671]

2 Peter 1:5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;

[←672]

Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.

[←673] This may be a quote from Tullius Cicero (106 BC–43 BC), De Officiis – The Offices, 44 B.C. Bk III, sec. 19. Often translated, "a good man is one who does all the good that he can to others."

[←674]

Micah 5:7 "Then the remnant of Jacob Shall be in the midst of many peoples, Like dew from the LORD, Like showers on the grass."

[←675]

1 Peter 3:1 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 1 Corinthians 7:16 For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

[←676]

1 Peter 2:12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. 1 Peter 2:15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. 1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

[←677]

Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

[←678]

Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

[←679]

Colossians 1:10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

[←680]

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

[←681] In the NKJ, NIV, NAS, and ESV, "for all" or "for the common good" is taken from the Greek συμφέρον (NT:4851, sumphero), meaning "to bring or gather together," and by inference, "to profit with" as it is in the KJV.

[←682]

Hebrews 6:4-5 For it is impossible for those who were (1) once enlightened, and (2) have tasted the heavenly gift, and (3) have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and (4) have tasted the good word of God and (5) the powers of the age to come…

[←683] Flagitious: Extremely wicked, deeply criminal.

[←684]

Isaiah 11:6 "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. Romans 6:17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

[←685]

1 Corinthians 12:28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers;

[←686]

Matthew 10:8 "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

[←687]

Romans 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers;

[←688] Signal: notably out of the ordinary.

[←689]

Owen may be referring to eschatology and the restoration of Israel prior to Christ’s return, called Chiliasm, the Golden Age, or the Jewish Dream. The second Helvetic Confession (1566) states, "We further condemn Jewish dreams that there will be a golden age on earth before the Day of Judgment, and that the pious, having subdued all their godless enemies, will possess all the kingdoms of the earth." The "recalling of the Jews," alludes to Romans 11:25, "that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." This is the mytery conjectured about. Owen has been very clear and consistent in his writings, that there are not two Israels ordained to salvation, but one – the Church (Romans 9:6; Galatians 3:16). – WHG

[←690] Psalms 45:16 Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons, Whom You shall make princes in all the earth.

[←691] Collate: to confer or bestow.

[←692]

Galatians 2:7 But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter 8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), 9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

[←693]

2 Corinthians 10:16 to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s sphere of accomplishment.

[←694] Galatians 4:19 My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you;

[←695]

3 John 1:9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.

[←696]

1 Corinthians 3:3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal? 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?

[←697] Acts 5:1 ff; Acts 13:6 ff.

[←698]

2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness [or "of the wicked one"] is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.

[←699]

Luke 10:9 "And heal the sick there, and say to them, ’The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ Luke 10:17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name…" 19 "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

[←700]

Acts 13:1 Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

[←701]

Titus 1:5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you; Titus 3:12 When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.

[←702] See: the seat within a bishop’s diocese (his territorial jurisdiction) where his cathedral is located.

[←703]

Acts 8:26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert. Acts 8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot."

[←704]

Acts 20:17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. Acts 20:28 "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 1 Peter 5:2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

[←705]

NKJ 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching… 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

[←706] A stated church is a particular church that is settled or established, as opposed to one being planted.

[←707] Managery: a barb referring to a concocted managerial position.

[←708]

Acts 14:23 So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Acts 20:28 "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Titus 1:5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you; 1 Peter 5:1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; Php 1:1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

[←709]

[←710]

Miriam (Exodus 15:20), Deborah (Judges 4:4), Huldah (2Kng 22.14), Noadiah (Nehemiah 6:14), Isaiah’s wife (Isaiah 8:3).

[←711] "Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?"

[←712]

[←713]

1 Corinthians 14:29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 30 But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

[←714] Promiscuously: mixed or thrown together in a random and haphazard fashion.

[←715] Ephesians 4:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

[←716] Those who love to have the preeminence – status, superiority, and power (3 John 1:9).

[←717]

Hebrews 2:3 "how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?" Owen’s exposition is in his Works (Goold, 1850-53), vol. 19, ch. 2, p. 331ff.

[←718] John Owen, Works, vol. 19, ch. 2.

[←719] Λόγος σοφίας [NT:3056,4678].

[←720] דָּבָר [OT:01697 dabar – "word" or "thing"]

[←721] παῤῥησίαν [NT:3954] – boldness.

[←722]

Acts 6:10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. 11 Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God." 12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. 13 They also set up false witnesses who said, "This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; 14 "for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us." Acts 7:54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. Acts 22:22 And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!" 23 Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air,

[←723]

2Co 12:16 "But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless [it is said], being crafty, I caught you by cunning!"

[←724] Mulct: money extracted as a penalty; a fine.

[←725] Contemn: to look down on with disdain; despise.

[←726]

Originally, "quit cost": to pay or reimburse – that is, it won’t be "worth his while" to seek wisdom.

[←727] λόγος γνώσεως [NT:3056,1108].

[←728] This is the verb form, to be made skillful and discerning; it implies being set apart to receive such skilled knowledge.

[←729]

Acts 20:27 "For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Ephesians 3:8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; Colossians 4:2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

[←730]

παῤῥησία ἐν πίστει parrhesia en pistei – boldness in faith.

[←731] ὑπόστασις [NT:5287] substance, or here, assurance.

[←732] Pusillanimity: the vice of being timid and cowardly, and thus not living up to one’s full potential.

[←733]

1Pe 5:1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

[←734]

Χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων [NT:5486,2386] – Charismata iamaton.

[←735] Annumeration: an addition to a previous number of things.

[←736]

Matthew 8:16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses."

[←737]

Luke 16:31 "But he said to him, ’If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’"

[←738]

James 5:14-15 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith WILL save the sick, and the Lord WILL raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he WILL BE forgiven. [The verbs "save" and "raise" are indicative future active; "forgiven" is future passive perfect; all indicate actions to be completed without contingencies – WHG ].

[←739]

1Co 12:10; Ἐνεργήματα δυνάμεων energemata dunameon [NT:1755,1411] literally, "workings of powers".

[←740]

Acts 3:12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?

[←741]

Acts 13:9 Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, "O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? 11 "And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time." And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

[←742]

1Co 12:28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts.

[←743] Noise: here it means rumors.

[←744]

Romans 11:7-10 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8 Just as it is written: "God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day." 9 And David says: "Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them. 10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, and bow down their back always." 1Th 2:14-16 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, 16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

[←745]

Ἄλλῳ δὲ προφητεία Allo de propheteia [NT: 4394].

[←746]

1Co 14:29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 30 But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

[←747]

1Co 12:10 – Ἄλλῳ δὲ διακρίσεις πνευμάτων Allo de diakriseis pneumaton (plural) [NT:1253,4151]

[←748]

2Pe 1:19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

[←749]

2Pe 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

[←750]

1>Jn 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

[←751] In the Reformation, it was the battle-cry, sola Scriptura, by Scripture alone.

[←752]

2>Jn 1:9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Song of Solomon. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

[←753]

Acts 10:45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 1Co 14:39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.

[←754] Commensurate: co-extensive; that is, they died with the apostles.

[←755] Becoming: in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper.

[←756]

KJV Psalms 45:13 The king’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. 14 She shall be brought to the King in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought to You.

[←757] Meretricious: tastelessly showy; deceptively pleasing; an allusion to the garb of a harlot.

[←758] Digladiation: a violent dispute or argument.

[←759] Hebrew chayil [OT:02428], often translated here as "might."

[←760] Originally, "pusillanimous."

[←761]

Matthew 19:27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?" Acts 8:18 When Simon [Magus] saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money;

[←762]

Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

[←763]

Acts 5:28 saying, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!" 29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 "Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 "And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him."

[←764] Inveigle: to influence or urge by subtle persuasion.

[←765]

[←766]

Romans 15:15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God, 16 that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Galatians 2:9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Ephesians 3:8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

[←767]

Jeremiah 3:15 "And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

[←768]

Colossians 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

[←769]

Acts 2:33 "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

[←770]

לָקַחְתָּ מַתָּנוֹת בָּאָדָם. Psalms 68:18 You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men [lit. "Adam"], Even from the rebellious, That the LORD God might dwell there.

[←771] לָקַת [OT:3947] laqash.

[←772]

Τὰ κατώτερα μέρη τῆς γῆς. Ta katotera mero tes ges [NT:2737,3313,1093]

[←773]

Php 2:6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

[←774]

Ephesians 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation… 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.

[←775]

[←776] Aspectable: panoramic – seen from a distance.

[←777]

Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

[←778] This is perhaps strangely phrased for the modern world. The sense is calling a meeting to order, so that the business of the meeting may be conducted, and its duties exercised. The church has been called to order by its Head, to conduct its business in the world.

[←779]

Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave (1) some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and (2) some pastors and teachers;

[←780]

Suffrage has been used throughout this volume, for "testimony." It can also mean a short petition. Neither of those meanings fit here. In modern English, suffrage refers to a right to vote; that doesn’t fit either. Literally it means the condition of suffering, or of bondage. And that is most likely Owen’s meaning here. Galatians 4:3 "Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world." – WHG

[←781] Efflux: flowing out.

[←782]

Acts 20:28 "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

[←783]

Numbers 8:9 "And you shall bring the Levites before the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall gather together the whole congregation of the children of Israel. 10 "So you shall bring the Levites before the LORD, and the children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites [notice "lay their hands on" signifies general approval, and not necessarily the physical act]; Acts 1:23 And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias… 26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles. Acts 6:3 "Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 "but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. Acts 14:23 So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

[←784]

πρὸς τὸν καταρτισμὸν τῶν ἁγίων pros ton katartismon ton hagion.

[←785] καταρτισμὸν [NT:2677] equipping or complete furnishing.

[←786] Coagmentation: The act of joining, or the state of being joined together; union.

[←787] καταρτίζετε katartizete [NT:2675]

[←788]

Ephesians 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

[←789]

Acts 14:23 So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

[←790] Owen answered this question earlier (bottom of p. 494, and (3) [3] on p. 495).

[←791] This is a sarcastic comment by Owen, catigating those who treat the ministry as a life of status and personal comfort.

[←792]

εἰς οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

[←793]

Ephesians 4:14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting;

[←794]

Ephesians 4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

[←795] De jure: by right or by law; legally or judicially.

[←796]

Matthew 28:20 "… and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

[←797] Immured: confined or enclosed.

[←798]

John 14:16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- 17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 "You have heard Me say to you, ’I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ’I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I. John 15:26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. John 16:7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 "of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 "of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 "of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 "All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

[←799] Ministration: assistance. Ministry, by comparison, is the work itself. Owen uses them interchangeably here.

[←800]

Galatians 3:2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

[←801] Intercision: a cutting off or interruption; termination.

[←802]

[←803] Largess: Liberality in bestowing gifts; extremely liberal and generous of spirit.

[←804] Event: a circumstance; here it means the actual fact or experience of gifts – their presence in true churches.

[←805] This second part begins on p. 518.

[←806]

Acts 20:28 "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 1 Peter 5:2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 1 Timothy 1:3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia-- remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine; 1 Timothy 4:13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine… 16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. 2 Timothy 4:1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;

[←807]

Ephesians 1:8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself; Ephesians 3:3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel; Ephesians 3:18 that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Colossians 4:3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,

[←808]

Colossians 1:9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; Colossians 2:1 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ; 2 Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true;.

[←809] vehiculum gratiæ.

[←810]

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

[←811]

1 Corinthians 1:5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance [logos NT:3056] and all knowledge; 2 Corinthians 8:7 But as you abound in everything-- in faith, in speech [logos], in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us-- see that you abound in this grace also. Ephesians 6:19 and for me, that utterance [logos] may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly [parrhesia NT:3954] to make known the mystery of the gospel;

[←812]

Colossians 4:3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak [laleo NT:2980] the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains;

[←813] Volubility: fluency, where words come effortlessly.

[←814]

παῤῥησία parrhesia [NT:3954] – boldness; uninhibited in speech or action.

[←815] Solecism: a faux pas; a socially unacceptable act.

[←816]

Romans 12:8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads [or rules, proistemi NT:4291], with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. 1 Corinthians 12:28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 1 Timothy 5:17 Let the elders who rule [proistemi] well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 1 Thessalonians 5:12 And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you [proistemi] in the Lord and admonish you; Hebrews 13:7 Remember those who rule over [hegeomai NT:2233] you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. Hebrews 13:17 Obey those who rule over [hegeomai] you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

[←817] Potestative: the rule of a potentate, who is unconstrained by law.

[←818]

Matthew 20:25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 "Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.

[←819]

2 Corinthians 10:8 For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed.

[←820]

Mulct: a fine.

[←821]

Romans 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith… 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

[←822] That is, duties without a corresponding office.

[←823]

1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-- whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free-- and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

[←824] Ephesians 4:15-16; Colossians 2:19

[←825]

[←826] Shifts: substitutions or additions of man-made practices, to those ordained by God; a "flimsy garment."

[←827]

Ephesians 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-- Christ-- 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Colossians 2:19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

[←828]

KJV 1 Peter 4:10 As every man has received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

[←829]

1 Corinthians 1:5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ;

[←830]

Romans 15:14 Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

[←831] A strong creative impulse; divine inspiration.

[←832]

"Charis" means gift or grace – thus it is not an innate ability or craft that exists or operates apart from Christ’s Spirit.

Owen Pneumatologia - Part 2

The continuation of Owen's Pneumatologia in modernized form, further exploring the work of the Holy Spirit in believers. This second part examines the Spirit's operations in sanctification, His role in sustaining and advancing the spiritual life, the nature of spiritual gifts and their distribution, …

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