THE DOCTRINE OF THE PERSON, OFFICE, and work of THE MESSIAH, IS OPENED; THE OPINIONS AND TRADITIONS OF THE ANCIENT AND MODERN JEWS ARE EXAMINED; THE TIME OF THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH IS STATED; AND THE GREAT FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS OF THE GOSPEL VINDICATED. [ALSO,] CONCERNING THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST: WHEREIN THE ORIGINAL, CAUSES, NATURE, PREFIGURATIONS, AND DISCHARGE OF THAT HOLY OFFICE, ARE EXPLAINED AND VINDICATED ; THE NATURE OF THE COVENANT OF THE REDEEMER, WITH THE CALL OF THE LORD CHRIST UNTO HIS OFFICE, IS DECLARED; AND THE OPINIONS OF THE SOCINIANS ABOUT IT ARE FULLY EXAMINED, TOGETHER WITH EXERCITATIONS CONCERNING THE ORIGINAL, nature, USE, AND CONTINUANCE, OF 1 NOTE IN REGARD TO THE PREFACES. In previous reprints of this work, instead of the prefaces which the author himself had written for the different parts of the work as they issued from the press, one general preface was concocted out of them all. The design may have been to save space, but it seems scarcely fair that the work should appear without the author's explanation of the objects which he had in view as indicated in his own language, and of the circumstances in which each volume originally appeared. The result, moreover, of this unwarrantable attempt at compression, was the omission of some interesting paragraphs, which shed light upon his state of health at the time when the volumes were published. All these prefaces are now published in full. The first of them, page 5, was prefixed to the first volume of the work, published in 1668, immediately before the introductory Exercitations; and the second appeared in the same volume, before the Exposition of two chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews. To the second volume, published in 1674, was prefixed the preface which is numbered III. in the following arrangement. The third volume, published in 1680, contained the fourth preface. To the fourth volume, published in 1684, one year after the author's death, the fifth preface belongs, with the initials H. G. attached to it.-ED. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR WILLIAM MORRICE, KNIGHT, ONE OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL, AND SIR, THE dedication of books unto persons of worth and honour hath secured itself from the impeachment of censure, by taking sanctuary in the usage of all times and ages. Herein, therefore, as none is needed, so I shall make use of no apology. But the consideration of some circumstances (needless to be repeated) seems to render an account of the reason of my particular address unto you in this manner necessary. This, therefore, I shall give, but briefly: "Ne longo sermone morer tua tempora." That which principally, in this matter, I resolved my thoughts into, was a design to answer my own inclination and desire, in testifying a respectful honour to a person who, in a place of eminency, hath given so fair an example of a singular conjunction, in himself, of civil prudence and all manner of useful literature, with their mutual subserviency unto each other: an endeavour whereof the wisdom of all ages hath esteemed needful, though few individuals have attained unto it: for whereas a defect in learning hath tempted some, otherwise prudent and wise in the management of affairs, unto a contempt of it; and skill therein hath given unto others a mistaken confidence that it alone is sufficient for all the ends of human life; an industrious attempt for a furnishment of the mind with a due mixture of them both hath been greatly neglected, to the no small disadvantage of human affairs. It cannot, therefore, seem strange, nor ought any to be offended, that one who dares profess a great honour unto and admiration of both these endowments of the mind of man, should express them with that respect which alone he is capable to give, unto him who, in a place of eminent trust and employment, hath given a singular instance of their happy conjunction and readiness to coalesce in the same mind, to enable it unto a regular and steady pursuit of their common ends. Whether I shall by this address attain that end or no I know not; but this is that which principally I aimed at therein: and to the reason whereof I leave the judgment of my undertakings. But yet I may not omit, that your favour hath also given me particular grounds for this confidence, and such as have been prevalent against those impressions of discouragements which I am naturally very liable to admit of and receive. Your candid esteem of some former endeavours in this kind (and which when carried without the verge of those lines of communication within whose compass men and their writings are judged by party, and scarce otherwise have received a fair acceptance in the world) were no small encouragement unto me, not to desert those wearisome labours which have no other reward or end but the furtherance of public good, especially having this only way left me to serve the will of God and the interest of the church in my generation. It was also through the countenance of your favour that this and some other treatises have received warrant to pass freely into the world; which though I am uncertain of what advantage they may be unto any, by reason of their own defects and the prejudices of others, yet I want not the highest security that there is nothing in them tending to the least disadvantage unto those whose concernment lies in peace and truth in these nations. For the treatises themselves, which I desire herewith to represent to some of your leisure hours, I shall not offend against the public service in detaining you with an account of them. Their subject-matter, as to its weight, worth, and necessity, will speak for itself; the main objects of our present faith and principal foundations of our future expectations, our pleas and evidences for a blessed eternity, are here insisted on. And whether the temptations, opinions, and bold presumptions of many in these days, do not call for a renewed consideration and confirmation of them, is left to the judgment of persons indifferent and unprejudiced; the manner of their handling is submitted unto yours, which is highly and singularly esteemed by, Sir, Your most humble and obliged servant, March 20, 1667. JOHN OWEN. If thou intendest to engage any part of thy time in the perusal of the ensuing Discourses and Exposition, it may not be amiss to take along with thee the consideration of some things, concerning the design and aim of their author in the writing and present publishing of them, which are here proposed unto thee. It is now sundry years since I purposed in myself, if God gave life and opportunity, to endeavour, according to the measure of the gift received, an Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews. A subject this was, I then knew, and now acknowledge, much laboured in by many eminent and learned men, both of old and of late. In particular, some entire commentaries, composed with good judgment and to very good purpose, have been published in our own language; yea, from him who first began a serious exposition of this Epistle, and whom none in all things have to this day exceeded, there have passed few ages wherein some or other have not endeavoured the explication of it. And this, also, hath been done by men of all sorts and parties, of all persuasions and opinions in Christian religion; an account of whose several endeavours shall elsewhere be given. Somewhat there was of encouragement unto me in my designed undertaking, and somewhat of quite another tendency, in this consideration. The help which I might receive from the sedulous labours of so many learned men, and those in times, places, principles, distant and distinguished from each other, as also managing their common design with great variety as to particular intentions, I looked on as a matter of no small advantage unto me. Some, I found, had critically examined many of the words, phrases, and expressions of the writer; some had compared his quotations with the places in the Old Testament from whence they were taken; some had endeavoured an analysis of the several discourses of the author, with the nature and force of the arguments insisted on by him: the labours of some were to improve the truths contained in the Epistle unto practice; others had collected the difficulties which they observed therein, and scanned them in a scholastical way, with objections and solutions, after their manner; others had an especial design unto the places whose sense is controverted amongst the several parties at variance in Christian religion:-all in their way and manner endeavouring to give light to the intentions of the Holy Ghost, either in particular passages or in the whole Epistle. The helps and advantages, in the investigation of the mind of God, which by their labours might be obtained, I looked on as a great encouragement to undertake the same work with them, and to promote the light of truth thereby. But, on the other side, no small objection unto the whole work and design did hence also arise; for it might seem to some altogether needless to engage in that which so many had already gone through with, to the great profit and edification of the church. And nothing can or ought more justly to weaken and take off the resolution of any in this kind of endeavours, than that they are needless: for whatever is so, will also thereby be useless; and, because useless, burdensome. This consideration, I confess, did for a long time deter me from executing my purpose |