OR, THE CAUSES, WAYS AND MEANS, OF UNDERSTANDING THE MIND OF GOD AS REVEALED IN HIS WORD, WITH ASSURANCE THEREIN: AND, A DECLARATION," OF THE PERSPICUITY OF THE SCRIPTURES, WITH THE EXTERNAL MEANS OF THE INTERPRETATION OF THEM. BY JOHN OWEN, D. D. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Pfalm cxix. 18. Give me understanding, and I shall live.-Verfe 144. GLASGOW: PRINTED BY W. FALCONER, FOR STEPHEN YOUNG, PAISLEY. I PREFACE. Shall in a few words, give the Reader an account of the occafion and defign of the fmall enfuing discourse. Some, while fince I published a treatise about the reason of faith, or the grounds whereon we believe the Scripture to be the word of God with that faith which is our duty, and prerequired unto all other acceptable obedience. But although this be the first fundamental principle of fupernatural religion, yet is it not fufficient unto any of the ends thereof, (that we believe the Scripture to be a divine revelation) unless we understand the mind and will of God therein revealed. At least the knowledge and understanding of those things wherein our present duty and future ftate of bleffedness or misery, are immediately concerned, are no less indifpenfibly neceffary unto us, than is the belief of the Scripture to be the word of God. To declare the way and means whereby we may affuredly attain that understanding, is the defign of the enfuing difcourfe; as those whereby we come infallibly to believe the Scripture with faith divine and fupernatural, are the subject of the former. My principal fcope in both hath been to manifeft that such is the abundant goodnefs, wifdom and grace of God, in granting unto us the inestimable benefit of his word, that no persons whatever, fhall or can come short of the advantage intended by it, but through their own finful negligence and ingratitude, the highest crimes in things of a fpiritual and eternal concernment. For he hath given fuch convincing evidences of the procedure or emanation of the Scripture from himfelf, by the divine infpiration of the penmen thereof; and fo plainly declared his mind and will therein, as unto the faith and obedience which he requires of any or all forts of perfons in their various circumstances, that every one who takes care of his own present and eternal welfare, may and fhall in the due use of the means by him appointed, and discharge of the duties by him prefcribed unto that end, with a due dependence on the aid and affiftances, which he will not withhold from any who diligently feek him, infallibly attain that measure of the knowledge of his mind and will, with full affurance there in as will be fufficient to guide him into eternal blessednefs, The fame measure of divine knowledge is not required in all and every one, that they may live unto God, and come unto the enjoyment of him. The difpenfation of God towards mankind in nature, providence, and grace, is an invincible spring of fuch variety among them, as will not allow a prescription of the fame meafures of knowledge unto all to have a confiftency with divine wisdom and goodness; and a fuppofition of it would bring confufion into all the order of things and persons which is of divine conftitution. Nor is it pretended that any one man may or can have, in the use of any means whatever, a full comprehenfion of all divine revelations in this life, nor perhaps of any one of them; or that all men in the use of the fame means prescribed unto them, fhall have the fame conceptions of all things revealed. The Scripture was given for the ufe of the whole church, and that in all ages, ftates and conditions, with refpect unto that inconceivable variety of circumftances, which all forts of caufes do diftribute the whole multitude of them into. Wherefore the wisdom of God therein, hath suited itself unto the instruction of every individual believer, unto the moment of his entrance into eternity. That any one of them, that any fociety of them should have a perfect comprehenfion of the entire revelation of God, or a perfect understanding of the whole Scripture, and every part of it, with all that is contained therein, was never required of them in a way of duty, nor ever defigned unto them in a way of privilege. For befides that he hath replenished it with unfathomable ftores, unfearchable treasures of divine myfteries, wherein we cannot find out the Almighty unto perfection, and hath provided another ftate for the comprehenfion of that by fight, which is the object of adoration and admiration in believing; fuch knowledge is not neceffary unto any, that they may lead the life of faith, and discharge the du ties thereof in all holy obedience unto God. Yea fuch a knowledge and comprehenfion would be inconfiftent with that state and condition wherein we are to walk with God, according to the tenor of the covenant of grace, and during the continuance thereof. But the fubftance of what we plead for is, that fuch is the wifdom, goodnefs, and love of God towards mankind, in the grant that he hath made unto them of the revelation of himself, his mind and will in the Scripture, as that no one perfon doth, or can fail from attaining all that understanding in it and of it, which is any way needful for his guidance to live unto God in his circumftances and relations, fo as to come unto the bleffed enjoyment of him, but by the finful neglect of the means and duties prefcribed by him for the attainment of that understanding, and want of a due dependence on those spiritual aids and affiftances which he hath prepared for that end. By what ways and means he hath thus provided for the affurance and fecurity of all men, in things of their eternal concernment, and what are those acts of his wifdom, power and grace which he exerts for that end, namely, that they may both believe the Scipture to be his word, and understand his mind revealed therein, both according unto what is required of them in a way of duty, fo as in both they may be accepted with him, is the defign of this and the other fore-mentioned difcourse to declare. And they are both of them principally intended for the use of the ordinary fort of Christians, who know it their concernment to be established in the truth of thofe things wherein they have been inftructed. For they are frequently attacked with those questions, How do you know the Scripture to be the word of God? And what af furance have you that you understand any thing contained in them, feeing all forts of perfons are divided about their fense and meaning, nor do you pretend unto any immediate infpiration to give you affurance? And if on these en fnaring enquiries, they are caft under any doubts or perplexities in their minds, as it often fails out amongst them who have not diligently weighed the principles of their own profeffion, the next infinuation is, that they ought to betake themselves either to fome other prefent guide, as their own light and reason, or make a complete refignation of themselves and the conduct of their fouls, unto the pretended authority and guidance of other men. To give affurance and fecurity unto their minds, that they neither are, nor can be deceived in their belief of the Scriptures to be the word of God, and the understanding of his mind and will therein, fo far as their prefent obedience and eternal happiness are concerned, and that unto this end, they need not be beholden unto any, nor depend on any but God himself, in the ufe of known and obvious means or duties, is defigned in these small treatifes. And upon the principles evinced and confirmed in them, I have yet propofed a farther enquiry, namely, What conduct in thefe times of great contefts about the affurance of faith, and the causes of it, every one that takes care of his own falvation, |