A53678:831
A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the…
A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews viz, on the sixth, seventh, eight, ninth, and tenth chapters : wherein together with the explication of the text and context, the priesthood of Christ ... are declared, explained and confirmed : as also, the pleas of the Jews for the continuance and perpetuity of their legal worship, with the doctrine of the principal writers of the Socinians about these things, are examined and disproved / by J. Owen ...
London: printed for Nathaniel Ponder, 1680
Exegesis of chapter 6 › Exegesis of verses 17, 18, 19, 20: Verse 17, 18, 19, 20.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
It is not all mankind universally, but a certain number of persons under certain Qualifications, to whom God designs to manifest the Immutability of his Counsel, 1and to communicate the Effects thereof. It is only the Heirs of Promise whom God intendeth. But herein two things are to be considered. (1) The outward Revelation or Administration of these things; and (2) Gods Purpose therein. The former is made promiscuously and indefinitely unto all to whom the Gospel is preached. For therein is contained a Declaration of the Immutability of Gods Counsel and his Willingness to have it known. But if God did design the Communication of the Effect of it, in the same latitude with the outward Administration of it, then must he be thought to fail in his Purpose towards the greatest part of them who receive it not. This is that which the Apostle disputes upon Rom. 9. Having supposed that the generality of the Jews, of the Posterity of Abraham according to the Flesh, were cut off from the Promise by Unbelief, and declared his sense thereon, ver. 1. he raiseth an Objection against that supposition, ver. 6. that if it were so, the Promise of God was of none effect; for unto them all it was given and declared. Hereunto the Apostle answers and replies in that and the following Verses, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. And the substance of his Answer is, that although the Promise was promiscuously proposed unto all, yet the Grace of it was intended only unto the Elect, as he also farther declares, chap. 11. 7. But why then doth God thus cause the Declaration to be made promiscuously and indefinitely unto all, if it be some only whom he designs unto a Participation of the effects of his Counsel and good things promised? I Answer,
- 1Obser. 5.
Let us always remember that in these things we have to do with him who is greater than we, and who giveth no Account of his matters. What if God will take this way of procedure, and give no reason of it? who are we that we should dispute against God? Wherefore our Apostle having at large discoursed this whole matter, and pleaded the absolute freedom of God to do whatever he pleaseth, winds up the whole in a resignation of all unto his Sovereignty, with a deep Admiration of his unsearchable Wisdom, wherein it is our Duty to acquiesce,