A53696:352
Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews
Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews also concerning the Messiah wherein the promises concerning him to be a spiritual redeemer of mankind are explained and vindicated, his coming and accomplishment of his work according to the promises is proved and confirmed, the person, or who he is, is declared, the whole economy of the mosaical law, rites, worship, and sacrifice is explained : and in all the doctrine of the person, office, and work of the Messiah is opened, the nature and demerit of the first sin is unfolded, the opinions and traditions of the ancient and modern Jews are examined, their objections against the Lord Christ and the Gospel are answered, the time of the coming of the Messiah is stated, and the great fundamental truths of the Gospel vindicated : with an exposition and discourses on the two first chapters of the said epistle to the Hebrews / by J. Owen ...Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews also concerning the Messiah wherein the promises concerning him to be a spiritual redeemer of mankind are explained and vindicated, his coming and accomplishment of his work according to the promises is proved and confirmed, the person, or who he is, is declared, the whole oeconomy of the mosaical law, rites, worship, and sacrifice is explained : and in all the doctrine of the person, office, and work of the Messiah is opened, the nature and demerit of the first sin is unfolded, the opinions and traditions of the antient and modern Jews are examined, their objections against the Lord Christ and the Gospel are answered, the time of the coming of the Messiah is stated, and the great fundamental truths of the Gospel vindicated : with an exposition and discourses on the two first chapters of the said epistle to the Hebrews / by J. Owen ...
London: printed by Robert White for Nathaniel Ponder, 1668
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.
§ 12 More Testimonies of this nature, from the Writings that are of Authority amongst them, might be produced, but that these are sufficient unto our Purpose. That we aim at, is to evidence their Conviction of that manifold misery which came upon mankind, on the Entrance of Sin into the world. And two things we have produced their Suffrage and Consent unto.
First, The Change of the Primitive Condition of Man, by his Defection from the Law of his Creation. This made him obnoxious in his whole Person and all his Concernments to the displeasure and Curse of God, to all the Evil which in this world he feels, or fears in another; to Death Temporal and Eternal. And hence did all the disorder which is in the Universe arise. All this we have found them freely testifying unto. And this must be acknowledged by all men, who will not brutishly deny what their own Consciences dictate unto them, and which the condition of the whole lower world proclaims, or irrationally ascribe such things unto God, as are utterly inconsistent with his Wisdom, Goodness, Righteousness, and Holiness. And,
First, The Change of the Primitive Condition of Man, by his Defection from the Law of his Creation. This made him obnoxious in his whole Person and all his Concernments to the displeasure and Curse of God, to all the Evil which in this world he feels, or fears in another; to Death Temporal and Eternal. And hence did all the disorder which is in the Ʋniverse arise. All this we have found them freely testifying unto. And this must be acknowledged by all men, who will not brutishly deny what their own Consciences dictate unto them, and which the condition of the whole lower world proclaims, or irrationally ascribe such things unto God, as are utterly inconsistent with his Wisdom, Goodness, Righteousness, and Holiness. And,
Secondly, We have manifested their acknowledgement, that a Principle of Sin, or Moral Evil, hath invaded the nature of man; or that from the sin of our first Parents, there is an Evil Concupiscence in the heart of every man, continually and incessantly inclining the Soul unto Operations suitable unto it; that is unto all Moral Evil whatever. From both these it unavoidably follows, on the first Notions of the Righteousness, Holiness, Veracity, and Faithfulness of God, that mankind in this estate and condition, can justly expect nothing, but a confluence of Evil in this world, and at the close of their Pilgrimage, to perish with a Ruin Commensurate unto their Existence. For God having in Wisdom and Righteousness, as the Sovereign Lord of his Creature, given them a Law, good, just, and equal, and having appointed the Penalty of Death and his everlasting displeasure therein unto the Transgression thereof; and withal having sufficiently promulgated both Law and Penalty, (all which things we have before demonstrated) the Transgression prohibited actually ensuing, God himself being Judge, it remains that all this Constitution of a Law, and threatening of a penalty was vain and ludicrous, as Satan in the Serpent pretended, or that mankind is rendered absolutely miserable and cursed, and that for ever. Now which of these is to be concluded, Divine Revelation in the Scripture, Reason, and the Event of things, will readily determine.