IN last issue we called attention in a short literary notice to the reprint of Dr. Owen’s important work—Meditations on the Glory of Christ—issued by the Sovereign Grace Union. The issue of this important work by the greatest of the Puritan theologians is an event of more than ordinary interest and it gives us an opportunity of calling the attention of our readers to a work of more than ordinary importance in experimental theology. Dr. Owen was not only a master theologian but one who was deeply taught by the Holy Spirit. From his pen there came such masterpieces in experimental theology as his On the Mortification of Sin (1656)—On Indwelling Sin (1668)—Exposition of the 130th Psalm (1668)—On Spiritual Mindedness (1681), etc. No one acquainted with true heart religion can read these works without being profoundly impressed with the spirituality of Dr. Owen, the sanity of his judgment and the power of his intellect in dealing with the great doctrines that came under review. In the realm of theology none of the Puritan writers can approach him, great though they were, as his famous works on the person of Christ, the doctrine of justification, the person and work of the Holy Spirit, etc., clearly show. Our main purpose in this article is not, however, to deal with Dr. Owen as a theologian but
Meditations on the Glory of Christ by John Owen, D.D. With Preface by Mr. J. K. Popham, Brighton, and Biographical Note by Mr. J. H. Gosden, Maidstone. London: Sovereign Grace Union, 31 Imperial Buildings, Ludgate Circus. Price, 3s. 6d.
to direct our readers’ attention to a subject of surpassing interest to every true believer—the glory of Christ. The book before us, though not professedly a sequel to his work Christologia published in 1679, may be regarded as such. In the former work Dr. Owen indicates the field covered by the sub-title—“A Declaration of the Glorious Mystery of the Person of Christ—God and Man: with the infinite Wisdom, Love, and Power of God in the Contrivance and Constitution thereof; as also, of the Grounds and Reasons of His Incarnation; the Nature of His Ministry in Heaven; the Present State of the Church Above thereon; and the Use of His Person in Religion; with an Account and Vindication of the Honour, Worship, Faith, Love, and Obedience due unto Him, in and from the Church.” His object in this work was to illustrate the mystery of divine grace in the person of Christ. In his treatment of the august subject Owen does not deal so much with the Scripture proof of the supreme Deity of the Lord Jesus. He assumes the truth of this and applies his unrivalled powers to expound its relations to the system of Christian doctrine and its bearing on Christian experience and duty. Dr. M’Crie says of this treatise: “A work which together with its continuation—the Meditations on the Glory of Christ—of all the theological works published by individuals since the Reformation, next to Calvin’s Institutes, we would have deemed it our highest honour to have produced.” The treatise on the Meditations on the Glory of Christ has also had warm admirers among competent judges. Hervey in his Theron and Aspasio expresses his admiration in the following words: “To see the glory of Christ is the grand blessing which our Lord solicits and demands for His disciples in His last solemn intercession, John xvii. 24. Should the writer desire assistance in this important work, I would refer him to a little treatise of Dr. Owen’s, entitled Meditations on the Glory of Christ. It is little in size; not so in value. Were I to speak of it in the classical style, I should call it aureus, gemmeus, mellitus.* But I would rather say, it is richly replenished with that unction from the Holy One which tends to enlighten the eyes and cheer the heart, which sweetens the enjoyments of life, softens the horrors of death, and prepares for the fruitions of eternity.” The work, as has been indicated above, is a series of discourses on John xvii. 24—“Father I will that they also, whom thou hast given me be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me.” In his preface to the reader the author says: “The design of the ensuing discourse is to declare some part of that glory of our Lord Jesus Christ which is revealed in the Scripture, and proposed as the principal object of our faith, love, delight, and admiration. But, alas! after our utmost and most diligent inquiries, we must say, how little a portion is it of Him that we can understand! His glory is incomprehensible, and His praises are unutterable. Some things an illuminated mind may conceive of it, but what we can express in comparison of what it is in itself is even less than nothing . . . . Howbeit, that real view which we may have of Christ and His glory in this world by faith—however weak and obscure that knowledge which we may attain of them by divine revelation—is inexpressibly to be preferred above all other wisdom, understanding, or knowledge whatever. So it is declared by him who will be acknowledged a competent judge in these things. ‘Yea, doubtless,’ saith he, ‘I count all these things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.’ He who doth not so hath no part in Him. The revelation made of Christ in the blessed gospel is far more excellent, more glorious, and more filled with rays of divine wisdom and goodness, than the whole creation and the just comprehension of it, if attainable, can contain or afford. Without the knowledge hereof, the mind of man, however priding itself in other inventions and discoveries, is wrapped up in darkness and confusion.” The work on Meditations on the Glory of Christ was the last written of Owen’s works. When he lay on his death bed, in fact the last day of his life in this world, he was informed by Mr. Payne that the last sheets of the book had passed through the press. “I am glad to hear it,” he said, “but O brother Payne! the long-wished-for day has come at last, in which I shall see that glory in another manner than I have ever done or was capable of doing in this world.” It was a fit ending to a life lived for Christ and of gifts of the highest order consecrated to His service that the last theme which exercised his thoughts in this world was the glory of His Redeemer which he was soon to see in a way which he had never seen it in this world. As he got a sight of that glory within the veil he would willingly confess that all that he had seen of it, heard or written about it came far short of the great reality. We had purposed with the instruction of the Holy Spirit and under the direction of Dr. Owen to say something on this theme of surpassing interest which ought to be of growing interest to believers as the years pass away but our allotted space is run out and we must leave this till a later issue. We heartily appropriate Mr. Popham’s words as a fitting conclusion to this article when he says: “The author’s aim, according to the great grace and ability God gave him, was, even when treating of doctrines most profound and fundamental, to set forth the suitability, grace, love, power and glory of Him who came to save the lost. In this beautiful work Owen never gets far away from an experimental, a soul-transforming power of a sight of the Lord of life and glory. He inveighs against errorists and sentimentalists of all kinds, and never was such teaching more needful than now, though our sweet religionists will turn from it with inward bitterness; but to the humbled, humble believer he is a tender, wise, nursing father. He insists on the one thing needful, and shows how the saints are changed into the image of Him after whom they seek. He probes our hearts, discovers the true cause of our leanness, barrenness, darkness, and deathly states, and points to the only remedy—a view by faith of the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. May the Holy Ghost, who enabled His chosen instrument to pen this work, lead many to read it diligently and prayerfully, and, I fear not to say, profit will attend such reading.”
(To be continued.)
*Of gold, of precious stones and of honey.