the first, the Doctor replied, that the title of Evangelist or Apostle, by which the Scripture names them, was much more glorious than that of Saint; for in that name all the people of Gop were alike honoured; yet to please them he yielded to that addition, but as to the other objections, he would by no means consent to any alteration, unless they could prove him to be mistaken in his assertion, and rather chose his book should never see the light than to expunge what he had written upon that subject; and in all probability it had never been printed, had not Sir Edward Nicholas, one of his Majesty's principal Secre taris of State, who was informed of this matter, wrote to the Bishop of London to license it, notwithstanding this objection. This book recommended him to the esteem of the Lord Chancellor Hyde, who, by Sir Bulstrode Whitlocke, sent for him, and acknowledged the service of his late books against Fiat Lux; assuring him that he had deserved the best of any English protestant of late years, and that for these performances the church was bound to own and advance him; and at the same time he offered him preferment if he would accept it: The Chancellor, moreover, told him, there was one thing he much wondered at, that he being so learned a man, and so well acquainted with church-history, should embrace that novel opinion of independency, for which, in his judgment, so little could be said. The Doctor replied, that indeed he had spent some part of his time in reading over the history of the church, and made this offer to his Lordship, if he pleased, to prove that this was that way of government which was practised in the church for several hundred years after Christ, against any bishop he should think fit to bring to a disputation with him upon this subject. Say you so; (said the Chancellor) then I am much mistaken. Other discourses passed between them, particularly about liberty of conscience: The Lord Chancellor asked him what he would desire with respect to liberty and forbearance in the matters of religion? To which the Doctor replied, "That the liberty he desired was for protestants, who assented to the doctrine of the church of England." How the Chancellor related this passage is not known, but in all probability from hence was that calumny raised on the Doctor, as if he would have no other persons permitted to live in England, which he never said nor thought; yea, upon all occasions he has constantly declared it as his judgment, that no peaceable persons holding the foundation of the Christian faith, ought, by the rule of the Scriptures,

Scriptures, or right reason, to have any violence offered to them for their profession of religion, in the exercise of their consciences towards GoD; and though he had sufficient reason at that time to make his proposal for such protestants, yet he did it not then, or at any time, with any design of severity on others, nor would give so much as any tacit consent to the persecuting of any peaceable persons for the profession of their faith, and their worshipping of GoD according to their consciences. But notwithstanding all the good service he had done the church of England in his answers to Fiat Lux, he was still persecuted from place to place, which perpetual trouble inclined him to think of leaving his native country, having received an invitation from his brethren in New England to come thither, and in 1665, he made preparations for that voyage: But the providence of GOD diverted him from that purpose: For now the dreadful plague was begun, which swept away above one hundred thousand, and the lamentable fire broke out in our metropolis, that consumed so great a part of it.

The inhabitants of this land were startled by these awakening judgments of GOD, so that there was a cessation for some time from the prosecution of the laws against the dissenters; and not long after his Majesty's declaration of indulgence to his protestant-dissenting subjects came out, and licences were granted to all that desired them, for public assemblies, all penal laws being suspended. The Doctor, who had lived privately in London for some years, went to visit his old friends at Oxford, and to attend some affairs of his own estate not far from thence; but, notwithstanding all his privacy, he was observed, and intelligence was given of the very house where he lay: Upon which some troopers came and knocked at the door; the mistress of the house came down and boldly opened the door, asking, What they would have? Who thereupon inquired of her, Whether she had any lodgers in her house? Instead of giving a direct answer to the question, she asked, Whether they were seeking for Doctor Owen? Yes, said they; she told them, He went from my house this morning betimes. Then they immediately rode away: In the mean time the Doctor, who she really thought had been gone, (as he told her he intended) arose and went into a field near the house, whither he ordered his horse to be brought, and so rode away presently to London. Fresh invitations were now given him to go to New England, but he had

too

too great a love for his native country, to quit it so long as there was any opportunity of being serviceable here; whilst the liberty continued, he was assiduous in preaching; and it was no small encouragement that now the people who had been awakened by the several judgments that they had felt in so sensible a manner, and convinced of the peaceableness of the nonconformists, of enemies now became their friends and advocates, being ready to protect those whom they used to persecute. Now the Doctor had opportunity of preaching publicly, and setting up a lecture, to which many persons of quality and eminent citizens resorted; and his time was filled up with other useful studies, which produced several valuable books, both learned and practical. We have taken notice of some of the most considerable, and intend to give an account of several others in their order, which may deserve a more particular observation.

In the year 1668, he published his excellent Exposition of the cxxx. Psalm. It was calculated for the service of poor distressed souls in their depths of spiritual trouble; there he has treated largely of gospel forgiveness; and in the whole he has with all plainness, yet with a most penetrating spiritual judgment, consulted the relief of such' souls, who of all persons in the world stand most in need. of compassion; and we shall only add, that it is a book that has been blest for the advantage and comfort of many, and ever grateful to the spiritual taste of all good persons. In this year also he published the first volume of his exposition on the Epistle to the Hebrews, and the three other followed in their order, the last coming out in 1684. It is not easy for us to give a full account of the value and usefulness of this work: it is filled with a great variety of learning, particularly rabbinical, which he has made serviceable to give light into the subject matter chiefly treated of in this Epistle; and withal he has taken care to adapt his exposition to the service of the faith and comfort of Christians, and to recommend the practice of the substantial duties of religion, so that it is hard to say, whether the scholar or the divine shine brightest, through this excellent work. He speaks of it himself in these words: "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; and in the whole course of my studies have not been without some regard thereunto: But now I must say, that after all

searching

searching and reading, prayer and assiduous meditation on the text have been my only reserve; careful I have been as of my life and soul to bring no prejudicate sense to the words, to impose no meaning of my own, or other men's upon them, nor to be imposed on by the reasonings, pretences, or curiosities of any; but always went nakedly to the word itself, to learn humbly the mind of GoD in it, and to express it as he shall enable me." Besides the Exposition itself, there are very learned and accurate exercitations, which serve to illustrate many difficult parts of Scripture, and to answer the design of the whole work; we shall only observe farther, that here the Doctor has enumerated all the arguments, and answered all the main objections of the Socinians, overthrown entirely their whole scheme, and driven them out of the field; so that whoever reads this work needs scarce any other for the assailing of their pernicious errors. About the sitting of the parliament, November 1669, Samuel Parker wrote his discourse of Ecclesiastical Polity, and the power of the civil magistrate in the matters of religion. To this Dr. Owen wrote an answer. Afterwards Andrew Marvell wrote against Parker's book in a very witty satirical way.

There was nothing done this session of parliament against the dissenters, but at their next meeting they drew up a severer bill than ever, which with some difficulty was at length past: When the bill was sent up to the Lords, and debates arose upon it, the Doctor was desired to draw up some reasons against it in the intended severity of it: He did so, and it was laid before the Lords by several eminent citizens and gentlemen of distinction: This paper is called, The State of the Kingdom, with respect to the present bill against conventicles; but it did not prevail: The bill was carried, and passed into an act; all the bishops were for it but two, viz. Doctor Wilkins, Bishop of Chester, and Doctor Rainbow, Bishop of Carlisle, whose names ought to be mentioned with honour for their great moderation. This was executed with severity to the utter ruin of many persons and families. His discourse concerning the Holy Spirit, which he published in 1678, comes next under our particular observation; “It is a subject very difficult to manage, being in itself abstruse and mysterious, (as he himself observes in the preface) and besides the opposition to it has been carried on with much scorn and public contempt" At that time the opposition to the Deity, and personality of the Holy Ghost, and all his operations with respect to the new cre

ation rose to a very great height, and happy it was for the church of GOD, that this excellent person was raised up, who was so well fitted to explain and defend this doctrine: He has told us in the preface, that he knew not of any, that ever went before him in the design of representing the whole economy of the Holy Spirit, with all his adjuncts, operations, and effects: The necessity and importance of treating thus fully of that subject is evident from the nature of it; for in all the dispensations of GoD towards his people, there is no good communicated to them, nothing of worth or excellency wrought in them but by the Holy Spirit. It is the Doctor's own observation, That though the contradictions of some in former ages had been fierce and clamorous, yet all that has fallen out of that kind has been exceeding short of what is come to pass in the days wherein we live. For not to mention the Socinians, who have gathered into one head, or rather ulcerous imposthume, all the virulent oppositions made to his Deity or grace by the Photinians, Macedonians, and Pelagians of old, there are others who profess no enmity to his divine person, yea admitting and owning the doctrine of the church concerning it, are yet ready on all occasions to despise and reproach the whole work, for which he is promised under the Old Testament, and which is expressly assigned to him in the New. Hence it is grown among many a matter of reproach and scorn for any one to make mention of his grace, or to profess that work of his as his, without which no man shall see God, if the Scripture be a faithful testimony." The Doctor adds, "To obviate those evils, to vindicate the truth and reality of divine spiritual operations in the church, to avow what is believed and thought by them concerning the Holy Spirit and his work, who are most charged and reflected on for their profession thereof, &c. and to manifest in all instances that what is ascribed to him is not only consistent with religion, but also that without which religion cannot consist, nor in the power of it be preserved, is the principal design of these discourses."

We cannot but observe farther concerning this work, that this learned and judicious person has not only fully vindicated the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and his operations from the cavils of adversaries, and the contempt of profane men, but he has suited his discourse (as he tells us) to the edification of them that believe, and directed it to their furtherance in spiritual obedience and true holi

ness;