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The Death of Death in the Death of Christ

John Owen 1852
Owen's seminal work defends the substitutionary atonement of Christ, arguing that Christ's death accomplishes redemption and defeats death's power through his sacrificial work.

Works of John Owen, Vol. 10. Edinburgh: Johnstone & Hunter, 1852

From the text

The opening of the work as printed, in the spelling of this edition.

eee, Et Gheologi agit Arey Fem; Sy PRINCETON,N. J. "itty Presented by A.G. Cameron, PhD. BT 775 .09 1827 Owen, John, 1616-1683. The Death of death in the death of Christ St ee RECOMMENDATIONS. Philadelphia, Feb, 15th, 1827. We are heartily glad to hear that Messrs. Wm. Green and George W. M'Laughlin, propose to publish, in a neat 12mo. volume, the Rev. Dr. John Owen's Treatise, entitled "The Death of Death in the Death of Christ." It has long been a very scarce work; and, in our judgment, "is worth its weight in gold" We do earnestly recommend the proposed re-publication to the patronage of our fellow christians. | EZRA STILES ELY, D. D. Pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church, GILBERT R. LIVINGSTON, Pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church, Crown st. G. T. BEDELL, Rector of St. Andrew's Church. SAML. B. WYLIE, D. D. Pastor of the Reformed Presbyterian Church. WILLIAM E. ASHTON, Pastor of the Baptist Church, Southwark. WM. M. ENGLES, Pastor of the Seventh Presbyterian Church. GEORGE C. POTTS, Pastor of the Fourth Presbyterian Church. Gentlemen, The work of Dr.

. ASHTON, Pastor of the Baptist Church, Southwark. WM. M. ENGLES, Pastor of the Seventh Presbyterian Church. GEORGE C. POTTS, Pastor of the Fourth Presbyterian Church. Gentlemen, The work of Dr. Owen, which you propose to re-publish, possesses much merit. Having derived instruction from it myself, I am pleased to see it about to be put into the hands of others. Yours, respectfully, JOHN L. DAGG, Pastor of the Second Baptist Church. Gentlemen, Though not fully acquainted with Owen's Treatise on the Death of Christ, yet having been so much instructed and comforted by some of his other works, I have no hesitation from what I do know of this Treatise, in wishing you every success in its re-publication. I am yours, &c. WILLIAM BALLANTINE, The name of Dr. Owen is sufficient to confer upon any book a title to the attention and respect of all the learned and pious. W. T. BRANTLY, Pastor of the First Baptist Church. RECOMMENDATIONS. The talents and piety of the Rev. Dr. Owen are eminently conspicuous, and render all his works extremely valuable. BENJ.

s. W. T. BRANTLY, Pastor of the First Baptist Church. RECOMMENDATIONS. The talents and piety of the Rev. Dr. Owen are eminently conspicuous, and render all his works extremely valuable. BENJ. ALLEN, Rector of St. Paul's Church. Dr. Owen's Treatise entitled, "The Death of Death in the Death of Christ," contains an elaborate and masterly plea for what is usually denominated "a definite atonement." Those who hold to this doctrine, will here find the best arguments in its favour; and those who object to the doctrine, will learn the strength of the cause which they oppose. Both, therefore, ought, in our judgment, to give this treatise a careful and candid perusal. But beside what is controversial, there is in the work much that is devotional—much that is calculated to promote warm and practical piety. ASHBEL GREEN, D. D. J. J. JANEWAY, D. D. Pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church. W. L. M'CALLA, Pastor of the Eighth Presbyterian Church. Feb. 18th, 1827. THE DEATH OF DEATH IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST.

of the Second Presbyterian Church. W. L. M'CALLA, Pastor of the Eighth Presbyterian Church. Feb. 18th, 1827.

THE DEATH OF DEATH IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST.

A TREATISE OF THE REDEMPTION AND RECONCILIATION THAT IS IN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, WITH THE MERIT THEREOF, AND THE SATISFACTION WROUGHT THEREBY: WHEREIN THE PROPER END OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST IS ASSERTED; THE IMMEDIATE EFFECTS AND FRUITS THEREOF ASSIGNED, WITH THEIR EXTENT IN RESPECT OF ITS OBJECT; AND THE WHOLE CONTROVERSY ABOUT UNIVERSAL REDEMPTION FULLY DISCUSSED.

BY JOHN OWEN, D.D.

PHILADELPHIA: PUBLISHED BY GREEN AND M'LAUGHLIN. Russell & Martien, Printers — 1827.

TION THAT IS IN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, WITH THE MERIT THEREOF, AND THE SATISFACTION WROUGHT THEREBY: WHEREIN THE PROPER END OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST IS ASSERTED; THE IMMEDIATE EFFECTS AND FRUITS THEREOF ASSIGNED, WITH THEIR EXTENT IN RESPECT OF ITS OBJECT; AND THE WHOLE CONTROVERSY ABOUT UNIVERSAL REDEMPTION FULLY DISCUSSED, BY JOHN OWEN, D.D. PHILADELPHIA: PUBLISHED BY GREEN AND M'LAUGHLIN. Russell & Martien, Printers — 1827.

THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

READER, IF thou intendest to go any farther, I would entreat thee to stay here a little. If thou art, as many in this pretending age, a sign or title gazer,—and comest into books as Cato into the theatre, to go out again,—thou hast had thy entertainment; farewell. With him that resolves a serious view of the following discourse, and really desireth satisfaction from the word and christian reason, about the great things contained therein,—I desire a few words in the portal.

resolves a serious view of the following discourse, and really desireth satisfaction from the word and christian reason, about the great things contained therein,—I desire a few words in the portal. Divers things there are, of no small consideration to the business we have in hand, which I am persuaded thou canst not be unacquainted with, and therefore I will not trouble thee with a needless repetition of them. I shall only crave thy leave, to preface a little to the point in hand, and my present undertaking therein, with the result of some of my thoughts concerning the whole, after a more than seven years serious inquiry, (bottomed I hope, upon the strength of Christ, and guided by his spirit,) into the mind of God about these things, with a serious perusal of all which I could attain that the wit of man, in former or latter days, hath published in opposition to the truth which I desire (according to the measure of the gift received) here to assert. Some things, then, as to the chief point in hand, I would desire the Reader to observe: As, 1st.

opposition to the truth which I desire (according to the measure of the gift received) here to assert. Some things, then, as to the chief point in hand, I would desire the Reader to observe : As, 1st. That the assertion of Universal Redemption, or the general ransom, so as to make it in the least measure beneficial for the end intended, goes not alone. Election of free grace, as the fountain of all following dispensations, all discriminating purposes of the Almighty, depending on his own good pleasure and will, must be removed out of the way. Hence those who would for the present, iv THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE. (Populo ut placerent quas fecere fabulas) desirously retain some show of asserting the liberty of eternally distinguishing free-grace, do themselves utterly raze, in respect of any fruit or profitable issue, the whole imaginary fabric of general redemption, which they had before erected.

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Contents

  1. Some* of these make the decree of election to be ante-
  2. This, this is Universalists free-grace, which, in the Scrip-
  3. THE AUTHOR’S PREFACE. vil
  4. Aspice hoc novum, may be set on many villanies: Behold
  5. High suspended on the free-will of man. Add this bor-
  6. THE AUTHOR’S PREFACE. x1
  7. Christ, consisting in its own internal worth and sufficiency,
  8. Christ, it
  9. Non hospes ab hospite tutus, )
  10. Statham; Mr. Rutherfard’s Christ dying and drawing sinners,
  11. DEATH OF DEATH
  12. God, for through him we have access into this grace
  13. HD ares ted
  14. Chap. II. 4s eternally intended. 23
  15. II. Between both these, end awd means, there is this
  16. VI. These things being thus proposed in general, our
  17. John, there is mention of this sending; and our Saviour
  18. Acts xv. 18. known unto God are all his works from the
  19. God worship him, Heb. i. 6. and sending them to proclaim
  20. Abraham, that in his seed:the nations of the earth should
  21. Gol. i. 18, 19. in him. he caused to be hid all the treasures
  22. I. His promise to protect and assist him, in the accom-
  23. Isaialy liii. 7. for when he was reviled, he reviled not
  24. Christ for their everlasting salvation. This then our Sa-
  25. II. The second i is, of laying upon him the punishment
  26. Father’s wrath, and that. burthen which by himself he im-
  27. Chap. lV. 4s eternally intended. | ‘Al
  28. Son may be referred to three heads. The first being a
  29. God, which himself had provided for a sacrifice : and how
  30. III. His intercession for all and every one of those, for
  31. Father, sprinkled with his own blood, for the making out
  32. Spirit, was the eternal fire under
  33. Chap. VI. As eternally intended. 49
  34. God should be made sin and a curse, to be bruised, afflict-
  35. For he interceding above, for all good purchased, and
  36. I. Our first reason is taken from that perpetual union
  37. II. The nature of the intercession of Christ, will also
  38. Jews, prosecuting him to death, and doing to him whatso-
  39. VI. Lastly, a separating and dividing of the death and
  40. The ransom and mediation of Christ, is no larver than his
  41. Christ, in the first most general notion and apprehension
  42. Wherefore, being in some measure acquainted with their
  43. Siac an
  44. John xvii. 9. which yet is no small part of his mediation,
  45. For all sinners, that they may believe; (for that is it which
  46. Saviour accomplished? is it for want of wisdom to choose
  47. But next, is.it a conditon on the part of those for whom
  48. Chap. VIIL. = .4s actually accomplished. - 69
  49. Neither were the rulers without the compass of the fruits
  50. Wherefore,
  51. Chap. VIII. 4s aelually accomplished. 73
  52. Words of Scripture indeed are used; but wrested and cor-
  53. But you will say, divers -places.of Scripture are quoted
  54. Chap. I. Previous Considerations, &c. 77
  55. Lamb for ever and ever, Mev. v. 13. But this is évap-
  56. Jesus Christ, with those other acts of his Mediatorship,
  57. Chap. Il. £nd of the Death of Christ asserted. st
  58. God tous. Arminius with his followers, and the other
  59. Sdly, If the’end of the death of Christ were, to acquire
  60. Chap. tl. End of the Death of Christ asserted. Sh
  61. Saviour, in this work: they are, 7
  62. Chap. III. End of the Death of Christ asserted. _ 89°
  63. Father which he came to. do:
  64. God. Two things are here ascribed to the blood of Christ;
  65. Christ then so bare our iniquities by his death, that by vir-
  66. Now, there is none of all these places but will afford
  67. Chap. II. End of the Death of Christ asserted. 95
  68. Deere the proof and argument were taken merely from
  69. Reply \. It is denied that the death of Christ, in any
  70. Chap. UI. End of the Death of Christ asserted. 99
  71. Reply. I am persuaded that nothing but an acquainted-
  72. Javing down his life, he did that also ; yet. here it is not
  73. Reply. This unrighteous distinction, well explained,
  74. Although I fear, that in this particular I have already
  75. Of the distinction of impetration and application: the
  76. Chap. Hl. End of the Death of Christ asserted. 107
  77. Did he appoint a Saviour, without thought of them that
  78. Also ftom. viii. 32—-34, He that spared not his own Son,
  79. So that when it is said in the Scripture, Christ hath re-
  80. Who hath resisted his, will?
  81. Chap. IV. End of the Death of Christ asserted. 113
  82. Christ, or the consideration of it in God’s prescience, it
  83. TI. Concerning the close of all this, in respect of the
  84. Chap. IV. End of the Death of Christ asserted. 117
  85. The allowable use of this distinction, how it may be
  86. God’s will that Christ should die for any, is his intention
  87. Christ, comes at length to this: God intendeth that he
  88. For a close of all that; which in this cause we affirm,
  89. Lord : for this is the covenant that I will make with the
  90. Chap. I. Universal Redemption. “TS
  91. God, to send Christ to die for men that they might be
  92. Ixxvi. 1,2. He showed his wore unto Jacob, and his
  93. ARGUMENT II. -
  94. If they cannot; but that this faith must be bestowed on
  95. In brief, an intention of doing good unto any one, upom
  96. ARGUMENT IV. "Sa
  97. O man, who art thou that respliest against God ? shall the
  98. He doth not say, that he.only is so ; and yet of necessity
  99. Chap. IT. Universal Redemption. 137
  100. Lord will require of some the utmost farthing, is most
  101. Christ might as well satisfy for them that were eternally
  102. Chap. IV. Universal Redemption. 141
  103. God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the
  104. Chap. IV. Universal Redemption. 143
  105. Chap. EV. | Universal Redemption. 145
  106. If they answer affirmatively, that it is, or that Christ
  107. But, eciecits
  108. Heb. vii. 25. and therefore must faith also be within the
  109. I, Begin we with the word redemption itself; which
  110. God, but are brought nigh unto him, “phes. ii. 13. not
  111. If I should pay a thousand pounds for a man’s deliverance
  112. Reconciliation is the renewing of friendship, between
  113. God also was thus far an enemy tous, that his wrath was
  114. Christ, as is confessed by all, then if he died for all, Lask,
  115. KEM SF, 32: But the thing itself intende by that word,
  116. I shall not enter upon any long discourse, of the satis-
  117. So also is he termed jaacues, 1 John ii. 2. Whereunto
  118. He who is esteemed by many to have handled this ar- -
  119. Chap. VII. Universal Redemption. 167
  120. Now from all this, thus much (to clear up the nature of the
  121. John vi. 38. Neither indeed co the arguments that some
  122. Answ, "The virtue whereby. a man goeth off from the
  123. Now that virtue whereby aman is moved, not to exact
  124. Christ, there came one (whose name andeall things else con-
  125. Chap. VILL. == and Merit of Christ. 175
  126. For instance, God decreed from eternity that he would
  127. Rom. ili, 22. making Christ to become -righteousness. to
  128. Prov. xxviii. 9. [2.] To have no outward enjoyment
  129. Christ from all eternity? yes, chosen in him we are, there-
  130. God laying them on Kink secondly, that he so took them,
  131. Fourthly, that we might go free. All which. we shall
  132. Sixavoovyns dvtg, for the “manifestation of his justice, decla-
  133. This, because it is by some questioned, I shall briefly | con-
  134. Jesus Christ, though the flood fall on him also, yet he
  135. Another argument we may take from two padtiealar
  136. IV. A fourth thing ascribed to the death of Christ, is_
  137. Christ by bis death should merit and procure grace and
  138. Christ died for us; that is in the undergoing of death
  139. Sevae env uxny Gv78 Avepoy ayes MOMAGY, (which words are
  140. Pharisees, ye. are of your Father the devil, and his lusts
  141. Lord of heaven and earth, of his own good pleasure, hideth
  142. Christ keep close to this evidence, and all the world shall
  143. This he yet further confirms, verse 34, by declaring
  144. Scripture, wherein. the former things are proposed; these
  145. Chap. L. Arguments for Universal Redemption. 205
  146. Christ was sufficient to have been made a price for all:
  147. Chap. I. rguments for Universal Redemption. 205
  148. If. A second thing to be considered, is the economy or
  149. Ill. We must exactly distinguish betwixt man’s duty
  150. Chap. I. Arguments for Universal Redemption. . 209

and 127 more sections

Other works by John Owen

The Mortification of Sin
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Of Communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
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The Doctrine of Justification by Faith Through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ
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An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Vol. I
→
An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Vol. II
→
An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Vol. III
→
An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Vol. IV
→
An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Vol. VI
→
Of Toleration
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Pneumatologia: Or, A Discourse Concerning the Holy Spirit
→
A Vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat Lux
→
Theomachia
→
Eschol
→
Moderation a Virtue
→
The Duty of Pastors and People Distinguished
→
The Steadfastness of Promises and the Sinfulness of Staggering
→

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